The 2012 Festival is over. Check back later for 2013 updates.
Festival dates are January 16-20, 2013. 
Registration will open September 1, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. MST.











 

Welcome!!

Welcome to registration for the 19th Annual Wings Over Willcox Birding & Nature Festival.

If you have difficulty viewing the tour information, please check to see if you are using a current version of your browser software. Also, please be aware that you will have to scroll through the registration page using the inner scroll bar on the right hand side of the webpage. If you have any questions call 1-800-200-2272.

The meeting times listed below are provided to ensure that the tours depart on time. A volunteer will gather tour participants to collect your ticket and provide a brief orientation. All tours depart promptly 10 minutes after the meeting time.

To sign-up for the Wings Over Willcox tours or events, it is necessary to first register as a participant for the festival. On-line registration requires a credit card as payment. At this time we can only accept Mastercard, Visa or Discover credit cards. A secure on-line transaction is provided through GeoTrust. To pay by check, please print out the registration form and send by mail.

To register, please click on any of the the "Register" links on this page and follow the instructions. Please be aware that there is a $10.00 non-refundable registration fee for each registrant. "Early Bird" registration deadline is December 31st. Registration after this date will require an additional $5.00 per event, per person (after December 31st the price will reflect this fee).

It may be necessary to allow "Pop-ups" with your internet browser settings to see the Trip Leader and Seminar Speaker details.





Wednesday    Thursday    Friday    Saturday    Sunday     All

T-Shirts              Seminars
Wednesday 01/11/12
1 Muleshoe Ranch   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   1:50 PM  Return:   4:00 PM  $100.00   
The Muleshoe tour will provide you a unique opportunity to spend Wednesday evening and Thursday exploring the sights and sounds of the Muleshoe ecosystem. The tour meets at the Willcox Community Center at 1:50 p.m. on Wednesday. From the community center you will be driven to the Muleshoe Ranch. Upon arrival you will check in with The Nature Conservancy staff and get settled into your own private casita (arrangements for lodging must be made with Muleshoe Ranch directly - visit this link or call 520-212-4295 for the rates and reservation information).

Wednesday evening begins with a presentation on the habitat and species found within the Muleshoe ecosystem, emphasizing the aquatic and riparian habitats. Guests will then be treated to dinner followed by an evening on your own to explore the ranch headquarters listening and looking for nocturnal creatures such as Western Screech Owls, ringtail cats, and coatimundis, or you can enjoy a serene evening soaking and relaxing in the natural hot spring tubs.

On Thursday morning guests will be treated to a light breakfast before setting off with their tour leaders to explore and experience the Hot Springs/Bass Canyon Loop of the Muleshoe Ranch, where a variety of wildlife species including birds, mammals, reptiles, and aquatic species may be encountered.

Woodpeckers, green-tailed towhees, dark-eyed juncos, white-crowned sparrows, and other winter migrants are a few of the bird species that are usually active around headquarters in January. However, be aware that January is early in the year for viewing certain wildlife species that are not active during the winter. Participants will be returned to the Willcox Community Center by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Walking: Approximately three miles of difficult hiking. The hike requires some uphill hiking, walking on and across wet rocks, and several wet creek crossings. Good hiking shoes are recommended. Bring your own walking stick if you typically use one for trail hiking.
Includes: Dinner, breakfast, lunch, drinks, and rest stops.
Accomodations: Contact Muleshoe Ranch to make lodging arrangements ( muleshoe@tnc.org or 520-212-4295).

Trip Leaders: Heidi Blasius   Detail   Anne Casey   Detail  

Thursday 01/12/12
2 Daylong Photography   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   5:50 AM  Return:   4:00 PM  $100.00   
Spend time with two wildlife photography experts at Whitewater Draw and other southeastern Arizona sites, photographing Sandhill Cranes and other birds.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Intermediate to Advanced Photographers
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Thomas Whetten   Detail   George Andrejko   Detail  

NEW!! 3 Wining & Dining   Remaining Tickets: 20
Meet at WCC:   10:05 AM  Return:   3:30 PM  $100.00   
Rod Keeling & Jan Schaefer will lead a tour through their vineyard, winery & cellar, including barrel tasting. Enjoy sampling their highly-rated wines in a beautiful setting in the foothills of the Chiricahua Mountains. A gourmet lunch, with wine, will be catered by Chef Rod Kass of Cafe Roka in Rod & Janʼs vineyard home. After lunch hike a quarter-mile nature loop through oaks, juniper, desert willows, hackberry and ash trees on their backyard trail with WOW birding expert, to spot birds in their natural habitat ... or relax and enjoy tasting a bit more. Keeling Schaefer Vineyard wine will be for sale at the vineyard the day of the tour.
Walking: Less than ¼ mile of easy walking.
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Vivian MacKinnon   Detail   Rod Keeling   Detail   Jan Schaefer   Detail  

