Day 13 (Continued) - Journey to Fort Davis
I don’t know what we were expecting, but both Sarah and I were surprised by the huge size of El Paso. It took the best part of an hour to travel through the urban sprawl of fast-food outlets, budget Hotels and stores, before we found ourselves back in the desert.
We were extremely relieved when we finally left the monotonous interstate to head south towards the Davis Mountains, where we were going to spend the next two nights. The usual Northern Harriers and Red-tailed Hawks kept us company on the lonely highways, and by this point I was keeping an eye out for Pronghorn Antelope.
It was dusk when we reached our accommodation in Fort Davis, and after dropping off our bags, we decided to take the half hour drive to Alpine to get some dinner. On the way back, several Mule Deer were seen feeding on the roadside verges and even in the yards of Alpine itself.
Day 14 (February 23) - Davis Mountains Scenic Loop
The day began with our second trip to Alpine as the supermarket had been closed the previous evening. After buying breakfast and a picnic lunch in town, we headed back towards Fort Davis and the Davis Mountains.
We had only been on the road a couple of minutes when I spotted a fresh road killed antelope on the side of the highway. Immediately I started surveying the surrounding ranch land and was soon rewarded with a small herd of Pronghorn feeding happily away, seemingly unfazed by the recent death of a family member. We stopped the car and watched them for a couple of minutes, before they got tired of our presence and ambled off.
Further up the road we stopped at a picnic area to dispose of the heap of empty water bottles and coffee cups that had accumulated in the car over the last few days. While making use of the recycling facilities, a squeaky call alerted me to Ladder-backed Woodpecker on an overhanging tree. Meanwhile, our only Eastern Phoebe of the trip sat on a nearby fence post, occasionally leaving its perch to catch an insect.
The rest of the day was spent driving around the Fort Davis Scenic Loop - a 74 mile route which circles some of the Davis Mountains most beautiful scenery. It also happens to be a great road for wildlife viewing, despite the fact that most of the area is in private ownership.
Our first port of call was the Davis Mountains State Park where I was informed by the park host (an old bloke in a huge RV) that the Montezuma Quail have not been seen at the feeding station for a couple of years. This was disappointing as my brand new A Birder’s Guide to the Rio Grande Valley (Lockwood et al, 2008) suggested otherwise. Around the feeders the first Rock Wren of the holiday provided some compensation, together with Pine Siskin, House Finch and a Ladder-backed Woodpecker.
We left the park in glorious sunshine after taking a birdless, but pleasant walk at the viewpoint. Western Bluebirds frequented the roadside trees as we made our way around the loop, stopping for a late lunch at the Lawrence E. Wood Picnic Grounds.
Here we saw Western Scrub-jay, Acorn Woodpeckers and more Western Bluebirds. Not content with the picnic area, we walked the trail adding few new birds apart from a couple of chattering Bushtits. The highlight for me was our first reptile in the form of an Eastern Fence Lizard which was doing its best to camouflage itself against a fallen log.
Sarah also spotted a ‘packrat type’ mammal which I disappointingly managed to miss. As we walked back to our car numerous Coyotes howled from the hills in the distance.
The final part of the Loop cut through lower, more open country where we added Vesper Sparrow to my life list. Lilian’s Meadowlarks perched on roadside fences while Red-tailed Hawks soared above. Mule Deer emerged to feed at the roadside and as the daylight began to fade, we completed our circle and ended up back at Davis Mountains State Park. Here we enjoyed a perfectly fine evening meal at the Black Bear Restaurant before embarking on a night drive to look for the nocturnal creatures.
A Javelina was our first mammal of the night, followed by several Mule Deer, a number of Black-tailed Jackrabbits and a Grey Fox. I had hoped for Hog-nosed Skunk or Porcupine but I guess both these species are relatively uncommon and seldom seen.
An unexpected bonus came in the form of a large owl which was briefly highlighted by my car headlights as it flew across the road. Although it initially reminded me of the Barred Owls I have seen in Florida, looking through the field guides suggest that a similar sized Spotted Owl would be a very rare sighting in the area. A Great Horned Owl seems to be a much more likely candidate although I will never know for sure.
I only intended to drive part of the Scenic Loop, but somehow got carried away and ended up completing the entire circle again! We returned back to the hotel exhausted but content with our day in the Davis Mountains.
Day 9 (February 24) - Marathon and Big Bend
We left Fort Davis early the next morning and soon spotted a Javelina on the roadside about a mile out of town. A quick stop at the ‘Eastern Phoebe picnic area’ revealed the only Wild Turkeys of the holiday feeding in the adjacent pasture, while half an hour later a group of Pronghorn were seen from the highway, shortly after passing Alpine. The sun was shining and it seemed like we were on a roll.
I had vague directions for a prairie dog colony several miles north of the town of Marathon although I was not overly optimistic of success for several reasons. Firstly, prairie dogs are often persecuted by landowners and prior extermination of the animals was a real possibility. Secondly, Prairie Dogs are often dormant in winter, so individuals may not have been active above ground, despite the hot weather. Thirdly, I had absolutely no idea what a prairie dog town looked like, especially one situated in middle of miles of monotonous ranch land.
Anyhow, we turned north in Marathon and drove several miles up the road to where the colony was supposed to be. Our second Pronghorns of the morning watched us pass before continuing to feed along side a large herd of cattle. Moments later I parked the car on the grass verge and scanned the surrounding ranch land for signs of activity. A very pale flyover Red-tailed Hawk looked a good candidate for Ferruginous Hawk until I saw the red tail! Nearby a Loggerhead Shrike sat on a telegraph wire waiting for an early lunch.
