vermilion - tucson audubon society · in a precious and threatened landscape. vf. vermilion...

Vermilionf l y c a t c h e r

November–December 2009 | Volume 54, Number 5

Tucson Audubon Society | tucsonaudubon.org

Sustaining Wildlife in Our Community

What’s in a Name? Bald Eagle 12 Monsoon Fizzle, Summer Sizzle 13 Recognizing our Donors and Volunteers 23 PLUS a special four-page holiday gift ideas pull-out

14 Create Sustainable Urban Wildlife Habitat in Your Neighborhood16 Thorny Issues for Birds

Vermilionf l y c a t c h e r



T U C S O N A U D U B O N ’ S B I - M O N T H L Y N E W S M A g A z I N E

2 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher November–December 2009

The concept of sustainable development came alive more than 20 years ago in the world of international development.

Almost ten years passed before change occurred where it was most needed—in the cities, villages, and townships where people live. It is here that transportation strategies are designed, where building and land use codes are written, water and wastewater plans are implemented. It is where sustainability is won or lost.

“All sustainability is local,” is how I like to phrase it these days. Sustainability is about how communities live and co-exist within the natural world. As we aggregate local sustainability strategies, we begin to achieve transformation on a larger scale. Sustainability trickles up.

Here in Tucson, the City’s Office of Conservation and Sustainable Development (OCSD) is barely three years old. At the time of its creation in 2006, it was only the fifth such office to be formed in the country. OCSD enjoys a strong mandate from our Mayor and Council and we are working hard to grow our presence in the community.

A huge part of sustainability now is addressing climate change. The City has assembled a talented citizen’s advisory committee to develop a greenhouse gas mitigation plan as well as a climate adaptation strategy for Tucson. We need new adaptive strategies for ensuring that our eco- and socio-economic systems can avoid worse case impacts. If we don’t get climate change right, then we are not going to have success with the other multiple dimensions of sustainability.

Tucson is fortunate to have a wealth of successful advocacy groups working to protect our southwestern surroundings, and maintain the biodiversity that make our region such a special place. OCSD intends to strengthen our working relationships with these groups and forge new alliances where none now exist.

Sustainability requires everyone having a seat at the table. Sustainability is not a private club of some kind for those who know the secret passwords or handshakes. If we get it right, sustainability will have us working to meet the basic needs of all species, not just human, as we co-evolve together in a precious and threatened landscape. VF

Vermilion Flycatcher is published bi-monthly. For address changes or subscription problems call 622-5622, or write to Membership Coordinator, Tucson Audubon, 300 E. University Blvd, #120, Tucson, AZ 85705. Submissions are due the 1st of the month, two months before the date of the issue. Please send submissions as Microsoft Word or RTF documents, or plain text files, to Matt Griffiths at [email protected]. Coordinator Matt Griffiths 206-9900Proofreaders Jane & Warren Tisdale 749-2139 and Tucson Audubon staff and board membersLayout Eng-Li Green

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 & Directors Messages 622-5622 President Herb TrossmanVice President Mich Coker Secretary Robert Merideth Treasurer Vacant Directors at Large Mary Kay Eiermann, Richard Fray, Sandy Elers, Julie Gordon, Linda Greene, Craig Marken, Neil Markowitz, Liz Payne, Cynthia Pruett, Adrian Quijada, Bill Roe, Jessie Shinn, Linda StitzerBoard Committees Conservation Chris McVie, Development Sandy Elers, Education Cynthia Pruett, Membership Jessie Shinn, Finance Vacant, Nominating Robert MeridethPrograms & Activities Field Trips Darlene Smyth 297-2315 Library David West 629-0510 Membership Meetings Jean Barchman 622-5622 Rare Bird Alert John Yerger | Report Rare Birds 798-1005 Staff Executive Director Paul Green 777-9525Finance and Operations Brad Paxton 629-0757Accountant Michelle Bourgeois 629-0757Education & Outreach Specialist Matt Brooks 622-2230Membership Coordinator Jean Barchman 622-5622 IBA Conservation Biologist Scott Wilbor 628-1730IBA Program Assistant Samantha Barnett 628-1730Restoration Program Manager Kendall Kroesen 206-9900 Field Supervisor Rodd Lancaster 256-6909 Restoration/Communications Specialist

Matthew Griffiths 206-9900Mason Outreach Coordinator Lia Sansom 971-6238 University Shop Manager Sara Pike 622-2230 Volunteer Coordinator/Agua Caliente

Shop Manager Becky Aparicio 760-7881 Tucson Audubon Nature Shops 300 E University Blvd #120 629-0510623-3476 fax / 622-2230 Shop Manager Hours: Mon–Sat 10 am–4 pm (5 pm Mon & Thu) Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd 760-7881 Hours: 9 am–3:30 pm Thu, Fri, Sat (Oct–Feb)

VERMILIONF L Y C A T C H E R



Sustaining Wildlife in Our Community

What’s in a Name? Bald Eagle 12 Monsoon Fizzle, Summer Sizzle 13 Recognizing our Donors and Volunteers 23 PLUS a special four-page holiday gift ideas pull-out

14 Create Sustainable Urban Wildlife Habitat in Your Neighborhood16 Thorny Issues for Birds

VERMILIONF L Y C A T C H E R



T U C S O N A U D U B O N ’ S B I - M O N T H L Y N E W S M A G A Z I N E

FRONT COVER: Cactus Wren by Richard Ditch. See more of his photos at www.richditch.com and www.richditch.wordpress.com.

