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Field Trips



SAS conducts three or four field trips each month, including summer months. The trips vary from just a few hours in the morning to three-day trips. Some trips are mornings only, but we plan longer ones if interest is expressed by the membership. Most of the trips are birding events, but we do intersperse other activities if our members express special interests.  Upcoming trips are listed below.

New requirement:  On all field trips, you MUST make reservations by calling or e-mailing the leader.  The leader can then give updated information as to the meeting place, times, etc.  Also, some trips are limited in size.

Click here to see reports from previous trips.

Coming up in 2012
Saturday
February 11, 2012
Estrella Mountain Park
Leader: Joe Ford
623-792-8154 lford25@cox.net
Joe Ford does this bird walk once a month and this is yourchance to join in and just see what this park has to offer. With the mesquite trees, cottonwoods and lots of shrubbery, there is always lots of birds. Down at the river, egrets and herons will show their feathers and once in a while a Belted Kingfisher flies down the river. See the article and trip report on page 6.

Difficulty: 1

Meet at the visitors center to leave at 8 a.m. or at the Burger King just off of 101 on Thunderbird Avenue to leave at 7:15 a.m. Meet George Wall there for car-pooling. Note: There is an entrance fee of $6.00 per car.
Saturday
February 18, 2012
Gilbert Riparian Preserve
Leader: Richard Kaiser
602-276-3312
Kaiserinaz@aol.com
Visit the Gilbert Riparian Preserve located at the SE cornerof Greenfield and Guadalupe Roads behind the Regional Library. A bird list of more than 140 species has been compiled there including more than 50 species of water/shorebirds like the Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets.

Difficulty: 1

Meet at the NE parking lot at 7:30 a.m. Alternate meeting spot is the Burger King just off of 101 on Thunderbird
Sunday-Monday
February 26-27, 2012
Lake Havasu, Bill Williams  River NWR and Parker Dam
Contact: Joe Ford

623-792-8154
lford25@cox.net
This is a trip designed to see a lot of water birds suchas ducks and loons, but there are always other birds to be seen at the Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge. We are getting local leaders for each day and a fee will be levied to compensate them.

Difficulty 2 – You will need some slipover wader boots as there are streams to cross or just wear tennis shoes if you don’t mind getting them wet.

Make your own reservations—suggested is the Travel Lodge at 1-928-680-9202.

Call leader for reservations and further information as this trip will be limited to 4 cars (16 people).
Saturday - Sunday
March 10-11, 2012
Tres Rios Nature and Earth Festival

Info HERE

Volunteers are needed. Contact Bob McCormick at McBobAZ@aol.com or phone to 602-237-3951.

Wednesday
March 14, 2012
Hassayampa RIver Preserve
Leader: Vera Markham
623-974-1110
vjmsaint@cox.net

Hassayampa is always a nice place to take a bird walk as you never know what you’ll find. There are nice easy trails to walk around the area and also to the river.

Difficulty: 1

Meet at Bell Recreation Center parking lot near corner of Hutton and Boswell in Sun City. We’ll leave at 7:15 a.m. or you can meet the group at the Hassayampa River Preserve at 8-8:15 a.m. There is a $5 fee for each person unless you’re a Nature Conservancy member and then it is $3.
Saturday
March 31, 2012
Annual Picnic at Horseshoe Ranch

Info HERE

Reservations are needed so contact George Wall at 623-875-7057 or e-mail me at gwall5@cox.net.
Wednesday
April 4, 2012
Red Rock State Park
Leader: Dan Bohlmann
602-938-8244
dansbohlman@prodigy.net

This a beautiful State Park near Sedona with Oak Creek flowing through it and lots of cottonwoods and sycamores along the creek. There are trails running along the creek, around open meadows and up to thetop of a small peak (Eagles Nest) overlooking the whole park which is a spectacular viewpoint. Within the park is a favorite nesting area of the Common Black Hawk. There are a great variety of birds that have been seen here such as great flocks of Cedar Waxwings and Red-winged Blackbirds, Blue Grosbeaks, Oregon Juncos, Spotted and Green-tailed Towhees, Lesser Goldfinches, Cardinals, Blackheaded Grosbeaks, Western Bluebirds, Summer and Western Tanagers, Bullock’s Oriole, Robins, Nuthatches, Chickadees, Scrub Jays, Swallows, Redshafted Flickers, Hairy and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Vireos and Warblers depending on the time of year. There is a $5 per car park entrance fee.

Difficulty: 2 Bring Lunch.

Meet at Fry’s Electronics Store, 31st Ave. and Thunderbird in the parking lot on the north side of the building (N.E. corner) to leave at 7:00 a.m. forthcoming
Saturday
April 21, 2012
Mt. Ord
Andrée Tarby 602-421-9425
awtarby@gmail.com

Info forthcoming
Friday-Sunday, April 27-29, 2012
Brown Canyon Ranch & Area
Leader: George Wall, 623-875-7057 gwall5@cox.net
This is a special trip that we have arranged with Buenos Aires National Wildlife Preserve. We have reserved the Brown Canyon Environmental Education Center. This is a 7 bedroom ranch house that sleeps 14 on the second floor. This means there will be room mates. It has 2 bathrooms on the upper floor and a bathroom on the bottom floor. There is a large kitchen with refrigerator and oven and a very large meeting room with a huge table to seat everyone.

This ranch house is located on a dirt road quite a distance from the paved road. A canyon wash (sometimes with water) leads up into the mountains. to an archway. Birds abound especially if there is water. Not only will we bird here, but also at nearby spots like the preserve and Arivaca.

There is limit of 14 people. The cost for renting is $560 for the two nights. This means if we get 14 people (which I anticipate easily), the cost will be $40 for the two nights plus your travel costs. You have to bring your own linens for your bed or a sleeping bag, towel, and any other toilet necessities. We chip for the suppers (usually spaghetti/meatballs, salad and dessert one night and hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans and dessert the next). You bring your own food for breakfast and lunches.
Saturday
April 28, 2012
Glendale Library Gardens
Leader: Joe Ford

623-792-8154
lford25@cox.net
This is a trip designed to see a lot of water birds suchas ducks and loons, but there are always other birds to be seen at the Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge. We are getting local leaders for each day and a fee will be levied to compensate them.In place of the Brown Canyon trip listed above, you can try this trip. It is a bird walk for beginners and for people who like to walk in the beautiful Xeriscape gardens where Gila Woodpeckers are seen in the palms and you have to chase the pheasants from underfoot.

Meet at the Glendale Library at 8 a.m. The Library islocated at the corner of 59th Avenue and Brown in Glendale.
Thursday-Friday
May 10-11, 2012
Patagonia
Leader: Kathe Anderson
Contact: Donna Smith 623-556-9535
rmsl5247@cox.net
A trip to Patagonia leaving Thursday morning at 4:15a.m. and staying at a B&B. This trip is limited to 8 people and is currently full. Put your name on the waiting list as there is always a possibility.


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