Indulgent Birding at Casa de San Pedro–3 Day Field Trip

This is a three-day program focusing on birds morning and evening, with afternoons free to relax at Casa de San Pedro, swim in their pool, or explore the many natural and cultural resources of the area. Hummingbird banding is planned for Friday, from 4-6pm. La Casa website: https://www.bedandbirds.com/

Before registering here, please contact Casa de San Pedro at bedandbirds@gmail.com, to check for available space. Book your room! Let Casa know of any food allergies. Then, register online here. (After June 15, if there is space, the program will be open for the Phoenix area Audubon Chapters.) Feel free to contact Kathe Anderson (your guide) at kathe.coot@cox.net if you have any questions. You’ll be responsible for your costs of the program listed in the schedule, and any incidentals you may incur.

For those who have never stayed at la Casa, this is a unique opportunity to escape to lovely southeast Arizona, experience a B&B dedicated to birds and birders (garnering 5 stars from 94% of those leaving reviews on TripAdvisor), and enjoy birding, unlimited pies, and more over three days of activities.

Estimated costs:

• Casa de San Pedro: rooms $215 a night (2 nights = $430 plus tax). Each room can accommodate up to 2 people per room. Please specify a king or room with two beds when reserving a room. Casa will collect the cost and generously donate $40 per room per two-night stay to Tucson Audubon Society!
• Gas: suggested donation to your driver for carpooling = $30
• Meals: Thursday lunch at Copper Brothel (copperbrothelbrewery.com), dinner brown bag or out and Friday lunch optional; dinner catered/BBQ ($26.52)
• Entrance fees: Patons Center for Hummingbirds ($5 suggested donation), Ramsey Canyon ($5 for Nature Conservancy members, $8 for others), and Ash Canyon ($10)

Folks should bring one snack to share. I’ll bring the coffee cake and multiple snacks to share.

Schedule

Thursday, July 20: We’re considering several options for gathering on the first day. When you register, please indicate where you would like to meet the group, as that will help us with carpool plans.

• 7am – meet at Sweetwater Wetlands to launch the trip
• 9am-ish – leave cars in a safe location in Tucson (most likely DoubleTree by Hilton by Reid Park)
• 10:30am-ish – bird Las Cienegas, north of Sonoita
• Noonish – lunch at The Copper Brothel in Sonoita
• 2pm – bird at Patons Center for Hummingbirds
• 4:30pm-ish – arrive at Casa de San Pedro
• 5:30-6pm – Feeder watch at Casa (meet in the dining room)
• 6-7pm – dinner on your own or bring dinner and eat with other participants in the dining room
• 7pm – Temporary Custody of a Rainbow. In this interactive class, we’ll explore the backstory of ten colorful migrants – the yellow warbler, blue grosbeak, dazzling red summer tanager, eye-popping hooded oriole and others (plus 2 summer raptors) – that migrate through Arizona or make the state their breeding territory. Where do they come from and what else do we know about them?

Friday, July 21:

• 5:30am – coffee and coffee cake available
• 6-7:15am – Early Bird Bonus! A slow wander around la Casa to see what’s showing up at the feeders and immediate environs
• 8:30am – Breakfast. (Maybe sneak in an early swim before breakfast?)
• Right after breakfast (and we won’t rush the delicious meal!) – Approximately 3+ hour field trip to nearby Ramsey and Ash Canyons.
• 3:30pm – share snacks in the dining room
• 4pm-6pm – ongoing hummingbird banding at la Casa
• 5pm – A guided walk about the history of the SPRNCA San Pedro River National Conservation Area, presented by Robert Weissler, who will join us for dinner!
• 6:30pm – A catered Mexican dinner (if 10 or more participants) or a BBQ onsite (if fewer than 10 participants). Cost per person: $26.52.

Saturday, July 22:

• 6am – coffee and coffee cake available.
• 6:30-7:30am – Early Bird Bonus! A slow wander in the area around la Casa to look for whatever shows up.
• 8:30am – Breakfast.
• Right after breakfast (and we won’t rush the delicious meal!): Approximately 3+ hour field trip to nearby grassland/oak habitat of Coronado National Monument and, time permitting, the lower part of Carr Canyon. Wrap up with snacks!
• Noonish – we’ll leave the Sierra Vista area to return to Tucson mid-afternoon.

Reminder of how you register:

1. First, contact Casa de San Pedro at bedandbirds@gmail.com, to check for available space. Book your room! Let Casa know of any food allergies
2. Second, register online here. (After June 15, if there is space, the program will be open for the Phoenix area Audubon Chapters.)
3. Feel free to contact Kathe Anderson (your guide) at kathe.coot@cox.net if you have any questions.
4. You’ll be responsible for your costs of the program listed in the schedule, and any incidentals you may incur. As a bonus, though, Casa de San Pedro is donating $20 of the regular reservation rate per room to the Tucson Audubon Society. What a deal! You have a great time and TAS gets donations! Thank you, Patrick and Karl at Casa!!

Limited to 10 vaccinated participants.

Header Image: Broad-billed Hummingbird by Greg Lavaty