4 Sunset Sandhill Crane   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   3:50 PM  Return:   6:30 PM  $30.00   
This tour will start with a circuit of Lake Cochise for late afternoon arrivals of waterfowl. Next stop will be at a known roosting site as dusk begins to fall, with Sandhill Cranes coming in from the fields to spend the night.
Walking: Approximately 3/4 mile of walking is required along an unpaved, sandy road. Be prepared for cold temperatures as the sun sets, and bring a flashlight for the return walk to the vehicle.
Level: Beginner
Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: Erika Wilson   Detail   Jeff Babson   Detail  

Friday 01/13/12
5 Whitewater Draw Sandhill Crane   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   5:50 AM  Return:   10:00 AM  $40.00   
Watch Sandhill Cranes take flight at Whitewater Draw as they begin their morning feeding.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: Bob Coder   Detail

6 Daylong Photography   Remaining Tickets: 1
Meet at WCC:   5:50 AM  Return:   4:00 PM  $100.00   
Spend time with two wildlife photography experts at Whitewater Draw and other southeastern Arizona sites, photographing Sandhill Cranes and other birds.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Intermediate to Advanced Photographers
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Thomas Whetten   Detail   George Andrejko   Detail  

Featured!! 7 Chiricahua Montane Specialties   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   6:20 AM  Return:   4:00 PM  $85.00   
The mountains of Cochise County are well known for spring and fall migrants and sought-after birds that are winter residents. The tour travels to the mountains of the Chiricahua National Monument and may visit Pinery Canyon or Turkey Creek. The tour will look for Montezuma Quail, Mexican Chickadee, Olive Warbler, Northern Pygmy-owl, Arizona Woodpecker, and other boreal and Madrean species. Ted Floyd, featured 2012 WOW keynote speaker, will also join the tour as a tour guide. Be prepared for possible snow. Significant snowfall may restrict access to the upper elevations of the Chiricahuas.
A LARGE FIRE OCCURED IN THE CHIRICAHUAS THIS SUMMER. AS A RESULT, VENUES FOR THIS TOUR MAY VARY FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
Walking: Approximately one mile of easy to moderate walking with several stops.
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Keynote Speaker   Detail   Rick Taylor   Detail  

8 Beginning Birdwatching   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   7:20 AM  Return:   9:30 AM  FREE   
Learn and practice basic identification skills. Time will be spent at the Willcox ponds and nearby areas observing and identifying common bird species.
TRANSPORTATION IS NOT PROVIDED. This tour will require that you bring your own car and binoculars.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Beginner

Trip Leaders: Erika Wilson   Detail

9 A Naturalist's Saunter in Fort Bowie   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   7:50 AM  Return:   4:00 PM  $50.00   
Join naturalist, wildlife biologist, and guide Vincent Pinto as he journeys into the incomparable beauty and diversity of Fort Bowie National Historic Site. Applying a wide variety of disciplines, you’ll learn about the area’s unique terrain and related habitat, delve into the region's human history, become acquainted with countless plants and their uses (food, medicine, shelter, tools) be introduced to the art and science of tracking animals, discover winter weather patterns, and (of course!) look for birds and other wildlife. You'll also learn how to use a nature journal to record and further enjoy your many discoveries. Here is a great opportunity to weave together many of WOW'S field trip topics into one amazing walk! As we will drive to only one location, this outing requires the ability to walk moderate distances (2- 4 miles total) in varying terrain.
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Vincent Pinto   Detail

10 Ghost Towns - A Century Later   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   8:20 AM  Return:   3:30 PM  $55.00   
Visit three nearby ghost towns and learn of the influence of gold, silver and copper mining on the development of Cochise County. Your tour leader will discuss early life in these ghost towns and the "boom and bust" nature of early mining. Tour a restored general merchandise store dating from the late 1800s and inspect a restored jail and other buildings that still remain. Step back more than a century to an early, less hectic lifestyle.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: No prior knowledge of history is needed.
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops.

