|
|
|
COPPER CANYON/EL FUERTE/ALAMOS TRIP ITINERARY MARCH 18-29, 2010 Day 1: Today we leave Santa Fe on our way to the Arizona/Mexico border. We’ll have a lunch and birding stop at Ted Turner’s Ladder Ranch, a 250,000 acre property in southwest New Mexico. Dinner will be at Canela Restaurant in Sonoita, AZ and our night stay at the nearby Xanadu Guest Ranch (www.xanaduranchgetaway.com). Day 2: We are on the road early again today stopping briefly for breakfast in Patagonia on our way to the border crossing west of Nogales. After procuring our tourist visas at the 21 kilometer checkpoint, we are off to the beach. Lunch will be at the Sea of Cortez in San Carlos where we will be treated to the likes of Magnificent Frigatebird, Blue-footed Booby, and Elegant Tern. Our afternoon drive culminates with our arrival in the tropical deciduous forest habitat surrounding Alamos, Sonora. Night: Cabanas at El Pedregal (http://elpedregalmexico.com). Day 3: Today we begin our birding in earnest with our morning spent along the Rio Cuchujaqui, south of town. Here we may encounter Sinaloa Wren, White-tipped Dove, Elegant Trogon, and Rufous-bellied Chachalaca. Following lunch in the field, we return to Alamos with some afternoon free time for viewing the sights of this historic colonial town. In the late afternoon, we head to the outskirts of town, to Rancho Palomar for some late afternoon birding before dinner. In the past this has been an excellent site for Elegant Quail and Black-vented Oriole. Night: El Pedregal. Day 4: Before heading south from Alamos, we will bird the forest on the grounds of El Pedregal where species such as Blue Mockingbird and Squirrel Cuckoo regularly occur. Our destination is Rancho San Jose at the south end of the Sierra de Alamos. On route, we will pause at Arroyo Mentidero looking to add more tropical deciduous forest regulars to our list such as Nutting’s Flycatcher and Black-throated Magpie Jay. After arriving at Rancho San Jose, we will venture into one of the lush arroyos on the ranch for late afternoon birding in an area where Purplish-backed Jay is known to occur. At dusk, we will hope to encounter the resident pair of Mottled Owls before we return to the ranch headquarters for our dinner under the stars. Night: Rancho San Jose Day 5: This morning we head for Arroyo Higuerita in a different part of the ranch where we have seen both Lineated and Pale-billed Woodpeckers in the past. Our morning hike up the arroyo is the only moderate hiking of the entire tour but this half-mile trip excursion may reward us with a sighting of Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, a bird at the extreme northern limit of its range. Following lunch back at the ranch headquarters, we will depart the foothills on our way to the coast. Our afternoon birding today will be dramatically different as we visit one of the most bird-rich estuaries on the southern coast of Sonora, near the town of Yavaros. Highlights here will include numerous shorebird species, thousands of wintering Brant and the dazzling Roseate Spoonbill. A two hour early-evening drive will bring us to another Spanish colonial town, El Fuerte, which serves as our jumping off point for the Copper Canyon. Night: Hotel Rio Vista (www.hotelriovista.com.mx) Day 6: This morning we are off to catch the east-bound train into the heart of the Copper Canyon. While we wait for the train to arrive at the station, 6 km outside of town, we have the chance to see several thorn scrub species including Rufous-winged Sparrow and Ruddy Ground Dove. The four and a half hour train ride gradually ascends through some of the most spectacular canyon country on the planet. Early afternoon finds us at the Bahuichivo Station at an elevation of 5500 feet. Following lunch at nearby hotel Paraiso del Oso, we will explore the pine oak habitat adjacent to the lodge. Species such as Brown-backed Solitaire and White-striped Woodcreeper occur regularly a short walk from the lodge. Following dinner at the lodge, there will be an optional excursion to look for Whiskered Screech Owl. Night: Hotel Paraiso del Oso (www.mexicohorse.com) Day 7: Today we board the lodge’s van for an adventure that will take us to the bottom of the nearby Barranca de Urique. First we must climb over the 7500’ Mesa del Arturo. In the high pine forest there we expect to have close views of Mountain Trogon and Crescent-chested Warbler. As