The 31st Southwest Wings Summer Birding and Nature Festival is family friendly event is our main one with expertly guided field trips, pre-festival Jamboree, free programs, including some new ones just for kids, exhibitors, vendors, live animals, Keynote Buffet Dinner and Silent Auction.

Schedule of Events:

August 2, 2022:

Field Trips:

4:30 - 5:30 PM: Pre-Festival: Free Welcome Jamboree and Check In

Our Welcome Desk will be open in the Library Building, adjacent to the Student Center, on Tuesday August 2, 2022 from 4:00-4:30 PM to Check In to the festival and pick up your Name Badge.

Afterwards, registered attendees are cordially invited to join us, as our guest, for the pre-festival FREE Welcome Jamboree festivities. Go there to receive your free Southwest Wings water bottle and other gifts. Then enjoy a chance to meet your fellow Southwest Wings participants, guides, and the faces behind “The Greatest Little Birding Festival in the United States”, along with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and beverages (non-alcoholic, due to licensing restrictions).

To Car Caravan participants - While Car Caravan trips rendezvous at the specified day, time and meeting point for each trip, all registered festival participants are cordially invited to join us as our guest for the pre-festival FREE Welcome Jamboree social on Tuesday, August 2, 4:30-5:30 PM held at Cochise College, Sierra Vista Student Union Community Room to check into the festival, pick up your Name Badge, free Southwest Wings water bottle and other gifts.

Access to the pre-festival Jamboree is open to registered attendees only. Kindly RSVP for the Jamboree in the Field Trip Section when registering. Early Birds, let’s get this party started!

?Please Note: For the well-being of all, we continue to observe safety protocols for all festival activities.

Location: Cochise College Sierra Vista Campus, Student Center, Bldg 1000

August 3, 2022:

Field Trips:

6:00 AM - 3:00 PM: W1 Carr Canyon - Group Van

Join tour leader, to be confirmed, on this full-day tour of Carr Canyon, beginning in the lower canyon, where we will look for Gambel's Quail, Rufous-crowned, Chipping and Botteri's Sparrows, Blue and Black-headed Grosbeaks, and other canyon outlet species. We may stop at the Carr House Nature Center to check the hummingbird feeders. Venturing to the top of Carr Canyon, we may see up to six species of hummingbirds, as well as Arizona, Gila and Acorn Woodpeckers, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Grace's and Olive Warblers, Painted Redstart, Yellow-eyed Junco, Hepatic Tanager, Scott's Oriole and other mountain and canyon specialties. Be prepared for a slow walk covering a mile or two with a 200ft elevation gain and uneven terrain. Bring water, hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide to be confirmed.

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:30 AM - 12:00 PM: W2 Huachuca Canyon - Car Caravan

The active military base Fort Huachuca has several canyons which are great for wildlife. One of the best is Huachuca Canyon which contains many Southeast Arizona avian specialties. Exploring this area with professional guide, Ken Blankenship, we hope to find Elegant Trogon, Sulphur-bellied and Dusky-capped Flycatchers, Plumbeous Vireo, Painted Redstart, migrant warblers, Hepatic Tanager, and more. This is a fairly easy hike and the nearby veterans cemetery offers good birding in the trees with a chance of Eastern Bluebird as well as a nice rest stop with running water bathrooms. This half-day trip is appropriate for all levels of birders. Comfortable tennis shoes or light hiking boots and sun protection (hats) are recommended. Bring your own water. Hiking Difficulty: 2 easy. Guide: Ken Blankenship

Please Note: This trip enters Fort Huachuca and a visitor's pass is required. If you are eligible, please obtain your pass before the trip as there may not be time to get one on the day. See Visitor access

Please Note: The road up Huachuca Canyon is quite primitive and a high clearance vehicle is recommended.

Meeting place: Fort Huachuca Visitor Center car park, Hatfield Street at 6.30am. Follow signs to Fort Huachuca, Van Deman Gate from the junction of Hwy 90 and Buffalo Soldier Trail. Map link?

6.00 AM - 3:30 PM: W3 Sonoita/Patagonia - Group Van

Join professional bird guide and environmental educator, Jeff Babson, for a trip to the Patagonia area. Patagonia is one of south-eastern Arizona’s best-known destinations for riparian birds. Specialties that can be found here include Gray and Zone-tailed Hawks, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Thick-billed Kingbird, and Rufous-winged Sparrow. Good birding sites in Patagonia are numerous and our probable itinerary will include Harshaw Canyon, Patagonia Lake State Park, and the Paton Center for Hummingbirds. Our exact itinerary will be at the discretion of the leader, and may vary based on where the target birds are most readily being seen. A short visit (about an hour) to the open grasslands around Sonoita will complement the riparian habitats of Patagonia, and we should see a wide variety of species. We will enjoy a lunch break in the shade somewhere along the way. Bring water, hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide Jeff Babson.

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

7:00 AM - 12 noon: W4 San Pedro River Riparian Specialties - Car Caravan

Flowing north from Mexico the San Pedro is the last major undammed river remaining in Arizona and was the first Globally Important Bird Area to be designated in the US. This green ribbon of life supports 100 species of breeding birds and provides a critical corridor for millions of migrants. The lush cottonwood/willow forest provides habitat for Gray Hawk, many species of flycatchers (Vermilion, empids, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, kingbirds, 3 species of Myiarchus), Blue Grosbeak, Summer Tanager, Lucy’s Warbler and possibly Green Kingfisher. Join Sandy Anderson for a half-day at the Gray Hawk Nature Center, a private section of the river with great trails and a yard list of 251 species. Flat walking, plenty of shade, varied habitats and a naturalist guide guarantee a fun and comfortable morning for birders of any age or experience level, beginner to advanced. Bring your own water. Hiking Difficulty: 2 Easy. Guide Sandy Anderson.

Meeting place: Gray Hawk Nature Center, N Gray Hawk Lane. Turn right off E Charleston Road, along E Escapule Road, and then left along N Gray Hawk Lane. Map link

6:00 AM - 3:30 PM: W5 Madera and Box Canyons - Group Van

Join naturalist guide Joe Woodley on a trip which will take you to Madera Canyon via Box Canyon and the Santa Rita grasslands and explore this famous birding site. For the last couple of years Box Canyon has hosted breeding Five-striped Sparrow and we will stop to look for this rare species, also hoping to see Varied Bunting and Scott's Oriole. Moving on to Madera Canyon we will bird the many habitats it has to offer - grassland, riparian, and woodland. We will also enjoy a lunch break while watching feeding stations. Target species would include Rivoli's Hummingbird, Elegant Trogon, Painted Redstart, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Hepatic Tanager, Botteri’s Sparrow, Yellow-eyed Junco and Scott’s Oriole. Bring water, hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide Joe Woodley.

