A Big Day

Breakfast at a nearby pancake house worked out well and we were on our way toward Madera Canyon while it was still cool.  On the way we stopped in the grassland and looked and listened for Botteri's Sparrow and got a couple (photo).  At the hummingbird feeders at Santa Rita Lodge we saw the first of many Broad-billed Hummingbirds.  Further up the canyon we got Sulfur-bellied and Dusky-capped Flycatchers.  We spent some time at the feeders at the B&Bs up the canyon and finally found one of the Berylline Hummingbirds that had been reported there.  But we had no trogon.  So we did the hike up the trail to Josephin Saddle and sure enough I heard a trogon call ahead of us.  When we got there, four people were watching the male call.  I thought they were using a tape, but it was the real thing calling on its own.  I took a couple of photos (photo).  While we were watching the trogon, a Greater Pewee called and then flew in.  That gave us 7 year birds for the morning.  We had lunch at the Feedlot Restaurant in Contintental, a real hoot.  Since we were on a roll, I decided to continue the push.  We went to the Patagonia roadside rest area where we got the Thick-billed Kingbird.  This was followed by a visit to the Patens where we added Violet-crowned Hummingbird.  Even though we checked some sites in the area nearby, the string ended at nine for the day.  We motored over to Sierra Vista where we will go to Sawmill Canyon in Fort Huachuca tomorrow for a few choice birds.  The total at present in 666.