2023 Davis Mountains Hummingbird Celebration Trip Descriptions
2025 Trips will be Forthcoming!
(Preliminary)
See below for Celebration Activities!
PLEASE NOTE: These field trips are not bus or van tours – personal transportation is required. We encourage carpooling as much as possible but please do so in consideration of Covid-19 precautions! Listed trip times are DEPARTURE from The High Frontier and approximate RETURN to High Frontier. Please check in at the departure point BEFORE departure time. Trips described as “All day” will include a box lunch to be picked-up at departure. For all trips, please bring along snacks and at least two bottles of water per person. Lunch and dinner options are available in Fort Davis and a listing of these will be provided upon your arrival. A limited number of port-o-lets and restrooms are available at trip destinations. For your comfort we recommend using your lodging facilities or High Frontier before departure.
Day Long Trips
Christmas Mountain OasisPresidioAlamito Creek PreserveMiller RanchMarathonBalmorheaTNC Davis Mountains Preserve-Wolf Den
Christmas Mountains Oasis
(Hummingbird Focus)
DAYS: Friday, Saturday & Sunday (All-Day)
DESCRIPTION: This is your chance to get great views of the fantastic Lucifer Hummingbird in its wild breeding environment in the Christmas Mountains. CMO is an oasis of lush vegetation located in desert foothills. In addition to typical Chihuahuan Desert species, the oasis attracts a wide assortment of migrant species. This trip is not for the “Faint of Heart” and involves a long commute (75+ miles on paved road) to the turn-off and then another 30 more minutes on rough, rocky desert roads that may also be muddy if it has rained. Once at the Oasis, we will sit comfortably in a photo blind watching hummingbirds visiting feeders and other birds coming to water features, but there will also be opportunities to stroll the grounds for general birding. A lovely spot to enjoy the included box lunch.
TARGET BIRDS: Lucifer, Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, and Rufous hummingbirds; also possible are Anna’s, Calliope, and Broad-tailed hummingbirds. Other likely specialties include Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Scott’s Oriole, and Varied Bunting.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY – ADA accessible
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: Hard: HIGH-CLEARANCE VEHICLE REQUIRED
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: 6 am to 3 pm
RESTROOMS: Stop in Alpine and at CMO
PRICE: $65 (includes box lunch)
Presidio
*New for 2023*
(All Birds Focus)
DAYS: Friday & Sunday (All day)
DESCRIPTION: A new trip for this year’s Celebration. Consider it an adventure as much as a birding trip. Presidio is the closest accessible point to the Rio Grande River from Fort Davis. Included will be a stop by the ghost mining town of Shafter and the lush, always flowing Cibolo Creek with its gallery of massive cottonwood trees. We will also visit the remote, ethereal wetlands of the “end of the road” border community of Candelaria. Lastly, we will make birding stops at the Fort Leaton State Historic Site, and the BJ Bishop Wetlands in Presidio. We will find a lovely spot to enjoy the included box lunch.
TARGET BIRDS: Likely specialties include Cinnamon Teal, Mexican Duck, Scaled and Gambel’s quail, Lesser Nighthawk, Common Gallinule, Neotropic Cormorant, White-faced Ibis, various sandpipers, Golden Eagle, Zone-tailed Hawk, Green Kingfisher, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Peregrine Falcon, Black Phoebe, Verdin, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Rock Wren, Curve-billed and Crissal thrashers, Cassin’s, Black-throated and Rufous-crowned sparrows, Yellow-breasted Chat, Orchard, Bullock’s and Scott’s orioles, Pyrrhuloxia, Blue Grosbeak, Varied and Painted buntings.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: EASY but long
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: 6:05 am to 3:30 pm
RESTROOMS: In Marfa and Presidio convenience stores, and at Ft. Leaton
PRICE: $65 (includes box lunch)
Dixon Water Foundation’s
Alamito Creek Preserve
(All Birds Focus)
DAYS: Friday, Saturday or Sunday (daylong trips)
DESCRIPTION: The Alamito Creek Preserve is in a lush riparian zone that is a major north/south bird migration corridor located in southern Presidio County. Whereas many other creeks in far West Texas have lost their bank-side tree canopy, this beautiful stretch of Alamito (Spanish for “little cottonwood”) is still lined by a thriving cottonwood community. We will end the trip with a visit to a waterhole oasis that could produce any type of desert specialties in search of water.
