Wild Nature: Southeast
Arizona Spring
April 26 - May
4, 2009
East of Tucson a hidden side of Arizona stretches across a vast area containing some of the most interesting landscapes of the American Southwest. Here the Chiricahua, Huachuca, Peloncillo mountains rise from colorful deserts and grasslands. Dramatically, they portray a classic Southwestern landscape full of rock spires, distant views and rugged canyons. Each mountain range has its own geologic story, and hosts a rich variety of plants and animals. Southeast Arizona presents an amazing biological mixing ground, where the plants and animals from Mexico meet species of Rocky Mountain origin, and species of the western deserts mingle with those that inhabit the Great Plains. Over three hundred species of birds have been recorded in the region including Harris’ Hawks, Elegant Trogons, Red-faced Warblers, Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers and more. The emphasis of our trip will be on finding the bird and mammal specialties of the region with a compliment of natural history, geology, and hiking in this beautiful country.
ITINERARY
Sun., April 26 Arrival in Tucson / Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Arrive in Tucson today, a delightful city surrounded by mountain ranges that rise from the Sonoran Desert floor. Plan to arrive by 1:30PM. so we can visit the nationally acclaimed Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Be prepared with cameras and binoculars as we should see Cactus Wrens, Curve-billed Thrashers, Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, Black-throated Sparrows, White-winged Doves, and other species as we enjoy the variety of outdoor displays. The exhibits meticulously recreate native habitats, providing wonderful, close-up views of many desert animals that are normally hard to spot. The museum grounds display the habitats we encounter as we change elevation in Arizona’s “Sky Islands” mountain ranges, so it’s a great introduction for our journey! A visit to the hummingbird gallery, with birds flying all around, is memorable. Tonight we stay south of Tucson in Amado at a delightful hotel where we settle in, enjoy a welcome dinner and an overview of the week ahead.
Accommodations at the Amado Territory Inn, Amado, AZ (D)
Mon., April 27 Madera Canyon / Arivaca Cienaga
Enjoy an early morning walk through several dry desert washes that fan out at the base of the Santa Rita Mountains. Early morning is a magical time for spotting wildlife in these extensive grasslands. We listen and look for Botteri’s, Rufous-winged, and Rufous-crowned Sparrows, as well as other specialties of the area.
After a picnic breakfast, we walk through the bird-rich areas of Middle and Upper Madera Canyon. We follow trails along the creek beneath white-barked sycamore trees, where a pair of Cooper’s Hawks may be nesting. In recent years Flame-colored Tanagers are often seen here – a colorful highlight! Acorn Woodpeckers call from their food-storage trees and even visit local feeders to join the array of hummingbirds. In the lush Madrean-oak woodlands, Painted Redstarts appear almost tame; we may also see Bushtit and Hutton’s Vireos, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Scott’s and Hooded Orioles, and Mexican Jays.
After a picnic lunch and then a break back at our hotel, we head to Arivaca Cienaga where we walk a boardwalk trail. We often find Javelinas and beautiful Black-bellied Whistling Ducks here as we gaze at the spire of sacred Baboquivari Peak on lands of the Tohono O’odham people. With luck we may find Thick-billed Kingbirds, migrant warblers or, overhead, hunting Peregrine Falcons. This is part of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. As sunset draws near, we return to Amado where you can choose to eat at the hotel’s great restaurant or at a nearby local steakhouse.
Accommodations at the Amado Territory Inn, Amado, AZ (B,L)
Tues., April 28 Kino Springs / Patagonia / On to Portal
After another great breakfast in the sunlit patio room, we venture east towards the little hamlet of Patagonia, site of one of the Nature Conservancy’s very first preserves. Our first stop, just beyond Nogales, is at ponds of the Kino Springs Golf Course, where we hope to see Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and possibly Tropical Kingbirds. En route to Patagonia we stop at the famous “Roadside Rest” where we scan for Black Vultures and listen and look for Rose-throated Becards.
Northern Beardless Tyrannulets can often be found in the desert scrub vegetation around Patagonia Lake. In recent years a pair of nesting Black-capped Gnatcatchers has been very faithful at this location and we can hope they set up shop again. From the lake we drive a back road to the lush riparian corridor of the Nature Conservancy’s Sonoita Creek Preserve. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the city park where Bronzed Cowbirds frequent the lawns and locals have planted a wonderful butterfly garden. After lunch is the perfect time to grab a chair at local feeders known to attract Violet-crowned Hummingbirds, migrant Lazuli Buntings, and Inca Doves; we may find Yellow-breasted Chats, Verdins, and overhead, possibly a pair of Zone-tailed Hawks.
Mid-afternoon we switch gears and head to Portal, driving a scenic route through dramatic valleys rimmed by mountains. For the next three nights we stay at the American Museum of Natural History’s Southwestern Research Station, where for over 50 years scientists from around the world have studied the incredible natural diversity of the region. The station is situated in lovely oak-juniper woodland, and Cave Creek runs through the property. Enjoy dinner on picnic tables under arching sycamore trees, in which, at nightfall, we may hear Elf or Whiskered Screech Owls calling.
