Memories of the Chiricahua Mountains

Yellow-Eyed Junco - Junco phaeonotus — *Yellow-Eyed Junco (Junco phaeonotus) at Rustler Park in the Chiracahua Mountains*

I have yet to tap into all the treasures the Chiricahua sky island offers, but Rustler Park and Cave Creek were a treat during the limited time I spent there. Among the gifts the mountain shared with me were first meetings with several species: Yellow-Eyed Junco, Swainson’s Hawk, Elegant Trogon, and even my first Chipping Sparrow.

My first trip here was in August 2003. I had only recently begun exploring birding and bird photography. There’s a certain joy to meeting birds for the first time, and there were so many birds new to me in 2003. First meetings were rather frequent then, as evidenced by the Chipping Sparrow mentioned above.

In hindsight, the small number of species I captured revealed my inexperience in 2003. I’d read about the trogons at Cave Creek near the town of Portal Arizona, and I think I had tunnel vision. I successfully found this interesting species and collected a few images, but I captured few other birds at Cave Creek. Exploring this location on foot or on bike may be best, as it allows for easy stopping to chase a fleeting figure or call a bird without the hindrance of searching for off-road parking.

While Cave Creek and Portal are situated at the foot of the mountain, Rustler Park is in a high valley on the upper slopes, and the avian community differs from that at lower elevations. I chose to only visit this destination for my second trip in October 2015. Fires in 2011 decimated the camping area at Rustler, and I found the hillsides and campsites overgrown with tall weeds. I wanted to renew my acquaintance with the Yellow-Eyed Juncos I’d met in 2003, and get better images than those on my first meeting. On that count, I found satisfaction.

My most recent visit was in July-2023, while on my return leg of my tour of eastern Canada and the Appalachians. Perhaps I can time my next visit to this region in spring to take better advantage of this amazing area. The gallery below shows the birds I met on these excursions.