For enquiries & bookings, please following this link: Birding Direct - United States
This tour is operated by High Lonesome BirdTours in partnership with BirdingDirect.
These are large group tours (up to 16 guests with multiple tour leaders), and will have guests from both Highlonesome as well as BirdingDirect.
August is a great time to visit the birding hotspots of southeast Arizona. The majority of specialty species are present with certain tricky species like Montezuma Quail and Botteri’s and Cassin’s Sparrows being easier to find as they become vocal during the onset of the monsoon breeding season. In addition, it is peak hummingbird season and the resident hummingbirds are augmented by migrants with up to a dozen species possible (10 are very likely). These jewels of the avian world can be studied in great detail at various feeder setups that range from the riparian areas to the foothills, making southeast Arizona the hummingbird capital of the United States.
It is also possible to see the vast majority of specialty species during August, including Zone-tailed and Gray Hawks, Mexican Jay, Arizona Woodpecker, Thick-billed and Tropical Kingbirds, Sulphur-bellied, Dusky-capped, and Buff-breasted Flycatchers, Greater Pewee, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Mexican Chickadee, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Bendire’s Thrasher, Olive Warbler, Red-faced Warbler, Painted Redstart, Abert’s Towhee, Rufous-winged Sparrow, Yellow-eyed Junco, and the stunning Elegant Trogon. We will also venture forth at night to look for the various species of owls present in this corner of the Grand Canyon State. During August, the owls have finished nesting and tend to be less vocal (thus a bit trickier to find), but we still have excellent chances for Whiskered and Western Screech-Owls and Great Horned Owl. With great luck we might find Spotted Owl on a day roost and we will always keep our ears open for the call of the Northern Pygmy-Owl. We also have good chances to see a variety of mammals during our day and night excursions including Black-tailed Jackrabbit, Cliff Chipmunk, Rock Squirrel, Mexican Fox Squirrel, Coyote, Hog-nosed Skunk, and Collared Peccary.
August is also a great time to witness the onset of fall migration with flycatchers and warblers passing through plus a wide variety of species typical of the southwest desert region. Additionally, we will try to track down any Mexican rarities that may be present (August is a great time of year to locate post-breeding dispersers from Mexico), such as White-eared Hummingbird, Rufous-capped Warbler, Flame-colored Tanager, or Streak-backed Oriole, all of which are possible.
Montezuma Quail; Botteri’s, Rufous-winged & Cassin’s Sparrows; Zone-tailed & Grey Hawks; Mexican Jay; Arizona Woodpecker; Thick-billed & Tropical Kingbirds; Sulphur-bellied, Dusky-capped & Buff-breasted Flycatchers; Greater Pewee; Northern Beardless Tyrannulet; Mexican Chickadee; Black-capped Gnatcatcher; Bendire’s Thrasher; Olive & Red-faced Warblers; Painted Redstart; Abert’s Towhee; Yellow-eyed Junco; Elegant Trogon; Whiskered & Western Screech Owls, Northern Pygmy, Great Horned & Spotted Owls. Possible rarities: White-eared Hummingbird; Rufous-capped Warbler; Flame-colored Tanager; Streak-backed Oriole.
Black-tailed Jackrabbit; Cliff Chipmunk; Rock & Mexican Fox Squirrels; Coyote; Hog-nosed Skunk; Collared Peccary; Coatimundi; White-tailed & Mule Deer; Black Bear; Mountain Lion (rare)
Chichuahan & Sonoran Desert; high desert; Sierra Madrean forest; mountain forest.
mild to hot depending upon elevation. Monsoon rains will typically cool things off
14 with 2 Tour Leaders
easy to moderate, with some early mornings and later evenings, a few long drives and 2 strenuous hikes
very comfortable B&B for all nights
mostly easy with a few difficult species
along the way we enjoy wonderful scenery, mountain views, wild west landscapes, historical towns.
good to excellent
It really was a great trip with some difficult developments handled well. Flights out of Barrow were cancelled due to fog and Leader Stephan Lorenz and Claudia worked hours to get booked on a replacement charter flight by Alaska air. While doing so Stephan also added birding drives which were productive. As usual on tours led by Stephan he persisted to track down every possible bird. I have done two tours with Stephan and Claudia and have been extremely pleased with there professionalism and dedication to providing a satisfying experience.
I would just like to say how much I enjoyed both the tours - I saw lots of new birds, and our guide Stephan Lorenz was fantastic - extremely knowledgeable, and very patient, and made sure we all saw the birds. His wife Claudia was also extremely helpful in so many ways. I certainly hope I will do another tour with them in the not too distant future. The groups on both tours were friendly and easy to get on with. It was cold in Colorado, but it is a beautiful part of the world!
Stephan was an excellent guide and made sure everyone was able to see the birds and many times obtain photos. He was patient with the requests of the group members and facilitated an enjoyable experience for all. Claudia was a great addition to the team and we really appreciated her help finding birds in the scopes, identifying birds in the van, and working with Stephan to make sure our trip was as seamless as possible.
I am always very pleased and comfortable with the Rockjumper and High Lonesome tours that I have been on. Stephan and Claudia are a wonderful couple! They make everything run so smoothly and are so pleasant to be around. I know it is their job, but they always take any issues or complications in stride and do their utmost to make everything run smoothly. And Stephan is as good as it gets as a birding guide... so well prepared and knowledgeable about everything. This is my third tour with him (in the US) and am always amazed (even though I shouldn't be by now) how quickly he picks up on birds in the area. Tremendous trip, even having logged 5000 miles in the vans, and am looking forward to the next one this summer.
Great trip overall. Stephan is a great guide, knows where the birds are and makes sure everyone sees them. Very enjoyable trip.
10 Aug 2024 - 17 Aug 2024 (8 days)
USD3,400 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Local Leader
Tour price (Per person): USD3,400 * GBP2,773 * EUR3,203 * AUD5,236
Single Supplement: USD600 * GBP489 * EUR565 * AUD924
09 Aug 2025 - 16 Aug 2025 (8 days)
USD0 - No Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Local Leader
Pricing notes : Please see BirdingDirect link for spaces and pricing.
Tour price (Per person): Price to be announced