Day 1: Arrival in Tucson

The tour begins this evening with dinner in our hotel in Tucson (we will use a hotel with a free shuttle bus), where the Tropical Birding guide will also introduce some photography concepts like light, composition and camera settings in preparation for the next day’s photography.

 

Day 2: Tucson to Portal

An early start will see us on the road east towards Portal, located beside the Chiricahua Mountains, close to the border with New Mexico. Before we reach the mountains, we will traverse desert, where impromptu stops may produce birds like sharp Black-throated Sparrows, comical Greater Roadrunners, the hard to spell Pyrrhuloxia, and vibrant red-and-yellow Western Tanagers. By late morning, we will have arrived in Portal, and will begin by visiting one of the local feeders, where southwest specialties like Scott’s Oriole, Gambel’s Quail, and Ladder-backed Woodpecker may turn up, along with hummingbirds like Lucifer’s and Broad-tailed. Following lunch, we will turn our attentions to another feeder set up at the Southwestern Research Station, with a particularly large target bird in mind, North America’s largest hummingbird species, the exotically named Blue-throated Mountain-Gem. Aside from this targeted photography, roadside species may offer opportunities too, like Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, or if we are really fortunate, Montezuma Quail! Late in the afternoon we will try and photograph a local specialty, the Crissal Thrasher. Two nights will be spent in Portal, right at the epicenter of local birding sites and feeding stations.

 

Day 3: Chiricahua Mountains

Remaining in the Portal area, our focus on this day will be different, the day before will have featured multiple desert birds. However, this day will see us focus on the birds of the sky islands, or lush forested slopes, above the deserts. The photography is trickier here, but arguably the avian rewards are greater. The forests of ponderosa pines, oaks and junipers in Cave Creek Canyon are home to Elegant Trogon, Painted Redstart, and Arizona Woodpecker, among others. While, higher up in the mountains, other species become possible, like Mexican Chickadee, Juniper Titmouse, Yellow-eyed Junco, Olive Warbler, Pygmy Nuthatch, and the gorgeous Red-faced Warbler. In some years, daytime Spotted Owls are also around.

 

Day 4: Portal to Sierra Vista

On this day we’ll head south along the Stateline Road that divides Arizona and New Mexico. Our primary target for the morning will be the local Bendire’s Thraser, which often sings out in the open during the early morning before retiring into desert thickets for the remainder of the day. Our journey along this desert highway may also yield other southwestern birds like Scaled Quail, Lark Bunting, Lark and Botteri’s Sparrows, and Swainson’s Hawk. After lunch and checking into a hotel in Sierra Vista, we will stop in at another famous birding locale, Ash Canyon B&B, where feeders await with the exciting possibility of a visiting Montezuma Quail or Lucifer Hummingbird to peak our interests. This feeder visit will swiftly be followed by another in Miller Canyon, yet another iconic birding site in the region. This particular canyon is famous for hummingbirds, with feeders attracting a rich variety (up to 15 species have been recorded), and we will be on the lookout to photograph some of the scarcer species, more likely in this monsoon season, like White-eared and Berrylline Hummingbirds. The best variety and abundance of species occurs during good monsoon years, within this very season. Other hummingbirds on the agenda might be Anna’s, Rivoli’s, Costa’s and Rufous Hummingbirds to name a few. While we cannot be sure of the species mix present on any given day, there will be plenty of hummingbirds to keep us enraptured! Two nights will be spent in Sierra Vista, close to several canyons in the Huachuca Mountains.

 

Day 5: Huachuca Mountains

From our base in Sierra Vista, we will be in easy reach of two excellent birding locations, Carr Canyon, and the legendary Ramsey Canyon, both in the Huachucas. Starting in Carr, a winding road will lead us into the cooler forest near the top, where some stunning vistas are available for fans of beautiful landscapes. Warblers will be on our minds, with Grace’s, Virginia, Red-faced, and Olive Warblers all possible, in addition to the dashing Painted Redstart from this same magnetic family. Western Bluebird, Greater Pewee, and the very scarce Buff-breasted Flycatcher are all regional specialties found there too with some luck. Southeast Arizona is so revered as a birding region that another epic site is never far away, and this day is no exception, as we visit Ramsey Canyon in the afternoon. This site offers a combination of open country photography on the way in (Gray Hawk, Canyon Towhee, Western Kingbird), leisurely photography at their feeders (Rivoli’s, Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Rufous, Broad-billed and Anna’s Hummingbirds), and also trails, where Wild Turkey, Mexican Jay and Hepatic Tanager might be found.

