SONORA, MEXICO ITINERARY

Birding and Natural History in
Sonora, Mexico
April 22 - 27, 2008
~ Where the Desert Meets the Tropics ~

After fabulous trips in recent years, during which we enjoyed over 180 species of birds, dozens of butterfly species and flowering plants, and several fruiting figs, we'll be returning to Sonora, Mexico, for what will be another exciting and bird-filled trip. Breeding birds and migrants should be abundant as we travel along the lush Rio Sonora, through Sonoran Desert and tropical deciduous forest, and into the pines and oaks of the northern Sierra Madre. Among the birds we may encounter are Green Kingfisher, Gray Hawk, Sinaloa, Happy, and Spotted Wrens, Streak-backed and Black-vented Orioles, Rufous-bellied Chachalaca, Brown-backed Solitaire, Blue Mockingbird, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Rufous-backed and White-throated Robins, Black-throated Magpie-Jay, Elegant Quail, Rusty, Rufous-winged, and Five-striped Sparrows, White-tipped Dove, White-striped Woodcreeper, Tufted Flycatcher, Crescent-chested and Rufous-capped Warblers, Flame-colored and Red-headed Tanagers, Squirrel Cuckoo, Gray-crowned Woodpecker, and Elegant and Mountain Trogons.

The trip will be limited to 8 participants.
The all-inclusive, double-occupancy cost from Sierra Vista is $875.
This tour will be led by Sonoran expert Mark Pretti.

Day 1 - Sierra Vista to Hermosillo We'll meet in Sierra Vista, Arizona at 5:45 AM and depart by 6:00. After crossing the border at Naco, Arizona, we'll travel south, following the Rio Sonora as it winds its way through oak woodland, Sonoran desert, and the northern limit of tropical deciduous forest (TDF). This quiet road passes through beautiful rural areas with several small towns established in the 1600s. The Rio Sonora provides intermittent riparian habitat with wonderful scenery and good birding. Grey Hawks and Green Kingfishers are usually seen along with migrating warblers, flycatchers, sparrows, orioles, and others. Though they're more likely to be seen in subsequent days, we have seen Streak-backed Oriole, Sinaloa Wren, and Elegant Quail along this route. We'll make a series of stops for birding, natural history, and lunch along the way, and should arrive in Hermosillo at about 6 PM, where we'll spend the night at the Hotel San Martin.
Day 2 - Hermosillo to Yecora in the Sierra Madre We'll leave Hermosillo early and follow Highway 16 on its dramatic ascent from Sonoran desert to pine-oak woodland in the northern Sierra Madre. We'll make several stops throughout the day in a variety of habitats including tropical thorn forest and tropical deciduous forest. We'll have lunch along the Rio Yaqui. We'll be in very rural country, passing through a few small towns, and along the way looking for Crested Caracara, Rufous-winged Sparrow, Steak-backed Oriole, Great Kiskadee, Black-throated Magpie-Jay, Tufted Flycatcher, Tropical Parula, and others. We'll arrive in the mountain town of Yecora between 5:30 and 6 PM, where we'll spend three nights at the Hotel King.
Day 3 and 4 - Sierra Madre near Yecora While in the Yecora area, we'll hike through pines and oaks to the Mesa Campanero where we might encounter mixed flocks with White-striped Woodcreeper, Crescent-chested Warbler, Black-eared Bushtit, Hepatic Tanager, Olive Warbler, and perhaps Aztec Thrush, plus migrants such as Mountain Trogon, and Townsend's and Hermit Warblers. We'll make several visits to a roadside canyon, the Barranca Arroyo Hondo, to look for White-eared and Berylline Hummingbirds, Blue Mockingbird, Spotted Wren, Black-vented Oriole, Brown-backed Solitaire, Rufous-capped Brushfinch, Rufous-capped Warbler, Orange-billed and Russet Nightingale-Thrushes, and Rusty Sparrow. We'll also descend into tropical deciduous forest near the towns of Santa Rosa and Santa Ana for Elegant Quail, Yellow Grosbeak, Rose-throated Becard, Streak-backed Oriole, Black-throated Magpie-Jay, and perhaps Rufous-bellied Chachalaca. We'll have ample opportunity to return to most of these productive spots while in the Yecora area.	White-eared Hummingbird is one of the fancy Sonoran target species. --John McNamara
Day 5 – Yecora to Hermosillo Today we'll retrace our route along Highway 16 to Hermosillo. We'll make most of the same stops we did on Day 2 as we look for any specialties that may have eluded us in addition to enjoying those we've already become familiar with.
Day 6 - Hermosillo to Sierra Vista Today we'll have a chance to sleep in a little before starting the 5-hour return drive. We should arrive in the Sierra Vista area around 1 PM where the tour will end. We'll have some snacks but no lunch this day.

