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 Winter birding in sunny southeastern
Arizona can be excellent, with many widespread wintering and resident
birds. We’ll bird from the fantastic rolling San Rafael and Sonoita
grasslands to the Sulphur Springs Valley farmlands, large riparian
thickets along the Santa Cruz River and Sonoita Creek, cacti-studded
desert, ponds, lakes and urban parks. A great diversity of birds can be
easily found as hawks, falcons, sparrows, finches, waterfowl and many
other wintering species move in alongside the regular Sonoran desert
residents. Up
to 15 species of raptors are possible in a week with Ferruginous Hawk,
White-tailed Kite, Prairie Falcon, and Crested Caracara among the huge
numbers of Red-tailed Hawks which sit atop almost every other perch in
open habitats. Sparrows, towhees, juncos, and finches are very well
represented with over 30 species possible, some congregating in huge
numbers depending on the year's seed crop abundance. Specialty winter
sparrows include the elusive Baird's in the grasslands and the
scurrying Sage in the creosote flats, while Rufous-winged and
Black-chinned reside year round. Large farmlands are good for Mountain
Plovers, Ruddy Ground-Doves, and longspurs, while the lower mountain
canyons are active with mixed species flocks and gaudy residents like Painted Redstart, Arizona Woodpecker, and Yellow-eyed Junco. Winter can also be a good time for Mexican rarities, and we'll be sure to chase after any that happen to turn up.
Day 1: Arrival. We’ll spend the night in a Tucson area hotel.
Day 2:
Tucson deserts. We'll search for the elusive Le Conte's Thrasher, a
much-desired specialty, which shares its desert habitat with four other
thrashers in dusty creosote flats. Sage Sparrows, Gila Woodpeckers,
Cactus Wrens and other common desert birds are all likely here too. A
nearby “must-bird” spot is the Gilbert Water Ranch for
large numbers of waterfowl, shorebirds, sparrows, and wintering
songbirds, and possibly even a rarity or two. The
desert scrub and agricultural fields of the Santa Cruz Flats northwest
of Tucson host Bendire's Thrasher, Harris's Hawk and huge flocks of
blackbirds including the colorful Yellow-headed. Large numbers of
Red-tailed Hawks of different types are common, with the rare
Rough-legged Hawk possible. We’ve got a good chance to find
Prairie Falcons and Mountain Plovers, along with a variety of waterfowl
on nearby ponds and lakes. Night in Tucson.
 Day 3:
Madera Canyon to Nogales. Today we move south to Madera Canyon in the
Santa Ritas, a fantastic pine-oak woodland and riparian zone with a
nice diversity of species and easy birding. Noisy groups of Mexican
Jays and Acorn Woodpeckers are common, and mixed species flocks have
many special birds. The mesquite and ocotillo grasslands have
Rufous-winged Sparrows alongside common desert residents. Black-capped
Gnatcatchers are sometimes around, and we'll chase after any Mexican
rarities present in the canyon. Weedy
fields, pecan groves and thickets along the Santa Cruz River are good
for passerines, hawks, falcons, sparrows, woodpeckers and the irruptive
and very beautiful Lawrence's Goldfinch, which sometimes invades in large numbers. A
check of ponds and marshes near Nogales on the Mexican border may
produce Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and other waterfowl. Night in
Nogales.
Day 4:
Patagonia. Patagonia Lake State Park is famous for turning up rarities
and is a top site for many species. Black-capped Gnatcatcher has nested
here, and the mesquite bosques and willow/hackberry forest offer great
opportunities for the tough Empidonax group of Dusky, Hammond's, and
Gray Flycatchers, as well as other small birds. An Elegant Trogon
usually winters along the creek, and a good mix of waterbirds use the
lake including Neotropic Cormorant, Western Grebe, and Common Merganser.
We’ll
check several other birding sites surround the charming little town of
Patagonia, including the famous Paton's feeders for Violet-crowned
Hummingbird and the Sonoita Creek reserve for sparrows and finches. The
oak-grassland hills of Harshaw Canyon can be great for Montezuma Quail
and Western Scrub-Jay. At dusk, a Short-eared Owl may patrol the nearby
grasslands, and we'll try for Whiskered and Western Screech-Owls
nearby. Night in Nogales.
Day 5:
Grasslands. Sunrise over the scenic mountains surrounding the
spectacular rolling grasslands of the San Rafael Valley is truly
breathtaking as we seek Sprague's Pipit, Chestnut-collared Longspur and
the skulking Baird's Sparrow. Northern Harriers are common and
White-tailed Kite can sometimes also be found. The lilianae race of
Eastern Meadowlark accompany the more common Western Meadowlarks, and
flocks of Horned Larks may contain McCown's Longspurs. We'll
then bird through the picturesque Sonoita Grasslands where herds of
pronghorn roam and large flocks of Savannah and Vesper Sparrows abound,
heading east towards Sierra Vista and the Huachuca Mountains for some
afternoon birding. Night in Sierra Vista.
Day 6:
Sierra Vista area. The mountain canyons of the Huachucas and the lush
riparian thickets along the San Pedro River offer easy and relaxed
birding; we visit several sites for a good mix of species and dramatic
changes in scenery. Weedy patches and open fields are littered with
Brewer's, White-crowned, Black-throated, and Lark Sparrows, while a
rare Green Kingfisher or Ruddy Ground-Dove may be a lucky treat along
the river. Vermilion Flycatchers and Green-tailed Towhees are also
regular. We won’t ignore the famous hummer feeders in Carr and Ramsey
Canyons. Night in Sierra Vista.
 Day 7:
Sulphur Springs Valley. Today we head east to Whitewater Draw Wildlife
Area for the dramatic spectacle of over 20,000 Sandhill Cranes. There’s
also a great diversity of hawks, falcons, eagles, sparrows, ducks, and
geese among other interesting species. This area was formerly desert
grasslands and plains, but is now largely farmland and boasts some of
the best winter birding in the region. 15 species of raptors, hordes of
sparrows, Mountain Plovers, and Bendire's and Crissal Thrashers are all
possible. Scaled Quail are common and huge flocks of Lark Buntings can
be overwhelming. Bald and Golden Eagles, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, many
Ferruginous Hawks, and up to six types of Red-tailed Hawks can also be
found. We'll
bird north to Willcox, checking Cochise Lake for ducks, grebes, geese,
lingering waders, shorebirds and open country birds. En route to
Tucson, we'll stop at the Benson ponds for any additional species
before our final dinner. Night in Tucson.
Day 8: Departure. You’ll be shuttled to the airport to meet your flights home.
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