Sacramento Mountains in June

Saturday morning, we made an early start to explore some of our favorite birding locations; first stop was Curtis Canyon just a few miles from Deer Spring RV 

This reservoir has not seen standing water in many years, birds included singing Spotted Towhee and calling Western Wood Pewee. Numerous Mockingbird spooked an American Kestrel. 

Fire damaged trees from 2011 provided unobstructed perches for Western Bluebird and Pewee. 

Undergrowth has made a comeback after the fire, but the drought has parched the grass to an amber hue. 

The lack of water was most evident at Bluff Springs where the waterfall was a single trickle. When we last visited in August 2011 the entire hill was a cascade. 

White-throated Swift were soaring about as we watched them fly repeatedly into holes on each side of the waterfall. 

Didn't bother to check out the top of the bluff as I could hear dogs barking and several preteen girls were running up and down the stairs and making us both extremely nervous standing much too close to the edge of the falls.  

The bridge across the ditch is new construction. Wonder if the September floods wiped out the old one. 

I was surprised to see several spring seeps still flowing along the drive to Sunspot Highway. Looking forward to the July monsoons to add water to the springs and creeks. 

We completed the circle in James Canyon which was closed in August 2011 due to fire damage. 

More birds were found here than any other location for the day. Hairy Woodpecker (2), Dark-eyed Junco (2), Western Wood Pewee (2), Spotted Towhee, and White-breasted Nuthatch. Really exciting was Western Bluebirds feeding young. We watched them make numerous trips to the nest cavity bills stuffed  with insects. 

Nesting season and birds are hard to find.