I am exhibiting all the symptoms of an addiction. Visiting Texas in March/April and November 2000 only made me more determined to revisit the area the following spring, so I planned the same sort of trip excesses that marked my TX/FL trip of the previous spring.
This time, as last spring, I planned to drive from NYC to Texas, but instead of then heading out to Florida afterwards, I intended to head even further west to Arizona - I place I had never extensively birded.
What follows is the proposed approximate itinerary for the trip. The timings probably make it look as if I am delusional - what they are supposed to do is to give me some idea if a particular day's itinerary is even vaguely possible. Things invariably change in response to weather, what sort of birds I see, lurking rarities, and my inability to get up at 5am every day.
Itinerary: (Timing seems OK if Day1=Friday)
Times at a site include travel TO a site from previous site.
Estimated dawn/dusk are 6:30am, 7:00pm
| Fri 4/6 | Day1: | [New York City] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware Memorial Br | +2 hours (@60mph) | ||
| Baltimore, MD | +3 hours | ||
| DC Beltway/I-66 | +4 hours | ||
| Front Royal/I-81 | +5 hours | ||
| I-64 | +7 hours | ||
| Tennessee Border | +10 hours | ||
| I-40 | +11 hours | ||
| Knoxville/I-75 | +12 hours | ||
| Chattanooga/Trenton | +14 hours | ||
| [Trenton, GA] | |||
| Sat 4/7 | Day2: | [Trenton, GA] | |
| Birmingham, AL | +2 hours (@60mph) | ||
| Meridian, MI | +4.5 hours | ||
| LA 190/90 Park | +8 hours | ||
| New Orleans | +9 hours | ||
| Baton Rouge | +10 hours | ||
| Lake Charles | +12 hours | ||
| Beaumont, TX | +13 hours | ||
| [Beaumont, TX] | |||
| Sun 4/8 | Day3: | [Beaumont] | |
| Smith Park | 6-7 | ||
| Anahuac NWR | 7-10 | ||
| High Island | 10-12 | ||
| Rollover Pass | 12-1 | ||
| Bolivar Flats | 1-2 | ||
| Galveston Ferry | 2-3 | ||
| Brazos Bend State Park | 3-6 | ||
| [Camp@Goose Island StPk] | |||
| Mon 4/9 | Day4: | [Goose Island State Park] | |
| Tivoli | 6-7 | ||
| Aransas NWR | 7-10 | ||
| Goose Island State Park | 10-11 | ||
| Aransas Wastewater Park | 11-1 | ||
| ?? Street for Ani | |||
| Botanical Gdns for Ani | |||
| Dick Kleburg/Kingsville | 1-3 | ||
| FM ??? for Ani | |||
| Laguna Atascosa NWR | 3-6 | ||
| Brownsville Parrots | 6-8 | ||
| Brownsville Kingbirds | |||
| [Motel6 @Brownsville] | |||
| Tue 4/10 | Day5: | [Brownsville] | |
| Parrots, Kingbird | 7-8 | ||
| Botteri's/Cassin's Habitat | |||
| Sabal Palm | 8-12 CHK DAYS | ||
| Botteri's Habitat | |||
| Dump | 12-1 | ||
| South Padre Island | 1-4 | ||
| Santa Ana | 4-6 | ||
| Bentsen | 6-8 | ||
| [Camp @Bentsen] | |||
