Tampa Audubon Goes to Arizona

Canyon Wren, at a mere 4.5 - 6 inches. Photo by Sandy Townsend

One of the world's most endangered species - the California Condor, with a wingspan of about 9.5 feet. There are about 275 of these free-flying birds in California, Utah, Arizona and Baja California. We saw six of these at the Navajo Bridge in Arizona. Photo by Sandy Townsend.

By Mary Keith, Field Trip Leader, Conservation Chair

Eight members of Tampa Audubon spent a week birding in Mary and around Flagstaff Arizona with a great guide, John Coons, from Field Guides Birding Tours.

I’m not sure how many miles we covered, but we went from Sedona on the south to the Grand Canyon and Navajo Bridge on the north. 

Our total bird list included 143 species seen by the whole group, plus a few more that a few of us saw on the day we arrived, before the official trip started.  When I compiled a Trip Report of all the various eBird lists John kept, we had birded at 44 different locations!  And what birding it was! Read the trip report here.

The largest – California Condors - of course!  From roosting on the girders of a bridge below us, to spreading those 9.5-foot wide wings and soaring past our noses and overhead, the 5 immature and 1 adult bird put on quite a show. 

The smallest were probably the Broad-Tailed Hummingbirds that zipped over and around us several places. 

We put in some time searching for plain (Gray Vireos) and fancy (Western Tanagers), felt like we were being blown off the rim of the Grand Canyon by the wind, and shivered in at the 29 degree temperature one morning. 

Mornings were a bit early, but the birds were worth it.  And our picnic lunches several places had gorgeous scenery to go with sandwiches and fruit. One lunch, in a Navajo trading post, had a $60,000 hand-woven rug on one wall!

The food wasn’t that expensive, but certainly delicious.  And we all made it home safely! Join us on a big trip when you can, and share the fun!

Learn about other Tampa Audubon field trips on our calendar.