The Wood Duck

The Wood Duck, our HNC journal, is available to HNC members, and comes out nine times a year. Each 'Duck' contains 24 pages of illustrated articles ranging from bird records, to dragonfly counts, to environmental issues, to South American adventures. (View recent article.)

The Wood Duck is now available on-line (immediately below). If you would rather read the Wood Duck online and no longer wish to receive a mailed copy, e-mail our Membership Director and ask to have your mailed Wood Duck discontinued.

Download The Wood Duck - May 2009

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Archived issues of The Wood Duck can be found at the bottom of this page.

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A Recent Wood Duck Article

Naturalists in Arizona: Part V

By Brian Wylie, from the May 2009 issue of the Wood Duck

Mount Humphreys(Photo: Brian Wylie)

Standing bodies of water are scarce in desert environments and so we had high hopes as we made our way to a small lake shown on our maps. We were disappointed to find that the lake was little better than a pond and that there was a complete lack of birds. Western Pondhawks, a species of blue-green dragonfly, were abundant however and while we attempted to photograph them two White-faced Ibis emerged from the rushes on the opposite shore. These birds sport beautiful iridescent wings that shimmer through an ever- changing rainbow of colours as they move about and are a delight to observe. Happy with the discovery, we moved on.

Our next stop was the Page Springs Fish Hatchery, an Important Bird Area (IBA). IBA’s are designated in the United States by the Audubon Society and this site, although very small, had recorded 170 species of birds. A large dead tree held several Turkey Vultures and our first Ladder-backed Woodpecker. A small copse of trees and shrubs was alive with Audubon Warblers, the yellow-throated equivalent of our Myrtle Warbler. Familiar Wilsons Warblers, on migration, also flitted about. A busy group of drab Bushtit’s held a surprise; a Lucy’s Warbler. This was another southwestern specialty that we had hoped to see.

Sarah with a Western Diamond-back Rattlesnake (Photo: Brian Wylie)

The deepest pond was overrun with Bullfrogs, an eastern invader. Nancy commented that all the available food here would attract snakes and that maybe it wasn’t safe to hike around. Fearful that I would be forced to leave this birding hotspot prematurely, I assured her that rattlesnakes preferred mammals and lizards (true) so we would be unlikely to see one (false, the area was perfect). Needless to say, Dan and Sarah found a large Western Diamond-back Rattlesnake on the trail we had just left. After a quick, and frank, few words, Nancy headed straight for the truck and I headed straight for the snake. It was big, and a beauty. As an added bonus Dan spotted a gorgeous male Vermillion Flycatcher nearby. Now we could leave.

Sharp eyes added Loggerhead Shrike and Zone-tailed Hawk to our growing bird list as we left the desert landscape and once again drove up the impressive Oak Creek Canyon. After another dizzying climb up the canyon wall we stopped to enjoy the view from the overlook. The height allowed us the rare opportunity to observe birds from above. Aptly named Violet-green swallows performed aerial acrobatics while a family group of Townsends Solitaires vocalized as they flew from tree top to tree top. In the distance we witnessed a soaring Golden Eagle suddenly fold its wings and plummet earthward after its prey.

We took time to peruse tables set up for sale of native Hopi and Navajo handicrafts. Varieties of pottery and uniquely beautiful silver and turquoise jewellery made up most of the display. Sales of these items are often the primary income of these Native Americans.

Pushing north through forests of Ponderosa and Pinyon Pine we left Flagstaff behind and headed for the San Francisco Peaks. These mountains are snow-capped in winter and so it is possible to ski in the morning before driving a few hours south to the sunny heat of Phoenix in the afternoon.

At a trailhead we found familiar Red-breasted Nuthatches and Warbling Vireo’s along with a Dusky Flycatcher. A small flock of warblers we followed eventually yielded the striking Red-faced Warbler. We were elated to see this species for it is usually an early migrant that heads south to Mexico by early September.

Oak Creek Canyon from Overlook(Photo: Brian Wylie)

Donning extra clothes, we took the ski-lift up Mount Humphreys whose peak rises to an impressive 12,670 feet. The temperature dropped by about 20 degrees F as we ascended the mountain. We enjoyed not only spectacular views but also the harsh calls and distinctive flight plumage of Clark’s Nutcrackers. Closer to the summit we had a small hawk flight of passing Swainson’s, Sharp-shinned and Red-tailed Hawks.

These mountains, sacred ground for the Navajo Nation, rise from the plains and can be seen for a hundred miles. To the east lay the Painted Desert, north the Grand Canyon and to the west a sprinkling of ancient volcanic cones.
Bent, twisted and gnarled Bristlecone Pines cling to the rocky upper slopes. Known as the Earths longest living organism the trees here are approximately 1400 years old, specimens up to 4844 years have been found elsewhere. We were also treated to a view of the rare San Francisco Groundsel, a plant which clings to the rocky talus slopes above 11,000 feet and we had arrived in time to see one of its small yellow flowers in bloom.

Red Mountain was our next stop. Recent rains had caused the desert plants to erupt in a showy display of flowers. On the two mile hike we passed a wealth of flowering shrubs and stopped to marvel at the bark of an Alligator Juniper. Uniformly gray Plain Titmice uttered their pulsing, rattling call from shady haunts and a single Virginia’s Warbler appeared and disappeared quickly. The ground changed from sand and hard packed soil to a rock hard mass of volcanic cinders as we neared the remnants of the cone. By scaling a ladder you can enter a strange land of spires, hoodoo’s, caves and mounds. This cinder cone is unique for you are actually standing inside an eroded amphitheater with the back wall towering 800 feet above your head in a near vertical cliff. Black crystals of pyroxene and amphibole form a dry stream bed which flows down from the volcano and add another element to the “magic feel” you get when standing here. It is truly a place that has to be experienced firsthand.

Archived Issues of The Wood Duck

2009

April 2009 (PDF - 5.81 MB)
March 2009 (PDF - 7.44 MB)
February 2009 (PDF - 9.60 MB)
January 2009 (PDF - 11.8 MB)

2008