Best Spring Birding in the US South-East Arizona, 14 birding days
South-East Arizona guarantees an amazing combination of desert and mountain habitats during the peak spring season with unique local species. The desert offers great views of Cactus Wren, Roadrunner, different Thrashers, Verdin, Harris’s Hawk, Phainopepla, Pyrrhuloxia and many more. Rivers and ponds offer a real oasis for Vermillion Flycatcher, Least Grebe, Cinnamon Teal among others! We visit the famous and attractive canyons of different mountain ranges: Madera Canyon at the Santa Ritas, Miller and Ramsey Canyons at the Huachucas and we have accommodation at a birder’s paradise Cave Creek Canyon in the Chiricahuas. Bridled Titmice, Acorn and Arizona Woodpeckers, Pecari and Deer are garden species here along with various Hummingbirds including Blue-throated. We will search out Elegant Trogon, different Owls and at higher elevations Yellow-eyed Junco, Pygmy Nuthatch and Mexican Chickadee.
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Itinerary
We arrive to Tucson in the afternoon and spend the first 3 days around the city. We visit Saguaro National Park and the world-famous Sonora Desert Museum. We explore different parts of Santa Catalina Mountains.
4-5
We leave the Tucson area and travel towards the Santa Rita Mountains and Madera Canyon, home of Elegant Trogon. We visit a few birding spots alongside the Santa Cruz River as well.
6-8
We travel East crossing the Sonoita Grassland Area where and drive towards the Huachuca Mountains, which shelter uncommon and diverse species of wildlife. We discover different canyons of the Huachuca Mountains: Ramsey Canyon, Carr Canyon, Miller Canyon and Ash Canyon.
9-12
We drive towards the Chiricahua Mountains and en route we stop at San Pedro River to walk on the one trail. After a short drive we arrive at Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area where we look for birds from the viewing platforms. We then spend 3 days discovering the amazing area of Cave Creek at Chiricahua Mountains, which is considered the premier birding location in North America!
13
We have a final drive through the Cave Creek Canyon then we drive towards Tucson where we spend our last night.
14
15
After breakfast we drive to the airport and take our flight home with one change.
Arrival home after an overnight flight.
