Parker Canyon Lake Area with Jim Rorabaugh

Difficulty: Hard (Steeper slopes or more rocky/rooted trails. Drive time to final location approximately two hours on some rough and curvy road.)

This 130-acre, deep water lake is tucked back on the west slopes of the Huachuca Mountains and because of its location is under-birded but holds great potential. Grassy hillsides dotted with oaks may hold Montezuma Quail, Western or Eastern Bluebirds, Bushtits, flycatchers, and early migrants. Western Grebes and Ospreys have been seen catching fish out of the lake during summer and Cassin’s Kingbirds are quite common. Lunch included. Limited to 8 participants.

Montezuma Quail by John Hoffman

Bird Banding with Aya Pickett of Tucson Audubon

Learn what bird banding is all about, why it is important, and how it is done with Aya Pickett, Tucson Audubon’s Restoration Project Manager. We’ll meet at the iconic Paton Center for Hummingbirds and then walk over to our mist nest station along the Sonoita Creek in the Cuckoo Corridor. Drive time to meeting location from festival venue is about 70 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 10 participants.

De Anza Trail at Santa Gertrudis with David Griffin

Difficulty: Easy (Flat walking on some sandy/gravel trails)

The riparian forest along the Santa Cruz River is a fantastic location for three types of kingbirds (Cassin’s, Tropical, and noisy Thick-billed) along with a wide variety of other desert riparian species like Inca Dove, Gray Hawk, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Bell’s Vireo, and Blue Grosbeak. Drive time to the meeting location from the festival venue is about 50 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 10 participants.

Thick-billed Kingbird by Martin Molina

Harshaw Creek and Patagonia Hotspots with John Yerger

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

Harshaw Creek is lined with Sycamores making it a great location for woodpeckers, flycatchers, tanagers, and more. We might catch a look at one of the Elegant Trogons that breed through here and Mexican Jays are common in the oaks. After exploring the Harshaw area we’ll head over to the Paton Center for Hummingbirds to look for Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Gray Hawks, and more. Lunch will be provided courtesy of local favorite, Gathering Grounds. Limited to 9 participants.

Birding with a Purpose: Birding the Border with Myles Traphagen & Wesley Homoya of Natural Selections Tours

Difficulty: Moderate (moderately difficult walk over a worn but occasionally rocky trail, covering 3-4 miles round trip with the turn-around point depending on our pace. Drive time to locations approximately 75 minutes.)

On this outing, we’ll combine the joy of birding with the meaningfulness of learning about the ecological and human impacts of U.S. border policy in our region, including the border wall. We’ll spend several hours birding at Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge (BANWR), starting and ending near Arivaca Cienega. We’ll then drive to the BANWR Visitor Center where, over a picnic lunch, we’ll hear from guest speakers about the impacts of current conditions at the border on birds, other animals, wildlife habitat, ecosystems, and human beings, and how local organizations are working to protect life along the border. We’ll then take a short drive further south to see the border wall itself, before heading back to Tucson, with a stop along the way for some additional birding to end the field trip on a joyful note. Wildlife highlights of previous trips include Botteri’s Sparrow, Lazuli Bunting, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Tropical Kingbird, a Hooded Oriole nest with young, an Arizona Blond Tarantula, and a herd of Pronghorn. Sponsored by Natural Selections Tours. Lunch included. Limited to 8 participants.

Tropical Kingbird by Jim Burns

Moths: A Nocturnal Exploration with Jeff Babson

Difficulty: Easy (Easily accessible location with a short drive)

On this trip, we will shine a light into the hidden diversity that exists in the Sonoran Desert! Pima County Naturalist, Jeff Babson will set up a UV light and see what treasures the night produces.  UV lights, also known as black lights, emit wavelengths that attract many insects, including moths and beetles.  Many of these insects are common, but live their lives in darkness and many people are unaware of their existence. Feel free to arrive anytime during the allotted timeframe. Great for families! Location will be at Sabino Canyon. Drive time to meeting location from festival venue is approximately 25 minutes, and specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. $8 parking fee. Limited to 15 participants.

Sabino Canyon Evening Hike with Jim Rorabaugh

Lesser Nighthawk by Dan Weisz

Difficulty: Moderate (Will include walking in the dark, some uphill on dirt trails and some paved road. Total distance about 3 miles.)

Sabino Canyon night hikes during monsoon season are a local favorite past-time. Bring your flashlight as we walk up in the light and walk down in the dark in search of birds, toads, snakes, bugs, and more! Good possibilities for Lesser Nighthawk and Common Poorwill at sunset and we’ll hope for monsoon rains so we can see and hear Spadefoots and giant Sonoran Desert Toads. Lizards, scorpions, and tarantulas are crowd favorites and maybe we’ll run into a Gila Monster. We will go at a slow pace and be sure to bring a water bottle and be prepared for hot weather. Drive time to meeting location from festival venue is approximately 25 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 10 participants.

Tohono Chul with Ray Deeney

Difficulty: Easy (some mild slopes–mostly flat ground and good surfaces)

For visitors and those new to the Sonoran Desert, Tohono Chul’s easy-walking trails and gardens provide close-up looks at many of the desert specialties. Of the more than 500 bird species that spend time in Arizona during the year, 140 are known to have visited Tohono Chul, and on any given morning you might see up to 10 or 20 species here. All year long you can watch our state bird, the Cactus Wren, flit from cactus to tree and back again, chattering as he goes. Observe the Curved-billed Thrasher, with its saucy two-part whistle, scrabbling on the ground or nesting in cholla cactus. Enjoy our two year-round resident hummingbird species, Anna’s and Costa’s, as they dart about, feeding among the many colorful flowers. And be sure to look upward for a glance of our majestic Cooper’s Hawks, a pair of which has nested in the gardens for each of the last four years. Meet at Tohono Chul. Limited to 10 participants.

Costa’s Hummingbird by Francis Morgan

Tucson Botanical Gardens with TBG Docent

Difficulty: Easy (mostly flat ground and good surfaces)

Located on the site of the historic Porter property, Tucson Botanical Gardens (TBG) is a five and a half acre collection of 20 gardens in the heart of Tucson, Arizona.  A true urban oasis, Tucson Botanical Gardens was selected #4 in USA Today’s 10Best Botanical Gardens Readers’ Choice Awards, 2 years in a row. 20 curated gardens including the Cactus & Succulent Garden, Barrio Garden, Zen Garden, Bird Garden, and many more, showcase a diversity of plants both native and those you wouldn’t expect to see in the Sonoran Desert. Drive time to the meeting location from festival venue is 10 minutes. Limited to 15 participants.

Mission Gardens—Tucson’s Birthplace with Michael Sadat

Difficulty: Easy (some mild slopes–mostly flat ground and good surfaces)

We’ll visit Mission Garden (at the base of “A” Mountain) which revives Tucson’s history through garden plots representing four millennia of multicultural and gastronomic history. Find some of the same birds that have been visiting Tucson gardens for 4,000 years! Drive time to the meeting location from festival venue is about 15 minutes. Limited to 10 participants.

Abert’s Towhee by Greg Lavaty