Madera Canyon

Date & Time: 
December 1, 2017 -
9:30am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: 
Meet at 9:30am at Green Valley: Continental Road, I-19 Exit 63, Safeway/McDonald’s parking lot, food and restrooms available.  We will check Madera Canyon for late-season butterflies.
Trip Leader: 
Mary Klinkel 

Bring lunch, snacks, water, binoculars, personal items.  Approximate stop time:  2pm.

Trip Butterfly Reports: 

The trip began under cool, cloudy skies, but slowly warmed as the day progressed. We visited the Green Valley Gardeners' Cummunity Garden, Proctor Picnic Area, the picnic area at the end of Madera Canyon Road, and the Santa Rita Lodge. A few then revisited the CVG Community Garden, where two additional species were sighted. Although we found only 16 species, everyone enjoyed the last field trip of 2017. Not all participants saw all of the species listed.

Butterflies seen:

  1. Sleepy Orange                      Eurema nicippe (adults and caterpillars)
  2. Gray Hairstreak                    Strymon melinus
  3. Leda Ministreak                    Ministrymon leda
  4. Western Pygmy-Blue          Brephidium exile
  5. Ceraunus Blue                      Hemiargus ceraunus
  6. Reakirt’s Blue                        Hemiargus isola
  7. ‘Echo’ Spring Azure             Celastrina ladon
  8. Fatal Metalmark                   Calephelis nemesis
  9. Gulf Fritillary                         Agraulis vanilla (caterpillars & pupa only)
  10. Texan Crescent                     Phyciodes texana
  11. Painted Lady                         Vanessa cardui
  12. ‘Arizona’ California Sister   Adelpha bredowii
  13. Monarch                                Danaus plexippus
  14. Queen                                     Danaus gilippus
  15. Funereal Duskywing            Erynnis funeralis
  16. Fiery Skipper                         Hylephila phyleus

Birds Seen:

  1. Wild Turkey                              Meleagris        gallopavo
  2. Harris's Hawk                           Parabuteo       unicinctus
  3. Red-tailed Hawk                      Buteo               jamaicensis
  4. Rock Pigeon                              Columba          livia
  5. Mourning Dove                       Zenaida            macroura
  6. Inca Dove                                  Columbina       inca
  7. Anna's Hummingbird              Calypte             anna
  8. Hummingbird sp.                    female Blue-throated or Rivoli's (recently split from Magnificent)
  9. Acorn Woodpecker                 Melanerpes     formicivorus
  10. Red-naped Sapsucker             Sphyrapicus     nuchalis
  11. Arizona Woodpecker              Picoides           arizonae
  12. Mexican Jay                              Aphelocoma   wollweberi
  13. Common Raven                     Corvus         corax
  14. Bridled Titmouse                     Baeolophus     wollweberi
  15. White-breasted Nuthatch     Sitta                  carolinensis
  16. Curve-billed Thrasher             Toxostoma      curvirostre
  17. Orange-crowned Warbler     Oreothlypis     celata
  18. Canyon Towhee                       Melozone        fusca
  19. Rufous-winged Sparrow        Peucaea           carpalis
  20. Lincoln's Sparrow                    Melospiza        lincolnii
  21. White-crowned Sparrow       Zonotrichia      leucophrys
  22. Dark-eyed Junco                      Junco                hyemalis
  23. Western Tanager                    Piranga             ludoviciana
  24. House Finch                          Carpodacus      mexicanus
  25. Pine Siskin                                 Spinus               pinus
  26. Lesser Goldfinch                      Spinus               psaltria
  27. House Sparrow                     Passer             domesticus

Mammals seen:

  1. Botta's Pocket Gopher     Thomomys     bottae
  2. Arizona Gray Squirrel       Sciurus     arizonensis
Leader email: 
Munchita@msn.com

General Information

Beginners are welcome on all field trips! Experienced members will share their butterfly knowledge and expertise with all field trip participants. Children accompanied by a responsible adult are welcome on SEABA field trips. A donation of $5 per person to benefit SEABA will be appreciated. Carpooling from the meeting place is encouraged and it is kind to share gas expenses. If high clearance vehicles are required for a trip, it will be noted in individual trip descriptions. Dress for the field with sturdy shoes, hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Bring your own water, snacks, and lunch. Close-focusing binoculars, cameras, and field guides will be helpful aids for butterfly observation and identification. Trips usually end by mid-afternoon unless noted differently in individual trip descriptions.

Please be aware that:

1. Collecting or netting is NOT allowed on SEABA field trips.

2. Pets, with the exception of service animals, are NOT allowed on SEABA field trips.

3. All field trip participants are required to sign SEABA's Release and Assumption of Risk form at the beginning of the trip. The form may be viewed at SEABA Release.

4. Please arrive a few minutes prior to the meeting time posted for trips to facilitate paperwork and introductions to other trip participants.

5. Field trips may be cancelled or rescheduled on short notice due to changing weather or road conditions. Please check the website for updates prior to the Field Trip.

 

Our Southeastern Arizona Butterfly Checklist can be downloaded here. Please note that the SEABA checklist is copyrighted.

Local NABA Butterfly Counts are listed at NABA Counts

Field trips organized by the Central Arizona Butterfly Association are listed at their website: CAzBA.