Ramsey & Ash Canyons with David Simpson and Gordon and Lori Lam

Difficulty: Moderate. Steeper slopes or more rocky/rooted trails at Ramsey Canyon, for about one mile total. Drive time to locations approximately 2 hours on mostly paved road. Bathroom on-site at Ramsey.

We’ll get an early start from Tucson to explore the east flank of the Huachuca Mountains. We’ll start by visiting the Nature Conservancy’s beautiful Ramsey Canyon and walk underneath the towering sycamores which offers a wide variety of Arizona specialty birds such as Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher and Hepatic Tanager, along with many hummingbirds. After our picnic lunch we’ll head over to nearby Ash Canyon, where a bank of hummingbird feeders at the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary should be buzzing with activity, including perhaps the range-restricted and very attractive Lucifer Hummingbird. Fees for the Nature Preserve and Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary included as well as lunch. Limited to 8 participants.

Lucifer Hummingbird, Peter Hawrylyshyn

Tohono Chul with Ray Deeney

Cooper's Hawk by Michele Weisz

Difficulty: Easy. A few mild slopes but mostly flat ground and good walking surfaces. Bathroom and water on-site.

For visitors and those new to the Sonoran Desert, Tohono Chul’s easy-walking trails and gardens provide close-up looks at many of the desert specialties. Of the more than 500 bird species that spend time in Arizona during the year, 140 are known to have visited Tohono Chul, and on any given morning you might see up to 15 species here. All year long you can watch our state bird, the Cactus Wren, flit from cactus to tree and back again, chattering as he goes. Observe the Curved-billed Thrasher, with its saucy two-part whistle, scrabbling on the ground or nesting in cholla cactus. Enjoy our two year-round resident hummingbird species, Anna’s and Costa’s, as they dart about, feeding among the many colorful flowers. And be sure to look upward for a glance of our majestic Cooper’s Hawks, a pair of which has nested in the gardens for each of the last four years. Meet at the Tohono Chul Admission Window. Limited to 10 participants.

Cooper’s Hawk, Michele Wiesz

Sleep-in Special: Paton Center for Hummingbirds with Tom Brown

Difficulty: Easy. Will include short walks on mostly flat well-groomed walking trails with some sitting at hummingbird feeders. Bathroom on-site.

Join Tom Brown at the famous Paton Center for Hummingbirds which is known for Violet-crowned Hummingbirds dating back to when Wally and Marion Paton first began inviting birders into their yard shortly after moving to Patagonia in 1973. Now owned by Tucson Bird Alliance, thanks to the generous help of individual donors, the American Bird Conservancy, and Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, it is place to explore and experience the special birds of southeast Arizona. There are many great birds beyond hummingbirds including Inca and Common Ground Dove, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Lesser Goldfinch, and Blue Grosbeak. You’ll enjoy birding with Tom who has been instrumental in many of the recent renovations at the center. Drive time to meeting location from festival venue is about 70 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand.  Limited to 10 participants.

Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Lois Manowitz

Accessible Birding “Big Sit” at Madera Canyon’s Santa Rita Lodge with Kim Aikins

Difficulty: Easy. This trip is designed to be intentionally inclusive and accessible for beginner and advanced birders who experience accessibility challenges as a result of a disability or other health concern. No bathrooms at the lodge feeders.

Join Kim for a 90 minute “Big Sit” at the Santa Rita Lodge feeders. We will enjoy the variety of birds at the feeder station, where benches are available. Possible birds include Rivoli’s Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Mexican Jay, and Hepatic Tanager. Drive time to the meeting location from festival venue is about 55 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 8 participants.

Rivoli’s Hummingbird, Fred Mitchell

Dragonflies at Sweetwater Wetlands with Rich Bailowitz and Alex Patia

Difficulty: Easy. Just over a mile walking on excellent surfaces. Bathroom and water on-site.