To have your photographs considered for use in the Vermilion Flycatcher, please contact Matt Griffiths at [email protected].

Features12 What’s in a Name? Bald Eagle

13 Monsoon Fizzle, Summer Sizzle

14 Create Sustainable Urban Wildlife Habitat in Your Neighborhood

16 Thorny Issues for Birds

22 Governing for Sucess—A Volunteer Achievement

23 Not-for-profit. For Birds, For Wildlife, and For Your Quality of Life

Departments3 Commentary

4 News Roundup

8 Events and Classes

11 Events Calendar

18 Conservation and Education News

19 Field Trips

27 Birding Travel from Our Business Partners

28 Birds & Business Alliance

29 Classified Ads

30 Nature Shops

31 Bookends

Sustainability Trickles Up in TucsonA guest opinion by David Schaller, Sustainable Development Administrator, Office of Conservation and Sustainable Development, City of Tucson. Prior to joining the City of Tucson, David served as Sustainable Development Coordinator in the Denver Regional Office of the US EPA from 1995–2007 and in other management and staff positions at EPA, beginning in Washington DC in 1974.

November–December 2009 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 3

Changing people’s behavior towards sustainable resource use in our community is one of Tucson Audubon’s three education goals.

Simply stated, living in a sustainable manner requires us to use natural resources no faster than our planet can replenish them, and depositing wastes no faster than our planet can absorb them. Overconsumption leads to the degradation of biodiversity and ultimately reduces our quality of life in many ways.

With just five percent of the world’s population, we in the United States consume around 25 percent of the earth’s resources. Making changes that can have a large effect and are within our control is a logical and urgent step for us and for our governments.

We produce around 22 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases, and we account for significant amounts of China’s emissions too through our consumption of their production.

A Yale University study found that two-thirds of Americans believe the United

States should reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases regardless of what other countries do, and more than nine out of ten Americans said that the United States should act to reduce global warming (http://environment.yale.edu/news/5868). In addition, a majority of Americans even supports a wide range of actions that will hit their pockets while benefitting our environment, such as passing local regulations that require electric utilities to produce at least 20% of their electricity from wind, solar, or other renewable energy sources (http://environment.yale.edu/news/5323/).

Because the circumstances that produce climate are complex, the science of climate change is based in probabilities: it is impossible to predict outcomes with the kind of certainty that politicians are calling for. However, assuming no changes in our behavior, science-based models show likely significant shifts in climate over the next 50 years that have the capacity to disrupt systems, such as those that produce our food. So while humanity may survive, civilization will likely be greatly challenged. See http://stephenschneider.stanford.edu/Climate/ClimateFrameset.html for a good overview.

Reducing our impact on the natural world is something that Tucson Audubon has been promoting for some time. Using

the original concept from the Audubon at Home program, in partnership with other Arizona chapters, we produced a poster-brochure (left, available free from our Nature Shop) that covers everything

from reducing our use of fossil fuel to reconciling our needs with those of wildlife. Kendall Kroesen writes about the latter on p 14. Prof Michael Rosenzweig, who originated the field of reconciliation ecology, is the speaker at our Living with Nature Lecture Series on Monday November 9. We can now offer you the chance to offset your production of greenhouse gases through local tree planting by Tucson Audubon, working in partnership with The Local Trust (see p 15).

There are direct links between the daily choices we make and both the Climate Change Bill before the Senate and CP015, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December. Each approaches the problem of climate change with different solutions. The White House stated in early October that it does not expect to see the Senate pass a climate change bill in 2009 to cut US emissions by 20 percent based on 2005 levels by 2020. This makes unlikely that international agreement can be reached at CP015 on action to avoid catastrophic global warming. In the meantime, you can usefully educate yourself and let your Senators know what you want to see in the Climate Change Bill.

Alastair McIntosh, a Quaker, and author of Hell and High Water: Climate Change, Hope, and the Human Condition has said “ . . . politics, economics, and technology on their own are not enough. We must also tackle the roots of consumerism, consumption in excess of sufficiency—the idolatrous addiction that masks our inner emptiness and poisons deeper transformation. And so we must rekindle community, and rescue hope from the caverns of despair.”

Just as we make changes in our own lives to adapt and to mitigate for our consumption of energy and materials, so we must also pressure our government through our representatives. We must be responsible so that our children might live. For a handy Living Sustainably pocket card, go to www.tucsonaudubon.org. VF

COMMENTARY PAUL GREEN | ExECUTIVE DIRECTOR

I“ . . . politics, economics, and technology on their own are not enough. We must also tackle the roots of consumerism, consumption in excess of sufficiency . . .”

You, Me, and Climate Change


Every year the United Way holds two “days of caring” in September during which they match volunteers with jobs that need to be done.