we descend into the canyon itself, the vegetation quickly changes. In the pine oak zone that we will first pass through, we may see Spotted Wren, Red-headed Tanager and White-eared Hummingbird. Further down in the canyon, Lesser Roadrunner and Berylline Hummingbird are possibilities. Following lunch in Urique (elevation 1900’) we will head north of town into a lush canyon along the Naranjo Road. Lower elevation species such as Streak-backed Oriole, Five-striped Sparrow and White-throated Robin can be found here. Night: Barrancas de Urique Hotel. Day 8: Today’s morning excursion takes us 20 minutes south of town to the nearby village of Guapalaina. There we will hike into a dramatic side canyon called Arroyo Hacienda. In recent years, we have had some remarkable sightings in this area including Military Macaw, Golden Vireo and Flame-colored Tanager. With canyon walls rising steeply hundreds of feet above us, this is surely one of the most visually stunning stops on the tour. After lunch back in Urique, we begin our mile vertical ascent up out of the canyon. Night: Paraiso del Oso Day 9: Following breakfast at the lodge and a farewell to the Magnificent Hummingbirds at the courtyard feeders, we are off to the Rio Cuiteco, a lush side canyon near the town of Bahuichivo. During our morning birding, we have an opportunity to see Slate-throated Redstart, Rufous-capped Brushfinch and the scarce Hooded Grosbeak. Lunch will be in the field as we will use all of our time up to the departure of the west-bound train for birding. Our descent back to the coastal plain through the western slope of the Sierra Madre will look very different to us because of the afternoon light. Rolling back into El Fuerte at sunset, we often see Crested Caracaras settling in for the night on the giant cacti near the train tracks. Night: Hotel Rio Vista Day 10: This morning we will do a half-day float on the Rio Fuerte, the river that drains the entire Copper Canyon region. At our boat put-in, west of town, we have the chance to see White-fronted Parrot, Bare-throated Tiger Heron and Red-billed Pigeon. The gentle river float takes us past numerous Common Black Hawks and the ever-vocal Great Kiskadee. Mid-way through the morning, we land on the north shore of the river for a hike into a side arroyo for viewing Russet-crowned Motmot. On our return to the boat, we are likely to encounter Happy Wren. After the completion of our float, we will take lunch at La Canastilla, a restaurant with a commanding outdoor view of the river. We have even seen Northern Jacana from the patio here. Following afternoon free-time where tour participants can walk the historic plaza or visit the city’s excellent museum, we will have a late-afternoon birding excursion below the nearby reservoir. Rose-throated Becard and Least Grebe are some of the possible highlights here. Dinner at Meson de Generales. After dinner, there will be an optional outing to a nearby pasture to hear and possibly see Pauraque. Night: Hotel Rio Vista Day 11: Today we begin our two-day return journey to Santa Fe. Road-side birding may include sightings of Harris Hawk and White-tailed Kite. Lunch will be back in San Carlos where we will have our last view of the ocean. Following lunch on the beach, we will check out some desert habitat near town for wintering Gray Vireo and Costa’s Hummingbird. After a three and a half hour journey through the high desert, we arrive at our night destination, Hotel San Francisco in Santa Ana. Day 12: In order to miss the crush of traffic at the Nogales border crossing, we have our earliest wake-up call of the trip today-4:30am. Rather than waiting in line at the border for up to an hour and a half, we will breeze across in 10 minutes or less and soon be sipping strong coffee at the Gathering Grounds Café in Patagonia, AZ. All that remains is to complete our 7 hour drive back to Santa Fe with a lunch stop in Deming and an hour of afternoon birding at Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge near Socorro, NM. For those flying out of Albuquerque, we will drop you at your hotel before we continue on to Santa Fe. $2,675 per person double occupancy: $300 single supplement INTRODUCTION TO THE BIRDS OF NORTHERN ECUADOR WINGSWEST BIRDING TOURS Sept. 21-October 5, 2010 This tour will include visits to cloud forest, mid-elevation and lowland sites on both slopes of the Andes, plus high elevation (paramo) and Amazon basin locations as well. On our Feb 2009 scouting trip for this itinerary, we recorded over 500 species in a 10 day period. Although there has been extensive deforestation in Ecuador, we will tour preserves that remain largely undisturbed. Proficient local guides will be with us daily. Cost for the tour is $3,900 per person based on double occupancy. ($400 single supplement). Airfare is additional. Day 1: Arrive via international flights to Quito and transfer to Hotel Sebastian. Day 2: We depart for the west side of the Andes with morning birding at Fundacion Jocotoco’s Yanacocha Preserve. Located over 11,000’ on the northwest slope of Volcan Pichincha, this cloud forest remnant features various mountain tanagers, chat tyrants and hummingbirds-especially the hummers. Great Sapphirewing, Shining Sunbeam, and up to 3 species of pufflegs (including a chance to see the ultra local Black-breasted) will jump start our tour. Following lunch, we descend the old Nono-Mindo road to the Tandayapa area with productive roadside birding along the way. A late afternoon stop at the Nunnery’s house will add to our hummingbird wonderment with Sparkling Violetear and Andean Emerald being the highlights. Night will be at Sachatamia Lodge in Mindo, the base of operations for our west slope birding. Day 3: This morning we are off early to nearby Paz de Aves, a working farm that has shifted it’s emphasis to ecotourism. First we will be entertained at a Cock-of-the-Rock lek where the males gather entice females with their bizarre vocalizations and posturing. The adjacent fruit feeders then offer us a chance for close up looks at Toucan Barbet (one of the most memorable birds in Ecuador), Sickle-winged Guan, Crimson-rumped Toucanet and a possible glimpse of Dark-backed Wood-Quail. Next we watch as Angel Paz and his brother call in up to 3 species of antpittas at various spots on their preserve. Seeing a Giant Antpitta hop out of the dense understory is a sight not soon forgotten. Following lunch back at Sachatamia, we will explore the lodge trails and perhaps visit the hummingbird feeders at nearby Septimo Paraiso Lodge. By the end of the day our hummingbird list could be well over 30 species for the trip. Night Sachatamia. Day 4: We head for lower elevation today, beginning with the road to Mindo Cloud Forest Foundation’s Rio Silanche Preserve. West slope birds we may encounter include Purple-chested Hummingbird, Bronze-winged Parrot, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Yelow-tufted Dacnis, and Orange-fronted Barbet. Retracing our steps, we head for our lunch stop in San Miguel de los Bancos. This rather unattractive town harbors a jewel-right on main street-Mirador de Los Bancos. This restaurant with the unassuming front looks out on a majestic canyon in the back and maintains some of the most famous feeders in Ecuador. Food is great and, while having lunch, our sightings may include numerous tanagers such as Silver-throated, Golden, and Guira as well as ground dwellers such as Orange-billed Sparrow and Red-faced Spinetail. After lunch, we head a bit further back toward Mindo and visit the MCF Milpe Reserve. New hummers await such as western slope specialties such as White-whiskered Hermit, Green Thorntail, and Green-crowned Woodnymph. Venturing into the forest area of the preserve we find Choco Toucan and Club-winged Manakin, a bird that produces an odd, metallic sound with its wings. Night back at Sachatamia. Day 5: Today we make the transition to the southeast outskirts of Quito. Our morning takes us through great cloud forest habitat where we’ll search for the likes of Grass-green Tanager, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, and the “cover bird” for The Birds of Ecuador, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan. Following lunch in the field, we will drive back through Quito to the other side of the valley and our night accommodations at Hostel Sommergarten. Day 6: Today we make our highest altitude foray of the trip, visiting Antisana National Park (this is what those warm clothes are for). As we approach treeline, we pass through the last hummingbird zone and our best opportunity to see Giant Hummingbird, Black-tailed Trainbearer, and Ecuadorian Hillstar, the highest ranging hummer in the Andes. Once out on the paramo (aka tundra), our focus shifts to larger birds such as Andean Gull, Variable