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WINGSWEST BIRDING TOURS COPPER CANYON, EL FUERTE AND ALAMOS March 26-April 5, 2009 Sky to sea and back to sky. This tour features the wondrous diversity of the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Sonora, and Sinaloa, from the lofty pine forests on the rim of Barranca del Cobre, through the maze of canyons and foothills, to the rich estuaries of the Sea of Cortez. The list of birds seen on the March 2007 is available for anyone who wants to look at it-just email me. Our trip leaves from Santa Fe, but I can pick folks up near the Albuquerque airport or El Paso if that is more convenient for you. We drive down and back in Advantage Rental Dodge Caravans-smooth and comfortable. Thanks for taking a few minutes to read our itinerary. Day 1: Drive from Santa Fe to Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua. 600 miles, approx 10 hrs driving. 4 lane highway almost all the way. Last 2 hours are through pine-oak foothills and then the Mennonite country known as the altiplano ("high plains"). We stay at Motel del Camino on the west side of town in a commercial area that is away from noisy residential neighborhoods. Dinner nearby at a very nice restaurant named Buffalo. Day 2: We drive to the edge (literally) of the Copper Canyon this morning. (3 hours). After taking in the stunning view of Barranca de Urique (over 6,000 feet deep), we have lunch at Mansion Tarahumara where Blue-throated, Magnificent, and White-eared Hummingbirds will be dining as well. After lunch, we catch the train for the dramatic descent to the Pacific coastal plain. Our destination is El Fuerte, the former colonial capital of Sinaloa. Ride is about 6 hours. Night stay is at the historic Hotel Torres del Fuerte. Day 3: After breakfast we are off to the nearby Rio Fuerte for a half day float. Birding highlight today will be a visit to a known locale for Russet-crowned Motmot. On the walk to the motmot ravine, we have encountered Elegant Quail, Blue Mockingbird, and White-collared Seedeater. The afternoon will have 2 options: continue to do thorn forest birding with me or see the sights and museum around the plaza in El Fuerte. At night there will be an optional excursion to search for Parauque. Day 4: Today we head to the coast to an exceptional estuary at Isla Huivulai. The causeway to the barrier beach was cut in half by Tropical Storm Henrietta but we can still view all the herons, egrets, gulls, terns, and shorebirds in the estuary no matter where the tide is. Late afternoon, we head into the foothills to Alamos. We may do some late afternoon birding in a productive arroyo near the town. Night stay is at Hotel Tesoros. Day 5: We head south to the Rio Cuchujaqui, one of the best spots to view birds of the tropical deciduous forest. After lunch by the river, we continue to a private ranch, Rancho San Jose. After some mid afternoon free time around the ranch guest house, we’ll head out for early evening birding, culminating with a good chance to encounter a pair of Mottled Owls. Night at the ranch, dinner under the stars by the asadero, and the possibility of hearing Buff-collared Nightjars and Western Screech Owls calling nearby. Day 6: We’ll hike some up the south flank of the Sierra de Alamos, into an area where we have seen Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, Pale-billed and Lineated Woodpeckers in the past. This is the only moderate hiking of the trip. These are some very special birds at the extreme north end of their ranges. Returning to the ranch HQ for lunch, we say goodbye to the state of Sonora and head back south to El Fuerte. Night stay will be at Hotel La Choza. Day 7: Back on the Copper Canyon railway this morning after some pre departure birding near the station where we have seen Rufous-winged Sparrow and Ruddy Ground Dove in the past. We head about 2/3 of the way up into the Sierra to the Hotel Paraiso del Oso, located at 5400 feet elevation in pine/oak. Afternoon we’ll bird along the creek behind the lodge (White-striped Woodcreeper and Brown-backed Solitaire are regular here) and, after dinner, there will be an optional short walk to find Whiskered Screech Owls. Day 8: Today we experience being in the canyon as we descend with a local birding guide to the Rio Urique, at an elevation of 1,900’. Up high along the canyon rim we may find Short-tailed Hawk, Black-headed Siskin, and Mountain Trogon. As we drop, we may cross paths with mid elevation species such as Spotted Wren. At the bottom, we will look for tropical deciduous forest species we may have missed around Alamos such as