Where to go
Flagstaff, and surrounding areas offer a wide diversity of life zones, from juniper grassland to spruce-fir forest. Nesting species in the higher elevation mixed conifer and spruce-fir forests include Gray Jay, Blue Grouse, and Three-toed Woodpecker. The lower areas near Eagar and Springerville often attract interesting migrants in the late summer and fall as well as some sought after nesters like Gray Catbird, Pinyon Jay and Lewis's Woodpecker. The area's many lakes offer habitat to nesting, migratory and wintering populations of many species of waterfowl. Birding can be good year round in the White Mountain area though the higher elevations are usually impassable due to snow till May. Central Flagstaff Checklist
Flagstaff Arboretum
The Arboretum is located west of Flagstaff and south
of I-40. From the junction of South Milton Road (I-17 extension) and West Hwy
66, drive 2 miles west on Hwy 66 to Woody Mountain Campground. Turn left on Woody
Mountain Road (Arboretum sign is on right side of Hwy 66) and drive 4 miles to
the Arboretum entrance. The Arboretum is open April 1 to October 15. Non-members
pay an entrance fee.
The Arboretum has a wide variety of habitats in a relatively
small and easily walked area. Ponderosa pine forest is the prime habitat, but
others as aspen grove, pond/riparian, open grasslands, and cultivated gardens
not only attract many summer breeders, but also a diverse array of migrants in
April/May and Sept/Oct.
Migrating
warblers are especially abundant in the riparian vegetation
upstream from the pond, while the grasslands are excellent for
sparrows, particularly in the fall.
In the summer,
nest-boxes and building eaves provide many nest sites for Western
Bluebirds, House Wrens, Mountain Chickadees, Say’s Phoebes, American
Robins, and Cordilleran Flycatchers. Other summer breeders are Brewer’s
Blackbirds, Vesper Sparrows, Western Meadowlarks, and Plumbeous Vireos.
Check with the Arboretum regarding bird walks from 07:30 to 09:00AM each
Saturday starting in early May. Arboretum
Checklist
Kachina Wetlands
Close to Flagstaff, this constructed wetland presents numerous large ponds
of varying water level, surrounded by open ponderosa grassland. Great
rails, ducks, shorebirds, raptors and other migrants,
you can't beat Kachina Wetlands for sheer convenience to start or end
any day.
Travel: Flagstaff on I-17 south and Kachina
Village Blvd will be your first exit past the Pulliam Airport.
Take a right off the off-ramp and then take another sharp right onto Tovar
Trail. As you drive, flanked by the
interstate on one side and a meadow on the other, at .5 miles (starting
the odometer at the begining of Tovar Trail.) there is a small pull out
to your right, and a small pond to your left. This is sometimes a great
preview area of whats to come. Follow Tovar Tr., it will eventually
curve to the left and at the very end of this road (1.5
miles) you'll take a right onto Lohali Trail, and this
will end pretty abrubtly at a gate with a parking area to the right.
Park and walk in.
Kachina Wetlands Checklist
Continental Country Club
Continental Country Club Lakes, an urban residential golf-course area,
in the southeast section of Flagstaff can be reached via Country Club
Dr from I-40 at Exit 201, or via Butler Ave coming from the west (see
Flagstaff City map). An assortment of water storage ponds for the
golf course are scattered through the area, such as Walnut Canyon Lakes
located next to Old-Walnut Canyon Rd going east from Country Club Dr.
During spring and fall migrations such vagrants
as Snowy & Cattle Egret, Surf Scoter, Black-necked Stilt, Wilson’s & Red-necked
Phalarope, and Franklin’s & Sabine’s Gull have been seen as well
as most duck species. Regular migrants as Orange-crowned, Yellow-rumped, Virginia’s,
and Yellow Warblers flit in the trees bordering the ponds. At times five species
of swallows perch on the overhead wires while a Bald Eagle or Red-tailed Hawk can
be seen nearby. A half-mile north on Country Club Rd is an unnamed golf course
lake that has hosted many varieties of ducks, Canada Geese, grebes, herons, and
hawks. Lake Humphrey, on Continental Dr, attracts Eared Grebe, Ruddy Duck, and
Northern Shoveler. CCC Checklist
Lake Elaine, south of Butler Ave and
west of Skyview Dr, is the largest lake where Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser,
American Wigeon, Cinnamon & Green-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Redhead,
Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Northern Pintail, and wintering Bald
Eagles hang out. Some summer breeders throughout the residential & lake
areas are Acorn, Hairy & Lewis’ Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Western
Wood-Pewee, Plumbeous Vireo, Violet-green Swallow, nuthatches, Brown Creeper,
bluebirds, Western Tanager, House Finch, and Lesser Goldfinch.