TARGET BIRDS: Both eastern and western Neotropical migrants, Chihuahuan and riparian specialties like Zone-tailed Hawk, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Gray Flycatcher, Crissal Thrasher, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Bell’s and Bullock’s orioles, and Pyrrhuloxia.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: MODERATE – some walking along a rocky stream bed -can be muddy if it rains that week.
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: EASY
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: 6:10 am to 1:00 pm
Restrooms: Only Marfa convenience stores.
PRICE: $45
Historic Miller Ranch
and
Camp Holland
(All Birds Focus)
DAYS: Friday, Saturday & Sunday (daylong trip)
DESCRIPTION: Visit the historic C.E. Miller Ranch and Camp Holland near Valentine, TX. Carpool for an approximately 70-minute drive across the Marfa Plains from the Davis Mountains to Valentine, a paved drive of 50+ miles until we reach the unpaved roads to the ranch headquarters, which is just across the Presidio County line. We will arrive there early in the morning to see Gambel’s and Scaled quail feeding. The Miller’s yard oasis features large old pecan and locust trees and is an excellent migrant trap. After a bit of birding the garden, we will transfer to high-clearance ranch vehicles for a drive into ZH Canyon. Here you will get a brief tour of Camp Holland built by the U.S. Army in 1918 and then the adventure continues during a moderate hike as we traverse the rugged canyon terrain of the Sierra Vieja Mountains. 
TARGET BIRDS: Black-chinned and Rufous hummingbirds, with Lucifer, Ruby-throated, Anna’s, Calliope, and Broad-tailed hummingbirds also possible. Other avian targets include Gambel’s and Scaled quail; Golden Eagle, Barn Owl, Chihuahuan Raven, Cave Swallow, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Crissal Thrasher, Phainopepla, Canyon Wren, Orchard Oriole, Dickcissel, Varied and Painted buntings, and various Neotropical migrant species.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: Easy to Moderate
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: Easy to Moderate – if raining, the road is muddy and may be slippery.
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: 6:15 am to 1:30 pm
RESTROOMS: Yes
PRICE: $45
Marathon’s
Post Park, Gage Gardens
& Prairie Dog Town
(All Birds Focus)
DAYS: Friday, Saturday or Sunday (daylong trip)
DESCRIPTION: Birds Galore! This is sure to be a great birding morning at Marathon and vicinity in Brewster County in search of desert and riparian birds. We will focus on three locations that often produce some wonderful birds. First, we will visit one of the region’s best county parks, Fort Peña Colorado, locally known as “The Post”. The road to the park traverse’s scrubland and open habitat with a few livestock watering stations that attract birds. Once at the park, we’ll bird in the shade of giant trees along the banks of historic Peña Colorado Springs. Take easy birding walks in the park or sit and watch from a shady picnic table. This is a great migrant trap, so just about anything is possible! The second location is at the beautiful Gage Gardens in the town of Marathon, which provides a great stopover for migrants and a breeding location for resident birds. Time permitting, our final stop is the Marathon Prairie Dog Town which is a fabulous area for grassland and open-habitat birds.
TARGET BIRDS: Scaled Quail, Greater Roadrunner, Swainson’s Hawk, Burrowing Owl, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Horned Lark; Cassin’s Sparrow; Black Phoebe; Vermilion Flycatcher, Bronzed Cowbird, and various Neotropical migrants.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: EASY
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: 6:20 am to 1:30 pm
RESTROOMS: At Post Park & Gage Gardens
PRICE: $45
Balmorhea Lake
&
Sandia Wetlands
(All Birds Focus)
DAYS: Friday, Saturday & Sunday (daylong Trip)
DESCRIPTION: Balmorhea Lake is located about 2 miles east of the town of Balmorhea – a mere 37 miles from Fort Davis. This spring-fed lake is one of the largest bodies of water in the Trans-Pecos. The lake functions as a storage facility for irrigation and the water level fluctuates greatly. In dry years the lake can be very low by mid-summer, while in wet years the lake may overflow into several areas. One of those areas is located on the west side of the lake at the base of an earthen dike. This pond is part of an extensive marsh and offers good birding opportunities. The southern edge of the lake is excellent for shorebirds in dry years when water levels are low. The east end of the lake is where the dam is located. Below the dam is an area of sedges, reeds and salt cedar attracting its own array of unique birds. Sandia Wetlands is a private re-constructed desert wetland (or cienega) open to the public and made possible by landowners Don and Ellen Weinacht. A historic and very large desert wetland would have occupied the area surrounding the San Solomon Springs site where Balmorhea State Park (with a spring-fed swimming pool) and Balmorhea Lake were built. The Sandia Wetlands help replicate habitat that is no longer available for shorebirds and wetland species. Helping with the restoration project at Sandia are The Nature Conservancy, Tierra Grande Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists with grants from the Ed Rachal Foundation and Duck’s Unlimited, and the SRSU Borderlands Institute.
