Peña Blanca Lake

Date & Time: 
April 14, 2018 -
8:00am to 2:00pm
Meeting Place: 
8:00AM at the Safeway & McDonald’s parking lot in Green Valley, AZ, on Continental Rd. off I-19
Trip Leader: 
Gerry & Vicki Wolfe
Special Notes: 
Alternate Meeting Place: 8:50AM at USFS restroom at White Rock Campground at Peña Blanca Lake. Directions: From I19 and route 289 (Ruby Road) turn west (right) and proceed 9.7 miles until you come to a Y. Turn left onto Ruby Road and proceed .2 mile to White Rock Campground.

 

Spring at Pena Blanca Lake is a very pretty time to visit. We will be looking for butterflies as we walk around the north and west sides of Pena Blanca Lake. We will park at three different locations on the lake and walk for periods of time at each stop. Our last stop will be at the launch ramp facility at the end of the paved road. From there, we will walk south along the west shore of the lake towards the dam. On past trips in the spring we have identified 30 or more species, including various Sulphurs, Blues, Fritillaries, Buckeyes, and multiple species of Skippers.

 

The first stop will be walking on level dirt ground, the second stop on a paved trail, and the optional third stop will be hiking the dirt trail on the west side of the lake, which has three short, steep sections that can be difficult to traverse.

 

 

Trip Butterfly Reports: 

The day started out cold following two days of very high winds, but slowly warmed up enough for butterflies to fly. Continuing this very dry and lackluster spring for butterflies, the group found 18 species and, except for Marine Blues, only a few individuals of each species were observed. However, 42 species of birds were seen and/or heard and a small number of plants were blooming. So, it became a "let's look at whatever is interesting" field trip.

 

Butterflies seen:

  1. Pipevine Swallowtail                  Battus philenor
  2. Sleepy Orange                             Eurema nicippe
  3. Dainty Sulphur                             Nathalis  iole
  4. Gray Hairstreak                            Strymon  melinus
  5. Marine Blue                                  Leptotes marina
  6. Fatal Metalmark                          Calephelis nemesis
  7. Bordered Patch                           Chlosyne lacinia
  8. Tiny Checkerspot                         Dymasia dymas
  9. Elada Checkerspot                      Texola   elada
  10. Variable Checkerspot                 Euphydryas chalcedona
  11. Red-spotted Purple                     Limenitis arthemis astyanax
  12. Acacia Skipper                              Cogia hippalus
  13. Golden-headed Scallopwing    Staphylus ceos
  14. Funereal Duskywing                   Erynnis  funeralis
  15. Desert Checkered-Skipper         Pyrgus   philetas
  16. Common Streaky-Skipper          Celotes  nessus
  17. Fiery Skipper                                 Hylephila phyleus
  18. White-barred Skipper                 Atrytonopsis pittacus

 

Birds Seen and/or heard:

  1. Mallard                                                  Anas platyrhynchos
  2. Ruddy Duck                                          Oxyura jamaicensis
  3. Pied-billed Grebe                                Podilymbus podiceps
  4. Turkey Vulture                                     Cathartes aura
  5. Cooper's Hawk                                    Accipiter cooperii
  6. Gray Hawk                                            Buteo plagiatus
  7. Red-tailed Hawk                                 Buteo jamaicensis
  8. American Kestrel                                 Falco  sparverius
  9. American Coot                                    Fulica americana
  10. White-winged Dove                           Zenaida asiatica
  11. Mourning Dove                                   Zenaida macroura
  12. Broad-billed Hummingbird               Cynanthus latirostris
  13. Acorn Woodpecker                            Melanerpes formicivorus
  14. Black Phoebe                                       Sayornis nigricans
  15. Say's Phoebe                                        Sayornis saya
  16. Vermilion Flycatcher                          Pyrocephalus  rubinus
  17. Dusky-capped Flycatcher                  Myiarchus tuberculifer
  18. Ash-throated Flycatcher                   Myiarchus cinerascens
  19. Cassin's Kingbird                                  Tyrannus vociferans
  20. Bell's Vireo                                           Vireo  bellii
  21. Common Raven                                   Corvus corax
  22. Northern Rough-winged Swallow  Stelgidopteryx serripennis
  23. Tree Swallow                                       Tachycineta bicolor
  24. Violet-green Swallow                        Tachycineta thalassina
  25. Barn Swallow                                       Hirundo rustica
  26. Bushtit                                                   Psaltriparus minimus
  27. Canyon Wren                          Catherpes           mexicanus
  28. Bewick's Wren                        Thryomanes       bewickii
  29. Marsh Wren                            Cistothorus         palustris
  30. Lucy's Warbler                        Oreothlypis         luciae
  31. Common Yellowthroat         Geothlypis           trichas
  32. Yellow Warbler                       Setophaga          petechia
  33. Yellow-rumped Warbler       Setophaga          coronata
  34. Wilson's Warbler                    Cardellina            pusilla
  35. Canyon Towhee                     Melozone            fusca
  36. Song Sparrow                          Melospiza           melodia
  37. White-crowned Sparrow      Zonotrichia         leucophrys
  38. Dark-eyed Junco                    Junco                   hyemalis
  39. Summer Tanager                   Piranga                rubra
  40. Red-winged Blackbird           Agelaius              phoeniceus
  41. House Finch                             Carpodacus         mexicanus
  42. Lesser Goldfinch               Spinus    psaltria
Leader email: 
seaba_publicity@yahoo.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.