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:30 AM - 3:00 PM: W6 Ash and Miller Canyons - Car Caravan

Join professional guide Kristy Gallo on this trip to explore parts of Ash and Miller Canyons. On this canyon tour, we will begin in the grasslands below Miller Canyon, where we will look for Rufous-crowned and Botteri’s Sparrows, Blue Grosbeak, and other lowland species. Upper Miller Canyon is known to local birders as a reliable place to find nesting pairs of Red-faced Warblers and there may be a chance of a Mexican Spotted Owl as well as other SE Arizona specialties including Arizona Woodpecker, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Painted Redstart, Grace’s Warbler and Hepatic Tanager. A visit to Beatty’s hummingbird site is also possible. There will be a lunch break followed by a stop at the famous Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary for up to 10 species of hummingbirds, including a chance of seeing the rare Lucifer Hummingbird, plus other foothills birds. Be prepared for a two-mile slow walk with a 300-foot elevation gain and uneven terrain. Bring your own lunch and water. Hiking Difficulty: 4 difficult. Guide Kristy Gallo.

Meeting place: Parking lot next to Ricardo's restaurant just north of the junction of Highway 92 and Hereford Road at 6.30am. Map link

7:00 PM - 10:00 PM: WP1 Blacklight Adventure - Car Caravan

After the sun sets, a whole new world awakens, largely unseen by most. Join Jeff Babson to explore the Huachuca Mountains at night and step into the nighttime world of moths and other insects. At historic Carr House, set at the entrance to Carr Canyon, we will set up a black (or UV) light to see what we can draw out of the darkness. Southern Arizona is as famous for insects as it is for birds, and is home to over a thousand species of moth as well as a great variety of beetles. This is an easy, casual way to get acquainted with nature after dark and we may even be serenaded by owls. Bring a camera, flashlight, light jacket, and hat. Guide Jeff Babson.

Meeting place: Carr House, about 2.3 miles up Carr Canyon Road, off Highway 92. Drive through gate to park. Map link.

6:00 AM - 3:30 PM: WF1 Overnight Chiricahua Mountains/Cave Creek - Group Van
(Return Friday, August 4)

Join author and bird guide, Rick Taylor, on an exploration of the Chiricahua Mountains. We will start with Cassin's and Botteri's Sparrows in the prairies at the base, then climb into the pine-oak woodlands to search for Arizona Woodpecker, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, and Bridled Titmouse. Entering the coniferous forest we'll look for Virginia's, Grace's, and Olive Warblers along with Greater Pewees, Red-faced Warblers, Pygmy Nuthatch and Steller's Jay. A Chiricahua specialty is the Mexican Chickadee, not found anywhere else on public lands within the entire United States.

We have two nights at Portal Peak Lodge at the mouth of majestic Cave Creek Canyon. There we will explore sycamore-laced South Fork for Elegant Trogon, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Painted Redstart, and Hepatic Tanager. The many hummingbird feeders in the area host colorful Rivoli's, Blue-throated and Broad-billed Hummingbirds. On a pre-breakfast excursion into the desert below Portal we'll try for Bendire's and Crissal Thrashers and adjacent foothills harbor Juniper Titmouse and Black-chinned Sparrow. A night run up Cave Creek may net us Whiskered Screech-Owl and Elf Owl, along with calling Mexican Whip-poor-will.

This trip includes all meals and two nights accommodation at the Portal Peak Lodge. This trip is best suited for intermediate birding skills. Bring hat and sunscreen, camera, pocket flashlight, and wear sturdy hiking boots. With birding stops en route, this trip may get back after 4 pm. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide: Rick Taylor

Price is for double occupancy, however, if you are interested in single occupancy, please contact SWWings at [email protected].

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:00 AM - 4:00 PM: WF2 California Gulch and Santa Cruz Valley - Group Van
(Return Friday, August 5)

The rugged canyons of the Atascosa Mountains and Pajarito Wilderness are some of the most celebrated birding spots on the Arizona/Sonora border. This double-overnight tour, with professional guide Richard Fray, will focus on the search for the area’s most famous specialty birds, among them Rose-throated Becard, Montezuma Quail, Buff-collared Nightjar, and Five-striped Sparrow. This tour also provides excellent opportunities for seeing a good cross-section of southeast Arizona’s many specialties, including Elf Owl, Gray Hawk, Elegant Trogon, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Tropical Kingbird, Painted Redstart, Botteri’s, Rufous-winged and Rufous-crowned Sparrows, and Scott’s Oriole. We begin in Patagonia, where we will hit prime locations for Violet-crowned Hummingbird, and other exciting possibilities. After lunch our route takes us directly to California Gulch, where we will look for the rare Five-striped Sparrow, Black-capped Gnatcatcher and other species. We will remain in the area until the end of the day to look for Buff-collared Nightjar, which breeds there, as well as the chance of other night birds. We will have a 'picnic' dinner and be late back to our accommodation.

The next morning, after a little sleep in and a home-cooked breakfast, we will explore the “birdy” Santa Cruz Valley, where we hope to spot Rose-throated Becard, Thick-billed Kingbird and others. Sites around Rio Rico and Nogales could produce Black-bellied Whistling-Duck and Elegant Trogon. The final day, we'll head back to Sierra Vista via Box Canyon, which could produce Five-striped Sparrow and Lucifer Hummingbird, and the grasslands of Las Cienegas. Most of our birding will be from the vehicle or on level, sometimes rocky paths. This trip includes all meals and lodging at the Rancho Santa Cruz B&B. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. This trip is best suited for intermediate birding skills. Bring binoculars, camera, sunscreen, and insect repellant. Guide Richard Fray.

Price is for double occupancy, however, if you are interested in single occupancy, please contact SWWings at [email protected].

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

Free Program:

All talks will be held in the Horace Steele Room in the Cochise College Library apart from a few which will be held in Room 901 (marked).

12:00 - 1:15 PM: Angeline Fahey: Outdoor Cats and Birds

There is no doubt that the outdoor cat population is a serious concern for wildlife, so what can we do about it? This program will cover the active steps Southern Arizona is taking to reduce the overpopulation of free-roaming outdoor cats, and how the community can get involved in making a difference in the lives of cats and urban wildlife. We will address common concerns regarding outdoor cats, while providing a wide range of store bought and DIY humane solutions for deterring cats from private properties to protect birds, other wildlife, and gardens.

