Tuesday, July 17, 2012

It's Miller Time!

One of the most well known and well loved birding and hiking destinations in the Huachuca Mountains, Miller really is the champagne of Canyons. In addition to Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers and rare Tanagers, Miller's Canyon is one of the best places in Arizona, and perhaps North America, to see a Spotted Owl. Naturally I didn't see one, but along the way I did stop by the Beatty Ranch at the base of the upper canyon. The Beattys maintain a small bed and breakfast operation in the canyon and, best of all, a fully stocked Hummingbird station that draws in all kinds of southeast Arizona specialties.

The drive up to the Beatty Ranch is dry and dusty haul, but along the way you can expect to see Spotted Towhees, Mexican Jays, and Canyon Towhees all rustling about in the sparse undergrowth. Though their North American range is limited to the southern points of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, Mexican Jays are among the most sociable and vocal birds one might encounter in the sky island chain. This doesn't mean they're exceptionally fond of people, or at least of me, but through very careful and super scientific observation I discovered that these Jays like to eat nuts. This Jay was going mano-a-mano with a scrub-oak acorn.


The acorn proved to be a very stubborn adversary, and after a minute of squeezing and smashing, the Jay withdrew to a more private setting where he could eat in peace.


Perhaps his retreat was brought on by the annoying curiosity of this Canyon Towhee, a bird which the mellow blue Jays must regard as a stumpy and ugly neighbor. It occurred to me that Jays are, in many ways, like the stereotype New England WASPs. They're pretty on the outside and strain to keep their complicated social networks in order, but they can also be very snooty and cruel to anyone who doesn't meet their standards. The Canyon Towhee, by contrast, is less to look at, but I'm sure he leads a rich inner life...


This female Woodpecker, unlike the noisier Towhees and Jays, did not want to be seen at all. Tough luck! People say that if you want someone to look at you, you just have to stare at them and soon, for some supernatural reason, their gaze will gravitate towards you. That doesn't work with birds, probably because they have better things to do then sit around gawking all day. This realization, in turn, made me feel a little bit sad about myself...


Unless you're staying overnight at the Beatty lodge, you have to park before the complex and do a bit of walking to access the Hummingbird site and kick in a few bucks towards the sugar fund, but the jaunt is worth it. Over a half dozen feeders and cotton wads draw in the Hummingbirds while visitors sit on shaded bleachers and photograph, oogle, ogle, and let the mind be boggled by all the color.

Anna's Hummingbirds and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds are the most common species during the Arizona summer and they overrun Miller Canyon too. But if you're looking for a spot to consistently see some of the less common Arizona specialities, it's hard to beat Beatty's. So well maintained are the feeders that even Black-chinned Hummingbirds, the mostly mildly colored and mild-mannered of the bunch, have time to sit, drink, and show off their immaculate posture (I wish I stood up this straight after a binge of drinking).


Of all the migrant/summer Hummers whose North American range is exclusively in Arizona, the Broad-billed is perhaps the most common. These stunning birds are somewhere in between the Costa's, Black-chinned, and Broad-tailed Hummers, which are fairly common throughout the state, and the other rarer, more selective migrants that tend to stay in the southeast corner. The first time I saw one of these Hummingbirds I was stunned, and didn't imagine anything could be more shimmering. Amazingly, after twenty minutes at Beatty's you'll start to pass them over in favor of other, rarer birds--a true testament to the quality on display.



This immature Broad-billed still has some gorget to grow, but at least his pops, perhaps pictured above, has shown him where the best hangout is, the best place to pick up chicks.


All the same, this female Magnificent Humming is definitely out of the young Broad-bill's league. Not only is she Magnificent, she could totally crush him if he tried any funny business. At five-and-a-half inches, she's one of the larger Hummingbirds in the area, and it takes something extra special to get her attention.


Enter the Magnificent male...


It was a thrill to see this aptly named bird, but I'm pretty bummed with my inadequate photography. Cameras should come with a label on them that says something like, "Warning: This device will cease to operate properly if photographing wildlife that is above this camera's pay grade." Maybe it's just as well that the male Magnificent Hummingbird is a blurred bird; proper exposure of this hunk is known to cause paralysis in female Magnificent Hummingbirds and some humans.


Amazingly, the highlight hummer of the day was not the Magnificent. Lucifer, Berylline, and Plain-capped Starthroat could all be show-stoppers at the Beatty theatre, but they were not on stage that day. In a sense, this contemplative male Blue-throated Hummingbird wasn't either, but he brought a standing ovation out of me nonetheless.


I found this handsome fellow while striking-out on the Spotted Owls. An intriguing peeping sound drew my attention to a large Arizona sycamore where this clement critter was seeking some respite from the noontime sun. These large Hummingbirds have an appeal similar to the Black-chinned Hummers--a comparably conservative coloration with just the right accents. Hummingbirds are not known for their economy of style, but the Blue-throated pulls it off pretty well. Most of all, I was just glad to find a new bird--a new Hummer especially--that wasn't at a feeder. The feeders at Beatty's are terrific, but the one thing they don't provide is the full satisfaction of seeing a new bird out in the ruff.


I haven't birded Miller Canyon as much as I should, but even in my limited capacities it is a wonderful spot fully deserving of its sterling reputation. April through September; it's Miller time!

24 comments:

  1. Great post Laurence! Miller Canyon birding looks amazing! I really enjoyed all your excellent hummingbird photos~nice to have such close up views! The Mexican Jay looks very similar to our Scrub-Jay, and its personality also seems similar:)

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    1. Thanks Tammy. The similarities were a bit eerie between the Jays. Of course, the Mexican Jays are missing the prominent white eyebrow of Scrub Jays, but they have their own aesthetic appeal with the solid, slaty blue.

