Preserving the Quality of Your Water: Time to Act

Transcription

Volume 53, Number 1 September 2008
Vermilion
Flycatcher
ISSN 1094-9909
Tucson Audubon Society www.tucsonaudubon.org Leaders in Conservation & Education since 1949
Inside this issue
8
16
31
18
2
11
6
22
25
21
3
29
30
26
7
13
5
31
Audubon Afield
Audubon Nature Shops
Business Members
Conservation Update
Director’s Perch
Education News
Field Trips & Carpooling
Important Bird Areas
Fall Landscaping Workshop
Lecture Series 2008/2009
President’s Perspective
TAS-ifieds
Thanks!
Travel Opportunities
Tucson Area Birding
Urban Birds
Volunteer Opportunities
Wishes
The Vermilion Flycatcher is published monthly
except for combined May–June, July–August, and
December–January issues. For address changes or
subscription problems call 629.0757, or write to
Membership Coordinator, Tucson Audubon, 300 E.
University Blvd., #120, Tucson, AZ 85705.
Submissions for the October issue are due
September 1. Please send submissions as Microsoft
Word or RTF documents, or plain text files, to Matt
Griffiths at [email protected].
Coordinator, Matt Griffiths
206-9900
Proofreaders, Jane & Warren Tisdale 749-2139
Layout Editor, Julie St. John
Where has the
time gone?
We’re excited about
celebrating our 60th
Birthday! See page 5
for a look at our
past… and future!
Habitats like this need active protection. Courtesy Paul and Eng-Li Green.
Preserving the Quality of Your
Water: Time to Act
by Paul Green and Christina McVie
As someone concerned about the status, quality and security of wildlife habitats and natural areas in
the Southwest, you may not have paid too much attention when on May 23, 2008, the Army Corps of
Engineers (Corps) published their finding that two stretches of the Santa Cruz River were ‘a traditional
navigable waterway’ (see www.tucsonaudubon.org/conservation/USACE_Santa_Cruz_River_
TNW_Determination.pdf for the statement). You may not even have been aware when, some weeks
later, the Corps removed details of that decision from their website (www.spl.usace.army.mil/
regulatory/). You will find the following if you visit: “This document has been temporarily removed
pending further policy review.”
While this may seem rather arcane, it may have a tremendous influence on the quality of your life in
southern Arizona. Since a significant Supreme Court ruling in 2006, watercourses bearing the status of
‘traditional navigable waterway’ are ensured protection under the federal Clean Water Act. If a
watercourse does not have the navigable waterway designation, it does not have the highest level of
protection, hence the relevance of the designation to the 54 miles of the Santa Cruz River between
Tubac and the Pinal County line.
Protecting our Water and our Watersheds
The Clean Water Act, originally enacted in 1972, is one of several federal environmental statutes that
make up environmental law, aimed at defending and protecting particular aspects of our natural
environment, so promoting public health and welfare. The Clean Water Act is dedicated to the defense
continued page 4
Tucson Audubon Society is
dedicated to improving the quality of
the environment by providing education,
conservation, and recreation programs,
environmental leadership, and information.
Tucson Audubon is a non-profit volunteer
organization of people with a common
interest in birding and natural history.
Tucson Audubon maintains offices, a library
and nature shops in Tucson, the proceeds of
which benefit all of its programs.
Tucson Audubon Society
300 E. University Blvd. #120, Tucson, AZ 85705
629-0510 (voice) or 623-3476 (fax)
All phone numbers are area code 520 unless otherwise stated
www.tucsonaudubon.org
Board Officers & Committees
Messages 622-5622
President Herb Trossman
Vice President Mich Coker
Secretary Robert Merideth
Treasurer Tom Rehm
Community Presence Vacant, Conservation Chris
McVie, Development Sandy Elers, Education Cynthia
Pruett, Finance Tom Rehm, Nominating Robert
Merideth, Personnel Mich Coker
Additional Directors at Large: Clark Blake, Mary Kay
Eiermann, Sandy Elers, Julie Gordon, Linda
Greene, Craig Marken, Robert Mesta, Liz Payne,
Bill Roe, Jessie Shinn, Linda Stitzer, Bob Wenrick
Programs & Activities
Field Trips Darlene Smyth
Library David West
Membership Meetings Vivian MacKinnon
Rare Bird Alert John Yerger
Report Rare Birds
297-2315
629-0510
629-0757
798-1005
798-1005
Director’s Perch
People, Places, and Birds.
While Tucson Audubon has a focus on birds,
the events of the last few weeks bring home
forcibly how much we are also about places
and people. The last weekend in July, I joined
a group of Tucson Audubon members led by
board member Liz Payne for a weekend of
birding in the White Mountains. This was
one of more than 125 free birding trips
organized by Tucson Audubon each year, run
by volunteers, and organized by our supremo
volunteer field trip coordinator Darlene
Smyth. We sought birds in habitats so wet we
might have been in western Scotland.
Actually, we were just 3 hours from Tucson at
an altitude of around 8,000 feet.
As you know, birders are special people. The
camaraderie that develops quickly between
people who may never have met before, and
who share an interest in birds, is always a
pleasant surprise. Part of the joy of birding is
the variety of people from different
backgrounds who come together around
birds. Learning about the lives of our new
friends in the field adds greatly to the
enjoyment of our experience. When we go
birding, we meet people who have spent their
lives doing things we would probably never
imagine. If you have never taken part in one
of our free, volunteer-led field trips, why not
choose one of those listed on pages 6–7.
Staff
Vivian MacKinnon
The places we birded in
the White Mountains
were so different from
the Tucson region where
most of us live.
Magnificent ponderosa
pine-dominated
landscapes, with their
nuthatches, Northern
Goshawks, and
sapsuckers make way for grass-dominated
meadows with plentiful Mountain and
Western Bluebirds and, as our altitude
changes, pinyon-juniper-oak habitats bring
Pinyon Jays, while American Crows are
everywhere. Lakes abound in the region, with
magnificent displays from fishing Ospreys
and even a Bald Eagle on Lake Carnero.
Coincidentally, the Arizona Game and Fish
Department was holding its High Country
Hummers event at the Sipe Wildlife Area over
this weekend, featuring international experts
Tom Wood and Sheri Williamson and their
Southern Arizona Bird Observatory team,
who were banding hummingbirds and
generating a real buzz of excitement and
interest.
Creating synergy around this event, the
Arizona Important Bird Areas program held
a dedication event for the Upper Little
Colorado River Watershed IBA. This IBA
continued
Executive Director Paul Green
777-9525
Operations Manager Michael Monyak
629-0757
Operations Support Specialist Chris Harrison 629-0757
Education Program Manager Carrie Dean
622-2230
Membership Development Manager
Membership Coordinator Jean Barchman
IBA Conservation Biologist Scott Wilbor
IBA Program Assistant Ruth Wilderman
Restoration Program Mgr. Kendall Kroesen
Field Supervisor Rodd Lancaster
Restoration Specialist Matthew Griffiths
Mason Outreach Coordinator Lia Sansom
University Shop Manager Sara Pike
Agua Caliente Shop Mgr. Becky Aparicio
Paul Green, Executive Director
629-0757
622-5622
628-1730
628-1730
206-9900
256-6909
206-9900
971-6238
622-2230
760-7881
Nature Shops
Tucson Audubon Nature Shop
300 E. University Blvd. #120
629-0510
Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10a.m.–4p.m.
(10a.m.–5p.m. Monday & Thursday); closed Sunday
623-3476 fax / 622-2230 Shop Manager
Tucson Audubon at Agua Caliente
Roy P. Drachman Agua Caliente Park
12325 E. Roger Rd.
Hours: Tuesday, 9a.m.–3:30p.m.
2
760-7881
Tucson Audubon members enjoy the cool birding of the White Mountains. Courtesy Paul
and Eng-Li Green.
Tucson Audubon Society Vermilion Flycatcher SEPTEMBER 2008
The President’s Perspective
Who we are and where we live
Tucson Audubon, every so often, has had
its mailing list analyzed by the Arizona
League of Conservation Voters so we can
determine who we are and where we live.
While the results of this analysis are not
surprising, they are, however, revealing.
For example, more than 50% of our
members are over the age of 65 and about
60% are female. The age group, 55 to 64,
represents another 28% of the
organization. That means that more than
three-quarters of our members are over the
age of 55. Where we live also shows that we
are a distinct population. Three-quarters of
our members live in the 8th Congressional
District (Gabrielle Giffords) and another
20% or so live in the 7th Congressional
District (Raul Grijalva). Likewise, our
members are from only a few Arizona
Legislative Districts. Three-quarters live in
the 26th, 28th and 30th Legislative Districts
and are evenly divided between those three
districts. The 27th District has another
15% of our members.
What does all of this mean? Is it good or
bad? These statistics, it seems to me, are
not unusual and probably reflect the
demographics of other Audubon chapters.
Our age distribution and where we live
indicate a lack of diversity in our
membership, and we can all agree that this
is not desirable. In order to spread our
message of conservation we should reach
as broad and diverse an audience as
possible. The Board of Directors is aware
of this problem and has recently revived its
dormant Community Presence Committee
that is responsible for overseeing these
matters. At a meeting in July, it was
decided to divide the committee into two
distinct functions, one of which is
membership (more about the other
function in a later issue). That
subcommittee will start looking into the
issues of how to increase membership and
diversity, beginning with its next meeting
in August. If you have a desire to be on the
committee, or if you have any ideas or
comments on this issue, please let us know.
Of cats and flowers
In the April issue of the Flycatcher, I wrote
a column about Tucson Audubon’s policy
on feral and free-ranging cats. While I
affirmed my endorsement of the policy, I
also said the issue was more complex than
many people wanted to admit. Then a few
weeks ago, I read an article in the N.Y.
Times by Olivia Judson about Charles
Darwin. In the article the author, an
evolutionary biologist, wrote about how
many biologists never read “On the Origin
of Species” and whether it offered anything
to the modern reader. She states that the
language of “Origin” is often patchy, but
some of Darwin’s prose is as good as
anything written by anyone. The passage
she uses to illustrate this point, much to
my amazement, is about cats and flowers
and seems to support my argument. It is
Herb Trossman, Board President
reproduced below
without further
comments except to
say that the “humblebees” referred to in the
piece are today called
“bumblebees.”
The number of
humble-bees in any
district depends in a
great degree on the
number of field-mice, which destroy their
combs and nests; and Mr. H. Newman, who
has long attended to the habits of humblebees, believes that “more than two thirds of
them are thus destroyed all over England.”
Now the number of mice is largely
dependent, as every one knows, on the
number of cats; and Mr. Newman says,
“Near villages and small towns I have found
the nests of humble-bees more numerous
than elsewhere, which I attribute to the
number of cats that destroy the mice.” Hence
it is quite credible that the presence of a
feline animal in large numbers in a district
might determine, through the intervention
first of mice and then of bees, the frequency
of certain flowers in that district!
VF
Director’s Perch continued
encompasses 27 miles of the Little Colorado River and its
tributaries from the headwaters on Mount Baldy through the
Wenima Wildlife area in Apache County. The area plays host to at
least 255 species of birds.
David M. Newlin, Watershed Project Director of the Little
Colorado River Plateau Research, Conservation, and Development
Area, was one of the inspiring speakers at the IBA dedication. He
spoke eloquently of how all stakeholders in the watershed—
agricultural, municipal, conservation, recreation, and others—can
benefit from working together. By improving water quality and
quantity in the naturally occurring streams, riparian areas can be
created, providing better water for livestock, while the aquifer can
perform better by holding excess runoff on the land for a longer
period. In turn, the agricultural and tourism components of the
economy improve through better quality habitats, and scarce water
resources are protected. Flooding, erosion and sedimentation are
reduced, the quality of our natural environment improves, and the
natural beauty of the region is enhanced. To paraphrase David, it is
important for us to move on from a pioneer mentality, and to work
together from the earliest stage in how we manage land.
The common thread here is birds. This weekend we came together
through recreation, we learned about each other and the birds of
the region, and we came to understand the importance of working
together to conserve our habitats and natural resources. Recreation,
education, conservation. Now that’s a catchy and meaningful
tagline.
VF
SEPTEMBER 2008 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon Society
3
Preserving the Quality of Your Water: Time to Act continued from cover
and protection of our nation’s water, and is designed to ensure that
the water retains the correct balance in terms of its physical, biological
and chemical makeup. The Clean Water Act set rules and regulations
to protect the waters from pollutants and contamination as well as
setting water quality standards. Under this act, anyone who might
create a source of pollution must apply for a permit. The storm water
or 402-permitting portion of the law was overseen by the
Environmental Protection Agency and is now overseen by the Arizona
Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The national 404permitting process is overseen by the US Army Corps of Engineers, to
protect our watersheds and maintain their health.
Therefore, for example, the Santa Cruz navigability designation could
require the proposed Rosemont mine and other mines or
developments to demonstrate they would not block flows in
Davidson Canyon and other streambeds that enter the Santa Cruz
north of the Roger Road Wastewater Plant, one of the two study
areas. The other Santa Cruz section designated navigable was Tubac
to Continental.
So why would our waterways not be protected from developments
that are detrimental to our natural environment? The controversial
2006 Rapanos Supreme Court plurality decision (4-1-4) resulted in
leaving authority of the Clean Water Act in question throughout the
country, but particularly in the arid Southwest. The Rapanos decision
required a “significant nexus” (or connection) to navigable water of
the United States to be shown in order for the authority of the Clean
Water Act to apply. As a result, the Rapanos decision has left Arizona
and other western states uncertain of their authority to regulate
pollution in streambeds that do not have a perennial flow. Such
requirements had not existed from 1975 until the 2006 Rapanos
decision.
Adding insult to injury
The Rapanos decision adds insult to injury when considering the
Santa Cruz River: over-pumping of groundwater for human uses,
lowering the water table and draining surface flow, has let it be
characterized by some people as a “ditch for sewage water” and so,
unworthy of protection. Those who do not live in our region may be
unfamiliar with ephemeral but substantial flows during the monsoon
season.
Some officials hold that for our waterways to receive protection from
the Clean Water Act we would need to show a direct connection to
the Colorado River as our nearest navigable waterway. Under the
Rapanos decision, none of the Santa Cruz River would therefore
receive that protection.
The Rapanos decision has required the Corps to carry out long and
detailed studies in order to designate some streambeds navigable, and
to issue permits where watercourses may be blocked or adversely
impacted by developers, public works such as sewage plants, or mines
for example. The Corps designation that at least small craft could
float the two sections of the river, and theoretically provide
commercial recreation during three months of the year, was required
because of the Rapanos decision. That decision was made in Chicago
and focused on whether a developer should be allowed to build a mall
4
on a wetland. Those living in the Southwest may be concerned about
how such a ruling could apply to our ephemeral streams.
Conservationists consider that up to 90 percent of the nation’s
waterways could lose federal protection as result of this decision
(www.riverkeeper.org).
Your quality of life
Leaving natural areas aside for the moment, what might this mean to
you? Construction projects could be established without the need for
a permit. Unwitting house buyers could spend their life savings on a
house built within a flood plain with inevitable results. Poorly
planned developments lead to flash flooding, blocking roads for long
periods, requiring commuters to drive long detours following a long
day at the office. Charles Ellet, one famous engineer, has said “floods
are natural events, but they are unnatural disasters.” If the events this
year in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri gave you pause for thought, it’s
