Fairbank Arizona, Whitewater Draw, and more birds. Always more birds.

On the way to Whitewater Draw, I stopped in Fairbank, AZ. It's a ghost town that has been stabilized and maintained by the BLM. I didn't stay long enough to hike any of the trails, so this is all you get.

Tin roof! RUSTED!

Lavender Pit Mine, closed when lavender mining became unprofitable. 

Road-non-runner. I think his name is Fresno.

Lee Road:

Back to Whitewater Draw.

Nan had a hard time picturing how a campground could be the way I described it yesterday, so here's a real picture instead of the one in your head.

Nobody move - I dropped my contact.

I KNOW what you're thinking, and I did NOT go into the owl roost area. On purpose.

Disapproving Owl

Why I oughta ...

This Great Horned owl was perched under the shelter, and not in the roosting area. He's no rooster.

"Thank you" to the birder with an excellent scope who showed me where to find him.

Not owl tracks

Tonight it's so windy ... [how windy is it?]

• an owl laid the same egg three times
• tumbleweeds are staying indoors for their own safety
• air traffic won't clear any cranes for landing

Whitewater Draw, Arizona - it's for the birds

I thought I was coming here to be close to Bisbee, but apparently other things happen here at Whitewater Draw. Officially, all the excitement is over in February, but tell that to the birds and birders.

Where the sandhill are we?

Remember to pick up groceries before you get here, or you'll be diving for delicious draw delicacies.

Camping is allowed for three days a week. You guess which days. Seriously, you can camp overnight for three days out of every seven. Camping is set up in a ring around the potty, and each "site" has a picnic table safely corralled for your dining pleasure. I guess the corral is to create a tent space. Two pit toilets make the centerpiece.

There are no individual shelters, but there is one very large shelter with seating for watching the cranes, or for picnicking or whathaveyou. The major bird shows happen at dawn and dusk, I'm told, but who's awake for those, amirite? I'm also told to wear a hat and keep my mouth shut, but I'm told that everywhere.