With no prairie dogs to be seen I was about to return to the car when I noticed two dark shapes slinking across the terrain some distance away. Grabbing my bins I was delighted to see a couple of hungry looking Coyotes watching me watching them! After numerous road-kills it was fantastic to finally see these creatures alive and well. It also occurred to me that the Coyotes might be heading to the nearest fast food outlet for a prairie dog dinner so I continued my search with new enthusiasm.
A mile further up the road we eventually found the prairie dog town complete with good numbers of Black-tailed Prairie Dogs. I quickly set up my scope and watched them go about their daily activities for much longer than I initially intended. Fortunately for the prairie dogs the Coyotes never did turn up.
As we past through Marathon for the second time we made a brief stop at ‘The Post’ - a well known county park famous for its birds. On the long entrance track we came across a large sounder of Javelinas drinking from a water trough. Far more timid than the Cave Creek animals, they quickly dispersed when I stopped the car.
We found The Post devoid of people, although several bird species were taking advantage of the water sprinkling system.
Killdeer, Canyon Towhees and our first Golden-fronted Woodpeckers were easily observed around the picnic area, while Black and Say’s Phoebe (below) hunted insects in full view.
The marsh held Common Yellowthroat and an unseen Marsh Wren, and Mallard and Coot frequented an area of open water. It was easy to see how this oasis could turn up so many rarities although with time at a premium we had no time to search for our own. As we passed through Marathon for the last time I noticed a sapsucker drilling a tree in a roadside garden. Frustratingly the bird flew off before I could investigate further. A Curve-billed Thrasher was also noted.
An hour or two later we finally arrived at Big Bend National Park to be greeted on the entrance road by several Greater Roadrunners (below) and some Canyon Towhees. We called into the information centre at Panther Junction to find out about any recent wildlife sightings and then proceeded to the Chisos Mountains where we enjoyed a late lunch in the lodge restaurant.
Already I was immensely impressed with the natural beauty of Big Bend and when we passed a sign informing us we were now in ‘Bear and Mountain Lion country,’ my admiration for the place increased ten fold.
We spent the rest of the day relaxing after checking into our accommodation at the Lajitas Resort, situated about half an hour from the park. Unfortunately, the resorts nature area was closed due to heavy flood damage from the adjacent Rio Grande River, although there still appeared to be enough habitat left to form a mini local patch for the next few days.
Day 16 (February 25) - Big Bend National Park
Eager to explore my patch, I was up early enough to see the spectacular Texas sunrise. A Greater Roadrunner was still asleep on the wall of a nearby house as I made my way down to the river.
Before I started researching my trip to Texas I always assumed the Rio Grande was a fairly large river, at least big enough to require a lengthy swim to get to the other side. I also imagined steep riverbanks, rapids and a host of other features making the crossing between Mexico and the USA a hazardous affair.
In reality the Rio Grande is nothing more than a glorified stream, easily passable with a good pair of waders, or in some parts Wellington boots! While the boarder is heavily fortified with high fences and helicopter patrols nearer to El Paso, in the Big Bend area it seems crossing between Mexico and Texas requires nothing more than the removal of footwear.
It never ceased to amaze me how close my patch was to Mexico. In fact many of the birds I recorded on the first morning were actually on the Mexican side of the river. One such bird was a Pyrrhuloxia which I watched drinking from the river for several minutes. Moments later I spotted my first ‘Mexican Ducks’- a race of Mallard where both sexes feature female type plumage.
A couple of pairs of Bufflehead soon came into view, together with some Gadwall, a Pied-billed Grebe and some American Coots. A distant wader turned out to be my first ever Spotted Sandpiper and a nearby shrub held an elusive Marsh Wren.
Other good birds seen on my patch that morning included a couple of Northern Rough-winged Swallows and a Black-tailed Gnatcatcher – both much appreciated lifers. I also noticed many Raccoon footprints around the boat ramp causing me to consider an evening spotlight session. I later decided that this was probably a bad idea in such a highly sensitive area.
After breakfast Sarah and I headed back to Big Bend where we decided to visit the Rio Grande Village and Campground. To my dismay I found the broadwalk nature trail closed due to the same floods which had damaged the reserve at Lajitas. There were still plenty of places to bird around the campground so all was not lost.
While Sarah sat in the sun writing her postcards, I worked the surrounding trees finding my first Orange-crowned Warblers, together with Roadrunners, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, Golden-fronted Woodpeckers and many other more common species.
We spent the afternoon hiking the Lost Mine Trail in the Chisos Mountains. Whilst the views were spectacular, wildlife was limited to a couple of Spotted Towhees and some Mexican Jays. Following our walk we enjoyed a meal at the Chisos Mountain Restaurant overlooking the national park.
At this point I should mention that the restaurant lays on an impressive salad bar with a large selection of tempting cuisine. It is, however, a very good idea to read the labels on each of the many sauces and dips. Otherwise - if you are especially stupid - you may end up with chocolate spread on your grated carrot, jalapeños and lettuce. This combination doesn’t taste particularly good and you get some really funny looks from the waiting staff!
After my interesting meal at the restaurant we headed back to our resort, hopeful of seeing some nocturnal critters along the way. A Grey Fox was our first sighting before we had even left the mountain. This was followed by a single Javelina feeding on the roadside and several Black-eared Jackrabbits and Desert Cottontails.
