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Southeast Arizona
See Itinerary and Bird List links at the bottom of the page
Early in the evening, travel to Cave Creek Canyon
(photo below right) and the Chiricahua Mountains and spend the night in the Portal area.
Geologists believe that the Chirucahuas were formed from a volcanic
eruption 27 million years ago that created a layer of rhyolite almost 2,00
feet thick, and with erosion formed what are now impressive rock
formations. Spend the first morning birding in the Portal area
for BENDIRE'S THRASHER, BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER, and
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SE Arizona checklist |
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This
tour begins
in Tucson. From Tucson, travel to the Santa Rita Mountains
and stay in Madera
Canyon (left photo) for the night. This is a great area for a nighttime prowl for owls
such as WHISKERED SCREECH-OWL, as well as nightjars, and only one of
several locations where you can do this. In the morning, bird
in the desert grassland at the mouth of Madera Canyon in search of
BOTTERI'S and RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROWS, and then throughout the canyon's
lush riparian corridor. Late morning and early afternoon get your first taste of hummingbird watching at feeders, which attract species such
as BROAD-BILLED, MAGNIFICENT, and BLUE-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS.
In the afternoon,
travel to Patagonia with birding on the
way. Spend the night in the Patagonia area for a full morning
of birding the next day at Patagonia Lake in search of NEOTROPIC
CORMORANT, BELL'S VIREO, and LUCY'S WARBLER as well as the elusive
BLACK-CAPPED GNATCATCHER. Then bird the infamous roadside rest
stop for THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD, VARIED BUNTING, and ROSE-THROATED BECARD.
Spend the afternoon birding in Patagonia in search of
VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD, BLACK VULTURE, and GRAY HAWK at place's like
the Paton's and the Nature Conservancy's Sonoita Creek Preserve.
The preserve harbors some of the best of the remaining riparian habitat in
the Sonoita Creek drainage. Possible mammal sightings here include
javelina, coatimundi, and bobcat. Early in the evening, travel to the Huachuca Mountains
(right photo) and spend the night in the Sierra Vista area.
The next morning,
bird in
Scheelite and Garden Canyons at Fort
Huachuca and search for ELEGANT TROGON (left photo), MEXICAN SPOTTED
OWL, and NORTHERN
GOSHAWK. Then go to Ramsey Canyon at the Nature Conservancy's
preserve, where over 170 bird species have been recorded including
DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER, PAINTED REDSTART, and ARIZONA WOODPECKER.
Spend the afternoon and evening birding in Ash and
Miller Canyons in search of hummingbirds, including PLAIN-CAPPED
STARTHROAT and LUCIFER HUMMINBIRD, which have been at Mary Jo's in recent
years, and WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRDS, normal visitors to the feeders at
Beatty's. After another night in the Sierra Vista area, spend
an early morning in the San Pedro Valley and along the San Pedro River
(photo below) looking for BUFF-BREASTED FLYCATCHER, GREEN KINGFISHER, and GREEN
HERON.
GREATER ROADRUNNER,
as well as in Cave Creek searching for ELEGANT TROGON and numerous migrant
warblers. In the afternoon, venture high into the Chiricahuas
to the Rustler
Park area in search of GREATER PEWEE, HUTTON'S VIREO, and MEXICAN
CHICKADEE. Go for another nighttime prowl in Cave Creek Canyon
listening for WHISKERED SCREECH-OWL, MEXICAN SPOTTED
OWL, NORTHERN
PYGMY-OWL, and possibly others. After a second night in the Portal
area, bird in the desert adjacent to
Chiricahuas early in the morning and look for CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, LAZULI BUNTING, and BLUE
GROSBEAK. Travel to Tucson later in the morning.
Spend
the last afternoon birding in the nearby Santa Catalina
Mountains for typical montane species, plus some of the more
common Mexican species such as MEXICAN JAY, MEXICAN CHICKADEE, ARIZONA
WOODPECKER, and YELLOW-EYED JUNCO. After the last night in the
Tucson area, spend an early morning birding the desert in and
around Tucson (left photo) to look for Sonoran species including GILA
WOODPECKER, GILDED FLICKER, CRISSAL THRASHER, and RUFOUS-WINGED
SPARROW.
