For four exciting nights during Arizona's prime month for owl vocalization and activity we will do just that - get them in our viewfinders and press the button! You will learn how to find and get close to owls and nightjars, deal with photographing in the dark, and come away with dramatic portraits of these nocturnal wonders!

"I have known Rick Bowers for many years. In that time I have spent a lot of time with Rick and have traveled with him all across the US including Alaska and numerous trips to Arizona. I have found Rick to have outstanding trip leader qualities. His planning and fore thought are unparalled. More importantly, his mastery of natural history information is astounding and he is an excellent photographer. In over 20 years as a professional wildlife photographer and author I have yet to meet a photographer or naturalist with as much photographic experience and natural history knowledge as Rick has. Anyone from a veteran wildlife photographer to a beginner would benefit from a workshop or safari with Rick Bowers."

Stan Tekiela
author/naturalist, wildlife photographer

Elf Owl and Western Screech-Owl © Rick Bowers

This evening Common Poorwills are our target. This species can be ridiculously easy or infuriatingly hard to photograph. By devoting most of a night, one of the many Poorwills located is likely to cooperate. Depending on where we end up, we may also have our first opportunity for Whiskered Screech-Owls and Western Screech-Owls are possible again.

Day 3, 24 May - Tucson or the Huachuca Mountains and Elf Owls.. This morning, prior scouting determines whether we work on diurnal birds, owls near Tucson or go the Huachuca Mountains to try for two difficult species - Spotted Owl and Northern (Mountain) Pygmy-Owl. The Spotted Owls of Scheelite Canyon in the Huachucas are some of the most easily accessible in the United States. Unfortunately they have also become much less predictable in the past few years. The Pygmy-Owls can be difficult to locate because of their large home ranges. Crossing paths with them is always an iffy proposition, but when you do find them it is all worth while.

This evening we concentrate on the world's smallest owl and a more common species - the Elf Owl. One of the favorite habitats of the Elf Owls is Saguaro-Palo Verde desert and this habitat abounds around Tucson. We photograph at an Elf Owl nest and have a chance to photograph them peering from a nest hole in a Saguaro cactus. We also work on them away from the nest to get whole body shots.

Day 4, 25 May - Desert birds and Whiskered Screech-Owl.. This morning we photograph other desert specialties such as Vermilion Flycatcher, Lucy's Warbler, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Abert's Towhee, Bell's Vireo and Gila Woodpeckers that are common in Catalina State Park. Then back to the hotel for a midday break before heading out for more nightbirds.

Whiskered Screech-Owls are restricted to Southeastern Arizona in the US. © Rick Bowers

In the evening we concentrate on an interesting species, the look-alike cousin of the Western Screech-Owl - Whiskered. These two species mingle in major canyons where riparian habitat in the bottom of the canyon meets oak woodlands. Away from the canyon bottoms the Whiskereds predominate. The differences between the species are easy to note while taking portraits among the oaks and pines. Flammulated Owls often nest near our Whiskered location so we may have opportunities to photograph this new species also. "Flamms" can be difficult to photograph but we will give it our best shot.

Night: Best Western Catalina Inn

Day 5; 10 March 2010 - Desert birds and departure for Home. Our last morning will be left to cleaning up any gaps in our photos or opportunities we have not taken advantage of thus far during the trip. We will return to our hotel and pack the last of our belongings before the shuttle returns you to the airport for the flight home.

This is an all inclusive tour. Transportation, lodging, meals, guide service, and entrance fees are all covered from the time you are whisked from the airport to our hotel until you are dropped back a the airport for your flight home. It does not include flights to Tucson, alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone calls and other items of a personal nature.

TOUR LEADER, NATURALISTS, & INSTRUCTORS:

Rick Bowers has been a passionate wildlife photographer, naturalist and writer for over 35 years. Rick's wildlife career began at twelve years old, when the local Audubon members began requesting his help in showing local birds to birdwatchers from out of state. He continued his wildlife training while at the University of Arizona, obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Ecology. Even as an undergraduate his field expertise was sought after by professors and grad students wishing his assistance in conducting their field research on wild animals. Rick is expert at finding, identifying, and handling all sorts of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Extremely skilled at setting up photo opportunities based on his extensive knowledge of animal behavior, he has assisted videographers of the British Broadcasting Corporation filming wildlife in Arizona and Mexico. His know-how also includes trees and other native plants.

Before turning to professional photography and writing, Rick led nature-watching tours for Victor Emanuel Nature Tours and his own company. He has led wildlife watching tours throughout the New World from Barrow, Alaska (the northernmost city in North America) and Churchill, Manitoba to Tierra del Fuego (an island at the southern tip of South America), and to the Kamchatka Peninsula of Siberia as well as Antarctica. Rick is the originator of the Nightbirding tours focusing on the seventeen species of owls and nightjars available in Arizona and now conducted by many bird-watching companies.

Rick's own photo credits span the gamut from National Geographic and International Wildlife magazines to calendars, books, and fish and game publications. Rick has coauthored and photographed six books with his wife Nora including Wildflowers of Texas, Cactus of Texas, Wildflowers of Arizona, Cactus of Arizona, Wildflowers of the Carolinas and the Kaufman Field Guide: Mammals of North America. Rick lives in Tucson, Arizona with his wife Nora. They can be reached through their web page at www.BowersPhoto.com.

Tour Costs: The fee for this tour is $2500 US per person in double occupancy. This includes all meals from dinner on Day 1 to lunch on Day 5, transportation, lodging, guide service, and entrance fees. It does not include flights to and from Tucson, alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone calls and other items of a personal nature. A single supplement of $200 US will be charged if you wish single accommodations or if you wish to share a room and cannot find a roommate and we cannot provide one for you.

A $500 deposit is required for tour registration. If you should need to cancel before the tour, a $125 cancellation fee will be charged.

After e-mailing with your registration info, please send your deposit check made out to "BOWERS PHOTO LLC" to this address:
14680 N. Swan Road
Tucson, AZ 85739 USA

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call Rick at 520-241-7088.