August 6 - Across Arizona to Tucson

I packed my gear and left the cabin in Dead Horse Ranch State Park, driving into town to eat at Randall’s, which is an excellent place for breakfast: Good food and great serving staff.

I drove out of Cottonwood on Highway 260, then south on Highway 87, stopping to look for birds at a water hole on the Coconino National Forest, and while I was walking around, a cowboy comes through the gate to round up some cattle and fix a fence.  He was quite passionate about the birds, wildlife, and the beauty of his part of the country, and we had a good little chat.

Chipping Sparrow

This cowboy let me know about another couple of side roads that led into the ponderosa forest.  I took his advice and drove a mile in on forest road 9366 and walked around a clear-cut, picking up Plumbeous Vireo for a year bird.

I was also intrigued by the juncos here.  This is the Red-backed subspecies Junco hyemalis dorsalis, which has, of all things, a red back.  This form differs from the Gray-headed Junco in that it has a bi-colored bill.

The cut had also been burned; perhaps it was the other way around, and it was salvage logged after a fire?

In any event, the junipers and Gambel’s Oaks were re-sprouting from the stumps, and there was little regrowth from the pines.

I think this is Utah juniper, Juniperus osteosperma

From little acorns, the mighty oak grows . . .

I continued south, ending up in Tucson, and checking into the DoubleTree Reid Park, and ate my supper at the motel’s salad bar.  Tomorrow begins the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival, and the many field trips.

House Wren on the Coconino

Zane Grey Highway eBird Checklist is Here

Coconino National Forest eBird Checklist is Here