Trip Leaders: Don Hammer   Detail

NEW!! 11 History of Willcox Playa   Remaining Tickets: 2
Meet at WCC:   8:50 AM  Return:   12:00 PM  $40.00   
A one hour talk followed by a three hour tour to explore what many visitors consider a bleak and inhospitable bowl of sand and dust. And yet in May 1996 the Playa was designated “A NATIONAL NATURAL LANDMARK” and has been designated as one of twenty-one “Arizona Heritage Waters” sites. The program will explore the geologic history of the Playa, its ecological importance, and biological diversity today along with other historical facts and stories related to the Playa. The final tour route will be established by the guides and will be dependent upon weather conditions and other access issues.
Walking:Moderate walking on dirt and/or sandy roads or paths.
Level: Beginner
Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: Howard Bethel   Detail   Kathy Klump   Detail  

12 Kansas Settlement Agriculture   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   8:50 AM  Return:   4:00 PM  $45.00   
Visit a pistachio orchard and vegetable farm, a cotton gin, a large pecan orchard & processing plant and a greenhouse growing tomatoes. Managers at each will explain the entire operation and discuss the latest methods they use to maximize their productivity. In addition, your farmer-guide will show and discuss irrigated farming of a variety of other agricultural crops between the tour stops.
Walking: Approximately 1/4 mile of easy walking.
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops.

Trip Leaders: Denzil Farbo   Detail

13 Eurofresh & Farming   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   8:50 AM  Return:   3:00 PM  $45.00   
Eurofresh operates a 200+ acre greenhouse complex producing premium, hydroponically grown, and pesticide-free tomatoes. Staff will explain all aspects of growing tomatoes under completely controlled conditions. On the return, visit a farm producing corn, alfalfa, cotton, and pinto beans where your farmer-guide will show and explain irrigated farming in the Sulphur Springs Valley.
Walking: Approximately ¾ mile of easy walking.
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Claire Owen   Detail

14 Bowie Area Agriculture & Geology   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   8:50 AM  Return:   4:00 PM  $45.00   
Bowie, in the San Simon Valley east of Willcox, is surrounded by pecan and pistachio orchards and fascinating geology. The first stop is at a zeolite mine seven miles north of Bowie where we will discuss, in nontechnical terms, the geologic history including processes responsible for modern landforms, soil, and water resources. We will then travel south of Bowie to the pecan and pistachio orchards for discussions about their operation and maintenance. In Bowie we will have an opportunity to purchase locally produced pecans, pistachios, walnuts, and wine.
Walking: Less than a 1/2 mile of easy walking on flat ground.
Level: Beginner
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Larry Fellows   Detail   Tony Cohorn   Detail  

15 Flora of Texas Canyon   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   9:20 AM  Return:   3:30 PM  $40.00   
Situated at 4,600–5,500 feet above sea level in the dramatic rock formations of Texas Canyon, the Amerind Foundation is a place where several plant communities come together. Here we’ll be learning about plants from the oak woodlands, desert grasslands, riparian communities, and Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts. Discussion will center around adaptations to environment, evolutionary relationships, reproductive strategies, and uses by people from prehistoric times to the present. TRANSPORTATION IS NOT PROVIDED. Please note that participants will car pool to the Amerind Foundation. The distance is approximately 45 miles round-trip.
Walking: Approximately 1-2 miles of easy to moderate walking on dirt roads with some short jaunts through grass and over rocks to see certain plants.
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops.

Trip Leaders: Barbara Hanson   Detail

16 Beginning Birdwatching   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   3:20 PM  Return:   5:30 PM  FREE   
Learn and practice basic identification skills. Time will be spent at the Willcox ponds and nearby areas observing and identifying common bird species.
TRANSPORTATION IS NOT PROVIDED. This tour will require that you bring your own car and binoculars.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Beginner

Trip Leaders: Tony Battiste   Detail

17 Sunset Sandhill Crane   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   3:50 PM  Return:   6:30 PM  $30.00   
This tour will start with a circuit of Lake Cochise for late afternoon arrivals of waterfowl. Next stop will be at a known roosting site as dusk begins to fall, with Sandhill Cranes coming in from the fields to spend the night.
Walking: Approximately 3/4 mile of walking is required along an unpaved, sandy road. Be prepared for cold temperatures as the sun sets, and bring a flashlight for the return walk to the vehicle.
Level: Beginner
Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: John Yerger   Detail   Jeff Babson   Detail   Steve Peugh   Detail  

18 Amazing Arizona Astronomy   Remaining Tickets: 4
Meet at WCC:   5:50 PM  Return:   8:00 PM  $30.00   
The Winter skies in southeastern Arizona rank among the best in the country. Naturalist and amateur astronomer Vincent Pinto will guide you through the constellations, visible planets, and deep-sky features visible during WOW. Blending modern technology with ancient stories and wisdom, Vince will open up new possibilities for viewing and understanding our universe. You'll have multiple opportunities to see a variety of beautiful and fascinating objects through a telescope (provided) and binoculars (bring your own, please).
Dress warmly and stay as long or as short as you desire, as our viewing site will be close to Willcox. TRANSPORTATION IS NOT PROVIDED. This tour will require that you bring your own car.

