70 degrees and sunny. We went in search of the flocks of sandhill cranes that winter in this area.
Our first stop was the Cochise Lake bird viewing area. the lake was reclaimed waste water, don't drink it. We were about 50 yards from the edge of the lake. We are not usually bird watchers, but even we saw a couple hundred sandhill cranes, mallards, sea gulls, shovelers, snow geese, plovers, avocets, and a bunch more we don't know what were. It was pretty interesting, but not overwhelming. The sound of them calling was cool.
More cranes and water birds. We went next to the Willcox Playa wildlife area. It is a huge dry lake bed that was a bombing range WWII. It is about a 4 mile round trip hike to the viewing area. Lots of signs- cranes may not be at lake, please do not approach the lake. You are in some of the most scenic country in Arizona. Only you can keep it that way. Pack out your trash.
We got to the viewing area and we could not even see the lake. Just a sliver in the distance and no birds with our binoculars. John at the viewing area in some of the most scenic parts of the Arizona. We got a nice 4 mile walk in lovely weather. Then we went to Apache Station Wildlife Area which is lake that belongs to the Apache Station power plant. Huge power plant behind us. We walked to the viewing area and you are pretty far from the lake and you can't go farther, private property. There were thousands of sandhill cranes. It was pretty cool to see that many, but we were not really that close. Real birdwatchers have good binoculars and long lenses on their cameras, we had neither. They were really loud tho.
We then checked out beautiful, historic downtown Willcox. We saw a road runner perched in front of the Grace Church. A mural that says Greetings from Willcox, Arizona Cattle capital of the world. At sunset we went back to the Cochise Lake Wildlife area and there were thousands of cranes-these were an overwhelming-wow amount and some nice sunset colors.
Closer shot of the evening colors and thousands of sandhill cranes. The sun popped out of the clouds shining down and the colors on the birds were phenomenal.
Spectacular light on the thousands of sandhill cranes on Cochise lake.
The sun now shining up through the clouds and sunset colors on the cranes.
As we were there watching a couple thousand more cranes came and landed on the lake. Wave after wave of hundreds of birds. It was awesome, you could not take your eyes of them.
Sunset was beautiful too, couldn't decide whether to watch the sunset of the thousands of cranes.
Climax of sunset. We stopped at downtown again on the way back to see Christmas lights. Rex Allen was a famous actor, singer and songwriter that came from Willcox. There is a museum and the statue in the Railroad park has Xmas lights on it.
Christmas lights in Downtown.
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