TARGET BIRDS: Cinnamon Teal, Mexican Duck, Scaled Quail, Clark’s and Western grebes, Snowy Plover, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Long-billed Curlew, Wilson’s Phalarope, Black Tern, White-faced Ibis, Vermilion Flycatcher, Verdin, Curve-billed and possibly Crissal thrashers, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Bullock’s Oriole, and Pyrrhuloxia. Upland Sandpiper is also possible, and there have been occasional sightings of Aplomado Falcon in recent years.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: Easy to Moderate
RESTROOMS: Yes, but bring your own toilet paper.
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: 6:30 am to 1:30 pm
PRICE: $45
TNC Davis Mountains Preserve-Wolf Den
(All Birds Focus)
DAYS: Friday, Saturday & Sunday (daylong Trip)
DESCRIPTION:
A Sky Island Adventure! This trip will focus on the pine and pinyon-juniper woodlands along Madera Creek on The Nature Conservancy’s Davis Mountains Preserve. We will drive up Madera Canyon Road to Wolf Den Canyon where we will hike in some of the mid-elevation pine stands. We may also swing by 48 Tank Loop to check for water birds. Be prepared for several miles of hiking. To conclude our trip, we will watch hummingbird feeders at McIvor Conservation Center. A TNC Liability Waiver must be signed upon entry.
TARGET BIRDS: Mexican Duck, Montezuma Quail, Zone-tailed Hawk, Broad-tailed and Calliope hummingbirds, Acorn Woodpecker, Red-shafted Flicker, Olive-sided and Gray flycatchers, Hutton’s and Plumbeous vireos, Violet-green Swallow, Western Bluebird, Spotted Towhee, Virginia’s and Grace’s warblers, and Hepatic Tanager. Numerous other breeding species and migrants (flycatchers, warblers, etc.) are also possible.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY TO MODERATE
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: 6:40 am to 1:00 pm
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: HIGH-CLEARANCE VEHICLE REQUIRED; POSSIBLE WATER CROSSINGS
EXTRAS TO BRING: STURDY HIKING SHOES, HIKING POLE
RESTROOMS: Only at McIvor Center
PRICE: $45
Short Trips
Davis Mountains ResortTNC Davis Mountains PreserveSky Island & McDonald ObservatoryAlpine Cemetery w/Jennifer BristolHummingbirds & ArtHummer HousesThe High Frontier, CDRI & Musquiz ValleyHummingbirds & Art at The Block - Marfa
Upper Hummer Homes
in the
Davis Mountains Resort
(Hummingbird Focus)
DAYS: Friday AM, Saturday AM, and Sunday AM & PM (Short Trip)
DESCRIPTION: With special permission for this occasion from the Davis Mountains Resort, you will be visiting one of the highest private residences in Texas. Up there the potential of what you may see as far as western hummingbirds and other bird species can’t be matched. At 6300 ft., you can sit on the deck amongst the highly active hummer feeders or move among beautiful Ponderosa Pines to pick out other high elevation specialties. Also included on this trip is another DMR residence just down Limpia Creek, which is basically the hummingbird thoroughfare of the Davis Mountains. The hosts will help you with hummingbird identification – really, it’s the journey up there that’s half the fun!
TARGET BIRDS: Rivoli’s, Lucifer, Black-chinned, Rufous, Broad-tailed, and Calliope hummingbirds, with Ruby-throated, Allen’s, White-eared, and other hummingbird species also possible. We will also search for Wild Turkey, Montezuma Quail, White-throated Swift, Zone-tailed Hawk, Acorn Woodpecker, Western Wood-Pewee, Dusky-capped and Gray flycatchers, Mountain Chickadee, Violet-green Swallow, Bushtit, Canyon Wren, Spotted Towhee, Grace’s and Townsend’s warblers, Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager, Lazuli Bunting, and various other resident and migrant species.
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: Moderate to Hard; gravel to rocky roads, possible water crossings during monsoon season, HIGH-CLEARANCE VEHICLE REQUIRED to reach upper home or possibility of carpooling in 4WD vehicles from lower home.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: None to Moderate
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIMES: AM 6:50 to 12:00 pm, PM: Sunday only 1:00 to 6:00 pm
RESTROOMS: Only at Point of Rocks
PRICE: $45
Lower Hummer Homes
in the
Davis Mountains Resort
(Hummingbird Focus)
DAYS: Friday & Saturday AM & PM, Sunday AM (Short Trip)
DESCRIPTION: With special permission for this occasion from the Davis Mountains Resort, on this trip you will visit two of the busiest hummingbird locations in Texas. Both well-established hummingbird gardens and feeding stations have been an instant hit amongst the local rare hummingbirds such as the Broad-billed, White-eared and Violet-crowned. Have a comfortable seat on the decks of these wonderful mountain yards and for a moment, experience what it’s like to live in this unique Texas environment. Imagine the yard list!
TARGET BIRDS: Rivoli’s, Lucifer, Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Rufous, Broad-tailed, and Calliope hummingbirds, with Allen’s and Broad-billed hummingbirds also possible. Other possible/probable species include Acorn Woodpecker, Western Wood-Pewee, Hutton’s and Plumbeous Vireos, Bushtit, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Townsend’s Warbler, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, and various other residents and migrants.
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: Moderate gravel roads: two possible water crossings
HIKING DIFFICULTY: Easy
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: AM 7:10 to 12:00 pm, PM Friday: 1:30 to 6:00 pm, PM Saturday: 12:30 to 5:00 pm
RESTROOMS: Only at Point of Rocks
PRICE: $45
TNC Davis Mountains Preserve
“Fisher Tract”
*New for 2023*
(All Birds Focus)
DAYS: Friday & Saturday, Sunday mornings only (Short Trip
DESCRIPTION: With over 100,000 acres protected in the Davis Mountains, The Nature Conservancy has many properties that are not open to the public. The Fisher tract is one of these. The Celebration is pleased to offer this special, mostly hiking trip -only to Celebration participants. Not to worry -we will be birding and hiking slowly. This mountain savannah consists of alligator juniper, pinyon pine, various oaks, catclaw mimosa and a few stately ponderosa pines lining the Madera Creek drainage that runs through the property. With only a couple of rustic trails, we will bird along the creek bed then up a graded road where at the top we will be rewarded with a majestic view of the Texas Alps – a range with many peaks that exceed 7,000 feet, the highest of which is Mount Livermore at 8,378 feet – a sight you will never forget! A TNC Liability Waiver must be signed upon entry.
TARGET BIRDS: Montezuma Quail, Western Bluebird, Western and Hepatic tanagers, and Black-chinned Sparrow. Numerous other breeding species and migrants (flycatchers, warblers, etc.) should also be seen.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: MODERATE TO HARD
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: Hiking -little to no driving from the gate
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: 6:55 am to 12:15 pm
EXTRAS TO BRING: STURDY HIKING SHOES, HIKING POLE
RESTROOMS: Only at McIvor Center
PRICE: $35
Hummingbird Banding
at the
TNC Davis Mountains Preserve
*Brought back for 2023*
(Hummingbird Focus)
DAYS: Friday, Saturday & Sunday mornings only (Short Trip)
DESCRIPTION: Set deep in the Davis Mountains with the backdrop of the highest peak, Mount Livermore, you have a chance for a one-of-a-kind experience to see up close these tiny fascinating creatures. Join specialized Texas-permitted hummingbird banders as they document their findings and, at the same time learn about these incredible birds’ biology and migration history.
TARGET BIRDS: Rivoli’s, Lucifer, Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Anna’s, Broad-tailed, Rufous, Allen’s and Calliope hummingbirds -anything could turn up! A TNC Liability Waiver must be signed upon entry.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: EASY
Maximum Participants: 20
TRIP TIMES: 7:40 am to 12:00 pm.
RESTROOMS: Yes
PRICE: $35
Sky Island Ranch & McDonald Observatory
(All bird Focus)
DAYS: Friday & Saturday mornings only (Short Trip)
DESCRIPTION: First you’ll be visiting a stunning off-the-grid modern home where we will watch hummingbirds from a covered pavilion perched on a bluff overlooking a spectacular view of the Davis Mountains. Our next stop will be the famous University of Texas’ McDonald Observatory where you will experience an up-close look at large research telescopes. Your private guided tour will begin in the Visitors Center with a brief introduction. The group then heads up Mount Locke to learn about the history of the observatory while visiting the 107-inch Harlan J. Smith telescope. Visitors may drive or ride the observatory shuttle. The tour continues to the summit of Mt. Fowlkes and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET). At the HET, you’ll learn more about that telescope’s unique design and the current research done there. Please note that there is no viewing through telescopes during this tour. The tour will be approximately 90-minutes and involves standing and inclined walking on paved surfaces.