Hawk, Carunculated Caracara, and Black-faced Ibis. Of course, the biggest prize is the biggest bird of all, Andean Condor. Although there are no guarantees (weather being the major limiting factor), Antisana is one of the more reliable places to view this ultimate icon of the Andes. Lunch will be in transit as we retrace our steps and then cross Papallacta Pass. Then we begin our descent down the eastside. If time permits, we will look for mountain tanagers above Termas Papallacta and then make a roadside stop at the Guango Lodge hummingbird feeders. Among a throng of hardy, high altitude hummers, we will get to see up close the preposterous Sword-billed Hummingbird with a bill way too long to allow it to perch while using the lodge feeders. The balance of the afternoon will find us completing our drive to Cabanas San Isidro. Hopefully we will see Torrent Duck (completely at home on and in the many thundering rivers) and White-capped Dipper at one of the river crossings. The day will be completed with a dusk viewing of the superb Lyre-tailed Nightjar a short distance from the lodge. Night at Cabanas San Isidro. Day 7: After breakfast we will be birding outside the lodge with quite an array of species to enjoy. Highland Motmot, Black-billed Peppershrike, Rufous-crowned Tody-Flycatcher, Barred Becard, and Golden-crowned Flycatcher are just a few of the birds we expect to see. We will continue to bird the road above the lodge with highlights possibly including Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Southern Lapwing and, if the birding gods co-operate, Black-and-chestnut Eagle. We will have the whole day to bird the area, taking breaks as necessitated by any rain. In the afternoon we will venture onto some of the lodges steeper forest trails with both quetzals, Crested and Golden-headed, distinct possibilities. Night Cabanas San Isidro. Day 8: This morning we will explore the nearby Guacamayos Ridge area. After morning trail birding where we have a chance to see Green-and-black Fruiteater, Slate-crowned Antpitta, and Green-fronted Lancebill, we will continue lower making roadside stops in hopes of seeing Yellow-throated Tanager, Vermilion Tanager, Saffron-crowned Tanager, and Bronze-green Euphonia. At dusk we will visit known spots for Swallow-tailed Nightjar and White-throated Screech Owl before returning to the lodge. Day 9: Today we head into the lower foothills and the Loreto Road. The roadside birding can be very productive with Lined Antshrike, Orange-eared Tanager, Paradise Tanager, and Purple Honeycreeper among the birds we will be watching for. Stake-outs along the road include Cliff Flycatcher and the increasingly rare Orange-breasted Falcon. Lunch will be at Wild Sumaco Lodge. Afternoon birding along the superb lodge trails may produce Golden-winged and White-crowned Manakin, Thrush-like Wren, and Golden-collared Toucanet. At night we will have the chance to hear and, perhaps, see Band-bellied Owl. Night Wild Sumaco. Day 10: Today we get to survey all that the Wild Sumaco Preserve has to offer. Chestnut-crowned Gnateater, Long-tailed Tyrant, Gray-tailed Piha, Scaled Pigeon, White-eyed Parakeet, Gilded Barbet, Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater, and Black-mandibled Toucan are among many we will be on the lookout for. In the late afternoon we will relax in front of the lodge’s feeders. Hummers we will have a chance to see only here include Golden-tailed Sapphire, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Green Hermit, and Black-throated Brilliant. Night Wild Sumaco. Day 11: Today we are off to the Amazon. We will bird the east end of the Loretto Road as we journey to the oil town of Coca where we catch the boat heading east. We have a 2 hour high speed ride down the Rio Napo followed by a non-motorized canoe transfer into Yasuni National Park for our night’s stay at Napo Wildlife Center. The last leg canoe ride offers us the chance to see guans, chachalacas, nunbirds, jacamars as well as some of the monkeys that inhabit this part of the Amazon. As we come into the lake where the lodge is located, the very ancient Hoatzin will utter it’s very guttural welcome. Day 12: We are back in the boat early, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the Amazon. Several species of macaws may pass overhead, including the massive Blue-and-yellow Macaw. After crossing the lake, we continue on foot to the observation