This year Tucson Audubon proposed improvements to the landscaping outside our offices at the Historic YWCA along 5th Avenue. We want to harvest rainwater and put in native plants that would look good and provide habitat for birds.

On September 12 eleven volunteers from Davis Monthan AFB came and moved a lot of dirt and rock, creating armored rainwater-harvesting basins in the area by the fountain just south of the off-street parking. They did a fabulous job!

On September 16 IBM sent us eleven volunteers to plant more than a dozen species of native plants and put on some finishing touches. When they were done it looked great!

The Historic YWCA management provided materials and plants. We had valuable help from Joe Schwanz, Building Manager at the “Y.” A big THANK YOU to Joe, IBM, Davis Monthan AFB, the United Way, and Desert Survivors Nursery (for donating a tree and a cholla)!

TUCSON AUDUBONNEWS ROUNDUP

“Days of Caring” a successKendall Kroesen, Restoration Program Manager

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Volunteer to improve habitat!Upcoming TogetherGreen volunteer days

Sunday, November 1, Sunday, December 6, and Sunday, January 3 • 7:45–noonTucson Audubon is part of a coalition removing giant reed (Arundo donax) at Sabino Canyon on the 1st Sunday of each month through March. We will cut, bundle, bag and in some cases dig out giant reeds. Wear long pants, sturdy shoes, and a hat. Bring water—and gloves if you have them. Tools provided. For more information call Kendall at 971-2385 or write to [email protected].

Saturday, November 21, 7:45–noonGiant reed removal efforts are expanding out of Sabino Canyon Recreation Area into other areas. For this event, special access has been provided to private land along Sabino Creek, a mile downstream from the recreation area. We will cut, bundle, bag and dig out giant reeds at Dr. Madden’s property and the adjacent homeowners association property. Wear long pants, sturdy shoes, and a hat. Bring water, and gloves if you have them. Tools provided. For more information call Kendall at 971-2385.

Saturday, December 12, 7:45–noonJoin us for this unique opportunity to remove invasive fountain grass in Esperero Canyon. Tucson Audubon owns 15 acres in this remote and scenic canyon in the front range of the Santa Catalina Mountains, east of Ventana Canyon. Access is limited due to private property in the area,

so Tucson Audubon rarely takes trips to the property. The hike in is not long, but is somewhat rough, as will be the removal of fountain grass in the rocky canyon. However, you will be amply rewarded with dramatic scenery. Contact Kendall at 971–2385 or [email protected] for more information and to sign up.

IBM team (above) and

landscaping by the fountain

L–R: Scenic Esperero Canyon; volunteers help remove giant reed in Sabino Canyon.

People with an expressed interest in developing youth birding met on September 29 and officially established the Tucson Young Birders Club (TYBC), sponsored by Tucson Audubon. We developed a set of goals for the TYBC and set the date for the first birding trip (January 30). If you are a young birder between the ages of 9 and 18, or know such a person, please contact Jean Barchman to express your interest by calling 622-5622 or [email protected].

Once the group has gathered we’ll talk more about the

name and the goals of the club, since it is our intent that young birders play the key role in developing the

group. We borrowed from the Ohio Young Birders Club to

set the mission as “Encouraging, Educating, and Empowering Tomorrow’s Conservation Leaders.” We set the goals as follows:

Have fun1. Connect young birders with adult 2. mentors willing to share their time, knowledge, and transportationFoster an interest in natural history 3. and encourage young people to spend more time outside

Create a community for young 4. birders throughout southern Arizona and beyondPromote volunteering and 5. contributing through service projectsIntroduce young people to career 6. opportunities in the wildlife and conservation fieldsOther decisions made by the group

include the following:The TYBC will have a planning 1. committee which will be assisted by a six-member youth advisory panel.We’ll build a really cool website.2. We’ll actively partner with other 3. organizations who will sponsor our activities.

Youth birding takes wingCynthia Pruett and Paul Green

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Monitoring desert nesting birds for the Important Bird Areas Program in southern Arizona: Cabeza Prieta NWR, Organ Pipe Cactus NM, and Tanque Verde WashScott Wilbor, Important Bird Areas Program Conservation Biologist

Have you ever seen the “bush-dive” display of the Le Conte’s Thrasher? Or spent time trying to count ground-scurrying Sage Thrashers and Sage Sparrows as they dart in and out of low shrubs on their winter range? Our early 2010 IBA bird surveys may allow you this chance, all while traversing incredibly wild, beautiful, stark desert landscapes. The 2010 season begins early this January with an IBA Bird Monitoring Workshop scheduled for Jan. 15 and 16 (classroom & field sessions). We are interested getting new volunteers for some of our IBAs or potential IBA monitoring efforts in 2010. This includes some exciting bird monitoring opportunities through our “backcountry IBA team surveys” in Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge Jan. 27–30 (focussed on the “thrashers” mentioned above) and then Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Feb. 18–20 (for premier desert habitat).

