11 Hours in Arizona and I Still Can't Find THIS Bird?

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thanks to Gary Meredith for pointing out the Swallowtail is actually a Pipevine Swallowtail and not a Black Swallowtail!

[@sieranystrom]

I appreciate that you share your misses as well as successes - since that's just how birding is! I totally empathize with the disappointment of dipping on a bird you thought you had such a solid plan for. So frustrating. But there is always something to find that makes the experience worth it! Thanks for sharing!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

I always think my plans are foolproof :) but normally they’re not haha

[@steve.hamlin.artist]

My wife and I had awesome luck this past May with Montezuma Quail at Davis Mountains State Park in west TX. We were there for two nights and saw two pairs multiple times each of the days we were there. I think that's unusual though. It had been very dry and they were coming to the water features at the two bird blinds. We dipped on the Scaled Quail that are supposed to be super easy to find near Balmorea though. Birds will break your heart! Love your videos.

[@laurakarr29]

Got my lifer at Buffalo Trails Scout Camp just north of there, high up on a plateau off the southern back country trail.

[@jellomonster531]

I stayed at Monahans Sandhills on my way back to Dallas from the Davis Mountains, and saw some scaled quail scurrying around the brush at the visitor center overlook. Very cute little things

[@suesmith3138]

We were at Ash Canyon on May 20th and 21st of this year and spent about 9 hours looking for the Montezuma Quail with no luck, though they had recently been seen. We did get them at Davis Mountains State Park in Texas a week later. Not every trip is a win, but still wouldn't miss the trip!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Sounds like we had similar days! 😂

[@ChristianAuthorChristineReeves]

I have never seen the owl during the day, amazing! Thank you so much for sharing!😀

[@BadgerlandBirding]

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@charlesbaker2511]

Should you ever head back there, here's how you find the Montezumas: a couple miles south of Ash Canyon is Coronado National Monument. Go there at the crack of dawn and drive very slowly along the park's main road. You'll see the quail walking along the roadside. That's how I got my first looks last year, after many, many unsuccessful tries. Good luck!!

[@delusionspodcast]

I love your videos!❤ don't feel too bad about it, it took my friend 12 years to get his and he lives here lol

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Oh dang! 🤣 glad you’re enjoying the vids!

[@TheBirdingThrifter]

I have been to Portal and Ash Canyon/Sierra Vista many times but have never seen the Montezuma Quail. Of course, I am not as patient as you and never did an all day stake-out. The guide at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds in Patagonia told me this. "The best way to see Montezuma Quail is to put them out of your mind". Lol.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

@@TheBirdingThrifter haha that may be true!

[@joelzaborowski9839]

I did an all day stakeout for a Great Grey Owl that was sighted in southern Maine a few years ago. Several birders had seen and photographed it hunting in the same spot over the course of a few days. I drove 3 hours to the spot and did an all day stakeout. Dawn till dusk. Never saw the thing.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

That’s brutal. See anything else interesting?

[@rogerashley8616]

I was under those same shelters in July during a monsoon lol this past July also looking for a Montezuma Quail. They never showed up, but did find one above the Southwestern Research Station near Portal later in my trip.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

lol that’s funny! Congrats on the find!

[@aspiecomputergeek9870]

That was me at Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids. There have been reports that a Northern Pintail has been seen and that would be a lifer for me. I still watch eBird hoping that it's still being spotted in the area but so far no dice. I did see Green Winged Teal the other weekend which was an awesome life bird for me. And it's always fun looking at Shovelers and Wigeons. I saw a duck that had a pointed tail but it turned out to be a female Ruddy. So yeah I'm right there with you guys on that.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

It stings 😂

[@aspiecomputergeek9870]

@@BadgerlandBirding several forays out to Reeds Lake Marsh saw Green Winged Teals Shovelers Black Ducks but no Pintails yet. The Teals are a treat to look at! Eventually I'll hit gold just gotta keep looking lol

[@wildlife_bros]

not a birder but while out looking for snakes in southern AZ came across a large group of them near a creek! super pretty birds

[@BadgerlandBirding]

@@wildlife_bros dang! That’s so cool!

[@barbaracole709]

I am sorry that you missed the Montezuma quail, but you saw some other cool stuff. I really liked the bridled titmouse. It’s so cute. I also liked the rock squirrel. I have definitely spent all day looking for a bird that I never found, but I try to just enjoy what I do see even if it’s not my target bird.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Yeah, the Bridled Titmice were really cool. The Rock Squirrel sounded very avian until we saw it calling!

[@elainemartin7141]

My son and I repeatedly drove up into the mountains to an area where we hoped to see an American Dipper. Sometimes, we spent nearly a day, but not 11 hours like you guys did. On a whim, we drove to a slightly higher elevation and found a turnout. We finally saw TWO dippers, but our pictures were lousy. It counted, of course, but we wanted a better light and perhaps some video. Since the pair were preparing a nest, we had better luck in that same spot. But it was hard-earned as we had been seeing reports for a couple months. Sorry you two had poor luck. You'll see that darn quail eventually. We did a similar stake-out for a mountain quail.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Congrats on the dippers! They are so cool!

[@GeorgeValladares]

I've been there hoping to see the Quail as well, I didn't. It was still a nice spot to visit.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

@@GeorgeValladares for sure!

[@garymeredith2441]

Derek the butterfly you saw there is a Pipeline Swallow tail not a Black Swallow tail . As for the Montezuma Quail Don't feel bad lots of birders look for that bird and they're very hard to find . Derek the next time you're in Arizona look near the Santa Rita lodge right around the visitor center around their property Montezuma Quail do occur in that area .

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thanks for the ID correction! I will pin a comment! :) we did try a different spot later in this trip…but that video is for another day 😉

[@GreatGray8790]

I once drove to Maine and got a hotel looking for a certain rare Eagle. The bird was a no show. Such things teach birders to be philisophical. Thanks for the video.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Was it the Steller’s Sea Eagle? Lol

[@GreatGray8790]

@BadgerlandBirding Yup. For such a huge bird it made itself very scarce.

[@Melanittanigra]

I saw a pair at Madera Canyon in December last year near the picnic parking area. They are fast little fellows.

[@raymiemiller1455]

I really need to get back to Arizona - I forgot how beautiful it is! I also missed Montezuma Quail, though I wasn't staking out for it in one spot for 11 hours. ;) I saw Rufous-winged Sparrow in beautiful desert habitat in Saguaro National Park.

[@jago76]

Hang in there guys. BTW, sometimes there is an awesome smell after a desert rain. Any luck there?

[@olenskafanboy]

The northern bobwhite was a nemesis bird for me for a long time, until I finally saw a family of them run across the path in front of me in a park in Alachua County, Florida. Sorry you guys couldn't find the quail. That's how birding is sometimes, as you well know.

[@timjozwiak2293]

I love quail!!!

[@HopeSmith-tc1pq]

So sorry you didn't see your Montezuma! Several years ago, in Madera Canyon, a friend and I were driving to leave our day of birding when we commented to each other that we failed to see a montezuma quail. Just a minute later, right before our eyes, on the side of the road, a montezuma quail was standing in the grass. Now what do you call THAT??!!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

@@HopeSmith-tc1pq we call that a LAST MINUTE LIFER!!

[@NathanWebb-c5h]

I've never done an all-day bird steak out, but I would be very tired at the end.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

It was very tiring

[@Bob_Duchesne]

Same here. I heard the little twerp, but did he pop into view? Of course, not.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

@@Bob_Duchesne some classic quail stuff right there 😂

[@rohrerbot]

Early morning and late feeding birds:) Stinkers.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Definitely :)