For those interested in our Arizona Winter Specialties tour with Dave Stejskal after Christmas (just a few weeks away!), we’d like to let you know that we’ve shortened the tour by two days, and dates are now December 26-31, 2009.

Since the winter bird picture in the state is much clearer now than it was when we first wrote the itinerary, we’ve reduced the number of nights on the tour from seven to five.  We still will spend the first night, December 26th, in Phoenix as originally planned. From there, we’ll settle into our Tucson hotel for the remaining four nights, making day trips to look for the special birds in the area.

As of early December, multiple Rufous-backed Robins and Ruddy Ground-Doves are being seen, a young male Rose-throated Becard continues just north of Nogales, Rufous-capped Warblers are still hangin’ in there, and the long-staying Sinaloa Wren at Patagonia continues for its second winter! And there’s even some late-breaking and very local news—as of yesterday the Short-tailed Hawk is now back in Dave’s very own Tucson neighborhood for its third winter. That’s a photo right out Dave’s kitchen window at right!

This shorter tour now ends on December 31st in Tucson, getting all of you home in time for those New Year’s Eve parties! Of course, the cost of the tour is lowered as well, and is now only $1375.

We think this will make for an exciting short jaunt to one of North America’s best birding regions, and a fun holiday break. If you are interested, please contact Tour Manager Maggie Burnett in our office right away (800-728-4953 or by email) to register for this tour—and we’ll see you in the Valley of the Sun (that’s Phoenix) after a very Merry Christmas!