The Le Conte’s and Sage thrashers are highly restricted in their distribution in Cabeza Prieta NWR, and overall very limited in their total range in Arizona; therefore both are vulnerable to habitat loss and disturbance from Border Patrol activities and/or new unplanned roads, and thus are of conservation concern. These bird species and others of conservation status may thus qualify this area, or specific habitats within it, as an Arizona IBA. In Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument we will have as our goal

documentation of the desert bird community, especially populations of Costa’s Hummingbird, Gilded Flicker, Elf Owl, and Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, plus the overall desert bird species diversity. We will also of course be on the lookout for other nesting raptors such as Peregrine Falcon, Golden Eagle, and Crested Caracara. Although threats are few here (possible human disturbance being one), this area has high potential for qualifying for IBA status in Arizona, which may give it special recognition for the exceptional desert bird populations it supports. This will be our second year of surveys in both these wild and beautiful southwestern desert habitats.

We also hope to establish new teams and have special survey efforts for owls and other species of conservation concern in the Tanque Verde and other Santa Cruz drainages. Key birds of concern we will document along the Tanque Verde include Bell’s Vireo, Lucy’s Warbler, Gilded Flicker, Elf Owl, Abert’s Towhee, and Gray Hawk. Additionally, we will soon announce a few IBA resource identification field trips for Tanque Verde and Sabino in 2010. We will map key habitat features and areas where “stressors” (i.e., dumping, ATV entry, invasive plants) are occurring in these drainages (check our aziba.org web-site for updates). Lastly, look for news on the Riparian Habitat Conservation Workshops for the Sabino/Tanque Verde watershed in the year ahead (open to the public). For our January IBA bird monitoring workshop (and IBA Teams) we request intermediate and experienced birders (striving to learn bird songs/calls) who are eager to collect science-based bird data for IBA conservation. So we hope to see you out with us there soon. It should be a great time for us and a great opportunity to advance bird habitat conservation/protection for these special areas! Contact: Scott Wilbor, TAS-IBA office 628-1730.

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Clockwise from top: O’Neil Hills Valley, Cabeza Prieta NWR; Le Conte’s Thrasher; Sage Sparrow

The IBA Program at Tucson Audubon announces some new changes in staff this fall. Ruth Wilderman, our IBA program assistant who has worked for the program for 3½ years, has taken a position with the Tucson Unified School District as an Elementary School Counselor intern for the school year. Ruth will also continue her graduate school studies in School Counseling through Northern Arizona University. Ruth had become an expert with our on-line Arizona IBA bird survey database and burgeoning IBA geodatabase. She was the friendly voice on the phone or e-mail who helped our volunteer survey teams with their questions and helped with their data entry or retrieval. Ruth learned GIS mapping and enlisted her husband, Carlos, a GIS specialist, to link and streamline the data transfer of our two databases. She also helped the program in innumerable other ways,

from office organization, to research, to helping in the preparation and assistance of our IBA workshops and multi-team survey efforts. We will definitely miss Ruth.

We welcome the arrival of University of Arizona work-study student Samantha Barnett to the IBA program. Sam is a senior in Wildlife Management and brings to the program a background in biology, ecology, a wide range of computer program skills, and field survey experience with both wildlife and plant species. She will be working closely with me in managing and presenting our bird survey data for new IBA nominations and conservation use, mapping our survey projects, advancing our community conservation outreach for IBAs, participating in field surveys, and assisting our IBA team efforts. Sam enjoys bird watching and is committed to a career in wildlife and habitat conservation. We are excited she has found us!

Important bird people in migrationScott Wilbor

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Alamo Canyon, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

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TUCSON AUDUBON NEWS ROUNDUP

Construction on the Mason Center composting restroom began with a small shovel-full of dirt on Monday, September 28! In no time at all (thanks to heavy machinery) the hole for the composting bins was dug. At the submission of this article, we are pouring concrete and getting ready for the strawbale wall-raising workshop on Saturday October 24. The estimated completion time is quickly upon us as you hold this newsletter in your hands! With the years-long hullabaloo surrounding this project we would be remiss to not hold some sort of grand opening ceremony. Furthermore, we know a fundraising opportunity when we see one and this may provide our best fundraiser yet.

This is certainly an event worth celebrating—this restroom contains the first commercial-sized composting toilet in a developed area in Pima County and demonstrates the progress Pima County has made in accepting sustainable technologies beyond the residential scale. Another angle of accomplishment is that the completion of this restroom symbolizes the readiness of the Mason Center to fully launch itself as

Tucson Audubon’s conservation-and-environmental-education resource for Tucson and the northwest communities of Tortolita, Oro Valley and Marana.

So please join us in our excitement at the Mason Center Toilet Grand Opening Ceremony on December 5 at 10 am. For more information, updates, and how to place your bid, visit www.tucsonaudubon.org or call Lia at 971-6238.

Lia Sansom (top) led off the construction of the Mason Center composting restroom by digging a small hole with a shovel. Heavy machinery (above) then made short work of carving out the trench (far right) for the composting bins. A strawbale wall-raising workshop is scheduled for Saturday October 24, and the grand opening ceremony, with first use of the toilet (right), will take place on December 5.

