Sabino Canyon is in the Coronado National Forest in the Catalina Mountains outside of Tucson, Arizona. It’s also just a few minutes from my cousin David’s house. This was our last stop of a very long and wonderful day of desert hiking and photography.
When I’m with David, he has a magical ability to detect a nearby bird. “Oh. Did you hear that? It’s a —” (name of some bird) and he scans the horizon and points. “There it is.” I would search and search and if I was lucky, I’d spot a teeny black speck somewhere that was nothing to me until I fixed my camera on it and cranked up the zoom.
“A whoobie whatie?” I ask, while pulling my camera to my face and pointing it in the indicated direction.”
“Oh!” I would exclaim, with actual astonishment, “I see it!” It would always be exactly the bird identified. David knows his stuff.
It had been a long day, but we were both still jazzed with excitement. We are both photographers, and cousins who adore each other and had not had a chance to hang out together in years. We had hiked miles already this day (just click my earlier posts), and had seen so many things. David takes amateur photography to a professional level. We were visiting all his fave photography spots and I was having a blast.
Since this desert trail is close to his house, it’s a place he visits constantly. He knew where to go and what to look for. We drove a short distance onto Lower Sabino Canyon road and parked, then hiked from there.
David and I walked the trails around hills and into the changing light at end of day. I was in awe of the deepest blue sky I had seen in six months.
I could not get a better photo of the Black-Tailed Jackrabbits. There were two of them, and they were quick. David was very pleased to see them, because they were believed to have been completely gone from this canyon lately. It’s good they are back.
I have never seen a Javelina in my life, and was sorta hoping to. We did see their little piggy tracks in a sandy part of the trail, and that was fun.
We walked along a trail in the large Sabino Canyon area, following a low area between hills, and watching the sun drop low and cast an orange glow around us.
Eventually, I saw that the trail had curved and brought us back to the paved road. At this point, cars were no longer allowed and it was a busy walking and biking trail.
After walking the paved road for a little while, we dropped over the hill and followed a sandy trail. Soon we came upon a secluded watery spot with trees getting their leaves, giving them that brilliant pale green of springtime. I was astonished at how much water we kept seeing in every place we went. David explained that the heavy rain a few days before was responsible for all of it, and that in a couple days most of the water we saw would be gone and many creek beds would be dry once more.
Not too much farther down the trail, we came upon a stone dam across Sabino Creek. In 1934, New Deal relief programs for Pima County included U.S. Federal government work projects like the Works Progress Administration (WPA). A road was carved into the hills, and bridges were built. A larger dam was planned, but only this small dam was completed. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built camping areas and day use areas. The canyon remains a popular recreation area, despite the road being closed to private vehicles since 1970.
We had hiked SEVEN MILES (11 km) that day and were feeling it. It was time to hike back up to the road and find Dave’s Jeep and get home. I took lovely sunset shots across the valley as we hiked back out.
Bird count: Blurry or not blurry, I did find more birds in Sabino Canyon. The Phainopepla is a repeat, but the rest are not. Five more birds makes a total of twenty birds shot in Arizona as of day four.
Conscious Engagement 
Fabulous photos and a wonderful place Crystal 😍 That bird count is getting up there. Lucky to have a good spotter. I am hopeless as well until it moves 🙄
David made it so much easier. I learned that his trick is often listening. He knows all the bird song. But also, he must have extraordinary vision. Even with glasses, I often couldn’t see what he was pointing out. I think I guessed my bird finds would be 20-30, and I think I’m going to hit right in that range. So fun!
I have a new bird here for a couple of days last week. Only heard it in the bush but being not all that good with a new call, I have no idea what it was 🤔
Oooooh, sounds like a fun mystery. I hope you get the chance to see it.
Nope it has moved on 🥲
A marvellous day out with some thrilling photographic results
Thank you Derrick.
A number of great shots, Crystal. and the evening shots were quite beautiful. My favorite was the water running over the dam and its backdrop. Both my dad and Peggy’s did a stint with the CCC in the 30s. Obviously you had fun with the birds. The shot of Sabino Creek with its rapids, also caught my attention! And what’s not to love about saguaros, as ling as you don’t touch them! 🥹
Right!! Keep your fingers at a distance. I did touch the fishook cactus spikes though, because of the curves at the end. It’s a little safer. The water was consistently interesting to me here. Even though I had never seen these places before, I could tell that seeing water in every little ravine was not the usual scene.
Desert streams can’t help but be wonderful, Crystal. It’s in their very nature of being a life-giver. I’d love to camp on one for a month, staying up all night on occasion just to record who comes to visit. As for cacti, most of my encounters have been unplanned. Laughing.
What an advantage!…having a local to show/tell you where all the great spot are! These are are terrific captures.
Thank you! I had the same thoughts while out there: so grateful to be hiking with someone who knows and loves the area, and is interested in the same sights as me.
Just gorgeous! Views for days and lots of birds I had to look up! I love that!
I was thrilled with both the Pyrrhuloxia and the Phainopepla – both gorgeous and such great names.