Tubac and the Santa Ritas

Greetings from Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

After missing the Sinaloa Wren last weekend, I knew I would need to make a trip back, or try Fort Huachuca for a different Sinaloa Wren.  I decided to stay closer to Tucson and give the Tubac bird another shot.  This weekend was a much different story.  Within seconds of arriving, I heard the distinctive rattle call.  After a couple minutes, it gave a single burst of song before moving further from the trail.  I never got a visual of the bird, but the real treat with Sinaloa Wrens are their beautiful songs.

The first Hog-nosed Skunk that I've seen.  This one was close to the Sinaloa
Wren spot.

One of many Broad-billed Hummingbirds

After the Sinaloa Wren, I headed to a location that I had never birded, Chino Canyon.  The road in is quite rough and very slow going, but the end location is worth it.  There had been a couple recent reports of Five-striped Sparrow from this location so that was my main target.  I was only marginally successful; the Five-striped sang for a couple minutes but I was never able to locate it.  I guess it gives me a good reason to go back.  The biggest highlight was a pair of Black-capped Gnatcatchers that decided to forage just a few feet away.  A Crissal Thrasher was also a nice bird, since I don't see this species nearly enough.

The male Black-capped Gnatcatcher from Chino Canyon

A Gila Monster.  This guy was on the road as
I was leaving Chino.