NEW YEARS AT RAMSEY CANYON INN,SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA
DATES
December 28, 2006 – January 2, 2007
December 28, 2007 – January 2, 2008
COST (PER PERSON)
COST PER PERSON, DOUBLE OCCUPANCY: $1375
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $250
DEPOSIT: $350
INCLUDES
From Tucson Airport, includes five nights lodging, all meals, transportaiton, entry fees, guides, taxes, tips.
Not Included: alcohol, other personal expenses
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
Easy, with one moderate to difficult, optional hike for Spotted Owl.
REGISTRATION
E-mail us for reservations or further information on any tour
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OVERVIEW
Celebrate New Years in one of the most beautiful places in North American: Ramsey Canyon, in the Huachuca Mountains. Southeastern Arizona is truly a birder's paradise. The tremendous variety of habitat types and the geographic proximity to Mexico provide for a phenomenal diversity of avian species. Most of the neotropical species go south in the winter, but many other species move in to winter, and a number of resident species are easy to find. Hawks, eagles, falcons, sparrows and other resident birds will be our focus for this long weekend. We will enjoy some of the finest food in Southeast Arizona. This is relaxed and comfortable getaway that you will always remember!
ITINERARY
DAY ONE: We provide a Tucson Airport pickup at 4:00 PM for those arriving by air. Others should arrive at Ramsey Canyon Inn by 5:30 PM. Dinner together at 6:30 PM at Adobe Restaurant, an exceptional southwestern cuisine, dining spot.
DAY TWO: Breakfast at 7:30 AM. Depart at 8:15 AM. We drive West today through Coronado National Monument and San Raphael Valley. We'll stop in Patagonia to see if any hummers are at the Patons feeders, then go to Kino Springs and, finally, Patagonia Lake where we hope to find the pair of Black-capped Gnatcatchers that have been wintering there. Dinner at 7:00 PM at Outside Inn, Sierra Vista.
DAY THREE: Breakfast at 7:30 AM. Depart at 8:15 AM. We spend the day in Sulphur Springs Valley-- in search of Ferruginous and Rough-legged Hawks, Prairie Falcons, Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, Bendire's Thrasher, Mountain Plover, Sprague's Pipit, Sage Sparrow, and Sandhill Cranes. Dinner at 6:30 at the The Bisbee Grille in the quaint artist's colony of Bisbee.
DAY FOUR: Breakfast at 7:30 AM. Depart at 8:15 AM. We spend the early morning at the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area--the first designated Globally Important Bird Area and one of the Nature Conservancy's 12 "Last Great Places on Earth"-- where we hope to see the elusive Green Kingfisher. Later, we drive up to Fort Huachuca and Garden Canyon. We visit Scheelite Canyon for Mexican Spotted Owl, and Sawmill Canyon for high elevation species, e.g., Yellow-eyed Junco. Dinner at 7:00 PM at Cafe Roka in Bisbee.
DAY FIVE: Greet the New Year with a full breakfast at 8:00 AM at Ramsey Canyon Inn. We spend the morning exploring Ramsey Canyon Preserve. In the afternoon, we follow any rare bird reports and go wherever there's something interesting to see. Catered dinner by our favorite French/Swiss chef, Gratien at 6:30 at the Inn. His meal may be the high point of the trip, gastronomically, at least.
DAY SIX: Tour ends after breakfast. We'll return you to Tucson Airport by about 9:30 AM.
CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT
Casual, informal attire is acceptable for all restaurants. Casual, informal attire is acceptable for all restaurants. The following items are important to have for you comfort and safety. We are at about 5000 feet most of the time, so temperatures can drop below freezing in the morning. Windy days can produce a significant wind-chill factor. Temperatures usually moderate during the day getting up into the 60;s and 70;s most days.
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Hat with brim/visor
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Sunglasses
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Sunscreen
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Water bottle (we will carry extra water for refills)
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Small day pack/fanny pack
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Hiking boots or sturdy walking shoes
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Long-sleeve shirts
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Long pants
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Medium-weight jacket
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Wind-breaker (water repellant in unlikely event it rains)
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Binoculars (scope is optional; we will have one or two scopes)
Recommended Books:
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North American, David Sibley.
A BirderÕs Guide to Southeastern Arizona. (Lane Guide). Richard Taylor.
A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors. Brian Wheeler & William Clark.
A Guide to the Identification and Natural History of The Sparrow of the United States and Canada. James Rising & David Beadle.
Birds of North American. Kenn Kaufman.
Going Back to Bisbee. Richard Shelton. University of Arizona Press. 1992.
J. A. Jance mystery series about JoAnn Brady, Sheriff of Cochise County, Southeastern, AZ.
All books can be obtained from Madison Audubon Shoppe (888) 505-9056 at a 10% discount for High Lonesome BirdTours trip participants.
FOR RESERVATIONS & REGISTRATION INFO
HIGH LONESOME BIRDTOURS
570 S. Little Bear Trail, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635
Phone (520) 458-9446 or 1-800-743-2668
Email: hilone@hilonesome.com
Website: www.hilonesome.com