Nogales, Patagonia State Park, Sonorita, Madera Canyon Road

So we drove from our location almost to the mexican border, and enjoyed all the police cruisers and border patrol officers floating around the place. A stop over at a roadside clearing in Nogales gave us some unexpected birds (Gambels Quail, Coopers Hawk, Roufous Sparrow, Chirichauan Raven) and then we continued on to Patagonia State Park. A birding paradise with a calm atmosphere -except for the 300 mexicans enjoying easter weekend. If you are planning a quiet birding weekend in SE AZ, dont choose Easter - its a huge family event for Mexicans and they celebrate in style ! :). None the less, birds here were magnificent
Black Throated Grey Warbler
Hepatic Tanager
Neotropic Cormorant
Gray Hawk
White Winged Dove
Ladder Backed Woodpecker
Beardless Tyrannulet
Black Pheobe
Vermillion Flycatcher (An absolute JEWEL Of a bird)
Ash Throated Flycatcher
Plumbeous Vireo

On our Way back, a stop at a very friendly/quirky gas station in Sonorite produced a Curve Billed Thrasher nest building

We chose to take a dirt road through the canyon to get back to Madera, called Madera Canyon road. Good area for birding, but unfortuneately popular for ATV'ers as well. I saw a Loggerhead Shrike (my nemisis bird for 4 years now... I got him!) duking it out with a Cactus Wren. Excellent. 

At night at our campground you could hear an Elf Owl (which during nesting season you can also apparently see) and a Western Screech Owl.