Caryn:

March can be great, and as others mention later (May or August) can be good as well, the complexion of the birds changes. Still, they both have their advantages.

Other than the tips you've had already, starting following the AZ site of this same listserv (birdingonthe.net), just opposite Tweeters. After reading it a few times, you'll be so jazzed by all the choices that it'll in fact be hard to decide what to go after first. The big advantage is you get real-time reports of day-to-day entercounters with birds rare and everyday. You'll find many locations given, some of them unfamiliar; get used to using www.mapquest.com to get exact fixes. I was down there with the family last February (baseball tournament for sons), the weather was perfect and the birding, as usual, terrific. Tucson and environs had several eastern rarities in addition to the local specialties first-time visitors enjoy. I was especially fired up to find the N. Jacana at Casa Grande (which is back again) and the Crescent-chested Warbler far up Madera Canyon on Valentine's day. The warbler had been around for awhile, but I felt lucky to find it, enjoying point-blank views, but the next day a snowfall came through and it disappeared. Madera is a must for birders, and this winter there's a Rufous-capped Warbler pair in Florida Wash. It's hard to beat AZ for a place to bird and visit.

Good luck--

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com

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