Friday January 11
Arrived in the evening after an eventful flight where the plane on the second leg was found to have a pressure leak and could not be used for our flight. Fortunately another plane was found quickly and we arrived in San Diego only a little bit late. Evening meeting with Paul Lehman to plan next day and off to bed to get needed rest.

Saturday, January 12
Met at the van in early morning and set out to bird San Diego area. At the La Jolla Coast we found Pacific Loon, Black-vented Shearwater, Pelagic and Brandt's Cormorants, Wandering Tattler, Black Turnstone, Heermann's Gull (a really handsome bird), and Western Gull. Paul had missed the Masked Booby present for a week and we did not find it either. It apparently left for the last time a few hours before Paul arrived the day before! We then drove to the Greenwood Cemetery where we found Townsend's Warbler, Lawrence's Goldfinch, Cassin's Vireo, Western Bluebird, and Nutting's Woodpecker. Then it was off to Mission Bay/San Diego River Flood Control Channel. Here we found shore birds including Willet, Marbled Godwit, Surfbird, Glaucous-winged Gull, and Tri-colored Blackbirds. Next we traveled to Delmar, where we got California Quail, Wrentit, and California Thrasher. Finally we ended the day at San Elijo Lagoon getting various shore birds and waterfowl. Dinner. Day Birds-111. Lifers-17.

Sunday January 13
Met early at the van with luggage to travel. First stop Lake Hodges/Escondido. Birded the brush areas and found California Towhee, and California Gnatcatcher. Then to the Laguna Mountains including San Ysabel Mission, & Paso Picacho Campground, where the highlights were Oak Titmouse, and Red-breasted Sapsucker. The Anza Borrego Desert at Yaqui Well was next where we trudged through the hot desert brush trying to get a look at the elusive Le Conte's Thrasher. We soon got the "saltbush" Sage Sparrow, and after an hour some of us did locate and see the Le Conte's Thrasher sitting up. It ran on the ground much of the time while Paul led us on the chase. We finished with the Borrego Valley, Poe Road at the south end of Salton Sea. Good shore birding. After dinner we did some owling in Brawley where we got the Western Screech-Owl. Day Birds-100. Lifers-5.

Monday January 14
Staying in Brawley again so no packing of luggage was necessary-more room in the van. First area South Salton Sea including Finny Lake, Calipatria, shore line from Obsidian Butte and NWR Headquarters, north to Red Hill and Wister Waterfowl Area as well as Unit 1, and El Centro. Shore birds, waders, pelicans, and gulls were seen including Mew Gull, and 2 Yellow-footed Gulls. Also seen were "Belding's " and "Large-billed" Savannah Sparrows, Lapland and Chestnut-collared Longspurs. El Centro produced Brewer's Sparrow and an unexpected Zone-tailed Hawk. Dinner and night in Brawley. Day Birds- 109. Lifers- 3.

Tuesday January 15
Up early and pack van with luggage for travel. Heading for a night in Tempe, Arizona. First stop at Blythe (Mayflower County Park) where we found a Prairie Falcon
fly-by and also a Hammond's Flycatcher. We then hit Estrella Mountain park and El Mirage Pond. At the latter we found 3 Ruddy Ground-Doves. Then on to the Scottsdale area where we found a Gray Flycatcher and many other "land" birds. McCown's Longspur was another good bird of the day. Dinner and night at Tempe. Day Birds- 72. Lifers- 3.

Wednesday January 16
Started out packing luggage for the next stop and then on to birding the Oak Flat Campground, the beautiful Boyce Thompson Arboretum, N. Tucson, Sweetwater Ponds,and Green Valley. The Arboretum produced Red-naped Sapsucker, Broad-billed, Anna's, and Costa's Hummingbirds, and Cactus & Canyon Wrens. Later we got Harris' Hawk, Red-tail, Merlin, Gambel's Quail, assorted ducks, Sora, Moorhen, Black and Say's Phoebes, Plumbeous Vireo, "Woodhouse" Scrub Jay, Juniper Titmouse, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Bronze Cowbird, and Curve-billed Thrasher. Dinner and night in Green Valley. Day Birds-67. Lifers- 0.