1:00 - 2:15 PM (Room 901): Mike Foster: San Pedro River Beavers

Beavers were returned to the San Pedro River in 1999 by the Arizona Game and Fish on BLM property. Since then Mike Foster has been doing surveys on the 45 miles of the San Pedro River National Conservation Area near Sierra Vista. In the last few years this survey has been picking up steam with Cochise College and Watershed Management Group from Tucson joining the cause. In the last year this became an international effort with numerous Mexican conservation groups joining the cause in the first international beaver survey. The uppermost San Pedro is in Mexico. Some reservoirs on ranches there appear to have become repositories for beaver populations.

1:30 - 2:45 PM: Mike Crimmins: Climate Change and Arizona: A Look at the Past, Present, and Future

This presentation will provide an overview of the main features of Arizona’s climate including mechanisms that create its unique seasons and high variability in precipitation. It will detail past patterns in temperature and precipitation and will look at climate change projections for the region.

3:00 - 4:15 PM: Stan Cunningham: Marvels of Bird Migration

Stan will discuss both the difficulties and somewhat unbelievable adaptations birds have that allow them to migrate both small and very long distances. The material covered will include: 1) why they do it 2) The energetic costs of flying, especially long distances 3) How do the birds know when to go and 4) How do they know where to go and navigate while flying. Like most things in ecology, the answers are many and variable, and much of what happens each year “depends”. Since so many North American avian species must migrate, the conservation aspects of the need for “stopovers” and international conservation efforts are discussed.

4:30 - 5:45 PM: Eric Moore, Owner, Jay's Bird Barn & Arizona Field Optics: Optics 101 Workshop

Confused by optics jargon such as eye-relief, exit-pupil, interpupillary distance, objective lens, field of view and color fidelity? Want to know what those numbers mean on a pair of binocular, such as 8x42, 10x42? Eric Moore will lead a discussion on optical equipment covering both binoculars and spotting scopes designed for birders. This will be a hands-on class where you will have the opportunity to try out different models of Vortex and Swarovski Optik products.

August 4, 2022:

Field Trips:

6:00 AM - 3:00 PM: T2 Carr Canyon - Group Van

Join local naturalist, Robert Weissler, on this tour of Carr Canyon, beginning in the lower canyon, where we will look for Gambel's Quail, Rufous-crowned, Chipping and Botteri's Sparrows, Blue and Black-headed Grosbeaks, and other canyon outlet species. We may stop at the Carr House Nature Center to check the hummingbird feeders. Venturing to the top of Carr Canyon, we may see up to six species of hummingbirds, as well as Arizona, Gila and Acorn Woodpeckers, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Grace's and Olive Warblers, Painted Redstart, Yellow-eyed Junco, Hepatic Tanager, Scott's Oriole and other mountain and canyon specialties. Be prepared for a slow walk covering a mile or two with a 200ft elevation gain and uneven terrain. Bring water, hat, water, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide Robert Weissler.

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:30 AM - 12:00 PM: T3 Hunter Canyon - Car Caravan

Join professional guide Jennie MacFarland on a hike up Hunter Canyon where the 2011 Miller Peak Wilderness fire left its mark, with the result being a unique combination of habitats that are home to a nice diversity of bird species. The initial hike is dominated by successional oak-scrub with birds like Crissal Thrasher, Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay, Black-chinned Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, and Scott’s Oriole. Higher up, the trail enters a stand of soaring conifers that were spared when the fire “jumped” the canyon; here we hope to find Band-tailed Pigeon, Buff-breasted and Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers, Grace’s and Virginia’s Warblers, “Mountain” Pygmy-Owl and more. The pine forest wasn’t completely spared, however, and the scrubby disturbed habitat here is home to a resident pair of Rufous-capped Warblers, which we hope will be a well-earned highlight of our hike. Bring hat, water, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Hiking Difficulty: 4 difficult. Guide Jennie MacFarland.

Meeting place: Parking lot next to Ricardo's restaurant just north of the junction of Highway 92 and Hereford Road at 6.30am. Map link

6:30 AM - 3:00 PM: T4 Miller Canyon - Car Caravan

Join professional guide Ken Blankenship, on an exploration of one of the finest Huachuca Mountain Canyons. Miller Canyon is known to local birders as a reliable place to find Red-faced Warblers and there may even be a chance of a Mexican Spotted Owl. Other SE Arizona specialties including Arizona Woodpecker, Sulphur-bellied and Dusky-capped Flycatchers, Painted Redstart, Grace’s Warbler and Hepatic Tanager are all found here. This trip includes a visit to the famous hummingbird feeders at Beatty's B&B where up to 10 species of hummingbirds can be found, including a chance of the rare White-eared Hummingbird. Bring hat, sun protection and wear trail shoes. Bring your own lunch and water. Hiking Difficulty: 4 difficult. Guide Ken Blankenship.

Meeting place: Upper parking lot at Miller Canyon. Drive up Miller Canyon Road, which is rough but very driveable, until you reach the end where there is parking at the entrance to Beatty's B&B. Map link

8:00 AM - 3:00 PM: T5 Sierra Vista Area Butterflies and Dragonflies - Car Caravan

Join leader Rich Bailowitz (co-author of several butterfly books as well as Field Guide to the Damselflies and Dragonflies of Arizona and Sonora) as we search for some of the butterflies and dragonflies of the Sierra Vista area. The day will include stops in Escapule Canyon (near the San Pedro River) and in Huachuca Canyon, at various elevations between 4,500 and 6,500ft. A net will be used to catch and release insects for up-close species identification. This trip is best suited for butterfly and dragonfly enthusiasts of all skill levels. Bring hat, sun protection and wear trail shoes. Bring your own lunch and water. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide Rich Bailowitz.

Please Note: The drive up Huachuca Canyon can be rough and is only suitable for vehicles with good clearance.

Please Note: This trip enters Fort Huachuca and a visitor's pass is required. If you are eligible, please obtain your pass before the trip as there may not be time to get one on the day. See Visitor access

Meeting place: Parking lot of Plaza Vista Mall, Sierra Vista at 8.00am. On the north side of E Charleston Road just off Hwy 90, in front of Bealls Outlet/Ulta Beauty/Planet Fitness. Map link.

