Pinau Merlin
Pinau is a naturalist and author of several books and numerous articles about the natural history of the Sonoran Desert region. Her works include The Field Guide to Desert Holes, A Guide to Southern Arizona Bird Nests and Eggs, Hummingbirds of the West, Raptors and Soaring Birds of the West, and she is a contributing author to The Natural History of the Sonoran Desert...more
Juan Caicedo has a B.A. in Natural History and Cultural Studies from Prescott College in Arizona. For his senior thesis he worked with rural and urban communities in Sonora, Mexico to protect a riparian area important for birds and archaeological conservation....more
Experience the special phenomenon of Mata Ortiz – a rural Northern Mexico town that is a successful village of talented potters. See how the pottery is made and enjoy the home-spun hospitality of this town.
A special feature of the trip is a visit to the Amerind Foundation in
Dragoon, a private anthropological and archaeological museum and research center dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of Native American cultures and their histories. Located in spectacular Texas Canyon in the Little Dragoon Mountains 60 miles east of Tucson, the Amerind Foundation houses one of the 
finest private collections of Native American art and artifacts in the country. Dr. Charles Di Peso, one of the founders of this museum, was primarily responsible for the excavation of the Paquime ruins in Casas Grandes that we visit on this tour.
Read the trip report from the December 2008 trip.
Bird List from spring 2009 - the most birds sited!
Day 1 – Desert Botanical Garden sponsored trips will depart from Phoenix at 6am. For the trips originating in Tucson, departure time will be 8am. Our first stop will be the Amerind Museum in the Dragoon Mountains to view this gem of a museum and get an overview of the ancient Casas Grandes civilization and the art that they left behind in their ruins. After lunch at the
Triangle T Restaurant, we bird at Whitewater Draw in Sulfur Springs Valley 
looking for hawks, ducks, and other water fowl. We continue on to Bisbee, where this evening we will enjoy a great meal and spend the night in one of Bisbee’s comfortable hotels.
Day 2- After breakfast we cross the Mexican border at Douglas. On the way, we’ll stop to observe a small black-tailed prairie dog town adjacent to the highway. We drive to the ruins and museum at Paquime in the small town of Casas Grandes, site of the large adobe complex built by Amerindians from the 10th to the 14th centuries. The Casas Grandes culture produced styles of polychrome pottery that inspired Juan Quezada and other Mata Ortiz potters. Our visit to Paquime will give us the background we need to understand the roots from which the
potters of Mata Ortiz take their inspiration. After lunch we drive to the famous pottery village of Mata Ortiz. We’ll spend two nights in a cozy, rustic inn owned by one of the master potters of Mata Ortiz, Jorge Quintana. The rooms are simple but large and clean, each with a heater, fan, and a private bathroom with a shower. We take all our meals at this inn. They are all homemade and delicious. After dinner we can take a stroll around town or just relax at the inn. (Watch a You Tube video of the master potter) All during the day and after dinner local potters will visit our lodge and display their latest made pots for sale. (B, L, D)
Day 3 – After an early morning birding along the river at the edge of town, we spend the entire day strolling around this quiet rural town, visiting potters in their homes and galleries, with the option of buying pottery to take home. In this town of approximately 500 families, over half of the adults (and many of the children) are involved in making pottery! If he is available, Jorge Quintana will give us an hour-long demonstration of building a pot from scratch. We may also sit in for a demonstration of the firing and painting of a pot at a gallery near the famous potter Juan Quezada’s home. In the evening Spencer McCallum, Juan Quezada’s discoverer and first benefactor, may give us a talk and slide show with stories about the history of the Mata Ortiz pottery phenomenon. (B, L, D) 
Day 4 – After breakfast, we retrace our steps, birding along the lush riparian area near the nearby Mormon town of Colonia Juarez. Birds seen there include Common Black Hawk, Streak-backed Oriole, andLucy’s Warbler. After lunch we begin our drive back home. We expect to return to Tucson by 8 PM and Phoenix by 10PM. (B, L)
Itinerary is subject to change, based on weather or other factors.
The price of this trip is $999 based on double occupancy and a minimum of 6 people. The single supplement is $100.We will match you with a roommate of the same gender if you choose, but if this is not possible you will be charged the single supplement fee. The trip fee includes van transportation from Phoenix and Tucson, guides, meals, entrance fees, tips, and accommodations. Also included is trip insurance covering emergency medical services and emergency medical evacuation.
The following items are not included: airfare to the starting place of the trip, alcoholic beverages, tips for the guides, and costs resulting from illness, injury, or emergency evacuation, program changes, and delays beyond our control.
To register for this tour, contact Debra Tranberg at info@naturetreks.net or call(781) 789-8127 for a registration packet. A deposit of $150 per person is required to reserve a spot on the trip. Full payment of the tour fee is due ninety days prior to the tour departure. If you have any questions, please contact Nature Treks & Passages at(781) 789-8127 or info@naturetreks.net.
March 26 - 29, 2010
Juan Caicedo
Price - $999.00
A US passport valid six months beyond your anticipated date of return to the US is required. Those with foreign passports should contact the Embassy of Mexico for details.