Lakes Mary
Lower and Upper Lakes Mary can almost be considered to be Urban lakes
as they are not far from Flagstaff and are well used by fishermen, picnickers,
and birders.
Lower Lake Mary begins about 6 miles south on Lake Mary
Rd (Hwy 3) that runs alongside both lakes. Various pullouts along the highway
and paved entry points to the lakes provide plentiful parking for birders. A
spotting scope is helpful.
Both lakes are located within the Anderson Mesa
Important Bird Area that comprises approximately 208,000 acres.
Spring and fall migrations bring the most exciting birds, but birds of
interest can be found during winter and summer as well. The “Anderson Mesa,
Lakes Mary, and Mormon Lake: Checklist of the Birds” contains
250 species, 106 of which are confirmed breeders. Not all will be seen at Lakes
Mary, yet many can be seen easily such as wintering Bald Eagles, many migrating
species as grebes, herons, a large variety of waterfowl, Osprey, hawks, warblers
and other passerines. During drought years Lower Lake Mary will be completely
dry, but Upper Lake Mary has always managed to retain some water. During regular
winters the water will be frozen from mid-December to mid-February, yet usually
some open water exists. Anderson Mesa Checklist
Mormon Lake
Mormon Lake, the largest natural lake in Arizona, is located
about 20 miles south of Flagstaff via Lake Mary Road (Hwy 3). Although
large in area the shallow water evaporates quickly and the lake can be
completely dry in drought years. Yet, regular winter snows/summer rains
will provide sufficient water for thousands of spring and fall migrating
waterfowl, shorebirds, passerines and hawks. The largest wintering population
of Bald Eagles in the Southwest occurs at Mormon Lake and Lakes Mary. Mormon
Lake Checklist
Exit Hwy 3 at the signed and paved Mormon Lake Rd
that goes around and along the west side where prime birding areas are at Dairy
Springs, St Joseph’s Camp, and Double Springs.
Summer breeders as Cordilleran
Flycatcher, Red-faced Warbler, Western Wood-Pewee, Steller’s Jay, Violet-green
Swallow, Purple Martin and Black-headed Grosbeak can usually be seen.
Continue
on the paved road to Mormon Lake Village where Lewis’ Woodpecker has
been known to nest; check out the water pond at the fire station for herons,
ducks or shorebirds.
At the east T-junction with Hwy 3, turn left (north) for
a mile or so, to where a left-hand-only turn gives access to the lake with
limited parking, and here, below the eastern cliffs, one can walk the lower
lakeshore road for about 5 miles (going north). Gambel Oak, elderberry and
other shrubs provide roadside habitat for warblers, kinglets and other passerines,
especially during migration.
Otherwise, continue on Hwy 3 to the Overlook on the
northeastern lake corner for great vistas of the lakebed and Anderson Mesa
grasslands to the east. Various raptor species hang out here enjoying the updrafts
while keeping a sharp outlook for prey. In years past, especially wet
winters allowed the water to remain high enough for breeding Western and Clark’s
Grebes to be seen in early summer below the Overlook. A prime feature of the
Anderson Mesa Important Bird Area is Mormon Lake that is designated as a ‘Continental
Important Bird Area’ by itself.
Mormon Lake was declared a "National Important Bird Area" by the American
Bird Conservancy in 1997, due to it's importance for migratory birds of all kinds,
but in particular to water birds.
Dairy Springs and Double Springs (campgrounds) on the west side contribute to run-off and provide riparian habitat for Red-faced Warbler, Black-headed Grosbeak, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Western Wood Pewee, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Plumbeous Vireo and Common Yellowthroat, to name but a few. A Great Blue Heron rookery of about 40 nests is located on the lakeside of the highway, just 2 miles south of Double Springs campground. Purple Martins and Violet-green Swallows have their own snag condos in the midst of this rookery, easily seen from the road.
Other lakes in vicinity: Lower & Upper
Lake Mary (enroute to Mormon Lake), Marshall, Ashurst and Kinnickinnick
Lakes are well worth birding. They are all road signed and easy to find
from Lake Mary Rd (which is also Forest Hwy 3). Look here for breeding
Western Grebes and migrant Black Terns.
Travel: From Flagstaff, drive south on Milton Rd. At
the last stop light before entering I-17 turn right (west) onto Forest
Meadows and then left (south) at the next stop light onto Hwy 89A. Go
south about 0.4 miles to next stop light. Turn left onto Lake Mary Rd.
Drive 1.0 miles to the Mormon Lake Ranger Station for information, maps,
or a bird checklist for the area. From the south on I-17 take exit 339
(signed for Lake Mary/Mormon). Continue on Lake Mary Rd to areas described
above.
Contributors: John Prather, Elaine Morrall
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San Fransisco Peaks
Band-tailed Pigeon
Lakes area map
Mogollon rim
Butch Tank
Sheep Spring