6:00 AM - 3:30 PM: T6 Coronado National Memorial - Group Van

Join Enjoy a scenic exploration of the south side of the Huachuca Mountains with professional guide and environmental educator, Jeff Babson. The tour begins with a drive through the grasslands which carpet the foothills on the way to the entrance to the Coronado National Monument. Here there are both Botteri's and Cassin's Sparrows as well as familiar Western and Cassin's Kingbirds, and Loggerhead Shrike. The visitor centre, has a large observation window at the back and a trail runs from the centre through to a picnic area and this is good for Arizona Woodpecker. Driving upwards the road becomes a track, and there is a chance anywhere along here of encountering Montezuma Quail. The area is good for mid-elevation species, such as Painted Redstart and Black-throated Gray Warbler. The trip reaches its highest point at Montezuma Pass, with its incredible views over to Mexico. Here we will stop and hike up the Coronado Peak Trail, an easy walk with a 300ft elevation gain. Venturing over the other side, we will explore along the trail to Copper Canyon, where a small stream crosses the road. Always good for butterflies, this area also hosts Rufous-crowned Sparrow and Hepatic Tanager. Bring water, hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included. Hiking difficulty 2-3 easy to moderate. Guide Jeff Babson.

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:30 AM - 12 Noon: T7 Ramsey Canyon - Car Caravan

Join tour leader Kristy Gallo on a visit to the world famous Ramsey Canyon in the Huachuca Mountains. Owned by The Nature Conservancy, this area has been a hot spot for birding for decades. The lower canyon is good for Montezuma and Gambel's Quails, Gila and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Rufous-crowned, Chipping and Botteri's Sparrows, Blue and Black-headed Grosbeaks, and other canyon outlet species. Ramsey Canyon is a reliable location to find Arizona and Acorn Woodpeckers, Hepatic Tanager, Grace's and Red-faced Warblers and Painted Redstart as well as hummingbirds around the information centre. Be prepared for a slow hike covering two miles with a steep 200-foot elevation gain. Bring hat, water, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Hiking Difficulty: 4 difficult. Guide Kristy Gallo.

Meeting place: Ramsey Canyon Preserve parking lot, at the top of Ramsey Canyon Road. Map link

7:00 PM - 10:00 PM: TP1 Blacklight Adventure - Car Caravan

After the sun sets, a whole new world awakens, largely unseen by most. Join Jeff Babson to explore the Huachuca Mountains at night and step into the nighttime world of moths and other insects. At historic Carr House, set at the entrance to Carr Canyon, we will set up a black (or UV) light to see what we can draw out of the darkness. Southern Arizona is as famous for insects as it is for birds, and is home to over a thousand species of moth as well as a great variety of beetles. This is an easy, casual way to get acquainted with nature after dark and we may even be serenaded by owls. Bring a camera, flashlight, light jacket, and hat. Guide Jeff Babson.

Meeting place: Carr House, about 2.3 miles up Carr Canyon Road, off Highway 92. Drive through gate to park. Map link.

Free Program:

All talks will be held in the Horace Steele Room in the Cochise College Library apart from a few which will be held in Room 901 (marked).

7:00 - 9:00 AM: Eric Moore: Focus on Optics Bird Walk

Meet in front of Room 901

Eric is the owner of Jay's Bird Barn and Arizona Field Optics, and will lead a guided bird walk on the Cochise College campus and in the surrounding desert. This bird walk will focus (no pun intended) on the basics of optical equipment designed to enhance a bird watcher’s experience in the field. Loaner pairs of both Vortex and Swarovski binoculars and spotting scopes will be available for participants to use at no charge. The bird walk will include a demonstration and instruction on digi-scoping - taking digital pictures using the latest spotting scope technology.

9:00 - 10:15 AM: Glenn Minuth: Aspect Geography: North v. South Slopes - Key to Habitat Recognition

Have you ever considered why there are real differences between the plant and animal life residing on north versus south slope exposures? Or how about those slopes oriented northeast and southwest? This is the essence of montane habitat evolution, the melding of elevation and topography with all of the corresponding climatic, geologic, pedologic, and biotic interrelationships, dependencies, and interactions that combine to influence the landscape's appearance. You will be exposed to concepts you may never previously considered. This is an easy to understand “sciencing” review covering upland "aspect geography" that amplifies the power of your future situational observations. Knowing what to anticipate predisposes you (the observer) to pave the way to form quicker conclusions and offer insight to processes happening before you. Join us to unpack the topic of topographic influences.

10:30 - 11:45 AM: Rick Wright: The Very Worst Bird Names Ever

Ever wondered why that fancy black and white duck is not called "ring-billed," or why that woodpecker with the red head is called Red-bellied Woodpecker? Sometimes bird names just don't make that much sense. Join Rick Wright to discover just what went into naming some of our familiar birds and how tracking down the stories behind the misnomers can make some of them seem not quite so bad after all.

12:00 - 1:15 PM: Jim Koweek: Believe it or not: Everything isn’t spiny in AZ.

A look at grassland plants and what make them unique in this part of the world. We promise all of the fun and no mind numbing boring technical stuff. This will be in a workshop/plant talk format and attendees are welcome to bring in samples, especially grasses, for Jim to ID. Jim will have his book Grassland Plant ID For Everyone – Except Folks That Take Boring Technical Stuff Too Seriously available for purchase.

1:30 - 2:45 PM: Bill Cavaliere: The Chiricahua Apaches: A Concise History

The history of the Chiricahua Apaches, who were native to southeast Arizona, southwest New Mexico, and northern Mexico. The presentation follows their arrival in this area, famous Chiricahuas such as Cochise, Naiche, and Geronimo, their conflicts with incoming white settlers and subsequent battles with the US Army, peace treaties, and various aspects of their culture.

3:00 - 4:00 PM: Priscilla Brodkin: Butterflies for Birders

Take a virtual field trip identifying and photographing the butterflies of SE Arizona. We will concentrate on butterflies in taxonomic order with emphasis on food & nectar plants plus behavior and defense mechanisms! Join the co-author of Butterflies of Arizona for this special trip filled with the BEAUTY of nature and remember, when the birding is slow, butterflies emerge to fill out your day.

4:15 - 5:30 PM: Rich Bailowitz: Another Glimpse at the Dragonflies of Southeast Arizona

This presentation will cover characteristics of members of the order ODONATA, which comprises both damselflies and dragonflies, what we see and what we don't. More than 100 species are known from Cochise County where our Festival is located, and many are featured in this discussion.

Keynote Dinner ?2022:

Thursday August 4, 2022, 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Cochise College Sierra Vista, Community Room, Bldg 1000

Keynote Speaker: Sheri Williamson

Hummingbirds: Their Past, Their Present, Our Future

The Keynote Dinner is $40 per person.

All registered festival attendees may purchase the Keynote Dinner online through the Cvent platform. Registration closed.

Late tickets available only at the festival.

We are proud to have local hummingbird expert Sheri Williamson as our Keynote speaker. She will discuss her ongoing hummingbird research, revisions to her previously published A Field Guide to Hummingbirds of North America, managing the gardens at Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary and leading tours for Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory.

