The Phoenix Mountains presere is home to a number of birds, lizards, plants and mammals. We’re going to see how many of them we can enjoy on an early morning hike in January. Don’t forget layers!
For information and to register, contact AGFD Avian Monitoring Coordinator Ashley Lauria alauria@azgfd.gov
The following areas may still need surveyors. Please let others who may be available know about this important bird population survey.
ChandlerWest - Price Road Ponds
Chandler West - Palo Verde Country Club
Gilbert South - Higley Road Wastewater Ponds
Gilbert South - Greenfield Lake Golf Community (Last done in 2018)
Gilbert South - Islands Community Lake (Last done in 2018)
Glendale - Thunderbird Paseo Park and Flood diversion Channel
Glendale - Dos Lagos Park
Glendale - Palomino
Glendale - Arrowhead Country Club
Mesa East - Red Mountain Park Lake
Mesa West - Dobson Ranch
Paradise Valley - Cameback Golf Club
Phoenix - Biltmore GC
Phoenix - Rio Salado Habitat Restoration
Phoenix - Northeast Stone creek golf course
Scottsdale - Gainy Ranch
Scottsdale - McKellips Lake
Part one in a series of field trips designed to maximize enjoyment of wild spaces while improving bird ID skills
Two habitats in one trip! Check out some prime desert habitat at Thunderbird Conservation Park, and wash that all down with some waterfowl at Arrowhead Lake
On this overnight trip to Southeast Arizona you’ll get to visit a number of different habitats, and likely see a wide variety of bird, plant, insect, and maybe even some mammal species. Come along with Kathe Anderson as she takes you to some of Arizona’s most renowned birding hotspots!
Volunteers Needed for Thrasher Surveys
A recording of the training can be found here. The first portion of the video covers updates to current thrasher conservation and the review of thrasher ID and habitat. At 33:22 minutes, the protocol and use of field maps are discussed. The training documents and sound recordings can be found HERE.
Written instruction on the use of field maps can be found here.
This week's Expedition Details:
WHEN: Saturday, January 11th.
TIME and MEET-UP LOCATION: We will meet at the Pilot truck stop on the north side of the I-10 at the Vicksburg exit. The address is 48286 Vicksburg Rd, Salome, AZ 85348
What to bring: Wear comfortable layered clothing, sturdy shoes, and a hat. Don't forget water and snacks. If you have a speaker you can bring that too. Please be sure to have your field maps app and a GPS app to capture coordinates as a backup before Saturday.
If you noted an interest in being added to the carpooling list from where you will be departing and traveling to the meetup site, please use this Google form found HERE to connect with someone for carpool purposes
Contact Info:
Please email Dara at fieldexp@azfo.org for any questions or comments concerning the Saturday, January 11th field day. Participants will be organized in groups of 2-3 people and locations. We will have printed maps as needed and finalize groups at the meetup location before going out to the field site.
For any questions about the use of field maps for this expedition please email Dawn at fletcher@gbbo.org
SITE CHANGE. As mentioned earlier we will no longer be surveying the site West of Gila Bend. We will however be visiting the 2 sites West of Phoenix along I-10. Please see the following link with the sites outlined on this Google map link found HERE.
If you know of anyone else interested in this upcoming expedition or future expeditions please have them check out the AZFO expedition website page at https://www.azfo.org/fieldexpeditions.
Please let me know if you have any questions. On behalf of the AZFO Expedition Committee, Great Basin Bird Observatory, and the Nongame Bird Program at AZ Game & Fish Department we appreciate your help with the upcoming expedition!
The Great Basin Bird Observatory and the Arizona Game and Fish Department will deploy lightweight GPS transmitters on a small sample of Bendire's and LeConte's thrashers to track the movements of these interesting birds and to understand how they respond to the installation of industrial-scale solar facilities.
Volunteers will help mark the territories of thrashers, which is essential for capturing and tagging them. Target areas for this project include Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in Arizona (Gila Bend, Buckeye, Lake Havasu) and Nevada (Pahrump). We will conduct surveys along transects on roads and washes, utilizing call playback and opportunistic searches. Data collection will be streamlined using the Field Maps app.
Online training Tuesday 7 January 2025 7-8PM
Surveys: January 11 and February 2, 2025
Detailed Expedition Description, CLICK HERE
TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE
Car birding with in an ag heavy ares - look out for raptors, meadowlarks, burrowing owls, and MORE
Watch the sunset over Tempe March from a raised platform where you can see all the diurnal birds heading to their roosts, and the nocturnal animals coming out to hunt. An excellent opportunity to observe a unique ecosystem from a unique vantage point
A casual walk through the Tres Rios Overbank Wetlands, seeing what species of birds are present to start the year off.
Join Charles Babbit, author of Birding Arizona for an unforgettable morning of wintering waterfowl at Lake Pleasant Regional Park
Desert specialties, waterfowl and surprises in Fountain Hills
Between Riverview Park and the Mesa Recharge Basisns, there's a lot of water, and you know what that means - birds, lots of them.
A big day in november. Wintering birds abound in different habitats ranging from Top of the World to Gilbert Water Ranch
An excellent two-for-one trip where you'll get to visit the alluring Burrowing Owls at Scottsdale Community College, and then strap in for all of the excitement that winter at the sod farm can bring. Who knows what avian surprises await?
Take a close look at one of Southern Arizona’s gems with local guides Alexis and Jake.
If a preserve with a perennial stream and excellent riparian habitat, featuring cottonwoods and willows Sounds like a good time, this is the trip for you.
Winter (birding) is coming. Explore the diverse habitats at Coon Bluff and see what this year has brought to the Salt River
City parks play an important role in our lives as a third space where we can meet, play, read, or simply just breathe. Come along and explore what they can do for the birds
A family-friendly walk exploring one of Maricopa County's treasures. Papago Park, where both the pond and mesquite bosque offer the chance of desert specialties and migrant birds!
This trip is a casual child-friendly walk through a park with multiple bird attractants (lake, groundcover, drip fountain, and hummingbird habitat). Come along with Torin to explore the joys of urban birding at Desert Breeze Park.
Off the beaten path, north of Phoenix is the New River Nature Reserve. Tucked between new River and I-17 this reserve boasts a dense Cottonwood/Willow riparian habitat, adjacent to open Sonoran Desert, providing opportunities to see a wide range of species such as Bell’s Vireo, Wilson’s Snipe, Willow and Western flycatchers to name a few. You may get a chance to practice your ID skills--comparing Hutton’s Vireo and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. You may also be treated to a number of thrushes, thrashers, finches and sparrows.
Bring water, snacks, sturdy shoes, and sun protection.
Meet 6AM at Metro Parkway Park-and-Ride station
Difficulty: 2-3
Limit: 7
Restrictions: All participants who carpool must be fully vaccinated.
With bird migration in full swing, we’ll make our way around the East Valley’s favorite migrant trap. We’ll check for any reported rarities, and maybe even find some of our own. We’ll be treated to a diversity of birds potentially reaching 50+ species, not to mention the plant and insect life! Bring close focus binoculars if you have them. Bring water, snack, sun protection.
Meet at 6:30 at the restrooms by the north parking lot
Difficulty: 2 for distance
Limit: 10
Come along for a walk at Tres Rios Wetlands, where we will explore wetland and riparian habitats by foot. Our last fall trip here yielded 68 species!
Mingus Mountain is a 7,700 ft. peak in the Prescott National Forest near Jerome. We’ll start very early from the Phoenix area, explore several trails through the pine forest and around a pond. Pygmy Nuthatch, Band-tailed Pigeon and Plumbeous Vireo are locals along with forest-dwelling woodpeckers and flycatchers. We should find Western Bluebird, Virginia’s, Grace’s, and Townsend’s Warblers and Painted Redstarts. With luck we could see Olive and Red-faced Warblers, Greater Pewee and passing migrants. Wrap up with a picnic lunch. Carpooling and other logistics to be decided a few days before the trip.
Limit 7
Leave Scottsdale about 5 AM and return about 3:30 PM.
Difficulty: 1-2. Walking on mostly flat terrain, but at about 7,000’
Leader: Kathe Anderson
Close to downtown Phoenix, this riparian habitat hosts a variety of bird families and is particularly productive during migrations. Once an unsanctioned dump, this riparian corridor has been restored and features a number of trails exploring both wet and dry riparian, mesquite bosque, marsh, and even desert thornscrub habitats. A true testament to the power of conservation within developed spaces. We may also be treated to beavers, as well as more familiar mammals. Public restroom.
meet at 6:30 am at Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center parking area
Limit 10
Difficulty 2-3 uneven ground and possible minor bushwhacking
Leader: Robert Carter
Escape the Phoenix heat – we will visit areas 25 degrees cooler than Phoenix. In August we should encounter an interesting mix of Summer and year-round residents, and a few Fall migrants. We hope to see Blue Grosbeak, Gray Vireo, Zone-tailed and Common Black Hawks, Bullock's and Hooded Orioles, Ash-throated and Brown-crested flycatchers, Violet-green Swallows, Cassin's Kingbird, Lazuli Bunting, and others. We will meet at the Denny’s in Fountain Hills.
Limit: 10
Difficulty: 3 (Moderate walking on flat paved surface for 3.5 miles)
Leader: Anne Webster Leight
After a quick stop in Payson, we’ll head east on Highway 260 to visit Willow Springs and Woods Canyon Lakes on the Mogollon Rim. This should get us a variety of summer birds—Osprey, flycatchers, tanagers, and warblers, as well as resident woodpecker and nuthatch species. Weather permitting, we’ll plan a picnic lunch at one of the lakes.
Time: Leave Scottsdale at 5 AM and return about 3 PM.
Limit: 7.
Difficulty: 2-3. Lots of walking, with some uneven surfaces at about 6,000’.
Restrictions: All participants must be fully vaccinated.
Leader: Kathe Anderson
Oak Flat is an ecological treasure located at about 4,000 ft east of Superior. In late summer, songbird migrants from the north are just beginning to arrive. They mix with local breeding specialties such as Gray Vireo, Crissal Thrasher, and Juniper Titmouse, attracted to the shady Emory oaks in the campground as well as the surrounding scrub. A large vernal pond is dry for much of the summer, but could hold water and attract more species after the August monsoon. The Apache people consider Oak Flat sacred and are fighting plans to develop a copper mine there. Our trip should give you a good sense of what the fight is about.
We will walk up to 2 miles through the campground and up a small plateau, looking and listening for birds as we go. Bring lots of water and a hat, plus sturdy footwear for small elevation changes. Meet at the Park and Ride lot in Mesa (440 E Main St, Mesa, AZ 85203) at 05:00 AM. We will carpool from this location to Oak Flat.
Limit: 10
Difficulty: 3 (up to 2 miles on dirt trails, with some rocks and mild/moderate elevation change)
Leader: Paul Heveran
We will check different pull-outs along the road to the top of Mt. Ord, finishing around 11:00 AM-12:00 PM. We will take short walks from parking areas and also bird from the cars at various altitudes. Bring binoculars, field guide, water, snacks, hat, and extra layers since the mountain can get cool. Meet at 6:00 a.m. in the back parking lot of Denny’s at 17053 Shea Boulevard, Fountain Hills. We will carpool from there.
Limit: 10
Difficulty: 2 (Around one mile of walking, also in and out of cars)
Leader: Brian Ison
We will take a leisurely stroll in the early morning to survey the ponds and grounds. The exact route will vary depending on where interesting birds have been seen and with changes in water levels. We will likely head out along Cattail Crawl and choose directions further from there. Wear hat, sun protective clothing, walking shoes. Bring water and snack if you need.
Time: 5:30 AM to 8:30 AM.
Meet at the bathrooms by the parking lot at 2757 E. Guadalupe Road, Gilbert, AZ 85234.
Limit: 10
Difficulty: 2 (Paths mostly flat dirt, with slight inclines barely noticeable.)
Leader: Joy Bell
This Preserve is a treasure among birding locations in Maricopa County. Its 660 acres provide an amazing variety of riparian forest alongside the Hassayampa River. Cottonwoods, willow and mesquite run throughout this stretch. With this fine mix of habitats, the preserve has attracted an impressive 280 bird species. We will walk 5 different loop trails, a total of 2.5 miles. Meet at the Preserve parking lot, about 45 miles from Phoenix. The Preserve has an entrance fee
Limit: 10
Difficulty: 3 (Mixed terrain and 2.5 miles of walking)
Leader: Jacob Bagley
Learn to identify common dragonflies and damselflies such as Blue Dasher, Flame Skimmer, Blue-ringed Dancer, and Familiar Bluet. Easy, one-hour stroll around the lakes. Children welcome. Bring binoculars (close-focus preferred), water, and hat. Meet at the bus stop at the north east side of the Phoenix Zoo main parking lot.
Difficulty: 2 (Easy walking on dirt paths in hot weather)
Leader: Laurie Nessel
We’ll leave early Monday morning, bird on our way, check out multiple areas highlighted in AZ’s Wildlife Viewing Guide, and arrive home by dinnertime Wednesday. Key sites are likely to include Christopher Creek, Woodland Lake, Luna Lake, Nelson Reservoir, Greer, and the Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area. Expect to see a nice collection of species, with warblers, tanagers, nuthatches, woodpeckers and jays mixed in with waterfowl at the lakes.
Approximate cost:
• Hotel--about $100 per night per room (2 nights)
• Gas--about $35-45 per person
• Meals--2 lunches and 2 dinners out, probably about $80 total
• Entrance fees--maybe $10-15 total
Limit: 7
Difficulty: 2 (long days, high altitude.) Previous trips did not include strenuous hikes, but elevations can top 9,000’. Those of us from the Phoenix area [1,000-1,600’] feel it! So we all need to take it easy the first day, drink lots of water, and pace ourselves. If you’re in generally good shape, you’ll be fine unless you’re unusually susceptible to altitude sickness.)
Restrictions: All participants must have been vaccinated against Covid.
Leader: Kathe Anderson
We will meet at 7 A.M., at the circular fountain near the parking lot. Let's scan trees and cacti looking for nesting birds and other species. We will target native desert species and concentrate on listening and observing to enhance our birding skills. Wear comfortable shoes, hat, long-sleeves and sun protective clothing. Bring a refillable water bottle and anything you might need to keep your energy up. Membership or an entry fee to DBG is required. Please join me!
Limit: 6
Difficulty: 2 (Walk leisurely on well-maintained trails, one paved hill.)
Leader: Joy Bell
