Here are some Tips for Planning...

The simple answer is Anytime! It truly depends on your goals and targets. Arizona and New Mexico both offer great birding during nearly every month. Southern Arizona and southwest New Mexico generally have 5 seasons: Spring, Summer, Second Spring, Fall, and Winter, and each brings its own challenges and rewards. Every season also brings with it some special birding (and weather conditions) - think of Spring or Fall migration, Winter raptors and sparrows, Spring breeding season, and of course Summer Monsoon. If you're strictly looking for diversity and numbers of birds then April through September is probably the 'best' time.

Both Arizona and New Mexico are huge states with many different bioregions, landforms, elevations, and climates. Plant communities range from Desert Scrub to Grasslands to Pine-Oak Sky Islands to Pinyon-Juniper woodland, Sub-Alpine/Mixed-Conifer Forests. Bird diversity varies from region to region, and each region offers opportunities to find species not found in others. Distances are vast and travel times great. Where to go birding really depends on your objectives and goals, and your available time and budget. Borderland Birds will help you optimize your time and provide you the best experience. That could mean you go birding at a handful of locations over a long weekend visit, or explore 20 or more locations during a Multi-Day Tour.

In southern Arizona, Tucson is a major metropolitan area with all modern and major lodging options. Fantastic birding areas exist within Tucson's city limits (e.g., Sweetwater Wetlands) and within a 1.5-hour drive (e.g., Mount Lemmon, Saguaro National Park, Las Cienegas National Conservation Area).

Green Valley (close to Madera Canyon) is a vibrant retirement town south of Tucson with several chain hotels, restaurants, and many private lodging options. Situated along the (dry) Santa Cruz River, Green Valley offers a great location for accessing well known birding hotspots like Madera Canyon, Box Canyon, Florida Canyon, and Montosa Canyon, the (wet) Santa Cruz River at Tubac and Santa Gertrudis Lane, Canoa Ranch Conservation Park, and Pena Blanca Lake.

Tubac and Patagonia are smaller towns with many B&B options and small hotels. Staying at either of these locations puts you right "in" the birding sites that offer both wild landscapes and feeder stations. Major hotspots like Santa Gertrudis Lane, Ron Morris Park/De Anza Trail at Tubac, Sycamore Canyon, California Gulch, Patagonia Lake State Park, Paton Center for Hummingbirds, Harshaw Creek and the San Rafael Grasslands are within a 1-hour drive.

Sierra Vista is a larger city at the foot of the Huachuca Mountains with major chain motels plus great lodges, inns, and B&Bs. Amazing areas nearby offer great birding such as those found along the San Pedro River, Ramsey Canyon, Miller Canyon, and the higher elevations of the Huachuca Mountains. World famous bird feeder stations near Sierra Vista include Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, Ramsey Canyon Preserve, Ramsey Canyon Inn B&B, Ramsey Canyon Cabins & Bird Sanctuary, and Beatty's Guest Ranch.

Willcox offers several chain hotels and quick access to Twin Lakes Golf Course/Lake Cochise and Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, as well as to grasslands, agricultural areas, and the west canyons of the Chiricahua Mountains. From the small border town of Douglas, you can access the southern portion of the Chiricahua Mountains (e.g., Rucker Canyon), San Bernardino/Leslie Canyon NWR and Slaughter Ranch, and well as Guadalupe Canyon.

The small hamlets of Portal and Paradise in the Chiricahua Mountains have many options for private lodging, camping, and RV parks. The list of amazing birding locations accessible from these towns is too extensive to list here. Amazing scenery and birding abound, as does the number of private residences open to the public for birding at their feeder stations. Here are a few.... Portal (town), Willow Tank, Cave Creek Campgrounds, South Fork Cave Creek, Southwestern Research Station, Onion Saddle, Pinery Canyon, Barfoot Park and Rustler Park.

Several world famous birding destinations offer private lodging such as the Santa Rita Lodge, Madera Kubo B & B, and Chuparosa Inn in Madera Canyon, and the Ramsey Canyon Inn B & B,  Ramsey Canyon Cabins & Bird Sanctuary in Ramsey Canyon, and Casa de San Pedro B & B along the San Pedro River near Sierra Vista.