After more than 20 years of general birding and natural history, Sheri was hijacked by hummingbirds when her husband and colleague Tom Wood and she moved to Arizona to work as live-in managers of The Nature Conservancy’s Ramsey Canyon Preserve. More than three decades later, she is still obsessed with these prismatic pugilists, feeding them year-round, maintaining dozens of hummingbird-pollinated plants in her garden, writing about them in her blog, ‘Life, Birds, and Everything’, and banding hundreds of them each year. She is currently working on a revision of A Field Guide to Hummingbirds of North America, originally published in 2002.

Sheri keeps her hummingbird obsession marginally under control by leading bird walks, workshops, and tours for the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory, managing the gardens at Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, watching and photographing hawks, cranes, sparrows, and butterflies, writing about other birds and other wildlife (including a forthcoming collection of essays and stories tentatively titled The Grail Quail and Other Remarkable Birds), creating jewelry from polymer clay, translating Mayan hieroglyphic inscriptions, playing rock and folk music on my autoharp, and spoiling her rescue dog, geriatric parrot, and small flock of diva chickens.

Sheri's talk is entitled: Hummingbirds: Their Past, Their Present, Our Future.

During the Keynote Dinner on Thursday, Aug 4, a Silent Auction will be held to raise funds for future festivals. Items being auctioned are nature-themed artwork, books, clothing, as well as local restaurant and lodging discounts. All items can be viewed here on our website and during the first day of the vendor hall open hours on Wednesday, Aug 3 and Thursday Aug 4 before the Keynote Dinner.

August 5, 2022:

Field Trips:

6:30 AM - Noon: F1 San Pedro River Trails - Car Caravan

Join professional guide Ken Blankenship on a half-day exploration of the San Pedro River which starts at the renowned Casa San Pedro. After a look at the feeders which attract many hummingbirds and other species, the tour will take you along the riverine habitat of the San Pedro River. The shady cottonwoods and lush riverside vegetation are home to a wide range of species including Gray Hawk, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Vermilion Flycatcher, Abert's Towhee, and Blue Grosbeak while in nearby grassland there is Botteri's Sparrow. Bring hat, water, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Hiking Difficulty: 2 easy. Guide: Ken Blankenship.

Meeting place: Car park at Casa San Pedro, 8933 S Yell Lane, Hereford. Map link.

6:00 AM - 3:30 PM: F2 Chasing Rarities - Group Van

Join professional guide Matt Brown on an exciting day-long excursion to see what's new or unusual in SE Arizona. This trip's destinations will be based on recent bird reports in the area as well as the needs of the group. With no pre-planned destination, Richard will be free to chase after what's available in any direction or location. The trip may include any of the areas covered by our regular trips and may try a new location to see what is available. Bring water, hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included. Hiking Difficulty: 3 to 4 moderate to difficult. Guide Matt Brown.

Please Note: This trip enters Fort Huachuca and a visitor's pass is required. If you are eligible, please obtain your pass before the trip as there may not be time to get one on the day. See Visitor access

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:00 AM - 3:30 PM: F3 Sonoita-Patagonia - Group Van

Join professional guide Jeff Babson for a trip to the Patagonia area. Patagonia is one of south-eastern Arizona’s best-known destinations for riparian birds. Specialties that can be found here include Gray and Zone-tailed Hawks, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Thick-billed Kingbird, and Rufous-winged Sparrow. Good birding sites in Patagonia are numerous and our probable itinerary will include Harshaw Canyon, Patagonia Lake State Park, and the Paton Center for Hummingbirds. Our exact itinerary will be at the discretion of the leader, and may vary based on where the target birds are most readily being seen. A short visit (about an hour) to the open grasslands around Sonoita will complement the riparian habitats of Patagonia, and we should see a wide variety of species. We will enjoy a lunch break in the shade somewhere along the way. Bring water, hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide Jeff Babson.

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:30 AM - 3:00 PM: F4 Garden Canyon - Car Caravan

Enjoy a "birdy" day with professional guide Jennie MacFarland on Arizona’s largest military base, famous for over a century for its Arizona specialties. We will cover a wide range of habitats from grasslands to pine-oak woodlands. At higher elevations, we will hope to encounter Elegant Trogon, Arizona Woodpecker, and Dusky-capped and Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers. Along the much gentler trails of Sawmill Canyon, we will try for Greater Pewee, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Grace’s Warbler, and Hepatic Tanager. The elusive Montezuma Quail is possible anywhere on this trip. This is one of the few trips that access the highest elevations in the Huachucas. Bring hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Bring your own lunch and water. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide Jennie MacFarland.

Please Note: The drive up Garden Canyon can be rough and is only suitable for vehicles with good clearance.

Please Note: This trip enters Fort Huachuca and a visitor's pass is required. If you are eligible, please obtain your pass before the trip as there may not be time to get one on the day. See Visitor access

Meeting place: Fort Huachuca Visitor Center parking lot, Hatfield Street at 6.30am. Follow signs to Fort Huachuca, Van Deman Gate from the junction of Hwy 90 and Buffalo Soldier Trail. Map link

6:30 AM - 3:00 PM: F6 Ash and Miller Canyon - Car Caravan

Join professional guide Kristy Gallo on this trip to explore parts of Ash and Miller Canyons. On this canyon tour, we will begin in the grasslands below Miller Canyon, where we will look for Rufous-crowned and Botteri’s Sparrows, Blue Grosbeak, and other lowland species. Upper Miller Canyon is known to local birders as a reliable place to find nesting pairs of Red-faced Warblers and there may be a chance of a Mexican Spotted Owl as well as other SE Arizona specialties including Arizona Woodpecker, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Painted Redstart, Grace’s Warbler and Hepatic Tanager. A visit to Beatty’s hummingbird site is also possible. There will be a lunch break followed by a stop at the famous Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary for up to 10 species of hummingbirds, including a chance of seeing the rare Lucifer Hummingbird, plus other foothills birds. Be prepared for a two-mile slow walk with a 300-foot elevation gain and uneven terrain. Bring hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Bring your own lunch and water. Hiking Difficulty: 4 difficult. Guide Kristy Gallo.

Meeting place: Parking lot next to Ricardo's restaurant just north of the junction of Highway 92 and Hereford Road at 6.30am. Map link

6:30 AM - 3:00 PM: F7 Ramsey and Brown Canyons - Car Caravan

Join international birding guide and author Rick Wright for an exciting exploration of two canyons in the Huachuca Mountains. We will hit Ramsey Canyon early, before the official opening time and enter the Preserve to walk some of their many trails. After a short drive to the nearby Brown Canyon Ranch and ponds, which are always worth checking out, we will hike up a way into Brown Canyon to see what we can find. The lower canyon is good for Gila and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Phainopepla, Rufous-crowned, Chipping and Botteri's Sparrows, Blue and Black-headed Grosbeaks, and other canyon outlet species. Brown and Ramsey Canyons are reliable locations to find typical montane riparian birds, plus specialties of south-eastern Arizona, including Arizona Woodpecker, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Hepatic Tanager, Scott’s Oriole, Painted Redstart, and Red-faced Warbler. Be prepared for a slow hike covering two miles with a 500-foot elevation gain and uneven terrain. Hiking Difficulty: moderate to difficult, 3 or 4. Bring hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Bring your own lunch and water. Guide Rick Wright.

