This field trip begins south of Camp Verde where we will turn off of Route 260 and onto the open grasslands of Wingfield Mesa. After birding here for sparrows, meadowlarks and other open-area-loving avian life we will descend off the Mesa to Rancho Tres Brisas. Rancho Tres Brisas is a family run working cattle ranch made up of over 100 acres and borders the Verde River for ¼ mile. We will bird a variety of habitats, including desert scrub, pasture, cattle ponds and the riparian area of the Verde River. After birding, we will be treated to a lunch featuring beef from Tres Brisas Beef, as well as a vegetarian choice. During or after lunch Jeni O’Callaghan, President of the Friends of Verde River and owner of Rancho Tres Brisas, will give us a talk on the Ranch’s history and the present day’s efforts to raise cattle and protect the Verde River. Jeni’s family has worked the land since her grandfather purchased it in 1963.

On this trip there will be up to two miles of walking on mostly level, but sometimes rough ground. Restrooms will be available when we get to the Ranch. As with most field trips, it will warm up by mid-morning, please have what will keep you comfortable: Water, hat, sunscreen, etc.

Rating: 3

Transportation: Vans

Meal: Yes

Cost: $115

Trip Guide: Kay Hawklee President, Northern Arizona Audubon Society

Kay Hawklee is the President of Northern Arizona Audubon Society (NAAS). She, along with many NAAS local birders, guides birding trips for VVBNF. Kay has a mission of spreading the joy of “Birding with a Purpose.” She participates in many bird surveys and has a goal of involving more birders and members of the public in vital bird surveys for conservation purposes. For instance, she created a Field Trip for the local Nightjar surveys. Folks who had never participated in a bird survey before – loved it! She leads NAAS Field Trips and is the Compiler for the Camp Verde Christmas Bird Count. Kay birds by ear in familiar birding habitat and has birded in the Verde Valley since 2015. “Moments in the field birding are the highlight of my life. She hopes to share that joy with other birders along the way, while we purposefully and thoughtfully bird together.

Assistant Trip Guide: Becky Hardy

Becky Hardy is a bird and butterfly enthusiast. She has had a lifelong passion, interaction and observation of butterflies. Over the years, Becky has reared thousands of butterflies across multiple species in her certified Monarch Waystation garden. She became a bird enthusiast later in life, when she moved to Sedona.

She has presented to multiple organizations about butterflies. She shares her enthusiasm and passion for birds and butterflies by facilitating adult and youth events, as Northern Arizona Audubon Society’s education chair. She has participated in several Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) and bird surveys. Recently, she was the Camp Verde CBC sector leader and a North American Butterfly Association Cottonwood butterfly count sector leader.

Part of the Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival