Vicki Wilmarth

Why would anyone travel to Arizona in August to hike and bird? Because in the end, I saw 34 new bird species that I had never seen before. I hiked up scenic canyons along monsoon-filled creeks, ate apples that I picked straight off the tree in a bird-filled orchard, enjoyed cool mornings followed by afternoon rain showers, and was surrounded by 100's of hummingbirds sparkling like jewelry when the sun hit them.

It is unusual for any Texan to travel south in August. Everyone heads for the Rockies, the Great Lakes or Iceland, if they are lucky, to escape the heat. But several of our intrepid bird club members volunarily left Amarillo and headed south in mid-August to attend the Davis Mountains Hummingbird Celebration.

The Panhandle Bird Club spent several days in and around Carlsbad, New Mexico in May 2025, checking out many spots with abundant birds.