Field Trips

February–June 2008

Car Pooling:
Maricopa Audubon Strongly encourages carpooling on field trips. Please make every effort to organize your own carpool; consolidate vehicles at meeting places; and/or contact leaders for car pooling assistance. It is recommended that passengers reimburse drivers 5 to 10 cents per mile.

Legend:

Limit: Maximum number of participants per field trip. Please call early to make your reservations.

Difficulty Levels 1 through 5: 1 equals very low level of exertion, short waling distance, considerable birding from vehicle and possible multiple birding stops. 5 equals very high level of difficulty with respect to exertion. Longer hiking distances are expected with possible steep trails.

Reminders:

Wear neutral colored clothing and sturdy walking shoes.
Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, head protection and water
Avoid wearing bright colors
bring your binoculars and scope if recommended
Click here to read about past Field Trips !

*Day Passes Required for National Forests. Many favorite spots in our National Forests now require Day Use Passes. You are responsible to acquire a day pass ($6) in advance of field trips with an asterisk (*). Passes are available by phone or mail, at FS district and ranger offices, Big 5, some Circle K’s, the Shell station at Tom Darlington and Cave Creek Road and elsewhere. Visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/tp/where.shtml for more information.

February

Wednesday, Feb. 27

Phoenix Zoo Ponds. Meet on the zoo bridge at 7:00AM for possible Great Horned Owl sightings. We will proceed into the zoo grounds for great, up close views of waterfowl. This is especially good for beginners to learn the difference between male and female ducks. We will also be treated to other zoo surprises and behind the scenes exhibits. No limit. Done by 10:00A. Difficulty 1.

Leader: Mike Foley
Reservations: Laurie Nessel 480-968-5614, laurienessel@gmail.com

March

Saturday, March 1

Sycamore Canyon. Join Tropical Birding field guide, Moez Ali, for an adventurous 2.5 mile hike in beautiful Sycamore Canyon in southeast Arizona. This stunning canyon with its high walls, running stream and good mix of vegetation types amid breathtaking scenery offers some truly exciting birding with its allure for rarities and many regional species. Wintering raptors, sparrows and flycatchers will dominate and early migrants like Lucy's and Yellow Warblers, Bell's Vireo, Scott's Oriole and others might be encountered. With luck, the gaudy Montezuma Quail, Elegant Trogon and Mountain Pygmy-Owl may thrill us with surprise sightings! We'll hike about 2.5 miles roundtrip over rugged terrain with little elevation gain. The primitive trail follows the canyon bed and is uneven and rough, occasionally with wet crossings. Please bring sturdy hiking boots and a hiking stick if necessary, at least 2 quarts of water, a picnic lunch and snacks. Sunblock, a hat and light fleece would be handy as well. High clearance vehicles are recommended. With time, a brief stop to nearby birdy Pena Blanca Lake will follow picnic lunch. End around 2:00 pm
Difficulty 4. Meet in downtown Tucson (TBA). Limit 10.

Leader: Moez Ali
Reservations and information Laurie Nessel 480-968-5614, laurienessel@gmail.com

Saturday, March 8

Needle Rock and Rio Verde*. We will look for nesting Bald Eagle, Vermillian Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, and Western Bluebirds. Day pass to Tonto National Forest required, purchased in advance at some Circle K, Big 5, TNF offices and sporting goods stores. Meet 7:30A. Bring snack, water, lunch. Difficulty 1.

Leader: Herb Fibel 480.966.5246, herbertsfibel@aol.com for reservations, meeting location and carpooling

Saturday, March 15

Flagstaff Lakes. On this field trip we will visit the lakes around Flagstaff looking for waterfowl and Bald Eagles. We also hope to find Red Crossbills, Cassin’s Finches and Pinyon Jays. We will meet at Denny’s Restaurant at the intersection of I-40 and I-17 at 8:00AM. Bring a lunch, water, snacks and a scope will be very helpful. Difficulty 1.

