THE BIRDS OF SONORA

Sierra Madres, Sea of Cortez & Colonial Alamos

Russet-crowned Motmot

Alamos, 2006

DATES

FEBRUARY 1 - 10, 2008

OCOBER 10 - 19, 2008

COST (PER PERSON)

COST PER PERSON, DOUBLE OCCUPANCY: $2650 (2007) $2850 (2008)

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $600

DEPOSIT: $500

INCLUDES

from Tucson*; includes nine nights lodging, all meals from 1^st night through lunch during return trip to Tucson (final night's dinner on your own in Tucson); excursions, guides, taxes & tips.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL

Easy with a couple of moderately strenuous hikes of up to 2 miles that are optional.

REGISTRATION

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OVERVIEW

Our trips to friendly Sonora are in great demand. We typically record 225 to 250 species on our trips, while observing many of the Northwest Mexican endemics. The culture, history and cuisine of Sonora are especially appealing to our participants. Sightings such as the Mexican Beaded Lizard, Desert Tortoise and Parrot Snake add to the excitement and diversity of these trips. An advantage of our Sonora trips is their accessibility by vehicle from Arizona, allowing us to enter Mexico in well-supplied and good vehicles. Please consider joining us for an adventure to the vast and beautiful state of Sonora, Mexico.

Following are areas we expect to visit in Sonora.

THE SEA OF CORTEZ: ESTERO TOBARI

Estero Tobari is located between Cuidad Obregon and Navajoa. Its mudflats typcially host thousands of wintering shorebirds, egrets, herons, spoonbills, gulls and terns.

Of particular note and easily seen are. Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, Roseate Spoonbills, Yellow-crowned Night-herons, Wilson's Plovers, Marbled Godwits, Elegant and Gull-billed Terns. A quarter mile beyond the estuary is the Sea of Cortez where we usually find Blue-footed & Brown Boobies; and Pacific & Common Loons

THE SIERRA MADRES: YECORA

Yecora is located 168 miles east of Hermosillo, deep in the barrancas of the Sierra Madres. It's a small, dusty, charming cattle town tucked into a valley between two high mesas. Our Christmas counts have been averaging more than 165 species. Military Macaw; Blue-hooded Euphonia; Hooded Grosbeak; Red-billed Pigeon; Mountain & Least Pygmy-owl; White-eared & Berylline Hummingbird; Mountain & Eared Trogon; Gray-crowned Woodpecker; White-striped Woodcreeper; Gray-collared Becard; Black-throated Magpie-Jay; Mexican Chickadee; Spotted Wren; Brown-backed Solitaire; Russet & Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush; White-throated Robin; Blue Mockingbird; Slate-throated Redstart; Fan-tailed, Rufous-capped & Crescent-chested Warblers; Rusty Sparrow; Rufous-capped Brushfinch; Black-vented & Streak-backed Oriole; and Black-headed Siskin, have all been seen in the Yecora area as well as montane-forest, breeding species of Southeastern Arizona.

We also drive some backroads through several timeless towns such as Santa Ana, where electricity has yet to find its way. We often see many of the species we are seeking on these back roads, but we also get a chance to see how the rural Mexicans or campesinos continue to live as they have for centuries.

TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FOREST: COLONIAL ALAMOS

Designed in the 1700's by the King of Spain's personal architect, Alamos represents one of the finest examples of old Spanish colonial architecture. The city has been completely restored over the past fifty years, with considerable assistance from expatriate Americans. In the Alamos area, we encounter pristine tropical deciduous forest for the first time. The Alamos area represents the Northern extent of this habitat that stretches all the way to Costa Rica. The Rio Cuchijaqui provides a rich riparian garden for many of the tropical species.

We’ll be spending four nights in the Five-star, Hacienda de los Santos, (member, “Small Luxury Hotels of the World”). Meals will be cooked by local gourmet chefs and will be exceptional!

Military Macaw nest in the cliffs of the Sierra de Alamos though not easy to find before they begin nesting in late May. Bare-throated Tiger-Heron; Rufous-bellied Chachalaca; Crane Hawk; White-tailed Hawk; Great Black Hawk; Solitary Eagle; Laughing Falcon; White-fronted & Lilac-crowned Parrots; Mexican Parrotlet; White-tipped Dove; Ruddy Ground-Dove; Lesser Roadrunner; Groove-billed Ani; Ferruginous Pygmy-owl; Mottled Owl; Plain-capped Starthroat; Violet-crowned Hummingbird; Russet-crowned Motmot, Lineated Woodpeckers, Ivory-billed Woodcreeper; Tufted & Nutting's Flycatcher; Bright-Rumped Attila; Great Kiskadee; Social Flycatcher; Thick-billed & Tropical Kingbird; Rufous-backed Robin; Gray Silky-Flycatcher; Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush; Purplish-backed Jay; Sinaloa Crow; Sinaloa & Happy Wren; Five-striped Sparrow; Scrub Euphonia, Yellow Grosbeak, and Rusty Ground-sparrow have all been seen in the Alamos area. If the water level is high enough, we will take a lovely raft trip down the Rio Mayo.

ITINERARY

DAY DAY ONE: Arrive Tucson Airport by 4:00 PM. Pick up at airport and drive to Sierra Vista and overnight in Sierra Vista. Dinner locally.

HOTEL: Sierra Vista, Windemere Hotel

DAY TWO: Depart after breakfast (served at 6:30) at about 7:00 AM. Cross border at Naco, Arizona. Birding along the lovely Rio Sonora Valley. Arrive Hermosillo about 5:30. Dinner and overnight in Hermosillo.

HOTEL: Hermosillo, Hotel Fiesta

DAY THREE: Breakfast at 6:00 AM. Depart by 6:30 AM for Yecora. Birding along the way with significant stops at Puente San Jose de Pima and fig tree canyon as well as“The Barranca”. Arrive Yecora by about 5:00 PM. Dinner at Los Agualitos and overnight at Motel King.

HOTEL: Yecora, Motel King

DAY FOUR: Breakfast at 5:00 AM. Birding all day at the Barranca and Mesa Companera with box lunches. Dinner at Los Aguajitos. Overnight at Motel King.

HOTEL: Yecora, Motel King

DAY FIVE: Breakfast at 6:30 AM. Depart for Alamos. Drive the back way through Santa Ana and beautiful habitat for birding. Box lunch along the way. Arrive Alamos at about 5:30. Dinner and overnight at Hacienda de los Santos.

HOTEL: Alamos, Hacienda de los Santos

DAY SIX: Breakfast at 6:00 AM. Depart for Aduana Arroyo and birding all morning. Back for lunch about 12:30. Siesta after lunch until 4:00 PM. Drive to microwave tower road, bird for a couple hours, then return for dinner in Alamos on top of the Mirador.

HOTEL: Alamos, Hacienda de los Santos

DAY SEVEN: Breakfast at 6:00 AM. If water level is adequate, all-day raft trip on the Rio Mayo. Otherwise, drive to Mintedera and Rio Cuchiqaqui. Birding all morning, lunch along the river, then return about 2:00. Authentic Mexican dinner at La Ciudedela.

HOTEL: Alamos, Hacienda de los Santos

DAY EIGHT: Breakfast at 7:00 AM. Drive to Estero Tobari and Sea of Cortez. Birding all day with lunch there. Elegant dinner at Hacienda de los Santos. (dress is still casual)

HOTEL: Alamos, Hacienda de los Santos

DAY NINE: Depart from Alamos at about 8:00 AM after breakfast. Drive to Tucson for overnight. Arrive about 6:00 PM. You’re on you own for dinner, but the Courtyard does has a restaurant.

HOTEL: Tucson, Courtyard Marriott at the Airport

DAY TEN: Departure flights.

CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT

Casual, informal attire is acceptable everywhere we’ll be dining, although you’re welcome to dress up if you’d like. You would fit in either way.

- Passport will be required as of January 1, 2008 for re-entry to the US. Make certain you have six months remaining prior to expiration.

- Some cash (or better yet, ATM card) to change for pesos to buy personal item

- Hat with brim/visor

- Sunglasses

- Sunscreen with SPF 25 or higher

- Water Bottles (Hotels have purified water)

- Lip Screen / Balm

- Small Day Pack / Fanny Pack

- Hiking Boots/ Old sneakers you can get wet

- Shorts

- Swimsuit

- T-shirts and long-sleeve shirts

- Sweaters and warm jacket (fleece-type good or light sweater and jean-weight jacket)

- Light-weight gloves/hat

- Bug repellent

- Water-proof windbreaker/rain jacket

-Light-weight gloves/hat

-Pajamas and Slippers

-Binoculars (scope optional, we will carry a scope or two for the group)

Temperatures will generally be in the 60’s to 80’s, but it can get cool in the morning, down to as low as 30 in the winter months in Yecora.

A best field guide for birding in Mexico is A Guide To The Birds Of Mexico and Northern Central America by Steve N.G. Howell and Sophie Webb; Oxford University Press; 1995. If you buy it Audubon Shoppe have them do the plates separately, or go to Kinko’s and have them cut and bind.

The Secret Forest by Charles Bowden; University of New Mexico Press; Albuquerque, 1993.

The Birds of Sonora by Steven Russell & Gale Monson; The University of Arizona Press; Tucson; 1998. Unfortunately, bird distribution patterns are already outdated, but still a good reference.

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