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Mason Center restroom updateLia Sansom, Mason Center Outreach Coordinator

Be the first to use a Mason Center

composting toilet!Bidding starts at $50 each

(there are 2 toilets so there will be 2 winners)

Bidding begins Monday, November 2 and will

culminate at theGrand Opening Ceremony on

December 5 at 10 am.

You must be present to win and claim your prize!

We thank the following people that made heartfelt donations in honor / memory of loved ones:In Honor of John Farmer from Matt SlakeyIn Honor of Julia Gordon from Margy Harris, Ralph Weeks, and Windibrow FoundationIn Honor of Karen Hochgraf from Helen BaldwinIn Honor of Matt and Nikole Lewis from Nikki PetersIn Memory of Alec Piplani from Marcia PolleyIn Memory of Claudia Quesinberry from Michael and Jan Dowling

In Memory of Della Ruth Ribbentrop from Patrick Egan and from IBM International FoundationIn Memory of Dr. Robert J. McNeill from Evelyn McNeillIn Memory of Louis Benson from Jamie Brown, Nicole Kredick, Barbara Carroll, Kevin Dahl, Doug and Chris McVie, Cynthia and Gifford HoyerIn Memory of Ronald C. Haaseth from Debra Finch and Donald FinchIn Memory of Virginia Salomon from Arnold and Carol HollanderIn Memory of Karen Lutz from Kent and Colleen Prescott, David Prescott, Melinda Prescott, Chris Totura, Steve Totura, Patricia and Donald Little

gIFTS IN HONOR / IN MEMORY...

A workshop on the Sight and Sounds of the Birds of Mt. LemmonWhen: April. Watch for an announcement in the January/February Vermilion Flycatcher

A class on Raptors in Arizona, 5 sessions, one field trip When: late April into May. Watch for the announcement in the January/February Vermilion Flycatcher

Be ON The LOOkOuTComing this spring

Saturday mornings at the Mason CenterTucson Audubon has initiated a series of talks and discussions at our Mason Center for Ironwood Preservation and Environmental Education. The first event on September 26 featured Carolyn Campbell on the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, and Ted Fleming on citizen scientists collecting data on nectar-eating bats.

The second event will be on Saturday morning, January 30. Watch for details in the January issue of the Vermilion Flycatcher. We will email members when we have finalized speakers and subjects. To sign up for email updates, visit www.tucsonaudubon.org.

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Welcome New VolunteersErin Brandt, administration publicity; Scott Olmstead, community outreach;Beth Showalter, community outreach, clerical; Arin Bestin, community outreach; Janet Cohn, catering

Mil gracias, Danke, Thank you! The dog days of summer are gone and with them a flurry of activities for our volunteers, from preparing scrumptious goodies for programs, to answering questions at a number of tabling events and sharing binocular and scope skills with Tucson families.

Once again Tucson Audubon participated in United Way Days of Caring; and two days of digging, moving rocks and planting native species were completed on the Fifth Avenue side of the Old Y, our home. Davis Monthan AFB personnel and IBM staff volunteered their time and brawn as their commitment to community service.

Our first volunteer orientation was a great kick-off to what looks like a very busy season. For any volunteer who was unable to attend please stop in to the Tucson Audubon nature shop to receive the new Volunteer

Orientation Booklet designed to clarify important and timely issues.

Don’t Miss ThisGiant Reed Removal in Sabino Canyon—every Sunday thru March 7, 2010. A continuing supply of volunteers is needed to make a real difference in controlling this invasive. Please see page 4 or check our website for details. Bring friends, neighbors and family!

Volunteer Orientation—February 24, 2010. Our first volunteer orientation was a great success, and Tucson Audubon will have another opportunity for our volunteer candidates to meet staff, the board president, and our executive director Dr. Paul Green, and to clarify our objectives as well as answer questions. Coffee and snacks will be served. 9:30–11:30 am. Please RSVP: Becky 622-2230.

Tucson Audubon Society Gala—February 2, 2010. If you like parties, planning and dressing up, please get on board the winter social whirl! All manner of worker bees are needed to make this event even more successful than last year’s. Anyone interested can contact: Becky 622-2230.

education Department Needs. Exciting programs are planned for the fall and winter, and a number of volunteers are needed for one-day help and longer-term consistent commitment to keep these programs going and growing. Immediate assistance is needed for folks with good phone and organizational skills to keep reservations organized. Call Matt Brooks: 622-2230.

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NVolunteer Scott Olmstead (left) helps with Tucson Audubon’s community outreach efforts.

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Volunteer news roundupBecky Aparicio, Volunteer Coordinator Carlos Ochoa is an employee of

Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation, a tireless community advocate, and Tucson Audubon’s principal volunteer for our project in Barrio Kroeger Lane. Carlos grew up in the neighborhood and has fond memories of a greener time along the Santa Cruz River.

As president of the neighborhood association, Carlos introduced Tucson Audubon into the community and almost single-handedly made it possible for us to be successful there. He attended every volunteer day and recruited most of the residents in whose yards we worked. Nobody worked harder to construct the rainwater harvesting “rain gardens” we built there.

