On the second day of our trip to Sierra Vista we went first to Hunter Canyon, and then to Paton Center for Hummingbirds.
Hunter Canyon is another of the many accessible canyons in the Huachuca Mountains (Huachuca Canyon, Ramsey Canyon, Ash Canyon, Miller Canyon, Garden Canyon, etc). This was my second trip to Hunter Canyon. It is known to birders as a place for Rufous-capped Warblers (RCW), and we were hoping to see one. The RCW is rare in the US, and only seen in the SE corner of Arizona. Unfortunately, we missed it by 5 minutes! Another birder saw it just before we got there. The trail has a moderately steep and steady climb (about 700 ft elevation change) for 0.7 miles to get to the RCW ‘stake-out’ location. It’s a beautiful spot in the woods. We sat by the creek for a long time enjoying nature, and looking for the RCW. I saw a Northern Pygmy-Owl high up in a fir tree – it looked like a pine cone from a distance. It was too far away for a good shot, but I included one anyway.
Next we went to Paton Center for Hummingbirds. This place was started in the 1970s by Wally and Marion Paton. They bought a modest house in Patagonia, and put a bunch of feeders out (about a dozen), and hummers of all varieties came; 14 different species so far. Over time they allowed people to come into their yard, just requesting a donation to the ‘sugar fund’ to keep the feeders going. It became a destination spot for birders to see a wide variety of hummingbirds, as well as other birds that showed up in their yard. After Wally and Marion passed away, the Tucson Audubon Society took over the property and have continued the Paton’s legacy.
The disadvantage is that the photos are mostly on feeders – shots in the natural environment are preferred. But I’m not too particular! This time, the new bird for me was the Violet-crowned Hummingbird.
We stayed at Sierra Suites in Sierra Vista, as we did on previous visits. It is a nice place, with decent rates (and pretty good breakfast!).
