A late afternoon view up Canyon de Chelly. Photo: Gary Rosenberg
The spectacular canyons, rivers, and forests of northern Arizona and southwestern Utah are among the most dramatic in North America. Our tour will combine breathtaking landscapes with exciting birdwatching, especially in the desert oases. We’ll visit a variety of colorful canyons and monoliths sculpted from the massive Colorado Plateau, including the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion Canyons, Monument Valley, and the Petrified Forest. We’ll also stop at a number of historic and scenic sites in Navajo country before ending up in the boreal coolness of eastern Arizona’s White Mountains.
Day 1: The trip begins at 7:00 pm in Phoenix. Night in Phoenix.
Day 2: We’ll start this morning at Boyce Thompson Arboretum east of Phoenix. At this time of year we can expect an assortment of desert residents such as Gila Woodpecker, Cactus Wren, Phainopepla, Curve-billed Thrasher, and Abert’s Towhee, and we’ll look as well for some of the western migrants that commonly pass through the Arizona lowlands: Black-chinned Hummingbird, Pacific-slope and Cordilleran Flycatchers, MacGillivray’s Warbler, and Lazuli Bunting, for example. After lunch we’ll drive north, leaving the blazing heat behind as we climb the Mogollon Rim toward Flagstaff. Time permitting, we’ll stop at several lakes outside Flagstaff, where we may see an assortment of ducks, Western Bluebird, Steller’s Jay, and Cassin’s Finch. Night in Flagstaff.
Day 3: Early this morning we’ll drive north toward the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Our journey will take us through spectacular scenery in the Painted Desert and along the Vermilion Cliffs, where we’ll look for the recently reintroduced California Condor. Along the way we’ll get our first taste of true oasis birding at a number of isolated waterholes, including the mouth of the Paria River in Marble Canyon, where a large grove of cottonwood trees attracts migrants, sometimes in dazzling numbers. We’ll arrive at the North Rim in the early afternoon in time to explore magnificent vantage points while birding in the ponderosa pine and spruce-fir forests that dominate the area. Mountain Bluebird and Pygmy Nuthatch will be much in evidence, and lingering summer residents may include Grace’s Warbler and Western Tanager. Night at the North Rim.
Days 4-5: After a final morning enjoying views of the canyon and searching for the elusive Blue Grouse and American Three-toed Woodpecker, we’ll drive north towards Utah, stopping at Pipe Springs National Monument, one of the best migrant traps in northern Arizona. We’ll very likely see a wide variety of western migrants, including several Empidonax flycatchers, Western Wood-Pewee, Warbling Vireo, several species of warbler possibly including Hermit, Townsend’s, and Virginia’s, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Green-tailed Towhee. Although the western migrants will be our main concern, we may spot at least one eastern vagrant. In the afternoon we’ll pass into southern Utah and Zion National Park, where the willow-fringed Virgin River flows below towering cliffs. We’ll have late afternoon and the next morning to explore Zion’s splendid terrain, and once again we’ll have the opportunity to see a wide array of migrants as well as resident Black and Say’s Phoebes, Rock and Canyon Wrens, and, along the river, American Dipper. Nights in Mt. Carmel Junction.
“The Southwestern Utah and Northern Arizona tour was all that I expected and more. Gary is such a knowledgeable leader—certainly on birds—but also on all aspects of the tour. His relaxed yet thorough manner was truly appreciated.”
Evelyn Wadsworth, California
Day 6: Today we’ll drive a short distance north to Bryce Canyon National Park, stopping first at Cedar Breaks National Monument. The road to Cedar Breaks passes through spruce-fir forest where we’ll look for Williamson’s Sapsucker and Clark’s Nutcracker. The overlook at Cedar Breaks is breathtaking, rivaling that of the Grand Canyon, and perhaps we’ll find Golden Eagle or Prairie Falcon soaring overhead. Although not known for extraordinary bird diversity, Bryce Canyon more than makes up for it with astounding scenery. The fairyland quality of the landscape, with its spires and spindle-like formations, is one of the highlights of the trip. Although the surroundings might tempt us to ignore the birds, Townsend’s Solitaire, Pinyon Jay, and Mountain Chickadee will provide welcome distractions. Night in Mt. Carmel Junction.
