For Birders coming to Southeastern Arizona, I (Tom Beatty Sr.) recommend:
For those interested in HUMMINGBIRDS Click Here
For DIRECTIONS and MILEAGE to Beatty's from any location
Click Here
For NON US CITIZENS that would like to bird on FORT HUACHUCA, The Sierra Vista Convention JOIN the BIRDWG05 AZ/NM List Server several weeks before your trip, OR READ THE POSTS Read the newest edition of one of the following: VISIT Stuart Healy's website for all kinds of SEAZ birding info. VISIT Sierra Nevada Avian Center's ARIZONA PAGE for a Great SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA tour.
Part of an email from Malkolm Boothroyd: "I'm an avid 15 year old birder. In June (2007) my parents Mary Scott's "Birding America Arizona Section". This website gives good info on about 20 Birders trying for Black-capped Gnatcatchers, Rufous-backed Robin, and Elegant Trogon. For those hard to get any info on areas? Read the guide on the AZFO web site. Mark Stevenson has written a marvelous birding guide for the Lower Colorado River Valley from Copy of an email from Rick Wright: "This is to announce the 'publication' of my new B-log, an online The newly expanded "Sightings" column of ABA's "Winging It" newsletter is the most For Southwest Arizona-mostly Yuma County. Click Henry Detwiler's website:
Birding Yuma Area
Checkout Southwest Wings Birding and Nature Festival being held 5-9 Aug 09 in Sierra Vista, Az.
Alan Davies/Ruth Miller embarked from Tucson (01 Jan 2008) on their THE BIGGEST TWITCH. Visit David Allen Sibley for his latest Bird Notes, Conservation info etc.
The NEW HEREFORD ROAD BRIDGE is open and again becoming a birding Hotspot. For Great Bird/Nature photography: With Set up tables and below ground blinds overlooking a Pond etc. If having trouble finding a name on a Map etc., try USGS Geographic Names Information System
Check out the Slaughter Ranch which is 15 miles east of Douglas for an off the path birding experience Check out what the Birdwatching Lady says about Arizona in her Great Birding Locations Section. BIRD WALKS:
MONDAY Morning: Sorry now by request only, see
last paragraph, for the rest of 2009. SABO: For more Info visit Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory Calendar of Events SATURDAY Morning: River Walks led by The Friends of the San Pedro River SUNDAY Morning: tours of the Sierra Vista Environmental Operations Park, led by VISIT Huachuca Audubon Society for Birdwatching Field Trips to the San Pedro River etc..
The Patagonia Lake State Park (Sonoita Creek State Natural Area) has several birding walks Benson, Arizona, in an effort to promote ecotourism, is touting its new "Benson Birding Trail" SABO's Banning Creek Field Station North of Bisbee is open to the public, though when staff Visit the Tucson Audubon Society for daily birding tours etc.
ONE on ONE PERSONAL BIRDING GUIDES:
The following info taken from a 7 Feb09, Rick Wright email:
A free online reservation service for private guiding in
Southeast Arizona. The site also offers a general reservations calendar for birders who are willing to be connected with the In addition to the reservations service, the site also includes the most significant recent sightings, A note to photographers: though I'm unable to offer an honorarium, I'd be delighted to publish your photos Rick Wright, Tucson
USFS/BLM permits are required for paid bird guides/tours when they bird SEAZ's Coronado National Forest The follow SEAZ Birding guides have USFS/BLM permits:
Melody Kehl's "Birding or Outdoor adventures with a Personal touch"
NIGEL CROOK Bird Guide, Personal Guiding and Tours The follow Birding guides have USFS permits:
Clifford A. Cathers Economy Birding Services, Inc."Quality Birding With Your Budget in Mind"
MATT BROWN previously at TNC Patagonia, Specializing in Bird Vocalizations. He would be the Rick Wright's AIMOPHILA ADVENTURES: The Experience of Birding!
The Adventure Birding Company *** John Yerger, Jake Mohlmann, and Keith Kamper***
Stuart Healy, Western U.S. Bird Guide, specializing in SE Arizona. Personal Guiding Need a place to stay while is SEAZ. Visit AZ-NM Birder Friendly Accommodations
Birding Tour Company Websites: Note: 1 thru 5 have SEAZ tours
Birding Info:
Interested in attending a Hummingbird Photography Workshop or just Nature Photography then Of the many guidebooks to the state, Moon Handbook ARIZONA offers the most comprehensive We are on page 575 in the Sierra Vista Section.
Other Info:
For a small outfitting and guided adventure company that caters to equestrian lovers and outdoor
& Visitors Bureau (SVCVB) is working with Fort Huachuca to have certified people with you during
your visit.
What this means is that you will need to contact SVCVB's Erika K. Breckel several weeks in advance
to coordinate your visit.
Email: Erika K. Breckel
Phone: 800-288-3861 or 520-417-6960
Fax: 520-417-4890
or visit SVCVB at
1011 N. Coronado Drive
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635
(without the bother of subscribing and receiving the emails and then forgetting how to unsubscribe)
at http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/AZNM.html or in the public archives of the BIRDWG05
listserv at http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwg05.html.
The list has around 1100 members and the emails from the list contain the latest AZ/NM bird sightings etc..
Also use the above JOIN link to LEAVE the BIRDWG05 List Server.
NOTE: One can also use the Tucson Audubon Society SEAZ Bird hotline at (520)798-1005 X 2 or
Visit the Tucson Audubon Society for Rare Bird Alerts and daily birding tours etc.
Phone reports to 520-798-1005 X 1 or EMAIL reports to rarebirdalert@tucsonaudubon.org
1. The ABA Lane Birdfinding Guide "A Birder's Guide to Southeastern Arizona" by
Richard Cachor Taylor, 2005
2. "Finding Birds in Southeast Arizona" published by & available from the Tucson Audubon Society.
For changes in access to sites described in this guide Visit Tucson Audubon Birding Updates
For a close look at these two birding guides go to http://www.azfo.org/birding/review_2006.htm
or click on Stuart Healy's review to these GUIDES and other birding guide/checklist info.
Note: The ABA guide contains more info about SEAZ Birding, while the TAS guide contains more
info on Southern Arizona/Tucson locations.
Note: STUART'S SITE is more than about birding SEAZ, it is a comprehensive travel guide for SEAZ.
For example, check out his information on RESTAURANTS/BUSINESSES for the SIERRA VISTA area.
and I will cycle from our home in Whitehorse, Yukon for a fossil-fuel-free "big year." It will not just be
a birding adventure; it will be a conservation project. We will cycle through BC, down the coast until
southern California, then east to Florida and finally back to Texas." See how he DID IN SEAZ etc.
of Southeastern Arizona's birding hotspots.
She was the person who first saw the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in Arkansas ~ in 2003. The report
from the kayaker that led to the first verified sighting also came to her first ~ after analyzing it,
as she had done for hundreds and hundreds of "reports"; over the last 6 years, forwarded it to
friends at Cornell. She now lives in Arivaca, AZ.
Her story is online at http://www.birdingamerica.com/ivorybilledwoodpecker.htm
Visit Rich Hoyer's Patagonia Lake State Park Map where he has added x's to mark roughly
the places where they have been reported.
Also Visit Rich Hoyer's MONTOSA CANYON Black-capped Gnatcatcher Area where he
has added x's to mark roughly the places where they have been reported.
Go to http://www.azfo.org and click on "Birding".
Parker to Bullhead City. http://azfo.org/birding/BirdingTheLCRV.html
journal about birds, birders, and birding in southeast Arizona--and wherever else I may wander. The
entries will be short, simple, and without pretension to literary or scientific merit; but I hope that you
will look at it once in a while, and perhaps pass it on to anyone contemplating a visit to Arizona."
The address is http://www.birdaz.com/blog.
Best wishes, Rick Wright
comprehensive and timely summary of BIRD rarity news in North America. Written by Rick Wright,
with expert consultants Jon Dunn and Paul Lehman.
A quest to see 5000 species in 2008. The above link contains their daily blog, photos, schedule, trip
highlights and more as they scour the globe.
SR 92 is being widen to 4 lanes from Carr Canyon past Hunter Canyon and should be done by June 2010.
A Traffic Light at Hereford Road will be installed. Two retention ponds on the eastside of SR 92 are being
built. A small one Southof Miller Creek for its' flow and a larger one North of Miller Creek for Clark's
Spring Creek flow. Time will tell if these 2 ponds become birding spots. However the area was cleared
of trees. Might be a good project for some group to make into a wildlife area?
This highway project will mean a more safe Carr-Miller part of SR 92.
try Bill Forbes's Professional Photographer setup near Madera Canyon.
His Photographic Trigger System was used at our Cabin A by BOB CLARK to take the following
of two BLACK-CHINNED females.
and while there also visit the adjacent San Bernardino N.W.R.
Note: If new to Birdwatching this is a great website for info!
Following taken from 2 Gordon Lewis emails:
San Pedro River Walks will begin again Monday March 2 in Palominas. These Huachuca Audubon sponsored
walks will be conducted each Monday morning at 8 AM in March and April and 7 AM in May. The route covers
about two and a half miles and takes up to three hours. We saw 149 species last year averaging 50 species
per outing. The highest number of species seen was 74 in 2008. Check Huachuca Audubon website for
directions and updates.
There is no charge for these walks. The area is private land and open just once weekly for these walks.
The entry to the ranch is off State Highway 92 just west of the San Pedro River at 10663 Hwy. 92.
Local guides are welcome to access the property at other times as long as they come along on one walk
to get orientated. Guests at B&Bs are welcome on the walk or at other times as long as someone will
escort them who knows the area. Please call and let me know prior to showing up for access.
Gordon Lewis
Ranchogulag
520-366-5560
TUESDAY Morning: San Pedro River with SABO.
WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY Evening: SABO Owl Prowls.
THURSDAYS Morning: Our GUESTS get discounts on SABO's Miller Canyon Bird walks.
docents provided by Huachuca Audubon, Friends of the San Pedro and SABO.
Lasting about 2-2.5 hours. Starting at 8 AM, Oct - Mar and 7 AM, Apr - Sept.
Note: Special tours can be arranged for other times by calling SABO at 520-432-1388
and boat birding tours. For example, the following is their 2005 March/April Schedule:
9:00 a.m. Birding Hike, meet at Sonoita Creek Trailhead. Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon*, Tue**
* Monday's walk is for Beginning Birders.
** Tuesday's walk is at 11:30 AM
9:00 AM & 10:15 AM, Avian Adventure Pontoon Boat Tour: pre-register, $3, Sat, Sun, Tue
For up-to-date & more INFO/reservations call: 520-287-2791 or VISIT Arizona State Parks
along the San Pedro River. A map and info on the wastewater treatment plant, now known as the
"Waterfowl Viewing Pond" is also included. For more about Benson ecotourism, drop by the
Visitors Center at the old train depot, or email Bob at bob@bensonvisitorcenter.com
Phone: 520 586-4293
Fax: 520 586-4295
249 E. 4th Street
Benson, AZ 85602
and volunteers are not on site (which is most of the time these days) facilities are limited to seating
on the stone porch. The field station is on the Westside of SR 80 at the bottom of Hidden Meadow
Lane, which is exactly 2 miles North of the of the Mule Mountain Tunnel and 4.2 miles South of the
SR 80/90 intersection.
In the early "beta" stage, the website provides access to nine guides, but it is
my hope to add all of the
region's competent professional guides over these next months so that visiting birders can quickly and
conveniently make contact with the expert of their choice.
next available guide--a great way to sample the talent so amazingly concentrated here in Southeast AZ.
continuously updated rarities lists and statewide bar graphs from ebird. Bookmark it and check back often.
of rarities and specialties, with full credit, of course. The gorgeous Blue Mockingbird on the rarities page
right now is from Mike Moore
and BLM land.
Specializing in South East Asia; Britain, Europe etc.,
North America, especially Arizona
since he lives in Tucson, Phone: 520-304-0649 or Nigelcrook@yahoo.com
best Guide for NON Fort Huachuca Spotted Owls, since he has located some near Patagonia.
For more INFO: VISIT The Patagonia Birding & Butterfly Co.
and Custom Tours
Note: Here is what Stuart says about Beatty's: "I do not accept business from birders staying at Beatty's B&B
in Miller Canyon. Every action has its consequence and a principle is not a principle unless it costs you something.
I am not permitted to be your guide on the Beatty's property, regardless of where you are staying. I can, of course,
be your guide anywhere on the National Forest in Miller Canyon." For this
and other wonderful quotes by Stuart,
Visit Suart's General information
VISIT Charles W. Melton's Near Famous Photography
coverage of the sights, history, recreation, and practicalities of travel. You'll find both the city sights
and countryside delights. Many hikes and backroad drives lie within the 654 pages. It is sold at most
bookstores and at amazon.com
enthusiasts. Located in the beautiful San Rafael Valley of SE Arizona try Coronado Outfitters
Visit the Arizona Tourism Web Ring for more AZ info or to add your AZ info website.
Return to Beatty's Guest Ranch Home Page
Last Update:
06/25/2009
Web Author: Thomas L. Beatty Sr./Jr.
Copyright ©2006 by BEATTY'S Miller Canyon GUEST RANCH & Orchard - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED