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Huachucas or Chiricahuas, and other questions (1 Viewer)

Barr Tender

World: 730 ABA: 603 Latest Lifer: Saw-whet Owl
United States
Hello folks,

Two of us Coloradans are coming down to SE AZ for the first week of May to bird.

Does anyone have a preference between the Huachucas or Chiricahua Mountains for any reason? Did the forest fires of a few years ago render any particular areas undesirable, or less birdy?

Is there an Arizona equivalent to the COBIRDS listserv we use up here, where one can get the latest posts and info about recently-sighted birds of interest?

Thanks in advance for all thoughts and suggestions.
 
I am a little partial, but you can't beat the Huachuca Mountains for spring time birding. Hummingbirds, migrating Warblers, Spotted Owls, Trogans, etc. Also it is closer to Patagonia, Patagonia State Park, and Madera Canyon. I'll be in Texas in early May, or would offer to show you some of the sites.
 
We're back from a fabulous trip to the Chiricahuas! (We did the Huachucas a few years back, and we love and recommend them both, for beauty and birds.) The Chiricahuas are definitely more remote, which we liked, and Cave Creek Canyon was awesome!

While we heard but did not see targets Black-chinned Sparrow and Olive Warbler, and were a bit early on the calendar for Sulphur-bellied Fly and Varied Bunting, we did get a dozen lifers-- better than half our list of possibles. Here's the trip list, if anyone's interested (they're not grouped or anything; just in the order we saw them):

Chiricahua Mountains Bird Trip, May 1-6, 2015

Turkey Vulture
Common Raven
Mourning Dove
Collared Dove
Barn Swallow

Common Grackle
House Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Northern Mockingbird
Greater Roadrunner

Swainson's Hawk
Black-headed Grosbeak
Magnificent Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Blue-throated Hummingbird

Lesser (Green-backed) Goldfinch
Acorn Woodpecker
ARIZONA WOODPECKER (Deb)
Mexican Jay
House Finch

Northern Cardinal
Juniper Titmouse
MONTEZUMA QUAIL
YELLOW-EYED JUNCO
American Robin

Western Tanager
Downy Woodpecker
House Wren
Brown Creeper
Steller's Jay

Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker
Pygmy Nuthatch
GREATER PEWEE
Yellow-rumped Warbler
White-breasted Nuthatch

MEXICAN CHICKADEE
Chipping Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
Bridled Titmouse
Western Scrub Jay

Lazuli Bunting
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Pine Siskin
Cassin's Finch
Gambel's Quail

BUFF-BREASTED FLYCATCHER
Brown-headed Cowbird
Canyon Towhee
Pyrrhuloxia
Cactus Wren

Red-faced Warbler
Western Bluebird
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Yellow Warbler
Townsend's Warbler

Swainson's Thrush
Red-tailed Hawk
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Wilson's Warbler
Curve-billed Thrasher

Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Broad-billed Hummingbird
WESTERN SCREECH OWL
Least Flycatcher
Black-throated Gray Warbler

GRACE'S WARBLER
DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER
Cassin's Vireo
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Elegant Trogon

Hepatic Tanager
Painted Redstart
Hairy Woodpecker
Say's Phoebe
Summer Tanager

Scott's Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Hooded Oriole
NORTHERN PYGMY OWL
Green-tailed Towhee

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Loggerhead Shrike
LUCY'S WARBLER
Bullock's Oriole
Brewer's Sparrow

Chihuahuan Raven
Cassin's Kingbird
Great-tailed Grackle
BENDIRE'S THRASHER
Prairie Falcon

Verdin
Western Wood Pewee
Gila Woodpecker
Vermillion Flycatcher
Eur. Starling
 
While we heard but did not see targets Black-chinned Sparrow and Olive Warbler, and were a bit early on the calendar for Sulphur-bellied Fly and Varied Bunting,

Barr Tender, Hello and Nice list - you seem to have found some of the tougher species there - Montezuma quail isn't easy and neither is Bendire's thrasher. However Whiskered Screech, Elf and Spotted Owls and bells vireo (near portal) should be around now. Olive Warbler isn't easy; there are much easier places for black-chinned sparrow and varied bunting which I have seen between cave creek ranch and portal isn't reliable all years anyway.

I love the Chiricahuas - It's really quite lightly birded considering the species you often get there
 
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The Chiricahuas are definitely more remote, which we liked, and Cave Creek Canyon was awesome!

That succinctly states the major distinction between the two, at least from this TX birder's perspective. They certainly are more remote from any westward large concentrations of people, but they are actually easier to reach from the east, and visitor accommodations are more than satisfactory. The Coronado NF maintains three campgrounds of varying degrees of development, and I recently discovered that the NF now offers two cabins (both west of Portal, close to the Cave Creek Canyon entrance) at rates that are not unreasonable. Cave Creek Ranch and George Walker House have traditionally catered to birders, but some CO friends stayed a few years back at a vacation home rental associated with a housing community called Arizona Sky Village: http://www.arizonaskyvillage.com/asv_006.htm (capitalizing on the reputedly optimal astronomical conditions of the area). A survey of other lodging options posted at another site (http://www.portalarizona.com/lodging.html) suggests a few options that must have sprung up in the five years or so since my last visit.

If you're partial to the amenities of civilization, though, the Huachucas are probably a better choice, with fine, accessible habitat at various elevations. If you like having a trail all to yourself for hours, consider the Chiricahuas. If you do, you should certainly consider at least an early & full day in the area around Rustler Park, and a significant portion of any other days along or near the South Fork Trail.

Gary H
 
Cassowary-- we actually got Whiskered Screech and Elf right in front of the Ramsey Canyon Inn (where we were staying, and thanks to Weasel Walraven) seven years ago, along with Spotted in Scheelite Canyon (also thanks, third-hand, to the same guy). We did get Western Screech and Northern Pygmy on this trip. We heard Black-chinned along the road betw. Portal and Paradise, and resumed the chase on Mt. Lemmon, where we heard but did not see the Olive Warbler. Some of these damn things just don't cooperate (and we were way too late chasing).

Gary-- we actually spent 2 nights at the George Walker House, and 2 nights at the Cave Creek Ranch (both were fantastic, esp GWH). Camping would be even better, but we flew in for a short week from Denver, with just carry-ons). We did do Rustler and Barfoot, where we simply lucked out on the Montezuma Quail, sauntering across the road, and got the Chickadee, but missed the Olive Warbler.... And had no business in a rented Dodge Charger, with multiple stream crossings... but what a magical place to be. Chiricahuas rock.

- Dave
 
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The Huachucas are currently hosting a number of rarities, the most prominent of all being this Tufted Flycatcher, found on May 22, 2015, and which I got to see last Sunday (5/24) on upper Ramsey Canyon:
 

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