Meeting place: Ramsey Canyon Preserve parking lot, at the top of Ramsey Canyon Road. Map link

6.30 PM - 9:30 PM: FP1 Bats - Car Caravan

Join bat aficionado Karen Krebbs as we visit the semi-desert grassland to see agave food plants of bats up close. After sunset we’ll watch hummingbird feeders and/or agaves for Lesser Long-nosed Bats and Mexican Long-tongued Bats flying in for dinner. Attendees on this field trip will benefit from Karen's lecture (not a necessity). Because this is a night trip (sunset is 7:17 pm) so bring a flashlight or headlamp (a red light is best). Bring your binoculars and a small chair or stool to increase your comfort. Hiking Difficulty: 2 easy. Guide Karen Krebbs.

Meeting place: Ramsey Canyon Preserve parking lot, at the top of Ramsey Canyon Road. Map link

Free Program:

All talks will be held in the Horace Steele Room in the Cochise College Library apart from a few which will be held in Room 901 (marked).

7:30 - 9:00 AM: Kathe Anderson: Introduction to Birdwatching Bird Walk

Meet in front of Room 901

This is an introduction to local birds easily seen in and around campus, geared for beginning adults who are interested in what may be showing up in their backyards. We stroll the grounds we’ll talk about common species, vocalizations and behaviors. At about 8:45am we will head indoors to go over a list of what we’ve seen and answer questions. Walking Difficulty: Easy

8:00 - 8:30 AM: Faith Boice: Arizona's Empire Ranch - a Prominent Past and Promising Future

The historic Empire Ranch, located in the heart of the 45,000 acre Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, was established in 1876. Learn about the four families, two companies, a government agency, and the non-profit organization that have played a role in the Empire Ranch's historic past and evolving future.

8:30 - 11:30 AM: Faith Boice: Field Trip - Carpool to the Empire Ranch, including 1 hour docent led tour

Meet after above talk at 8:30 AM at Cochise College Student Union, Bldg 1000 and carpool to the Empire Ranch (45 mins).

Enjoy the 1-hour docent-led tour of Empire Ranch. Afterwards enjoy the ranch and its wildlife at your leisure, return to Cochise College or continue elsewhere on your own.

9:00 - 10:15 AM: Rick Collins: Tumacácori History

In 1990 Tumacácori National Monument received National Park status, joining the ranks of the other 51 National Historical Parks in the U.S. It also gained two related missions, Mission Guevavi and Mission Calabazas. In 2005 it grew to 360 acres and includes a mile of beautiful riparian environment. Tumacácori’s story is of the mission that should never have been and the National Park that almost wasn’t. The story is of cultural cooperation, hard working men and women, and a lot of luck. It is a national treasure that people still discover today.

10:30 - 11:45 AM: Robert Parks: Social and Solitary Wasps Observed in Arizona

This introduction to some commonly encountered wasps of the Southwestern United States will focus on the aculeate wasps or those that sting. It is only females that will sting and the ovipositor has evolved into a sting which injects venom. Some of the most commonly encountered include Tarantula Hawks, Paper Wasps, Yellow Jackets and Mud Daubers.

12:00 - 1:15 PM: Glenn Minuth: How Birds Work: The Skeleton Structure Matters

This is the first episode of a new annual presentation that will explain how the various bird body systems work. You’ll “take-off” with just the bare bones—meaning, an exploration of the bird’s skeletal system. Can you guess how bird skeletons have adapted to be more robust than that of a mammal skeleton? They have to be light enough for flight, but also strong enough to take the strain of flight--so how do avifauna overcome these conflicts? Remember: you can't interpret birds' skeletal features without bearing in mind exactly how the skeleton functions while flying and in other activities. Birds' skeletons possess some unique adaptations achieved by both fusion of skeletal elements and by pneumatization. You’ll be able to identify and name bird bones corresponding to the mammal bones you may have already learned along with some new ones. More importantly, you will be able to “bone-up” on how bird skeletons differ from those of mammals and explain the functional significance of these differences. You will understand why the unique features of bird skeletons might or might not be considered as adaptations to flight. Ultimately, we will unpack the structure and the inner workings of the avian skeletal system piece by piece to build a better picture for how they survive and thrive.

1:30 - 2:45 PM: Karen Krebbs: The Exciting Night Life of Bats!

Karen has studied bats for more than 30 years. Learn about this exciting and unique nocturnal mammal and how it is so successful as a predator and pollinator. There are more than 1,100 species of bats that occur worldwide. Bats are an important part of our ecosystems and deserve our respect and admiration. Echolocation allows a bat to fly in total darkness to locate, chase, and capture flying insects. Bridges and other human structures are important roost habitat for many species of bats. Nectar bats visit and pollinate columnar cactus and succulents in our area. Learn about the 28 species of bats that live right here in Arizona.

Karen will lead a car caravan field trip to Ramsey Canyon to view nectar bats feeding at 6:30 PM on Friday. Limit of 8 participants. This is a paid trip, please book via the field trip registration page.

3:00 - 4:15 PM: Kathe Anderson: Temporary Custody of a Rainbow

This is the backstory of ten colorful migrants--the Yellow Warbler, Blue Grosbeak, dazzling red Summer Tanager, eye-popping Hooded Oriole and others—that migrate through Arizona or make the state their summer breeding territory and home. Where do they come from and what makes them unusual.

4:30 - 5:45 PM: Holly Richter: Hydrology of the San Pedro

The fascinating world of hydrologic modeling, monitoring, and research to keep the San Pedro Flowing

The San Pedro River Basin is arguably one of the most studied watersheds in the Western U.S. This presentation will highlight some of the most interesting lessons learned about how water moves through the San Pedro watershed and its aquafer, and what is being done to ensure its current and future water needs are met to sustain this amazing habitat.

August 6, 2022:

Field Trips:

6:30 AM - 12 Noon: S1 San Pedro River Walk - Car Caravan

The San Pedro River is a vibrant green ribbon of life, its riparian vegetation forming an avian super highway through the desert for millions of migrants. Join naturalist guide Robert Weissler in an exploration of the lush cottonwood/willow forest which is home to Gray and Zone-tailed Hawks, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, low elevation warblers including Lucy's Warbler, Abert’s Towhee, and many more. Bring hat, sun protection, walking shoes and water. Hiking Difficulty: 2 Easy. Guide Robert Weissler.

