More bird watching

It would have been nice to spend a few extra days camped in Gardner Canyon, but a schedule is a schedule, and we had to get a move-on!  We bounced our way back out the dusty, gritty dirt road and headed east. 

Hailey and I had a date in Tombstone, as relatives from the north country were down visiting.  After a quick lunch there and a new schedule arranged, it all went to the birds again.  Whitewater Draw was in our sights, and our timing could not have been better as the grader was just finishing a nice job on the often rough washboard road the last couple of miles to the reserve.

The entrance is posted with this very welcome sign!

Driving up the road we took in views of the Swisshelm mountain range, which used to be the daily view of the Bayfield Bunch when they spent a couple winters over here in the Elfrida area.  For those that don’t know, this is a prime wintering area for thousands of Sandhill Cranes.  There are a few other waterfowl, but I think that most of the other species find it just too LOUD!

Shortly after I arrived and got set up, something must have scared the assembled flocks, as every single bird took to the air and did a few circles before settling back from where they had come – with a lot more to talk about!

It must have been somewhat unusual, as a refuge worker showed up right away to see what had caused the kerfuffle.

There are other species here as well,

including this wise old fellow who lives in the rafters of an old shed on site.

Although Hailey is already something of a famous feline, she recently saw this video, and decided that she wants to give something back to her fellow ‘man’, and join the Canadian Avalanche Rescue Cat Association.  Check out the video here!  Now if only we could find some ‘snow’ to practice on …