| Wed 4/11 | Day6: | [Bentsen] | |
| Bentsen | 6-8 | ||
| Anzalduas | 8-9 | ||
| Santa Ana | 9-1 | ||
| McAllen Wastewater Plant | 1-2 | ||
| Sparrow Alley | 2-4 | ||
| Chihuahua | 4-6 | ||
| Bentsen | 6-8 | ||
| [Camp @Bentsen] | |||
| Thu 4/12 | Day7: | [Bentsen] | |
| Bentsen | 6-7 | ||
| Sparrow Alley | 7-9 | ||
| Salineno/Chapeno | 9-12 | ||
| Falcon Dam & StPk | 12-2 | ||
| Zapata/San Ygnacio | 2-4 | ||
| Amistad | 4-8 | ||
| (Marathon ?) | ? | ||
| [Camp @Amistad] | |||
| Fri 4/13 | Day8: | [Amistad] | |
| Big Bend | 6-3 | ||
| Marathon Basin | 3-5 | ||
| Davis Mts State Park | 5-9 | ||
| [Camp@Davis Mts StPk] | |||
| Sat 4/14 | Day9: | [Davis Mts StPk] | |
| Davis Mts State Park | 6-8 | ||
| Madera Canyon (TX) | 8-9 | ||
| McKittrick/Guadalupe | 9-12 | ||
| El Paso reservoir | 12-3 | ||
| Portal/Cave Creek | 3-8 | ||
| [Portal/AZ] | |||
| Sun 4/15 | Day10 | [Portal/AZ] | |
| Portal | 5-6 | ||
| South Fork Cave Creek | 6-10 | ||
| Cave Creek Mountains | 10-1 | ||
| Ramsey/San Pedro/? | |||
| [Camp@Carr Cyn] | |||
| Mon 4/16 | Day11 | [AZ/Carr Cyn] | |
| Carr Canyon | 6-8 | ||
| Ramsey Canyon | 8-11 | ||
| Carr Canyon | 11-2 | ||
| Fort Huachaca | 2-5 | ||
| Tue 4/17 | Day12 | [AZ/Madera] | |
| Tucson Desert X-roads | 6-7 | ||
| Madera Canyon | 7-11 | ||
| Tucson Desert Museum | 11-2 | ||
| San Xavier Mission | 2-4 | ||
| Reddington/Sabino Cyns | 4-7 | ||
| [Camp@Catalina Hwy] | |||
| Wed 4/18 | Day13 | [Catalina Hwy] | |
| Catalina Hwy | 6-11 | ||
| Reddington/Sabino Canyons | 11-1 | ||
| Nogales | 1-4 | ||
| Pena Blanca Lake | 4-5 | ||
| Patagonia-Sonoita | 5-7 CHK TIMES | ||
| Spoffords Feeders | |||
| Patagonia Rest Stop | 7-8 | ||
| [Camp@Patagonia State Park] | |||
| Thu 4/19 | Day14 | [Patagonia State Park] | |
| Patagonia-Sonoita Preserve | 6-10 CHK TIMES | ||
| Patagonia Rest Stop | 10-11 | ||
| Cave Creek/Ramsey/San Pedro | 11-7 | ||
| [Camp@Patagonia State Park?] | |||
| Fri 4/20 | Day15 | AZ/Cave Creek->TX | |
| Cave Creek/Ramsey/San Pedro | |||
| (McKittrick/Guadalupe Mts) | |||
| (Davis Mountains) | |||
| [Camp@Lost Maples?] | |||
| Sat 4/21 | Day16 | [Lost Maples?] | |
| Lost Maples State Park | 6-11 | ||
| (Aransas NWR) | |||
| (Brazos Bend StPk) | |||
| (High Island) | |||
| (Anahuac NWR) | |||
| [Motel6@Winnie?] | |||
| Sun 4/22 | Day17 | TX->GA | |
| Mon 4/23 | Day18 | GA->NY |
Pena Blanca Lake (West of Nogales) for Empidonax Brownsville Airport for Upland Sandpiper ? Washington St in San Ygnacio for WC Seedeater
Monopod (BOGEN 3018) + 3232 swivel head + RRS plate
Tent
Camping stove etc.
Voice recorder (digital)
Rope
Small foldable shovel
Travel alarm (LL Bean ?)
| Least Grebe | Sabal Palm |
|---|---|
| Eared Grebe | Aransas, El Paso, AZ |
| Clark's Grebe | El Paso, AZ |
| Western Grebe | El Paso, AZ |
| Neotropic Cormorant | LA, Rio Grande |
| Anhinga | Bentsen, Rio Grande |
| Reddish Egret | Aransas, Rockport, South Padre Is |
| White-faced Ibis | Santa Ana, AZ |
| Roseate Spoonbill | LA, Santa Ana |
| Fulvous Whistling-Duck | Anahuac |
| Hook-billed Kite * | Bentsen |
| Mississippi Kite | Bentsen, San Pedro |
| Gray Hawk * | Anzalduas, San Pedro, Big Bend, Patagonia |
| Common Black-Hawk * | Davis Mts, Aravaipa Cyn, San Pedro |
| Swainson's Hawk | TX and AZ plains (widespread) |
| White-tailed Hawk | Attwater, Bolsa Chica, Kingsville |
| Zone-tailed Hawk * | Aravaipa, Madera, Patagonia, Ramsey, Cave Ck |
| Golden Eagle | Ramsey Canyon ? |
| Prairie Falcon * | Davis Mts, Big Bend, San Pedro |
| Scaled Quail * | Willcox Playa, Ramsey, |
| Gambel's Quail | Desert Museum, San Pedro |
| Montezuma Quail * | Davis Mts, Madera, Ramsey, Cave Ck |
| Snowy Plover | Bolivar, Bolsa Chica |
| Wilson's Plover | Bolivar, Bolsa Chica |
| Upland Sandpiper | Aransas |
| Long-billed Curlew | Bolivar, Bolsa Chica |
| Hudsonian Godwit | Bolivar, Bolsa Chica |
| Marbled Godwit | Bolivar, Bolsa Chica |
| White-rumped Sandpiper | McAllen, Anahuac |
| Baird's Sandpiper | McAllen, Anahuac |
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper | Anahuac, Rollover |
| Franklin's Gull | Rollover, S. Padre Island |
| Sandwich Tern | Rollover, S. Padre Island |
| Black Tern | Anahuac |
| Red-billed Pigeon * | Salineno, Falcon, El Canelo |
| Band-tailed Pigeon * | Cave Creek, Madera |
| White-winged Dove | Rio Grande, Desert Museum, Portal etc |
| Inca Dove | Goose Island, Sabal Palm, Bentsen etc |
| Common Ground-Dove | Sparrow Alley, Bentsen, Santa Ana |
| White-tipped Dove | Sabal Palm, Bentsen |
| Green Parakeet | Brownsville, McAllen |
| Red-crowned Parrot | Brownsville, McAllen |
| Groove-billed Ani * | Coast, Rio Grande |
| Flammulated Owl * | TX, Madera, Cave Creek |
| Western Screech-Owl * | Sabino, Patagonia, San Pedro, Portal |
| Eastern Screech-Owl | Bentsen, Big Bend |
| Whiskered Screech-Owl * | Madera, Cave Creek |
| Great Horned Owl | AZ |
| Elf Owl | Bentsen, Madera, Cave Creek |
| Spotted Owl * | Fort Huachaca/Scheelite |
| Lesser Nighthawk * | AZ Desert |
| Common Pauraque | Bentsen |
| Common Poorwill * | Box Cyn Road, Portal |
| White-throated Swift | Sabino, Madera, Patagonia, Cave Creek |
| Broad-billed Hummingbird * | Sycamore, Madera, Patagonia |
| Buff-bellied Hummingbird | Sabal Palm, Santa Ana |
| Violet-crowned Hummingbird * | Paton/Patagonia, Madera, Ramsey, Cave Ck |
| Blue-throated Hummingbird * | Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Magnificent Hummingbird * | Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Black-chinned Hummingbird * | Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Anna's Hummingbird | Patagonia, Ramsey, Portal |
| Costa's Hummingbird * | Desert Museum, Madera/Florida Cyn |
| Broad-tailed Hummingbird * | Ramsey |
| Rufous Hummingbird * | Desert Museum ? |
| Elegant Trogon * | Madera, Cave Creek, Garden |
| Ringed Kingfisher | Bentsen, Santa Ana |
| Green Kingfisher * | Rio Grande, San Pedro Valley |
| Acorn Woodpecker | Widespead in AZ |
| Gila Woodpecker | Desert Museum, Sabino, Patagonia |
| Red-naped Sapsucker * | Desert Museum |
| Strickland's Woodpecker * | Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Gilded Flicker * | Saguaro Natl Pk, Patagonia |
| Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet * | Florida Wash, Patagonia |
| Greater Pewee * | Catalina Hwy, Madera, Ramsey |
| Western Wood-Pewee * | Widespread in AZ |
| Hammond's Flycatcher * | Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Gray Flycatcher * | Patagonia, San Pedro |
| Dusky Flycatcher * | Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Cordilleran Flycatcher * | Mt Lemmon, Madera, Scheelite, Cave Creek |