important to remember that our protection from floodwaters is a
function of government, and the Clean Water Act is one way that
protection is achieved.
The National Association of Home Builders, and staff at Pima
County, have in past months written to the Corps disagreeing with
the original decision declaring the Santa Cruz a traditionally
navigable waterway. As we go to press the EPA has declared the Santa
Cruz River a “Special Case” under the Memorandum of
Understanding between the EPA and the Corps, and, as a result, EPA
Headquarters will make the final determination of their jurisdictional
status under the Clean Water Act rather than the Corps. See our
website for breaking news.
What we want
Tucson Audubon’s overall goal is for a strengthened Clean Water Act,
with the authority to protect our ephemeral waterways from
pollution. We think that clean water is something we must work to
retain. We hope that such legislation would be part of the agenda for
the first hundred days of the next administration. There is a bill in its
committee stage, H.R. 2421: Clean Water Restoration Act of 2007,
which seeks to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to
clarify the jurisdiction of the United States over waters of the United
States. The bill was introduced by Representative James Obserstar of
Minnesota with 176 co-sponsors, including Raul Grijalva.
What you can do
Governor Janet Napolitano and the Arizona Department of
Environmental Quality have testified in support of congressional bills
that could restore authority to the Clean Water Act to regulate as
comprehensively as the act did until an earlier 2001 Supreme Court
decision began to weaken it. U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Arizona, is a
co-sponsor of the House legislation, and Gabrielle Giffords intends to
introduce language to broaden support for the bill.
Meanwhile, what you could do is to pressure your local, state, and
federal representatives to support legislation that would bring clarity
and strength back to the Clean Water Act. This is especially important
for those representatives who have been silent on this issue.
VF
Tucson Audubon Celebrates 60 Years! by Paul Green
As part of Tucson Audubon’s 60th birthday in 2009, we’ll be
giving ourselves a new look and a new feel as an organization. To
you as a valued member and supporter, the main difference you’ll
notice is a fresher look to our publications. Look out for our newlook Vermilion Flycatcher in January. For those who come upon us
for the first time, they’ll see a crisper and more distinctive image
so that we’ll be more memorable as an organization.
Our goal is to distinguish Tucson Audubon as the preeminent
‘full-service,’ community-based, conservation organization in
southeastern Arizona, engaging people in recreation, education,
and conservation activities. As we move forward, we will be
reviewing our past 60 years of history, and in the next four issues
of the Vermilion Flycatcher, we will be taking a look back at
Tucson Audubon’s rich past as we plan for an exciting future.
Over the last three years, volunteers Doris Evans and Peggy
Wenrick have compiled a list of those events that have marked
Tucson Audubon’s growing involvement with our community. We
are highlighting some of the more significant activities of the last
60 years, including the evolution of our much beloved Vermilion
Flycatcher logo. This will culminate with the unveiling of our new
logo.
We hope you will all join us in celebrating Tucson Audubon’s
history and future throughout 2009.
VF
Volunteer for Tucson Audubon!
Agua Caliente Nature Shop:
University Nature Shop:
Volunteer to help out at the Nature Shop at Agua Caliente Park. Call
Becky Aparicio: 760-7881.
Volunteers interested in working in the Main Shop. Contact Chris
Harrison: 622-2230 or [email protected].
Special Events and More:
Birding Field Trips:
We need folks willing to help out at special events including but not
limited to tabling at area events, delivery of our newsletters/brochures
to area businesses, and other odds and ends as they arise. These are
opportunities to help at one-time events and will not require a
continuing obligation (unless we can talk you into that!). For more
information, contact Vivian: 629-0757.
Volunteer to lead birding field trips. Instructions and help are
available. Yes, YOU CAN DO IT! Call Darlene Smyth: 297-2315.
Education Program:
Become a trained Volunteer Naturalist and assist with environmental
education programs for children and adults! Enjoy giving PowerPoint
presentations?… Train to become part of our Speakers Bureau Series!
Call Carrie Dean: 622-2230.
Mason Center:
Volunteers needed for a variety of projects: re-thatching a couple of
ramada roofs (some thatch material needed); grafting aging citrus
trees planted by Mr. Mason in 1950; and refinishing floors (materials
and equipment needed). Call Lia Sansom:
971-6238.
5
Upcoming Field Trips
SEPTEMBER 2—Tuesday 6a.m.
field trips:
For the latest information on
field trips, visit us online at
or call us at 629-0757
General Information
Tucson Audubon field trips are
free. The field trip coordinator is
Darlene Smyth (297-2315).
Carpooling Site
Tucson Audubon strongly
encourages carpooling. Unless
noted otherwise, the “carpooling
site” is the parking lot behind the
First Baptist Church, on the west
side of 5th Ave., 1.5 blocks south of
University Blvd and the Audubon
Nature Shop. Be aware that if there
are two or more meeting sites for a
field trip, you may be the only
person to use one of them. Every
person arriving for a trip should be
prepared to drive, or make other
arrangements prior to meeting time.
Visit
www.tucsonaudubon.org/birding/
carpool.htm for more information
about carpool locations.
Driver Reimbursements
Carpool participants agree to at
least cover the cost of gas used on
the trip. Each trip description
includes estimated trip mileage.
Arrival Times
Please arrive before the departure
time listed in the trip description.
Trips will leave promptly at the time
given.
After your Field Trip
Don’t forget to stop in the
Audubon Nature Shop after your
trip to check out new books, see
wonderful nature items, and chat
with volunteers.
Rare Bird Alert
Listen to the latest rare bird alert at
798-1005. Report rare birds to the
RBA compiler at 798-1005 or
[email protected]
6
Esperanza Ranch
Visit 300 acres of former ranch land along the
upper Santa Cruz River (between Tubac and
Amado) that is being conserved and restored
by Tucson Audubon. Vermilion Flycatchers,
Blue Grosbeaks, Bullock’s Orioles and
Summer Tanagers are usually numerous and
there are good chances for Gray Hawks,
Tropical Kingbirds, and Rufous-winged
Sparrows. Limit of 14 birders—call leader to
sign up. Meet for 6a.m. departure at Fry’s on
the north side of Irvington just east of I-19,
or at 6:30a.m. at McDonald’s on Continental
Road in Green Valley just west of I-19.
(About 90 miles roundtrip from Tucson.)
Leader: Kendall Kroesen, 971-2385,
[email protected]
SEPTEMBER 6—Saturday 7a.m.
Madera Canyon—
Discover the Oasis
The summer ‘monsoon’ brings out the best in
sky island flora and fauna. Join Friends of
Madera Canyon Education Director and
naturalist Doug Moore for a monsoon
morning nature walk in Madera Canyon. The
walk will follow the Proctor Nature
Loop through the transition from semi-desert
grassland into evergreen oak woodland; with
interior deciduous riparian woodland and
Madera Creek winding along the trail. With
summer rains, the canyon transforms into a
semi-tropical oasis; we’ll take a very close
look at the diverse plants and animals that
make Madera Canyon such a special place!
Bring binoculars, water, trail snacks, hat,
hiking shoes (no sandals); dress in layers for
the season and bring insect repellant (there
are chiggers at this time of year!). Limited to
twelve participants. Sign up with the leader
by email starting on August 23. Carpool from
Fry’s at Irvington and I-19 at 7a.m. (leader
not present). Meet the leader at the trailhead
at Proctor parking area in Madera Canyon at
8a.m. $5 US Forest Service fee required.
Leader: Doug Moore, [email protected]
Brown Canyon–Buenos Aires NWR
Please join me in this rare opportunity to
visit Brown Canyon at the base of
Baboquivari Mountain on the Buenos Aires
National Wildlife Refuge. Access is restricted
by the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, but the
Darlene Smyth, Field Trip Coordinator
leader has obtained permission for a small
group to visit the canyon. $4 fee per person
required by FWS. The trail up the canyon is
about 2 miles one-way and ends in a natural
arch. Birds should be the typical foothills
canyon species of southeast Arizona with the
addition of fall migrants and perhaps a Mexican
stray, as this canyon is close to the border. After
hiking the canyon, we will also visit Grebe
Lake near the refuge headquarters building to
observe waterfowl and shorebirds, so bring your
scopes. Wear hiking footwear and a hat and
bring sunscreen, plenty of water, and a lunch.
Meet the leader in the public library parking lot
at the northwest corner of Ajo Way and Mission
Road before 6a.m. to arrange carpooling. Please
consider volunteering as a driver if you have a
high clearance vehicle as the road into the
canyon becomes very rutted during monsoon
season. This trip is limited to 10 participants.
Please email (or call) the leader beginning
August 18 to reserve a place. (Approximately
110 miles roundtrip.)
Leader: Philip Kline, 419-5086,
[email protected]
SEPTEMBER 13—Saturday 5:30a.m.
St. David to Benson
Mid-September can offer up plenty of birds and
often some pleasant surprises. We will check out
the riparian habitat at St. David Monastery in
the relative cool of the morning, keeping alert
for fall migrants. Then we will head to the
Willcox twin ponds and look for migrating
shorebirds and whatever else drops in. We’ll
finish up with apple pie and return to Tucson
by mid-afternoon. Bring plenty of water, snacks
and lunch. We will be walking a mile or two
over mostly level ground. Check the weather
ahead of time and dress appropriately. Meet at
Houghton Road just north of I-10. (About 180
miles roundtrip from Tucson.)
Leader: Dave Dunford, 571-0535
[email protected]
SEPTEMBER 16—Tuesday 6:30a.m.
Arivaca Cienega
We’ll look for the last of summer breeders and
migrants. If time permits, we will visit Arivaca
Creek. Meet in Fry’s parking lot at Irvington
and I-19 at 6:30a.m. Bring water, lunch, sun and
insect protection, and a scope if you have one.
Leader: Nigel Crook, 304-0649
[email protected]
tucson area birding:
Field Trips continued
SEPTEMBER 19–21—Friday–Sunday
Monterey Bay Pelagic Trip
There are still a few spaces left on this trip!
We’ve chartered a discounted two-day pelagic
tour through Monterey Seabirds exclusively for
Tucson Audubon Society members. Day 1 will
focus on the incredible seabird diversity of
Monterey Bay; Day 2 will be used for rest or
land-birding near Monterey; Day 3 will focus
on offshore Storm-petrel flocks, with other
seabirds and marine mammals en route. Price:
$80 per pelagic outing (per person). Limit 25
people per trip. Each trip will be led by veteran
Monterey seabirds naturalists; Tucson
Audubon volunteer leaders will also be aboard.
For questions or other info, contact John
Yerger at (814)308-4078,
[email protected]
late morning, with an early lunch at a lower
canyon picnic area. Wear sturdy foot gear;
bring water, lunch, and a sun hat. Have car
registration, proof of insurance and a picture
ID available for entrance onto the Fort. U.S.
citizens only, please, as non-citizen base
restrictions apply. Only 14 birders may
reserve places on this trip and carpooling is
essential. You must contact the leader to sign
up. Reservations taken starting September 9.
Meet at 6a.m. at Houghton Road north of I10 for carpooling (leader not present). Meet
the leader in Sierra Vista at 7a.m. at Gateway
Park on N. Garden Avenue. (Approximately
180 miles roundtrip from Tucson.)
Leader: Erika Wilson 225-0393 (Tucson),
234-4359 (Sierra Vista), [email protected]
SEPTEMBER 27—Saturday 6:30a.m.
SEPTEMBER 20—Saturday 6a.m.
Pena Blanca/Kino/Rio Rico
Fall Migration Count Day—
Sonoita Creek
Join us for a Saturday morning stroll around
parts of Pena Blanca Lake near Nogales for an
early sampling of fall migrants in the Rednaped Sapsucker capital of North America!
Later in the morning, we’ll head over to the
first pond at Kino Springs to sample the
annual bunting-fest at the first pond. Finally,
on the way home, we’ll survey the Rio Rico
and Amado Ponds for any late summer
wandering water birds. Meet at the Green
Valley McDonald’s on Continental Road at
6:30a.m. Carpooling is strongly suggested;
bring water and sunscreen and prepare for
potential mosquito bites. We should be back
by noon. (200 miles roundtrip.)
Leader: Cliff Cathers, [email protected],
762-3201
Take part in the annual Fall Migration Count
along Sonoita Creek. A 5-mile round-trip hike
along rocky, sandy creek bed; be prepared to
get your feet wet. We will look for lingering
summer breeders, migrants and newly arrived
winter residents. Bring sun protection, water,
snack and lunch. Meet at Fry’s parking lot at
Irvington and I-19. (Approximately 120 miles
roundtrip.)
Leader: Michael Bissontz, 577-8778
SEPTEMBER 21—Sunday 6a.m.
Peppersauce Canyon
Among the sycamores, oaks, and junipers this
is a great location for fall migrants. We’ll be
looking for tanagers, flycatchers, warblers,
vireos, etc. Two years ago we had an American
Redstart and an Olive-sided Flycatcher
here. Wear sturdy shoes, sun protection and
bring plenty of water and a snack. We’ll finish
around noon. Meet the leader at Ina/Via Ponte
commuter parking lot one block west of
Oracle and Ina, on the south side of Ina.
Leader: Doug Jenness, 909-1529,
[email protected]
Huachuca Canyon
Birding in Huachuca Canyon during
migration and the post-breeding dispersal
season can be very rewarding, with the
possibility of a vagrant. The weather can still
be quite warm, so we will finish hiking in the
September 30–Tuesday 7 a.m.
Sulphur Springs Valley
Every year, Swainson’s Hawks form flocks and
make their way from their North American
breeding grounds to their wintering grounds
in Argentina. With good luck we may
encounter some as they stop to rest and eat
grasshoppers in this valley; they will be our
target birds, although all birds will be
admired. Bring water, lunch, and a scope if
you have one. Dress for the weather and use
sun protection. Meet at Houghton Rd. just
north of I-10. (Approximately 250 miles
roundtrip.)
Leaders: Ned Harris, 751-2105, and Darlene
Smyth, 297-2315, [email protected]
Wake up with the Birds at
Roy P. Drachman Agua
Caliente Park
Every Tuesday. Pima County guided bird
walks for beginners and families.
Binoculars available. Meet at the Ranch
House. For information and times, call
749-3718.
Catalina State Park
Bird walks led by Denis Wright on Fridays,
7:30–10a.m. at the first picnic area —
time will change in 30-minute increments
as weather/light conditions require. Open
daily 5a.m.–10p.m.; fee. Call 628-5798 for
information about walks.
Sabino Canyon
Birding and nature hikes. Parking fee.
Call 749-8700.
Saguaro National Park
Call 733-5153 (East) or 733-5158 (West)
for scheduled bird walks.
Tohono Chul Park
Birding walks at 8:30a.m. Monday,
Wednesday & Saturday. Open 8a.m.–5p.m.
daily; entrance fee. Call 575-8468.
Tucson Botanical Gardens
Open 8:30a.m.–4:30p.m. Entrance fee.
Call 326-9686.
OTHER AREAS
Arizona State Parks: Birding and other
walks; www.pr.state.az.us. Fee. Call
(602)542-4174.
Buenos Aires NWR: The refuge is open 24
hours a day, and visitor center open
7:30a.m. to 4p.m. seven days a week. Call
823-4251.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum: Open 8a.m.–
5p.m. daily (last admissions 1 hour before
closing). Call 689-2811. Visit
ag.arizona.edu/BTA/events/
birdwalks.html for bird sightings.
Ramsey Canyon: Open every day
8a.m.–5p.m. Fee. Call 378-2785.
Southern Arizona Bird Observatory
Tours of birding sites available; fee.
Call 432-1388 or visit www.sabo.org.
VF
7
Tucson Audubon Afield
Liz Payne, Field Trip Leader
What a summer, but already first of season Hermit
Warblers were noted about Mt. Lemmon this week, so the
seasons, they are a changin’. Hmmm, I notice that ‘change
and heat’ are perhaps my most common threads from
month to month. Well, so be it. Monsoon is in full swing
and the desert is again lush and verdant; in fact, it looks
more like jungle out there. Perhaps various vagrants
thought so too… Green Kingfisher was seen at Rio Rico,
the Tufted Flycatcher remained near Cave Creek; singing
male Baltimore Oriole continued in Tubac. Madera
Canyon was hopping with male and female Berylline
Hummingbirds, Crescent-chested Warbler and Yellowgreen Vireo.
So many great trips, I’m not sure where to start. June 7,
Cliff Cathers’ group jounced into Scotia Canyon. Wild
Turkeys greeted the group, a pair of Montezuma Quail
exploded before them. The initially furtive Buff-breasted
Aravaipa Canyon. Courtesy Liz Payne.
Flycatchers were later seen in full sunlight. A lingering
Swainson’s Thrush was the day’s rarity; Elegant Trogons were in
numbers.
June 28 found Nigel Crook leading birders to Madera for more
On June 8, nine friends joined Sara Pike and I for a day to Liz’s
monsoon season birding. A totally unexpected bright Yellow-green
Grove, Arivaipa and the Dudleyville Crossing. Best were scope
Vireo was seen by all. Other notables included: Berylline
