Patagonia

Yesterday we drove 50 miles to Patagonia Lake State Park to go birding with our friends Fred and Jo Wishnie, http://www.mytripjournal.com/wanderingwishnies . They had started out on a Ranger lead bird walk last Monday, but 35 people showed up for the walk, way too many for a bird walk. The large crowd however did manage to see a resident Elegant Trogon. We decide to do the same walk on our own and hopefully find the Trogon. This is about the only place in the United States where you can find a Trogon, but they are usually are here during summer. Although we had a very nice walk and saw many birds, we did not see the Trogon. We did find many other birders also out looking for the Trogon. The picture here is one I got off of the Internet of a Trogon to give you an idea of what it looks like.

About half way between the town of Patagonia Arizona and Patagonia Lake State Park is the famous Patagonia Rest Area. This is a very famous place in the birding world. Pete Dunne wrote: “And, of course, no birder could speak of Arizona and fail to mention the "Famous Patagonia Rest Stop"--home of the Rose-throated Becard, the Thick-billed Kingbird, and the Violet-crowned Hummingbird, birth- place of the "Patagonia Picnic Table Effect": If a spot holds a good bird, it will attract good birders who in turn will find other good birds, which will in turn attract other good birders, who will in turn find”. We were there in the wrong season at the wrong time of the day and didn’t see any birds. I was surprised that the rest area is very small; there was an old, ancient picnic table there for the "Patagonia Picnic Table Effect". There isn’t even a Port-a-potty. What kind of rest area is that? The “best” birding area is across the road on private property and you have to stay between the fence and the road to hopefully see anything. The picture here taken by Jo Wishnie shows pretty much all of the "Famous Patagonia Rest Stop".

You no doubt have noticed that our new opening photo was taken at this world famous birding spot. It was taken by Fred Wishnie. Thanks Fred!

Out final bird stop of the day was another famous birding spot” the backyard of the Paton’s, who have opened there yard to birders. They have a bank of hummingbird feeders on the back of their house to attract a variety of hummingbirds. Again we were there at the wrong time in the wrong season, but we did see a few Board-billed hummingbirds. We ended our day with 41 species. Our birding this week has brought our year list up to 137.

We have been staying at Tombstone Territories RV Park. Here are a few pictures of the park with our view of the desert: