BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//jEvents 2.0 for Joomla//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT UID:b01de4ab6d3906a72c111cc245e99c07 CATEGORIES:North America CREATED:20160727T160715 SUMMARY:Arizona Winter Specialties DESCRIPTION:\nArizona's “Hawk Alley,” the famous Sulphur Springs Valley on the west sid e of the Chiricahua Mountains, provides a winter home for 14 species of rap tors, including both Bald and Golden Eagles, and Harris’s, Ferruginous, and Rough-legged Hawks.  It also affords approximately 30,000 Sandhill Cranes a safe haven from the snows that blanket the northern United States.  A vis it to the Sulphur Springs Valley is just one of the treats that awaits part icipants as we explore one of the great avian wintering areas in our countr y.  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 Robin are not unexpected.  So-called “mega-rarities” are impossible to predict, but recent years have seen the first U.S. winter records of Eared Quetzal, Nutt ing’s Flycatcher, Aztec Thrush, Blue Mockingbird, and Crescent-chested Warb ler.  Both Black-capped Gnatcatchers and Rufous-capped Warblers, formerly v agrants north of the international border, are now established as year-roun d residents.  In the past decade Christmas Bird Counts have consistently tu rned up a handful or more Elegant Trogons, almost invariably the seasonally -colored red-and-green males. They join some of the most sought-after winte ring birds in all of North America.  Here the list includes American Bitter n, Mountain Plover, Sprague’s Pipit, Baird’s Sparrow, and both McCown’s and Chestnut-collared Longspurs.  Irruptive species that may number in the hun dreds or only a handful, depending on wild food crops and the severity of t he season, include Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, Cassin’s Finch, Lawren ce’s Goldfinch, and a host of sparrows.  More reliable are Crissal and Bend ire’s Thrashers—already in full song,  Eastern and Western Bluebirds, Scale d and Gambel’s Quail, as well as Green-tailed and Abert’s Towhees, and virt ually the full complement of Sonoran Desert breeding birds.  If awakening o n a sunny winter morning to the chortling of Cactus Wrens, the whistled Whi t-wheet! of Curve-billed Thrashers, and the variegated coos, calls, and son gs of Greater Roadrunner, Inca Doves, Anna’s Hummingbirds, Gila Woodpeckers , Pyrrhuloxias, and the familiar “Cheery-cheery-cheery” of scarlet red Nort hern Cardinals sounds like a refreshing way to greet the holiday season, we cordially invite you to join us in Southeastern Arizona this December.\nLe ader:  John Yerger (index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29 :john-yerger&catid=18:leaders-and-staff&Itemid=155)\n (index.php?op tion=com_content&view=article&id=23:rick-taylor&catid=18:leader s-and-staff&Itemid=155)\nCost of "Arizona Winter Specialties" includes all meals, accommodations, entrance fees, and transportation beginning and ending in Tucson, Arizona—$2195.\nTO REGISTER: Print out a PDF Registration Form (images/borderland/borderland_tours_reg_v4.pdf), call us at (520) 558 -2351 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need Java Script enabled to view it. document.getElementById('cloak040198b2bc0f4f 63a6b0da4015ba932d').innerHTML = ''; var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; var addy040198b2bc0f4f6 3a6b0da4015ba932d = 'info' + '@'; addy040198b2bc0f4f63a6b 0da4015ba932d = addy040198b2bc0f4f63a6b0da4015ba932d + 'borderl&# 97;nd-tours' + '.' + 'com?subject=Tou ;r%20registration'; var addy_text040198b2bc0f4f 63a6b0da4015ba932d = 'send us an email';documen t.getElementById('cloak040198b2bc0f4f63a6b0da4015ba932d').innerHTML += ''+addy_text040198b2bc0f4f63a6b0da4015ba932d+''; .\nSee also: Arizona Owl ing Run (/tours/tour-calendar/eventdetail/65/-/southeastern-arizona-in-spri ng-owling-run-and-tucson-pre-tour.html) (May 17-21, 2017)  OR   (tours/tour -calendar/eventdetail/45/-/southeastern-arizona-in-spring-deluxe.html)Alpin e Arizona, Grand Canyon & Condors (/tours/tour-calendar/eventdetail/69/ -/alpine-arizona,-grand-canyon-condors.html) (August 14-20, 2017)\n Photo:  Rufous-backed Robin (female)\nPhoto by: Rick Taylor\n (index.php?option=com _joomgallery&view=category&catid=2&Itemid=139)\nView Photo Gall ery (index.php?option=com_joomgallery&view=category&catid=2&Ite mid=139)   X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Rufous-backed Robin, female. Pho to by Rick Taylor. Copyright <strong>Borderland Tours</strong>. All rights reserved.

Arizona's “Hawk Alley,” th e famous Sulphur Springs Valley on the west side of the Chiricahua Mountain s, provides a winter home for 14 species of raptors, including both Bald an d Golden Eagles, and Harris’s, Ferruginous, and Rough-legged Hawks.  It als o affords approximately 30,000 Sandhill Cranes a safe haven from the snows that blanket the northern United States.  A visit to the Sulphur Springs Va lley is just one of the treats that awaits participants as we explore one o f the great avian wintering areas in our country.  There is also a pronounc ed pattern of Mexican bird vagrancy at this time of year.  Regular but rare species such as Least Grebe, Ruddy Ground-Dove, Violet-crowned Hummingbird , Green Kingfisher, and Rufous-backed Robin are not unexpected.  So-called “mega-rarities” are impossible to predict, but recent years have seen the f irst U.S. winter records of Eared Quetzal, Nutting’s Flycatcher, Aztec Thru sh, Blue Mockingbird, and Crescent-chested Warbler.  Both Black-capped Gnat catchers and Rufous-capped Warblers, formerly vagrants north of the interna tional border, are now established as year-round residents.  In the past de cade Christmas Bird Counts have consistently turned up a handful or more El egant Trogons, almost invariably the seasonally-colored red-and-green males . They join some of the most sought-after wintering birds in all of North A merica.  Here the list includes American Bittern, Mountain Plover, Sprague’ s Pipit, Baird’s Sparrow, and both McCown’s and Chestnut-collared Longspurs .  Irruptive species that may number in the hundreds or only a handful, dep ending on wild food crops and the severity of the season, include Sage Thra sher, Mountain Bluebird, Cassin’s Finch, Lawrence’s Goldfinch, and a host o f sparrows.  More reliable are Crissal and Bendire’s Thrashers—already in f ull song,  Eastern and Western Bluebirds, Scaled and Gambel’s Quail, as wel l as Green-tailed and Abert’s Towhees, and virtually the full complement of Sonoran Desert breeding birds.  If awakening on a sunny winter morning to the chortling of Cactus Wrens, the whistled Whit-wheet! of Curve-billed Thr ashers, and the variegated coos, calls, and songs of Greater Roadrunner, In ca Doves, Anna’s Hummingbirds, Gila Woodpeckers, Pyrrhuloxias, and the fami liar “Cheery-cheery-cheery” of scarlet red Northern Cardinals sounds like a refreshing way to greet the holiday season, we cordially invite you to joi n us in Southeastern Arizona this December.

Leader:  John Yerger

Cost of "Arizona Winter Specialti es" includes all meals, accommodations, entrance fees, and transpo rtation beginning and ending in Tucson, Arizona—$2195.

TO REGISTER: Pr int out a PDF Registration Form, call us at (5 20) 558-2351 or Th is email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enab led to view it..

See also: Arizona Owling Run (May 17-21, 2017)  OR  Alpine Arizona, Grand Canyon & Condors (August 14-20, 2017)

Photo:  Rufous-backed Robin (female)
Photo by: Rick Taylor

View Photo Gallery
 
 
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