Arizona
Saturday 2nd to Sunday 17th May 2009
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Arizona is startling in its contrasts of both wildlife and scenery. Greater
Roadrunner, Cactus Wren and Gila Woodpecker inhabit the Sonoran Desert where the
bizarre forms of Saguaro Cacti are silhouetted against the sky; but snow can
still be lying at 8,000 feet in the Santa Catalinas, where White-throated Swifts
and Zone-tailed Hawks soar above beautiful canyons. Broad-billed Hummingbirds,
Painted Redstarts, Red-faced Warblers and Vermilion Flycatchers flash brilliant
colours, and at night the calls of Elf Owls and Whip-poor-wills join in an
enchanting chorus. The mountains and deserts of Arizona are simply stunning in
their beauty and bird life - and after this, it would be a shame to miss the
chance of witnessing daybreak over the unbelievable Grand Canyon. This is an
irresistible itinerary, whether you are a first-time visitor or eager to return
- but don’t just take our word for it, come and see for yourself!Day 1: We fly from London to Phoenix, arriving in the afternoon. We then drive to Tucson, our base for the first three nights.
Overnight – Tucson
Days 2 & 3: We explore a variety of habitats close to Tucson, ranging from the Sonoran Desert, to the summit of Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains and including Sweetwater wetlands. We also visit the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum. The species we can expect will fully reflect the diversity of the habitats and include: Gambel’s Quail, Cactus Wren, Greater Roadrunner, Gila Woodpecker, Rock Wren, Bushtit, Pyrrhuloxia, Cassin’s Kingbird, Pygmy Nuthatch, Verdin, Western Bluebird, Steller’s Jay, Plumbeous Vireo, Virginia’s, Lucy’s, Olive & Red-faced Warblers, Pine Siskin, Lesser Goldfinch and Black-headed Grosbeak.
Overnights – Tucson
Days 4 - 6: On Day 4 we travel to Portal, stopping en route at Willcox Twin Lakes where Wilson’s Phalaropes and other shorebirds congregate on their way north. The following two days will be spent in the stunning scenery of the very impressive Chiricahua Mountains, with their beautiful landforms. Travelling from desert, through oak and pine-clad canyons to mountain summit, we should encounter a great diversity of bird species, which may include:
Zone-tailed Hawk, Common Poorwill, Northern Pygmy Owl, Lucifer & Blue-throated Hummingbirds, Hairy Woodpecker, Crissal Thrasher, Pygmy Nuthatch, Olive & Grace’s Warblers and Pine Siskin. Here there are several species on the northern edge of their range, including Elegant Trogon and Mexican Chickadee - species we have an excellent chance of seeing. We may also go on an ‘Owl Prowl’. Previous tours have recorded Flammulated, Elf, Great Horned, Northern Pygmy, Whiskered & Western Screech Owls.
Overnights – Portal
Days 7 - 9: On the morning of Day 7 we make a leisurely journey to Sierra Vista, an ideal base from which to explore the beautiful Garden and Ramsey Canyons of the Huachuca Mountains. We will also visit the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, a lush green ribbon through the desert. Again the variety of habitats should result in an abundance of birds - Montezuma & Scaled Quails, Black-chinned, Magnificent, Rufous & Anna’s
Hummingbirds, Acorn & Arizona Woodpeckers, Abert’s Towhee, Western Bluebird, Vermilion Flycatcher, Painted Redstart, the rare Spotted Owl and Buff-breasted Flycatcher are just a few of the likely species.
Overnights - Sierra Vista
Days 10 & 11: On Day 10 we transfer to Green Valley, passing through Patagonia; we will stop to look for: White-throated Swift, Thick-billed Kingbird and Violet-crowned Hummingbird. Green Valley is ideally located to visit Madera Canyon and surrounding areas, renowned for Elf & Whiskered Screech Owls; hummingbirds include Magnificent, Broad-billed & Blue-throated; Elegant Trogon, Lesser Nighthawk, Inca Dove, Say’s & Black Phoebes, Phainopepla, Hutton’s Vireo, Mexican Jay, Painted Redstart, Black-throated Sparrow and Blue Grosbeak.
Overnights – Green Valley
Day 12: We drive to Sedona, and visit beautiful Oak Creek Canyon in search of American Dipper; an excellent stopover on our way to the Grand Canyon.
Overnight – Sedona
Days 13 & 14: We will drive north to the Grand Canyon on Day 13. Here we shall be birdwatching around one of the most awe-inspiring natural landforms in the world, where the vastness of heights and distances defies description. As the sun’s shifting angle turns the breathtaking cliffs into a kaleidoscope of colour, photographers will be reaching eagerly for their cameras to capture the stunning images on film. Bird life includes Pinyon Jay, Western Bluebird, Dark-eyed Junco, Spotted Towhee and Mountain Chickadee, and we will also hope to see reintroduced Californian Condors.
Overnights - Grand Canyon South Rim
Days 15 & 16: On Day 15 we catch our return flight from Phoenix, arriving in London on Day 16.