Phoenix Travel Forum

hi from scarborough uk; my wife janet and i are planing a touring holiday in october ,our intention is to fly into phoenix then go south /left into new mexico/north to alberquequi/back to phoenix. (we drove round vegas/utah/arizona.vegas last time)we like to stay 3 nights and move mixing motels and b&bs. any help on history bird watching(janet)eating and sleeping, we(me)like to rent a sebring open tourer many thanks julian ruddock

Phoenix is more of a resort town than B & B, but they do certainly exist.
You'll catch part of the northern migration in October. I know that the playas in far southeastern Arizona (Willcox area) and southwestern New Mexico (west of Las Cruces) are sometimes good for this, as is the area along the Rio Grande. Sevilleta and Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuges are supposed to be good for birdwatching.
hth

You didn't mention when you would be in Albuquerque but if you don't already know about the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Oct 6-14, don't plan on finding any accommodations during that time. They fill up a year in advance. While here, you might like to visit the Rio Grande Nature Center. It's celebrating its 25th anniversary and has a bird walk Saturday and Sunday mornings. I’m not a true birder but I’ve been twice in the last week and saw 3 new birds for me – wood duck, cinnamon teal and ring necked duck (fall/winter). I also saw coots and Canadian geese that nest there as well as mourning doves, a nuthatch and white crowned sparrows. They have a nice pond so they get ducks and geese plus the Bosque supports a lot of other birds. I lived here from 1973-85 and moved back in 2005 but haven’t had much chance to do too much hiking as I broke my foot in Stevenage, UK last July and it’s just gotten so it doesn’t hurt. If you want, let me know when you’ll be here and I can have more birding info for you. You might want to contact the following groups:

Central New Mexico Audubon Society
PO Box 30002
Albuquerque, NM 87190-0002
505-255-7622
Elizabeth Hurst-Waitz, President

Southwestern New Mexico Audubon Society
PO Box 1473
Silver City, NM 88062
Marian Zimmerman, Secretary

As far as history goes, were do I start. There is an old – 1500 or 1600’s settlement between Santa Fe and Albuquerque – El Rancho de las Golondrinas – that is open one weekend a month and will be having their harvest festival October 6-7. You might be able to find rooms in Santa Fe during balloon fiesta. Their site is www.golondrinas.org. I went to it years ago and found it very interesting. It's a living history museum.

Of course, you have to visit Old Town with its plaza, church and shops. There are a number of museums in the area. Also if you don’t mind heights, take the tram to the top of Sandia Crest – but make sure you take warm enough clothes as it’s 10,400 feet above sea level and can be 30 + degrees colder than the city even in the summer. You can also drive up and you should see different birds there. It's a great drive anytime, but stunning if the aspen have turned. If you like art, Canyon Road in Santa Fe has numerous art galleries although prices are typical Santa Fe – high.

Madrid, is an old mining town on the back road to Santa Fe that has become an artist’s colony. Also, San Marcos - ruins of an old pueblo are on the same road. Check out the site www.turquoisetrail.org. There are a number of other ruins in the Manzano Mountains SE of Albuq. and some in Bernalillo.

Birdwatching B&B in SE AZ

http://www.ramseycanyoninn.com/

thanks for your advice ;we count this gathering of information as part of the holiday--when we put an itinary together will ask for further advice julian/janet