tower where we will spend the morning. The climb up this 150’ tower may leave us a bit winded but the birding on top will leave us breathless. Our guide is adept at scoping the surrounding trees for various species of toucans and aracaris. Raptors such as Slender-billed Kite, Slate-colored Hawk, and Red-throated Caracara may be loafing in the treetops. A host of canopy-loving songbirds may come by including Spangled Cotinga, White-browed Purpletuft, Opal-crowned Tanager, and Black-faced Dacnis. Following lunch at the lodge, we will set off for one of the Rio Napo river islands where we find a different set of birds. This may include Oriole Blackbird, Yellow-headed Caracara, Dark-breasted Spinetail, and Castelnau’s Antshrike. Back at the lodge in the late afternoon we can watch the antics of the local Russet Oropendolas and Yellow-rumped Caciques. Night Napo Wildlife Center. Day 13: Again we are taking the dugouts to our morning venue, the Tiputini Trail. Although this is flat walking, it is wet to muddy in places. We will be keen to find some of the interior forest species such as Blue-crowned Manakin, Screaming Piha, Silvered Antbird, and Buff-throated Woodcreeper. After lunch back at the lodge, we will bird the immediate area for species such as Silver-beaked Tanager, Masked-crimson Tanager and Blue-crowned Trogon. Late afternoon will find us back at the observation tower with a chance to see missed species such at Crested and Green Oropendolas, Scarlet Macaw, Flame-crested Tanager, and Yellow-bellied Dacnis. At dusk as we canoe back across the lake to the lodge we will pass numerous caiman out on the lake but, don’t worry, they aren’t interested in us for dinner. Following our dinner, we will have an optional outing for Tropical Screech Owl by the lodge, no doubt serenaded by the local Pauraques. Night Napo Wildlife Center. Day 14: Alas, our last full day in Ecuador. We are off early to reach the Rio Napo for our transfer to Coca. At the river we may pick up additional tropical species such as Scarlet-crowned Barbet and Orange-backed Troupial. We will allow enough time to visit the nearby parrot clay lick. Barring a heavy downpour, we can watch as hundreds of parrots and parakeets descend to eat clay which helps them digest a variety of fruit pits. Species we are likely to see include Cobalt-winged and Dusky-headed Parakeets, Black-headed Parrot, Yellow-headed and Mealy Amazons, and, possibly, Red-bellied Macaw. Then we are back on the high speed boat for our trip back up the Rio Napo still watching for the likes of Large-billed Tern, Cocoi Heron and Swallow-winged Puffbird teed up along the shore. In Coca, we will catch our jet back to Quito (a 35 minute flight) with a view of the snow-capped volcanos around the city a possibility. Back at the Hotel Sebastian by mid afternoon, there will be a shopping opportunity at an extensive local Mercado. Then it’s an early dinner at Hotel Sebastian so we can rest up for the early flight home.. Day 15: As we need to be at the airport by 4:30 am to catch our flights home, this will be the earliest departure of the trip and one more chance to see the ring of volcanos on our way north.
Tropical Deciduous Forest of Southern Sonora Alamos, Mexico Trip Itinerary November 6-14, 2010 $1975 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 Owls, 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 Owls, 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 on 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. We will allow some birding time at Rancho Palomar which offers our best chance for Elegant Quail. Lodging at El Pedregal. DAY 7: After some pre-breakfast birdng 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 causeway 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 in 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 time 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 get righteous coffee and breakfast at Sacred Grounds in Patagonia, AZ. Lunch will be in Deming or Truth or Consequences. We may include an hour birding at Bosque del Apache NWR before our return to Santa Fe around 7PM. |
|
MACAWS, PARROTS AND QUETZALS OF THE MOUNTAINS OF CHIHUAHUA MAY 31-JUNE 7, 2010 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 Birding Classes SEPT. 06, 2009 Wind River Ranch and Las Vegas. Raptors, songbird migrants and shorebirds. Sponsored by Sangre de Cristo Audubon of Santa Fe.
|