Cave Creek Canyon with its high, sculpted pink rhyolite walls gleaming in the morning or afternoon sun is beautiful alone, but the variety of birds residing or nesting there make it even more special.

Eleven birders descended on this area at Portal in southeast Arizona near the New Mexico border and spent four days exploring the varied habitats from desert to the pine forest of the Chiricahua Mountains. Trees and bird feeders in the village and at Cave Creek Ranch attracted colorful species such as Hooded Oriole, Bullock's Oriole, Scott's Oriole, Magnificent and Blue-throated Hummingbird, Summer and Hepatic Tanager. There were flocks of Band-tailed Pigeons--not usually seen in such numbers and at the lower altitude - where we saw them searching for food.

The effect of drought was evident everywhere. There was just a trickle of water in Cave Creek high up in the wilderness area. The Elegant Trogon had been seen along the South Fork but did not reveal itself to the group.

Leader, Chuck Kangas, took participants to the "almost ghost town" of Paradise--population fourteen -- with a stop at the Paradise cemetery where the old grave stones were as interesting as the birds. Jackie Lewis graciously allowed the group to sit at the grounds of her bed and breakfast where we got close looks at the many birds going to her feeders. Our group missed the Montezuma Quail which go through her yard. Other birders saw them but when several of our members went to the area that they had been seen they were unable to find them.

The national forest campgrounds were quiet and Western Wood Pewee, Acorn Woodpecker, and Mexican Jay were seen regularly. During the trip a few got a long, close look at the Arizona Woodpecker and Swainson's Hawk. Another few saw the Elf Owl that was nesting at Cave Creek Ranch. The Owl Prowl conducted by a professional guide was a "bust" since not any of the expected owls showed although the Elf Owl did call.

Sighting the Olive Warbler and Red-faced Warbler in the remote area of Barfoot and Rustler Parks along with the Pygmy and the Red –breasted Nuthatch at its nest was satisfying. Sharing the expertise gleaned from years of birding with young environmental study college students camped there was fun.

With stops enroute at Sweetwater Wetlands at Tucson and Willcox Ponds the bird list was 97 species including four only heard. They were: Eared Grebe, Clark's Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, Swainson's Hawk, Prairie Falcon, Scaled Quail, Gambel's Quail, American Coot, Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Ring-billed Gull, Band-tailed Pigeon, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Great Horned Owl, Elf Owl, White-throated Swift, Blue-throated Hummingbird, Magnificent Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Gila Woodpecker, Ladderbacked Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Arizona Woodpecker, Northern (red-shafted) Flicker, Western Wood Pewee, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Cassin's Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Bell's Vireo, Plumbeous Vireo, Hutton's Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Steller's Jay, Mexican Jay, Common Raven, Horned Lark, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Bridled Titmouse, Juniper Titmouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, Cactus Wren, Canyon Wren, Bewick's Wren, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher, Cedar Waxwing, Phainopepla, Olive Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Red-faced Warbler, Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager, Summer Tanager, Western Tanager, Canyon Towhee, Abert's Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Yellow-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal, Pyrrhuloxia, Black-headed Grosbeak, Blue Grosbeak, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Hooded Oriole, Bullock's Oriole, Scott's Oriole, House Sparrow, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch.

Participants were: Leader: Chuck Kangas, Eleanor Campbell, Chuck Richard, Vera Markham, Pat Kifer, June & Howard Lacey, Darnell Kirksey, Bob McCall, Dan & Wilma Bohlmann. Brett Solon and his mother joined the group for the Owl Prowl.