TARGET BIRDS: Rivoli’s, Lucifer, Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Anna’s, Calliope, Broad-tailed, Rufous and Allen’s hummingbirds. Montezuma Quail, Violet-green Swallow, Phainopepla, Townsend’s Warbler, Hepatic and Western tanagers, and Black-headed Grosbeak.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY to MODERATE
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: EASY
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: 7:15 am to 12:10 pm
RESTROOMS: Only at McDonald Observatory Visitor’s Center
PRICE: $45
Birding Alpine Cemetery
with Jennifer Bristol
*New for 2023*
(All Birds Focus)
DAYS: Friday morning only (Short Trip)
DESCRIPTION: Did you know that cemeteries where some of the first parks in the United States? The dual purpose still exists today. Join author and this year’s keynote speaker Jennifer Bristol as she explores Alpine’s Holy Angels Cemetery Complex and find out why these spaces make fine places to discover birds. While searching for the birds, she will also share a few tombstone tales. After leaving the cemetery, we will visit nearby Johnson Ponds, a wonderful oasis developed by a local birder who also established the Christmas Mountains Oasis. Her multi-lot location filled with trees and ponds is an oasis for birds. The hummingbird feeders here have been known to attract some coveted species like the Costa’s Hummingbird that was present last Celebration.
TARGET BIRDS: Mexican Duck, Inca Dove, Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Calliope, Rufous and Allen’s hummingbirds, Zone-tailed and Harris’s hawks, Verdin, Curve-billed Thrasher, Summer Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, and Painted Bunting. Also possible are fall migrants – flycatchers, tanagers, orioles, and warblers -OH My!
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: EASY
Maximum Participants: 18
TRIP TIME: 7:30 am to 12:00 pm
RESTROOMS: Local Convenience stores
PRICE: $50
Hummingbirds & Art
at Crow’s Nest
*New for 2023*
(Hummingbird Focus)
DAYS: Friday & Saturday, Sunday mornings only (Short Trip)
DESCRIPTION: The landscape of this private ranch is graced with Emory Oaks and juniper mixed with some Pinyon Pines -typical of mid to high elevations of the Davis Mountains. Visit the exclusive Old Spanish Trail Gallery & Museum for unique shopping and hang out on the porch to watch the hummingbird feeders. Time permitting, we will explore the campground to find what high elevation species may sneak in under the radar.
TARGET BIRDS: Rivoli’s, Lucifer, Black-chinned, Rufous, Broad-tailed, and Calliope hummingbirds, Zone-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, Hutton’s and Plumbeous vireos, Violet-green Swallow, Bushtit, Canyon Wren, Phainopepla, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Townsend’s Warbler, and Hepatic Tanager.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: EASY
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: 7:50 am to 11:30 am
RESTROOMS: Yes
PRICE: $35
Hummingbirds & Art
at Limpia Crossing
(Hummingbird Focus)
DAYS: Friday & Saturday AM & PM (Short Trip)
DESCRIPTION: Feast your eyes on a variety of hummingbird species in beautiful mountain settings. With special permission, we will visit the charming ranch home of a handmade jewelry craftsman, where you can peruse his fine work which is also available for purchase. They are hummingbird enthusiasts as well, so their garden is ready for a relaxing time observing loads of hummingbirds. Then take a short drive into the fabulous Limpia Crossing estates to sit back in another beautiful garden amongst large oaks. Here the hummingbirds are equally plentiful, and you may catch a glimpse of other foothill specialty birds. This trip amongst the big, shaded oaks could be just as great for one of the quiet afternoon field trips.
TARGET BIRDS: Lucifer, Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Anna’s, Broad-tailed, Rufous, Allen’s and Calliope hummingbirds, Scaled and Montezuma quail, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Scott’s Oriole, Black-headed Grosbeak, Summer and Western tanagers.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: EASY
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIMES: AM 8:10 to 11:40, PM: Friday: 1:40 to 5:10 pm, Saturday: 1:00 to 4:30 pm
RESTROOMS: Yes, at first stop only
PRICE: $35
Hummer Houses
at Arabella Mountain
(Hummingbird Focus)
DAYS: Friday AM & PM, Saturday AM only, Sunday AM & PM (Short Trip)
DESCRIPTION: Take it easy! Bird in comfort at some of Davis Mountain’s most active hummingbird feeders and gardens. Most chairs will be provided! But if you feel safer then BYO lawn chairs. This trip will visit two unique adobe homes built on the slopes of Arabella Mountain. These neighbors have fully embraced desert native plant gardening and, as a result, have been watching hummingbirds buzz around their porch feeders for decades. Leaders will help with bird identification. Four species of hummingbirds are usual during migration. But these homes have had up to seven species on some days. Most mid-elevation bird species are easy to see too -never a dull moment! Afternoon trips will also be productive.
TARGET BIRDS: Lucifer, Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Anna’s, Broad-tailed, Rufous, Allen’s and Calliope hummingbirds, Scaled Quail, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Black-chinned Sparrow, Curve-billed Thrasher, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, and Scott’s Oriole.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: EASY
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: AM 8:00 to 11:30, PM: Friday: 1:35 to 5:00 pm, Sunday: 12:50 to 4:20 pm
RESTROOMS: Only limited availability
PRICE: $35
Hummer Houses
on Olds Creek
(Hummingbird Focus)
DAYS: Friday, Saturday & Sunday mornings only (Short Trip)
DESCRIPTION: Enjoy birding along this quiet valley from the yards of two of the most active hummingbird feeders and gardens in the Davis Mountains. Watch hummingbirds buzzing around feeders from the porch or yard where leaders will help with bird identification. Most chairs will be provided! But if you feel safer then BYO lawn chairs. Four species of hummingbirds are usual during migration. But these homes have had up to seven species on some days. Lots of other bird species too!
TARGET BIRDS: Lucifer, Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Anna’s, Broad-tailed, Rufous, Allen’s, Calliope and Broad-billed hummingbirds, Montezuma Quail, Western Wood-Pewee, Vermilion Flycatcher, Violet-green Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Scott’s Oriole, Western Tanager, Black-headed and Blue grosbeaks, Lazuli and Painted buntings.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: EASY
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: 8:20 to 11:50 pm
RESTROOMS: Yes
PRICE: $35
The High Frontier, CDRI
&
The Musquiz Valley
(All Bird Focus)
DAYS: Saturday & Sunday mornings only (Short Trip)
DESCRIPTION: Spend time with local experienced birders and explore our host property -The High Frontier’s high plains and canyonlands. We will then make the short drive over to The Chihuahuan Desert Research Center, a great place to learn about the area’s unique desert plants and exciting grassland birds. There we will watch hummingbirds from the beautiful deck of the Nature Center, followed by a stroll through the botanical garden. Time permitting, we will then drive to the nearby roadside park along Musquiz creek to search for nesting Common and Zone-tailed hawks among other birds that reside in the ancient Cottonwood galleries.
TARGET BIRDS: Lucifer, Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Anna’s, Broad-tailed, Rufous, Allen’s and Calliope hummingbirds, Scaled Quail, Common Black Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Rock, Canyon and Cactus wrens, Curve-billed Thrasher, Phainopepla, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Scott’s, Bullock’s and Orchard orioles, Western Tanager, Black-headed and Blue grosbeaks, Lazuli and Painted buntings.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: Easy to Moderate
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: EASY
Maximum Participants: 12
TRIP TIME: 8:30 am to 12:00 pm
RESTROOMS: Yes
PRICE: $35
Hummingbirds and Art at The Block, Marfa
*New for 2023*
(Hummingbird Focus)
DAYS: Friday AM (Short Trip)
DESCRIPTION: This unique guided visit to Judd Foundation spaces in Marfa offers direct engagement with Donald Judd’s art and vision. These formerly private living and working spaces provide firsthand experience of Judd’s concept of a permanent installation in the Chihuahuan Desert. Our tour of The Block (occupying an entire city block) will begin with hummingbird viewing under the courtyard’s beautiful pergola and Cottonwood trees festooned with hummingbird feeders. Following the outdoor introduction and bird viewing, Judd Foundation guides will escort us through the art exhibit.
TARGET BIRDS: Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Anna’s, Broad-tailed, Rufous, and Calliope hummingbirds, migratory songbirds also possible.
HIKING DIFFICULTY: EASY
DRIVE DIFFICULTY: EASY
Maximum Participants: 14
TRIP TIMES: Friday 9:00am to 12:00pm
RESTROOMS: Yes
PRICE: $35