Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Arizona. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure that what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
ENTERING THE UNITED STATES: Non-U.S. citizens will need a valid passport and may need a tourist visa. You can locate the nearest U.S.Embassy or Consulate here. Unless accompanied by an approved escort, only US residents with government-issued picture ID are permitted to enter Fort Huachuca (the US Army base in Sierra Vista, AZ, and a half-day stop on the tour). Should no such escort be available, suitable alternative birding will be provided for any participants denied access to Fort Huachuca.
HEALTH: Arizona presents no real hazards to the visiting birdwatcher but certain factors must be considered. The sun is intense in July and August. A broad-brimmed hat, proper clothing and a strong sun screen lotion are essential. Much of our birding is at elevations between 4,000 and 8,500 feet, and while we normally do not schedule anything too strenuous at the higher altitudes, anyone with known cardiac or respiratory problems should consult his or her doctor before scheduling the trip.
It is essential that that every participant bring a personal water bottle or canteen to carry on our hikes. It’s easy to become dehydrated before you notice it in the intense sun and low humidity, and drinking lots of water is the only way to avoid this. WINGS will supply plenty of cool fresh drinking water in coolers throughout the tour.
PACE OF THE TOUR: Early mornings are always the best time for birding activity, and we will often be out in the field by 6:00 am or earlier. Sometimes our time in the field is preceded by a drive of an hour or so, and on these mornings we will start a little earlier. As a general rule we try to schedule a rest during the hottest part of the day, but on some days this time may be used for travel between hotels. On several days there will be hikes of up to 1-2 miles; the hike to and beyond Comfort Spring is about four miles round trip, and involves some up-and-down hiking at an elevation of about 8,000 feet. The hike up Scheelite Canyon or Miller Canyon to look for Spotted Owl is steeper and more strenuous, but shorter. Sometimes we hike to the Barfoot Peak fire lookout, about 1.5 miles round trip. On other days much of our time will be spent watching hummingbird feeders, with an occasional evening excursion. We’ll usually have about an hour off before dinner.
CLIMATE: From mid-July to mid-September, southeastern Arizona usually experiences almost daily monsoon-type rains that lower temperatures and bring about a period of intense biological activity. Much of the most interesting summer birdwatching is in the deep mountain canyons between 4,000 and 6,000 feet, where warm days and cool nights are the rule. At the elevations where we spend most of our time, the daytime highs average in the low 90°s F and nighttime lows about 60-65° F, although we do spend some time at lower elevations. Some summers are hotter or cooler and drier or wetter than others.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We stay at standard motels throughout the tour, except in the Sierra Vista area, where we’ll be staying at the Casa de San Pedro, a very comfortable B&B on ten acres adjacent to the San Pedro River and Riparian National Conservation Area. Except in Portal, all of our lodgings have swimming pools.
TRANSPORTATION: Transportation is a 15-passenger van driven by the leader.
DRESS: Informal throughout.
SMOKING: We request that you not smoke in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, we ask that you do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, the stricter policy will prevail.
GENERAL INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS OF WINGS TOURS: Please take a moment to read the General Information and Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours, and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for Tours to Arizona in July will be sent to each registrant on receipt of their booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. O ther news will be communicated as necessary. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Updated: August 2010