We are back in Phoenix and headed for Key West tomorrow. One of the highlights of the trip was getting point-blank views of the very rare Five-striped Sparrow. Seeing this bird generally requires driving into one of the canyons of the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson. After missing the bird on our first attempt in Montosa Canyon, we made a second attempt at Box Canyon.
After covering a few miles of washboard dirt road, we started the ascent up the narrow, rocky road as it hugged the canyon walls. As the edge of the road became 20 feet, 100 feet, 300 feet above the canyon floor, Crystal, who is afraid of heights, suggested it was time to turn the car around. Having been up this canyon before, and with the prospect of seeing the sparrow as well as a Thick-billed Kingbird in front of us, my answer was plain and simple... "We aren't turning around."
I parked the car in a 'wide' spot in the road and started walking toward where the sparrow was supposed to be. Another birder was kind enough to post the GPS coordinates of the most recent sighting. As we approached a bend in the road below a 100 foot cliff, Crystal was clearly not impressed with the situation. To her chagrin, I advised the sparrow spot was just around the corner.
As we rounded the corner, there was a group of birders parked at the sparrow spot. I said, "See, I told you this is the place." There was a large van and two other cars parked along the road.
When we approached the birders, I recognized one individual as the birding tour guide I had met last year while roaming around Southeast Arizona. He recognized me as well. It seemed wherever I showed up, he was there with his group. Or, where he showed up, I was already there. So, history was repeating itself.
Quickly, the guide heard, then spotted the Five-striped Sparrow making its way along a bench above the road. It worked above and below the road and ended up too close for me to take pictures. This very rare bird was within 6 feet of me.
The photo above shows how this bird got its name based on the five white stripes on its head.
Further up the canyon, we found the Thick-billed Kingbird to make the trip up Box Canyon a success. While not as rare as the Five-striped, this kingbird isn't a species you expect to see with any sort of regularity.
Two nights later, we ran into the guide and his group 90 miles away in Sierra Vista looking for Elf Owls. If I had to place a bet, I'd say we'll run into him again next year if we don't book a tour with him first.
Speaking of rare bird sightings, another species we observed during our hike into the Chiricahua Mountains was the highly sought-after Elegant Trogon. The trail to the trogons crosses near "the bathtub," a small pool nestled among boulders.
And then, we found the trogon. Less than 10% of this bird's range is in the U.S. Mostly, it is found in Mexico and Central America.
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