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Thread: Birding in Arizona

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    BPN Viewer Mark Young's Avatar
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    Default Birding in Arizona

    G'day everyone,

    Just doing a bit of research for a possible trip in a few years and I was wondering what the birding is like in Arizona, and what sort of birds you would get down that way. I am mostly interested in Shorebirds, but all birds are welcomed.

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    You do know AZ has no ocean shoreline?

    One of your best bets for shorebirds in AZ would probably be a place like the Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch.

    If you want to see some examples, visit these galleries:

    http://allenh.zenfolio.com/p211891809

    http://allenh.zenfolio.com/p191957661

    Southern AZ is a mecca for hummingbirds - still on my photo bucket list.

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    BPN Viewer Mark Young's Avatar
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    Thanks Alan. I forgot about the Cardinals, that's one bird high on my list to see and photograph.

    Not sure about you guys, but over here we have a few species of Shorebirds that visit inland areas. There was a Godwit seen at Alice Springs a week or 2 ago, which is about as dead center of Aust as you can get.

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    William Malacarne
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    Mark

    Not to downplay Arizona, but if you have a chance you might try going next door to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. Time of year does matter though....

    http://www.friendsofthebosque.org/

    Bill

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    http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/AZNM.html

    http://www.tucsonaudubon.org/

    Here are a couple of links that will help you with locations in S. E. Arizona. It is an outstanding area for birding year round. However the most popular time is during the monsoon, i.e. mid-July through mid-September. Hope this helps.

    Jim

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    I will second Allen's nomination of the Gilbert Water Ranch! I'm out there every week or two.

    Here's a bird list:

    http://www.riparianinstitute.org/birding.cfm
    Last edited by Ian Cassell; 04-07-2011 at 02:33 PM.

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    BPN Viewer Mark Young's Avatar
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    Thanks guys for the great info!

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    BTW, Mark. Please PM me if you do wind up coming to the Phoenix area. If my crazy schedule allows, I'd love to show you Riperian.

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    BPN Viewer Mark Young's Avatar
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    Thanks Ian for the offer. At the moment the trip is just a thought for a few years, but if it does happen I'ld love to take you up on your offer.

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    Southeastern AZ is great birding. I prefer May and June for all the nesting activity. Here's a link to a MUST HAVE guide to birding there http://www.amazon.com/Birders-Guide-.../dp/187878806X

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    Pickup the updated copy rather than the older, out-of-date green spiral bound:

    http://www.amazon.com/Birders-Guide-...7686870&sr=1-1

    Consider also
    http://www.amazon.com/Southeastern-A...7686945&sr=1-8

    and this one is better location guide:
    http://www.tucsonaudubon.org/images/...ps/fbi_7th.jpg

    Avoid planning a trip right now -- they just closed all access to ALL of the National Forests in SE AZ -- most of the better sites are closed...due to fires and fire danger

  12. #12
    bill caskey
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    While I'm not the OP, I do love SE AZ and this information is great. Several years ago, my wife and I went to a location near Sierra Vista which had many varieties of hummingbirds. It was near an apple orchard, as I recall. We were given the tip by a photographer at the Bird Festival in Rockport, TX. Would love to get back to AZ, one of my favorite states.
    Thanks for the wonderful information.

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    That would be Tom Beatty's place in Miller Canyon with the apple orchard.

    The Monument fire was at the edge of the canyon this morning - they're trying to save the place today.

    Also, Mary Jo's Ash Canyon B&B was one of two homes that was saved in Ash Canyon. 40 other homes were lost in the firestorm early this week.

    Tom Battiste's B&B was also saved, although not in Ash Canyon, the area around burned.


    So now we have major fires in three of the sky islands. The Santa Ritas, Ord Peak and Graham are not burning. Lets hope the monsoons kick in pretty quick. (usually July 1 -- and it brings rain but not SE Asia monsoon rains). But sometimes lightning with no moisture.....

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    June 5 rain in Miller Canyon flash flooded Tom's place. More details from Tom Beatty at http://digest.sialia.com/?rm=message;id=263821. Mary Jo Ash Canyon reports she is fine, and Tony Battiste's place ok (refer to posts in the list for details). Carr Canyon, one of my favorite places for sky island birding(and photography), is both burned over and covered with mud/rock flows from the rain that devasted Tom's place.

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