Archives: Festival Events

Difficulty: Moderate (Some walking on mild slopes, and possibly rocky/uneven surfaces. Drive time to location approximately one hour on mostly paved roads)

Some of the most well-known birding locations in Southeast Arizona, and the United States, occur in the riparian area that runs along the Sonoita Creek and around the small mining town of Patagonia. We’ll start at Patagonia Lake SP and look for waterbirds and riparian stalwarts like Gray Hawk and Summer Tanagers. After the lake we’ll check out hotspots around town before having lunch at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds courtesy of local favorite, Gathering Grounds, while we look for the star of the trip, the Violet-crowned Hummingbird. Limited to 9 participants.

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (Some walking on mild slopes, and possibly rocky/uneven surfaces. Drive time to locations approximately an hour)

We’ll combine birding and good drink during a tour of the grasslands around Sonoita in the Las Cienegas grasslands. We’ll look for grassland breeders such as Cassin’s, Botteri’s and Grasshopper Sparrows, Chihuahuan Meadowlark, and Loggerhead Shrike, as well as riparian-associated species including Gray and Zone-tailed Hawks, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow Warbler, and Summer Tanager.  A visit to one of the local wineries and lunch at the Copper Brothel Brewery will keep us busy as well. Limited to 8 participants.

Gray Hawk by Bryan J Smith

Difficulty: Moderate (Steeper slopes or more rocky/rooted trails. Drive time to final location approximately 75 minutes.)

Rising over 6,000 feet above Tucson, Mount Lemmon is the highest peak in the Santa Catalina Mountains at 9,157 feet, and a popular escape from urban life and the Arizona’s dry early-summer heat (before the relief of the cooling monsoon rains). It is also an incredible birding experience and biology lesson. Traversing six life zones, from the Sonoran Desert at the base to mixed conifer forests at the highest elevations, the 25-mile drive up the wide, paved, two-lane Catalina Highway is equivalent biologically to traveling from Mexico to Canada. Our efforts will be concentrated on the higher elevations far above the desert below. We’ll look for typical mountain species like Steller’s Jay, Acorn Woodpecker, Spotted Towhee, and Plumbeous Vireo. We’ll make a special effort to track down a variety of warblers; Painted Redstart and Olive, Red-faced, and Grace’s Warblers all breed in these mountains and by August they are beginning to form mixed-species foraging flocks. A few hummingbird feeders are scattered about our route as well. Combine the birds with temperatures nearly 30 degrees cooler at the top and unparalleled scenery, it is hard to beat the Catalinas in August! Lunch included. Limited to 8 participants.

Difficulty: Hard (Steeper slopes or more rocky/rooted trails. Drive time to locations approximately 2 hours and includes some time on a very rough road.)

We’ll get an early start from Tucson to explore the Madrean oak woodland and open pine forests of Carr Canyon. This scenic canyon on the east flank of the Huachucas supports species such as Arizona Woodpecker and Painted Redstart on its lower slopes, and species such as Olive Warbler, Buff-breasted Flycatcher and Greater Pewee along the upper stretches of the road. We’ll spend a few hours exploring along the main road that winds up to near the peaks of the Huachucas before taking our picnic lunch and then descending to nearby Ash Canyon, where a private bank of hummingbird feeders at Mary Jo’s B&B should be buzzing with activity, including perhaps the range-restricted and very attractive Lucifer Hummingbird. We will be walking slowly along nearly level dirt roads at up to about 7000 feet in elevation. Lunch included. Limited to 13 participants.

Difficulty: Moderate (May include some walking on steeper slopes or rocky/rooted trails. Fast-paced and may include lots of jumping in and out of the van.)

Have you ever experienced the thrill of a “Big Day?” This is a fun, and somewhat competitive, way to see a wide variety of species and locations throughout the Tucson and Southeast Arizona area in a short amount of time! Exact route will be up to the discretion of the leader, to maximize the numbers of species seen/heard. Sponsored by Wildside Nature Tours. Lunch included. Limited to 8 participants.

Yellow-eyed Junco by Jim Burns

Difficulty: Hard (Round-trip hiking distance of about 2.5 hot miles, over very uneven tread and multiple, wet stream crossings. About two hour drive on some rough road. We will be away from the vehicle for at least 4 hours.)

Rugged, remote Sycamore Canyon is legendary among birders for the rarities it has harbored over the years, as well as for its scenic terrain.  This steep-sided canyon is in the Pajarito Wilderness Area of Coronado National Forest.  It drains southward into Mexico, crossing the international border 5.6 miles from the trailhead off Ruby Road, west of Nogales.  Along the way we’ll encounter species typical of Oak-Juniper and Riparian habitats, with the potential to see Elegant Trogon, Mexican Jay, and Montezuma Quail. Lunch included. Limited to 8 participants.

Elegant Trogon by Shawn Cooper

Difficulty: Moderate to Hard (Hiking on a rough gravel road with moderate elevation gain. Drive time to location approximately just under 2 hours.)

Explore a lesser-known birding hotspot in the Huachuca Mountains! Located on the “other side” of the mountains, Scotia Canyon features rich Madrean woodlands and sycamore-lined riparian habitat that host breeding birds like Painted Redstart, Grace’s Warbler, Elegant Trogon, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Red-faced Warbler, Plumbeous Vireo, and much more. Lunch provided. Limited to 8 participants.