Sunday, February 16, 2014

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.  IMG_0140

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.

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The entrance is posted with this very welcome sign!

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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!

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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!

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

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There are other species here as well,

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

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imageAlthough 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 …

9 comments:

  1. Wow! such a lots of birds. Wish I can see them personally. I just wonder about the names of those birds. Haha

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  2. Yes, your post & photos bring back lots of memories of our winters spent on the Ranch just a mile north of the Draw. I remember meeting you for the first time there. Every day twice a day we would have those Sandhill Cranes overhead & on windy days they would sometimes be struggling along at rooftop level. We do miss that area............

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  3. What a beautiful area! My husband grew up a couple miles from there. Love seeing all the birds!

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  4. Love the Avalanche Cat Rescue vid! Ms Hailey would be a shoe in (if she ever gets to see snow)! Stay warm. DJM325 from the Great White North

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  5. Snow in Arizona: http://skicentral.com/arizona.html

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  6. oh my! here in Florida I have enjoyed the several pairs of Sandhill Cranes that live here but this would be a joy to see! We visited that area a few years ago but didn't see that much in the way of wildlife so it must have been an off season time. I guess we need to go back

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  8. wow....Nice View...I think you really enjoyed...Thanks for sharing...

    PermitsandVisas

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  9. Beautiful!!! Lots of different Birds...great view...Thanks for sharing.

    SyncVisas

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