Arizona's “Hawk Alley,” the famous Sulphur Sp rings Valley on the west side of the Chiricahua Mountains, provides a winte r home for 14 species of raptors, including both Bald and Golden Eagles, an d Harris’s, Ferruginous, and Rough-legged Hawks. It also affords appr oximately 30,000 Sandhill Cranes a safe haven from the snows that blanket t he northern United States. A visit to the Sulphur Springs Valley is j ust one of the treats that awaits participants as we explore one of the gre at avian wintering areas in our country. There is also a pronounced p attern of Mexican bird vagrancy at this time of year. Regular but rar e species such as Least Grebe, Ruddy Ground-Dove, Violet-crowned Hummingbir d, Green Kingfisher, and Rufous-backed Robin are not unexpected. So-c alled “mega-rarities” are impossible to predict, but recent years have seen the first U.S. winter records of Eared Quetzal, Nutting’s Flycatcher, Azte c Thrush, Blue Mockingbird, and Crescent-chested Warbler. Both Black- capped Gnatcatchers and Rufous-capped Warblers, formerly vagrants north of the international border, are now established as year-round residents. &nbs p;In the past decade Christmas Bird Counts have consistently turned up a ha ndful or more Elegant Trogons, almost invariably the seasonally-colored red -and-green males. They join some of the most sought-after wintering birds i n all of North America. Here the list includes American Bittern, Moun tain Plover, Sprague’s Pipit, Baird’s Sparrow, and both McCown’s and Chestn ut-collared Longspurs. Irruptive species that may number in the hundr eds or only a handful, depending on wild food crops and the severity of the season, include Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, Cassin’s Finch, Lawrence ’s Goldfinch, and a host of sparrows. More reliable are Crissal and B endire’s Thrashers—already in full song, Eastern and Western Bluebird s, Scaled and Gambel’s Quail, as well as Green-tailed and Abert’s Towhees, and virtually the full complement of Sonoran Desert breeding birds. I f awakening on a sunny winter morning to the chortling of Cactus Wrens, the whistled Whit-wheet! of Curve-billed Thrashers, and the variegated coos, c alls, and songs of Greater Roadrunner, Inca Doves, Anna’s Hummingbirds, Gil a Woodpeckers, Pyrrhuloxias, and the familiar “Cheery-cheery-cheery” of sca rlet red Northern Cardinals sounds like a refreshing way to greet the holid ay season, we cordially invite you to join us in Southeastern Arizona this December.
Leader: <
a href="index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29:john-yerger
&catid=18:leaders-and-staff&Itemid=155">John Yerger
Cost of "Arizona Winter Specialties" includes all meals, accommodatio ns, entrance fees, and transportation beginning and ending in Tucson, Arizo na—$2195.
TO REGISTER: Print out a PDF Registration Form,&nb sp;call us at (520) 558-2351 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
See also: New Mexico: Bos que del Apache to Santa Fe (February 17-25, 2018)
< p style="font-size: 8pt;"> Photo: Ferruginous Haw k
Arizona's “Ha wk Alley,” the famous Sulphur Springs Valley on the west side of the Chiric ahua Mountains, provides a winter home for 14 species of raptors, including both Bald and Golden Eagles, and Harris’s, Ferruginous, and Rough-legged H awks. It also affords approximately 30,000 Sandhill Cranes a safe hav en from the snows that blanket the northern United States. A visit to the Sulphur Springs Valley is just one of the treats that awaits participa nts as we explore one of the great avian wintering areas in our country. &n bsp;There is also a pronounced pattern of Mexican bird vagrancy at this tim e of year. Regular but rare species such as Least Grebe, Ruddy Ground -Dove, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher, and Rufous-backed Robi n are not unexpected. So-called “mega-rarities” are impossible to pre dict, but recent years have seen the first U.S. winter records of Eared Que tzal, Nutting’s Flycatcher, Aztec Thrush, Blue Mockingbird, and Crescent-ch ested Warbler. Both Black-capped Gnatcatchers and Rufous-capped Warbl ers, formerly vagrants north of the international border, are now establish ed as year-round residents. In the past decade Christmas Bird Counts have consistently turned up a handful or more Elegant Trogons, almost invar iably the seasonally-colored red-and-green males. They join some of the mos t sought-after wintering birds in all of North America. Here the list includes American Bittern, Mountain Plover, Sprague’s Pipit, Baird’s Sparr ow, and both McCown’s and Chestnut-collared Longspurs. Irruptive spec ies that may number in the hundreds or only a handful, depending on wild fo od crops and the severity of the season, include Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bl uebird, Cassin’s Finch, Lawrence’s Goldfinch, and a host of sparrows. ;More reliable are Crissal and Bendire’s Thrashers—already in full song, &n bsp;Eastern and Western Bluebirds, Scaled and Gambel’s Quail, as well as Gr een-tailed and Abert’s Towhees, and virtually the full complement of Sonora n Desert breeding birds. If awakening on a sunny winter morning to th e chortling of Cactus Wrens, the whistled Whit-wheet! of Curve-billed Thras hers, and the variegated coos, calls, and songs of Greater Roadrunner, Inca Doves, Anna’s Hummingbirds, Gila Woodpeckers, Pyrrhuloxias, and the famili ar “Cheery-cheery-cheery” of scarlet red Northern Cardinals sounds like a r efreshing way to greet the holiday season, we cordially invite you to join us in Southeastern Arizona this December.
Leader: John Yerger
TO REGISTER: Print out a PDF Registration Form, call us at (520) 558-2351 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript en abled to view it..
See also: New Mexico: Bosque del Apache to S anta Fe (February 17-25, 2018)
Photo: Ferruginous Hawk