Meeting place: San Pedro House parking lot. Follow Hwy 90 to the east of Sierra Vista and turn right just before the San Pedro River. Map link.

6:00 AM - 3:30 PM: S2 Sonoita/Patagonia - Group Van

Join professional tour leader Scott Olmstead for a trip to the Patagonia area. Patagonia is one of south-eastern Arizona’s best-known destinations for riparian birds. Specialties that can be found here include Gray and Zone-tailed Hawks, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Thick-billed Kingbird, and Rufous-winged Sparrow. Good birding sites in Patagonia are numerous and our probable itinerary will include Harshaw Canyon, Patagonia Lake State Park, and the Paton Center for Hummingbirds. Our exact itinerary will be at the discretion of the leader, and may vary based on where the target birds are most readily being seen. A short visit (about an hour) to the open grasslands around Sonoita will complement the riparian habitats of Patagonia, and we should see a wide variety of species. We will enjoy a lunch break in the shade somewhere along the way. Bring water, hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide Scott Olmstead

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:30 AM - 3:00 PM: S3 Fort Huachuca Canyons - Car Caravan

??Enjoy a full day birding with professional guide Matt Brown on Arizona’s largest military base, famous for over a century for its Arizona specialties. We will cover a wide range of habitats from grasslands to pine-oak woodlands. At higher elevations, we will hope to encounter Elegant Trogon, Arizona Woodpecker, and Dusky-capped and Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers in Huachuca Canyon. Along the much gentler trails of Sawmill Canyon, at the top of Garden Canyon, we will try for Greater Pewee, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Grace’s Warbler, and Hepatic Tanager. The elusive Montezuma Quail is possible anywhere on this trip. This is one of the few trips that access the highest elevations in the Huachucas. Bring hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Bring your own lunch and water, Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide Matt Brown.

Please Note: The drive up both Garden and Huachuca Canyons can be rough and is only suitable for vehicles with good clearance.

Please Note: This trip enters Fort Huachuca and a visitor's pass is required. If you are eligible, please obtain your pass before the trip as there may not be time to get one on the day. See Visitor Access

Meeting place: Fort Huachuca Visitor Center parking lot, Hatfield Street at 6.30am. Follow signs to Fort Huachuca, Van Deman Gate from the junction of Hwy 90 and Buffalo Soldier Trail. Map link

6:30 AM - 3:30 PM: S4 Saint David/Wilcox - Car Caravan

?The focus of this trip with professional bird guide Homer Hansen will be the Benedictine’s Holy Trinity Monastery, a 132-acre site on the east side of the San Pedro River in St. David, Arizona. A popular retreat center, the grounds include a 1.3-mile birding trail, several small ponds, a pecan orchard, mesquite woodland, a working farm, and magnificent cottonwoods. Nesting birds are numerous and include: Gray and Zone-tailed Hawks, Mississippi Kite (at one of its only nesting sites in Arizona), Bell’s Vireo, Vermilion Flycatcher, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Curve-billed Thrasher, Lucy’s Warbler, Summer Tanager, and Blue Grosbeak. Tropical Kingbird, another local breeder, can usually be found here.

Time and weather permitting, we will make a trip to Twin Lakes in Wilcox, where we can add a number of shore birds such as Wilson’s Phalarope, Least and Baird’s Sandpipers, Long-billed Curlew, and Horned Lark. Bring hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Bring your own lunch and water. Hiking Difficulty: 2 easy. Guide Homer Hansen.

Meeting place: Parking lot at Fry's Food on the north side of Highway 90 just east of junction with Highway 92. Meet in the parking lot opposite exit to Fry's Fuel Center. Note that Fry opens at 6am, including Starbucks Coffee inside. Map Link

6:00 AM - 3:30 PM: S5 Las Cienegas and Box Canyon - Group Van

A visit to what was formerly one of the Southwest’s largest cattle ranches. This expansive BLM National Conservation Area is home to Pronghorn Antelope, Prairie Dogs and a wide variety of birds. Professional guide Bob Behrstock will visit rolling grasslands, mesquite thickets and cottonwood-lined Cienega Creek, one of the area’s only sources of permanent water, looking for Zone-tailed and Gray Hawks, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Bell’s Vireo, Lucy’s Warbler, Summer Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, Abert’s Towhee, and Cassin’s, Botteri’s, Song, Lark, and Grasshopper Sparrows. After a break for lunch, head through the oaky foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains to Box Canyon. In this lush succulent-thornscrub habitat, we hope to find Five-striped Sparrow, Varied Bunting, Costa’s Hummingbird, Scott’s and Hooded Oriole, and more. Bring water, hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included. Hiking Difficulty: 1-2 easy. Guide Bob Behrstock

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:30 AM - Noon: SA6 Hunter Canyon - Car Caravan

Join professional guide Kristy Gallo on a half-day hike up Hunter Canyon where the 2011 Miller Peak Wilderness fire left its mark, with the result being a unique combination of habitats that are home to a nice diversity of bird species. The initial hike is dominated by successional oak-scrub with birds like Crissal Thrasher, Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay, Black-chinned Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, and Scott’s Oriole. Higher up, the trail enters a stand of soaring conifers that were spared when the fire “jumped” the canyon; here we hope to find Band-tailed Pigeon, Buff-breasted and Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers, Grace’s and Virginia’s Warblers, “Mountain” Pygmy-Owl and more. The pine forest wasn’t completely spared, however, and the scrubby disturbed habitat here is home to a resident pair of Rufous-capped Warblers, which we hope will be a well-earned highlight of our hike. Bring hat, water, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Hiking Difficulty: 4 difficult. Guide Kristy Gallo.

Meeting place: Car park next to Ricardo's restaurant just north of the junction of Highway 92 and Hereford Road at 6.30am. Map link

6:00 AM - 3:30 PM: SA7 Madera and Box Canyons - Group Van

Join professional guide Richard Fray on a trip which will take you to Madera Canyon via Box Canyon and the Santa Rita grasslands and explore this famous birding site. For the last couple of years Box Canyon has hosted breeding Five-striped Sparrow and we will stop to look for this rare species, also hoping to see Varied Bunting and Scott's Oriole. Moving on to Madera Canyon we will bird the many habitats it has to offer - grassland, riparian, and woodland. We will also enjoy a picnic lunch and watch feeding stations. Target species would include Rivoli's Hummingbird, Elegant Trogon, Painted Redstart, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Hepatic Tanager, Botteri’s Sparrow, Yellow-eyed Junco and Scott’s Oriole. Bring water, hat, water, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide Richard Fray.

