Archive for the ‘Nature’ Category

Chiricahua National Monument BnB

June 19th, 2014 by Mike Hug

Chiricahua National Monument – A Short Drive From A World Class BnB

Chiricahua National Monument is a sky island that is located in the southeastern part of Arizona. It is a short day trip from Down By The River B and B. This park was burned in a wildfire during June of 2011 and it will take a while for all the trees to be big and shade the trails again. But there are areas that weren’t affected by the flames and one of them is the picnic area at Massai Point at over 6800 feet elevation. Massai Point is also the trail head for the nature trail, the Ed Riggs and the Echo Canyon trails that lead into the canyon. The rock formations along these trails into the canyon are impressive.

Mexican Jay was watching us eat lunch at the Picnic Area at the Chiricahua National Monument

This entire area was created by a volcanic blast 27 million years ago that was 1000 times larger than the Mt. St. Helens eruption. The 100 cubic miles of material that was ejected during the eruption covered more than 1200 square miles of the surrounding countryside. Over time the Chiricahua National Monument terrain has eroded forming hoodoos, balanced rocks, and formations similar to what you find in Bryce Canyon in Utah. There is a difference in the color of the rocks found in the Chiricahuas, The rocks are brownish instead of the pink you will find in Bryce.

Turkey Creek Caldera from Chiricahua National Monument

The Turkey Creek Caldera that formed the Chiricahua National Monument is visible from the observation building.

From the picnic area it is a short walk to the observation building at Massai Point. From this location you can look south and see the rim of the caldera of the Turkey Creek Volcano. The view to the west is of the Sulphur Springs Valley, Cochise Stronghold and the Rincon Mountains near Tucson about 70 miles away. There is one feature that can be seen from this observation area and it is named Cochise Head. The rocky edifice looks like a head lying down. Since the fire went through you have a better view of the feature. Looking off to the east you can look into New Mexico. The Chiricahua National Monument is a short distance from the border with New Mexico.

Cochise Head formation can bee seen from the Massai Point Observation building at the Chiricahua National Monument.

Besides the natural features in the park, you can spot a variety of animals and birds. The Mexican Jays are always around looking for ways to steal your lunch. Ground squirrels are also nearby to clean up crumbs that may be left by picnickers. On our way out of the park we have seen bears crossing the road and deer feeding near the entrance station. If you keep an eye out there is no telling what you might see. As we were going up the canyon to Massai Point I spotted some wild flowers. On the way back down I was able to stop and get some photographs. One with the redflowers was easy to identify (the Beardlip Penstemon) but the other purplish one I had never seen before. After consultation with a friend we were told that this was most likely a type of Monarda. After searching I did find it and it is also called a Wild Bergamot or Bee Balm.

beardlip penstemon found in Chiricahua National Monument

Red Beardlip Penstemon are on the side of the road in Chiricahua National Monument.

Bee Balm can be found along the road to Massai Pt in Chiricahua National Monument.

After leaving the Chiricahua National Monument you have a couple of choices for returning home. One is to head south and end up on Arizona 191 and stop at Sandy’s Café for ice cream. Along that route is the Lawrence Dunham Vineyard but check to see if they will be open when you are in the area or make a reservation with them. From there take 191 north to Dragoon Road and then west to the I-10. The other way back is to go back to Willcox and the restaurants and wineries in that area. Either way it is a nice day trip for you to enjoy the majesty of nature. So check out Down By The River B and B and see why we are perfect for day trips in Cochise County. Book Today!

View down Canyon To Sulphur Springs Valley from Massai Point in the Chiricahua National Monument.

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San Pedro River Wildlife

June 13th, 2014 by Mike Hug

San Pedro River Wildlife Viewing is great at Down By The River B and B

Two male Black-chinned Hummingbirds were at the feeder together.

San Pedro River wildlife near our b and b is more than just the birds. Being located on the San Pedro River in St. David, Down By The River B and B presents many opportunities for our guests to view wildlife from their rooms or while they are on the patio. We are frequently asked “Do you have any wildlife around on the property?” One guest asked this when we had a small deer herd not 50 yards away from where we were standing. The mule deer blend in so well that the guests never saw them until I pointed them out.

I have photographed mule deer and Javelina next to the house in the early morning. I don’t like to have the javelina around since they can be vicious when they have young around. Usually when they hear noise, you will see them quickly leave the area. We also have skunks and squirrels; you can read about an adventure we had with them one Thanksgiving. Rabbits and hares also are frequent visitors inside the patio area. Some cottontails are almost tame. I walk by them when I am doing something and can get within 5 feet while they keep eating the grass and flowers.

