When things get bad... they get much better!

Friday evening, I stopped at Woodland Dr., north of Tucson, for my last stop in daylight. A few people had posted success on the birdboard of having seen both ARIZONA WOODPECKER and LEWIS' WOODPECKER in the ranches along this road. I had no luck, and headed to my couchsurfing host Jason's house in southeast Tucson. He had a guest that was in town for the gem and mineral festival who was from San Francisco, and a couple her were in town from Austin for a music festival. It was a full house, but pretty fun, and I got a couch to surf!

Saturday morning I headed the 2+ hour drive to the Buenos Aires NWR near the Mexican border. On the way I stopped and looked at a GILDED FLICKER. This refuge, however, was not as advertised. This was grassland-type habitat that boasted four types of quail, more than anywhere else in the U.S. I was intrigued, enough so to take the Pronghorn Drive, which was in rough shape. I almost got stuck in the mud several times, and scraped the bottom of my car a number of times. I kept pushing on, sure that I was almost done with the loop... then I got to a puddle that seemed much too deep for my car, and I had to stop to collect myself (ie, swear incessantly). Luckily, I had cell phone reception, and Rosana is awesome. I ended up getting out fine.


I stopped for coffee in Arivaca, and continued to Santa Gertrudis Lane in Tumacacori. I was looking for the PAINTED REDSTART that had been seen here, but only came across an ORANGE-CROWNED, YELLOW-RUMPED, and BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLERS. I then tried to get to Patagonia, but my GPS ended up getting me very lost. Again, Rosana was around and at a computer, and was able to get me towards where I wanted to be,the infamous Patagonia Rest Area, that was incredibly unbirdy.

After, I drove to Sierra Vista, arriving at about 5pm, having driven about 6 hours this day, and having done only about an hour of birding. Then things started to get better. At Luke and Michelle's house, we had an awesome grilled dinner. We chatted for awhile, and I went to bed at about 10pm.

This morning I got up at about 7am. I took the 1 hour drive to the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve managed by the Nature Conservancy. There's about 2.5 miles of trails here, and this place had some great rarities in the fall- RUFOUS-CAPPED WARBLER and SINALOA WREN. Neither of these were here today, but I did get looks at a DUSKY FLYCATCHER that really had found me.

I stopped next door at a house called "The Paton's", who were a couple that had a crazy feeder situation, and since their deaths, has been upkept by a caretaker, and still open to the public. Not much was happening here, but it was a neat spot.


About 10 miles down the road was the Patagonia Lake State Park. I took the main trail here, down the by the creek, and the weather started turning. The wind had been going all day, but this was the first of the rain. After about a half hour, it was really going. I had only been wearing my sweatshirt, and was getting soaked. I then noticed a GREAT-HORNED OWL above me in an oak, and I think he was the omen of my luck changing. I hiked a little ways away from the predator, and ended up coming noticing the sounds of a mixed flock. I picked out WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BRIDLED TITMOUSE, and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. Within a minute, in one field of view, I saw both HEPATIC TANAGER (male) and a PAINTED REDSTART! These are both incredible birds. The flock started to leave me after a few minutes.


I then ran into another birder, Ron, who hadn't seen the PAINTED REDSTART yet, so I agreed to go with him to try to relocate the flock. About 5 minutes later we had. he still didn't see the redstart yet, so I was trying to describe where it was, as I did, an adult ELEGANT TROGON came into the picture! I was beyond thrilled. It was about 40 feet away, but over the next 15 minutes, Ron and I were able to get about 8 ft. away from it without it caring. We continued to get looks at all three of these birds over the next half-hour.

It was pretty cold, and I was wet, so I went back to the car to warm up, eat lunch, and change into dry clothes. From the car, I noticed a HERMIT THRUSH, and a couple minutes later, a flycatcher. I got out and inspected, and he was an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER- another great bird!

I made one last hike down the trail, this time with the intention of seeing a BLACK-CAPPED GNATCATCHER in the mesquites they are semi-reliable in. Eventually, the rains turned to monsoons, and I had to get out of there.

Needless to say, I drove back to Luke and Michelle's house this early evening soaked, but totally satisfied. This was probably the greatest day of birding I have ever had, and it was when I need it most.