Join Rich Bailowitz, author of the Field Guide to the Damselflies and Dragonflies of Arizona and Sonora at this artificial wetland perfectly situated for a wide variety of dragonflies and damselflies. We’ll also come across some great birds too! Drive time to meeting location from festival venue is about 20 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 12 participants.

Agua Caliente Park with Clay Taylor and Swarovski Optik

Difficulty: Easy. Mostly flat, groomed trails at a large city park. Bathrooms on-site.

This beautiful park in northeast Tucson includes a large lake (with a few smaller ponds), grassy park area with palm trees, and is surrounded by Sonoran desert. This mix of habitats creates opportunities for many birds including Anna’s, Costa’s, and Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Brown-crested Flycatcher, the Hesperia subspecies of Purple Martin, Phainopepla, and Hooded Oriole. Drive time to the meeting location from the festival venue is about 30 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 12 participants.

Black-chinned Hummingbird, Hemant Kishan

Desert Meadows Park with Marie Davis

Difficulty: Easy. Walking on excellent surfaces at a city park. No bathroom on-site.

Join local leader, Marie Davis, for a walk around the beautiful gardens of Desert Meadows Park in Green Valley. Birds to look for include Costa’s Hummingbird, Vermilion Flycatcher, Rufous-winged Sparrow, and Abert’s Towhee. Drive time to meeting location from festival venue is about 35 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 10 participants.

Costa’s Hummingbird, Francis Morgan

Desert Birds & Lizards at Sabino Canyon with Jim Rorabaugh

Greater Roadrunner by Dan Weisz

Difficulty: Moderate. Mostly well-groomed walking trails but may have some incline and may be on some uneven and rocky terrain for about 2 miles roundtrip. Bathrooms on-site. Bring 2 liters of water.

We’ll combine herping and birding in the most popular canyon in Tucson, Sabino Canyon. The Sonoran desert upland and Sabino Creek riparian area offer great opportunities for iconic desert birds such as Greater Roadrunner, Gila Woodpecker, Cactus Wren, and Black-throated Sparrow. With the help of Jim Rorabaugh, the senior author of A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Sonora, Mexico, we will also attempt to find whiptails, Zebra-tailed Lizards, spiny lizards, and maybe the iconic Gila Monster. Meet at the ramada by the Visitor’s Center at 5700 N Sabino Canyon Road. $8 parking fee. Return to car by 9am. Sunhat, water and walking shoes always recommended. Drive time to meeting location from festival venue is about 25 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 12 participants.

Greater Roadrunner, Dan Weisz

El Rio Preserve with Brian Jones and Kathe Anderson

Moderate. Mostly easy with mix of paved and dirt trail and overlook, with some short, steep grades between paved and dirt trails. Bathroom on-site.

Explore this nature preserve area just northwest of Tucson in Marana along the Santa Cruz River which is also part of the historic Juan Bautista de Anza Trail. You’ll enjoy the view from the overlook where you’ll be able to scan for a variety of birds including waterfowl, shorebirds, and flycatchers. A walk around the lake trail should turn up a good variety of species including Abert’s Towhee, Lazuli Bunting, Hooded Oriole, Green Heron, and Cinnamon Teal. Drive time to the meeting location from the festival venue is about 30 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 10 participants.

Hooded Oriole, Fred Mitchell

Anza Trail at Santa Gertrudis with Jehudy Carballo and Rob Ripma of Sabrewing Nature Tours

Difficulty: Moderate. Mostly flat walking for about two miles on some sandy/dirt trails. No bathroom on-site.

We’ll take a leisurely stroll through the riparian forest along the Santa Cruz River following the historic Anza Trail. This is a fantastic location for three types of kingbirds (Cassin’s, Tropical, and noisy Thick-billed) along with a wide variety of other desert riparian species like Inca Dove, Gray Hawk, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Bell’s Vireo, and Blue Grosbeak. Sponsored by Sabrewing Nature Tours. Drive time to the meeting location from the festival venue is about 50 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 10 participants.

Thick-billed Kingbird, Martin Molina