TARGET SPECIES Among the 180 or so species of birds possible on this trip are the following that were seen in 2005. As always, some are fairly common and usually seen, while some are fairly rare and not always seen.
	Common Black-Hawk	Black-throated Magpie-Jay
	Gray Hawk	Mexican Chickadee
	Short-tailed Hawk	Happy Wren
	Zone-tailed Hawk	Sinaloa Wren
	Rufous-bellied Chachalaca	Spotted Wren
	Elegant Quail	Black-capped Gnatcatcher
	White-tipped Dove	Blue Mockingbird
	Military Macaw	Gray Silky-Flycatcher
	Violet-crowned Hummingbird	Brown-backed Solitaire
	White-eared Hummingbird	White-throated Robin
	Berylline Hummingbird	Rufous-backed Robin
	Elegant Trogon	Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush
	Mountain Trogon	Russet Nightingale-Thrush
	Green Kingfisher	Olive Warbler
	Gray-crowned Woodpecker	Tropical Parula
	White-striped Woodcreeper	Crescent-chested Warbler
	Nutting's Flycatcher	Slate-throated Redstart
	Northern Beardless Tyrannulet	Streak-backed Oriole
	Tufted Flycatcher	Black-vented Oriole
	Great Kiskadee	Varied Bunting
	Tropical Kingbird	Rusty Sparrow
	Thick-billed Kingbird	Five-striped Sparrow
	Rose-throated Becard	Rufous-winged Sparrow

Leader:

This trip will be led by Mark Pretti who has led numerous tours to Sonora, Mexico. Mark will have you in the right place at the right time for the best birding opportunities and an educational, worry-free tour.

Price:

$875 per person based upon double occupancy. Single accommodations may be available for an extra charge. Please inquire soon.

Includes:

Expert guide service, lodging for five nights, ALL meals, entrance fees, and all ground transportation from Sierra Vista, Arizona into Mexico. ALL tips are also included in the tour fee, except for anything extra that you may wish to give to your tour leader.
Does not include cost of airfare to and from Tucson, Arizona, a shuttle van from Tucson to Sierra Vista, or a motel room in Sierra Vista the night before the tour begins. BIRD TREKS will, upon request, help you obtain these three items. Also not included are the cost of alcoholic beverages and items of a personal nature.

Deposit:

A $200 deposit will assure your reservation on the tour. The balance is payable 15 February 2008. Mark's tours to Mexico almost always sell out. Send your deposit soon to insure your reservation and to obtain the best possible airfare.

Extra
Services:

We offer the services of our exclusive BIRD TREKS travel agent, Lori Heathcote, in arranging your air travel. Lori has 22 years of experience in the travel industry and is a veteran birder. Contact her through Bailey Travel at 1-800-224-5399, or you can e-mail lori@baileytravel.com. By dealing with Lori you have the security of a 24-hour toll-free telephone number in case of any travel emergency. She can also assist you with all pre- and post-tour travel plans.

Refund &
Cancellation
Policy:

With written notice more than 60 days prior to the first day of the tour, 100% of your deposit will be refunded, minus a $75 service fee. With 30-60 days notice, you will receive a 50% refund of the full cost of the tour. No refund can be made with less than 30 days notice. You will receive a full refund if you provide a replacement for your spot on the tour. No partial refund can be given once a tour begins. We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance to protect your investment in case of injury or illness to you or your family prior to or during a tour. Click on the following link to Access America or contact BIRD TREKS for information on obtaining this coverage.

Robert M. Schutsky
216 Spring Lane
Peach Bottom, PA 17563
Phone: 717-548-3303
Fax: 717-548-3327
e-mail: info@birdtreks.com

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