Driving south along the western edge of the Chiricahua Mountains, we were headed towards Bisbee. Looking towards the sky we saw a huge "V" of birds and then another, and yet another. We stopped the car and could hear the exotic sound of these huge birds flying low over the desert, towards the south. We followed one flock for about half an hour, stopping along the road to watch them move steadily through the air like something out a prehistoric past. We were witnesses to a small part of the annual Sandhill Crane migration to the Willcox dry playa.
It takes a readjustment in perception to realize that Arizona is a premier area for birding and all sorts of birding activities. Every year Willcox, Arizona has a huge birding festival called Wings over Willcox. You may wish to check out the Willcox Playa Wildlife Area Website. You may also want to view the Audubon Arizona Website.
We live a few minutes from a spectacular birding site, the Gilbert Riparian Institute. The Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, located in Gilbert, Arizona has an extensive bird list with 219 species. We can see a lot of those birds in the trees and along the canals near our house. Arizona is truly a spectacular place for birds.
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