I headed toward Miller Canyon and Beatty’s to see all the wonderful hummingbirds that were reported there as well as the Brown-backed Solitaire that had been seen two days earlier. All of the sanctuaries in the canyons and private yards charge $5 to access them… but it didn’t seem excessive because I was expecting it in advance.
I drove up Miller Canyon and got to experience better looks one of the life birds I had seen the day before, Mexican Jay, a whole flock was flying back and forth across the road. My first life bird of the day was a Hepatic Tanager, which didn’t quite get close enough for a really good view. While I was trying to photograph the bird a nice Border Patrol agent came up and started chatting it up. Seems illegal aliens use these wonderful birding canyons to cross the border that is at the summit of the local mountains. I do wish the people coming into the United States could do it legally and respect our laws and culture. I feel sorry for the individuals but after seeing what the illegals growing pot in Fay Canyon did with all the environmental damage they did with absolutely no conscience, I am less sympathetic. After I saw 9 illegals get picked up by two coyotes in a van, I wished I had paid more attention to the agent when he yelled out his number.
There were plenty of cars at the end of the canyon next to Beatty’s with people looking for the solitaire (which BTW, I found out later was seen in Ramsey Canyon that day, but alas not by me).
I decided not to hike up to try to see the solitaire… just went and enjoyed sitting around the feeders and meeting the interesting Beatty patriarch and his son. They were really helpful in identifying the birds. They had some great dogs to pet too! After taking many photos of hummingbirds, I walked around their trail and saw a few life butterflies. I took a photo of a Bordered Patch butterfly and was readjusting the camera when the endangered Huachuca Mountains frog jumped up and ate it! So much for that butterfly.
Overall, I really enjoyed Beatty’s the best and makes me want to emulate the welcoming atmosphere at the Kern River Preserve. The opportunity to peacefully photograph birds was really great. I scored five (maybe six) life hummingbirds here: Broad-billed, Broad-tailed, Violet-crowned, White-eared, Berryline, and Blue-throated (which I believe I actually saw in Kern but didn’t see it long enough or have anyone else see it to verify).
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- Nature Ali’s Grand Adventure – Day 29 Route of Travel
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- Road to Beatty’s in Miller Canyon
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- Hepatic Tanager (life bird) in Miller Canyon – Hereford, AZ
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- Ash Canyon, Hereford, AZ
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- Ash Canyon – Hereford, AZ
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- Coronado National Forest
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- Coronado National Forest
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- Coronado National Forest
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- Coronado National Forest
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- early bird gets the worm in Coronado National Forest
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- Yellow-eyed Junco in Coronado National Forest above Carr Canyon
After Miller I went off to Ash Canyon Bed and Breakfast to try for the Lucifer Hummingbird. I did get to see the bird but it was not as fun as the Beatty’s. Knowing that the day was getting short, I needed to keep moving so I headed up Carr Canyon with the goal of finding a Red-faced Warbler, alas, I never found one, but I did find two more life birds, Buff-bellied Flycatcher and Yellow-eyed Junco.
I headed to one last place before leaving southeastern Arizona, the San Pedro River, I was hoping for a Gray Hawk, but seemed when I went somewhere with a target in mind I left empty binoculared… I did see the rare Varied Bunting that had been reported… my last life bird of the trip.
I reluctantly left birding paradise to head home. I intended to get as far as possible and stop and sleep at a rest area as I had the entire trip. There were thunderstorms looming so I headed out with an eye to the sky. I would stop this time if rain threatened again. Although I encountered no rain the most bizarre weather crossed my path, I can only call it ground turbulence. The winds were whipping back and forth causing the car to rock back and forth which felt just like turbulence I had felt during several plane rides.
I finally ended the day in a rest area in Tonopah or so I thought… I slept an hour in the car before the oppressive heat had me awake and on the road again. I couldn’t keep my eyes open so I stopped again for an hour in Quartzite awaking an hour later to continue the journey.
370 miles
