Southwest Wings Birding and Nature Festival is Arizona’s oldest birding festival. Since 1991 we’ve been offering small group trips through monsoons and droughts … and even a global pandemic. 

The Southwest Wings Spring Fling will run from Wednesday May 7 to Saturday May 10, 2025

Spring Fling 2025 festival will be mainly Group Van Field Trips (marked GROUP VAN) with a few small-group, car-caravan style guided field trips in participants' own vehicles (marked CAR CARAVAN). Van trips go to more remote or distant locations and car-caravan trips will require less driving.

Schedule

Wednesday, MAY 7, 2025

6:00 AM - 4:00 PM

WF1 Chiricahua Mountains/Cave Creek (three days, two nights) - GROUP VAN

Join expert bird guide, David Simpson, on an exploration of the Chiricahua Mountains. We will start with Cassin's and Botteri's Sparrows in the prairies at the base, then climb into the pine-oak woodlands to search for Arizona Woodpecker, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, and Bridled Titmouse. Entering the coniferous forest, we'll look for Virginia's, Grace's, and Olive Warblers along with Greater Pewees, Red-faced Warblers, Pygmy Nuthatch and Steller's Jay. A Chiricahua specialty is the Mexican Chickadee, not found anywhere else on public lands within the entire United States.

We have two nights at Portal Peak Lodge at the mouth of majestic Cave Creek Canyon. There we will explore sycamore-laced South Fork for Elegant Trogon, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Painted Redstart, and Hepatic Tanager. The many hummingbird feeders in the area host colorful Rivoli's, Blue-throated and Broad-billed Hummingbirds. On a pre-breakfast excursion into the desert below Portal we'll try for Bendire's and Crissal Thrashers and adjacent foothills harbor Juniper Titmouse and Black-chinned Sparrow.  A night run up Cave Creek may net us Whiskered Screech-Owl and Elf Owl, along with calling Mexican Whip-poor-will.

This trip includes all meals and two nights accommodation at the Portal Peak Lodge. This trip is best suited for intermediate birding skills. Bring hat and sunscreen, camera, pocket flashlight, and wear sturdy hiking boots. With birding stops en route, this trip may get back after 4 pm. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate.  Guide: David Simpson

Price is for double occupancy, however, if you are interested in single occupancy, please contact SWWings at [email protected].

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:00 AM - 4:00 PM

WF2 California Gulch/Santa Cruz Valley (three days, two nights)  - GROUP VAN

The rugged canyons of the Atascosa Mountains and Pajarito Wilderness are some of the most celebrated birding spots on the Arizona/Sonora border. This overnight tour, with professional guide Richard Fray, will focus on the search for the area’s most famous specialty birds, among them Rose-throated Becard, Montezuma Quail, Buff-collared Nightjar, and Five-striped Sparrow. This tour also provides excellent opportunities for seeing a good cross-section of southeast Arizona’s many specialties, including Elf Owl, Gray Hawk, Elegant Trogon, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Tropical Kingbird, Painted Redstart, Botteri’s, Rufous-winged and Rufous-crowned Sparrows, and Scott’s Oriole. We begin in Patagonia, where we will hit prime locations for Violet-crowned Hummingbird, and other exciting possibilities. After lunch our route takes us directly to California Gulch, where we will look for the rare Five-striped Sparrow, Black-capped Gnatcatcher and other species. We will remain in the area until the end of the day to look for Buff-collared Nightjar, which breeds there, as well as the chance of other night birds. We will have a 'picnic' dinner and be late back to our accommodation.

The next morning, after a little sleep in and a home-cooked breakfast, we will explore the “birdy” Santa Cruz Valley, where we hope to spot Rose-throated Becard, Thick-billed Kingbird and others. Sites around Rio Rico and Nogales could produce Black-bellied Whistling-Duck and Elegant Trogon. The final day, we'll head back to Sierra Vista via Box Canyon, which could produce Five-striped Sparrow and Lucifer Hummingbird, and the grasslands of Las Cienegas. Most of our birding will be from the vehicle or on level, sometimes rocky paths. This trip includes all meals and lodging at the Rancho Santa Cruz B&B. Please select your first day's lunch sandwich filling from menu below the Field Trip descriptions on the registration page. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. This trip is best suited for intermediate birding skills. Bring binoculars, camera, sunscreen, and insect repellant. Guide Richard Fray.

Price is for double occupancy, however, if you are interested in single occupancy please contact [email protected].

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:00 AM - 3:00 PM

W1 Carr Canyon - GROUP VAN

Join local bird expert, Steve Tracey, on this tour of Carr Canyon, beginning in the lower canyon, where we will look for Gambel's Quail, Rufous-crowned, Chipping and Botteri's Sparrows, Blue and Black-headed Grosbeaks, and other canyon outlet species. We may stop at the Carr House Nature Center to check the hummingbird feeders. Venturing to the top of Carr Canyon, we may see up to six species of hummingbirds, as well as Arizona, Gila and Acorn Woodpeckers, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Grace's and Olive Warblers, Painted Redstart, Yellow-eyed Junco, Hepatic Tanager, Scott's Oriole and other mountain and canyon specialties. Be prepared for a slow walk covering a mile or two with a 200ft elevation gain and uneven terrain. This trip is best suited for intermediate birders. Bring hat, water, sun protection, and wear comfortable, sturdy trail shoes.  Lunch is included – please select your sandwich filling from menu below the Field Trip descriptions on the registration page. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate with elevation. Guide Steve Tracey.

