Our accommodation for tonight is in a lovely section of Tucson in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. This morning we begin our field day with a stop at a rich wetland area recently opened up for birding. We then take a scenic back road into Saguaro National Park, reaching the world-famous Sonoran Desert Museum in time for lunch. After lunch we drive south making a brief stop at the magnificent San Xavier del Bac mission where we learn about the local people's culture and their ways of adapting to what many would describe as a harsh environment. We continue to the superbly-situated Santa Rita Lodge, in lush Madera Canyon.
Accommodation here is in creekside cabins surrounded by oaks and sycamores.
Dinner tonight will be a picnic outside our cabins where with luck we may watch Elf Owl peeking out of its nest hole at dusk. Then it's on to several bird hotspots south of Madera Canyon. At Kino Springs we walk around a series of ponds that are excellent for Black-bellied Whistling Duck, and the fabulous Vermilion Flycatcher. We return via a local restaurant to our canyon retreat in time to listen and look for night birds. Overnight Madera Canyon Day 4 Early mornings in Madera Canyon are absolutely magical.