|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
AZFO FIELD EXPEDITION
1-3 May—Galiuro Mountains (Graham County)
Leader: Eric Hough & Marceline Vandewater Contact: expeditionsATazfo.org
Overview: Out of all of the “sky island” mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona, the Galiuro Mountains are among the most remote and least-visited. Situated in western Graham County south of Aravaipa Canyon, west of the Pinaleño Mountains, east of the San Pedro River, and north of the Muleshoe Ranch Preserve, the Galiuro Mountains are a rugged range with life zones ranging from upland Sonoran Desert scrub up to mixed conifer and ponderosa pine forest. A few major riparian drainages with perennial water contain sycamores and maples. During the Breeding Bird Atlas surveys in the 1990’s, the northernmost range of Whiskered Screech-Owl was documented in these mountains and as recently as 2011, two Elegant Trogons were detected in Rattlesnake Canyon. Via both backpacking and day hiking teams, on this expedition we will try to sample the avifauna present across the different life zones present in the Galiuro Mountains and determine if more southerly occurring species that have not yet been documented here, such as Yellow-eyed Junco, might occur. Come join us on this exciting and adventurous expedition! Itinerary: Registered participants will be instructed on meeting time and place for the afternoon of Friday, May 1st. Since high-clearance, 4WD vehicles will be needed to access the roads going to the base of the mountains, we will try to organize carpools to accommodate those that do not own such vehicles. During surveys on Saturday and Sunday, we will try to organize into at least two different groups, with at least one group backpacking up into the higher elevations while others survey lower stretches of canyon on day hikes and camp with the vehicles. We will plan to depart the area by early afternoon on Sunday, May 3rd, to allow time for participants to travel home. Things to Know/Bring:
Carpooling, Meeting Time/Location: Upon registering via email with the expedition leader, details on meeting time and place will be arranged. Carpooling possibilities can be arranged among registered participants.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|