Leader: Charles Babbitt, (602) 840.1772 or cjbabbitt@cox.net for reservations

Tuesday, March 18

Sonoita Creek Natural Area. We will hike both riparian (3,750’) and upland areas of the newly opened 5,000-acre site adjacent to Patagonia Lake State Park. More than 130 species of butterflies and 275 species of birds have been documented there. To control human impact and maintain a wilderness experience, only a limited number of permits are granted daily. Park Ranger Bill Adler will lead us on a 6 mile loop trail to look for Trogon, Black Capped Gnatcatcher, Hammonds, Dusky and Gray Flycatchers and Sage thrasher. Botanist may want to reserve time to peruse the herbarium in the Visitors Center, open 7AM-5PM daily. Meet 8:00 at the Visitors Center. Bring snacks, water, lunch, hat, scope. Return to trailhead mid-afternoon. Camping available at Patagonia Lake State Park. Park entry fee is $7/carload. Limit 8. Difficulty 2, easy but long hiking.

Leader: Park Ranger Bill Adler
Reservations: Laurie Nessel, laurienessel@hotmail.com, 480.968.5614

Wednesday, March 26

*Native Flowers and Plants of the East Valley. Join us for a walk in the desert by the lower Salt River to look for wildflowers and other native plants. Staggered winter rains promise an interesting season for flora. We will touch on identification techniques and ecology. Bring binoculars as we will be watching for typical desert birds as well (and you can use them backwards as a loupe). Limit 15. Difficulty 1. Bring snacks and water. Lunch optional.

Leader: Mel Bramley, 480.969.9893 evenings for reservations and information.

Saturday, March 29

Santa Rita Big Tree Adventure. We join the state coordinator for the National Register of Big Trees, Ken Morrow, in search of a pair of champion Apache Pines at McBeth Springs. We will also look for early spring migrants. This is a moderate, full day hike on established trails in a wilderness area, 6-7,000’. If inclement weather, a lower elevation alternate will be searching the springs and canyons of theTumacácoris for Gooding Ash and Mearn Sumac and Arizona’s only native pepper. Expect a rough road. May be chilly. Bring lunch, snacks, water and work gloves for those willing to help clear out migrant trash. Difficulty 3.

Leader: Ken Morrow
Reservations: Laurie Nessel 480-968-5614, laurienessel@gmail.com

New BIRDWATCHING course OFFERED at PVCC

If you or someone you know is curious about the birds around you but just don't know where to start, Paradise Valley Community College is offering a new class Birdwatching for Beginners.
Student can attend one of two classes. The first one will be taught Wednesday, March 19 at PVCC and then repeated Wednesday, March 26 at Cactus Shadows High School in Cave Creek. Both classes will be held from 6-9pm. Field trips, on March 29 and April 5, will then allow students to apply their knowledge in real settings. Locations of these trips will be determined based on weather, migration activity and desires of the students. Cost for the class is $59.
Participants will be introduced to the basics of bird watching and the fun and entertaining way to watch them. Learn to spot and identify a variety of birds by sight and sound, how to use a birding book, and the use and calibration of binoculars. Students should bring to class binoculars and the text Peterson's Field Guide to Western Birds, which is available at most bookstores and amazon.com.
The instructor, Gregory Rocca, is an avid birdwatcher with experience as a teacher, professor and author.Class size is limited and pre-registration is required. For more information or to register for the class, call PVCC Continuing Education at (602) 787-6800 or visit www.paradisevalley.edu/ce PVCC is conveniently located one mile southwest of the SR51 and Loop 101 intersection on the southeast corner of 32nd Street and Union Hills Drive in Phoenix.

April

Saturday, April 5

Salome Hwy Thrasher Site. On the far west side of Phoenix at the intersection of Baseline Road and the Salome Highway, resident Bendire's, Crissal and Curve-billed thrashers may be seen as well as Le Conte's and other low desert breeding birds. Meet at McDonalds at Dysart south of I-10 at 6:00A. Done by lunch. Bring snack and water. Difficulty 1.

Leader: Bill Grossi BLM Wildlife & Fisheries Program Leader
Reservations: Laurie Nessel 480-968-5614, laurienessel@gmail.com

Saturday, April 12, 2008

San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. We will visit this famous birding location in southeastern Arizona, a rich deciduous riparian woodland including about 40 miles of the San Pedro River extending from the Mexican border on the south nearly to St. David on the north. Birding will be done in the town of St. David (principally at the Holy Trinity Monastery), the ghost town of Fairbank (historical too), at the famous San Pedro House (including the Green Kingfisher Pond), checking the Hereford Bridge area along the river, and possibly the Palominas property just a few miles from the border. Species of birds we could see are a combination of late wintering residents and early spring migrants, including Gray Hawk, Pyrrhuloxia, Lucy's Warbler, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, White-winged Dove, and ... Green Kingfisher. Bring water, lunch, and sturdy walking shoes. Tentative meeting place is at the post office in St. David along State Route 80 at 7:30A.Limit: 15, Difficulty: 2

Leader: Richard Kaiser, (602) 276-3312 or rkaiserinaz@aol.com, for reservations and information.

Saturday, April 19

Reavis Creek and Montana Mountain (Superstition Wilderness). We will travel up the Reavis Creek drainage to Montana Mountain, north of Superior, at elevations from 2,700 to 6,350 feet. This spectacularly beautiful area is rich in birds but is so seldom birded that we nicknamed it Area 51 in the Superior CBC. The variety of habitats includes upper Sonoran scrub, open grassland, oak thickets, and one-seed and alligator junipers. Expect large numbers of Hooded Orioles, Black-Throated Sparrows, and Bell’s Vireos. Other common birds include (at various elevations) Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, numerous flycatchers (Empids and Tyrants), Mexican and Scrub Jays, Stellar’s Jays, Bushtits, Bridled Titmice, Cardinals, and a wide variety of migrant and resident warblers. Large numbers of several sparrow species are expected, and all four of our regular towhee species are possible. Meet 5:30A at the Open Range Steakhouse just east of Apache Junction to consolidate into 4WDs.

Directions to the Open Range Steakhouse: The Superstition Freeway becomes divided Hwy. 60 at Mountain View Dr. just east of Apache Jct. From there you go about 4 miles to Kings Ranch Rd. (the third stop light from Mountain View Dr.) There is a Best Western Hotel at the intersection of Hwy. 60 and Kings Ranch Rd. You can only turn north on Kings Ranch Rd. Go north about 1 mile and the Open Range Steakhouse is on the left, just past the entrance of Gold Canyon Golf Resort. This is a full day trip, so bring a lunch and plenty of water. Difficulty 3 (rough roads but only moderate hiking). Limit 12.

Leader: Tom Gaskill, gaskillt@mindspring.com, 602-712-0635 for information and reservations

Saturday, April 26

Workman Creek, Sierra Ancha Experimental Station and Parker Creek. This trip with take people to a number of vehicle stops at Workman Creek and Parker Creek, along the Young Road north of Roosevelt Lake. It is a great opportunity to see birds and some great riparian vegetation. Issues involving uranium mining, the status of the Sierra Ancha Experimental Station and fire will be discussed. Difficulty 1 (some hiking not to exceed two miles).

Co-Leaders: Russ Haughey and Gene Sturla
Reservations and information: Laurie Nessel, laurienessel@hotmail.com, 480.968.5614

May

Saturday, May 3

Patagonia-Nogales-Madera Canyon Loop. Here is a longer but very exciting field trip for spring migrants and early summer arrivals. We will leave from Tempe, and arrive in Patagonia about 6:30A. For those going down earlier and staying overnight, meet us near the rest rooms in the park at 4th Ave. in Patagonia. We will then bird the Patton's, the Patagonia TNC Reserve, lunch at the Patagonia Rest stop (bring your own lunch and drinks), Kino Springs, Rio Rico Ponds, and then be at Madera Canyon for the early afternoon and an hour or two of birding there. We will return to Tempe around 5:00P. We did this same trip in May 2007 and saw 125 species including Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Flame-colored Tanager, Botteri's Sparrow, Tropical Kingbird, Thick-billed Kingbird, Gray Hawk, Elegant Trogon and Violet-crowned Hummingbird. Limit of five cars. Meet at S.E. parking lot of Tempe Library at Southern and Rural to depart at 3:30A SHARP. Bring your Golden Eagle Pass or pay $5 US Forest Service fee/car at Madera Canyon. Donation of $5/person at the TNC Patagonia Reserve. Difficulty 1.

