Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Winter 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. Consult your nearest U.S. Consulate for details. Canadian citizens should carry proof of citizenship in the form of a passport. U.S. citizens should bring their driver’s license, birth certificate and/or passport. Please note that non-US citizens are required by law to carry passports/visas with them at all times. We suggest you carry these documents with you in your day pack or some place that is easily accessible (not locked in your luggage). Because of proximity to the US-Mexico border, US Border Patrol checkpoints are possible on the roads and foreign nationals may be required to produce passports.
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, 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. Winter sun is powerful and deserves respect, while early-morning temperatures can be close to freezing. Desert vegetation also demands respect. The most common injuries result from thorns or spines penetrating light-weight canvas shoes; we recommend tough canvas or leather shoes of at least ankle height and tough trousers as the best safeguards.
PACE OF THE TOUR: Due to the relatively short days in February, we spend a large percentage of our daylight hours birding. Most mornings do not start until a 6AM breakfast, although one or two mornings may begin slightly earlier than that. On one or two evenings there is optional owling, completed by 9PM. Under normal circumstances there is no major hiking required. The longest walk on the tour would be 2-3 miles at an easy pace on level ground through the grasslands looking for pipits, longspurs, and sparrows.
CLIMATE: In February, daytime highs range around 55-75°F, with nighttime lows in the 30s and 40s. It can be colder at high elevations, and it is always possible to experience days with maximum temperatures of 15° above or below these figures. Be prepared for early morning temperatures around freezing or just below. Rain is infrequent, but storms are possible throughout. Snow is possible above 6,000 feet.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We stay at a standard motel in Tucson but elsewhere our lodging is of an unusually high standard. The Circle Z Ranch near Patagonia (http://www.circlez.com/) is best known to the horseback riders but it combines rustic comfort with some of the best riparian access in southeastern Arizona and a near-perfect winter birding location. Casa de San Pedro near Sierra Vista (http://bedandbirds.com/) sits on the edge of the San Pedro River and provides easy access to both the canyons of the Huachuca Mountains and to the Sulphur Springs Valley. A list of hotel addresses and telephone numbers will be sent to participants as part of the final information.
TRANSPORT: Transportation is by mini-van or 15- or 12-passenger window van, depending on group size.
SMOKING: Smoking is prohibited whenever the group is gathered for birding, meals, checklists, etc. Surrounded by fragile grassland, our accommodation on this tour is strictly non-smoking, inside and outside.
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, and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for A Winter Week in Southeastern Arizona will be mailed to each registrant on receipt of booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed to all registrants about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Updated: February 2012