Archive for the ‘Nature’ Category

Arizona Winter Birding – Cochise County has it all

Northern Shoveler taking flight at Twin Lakes Birding Area

Arizona winter birding is a treat for many Midwestern and Canadian travelers escaping the snow and cold weather of their hometowns. But the question is where to go. Well southern Arizona comes to mind. The northern area of the state offers higher elevations and you will find snow and colder weather. This isn’t necessarily good for finding birds but it is great for snow pictures of the Grand Canyon and Sedona red rock country.

The southern part of the state is much better for an Arizona winter birding experience. In fact there are a lot of birds that winter in the southeastern part of Arizona. There are also birds that live in this part of the state all year around. With the autumn migration season over at this point, many birders are making plans for visiting during the spring migration. But there are winter birders that want to go to a warmer area of the country and still see birds.

The birding in Cochise County is always fun to do and this is one of the 5 best birding areas in the US. There is a great festival that is held in January in the town of Willcox, Arizona. It is called Wings Over Willcox and the festival runs from January 14 thru the 18, 2015. During this time period, there are many activities and tours that you can participate in while enjoying the outdoors. This link will take you to the planned activities.

When the Sand Hill Cranes arrive they come in waves.

One more of my favorite things to do in Cochise County is to head for White Water Draw to see the San Hill Cranes as the birds return from feeding. The San Hill Cranes winter in this part of Arizona. I wrote a blog on this almost 2 years ago. Along with the cranes are other water birds, including Snow Geese, Loons and a variety of ducks that share the lake system at White Water Draw.

Ducks And Other Water Foul Fill One Of The Ponds

Another Arizona winter birding location is along the San Pedro River where the resident birds can be found foraging in the brush along the river. The San Pedro House has a great trail system that is part of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. The NCA runs from the Mexican border to just south of St. David, Arizona. At the northern end of the NCA, you will find the highly rated Down By The River B and B with easy access to all parts of Cochise County and the Arizona winter birding hot spots. So start planning your Arizona winter birding get away right now and investigate what is offered at our b and b.

Down By The River is the perfect lodging for the Arizona winter birding enthusiast.

San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area – A Birders Wonderland.

Birding the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area is accessed from few locations. One location is the San Pedro House where trails give easy access  to the river..

The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (NCA) encompasses over 56,000 acres is managed by the BLM. The riparian area is located in Cochise County, Arizona. The NCA extends from the Mexican border to Saint David, 40 miles to the north. The San Pedro River meanders northward through the NCA providing water, forage. There are more than 80 species of mammals, including recently a Jaguar. Nearly 400 species of birds can be spotted. There are about 250 birds that migrate through the area in spring and fall or nest here in the winter. There are also more than 40 reptiles and amphibians that can be found in the preserve.

Birds can be found nesting along the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.

The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area was set aside by law on November 18, 1988 to preserve the vanishing desert riparian ecosystem. This type of ecosystem was extensively found in the Southwest prior to Arizona becoming a state. The NCA is one of the few locations in the southwest that still has a continuously flowing river system. The San Pedro River is the only river in Arizona that is still free flowing. The center of the NCA is located at the San Pedro House. I have written about this site in a previous blog and you can follow this link to read about it.

The area is believed to have been inhabited about 13,000 years ago. A mammoth kill site and a Clovis site can be found in the NCA. In addition to these sites, there are ruins of an old Spanish Presidio, Santa Cruz de Terrenante, established in 1776. During the mining rush, the San Pedro River was a site of mills and towns. These old ghost towns are now part of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area and many are accessible from trails along the river..

The Norther most range for the Gray Hawk is the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. They can be seen in Saint David during the summer.

These days the San Pedro River draws naturalists, bird watchers and people that love explore the sites along the river.  With the great variety of birds, the birders come to the area to fill in those elusive birds on their life list. The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area is the northern most range for some birds from Central America during the summers breeding season.

Being an NCA, there are few locations that have lodging available along the San Pedro River. Down By The River is the only b and b that is located at the north end of the NCA. The river is easily accessible from the b and b and the patio faces the tree lined San Pedro River. We are centrally located and provide easy access for day trips to many of the birding hotspots or other historical sites in Cochise County. Look us over and try us out.

