Sedona, in the northern stretch of the Verde Valley, sees skies filled with birds from mid-April to early May. These are primarily songbirds, but you can easily catch a glimpse of raptor wing or the rapid flutter of a hummingbird. April to May is only the peak season. Fall is almost as productive and introduces bright fall-color scenery to replace the greenery of spring. Indeed, from April to October, birds are dense in the air, which makes Sedona very valuable for birders, particularly those chasing neotropic migrants, not only hummingbirds, but flycatchers and warblers as well. What about winter? What winter may lack in some songbirds, it makes up for in eagles. Watch for both golden and bald eagles making nests in Sedona's trees.

Where should you bird? You can bird literally anywhere in Sedona or in the valley around it, but a few prime birding spots are Oak Creek Canyon, Sycamore Canyon and Red Rock State Park.