North American Migration Count (NAMC)
Cochise County, 12 May 2007
Thirty birders, many of them HAS members, participated in the NAMC on 12 May 2007, finding a total of 202 species in Cochise County. This outstanding effort was a new high for the county (2005-165 species; 2006-183 species), putting Cochise County in competition with Maricopa County (which has 1 ½ times more area) for the diversity record in Arizona.
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Areas covered this year included Huachuca, Sawmill, Scheelite, Garden,
Ramsey, Carr, and Hunter Canyons in the Huachuca Mountains; San Pedro
River Inn and San Pedro House sections on the upper San Pedro River;
Benson and St. David on the middle San Pedro River; Cochise Stronghold
in the Whetstone Mountains; Whitewater Draw WMA and Lake Cochise in
the Sulphur Springs Valley; Portal, Cave Creek Canyon, the Southwest
Research Station, Paradise, Rustler Park, Barfoot Park, W. Turkey
Creek, and lower Chiricahua NM in the Chiricahua Mountains. Several
birders went camping in order to get nocturnal birds and to be in
position early in the morning in the mountains. Just as important were
the feeder watchers who provided some unique species, listed below.
A summary by bird families follows, with unusual birds in
italics. Fourteen species of ducks were found, with four times as many
“Mexican” Ducks as regular Mallards. A Wood Duck on the San Pedro
River near the San Pedro River Inn was a bonus, but the most unusual
duck, considering the time of year, was a lingering female Canvasback
on the ponds in Benson. The most abundant quail were Gambel’s,
followed by Scaled, then Wild Turkey; no Montezuma Quail were found.
Waterbirds other than ducks included both Pied-billed and Eared Grebe,
Great Blue Heron, White-faced Ibis, and Am. Coot. Shorebirds were
confined to the three impoundment areas, with a dozen species
recorded. The presence of a Pectoral Sandpiper at Lake Cochise and two
Stilt Sandpipers at Whitewater Draw overshadowed the good counts of 23
Willets, 10 Long-billed Curlews, one Marbled Godwit, and a Red-necked
Phalarope among the Wilson’s Phalaropes. Gulls and terns were
represented by Franklin’s Gulls and Ring-billed Gulls and a Least Tern
at Lake Cochise.
Fourteen species of raptor were tallied, with White-tailed Kite,
Mississippi Kite, N. Goshawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, and
Prairie Falcon being good finds. The expected pigeons and doves were
noted, with the exception of Inca Dove, which slipped through the
net. Feeders in the Chiricahua Mountains can attract wonderful birds,
including 80 Band-tailed Pigeons that ate all the available seed in
short order! Thirteen Greater Roadrunner were about and White-throated
Swifts were found by several teams. Nine owl species were tallied,
mostly by the nocturnal counters, although all four Barn Owls were
found during the day. A Flammulated Owl, a Spotted Owl, and several
Long-eared Owls were in the Chiricahua Mountains. About a dozen each
of Lesser Nighthawk, Common Poorwill, and Whip-poor-will were
reported. Six hummingbird species were checked off, none of them rare,
while sixteen Elegant Trogons was a most satisfying count. Two Belted
Kingfishers, 23 Loggerhead Shrikes, and three Horned Larks were
tallied.
Among the eight woodpecker species, the top birds were a Lewis’
Woodpecker at a Paradise feeder, and a Gilded Flicker at the San Pedro
River Inn. Flycatchers were in good numbers, with sixteen species
identified, including a Thick-billed Kingbird on Fort Huachuca,
Tropical Kingbird along the San Pedro River, plus Sulphur-bellied
Flycatchers and Buff-breasted Flycatchers in the mountains. All five
expected vireos were seen, with Cassin’s and Warbling Vireos still
moving through on migration. All five corvids were noted, with 140 of
them being Mexican Jays. The usual Violet-green, N. Rough-winged,
Cliff, and Barn Swallows were foraging in the air. Counters found all
five species of wren that breed in our county, plus Verdin. In the
woodlands, Brown Creeper, all three nuthatches, Bridled and Juniper
Titmice, and nine Mexican Chickadees were checked off. Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher, Eastern and Western Bluebirds, Hermit Thrush, and
American Robin were another suite of woodland birds found during the
day.
All four mimids were located, with two Bendire’s Thrashers and eight
Crissal Thrashers being the least common. European Starlings are still
relatively uncommon, with a count of 27 individuals, while only two
lingering Am. Pipits turned up. Both Cedar Waxwings and Phainopeplas
were found in small numbers. Warblers were represented by sixteen
species, including ten Olive, one Orange-crowned, four Virginia’s,
three Hermit, two MacGillivray’s, and four Red-faced Warblers. A huge
influx of Western Tanagers was moving through that day, with 96
individuals counted; about two dozen each of Hepatic and Summer
Tanagers were noted. Two lingering Green-tailed Towhees meant all four
towhees made it onto the list. There were twelve sparrow species on
the list, with a very late White-throated Sparrow at a Portal feeder
being the most unusual. Other interesting sparrow counts included
eleven Botteri’s, two Black-chinned, and one Lincoln’s, plus thirteen
Lark Buntings near Whitewater Draw.
A nice list of grosbeaks and buntings included 100+ Black-headed
Grosbeaks and two different Rose-breasted Grosbeaks seen at Portal,
one at a feeder there. N. Cardinal, Pyrrhuloxia, and Blue Grosbeak
rounded out the list, while 21 Lazuli Buntings (18 at one feeder) and
one Indigo Bunting added spice to the list. Nine species in the
icterid (blackbird) family were counted, including the three
orioles—Hooded, Bullock’s, and Scott’s—and both Bronzed and
Brown-headed Cowbirds. House Sparrows, House Finches, and Lesser
Goldfinches all came to feeders in good numbers. Last, but not least,
were 44 Red Crossbills, eleven Pine Siskins, and one American
Goldfinch, all located in the Chiricahua Mountains.
Compiler: Erika Wilson
Last updated: 11 June 2007 by REW.
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