AZ-Sipe+White+Mountain+Wildlife+Area


 * =Birding in Arizona=

Apache County
=Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area= Springerville, Arizona 85938 Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area webpage Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area map

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Sipe White Mountain WA
Coordinates: 34.0331111, -109.2382056 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Tips for birding Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area
A variety of habitats are present on this former ranch, but the best birding is along Rudd Creek. Species to look for include Montezuma Quail, Pinyon Jay, and Red-faced Warbler. Also, check Trinity and McKay Reservoirs for water birds and raptors. From Northern Arizona Audubon Society

About Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area
On October 8, 1993, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (Department) purchased the White Mountain Hereford Ranch, consisting of 1,362 deeded acres. Renamed Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area (SWMWA) in 1995, the property is located in east-central Arizona approximately seven miles southeast of the towns of Eagar and Springerville.

Since its acquisition, the Department has steadily enhanced the habitat values of the property and attractions for visitors. A small visitor center, a series of hiking trails complete with interpretive signage and wildlife viewing sites, and a day-use picnic area offer the public the opportunity to learn more about Arizona’s unique wildlife and their habitat needs.

Sipe lies in the shadow of historically famous Escudilla Mountain in eastern Arizona. From Eagar, take US-180/US-191 south towards Alpine; you’ll see the turnoff signs on top of a mesa two miles from Eagar. Follow the improved dirt road five miles to the property. Park your car at one of two designated parking areas. Many of the facilities are barrier-free, and there is no entrance fee to the wildlife area or the visitor center. You are welcome to hike, bicycle or horseback ride on the property. The easiest way to get around is to follow the hiking trails. They’ll take you to wetlands, meadows, old homesteads and scenic vistas. There are four hiking trails at Sipe, ranging from easy to moderate hiking difficulty, with the longest being a 2.5-mile loop. Several wildlife viewing points are located on the trails, including one with a 20X spotting scope situated on the High Point Trail overlook for locating wildlife in the surrounding forest and meadows.

The visitor center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, from mid-May through mid-October. Visitors are encouraged to look through the center first, then explore further on the grounds to enhance your wildlife viewing experience.

While elk can be found here throughout the year, fall and winter are the best times to see them. Winter is also the best time to see bald eagles perched in trees around reservoirs. Waterfowl are readily seen during migration periods of fall and spring. A variety of raptors, including ospreys, kestrels, hawks, golden eagles and peregrine falcons, can be spotted throughout the area. In summer, nesting birds include rufous and broad-tailed hummingbirds, Lewis' and acorn woodpeckers and mountain bluebirds. The best birding at Sipe is along Rudd Creek and in the orchard around the visitor center. Look for sora at the small pond next to the orchard. Other wildlife to look for are gray fox, striped skunks, badgers, coyotes, mule deer, Merriam's turkey, pronghorn antelope, and a variety of ground squirrels, chipmunks, and bats. Wildlife is most active and visible at sunrise and sunset when there is a high probability of seeing elk and antelope.

At the end of July, the Department conducts its very popular “High Country Hummers” program where the public is able to observe and photograph hummingbirds up close, and ask questions of independent researchers as they capture, process and band the four hummingbird species – broad-tailed, rufous, calliope and black-chinned – that migrate through the area during the summer monsoon season. In early September, the Department conducts a basic wildlife viewing workshop here. This popular program is designed to help people find, observe and enjoy some of the state’s many wildlife species on their own. The program begins with an afternoon classroom segment that focuses on wildlife viewing in Arizona, giving suggestions on how and where to find wildlife and viewing ethics. Department personnel also discuss Rocky Mountain elk natural history and behavior. Workshop participants then go into the field that evening, applying viewing principles and techniques to find and watch some of Arizona’s elk up close. Both programs are offered at no cost to the public. From Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area webpage



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