views of a Zone-tailed parent on nest, feeding two wide-eyed
Hummingbird, Flame-colored Tanager, Whiskered Screech Owl, 2
fluffs. An eight-raptor species day!
Elegant Trogon, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher,
four Arizona Woodpeckers, Varied and Lazuli Buntings.
Peggy Wenrick led a beginners and families trip to Sweetwater
Wetlands. Shaded paths and pond evap kept all comfortable; great
birding kept all interested and the group counted 31 species.
Possible Lucy’s Warbler (hard to tell from underneath!) nested,
Northern Rough-winged Swallows perched; Mallard ducklings;
Common Yellowthroats; a Blue Gray Gnatcatcher; Harris’s Hawk
and Black-crowned Night Heron fly-bys.
On July 1 Jim Hays’ group spent a warm morning in Scotia and
Sunnyside Canyons. Expected species included Elegant Trogon,
Buff-breasted Flycatchers at close range, and Sulphur-bellied
Flycatcher, a life bird for some. Other highlights: Wild Turkeys
with small chicks and Montezuma Quail. “Bird of the day” was a
12” Arizona Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake seen at very close range.
June 14 found Homer Hansen’s group in West Turkey Creek. A
flock of fifteen Band-tailed Pigeons flew in and perched for scope
views. Rufous-crowned Sparrow, possible Mexican Chickadee,
Hepatic Tanagers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Plumbeous Vireos,
Grace’s Warbler and Sulphur-bellied Fly were spotted, A Blackthroated Gray Warbler was a thrill, singing while bashing a
caterpillar into a branch and a busy Cordilleran Flycatcher fed her
young.
A refreshing morning at Pena Blanca Lake July 5, and Darlene
Smyth’s group hit the Yellow-billed Cuckoo target. A Rufouscrowned Sparrow almost stole the show bathing in a rainwater
trickle, but Common Black-Hawk circled, and an abundance of
Summer Tanagers pleased all. Four Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
were present at Rio Rico Ponds.
Erika Wilson took on the San Pedro RNCA. Highlights: an adult
Gray Hawk, Common Ground-Doves, Lesser Nighthawk, Tropical
Kingbird. Signs of breeding activity: Brown-crested Flycatcher
taking food into a nest cavity, Cassin’s Kingbird collecting grass
stems for a nest in progress.
A heat weary group followed Cliff Cathers up the Catalina
Highway on June 22. Birds were shy and retiring; near impossible
to hear above the din of civilization. Nevertheless, Olive Warblers
were the hit, Western Tanagers seemed to be everywhere and
expected mountain birds were enjoyed.
Denis Wright took birders to warm Madera Canyon on 24 June.
Best birds were Varied and Lazuli Buntings, Flame-colored
Tanager and the Elegant Trogon.
It was cloudy in Miller Canyon on July 8 for Karen Hochgraf ’s
group. Hummers were prolific (nine species!) at the Beatty’s and
Ash Canyon B&B feeders and two participants had many life birds
during the trip.
Norma Miller’s July 12 trip to Bog Spring had skylarking Cassin’s
Sparrows and a Proctor Rd. full of song as tanagers, vireos, wrens
and Varied Buntings broke out and Brown-crested Flycatcher
and Lesser Goldfinch chimed in.
Pinau Merlin’s group had a delightful night wander in Saguaro
National Park. Night-blooming cereus plants, a handsome
antelope jackrabbit! Elf owls were abundant and bats and Lesser
Nighthawks fluttering past is always a treat. High point: two
diamondbacks one on either side of the trail. Only a few insects
had come in to the blacklit sheet, and the fat Sonoran Desert toad
chowed down!
continued
8
Afield continued
Erica Wilson’s birders enjoyed good weather in Huachuca
Canyon on July 15. Peregrine Falcon began the day near
Gateway Park, then Elegant Trogon and Sulphur-bellied
Flycatcher greeted the group upon their arrival. An adult and
immature Cooper’s Hawk perched side-by-side for a nice
study. Buff-breasted Flycatchers, Sulphur-bellied Flys, a
number of Dusky-capped foraged. Western Wood-Pewee
nested at the end of an oak branch. Plumbeous and Hutton’s
Vireos were seen in family groups. A young Painted Redstart,
a single Grace’s Warbler drank briefly at a puddle, and a
family of Black-throated Grays frosted the canyon’s cake. A
singing male Scott’s Oriole showing off his black and yellow
plumage, and a slithering Black-tailed Rattlesnake.
July 19 the West Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness hosted Ned
Harris, Liz Payne and wading birders. Intermittent cloud
cover and a cool creek kept us from melting but slick mud,
generous water, and deep holes meant a hip-deep slog.
Victory for all on our target: a mature Common Black-Hawk
flew out and perched nicely for solid views. Other spectacular
highlight: two fledged Zone-tail Hawks hanging around the
nest, waiting for a meal. We had direct scope views as a parent
flew in nearby, without prey, only to be hassled by a Greater
Roadrunner. These juveniles were fluffy white darlings when
observed June 8, and now appeared black and vigorous with
the characteristic white spotting around the head. A ten
raptor species outing!
Birding was fun on a trip south to Harshaw Creek and
Patagonia, July 22 with Clait Braun. Great start with Sonoita
greetings courtesy singing Cassin’s and Grasshopper
Sparrows. Wow… bird of the day… killer looks at a Yellowbilled Cuckoo? the Montezuma Quail who stole the show?
low flybys by a very defensive Zone-tailed Hawk? Calling and
well-observed Elegant Trogon? Clait says the Montezuma
Quail won by a feather or three. The continued hospitality of
M. Patton is always appreciated!
Sixteen friends joined me for a weekend in the White
Mountains where we found some and missed some!
Montezuma Quail was a lifer for one participant; another
California friend had several lifers. Found targets: Goldencrowned Kinglets, American Dipper, Mountain Bluebirds,
Williamson’s and Red-napped Sapsucker, Pinyon Jay and
Osprey, Northern Goshawks and a lovely bald Eagle! We
enjoyed a Calliope Hummer in hand at the Arizona Game &
Fish’s High Country Hummers event. Though weather and
logistics presented challenges, I appreciated the patience of
the group and a fine time was had by all.
For some Tucsonans, maybe Summer is a time for movies,
malls and air conditioning, but not for Tucson Audubon
members! Thank you Field Trip leaders and participants…
I’m grateful we have such an active core. Join me next month
for more changes and more adventures afield.
Save the Date for a
Stimulating Thank You.
By now, we should all have received our “ecological stimulus
packages” from the U.S. Treasury. We at Tucson Audubon thank
those of you who passed on some or all of your check to help us with
our work to protect habitat for birds and other wildlife in the region.
This November once again we will be thanking members who have
donated $500 and above over the last year by inviting them to a very
special event. Our event will be held on the afternoon of Sunday,
November 9, so please keep that date open. We will send you a special
invitation in due course.
Sign up for free email
news updates from
Tucson Audubon!
The Vermilion Flycatcher is the main way by which we get in touch
with you about upcoming events, education opportunities, and
conservation issues in our region. Often new things happen that
we want you to know about quickly. Our newly revamped News
from Tucson Audubon is how we do that. We may have a new field
trip opportunity; there may be an amazing bird show that you
must go and see; there may be space on an education program
that was filled; or we may want to tell you about a new volunteer
opportunity. There may also be an urgent need for you to write to
one of your political representatives or to attend a council
meeting. In the world of conservation, these urgent needs occur
often. I’m sure you get the picture.
We normally send out an email every two weeks depending upon
how much news we have. Receiving these updates is easy. The
simplest way is to go to www.tucsonaudubon.org and click on
the link at the top of our home page that offers you the chance to
sign up. You can also email [email protected],
and we will sign you up. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Support Tucson
Audubon !
One hundred percent of “Friends” membership
dues support Tucson Audubon’s goals of
protecting habitat, educating about the
environment, and supporting birding in southeast
Arizona. To donate, see page 30 or
VF
9
Tucson Audubon’s Owl Prowl Was a Hoot!
by Vivian MacKinnon
Ten Tucson Audubon supporters joined
Executive Director Paul Green and
Borderland Tours owner, Rick Taylor, for an
evening of good food and great birds. The
skies were dark and heavy with monsoon
magic as we gathered at Eclectic Cafe. It
began to rain as we began to load into the
vans hoping that we’d be able to dodge the
raindrops. A quick phone call up to the top
of the mountain confirmed that it was in fact
pouring up there but the skies were
beginning to clear.
Meanwhile our intrepid logistics crew had
already made the run to the halfway point to
set up our delicious picnic. Out of cell phone
range they had to decide whether the weather The crew prepares. Courtesy Kendall Kroesen.
would hold... it didn’t, but they persevered.
They cleverly threw plastic tablecloths over their setup and dove
Our next stop was the Roe cabin overlooking Summerhaven. Our
under the open hatchback of one of the cars and waited out the
logistics crew was always one step ahead and they had fresh coffee,
shower.
tea and lots of sweet treats ready and waiting. Paul gave a brief
update about the future of Tucson Audubon, and Restoration
Imagine our surprise as we pulled in to our first stop with the
Program Manager Kendall Kroesen spoke about our plans of
skies clearing and found a sumptuous spread ready and waiting.
bringing restoration work right into the heart of Tucson, making
The beautiful double rainbow was an artful touch! While we
our neighborhoods a more welcoming place for birds and other
gabbed and gobbled, Rick began to work his magic and just as we
wildlife.
were finishing he produced the first owl of the evening. A
beautiful Whiskered Screech-Owl calling from a branch allowed
Speaking of wildlife and birds, it was time to head back down for
us long, wonderful looks.
there were owls to find and miles to go before we would sleep. We
stopped at Bear Wallow and tried to call in a Spotted Owl, but it
was late and they must have been sleeping. The drivers were well
caffeinated and skillfully got our yawning crew down to Prison
Camp for Western Screech-Owl. Looking at this little guy in the
spotlight seemed to revive even our sleepiest member, and
everyone enjoyed the final stop at milepost zero for Elf Owl. Their
yips and yaps clued us in to
their location, and as we
watched they flitted about
their home-sweet-home in a
Bashas’ has reenergized their charitable giving program and it all kicks off on September 1. The old
giant saguaro.
Thanks a Million campaign has been replaced with Shop & Give, they’ve given it a whole new look, and
will be actively promoting it throughout the community. Most importantly, they’ve increased the
We learned so much about
maximum donation amount that Tucson Audubon can earn—from $2,500 to $5,000!
owls from Rick, met new
friends (John Higgins sitting
From September 1 through March 31, Tucson Audubon supporters can help raise funds painlessly while
next to Mel Roberts, what a
doing the weekly grocery shopping. Next time you shop at Bashas’ simply ask the clerk to link your
hoot!), munched delicious
Bashas’ “Thank You” card to Tucson Audubon Society’s number, 27286, and one percent of the amount
food and stayed out way past
you’ve spent will be set aside for Tucson Audubon. You need only link your card once and it will stay
everyone’s bedtime. What a
linked through the end of this season. So even if you linked your card to us last year you will need to renight!!! As we rolled back
link it this year as the program has changed.
down to Eclectic Cafe
everyone agreed it just
After the program ends in March, Bashas’ will cut a check to all non-profits that have qualified. We will
couldn’t have been a better
need to have at least $25 dollars set aside by our supporters in order to qualify. All it takes is to link your
evening.
card to 27286 and you can eat, drink, be merry and support Tucson Audubon all at the same time!
From there we headed directly to the top and were able to hear a
distant Flammulated Owl. We stood quietly up top and listened to
the night air. We strolled up the observatory road and wondered at
the night noises all around us. We actually needed jackets... in
July!
Bashas’ “Shop & Give” Program Starts September 1!
VF
10
Education News
by Carrie Dean, Education Program Manager
Synergy is More Powerful than Competition
by Toni Prothero, Outreach Director, Second Chance Center for Animals, Flagstaff, Arizona
As part of the Citizen Stewardship Grant, made possible with
funding from the Arizona Community Foundation, Toni Prothero
is providing this month’s article.
In the world of animal sheltering, there is much discussion about
the terminology that organizations use to describe themselves: nokill, low-kill, open door, or limited admissions. These terms reflect
many things: differing philosophies, differing resources, differing
marketing strategies. No-kill shelters by implication are the
opposite of kill shelters. These shelters where animals are routinely
euthanized due to lack of space are often required by contracts
with local governments to accept any animal brought to them and
in many communities are severely under-funded. In the eyes of
the public these are often regarded as the “bad shelters” and the
no-kill shelters are the “good shelters.”
There are many things unfortunate about this dichotomy. It does a
disservice to the people who work in public shelters who day after
day participate in a system that routinely must euthanize healthy,
adoptable animals. It puts organizations that need to work
collaboratively to find homes for as many animals as possible in
competition with each other for public support. The terminology
itself is competitive.
When shelters are labeled, (and sometimes we label ourselves this
way), with these simple terms it obscures the fact that we are all
part of the same system trying to deal with the same problem: pet
over-population. If the open door shelters did not exist, neither
could the no-kill shelters. We would quickly be overwhelmed by
the sheer number of animals brought to our doors. It is estimated
that between 4 and 6 million animals are euthanized each year in
the United States in shelters.
I would like to propose that we find terminology that is noncompetitive and that educates while it labels. I propose open-door
shelters for those required by contracts to accept all animals, and
over-flow shelters for those that like Second Chance Center for
Animals, work to take animals from open door shelters that have
reached capacity and must euthanize. These terms allow us to
differentiate ourselves based on our roles in working to solve the
problem of pet overpopulation while educating the public about
the issue. They highlight the collaboration needed to solve the
problem.
Synergy is more powerful than competition.
VF
Adult Basic Bat Ecology &
Viewing Program — Fills Fast!
Dr. Ronnie Sidner will present two separate bat ecology and viewing
programs as bats feed at the hummingbird feeders supplied by Dr. Madden
in Tucson and by Linda Pfister in Nogales, Arizona. Light refreshments will
be served at both venues.
Large numbers of the lesser long-nosed (endangered species) and Mexican
long-tongued nectivorous bats arrive in spring to give birth to their young.
Feeding on Saguaro flowers in spring, their diet changes to agave (century
plants) flower nectar in summer and fall as the bats migrate southward back
to Mexico. Throughout this visitation period, their diet is supplemented
with sugar water from hummingbird feeders.
The Nogales program is on Saturday, September 13, at Linda Pfister’s house,
and the Tucson program is on Friday, September 19, at Dr. John Madden’s
house; each begins at 6:30p.m. If departing from Tucson for the Nogales
program, please leave by 4:30p.m. to arrive on time, and plan on returning
to Tucson around 11p.m. Registration for each program is $30 for Tucson
Audubon Society members and $65 for non-members or National Audubon
Society only members; children 10-15 are free. To register, or if you have
questions, please contact Carrie Dean at 622-2230 or
[email protected]. Directions to the properties will be supplied
when registering. Limit of 12 participants per program; these fill quickly!
Bats visiting hummingbird feeders. Courtesy J.W.
Madden.
11
My Favorite Endemic by Rick Wright, [email protected], 320-9868
My generation still read Thornton Wilder,
Lowell, now downtown
and I suspect that I am not alone in being
Tucson. The bird remained
able to recite at the drop of a hat the address
common there and attractive
of the wondrous letter received by Jane
to traveling collectors for
Crofut in Our Town: “The Crofut Farm,
fifteen years, then it suddenly
Grover’s Corners, Sutton County, New
disappeared; Phillips et al cite
Hampshire, United States of America,
only three Arizona records of
Continent of North America, Western
the species between 1886 and
Hemisphere, the Earth, the Solar System, the
1932. An “irruption” in the
Universe, the Mind of God.” I think of these
late 1950s brought the species
words every time birders’ talk turns to ranges
back to its original
and distributions; and Wilder’s endlessly
abundance in the Tucson
nested Chinese boxes remind me every time
area; but that peak, too, was
that “endemism,” at any level below that of
followed by a long decline,
divine consciousness, is a purely artificial
such that, when I started
Rufous-winged Sparrow. Courtesy C.J. Vincent, Way Out
idea. That’s not a complaint, of course; in
visiting Arizona in the 1990s,
West B&B.
fact, that very artificiality is what makes the
this was a difficult bird to
discussion of endemism so fascinating, as we are allowed to step
find. The first years of this century have seen the bird’s numbers
into the scheme at whatever level of abstraction we choose.
increase and its range broaden, but if history is any guide at all, a
period of scarcity looms. And this time, when the Rufous-winged
And I choose to wade in at the level of the ABA area. Within the
Sparrow returns to its Arizona range, I worry that it may find the
ABA area, a number of species are endemic to—found only in—
mesquite edges and grassy clearings it loves gone, replaced by the
certain political jurisdictions; and Arizona, particularly southeast
development that sprawls across precisely that narrow slice of
Arizona, is, within the ABA area, among the richest. And my
Sonora Desert that the sparrow has so greatly favored during its
favorite Arizona endemic, found nowhere else in the ABA area, is
periodic incursions north.
Rufous-winged Sparrow, Aimophila carpalis, a sweet-faced and
sweeter-voiced inhabitant of a narrow slice of Sonoran Desert
The loss of Arizona’s ABA-area-endemic Rufous-winged Sparrow
from the Tucson area south.
would be just a local tragedy; the bird, one hopes, might still hang
on in the desert and ranchlands of Sonora and Sinaloa. But I for
It isn’t just this charming little bird’s restricted range (even in
one hope that we are able to save some desert and some RufousMexico, it occurs in only two states), but the history of its
wings here in Arizona, and that we can keep our own little
encounters with modern ornithologists that fascinates. The
feathered bit of the mind of God.
species was among the last North American breeders to be
VF
discovered, the first specimens not taken until 1872, at old Fort
Mosquito Memo: Remember West Nile Virus is with us
West Nile Virus (WNV) infects birds and other animals, and
researchers know that it has been in the state since 2003. Several
species of mosquitoes that feed on the blood of infected birds take
in the virus, and they can transmit that virus to other animals and
people that they bite later. People do not pass the virus from one
to another, and most of the mosquitoes that do bite you will not
be infected. Furthermore, most people bitten by an infected
mosquito will not become sick, and four out of five people who
do get sick just get a mild disease. Very few people develop a
severe disease, and the risk increases if you are over 50 years of
age. In 2007, 97 human cases were reported in the state, and just
one so far this year. In 2006, six deaths were attributed to WNV in
Arizona.
It makes sense to minimize your chances of being bitten. One way
is to prevent mosquitoes from breeding near where you live and
work. Since mosquitoes need standing water to breed, eliminate
12
all standing water such as might be contained in plant pot bases,
empty containers and so on at this time of year.
You can use insect repellents when you are outside, and you can
experiment with various kinds to find the one that works best for
you. Long-sleeved shirts and long pants may also prevent mosquitoes
from feeding on your blood, and spraying repellent onto clothing is a
good idea. Check the bug screens in buildings you use, checking for
holes and cracks. You can minimize the risk of being bitten by staying
indoors when mosquitoes are active, which is generally between dusk
and dawn. If you own horses, make certain that they are vaccinated
against West Nile.
Remember to prepare yourself for those early-morning field trips
with Tucson Audubon. For further details, including reporting freshly
dead adult birds, go to www.westnileaz.com/ or call (800)314-9243.
The website provides current data on WNV infections, by county,
within Arizona.
Urban Birds
by Kendall Kroesen, Restoration Program
Manager, and Jessie Byrd, MLA, ASLA, Desert
Green Design
Chilopsis linearis may not sound like something you want
in your backyard, but you might change your mind when
you find out this is the scientific name for desert willow.
Desert willow is a native deciduous tree widespread
throughout the desert southwest and northern Mexico. It
blooms beautifully in May and June, and may continue to
bloom off and on though the summer. Blossoms are
purple to white, with lavender being pretty typical of trees
in the Tucson area. Blooms can be quite showy, with
hundreds of flowers on a single tree at the same time.
Desert willow is very cold-hardy and easily weathers
Tucson’s coldest winters. It is not a true willow, but
instead is a catalpa of the family Bignoniaceae.
This tree is sometimes classified as a large shrub because
of its tendency to be multi-stemmed from the base. It can
reach 30 feet tall but 10-20 feet is more typical. The
tendency to grow multiple trunks is part of what makes it
attractive to birds, providing perches and cover lower to
the ground. Desert willows can easily be trained into
having a single trunk, and it often grows in a more
traditional tree-like way.
Desert willow typically grows along washes or in
bottomland areas, so to thrive it needs a little more water
than the average desert tree or shrub. But it is still quite
drought-tolerant and does well in many southeast
Arizona neighborhoods, as long as soils are well-drained
and rainwater infiltrates in the area. It would do best in a
broad, shallow dip in which rainwater collects in your
yard, but does not stand for long periods.
Desert willow flowers. Photo courtesy Jessie Byrd.
Amid troubling news about native bees and honeybees, it’s good
to know of plants that support them. The nectar of desert willow
flowers is foraged by bees as well as hummingbirds. It provides
nesting areas for songbirds and shelter for birds and other wildlife.
Many desert trees are dense and thorny, with very small leaves and
other desert adaptations. Desert willow is a much more green and
lush tree and provides your yard with a welcome change in texture
from the usual mesquites, ironwoods and palo verdes. The filtered
shade under a desert willow is perfect for protecting smaller desert
flowers, such as penstemmon or salvias.
In winter trees are leafless but often the long, attractive pods
remain attached. Planting a desert willow on the east or west side
of your house will provide shade in summer and allow sun to
enter when the leaves have fallen.
The nursery industry has been doing some really creative things
with desert willows and there are many cultivars with different
characteristics to choose from. It’s awesome to have so many
choices, just like the ‘fancy’ exotics, but with our very own native
desert willows! There are the slow-growing, smaller ‘Lucretia
Hamilton’ with its dark purple-pink flowers, or the fast-growing
‘Warren Jones’ with pale pink flowers and a tendency to hold onto
to its leaves longer than most others. The ‘Lois Adams’ cultivar has
light purple flowers and only produces small amounts of
seedpods. If you are the kind of gardener who just flat-out refuses
to have pods fall in your yard, then you can choose the seedless
variety of desert willow—‘Art’s Seedless.’ Because the flowers are
still available to insects and birds, it’s a better choice than a nonnative tree species.
Give desert willow some space to grow and it will help make your
yard a pleasant place and a wildlife-friendly haven.
VF
13
A Monumental Journey by Joe Billings
Did you ever see the PBS ad that shows the journey a
little goldfish makes by opportunistically jumping or
being splashed from one container to the next, and from
place to place, until it eventually winds up in a river
ascending whitewater falls alongside wild salmon? That
scenario crossed my mind recently while musing over the
various legs of the journey of “157X.” Let me explain: As
a fieldworker/researcher for the Southwest Monarch
Study, I pulled tag 157X off a sheet of matching 5/16inch-diameter, adhesive-backed tags on a warm fall
morning last September 27, and affixed it to the hind
wing of a beautiful male monarch butterfly. While
releasing it I exhorted: “Fly up high and away, beautiful
monarch!” I watched the sunlight glow through its
orange and black wings as it arose high above the marsh
of Canelo, Arizona, and disappeared into the blue.
After six months, its fate was revealed: Monarch 157X
had flown roughly 1,200 miles before being recaptured at Tagged monarch butterfly. Courtesy Chris Kline.
the El Rosario Monarch Sanctuary in Michoacan, Mexico.
A local resident had caught 157X, probably while the butterfly was
With great anticipation, I opened the envelope and scanned the
drinking on the forest floor, carefully removing and pocketing tag
photos. I felt goose bumps creep across my skin as I tried to
157X. The same señor opened his wallet to identify veteran
envision those magnificent orange wings soaring aloft above the
California monarch researcher, Paul Cherubini, who promptly
desert plateaus and mountain escarpments of Mexico. Did you
purchased it on the spot—for one hundred pesos! The journey
have many compadres, El Mariposo? And are you heading back
then proceeded northward along a dusty, rural road to Morelia,
north toward otro Lado? I reflected back on that wonderful humid
where tag 157X took to the air once again, this time inside the
day when the marsh was thriving and alive with radiant yellow
insulated comfort of a commercial jetliner. After a flight of
marsh sunflowers and purple thistles, the beginning of tag 157X’s
roughly 1500 miles, condensed into a duration of hours, rather
amazing odyssey. But the journey wasn’t finished, not just yet
than weeks, the tiny tag “hopped” back across the border from
anyway. It had one more leg to go: farther north in another
Tijuana to San Diego, then on to Sacramento, before finally
envelope where it would finally and fittingly reside, at last, in the
reaching Paul’s home farther to the east. Tag 157X then
office of Southwest Monarch Study founder and coordinator,
disappeared again, this time inside a standard business envelope
Chris Kline, as the first wild monarch butterfly tag from the western
stuck on the side of a photo of el señor!
United States recovered at the over-wintering sites of central Mexico!
VF
Really, it’s the
end of the year
Tucson Audubon’s accounting year ends on
the last day of August. If you value the work
of Tucson Audubon and would like to help
us finish our year on a high, please use the
envelope in this issue to send us a year-end
gift. We thank you for being a member of
Tucson Audubon.
14
When Joe isn’t engaged in designing/building naturalistic
Southwest landscapes, he is out exploring wild habitats in pursuit
of monarch butterflies. We asked him what birders can do to help
document tagged monarchs when they sight them in the wild:
“Since birders are not equipped with nets, the main thing is to
carefully get as close as possible and record tag information which is
a number and letter combination. Record the date, locality, distance
from the nearest road, landmark, etc. and, if possible, the nectar
plant the monarch was feeding on. I would appreciate being
contacted at 861-0646 or [email protected]. You can also
contact Chris Kline at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum at (928)9785932 or [email protected].”
I’ll Have My Coffee Black… & Green
by Chris Harrison
The next time you come through the doors at Tucson Audubon’s Nature Shop on University
Blvd. you will recognize a different aroma than you are used to. No, it is not because our Habitat
Restoration field crew is back from work early. It’s the smell of fresh brewed coffee—delicious,
shade grown, bird friendly coffee to be more specific.
Beginning in September we will be offering free coffee samples while you shop. This is not just
any coffee: it is coffee grown under the canopy of the rainforest, which means no trees need to
be felled for you to have a great cup of coffee.
Coffee naturally grows in the shade of the forest canopy. It was not until the 1970s that a hybrid
coffee plant was developed to grow in full sun. While growing in the sun increased production it
also decreased flavors and made it necessary for farmers to cut down acres upon acres of old
growth trees to produce their coffee. This in turn destroyed huge amounts of habitat for neotropical migratory birds…you know, the ones we wait for all winter to catch a glimpse of as they
fly north. Well, during the time we are waiting they are down in the rainforest loving the warmth
and abundance of insects, but they are quickly losing habitat down there. No matter what we do
to conserve these birds here, it will mean nothing if they have nowhere to go for the winter.
You can save habitat for birds and have a great cup of coffee at the same time! You can also be
assured that our coffee is grown on small cooperative farms and that it is fairly traded. Which
means it is great for the native people, too.
The coffee really is better! There is something about the shade that makes the beans mature
more slowly and gives them a chance to develop more subtle nuances in flavor and aroma. Next
time you are in the neighborhood, stop by the Nature Shop and have a cup to see for yourself. If
you are lucky you will come by on a day that our staff member, Lia, has brought in her
homemade biscotti!!
VF
Binocular FAQs
How do I keep my binoculars clean?
One of the most important aspects of owning a good pair of
birding binoculars is taking care of them, and the most
important thing you can do to keep the optics “good as new” is
to know how to clean them correctly. It is a very simple process,
but there are a few right and wrong ways to clean up your
lenses.
The first thing that you must do is remove any dust and debris.
This can be done with a fine brush or with an air
blower/compressed air (used for cameras). Once the lenses are
free of debris, the next step is to wipe the lenses clean using lens
cloth/tissue or using a lenspen. The lens cloths are usually made
of a microfiber material and are specially designed to be gentle
on the lenses and coatings of the binoculars. Lenspens may be
the best option because they combine the brush and the actual
lens-cleaning element in one easy-to-use product. Lens tissue
works well, but is not reusable, and with most you must use a
separate cleaning solution. If the lenses are really dirty and you
have fully waterproof binoculars you can
clean them with water. If this is necessary you
can then dry them with a lens cloth to prevent spotting.
There are a few common mistakes that I often see people do.
Never use your breath to moisten the lenses before cleaning: it
may leave spots on your lenses or, worse, it could degrade the
special coatings on the glass. Never use your shirt to wipe
binocular lenses. No matter how clean it looks, your shirt has
microscopic dust and dirt particles on it that can leave tiny
scratches on the lenses that over time can give them a foggy
appearance. Some fabrics will actually scratch the lenses
themselves.
By following these easy tips your binoculars should last for a
good long time. Tucson Audubon Nature Shop carries a range
of cleaning supplies to keep your binoculars looking new and
your views crystal clear.
15
Main Shop
Monday–Saturday
10a.m.–4p.m., except Monday
& Thursday until 5p.m.
Located on the southeast
corner of University Blvd. and
5th Avenue. In addition to the
shaded parking areas below,
there are now four spots on the
west side of our building.
At the Tucson Audubon Nature Shops
The Nature Shops Have a
Banner Year! (Fiscal Year,
that is) by Sara Pike and Becky Aparicio
By the time you’re reading this newsletter, the Tucson
Audubon 2007-2008 fiscal year will have come to a close on
August 31, 2008.
We have already surpassed our goal for the year and we send
our thanks to you as our valued customers. If you haven’t
shopped with us, come and see what the excitement is all about!
Agua Caliente
Park Shop
In September:
Tuesday 9a.m.–3:30p.m.
Phone: 760-7881
Directions: From Tanque
Verde Rd. and Houghton,
continue east on Tanque Verde
2 miles. Turn left (north) onto
Soldier Trail, continue north
for 2 miles. Turn right (east)
onto Roger Rd., continue
¼ mile to the park entrance
on the left (north) side of
the road.
Tuesday Bird Walk
8a.m.
Loaner binoculars available,
meet in front of the ranch
house. For more nformation,
call Pima County Parks &
Recreation at 877-6111.
For permit requests and
general information about
park rules and regulations,
call 749-3718
16
For those of you who have made it into either shop in the past year, you know that both shops
have gone through many changes in the merchandise selection and appearance. We now offer one
of the best selections in town of binoculars for birding. We carry over 14,000 literature titles. Our
gift and children’s selections are always being updated and we’re always searching for new and
unique ideas. Our shops are more spacious and our volunteers are just as knowledgeable and
friendly as they always have been!
One of the best things about our success this year is knowing that all profit made from our shop