 

Day 6: Sierra Vista to Madera Canyon via Patagonia

We will begin by departing west for Patagonia, visiting the famous Paton’s Center for the morning. This small reserve is yet another good one for hummingbirds, with Violet-crowned Hummingbird being their particular specialty. Other feeder birds may include Bewick’s Wren, Gila Woodpecker, and Lesser Goldfinch. Away from the feeders a local stream can draw in birds like Gambel’s Quail, Phainopepla, and Blue Grosbeak. Nearby, we shall try the only reliable site in the US for Thick-billed Kingbird, although they have been quite unpredictable in recent years. Near this area we also have a fantastic chance for Black-capped Gnatcatcher and Common Black Hawk.

After an exciting morning at one of Arizona’s premier reserves, we shall depart north for the Santa Rita Mountains, just south of Tucson. In the afternoon, we shall drop into another canyon, Madera Canyon, where birds like Elegant Trogon, Bridled Titmouse, Dusky-capped and Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers, and White-breasted Nuthatch are often photographable. A single night will be spent in Madera Canyon.

 

Day 7: Green Valley

Within the Green Valley, just south of Tucson, (and only a short drive from Madera Canyon), lies Elephant Head Pond. This small, private reserve has been constructed by the local property owner specifically with desert wildlife photography in mind, so is peppered with well thought out perches and dug-out blinds, which make it an irresistible place to photograph desert birds and other animals at close quarters. Canyon Towhee, Cactus Wren, and Hooded Oriole are all possible, along with rabbits, squirrels and lizards that regularly drop in to this well-watered area. Staying in Green Valley will allow those who wish to do so, to return to the location after dinner for something quite different, bat photography!

 

Day 8: Santa Ritas to Tucson

The day’s destination will be another in the Santa Ritas, Box Canyon, just north of Madera Canyon. However, even on the short journey to it, there is likely to be plentiful photo opps. Sage, mesquite, ocotillo and palo verde fields offer us great chances at another Arizona specialty, the Varied Bunting, while Gray Hawk regularly nests on the way up to the canyon, both worthy stops! Other species that could very well delay us getting there, include Black-throated Sparrow, Pyrrhuloxia, Northern Cardinal and Phainopepla. Once at Box Canyon, birds like Scott’s and Hooded Orioles, Blue Grosbeak, and Canyon and Rock Wrens are all possible, and the top end of the canyon hosts one of Arizona’s rarest nesting birds, the handsome Five-striped Sparrow and if we’re lucky a Rufous-capped Warbler.

After lunch we shall travel back to Tucson (perhaps via a pair of Burrowing Owls if they are around), spending the afternoon at the wonderful Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum, photographing desert species among the huge saguaro cactus that litter the grounds. Among these could be Verdin, Cactus Wren (Arizona’s state bird), and Curve-billed Thrasher. The night will be spent in the Oro Valley, just north of Tucson.

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Day 9: Arizona Desert Photo Retreat

This retreat is owned and designed by a professional photographer, with wildlife and bird photography in mind. A series of blinds and perches make desert photography easy. This ranges from stunning landscape shots of the cactus studded property, to a range of birds and animals, which may include American Kestrel, Gilded Flicker, Bullock’s Oriole, roadrunner, Northern Cardinal, and a series of towhees and sparrows that come in regularly. This will provide a dramatic end to the tour, surrounded by tame desert birds and dazzling “desertscapes”. At the end of the day, we will retire to our original Tucson airport hotel for a final night.

 

Day 10: Departure from Tucson

You will be transferred from the hotel to the airport for morning, midday flights out. There are no activities planned for this day, so you can leave whenever you wish to.