Southwest Wings: Summer Festival – WF1 California Gulch and Santa Cruz Valley Field Trip
August 5 @ 6:00 am - 11:59 pm
$645
The rugged canyons of the Atascosa Mountains and Pajarito Wilderness are some of the most celebrated birding spots on the Arizona/Sonora border. This double-overnight tour, with professional guide Richard Fray of Fun Birding Tours, will focus on the search for the area’s most famous specialty birds, among them Rose-throated Becard, Montezuma Quail, Buff-collared Nightjar, and Five-striped Sparrow.
This tour also provides excellent opportunities for seeing a good cross-section of southeast Arizona’s many specialties, including Elf Owl, Gray Hawk, Coppery-tailed Trogon, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Tropical Kingbird, Painted Redstart, Botteri’s, Rufous-winged and Rufous-crowned Sparrows, and Scott’s Oriole. We begin in Patagonia, where we will hit prime locations for Violet-crowned Hummingbird, and other exciting possibilities. After lunch our route takes us directly to California Gulch, where we will look for the rare Five-striped Sparrow, Black-capped Gnatcatcher and other species. We will remain in the area until the end of the day to look for Buff-collared Nightjar, which breeds there, as well as the chance of other night birds. We will have a ‘picnic’ dinner and be late back to our accommodation.
The next morning, after a little sleep in and breakfast, we will explore the “birdy” Santa Cruz Valley, where we hope to spot Rose-throated Becard, Thick-billed Kingbird and others. Sites around Rio Rico and Nogales could produce Black-bellied Whistling-Duck and Coppery-tailed Trogon. The final day, we’ll head back to Sierra Vista via Box Canyon, which could produce Five-striped Sparrow and Lucifer Hummingbird, and the grasslands of Las Cienegas. Most of our birding will be from the vehicle or on level, sometimes rocky paths. This trip includes all meals and lodging at the Rancho Santa Cruz B&B. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. This trip is best suited for intermediate birding skills. Bring binoculars, camera, sunscreen, and insect repellant. Guide Richard Fray.
Price is for double occupancy – last space available is for one male in a twin share room only..
Meeting place: The south-east entrance of The Mall at Sierra Vista, 2200 El Mercado Loop, Sierra Vista. Turn west onto Calle Mercancia from Highway 92, by the Wells Fargo bank, and the entrance is straight ahead. Map link
August 5 – 7
The 35th Southwest Wings Summer Birding and Nature Festival will be based at The Mall at Sierra Vista, 2200 El Mercado Loop, Sierra Vista from August 5-8, 2026. This family friendly event is our main one with expertly guided field trips, pre-festival Jamboree, free programs, including some new ones just for kids, exhibitors, vendors, live animals and Keynote Buffet Dinner.
A non-refundable registration fee ($25.00) is required if you want to join field trips and attend the welcome Jamboree. The small-group guided field trips will be mainly in Group Vans but there will also be several Car Caravan style, in participants’ own vehicles, to nearby easily-accessible locations.