Date: 11/16/25 6:56 pm From: gg (via aznmbirds Mailing List) <aznmbirds...> Subject: Re: [AZNMbirds] CANCELLED: Sunday Sierra Vista EOP Walks
Aw, so sorry to hear. I have fond memories of walks there. I haven’t been there for awhile but was looking forward to returning. Thank you to all who made the walks possible. Sorry to see them end.Gigi Pennsylvania
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On Sunday, November 16, 2025, 20:59, susan harrison (via aznmbirds Mailing List) <aznmbirds...> wrote:
Erica ,I'm so sorry to hear the news about canceling the EOP walks. Armit and I always looked forward to your walks when we would spend a month in Arizona each winter to escape from the weather in the frigid Northeast in Pennsylvania. We enjoyed meeting you and Kevin and we were looking forward to spending time on these walks with our return to Sierra Vista. Thanks for all of the good memories and great life birds! You will be missed.
Susan Harrison
On Sun, Nov 16, 2025 at 8:16 PM, Larry Morgan (via aznmbirds Mailing List)<aznmbirds...> wrote: Erika, thanks to you and all the other amazing people that have given us the opportunity to be a part of the EOP experience . I will always remember the times when I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the bird walks.
Larry Morgan
On Sun, Nov 16, 2025 at 5:01 PM The Cornells <aznmbirds...> wrote:
Hello from the UK. What awful news.The EOP Walks are and have been so valuable and have been followed around the world.Such sad news.The EOP birding group have done a fabulous job, creating an invaluable set of research data, as well as welcoming visitors from both within your country and around the world. Thank you, Erica and co.Many kind regards, and thank you, from you Nick and Victoria, UK.
On Sun, 16 Nov 2025, 22:24 Erika Wilson, <aznmbirds...> wrote:
Yes, you read that correctly. Today was the LAST Sunday morning EOP bird walk behind the locked gates at the Sierra Vista Environmental Operations Park.
Why? This was a decision based on an increasing concern for the liability vulnerability of the sponsoring parties, and due to projected long term changes to the EOP facility that will make it less favorable to birding.
This morning a dozen locals and visitors walked the Sierra Vista EOP dikes for the last time, noting 52 species. Despite steady winds, which kept the small birds down, we had wonderful views of 11 species of ducks, with 175+ Am. Wigeon in flight in the bright sunshine at one time. Also present were: a Great Egret, the off-and-on again presence of a Neotropic Cormorant, and the usual chorus of Soras and Virginia Rail. The melanistic N. Harrier was seen briefly quartering over the cattails.
Over the past 22 years, we have led over 1,000 Sunday morning bird walks, and seen over 275 species, some of which are the only records for the San Pedro Valley. Thousands of birders have attended these walks, coming from all over the United States, as well as other countries such as Canada, England, Sweden, Germany, India, and South Korea.
Although there will be no more Sunday morning bird walks, the EOP bird viewing platform remains open Monday-Friday, 6 am - 3 pm, but is closed on the weekends. For those of you who have done this walk, you have the many volunteer leaders to thank for a unique experience that we will all miss. Remember that the EOP lists, including today, can be accessed on eBird for the hotspot called Sierra Vista EOP <https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/gOefC7DqomiVEn3EGh8f6CohWu4?<domain...>.
Cheers, Erika
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Erika Wilson, Sierra Vista, AZ