Trip Leaders: Vincent Pinto   Detail

Featured!! 19 Dinner with Ted Floyd   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   6:30 PM  Return:   8:30 PM  $95.00   
Enjoy an intimate and elegant dinner at the Coronado Vineyards, a local winery, with Ted Floyd, the Wings Over Willcox 2012 Banquet Keynote Speaker. There will be no set schedule, just the opportunity to relax, enjoy dinner and wine, and talk with Ted and the other diners. Dinner includes one complimentary glass of wine and a personally signed copy of a book by Ted Floyd.

Trip Leaders: Keynote Speaker   Detail

Saturday 01/14/12
20 Country Breakfast   Remaining Tickets: 57
Meet at WCC:   5:30 AM  Return:   10:30 AM  $1.00   
Get yourself out of bed early and come on down and join the local Rotary Club at an all-you-can-eat old-fashioned country breakfast, held at the Willcox Community Center, location of the Wings Over Willcox registration and tour departures. Serving starts at 5:30 a.m. and continues to 10:30 a.m. to accommodate both the early tour participants and those who like to sleep in a little.
Proceeds from this breakfast and all other Rotary Club fundraisers and projects are donated to local and world communities supporting high school graduates, sponsorships of youth sports teams, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Conference assistance, and other such programs. Rotary International is dedicated to the worldwide eradication of polio and hunger through the Polio Plus and Hunger Plus programs and to providing wheelchairs to those in need in foreign countries in cooperation with the Wheelchair Foundation.
The Rotary Clubs and their members are to be commended for their hard work and dedication to the youth and the disadvantaged of our nation and world. The Willcox Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture and the Wings over Willcox Committee urge you to support their efforts and enjoy a delicious breakfast.

Trip Leaders: N/A  

21 Daylong Photography   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   5:50 AM  Return:   4:00 PM  $100.00   
Spend time with two wildlife photography experts at Whitewater Draw and other southeastern Arizona sites, photographing Sandhill Cranes and other birds.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Intermediate to Advanced Photographers
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Thomas Whetten   Detail   George Andrejko   Detail  

22 Sunrise Sandhill Crane   Remaining Tickets: 5
Meet at WCC:   6:05 AM  Return:   9:45 AM  $30.00   
Watch Sandhill Cranes take flight as they begin their morning feeding. Local wildlife experts who track the flocks will provide locations.
Walking: Approximately ¾ mile of easy walking is required. The walking is along an unpaved road with occasional potholes. Be prepared for a cold morning, prior to sunrise below freezing temperatures are possible. Bring a flashlight for the pre-sunrise walk.
Level: Beginner
Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: Matt Brooks   Detail   Steve Peugh   Detail   Vivian MacKinnon   Detail  

23 Chiricahua Montane Specialties   Remaining Tickets: 1
Meet at WCC:   6:20 AM  Return:   4:00 PM  $60.00   
The mountains of Cochise County are well known for spring and fall migrants and sought-after birds that are winter residents. The tour travels to the mountains of the Chiricahua National Monument and may visit Pinery Canyon or Turkey Creek. The tour will look for Montezuma Quail, Mexican Chickadee, Olive Warbler, Northern Pygmy-owl, Arizona Woodpecker, and other boreal and Madrean species. Be prepared for possible snow. Significant snowfall may restrict access to the upper elevations of the Chiricahuas.
A LARGE FIRE OCCURED IN THE CHIRICAHUAS THIS SUMMER. AS A RESULT, VENUES FOR THIS TOUR MAY VARY FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
Walking: Approximately one mile of easy to moderate walking with several stops.
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Bill Grossi   Detail

24 Southwest Winter Specialties   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   6:50 AM  Return:   4:30 PM  $60.00   
Some of the most sought-after birds in North America spend their winters here in Cochise County. The tour travels the wetlands, grasslands, agriculture fields, and foothills of the Sulphur Springs Valley and includes stops at Whitewater Draw and Cochise Stronghold. The tour will look for Scaled Quail, Arizona Woodpecker, Mountain Plover, Sage Sparrow, Chestnut-Collared Longspur, Vermilion Flycatcher, and Bendire's Thrasher, as well as a variety of waterfowl, raptors and shorebirds. Be ready for other rare and exciting finds.
Walking: Approximately one mile of easy to moderate walking with several stops.
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Rick Taylor   Detail

25 Daylong Hawk Stalk   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   6:50 AM  Return:   5:00 PM  $70.00   
Hawk experts will travel the length of the Sulphur Springs Valley pursuing more than 15 species of hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls. Glimpses of javelina and mule deer may add to your viewing pleasure.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Jeff Babson   Detail   Scott Olmstead   Detail  

26 Half-day Hawk Stalk #1   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   7:05 AM  Return:   11:15 AM  $35.00   
A shorter version of the Daylong Hawk Stalk pursues the same types of hawks, owls, eagles, and falcons. Morning and afternoon tours offered. NOTE: Due to the excitement this trip offers, the tour may run 15-20 minutes behind schedule.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: Tim K. Snow   Detail   Tony Battiste   Detail   Larry Liese   Detail  

