
Your Guide: Jacob Roalef
Tours: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Wyoming, Birding Ecotours (Worldwide)
We will spend twelve glorious days amidst some of the most beautiful scenery in all of North America. We go from Santa Rita Lodge in Madera Canyon to Portal Peak Lodge in Cave Creek Canyon, with visits to Patagonia, Ramsey Canyon, Rustler Park, and the San Pedro Riparian Area. Local specialties include Elegant Trogon, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Mexican Chickadee, Tropical Kingbird, Red-faced Warbler, and Botteri’s Sparrow.
Late July gives us excellent opportunities for rare hummingbirds, singing sparrows, and Mexican strays. A few of the rarities that we have found on past late-July tours include Aztec Thrush, Rufous-capped Warbler, Flame-colored Tanager, Yellow Grosbeak, Berylline Hummingbird, Plain-capped Starthroat, Buff-collared Nightjar, Elegant Tern, Purple Gallinule, Western Gull, Reddish Egret, Brown Pelican, and Roseate Spoonbill – – WOW!
Ten to twelve species of hummingbirds are possible; we have found as many as FOURTEEN species on some of our July tours. Southeast Arizona can be quite warm in July, but by late in the month there are occasional afternoon showers that cool temperatures to a comfortable level. If it is hot in the desert and flatlands, we head for the canyons and mountains where daytime highs are in the 80s, nights are deliciously cool, and the birding is nothing short of spectacular!
This 12-day tour gives us plenty of time to explore a few new areas, search for Virginia’s Warbler and Mountain Chickadee, and chase down a rarity or two. And, we can search for even more good birds on the five-day extension (see separate itinerary).
We will take a maximum of seven participants. On rare occasion we may extend the maximum to ten participants.
Duration: 12 days
Group Size Limit: 4 – 8
Date: 21 May – 01 June 2023
Start: Tucson, AZ
End: Tucson, AZ
Price:
US$4660 per person sharing assuming 4 – 8 participants
Deposit: US$700
Single supplement: US$1125
We can run the same trip at a price similar to the larger group price for 2 tour participants, if they rent their own vehicle and pay for fuel – please e-mail [email protected] for details.
Tours: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Wyoming, Birding Ecotours (Worldwide)
SOUTHEAST ARIZONA
4-8 August 2012
Top 10 lists are voted upon by the participants at the completion of each tour.
1 – Montezuma Quail – A gorgeous male was attempting to hide in the grass along the road above the Southwest Research Station in Cave Creek Canyon. Our group and another tour group watched it for as long as 15 minutes.
2 – Plain-capped Starthroat – We found this hummingbird rarity within two minutes after arriving in Montosa Canyon.
3 – Whiskered Screech-Owl – It took some effort, but we finally had spectacular looks in a trailer park below Ramsey Canyon Preserve. It was still calling as we departed.
4 – Red-faced Warbler – Our best looks at this showy warbler were in Huachuca Canyon, on Fort Huachuca in the Chiricahua Mountains.
5 – Elegant Trogon – Heard and saw five different trogons on Huachuca Canyon.
6 – Painted Redstart – Common and friendly in several wooded canyons.
7 – Hooded Oriole – Best looks were of a male and female feeding young in a nest close to Madera Kubo Lodge in Madera Canyon.
8 – White-tailed Kite – A great look at a soaring bird below Portal at Quail Way Inn.
9 – Thick-billed Kingbird – We found two adults feeding four newly fledged young at Sonoita Creek Sanctuary in Patagonia.
10 – Summer Tanager – Excellent views of an adult male and a young bird at the George Walker House feeders in Paradise, near Portal.