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1:30 pm
Wednesday-
4:00pm
Thursday
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Overnight: Chiricahua Mountain Birds
Bill Stocku |
Aug. 1 Field Trip
$200. single; $150 double |
 This overnight trip takes you to the beautiful Chiricahua Mountains with birding along the way. After spending the night at Cave Creek Ranch, itself a birding destination and a long-time favorite of nature tourists, enjoy a day in this birding hotshot to look for Elegant Trogon, Mexican Chickadee, high elevation warblers, flycatchers and post-breeding Mexican vagrants. Destinations will include the South Fork of Cave Creek Canyon and Rustler Park. Three meals and accommodations in Portal are included. Difficulty: 4
Departure point: Windemere
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1:30 pm
Wednesday-
4:00pm
Thursday
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Overnight: California Gulch
and Five-striped Sparrow
Rick Wright |
Aug. 1 Field Trip
$200 single; $150 double |
This overnight tour takes you to a lovely B&B in Amado, Arizona, while stopping for birds along the way. The next day we will visit California Gulch, a rugged canyon near the Mexican border, to look for Five-striped Sparrow. Many other species can be expected in the gulch including: Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Varied Bunting, and more. There is always a good chance for Montezuma Quail on the way in. We will continue our search at the Arivaca Cienega, a part of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. This trip includes 3 meals and lodging in Amado.
Difficulty: 4
Departure point: Windemere
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2:00 pm
Wednesday-
4:00pm
Thursday
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NEW Overnight in Sonora
Tom Wood and Sheri Williamson |
Aug.
1 Field Trip
$325 single; 275 double |
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Join us on an overnight adventure just south of the border. Here, a private ranch’s rich and varied habitats are being managed to benefit birds and other wildlife. Bird possibilities include: Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Thick-billed Kingbird, Rose-throated Becard, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Rufous-winged Sparrow, Varied Bunting, and maybe a species or two that have never been seen in the U.S. Colorful butterflies and wildflowers should be plentiful. The tour includes lodging at the ranch, a Sonoran barbecue dinner, breakfast, a traditional ranch lunch, and round-trip transportation from the festival site.
Difficulty: 3.
Departure point: Windemere |
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6:00pm-
10:00pm
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Bugs & Owls
Carl Olson & Bob Behrstock |
Aug. 1 Field Trip
$40 |
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 Join Carl and Bob on our second annual combination Bugs & Owls tour. Enjoy an evening of searching for owls and the foods they thrive on including moths, beetles, and other creatures that are attracted to night lights. Canyons in the Huachucas will be visited in search of Western and Whiskered Screech owls where their ranges overlap. Then the group will visit other areas where weird and wonderful nighttime insects are visible. Carl will help to identify these critters of the night.
Difficulty: 2.
Departure point: Windemere
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7:00pm-
9:30pm
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Owls
Joe Woodley |
Aug. 1 Field Trip
$40 |
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This small group will be led into the Huachucas by Joe in search of Western and Whiskered Screech owls, and Mexican Whip-poor-will. We should also hear Common Poorwill calling off in the distance. There may be some other surprises in store as well. Please do not wear white or very light colored clothing or hats – khaki is okay.
Difficulty: 2.
Departure point: Windemere
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6:00am-
3:00pm
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Huachuca Specialties
Erika Wilson |
Aug. 2 Field Trip
$60 |
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 Enjoy a birdy day in the Huachuca Mountains for many mountain specialties such as Painted Redstart, Red-faced Warbler, Elegant Trogon, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher and a dozen species of hummingbirds. Destinations will include Beatty's Guest Ranch, Ash Canyon B&B, and Garden Canyon. We will enjoy a picnic lunch in a shady spot.
Note: Participants must have a valid U.S. photo ID to attend this trip.
Difficulty: 3
Departure point: Windemere |
6:00am-
4:00pm
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Patagonia Specialties
Rick Romea |
Aug. 2 Field Trip
$75 |
The Nature Conservancy’s Patagonia-Sonoita Preserve is one of SE Arizona’s best known destinations for riparian birds. Your leader is the former manager of the Preserve and knows it very well. Search birds will include Gray Hawk, Thick-billed Kingbird, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Phainopepla, Lucy’s Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Summer Tanager, Other stops include the Patagonia Roadside Rest for possible Mexican vagrants, the Paton’s backyard feeders for a variety of hummingbirds including Violet-crowned, and the Patagonia Butterfly Garden, and, if time permits, we will venture further west. We will enjoy a picnic lunch in Patagonia Park.
Difficulty: 2.
Departure point: Windemere |
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7:00am-
Noon
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Beginning Birding Workshop
in Classroom and Field
Peg Abbott
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Aug. 2 Field Trip
$50 |
This field trip is preceded by the Beginning Birding Workshop [click here to jump to workshop description ] held from 7-9 a.m. this morning. Learn the basics of birdwatching with bird guide, Peg Abbott. Basic bird identification skills, habitat and recognition. Immediately following the lecture the group will car pool to the nearby San Pedro River for the field trip.The fee includes the presentation and the field trip.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere: Car Pool to San Pedro House
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8:00am-
3:00pm
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Butterflies and Dragonflies
Bob Behrstock & Hank Brodkin |
Aug. 2 Field Trip
$50 |
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 Join Hank Brodkin, one of the co-authors of "Butterflies of Arizona - a Photographic Guide" and Bob Behrstock, tour leader and author, who has just finished a beginner’s guide to Southwestern dragonflies, as we search for some of the special butterflies and dragonflies of the Huachucas. The day will include stops at various elevations as we search for wet areas and nectar bearing flowers at Fort Huachuca. Bob and Hank are both seasoned birders and between the grasslands and Garden Canyon, we are likely to see a respectable assortment of birds as well. Picnic lunch included.
Note: Participants must have a valid U.S. photo ID to attend this trip.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere
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7:00am-
Noon
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San Pedro River Specialties
Homer Hansen |
Aug. 2 Field Trip
$40 |
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Enjoy a pleasant hike beginning with feeders at the San Pedro House and continuing through mesquite thickets to the cottonwood-lined San Pedro River. The focus will be on honing your identification skills with a variety of riparian birds. You may expect several species of hummingbirds, Vermilion Flycatcher, Western and Cassin’s kingbirds, Bewick's Wren, Yellow-breasted Chat, Summer Tanager, Cassin’s Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, and Abert’s Towhee. Early migrants often provide additional surprises.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere. Car pool to San Pedro House
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7:00pm-
9:30pm
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Owls 1
Mike Overton |
Aug. 2 Field Trip
$40 |
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This small group will be led into the Huachucas by Mike in search of Western and Whiskered Screech owls, and Mexican Whip-poor-will. We should also hear Common Poorwill calling off in the distance. There may be some other surprises in store as well. Please do not wear white or very light colored clothing or hats – khaki is okay.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere
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7:00pm-
9:30pm
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Owls 2
Joe Woodley |
Aug. 2 Field Trip
$40 |
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This small group will be led into the Huachucas by Joe in search of Western and Whiskered Screech owls, and Mexican Whip-poor-will. We should also hear Common Poorwill calling off in the distance. There may be some other surprises in store as well. Please do not wear white or very light colored clothing or hats – khaki is okay.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere
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5:00am-
3:00pm
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NEW Birding High with the Optics Guys:
Carr Reef to Comfort Springs
Jeff Bouton, Mike Freiberg |
Aug. 3 Field Trip
$70 |
Our favorite optics representatives will be leading this tour into the upper Huachuca Mountains, searching for high elevation specialties. Along with the birds, this trip offers some of the area’s most spectacular views, from lichen-covered cliff faces to the San Pedro River valley off in the distance. Beginning in  upper Carr Canyon, we will hike down to Comfort Springs, one of the area’s only sources of water. Search birds will include Hairy Woodpecker, Greater Pewee, Pygmy Nuthatch, Grace’s, Red-faced, and Olive warblers, Painted Redstart, Hutton’s and Plumbeous vireos, Hepatic Tanager, and Yellow-eyed Junco. There is always the possibility of a surprise at Comfort Springs, which has hosted Aztec Thrush and Slate-throated Redstart during recent summers. Note: This trip begins at 7,000 feet elevation where we will first walk downhill on a fairly steep trail with uneven footing. A picnic lunch is included.
Difficulty: 4
Departure point: Windemere
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5:00am-
4:00pm
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Chiricahua Specialties
Bill Stocku |
Aug. 3 Field Trip
$90 |
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Enjoy a full day in this scenic birding hotspot looking for those wonderful mountain specialties of Southeastern Arizona. A veteran of innumerable trips to the Chiricahuas, Bill Stocku will take you to search for Elegant Trogon, high elevation warblers such as Olive and Grace's, and flycatchers such as Dusky-capped and Brown-crested. August is the best time for hummingbirds in Arizona, so expect to see 10 or more species. Destinations will include the South Fork of Cave Creek Canyon and Rustler Park. The tour includes a sack lunch and we’ll find a shaded picnic spot.
Difficulty: 3
Departure point: Windemere
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6:00am-
4:00pm
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NEW La Cienega National Conservation Area
Bob Behrstock & Scott Weidensaul |
Aug. 3 Field Trip
$125 |
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Join our keynote speaker Scott Weidensaul and local naturalist and tour leader Bob Behrstock on a visit to what was formerly one of the Southwest’s largest cattle ranches. Now this expansive BLM preserve is home to Pronghorn and a wide variety of birds. We will visit rolling grasslands, mesquite thickets and cottonwood lined Cienega Creek, one of the area’s only sources of permanent water, looking for Zone-tailed and Gray hawks, Bell’s Vireo, Summer Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, Abert’s Towhee, and Cassin’s, Botteri’s, and Grasshopper sparrows. Picnic lunch included.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere
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6:00am-
2:00pm
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Ramsey Canyon and More
Rick Romea |
Aug. 3 Field Trip
$60 |
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 On this expanded Ramsey Canyon tour we’ll begin in the grasslands below the canyon, where, we’ll look for Scaled Quail, Rufous-crowned and Botteri’s sparrows, Blue Grosbeak, and other lowland species. At the Nature Conservancy’s Ramsey Canyon Preserve, we may see up to 10 species of hummingbirds, as well as Wild Turkey, Elegant Trogon, Arizona Woodpecker, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Hepatic Tanager, Painted Redstart, and other mountain specialties. While walking, we’ll watch for some of the many plants, mammals, and reptiles also inhabit the canyon. Be prepared for a two-mile slow walk with a 300-foot elevation gain and uneven terrain. We will end the day watching the variety of feeders at Ash Canyon B&B. A sack lunch is included. Difficulty: 4
Departure point: Windemere
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6:30am-
3:30pm
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Photography Workshop
Tom Whetten |
Aug. 3 Field Trip
$90 |
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This tour is a continuation of Thursday morning’s presentation from 9-11 a.m. and is included in the fee. [click here to jump to workshop description]Tom Whetten is the Information and Education Program Manager for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Region V. He is an avid wildlife photographer, and has been leading photo tours both privately and for birding festivals for many years. This trip will head into the Huachuca Mountains in search of photographable wildlife. The tour includes a picnic lunch. Please note, this workshop is open to a limited number of participants, so sign up early!
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere
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7:00am-
Noon
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San Pedro River
Erika Wilson |
Aug. 3 Field Trip
$40 |
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 Enjoy a pleasant hike beginning with feeders at the San Pedro House and continuing through mesquite thickets to the cottonwood-lined San Pedro River. The focus will be on honing your identification skills with a variety of riparian birds. You may expect several species of hummingbirds, Vermilion Flycatcher, Western and Cassin’s kingbirds, Bewick's Wren, Yellow-breasted Chat, Summer Tanager, Cassin’s Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, and Abert’s Towhee. Early migrants often provide additional surprises.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere. Car pool to the San Pedro House.
