Make the most of your birding! Join me once or twice a month for Fun Birding Workshops around Southeast Arizona. Aimed at beginner and intermediate birders in Tucson and Green Valley, these fun day trips are ideal for local birders wanting to improve their birding skills, as well as visiting birders looking for a great value day of expert guided birding.
We concentrate on having a fun birding day, but there’s an educational side. We’ve had hummingbird specials where we’ve learnt to identify eleven different species, and shorebird workshops where we found 13 species… whilst still having fun! In 2012 we’ll be studying: winter sparrows; thrashers; winter raptors; migration; SE Arizona specialties; summer sparrows, buntings and grosbeaks; hummingbirds (three times); shorebirds (twice); night birds and more.
All participants are given materials related to the subject to study before the workshop, and receive a list of the day’s species afterwards, as well as any digital photos I manage to get.
| Workshops are limited to ten participants so please register early. They are set at a medium pace and usually include gentle to moderate hikes. Workshops last all day. Car-pooling from Tucson and/or Green Valley can be arranged. Please bring food and drinks. We share gas costs and driving. |
Workshop PricesFull day – $30 per person Supervised kids (under 16) go free |
Upcoming Fun Birding Workshops
Saturday 28th January 2012
Thrashers – Buckeye Thrasher Spot
It’s a long drive from Tucson, but there’s a place west of Phoenix near Buckeye, known as ‘The Thrasher Spot’, where we can potentially see four species of thrasher: Bendire’s, Crissal, wintering Sage and the much sought Le Conte’s Thrasher. Sage Sparrows are also regular in this unique, sparse habitat. We’ll stop on the way back to Tucson to add Curve-billed to the list.
• Full day: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Sunday 5th February 2012
Winter Raptors (and Cranes!) – Sulphur Springs Valley
The classic winter birding day in SE Arizona, we’ll explore the Sulphur Springs Valley in search of a wide range of raptors. The ubiquitous Red-tailed Hawks will be joined by stunning Ferruginous Hawks and Northern Harriers in agricultural fields. Both Golden and Bald Eagles winter in low numbers and we may get lucky. Falcons could include Prairie and Peregrine, Merlin and American Kestrel. Harris’s, Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks could also be encountered, while last winter a Rough-legged Hawk was regular. We’ll see a wide range of other species, from sparrows and thrashers to ducks and geese, and of course thousands of Sandhill Cranes as they feed in the fields then fly back to roost at Whitewater Draw. Not to be missed!
• Full day: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Saturday 17th March 2012
Early Spring Migration – Santa Cruz River at Tubac and Marana
Migration can be encountered at almost any time of year as different species move at different times, but by mid-March things are really beginning to happen. We’ll spend the morning exploring the riparian habitat at Tubac before the spectacle of the daily raptor migration, which could include Common Black Hawk. In the afternoon we’ll return to Tucson and visit Crossroads Regional Park, an excellent piece of habitat with willows and flowing river, which is often attractive to migrant warblers and other insectivorous species.
• Full day: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Sunday 8th April 2011
Swallows – Sweetwater Wetlands and Christopher Columbus Park
Six species of swallow regularly migrate through SE Arizona and we’ll try to see all of them. Picking them out isn’t always easy so we’ll spend plenty of time making sure we work on each species from different angles and in different lights. It’s a great time of year for birding and we may see almost anything in this bird rich area, from ducks to herons to warblers.
• Full day: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Friday 25th May 2012
Night Bird Special – Mt Lemmon
For the first time, Fun Birding Workshops go nocturnal! We’ll meet just before dusk and listen for SE Arizona’s wide range of night birds at various spots from suburban Tucson to the top of Mt Lemmon. We may not see many but we should hear owls including Elf, Western Screech, Whiskered Screech, Great Horned and maybe even Northern Saw-whet, Spotted or Flamulated Owl. We’ll also hear and maybe see Common Poorwill and Mexican Whip-poor-will. On our return to Tucson at around 11 p.m. we’ll look for Lesser Nighthawks under the lights at one of Tucson’s Rillito parks.