Lilac-crowned Parrot and Purplish-backed Jay. This is a long day but probably the most spectacular of the trip. Dinner and night stay back at Hotel Paraiso del Oso. Day 9: Following morning birding in a nearby side canyon (hoping to find Slate-throated Redstart among others) and then lunch at the lodge, we are back on the train to climb back to where we left the vans at Mansion Tarahumara (7.600’). This will be our last chance to drink in the majesty of the main canyon. There are several trails along the canyon edge and a breath-taking sunset is assured. After dinner, there will be another chance to listen for Whiskered Screech Owls. Day 10: We are back in our vans and off to Cusarare Falls for a morning hike to a known breeding area for Eared Quetzal. If there has been snow melt, we will get to see the falls in action. On our way we will stop briefly at an overlook above the Rio Oteros, the northwest most of the five drainages making up the Copper Canyon Region. We have seen Gray Silky-Flycatcher here. Our afternoon and evening will be outside San Juanito at Cabanas Noritari (indigenous word for “close to heaven”). Our hosts, Lauro and Sol, are some of the friendliest folks we have met in Mexico. Our farewell dinner will be memorable. Day 11: After an early breakfast, we hit the road for our haul back to Santa Fe. We will stop for dinner in Socorro but we don’t expect to be back to Santa Fe until 9-10. Tropical Deciduous Forest of Southern Sonora Alamos, Mexico Trip Itinerary November 8-16, 2008 $2175 per person-$300 single supplement DAY 1: Today we will drive to Nogales, Arizona near the Mexican border, leaving Santa Fe at 8AM. We will take a mid-day break for lunch and birding at Ted Turner’s Ladder Ranch, west of Truth or Consequences. Dinner will be at Canela in Sonoita. We will stay the night at Hacienda Corona de Guevavi, a ranch active since the 1700’s. DAY 2: Following breakfast, we head into Mexico stopping at the 21KM checkpoint to fill out our tourist visas. From this point, we head due south through the Sonoran Desert. We will eat our lunch on the ocean at Miramar Bay near San Carlos. The estuary setting here offers an opportunity to see Magnificent Frigatebird, Blue-footed Booby, Heermann’s and Yellow-footed Gulls, as well as numerous shorebirds, herons and egrets. The afternoon drive of 3.5 hours will bring us to Alamos where dinner and lodging will be at Hotel Tesoros. DAY 3: Our morning birding will be at nearby Alamos Arroyo. Along the creek we have a good chance of seeing Mexican specialties such as Red-billed Pigeon, Social Flycatcher, Blue Mockingbird and Plain-capped Starthroat. Returning to town, we will look in a side arroyo for the shy Black-vented Oriole. After lunch, there will be free time to experience the colonial charm of historic Alamos. Later in the afternoon, there is an optional hike up Arroyo Chalaton, in the shadow of the Cerro de Alamos. There we may find Rufous-backed Robin, Elegant Trogon, Brown-backed Solitaire and Five-striped Sparrow. Dinner will be at the elegant La Mansion and evening stay at Hotel Tesoros. DAY 4: Today we head south to the Rio Cuchujaqui about 8 miles from town. This sub-tropical drainage features an impressive member of the Cypress family known as Sabino and is home to species such as Sinaloa Wren, Purplish-backed Jay, and the stunning Squirrel Cuckoo. Most likely, we will glimpse our first Black-throated Magpie Jay here-the icon of the tropical deciduous forest. After birding the river, we will head a bit further south to Rancho San Jose, a 13,000 acre ranch at the end of the Sierra de Alamos. After lunch, there will be time to relax and enjoy the superb views of the sierra looming over the ranch. In the late afternoon, we will venture to Arroyo Higuera where we are likely to encounter White-fronted Parrots, Streak-backed Oriole, Rufous-bellied Chachalaca and White-tipped Dove. A pair of rare Pale-billed Woodpeckers was seen here in March of 2006 as well. This stunning crow-sized woodpecker sports a massive bill and spectacular red crest. It is extremely scarce at the northern edge of its range in southern Sonora. At dusk, we will call out the resident Mottled Owl tropical relatives of the Mexican Spotted Owl. Back at the ranch, a sumptuous dinner will be cooked on the outside asadero. The calls of Western Screech Owl, and possibly Buff-collared Nightjar, will lull us to sleep. DAY 5: After a breakfast that includes freshly-made tortillas, we head to the south end of the Sierra de Alamos to search for Rufous-capped Warbler, Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, and a possible daytime