April 19, 2020
Box Canyon is a popular area to visit in the Spring and Summer. The road, aka Hwy 62, is a narrow graded dirt road that serves as a connection between Green Valley and Sonoita via Hwy 83 to the east. Along the way is the turn off to Lower Florida Canyon. After about 6 miles of dirt road, you will go over a narrow bridge at the base of Box Canyon.
The road up the canyon is passable by most any vehicle. High clearance its preferred, but not necessary. The road climbs up on the north slide of a very productive, and steep, canyon. There is a stream that runs much of the year and there are a few pools which allegedly persist all year. The bottom of the canyon is riparian, dominated by oaks, sycamores and cottonwoods. The sides of the canyon are cactus, agave, ocotillo and mesquite forests. Soon after passing the “granite falls,” the habitat changes to oak woodland. This area can be birded from the road on foot or from a vehicle. The trek up the canyon from its base, with its pools, trees, and running stream, is a serious hike.
Ocotillo, agave and cactus dominate the hillside above the road. Five-striped sparrow, a bird who’s habitat only touches a tiny bit of Arizona, can often be found along the road, from late April through about early September. This may be the best place in the U.S. to find Five-striped Sparrows.
These birds breed in the canyon and are usually not too difficult to find, as they like to sit out in the open on ocotillo or bare tree branches, like a flycatcher.
The winds in the canyon can make it a miserable place to bird, so check the forecast prior to visiting. In the summer months, mid-May through September, it can get quite toasty, so bird early!
Other interesting birds that might be found during spring through fall include Rufous-capped Warbler, Hooded and Scott’s Oriole, all three Tanagers, Blue and Black-headed Grosbeaks, Golden Eagle, Canyon and Rock Wrens.
Varied Buntings are relatively common during the summer, and can usually be found in the ocotillo forests. Lucifer Hummingbirds, Plain-capped Starthroats and Violet-crowned Hummingbirds were seen in 2019. Broad-billed, Anna’s, Black-chinned, and Costa’s Hummingbirds are common summer residents. Watch the ocotillo, yuccas, and agave for hummingbirds.
Coatimundis are common in the local mountains. Females travel in large packs with juveniles. They keep their long tails straight up in the air so as to let their pack mates know where they are. They are related to raccoons and can be dangerous.