Hey Tweets!
I've been conflicted about reporting this, but feel an
obligation to my fellow birders to post a warning.

Background - I have been planning a birding trip to SE
arizona for about 8 months now (yes, I started
planning last september). I based a week-long trip
around 4 days of guided birding, looking to fill some
difficult holes in my life list. I solicited
recomendations, and ended up talking to Stuart Healy.
I was warned about his attitude (2 people
independently described him as a "Curmudgeon"), but
his birding skills were described as exemplary.

So I contacted him, and reserved 4 days in May with
him, for myself and 3 other birders. Put down my
deposit, and started exchanging Emails with him. His
Website explicitly asks for all the trip information
beforehand. We hashed out our Wish-Lists, and where
we were going to be going. I filled him in on our
plans for before and after his portion of the trip.

About 3 weeks before the trip, I asked for a final
Itinerary, so we could plan the rest of the trip
around his schedule. He sent it. He had scheduled a
LONG night for that last day with him, which would
have put us off schedule for the remainder of the
trip. I asked him (nicely, I thought) IF he COULD
move the first and last days around, to accomodate the
remainder of the trip.

His response was a LITTLE unexpected.
He cancelled our trip with him. With less than 2
weeks to go until the trip. Said we were obviously
going to be TOO much trouble. And he refunded my
deposit.

So, I can heartily NOT recomend Stuart Healy as a
Birding Guide to SE Arizona. I have heard he is a
fantastic birder, but now I will never know firsthand.

I have heard good things about Melody Kehl, but she
was (of course) already booked for that week.

I CAN recomend Rick Wright. I Emailed him, asking if
he had any openings, and he QUICKLY got us in contact
with a couple of other guides in the area, and we are
now set up with a guide for one day, looking for some
of the tougher species. The rest, we are 'winging'
ourselves.

I will be leaving for this trip in 3 days (YAH !!!).
I will post a report after we get back about our
results. Wish us Luck!

Guy

Guy McWethy
Renton, WA
mailto: lguy_mcw at yahoo.com