encounter with Colima Pygmy Owl. This outing will be the only moderately strenuous hiking of the trip. After lunch back at the ranch guest house, we depart to head back to Alamos. Along the way, we will stop at Arroyo Mentidero where we hope to find Happy Wren, Tufted Flycatcher, Rose-throated Becard, and the always-entertaining Green Kingfisher. Dinner at La Puerta Roja and lodging at the rustic cabins of El Pedregal at the outskirts of town. DAY 6: Today we will do a float trip down the Rio Mayo, one of the major rivers draining the western flanks of the Sierra Madre. From our put-in at Mocuzarit Reservoir we wind through remote expanses of tropical deciduous forest and lusher riparian habitat. This is a comfortable experience as the boat is equipped with padded bench seats with backrests. We will keep a sharp eye out today for elusive gems such as Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Crane Hawk and Rufous-crowned Motmot. Numerous Common Blackhawks watch our progress from riverside snags After lunch on the river, we will visit the old church in historic San Bernardo. Returning to Alamos in late afternoon, there will be a block of free time before dinner at Rancho el Palomar. Lodging at El Pedregal. DAY 7: After some pre-breakfast birding on the grounds of El Pedregal, it's Adios to Alamos, as we return to the coastal plain. We will stop briefly at a series of ponds along the Rio Mayo in Navajoa, where we have seen Black-bellied Whistling Duck and Northern Jacana in the past, the latter at its northern most location. Then we head west to Estero Tobari and Isla Huivulai.Lunch will be on the causwway that connected the island to the mainland but was breached by a tropical storm in the fall of 2006. The area hosts numbers of wintering shorebirds including Black Turnstone, Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit and Wilson’s Plover. Among the many herons and egrets gathered, we may see the spectacular Roseate Spoonbill. In the late afternoon, we head north through agricultural country where viewings of White-tailed Kite and Sinaloa Crow are likely. Dinner and evening stay will be at the Best Western in Cuidad Obregon. DAY 8: We depart Cuidad Obregon early and begin our drive north. Our mid-day lunch/birding break will be in San Carlos at Estero Soledado, a World Wildlife Fund Preserve. Some new species for the trip that we may find here include Elegant Tern, Black Skimmer and American Oystercatcher. Following lunch, we will do a brief foray into the desert north of town for Rufous-winged Sparrow, wintering Gray Vireo, and Costa's Hummingbird. Our mid afternoon 3.5 hour drive will take us to Santa Ana, about an hour south of the border. Dinner at Santa Ana and night stay at Hotel San Francisco. DAY 9: Our last leg of the trip returns us to the Land of Enchantment. We will have the earliest wake-up of the trip-4:30am. We want to cross the border at Nogales as close to the 6am opening time as possible. During the day, our wait would be up to an hour and a half. At this time, hopefully 15 minutes or less.We will find righteous coffee and breakfast at Sacred Grounds in Patagonia, AZ. Lunch will be in Deming orTruth or Consequences and we may include an hour birding at Bosque del Apache NWR before our return to Santa Fe around 7PM. |
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MACAWS, PARROTS AND QUETZALS OF THE MOUNTAINS OF CHIHUAHUA WINGSWEST BIRDING TOURS MAY 31-JUNE 7, 2009 This trip offers the unique opportunity to visit breeding locations for the endangered Thick-billed Parrot, the dazzling Eared Quetzal and the elusive Military Macaw-all within 300-400 miles of the US border. Elevations visited will range from 5,000-9,000’ mostly in the Sierra Madre of west-central and southwest Chihuahua. We will also get to view 2 of the most spectacular sights in North America: Basaseachic Falls and the Copper Canyon. Trip is by van from Santa Fe, NM but participants can be picked up near airports in Albuquerque or El Paso. Day 1: Drive from Santa Fe to Madera, Chihuahua. (approx. 