Even though the time of year was hot, gnats buzzed and the road into the canyon was only fit for a tank, the group had a lot of fun. The summer rains left the area teaming with flowers and greenery and the Brown Canyon Creek flowed strongly for the first time in years. Since the birds had a wide range of food and water, they were harder to find than usual. Still, the group saw or heard 73 different species which were: Turkey Vulture, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Cooper’s Hawk, Gray Hawk, Redtailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Virginia Rail (H), Band-tailed Pigeon, Mourning Dove, White-winged Dove, Common Ground Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Broad-billed Hummingbird, Blue-throated Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Anna-s Hummingbird, Costa’s Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Western Wood-Pewee, Black Phoebe, Say’s Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Tropical Kingbird, Cassin’s Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Barn Swallow, Loggerhead Shrike, Phainopepla, Cactus Wren, Canyon Wren, Bewick’s Wren, House Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Mexican) Jay, Common Raven, European Starling, Song Sparrow, Cassin’s Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Canyon Towhee, Blackheaded Grosbeak, Northern Cardinal, Blue Grosbeak, Varied Bunting, Hepatic Tanager, Summer Tanager, Western Tanager, Orange-crowned Warbler, Lucy’s Warbler, American Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson’s Warbler, Painted Redstart, Yellow-breasted Chat, Bell’s Vireo, Plumbeous Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Lesser Goldfinch, House Finch, House Sparrow, Scott’s Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark and the Great-tailed Grackle.