Rock Corral Canyon

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Despite more strong winds, it was a very pleasant morning exploring the excellent Rock Corral Canyon near Tubac.

Camino Josefina x Pendleton Drive, Rio Rico:

While waiting for my clients I noted a couple of GRAY HAWKS calling from the cottonwoods along the river, plus BELL’S VIREO, LUCY’S WARBLER, and RUFOUS-WINGED and BLOACK-THROATED SPARROWS.

Rock Corral Cayon:

We spent six hours exploring the canyon, finding 46 species despite a stiff breeze keeping the small birds mostly hunkered down. We didn’t find Five-striped Sparrow today, but we didn’t go off trail to look. I’m sure they’re still there somewhere.

Our highlights included a pair of MONTEZUMA QUAIL which we saw as they sneaked off through the long grass, plus GRAY HAWK, GREATER ROADRUNNER, BLACK-CHINNED, COSTA’S and BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRDS, NORTHERN BEARDLESS-TYRANNULETS, HAMMOND’S, DUSKY-CAPPED and ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS, BELL’S and WARBLING VIREOS, CANYON, BEWICK’S and CACTUS WRENS, BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER, LUCY’S, TOWNSEND’S, and WILSON’S WARBLERS, CANYON and GREEN-TAILED TOWHEES, RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW, SUMMER and WESTERN TANAGERS, PYRRHULOXIA, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, LAZULI BUNTING, and HOODED ORIOLE.

We also enjoyed some of the other interesting wildlife the canyon has to offer.

The grassy ridge on the way in/out of the canyon was alive with RUFOUS-WINGED, LARK and BLACK-THROATED SPARROWS.