Accommodations at the Southwestern Research Station (SWRS), Portal, AZ (B,L,D)
Wed., April 29 Portal / Cave Creek Canyon / Night Birding
We start the day with some early morning birding around the research station before breakfast at the station’s dining room. Then Dave Jasper joins us to explore Cave Creek Canyon, one of the most biologically diverse places in the U.S. Here the ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains, the Sierra Madre, the Chihuahuan Desert, and the Sonoran Desert intersect. Bird calls echo through the canyon. Dusky-capped and Brown-crested Flycatchers nest in the area, as do a host of interesting warblers such as Grace’s, Virginia’s and Red-faced. Mexican Jays quickly make their presence known.
One of the best birding spots in the canyon is the trail along the South Fork of Cave Creek. Against pinnacles and crenellated walls of orange rock, yuccas stand above bracken ferns and Douglas Firs entwine with Arizona Sycamores. Our local guide, Dave Jasper, knows every nest and winged creature here. Several pairs of Elegant Trogons have nested here for many years, and Dave is adept at finding them. While walking the cool and shaded paths we’re also likely to see Painted Redstarts, Cordilleran Flycatchers, and Mexican Chickadees, just to name a few! Perhaps Dave will be able to whistle up a Northern Pygmy Owl this morning.
After lunch and some time to relax back at the research station, we visit the town of Portal in the afternoon – it’s hard to believe the number of species to be seen right on the main street of our little village! Acorn Woodpeckers, Yellow-rumped Warblers (Audubon’s race), and Canyon Towhees are common here; we also may see Blue Grosbeaks, Lazuli Buntings, Hooded, Scott’s, and Bullocks Orioles, Wilson’s Warblers, and Yellow-Breasted Chats. A pair of American Kestrels has nested in one of the Arizona Sycamores at the end of the street for many years. A resident Cooper’s Hawk often swoops down on feeders in the yards, scattering the eating birds in a panic as the Acorn Woodpeckers screech in protest. Nineteen species of hummingbirds can be found in southeastern Arizona, and we are likely to get close looks of many species at local feeders.
After a buffet dinner at the research station, Dave will take those who are interested out for some night birding. Looks at Elf, Western Screech, and Whiskered Screech Owls are all possible to see.
Accommodations at the Southwestern Research Station (SWRS), Portal, AZ (B, L, D)
Thurs., April 30 Rustler’s and Barfoot Parks / Dave Jasper’s Feeders
This morning we drive a winding forest road up several thousand feet to Rustler’s Park, on a peak in the Chiricahuas. On our drive up, we witness the dramatic changes in vegetation that occur as we gain elevation. At the park we enjoy spectacular views of the mountains and the flatlands below, while birding in forests of fir, spruce, and Ponderosa Pine. This is the realm of many fascinating birds, including: Townsend’s, Olive, and Red-faced Warblers; Western Tanagers; Western Bluebirds; Mexican Chickadees and Yellow-eyed Juncos. Raucous Stellar’s Jays may beg at our picnic lunch under the tall pines, and we may find sign of resident Coue’s White-tailed Deer or Black Bears.
After lunch and a break in the afternoon, we’ll visit Dave Jasper’s bird feeding area in the desert below the mountains. Crissal, Curved-bill, and Bendire’s Thrashers are all regular visitors here, as well as Scott’s Oriole, Gambel’s Quails, and Canyon Towhees.
For our last night in Portal you are invited as guests for wine and cheese at Peg’s house, indulging in fabulous views of the Chiricahuas as well as some nice treats ahead of our dinner at the station.
Accommodations at the Southwestern Research Station (SWRS), Portal, AZ (B,L,D)
Fri., May 1 Chiricahua National Monument / White Water Draw / San Pedro River
Today we leave the Chiricahuas, the largest of southeast Arizona’s “Sky Island” mountain ranges. We drive a winding mountain road up and over the Chiricahuas to the rock wonderland of the Chiricahua National Monument. In this area of spectacular rock pillars formed by volcanic activity and erosion, famous Apache leaders Cochise and Geronimo and their followers once hid from American troops. Today, Zone-tailed Hawks and Peregrine Falcons patrol the rugged rock landscape. Enjoy a picnic lunch while we discuss the geological processes that formed the park. We walk the trails between the rock formations, looking for Rock and Canyon Wrens, Painted Redstarts, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Red-faced Warblers, and Mexican Jays. With luck, we may spot an inquisitive Coatimundi, a relative of the raccoon. Claret-cup Cacti and Yucca should be in bloom, and huge Arizona Cypresses and Ponderosa Pines lining the path provide shade for much of the walk.
After the monument, we visit Whitewater Draw where we scan an open pond for water birds and waders, such as Black-necked Stilts, American Avocets, Wilson’s Phalaropes, Dunlins, and Least and other sandpipers. We may also see Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers, and other raptors that hunt the agricultural fields of the Sulphur Springs area.
