Santa Cruz Flats

Santa Cruz Flats is a popular winter birding destination in Arizona.  That's because with some luck, both Mountain Plover and Crested Caracara can be found here in the agricultural fields.  This area is located about 50 miles north of Tucson, west of Picacho Peak in Pinal County.

Great Blue Heron with Picacho Peak in the background

As luck would have it, the only decent lighting for the day was at sunrise, when I found this sleepy Burrowing Owl along the road.

Nap time!

My initial search of the sod farm where the Mountain Plover like to hang out came up empty.  But after scanning the area for over an hour and a half, I spotted three plovers in the distance. 

Later I found a group of eleven plovers in a dry field that offered a closer look.  

Mountain Plover

After a few choice words with the clouds that were blocking the sun, I decided to check if the first group had moved any closer to the road.  Sure enough, they had!

Mountain Plover

Apparently, the insect supply here is good enough to keep them coming back each winter.  Poorly named, Mountain Plover prefer flat open plains, not mountains.  Typically far from water, they nest in shortgrass prairie, including overgrazed pasture and dry plains.

Next, I began my search for Crested Caracara.  I didn't have to try very hard.  After a few minutes, one flew across the road in front of me and landed in a distant field with its buddy.  They were following a small plow, presumably picking off the insects it turned up.

Crested Caracara

An interesting feature of the caracara is the bare skin on the face.  When threatened, it can change from bright orange-red to pale yellow in a matter of seconds.  Apparently this is caused by a change in blood flow to the area.  They also raise their crest when frightened or on alert, like the individual above on the right.


I continued down the road a few miles when a big cloud of dust caught my attention.  A Crested Caracara emerged from the cloud and landed behind the dust-producing plow.  I looked around the field and counted 17 caracaras... jackpot!  They were no doubt feasting on insects turned up by the plow.  They would wait for the plow to pass, then walk or land behind it in search of a tasty treat.  What crafty little devils!  This was one of the coolest bird behaviors I've ever seen.

   

Crested Caracara

 

 Some other cool stuff I saw:

American Pipit

Horned Lark

Great Blue Heron

Killdeer

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Red-tailed Hawk

By now, most of the Mountain Plovers have probably made their way to their breeding grounds.  Birds are on the move everywhere.  Goodbye winter, hello spring!

- Jeremy Medina