11/13/2022
Winter at Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area!
Join Ken Blankenship of East West Birding Tours and soak up the sounds of sunrise at Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, as 1000s of bugling Sandhill Cranes lift off to forage across the Sulphur Springs Valley!
This managed wetlands provides a critical wintering sanctuary for a multitude of birds in our otherwise arid region. Over 20 species of ducks and geese gather by the hundreds, while raptors patrol the fields and skies: Red-tailed Hawk (several morphs), Prairie Falcon, Northern Harrier, Ferruginous Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Golden Eagle, and more. Groups of shorebirds may feature Long-billed Dowitcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Wilson’s Snipe, or Least and Spotted Sandpipers.
Winter also provides excellent opportunities to study and compare a wide variety of sparrows: let’s turn those “LBJ’s” into species! Black-throated, Vesper, Savannah, White-crowned, Brewer’s, Lark, Song, Lincoln’s, Sagebrush, and Chipping Sparrows flock alongside bubbly Lark Buntings; Chestnut-collared Longspur, Swamp & Clay-colored Sparrows are also possible. Another sought-after prize in dry, brushy areas is the skulky Bendire’s Thrasher.
We plan to wrap up in time for you to enjoy lunch in historic Bisbee, or maybe check out the Wild West in nearby Tombstone.
DATES: January 21, 22, 25, 28, & 29
COST: $50/person; $40 for guests of Ramsey Canyon Inn or Casa de San Pedro B&B — tell them we referred you 🙂
MEET-UP: 7:00 AM at Whitewater Draw camping/restroom area (GPS pin provided)
GROUP SIZE: 8 participants max
DM or email:
kenblankenshipbirding @ gmail . com
www.eastwestbirdingtours.com/Whitewater