Tucson Audubon looks forward to continuing to work with Carlos and the Barrio Kroeger Lane neighborhood.

SIX QUESTIONSFirst time you went birding? It must have been at the Santa Cruz River with my father when I was young; and recently this summer with Kendall Kroesen and Dr. Paul Green. It is such a joy to wake up to the sights and sounds of our desert birds at the base of “A” Mountain.Level of birding? I consider myself a beginner birder. I have some books from the library and rummage sales. It gives me a great feeling of accomplishment in learning and knowing.Favorite place to go birding? Sabino Canyon, Madera Canyon and the Santa Cruz River Valley--oops I forgot Agua Caliente. Many favorite sites, we dearly love.

unusual event that happened while birding? At our annual Easter vacation up to Gila River we decided to go birding after setting up camp. We must have been about a mile away when we came about this huge dead collapsed mesquite tree. On display with wings outstretched were about 20 Black Vultures that could have made a wonderful postcard. We were fortunate to witness, but unfortunate to forget the camera.Favorite bird and where did you see it? I have an affection for hawks and their aerial feats, but I am recently admiring a desert cardinal that has taken a liking to a cane stick cholla. His yellow beak, red chest with gray is beautiful on the ground. I have been able to get visuals a couple of times a week on the west side of Desert Survivors along the Santa Cruz River trail.Other hobbies? Spending time with the family—camping, hiking, sports, cooking, reading and community awareness. Oh, and my kids’ birthdays.

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Rick Applegate, Eris Armstrong, Joshua Barnes, Myrna Beards, Vanessa Bechtol, Kim Blumenfeld, Andrea Cohen, Wayne and Susan Colony, Janet Cooley, Jim Dawson and Kim McClain, Catie DeLucca, John Doerr, Betty Eppler and Jim Gooch, Debra Finch, Richard Friend, Bob Hadden, Jeannette Hanby,

Madeline Hartley and Larry Dresher, Edrice Ivory, Ben Johnson, Susannah Johnson, Deborah Langeloh, Anna LePere, Faulene Main, David McKenzie, Debbie Mecom, Margaret Norem, Kent and Colleen Prescott, Nancy Rivera, Micky Schap, Maria Schuchardt, Andree Tarby, Linda Vaught, Ann Weinrich

Birds & Business AllianceCasa de San Pedro Bed & BreakfastEl Conquistador Resort Patio Homes

Assoc., Inc.Financial Architects/KMS Financial

Services, Inc. The Lodge at Ventana Canyon VF

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!


Enjoy watching birds and eager to learn more? These classes are for you.

Learn why southeastern Arizona is such a great place for birds and why birdwatching is so darn much fun. The course is designed for beginners. We’ll address how to separate birds by habitat, seasonal occurrence, and behavior. Learn about field marks and vocalizations. Get the lowdown on binoculars and field guides, birding vocabulary, and etiquette in the field.

Participants will learn how to identify local birds and discover some of their interesting characteristics and charms. Also covered will be some of the adaptations birds have developed in order to survive in our challenging environment.

The course is guaranteed to improve your appreciation of local bird life. There will be

homework, but it will be enjoyable. The course includes three 2-hour classroom sessions and two field trips, approximately 2½–3 hours in length.

One series will be taught in Tucson, the other in Green Valley.

The course series will be taught by Lynn Hassler, birder for over 35 years, author of numerous books including Birds of the American Southwest; Hummingbirds of the American West; Roadrunners; and Gambel’s Quail; and educator on plants, birds and desert ecology.

TUCSON COURSEThursdays: February 4, 11, and 18; 6–8 pm at Tucson AudubonField Trips: Saturdays, February 6 and 20; locations/ times to be announced

gREEN VALLEY COURSEWednesdays, February 10, 17, and 24; 10 am–12 noon, location to be announcedField Trips: Wednesdays, March 3 and 10; locations/times to be announced

Cost for each five-session course: $135 for members, $170 for nonmembers which includes a Friends of Tucson Audubon membership.To sign up, contact the Nature Shop at 629-0510. Questions regarding the class, call Education at 622-2230 or e-mail education@tucsonaudubon.

TUCSON AUDUBON EVENTS AND CLASSES

Sign Up Now for Backyard Birding and Beyond Classes for Beginning BirdersFebruary–March 2010 • Tucson and Green Valley

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Spend a day with zeiss Optics!Saturday, December 19,

7:30 am–2:30 pmAgua Caliente Park in the Rose Cottage

Zeiss digiscoping and optics representatives will be hosting digiscoping

workshops and demonstrations.Bring your digiscoping outfit if you have one. If you don’t, Zeiss will have some for you to try.

Learn how to digiscope, learn more about zeiss optics, and try out their new Photoscope!

Contact the Nature Shop for sign-up. RSVP by Thursday, December 10 • 629-0510.

Limited to 20 participantsMorning refreshments will be provided.

Please bring your own lunch.This program is offered in partnership with Pima County Natural Resources,

Parks and Recreation. We’ll see you there!!