Mule deer are frequent visitors to Down By The River.

We do have predators around also. While our b and b was being built, a neighbor spotted a mountain lion in the river that his dogs treed. We also had a young bear treed a couple of years ago by dogs at another neighbors. I haven’t ever seen track of the mountain lion but did see the bear’s tracks in the river a couple of years ago. We have also spotted a large bobcat on the property and he ignores us and keeps on walking. One time Angie and I were taking down wash from the clothes line when a grey fox came around the corner. He quickly did a 180 when he saw us. Even if I had my camera I don’t think I would have been able to get a photo of him.

Javelina visit Down By the River B and B looking for mesquite pods.

At night coyotes will be howling and yipping. Sort of a reminds me of the old west movies when you didn’t know if it was a coyote or an Indian. Every once in a while you can see the coyotes on the property but they are pretty skittish around humans. We have also spotted raccoons at night on the road that leads to the river. But probably the most interesting San Pedro River wildlife we have seen is the coatimundi. Once you have seen this animal you won’t ever forget it. Click here to see a picture of a coatimundi.

Cottontail rabbits are inside the patio walls feeding on flowers and grasses that grow there.

This is just a short list of the mammals that make up the San Pedro River wildlife. There are also snakes, lizards, tortoises, toads, frogs, fish, a myriad of spiders, insects, moths and butterflies. Over the year there are 400 species of birds that can be found in the area. Down By The River is the perfect spot to view many different fauna. All you need to do is keep an eye out and have a little patience. You will get your chance to hear, see and appreciate nature. Go online and book a room so that you can partake in the viewing of the San Pedro River wildlife.

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Southeastern Arizona Gray Hawk

June 7th, 2014 by Mike Hug

The Southeastern Arizona Gray Hawk is found along the San Pedro River

The San Pedro River is home to the Southeastern Arizona Gray Hawk.

The Southeastern Arizona Gray Hawk can be found along the San Pedro River during the spring and summer months. In the US, the Gray Hawk is a migratory raptor found in Southeastern Arizona, the Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico (scarce in that location) and is a year around resident in extreme southern part of coastal Texas. The Gray Hawk can be found in Coastal Mexico down into Yucatan and into Central and South America as far south as Northern Argentina. Click here to see the map.

However, if you don’t want to travel out of the country, you can come to Southeastern Arizona to view Gray Hawks and stay at a world class b and b within walking distance to the San Pedro River. After we started the b and b, we discovered the Gray Hawks could be seen along this part of the San Pedro River. My first encounter occurred when we drove to the San Pedro and rounded the corner. We saw a hawk which quickly took off to parts unknown. We weren’t really sure what we saw and had no time to take a picture. We knew that it was a smaller hawk and thought we could identify it.

The Gray Hawk didn’t notice us at first.

After reviewing our Sibley’s, we narrowed it down to the Gray Hawk. After we read up on the habits of the bird in this area we found out that it was a migratory bird that nests and raises young along the San Pedro. Over the years we wandered along the San Pedro and saw Gray Hawks many times. I either didn’t have the camera or I could never get my camera up and focused before the bird was gone. I wanted to have something that I could show our guests when they asked if the Gray Hawk was in the area. It was frustrating for me not to have a photo of this hawk while I had many other photos of other hawks. Lady Luck was not with me many times.

Lady Luck allowed me to spot this Gray Hawk and take a photograph of him before he took flight.

Recently, we were headed into town and I decided to grab my camera as we left. I really didn’t expect to see anything but you never know. When we came around the corner onto Escalante I saw a bigger bird on a pole. I knew it was a hawk. We stopped and I shot a quick picture through the windshield. The windshield was rather dirty but at least I would have the picture so I could figure out which bird we were seeing. We moved up a little closer. I opened the car door and slowly got out. The hawk stayed on the pole and I got my zoom lens focused on the bird. I had 4 shots before the hawk took off.

After we got home, I downloaded the pictures onto the computer. When I enlarged the photos I was glad to see a Southern Arizona Gray Hawk. Lady Luck finally allowed me to get my photo after almost 10 years of trying. And to think I almost didn’t bring the camera on that short trip. Now my quest is for a picture of the Mississippi Kite that is in the area.

After my fourth shot the Gray Hawk took wing and left us behind.

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Cochise County Bird Photography

June 1st, 2014 by Mike Hug

Cochise County bird photography can be a challenge but also rewarding

Northern Shoveler taking flight at Twin Lakes Birding Area

Cochise County bird photography requires good equipment, the right location, some patience but a little luck on your side is key. Knowing when the birds are active and where they can be found will give you a leg up on your quest. The San Pedro River is the Cochise County gem that lures birders from all over the world. Most of the river that flows through Cochise County is located in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. Access locations to the river in the conservation area are limited. This makes the birding photography a project that you need to plan so that you can get the full benefit of your day.

Autumn on the San Pedro River

The San Pedro River is the last undammed river in Arizona. The river flows above ground all the way into St. David. Down By The River B and B is unique because we are the only B and B at the northern end of the Riparian Area and we have access to the San Pedro River. Because of our location, one of the four requirements is met when you stay here. Having a good digital camera and a medium range zoom lens will satisfy most situations for Cochise County bird photography. Most birders are patient and will find a location close to activity where they can wait for that shot.

The most elusive thing is luck. I have seen birds posing for their photo when I didn’t have my camera. When I did have my camera, they would fly off before I could get it focused. When I was looking north the bird would be south of me. I have focused on a bird only to have it move to a spot where leaves or branches covered it up or it would turn its head so that you couldn’t see it. Ah but then you need patience right! Well at least persistence.

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San Pedro River Nesting Birds

May 26th, 2014 by Mike Hug

San Pedro River nesting birds can be found at Down By The River B and B

Black-Throated Sparrow will nest in places that make you wonder why they picked that place.

There are many chances to see San Pedro River nesting birds during the spring months. We have had bird nest all over the property at Down By The River B and B. Hummingbirds have nested in the carport. House Finches have been in the trees next to the house. Black – Throated Sparrows have been in baskets in the breezeway and a Virden has been in the cactus next to the house.

The Say’s Phoebe has been nesting on the porch beam for six summers.

But the most persistent bird has been a Say’s Phoebe that has built and maintained a nest for 6 Springs now. She has built the nest in the patio beams at the dining room windows of Down By The River B and B. It has been a lot of fun to watch her do the repairs to the nest prior to laying the eggs. She has had to rebuild the nest once because of a heavy monsoon storm that blew the nest off the beam.

The Phoebe starts the nest by bringing in mud to anchor the materials to the beam. She then brings in straw, twigs and string that she finds in the area. Soon the nest is built up almost 3 inches allowing a little space between the next and the roof of the patio. This year many of the birders that visited were able to listen to the chicks peep for the male and female to return with food. The adults were constantly on the move to find insects to feed the three young.

The last fledgling remained in the nest while the other two and the female were flying around.

Finally two were out of the nest and flying short distances. They stayed together but followed the female. She would fly to a tree and call them. They would call back and finally fly to the tree. The third one was still weak and you could tell that it didn’t want to venture far from the nest. The next day all three were out flying but we believe that the weaker one was finally caught by a Roadrunner. I came out to see the Roadrunner leaving the yard and the female Phoebe buzzing it and making a lot of racket.

One of the young was perched on the sill when I was out with the camera.

We tracked the Phoebe’s for days and finally they weren’t around anymore. Occasionally we see the female back around the nest but we have only glimpsed one bird we think might be one of the younger ones. We have had a lot of our birding guests watch the San Pedro River nesting birds during their stay. The Say’s Phoebe and the activity at the nest are just an example.

The female did finally come back to the nest by herself. She has been flying around catching insects on the wing. This is her territory and she has laid claim to it.

The female would move to a tree and then call her young to get them to fly to where she was.

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Birding The San Pedro House Trails

May 2nd, 2014 by Mike Hug

Birding the San Pedro House trails can keep you involved all day

Birding the San Pedro House start with the trail heading east to the river.

Birding the San Pedro House trails is the next thing to do after viewing the area around the old ranch house. You can read what I wrote about the San Pedro House Birding activities in my last blog. In this blog I will tell you the experience we had walking the trails from the visitor’s center to the river and then along the river and ponds at the San Pedro House. The trail system is quite extensive and when completed will provide about 30 miles of trails running from the ghost towns of Fairbank and Contention in the north down into Hereford. It uses trails along the river and old railroad beds that were abandon long ago.

Birding the San Pedro house river trails is a tranquil and soothing time.

