I spent most of last week down in Tubac participating in the HawkWatch event. It was a very enjoyable experience—kind of like a working vacation. Watching birds and selling Swarovski optical products is not a bad gig!
My time birding in and around Tubac was productive. I added a few more bird of prey species to my trip list, including western screech owl, crested caracara, and Swainson’s hawk. I also saw a variety of songbirds. One of my more interesting sightings was seeing a small flock of red crossbills on two consecutive days. This was certainly not something I would have expected to see in Tubac!
I also enjoyed seeing a lot of sparrow species. The family for sparrows and their allies (including towhees) is Emberizine, and includes 49 species in North America. For many bird watchers, sparrow identification is their nemesis. For some reason I am drawn to sparrows. It is one of those families of which I am particularly fond!
I finished the week with fourteen sparrow species: green-tailed towhee, canyon towhee, Abert’s towhee, black-throated sparrow, rufous-winged sparrow, Brewer’s sparrow, chipping sparrow, grasshopper sparrow, vesper sparrow, lark sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, Lincoln’s sparrow, song sparrow and lark bunting. I hit the sparrow jackpot!
While I was able to do a lot of birding on the side, being on the lookout for migrating hawks was certainly the main attraction. During the eight days I spent in Tubac I saw a total of 15 bird of prey species. I’m guessing I saw close to one hundred red-tailed hawks, and approximately the same number of common black hawks!
The name common black hawk is somewhat of a misnomer. Outside of Arizona, they are not common anywhere in North America. There are very few places in North America where black hawks would be considered common. Arizona is the best state in the United States to see black hawks.
I got home from the HawkWatch event Friday night, and on Saturday I took a walk on the Peavine Trail and spent time in the Watson Woods Riparian Preserve. Imagine my surprise when I was greeted by two adult black hawks in Watson Woods! I couldn’t help but wonder if this pair might have been two of the black hawks I observed migrating over Tubac earlier in the week as they were returned from their wintering grounds down in Mexico.
Watson Woods Riparian Preserve has been rich with birds of prey activity this past weekend. In addition to the black hawks, I observed a pair of bald eagles at the nest site they were frequenting a few weeks ago. It surprised me, as I had not seen more than one eagle at the nest for the last two or three weeks. Not only were there two eagles, but they were actively working on the nest, gathering sticks and adding to their bulky nest. I also saw a female great-horned owl on her nest, and I saw several red-tailed hawks and Cooper’s hawks in the Preserve. Please stay on established trails and do not approach their nesting sites.
The Preserve is a critical nesting location for birds of prey. The significance of seeing so many different birds of prey species in such a small geographical area underscores the value of this critically endangered habitat. Creekside habitats are referred to as riparian habitats. They are characterized by having a flowing creek or river, which supports a variety of deciduous trees and shrubs that thrive in this environment, including cottonwood and willow trees.
Until next week, Happy Birding!
Eric Moore is the owner of The Lookout, in Prescott, where you will find a Hallmark Gold Crown Store, wild bird products, and Vortex and Swarovski optics. Eric has been an avid birder for over 55 years. Eric can be contacted at eric@thelookoutaz.com.
