Hi Brenda . . .

My general two cents, as I've been refreshing my memory recently for another
possible trip myself . . .

I was in SE Arizona 5 years ago for a mid-March long weekend in conjunction
with a software conference in Scottsdale and birded 3/12-3/15 before heading
back to Scottsdale. I only got 33 lifers, and had several misses that I
attribute to birding alone, too quickly, and spending too little time
bouncing from spot to spot. It was more of a "recon" mission for me as I
think back on it.

A few comments on my experience . . .

1. Arizona is a great place to bird . . . period, however to maximize your
potential species in the spring, I would say that March is a bit early.
However, you still have outstanding opportunities, especially if this is
your first trip there. When I do it again, I'm waiting until late April.
It'll be a bit hotter, but more migrants will have arrived. I might even go
this year, but I'm still waffling. I expect the Chiricuauas will be more
rewarding well into April compared to mid-March, but I understand the
scenery is just beautiful regardless. I would personally save the
Chiricuauas for a trip taken later in the spring, but having never been
there, that may not be a well-informed opinion. There is some additional
travel time to and from that farthest-east destination . . . time that may
be better spent birding another area like the Huachucas more thoroughly with
its multiple world-renowned canyons.

2. In 2004, I did a whirlwind tour of too may spots in too little time. I
also flew into Phoenix, which was necessary for me, but not optimal. It
sounds like you're already going for something else and have more days than
I did, so that will impact how much you can/should tackle. Don't try to
squeeze in too much . . . even with a full week.

3. A no-brainer suggestion . . . get the Tucson Audubon Society's "Finding
Birds in Southeast Arizona" as soon as you can (if you haven't already) and
work through what you want to see and where. The seventh edition came out
in 2007. Check out the back of the book for seasonal occurrences of each
species.

4. Another no-brainer . . . monitor the equivalent of their "Tweeters"
posts. http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/AZNM.html You'll know what
they're seeing now and get a sense of the hot spots and current rarities
(Huachucas, Madera Canyon, Patagonia, etc . . . It's a very interesting list
to monitor and lots of helpful logistical info about do's and don'ts at
various spots. Check out yesterday's RBA for examples
http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/AZNM.html#1235786269


Do some good prep and planning, let your personal goals govern your choices,
and have a great trip!

______________________________________

Ned McGarry
Sammamish, WA