Tucson Audubon in Birder’s World Magazine

Be sure to check out the December 2009 issue of Birder’s World magazine. Sweetwater Wetlands (pictured above) is a featured “Birding Hotspot” and was written by Tucson Audubon staff member Matt Brooks. As a reminder, when visiting this birding hotspot, be sure to document your sightings at www.aviatlas.com and contribute to a growing body of knowledge about your local birding areas.

Also featured in the same Birder’s World issue is our very own Tucson Audubon Society logo stainless steel water bottle. If you haven’t yet purchased your refillable steel bottle, stop by the nature shop or the online store today! Kick the plastic bottle habit and reduce waste while showing your support for Tucson Audubon.

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Come and enjoy children’s activities, adult bird walks, good food, the best water in the valley, birds, reptiles, and birdday cake, and Tucson Audubon’s Nature Shop. Learn about the Esperanza Conservation Easement project, see what’s in the trees along the Santa Cruz, watch the little ones run through the maze and visit the petting zoo.

Entry is by donation: $10 for adults, children 12 and under are free. Prepaid tickets will receive a souvenir bookmark.

Lunch of burgers and garden burgers (hot dogs for the kids) will be available with chips, beans, salad, and soft drinks from 11:30 to 1 (cost $12 for adults and $10 for kids). Tables and chairs will be set up under a tent, and blankets for picnicking will be available.

Bring a cup or flask for a taste of good, cool well water; binoculars to keep an eye on the birds; a chair for resting if you like; and your check book for a good cause.

Call Jean Barchman at 622–5622 for more information or to make a reservation. We hope to see you there!

Birdday PartySaturday, November 7, 11 am–3 pm

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TUCSON Living with Nature Lecture Series / Member MeetingsDuVal Auditorium, NE section of the University Medical Center Bldg. 501 N Campbell Ave. Program begins at 7 pm, second Monday of each month September through May.

gREEN VALLEY Living with Nature Lecture SeriesJoyner-Green Valley Library, 601 N La Canada Dr. 594-5295. Program begins at 10 am, third Saturday of each month October through May.

Contact Jean Barchman, 622-5622 or [email protected] for more information or visit tucsonaudubon.org.

November 9 • TucsonTHE CAREFUL FOOT: Reconciling the Needs of People and Wildlife with Prof. Michael RosenzweigWe need not accept the sterility of today’s human environments. Nature need not be restricted to our great system of national parks and preserves. Instead, we can build our world so that it is full of healthy populations of many wild species -- birds and butterflies and wildflowers and whatever else we choose. Not only will that enrich our everyday existence, it will be a crucial element of our campaign to save life’s wonderful diversity.

November 21 • Green ValleyTIDEWALKING with Betty Hupp and Marilyn MaloneThe authors of The Edge of the Sea of Cortez, A Tidewalker’s Guide to the Upper Gulf of California, whose first tidepool adventure was courtesy of Tucson Audubon’s Tidepool Institute, will take you tide-walking on rocky, sandy and muddy shores in search of seaside critters. They will show you some of the habits and habitats of beach creatures in general, with up-close-and-personal peeks into their their intertidal homes.

Paraphrasing Peggy Turk Boyer, Executive Director, CEDO, Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts & Oceans: “It is a rare beach walker on the edge of the Sea of Cortez who has not been captivated and mystified by the strange creatures slipping under rocks or burrowing into the sand and mud underfoot. Marilyn and Betty combine art and science [in this presentation] for the curious naturalist in each of us.”

December 14 • TucsonAnnual Holiday Potluck presentation at Dunbar Springs Neighborhood Center (see right).ATTRACTING BIRDS TO YOUR YARD AND NEIGHBORHOOD with Rachel McCafferyUrban development can affect birds in many ways. While some species thrive in response to urbanization, many native species decline as we degrade and reduce their habitats. How these habitat changes impact bird species depends on both the specific habitat features and the amount of space each species needs. Learn how homeowners can have a significant impact on sustaining populations of some native species, and how other species will require broader intervention involving neighborhood groups and maybe even city managers.

December 19 • Green ValleyECUADOR: ANDEAN ADVENTURE—Hummingbirds, Orchids, Butterflies, People with Sally Johnsen and Doug MooreJoin Sally Johnsen and Doug Moore for a presentation of birds and nature in the Andes mountains of northern Ecuador. About the size of Arizona, Ecuador has one of the greatest biodiversities on earth, including 25,000 plants species and 1,600 bird species. The country boasts 130 species of hummingbirds and more orchid species than anywhere else! The program explores habitats and life in the west and east cordilleras of the Andes flanking the capitol of Quito, from tropical cloud forest to Páramo Alpine tundra. The audience will also see local people working to conserve their lands and live sustainably with nature to provide a heritage for their children.

Falco naumanni, the Lesser Kestrel, although declining substantially over much of its former range in Europe, is well supported in Jerusalem. There, roof tiles form cavities of just the right size for its nests. From a painting by Tuvia Kurz. Thanks to him, to The International Center for the Study of Bird Migration, Latrun, Israel and to The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.