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8:00am-
10:00am
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New Ramsey for Kids
Judy Phillips |
Aug. 3 Field Trip
No Charge |
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Join Judy Phillips for an easy walk through the Nature Conservancy’s Ramsey Canyon Preserve. Begin with stops at the visitor’s center, butterfly garden and hummingbird feeders. The walk continues up Ramsey Canyon, where one of the Huachuca Mountain’s few permanent stream waters with magnificent sycamores whose cavities provide nesting areas for some very special birds. We’ll be watching for all the canyon’s residents including birds, mammals, and lizards and will stop to admire some of the many plants growing along the trail.
There is no charge for this tour. Each child must be accompanied by a parent.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Meet at the Ramsey Canyon Preserve.
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8:00am-
4:00am
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New! Ups and Downs of the Flycatchers
of Southeastern Arizona
Homer Hansen |
Aug. 3 Field Trip
$65 |
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Identification of flycatchers is one of the great challenges of birding. This presentation will focus on characteristics, behaviors, and other clues for the identification of the flycatchers of southeast Arizona. This detailed presentation will be useful for the expert and beginner alike. Both visual and audio presentations will be given for those really interested in learning about flycatchers. The talk will be followed by a field trip through the area’s many habitats to study Empidonax and Myiarchus species, phoebes, kingbirds, pewees and many of our special flycatchers in the wild, and will include lunch.
All participants must carry a valid U.S. photo ID to gain access to Ft. Huachuca!
[click here to jump to workshop description]
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere
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7:00pm-
9:30pm
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Owls 1
Mike Overton |
Aug. 3 Field Trip
$40 |
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 This small group will be led into the Huachucas by Mike in search of Western and Whiskered Screech owls, and Mexican Whip-poor-will. We should also hear Common Poorwill calling off in the distance. There may be some other surprises in store as well. Please do not wear white or very light colored clothing or hats – khaki is okay.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere
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7:00pm-
9:30pm
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Owls 2
Joe Woodley
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Aug. 3 Field Trip
$40 |
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This small group will be led into the Huachucas by Joe in search of Western and Whiskered Screech owls, and Mexican Whip-poor-will. We should also hear Common Poorwill calling off in the distance. There may be some other surprises in store as well. Please do not wear white or very light colored clothing or hats – khaki is okay.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere
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5:00am-
4:00pm
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Chiricahua Mountain Specialties
Bill Stocku & Scott Weidensaul |
Aug. 4 Field Trip
$125 |
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Join keynote speaker Scott Weidensaul and veteran of many trips to the Chiricahuas, Bill Stocku, for a full day in this scenic birding hotspot looking for those wonderful mountain specialties of Southeastern Arizona. Bill and Scott will take you to search for Elegant Trogon, high elevation warblers such as Olive and Grace's, and flycatchers such as Dusky-capped and Brown-crested. August is the best time for hummingbirds in Arizona, so expect to see 10 or more species. Destinations will include the South Fork of Cave Creek Canyon and Rustler Park. The tour includes a sack lunch and we’ll find a shady picnic spot.
Difficulty: 3.
Departure point: Windemere
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6:00am-
2:00pm
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Ramsey Canyon & More
Rick Romea |
Aug. 4 Field Trip
$60 |
 On this expanded Ramsey Canyon tour we’ll begin in the grasslands below the canyon, where, we’ll look for Scaled Quail, Rufous-crowned and Botteri’s sparrows, Blue Grosbeak, and other lowland species. At the Nature Conservancy’s Ramsey Canyon Preserve, we may see up to 10 species of hummingbirds, as well as Elegant Trogon, Arizona Woodpecker, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Hepatic Tanager, Painted Redstart, and other mountain specialties. We’ll also learn about the many plants, mammals, insects, and reptiles with which the birds share this special place. Be prepared for a slow two-mile walk with a 300-foot elevation gain on a occasionally uneven trail. We will end the day at the feeders at Mary Jo Ballator's Ash Canyon B&B. Sack lunch included.