| Buff-breasted Flycatcher * | Sawmill/Ft Huachaca, Scotia Cyn |
| Dusky-capped Flycatcher * | Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Ash-throated Flycatcher | Desert Museum, Portal |
| Brown-crested Flycatcher * | Saguaro, Sabino, Madera, Patagonia etc |
| Tropical Kingbird * | Brownsville, Arivaca, San Pedro |
| Couch's Kingbird | Rio Grande |
| Cassin's Kingbird * | Madera, Patagonia, San Pedro, Cave Creek |
| Thick-billed Kingbird * | Dudleyville, Patagonia |
| Western Kingbird * | San Xavier, Madera, Portal |
| Bell's Vireo * | Sabino, Patagonia, San Pedro |
| Black-capped Vireo * | Lost Maples + similar sites |
| Gray Vireo * | Guadalupe, Big Bend, rare in AZ |
| Plumbeous Vireo * | Guadalupe, cyns in AZ |
| Cassin's Vireo * | Guadalupe, widespread migrant in AZ |
| Hutton's Vireo * | Guadalupe, Big Bend, Madera |
| Steller's Jay | High altitudes in AZ |
| Mexican Jay * | Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Violet-green Swallow * | Catalina Hwy |
| Cave Swallow | Kingsville, Rio Grande |
| Mountain Chickadee * | Catalina Hwy |
| Mexican Chickadee * | Cave Creek |
| Bridled Titmouse * | Madera, Patagonia, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Juniper Titmouse | Portal, Paradise, Silver Creek |
| Pygmy Nuthatch | Catalina Cyn |
| Cactus Wren * | Desert Museum, Saguaro, Madera, Portal etc |
| Rock Wren * | Aravaipa, Sabino, Patagonia, Portal |
| Canyon Wren | Sabino, Patagonia, Patagonia, Cave Creek |
| Bewick's Wren | Madera, Patagonia, San Pedro |
| Black-tailed Gnatcatcher * | Sabino, Desert Museum, Florida Wash |
| Sage Thrasher * | San Xavier, Box Cyn (unlikely) |
| Long-billed Thrasher | Rio Grande |
| Curve-billed Thrasher | Kingsville, Rio Grande, Desert museum |
| Crissal Thrasher * | San Xavier, Florida Wash |
| Bendire's Thrasher * | San Xavier |
| Olive Warbler * | Catalina Hwy, Cave Creek |
| Virginia's Warbler * | Madera, Cave Creek |
| Colima Warbler * | Big Bend |
| Lucy's Warbler * | Sabino, Cave Creek, San Pedro, Portal |
| Tropical Parula | Rio Grande |
| Black-throated Gray Warbler * | Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Golden-cheeked Warbler * | Lost Maples etc |
| Grace's Warbler * | Catalina Hwy, Madera, Cave Creek |
| MacGillivray's Warbler * | Sabino, Patagonia, San Pedro (generic) |
| Red-faced Warbler * | Catalina Hwy, Madera, Scheelite, Ramsey |
| Painted Redstart * | Catalina Hwy, Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Hepatic Tanager * | Catalina Hwy, Madera, Scheelite, Ramsey |
| Western Tanager | Cataline Hwy, Cave Creek |
| Olive Sparrow | Rio Grande |
| Green-tailed Towhee * | Sabino, Florida Wash, Patagonia, San Pedro |
| Spotted Towhee | Madera, Cave Creek |
| Canyon Towhee * | Sabino, Florida Wash, Patagonia, San Pedro |
| Abert's Towhee | Patagonia, San Pedro, Cave Creek |
| Rufous-winged Sparrow * | Deserts near Tucson (Desert Museum tour) |
| Cassin's Sparrow * | Rio Grande, assorted grassy areas in AZ |
| Botteri's Sparrow * | Rio Grande, assorted grassy areas in AZ |
| Rufous-crowned Sparrow * | Patagonia, Scheelite, Portal |
| Brewer's Sparrow * | any left in April ? |
| Black-chinned Sparrow * | Catalina Hwy, Molino Basin |
| Black-throated Sparrow * | Tucson Desert, San Pedro, Portal |
| Grasshopper Sparrow | ? |
| Yellow-eyed Junco * | Catalina Hwy, Cave Creek |
| Black-headed Grosbeak | Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Lazuli Bunting | Patagonia, San Pedro, Portal |
| Varied Bunting * | Florida Wash, Patagonia |
| Painted Bunting * | Goose Island ? |
| Dickcissel * | ? |
| Western Meadowlark | ? |
| Bronzed Cowbird | Bentsen, Desert Museum, Madera |
| Altamira Oriole | Sabal Palm, Bentsen |
| Hooded Oriole | Sarita, Sabal Palm, Bentsen, Desert Museum |
| Audubon's Oriole * | Rio Grande Valley |
| Bullock's Oriole * | Madera, Patagonia, San Pedro |
| Scott's Oriole * | Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Cassin's Finch * | ? Madera, Ramsey, Cave Creek |
| Pine Siskin | Catalina Hwy |