Day 17 (February 26) - Reptile Huntin'
Today was probably the most eagerly anticipated morning of the holiday- I was meeting Daryl, a local fieldherper, for a morning of reptile hunting on his own property. We met nice and early and went straight to his land near to the town of Terlingua. The temperature was already high and we wasted no time flipping rocks in search of snakes and other creatures.
Daryl is extremely passionate about the reptiles found in Texas and his knowledge on the subject is limitless. After a couple of hours we had seen Canyon Lizards, Big Bend Tree Lizards, tarantulas, scorpions but no snakes. The nearest we came was a tiny snake skin recently shred and left under a rock, perhaps only days earlier.
Daryl explained how rock flipping is often unproductive in the Texan desert, especially following a period of dry weather. The rocks were heating up fast so we decided to try our luck at another site, also in private ownership.
Again we went to work slowly making our way up the side of a cliff, taking care not to slip on the loose rocks. The desert plants seemed especially hostile at this particular site, and cut me to shreds at every opportunity. I have come across many unpleasant plants around the world, including ‘wait-a-while’ in Australia, and thorns in Botswana designed to repel elephants. However, I have never come across anything as evil as the Lechuguilla, or Shin-dagger to use its colloquial name.
More Tree Lizards were seen, together with an active honey bee hive in the rock face. While searching the top of the cliff for Rock Rattlesnakes I accidentally flushed a huge Great Horned Owl which flew up to another perch frustratingly out of site from my naked eye. For the only part of the morning I wished I had brought my binoculars.
We ended the morning having seen no snakes. I was hot, sunburnt, dusty and bleeding from various wounds all over my body. However, I can seriously say I have never enjoyed a fieldherping session so much despite not seeing a single snake. Daryl is a great host and I promised to meet him again in the future for some road-cruising – a much more productive way to see snakes in the desert.
I returned to the hotel for a shower after which Sarah removed what felt like a hundred cactus spines from my body. We then drove to Big Bend for a late afternoon walk to Burro Spring.
Black-throated Sparrows (below) and Rock Wrens were seen together with Northern Harrier and Red-tailed Hawk.
After an evening meal in the Chisos Mountains, we embarked on another night drive, this time taking a much longer route home to maximise our chances of seeing some wildlife. A family of Javelina was our first mammal, followed by the obligatory Grey Fox, Back-tailed Jackrabbits and Desert Cottontails. We also saw a range of small, unidentifiable rodents as they ran across the road, briefly illuminated by the car headlights.
While driving past Dugout Wells I was at first puzzled by a strange animal that bounded out of the scrub and leaped across the road, only metres from the car. It took a few seconds for me to realise I had seen my first ever Bobcat, albeit very briefly. According to park literature, sightings of Bobcat are rarer than those of Mountain Lion in Big Bend!
Near to Lajitas I unavoidably ran over a jackrabbit, despite the fact I was driving about 10 mph under the speed limit. An unfortunate end to a great day.
Day 18 (February 27) - Big Bend again...
I started the morning with a pre-breakfast stroll through my Lajitas patch adding a much wanted Vermillion Flycatcher to my patch, trip and life lists. I noted the usual waterfowl and Spotted Sandpiper, together with Great Blue Heron, Rough-winged Swallows, House Finch and a small group of Lesser Goldfinch.
After a leisurely al fresco breakfast spent watching Yellow-rumped Warblers in a nearby tree, Sarah and I returned back to the Rio Grande to seek out one creature in particular. The temperature had risen significantly since our earlier visit and I immediately started scanning the half submerged logs. A minute later I was looking at a basking Rio Grande Slider- a turtle endemic to the area. Although the animal was officially in Mexico, I wasn’t going to complain too much. While walking back to the car we noted our only Osprey of the holiday as it flew over head following the course of the river.
We moved on to Big Bend, eager to make the most of our last day in the park. While driving down the entrance road I spotted the silhouette of a huge snake basking on the roadside although it slid off into some grass the moment we passed. After a split second glance in my rear view mirror I slammed on the breaks stopping only metres down the road. I leapt out of the car and ran back to where I had seen the snake to find it had completely disappeared into the scrub. The smell of burning rubber was almost overpowering and the tyre marks on the road are probably there to this day. Frustratingly I have no idea of the snake’s identity, although Western Diamondback Rattlesnake must be a good candidate. Nothing annoys me more than an unidentified snake!
As most Big Bend Black Bear sightings occur in the Chisos Mountains, we decided to spend the rest of the morning hiking the Chisos Basin Loop Trail. Birds were thin on the ground but included Western-scrub-jay and Spotted Towhee. Fresh bear scat was found on the path and unfortunately this was the nearest we came to seeing a wild bear.
After visiting a few more sites around the park, we ended up at the Rio Grande Village to find it less busy than our previous visit. A walk to the boat ramp produced a colourful Vermillion Flycatcher, several Common Ravens and a couple of Golden-fronted Woodpeckers. A fly over Turkey Vulture was also noted. According to my checklist this bird is relatively rare in winter within the national park.
As I walked back towards the car I spied two Coyotes loitering around the campsite, no doubt looking for food left by earlier picnickers. They didn’t seem two bothered when they noticed me watching them and appeared more interested in finding dinner. Disappointingly they paid no attention to a nearby Roadrunner.
By now the light was fading and we decided to head up into the mountains for our evening meal. It was between the Rio Grande Village and Panther Junction where we came across our first Scaled Quails running along the roadside. This species is supposedly common throughout the area so finally seeing them was quite a relief.
Once we turned off the main road towards the restaurant we saw a White-tailed Deer (Carmen race) and an Eastern Cottontail Rabbit in quick succession. Both species prefer the higher elevation habitat of the Chisos Mountains and are seldom seen lower down in the desert.
