Verde Valley Birding Festival: Day III

An early start and a late finish to this, the longest day of the festival. I managed to get a space on the “Condor Caper” trip to the Grand Canyon, co-led by the informative and congenial team of Rob (The Lost Ecologist) and Kathy (from AZGFD). The long drive up was relatively unimpeded by birdiness, though I did enjoy being back in the land of the American Crow, particularly when I saw one chasing a Common Raven near Flagstaff.

We arrived at Bright Angel just as the California Condors were starting to fly around a bit, and had the usual unbelievably close views of four or more individuals, including an untagged juvenile that Kathy said was probably a wild-hatched bird. They are truly astounding birds, but the whole “condor experience” sometimes leaves a lot to be desired: they’re way too close to the crowds, and the crowds are way too noisy, and it’s just plain depressing to know that these birds are handled regularly and re-released. The high point of the morning for many of us was picking out a lone bird miles away against the north rim of the Canyon, too far to see its plastic name tag, nearly too far to identify, but so much more like what I think condor-watching must have been like before 1987. Sigh.

The pine forests around Grand Canyon Village were pretty bleak, though it was fun to watch Pygmy Nuthatches at the nest. I enjoyed a pair of Red-backed Juncos, too. I think we were all a bit relieved, though, when it was time to head back. We made a quick and unscheduled stop in Coconino National Forest, and split up into 2 groups to see what we could come up with. The ponderosa pine forest was looking pretty empty when suddenly we heard the metallic, rasping song of Olive Warbler, and most of the group got a good look at the bird high up in the trees. I’d never seen one this far north.

My evening lecture, “Birding the Southwest Frontier,” was well received; I was especially gratified by the sophistication of the questions afterwards, a couple of which gave me ideas for new talks. It’s a really fine group of birders who have assembled for this festival!

Tired.