Wings Over Willcox Reservation System

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED! Registration for the 2014 Festival to be held January 15-19, 2014 will open September 1, 2013 at 8:00 a.m. PST. Stay tuned for updates to the website!

Welcome!!

Welcome to registration for the 20th 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 01/16/13

1 Muleshoe Ranch Remaining Tickets: 0

Meet at WCC:   1:50 PM Return:   4:00 PM $130.00

The Muleshoe tour will provide 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 rattlesnake research occurring around Arizona and at Muleshoe Ranch. 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: All meals from Wednesday dinner to Thursday lunch, drinks, and rest stops.
Accomodations: Contact Muleshoe Ranch to make lodging arrangements ( muleshoe@tnc.org or 520-212-4295).

Trip Leaders: Melissa Amarello   Detail   Jeff Smith   Detail

NEW!! 2 Chiricahua Montane Specialties, Overnight Remaining Tickets: 0

Meet at WCC:   5:50 AM Return:   4:30 PM $270.00

The border ranges of Cochise County are well known for both resident and migratory specialties. Spending one night in the small but scenic hamlet of Portal on the edge of the Chiricahua Mountains will double our chances of finding the majority of them! Birding en route, this tour swings 70 miles east of Willcox to world-renowned Cave Creek Canyon, and climbs up to this winter's snowline (usually about 7,000') in the high Chiricahuas. We will search for regular Sierra Madrean residents such as Bridled Titmouse and Mexican Jay, as well as less common targets such as Montezuma Quail, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Blue-throated Hummingbird, Arizona Woodpecker, Juniper Titmouse, Mexican Chickadee, Crissal Thrasher, Painted Redstart, and Yellow-eyed Junco. Possible wintering birds from the Rocky Mountains include Williamson's Sapsucker, Pinyon Jay (rare irruptive), Townsend's Solitaire, and Cassin's Finch, among others. Be prepared for possible snow. Significant snowfall may restrict access to the upper elevations of the Chiricahuas.
Walking: Approximately one mile of easy to moderate walking with frequent birding stops.
Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
Includes: All meals from Wednesday lunch to lunch on Thursday, non-alcoholic beverages, double occupancy lodging at the Portal Peak Lodge, entrance fees to feeding areas, and rest stops. For a single room, please add the single room supplement to your ticket order (#3 below).

Trip Leaders: Rick Taylor   Detail   John Yerger   Detail

3 Single Room Supplement - Chiricahua Montane Specialties Remaining Tickets: 8

Meet at WCC:   5:50 AM Return:   4:30 PM $40.00

See description for Chiricahua Montane Specialties, Overnight. Housing for this event is double occupancy. Select this item to request and pay for a single room.