From the San Pedro House, we took the direct route east to the San Pedro River. There are no facilities along the trails so take plenty of water with you. As you near the river the trail splits with one section running north along the river, ending on Escapula Road just north of the old Clanton Ranch ruins. Yes this is ranch homesite of the Clantons who were in the OK Corral Gunfight. The trail follows the river north under the Arizona 90 bridge over the San Pedro and up to an old railroad bed. Follow the bed to the north to the Clanton ruins or back south while birding to the San Pedro House.

The riparian forest in this part of the river is shaded and if you are patient you will see birds flitting around the trees and underbrush. We were watching Ladderback Woodpeckers, warblers and some unidentified brown birds. We spent some time watching the birds but decided that if we were going to get a perspective of this preserve we needed to head south to the pond areas. The trails gives you a choice of directions. You can head over to the Dry Ox Bow which is a Cottonwood Grove was on the river at one time but now is dry or follow the river. We decided to follow the river and see what activity we could find along the San Pedro.

An unidentified brown bird is found when birding the San Pedro House trails.

The tranquil setting is perfect for birding the San Pedro House trails. Down along the banks of the river you find different insects that provide food for the birds. Tent caterpillars were all over in the trees. There is a good flow of water in the river at this point. Birds can be seen in the trees and brush. We enjoyed the Northern Flicker as it moved in and out of our sight on the tree branch. We also discovered a Ladderback Woodpeckers nest in a tree. It flew to a tree so I thought it would be a good place to get a photo.

I looked for a while and finally saw him stick his head out of the hole and chatter at me to leave. The female stopped by and stayed a little above on another branch waiting for us to leave. We finally obliged and headed off to Green Kingfisher Pond. The Green Kingfisher Pond is an old quarry that has filled with water over time. It is not connected to the river but remains filled. At this pond we were greeted by an American Coot, the Vermillion Flycatcher and Wilson’s Warblers.

We decided that we would head back and not go to the Black Phoebe Pond. Our time was starting to run short and we wanted to get to Bisbee before the day ended. There weather was also starting to get a bit blustery and we didn’t want to be caught in the rain. It started drizzling as we reached the car so it turned out to be a good decision. We definitely enjoyed our outing and it will be on our list to return here in the future to do a little more exploring. The San Pedro House is a short distance from Down By The River B and B – The Lodging Hub of Cochise County.

The Green Kingfisher Pond can be found when you are birding the San Pedro House trails.

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San Pedro House Birding

April 22nd, 2014 by Mike Hug

The San Pedro House Birding Attraction Is Being A Globally Important Birding Area.

The signage at the entrance to the San Pedro House birding area is easily seen from the road.

The San Pedro House birding facility is just a short drive away from Down By The River B and B. This birding hotspot is located in the center of the nearly 57,000 acre San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. This Globally Important Birding Area attracts visitors from all over the world. It is a jewel that is prized in Cochise County. With almost 400 species of birds that make their home here along this flyway as either residents or migrants, the San Pedro River birding can be fantastic for someone that wants to spend time in one location. The BLM has a birding check list for the area that you can download here.

The San Pedro House can be reached from the b and b driving on Arizona Highway 80 south to the Highway 90 junction and going west to the San Pedro River. There is a large parking lot at the San Pedro House. The visitor’s center is a gift shop and book store which offers light refreshments and information about the area. There are picnic areas and restrooms on the property. Fee camping is permitted at specific locations.

San Pedro House Birding Area Visitor’s Center is the old farm house.

The property was once a historic cattle ranch with alfalfa fields that is slowly returning to the natural vegetation. The visitor’s center was the original ranch house and is run by volunteers. There are trails that lead from the visitor’s center to the river and then north and south along the river. When completed the trails will interconnect and will cover about 30 miles with access to many areas of interest from the San Pedro House birding location. There is a lot to tell about this area and what can be seen as you enjoy the facilities. I will write about the trails later but for now I am going to focus just on what is around the visitor’s center.

A large Cottonwood Tree estimated to be about 130 years old is located at the San Pedro House birding area

At the visitor’s center there are many things to see and do. The San Pedro House birding has many feeders that attract many hummingbirds. Other seed feeders attract other birds and flycatchers can be found chasing flying insects. Foraging birds can be found around the native vegetation. One of the more impressive things to view are the large Cottonwood trees that are near the old ranch house. One tree has a trunk that I estimate to be twelve feet in diameter. The tree is massive and there are many birds that can be spotted in the branches. The large tree is estimated to be up to 130 years old. The Cottonwood behind the house is almost 60 years old and may be half the size of the bigger one shown here.