Thursday January 17
Pack up for travel to Sierra Vista, birding on the way at Continental (where we found Lewis's Woodpecker), Madera Canyon, Nogales, Kino Springs, Patagonia lake, and Patagonia including Patun's Yard. The latter was great birding-a pair of Lazuli Buntings at a feeder, an Eastern Meadowlark with a double sized, Curlew type bill, 2 Ruddy Ground-Doves, Inca Doves, and Bridled Titmouse. Madera Canyon produced Magnificent and Anna's Hummingbirds, Acorn Woodpeckers, Mexican Jays, Oregon, Pink-sided, and Gray-headed Dark-eyed Juncos, a brilliant Painted Redstart, and an up-close and personal, point blank range, Arizona Woodpecker. Other good birds of the day were Rufous-winged and Black-throated Sparrows. Dinner and night in Sierra Vista. Day Birds- 98. Lifers- 1.

Friday January 18
No luggage today, staying in Sierra Vista. Today we visit San Pedro River (San Pedro House), Sulfur Springs Valley (Whitewater Draw, to Elfrida, to Double Adobe), Bisbee, and Lower Carr canyon. San Pedro produced Green-tailed, Abert's and Canyon Towhees, White-crowned, Lincoln's Sparrows, as well as a nice "Richardson's" Merlin. The valley produced Rough-legged, and Ferruginous Hawks, Gambel's and Scaled Quail, Sandhill Cranes, Mountain Plover, Roadrunner, and Lark Bunting. Curve-billed and Bendire's Thrashers were also seen. At Bisbee we visited Sheri Williamson's house for hummingbirds with no luck. Later at another private house with feeders, we found Anna's and Rufous Hummingbirds. After dinner we went up Carr Canyon and heard Whiskered Screech-Owl, and Great Horned Owl. Dinner and night in Sierra Vista. Day Birds- 65. Lifers- 1.

Saturday January 19
Pack luggage for travel to Tucson. Morning was spent in the Sonoita Grasslands looking for Baird's Sparrow-no luck after walking the fields for a couple hours. We did come up with several Sprague's Pipits, and a Grasshopper Sparrow. Then on to Patagonia area, Pena Blanca Lake, Amado Sewage Ponds, and another visit to Continental. Finally in an area near Pena Blanca Lake, we found the Rufous-crowned Sparrow, another good trip bird. Spent some time driving the back roads looking for the elusive Montezuma Quail with no luck. This, the final day of the trip, ended in Tucson with a nice dinner and a review of the final bird list and a statement from each participant as to their favorite trip bird. Day Birds- 65. Lifers- 0.

Sunday January 20
This was an extra day for Bert and Karl to try and find the Spotted Owl we missed on our previous Arizona trip in 1998. To boost our success rate we employed the expertise of Stuart Healey, a well known local bird guide. We met him in Sierra Vista and headed for Ft. Huachuca and Scheelite Canyon. We were checked in and at the trail head by 9:45 AM and headed up the canyon. No more than 200-300 yards up the trail Stuart stopped and said "there it is!" The Spotted Owl was in a tree not 12 feet off the trail and 15 feet up. We stopped, looked and photographed for several minutes until we were satisfied with our sighting and then proceeded back down the canyon. This place was the lowest on the trail that Stuart had ever seen the Owl. He also named the tree the "Filemyr Oak" as he always does when finding the owling a new place in the tradition of "Smitty". At this point we had lots of time and asked if he knew of a place to get the Williamson's Sapsucker. Stuart said maybe and we headed up to Sawmill Canyon. As we exited the car, we heard a tapping and in a few minutes located the source. It was a handsome male Williamson's Sapsucker. Said goodbye to Mr. Healey, and spent the rest of the day looking for the Montezuma Quail with no luck. Dinner and night in Sierra Vista. Day Birds- 56. Lifers- 2.

Monday January 21
Some early birding at San Pedro, and Madera Canyon. Then we drive to Tucson for the flight home.

Totals for the Trip:

California - 193 birds. 26 Lifers (Karl)
Arizona - 173 birds. 6 Lifers (Karl)
Trip Total - 252 birds (counting the extra day).
Karl - 32 Lifers
Bert - 11 Lifers
The group total was 254, a new record for the Wings Deserts in Winter trip.