
Madera Canyon, Gardner Canyon, and Florida Canyon each find their origins on the slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains. Madera flows west, Florida north, and Gardner east. Each canyon differs from its mates.
The most well-known location on this sky island is Madera Canyon. There are several reasons for its popularity. Accessibility here is one factor. Unlike the mountain’s other locations, the roads into the canyon are paved and wide enough for the visiting vehicles to maneuver. Proximity to the population centers of Tucson and Green Valley makes it convenient for day-trippers to drive in with their families to enjoy a picnic or a hike on the side trails.
The most obvious reason for Madera Canyon’s popularity is the natural beauty of its rich and varied habitat. The creek that carved this notch in the mountain, supports large riparian loving trees. Further up-slope, there are oaks, pines and other conifers dominating the canopy. Even the lowest reaches of the canyon, where it spills out to the arid desert below, is rich in bird-life.
Florida Canyon took me a while to find. The desert dirt roads leading here are not well marked. To appreciate its gifts, one needs to hike the trails up-slope. When you carry heavy camera gear, it requires a higher level of commitment than the other canyons accessing the Santa Ritas. The rewards here are for the patient and persistent explorer.
Gardner Canyon is relatively remote. The road from the open desert grassland east of the mountain is long, dusty and sometimes rough. There are side-roads branching from the main track, but I’ve only travelled the main track from beginning to its end, where gates are placed and foot traffic only is allowed this barrier. As one might expect, desert-loving species make their home along the lower slopes, but I found Elegant Trogons about 3/4th the way up this road. My explorations were limited to the roadway leading up the mountainside. I suspect a hike up the trails might provide encounters denied me on my visit.
The gallery below shows some of the places and critters I met in my explorations of this sky island.

Bell's Vireo(Vireo bellii) |
Description: Lower Madera Canyon by Proctor Road. East of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 6:14 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: BellsVireo_D5X9340 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black-Capped Gnatcatcher(Polioptila nigriceps) |
Description: This was my first meeting with this species. Lower Madera Canyon by Proctor Road. East of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 6:42 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: BlackCappedGnatcatcher_D5X9377 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Black-Capped Gnatcatcher(Polioptila nigriceps) |
Description: This was my first meeting with this species. Lower Madera Canyon by Proctor Road. East of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 6:43 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: BlackCappedGnatcatcher_D5X9423 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Broad-Billed Hummingbird(Cynanthus latirostris) |
Description: Lower Madera Canyon by Proctor Road. East of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 6:32 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/125 |
File Name: BroadBilledHummingbird_D5X9354 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Cordilleran Flycatcher(Empidonax occidentalis) |
Description: Florida Canyon on the northern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, east of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:30 11:30 |
Location:
Florida Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: CordilleranFlycatcher_D5X9131 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Dusky-Capped Flycatcher(Myiarchus tuberculifer) |
Description: Florida Canyon on the northern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, east of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:30 12:25 |
Location:
Florida Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: DuskyCappedFlycatcher_D5X9222 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Gray Hawk(Buteo plagiatus) |
Description: Florida Canyon on the northern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, east of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 15:42 |
Location:
Florida Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: GrayHawk-Nest_D5X9616 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Hepatic Tanager(Piranga flava) |
Description: Lower Madera Canyon by Proctor Road. East of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 6:53 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: HepaticTanager_D5X9488 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Hepatic Tanager(Piranga flava) |
Description: This was my first meeting with this species. Lower Madera Canyon by Proctor Road. East of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 6:54 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: HepaticTanager_D5X9528 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Hepatic Tanager(Piranga flava) |
Description: This was my first meeting with this species. Lower Madera Canyon by Proctor Road. East of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 6:54 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: HepaticTanager_D5X9534 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Hepatic Tanager(Piranga flava) |
Description: This was my first meeting with this species. Lower Madera Canyon by Proctor Road. East of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 6:55 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: HepaticTanager_D5X9544 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Lucy's Warbler(Oreothlypis luciae) |
Description: Lower Madera Canyon by Proctor Road. East of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 7:24 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: LucysWarbler_D5X9588 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Phainopepla(Phainopepla nitens) |
Description: Florida Canyon on the northern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, east of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:30 11:15 |
Location:
Florida Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: Phainopepla_D5X9065 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Phainopepla(Phainopepla nitens) |
Description: Florida Canyon on the northern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, east of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:30 11:16 |
Location:
Florida Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: Phainopepla_D5X9072 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Summer Tanager(Piranga rubra) |
Description: Florida Canyon on the northern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, east of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:30 10:04 |
Location:
Florida Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: SummerTanager-Female_D5X8977 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Summer Tanager(Piranga rubra) |
Description: Florida Canyon on the northern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, east of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:30 9:00 |
Location:
Florida Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: SummerTanager-Male_D5X8921 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Summer Tanager(Piranga rubra) |
Description: Florida Canyon on the northern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, east of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:30 9:00 |
Location:
Florida Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/160 |
File Name: SummerTanager-Male_D5X8934 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Summer Tanager(Piranga rubra) |
Description: Florida Canyon on the northern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, east of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:30 9:03 |
Location:
Florida Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: SummerTanager-Male_D5X8955 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Summer Tanager(Piranga rubra) |
Description: Up-close and personal in Florida Canyon on the northern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, east of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:30 9:20 |
Location:
Florida Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: SummerTanager-Male_D5X8968 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Description: Rugged landscape in Florida Canyon on the northern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, east of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:05:01 15:33 |
Location:
Florida Canyon |
Camera Information: XT1575, 4.67 mm, f/2.0, 1/530 |
File Name: UpperCanyon_20170501_153321_Phone |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Western Tanager(Piranga ludoviciana) |
Description: Florida Canyon on the northern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, east of Green Valley Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2017:04:30 11:24 |
Location:
Florida Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: WesternTanager_D5X9096 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Mexican Jay(Aphelocoma wollweberi arizonae) |
Description: Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 9:07 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 360 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D722314-MexicanJay |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Arizona Woodpecker(Dryobates arizonae) |
Description: My first encounter with this species was in Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 9:13 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 360 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D722359-ArizonaWoodpecker |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Arizona Gray Squirrel(Sciurus arizonensis) |
Description: Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 9:36 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D722415-ArizonaGraySquirrel |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Arizona Gray Squirrel(Sciurus arizonensis) |
Description: Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 9:36 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 200 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: D722427-ArizonaGraySquirrel |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Bridled Titmouse(Baeolophus wollweberi) |
Description: Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 9:37 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D722443-BridledTitMouse |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Bridled Titmouse(Baeolophus wollweberi) |
Description: Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 9:38 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D722467-BridledTitMouse |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Yellow-Eyed Junco(Junco phaeonotus) |
Description: Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 9:39 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D722470-YellowEyedJunco |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


