Summer Birdwatching in Arizona: High-Elevation Day Trips & Desert Safety Summer birdwatching in Arizona is different from spring, fall, and winter. In the Scottsdale and Phoenix area, summer heat can be intense. That means birdwatchers need to plan carefully, start early, stay hydrated, and think strategically about where they go. But summer does not mean birdwatching has to stop. In fact, Arizona’s elevation changes create one of the best summer birding advantages in the Sou