sales stays right here in southeast Arizona. It goes back to Tucson Audubon programs supporting
education and conservation. All of this is made possible because of you! We attribute our record
sales to you, dear member, to all of the visitors who made it to the shops on their way through to
birding destinations, and also to our hardworking and dedicated staff of volunteers who make
running these shops possible.
Nature Shop Volunteers: David West, Barbara Schneidau, Linda Harrold, Peggy Smith, Marilyn
Bicking, Jeri Ogden, Lorel Picciurro, Sandy Cook, Bobbie Lambert, Carol Eagle, Mary Ellen Flynn,
David Louie, Jean Rios, Joe Orenstein, Kathy Olmstead, Judy Calvert, Mary Lou Splain, Rosie
Bennett, Larry Abrams, Lexie Bivings, Liz Harrison, Laura Cotter, Fran Cox, Shirley Davis, Julie
Gibson, Tom Rehm, Jean Scheibe.
While we can only give our best guess for what the future holds, we can celebrate our successes
today!
Hummingbirds! DVD Review
by Heather Hatch
Amazing Hummingbirds of the U. S. — Their
incredible beauty and fascinating behaviors
revealed (DVD, 30 min.) by Charles W. Melton.
$22.00 in the Nature Shops
This DVD is a wonderful visual field guide to hummingbirds. It
provides an excellent introduction to field marks and behaviors
of 16 species in the Southwest. This is photographer Charles W.
Melton’s first DVD. Hummingbirds inspired him to digress from
his usual still photography because, as he says “…their essence is
motion. So I decided to try video photography.” All the
“subjects” are wild birds in their natural environment. The
excellent script is so well coordinated with the footage that you
will enjoy watching it again and again.
Remember, when making purchases at Tucson Audubon, ‘Friends’ members receive 10% off, and all of your dollars stay local and go toward bird conservation efforts!
Agua Caliente Park Update by Becky Aparicio
Now for the challenge of a new fiscal year at the ‘Little Shop on the East Side.’
We will add Friday to our schedule for September with new products and a
clean (literally) slate. As well, a history component to the already great
literature will be added, reflecting the Ranch House Historical preservation at
Agua Caliente Park. Of course, the great family-centered products will be
showcased as well as a complete line of bird field guides. The little shop will
also carry men’s and women’s field vests, after a successful test last spring.
Come on by and enjoy the park, the shop, and our lively volunteer crew.
Remember there is always a discount for guests participating in the Tuesday
Bird Walk, beginning at 8 a.m. in September. This is a great time to buy
nature oriented T-shirts for the young naturalist for a fresh back-to-school
look.
We’ll all miss our Saturday volunteer, Joan Felleman, whose tenacity and
charm I’ll keep in mind and dedicate the year to her.
In Memoriam
“Our fear of death is like
our fear that summer will
be short, but when we have
had our swing of pleasure,
our fill of fruit, and our
swelter of heat, we say we
have had our day.”
—John Donne, 1620
Joan Felleman volunteered at
Agua Caliente Park Nature Shop
since December 2005. She and her
husband Phil have been active
supporters of Tucson Audubon Society since they immigrated to
southeastern Arizona after their retirement. She was a special-education
teacher. They shared a love of birding particularly in their early married
life. On a recent trip to Norway they added at least two life-list birds—Sea
Eagle and Atlantic Puffin—and together experienced a trip that was a
highlight of their life. Joan was also very active with the alumnae
association of her alma mater, Brandeis University. They have three
children and seven grandchildren. Joan volunteered on Saturday afternoons
and was particularly intent on mastering the new cash register and
computer systems. She loved to read, and one of her missions was to get
through all the issues of Smithsonian Magazine, which she would hand off
to me, encouraging me to do the same. She never ended her workday
without sharing farewells with me as well as the Agua Caliente Park
personnel and other volunteers in the Ranch House. She was the best
listener, making a lovely effort to greet everyone coming into the shop
warmly, and really concentrated her time with the visiting children. I’ll
truly miss her.
Ten things to remember
about feeding
hummingbirds
by Heather Hatch
August is peak season for
viewing hummingbirds in
southeastern Arizona. So,
here are a few
hummingbird feeder tips
to enhance your viewing.
Black-chinned Hummingbird.
Courtesy Robert Shantz.
1. Be sure you keep your
feeder clean.The black mold that grows in feeders is not
good for birds, so clean your feeder every time you fill it. Use
a brush, and replace your brush when it gets worn out.
2. You should make your sugar solution with plain white
sugar in a one-part-sugar-to-four-parts-water mixture. Do
not add red dye as the birds do not need it and it is not good
for them.
3. If you are attracting bees and you do not want to have
them at your feeder, dilute your solution to one-part-sugarto-five-parts-water.
4. Hang several feeders, placing them so the less aggressive
birds have a feeder too.
5. If unwanted woodpeckers are drinking the food, select a
light-weight feeder that will be awkward for them, or a
feeder with no perch. Some of the small feeders are so
lightweight that heavy woodpeckers cannot balance and
drink at the same time. However, some woodpeckers do not
give up, so just enjoy their show of tenacity.They won’t keep
the hummingbirds away.
6. A feeder that supplies aging fruit will attract fruit flies—
an excellent source of protein for birds!
7. For the benefit of both the birds and your yard, provide
both feeders and native hummingbird-attracting plants.This
will provide them with a variety of food sources and can save
you money on your water bill, as well as enhancing your yard
with native flowers and foliage.
8. Protect feeders from cats and other predators.
9. If ants are a problem try one of the ant barriers from our
shop.
10. Keep a pair of binoculars handy for close-up views of all
your feeders.With continued study you may be able to get to
know individual birds, and you will improve your skills at
identifying different species. It will give you an excellent
opportunity to study the females, too.
17
Conservation Update
Spread the Word: Support Our Lands, Our Schools, Proposition
103 this November
Supporters of efforts to modernize the management of Arizona’s
Trust Lands filed with the Secretary of State petitions containing the
signatures of more than 350,000 Arizonans. This action will give
voters the opportunity to vote on this initiative in the November
General Election. The new name better illustrates what the Initiative
is trying to accomplish in reforming State Trust Land management.
The campaign is raising funds, and you can send donations to Our
Lands, Our Schools Campaign, c/o Josh Allen, 170 Chaco Trail,
Flagstaff, AZ 86001.
The campaign team is seeking out groups and audiences to whom
they can speak about the initiative. If you would like to have the
Campaign address your group, please contact
[email protected].
Tucson Audubon has written in support of Our Land, Our Schools,
which provides a way for us to protect lands of great biological
importance. View our letter at www.tucsonaudubon.org/
conservation/landschool.pdf. Tucson Audubon encourages you to
support this straightforward initiative. Our lands are our children’s
natural legacy—we must make sure they can enjoy them and that
they continue to support the clean water, air, and habitats essential for
a healthy future. This is a great conservation opportunity for our
state: VOTE YES!
Dudleyville Double Check Ranch Conservation Easement goes
to court
As we reported in our last issue, Tucson Audubon, Maricopa
Audubon, and the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) have joined
together to seek injunctive relief in support of Paul and Sarah
Schwennesen’s Double Check Ranch conservation easement, where
many Tucson Audubon members have birded. The Bureau of Land
Management, which currently holds the conservation easement
created in 1996, has now filed federal trespass charges against Pinal
County. On July 24, Pinal County submitted its affidavits to the court.
We will reply to Pinal County’s objection to our request for an
injunction, and the judge will set a hearing date. Following that, we
will meet in court and the judge will decide on the injunction.
Rosemont Mine Proposal
The first part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
process, the Scoping Period, for the proposed Rosemont Mine in the
Santa Rita Mountains just south of Tucson, has been concluded. The
last of its working groups of citizens and cooperating agencies took
place in Tucson on June 30 at which Tucson Audubon made
comments. The Forest Service is now required to analyze the
environmental impacts on public land of this proposal and prepare a
draft Environmental Impact Statement, which will include
alternatives to the Augusta Resource/Rosemont Copper proposal,
including a No Action option. There will be an opportunity for
citizens to comment on this draft when released. The Important Bird
Area Program at Tucson Audubon submitted a letter in July to the
Forest Service detailing its opposition to the Rosemont Mine. Read
18
by Chris McVie, Paul Green, and Kendall Kroesen
the Arizona Game & Fish Department’s view on the proposed mine,
and the IBA letter at www.tucsonaudubon.org/conservation/
rosemont.htm.
The web site www.scenicsantaritas.com is the best single source of
information on the developments around the Rosemont Mine, and
we particularly recommend Tucson Audubon members to read the
handout posted there for the Augusta Resource Share Holders
Meeting, Vancouver, B.C., June 23, 2008, entitled Can we afford the
Rosemont Project?
Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (CFPO) 90-day finding and
status review initiated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
The deadline for receipt of data and information in order to consider
listing the CFPO as Threatened or Endangered, possibly with Critical
Habitat, under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), has been extended
beyond August 1, 2008. See the July-August issue of the Vermilion
Flycatcher for details. Because the review is not a rule-making process,
the date is advisory and not an official deadline. However, to be
included, it is best to submit comments by September 30, 2008, and if
submitted after August 1 they should be submitted by mail to Steven
Spangle, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Arizona Ecological Services
Field Office, 2321 West Royal Palm Road, Suite 103, Phoenix AZ
85021-4951.
Southeast Arizona Land Exchange & Conservation Act of 2008
The Senate Energy Committee held a hearing on July 9 regarding
the Senate Bill S.3157 the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and
Conservation Act of 2008. Tucson Audubon and many other
conservation groups, including National Audubon through
Audubon Arizona, submitted letters with serious questions about
the draft legislation contained in the bill, with the hope of
improving the draft.
Of special concern to the conservation community are issues
related to the National Environmental Policy Act, issues related to
royalty payments, the appraisal process, maintaining water quality
standards and the quantity of water available, and the adequacy of
the land included in the exchange by Resolution Copper.
If the land exchange is not completed by the end of this
Congressional session, a bill will have to be reintroduced in 2009.
It is the hope of Tucson Audubon that such a draft would be an
improvement over S.3157 introduced in June 2008 by Senator Kyl.
Of particular importance to Tucson Audubon are the land and
water rights on the San Pedro near San Manuel controlled by BHP
Billiton, one of the two partners in the Resolution joint venture,
which must be protected to ensure the health of the watershed
and the habitats of the lower San Pedro, in perpetuity.
Santa Cruz County I-19 “Border” checkpoint just south of the
Pima County Line
The US Border Patrol currently has a temporary checkpoint on I19 at Agua Linda Road in Santa Cruz County. This is located close
to the 300-acre Esperanza Ranch conservation easement that
Tucson Audubon manages for the
purposes of conservation and habitat
restoration.
The US Border Patrol has long talked of
installing an “interim,” and then
“permanent,” checkpoint, first considered
for the Amado area, now focused on an
area south of the temporary checkpoint
just north of Chavez Siding Road, a
location even closer to the conservation
easement than the current temporary
checkpoint.
As reported in the Nogales International
on July 15 (www.nogalesinternational.
Land around the Santa Ritas and the entrance to Madera Canyon may be up for sale soon.
com/articles/2008/07/15/news/
Courtesy Paul and Eng-Li Green.
news3.txt), the Border Patrol has an
accelerated timetable for implementing the interim checkpoint,
important functions of such places. The Western Governors’
hoping to complete it by November 2008. The interim checkpoint
Association earlier this year initiated the Western Wildlife Habitat
would probably involve a building, a shade canopy and a third
Council to identify key wildlife corridors and crucial wildlife
lane on the east side of I-19 where traffic could be diverted for
habitats in the West and coordinate implementation of needed
inspection.
policy options and tools for preserving those landscapes, see
If there is no delay due to environmental concerns, they hope to
let a contract for design of the permanent checkpoint in January
2009. The permanent checkpoint might be a six-lane facility with
multiple buildings, offices and kennels.
The interim and permanent checkpoints would have a
detrimental impact on wildlife at the Esperanza Ranch easement,
and would violate the legal terms by which Tucson Audubon
manages the conservation easement. First, as currently drawn, a
significant part of the new checkpoint would be sited on a part of
the ranch that is not in the easement. (It might even fall on a small
corner of the easement itself, but the publicly available drawing is
not detailed enough to be sure.) We believe development of the
non-easement portion of the ranch in this way may violate terms of
the easement that call for ranch-style developments on the noneasement part of the ranch, on plots not to be smaller than 36
acres.
Second, the proximity to the easement of traffic, border patrol
agents, drug-sniffing dogs, high-intensity lights and noise would
have a detrimental effect on wildlife. Adjacent parts of the
easement that provide nesting areas for birds, browse for deer and
javelina, hunting areas for bobcats, and habitat for many other
animals would experience lowering of the quality of that habitat.
Especially important is that the Chivas Wash enters the Santa Cruz
River floodplain just north of the checkpoint site. This region is
an important corridor for movement of large wildlife (deer, bears,
mountain lions, etc.) between the Santa Rita Mountains and the
Tumacacori Highlands, and Chivas Wash is one of the few places
where they can follow a wash that passes through a large culvert
under the highway.
The proposal to place a blockage in a wildlife linkage flies in the
face of two current initiatives to protect and enhance the
www.westgov.org/wga/meetings/am2008/wildlife08.pdf for
more detail. In addition, the Arizona Game & Fish Department,
the Arizona Department of Transportation, multiple federal
agencies, universities and non-governmental organizations have
spearheaded the Arizona Wildlife Habitat Linkages program, the
purpose of which is to identify fracture zones—which include
highways—that can provide for wildlife movement between
habitat blocks. This includes the need to keep our highways
permeable to wildlife.
Tucson Audubon is working to ensure that the Border Patrol and
the Army Corps of Engineers (which is doing the environmental
assessment) are aware of the terms of the legal agreement that
created the easement and the value of the easement and Chivas
Wash to wildlife. We shall keep the aforementioned programs
informed of our fears for this site as an important wildlife linkage.
Friends of Madera Canyon Appeal Pima County Staff’s Decision
to Approve the Tentative Plat Sketch for a Conservation SubDivision near the Entrance to Madera Canyon
Tucson Audubon members are well aware of the plan to develop a
site at the entrance to Madera Canyon, the proposed 180-home
Cielo Madera subdivision. The developer, Michael Kettenbach,
withdrew plans for a cluster development and now has a
conservation subdivision plan for 180 homes on one-acre lots on
a 744-acre site. The plat plan did not meet the requirements of the
Conservation Subdivision to set aside areas of natural,
undisturbed open space; rather it allows for roadway grading of
large areas of primary conservation open space and the blocking
of critical wildlife linkages.
The June 10, 2008 Pima County Board of Adjustment hearing to
consider Friends of Madera Canyon’s appeal of the decision to
continued next page
19
A Week at Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary in Nebraska
by Mike Smith
the Redwing Blackbirds
suddenly appeared. In the
evening, I’d rush back to the
house they put me up in,
quickly eat dinner, and then
return to one of the blinds
where I would see the reverse,
with the backdrop of a three- or