After a tasty Mexican meal we drove back to our accommodation seeing the usual Javelinas and nocturnal rodents.
Day 19 (February 28) - Lake Balmorhea
Both Sarah and I were awoken in the middle of the night by a sandstorm caused by extremely high winds wrecking the prospect of an early morning patch visit. The temperature had dropped significantly overnight forcing us to wear our coats for the first time in two weeks.
We skipped breakfast and loaded the car in record time. By now the wind was less intense although it remained cold for the rest of the morning. A Ferruginous Hawk was spotted just outside Terlingua, although I nearly didn’t stop thinking it was just another Red-tailed Hawk.
The journey to Alpine passed with nothing of note apart from a smart Western Scrub-jay looking out of place on a telegraph wire.
The only mammals noted were traffic victims such as this unfortunate Striped Skunk. It did puzzle me somewhat, how a road with such a low density of vehicles could produce so much road kill.
Although our destination for the next few nights was El Paso, we decided take a detour to Lake Balmorhea for some en route birding. It was between Alpine and Balmorhea when the journey became very interesting.
As we left Alpine our normally reliable satellite navigation decided to take us in the wrong direction, forcing us to recalculate the route once we realised the mistake. To rectify the error we were directed off the highway down a side road, which according to our map eventually intercepted the Interstate where we wanted to be.
As the road was tarmac we agreed to take the short cut but soon regretted this decision when several miles later it turned to a rutted, corrugated, dusty dirt track. With over twenty more miles to go we nearly turned back, but decided to press on to save a couple of hours driving time. Surprisingly the surrounding ranch land supported an impressive amount of wildlife.
A Cooper’s Hawk was our first decent bird and we enjoyed good views as it flew over the car before landing on a nearby bush. A couple of Northern Harriers, including a stunning male, soon followed, together with at least ten Red-tailed Hawks. While the raptors were good, they paled into insignificance compared to the next sighting.
While the road itself was narrow, it was bordered by extremely wide verges and high stock fences, presumably to keep cattle off the road. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed an animal leap over one of these fences and casually trot across the road in front of the vehicle. I quickly realised I was looking at a huge Bobcat - easily one of the most impressive wild animals I have ever seen.
After scowling at us for a second, the cat proceeded to jump the second fence with absolutely minimum effort before vanishing into the scrub flushing countless Scaled Quails and meadowlarks as it went. To say I was gobsmacked would be a gross understatement!
I was still buzzing from the Bobcat when several miles up the road Sarah spotted a bird of prey like no other we had seen. It was soon joined by a second bird, then a third. Before long we were watching no less than five Harris’s Hawks – the first and only ones of the holiday.
I was sorry when we finally reached the main highway, although I soon cheered up when we arrived at Lake Balmorhea. Although not exactly situated in the most picturesque of surroundings, what Balmorhea lacked in looks, it made up with birds.
From the store where we purchased the necessary visitor permit we could see a large flock of Snow Geese, although a careful search failed to score a Ross’s Goose. Both Western and Clarke’s Grebes were present in good numbers, together with the first Ring-billed Gulls we had seen since California.
As it was a Saturday, the perimeter road was busy with various pick-up trucks belonging to the local fishermen. This made stopping in certain areas problematic although we did manage to see an impressive range of species while driving around the waters edge.
Vermillion Flycatchers (below right) and Say’s Phoebes perched on various trees and shrubs while our first American Pipits (below left) mixed with White-crowned Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Red-winged Blackbirds lower down in the scrub.
Killdeer shared the shoreline with Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets, and waterfowl included Lesser Scaup, Cinnamon Teal (below) and Shoveler. Rough-winged Swallows and Black Phoebes hunted insects over the water, while a couple of cormorants were most likely Double-crested but too far away to be sure.
Perhaps the star bird of the afternoon was a large flock of American White Pelicans which flew over the lake in an impressive formation. By now we were running out of time so we made our way back to the highway where we had a couple more hours of driving time to make up.
We ended the day in a nondescript motel in the urban sprawl of El Paso. This was to be our base for the last two nights of our holiday.
Day 20 (March 1) - El Paso and the Franklin Mountains
We had planned to use our last remaining full day for some last minute shopping but neither Sarah or I relished the thought spending an entire day in a featureless shopping centre. I had read about an inner-city park which sometimes held small numbers of Neotropic Cormorants so tentatively suggested to Sarah that it would be interesting to venture into the centre of El Paso to look for this bird. Amazingly she agreed and an hour later we were driving through a rather rundown area of the city looking for the site.
We eventually arrived at Ascarate Park and I was pleasantly surprised to find it contained two sizable lakes, surrounded by various picnic areas and sports fields. We were constantly reminded of our close proximity to Mexico by the high security fence that loomed in the distance, while every so often our serenity was spoilt by the noisy Border Patrol helicopters as they flew overhead.
American Wigeon and Ring-necked Ducks were soon spotted among the many feral Mallard, while distant cormorants and Ring-billed Gulls lined the waters edge.
A flyover Red-tailed Hawk caused a commotion among the various waterfowl as I watched a Great-tailed Grackle pick a fast food wrapper out of a waste bin. As I set up my scope to grill the cormorants I noted a couple of Northern Rough-winged Swallows hawking insects over the water.
I soon picked out three Neotropical Cormorants on the far wall. Smaller than the accompanying Double-crested Cormorants, I also noted the V-shape border on the chin patch and the longer tail. Happy with the new addition to my life list we left Ascarate Park and headed to the attractively named Fort Bliss Sewage Ponds at the other side of town.