• Evening/night: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Saturday 2nd June 2012
SE Arizona Specialties – Madera Canyon
Birders come from all around the world to see SE Arizona’s ‘specialty’ birds which can be found in the Sky Islands in summer. We’ll get out of the heat of the valley by heading into Madera Canyon, the most famous birding site to find these exotic Mexican visitors. We’ll look for Berylline Hummingbird, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Painted Redstart, Red-faced Warbler, Cordilleran Flycatcher and more. Our main target, though, will be the same as most hopeful summer birders – the enigmatic Elegant Trogon.
• Full day: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Sunday 22nd July 2012
Summer Sparrows, Buntings and Grosbeaks – Montosa Canyon
The lowlands and foothills of SE Arizona also have their own specialty birds in summer. We’ll visit Montosa Canyon and concentrate on sparrows, buntings and grosbeaks. We should find Rufous-winged, Botteri’s and Cassin’s Sparrows in the grasslands and foothills. We’ll keep an eye out for Rufous-crowned and Black-chinned Sparrows on the rocky slopes, and last summer at least, the rare Five-striped Sparrow made the lush gulch its home. This area should also give us Varied Bunting and Blue Grosbeak as well as some other interesting desert grassland and foothill species.
• Full day: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Saturday 28th July 2012
Hummingbirds – Huachuca Mountains
The spectacle of hundreds of hummingbirds in SE Arizona in late summer is one of America’s classic birding days. Anything up to 15 different species may be encountered and we’ll aim to see ten or more. Identifying hummingbirds is one of the toughest challenges in birding, but you’ll end the day much better prepared to put correct names to the hummers you see in the future. We’ll visit the best sites, such as Ash Canyon B&B and Beatty’s Guest Ranch in Miller Canyon, and we’ll see a range of other birds. Not to be missed!
• Full day: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Sunday 5th August 2012
Shorebirds – Willcox Twin Lakes
Shorebirds confuse and dumbfound more birders than probably any other group. But most of them are relatively easy to tell apart… if you know how. Join us and find out! We’ll see a good range at Lake Cochise in Willcox, SE Arizona’s best shorebird site at one of the best times of year. The last two years we’ve comfortably broken double figures for shorebird species, and there should be an interesting supporting cast of swallows, hawks, herons and more.
• Full day: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Saturday 11th August 2012
Hummingbirds – Patagonia and Madera Canyon
The spectacle of hundreds of hummingbirds in SE Arizona in late summer is one of America’s classic birding days. Anything up to 15 different species may be encountered and we’ll aim to see ten or more. Identifying hummingbirds is one of the toughest challenges in birding, but you’ll end the day much better prepared to put correct names to the hummers you see in the future. We’ll visit the best sites, such as Paton’s Hummingbird Haven in Patagonia and Santa Rita Lodge, Madera Kubo and Chuparosa Inn at Madera Canyon, and we’ll see a range of other birds. Not to be missed!
• Full day: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Saturday 25th August 2012
Warblers and Mixed Flocks – Mt Lemmon
Another one of SE Arizona’s classic birding days, we’ll look for mixed flocks high in the mountains. Breeding and migrating birds flock together in late summer, giving us a great chance to see lots of interesting species, especially warblers. Painted Redstart, Olive, Grace’s, Virginia’s, Nashville, Wilson’s, Yellow, Orange-crowned, MacGillivray’s, Townsend’s, Hermit, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Gray and the stunning Red-faced Warbler are all possible. Other birds could include Zone-tailed Hawk, Greater Pewee, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Brown Creeper, three species of nuthatch, hummingbirds and more.
• Full day: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Sunday 2nd September 2012
Hummingbirds – Patagonia and Madera Canyon
The spectacle of hundreds of hummingbirds in SE Arizona in late summer is one of America’s classic birding days. Anything up to 15 different species may be encountered and we’ll aim to see ten or more. Identifying hummingbirds is one of the toughest challenges in birding, but you’ll end the day much better prepared to put correct names to the hummers you see in the future. We’ll visit the best sites, such as Paton’s Hummingbird Haven in Patagonia and Santa Rita Lodge, Madera Kubo and Chuparosa Inn at Madera Canyon, and we’ll see a range of other birds. Not to be missed!
• Full day: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Saturday 8th September 2012
Shorebirds – Willcox Twin Lakes
Shorebirds confuse and dumbfound more birders than probably any other group. But most of them are relatively easy to tell apart… if you know how. Join us and find out! We’ll see a good range at Lake Cochise in Willcox, SE Arizona’s best shorebird site at one of the best times of year. The last two years we’ve comfortably broken double figures for shorebird species, and there should be an interesting supporting cast of swallows, hawks, herons and more.
