Mad AZ Monk

Lawrence of Arizona

Watch out. The next report may be hell freezing over. It's been raining for two solid days here in Sedona and the Verde Valley, snowing like crazy up in Flagstaff, provoking rumors that the Arizona Snowbowl will open for skiing this weekend (confirmed! they got 28" of snow out of this storm) in the San Francisco Peaks. We've had more than 4" of rain this month alone, a miracle.

So, since it was intermittently pouring yesterday, the only logical move was to go birding. Actually, the first plan to head up to the Grand Canyon area to take advantage of the Pine Grosbeak irruption was aborted by mental images of us slowly succumbing to hypothermia in a battered Nissan, an ignoble end. But try as I might to ignore a report of Lawrence's Goldfinches within striking distance, greater forces compelled me to strap on my galoshes and go.

Cats I never heard of said they had seen 30+ LAGO's snarfing up Sycamore seeds from the trees', um, hanging balls. I zigzagged up to Clear Creek Campground, literally dodging tumbleweeds hurled across the highway by the gale.

Arizona rain often falls in waves, for which I was grateful. Meant I could dash about when it cleared. This I did, finding the CG thrush-rich. Cedar Waxwings, my favorite bird and one you don't see every day in these parts, worked on stripping the hackberries, while American Robins, Hermit Thrushes and Western Bluebirds haggled over the ripe junipers (odd not to see a Townsend's Solitaire among such riches). Woodpeckers aplenty (most Gila and Ladder-backed) cackled amongst the cottonwoods, but I shoved them aside in pursuit of a smokin' lifer.

Found the sycamore grove, just where the report called it, next to an ancient, and still working, irrigation canal. Goldfinches, in fact, were zipping here and there, pausing to nibble on the balls (oh, it's too easy). But I didn't see nothin' that looked like a Lawrence's. I lost confidence, though, not having seen one before, so I slopped back to the car to consult Sibley about whether they had a secret winter plumage I had missed. Nope, not really. Back I traipsed, squinting at every sycamore.

No dice. I don't think they'd be mistakable if you actually saw one, which I haven't, in like a zillion tries. However, to my more minor delight, most of the goldfinches revealed themselves to be Americans. I don't think I've seen an AMGO in AZ since a CBC in 2000, and here were a couple dozen. So the day wasn't a total loss. A nice bird for the area, an introduction to a fabulous new habitat that I'm totally going to scour this spring, and a rare chance to walk in my door and say, "Whew! I'm soaked!"

Might catch LAGO's this weekend when I spend Thanksgiving weekend at my friend's new house in Patagonia. They've also been reported in the Catalina Mountains NE of Tucson. Full report upon my return.