The Arizona Important Bird Area Science Committee approved two locations as meeting state criteria for identification as IBAs on in late 2009. The newest Arizona Important Bird Areas are the Cave Creek Ecosystem and Willcox Playa Wildlife Area including Crane Lake.

Cave Creek Ecosystem

Cave Creek originates on the Tonto National Forest and flows generally southward through the Town of Cave Creek and into the City of Phoenix, ending at the Arizona Canal near I-17 and Dunlap Avenue. Up north the creek flows for much of the year, representing one of the last remaining perennial streams in Maricopa County. Stream flow becomes intermittent toward the south but pockets of standing water often remain. The Cave Creek Ecosystem IBA includes some of the most productive natural habitat within the Cave Creek drainage. The IBA encompasses a 17-mile long riparian corridor along the creek, portions of three tributary washes (totaling 4 miles) and associated uplands. Tonto National Forest lands, a portion of the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area, five Desert Foothills Land Trust preserves and connecting flood-prone lands comprise the IBA. The northernmost portion of the IBA is located on the Tonto National Forest. The IBA encompasses the Cave Creek riparian zone from the Seven Springs Recreation Area west and then south to the forest boundary. It includes the riparian habitat associated with Walnut Spring Canyon east to Mashakattee Spring and Seven Springs Wash upstream to Forest Road 254. This new IBA is loaded with birds.

 Directions to site: Access to the Tonto National Forest, including the Seven Springs Recreation Area and the Cave Creek Trail, is via Seven Springs Road (Forest Road 24) out of Scottsdale. The Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area and the Jewel of the Creek Preserve are located at the north end of Spur Cross Road in Cave Creek. Access to the Seitts and Watt preserves is via an easement at the intersection of Creek Canyon Road and Cloud Road in Cave Creek. The Desert Enclave Preserve is accessible from the west via Cloud Road.

Willcox Playa Wildlife Area

The heart of this IBA is the massive Willcox Playa, a broad alkaline lakebed fringed with semi-desert grassland (primarily saltgrass and sacaton) and mesquite. The playa is seasonally flooded to a shallow depth. Outlying this playa are the satellite lakes/wetlands of Cochise Lakes (or aka Lake Cochise at Twin Lakes Golf Course), alkali flats, Apache Station wetlands developed by AEPCO and Willcox Playa Wildlife Area containing Crane Lake. On the upper east side of the playa (the playa is shaped like the continent of Africa), is the Arizona Game and Fish Department managed Willcox Playa Wildlife Area, consisting of 595 acres. The purpose of the Wildlife Area is primarily for optimizing waterfowl habitat and providing for hunting opportunities. There are ten “pot hole” ponds, and one 30-acre impoundment at the Wildlife Area. Overwintering Sandhill Cranes and migratory and wintering shorebirds, waterfowl, and waterbirds use the playa.

Directions to the site:  From Willcox, take Hwy. 186 southeast, then turn right (south) on Kansas Settlement Rd. Turn right (west) in Willcox Playa Wildlife Area. Cochise Lakes are directly accessible from the town of Willcox. Take Hwy. 186, cross railroad tracks, and continue 0.5 miles to the sign for Twin Lakes Golf Course. Turn right and go 1.1 miles, turn left at Rex Allen Drive, then travel south to the lakes.