Here are some additional places that make great launching/landing pads for birding in southern Arizona:

Green Valley, AZ:

Canoa Ranch Golf Resort https://canoaranchgolfresort.com/

Best Western Green Valley Inn https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotels-in-green-valley/best-western-green-valley-inn/propertyCode.03152.html

Vagabond Inn Executive https://www.vagabondinn.com/vagabond-inn-executive-green-valley-sahuarita

Tubac, AZ:

Valle Verde Ranch: https://historicvalleverderanch.com/

Tubac Country Inn: https://www.tubaccountryinn.com/

Tubac Golf Resort & Spa: https://azhideawaycollection.com/tubac-golf-resort-spa/

Patagonia, AZ:

Spirit Tree Inn B & B: https://spirittreeinn.com/

Stage Stop Inn: https://stagestoppatagonia.com/

Sierra Vista, AZ:

Beatty's Guest Ranch: http://www.beattysguestranch.com/

Casa de San Pedro B & B: https://bedandbirds.com/

Portal/Paradise, AZ:

Cave Creek Ranch: https://www.cavecreekranch.com/

Portal Cafe Country Store & Lodge: https://www.portallodge.com/

Four Bar Cottages: https://www.fourbarcottages.com/

Quailway Cottage: https://quailwaycottage.com/

The George Walker House: https://www.thegeorgewalkerhouse.com/

Douglas:

The Gadsen Hotel: https://thegadsdenhotel.com/

In southern New Mexico, Deming and Lordsburg offer several chain hotels, while the small town of Silver City (on the edge of the Gila National Forest) offers chain hotels, small motels, and many private lodging options. Las Cruces is a major metropolitan area with chain hotels and many private lodging options.

Birding Gear: bring what you use regularly at home. If you'd like to use your spotting scope, then bring it along (Borderland Birds has a high quality spotting scope [Leica Televid 62mm] and a spare set of binoculars).

Clothing: dress in layers no matter the season! Sturdy shoes such as lightweight hiking shoes or trail runners are perfect for most ocassions. Long, lightweight pants are best for warmer seasons, while thicker hiking or cotton pants are best for other seasons. Long-sleeve loose-fitting shirts for summer sun and bug protection; a wide-brimmed hat for most months (and a warm cap for winter). Fleece vests, jackets and lightweight jackets for shoulder seasons and winter jackets, gloves and hats for winter (sometimes).

Don't forget your bug spray, sunscreen and your favorite refillable water bottle too!

Arizona: 

The Arizona Field Ornithologists (AZFO) is an organization of birders and ornithologists dedicated to increasing the knowledge of the changing status, identification, and distribution of Arizona's birdlife. Visit their site for official checklists of Arizona Birds and more: https://www.azfo.org/

New Mexico:

The New Mexico Ornithological Society (NMOS) is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to gathering and disseminating accurate information concerning the bird life of New Mexico. Visit their site for the official New Mexico checklist and more: https://www.nmbirds.org/

Reservations/Bookings: 

• Rates are for 1-2 people; additional people are charged at $50/each; additional hours are charged at $50/hr.
• A 50% Deposit in advance is required to hold your date​(s), with the remaining balance payable on the date your trip with Borderland Birds.
• Borderland Birds accepts payments (USD) in cash, check, Venmo, Zelle, CashApp, and Paypal (w/addl 5% charge)

Cancellations/Refunds:

• If you need to cancel and it is more than 1 month prior to your reserved date(s) your deposit is 75% refundable.
• If ​you need to cancel within 1 month of your reserved date(s) your deposit is non-refundable.
• If you need to reschedule your trip, your deposit can be applied to a new date(s).
• Balances that have been paid in advance on deposits are 100% refundable, should you need to cancel.
• Balances are not due until the date of your trip with Borderland Birds. Balances (monies in addition to your deposit) paid in full prior to the start of your trip can be used for full credit for future bookings with Borderland Birds.

Transportation:

• In most instances, the client provides the vehicle to be used for daily guiding. For 90% of locations a standard sedan is adequate, however a small SUV is best for access to nearly all birding locations in our region. Your guide can be added to drivers for your rental vehicle if you desire.