four-layered colored sunset.
Once, I counted 10,000 cranes
in a half hour, from only one
direction.
6 a.m. on the Platte. It’s dark and it’s
cold.
Upstream, I hear a sound like a jet
engine warming up. The highpitched whine gets louder and closer
until it reaches me, and I begin to
distinguish crane and geese calls
among tens of thousands of birds
simultaneously lifting off the river.
Because it was still early, and because
I’m more auditory than visual, the
intensity of the sound caught me by
surprise.
Sandhill Cranes. Courtesy Robert C. Wenrick.
This was my third trip to see the crane migration and my first year
as a volunteer at Rowe Sanctuary. The Iain Nicolson Audubon
Center has five permanent staff aided by many volunteers. I’m
selfish. I wanted to see cranes every chance I got, so I forged the
following schedule: early morning, while still dark, I snuck into a
blind. Trying not to freeze, I watched the birds gradually increase
their activity, until the engine noise and the sudden explosion into
the air.
During the day I’d paint, dig holes for posts, set up rooms, take
down rooms, hang things, fix what I could, try not to break what I
couldn’t fix, run errands and wash dishes. My dish-washing ability
seemed to be appreciated more than anything else. If I got a
chance to work outside, I could see flocks of cranes and geese
overhead, with an occasional eagle and Red-tailed Hawk. One day
On the drive from the house to
Rowe, I got used to seeing thousands of cranes in nearby fields,
where they were eating waste corn. Near the end of my stay, I
spotted a large flock coming from the east. High overhead they
flew, spanning a quarter of the sky, sunlight reflecting off their
feathers giving them a grayish-white cast. Acting like a first-time
viewer, I stopped and got out to watch the flock pass, their
primitive-sounding calls easily heard. Cranes do that to me.
Rowe takes good care of their volunteers. Next year, after I tag
along four times with certified field trip guides I will become one
myself. Am I lucky or what? I will show people cranes and see the
birds at the same time. I was even interviewed for the Grand
Island Independent: “I love the cranes,” I was quoted. “They’re
large and they’re loud. The first time I saw it I was in awe of the
experience. And I still am.”
VF
Conservation Update continued from page 19
approve the Cielo Madera Estates conservation sub-division
tentative plat was attended by four of its five members, and they
denied the appeal on a 2-2 vote and upheld the County’s approval
of the Cielo Madera Subdivision. Under parliamentary procedure
a split vote results in a denial of the appeal. Because the
development shown on the plat plan will have a profound effect
on the ecosystem of the area, FOMC believes that the appeal
should be decided on the merits. At the hearing, some members of
the Board agreed and expressed concern that the plat plan allows
for more density than would be permitted under the existing
zoning on the property. At the time of the hearing, FOMC had no
concrete evidence that fewer than 180 units could be developed on
the site under existing zoning. FOMC has since researched this
and has requested a reconsideration of their appeal to be heard at
the August 12 Board of Adjustment meeting where they will
present competent evidence that the maximum yield for the
property under existing zoning is less than the number of units
proposed by the plat plan.
20
Tucson Audubon, the Arizona Open Land Trust, and Friends of
Madera Canyon continue to work with U. S. Rep. Gabrielle
Giffords’ staff, to explore all options that might ultimately lead to
the conservation of this land as open space. The partners are
currently seeking around $15,000 to pay for an appraisal of the
land, and if you would like to help the FOMC group with their
efforts to protect and preserve Madera Canyon, you may donate to
the Defenders Committee, Friends of Madera Canyon, P.O. Box
1203, Green Valley, AZ 85622. Read more at
www.friendsofmaderacanyon.org/DefendersHomePage.htm
—Carolyn Fowler, Luis Calvo & Tom Purdon, Defenders of
Madera Canyon Committee
Sign up for updates
To sign up for email updates from Tucson Audubon, send your
name and email address to Vivian MacKinnon at
[email protected].
VF
Living with Nature
Lecture Series: 2008/2009
by Vivian MacKinnon
Tucson Audubon’s Lecture Series: Living With Nature begins a
new season and we’ve got great speakers booked both here in
Tucson and in Green Valley. Below you will find the complete
listings for this year’s series. Please remember that occasionally we
may have to make some changes to the roster, but we will do our
best to inform you of changes in timely fashion. We hope to see
you there.
In Tucson, lectures are held in the DuVal Auditorium at
University Medical Center, at 7p.m. on the second Monday of
the month September through April, with the exception of
December, which is our annual holiday potluck and silent
auction.
Date
Speaker
Topic
09/08/2008
Robert Mesta
California Condors
10/13/2008
Narca Moore-Craig
Guyana
Tom Vezo 1946-2008
11/10/2008
Pinau Merlin
The Big Chill, Desert Lives
in Winter
We would like to thank all of Tom”s readers who have
traveled with him through the adventures of his monthly
columns. Tom’s journey will continue on in spirit, now
free to travel to every corner of the planet, no longer
bound by earthly restraints.
12/15/2008
Renee Duckworth
and Alex Badyaev
Avian Behavior and
Human Interactions:
A Photo Journey
01/12/2009
Rich Hoyer
Putting It All Together
02/09/2009
Peg Abbott
Pole to Pole
Tom inspired many with his passion for wildlife and his
iconic images of nature’s splendor. Not just content to
compose a scene in the frame of his camera, Tom strove
to celebrate the beauty of a creature by capturing
intimate portraits of wildlife in native habitat as well as
photographs of complex and fascinating behavior.
03/09/2009
Peggy Wenrick
African Wildlife
04/13/2009
Denise Goodfellow
Birding Australia’s Top End
Mangroves
Farewell
Seeing the beauty of the natural world through his lens
not only exposed us to breathtaking landscape imagery,
but often garnered insight into the lives of birds and
mammals rarely seen before.
In the end, Tom left us in the midst of another
photographic adventure, this time trekking through the
Rincon Mountains of Arizona; he was truly blessed to go
out doing what he loved. You can see some of Tom’s work
at www.tomvezo.com and a wonderful article which
appeared after his death at www.azstarnet.com/
allheadlines/249529.php.
In Green Valley, lectures are held in the public library at 10a.m.
on the third Saturday of the month, October through March,
with the exception of December when we invite our Green
Valley members to join us in Tucson for the annual holiday
potluck and silent auction.
Date
Speaker
Topic
10/18/2008
John Yerger of AZFO Arizona Birds
11/15/2008
Karen Krebbs
on Hummingbirds
01/17/2009
Pinau Merlin
Lifestyles of the Not So
Famous
02/21/2009
Amanda Moors
Amazing Arizona Animals
03/21/2009
Liberty Wildlife
Wildlife Rehabilitation
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Defenders
Committee of Friends of Madera Canyon, P.O. Box
#1203, Green Valley, AZ 85622.
With sincere appreciation for all the outpouring of love,
The Vezo Family
21
Important Bird Areas Program
by Scott Wilbor, IBA Conservation Biologist
Whitewater Draw in the southern Sulphur Springs Valley, was identified as a new Arizona Important Bird Area in June 2008!
Courtesy Kendall Kroesen.
IBA Program Reports on the Big Three!
The big three? That’s new Important Bird Area identification, IBA
bird monitoring, and IBA conservation efforts. And, we have news
on all fronts!
IBA Identification
In late June the Arizona IBA Science Committee met to review
new proposed IBAs, their nominations & ornithological data, and
delineation of their boundaries. Of the six areas we proposed, five
were approved, bringing our IBA total to 35 areas in Arizona. The
new IBAs are the following:
Havasu National Wildlife Refuge
Located in Mohave County, this U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
refuge protects 30 river miles—300 miles of shoreline—from
Needles, California to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. This IBA
includes the 4,000-acre Topock Marsh, and one of the last
remaining natural stretches of the lower Colorado River, the reach
flowing through the 20-mile long Topock Gorge. Topock Marsh is
a very important breeding site for the federally endangered Yuma
Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris yumanensis) (Audubon/ABC
WatchList 07-Yellow). Clark’s (WatchList Yellow) and Western
Grebes raise their young in both Topock Marsh and Topock
Gorge, and herons and egrets nest in rookeries in the marsh.
22
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
This refuge is in La Paz County, and from late October through
February the fields of the refuge are full of Canada, Snow, and
Ross’s Geese. White-fronted Geese pass through on migration.
The largest portion of the lower Colorado River population of
Greater Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis tabida), in excess of
2,000 cranes in some years, overwinters on the refuge. Northern
Nevada is the primary nesting area for this population (total 18002500 birds) that winters along the lower Colorado River. Thus this
refuge supports nearly all of this subspecies population during the
winter months. Thousands of ducks including Mallard, Northern
Pintail, American Widgeon, Ring-necked and Ruddy Ducks,
Northern Shoveler, Blue and Green-winged and Cinnamon Teal
winter on the refuge. Other overwintering birds on the refuge
include Bald and Golden Eagles and occasional Peregrine Falcons.
Clark’s, Western, and Pied-billed Grebes are also present yearround and breed within this IBA.
Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
Located in Yuma County, this refuge is a very important breeding
site for the federally endangered Yuma Clapper Rail and the rare
California Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus)
(Audubon/ABC WatchList 07-Red). The refuge is important as a
wintering area for Canada Geese and many species of ducks.
Other species using this IBA include: White-fronted Geese
(migrant), Tundra Swan (rare, winter), Clark’s & Western Grebes
(both breed), Least Bittern (breeds), Sandhill Crane (rare,
migration & winter), Bald Eagle (winter), Peregrine & Prairie
Falcons (both winter), Willow Flycatcher
(migrant), Crissal Thrasher (breeds), Lucy’s
Warbler (breeds), Abert’s Towhee (breeds),
and Sage Sparrow (winter).
Upper Verde State Wildlife Area
This Arizona Game and Fish Department
Wildlife Area is located in northern Yavapai
County, near Paulden, AZ. It includes 3.5
miles of the upper Verde River and 1.5 miles
of Granite Creek just above the confluence
with the Verde River. This area was
approved as an IBA for its significant
spring-breeding Lucy’s Warbler numbers
(WatchList Yellow), and summer-breeding
Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Yellow Warblers
(both of conservation status). Additionally,
it qualified because of its high riparian bird
diversity. Common Black-Hawk and a pair
of Golden Eagles nest in this IBA as well.
Whitewater Draw State Wildlife Area
Sabino/Tanque Verde watershed, a new IBA conservation outreach effort just beginning
This Arizona Game & Fish Wildlife Area is
this year (photo Tanque Verde Wash July 08). Courtesy Scott Wilbor.
located in southern Cochise County and is
of state and regional significance as the
primary wintering area for Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) in
pine/oak, desert wash systems, and raptor breeding/wintering
Arizona, and includes both the Lesser (G. c. canadensis) (most
sites.
numerous) and Greater (G. c. tabida) subspecies. Whitewater
Draw is in the southern Sulphur Springs Valley and cranes are
IBA Bird Monitoring
coming from both the mid-continental and Rocky Mountain
Our two most significant efforts during summer 2008 were
populations. The area also supports wintering Snow Geese (80Patagonia Mountains and the Lower San Pedro River IBA.
200) and a few Ross’s Geese (occasional to 40 birds). Counts of
Sandhill Cranes in early January have steadily climbed from 4,000
Patagonia Mountains
in 1991 to over 22,000 in 2008, the most in the state in winter.
June 6–7 we explored and systematically surveyed the Humboldt
Canyon system. With local assistance of Patagonia residents
Two other species of conservation status occur in the winter and
Quentin Lewton and Matt Brown, our teams were able to cover
migration periods at Whitewater Draw: Long-billed Curlew (~15both lower and upper canyon. We were impressed with what we
45 birds) (WatchList Yellow) and occasionally Mountain Plover
found! We camped at the canyon and spent the evening before
(0-40 birds) (WatchList Red). Other wintering species (of
“owling” in the lower canyon. Western and Whiskered Screechconservation status) occur in small numbers: Bald Eagle (1-2),
Owls, Great Horned, and Elf were all present and moving about
Golden Eagle (1-2), Ferruginous Hawk (1-5), Prairie Falcon (1-2),
(along with Border Patrol “drones” scanning the canyons and
and occasionally Peregrine Falcon. Breeding populations of Scaled
possibly us below!). We woke up the next morning to a chilly,
Quail and Bendire’s Thrasher (WatchList Yellow and Red,
almost cold dawn. We began in the 5 o’clock hour, working in
respectively) also are present within this IBA.
three teams, and soon found the bird community in full throttle.
The pine-oak bird community is spectacular and diverse.
The committee deferred a recommendation of the Willcox Playa
Although we can’t report on all we found due to the possibility of
and Twin Lakes nomination, noting although Sandhill Crane and
disturbance, we are working to make sure the U.S. Forest Service
shorebird numbers met the program’s criteria, we can’t accurately
will protect this canyon from mining interests (presently
define the boundaries of this IBA appropriately because of lack of
companies are exploring). This fall we our planning to expand our
information of the geographic occurrence and distribution of the
survey efforts southward in the Patagonia Range. This will help us
above species and others of conservation concern (i.e., Swainson’s
to better understand the occurrence and distribution of the many
Hawk, Scaled Quail, and Bendire’s Thrasher).
species of conservation concern we encountered, and further our
The committee discussed a habitat representation approach going
dataset for an IBA nomination for this mountain range. Again, we
forward, with priorities of areas to review in 2009, including those
thank our local support folks in Patagonia (Q. Lewton, M. Brown,
already with ongoing IBA team efforts underway (Rio de Flag,
and Kelly Fleming) and their concern for obtaining protection for
Catalina State Park, Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve), grassland
this mountain range and high potential IBA.
sites, wetlands, aspen sites, maple riparian areas, montane
continued next page
23
IBA Program continued from page 23
Lower San Pedro River IBA
July 12 we sent four teams (2-3 people each) into the BHP Billiton
mining company-owned lands along the Lower San Pedro River
below the town of San Manuel. Our access was provided by a
special entry permit and an Audubon IBA Program “All-birds
Breeding Bird Survey Project” approved by BHP mining. This
eight-mile stretch of riparian habitat is otherwise posted no
trespassing, and is not open to the public.
We over-nighted in San Manuel with volunteer travel and
accommodation expenses paid by the project funding. We all
awoke in the 4 o’clock hour to a dark cloudy, steamy morning.
Threats of early morning thunderstorms never materialized,
luckily. Once our surveys had begun our teams immediately found
Yellow-breasted Chats in supreme abundance, and their constant
calls drove us mad in our attempts to discern other species and
their numbers. Undaunted by no trails, high river water levels and
occasional muddy conditions, our teams rose to the challenge.
Overall our teams did spectacularly well recording all four kingbird
species, including our goal of Thick-billed and Tropical Kingbird
documentation and mapping. We also found seven Gray Hawks
and 14 (possible) Yellow-billed Cuckoos occupied territories.
Willow Flycatcher (previously under study by Arizona Game and
Fish Department) was wonderful to find as well. Other exciting
finds included Common Black-Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk,
numerous Bell’s Vireos and Yellow Warblers, and lower numbers of
good finds of Great Blue Heron, Purple Martin, Marsh Wren, and
Abert’s Towhee. Afterward, we all met for lunch at a San Manuel
café to discuss our morning adventure. The success of this survey
we hope will lead to another funded project along the same river
reach in 2009, with spring and summer season surveys covering
more of this river reach through BHP-held lands.
IBA Conservation efforts
The IBA program is co-administered in Arizona by Audubon
Arizona in Phoenix and the IBA Program at Tucson Audubon
Society. July marks the beginning of our new work plan for 2008
and 2009.
During the second half of 2008 and 2009, our Lower San Pedro
River efforts will include outreach to ranchers, local residents, and
building a network of concerned citizens to call upon to document
species and threats along the river. Additionally, we plan to call
