Fiddling, camping, and birding at the Ajo Country Club

The tiny town of Ajo, Arizona has an 9 hole, grass green and fairway golf course thanks to the US military. During WWII this golf course was built for the airmen who manned the airbase here. A landing strip remains and is used by private pilots.  There is a clubhouse and cafe with a meeting room attached. This is where the 37th annual Ajo fiddle contest was held.  On Thursday some fiddlers played for the seniors at the Ajo Senior Center and played again on the plaza in downtown Ajo on Friday. 

                                                             Ajo Country Club

Once again folks said that attendance was down, especially the number of RV's but the fiddle contest events were well attended with an appreciative crowd. There was parking lot picking around campfires into the night and jamming in the nooks and crannies of the clubhouse. 

                                Barbara Garrett and Katie Bonn fiddling

The sisters (I've forgotten their names) played and sang together like only sisters can. Jim Dixon  and Susie Pangle play along. 

                          Some of the crowd at the dance on Saturday night.

                           Dave took this photo from the stage at the dance.

This contest began after lunch each day of the weekend. There were  the usual categories according to age. Dave was in the Senior division. After the first day of the contest, awards were given. The first three places in each division were asked back for a championship contest the next day. All others who placed were invited to play in a runner up division. Dave took third place in the Seniors and got a trophy.

      Dave and his back-up musicians, Tom Bonn and Dennis Carlson

Dave played really well in each of his rounds but the competition was exceptional. The second place in the championship was won by a contestant from Dave's division. 

                                              Dave backing up Corrine Garey

We found time to hike around the desert golf course and spotted some interesting birds. I noticed a wash just east of the golf club and went bird spotting. Here are the birds I saw. Some were new birds for me. 

Black tailed gnatcatcher

Brown crested flycatcher

Phainopepla

Red faced warbler

Great horned owl 

Gambel's quail

Along the wash I could see tracks of javelina, cattle, rabbits, and coyotes.

It was another fun weekend in the desert. We will see most of our friends next weekend at Safford, Arizona for another fiddle contest.