Birding Through the Four Seasons
Written by: Scott W. Holland
I am beginning a series of articles that I’m calling: Birding Through the Four Seasons, where I will be “reporting” from several locations around North America and across the globe from a different Four Seasons Resort. Four Seasons is a luxury hotel chain known for its elegant accommodation, fine dining and personalized service. The company offers over 100 luxury hotels and resorts around the world. I have strategically plotted my course to give you the best opportunities to discover rare and unique birds as well as my best attempt to articulate the beautiful scenery, architecture, and culture that surrounds.
Our first stop on this massive journey, is a three-night stay at the Four Seasons Scottdale. Scottdale, Arizona has a population of around 250,000 and sits just 27 miles east of the state capital, Phoenix. The city limits of Scottsdale are within the Sonoran Desert, with the McDowell Mountains to the east and Tonto National Forest to the north. The Sonoran Desert is some 120,000 sq. miles in total area, and, as you might suspect, their climate is arid. Temps are mild to warm in winter while summers are extremely hot, averaging over 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 Celsius) during June, July and August (as an FYI, Sept’s avg is 98.2’F). Because it’s a desert, temps fluctuate considerably. The coldest recorded temp was 16’ F (-9’C) on January 7, 1913, while the hottest was 122’F (50’C) on June 26, 1990.
A feature of all Four Seasons properties is their attention to detail combined with exceptional hospitality, accommodation and amenities. Architecturally, the Four Seasons at Scottsdale pays homage to its southwestern roots with Adobe styled casitas that complements the landscape and heritage while enveloping you in that Old West lore. Four Seasons also provides a wide range of “experiences” for their guests. Everything for individuals, couples, and families, including exclusive children’s activities. A few of the many unique and wonderful excursions offered is a visit to the Phoenix Zoo, which is the largest privately owned zoo in the United States with over 1,400 animals. The Desert Botanical Gardens is not to be missed as it has over 50,000 plants including the largest collection of cacti and desert succulents, and Butterfly Wonderland with over 60 different species of butterflies in a rainforest designed conservatory. Full day hiking tours of Grand Canyon and Red Rock Run are once-in-a-lifetime experiences not to be missed.
While the experiences and amenities are truly next level, I’ve brought my sophisticated songbirder approach to the southwest. In search of native birds that inspire and delight. While Scottsdale and Arizona in general, have a wonderful collection of birds, perhaps one of the most popular, or at least recognizable for those of us that remember the old Looney Tunes cartoons, is none other than the Greater Roadrunner. However, on this adventure, the two birds I’m particularly interested in seeing are the Verdin and Burrowing Owl.
The Verdin is a cute little bird, a little smaller than a Chickadee. Sporting a yellow head with chestnut colored shoulder patches and a grey body, these birds blend seamlessly into their desert surroundings. As one might expect, these birds are most active during the early morning hours when the temperatures are cooler. Their diet is a combination of insects and fruit. In fact, these little birds have even been known to feed on nectar and can be seen at times visiting hummingbird feeders. The Verdin is an extremely busy bird, flying constantly and building nests in different locations. In fact, one Verdin was found to have built and occupied eleven different nests in just one year.
Our next bucket list bird is the Burrowing Owl. You could say that this bird has become somewhat of a celebrity in recent years with their pictures and videos being used in TV commercials and social media posts. The reason could be their wonderful looks, long legs, sandy colored body and bright-yellow eyes. This Owl both hunts and makes their nest on and in the ground. They can either dig the holes for their nests themselves or have been known to occupy old prairie dog or ground squirrel nests. Their diet consists of insects as well as vegetation. Like most animals in the desert, your best bet to glimpse them is early morning, before the real heat rolls in.
These past three days have rejuvenated me and completely changed my opinion of desert beauty. Seeing the awe-inspiring landscapes, the abundance of wildlife and activities wrapped in the luxury, 5-star treatment that every guest at Four Seasons Scottsdale receives is almost too much to take in. Almost. Perhaps it was Shakespeare who said it best when he wrote, parting is such sweet sorrow. Although this time, I don’t think my goodbye is forever. To Scottsdale, I say, Hasta la vista. Until we meet again.