We arrived at Fort Bliss to find two of the ponds completely dry. The third pond contained a single coot and about a metre square of water! The scrub around the ponds held various sparrow flocks, although White-crowned and Lincoln’s were the only two species I saw well enough to identify. As usual Red-tailed Hawks and Northern Harriers were present, as was a small Accipiter which looked very good for a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Although I wouldn’t recommend it in a conventional vehicle, it was possible to drive around the site. I stopped in several areas to look for the Prairie Rattlesnakes which are said to be common in the area. Instead I found many shotgun shells, empty beer cans and several other hints that the ponds are well used as a meeting place for the local delinquents.
For the first time on my holiday I felt uneasy, almost like we were trespassing. The lack of birds wasn’t helping and when a gang of kids turned up on off-road bikes we decided to move on.
I’m sure Fort Bliss Sewage Farm offers great birding at many times of the year, and perhaps if we had looked harder we would have seen more. However, on this particular day I was glad to be leaving the site behind in favour of the Franklin Mountains.
The Franklin Mountains overlook the city of El Paso and we visited the Franklin Mountains State Park late afternoon. At first the area seemed as birdless as Fort Bliss with only Black-throated Sparrow, Rock Wren and Red-tailed Hawk showing themselves.
Despite the wind picking up, Sarah and I decided to go for a walk along the nature trail and soon stumbled upon an excellent feeding station which seemed to have attracted creatures from miles around. House Finch were the most conspicuous birds on the feeders, together with smaller numbers of Canyon Towhees, Mourning Doves and Black-throated Sparrows. Every so often a train of Scaled Quails appeared in a nearby wash, although only a couple of individuals seemed brave enough to venture in front of the hide.
Other birds noted included Pine Siskin, Curve-billed Thrasher, Pyrrhuloxia (below) and White-crowned Sparrows.
Finally, two cheeky Texas Antelope Squirrels added some much appreciated mammal activity to the feeding frenzy.
We watched the feeders until the park closed and we had to leave. Disappointingly the nearby shopping centre was open until late, although I couldn’t complain too much having spent the majority of our last day birding.
The next day Sarah and I packed up our belongings for the last time and drove the short distance to El Paso airport where we bid farewell to our faithful hire car. After receiving our boarding passes we continued through security where my spotting scope caused some interest at the X-ray machine (I’ve never been so eager to admit my birdwatching to a total stranger!) Some time later we were enjoying our complimentary drinks several thousand feet up in the sky.
Apart from a couple of hours birding in Phoenix between connecting flights, our fantastic 4,000 mile road-trip had come to an end.
Books I found useful
Kays RW & Wilson DE (2002) Mammals of North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.
Kemper J (2001) Birding Northern California. Morris Book Publishing, Guildford, CT.
Lockwood MW, Mckinney WB, Paton JN & Zimmer BR (2008) A Birder’s Guide to the Rio Grande Valley. American Birding Association, Asheville, NC.
Sibley DA (2005) The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America. Alfred A Knopf, New York.
Stebbins RC (2003) Western Reptiles and Amphibians. Peterson Field Guide. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.
Taylor RC (2005) A Birder’s Guide to South-Eastern Arizona. American Birding Association, Asheville, NC.
Wauer RH & Elwonger MA (1998) Birding Texas. Globe Pequot Press, Guildford, CT.
Species Lists
Birds
| Red-throated Loon | Gavia stellata | Probable seen distantly in Monterey Bay CA on whale watching trip |
| Common Loon | Gavia immer | Two in San Francisco Bay CA. Several in Monterey Bay CA |
| Eared Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | Common in coastal waters of California |
| Pied-billed Grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | Common in various lakes, rivers and ponds throughout trip |
| Western Grebe | Aechmophorus occidentalis | Common in coastal waters of California. Also Lake Balmorhea TX |
| Clark's Grebe | A. clarkii | Common in coastal waters of California. Also Lake Balmorhea TX |
| Northern Fulmar | Fulmarus glacialis | Monterey Bay CA |
| American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | Large flock observed over Lake Balmorhea TX |
| Brown Pelican | Pelecanus occidentalis | Common in coastal waters around San Francisco and Monterey Bay CA |
| Brandt's Cormorant | Phalacrocorax
penicillatus | Common around Monterey Bay CA |
| Double-crested Cormorant | Phalacrocorax auritus | Several off San Francisco CA. Common on Lake Balmorhea and in Ascarate Park, El Paso,TX |
| Neotropic Cormorant | P. brasilianus | Several at Ascarate Park, El Paso, TX |
| Black-crowned Night-heron | N. nycticorax
| Several around Crespi Pond, Monterey CA.. Also noted at Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ |
| Snowy Egret | E. thula | Fairly common on ponds in California and Arizona |
| Great Egret | Ardea alba | Four in fields near Piedras Blancas CA. Also noted at Gilbert Ripaian Reserve AZ and Lake Balmorhea TX |
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | Common around water throughout trip |
| Mute Swan | Cygnus olor | Exploratorium, San Francisco CA |
| Snow Goose | Chen caerulescens | Single (feral?) at Crespi Pond, Monterey CA. Large flock at Lake Balmorhea TX |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | Common on water throughout trip. ‘Mexican Mallard’ seen on Rio Grande TX |