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:30 AM - 12 noon: SA8 Ramsey Canyon - Car Caravan

Join professional bird guide, Jennie MacFarland on a visit to the world famous Ramsey Canyon in the Huachuca Mountains. Owned by The Nature Conservancy, this area has been a hot spot for birding for decades. The lower canyon is good for Montezuma and Gambel's Quails, Gila and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Rufous-crowned, Chipping and Botteri's Sparrows, Blue and Black-headed Grosbeaks, and other canyon outlet species. Ramsey Canyon is a reliable location to find Arizona and Acorn Woodpeckers, Hepatic Tanager, Grace's and Red-faced Warblers and Painted Redstart as well as hummingbirds around the information centre. Be prepared for a slow hike covering two miles with a steep 200-foot elevation gain. Bring hat, water, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Hiking Difficulty: 4 difficult. Guide Jennie MacFarland.

Meeting place: Ramsey Canyon Preserve parking lot, at the top of Ramsey Canyon Road. Map link

6:00 AM - 3:30 PM: SA9 Big Day with Rick Wright - Group Van

Join author and international bird guide, Rick Wright, on a mini Big Day. The object on this trip will be to see as many different species as possible, covering the different habitats.

SE Arizona is a region where bird species from Mexico, the Rockies, and both Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts can be found. Specialties like Gray Hawk, Montezuma Quail, Elegant Trogon, Sulphur-bellied and Buff-breasted Flycatchers, Painted Redstart and Olive Warbler can be found, plus lower elevation species such as Lucy's Warbler, and Cassin's, Botteri's and Rufous-winged Sparrows. Then there are all of the hummingbirds! This trip begins at the San Pedro River, goes to the high elevations in the Huachucas. Bring water, hat, water, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide Rick Wright

Please Note: This trip enters Fort Huachuca and a visitor's pass is required. If you are eligible, please obtain your pass before the trip as there may not be time to get one on the day. See Visitor Access

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

Free Program:

All talks will be held in the Horace Steele Room in the Cochise College Library apart from a few which will be held in Room 901 (marked).

8:00 - 8:30 AM: Glenn Minuth: Ancient Seas – Part 2

Rocks of the Paleozoic Era contain a variety of stratigraphic units and fossils that yield information about conditions that prevailed at the time the rocks were formed. These rocks indicate that during much of this portion of Arizona's geologic story, it was either covered entirely or partly by marine waters. We will be interested in understanding what marine organisms existed in these conditions that were buried in sand or mud and preserved as fossils.

8:30 - 12:00 PM: Glenn Minuth: Ancient Seas Part 2 Carpool Field Trip (half day)

Meet after talk at 8:30

Our trip begins where we left off with Part 1 last year: starting with the Mississippian Period Escabrosa Limestone to examine fossil occurrences. Carpool – bring sun protection and water bottle (water refills available, and no hiking, just roadside geology).

9:00 - 10:15 AM (Room 901): Callie Caplenor: Sky Island Flyover – A Three Parks Perspective - Special Kids Event

Join National Park Service (NPS) ranger Callie Caplenor for a family-oriented bird program. What is a national park, and what part does the NPS play in preserving these special places and the wildlife that calls them home? Ranger Callie and colleagues will bring their touchable bird skulls and talk about the behaviors and characteristics of the birds that inhabit the Sky Island region. Also hear the perspective of a new birder discovering southeast Arizona for the first time. At the end children will be invited to create their own bird with special adaptations.

9:00 - 10:15 AM: Stephen Vaughan: Arizona’s Pygmy Owls

Arizona is the only state that offers both the Northern Pygmy-Owl and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl. Pygmy-Owls are not only small but unique in many ways. Their behaviors and physiology are quite different from other “normal owls.” Steve has spent the last 6 years photographing and observing Arizona’s Pygmy-Owls. Join Steve while shares his experiences while with these dynamic owls.

10:30 - 11:45 AM (Room 901): Erica Merritt: Southwest Wings Story Time - Special Kids Event

Listen to a fun story about birds and create an avian craft. Presented by Erica Merritt, Youth Services Librarian at the Sierra Vista Public Library.

10:30 - 11:45 AM: Rick Taylor: How to identify Arizona's Hummingbirds

Sierra Vista is officially the Hummingbird Capital of the United States, and it is no wonder as no fewer than 15 species have been recorded in the canyons of the Huachuca Mountains in recent years. While brightly-colored males pose few identification challenges, female and young birds can be tricky to distinguish. Rick’s talk will focus on the features which help distinguish the members of this amazing and intriguing family of birds.

Followed by an exclusive book signing of Rick Taylor's new book Birds of Arizona, available before its official publication.

12:00 - 1:15 PM: Mark Hart: Bear Aware

The Arizona Game and Fish Department in Tucson fielded approximately 100 black bear-related phone calls in the summer of 2012, the year following the Monument Fire which devastated bear habitat on the eastern slope of the Huachuca Mountains. This presentation examines that worse-case scenario, as drought conditions may well drive more bears into contact with people in the Sky Islands this year. Birders who frequent the backcountry need to be especially “Bear Aware,” but so too do those who go to more accessible locations such as Madera Canyon. Learn about how to stay safe in Bear Country, and gain greater understanding of how Game and Fish manages this shy but curious species that can weigh-in at 400 pounds.

1:30 - 2:45 PM: Justin Schmidt: The Biology of Bees

The 20,000 world-wide species of bees are crucial pollinators of most of the world’s plants including many human food crops (not to mention the food plants of most birds and other animals). I will describe the life histories and biologies of many families and species of bees inhabiting our region, including briefly discussing honeybees and how these introduced bees have affected our lives and environment.

3:00 - 4:15 PM: Diana Hadley, Founding President, Northern Jaguar Project: Borderland Jaguars

Renowned for their power, strength, beauty and grace, jaguars once roamed across much of the southern United States. Today, these magnificent predators are vanishing throughout the Americas. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the U.S. Mexico borderlands. Removed from their historic northern range by poaching and habitat fragmentation, jaguars have all but disappeared from the U.S. portion of their former territory. Yet, jaguars still persist just south of the international border in Sonora, Mexico and occasionally venture northward into former habitat in Arizona and New Mexico. This beautifully illustrated presentation provides information on the Northern Jaguar Project’s work to protect jaguar populations and establish viable wildlife corridors through community environmental education programs and agreements with cattle ranchers.

Dates: August 3 - 6, 2022

Location:

Various Venues,
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635.

Click here for more information.