27 Beginning Birdwatching   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   7:20 AM  Return:   9:30 AM  FREE   
Learn and practice basic identification skills. Time will be spent at the Willcox ponds and nearby areas observing and identifying common bird species.
TRANSPORTATION IS NOT PROVIDED. This tour will require that you bring your own car and binoculars.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Beginner

Trip Leaders: Erika Wilson   Detail

28 Observación de las aves para principiantes (tour en español)   Remaining Tickets: 3
Meet at WCC:   7:50 AM  Return:   11:00 AM  FREE   
Aprende y practique habilidades básicas en la observación de las aves, tal como el uso de los binoculares y guías de campo y más. Pasaremos tiempo observando e identificando especies comunes de aves en las lagunas de Willcox y otras áreas cercanas. Proveamos binoculares y guías de campo para usar durante el tour.
NO PROVEAMOS EL TRANSPORTE PARA EL TOUR. Participantes deben tener su propio carro o compartir transporte con otro participante.
Tour a pie: Una caminata fácil de menos de media milla.
Nivel: Principiante
El tour requiere un mínimo de 8 participantes para llevarse a cabo.

Tour spoken in Spanish: Learn and practice basic identification skills, such as how to use binoculars, how to use a field guide to identify birds, and more. We will spend time observing and identifying common bird species at the Willcox ponds and nearby areas. Binoculars and Spanish field guides will be provided.
TRANSPORTATION IS NOT PROVIDED FOR THIS TOUR. Participants must bring their own car or carpool. If this tour does not have a minimum of 8 participants, it will be cancelled.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Beginner

Trip Leaders: Jennie Duberstein   Detail

29 Half-day Sparrow Seek #1   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   7:50 AM  Return:   12:00 PM  $35.00   
The grasslands of the Sulphur Springs Valley are well known for the diversity of sparrows, towhees, and longspurs that are winter residents. Over 24 species of Emberizids (members of the sparrow family) may winter in Cochise County and as many as 19 species have been observed during the festival weekend. The tour starts with an hour-long class on sparrow identification, followed by a field trip seeking a dozen sparrow species. Morning and afternoon tours offered.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy to moderate walking and includes brushy areas.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: Homer Hansen   Detail

30 A Naturalist's Saunter in Chiricahua National Monument   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   7:50 AM  Return:   4:00 PM  $50.00   
Join naturalist, wildlife biologist, and guide Vincent Pinto as he journeys into the incomparable beauty and diversity of Chiricahua National Monument. Applying a wide variety of disciplines, you’ll learn about the area’s unique rock formations and geology, delve into the region's human history, become acquainted with countless plants and their uses (food, medicine, shelter, tools) be introduced to the art and science of tracking animals, discover winter weather patterns, and (of course!) look for birds and other wildlife. You'll also learn how to use a nature journal to record and further enjoy your many discoveries. Here is a great opportunity to weave together many of WOW'S field trip topics into one amazing walk! As we will drive to only one location, this outing requires the ability to walk moderate distances (2- 4 miles total) in varying terrain.
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Vincent Pinto   Detail

31 Apache Station Tour   Remaining Tickets: 15
Meet at WCC:   8:20 AM  Return:   11:30 AM  $10.00   
Since 1961, Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (AEPCO) has been a customer-owned utility producing electricity at its Apache Generating Station in Cochise, Arizona. AEPCO began operations with just one unit producing 10 megawatts of power. Today, Apache Station is capable of producing 560 megawatts of electric energy from three steam units and four gas turbines. We invite you to tour the facility and see firsthand how electricity is produced and distributed to consumers. Participants must wear comfortable, closed-toed shoes and will walk across open grating. TRANSPORTATION IS NOT PROVIDED. Participants will drive or carpool to the Apache Generating Station in Cochise. The distance from Willcox is approximately 50 miles roundtrip.

Trip Leaders: Michael Nelson   Detail

32 Archaeology   Remaining Tickets: 2
Meet at WCC:   8:50 AM  Return:   2:00 PM  $50.00   
Tour a partially excavated prehistoric archaeological site on a private ranch. Visit the ranch repository, view many of the artifacts excavated and collected from this site, and hear an explanation of their construction and uses. An archeologist will discuss the local prehistory and environment. Afterwards enjoy a ranch-style lunch with the Working Cattle Ranch tour group.
Walking: Less than ¼ mile of easy, short walks.
Includes: Ranch-style lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Casey Dennis   Detail

