Madera Canyon Meeting a Friend
FLICKR ATE MY PHOTOS and Im trying to find them
FLICKR ATE MY PHOTOS and Im trying to find them
March 29
I arrived at Madera Canyon and the Santa Rita Mountains about 4 in the afternoon on Thursday.
The campground, Bog Springs, was full. I drove the length of the Madera Canyon Road, it is only 8-9 miles long, just to get the lay of the land. You enter the Canyon from the North/west.... the road sort of runs Northwest to Southeast. I drove up to the Wrightson's Picnic area and right away I saw Bridled Titmouse (lifer)...never got a clear shot of a single one!
bridled titmouse
I got this photo of what I think is the Pacific Slope Flycatcher. (lifer) It basically reminded me of a RC Kinglet with a small hook on the tip of the bill.
I drove back down and was able to find parking at the Santa Rita Lodge and Gift Shop..they have feeders out.
Saw more of the same hummers I had seen at Paton,
Santa Rita Lodge
violet crowned hummer
along with other good birds...like the Yellow Eyed Junco-->Lifer!
I didn't know that the lodge was at the county line so ebird got on my case I entered my checklist in one county and it crossed into another..."You can not make one checklist that covers 2 counties"....OKAY! Anyways I hope I got it straight. That one percent Sprint is always bragging about is not in the this hemisphere I'm beginnng to think. I used the ebird app to enter that checklist. It was getting late.
And we thought squirrels did damage..
I was tired and ready to park for the night...I was told there is dispersed camping down Proctor Road. So I went back North to Proctor. The road was terrible... big rocks sticking up and I had to cross the creek it had a good solid rock bottom, but then a very steep hill of dirt and gravel when pulling out of it made it sketchy!
Public lands have become nothing more than cow pastures! So all the good level sites were taken, and I kept looking I ended up right amongst the cows and the cow patties. The dogs were thrilled they sniffed, ate, and tried to roll in the cow patties...Holy terror!!
bat houses
I am not a fan of ranchers using our public lands for grazing! They are polluting the water and ruining the delicate lands...the way I see it if you want to be a rancher you should be owning a sizable chunk of land and paying property taxes for it...and grazing your cattle there...not expecting the US public to pay for your cattle being fed and having to step in cow pies when we're recreating on our public lands! I got nothing against cows, ranchers yes!
The moon was awesome...me and the cows were happy.
March 30 Friday
In the morning I got up before the sun rose and headed to Proctor Parking lot...
no way I wanted to cook and eat with all the cow doody all around me so in the trail head parking lot no one was stirring yet...ate and got ready for the day, walked the dogs got them settled in a shady spot and lit out on the Proctor trail. The rumors of the Elegant Trogon: he was last seen in the Proctor to Madera area of the trail.
This is a 7/10ths of a mile section...The trails follow the creek, and so did I. Had lots of Yellow Rumps all over the place, as well as Ruby Crowned Kinglets, and then a really good bird the Black Throated Gray Warbler! My photo not so hot but as the ladies from Delaware helped me figure out it was the yellow supraloral above the eyes that sealed it.
On up the trail the rumors of the Elegant Trogon keep driving us farther South but I had the dogs stationed at Proctor
so I had to turn around and hike back...7/10ths mile...Walked them then moved the van up to Whitehouse Parking area and hiked South from Whitehouse to Madera. 1/2 mile from Madera to the Lodge another 1/2 mile...then back to the van so by then my feet had it!
Then there was the Painted Redstart! Yes!! Apparently it's very common and in the end I saw like 6! Thrilled.
Red Naped Sapsucker one of the Delaware ladies needed. There it is!
Delaware...
Lots of WB Nuthatches, Lincoln Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, Canyon Towhee, Bewicks Wren, as well as 8 Wild Turkey attacking the feeders at the lodge feeding station. An Empid/Contopus like bird behind twig cover someone told me it could be a Dusky Flycatcher. (it looked more like Willow to me, the wing bars were buffy in color, maybe even a Greater Pewee) Just couldn't pin it down yet.
I really coudn't tell...maybe it was. I hiked till my feet said NO MORE....I had racked up a nice list for my trouble and had 5 lifers with the Pacific Slope FC, Black Throated Gray Warbler and the Painted Redstart the Bridled Titmouse, and the Yellow Eyed Junco. (I guess it counts) So no Trogon -was a big disappointment but you can't see them all! I stopped at the gift shop for a treat watched the hummers fight and then went back to Proctor Rd and another night in the cow pasture! MOoooooo under the moon!
Santa Rita Lodge HQ
March 31
I had been texting back and forth with blog friend JO, Of Mom's Little Run Away...and we made arrangements to meet up for lunch at Proctor on Saturday about noon. Silly me, I forgot this was Easter Weekend! So Saturday morning early I heard lots of cars entering the park, I could hear the tires burring over the cattle guards...so I left the cow pasture early and staked out a table in the Proctor area only 2 tables there so I figured it would be the best place to enjoy a quiet meet. I had y breakfast there and left my 'kit' out to claim the table. Most of the other picnic areas are really large with lots of tables...
After I secured the dogs I hiked the Proctor trail once more and had some good birds nothing new. Met a very interesting couple from Indiana who have a website called the 19ers, or something to that effect....they only need 2 more owls to have all 19. Back at Proctors meeting JO was so much fun we chatted like old friends for a couple hours and it was just the best!! Jo witnessed my Flossie try to attack a man who made the mistake of walking towards us...so happy I had her tied up or I'd probably be in court as I type this! Man she really has people aggression more and more!
It was so terrific to meet Jo, see her rig, and I wished the campground had not been so full we could have camped together...Got so caught up in the moment didn't take any photos!! SO genuine, and that is what I really look for in people...being truly themselves and just a down to earth person, it was a pleasure. Hope we can meet again someday.
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PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.
