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Tucson Area June/July (1 Viewer)

Rapala

Well-known member
I'm planning a trip to the Tucson area in late June or early July, and I'm hoping to get some input on birding areas and hiking trails that are good for wildlife. We're planning on hitting Saguaro National Park and the Sonora Desert Museum on the way. Some target species would be Verdin, Painted Redstart, Pyrrhuloxia, and Gambel's Quail, but mostly just to see species that I don't get here in the U.P. ;) Does anyone know of good hiking trails and birding hotspots that would be good later this summer? Thanks
 
In the Sierra Vista area, the Nature Connservancy's Ramsey Canyon Preserve is pretty unbeatable. Also nearby are Carr Canyon, Miller Canyon (Beatty's guest ranch for the best hummingbird watching), Ash Canyon, and yes, the military base at Fort Huachuca, including Scheelite Canyon, are all great spots for SE AZ birds.
 
You might consider a short trip to the Sweatwater Wetlands just a few miles northwest of downtown Tucson. It is a reparian water reclaim habitat. Summer is not the best time, but there should be some birds of interest, possibly the Gambel's Quail on your list. A couple of other possibilities are the Abert's Towhee seen only in the southwest desert and a Road Runner....beep, beep!

http://www.tucsonaz.gov/water/sweetwater-wetlands
 
Thank you all very much,
Unfortunately I don't think I'll be making it up Mount Lemmon. Sabino Canyon and the Sweetwater Wetlands are options, as locations around Sierra Vista are a bit too far out of the way. Looking at eBird Hotspots, about 6km south of the Sonora Desert Museum is Avra Valley. Would that be any good at the time I would be there? Thanks
 
On the desert floor in June and July, early morning and evening around sunset is the time to be out. This applies to the Desert Museum also. After 10 AM it's best to head to the mountains. It will be up to 25 degrees cooler on top of Mt. Lemmon.

If you want to get away from the crowds a bit, when at Sabino Canyon hike up the Bear Canyon/Seven Falls trail from the Sabino visitors center. You can also drive to the end of Bear Canyon Rd. for free access to the trail head. If there is thunderstorm activity, watch out for flash flooding.

Madera Canyon is a 45 minute drive from downtown Tucson. Again morning is best (earlier the better). Stop at the Santa Rita Lodge first at the feeders. With luck you will see 30 species in 10 minutes and might get lucky and see a hawk swoop down and grab a Mexican Jay (seen it happen 3 times). You can do Madera Canyon in the late afternoon/evening though there is less bird activity.

Look into Aqua Caliente Park on the far north-east side of town. For burrowing owls, there is a nesting family down by the airport for drive by bird watching. They are out after sunrise in the morning and early evening. In May/June we have seen up to 18 night hawks at one time swooping around at sunset near Prince and Sabino Creek on the east side of the creek.
 
Thanks leybold12.
Madera canyon might be a possibility depending on what's going on. Not sure how far south we'll make it.
 
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