Mt Graham 7/30 to 8/1, 2010

By Matt! Brooks

I had a chance to escape the desert heat this past weekend and made my way up to Mt. Graham. It was my first time up there and I must say, it was quite a dramatic change from lowland Sonoran desert! I guess part of the reason it felt so dramatic is that there was a weather system sitting right on top of the sky island the whole weekend, so the weather varied between heavy fog with drizzle to heavy fog with torrential rain. The torrential rain seemed to coincide well with meal times, forcing me to get creative with my cooking habits. The campground host's rain gauge measured 2 inches of rain during the first night I was there!

The wet weather was exactly what I was looking for however, so it didn't dampen my enjoyment at all. I spent a good amount of time hiking and birding and enjoying the 50 degree weather. Birds were understandably scarce or quiet due to the weather, but House Wren families were out in force. I even had a young wren fly into the cab of my truck and explore under the seat! Another highlight was a family of Brown Creepers. Vocal, winy fledglings were following the adults around and being fed. Night birds were silent, with the exception of some contact calls of a female Mexican Spotted Owl and a single burst from a Mexican Whip-poor-will during a break in the rain.

I highly recommend checking out this hidden gem of a sky island if you get a chance. It's off the birding track and so open for many discoveries. Check it out!