Day 7: This morning we’ll leave the canyons of southwestern Utah behind and begin our travels into Navajo country. Our drive to Page, Arizona, passes through splendid terrain as the road descends through the pinyon-juniper zone to the barren approaches to Lake Powell. At the lake we can expect an assortment of waterbirds, perhaps including Western or Clark’s Grebes. Early September is an excellent time for rarities, and if we’re lucky we may spot a jaeger or Sabine’s Gull. Northern Arizona is memorable for its fantastic geology and both ancient and modern Indian culture. Just outside Page we’ll be sure to visit Antelope Canyon, a wondrous slot canyon with intricate, swirling patterns etched deep into limestone walls. We’ll also investigate isolated clusters of trees; any patch of vegetation here, no matter how small, acts as a magnet for migrants. One such oasis near Kayenta was the site of one of the most impressive fallouts we’ve seen in Arizona, with literally hundreds of migrant warblers and vireos crammed into just 10 trees. During the afternoon we’ll drive north of Kayenta into Monument Valley. Even though most of us are familiar with the valley from television or magazines, actually being in the presence of these huge stone monoliths as the sun sets is beyond description. Night in Kayenta.
Day 8: Some of the most exciting birdwatching in the West involves oasis-hopping in such famous areas as Death Valley or the Mojave Desert of eastern California. Oases in northeastern Arizona have proved over the years to be just as rewarding. Today we’ll begin a two-day journey from Kayenta to Springerville, stopping en route at many of the best oases in northern Arizona. Our main stops will be Many Farms and Tsaile Lakes, where we may see a variety of shorebirds. We’ll also search the sagebrush for Sage Thrasher and Sage Sparrow, and we’ll make a stop in the pines for Lewis’s Woodpecker. We’ll end the day at spectacular Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Night in Chinle.
Day 9: We’ll start this morning at Ganado Lake and the Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado. We can expect a large assortment of migrants, and with luck we’ll find one or more rarities. We’ll drive through the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park, where we’ll check the trees near the park headquarters before enjoying the sights within the park. Our main destination today is Springerville, located at 7,000 feet at the base of the White Mountains. We’ll have the late afternoon to explore habitats around the towns of Springerville and Eagar, including Becker Lake, groves of cottonwoods, and agricultural fields, which act collectively as one giant migrant trap. Night in Eagar.
Days 10-11: For a change of pace we’ll spend two days in the Springerville area. We’ll visit South Fork, one of the prettiest parts of northern Arizona and one of the best birding localities in the state. Nesting Gray Catbirds are reminiscent of the East (South Fork is the only place they nest in the Southwest), and we may find a few lingerers. We’ll see numerous common migrants and perhaps such birds as Rufous and Calliope Hummingbirds, Lewis’s Woodpecker, American Dipper, or Virginia’s Warbler. The combination of large numbers of migrants, resident ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper species, and attractive surroundings makes South Fork a pleasant and worthwhile stop. We’ll have ample opportunity to birdwatch in the White Mountains at elevations up to 9,000 feet. The mountains here look like the Colorado Rockies, and the birds are similar as well. We’ll search especially for American Three-toed Woodpecker, Gray Jay, and Pine Grosbeak, all of which nest locally in the spruce-fir forest. Nights in Eagar.
Day 12: After a final early morning walk along the Little Colorado River, we’ll start our journey back to Phoenix. We’ll break up the drive by stopping again in the White Mountains, and our route will take us along the Mogollon Rim to the town of Globe, where we may see Mexican Jay, Band-tailed Pigeon, and possibly Hepatic Tanager. As we descend from the rim we’ll search the chaparral for Gray Vireo and Rufous-crowned and Black-chinned Sparrows. As we approach Phoenix we may find Harris’s Hawk perched on a telephone pole. Night in Phoenix.
Day 13: The trip concludes this morning in Phoenix.
Updated: 18 September 2008
Prices
- 2010 price about $3,890
- Single Occupancy Supplement $710
Notes
Group size limited to seven participants with one leader; 14 participants with two leaders.