The Curved Bill Thrasher was foraging on the grounds at the San Pedro House Birding area

Female Black Chinned Hummingbird picture

The Black-chinned Hummingbirds frequent the feeders at the San Pedro House Birding area.

While Angie was looking in the gift shop, I spent time wandering around the old ranch house and took pictures of 10 different birds in 30 minutes. I saw others but didn’t have time to identify them before they flew off. It was an amazing experience to see so much activity in a short period of time. We do have a lot of birds at Down By The River but we have been watching those birds for almost 10 years and some are almost old friends now but many are easily scared off. We don’t have the large San Pedro House birding enthusiasts being at the location on a daily basis. These birds were different and appeared to accept people being near the feeders. That made photographing them much easier.

The Common Ground Dove can be confused with the Mourning Dove. The spots and the tail are the give away.

After Angie had made her purchases, we got our water and were ready to set out on the trail to the river to find more adventure and to explore the trails and the river. It had been more than 8 years since I have been down to the San Pedro House birding and I was interested to see what we could find. My next blog will tell you what we found down on the river. But if you are interested in seeing the areas, check out Down By The River B and B, The Lodging Hub of Cochise County.

Two male Black-chinned Hummingbirds were at the feeder together.

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San Pedro River Raptors

April 16th, 2014 by Mike Hug

San Pedro River Raptors Fly Over Down By The River B and B at St David

The Northern Harrier was the first Hawk that we photographed of the many San Pedro River Raptors

Our birding guests will find that many San Pedro River raptors can be seen flying over the back of the property at Down By The River B and B. There are a variety of raptors in the area to see and photograph; however, we haven’t been able to photograph all of them. The Northern Harrier was one of the first hawks that we were able to photograph flying over the field along the San Pedro River. Red-tailed hawks are plentiful along the river. There are two types that we see with some frequency. One is the normal Red-tailed and the other one is the Fuertes Morph which is common in this part of Southeastern Arizona.

The difference between the two hawks is best observed when they are in flight and you can see the underside of the bird. The Fuertes Morph is almost pure white underneath with small brown areas on the forward edge of the wing and on the tips of the flight feathers. The Red-Tailed Hawk has browning banding on the tail feathers and the underwings. Once you see the difference each is easy to identify.

The Red-Tailed Hawk has more underwing color than the Fuertes Morph Red-Tail Hawk.

Sharp shinned Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawks are another San Pedro River Raptor we were able to photograph. We had one that hung around the back near the feeders for an hour or two one afternoon. Because he was so accommodating we were able to get a few photographs before he flew off in pursuit of other interests. Needless to say the quail, dove and other small birds found shelter in the brush or trees while he was in the area.

Other San Pedro River raptors we have seen include the Gray Hawks, Mississippi Kites and the Great Horned Owl, in the cottonwoods along the river, The American Kestrel has been seen hovering over the brush looking for prey and then darts down to make the catch before flying back to a tree to feed. Zone Tail, Swainson’s, Coopers and Ferruginous Hawks along with peregrine falcons have all been seen gliding along the tree lined river.

Great Horned Owls Can Be Found In The Barn At White Water Draw.

All this can be seen at a world class B and B in St. David, Arizona. Where else can you have a gourmet breakfast at a relaxing b and b and watch San Pedro River raptors glide over the fields. If you wish to enhance your birding experience check into the birding guides that we have linked on our website at the bottom of our bird page.

All this is yours as you watch from the patio or when you take your short walk to the river. Down By The River B and B is the perfect spot to have a chance to watch hawks, owls and falcons in a secluded peaceful environment. See you there.

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Southeast Arizona Stargazing

April 10th, 2014 by Mike Hug

Southeast Arizona Stargazing – The amazing dark skies will enthrall you.

The bright stars of Sagittarius contains nebula and the Milky Way is a back drop.

Southeast Arizona stargazing is magnificent because of the dark night skies. There are many large telescopes in Pima, Cochise and Gila Counties. Because of the limited light pollution, amateur astronomers come to Southeast Arizona just to take advantage of the stargazing. There are astronomy clubs that have viewings during the darker nights of the month around the time of the new moon.

Down By The River B and B is located in Saint David, an area that is away from city lights. There are few neighbors in the country setting that provide back lighting from their homes. Little traffic is on the roads to add glare to the surrounding area. We also have a telescope that can be used to view the night sky. We have also had guests that bring their own equipment to use at the b and b during the time they spend here doing Southeast Arizona stargazing.