33 Working Cattle Ranch   Remaining Tickets: 7
Meet at WCC:   8:50 AM  Return:   3:00 PM  $50.00   
Lush grasslands of the Sulphur Springs Valley supported large ranches and ranchers once shipped more cattle from Willcox than any other point in the U.S. Visit a historic, working cattle ranch continuously operated by descendants of one of the earliest pioneer ranchers. Your rancher-guide will discuss ranching history, show and explain modern cattle and range management practices, and discuss relationships between ranching and wildlife. If it's cold in Willcox, it's cold on this tour!
Walking: Less than ¼ mile of easy, short walks.
Includes: Ranch-style lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Jim Riggs   Detail

Featured!! 34 Bare-Naked Birding   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   10:05 AM  Return:   11:45 AM  $20.00   
Join Ted Floyd, our 2012 WOW keynote speaker, for a birdwatching excursion--without binoculars! This is NOT a "birding by ear" workshop. Instead, we'll rediscover the wonders and glories of human vision. When we go birding without binoculars, we pick up more context, we are more sensitive to motion, and we are more attuned to behavior than when we use binoculars. With a little patience, bare-naked birders can train themselves to see individual feathers on birds! In many situations, we see--and correctly identify--more birds without binoculars than with binoculars. This workshop will change the way you see and identify birds. Clothing optional; binoculars prohibited.
TRANSPORTATION IS NOT PROVIDED FOR THIS TOUR. This tour will require that you drive your own car or carpool to the Willcox ponds.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Beginner

Trip Leaders: Keynote Speaker   Detail

35 Wetlands, Woodlands and History   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   10:05 AM  Return:   4:30 PM  $45.00   
This tour’s first stop is Cochise Lake in Willcox, then a drive to Apache Station Wildlife Viewing Area to observe Sandhill Cranes during their loafing period. We will then move to Cochise Stronghold Ranch for lunch and an informative talk on the history of Sulphur Springs Valley, the ancient people of Sulphur Springs Valley and the Ranch. Our tour will conclude with visits to the ponds at Shadow Mountain Golf Course. All of this is subject to change depending upon where species have been spotted.
Walking: Approximately ½ mile of easy to moderately easy walking.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Jim Paterson   Detail   John Yerger   Detail   Steve Peugh   Detail   Dusti Becker   Detail  

36 Willcox Walking History   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   12:50 PM  Return:   4:00 PM  $10.00   
Take a tour of the Historic Downtown's Railroad Avenue with a local historian. You’ll see Arizona’s only remaining original Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, constructed in 1880; Willcox Commercial, the oldest continually operating store in Arizona; and the Schwertner House, built as an overnight rooming facility for Army personnel en route through Willcox to area military posts. Nearby, the Rex Allen Cowboy Museum honors the late singer/actor “hometown boy” success story. Stop by the Chiricahua Regional Museum where there are exhibits on the region’s history, featuring Apache Indians, cavalry, Butterfield Stage Line, and mining & railroad displays. On your stroll, you’ll pass several other historic buildings, such as the Headquarters Saloon, where Warren Earp was shot.
Walking: Approximately ¾ mile of easy walking.
Includes: A historic downtown walking tour map

Trip Leaders: Kathy Klump   Detail

37 Owls by Day   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   12:50 PM  Return:   4:00 PM  $35.00   
Owls are fascinating birds to observe! Join us on this unique tour looking for owls during the day. We will visit a few locations seeking glimpses of Great Horned, Barn, and Screech owls.
Walking: Easy to moderate walking for short distances over a few stops.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: Larry Liese   Detail

NEW!! 38 The Story of Dos Cabezas   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   12:50 PM  Return:   4:30 PM  $35.00   
Tour the historical Dos Cabezas Spirit and Nature Retreat B&B, lodging for the WOW guest speaker, as your tour guides recount the history of the one hundred year-old-plus adobe building used by the infamous T.N. McCauley as “The Hostess House” to wine and dine prospects asked to invest in the legendary Mascot Mine. Enjoy birding at the B&B, recent hosts to The Discovery Channel filming for a nature series to be televised in 2012. We will narrate the evolution of the wildlife habitats the past one hundred years, the history of the Dos Cabezas Pioneer Cemetery, and the Butterfield Stage trail. Then to the Dos Cabezas Mountain Gallery to shop from award-winning artists and enjoy treats of hot cider and Grandma Flick’s cookies.
Walking: Easy to moderate walking for short distances.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: Jon Samuelson   Detail   Carol Wien   Detail  

39 Easy Birding Sampler   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   12:50 PM  Return:   5:00 PM  $35.00   
A slow pace and comfortable, easy viewing will be emphasized on this trip designed for birders with limitations of endurance or mobility. We will visit Willcox Twin Lakes for waterfowl and shorebirds, Kansas Settlement for raptors and sparrows, and AEPCO Ponds for Sandhill Cranes. As we travel from site to site we will have chances to stop to observe other bird species.
Walking: Most birding will be done from the vehicle or in close proximity to vehicle and the short excursions will be wheelchair accessible.
Level: All
Includes: Rest stops.