| Northern Pintail | A. acuta | Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ |
| Gadwall | A. strepera | Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ; Also noted on Rio Grande, TX |
| American Wigeon | A. americana | Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ; Also Ascarate Park, El Paso, TX |
| Northern Shoveler | A. clypeata | Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ |
| Cinnamon Teal | A. cyanoptera | Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ |
| Green-winged Teal | A. crecca | Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ |
| Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | Several noted on Crissy Field Pond, San Francisco CA. Also Lake Balmorhea TX |
| Ring-necked Duck | A. collaris | Exploratorium, San Francisco CA; Ascarate Park, El Paso TX |
| Greater Scaup | A. marila | San Francisco Bay CA |
| Surf Scoter | Melanitta perspicillata | Pillar Point CA; Monterey Bay CA |
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | Recorded at Crissy Field Ponds and Pillar Point CA. Also on Rio Grande TX |
| Red-breasted Merganser | Mergus serrator | Single bird in San Francisco Bay CA |
| Ruddy Duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | Noted at Crissy Field Ponds CA. Also several other sites |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | Several seen on Californian coast. Couple also noted in Big Bend NP TX |
| Northern Harrier | Circus cyaneus | Common. Several seen most days |
| White-tailed Kite | Elanus leucurus | One individual recorded over marsh at Pillar Point CA |
| Cooper's Hawk | Accipiter cooperii | Several individuals seen throughout trip including two in urban areas |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | A. striatus | Probable seen in flight at Fort Bliss Sewage Farm, El Paso TX |
| Harris's Hawk | Parabuteo unicinctus | Five seen together near Alpine TX |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | Very common throughout trip. Seen daily |
| Ferruginous Hawk | B. regalis | At least one seen well near Lajitas TX. Several ‘possibles’ while driving in Arizona and Texas |
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | Single bird over the Rio Grande at Lajitas TX |
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | One feeding with ravens at side of Highway 9 through New Mexico |
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | Adult over highway between Grand Canyon and Flagstaff, AZ |
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | Very common. Seen daily |
| Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | Four seen from rest stop between Fort Davis and Alpine, TX |
| Scaled Quail | Callipepla squamata | Small numbers seen in Big Bend NP TX. Also at Lake Balmorhea and near Alpine TX. Common at Franklin Mountains State Park, El Paso TX |
| Gambel's Quail | C. gambelii | Several seen around feeders at Cave Creek Ranch, Arizona. Also observed at Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens, AZ |
| Virginia Rail | Rallus limicola | One at Crespi Pond, Monterey CA |
| Sora | Porzana carolina | Singles at Crespi Pond, Monterey CA and Gilbert Riparian Reserve AZ |
| Sandhill Crane | Grus canadensis | Two large over-wintering flocks seen from Highway 9 in New Mexico |
| American Coot | Fulica americana | Common on various ponds and lakes throughout trip |
| Black-bellied Plover | Pluvialis squatarola | Small numbers at Pillar Point CA |
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | Several at Gilbert Riparian Reserve AZ. Also ‘The Post,’ Marathon TX and Lake Balmorhea TX |
| Black Oystercatcher | Haematopus bachmani | Noted at Pillar Point TX and Asilomar State Beach, Monterey TX |
| Black-necked Stilt | Himantopus mexicanus | Gilbert Riparian Reserve AZ |
| American Avocet | Recurvirostra americana | Gilbert Riparian Reserve AZ |
| Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularia | Small numbers seen on the Rio Grande TX |
| Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | Single at Point Pinos, Monterey CA |
| Long-billed Curlew | N. americanus | Single at Crissy Field Ponds, San Francisco CA |
| Willet | Catoptrophorus semipalmatus | Pillar Point CA |
| Marbled Godwit | Limosa fedoa | Pillar Point CA |
| Black Turnstone | Arenaria melanocephala | Pillar Point CA |
| Sanderling | Calidris alba | Half Moon Bay CA and Pillar Point CA |
| Western Sandpiper | C. mauri | Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ |
| Least Sandpiper | C. minutilla | Crissy Field Ponds, San Francisco CA. Also Gilbert Riparian Reserve AZ |
| Long-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ |
| Wilson's Snipe | Gallinago delicata | Single at Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ |
| Black-legged Kittiwake | Rissa tridactyla | Couple seen on whale watching trip, Monterey Bay CA |
| Mew Gull | Larus canus | Common around San Francisco CA |
| Ring-billed Gull | L. delawarensis | Common on Californian coast. Also seen in Texas at Lake Balmorhea and Ascarate Park, El Paso |
| California Gull | L. californicus | Monterey Bay CA |
| American Herring Gull | L. argentatus | San Francisco CA |
| Glaucous-winged Gull | L. glaucescens | Common in San Francisco CA and Piedras Blancas CA |
| Western Gull | L. occidentalis | Extremely common on Californian coast, especially around San Francisco |
| Heermann's Gull | L. heermanni | Fairly common on Californian coast |
| Common Murre | Uria aalge | Good numbers seen from whale watching trip, Monterey Bay CA |
| Rhinoceros Auklet | Cerorhinca monocerata | Probable seen in Monterey Bay CA from whale watching trip |
| Feral Rock Dove | Columba livia | Common in cities throughout trip |
| Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | Common |