Southeast Arizona Wildflowers Bloom After The Monsoons Start In July

Southeast Arizona Wildflowers first blossom are found on the Cactus like Cane Cholla.

Southeast Arizona wildflowers start to bloom in the spring but after the monsoons start, there is a profusion of colors on display across Cochise County. The varieties of colors are numerous and the blooming starts with the cactus and a few varieties of other plants. Driving on the roads and hiking the trails can show you visual delights from the flowers as they bloom. As the spring becomes summer and then fall the blooms will change and you will see different plants that add their colorful flowers.

The Dwarf Morning Glories appear in June and last through the entire summer.

In the spring we have many of the cacti blooming as the nights warm up. The reds from the Cane Cholla, the pinks from pincushion cacti and yellows and oranges from the Prickly Pear give a splash of to brighten the landscape. The Velvet Mesquite adds to the scene with the whitish yellow flowers that hang from the branches of the trees. There are also some smaller clusters of flowers that come out before the rains including the violet colored Wild Dwarf Morning Glory, the yellow and orange Indian Rushpea and the white Spreading Fleabane. The large Jimsom Weed with the white and purple flowers can also be found blooming in the sandy areas.

White Easter Mojave Buckwheat, purple Mock Vervain and yellow Desert Marigolds all add to the colors you will see when you find Southeast Arizona Wildflowers.

But with the monsoons the colors of Southeast Arizona wildflowers explode throughout the county. The ground will get enough rain to germinate last year’s seed and will add many new red, orange, yellow, purples and white flowers. Under the mesquite tree next to the B and B becomes covered with vines of bluish Morning Glories, and red Trans Pecos Morning Glories. Included in the mix are Golden Crown Beards, Globe Mallow and the San Pedro Daisies. The orchid like flower of the Devils Claw is also found interspersed in the vines. We have staked the area with an old chair and limbs to allow the climbers to extend up into the mesquite. It becomes covered by the vines that you don’t dare enter because you don’t know what is hiding in the area. All of the growth is natural as we haven’t planted a seed. We do some trimming to make sure we don’t lose total control. Wandering over the property and along the San Pedro River you will find many different flowering plants that are native to this part of Southeast Arizona.

The red Trans Pecos Morning Glories add color to the purple Morning Glories and Golden Crown Beards.

So if you want to see the beauty of Mother Nature’s garden come to Down By The River and view the Southeast Arizona wildflowers. You can also take a look at our Pinterest page for the flowers that we have photographed around the B and B. The two pins are Bristly Beauty and Petal to the Medal That isn’t as good as seeing it yourself but it will give you a representation of what you are missing. Come join us for monsoon season and see the lightning storms in the afternoon and the wildflowers in the morning.

The desert has a beauty that some people never see. Take to the back roads during the Southeast Arizona wildflower season and you will be surprised with what you find along the road.

Birding at Paton Hummingbird Haven – Put It On Your Bucket List

The White Breasted Nuthatch is one of the many birds you will see at the feeders.

Birding at the Paton Hummingbird Haven is a great activity no matter what type of birder you are. Amateurs as well as the experienced birder will be awed by the variety of birds found at this one location. Click here to see the activity. I did a blog earlier on the history of the Paton Hummingbird Haven. This portion will go into what we saw and did after we arrived. Upon arriving at the property we found the gate open and parked in the shade of a large tree. Arizona people tend to find shade first and if it is close to where you want to be, all the better. Entering the gate we headed toward the unassuming house. The caretaker was watering and we took a little time to talk with him. Angie continued talking while I went on to find the seating area and check out the birds.

Bridled Titmouse were flying in and out of view, They did stop at the tree feeder long enough for me to get this photo.

No one was at the Haven when we arrived so I picked out a spot to set up my camera and tripod then began shooting photos. The layout of the area allows for birding to happen all around you. You are not able to take everything in and so there are opportunities in other areas that you don’t know about. The forest is to the west, and seed feeders are to the north and south. To the east is the house with the hummingbird feeders hanging from the eaves. You are within 50 feet of seed feeders in the seating area under the tent. The hummingbird feeders are closer and if you wish you can get a chair and sit within 5 or 10 feet of the hummingbird feeders.

