Picture georgeous vistas with miles of green pines and firs, rushing creeks tumbling white over rocks, cottonwoods nestled at the bottom of rugged red stone cliffs, serenely still lakes and a unique travertine sculpted formation. These were the sites on the Mogollon Rim where nine diligent birders trekked and tramped in search of birds.

The trip began at dry Sycamore Creek along old Rte. 87 enroute to Payson where a Blue Grosbeak sang repetitively and a Summer Tanager flashed in good sunlight intriguing participants at the beginning of a most scenic trip.

Birders scouted Tonto Creek Recreation Area east of Payson exploring Tonto Creek and Horton Creek scaring up Acorn Woodpeckers and Scrub and Steller's Jays. At the riparian habitat around Tonto Fish Hatchery Painted Redstarts were very active and female Western Tanagers flew close enough for a good look.

An unrewarding walk on Horton Creek Trail resulted in a delightful afternoon adventure. Two hikers came along and engaged the birders in tales of their unidentified backyard birds that came daily and devoured the food at their feeders. They invited the group to visit their identify the tiny marauders. So they went. The gracious hosts entertained in their heavily treed yard with ice tea and lots of birds. Lesser Goldfinches, a Ladder-backed Woodpecker and Black-headed Grosbeaks appeared and, finally, the birds in question arrived......Bushtits!

Several Red-breasted Nuthatches and Pygmy Nuthatches showed up at Woods Canyon Lake, but the Three-toed Woodpecker, disappointedly, did not. At least three Ospreys entertained at Willow Springs Lake diving and catching fish after fish.

Many Cliff Swallow nests festooned the sides of the craggy rock arch at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. Besides the swallows Northern Cardinal, Say's Phoebe, Plumbeous Vireo and Cassin's Kingbird were present.

For the amount of territory covered, the bird population was minimal. Each species seen became an event!  However, the total species seen and heard totaled 57 and everyone agreed it was a great trip.

The birds were: Great Blue Heron, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Cooper's Hawk, Gambel's Quail, Mourning Dove, Rock Pigeon, Greater Roadrunner, Broad-tailed and Rufous Hummingbirds, Acorn, Ladder-backed, and Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, Western Wood-Pewee, Black and Say's Phoebes, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Cassin's Kingbird, Violet-green and Cliff Swallows, Steller's and Scrub Jays, American Crow, Common Raven, Mountain Chickadee, Bushtit, Red-breasted, Pygmy, and Whitebreasted Nuthatches, Brown Creeper, Western Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Phainopepla, Plumbeous Vireo, Virginia's, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Hermit, Red-faced, and Grace's Warblers, Painted Redstart, Summer and Western Tanagers, Northern Cardinal, Black-headed and Blue Grosbeaks, Spotted Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco, Great-tailed Grackle, Hooded Oriole, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch and House Sparrow.

Participants were: Marshall Esty, Shirley Fackelman, Vera Markham, Dan Bohlmann, Chuck and Loretta Richards, Darlene Gatto, Chuck Richard and Eleanor Campbell, leader.