Birding is a big deal around here. With the
Chiricahua Mountains and
Cave Creek Canyon the area draws lots of birders looking to add to their life lists and as a result the birding season draws lots of visitors. A number of birding guides (for a list see the side bar) are available locally but many birding visitors just spend time on their own, hiking and birding locally. At the
Painted Pony Resort we see primarily groups and not individual birders but some guests wish to participate in the local birding scene while visiting to get an introduction to the activity. As a result I have started a yard list of local avian species so guests will have easy access to a list of the most common species visiting the estate.
Not being a birder though it required some preparation. Binoculars were the first tool needed and fortunately I had a pair I use to check the estate. The next was a location to bird. I'm out and about constantly but getting the camera ready and quickly getting an image to document a species is not really a viable option. I have used the iPhone camera to some extent and with some success but I needed a location that I frequent where I could keep the camera handy and settled on the doorway of the trailer. I'm frequently in and out of the door in the early morning and with a small mesquite tree which is visible from the door is the perfect location to see local birds. From the doorway I'm in shadow and do not disturb the bird I'm trying to photograph allowing me more time to catch a usable image. Then came identification, there are reference books in the main house for guests but I needed something handy and found the
Merlin Bird ID and
eBird apps which fit nicely on the iPhone. These tools allow the rapid identification of the local bird species I manage to photograph. The goal will be to place the yard list some place guests can easily access such as the blog and website as well as adding to the online listings.
The yard list currently sits at about 2 dozen species and I have a long way to go, in both finding and identifying the local bird species as well as photographing examples for guests. Below I have added a couple if images of birding from the doorway that I've been collecting for the yard list as a taste of the local birding tool being built for guests.
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| Bullock's Oriole |
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| Wilson's Warbler |
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| American Yellow Warbler |