There are three more areas that you might miss when birding at the Paton Hummingbird Haven. The ground has activity where birds have knocked seed out of the feeders. There is also a feeder that is located on a tree that attracts woodpeckers and nuthatches to name a few.  But also look up and you will see hawks and vultures flying overhead. Great photos are yours for the taking just have a little patience because Lady Luck is sitting right there. In the first 20 minutes I was having a field day with shooting pictures. I didn’t know if these birds were here for a little while and then would leave not to be seen again for hours. After that I tended to focus on more quality photos.

Northern Cardinals were in the area. Both the male and female made an appearance

This Broadbilled Hummingbird was one of 5 species we saw at the Paton Hummingbird Haven during our time there.

As people arrived to the tent, the birds would fly off but return relatively quickly once they are seated. We met several other birders during the time we were there and everyone was pointing birds out to others. Identification was easy for many birds but in my case I would rather take the pictures and then sit at the computer so that I can see and compare. For me it is much easier to find a bird when you have time and aren’t savvy enough to pick it quickly out of a book. I believe that we saw almost 30 different birds along with 5 different hummingbirds while we were birding at the Paton Hummingbird Haven.

The Blue Grosbeak was easy to spot at various locations while we were view the birds at Patons.

200 + photos and three hours later we were starting to get hungry. We decided to go out to get lunch. We wanted to go to the Velvet Elvis for pizza since we have heard so much about it. But alas they are open Thursday to Sunday only. Instead we went to the Gathering Place. The sandwiches were very good and for dessert get one of the homemade cookies. They were oh so good!  After lunch we decided to take another route home to Down By The River B and B. The next blog will be about the San Rafael Valley and our adventure there.

I photographed four different species of birds all in a tree at the same time. White winged Dove, Brown headed Cowbird, Blue Grosbeak and Bronze Cow Birds

Paton Hummingbird Haven – A Birders Paradise

The open gate at Paton Hummingbird Haven

Paton Hummingbird Haven  is a short day trip from Down By The River B and B that will take you through wine country and into the rolling hill country of Patagonia. This drive is very scenic with scattered oak trees dotting the landscape after you leave Sonoita.  The Paton Hummingbird Haven started as the home of Wally and Marion Paton in 1974. They found this ideal spot located on a quiet back street with a wooded area surrounding the property. Over the years the Paton’s developed the site to attract birds and butterflies. The property was covered with hummingbird and seed feeders.

Over the years bird watchers would gather outside the yard to look at the birds. The Paton Hummingbird Haven was a draw and the Patons finally allowed the visitors to enter the property to better see the birds. They installed a tent cover

The Paton Home at Paton Hummingbird Haven

and placed seating under it to give the birder some shade and allow them to relax while viewing the activity. The Haven also had a plastic tote that contains birding identification books for the use of the birders. That is a nice thing to have if you forgot your copy. There is also a white board where people put down what they have seen. The site became famous all over the world for the opportunities to see a large variety of birds in a single setting. With reports of over 200 species of  birds having been seen in the yard over the years, this location is probably the highest number that have been recorded anywhere.

The tent awning and seating are for birders to use at Paton Hummingbird Haven.

When Barb and I opened the B and B in 2005, we had heard of the Paton’s site in Patagonia but with all the things you have to do to provide a good B and B experience for your guests we never were able to visit the location. Many of our guests have told us about this venue and raved about the many birds that they had seen. This past year I  had heard that the American Bird Conservancy, The Tucson Audubon and Victor Emanuel Nature Tours were working together to purchase the site from the Paton heirs. The goal was to purchase the property and to be able to maintain this fantastic birding experience for future birding enthusiasts.

White board Bird List is available for birders to add their sightings at Paton Hummingbird Haven.

Recently Angie and I decided to plan a day when we had no guests and make a day trip to Paton’s and see exactly what everyone was talking about. With that in mind we set out early one morning to head for Patagonia. The trip took us a little over an hour but the scenery is magnificent. We enjoyed the drive and once we were in Patagonia we looked for 4^th Ave, made a right turn and went to Pennsylvania St. Turning left we drove to 477 Pennsylvania and parked in the shade of a large tree. The Haven has a caretaker that waters the yard and keeps the feeders filled. This is a constant job for one person. He told us that he goes through more than 20 pounds of seed a day.  There is more to learn about this great place and so the next blog will go into the experience that we had looking at the birds during our stay at the Paton Hummingbird Haven.

Birders at Paton Hummingbird Haven taking their pictures.