House Wren(Troglodytes aedon) |
Description: Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 9:40 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D722485-HouseWren |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Brown Creeper(Certhia americana) |
Description: Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 9:59 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: D722507-BrownCreeper |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Brown Creeper(Certhia americana) |
Description: Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 9:59 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/200 |
File Name: D722509-BrownCreeper |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Townsend's Warbler(Setophaga townsendi) |
Description: Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 10:21 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D722529-TownsendsWarbler |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Bridled Titmouse(Baeolophus wollweberi) |
Description: Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 10:21 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D722537-BridledTitMouse |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Bridled Titmouse(Baeolophus wollweberi) |
Description: Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains, south of Tucson Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:27 10:22 |
Location:
Madera Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D722545-BridledTitMouse |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Pinyon Jay(Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) |
Description: After a review, I now believe this bird is a Pinyon Jay. Gardner Canyon. East Side Of The Santa Rita Mountains, North Of Sonoita, Southern Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2004:09:06 8:12 |
Location:
Gardner Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD_0407MexicanJay |
© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


White-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta carolinensis) |
Description: Gardner Canyon. East Side Of The Santa Rita Mountains, North Of Sonoita, Southern Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2004:09:06 9:06 |
Location:
Gardner Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD_0441WhiteBreastedNutHatch |
© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


California Sister(Adelpha bredowii) |
Description: Also known as "Arizona Sister". Gardner Canyon. East Side Of The Santa Rita Mountains, North Of Sonoita, Southern Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2004:09:06 12:31 |
Location:
Gardner Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 440 mm, f/11.0, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD_0466CaliforniaSister |
© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Sooty Azure(Celastrina ebenina) |
Description: Gardner Canyon. East Side Of The Santa Rita Mountains, North Of Sonoita, Southern Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2004:09:06 12:45 |
Location:
Gardner Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 105 mm, f/6.7, 1/180 |
File Name: JCD_0483Butterfly-SootyAzure |
© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Turkey Vulture(Cathartes aura) |
Description: Gardner Canyon. East Side Of The Santa Rita Mountains, North Of Sonoita, Southern Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2004:09:06 16:24 |
Location:
Gardner Canyon |
Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 270 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: JCD_0524TurkeyVulture |
© 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

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