We’ll explore the oaks to pines of the Catalina Mountains starting at the Gordon Hirabayashi Campground scrub oak woodlands which is good habitat for species such as Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay, Bushtit, and Scott’s Oriole. We’ll then head up into Bear Canyon which puts us in a beautiful canyon with sycamores and pines where we’ll search...
Enjoy birding where Tucson residents escape the summer heat in the small mountain hamlet of Summerhaven. We’ll look for mixed warbler flocks which may include Red-faced, Orange-crowned, Virginia’s, Townsend’s, Hermit, Wilson’s, and Grace’s Warblers. Birding in the conifer forests of Mt. Lemmon can also produce species like Hairy Woodpecker, Steller’s Jay, Mountain Chickadee, and Western...
Southeast Arizona is rich in flycatcher diversity, and some of the more common and conspicuous ones include Tyrannus kingbirds and Myiarchus flycatchers. Birders often struggle with the subtle features that differentiate them, but you’ll have an opportunity to work this out in the field with expert Chris Benesh of Field Guides. A stroll through this lush riparian corridor along the...
Hummingbirds can flap their wings up to 80 times a second, which can present quite the challenge for a photographer. This is the perfect opportunity to learn the specialized techniques needed to create stunning images of hummingbirds. We’ll travel to the famous Paton Center for Hummingbirds and discuss ambient light, fill-flash and high-speed flash photography...
Take a bird walk in the field with experienced “I-birders” and learn how to use your technology to enhance your birding. Bring a pair of binoculars, your smart phone (with Merlin, E-bird App, and a field guide (i.e., Sibley) pre-loaded), and a Bluetooth/Wi-Fi enabled camera (if you have one), and learn how to FIND birds...
We’ll walk in the shaded riparian forest along the Santa Cruz River which is a fantastic location for three types of kingbirds (Cassin’s, Tropical, and noisy Thick-billed) along with a wide variety of other desert riparian species like Inca Dove, Gray Hawk, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Bell’s Vireo, and Blue Grosbeak. Drive time to the meeting location...