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6.00 AM - 3:00 PM

W2 Miller Canyon - GROUP VAN

Join professional birding guide, Kristy Gallo, on an exploration of one of the finest Huachuca Mountain Canyons. Miller Canyon is known to local birders as a reliable place to find Red-faced Warblers and there may even be a chance of a Mexican Spotted Owl. Other SE Arizona specialties including Arizona Woodpecker, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Painted Redstart, Grace’s Warbler and Hepatic Tanager are all found here. This trip includes a visit to the famous hummingbird feeders at Beatty's B&B where up to 10 species of hummingbirds can be found, including a chance of the rare White-eared Hummingbird. Bring hat, sun protection and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included – please select your sandwich filling from menu below the Field Trip descriptions on the registration page. Hiking Difficulty: 4 difficult. Guide Kristy Gallo

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:00 AM - 4:00 PM

W3 Coronado National Memorial - GROUP VAN

Enjoy a scenic exploration of the south side of the Huachuca Mountains with professional guide and environmental educator, Jeff Babson. The tour begins with a drive through the grasslands which carpet the foothills on the way to the entrance to the Coronado National Monument. Here we may find the newly split Chihuahuan Meadowlark and Botteri's Sparrow as well as Western and Cassin's Kingbirds, and Loggerhead Shrike. The visitor centre, has a large observation window at the back and a trail runs from the centre through to a picnic area and this is good for Arizona Woodpecker. Driving upwards the road becomes a track, and there is a chance anywhere along here of encountering Montezuma Quail. The area is good for mid-elevation species, such as Painted Redstart and Black-throated Gray Warbler. The trip reaches its highest point at Montezuma Pass, with its incredible views over to Mexico. Here we will stop and hike up the Coronado Peak Trail, an easy walk with a 300ft elevation gain. Venturing over the other side, we will explore along the trail to Copper Canyon, where a small stream crosses the road. Always good for butterflies, this area also hosts Rufous-crowned Sparrow and Hepatic Tanager. Bring hat, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included – please select your sandwich filling from menu below the Field Trip descriptions on the registration page. Hiking difficulty 2-3 easy to moderate. Guide Jeff Babson.

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:00 AM - 4:00 PM

W4 Madera and Box Canyons - GROUP VAN

Join professional guide Sharon Goldwasser on a trip which will take you to Madera Canyon via Box Canyon and the Santa Rita grasslands and explore this famous birding site. The grasslands on the way are good for Grasshopper Sparrow and the newly split Chihuahuan Meadowlark. For the last couple of years Box Canyon has hosted breeding Five-striped Sparrow and we will stop to look for this rare species, also hoping to see Varied Bunting and Scott's Oriole. Moving on to Madera Canyon we will bird the many habitats it has to offer - grassland, riparian, and woodland. We will also enjoy a picnic lunch and watch feeding stations. Target species would include Rivoli's Hummingbird, Elegant Trogon, Painted Redstart, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Hepatic Tanager, Botteri’s Sparrow, Yellow-eyed Junco and Scott’s Oriole. Bring hat, water, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Lunch is included – please select your sandwich filling from menu below the Field Trip descriptions on the registration page. Hiking Difficulty: 3 moderate. Guide Sharon Goldwasser.  

Meeting place: Cochise College, Sierra Vista. Follow Campus Drive to east of Colombo Avenue and park in parking lot on the left. Map link

6:30 AM - 12:00 PM

W5 San Pedro River Specialties - CAR CARAVAN

Join naturalist guides Gordon and Lori Lam on a half-day exploration of the San Pedro River which starts at the renowned Casa San Pedro. After a look at the feeders which attract many hummingbirds and other species, the tour will take you along the riverine habitat of the San Pedro River. The shady cottonwoods and lush riverside vegetation are home to a wide range of species including Gray Hawk, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Vermilion Flycatcher, Abert's Towhee, and Blue Grosbeak while in nearby grassland there is Botteri's Sparrow. Bring hat, water, sun protection, and wear trail shoes. Hiking Difficulty: 2 easy. Guides Gordon and Lori Lam.

Meeting place: Parking lot at Casa San Pedro, 8933 S Yell Lane, Hereford. Map link.  

7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

WN1 Owl Prowl - CAR CARAVAN

The Huachuca Mountains are home to several sought-after nocturnal birds, including Whiskered and Western Screech-Owls, Common Poorwill, and Mexican Whip-poor-will. On this trip, local birding guide Dan Hoobler will target these birds with the possibility of seeing many other nocturnal creatures. Please wear darker or khaki clothing and a soft material fleece or jacket; avoid light and bright clothing hats and anything that makes a lot of rustling noises, such as crinkly nylon windbreakers.'

Owl trips are conducted only at the spring event and, like all birding, there are no guarantees except that we will have a good time. Hiking Difficulty: 2 easy, Darkness. Bring a flashlight or headlamp and field guide. Cameras are okay. Best suited for intermediate to advanced birders. Guides: Dan Hoobler.

Meeting place: Ramsey Canyon Preserve parking lot, at the top of Ramsey Canyon Road. Map link

Date: May 6 - 10, 2025