Sector 7: Sonoita Creek Middle

7. SONOITA CREEK – MIDDLE SECTION
Size: 6.47 sq. mi.


GENERAL: The middle area of the Sonoita Creek  and drainages to the north. All on foot. A LONG HIKE (4.0 miles ONE WAY to east end of sector, plus potential walks up north washes) partly in the creek drainage plus side drainages to the north. One of the sectors with high potential and is an area that seldom gets birded, despite its obvious quality. Sonoita Creek has flowing water in the upper part of this sector. Tall riparian gallery, adjacent mesquite and hackberry bosque, side canyons, and desert grassland.

NOTES: The end-point is vague, so a GPS device or something to tell you when you have gone 4 miles will help. The end GPS is 31.47585, -110.89515. At that point there is a 120 foot long stretch with not trees in sight to the north. Start at end of Avenida Coatimundi and walk to the start of the sector (about 0.6 miles) or drive to the cul-de-sac at the end of Via San Francisco (ends in dirt with some rocks, but drive-able in most medium to high clearance cars) and walk upstream or four miles, or as much of that that you can COMFORTABLY hike!. Also side washes to the north. The area south of the black line on the map is State land. South of the creek, the public land is limited to the basic stream bed and to the benches. 


TARGET SPECIES: The unexpected. Seldom-explore or birded. Look for Green Kingfishers.