Elegant Trogon, Southeast Arizona’s most admired bird. Photo: Gary Rosenberg
Southeastern Arizona invariably ranks high among favorite North American birdwatching destinations. In this varied region, where spectacular mountain ranges rise like islands above the surrounding deserts and grasslands, northern birds follow the coniferous zones of the peaks southward and overlap with subtropical species that reach their northernmost outposts in Arizona’s mountain canyons. As a consequence the diversity of breeding birds is remarkable. In July and early August, the summer rains begin and the heavy but usually brief showers bring about notable changes at lower elevations. During this “second spring” the desert sees a form of rebirth. The vegetation becomes green again, temperatures drop somewhat from June highs and there is a resurgence of birdsong and activity. Birding in Arizona is excellent throughout the summer months; a visit in mid-July offers excellent opportunities to study grassland sparrows and increased chances of seeing the rarer hummingbirds and possibly some early fall migrants.
Day 1: Our trip begins at 6 p.m. in Tucson. Night in Tucson.
Day 2: Most of the remaining Common Black-Hawks in the United States inhabit remote sections of central Arizona. This morning we’ll drive about 65 miles north of Tucson to Aravaipa Canyon, the nearest locality for this species. Later we’ll continue northward to the San Pedro and Gila Rivers to visit the westernmost colony of Mississippi Kites and to look for birds typical of Arizona riparian habitat, such as Brown-crested Flycatcher and Lucy’s Warbler. Tropical Kingbird, an uncommon and local nester in southeastern Arizona, is also possible here. A bit farther north we might find Gray Vireo and Black-chinned Sparrow. On our return to Tucson we’ll visit the Sweetwater Ponds on the west side of Tucson, an excellent location for Harris’s Hawk and Abert’s Towhee as well as a variety of marsh birds. In recent years a single Least Grebe (strictly casual in southeast Arizona) has been in residence. Night in Tucson.
Day 3: Our destination this morning is Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains. Here we should see a mix of typical lower mountain species including Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Painted Redstart and Hepatic Tanger. In the past few years, a male Flame-colored Tanager has been present as well. Along the way we’ll check the nearby grasslands and dry washes for the localized Botteri’s, Rufous-winged and perhaps Cassin’s Sparrows. Night near Nogales.
Day 4: We’ll leave early for California Gulch on the Mexican border west of Nogales. The canyon and approaches are good locales for Montezuma Quail and Varied Bunting, and Five-striped Sparrow has nested here. In recent years a Buff-collared Nightjar has been territorial and if present we’ll try for it in the pre-dawn darkness. Later in the day we’ll travel to the Patagonia area and after dinner search for nightbirds that may include Whiskered and Western Screech-Owls and Elf Owl. Night near Nogales.
“It doesn’t get much better than Jon Dunn’s Southeastern Arizona tour. It was a perfect blend of locating the usual suspects and rarity chasing. Special kudos to Jon for his offer of an optional middle-of-the-night attempt to see Buff-collared Nightjar (after two thunderstorm-ruined evenings). I still can’t believe I’ve actually seen one.”
John Bazuin, VA
Day 5: There are many excellent birdwatching localities near Nogales and Patagonia, notably the Patons’ feeders, the legendary roadside rest stop just southwest of town and ponds in and near Nogales. We’ll visit all these areas, looking for Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Violet-crowned Hummingbird and Thick-billed and Tropical Kingbirds, and we’ll hope that a pair of Rose-throated Becards will again be present near Patagonia. In recent years a pair of the very rare and local Black-capped Gnatcatcher have nested at Patagonia Lake State Park, and if present, we’ll search for them this morning. . Later in the day we’ll visit the Nature Conservancy’s famous Mile-Hi Reserve where we should see a fine variety of hummingbirds visiting their feeders, including Magnificent, Blue-throated and often, in recent years, a Berryline. Night in Sierra Vista.
Days 6-7: We’ll spend one morning in Sawmill and Garden Canyons, areas that support a diverse avifauna including Greater Pewee, Buff-breasted Flycatcher and Grace’s Warbler. A pair of Spotted Owls live near here and if they’re still in residence we’ll look for them. . We also have an excellent chance of encountering the spectacular Elegant Trogon either in Garden or Sawmill Canyons. Miller Canyon is famous for its hummingbirds. Here we’ll sit within a few feet of an array of sugar-water feeders and watch the hummers perform. Broad-tailed is especially numerous here and we usually see from one to three White-eared Nearby Ash Canyon also harbors many hummingbirds including nearly always one or more Lucifers. The variety possible in the Sierra Vista area is unequaled in the United States; we could see as many as 12 to 14 species.
On one day we may drive to the top of Carr Canyon and hike half a mile to Comfort Springs or beyond if time permits. The presence of permanent water in most years ensures an abundance of birds and we should encounter Band-tailed Pigeon, Western Tanager and with good luck Virginia’s Warbler. This is perhaps our best chance for the distinctive-sounding nominate race (“Mountain Pygmy-Owl”) of Northern Pygmy-Owl, here near the northern end of its range. Nights in Sierra Vista.
Day 8: Depending on birding priorities and if road conditions permit we may drive Geronimo Trail from Douglas to Animas. It will take us through one of the most remote sections of the “Lower 48.” We don’t expect to see many new species for the trip, other than perhaps Juniper Titmouse, but the scenery is spectacular and we often get our best vews of Zone-tailed Hawk in route. If there has been a good deal of rain, this road becomes tricky and we may choose instead to spend another early morning around Sierra Vista visiting riparian areas in the San Pedro River Riparian National Conservation Area, one of the Nature Conservancy’s “Last Great Places.” Gray Hawk breeds here and we have at least a small chance of encountering the secretive Green Kingfisher. Later we’ll drive to the east side of the Chiricahua Mountains, stopping to look for Swainson’s Hawk, Scaled Quail and Bendire’s Thrasher in the yucca grasslands east of Portal before driving up magnificent Cave Creek Canyon. Night in Portal.
Day 9: The Chiricahuas are famed for their beautiful landforms and for the many habitats accessible by a road system running from low desert to fir forest at 9000 feet. Mexican Chickadee is the only species here that we’ll definitely not see elsewhere, but this is the best area on our route for such mountain birds as Olive Warbler, and the Elegant Trogon population in Cave Creek Canyon is the largest in the U.S. In recent years, a pair of Short-tailed Hawks have bred in the high Chiricahuas and, if present, we’ll look for them. Birds are numerous in the Portal area, and while the species mix will be much the same as earlier, the desert below is now the Chihuahuan rather than Sonoran. This leads to some important geographic changes in subspecific diversity. In particular the Curve-billed Thrashers (oberholseri subspecies) will look and, especially, sound somewhat different from birds we will have seen earlier to the west (palmeri), and recent studies have determined that they are as well genetically quite different. We’ll spend at least one evening listening and looking for nightbirds. Common Poorwill is not uncommon just north of Portal, and depending on our success near Patagonia we may explore the canyon in search of owls. Night in Portal.
Day 10: After a last morning in the Chiricahuas, including a visit to Pinery Canyon on the west side of the divide, we’ll descend the west slope and continue toward Tucson. We’ll stop en route at the ponds at Willcox where we expect a variety of migrant shorebirds including Baird’s Sandpiper and Wilson’s Phalarope. Night in Tucson.
Day 11: The trip concludes this morning in Tucson.
Updated: 16 August 2006
Prices
- 2008 price about $2,690
- Single Occupancy Supplement $440
Notes
Maximum one-leader group size is reduced from eight to seven. Maximum two-leader groups size remains 14.