204 Species on this Custom List
To upload the attached Custom list and Quiz yourself on birds that may be seen on this VENT Tour, right-click HERE and select "Save Target As.." (You may want to rename the file AZ_Spring.xml)
May. 10-May. 20, 2009
Good chances for all the Southeastern Arizona specialties including 9 species of owls, 8 or more hummingbirds, Elegant Trogon, and more.
They have been called the Mexican Mountains and the Sky Islands. The Santa Ritas, Huachucas, and Chiricahua Mountains are islands of cool greenery rising from the deserts and grasslands of southeastern Arizona. As the northernmost outliers of the Mexican Sierra Madre, these ranges and their well-watered canyons host many Mexican species found nowhere else in the United States.
In the lower canyons, the barks of the Elegant Trogon, the squeals of the Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, and the mellow song of the Painted Redstart ring through the oaks and sycamores. Higher up amidst the conifers and Gambel Oaks, roving mixed-species flocks harbor Red-faced and Olive warblers, Greater Pewee, and Mexican Chickadee. Along desert washes one may find plum-colored Varied Buntings, the secretive Crissal Thrasher, or the highly localized Rufous-winged and Five-striped sparrows. Riparian forests and streamside thickets may yield such highly-sought species as Common Black-Hawk, Gray Hawk, and Thick-billed Kingbird.
Owls and hummingbirds deserve special mention. Nowhere in North America can one find more species of owls in such a small area. Ten species are possible, and eight or more can be expected on any given trip. Included among these are Spotted, Flammulated, and Elf owls, Northern Pygmy-Owl, and Whiskered Screech-Owl. Likewise, 14 species of hummingbirds have been recorded on this tour with nine or more likely on each trip. From the giant Blue-throated and Magnificent to the tiny Costa's and flashy Violet-crowned, hummingbirds abound.
An additional allure of southeastern Arizona is the ever-present possibility of vagrants from Mexico. Exotics such as Berylline Hummingbird, Rufous-backed Robin, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, and Flame-colored Tanager have been recorded at least once on past tours.
Good accommodations; easy to moderate terrain; two strenuous hikes combined with many short walks, roadside birding, and feeder watching; mild to warm climate (potentially hot in desert areas).
To Get (upload) a Custom List from this Forum and add it to your computer:
1. Open the Posting of the Custom List you want to upload to your computer.
2. Right-click on the word "Attachment" at the bottom of the post -- it will be a hyperlink and underlined.
3. Select "Save Target As..." and save to your desktop. (You may want to rename the file - but do not change the .xml file extension)
4. Open your Thayer Birding Software birding program version 3.5 or 3.9.
5. Click the Custom List icon
6. In the upper left corner of the Custom List screen, click on the word File.
7. Click Import. Select the file you just uploaded to your desktop. Click Open.
8. The Custom List will now appear on your computer with your other Custom Lists. (You may rename the Custom List if you like.)
|