600 miles). After traversing a long section of the Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico, we start to gain elevation in northern Chihuahua. Passing through 2 sets of oak-dominated foothill ranges, we arrive at the mountain logging town of Madera (7,000’). Night is at the Hotel Real del Bosque. Day 2: Just north of Madera is the most easily accessed remaining breeding area for the Thick-billed Parrot. A local guide working for the Mexican conservation organization Pronatura, will take us high on the mountain ridges to the groves of old aspens that the parrots favor for breeding. We will be able to see birds pairing up and starting to select nesting cavities. This is also the first area we have a chance of seeing the Eared Quetzal. Slate-throated Redstart and Crescent-chested Warbler also breed here. Night stay back in Madera. Day 3: This morning we leave Madera for the 4 hour drive to Basaseachic Falls. After lunch at Ranch San Lorenzo, where we will be spending the night, we will walk to the head of the falls. American Dippers can be along the creek as well as singing Brown-backed Solitaires. The head of the falls is home to dozens of Black Swifts who seem to revel in the updrafts created by the thousand foot drop. Dinner back at Rancho San Lorenzo. Day 4: We will hike a secluded canyon behind the ranch owner’s house where we may encounter birds such as Tufted and Buff-breasted Flycatchers, and Russet Nightingale Thrush. Eared Quetzal has been seen in the area as well. Following lunch, we head south to Otachique, a remote village in a very enchanting canyon on the edge of the Rio Oteros drainage. On the way we are likely to see the local Striped Sparrow. Night at Hostal de Otachique where we are definitely off the grid. Day 5: Today our goal is El Sanctuario de las Guacamayas (so named by the locals)-the canyon breeding site of a group of Military Macaws. The canyon habitat is described as humid evergreen with steep canyon walls rising above. It is a 2 mile moderate hike to reach the site. The walk takes us through both Mountain Trogon and Eared Quetzal breeding territories. We will hear the macaws before we see them. The typical encounter (and they are rare) with Military Macaws is a distant flyover across some inaccessible canyon. Here we will eat our lunch with the birds flying directly overhead, perching in dead snags a short distance away, and investigating cracks in the sheer cliff faces for possible nesting sites. It is an experience you will never forget. We will also venture a short distance further down the canyon for a chance to see Rufous-capped Brushfinch and Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher. And then there is the matter of the 2 mile hike back to our cabins! Day 6: After breakfast at the lodge, we head for San Juanito. We will do roadside birding during our 4 hour drive, particularly in a stretch where a few Thick-billed Parrots have nested in the past. Our destination is Cabanas Noritari (indigenous word meaning “close to heaven”). The afternoon will have an optional birdwalk in the nearby pine forest or free time to rest and relax. In the evening there will be an optional excursion to call in Mexican Spotted Owls in a nearby canyon. Day: 7 Our last full day in the Sierra Madre. On our way to the rim of the Copper Canyon, we will take in the view at an overlook above the Rio Oteros, the northwest most drainage of the Copper Canyon system. We have seen Gray Silky Flycatchers here in the past. Continuing on, we soon reach Divisadero, the high point on the mesa that divides the Rio Oteros and Rio Urique. Our lunch stop will give us a view down into Barranca de Urique, over 6,000’ deep, the most impressive of the 5 canyons that make up the Copper Canyon region. We may even see a Zone-tailed Hawk cruise by the window of the restaurant. After lunch, we will take the short drive to Mansion Tarahumara where we will hike along the rim of the canyon. At the Mansion itself we are likely to see the classic pine forest hummers of the Sierra Madre: Blue-throated, Magnificent, and White-eared. In the late afternoon, we return to Noritari. Day 8: Early breakfast and then we leave one land of enchantment and hit the road for The Land of Enchantment- New Mexico. Dinner in Socorro and late return to Santa Fe-9-10pm Cost per person double occupancy: $1,975 $300 single supplement Rivers, Canyons and Grasslands: Historic Ranches of San Miguel and Guadalupe Counties May 6 thru 8, 2008 $575 per person DAY 1: We will depart Santa Fe at 7:00 AM, stopping in southern Santa Fe County at a known breeding spot for Mountain Plover. Our morning birding destination is in Santa Rosa at Spirithaven Ranch. The ranch occupies a major oxbow on the Pecos River with dramatic sandstone cliffs on both sides of the canyon. Some of the birds we expect to see here include Northern Cardinal, Summer Tanager and various songbird migrants heading north up the Pecos. Following lunch at the ranch, we head east to Conchas Lake where we will search for breeders such as Mississippi Kite, Vermilion Flycatcher, and the dazzling Painted Bunting. Later in the afternoon, we will head north into the historic 