Arizona's third largest county is one of the fastest-growing in the U.S. Even so, much of Pinal County is unpopulated Sonoran Desert and ideal habitat for resident desert birds, as well as spring and fall migrants. Willow Springs Road, with its many washes, mesquite bosques, cattle tanks and low mountains is one of the best areas to find these birds.
Pinal County, Arizona
Pinal County covers 5,374 square miles and ranges in elevation from about 1,000 feet to more than 6,000 feet. The 2010 population census shows 375,770 residents, most of whom live in the larger cities and towns, including Casa Grande, Apache Junction and Florence. This population represents more than double the 2000 census, reflecting expansion of the fast-growing Phoenix metropolitan area in particular.
The county lies within the Sonoran Desert, a dry yet varied topography of desert scrub, seasonal riparian washes, rolling foothills and mountain sky islands. One unpaved back road that rambles through this changing habitat is Willow Springs Road, a good place to find a surprising variety of birds.
Birding along Willow Springs Road
The first 9.4 miles of Willow Springs Road plus another 3.2 miles on an intersecting (unnamed) road provide excellent birding. From Tucson, drive north on State Highway 77 (Oracle Road) toward the town of Oracle. At Oracle Junction (where State Highway 79 turns left to Florence) continue 4.75 miles on Highway 77 to the signed Willow Springs Road on the left.
The birding sites listed below are on State Trust Lands and require possession of an annual State Land Recreational Use Permit, available for $15 (individual) or $20 (family) from the Arizona State Land Department. These sites were chosen in September, 2011 as part of the new Willow Springs area for the Tucson Bird Count project (TBC):
- First Wash
- Second Wash
- Third Wash
- Patterson Tank
- Rattlesnake Tank
- Hackberry Wash Right
- Hackberry Wash Left
- Jones Tank
- Willow Springs Tank
Birding First Wash on Willow Springs Road
Willow Springs Road crosses this first wash .4 mile from the junction with State Highway 77. Park and walk left (west) along the wash, returning parallel to the wash to find birds more common to the scrub. The TBC uses 200-meter transects to count birds, but bird beyond this distance as you have time and open access. Trees within and along the wash harbor migrating warblers, sparrows, flycatchers, wrens and vireos. The paralleling brush is good habitat for Black-throated Sparrow, Gila Woodpecker, Curve-billed Thrasher, Cactus Wren and Verdin. On the USGS Oracle Quadrangle, the UTM coordinates for this site are 0512294/3607705.
The Second Wash Birding Site
The second site is 1.1 miles from Highway 77, or .7 mile from the first site. This site is also birded to the left along the wash with a return parallel to the wash. Birds found here are similar to the first site, and the fall 2011 count included Macgillivray's Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, Lark, Black-throated and Chipping Sparrows and Pacific-slope Flycatcher. This site is also on the Oracle Quadrangle, and the UTM coordinates are 0512544/3608668.
The Third Wash
The third wash crosses Willow Springs Road 1.7 miles from the second site, or 2.8 miles from Highway 77. Again, this site is birded to the left side of the road. Scan the mesquite and scrub along both sides of the road as you drive between sites for Red-tailed and Harris's Hawk, Turkey Vulture and Common Raven. This site is on the USGS North of Oracle Quadrangle, and the UTM coordinates are 0511881/3611138.
Patterson Tank
The fourth site is Patterson Tank. Tanks are small man-made ponds, holding rain and spring water for cattle, and are good areas for birding even when near dry. The levee for Patterson Tank is visible on the right side of Willow Springs Road, and is reached by a short (.15 mile) spur 4.5 miles from Highway 77 or 1.7 miles from the prior site. This is a small pond, but is surrounded by a ring of trees, and can be a productive site with any water. This and the following five sites are on the USGS Fortified Peak Quadrangle, and the UTM coordinates are 0510651/3613703.
Rattlesnake Tank
5.3 miles from Highway 77 (.8 mile from Patterson Tank turnoff) Willow Springs Road intersects with an unsigned natural gas pipeline road where pipeline valves are visible both to the right and left. Turn right on this road and drive .8 mile to a junction with another dirt road on the right. Follow this to the right (south) .15 mile to Rattlesnake Tank, where you can park and bird the trees around the tank. Even with no visible water, this is a good area to find migrating warblers, Vermilion Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatcher and occasional rareties such as Tropical Kingbird. UTM coordinates are 0511493/3614954.
Hackberry Wash Right
Not officially named, this large wash has many Netleaf Hackberry trees growing in and along the wash. Hackberries produce small orange-red berries in the fall which can remain on the tree into the winter, attracting many birds. Park at the wash, 7.7 miles from Highway 77, or 2.4 miles from the turnoff to Rattlesnake Tank. This site is worth birding both to the right (southeast) and to the left (northwest), which is the next TBC location. Look for migratory Ash-throated Flycatcher, Wilson's Warbler and Green-tailed Towhee, as well as Northern Cardinal and typical desert scrub birds. UTM coordinates are 0511201/3617242.
Hackberry Wash Left
This site is simply the left (northwest) side of the same wash, but this side is not blocked by a fence, is accessible further and splits into multiple stream beds. Both Cooper's Hawks and Barn Owls can be found here, as well as those birds seen on the right side.
Willow Springs Tank
At 9.4 miles from Highway 77 (1.7 miles from Hackberry Wash), turn left on an unsigned dirt road. 1.8 miles from this junction, turn left and drive .6 mile to where the road ends at a large pond (Willow Springs Tank). Water and shore birds may be seen here, such as Killdeer, Lesser Yellowlegs and Yellow-headed Blackbird, as well as many resident and migratory species. UTM coordinates are 0507309/3617448.
Jones Tank
Return .6 mile to the unsigned dirt road, turn left and continue 1.4 mile to Jones Tank, up a short spur.1 mile to the right. This small pond offers more water-attracted birds, with the added feature of a steep rocky slope behind it, where Rock Wrens may be found. UTM coordinates: 0505579/3619139. From here, return back to Willow Springs Road and south to Highway 77.
The unsigned dirt road between Jones Tank and Willow Springs Road lies just under 3,900 feet, crosses several washes and is bordered by numerous small tanks. In addition to beautiful scenery, this area is rich with birds, including American Kestrel, Phainopepla, Northern Mockingbird, Black-throated Sparrow, Lesser Goldfinch, and migrants such as Wilson's Warbler and Western Tanager.
Bob Bowers - A lifelong naturalist and amateur ornithologist, Bob's avocation is studying, photographing and writing about birds.
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