Birding Trip to the Chiricahua Mountains/Portal, AZ – April 11 - 14, 2011
The Chiricahua Mountains are in the extreme southeast corner of Arizona and, except for some private holdings and the national monument, are one part of the Coronado National Forest. The Chiricahuas comprise many eco-zones. Due to that and their proximity to Mexico, there are many species found here and no where else in the U.S.
I had wonderful trip with good friends, lovely wild birds, and gorgeous scenery. I wasn't able to get any photographs that I would characterize as really excellent, but did get a few good and some acceptable shots. All photos with my Canon 7D, 300mm f/4 lens and 1.4x TC, except the photo above, looking into Cave Creek Canyon which is a 3 image panorama taken with my little Nikon point-n-shoot and stitched with the free Hug-in program, and the snapshot of the research station, below.
Photos are in roughly chronological order.
Monday
Tuesday
There were many of these lovely warblers, but they never stayed still for more than a second.
Wednesday
Another bird that just wouldn't hold still for a second.
My intrepid birding companions after lunch at the research station, part of the American Museum of Natural History.
Thursday
Just one of the species that hangs around the Portal Peak Lodge, where we were staying.
I heard a critter pulling leaves off a tree and turned expecting to see a deer, but instead this fellow!
Other hummingbird species at the lodge feeders were Rufous, Black-chinned, and Blue-throat.
The village of Portal was full of waxwings every day.
Feeders along side the Portal Library.
