Madera Canyon, AZ

I spent a few days in Madera Canyon, the famous birding hotspot in southeastern Arizona. Days consisted of long hikes, interspersed with relaxing periods sitting on the patio watching the bird feeders.

moonriseMoonrise over the Santa Rita Mountains

cardinal 2Like other “Sky Island” sites in Arizona, the bird life in Madera Canyon changes with the elevation. The lower canyon was home to this Northern Cardinal, a bird of my youth in Indiana.

turkey trot1A couple of miles up the canyon, Wild Turkeys were common visitors to bird feeding stations.

turkey feeding

painted redstart below1Painted Redstarts are flashy and conspicuous.
painted redstart

acorn woodpeckerAcorn Woodpecker

rufous-crowned sparrowRufous-crowned Sparrow

Coues White-tailed DeerCoues White-tailed Deer were a common sight.

elegant trogonOne of the most sought-after birds in Madera Canyon is Elegant Trogon. They nest in the big sycamores along the creek in the upper canyon.

top of Madera CanyonThis is a view from the rim surrounding the canyon. It was a long climb to this point, to the land of Grace’s Warblers and Greater Pewees.

yellow-eyed junco3Yellow-eyed Junco was one of my favorite birds in the canyon, not as flashy as the warblers and trogons, but beautiful nonetheless. yellow-eyed junco1