Pass Creek
Fifteen Pass Creek birders identified an impressive 41 species. Team leaders Tom Kolb and Hattie Braun scouted the location (essentially the first mile of CR 212 after it splits from CR 210), which doesn’t receive as much attention as other birding hotspots in our area. Why did Tom and Hattie choose Pass Creek for the walk? According to Tom, a retired Forestry professor at Northern Arizona University: “We selected Pass Creek Road for this trip because it is located at an ecotone, or transition, between riparian (wetland) and drier pinon-juniper woodland biotic communities. Ecotones are well-known for high species diversity, including plants, insects that feed on plants, and birds that feed on insects. High plant diversity also offers a variety of seeds that birds eat.”
Species included:
Canada Goose
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-napped Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Western Kingbird
Pinyon Jay
Steller’s Jay
Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay
Black-billed Magpie
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
American Dipper
White-breasted Nuthatch
Northern House Wren
American Robin
Western Meadowlark
Bullock’s Oriole
Brewer’s Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Green-tailed Towhee
Spotted Towhee
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Brewer’s Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern yellow Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Black-headed Grosbeak
Western Tanager
Say’s Phoebe
Fourmile Creek
Eleven Fourmile Creek birders identified 23 species. Special thanks to walk leader Alan Robinson who discussed the work of GARNA’s Friends of Fourmile land stewardship initiative and successful efforts to restore beaver habitat along the creek. Today there are two active beaver lodges on the creek, helping ensure year-round water flows that benefit wildlife in the area, including birds. We were also fortunate to have Sally Waterhouse share her extensive bird and birding knowledge with participants.
Species included:
Mallard
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Violet-green Swallow
Red-naped Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Black-billed Magpie
Common Raven
Northern House Wren
Western Bluebird
Mountain Bluebird
Townsend’s Solitaire
American Robin
Dark-eyed Junco
Chipping Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Green-tailed Towhee
Black-headed Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler (many!)
Look for more birding opportunities later this month. Thanks to Mike Gorman for the amazing photos below. Can you identify each bird?
