Trip report by Craig Anderson for his Arizona IBA Big Year. Waiting for a trogon… The blue-gray silhouette of the Chiricahua’s greet me as I leave Wilcox, Arizona at sunrise. They rise to over 9,000 feet and once again, I’m surprised by this massive chain of mountains. My anticipation to be in them rises just as …
Trip report by Craig Anderson for his Arizona IBA Big Year. The bottom line: the snowmelt draws along the Mogollon Rim are well-worth adding to your high-priority birding locations. Allow yourself two to three days to be in the area. This is our first trip to the snowmelt draws and it yielded 57 species of …
Trip report by Craig Anderson for his Arizona IBA Big Year. Spectacular vistas, sunsets, the Streakbacked Oriole, and thousands of swirling tree swallows made this tour memorable. I now have traveled over 1,300 miles to visit seven Arizona Important Bird Areas and they have exceeded my expectations. I’m in awe of Arizona’s varied habitats and unique wildlife. This trip began for my …
Trip report by Craig Anderson for his Arizona IBA Big Year. If solitude and serenity are what you are seeking for your next birding adventure, Joshua Tree IBA (one of Arizona’s newest important Bird Areas) is definitely a trip for you! Two and a half hours north of Phoenix, off Highway 93 and immediately west of Wikieup, …
Trip report by Craig Anderson for his Arizona IBA Big Year. The title is very descriptive of this IBA trip. While the birds of the Pinaleno Mountains were our primary objective, one could not help but be amazed by all the other “fliers”. The sheer abundance of butterflies, moths, beetles, grasshoppers, dragon flies, lady bugs, …
Trip report by Craig Anderson for his Arizona IBA Big Year. Volumes of Vermilions This report must start with a GREAT BIG “Thank You” to Celeste Andersen, Nature Conservancy Manager of the 7B Ranch near Mammoth and also her Supervisor Bob Rogers, Manager of the 3 Links Ranch, a Globally Significant IBA site down by …
2016 is Craig’s Big Year! Veteran Arizona birder and Audubon Arizona volunteer “Bird Nerd” Craig Anderson hits the road to visit as many of Arizona’s 46 Important Bird Areas – and see as many species of birds – as possible from March through December. Join him on his journey through Arizona’s wild places, and save …
