Tag Archives: Globally Important Bird Area

Birding Hotspot: Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, NM

UFO sightings may have put Roswell, New Mexico, on the map, but at nearby Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, strange creatures are more than visitors. They inhabit odd sinkholes, playa lakes, seeps, and gypsum springs fed by an underground river. … Continue reading

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Drought Affects Migrating Birds

From nesting grounds in Alaska and Northern Canada, thousands of sandhill cranes, snow geese, and other migratory birds are winging their way south to their traditional winter watering holes in the American Southwest. The problem is a year of drought … Continue reading

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Festival of Cranes: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

The Fly-Out in the morning and the Fly-In in the evening are memorable events. That’s part of the mystique, why the cranes get top billing here, why the organizers call this event The Festival of Cranes. A week before Thanksgiving … Continue reading

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Woods of the Apache: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

The Refuge A 15-mile one-way loop road offers visitors an opportunity to travel through this drama at their own pace. The refuge’s dirt roads are well maintained and RVs should have no trouble driving on them. If 15 miles sounds … Continue reading

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Birding Hotspot: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

As the sun reddens the sky, thousands of snow geese scattered on a big pond begin to waken and disrupt the quiet air with loud honks. Visitors perched on embankments, observation decks, or inside parked vehicles see and hear the … Continue reading

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Solitude, birds, and an RV Park: St. David, AZ

Just an hour’s drive east of Tucson, and five miles south of Benson on the route to Tombstone and Bisbee is the agricultural community of St. David. Like much of southeastern Arizona, this peaceful little village was booming when nearby … Continue reading

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Globally Important Bird Area: San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, AZ

If you are a birder, Southeastern Arizona is the place to go. San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area encompasses 56,000 acres and some 40 miles of the meandering Upper San Pedro River between the Mexican border and St. David. The … Continue reading

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Land of the Standing-up Rocks: Chiricahua National Monument, AZ

Filled with extraordinary rock formations, the Chiricahua National Monument in Southeastern Arizona is a wonder to behold. The word “Chiricahua” may be derived from the Opata Indian word for turkey—wild turkeys are common in the area. Chiricahua Mountains is designated … Continue reading

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Prepare for Solitude: Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, AZ

Want to take advantage of your SUV or high-clearance two-wheel-drive vehicle? Then Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge is the place for you! Boundless desert surrounds you in Cabeza Prieta, the third largest national wildlife refuge in the lower 48 states. … Continue reading

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Playing in Mute Harmony: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, AZ

Newcomers to Arizona are often struck by Desert Fever. Desert Fever is caused by the spectacular natural beauty and serenity of the area. Early symptoms include a burning desire to make plans for the next trip “south”. There is no … Continue reading

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