Then we continue on to our delightful lodgings at the Casa de San Pedro. This beautiful hacienda style bed and breakfast Inn is one of our favorites and the Vermilion Flycatcher is their mascot. We know you’ll savor your time there and certainly enjoy the hospitality of Karl Schmitt and Patrick Dome, owners extraordinaire.
Accommodations at the Casa de San Pedro Bed and Breakfast Inn, Hereford (B,L,D)
www.bedandbirds.com
Sat. May 2 Garden & Sawmill Canyons / Bisbee
This morning we head up into Fort Huachuca’s Garden Canyon, home to Elegant Trogons and Dusky-capped Flycatchers. Walk along a sycamore-lined creek to look for Strickland’s Woodpeckers, Plumbeous Vireos, and other species. In a nearby pine-rimmed meadow we look for Buff-breasted Flycatchers, a bird found in very few locations in Arizona. There is rock art in the canyon, along the stream where we often encounter blooming Columbine and Monkey Flower. After a picnic lunch we visit Sawmill Canyon. In this rather open canyon, tall grasses grow beneath a canopy of large pines; it’s the perfect place to search for Buff-breasted Flycatchers, Stellar’s Jays, and Western Tanagers.
In the afternoon we visit another great set of feeders in the southern canyons of the Huachucas at Miller Canyon. We then return to Casa for a break and time to change clothes for those who wish to explore the historic mining town of Bisbee. Dinner is at your choice of restaurants in Bisbee, or you can skip the visit to the city, order in pizza and relax at the hotel.
Accommodations at the Casa de San Pedro, Hereford (B L)
Sun. May 3 Carr, Ash, & Ramsey Canyons
After a delicious (some say outrageous!) breakfast at Casa de San Pedro, we head out to Carr Canyon, driving switchbacks up a mountain road to hear the rich chorus of birdsong in the high pine forest. Here we may find Greater Pewees, Buff-breasted Flycatchers, Olive & Grace’s Warblers, and – with luck – a Northern Goshawk. Beautiful Ponderosa Pines dominate our trail, which is punctuated by exhibits about the silver mines run here over 100 years ago on a geologically dramatic cliff known as “The Reef.”
Descending Carr Canyon, we continue on to feeders at the Ash Canyon Bed & Breakfast, a delightful spot where (from comfortable chairs) we hope to observe the Lucifer Hummingbird, as well as more regular Anna’s, Black-chinned, and possibly migrant Rufous Hummingbirds. Acorn and Strickland’s Woodpeckers, Mexican Jays, and White-winged Doves are all regulars at the feeders
After a restaurant lunch, we visit the Nature Conservancy Preserve at Ramsey Canyon. In the foothills of the mountains a beautiful clear stream descends through oak woodlands, its banks lined with massive Arizona Sycamores. These sycamores are favored nesting trees of Elegant Trogons. We also hope to see Wild Turkeys, Strickland’s Woodpeckers, Golden Eagles, Black-throated Gray and other warblers, and a variety of colorful hummingbirds at close range. Walk the trails, or park yourself under a tall, bending sycamore to wait for the birds to come to you! Butterflies occur here in abundance, as do a number of rare plants, reptiles, and amphibians.
Accommodations at Casa de San Pedro, Hereford (B,L)
Mon. May 4 Departures
Enjoy an early morning walk along the San Pedro River, a protected corridor with mature trees and lush undergrowth that is crucial to both migrant and resident bird species. Here we look for Vermilion Flycatchers, Blue Grosbeaks, Summer and Western Tanagers, and Gray Hawks. Some years Green Kingfishers may show up here as well.
After breakfast we must tear ourselves away from the fabulous Sky Islands and grasslands of southeastern Arizona for flights home. We plan to arrive in Tucson by NOON for flights out after 1:00 PM. Please note that May 5 or Cinco de Mayo is a big holiday in Tucson and there will be festivals, dancing, and events. If you wish to stay on at your leisure, it’s a fun time! (B)
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Tour
Cost and Travel Arrangements
The cost is $2190.00 from Tucson, Arizona. This cost is based on double occupancy and includes all accommodations; most meals as specified in the itinerary, group airport transfers, professional guide services, local park and other area entrance fees, Coronado National Forest permit fees and miscellaneous program expenses. The cost is based on a minimum number of 8 participants, with fewer a small group surcharge (typically $100-$300) may apply. The cost does not include transportation to or from your home to Tucson, or items of a personal nature such as laundry, telephone charges, porterage, maid gratuities or beverages from the bar. Single supplement (as available) is $385.00.
Transportation
A good number of airlines service Tucson. Please plan to arrive Tucson no later than 1:30 PM on April 26 , and plan to depart after 1:00 PM on Monday, May 4. If you wish to arrive early or stay on later in Tucson, we are happy to suggest arrangements.
Photo
Credits
Cactus Wren, Acorn Woodpecker and Rough-legged
Hawk, Tony Beck - www3.sympatico.ca/beck.tony/;
Gambel's Quail, Lynn Feryus; all other photos by Peg Abbott.
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