| White-winged Dove | Z. asiatica | Common in SE Arizona and Texas |
| Eurasian Collared Dove | Streptopelia decaocto | Common in Texas |
| Inca Dove | Columbina inca | Phoenix Botanical Gardens AZ |
| Peach-faced Lovebird | Agapornis roseicollis | 3 seen at Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ. Not tickable! |
| Rose-ringed Parakeet | Psittacula krameri | Small group seen in parkland bordering McDowell Road, San Francisco CA |
| Greater Roadrunner | Geococcyx californianus | Common in desert scrub of Arizona and Texas. Most often seen crossing road! |
| Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | One flushed in daylight off cliff face, Terlingua TX. Probable seen on night drive in Davis Mountains TX. Heard only at Cave Creek Ranch AZ |
| Belted Kingfisher | Ceryle alcyon | Single seen over marsh at Pillar Point CA |
| Blue-throated Hummingbird | Lampornis clemenciae | Seen at feeders of Cave Creek Ranch AZ |
| Magnificant Hummingbird | Eugenes fulgens | Seen at feeders of Cave Creek Ranch AZ |
| Anna's Hummingbird | Calypte anna | Common in San Francisco CA and Phoenix AZ |
| Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | Singles in San Francisco CA and at Cave Creek Ranch AZ |
| Gila Woodpecker | Melanerpes uropygialis | Phoenix Botanical Gardens. AZ |
| Golden-fronted Woodpecker | M. aurifrons | Fairly common in Big Bend NP TX. Also ‘The Post,’ Marathon TX |
| Acorn Woodpecker | M. formicivorus | Common and conspicuous at Pinnacles National Monument CA, Cave Creek AZ and Davis Mountains TX |
| Ladder-backed Woodpecker | Picoides scalaris | Fairly common around Cave Creek Ranch AZ. Seen daily in Texas |
| Arizona Woodpecker | P. arizonae | 2 seen in Cave Creek Canyon AZ |
| Black Phoebe | Sayornis nigricans | Common around water throughout trip |
| Eastern Phoebe | Sayornis phoebe | Single bird seen at rest stop between Fort Davis and Alpine, TX |
| Say's Phoebe | S. saya | Birds seen at Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ, ‘The Post,’ Marathon TX, Big Bend NP TX and Lake Balmorhea TX |
| Vermilion Flycatcher | Pyrocephalus rubinus | Singles at Lajitas TX, Big Bend NP TX and Lake Balmorhea TX. |
| Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | Common and seen daily throughout SE Arizona and Texas |
| Western Scrub Jay | Aphelocoma californica | Birds seen in Pinnacles NM CA, Grand Canyon NP AZ, Davis Mountains TX |
| Mexican Jay | A. ultramarina | Common around Cave Creek Ranch AZ and in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend NP TX |
| Yellow-billed Magpie | Pica hudsonia | 2 seen on approach road to Pinnacles National Monument CA (eastern entrance) |
| American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | Common throughout trip |
| Common Raven | C. corax | Common and seen daily after San Francisco CA. Especially numerous in mountains |
| Chihuahuan Raven | C. cryptoleucus | Several from Highway 9 in New Mexico |
| Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris | Large flock seen from highway between Grand Canyon and Flagstaff, AZ |
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | Several at Lajitas TX, Lake Balmorhea TX and Ascarate Park, El Paso, TX |
| Bridled Titmouse | Baeolophus wollweberi | Common around Cave Creek AZ. Also seen at Montezuma’s Castle AZ and in Davis Mountains TX |
| Juniper Titmouse | B. ridgwayi | Grand Canyon NP, AZ |
| Oak Titmouse | B. inornatus | Pinnacles National Monument CA |
| Verdin | Auriparus flaviceps | Fairly common around Phoenix AZ e.g. Gilbert Riparian Reserve |
| Bushtit | Psaltriparus minimus | Davis Mountains, Texas |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | Common in woodland throughout |
| Marsh Wren | Cistothorus palustris | Several heard at ‘The Post,’ Marathon TX. Seen well at Lajitas TX |
| Bewick's Wren | Hryothorus bewickii | Cave Creek Ranch AZ |
| Rock Wren | Salpinctes obsoletus | Common in Davis Mountains TX and Big Bend area TX |
| Cactus Wren | Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus | Common in desert scrub of Arizona and Texas |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula | Common in woodland throughout |
| Black-tailed Gnatcatcher | Polioptila melanura | Several seen around the Rio Grande and at Big Bend NP TX |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ. Also seen in Big Bend NP TX |
| Western Bluebird | Sialia mexicana | Common in Davis Mountains TX |
| Townsend's Solitaire | Myadestes townsendi | Single in Grand Canyon NP AZ |
| American Robin | Turdus migratorius | Common in California and around Cave Creek AZ |
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus | Birds seen in San Francisco CA and Cave Creek Canyon AZ |
| Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | Common, especially in Arizona and Texas |
| Curve-billed Thrasher | Toxostoma curvirostre | Fairly common and seen most days in Arizona and Texas |
| California Thrasher | T. redivivum | Several birds seen along the Californian coast from Highway 1 |
| American Pipit | Anthus rubescens | Balmorhea Lake TX |
| European Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Common and seen most days |
| Phainopepla | Phainopepla nitens | Single bird at Phoenix Botanical Gardens AZ |
| Orange-crowned Warbler | Vermivora celata | Rio Grande Campground, Big Bend NP TX |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | Dendroica coronata | Common and seen daily |
| Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | Common in marsh habitat throughout trip |
| Northern Cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | Common in Arizona and Texas |
| Pyrrhuloxia | C. sinuatus | Common in SE Arizona and Texas |
| Albert's Towhee | Pipilo alberti | Common around Phoenix AZ |