• Full day: $30 per person
• Spaces available, book now
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Previous Fun Birding Workshops
Saturday 27th August 2011
• Mt Lemmon Mixed Flock Special
One of the targets was finding some of the special high mountain warblers, and we ended with nine warbler species.
• Report
Sunday 7th August 2011
• Willcox Twin Lakes Shorebird Special
Last year we found 13 shorebird species. This year it was harder work with fewer birds around, but we still managed eleven.
• Report
Sunday 24th July 2011
• Huachuca Mountains Hummingbird Special, Part 1
Stopping at Mary Jo’s Ash Canyon B&B, Battiste’s B&B in Miller Canyon, Ramsey Canyon and Paton’s, we went one better and got 12 hummingbird species.
• Report
Saturday 16th July 2011
• Huachuca Mountains Hummingbird Special, Part 1
We visited Ash and Ramsey Canyons and Paton’s in Patagionia, notching up 11 species of hummer. And a bear!
• Report
Saturday 12th June 2011
• Madera Canyon Continental & Patagonia
We had to change plans due to the forest closures so instead of the high elevation species, we chased a couple of rarities.
• Report
Saturday 21st May 2011
• Patagonia Lake Flycatcher Special
Flycatchers galore as well as summer species of agriculture, riparian and open water.
• Report
Sunday 10th April 2011
• Sweetwater Wetlands Duck Special
Departing ducks and stunning swallows.
• Report
Sunday 20th March 2011
• Tubac Raptor Migration Special
The northward spring raptor migration along the Santa Cruz River is a well known phenomena.
• Report
Sunday 6th February 2011
• Sulphur Springs Valley Crane Special
The classic winter birding day in SE Arizona. Cranes, hawks, sparrows, thrashers, water birds and more.
• Report
Saturday 8th January 2011
• San Rafael Valley Grassland Special
Fun Birding Workshop in the San Rafael Valley and around Patagonia
• Report
Sunday December 5th 2010:
• Tucson Parks and Urban Birding: Dog-Friendly Special!
Fun Birding Workshop around Tucson’s parks – with our well-behaved pooches!
• Report
Saturday November 6th 2010:
• Santa Cruz Flats
Fun Birding Workshop exploring the Santa Cruz Flats.
• Report
Sunday October 10th 2010:
• Sweetwater Wetlands
Herons, ducks, warblers and a surprise or two.
• Report
Saturday September 11th 2010:
• Santa Cruz River Migration
CANCELLED due to family bereavement.
Sunday August 8th 2010:
• Shorebird Special, Willcox Twin Lakes
Fun Birding Workshop Shorebird Special, Benson WTP and Willcox Twin Lakes.
• Report
Saturday July 10th 2010:
• Hummingbird Special, Huachuca Mountains
Fun Birding Workshop Hummingbird Special in the Huachuca Mountains.
• Report
Sunday June 13th 2010:
• San Pedro River
Breeding birds at San Pedro House include Gray Hawk, Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Botteri’s Sparrow.
• Report
Saturday May 1st 2010:
• Catalina Highway & Mt. Lemmon
Enigmatic summer visitors to our mountains, comparing species at varying elevations.
• Report
Sunday April 11th 2010:
Patagonia
Violet-crowned and several other hummingbirds, flycatchers, vultures.
• Report
Saturday March 6th 2010:
Sulphur Springs Valley
Willcox Lakes, Kansas Settlement, Elfrida, Whitewater Draw.
Raptors, sparrows, thrashers, unforgettable Sandhill Cranes.
• Report
Sunday 21st February 2010: BONUS DATE due to washout on Feb 7th
Madera Canyon
Continental, Florida Wash, Proctor Road, Santa Rita Lodge, Kubo Cabins.
Sparrows, woodpeckers, nuthatch, jays, finches, wintering warblers and more.
• Report
Sunday February 7th 2010:
Madera Canyon
Continental, Florida Wash, Proctor Road, Santa Rita Lodge, Kubo Cabins.
Sparrows, woodpeckers, nuthatch, jays, finches, wintering warblers and more.
• Report