Trip Leaders: Vivian MacKinnon   Detail

40 Half-day Hawk Stalk #2   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   12:50 PM  Return:   5:00 PM  $35.00   
A shorter version of the Daylong Hawk Stalk pursues the same types of hawks, owls, eagles, and falcons. Morning and afternoon tours offered. NOTE: Due to the excitement this trip offers, the tour may run 15-20 minutes behind schedule.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Includes: Rest stops .

Trip Leaders: Tim K. Snow   Detail   Tony Battiste   Detail   Steve Marlatt    Detail  

41 Half-day Sparrow Seek #2   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   12:50 PM  Return:   5:00 PM  $35.00   
The grasslands of the Sulphur Springs Valley are well known for the diversity of sparrows, towhees, and longspurs that are winter residents. Over 24 species of Emberizids (members of the sparrow family) may winter in Cochise County and as many as 19 species have been observed during the festival weekend. The tour starts with an hour-long class on sparrow identification, followed by a field trip seeking a dozen sparrow species. Morning and afternoon tours offered.
Walking: Less than ½ mile of easy to moderate walking and includes brushy areas.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: Homer Hansen   Detail

Featured!! 42 Banquet & Keynote Speaker   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   6:00 PM  Return:   9:00 PM  $25.00   
Come and enjoy a wonderful evening with other festival participants, volunteers, and tour leaders. Arrive early and chat with old friends, meet new ones, and preview the silent auction items. An excellent dinner will be served followed by the keynote speaker's presentation (for details Click Here).

Evening Schedule:
6:00 pm Silent auction and social time
7:00 pm Dinner
8:00 pm Keynote speaker presentation

Location: Willcox Elks Lodge, 247 E Stewart Street.

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED due to limited seating. Please note whether you want a chicken, steak or vegetarian dinner. If you are selecting more than one meal type, please ADD each order separately.

Trip Leaders: Keynote Speaker   Detail

Sunday 01/15/12
43 Country Breakfast   Remaining Tickets: 72
Meet at WCC:   5:30 AM  Return:   10:30 AM  $1.00   
Get yourself out of bed early and come on down and join the local Rotary Club at an all-you-can-eat old-fashioned country breakfast, held at the Willcox Community Center, location of the Wings Over Willcox registration and tour departures. Serving starts at 5:30 a.m. and continues to 10:30 a.m. to accommodate both the early tour participants and those who like to sleep in a little.
Proceeds from this breakfast and all other Rotary Club fundraisers and projects are donated to local and world communities supporting high school graduates, sponsorships of youth sports teams, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Conference assistance, and other such programs. Rotary International is dedicated to the worldwide eradication of polio and hunger through the Polio Plus and Hunger Plus programs and to providing wheelchairs to those in need in foreign countries in cooperation with the Wheelchair Foundation.
The Rotary Clubs and their members are to be commended for their hard work and dedication to the youth and the disadvantaged of our nation and world. The Willcox Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture and the Wings over Willcox Committee urge you to support their efforts and enjoy a delicious breakfast.

Trip Leaders: N/A  

44 Sunrise Sandhill Crane   Remaining Tickets: 29
Meet at WCC:   6:05 AM  Return:   9:45 AM  $30.00   
Watch Sandhill Cranes take flight as they begin their morning feeding. Local wildlife experts who track the flocks will provide locations.
Walking: Approximately ¾ mile easy walking is required. The walking is along an unpaved road with occasional potholes. Be prepared for a cold morning, prior to sunrise below freezing temperatures are possible. Bring a flashlight for the pre-sunrise walk.
Level: Beginner Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: Matt Brooks   Detail   John Yerger   Detail   Larry Liese   Detail   Steve Peugh   Detail  

45 Chiricahua Montane Specialties   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   6:20 AM  Return:   4:00 PM  $60.00   
The mountains of Cochise County are well known for spring and fall migrants and sought-after birds that are winter residents. The tour travels to the mountains of the Chiricahua National Monument and may visit Pinery Canyon or Turkey Creek. The tour will look for Montezuma Quail, Mexican Chickadee, Olive Warbler, Northern Pygmy-owl, Arizona Woodpecker, and other boreal and Madrean species. Be prepared for possible snow. Significant snowfall may restrict access to the upper elevations of the Chiricahuas.
A LARGE FIRE OCCURED IN THE CHIRICAHUAS THIS SUMMER. AS A RESULT, VENUES FOR THIS TOUR MAY VARY FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
Walking: Approximately one mile of easy to moderate walking with several stops.
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Scott Olmstead   Detail   Rick Taylor   Detail  