Dobsonian Telescope for stargazing in Benson, Arizona picture

Our Stargazing B and B has a 13″ mirror Dobsonian Telescope

We have had some guests that have stayed here for a longer period of time and have showed us some tricks to use when viewing the dark skies. We have also had a couple of guests that were into astral photography but both used a different device and techniques to take their pictures. Interestingly both were from Canada.

David set his camera up on a tripod and programmed the camera to take pictures at set intervals and had the lens open for specific exposure lengths. He would take up to 100 photographs this way and then use a program that he has to layer each photo on top of each other. The software would then fill in the lines and give a star track view of the sky. Sometimes he would also have a meteor show up on the film.

The picture is focused on the north star and shows that Polaris is not really due north but is offset slightly. Taken By David

Our other guest John had an electronic device that would track stars. The equipment would be mounted on the camera tripod with the camera attached to it. Then the tracker would be aligned with the North Star, After that, he would aim the camera at an object to photograph and take the picture for the time duration he wanted. John does have a special camera that was modified to enhance the pictures using this method but a normal DSLR camera will work. Angie saw my enthusiasm and bought the equipment for me to use.

I have tried it and it takes some work to get the lens focused properly but I am getting better the more I try. I have photographed the moon, and the alignment of Venus, Jupiter and Mercury. My first attempt with the tracking equipment actually worked well enough for me to have a picture of Jupiter with one moon showing. I have tried to photograph Orion with a little success and finally the Pleiades. But alignment and focusing are the key elements for success.

Southeast Arizona Stargazing picture of Jupiter

This is the first attempt at photographing Jupiter. The picture shows the moon to the right side close to the planet.

For others that do not have or know how to use the equipment but would like to view the stars, San Pedro Valley Observatory is within 30 minutes drive and they will show you the stars. Appointments are needed to do the viewing. So next time you want to do some Southeast Arizona Stargazing come to Cochise County and stay at Down By The River B and B. The stars are amazing – See for yourself.

Southeast Arizona stargazing view of Orion

The Constellation of Orion is one of the more well known star formations and the sword has the Orion Nebula in it.

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Lodging For Birders Near Benson

March 22nd, 2014 by Mike Hug

Lodging For Birders Near Benson Can Be A World Class B and B

B and B - Lodging for birders near Benson, AZ

During the monsoon thunderstorms, Mother Nature puts on a show for free

There are options when looking at lodging for birders near Benson, Arizona. There is only one bed and breakfast that has been labeled as one of the most spectacular b and bs in the US. Looking for a b and b located on the San Pedro River, one of the best migratory birding locations in the US. During the year a birder has a chance to find approximately 400 different species of birds along the San Pedro and in the nearby sky islands. There are about 150 species of birds that are year round residents of the area. 250 other bird species either winter or summers in the area or fly through during the Spring and Autumn migrations.

Vermillion Flycatcher after a moth.

Down By The River B and B is the one place where you are able to see a wide variety of birds while staying in a single centralized location. Down By The River B and B offers that unique spot allowing lodging for birders near Benson with access to the San Pedro River. If you wish to take short day trips Down By The River is that perfect spot to use as a lodging base.

Feeders attract the House Finch, American Goldfinch and Lesser Goldfinch near the patio area for easy viewing. A Says Phoebe nests at the porch beams and has done so for the last 5 years. Vermillion Flycatchers, Canyon Towhees and Curved Bill Thrashers can be spotted in the nearby trees during the day. Myriads of sparrows, doves, and quail spend time on the ground around the feeders. The friendly Greater Road Runner makes an appearance looking for lizards around the house. Birders have sat on the porch and enjoyed the view as the birds came to visit.

Goldfinches flock to the feeders at Down By The River B and B.

During migration we have encountered Bullocks Orioles, Red Winged Blackbirds, Blue Grossbeaks, Cardinals, Purple Martins and a variety of swallows. Sometimes we are lucky and get some good photos of the birds that frequent the B and B. The opportunity presents itself when least expected so have the camera ready. A little luck can be helped along when you are prepared.

We also have raptors that fly over the property during the day. The Sharp-shinned Hawk, Coopers Hawk, Red Tail Hawks and Northern Harrier all take time to do a flyover looking for a meal. Guests have spotted Grey Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, and Mississippi Kites along the river during their viewing. So take some time to join us and find out just why Down By The River is perfect lodging for birders near Benson.

The Greater Roadrunner is a frequent guest at Down By The River

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