upon these residents to advocate for permanent river conservation
as new legislation moves before Congress in the upcoming year.
In September we plan to begin with some resource assessment
tours along these creeks. The goals of these field days are to invite
people interested in direct conservation along these creeks to come
out and hike a given reach of river, accompanied by locals and
resource management professionals, and with an eye towards
assessing impacts/threats, begin to plan where opportunities exist
for conservation action and habitat improvement. Our focus bird
populations for conservation include Bell’s Vireo, Lucy’s Warbler,
Abert’s Towhee, Gilded Flicker, Elf Owl, Purple Martin, Costa’s
Hummingbird, Rufous-winged Sparrow, Northern BeardlessTyrannulet, and Gray Hawk.
If you are interested in spending a morning within our Sabino
Creek IBA and along Tanque Verde Creek looking at birds and
assessing habitat conservation needs, then please read about the
opportunities in the box below. Also, see our next Patagonia
Mountains survey date and camping opportunity. Have a great fall,
and look for more opportunities to help out by visition our AZ
IBA Program specific webpage, www.aziba.org. We’ll be working to
get our local community involved with our IBAs in new ways; look
for ways you too can become involved! Our local birds will
ultimately see the benefits!
VF
Upcoming IBA Field Days
Sabino/Tanque Verde In-field Habitat
Conservation Assessment Trips:
We will meet at Eclectic Café, corner of Tanque Verde and
Sabino Canyon Road. Time: 6:30a.m.–12p.m. First come, first
serve participation. Limit 8 people. Call 628-1730 to sign up.
Sabino Creek on September 13, Tanque Verde Creek on
September 27.
Southern Patagonia Mountains Backcountry IBA
Bird Survey & Camping Trip:
September 19–20 (camping) backcountry bird survey. Meet
in Patagonia September 19, 4p.m. Survey will conclude with
gathering for late lunch at campsite on September 20. Must
be a trained IBA bird surveyor or come with experience from
other bird survey programs. Limit 8 people. Call 628-1730 for
sign-up and details.
As we move into the second half of 2008, the IBA Program at
Tucson Audubon is starting a community conservation outreach &
action project for the Sabino/Tanque Verde watershed of the
eastern Tucson basin (see July/August Flycatcher). Key to this new
effort will be outreach-presentations, in-field workshops, new bird
surveys, and work days to address riparian and adjoining upland
habitat threats (preventing erosion and increasing water
infiltration into streamside vegetation).
24
Pima County
Natural Resource,
Parks & Recreation
Environmental
Education Events
For more information: 615-7855 or
[email protected]
Landscaping For Birds and Butterflies
Learn which plants will attract butterflies
and birds and how to have a succession of
blooming species. Free, tailored for ages 18
and up. Reservations not required.
Some of last year's improvements to the office front yard. Courtesy Kendall
Kroesen.
Fall Landscaping Workshop
October 18
by Kendall Kroesen, Restoration Program Manager
This fall Tucson Audubon will hold a one-day backyard-landscaping workshop on
October 18. Workshop participants will spend Saturday morning learning about
rainwater-based habitat landscaping through both classroom instruction and
hands-on experience.
This is the perfect time for such a workshop. First, fall is the best time to plant
most native landscape plants, because soil temperatures are still up but air
temperatures have come down from summer. This promotes root growth before
cold winter temperatures set in, and eases transplantation shock.
In addition, the management of the Historic YWCA, where Tucson Audubon
offices are located, has agreed to let us direct the relandscaping on the west side of
the building. Tucson Audubon took on last fall’s landscaping of the building’s
front yard, where you enter the main Nature Shop. The building owners liked the
results so much that they will cover the costs for plants and other materials for the
west side.
Finally, Tucson Audubon has received a $7,000 grant from National Audubon
Society to fund new volunteer opportunities for Tucson Audubon and community
members! This workshop will be the first in a series of innovative volunteer
opportunities.
Thursday, September 4, Noon–1p.m.
Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave., 85701
Thursday, September 4, 6:30p.m.–7:30p.m.
Valencia Library, 202 W. Valencia Road,
85706
Friday, September 5, 1p.m. –2p.m.
Green Valley Library, 601 N. La Canada
Drive, Green Valley, AZ, 85614
Wake Up with the Birds:
Agua Caliente Park
Desert meets water at this unique oasis
park, providing a crossroad for migratory
and resident birds, some of which are
unique to southeastern Arizona. Spot
cardinals, thrashers, hummingbirds,
songbirds and raptors nestled among the
mesquites and palms. Binoculars are
available for use during the walk or bring
your own. Free, all ages welcome.
Reservations not required.
Every Tuesday in September,
8a.m.–9:30a.m.
Pima County Agua Caliente Park,
12325 E. Roger Road
We hope participants will take home what they learn and create more wildlifefriendly landscaping around their homes and neighborhoods.
Look for an update in the October issue of the Vermilion Flycatcher.
VF
25
Birding Travel from our Business Members
Adventure Birding Company
www.adventurebirding.com
[email protected] 495-0229
“San Blas: Mangrove Estuaries, Coffee
Fincas, Palm Forests and More,”
December 13–21, 2008, $1990. Leader:
Keith Kamper. From the coastal fishing
village of San Blas, we’ll visit mangrove
estuaries, coffee fincas, beaches and coastal
lagoons. 25 Mexican endemics possible
including San Blas Jays. Jungle boat tour
with oddities like Boat-billed Heron and
Northern Potoo. Unpack, unwind and
enjoy the region’s natural history, fresh
mariscos and green-flash sunsets.
“South Texas: Specialties and Migrants
in the Lower Rio Grande Valley,” April
4–12, 2009, $1890. Leaders: John Yerger
and/or Jake Mohlmann, Join us in one of
the premier U.S. birding destinations, with
guides who have lived and birded there.
With specialties like Green Jay and
Altamira Oriole, you can’t miss. We’ll
sample everything from tidal mudflats to
subtropical thornscrub to desert. Loads of
spring migrants and probably a few
Mexican rarities!
Borderland Tours
www.borderland-tours.com
from Tucson or toll-free at 800-525-7753
“Yucatán Birds & Ruins,” December 1–11,
2008, $3195 and Leaders: David Salas &
Rick Taylor. The glass-clear, aquamarine
Caribbean, throngs of rose-pink Caribbean
Flamingoes, many other Petén specialties,
and the beautifully preserved Mayan citystates of Uxmal, Chichén Itzá, Cobá, and
Tulúm form the backdrop for birding
Mexico's famed Yucatán Peninsula. The
trip begins on Cozumel Island, home of
several endemic birds, and ends in the
beautiful colonial capital city of Mérida.
“Yucatán Biospheres,” December 11–17,
2008, $1995 or $5090 for both. Leaders:
David Salas & Rick Taylor. Yucatán
Biospheres dips south almost to Belize to
two immense world heritage sites:
Calakmul and Sian Ka'an. Here we’ll search
26
for Ocellated Turkey, Keel-billed Toucan,
and Gray-throated Chat—as well as
Yucatán Black Howler and Central
American Spider Monkeys, and possibly
Jaguar. Beautiful hotels with lush gardens
and excellent cuisine are featured on both
tours.
Naturalist Journeys
www.naturalistjourneys.com
Toll-free: (866)900-1146 or 558-1146;
[email protected]
“Australia’s South West & Tasmania with
an extension to the Tablelands and Great
Barrier Reef from Cairns,” October 7–22,
2008, extension October 22–28 (may be
booked separately); main tour $6,590 from
Sydney (single supplement $1,140),
extension $2390 from Cairns (single
supplement $325). Leader: Peg Abbott,
Alex Vargo, Dr. Tonia Cochran and local
guides. Join us to sample three spectacular
regions of Australia which each hold a high
number of endemic species: Southwest
Australia, the wilds of Tasmania, and the
Tablelands and Great Barrier Reef from
Cairns. Join us to explore Banksia /
Eucalyptus Woodland, Jarrah / Marri
Forest, Karri / Tingle Forest, Wandoo
Woodland, Coastal Beaches and Estuaries
and Southern Mallee Shrubland and
Heath. We plan to visit several famous
national parks including Stirling Range,
Porongurup, South Bruny and Cradle
Mountain. Our timing is set to explore
varying landforms with extensive botanical
diversity in Australia’s spring, peak
blooming time for the unique flora. Spring
is also great for high levels of activity for
nesting birds and we have an excellent
chance to see marsupial mammals in the
wild, such as the Platypus, Short-beaked
Echidna, Woylie and a variety of wallabies
and kangaroos.
Nature Treks and Passages
www.naturetreks.net
696-2002; [email protected]
“Copper Canyon Birding,” October 18–26
and November 29–December 7, 2008,
$2,749. A trip for all birders—from
beginners to the “obsessed” advanced! See
the best of Copper Canyon,
from a roundtrip ride on the
world-famous Copper Canyon train to
birding in the high forest of the Sierra
Madre, to the scenic van ride down to the
town of Batopilas in one of the deepest
canyons. See neo-tropical species such as
Black-throated Magpie Jays, Eared Quetzal,
and Russet-crowned Motmot. Sample the
diverse habitats of coastal river plain,
tropical thorn forest, tropical river bottom
and high conifer forest, and observe the
indigenous Tarahumara culture. Stay at
comfortable lodges that reflect the best of
the local ambience. View the itinerary and
bird list at www.naturetreks.net.
“Birding in Belize and Tikal” February
7–17, 2009, $3,499. Sample the many
diverse habitats of Belize, from savannah to
rainforest, to an island inside the barrier
reef. Plus two outstanding Mayan ruins—
Lamanai and Tikal! Belize is one of the
most exciting countries a birder can visit,
with over 550 bird species, 350 in Tikal and
Guatemala alone. Tinamous, Hawk-Eagles,
Forest Falcons, Crakes, Parrots and
Parakeets, four kinds of Trogons, Puffbirds,
Woodcreepers, Potoos, and Becards; all of
these and others await you there. Belize
teems with other wildlife as well, including
jaguars, pumas, tapirs, iguanas and
monkeys. We’ll be staying at comfortable
inns and “jungle lodges” throughout the
trip. See the itinerary and species list at
www.naturetreks.net.
RockJumpers Birding Tours
www.rockjumper.co.za
[email protected]
“China—Beidaihe & the Tibetan Plateau;
Giant Panda & Crested Ibis Extension
II,” September 30–October 19, 2008,
$5,075 (single supplement, $500);
Extension II: September 19–29, 2008,
$3,175 (single supplement, $500). China is
a vast land of remarkable diversity where
the beauty of the natural scenery, birds and
wildlife simply overwhelm the senses. On
our tour, we combine two of the finest
birding hotspots, namely the Tibetan
Plateau and China’s east coast migration
with visits to sites such as the fabled Koko
Birding Travel continued
Nor and Happy Island. We also explore one
of the New Seven Wonders of the World,
the Great Wall of China. Then, the giant
panda trip takes us on an epic journey into
one of the world’s most spectacular natural
areas, the Qinling Mountains, in an
attempt to locate one of the world’s
greatest mammals. Avian treasures here
abound and include Crested Ibis, Ibisbill,
Golden Pheasant and Temminck’s
Tragopan. In addition we will visit the
marvelous Terra Cotta Warriors and
Horses Museum, a world cultural heritage
site.
“Malaysia & Borneo—Rainforest Birds &
Mammals I & II” February 12–March 2,
2009, & March 3–21, 2009, Cost TBA. This
tour offers a rich mix of typical Southeast
Asian birds and Bornean endemics within
an extensive range of national parks and
nature reserves. We visit some of the
world’s most famous birding sites
including Fraser’s Hill, Taman Negara
National Park, the Danum Valley and the
fabled Mt. Kinabalu. Specials could include
Great Argus, Rhinoceros Hornbill, Blueheaded Pitta, Bornean Ground-Cuckoo
and Bornean Bristlehead. Mammalwatching opportunities are also extremely
good and we may encounter orangutan,
proboscis monkey and leopard cat. All in
all, our trip promises an incredible, exotic
blend of fabulous birds, mammals and
scenery!
Tropical Birding
www.tropicalbirding.com
Toll free: (800)348-5941;
[email protected]
“Eastern Ecuador: Andes to Amazon”
August 9–23, 2008, $3,300. Leader: Jose
Illánes. Enjoy the highest bird diversity on
the planet while based in some of the most
comfortable lodges in Ecuador. The
spectacular mountain scenery of Antisana,
the hummers at Guango and San Isidro
Lodges, and the canopy walkway at Sacha
Lodge will be some of the many highlights.
This tour can also be combined with a
week-long trip down the west slope of the
Andes, based in Tandayapa Lodge, a
hummingbird paradise.
“Galapagos Endemics Cruise,” November
20–29, 2008, $3,700. Leaders: Scott
Olmstead, Iain Campbell, or Nick Athanas.
We have specially chartered a comfortable
16 passenger yacht to visit all the key
islands for birds and other unique wildlife,
and we have a chance to see nearly every
endemic species of the archipelago. This is
a great tour for both birders and naturalists
alike, and offers outstanding opportunities
for photography. There are still a few
spaces left on the November tour.
TyrannoTours—King of
Southwest Adventures
www.tyrannotours.com
577-6546; [email protected]
“Southeast Utah—Ruins, Rock Art, and
Rafting,” October 1–5, 2008, $675 double /
$775 single. We’ll head north for a stop at
Rock Art Ranch/Chevelon Canyon,
possibly the largest petroglyph site in
Arizona. Then it’s on to charming Bluff,
Utah along the banks of the San Juan River
to bunk at rustic Recapture Lodge. There
will be visits to ruins, rock art sites and
scenic vistas, and an exciting all-day, 26mile raft trip on the river to some moreisolated venues.
“Grand Canyon West and the Glass
Skywalk,” October 31–November 2, 2008,
$455 double / $555 single. On this
extraordinary adventure from Tucson, we’ll
travel north to Grand Canyon West, our
base for two nights at the Hualapai Lodge.
We will hop onto the shuttle to visit Guano
Point Indian Village, Hualapai Ranch, and
the new INCREDIBLE glass Eagle Point
Grand Canyon Skywalk that juts into the
canyon 4000 feet above the Colorado River.
also acquired a reputation among birders,
for in the immediate surroundings of the
city one can find a variety of habitats, from
desert and oak thorn-scrub to pine and
cloud forest. Birds of at least three distinct
faunal regions occur here, among them
many of Mexico’s most notable endemics.
Mornings and many afternoons will be
spent birding, but some afternoons will be
devoted to looking around Oaxaca City,
exploring the marketplaces, visiting
museums, or simply relaxing. We’ll also
spend 3 days in Tuxtepec for an almost
entirely different suite of tropical species.
This trip is designed for those wanting to
take a Christmas vacation, experience the
holidays in a different culture—and enjoy a
fine selection of Mexico’s endemic birds.
“Newfoundland: Winter Birds,” January
7–9, 2009, about $2600. Leader: Jon Dunn.
Newfoundland is a startlingly wonderful
winter birding locale. With Greenland to
the northeast, Iceland and the rest of
Europe to the east, mainland North
America to the west, and South America to
the south, Newfoundland is the first or last
land that many wayward birds see.
Regardless of season, there’s almost always
something surprising around, and in
winter such wanderers are merely the
frosting on a delectable mix of alcids, gulls,
and boreal forest birds. Our tour is based
in St. John’s, famous for its winding streets
lined with colorful houses and excellent
restaurants and pubs. Given the shortness
of the days at this season, those who wish
will have ample opportunity to sample the
Old World charm of North America’s
easternmost city.
VF
WINGS—Birds & Business Alliance
Partner, Rick Wright [email protected]
wingsbirds.com, wingsbirds.com/blog
“Mexico: Oaxaca at Christmastime,”
December 21–31, 2008, about $3200.
Leader: Gavin Bieber. When the ancient
settlement of Oaxaca celebrates the
holidays, it is perhaps the most Mexican of
all cities. This vibrant and colorful city has
27
Please join us in saying “Welcome and
Thank You” to our newest Birds &
Business Alliance member:
Snell & Wilmer, LLP
Please join Tucson Audubon in welcoming Snell & Wilmer
L.L.P. as the newest member of our growing family of Birds
& Business Allies:
Founded in 1938, Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. is a full-service
business law firm with more than 400 attorneys practicing
in six offices throughout the western United States,
including Tucson and Phoenix, AZ; Orange County, CA;
Denver, CO; Las Vegas, NV; and Salt Lake City, UT. The
firm represents clients ranging from large, publicly traded
corporations to small businesses, individuals and
entrepreneurs.
The firm’s founding partners were instrumental in the
growth and development of our state and its capital city.
Their legal and civic contributions include the formation of
the American Graduate School of International
Management (Thunderbird), named the nation’s number
one graduate school of international management by U.S.
News & World Report; facilitation of the merger of the
State’s major utility companies into what became, in the
1950s, the state’s largest public utility; and representing the
state in what is widely regarded as its most important
lawsuit, Arizona v. California, which established Arizona’s
right to a stated and significant portion of the waters of the