46 Southwest Winter Specialties   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   6:50 AM  Return:   4:30 PM  $60.00   
Some of the most sought-after birds in North America spend their winters here in Cochise County. The tour travels the wetlands, grasslands, agriculture fields, and foothills of the Sulphur Springs Valley and includes stops at Whitewater Draw and Cochise Stronghold. The tour will look for Scaled Quail, Arizona Woodpecker, Mountain Plover, Sage Sparrow, Chestnut-Collared Longspur, Vermilion Flycatcher, and Bendire's Thrasher, as well as a variety of waterfowl, raptors and shorebirds. Be ready for other rare and exciting finds.
Walking: Approximately one mile of easy to moderate walking with several stops.
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Bill Grossi   Detail

47 Southbound Hawk Stalk   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   7:20 AM  Return:   12:30 PM  $45.00   
Explore Kansas Settlement, a hawk-watcher’s dream during the winter months when large numbers of raptors are seen throughout the area.
Walking: Approximately ½ mile of easy walking.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: Tony Battiste   Detail

48 Daylong Sparrow Seek   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   7:50 AM  Return:   4:30 PM  $60.00   
The grasslands of the Sulphur Springs Valley are well known for the diversity of sparrows, towhees, and longspurs that are winter residents. Over 24 species of Emberizids (members of the sparrow family) may winter in Cochise County and as many as 19 species have been observed during the festival weekend. The tour starts with an hour-long class on sparrow identification, followed by a field trip seeking over 15 sparrow species.
Walking: Approximately 1 to 1 1/2 miles of easy to moderate walking that includes agricultural fields and brushy areas.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Homer Hansen   Detail   Jeff Babson   Detail  

49 Midday Northbound Hawk Stalk   Remaining Tickets: 3
Meet at WCC:   8:50 AM  Return:   3:00 PM  $45.00   
Explore the Stewart District to Bonita, a hawk-watcher’s dream during the winter months when large numbers of raptors are seen throughout the area.
Walking: Approximately ½ mile of easy to moderately easy walking.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops

Trip Leaders: Tim K. Snow   Detail   Vivian MacKinnon   Detail   Jennie Duberstein   Detail  

Featured!! 50 Habitat Sampler   Remaining Tickets: 0
Meet at WCC:   10:05 AM  Return:   4:30 PM  $85.00   
Climate and geology underlie habitat types and their structure. On this field trip we will explore the interplay between these factors and wintering birds’ survival strategies. Different suites of birds are found in oak woodland, riparian sycamore woodland, mesquite desert scrub, and two modified habitats—suburban development and irrigated agriculture. We begin our tour in the Dragoon Mountains at Coronado National Forest’s Cochise Stronghold campground in oak woodland. After a 1.5 mile hike, we will eat our picnic lunch at the campground, then move downhill to sycamore riparian woodland, where we will walk 1 mile along a forest service road. Next stop is Sunsites, a suburban development with a golf course and water treatment ponds where we will find an entirely different suite of birds. Desert scrubland is best birded by vehicle, with short stops as warranted, as we cross the Sulphur Springs Valley floor. At Kansas Settlement we move into irrigated agricultural areas, where foraging Sandhill Cranes, wintering raptors, and grassland birds will be our focus. Ted Floyd, featured 2012 WOW keynote speaker, will also join the tour as a tour guide.
Walking: About 2.5 miles of moderate walking on uneven trails and gravel roads; wear good hiking shoes and bring binoculars.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Includes: Lunch, drinks, and rest stops.

Trip Leaders: Erika Wilson   Detail   Jim Paterson   Detail   Keynote Speaker   Detail  

NEW!! 51 The Story of Dos Cabezas   Remaining Tickets: 11
Meet at WCC:   12:50 PM  Return:   4:30 PM  $35.00   
Tour the historical Dos Cabezas Spirit and Nature Retreat B&B, lodging for the WOW guest speaker, as your tour guides recount the history of the one hundred year-old-plus adobe building used by the infamous T.N. McCauley as “The Hostess House” to wine and dine prospects asked to invest in the legendary Mascot Mine. Enjoy birding at the B&B, recent hosts to The Discovery Channel filming for a nature series to be televised in 2012. We will narrate the evolution of the wildlife habitats the past one hundred years, the history of the Dos Cabezas Pioneer Cemetery, and the Butterfield Stage trail. Then to the Dos Cabezas Mountain Gallery to shop from award-winning artists and enjoy treats of hot cider and Grandma Flick’s cookies.
Walking: Easy to moderate walking for short distances.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Includes: Rest stops

Trip Leaders: Jon Samuelson   Detail   Carol Wien   Detail  



 
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