Portal

Sunday, July 30

Our Arizona adventure began with everyone arriving at the Portal Lodge on Sunday afternoon. Before dinner we went to the home of a nearby resident and watched hummingbirds from her patio. Several members of the group had already spent two days birding around Silver City, NM, so they had a head start on southwestern species.

Monday, July 31

Monday morning we awoke to rain. The plan was to drive along State Line Road to look for thrashers. We did see a Peregrine Falcon, along with a lot of flooded desert. Spadefoot and Great Plains toads were singing everywhere, and we found a big puddle full of mating toads. Eddie and Jim Marlett were delighted. After breakfast the rain continued, so we napped until about 10:30. It was still raining lightly, but we decided to ignore it. We went up Cave Creek Canyon and chased Elegant Trogans around for half an hour before finally getting good looks. We also found a pair of Arizona woodpeckers.

After lunch in the picnic ground, we drove up the road to the Research Station. We watched hummingbirds at their feeders, with Broad-tailed, Rufous, Blue-throated, Magnificent, Black-chinned and Calliope all putting in appearances.

We drove Paradise Road to return to Portal, but almost couldn't make the low water crossings. The rain had raised the water level in the creek substantially. Eddie didn't try it in his minivan, but the rest of us plowed through. Later we heard that that road was supposed to be closed, and everyone was urged not to drive it. We watched more hummers at the George Walker House in Paradise, with our best looks yet at Magnificent Hummingbird, and also got Juniper Titmouse. On the way back to Portal we stopped for a picture of the scenery and were rewarded with a cooperative Bendire's Thrasher, who sat on an agave stalk so everyone could see him.

After dinner we went owling. We walked the road in Cave Creek Canyon for an hour looking for the Spotted Owls, with no luck. We went to Idlewild campground and played owl tapes. We got two Whiskered Screech Owls to talk to us, but we never saw them. It started raining again, so we gave up and went back to our beds.

Portal