| California Towhee | P. crissalis | Several seen at Pinnacles National Monument CA |
| Canyon Towhee | P. fuscus | Common in desert scrub of Texas |
| Spotted Towhee | P. maculatus | Birds seen at Pinnacles National Monument CA and in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend NP TX |
| Black-throated Sparrow | Amphispiza bilineata | Common in desert scrub of Arizona and Texas |
| Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | Several noted around Cave Creek Ranch AZ. Also seen daily in Texas |
| Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | Davis Mountains TX |
| Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia | Pillar Point CA |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | M. lincolnii | Cave Creek Ranch AZ and El Paso TX |
| Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis | Several seen at Grand Canyon NP AZ. Extremely common around Cave Creek AZ. Also noted in Davis Mountains TX |
| Yellow-eyed Junco | J. phaeonotus | A pair observed in Cave Creek Canyon AZ |
| White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys | Seen most days throughout trip |
| Golden-crowned Sparrow | Z. atricapilla | Common in California |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Common and seen daily throughout trip |
| Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | Several seen from Highway 1 along Californian Coast. Also seen in Davis Mountains TX |
| Eastern Meadowlark | Sturnella magna | ‘Lilian’s Meadowlark’ common in SE Arizona and around Davis Mountains TX |
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ and Lake Balmorhea TX |
| Brewer's Blackbird | Euphagus cyanocephalus | Common and seen most days |
| Great-tailed Grackle | Quiscalus mexicanus | Common in Nevada, Arizona and Texas. Only decent bird from Las Vegas NV |
| House Finch | Carpodacus mexicanus | Common in Arizona and Texas |
| Lesser Goldfinch | Carduelis psaltria | Fairly common. Seen sporadically throughout trip |
| American Goldfinch | C. tristis | San Francisco, California |
| Pine Siskin | C.pinus | Good numbers around feeders at Cave Creek Ranch AZ. Also noted in Davis Mountains TX and Franklin Mountains TX |
Mammals
| Desert Cottontail | Sylvilagus audubonii | Common in desert scrub in Arizona and Texas |
| Eastern Cottontail | S. floridanus | One individual seen crossing road in Chisos Mountains, Big Bend NP TX |
| Black-tailed Jackrabbit | Lepus californicus | Common in ranch lands and desert scrub of Arizona and Texas |
| Black-tailed Prairie Dog | Cynomys ludovicianus | Colony observed near Marathon TX |
| Rock Squirrel | Spermophilus variegatus | Single seen at Montezuma’s Castle AZ. Two around Cave Creek AZ |
| California Ground Squirrel | S. beecheyi | Several at Pinnacles National Monument CA |
| Texas Antelope Squirrel | Ammospermophilus interpres | Two at bird feeding station, Franklin Mountains State Park, El Paso TX |
| Cliff Chipmunk | Tamias striatus | Common around Cave Creek Ranch AZ |
| House Mouse | Mus musculus | One seen at night, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco CA |
| Bobcat | Lynx rufus | Brief glimpse of one crossing road, Big Bend NP TX. Excellent view of animal crossing road near Alpine TX |
| Coyote | Canis latrans | Two near Marathon TX. Two at Rio Grande Campground, Big Bend NP TX |
| Gray Fox | Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Singles seen near Cave Creek AZ and on Fort Davis Scenic Loop TX. A couple noted in Big Bend NP TX |
| Sea Otter | Enhydra lutris | Easy to see in Monterey Bay CA |
| Striped Skunk | Mephitis mephitis | Three seen around Cave Creek Ranch AZ |
| Canyon Bat | Parastrellus hesperus | Several seen early evening flying around Cave Creek Ranch AZ |
| California Sea Lion | Zalophus californianus | Easy to see at Pier 39 Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco CA. Also Monterey Bay CA |
| Harbour Seal | Phoca vitulina | Single animal observed in marina, San Francisco CA |
| Northern Elephant Seal | Mirounga angustirostris | Breeding colony visited at Piedras Blancas CA |
| Pronghorn | Antiloocapra americana | Three small herds seen from highway around Alpine and Marathon, TX |
| Collared Peccary (Javelina) | Pecari tajacu | Common. Good numbers seen at Cave Creek AZ, Davis Mountains TX, Marathon TX and Big Bend NP TX |
| Mule Deer | Odocoileus hemionus | Two at Pinnacles National Monument CA. Very common in Fort Davis area TX |
| White-tailed Deer | Odocoileus virginianus | Coues subspecies (couesi) common around Cave Creek AZ;
Carmen Mountains subspecies (carminis) seen in Chisos Mountains, Big Bend TX |
| Grey Whale | Eschrichtius robustus | Three seen from whale watching trip, Monterey Bay CA. |
Reptiles and Amphibians | Sonora Mud Turtle | Kinosternon sonoriense | A couple seen basking at Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ. |
| Big Bend Slider | Trachemys gaigeae | Single basking on Mexican side of Rio Grande, Lajitas TX. |
| Red Eared Pond Slider | Trachemys scripta | Single observed basking at Gilbert Riparian Reserve, Phoenix AZ.
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| Desert Spiny Lizard | Sceloporus magister | Single seen in Phoenix Botanical Gardens AZ. |
| Eastern Fence Lizard | S. undulatus | One observed in Davis Mountains TX. |
| Canyon Lizard | S. merriami | Common on private land, Terlingua TX. |
| Common Side-blotched Lizard | Uta stansburiana | Three lizards seen in Phoenix Botanical Gardens AZ. |
| Big Bend Tree Lizard | Urosaurus ornatus | Single seen on private land, Terlingua, TX. |
| Snake sp. | Crotalus ? | Large snake seen very briefly in silhouette, Big Bend NP TX. Possible Western Diamondback. |
| | | |
| American Bullfrog | R. catesbeiana | Two in well vegetated pond, Phoenix Botanical Gardens AZ. |