Difficulty: 3
Departure point: Windemere
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6:00am-
4:00pm
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St. David
Homer Hansen & Bob Behrstock |
Aug. 4 Field Trip
$75 |
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The focus of this trip will be the Benedictine’s Holy Trinity Monastery, a 132-acre property near the San Pedro River in St. David, Arizona. A popular retreat center, the grounds include a 1.3 mile birding trail, several small ponds, a pecan orchard, a working farm, and magnificent cottonwoods. Nesting birds are numerous and include: Gray Hawk, Mississippi Kite, Bell’s Vireo, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, Summer Tanager, and Blue Grosbeak. We should have time to check one or two spots along the San Pedro River for Abert’s Towhee and desert species like Cactus Wren, Verdin, and Pyrrhuloxia. The tour includes a picnic lunch.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere
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6:00am-
3:00pm
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New! Ft. Huachuca Specialties
Joe Woodley |
Aug. 4 Field Trip
$65 |
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Enjoy a birdy day on Arizona’s largest military base, famous for over a century for its Arizona specialties. We will start looking for grassland birds  such as Eastern Meadowlark and Botteri’s and Cassin’s Sparrows, then work our way up into Garden Canyon and a traditional nesting site of Elegant Trogon and Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher where Dusky-capped Flycatcher and Arizona Woodpecker are also found. A hike up Scheelite Canyon should reward our efforts with Spotted Owl and Red-faced Warbler. We will finish up at Sawmill Canyon and try for Greater Pewee, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Grace’s and Olive Warblers. There has been a Zone-tailed Hawk nest here the last few years. The tour includes a picnic lunch.
Must bring a valid U.S. photo ID to attend this trip.
Difficulty 4/5:
Departure point: Windemere
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7:00am-
Noon
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New! Easy Does It
Erika Wilson |
Aug. 4 Field Trip
$40 |
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This relaxing trip is designed for those who prefer to spend as much time as possible sitting and watching. Emphasis will be on long, close looks at a variety of birds without visiting too many locations. Bring your favorite field guide and perhaps a question for the leader; identification problems at any level can be discussed. Sites visited will include Beatty’s Miller Canyon Guest Ranch and the Ash Canyon B&B, both offering a variety of birds including perhaps a dozen species of hummingbirds.
Difficulty: 1
Departure point: Windemere
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7:00am-
1:00pm
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New! Hummingbird ID Clinic
Sheri Williamson |
Aug. 4 Field Trip
$100 |
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In August, southeastern Arizona becomes a living laboratory for studying hummingbird identification. Join Sheri Williamson, author of the Peterson Field Guide to the Hummingbirds of North America and co-founder of the Southeastern Arizona Bird  Observatory, for an intensive field workshop at the best hummingbird locations in the U.S. Learn those difficult females! Limited to 8 participants. Box lunch included.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere
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1:00pm-
3:00pm
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New! Ramsey for Kids
Vicki Sutera, Judy Phillips |
Aug. 4 Field Trip
No Charge |
Join Ramsey Canyon resident and local teacher Vicki Sutera and Judy Phillips for an easy walk through the Nature Conservancy’s Ramsey Canyon Preserve. Begin with stops at the visitor’s center, butterfly garden and hummingbird feeders. The walk continues up Ramsey Canyon, where one of the Huachuca Mountain’s few permanent stream waters magnificent sycamores whose cavities provide nest holes for some very special birds. We’ll be watching for all the canyon’s residents including birds, mammals, and lizards and will stop to admire some of the many plants growing along the trail.
There is no charge for this tour. Each child must be accompanied by a parent.
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Meet at Ramsey Canyon Preserve.
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6:00am-
11:00am
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Mule Mtn. Brunch and Birding
Tom Wood & Scott Weidensaul |
Aug. 5 Field Trip
$100 |
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Check out an overlooked birding spot, Bisbee, with Tom and Scott! Zacatecas Canyon just above Brewery Gulch will be our first stop where we’ll look for the locally uncommon Black-chinned Sparrow. Then Gold Gulch will be visited in search of Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Crissal Thrasher, Black-throated Sparrow, plus any other summer residents that haven’t migrated southward yet. A brunch at one of Bisbee’s finest restaurants is included; Rock Wrens are often visible in the parking lot. This will be a great way to end the festival. Sign up early!
Difficulty: 2
Departure point: Windemere
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