Colorado River.
Frank Snell, Jr. and Mark Wilmer also left an enduring
cultural legacy that emphasizes three basic concepts:
* render superior legal service to our clients,
* provide public service and leadership to the
communities in which we practice, and
* maintain pleasant, open and supportive office
environments.
“It is in this context that we are pleased to provide
volunteer and financial support to the Tucson Audubon
Society.”
Snell & Wilmer, LLP
www.swlaw.com
One South Church Ave., Suite 1500,
Tucson, AZ 85701 882-1200
28
TUCSON AUDUBON SOCIETY IS A REGISTERED 501(C)(3)
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. 100% OF YOUR FINANCIAL
AND IN-KIND DONATIONS AND MEMBERSHIP DUES ARE
TAX DEDUCTIBLE.
Other Ways to Give:
THE VERMILION SOCIETY
Create a legacy that will benefit others for generations by
including Tucson Audubon Society in your estate planning.
Your gift will express, in a lasting way, your commitment to
preserving the diversity of Southern Arizona’s rich avifauna
and the habitats they call home.
If you have already included Tucson Audubon in your
estate plans we hope that you will share this information
with us. We would like to express our gratitude and
welcome you to the Vermilion Society. As always, your
wishes for anonymity will be respected. If you would like
to know more about how to designate Tucson Audubon as
a recipient in your will, please contact Executive Director
Paul Green at 622.5622 or [email protected].
DONOR WALL
Whenever you visit our main offices and Nature Shop on
University Blvd you’ll notice our donor wall honoring
significant giving with brightly colored bird and plant tiles.
For information on making a memorial gift or honoring a
loved one with a tile on our donor wall please contact
Vivian at 629-0757 or [email protected]!
WORKPLACE GIVING
Donations can be made to Tucson Audubon through
payroll deduction for employees who work for the City of
Tucson and Pima County through the Employees
Combined Appeal Program (ECAP). Designate our
number, #1434, as your recipient and your gifts will go to
Tucson Audubon, its just that easy!
Many other companies offer an Employee Matching Gift
Program where they match (some even triple!) employee
charitable contributions. Many will do so even if you are
retired. Check with your employer for more information.
BASHAS’ “SHOP & GIVE”:
Next time you’re in Bashas’ simply link your Bashas’
“Thank You” card to Tucson Audubon Society’s identity
number, 27286, and from September 1, 2008, through
March 31, 2009, one percent of what you spend will be
donated by Bashas’ to Tucson Audubon. It’s quick, easy,
and completely painless! See page 10 for details.
News you can use:
Tucson Audubon’s Classifieds (AKA the TAS-ifieds)
Many of you have requested a spot where you could post
notices to sell birding equipment you no longer need, meet
other members willing to carpool to Audubon events, or maybe
find a reliable partner to go birding with on a regular basis.
Many of our business members have also requested an
opportunity to tell their fellow Tucson Audubon members
about the special events, sales, and birding opportunities they
have to offer. Below we unveil a new feature: classified
advertisements from and for our membership.
Only current Friends of Tucson Audubon or Birds & Business
Alliance members may advertise in this section. We will be
charging a small fee to offset the costs of this service, however,
carpooling and “Birding Buddy” requests will be run free-ofcharge on a space-available basis; we ask you to keep these
announcements brief. For Friends of Tucson Audubon members
and registered non-profits wishing to sell something, the fee will
be $25 per issue, while for Birds & Business Alliance members
the fee will be $50 per issue (there are nine issues annually).
As a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, there are
many rules that we must follow in order to have a classifieds
section in our newsletter. We must limit the percentage of ads in
the newsletter; items advertised must relate to our basic
function as a non-profit organization; and there are numerous
restrictions on any advertisements for travel opportunities.
You will need to submit your copy early (the last week of every
month) so that we can work with you to ensure your ad meets
the eligibility rules. We are ready, willing, and able to help you
place your advertisements. Please contact either Vivian
MacKinnon or Jean Barchman in Membership Services for
more information.
Aviatlas — A new birding website open
for public contribution. We’ve put more
than 18,000 ebird hotspot stubs on the
interactive map to start things off: Alaska to
Chile, even New Zealand. Check it out,
document your favorite hotspot, tell a friend.
More to come this fall. Founded in Tucson
2008 www.Aviatlas.com
_________________________
Costa Rica. Jim and Rich Kern are looking
for 18 additional conservation-minded
partners to buy 490 acres of cloud forest in
the Savegre Valley adjacent to Los Quetzales
National Park. Prime for quetzals,
hummingbirds, hiking, horseback riding. A
house for the owners will be built on a
clearing. Contact: [email protected]
_________________________
Don’t miss the “Wake up with the Birds”
bird walk 8 a.m. Tuesdays at Agua
Caliente Park for fantastic birding with
great guides.
Visit the Tucson Audubon Nature Shop after
the walk, mention this ad and get a free gift.
See page 25 for directions.
_________________________
Down By The River Bed and Breakfast,
located in Saint David, Arizona, on 15 acres
abutting the San Pedro River at the north
end of the San Pedro National Riparian Area.
We’ve preserved the property’s natural state
for birds and other wildlife. Check us out at
www.downbytheriverbandb.com or call
720-9441.
_________________________
It’s not too late: Join my birding tour for
the more active! Ecuador: $1550 –
September 30 –October 12. Santa Lucia’s
and Yunguilla’s unspoiled cloud forests on the
west: 390+ species. Papallacta Pass at
13,500ft. Visit famous Guango and San Isidro
lodges, east slope. Private rooms, professional
guides. Contact: Sally Johnsen 399-4050
[email protected]
_________________________
Sabino/Tanque Verde In-field Habitat
Conservation Assessment Trips: An IBA
Conservation Biologist will lead. Limit 8
people. Call 628-1730 for info & sign-up.
Sabino Creek on September 13, Tanque Verde
Creek on September 27.
_________________________
Free Birding Field Trips, all skill levels
welcome! Our trips are led by the best
birders in southeast Arizona and visit all the
hotspots. There is no better way to increase
your skill level than to bird with the best,
Tucson Audubon’s Field Trip Leaders! See
pages 6–7 for details.
_________________________
Tucson Audubon’s Lecture Series Living
With Nature begins a new season! We
host great speakers on topics of interest for all
wildlife enthusiasts. Admission is FREE. In
Tucson, second Monday of the month and in
Green Valley, third Saturday of the month. Full
schedule and details on page 21.
_________________________
It’s All at the Main Nature Shop! Are you
interested in finding the birds in southeast
Arizona? Let Tucson Audubon help you out!
Purchase your copy of Tucson Audubon’s
Finding Birds in Southeast Arizona for just
$24.95 ($22.46 for members!) and you will be
on your way to many birding adventures!
_________________________
Southern Patagonia Mountains
Backcountry IBA Bird Survey & Camping
Trip: September 19–20. Must be a trained
IBA bird surveyor or come with previous survey
experience. Rough terrain, real adventure. Limit
8 people. Call 628-1730 for sign-up and details.
_________________________
Rillito River Project—BAT NIGHT—
Saturday Sept. 13th, 6p.m. Spend the
evening seeing the sunset and watching
20,000 Mexican Free Tail bats come out from
under the Campbell Ave Bridge. Yar Petryszyn,
Ph.D., our bat expert will lecture and answer all
the questions you may have about bats
and were afraid to ask. Please meet under the
Campbell Ave. Bridge. Use the ramp on the
Southeast side of Campbell Ave. Bring a
flashlight and a blanket to sit on. Please wear
black clothes. The event is free and open to the
public.
29
Thanks !
Jean Barchman, Membership Coordinator
We wish to thank the generosity of the following people for their financial support, both for specific
programs and in general support, while renewing their membership through our Frequent Flyer program,
workplace giving, the Ecological Stimulus donation, and business philanthropy.
We thank the following for
their financial support:
Anonymous
Janet Andrews
Elizabeth Augello
Robert and Dee Bates
Ann Beeghly
Vera Berkman
Karen Dryden
Mike and Kay Fagan
Heidi Vanderbilt and
Bernard Fierro
Gay Gilbert
Joan Gilbert
Patricia Gillis
Kevin Gillooly
Robin Gomez
Elizabeth Goodwin
Jeanne Granger
Elaine Hallgarth and
Rick Fabian
Dorothee Harmon
James and Diane Hays
Timothy Helentjaris
John Higgins
Gifford and Cynthia
Hoyer
Joann Lewis
Craig Marken and
Wanda Wynne
Patrick McGowan
John Offutt
Kathleen Parkinson
Linda Pfister
Thomas Rehm
Mel and Ginny Roberts
Bill and Alice Roe
Linwood and Janet
Smith
Kay Stephenson
Magda Tarin
Jarrell Wicker
Jeff and Connie
Woodman
We thank the following
people for their donations
in honor of Chris Lyon and
Marlene Kotelman’s
marriage
Susan Miller
Gail Paulin
Arthur and Mary Seidel
We thank Timothy Kness
for his donation in honor
of Farrish Sharon
people for their heartfelt
donations in memory of
Joan Felleman
Adolf and Barbara
Bahlkow
Michael Byers
Marguerite Farrell
Ken and Jeanette
Fullerton
Lorraine and Wayne
Knapp
Russell and Delores
Larson
Martin and Elizabeth
Moran
H. Ronald and Karen
Riggert
people for their heartfelt
donations in memory of
Richard Ambrose
Robert and Beverely
Avery
Dorothy Finley
Malcolm and Linda
Mathes
Darrell Mathes
Support Tucson Audubon:
Become a Friend today!
Benefits of membership:
All dues used locally to support Tucson Audubon programs
One-year subscription to the Vermilion Flycatcher
10% discount at our Nature Shops
Discounted fees select events and classes
Discounted subscription to Birds of North America Online
Free use of the Birders’ Resource Library
Email bulletins about conservation issues and upcoming events
To join use the remittance envelope in this issue, visit us online at
www.tucsonaudubon.org, visit us in person at either Audubon
Nature Shops, or call our Membership Coordinator at 622-5622.
30
Fritz and Joan
McTarnaham
Patrick and Susie Murphy
R. Yaeger
We thank our Frequent Flyers
for their monthly (and almost
painless) donations:
Christine Feeley
Mich Coker
Vernita and Joseph
deRouen
Everett Knapp
Deborah Vath
Christine Curtis
Sandy and Karl Elers
Pat and Herb Trossman
people that have responded
with donations for specific
program needs:
Lois Jean Baker, a spotting
scope, binoculars, and a
fine collection of natural
history books and field
guides
Ellen M. Beck, three
beautiful coffee table
books on wildlife
Marilyn and John
Bicking, A brand new
bright red coffee maker
for free samples of shade
grown coffee when you
visit the Nature Shop
Sandy and Karl Elers,
much needed catering
equipment for events
Ann and John
Tundermann, a brand
new laminator
Peggy and Bob Wenrick, a
complete computer,
books for our library
and Peterson’s “Birds of
North America” CDROM
Marcella Perunko, a
comprehensive
collection of birding
checklists
Tom Rehm, the Slater
Field Guide to
Australian Birds
Please join us in welcoming
our newest members:
Janet Andrews
Jodi Argenziano
Ruth Birdsong
Stephen and Lindy
Brigham
Peter Burnham
Pamela Byrd
Ave Campbell
George Carpenter
Clifford Cathers
Heather Craig
M. R. Crooks
Hector Cruz
Ted Fleming
Catherine Palm-Gessner
and Robert Gessner
Matt Goode
Stanley Gozman
Sandra Hicks
Kim Hould
Judith Kautz
Timothy Kness
Anne Magee
Ted Pobud
Chris Schmidt
Bob Shank, Jr.
Kristine and Larry Stone
Pat and Dennis Struck
Audrey and Ron Watkins
Pat Young
Tucson Audubon Society wants to extend a big birders’ THANK YOU to all of our
Birds & Business Alliance members for their continued support. Please remember
to thank them in person when you visit or use their services. Don’t forget to refer
your friends! Remember, “Life is simple. Eat. Sleep. Bird.” We all know there is a little
more to life than that, and so we offer them to you in the following order:
EAT:
Brooklyn Pizza
(Your business here!)
SLEEP:
Adobe Desert Vacation Rentals
Alta Vista B&B
Arivaca Country B&B
Beatty’s Miller Canyon B&B
Beds and Bagels of Tucson
Best Western Inn Suites at Oracle
De Anza Trails RV Resort
Down by the River B&B
Heartstone Mountain Ranch
Jeremiah Inn B&B
Karrel’s Double K Ranch Bed &
Breakfast Inn
Mi Gatita B&B
Rancho Esmeralda
Sunflower Suites in Bisbee
Tangled Web Properties
The Lodge at Ventana Canyon
BIRD:
Adventure Birding Company
Andean Adventures
Borderland Tours
Naturalist Journeys
Nature Treks and Passages
Rockjumper Birding Tours
San Carlos Aquatic Adventures
Tropical Birding
TyrannoTours
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours (VENT)
Wild Birds Unlimited at Oracle & Ina
WINGS
LIFE’S OTHER NEEDS:
Comcast Cable
Kimberlyn Drew, Realtor
Excel Printing
Galeria La Sirena
Hughes Federal Credit Union
Lou Benson Construction
Snell & Wilmer, LLP
P.S. DON’T FORGET TO TELL THEM WE SENT YOU!
For more information on how your company can become a Birds & Business Alliance Member or to
suggest potential new members contact Vivian at 629-0757 or [email protected].
Wishes:
Nature Shops:
Gift Certificate or credit at Tucson Store Fixtures (500 W. Grant
Rd., 623-0064) to help the shop with keeping up merchandise
display materials. Gift Certificate for Michael’s craft stores, to
help the shop with keeping up merchandise display materials.
Library:
We would welcome any donations of birding DVDs so we can
replace videos in our library; especially National Audubon
Society’s Guide to Birds of North America.
Mason Center:
Large rugs for the house. Heavy, insulating curtains of
appropriate color for 3 medium-sized windows. Six nice, large
rectangular folding tables
Field Trips Program:
Habitat Restoration Program:
Locking metal storage cabinet. Map drawer cabinet to store large
maps.
Education Program:
Gift card for Michael’s Arts and Crafts store to purchase
materials for kids’ programs. New or in good condition Wesco
Maxi Mover Folding Hand Truck, 250lb. capacity. New or gently
used, good condition Leupold Yosemite 6 x 30 or 8 x 30 or
Bushnell Birder 8 x 40 binoculars for young birders (available for
sale in the Main Tucson Audubon Nature Shop).
Computers:
We are always in need of computers and monitors less than three
years of age and running Windows XP. We also need recent
laptop computers running Windows XP.
Binoculars in good condition for leaders to loan to participants.
31
Tucson Audubon Society’s Lecture Series: Living with Nature
Monday, September 8, 7p.m. in DuVal Auditorium at University Medical Center
THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR &
NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURES
Join Tucson Audubon Society’s Board of Directors member Robert Mesta for a very special
presentation and book signing:
The first people of North America, the Indians, have always maintained a unique relationship with
the animals in their natural world. It was this relationship that helped shape their belief system
and their manner of worship. In California there existed a very special relationship between the
Condor and the Indian People. Indians revered the largest bird in their natural world; it played an
integral role in their lives and culture. The importance
of the condor has been chronicled in oral legends,
Directions to DuVal Auditorium
traditions, ceremonies, dances and rock
There is parking, for a fee, in the multi-tiered
paintings. Robert Mesta will share this ancient
Patient/Visitor parking structure close to the
connection with his audience.
auditorium at UMC.
Robert Mesta, is a biologist with the US Fish and
Wildlife Service. He has spent most of his professional
Robert Mesta.
career working to protect, conserve, and recover
threatened and endangered North American bird populations. He has directed nationallevel programs to recover the Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, and the California Condor.
Robert currently coordinates the Sonoran Joint Venture, a bi-national bird conservation
program between the US and Mexico.
Free parking (after
5pm) is available
south of
Mabel Street
and west of
Warren.
His new children’s book, Condor, Spirit of the Grand Canyon will be available for purchase
(or bring your own) and Robert will be happy to sign copies for you at this event.
Tucson Audubon Society
300 E. University Blvd., #120
Tucson, AZ 85705
Volume 53, Number 1 September 2008
The Vermilion Flycatcher is the newsletter of
the Tucson Audubon Society, a chapter of
the National Audubon Society. National
Audubon Society members and members of
other chapters may receive the Flycatcher by
joining the Friends of Tucson Audubon. See
membership at www.tucsonaudubon.org.
NON-PROFIT ORG
US POSTAGE
PAID
TUCSON, AZ
PERMIT #1345

Preserving the Quality of Your Water: Time to Act

Transcription

Similar documents

Four $25 GIFT CARDS for $79.99

Tack Sale Poster - 8 1:2 x 11 Nov. `11

Tack Sale Poster - 8 1:2 x 11 Dec. `12

Biography - Triple Double Band

Matt-Mastriano-SB, PDF, 2.84MB

September 2011 - Wabash Valley Audubon Society

2012 Tucson brochure - St. Cyril of Alexandria Community

Brochure

The Naturalist - Green

Fall 2016 - Tucson MED Club