Leader: David L. Pearson
Reservations: Laurie Nessel, 480-968-5614, laurienessel@gmail.com

Saturday, May 10

*Usery Mountain and Blue Point: Hilltopping Insects. Join Dr. John Alcock for a peek inside the fascinating world of insects. We will start with some early morning birding at Blue Point. Then we will head to Usery Mountain Recreation Area ($6 per vehicle fee) for a walk around the Merkle Trail, to see if male tarantula hawks are on territory at a local hilltop in the park. Other hilltopping insects are possible such as certain butterflies and flies that wait at these locations for mates. Limit: 15. Difficulty: 2 (gentle climbing in the heat). Meet at the entrance to Blue Point Recreation Site, 6:15am. A $6 Tonto N.F. or Golden Eagle Pass is required, purchased in advance. Carpooling is encouraged.

Leader: Dr. John Alcock
Reservations and Carpooling: Laurie Nessel, 480.968.5614, laurienessel@gmail.com

June

Saturday, June 21

Butterflies – finding, identifying and photographing -along the Arizona Trail, Mogollon Rim. Maricopa Audubon Society members are invited to join the Arizona Trail Association hike a part of the AZ/Highline trail in pursuit of colorful butterflies. As the temperature rises, the flowers start to bloom higher in elevation. Butterflies follow this nectar flow upwards and June is the perfect time to check them out. Abundant bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) attracts Fritillaries. Orange milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) and thistle (Cirsium spp.) are also nectar feeding butterfly magnets. Blues mud-puddle at springs along the trail. California Sister and Weidemeyer’s Admiral are mostly found on trees. Wear sturdy shoes and a hat. Bring water, snacks, a sack lunch and a pair of close-focusing binoculars. The trail is moderately steep in places, but we will take our time. Meet at Denny’s on Shea Blvd in Fountain Hills at 6:30 a.m. or at the trailhead at 8 a.m. To get to the trailhead, drive ¾ mile past the Highway 260 intersection and turn right onto Houston Mesa Road. Cross all 3 water crossings. After about 8 miles turn left at the stop sign. The road turns into dirt. After about 2 miles, turn right toward Shadow Rim Camp and Washington Park Trailhead. Follow this road up about 6 miles until the right turn-off to the Washington Park Trailhead (marked). After a bit, turn left (signs again) and you will find the trailhead well marked.

Leader: Marceline VandeWater (with Wendy Hodgson)
Reservations: Wendy Hodgson, whodgson@dbg.org or (480) 481-8108)

On Going

Bird Walks at the Desert Botanical Gardens. Mondays and second Saturday. Free with admission to the garden. 8:00A through April. 7:00A May-September.

Join expert birders for a morning bird walk along the Garden trails. Everyone, including first-time birders, is welcome. Wear a hat, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes, and bring binoculars if available.

Bird, Butterfly or Dragonfly Walks at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Join knowledgeable guides for Saturday walks through the arboretum. The Arboretum is located at Highway 60 milepost #223 near the historic copper mining town of Superior, 55 miles east of Phoenix. $7.50 admission. Check their website for current schedule, http://cals.arizona.edu/BTA/index.html.

Bird Walks at Patagonia Lake State Park. Mondays through April 15^th with Ranger Bill Adler. Volunteers lead Thursday and Saturday walks on the east side of Patagonia Lake. Bird Walks at Sonoita Creek Natural Area. Join Ranger Bill Adler for monthly, Saturday 5 mile bird hikes along both upland and riparian habitats. Reservations required. Both locations are accessed from Patagonia Lake Road, 7 miles west of Patagonia. Visit their website for current schedule. $7 entry fee per vehicle. http://www.pr.state.az.us/Parks/parkhtml/sonoitacreeksna.html