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  2. Great post and fantastic photos Laurence. Love the variety of hummingbirds you have. I especially love the close-up of the growing gorget.

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    1. Thanks Dan. That Broad-billed Hummer is coming along nicely. He still needs some time, but next year he'll be one studly stud.

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  3. Yay, somewhere I have actually been! I loved those feeders but it was so hard to keep an eye on all of them- especially when the Beatty's pack of hounds came by on their morning walk and insisted on sitting in my lap and licking my face. That young Broad-billed is my favorite shot for sure.

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    1. It is a bit of an overload isn't it? I didn't have hound problems while I was there, though those Guinea Fowl did drive me half-mad with their incessant shrieking. The Beatty hounds must've smelled other dog on you and wanted to claim you as their own, like adopt you into their tribe. This could only be interpreted as a great compliment, as they don't apparently do this for everyone...

      Did it turn out to be a lucky lick? I'm going to have to go reread your Arizona posts now.

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  4. Cool hummer pics Laurence! I need to get over there one of these days to try for the Spotted Owls. Your woodpecker is most likely a Hairy, Downies are up north.

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    1. Thanks Jeremy. I've got to go back for the Spotted Owls now too. There's really no other place one can expect to see them. I heard they were seen both the day before and the day after I was there, but not on my day. A bit frustrating...

      Thanks for the correction too--that was sloppy of me. I probably shouldn't be writing at 1:30am in the morning. Something seemed off about the 'Downy' but, well, I was so sleepy...

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  5. Blue-throated Hummingbird is one of my favorite AZ specialties. Its a great bird.

    I too have failed with that Spotted Owl pair on many occasions...I've heard one in Carr Canyon though.

    Your woodpecker has some ladders on its back....

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    1. Argh! This Woodpecker is more trouble than it's worth, and has now led to my embarrassment on two occasions. I will delete it now and no one will ever even no it existed. If you tell anyone Seagull, I'll deny it!

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  6. I guess Miller Canyon has to be on my next AZ visit. Awesome stuff Laurence.

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    1. Yes it probably should...when's that next AZ visit going to be Robert?

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  7. Nice work Laurence! Seriously. The hummers are tricky little buggers to capture. My manual focus and cramped hands after those photo shoots require me to throw the camera far from me after I'm done. The Magnificent is especially tricky....like the Grebe, they tend to be very jittery birds around other wildlife and people.

    Hey you are lucky you went up when you did. There is massive flood damage in the canyons right now around the Huachucas. I am a little bummed because I am after the Plain Capped Starthroat and have had no luck yet. But I did find the Brown Pelican today. That was a really cool photo shoot.

    The Blue Throated has also still evaded my lens....nice catch!! It is exciting isn't it? Now honestly Broad Bills and Magnificents make everyone go ooohh and ahhhhh but I have to admit, in my own garden, I love them all. They are full of enery and are like my little helpers outside. They wait for me to fill the feeders and follow me all over the place....so....the Rufous are coming. They have been trickling into the state.....I'm crossing my fingers:) Thanks for sharing. Miller Canyon is a real treat.....of course everyone talks about the owls....but I didn't see them either:)

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    1. Thanks Chris. I heard about those wash-outs! I guess the rain helped with the fires though so we'll take the good with the bad.

      Hummers are tricky indeed. At least they're not shy around people, but somehow I've managed to completely miss Rufous Hummers and Allen's Hummers both last year and this year.

      I've been reading about that Brown Pelican. It was interesting to see how much excitement it generated. Usually SE AZ has Phoenix licked when it comes to cool rare birds and the like, but we've got resident Brown Pelicans up at Tempe Town Lake. It was just funny to notice the different priorities.

      Good luck this weekend! Stay cool.

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  8. Enjoyed reading your post, Laurence - it lightened up my breakfast this morning - but your photos are absolutely stunning!! I don't think I'll ever get to the Miller Canyon and I am green with envy.

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    1. Thanks Hilke. Bird blogs and breakfast is a great way to get geared up for some birding! Unfortunately I so often have bird blogs, breakfast, and then work...

      At least there's no rush for Miller Canyon. One of its appeals is that is consistently draws in the same uncommon species. One day you'll make it Hilke!

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  9. I never made it to Millar canyon or Beatty's. It sure looks like it was worth the trip. Perhaps we could go scouting for spotted owls together once I get there. I have never seen one either! However, I have seen magnificent hummers at the visitor's center on Mt. Lemmon. Have you ever taken that drive up there?

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    1. I haven't been to Mt. Lemmon yet Kathie, but yes, we'll definitely have to do some sploring' once you're back home.

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  10. You mean there are other hummingbirds besides Ruby-Throated?! I probably know less about that group than any other group of birds - I've just never had a really compelling reason to cram them into my brain. This was instructive.

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    1. Ah Nicholas, there's a whole other world of Hummingbirds outside of your quaint little east coast town.
      All I can say is that you and Maureen need to make a lil' visit to southeast AZ, very badly--I instruct it!

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  11. Wow, it's safe to say those hummer shots left me in a state of paralysis! Love your insight on the jays, hysterical. Great stuff!

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    1. Oh Lauren...I don't know if being in a state of paralysis is ever safe.

      Do you have some WASPy Jays up there in Maine? I hope your Cuckoos are doing well. They fledge so fast; has the youngster left already?

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    2. Those photos of the hummingsbirds are awesome!

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    3. Thanks Moe. Photographing at feeders...it's cheap, but it has its pay-offs.

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