300,000 acre Bell Ranch. We will spend the next two nights at The Hacienda, an all wood and adobe masterpiece lodge built in the 1940's. After dinner at the lodge, there will be an optional excursion to find Western Screech Owl. DAY 2: Our morning explore will be above the Hacienda in the dramatic canyons of La Cinta Mesa. As this is a classic area where east meets west, we should find an intriguing mix of species such as Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Eastern Phoebe, Hepatic Tanager, and Scott's Oriole. Descending the mesa in the afternoon, we will certainly keep an eye out for a resident pair of Golden Eagles. DAY 3: We will have a morning bird walk in the cottonwood groves where Mule Creek departs the mesa to the grasslands. Cassin's Sparrows should be performing their aerial flights and we may flush Scaled Quail on our way to the bosque. Amid the cottonwoods along the creek we are likely to find Red-headed Woodpecker and Eastern Bluebird. Late morning, we will depart the ranch, heading west to the historic village of Sabinoso located at the mouth of the massive Canadian River canyon complex. We will be focused on finding the Common Blackhawk that nested here for the first time in 2004. After lunch along the river, we will head east toward Las Vegas. En route, we ascend the dramatic escarpment of Corazon Hill, pausing on the cliff itself to listen for White-throated Swift and Black-chinned Sparrow. As we come into Las Vegas, traversing a vast stretch of short grass prairie, we will search a roadside spot that has hosted Burrowing Owl and Long-billed Curlew in the past. Our final tour stop will be at Ruby Ranch, a 20,000 acre property just north of Las Vegas along Sapello Creek. We will bird along the creek for Lazuli Bunting and Lewis' Woodpecker and on the ranch lakes for breeding Avocet, Clark's Grebe and late-passing Franklin's Gulls. Our return to Santa Fe will be between 6:00-7:00 PM.
Ladder Ranch and the Black Range May 18-20, 2008 ($650 per person) DAY 1: Come experience two treasures of New Mexico-the Black Range and Ladder Ranch. Today we leave Santa Fe at 8:00am heading south along the Rio Grande. We will pause at Bosque del Apache NWR south of Socorro for a lunch and birding break. Though famous for its wintering species, the Bosque hosts an interesting diversity of breeding birds as well including Vermilion Flycatcher, Least Bittern and Common Moorhen. After lunch we will drive another 2 hours to Black Range Lodge in Kingston NM. Our surroundings will be the transition zone from Pinyon to Ponderosa Pine. Our afternoon walk will go through the homes of species such as Black-chinned Sparrow, Black-throated Gray Warbler and Hepatic Tanager. Following dinner at the historic Black Range Lodge (our night lodging) there will be an optional excursion to Emory Pass to listen for Spotted and Flammulated Owls and Whip-poor-will. DAY 2: Following an early breakfast at Black Range, we head to the high country looking for some Mexican species at the northern edge of their range, such as Red-faced and Olive Warblers and Painted Redstart. Retracing our steps as we descend the east side of the Black Range, we will stop for mid elevation species such as Pygmy Nuthatch and Virginia's Warbler. After lunch at the lodge, it's off to Ted Turner's Ladder Ranch. This 250K acre property spans multiple habitats from Chihuahuan Desert scrub to the conifers high on the shoulder of the Black Range. After settling in at the newly rennovated ranch lodge, we will investigate the ponds near headquarters along Animas Creek. Hooded Oriole, Bell's Vireo, Lazuli Bunting, Crissal Thrasher, and Phainopepla are among the species making this part of the ranch their home. Following dinner as dusk descends, we may see elk, Mule Deer, javelina and Wild Turkey venturing out into the ranch farm fields. Shortly after dark, we will visit with the local Elf and Western Screech Owls. DAY 3: Today we will explore the interior of the ranch along Seco and Animas Creeks. We have a chance to cross paths with breeding raptors such as Golden Eagle, Common Blackhawk and Zone-tailed Hawk. Additional songbirds we may find include Cactus Wren, Bridled Titmouse, and Brown-crested Flycatcher. We will depart the ranch in mid afternoon passing a prairie dog colony complete with Burrowing Owls as we leave. Dinner will be at Socorro Springs Brewery and our return to Santa Fe will be 9-10 pm. Birding Classes SEPT. 21, 2008 Ruby Ranch and Las Vegas. Raptors, songbird migrants and shorebirds. Sponsored by Sange de Cristo Audubon of Santa Fe.
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