MEMBER’S ANNUAL HOLIDAY POTLUCK

Monday, December 14, 6 pm Dunbar Springs Neighborhood Center

We invite all members to Tucson Audubon’s Annual Holiday Potluck, which this year will be held in a new location. The Dunbar Springs Neighborhood Center, at 325 W Second Street, is close to the Tucson Audubon offices. There is plenty of parking at this location. The size of the room limits attendance to 150 people, so please call the Nature Shop at 629-0510 to reserve your place as soon as possible.

This year’s presentation is Attracting birds to your yard and neighborhood: how habitat features and scale influence Tucson’s native birds by Rachel McCaffery (see left for a summary).

Designate the potluck item you’d like to bring—casserole/main dish, salad or dessert, ready to serve—enough for yourself and five others. To minimize our environmental impact, we prefer to avoid adding paper plates and disposable cutlery to our already overburdened landfills. So please bring plates, cutlery and appropriate serving utensils, and plan on taking them home with you to wash. We’ll provide the punch, tea and coffee served in special compost-friendly cups that you can use for your garden at home or leave with us to compost for you. Refreshing adult beverages will be available for a small cash donation (served in the same super cool cups!).

In addition to a wonderful presentation and awesome food, we will also be holding a silent auction of unique one-of-a-kind items and other collectables. This is not the “White Elephant” raffle from years past but an opportunity to purchase fantastic items while supporting Tucson Audubon Society (bring your checkbook!). Items up for bid include birding related products and much more!

If you would like to help with planning, decorating or assisting during the party, we’d love to hear from you. Please call membership at 622-5622. We look forward to seeing you there! RSVP: Space is limited, so call the main Audubon Nature Shop at 629-0510 to reserve your spot!

TUCSON AUDUBON’S LIVINg WITH NATURE LECTURE SERIES

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What ecological issues can we address through landscaping? Which birds are in Tucson and what are their habitat needs? How do we go beyond just using native plants to provide habitat for birds? Tucson Audubon’s landscaping course will consider these questions and many others.

Landscaping for Wildlife and Sustainability participants will meet two Saturdays and two Wednesday evenings from February 6 to February 17. Saturday classes are from 7 am to 1 pm and Wednesday evening classes are from 7 to 9 pm. The classes are taught by Greg Corman of Gardening Insights and Paul Green and Kendall Kroesen of Tucson Audubon. Other great guest speakers will participate as well.

The course fee is $250. Please register by contacting Jean Barchman at 622-5622 or [email protected]. If you have questions about the course, contact Kendall Kroesen at 971-2385 or [email protected].

See the Urban Program story on page 14 for more on urban landscaping for wildlife.

Course topics include:Problems of current Tucson landscapes and • solutionsLocal bird diversity and what birds need• Principles of sustainable design• The role of insects/arthropods• Rainwater harvesting and other hardscape • issues Native plant diversity, structure and density for • wildlifeNative plant availability in the nursery trade• Irrigation strategies for plant establishment• Desert garden aesthetics • Tucson Audubon’s landscape recognition • program

Landscaping for Wildlife and SustainabilityFebruary 6–17, 2010, two Saturdays and two Wednesday nightsTucson Audubon HQ and various field locations

TUCSON AUDUBON EVENTS & CLASSES

AVAILABLe IN OuR NATuRe ShOPS Native Plants for Southwestern Landscapes by Judy Mielke. $24.95

Participants in January’s class said:“This course was excellent. Went into enough depth to allow me to translate concepts into design.”“Speakers who were passionate about their subject—infectious!”

“I work better knowing what you showedme.”

Parry penstemon (right) in a rain garden (above) in Barrio Kroeger Lane.

Spectacular Birds and gourmet FoodSaturday, January 23, 2010Whitewater DrawAs you sink into your seat in a comfortable coach, we’ll serve you coffee or tea with a scone before we glide down to Whitewater Draw. You’ll be entertained and educated by biologists and birders as the southern Arizona landscape passes by your window. A gourmet lunch will greet you, maybe under the gaze of a Great Horned Owl or two, as you learn about the management of the area and the conservation of the region. Experts will lead small groups to view the spectacle of the Sandhill Cranes as they return from feeding together with a host of water birds. You’ll have the chance to view the mixed species owl roost before returning to the bus for other gourmet delights and a glass of wine as we wend our way back to Tucson.

Sounds like quite a trip, doesn’t it? Tucson Audubon is organizing this event in conjunction with the Arizona Open Land Trust and the Arizona Game and Fish Department. This event will neatly weave together recreation, education, and conservation into a friendly social event. You’ll experience the birds, learn about their biology, how the site is managed, and how Arizona Open Land Trust works to conserve the landscape. The date? Saturday, January 23. The cost? $75 all inclusive. Seats are limited, so call Jean Barchman on 622-5622 to reserve your place. Chuck George, meteorologist and weather newscaster for Channel 13-KOLD, joins us as our special guest.

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Another Spectacle: Raptors in the Sulphur Springs ValleyFebruary 13, 2010 • Sulphur Springs ValleyFollowing on from our Whitewater Draw Sandhill Crane trip, we are launching a trip to view the wintering birds of prey in the Sulphur Springs Valley. The emphasis will again be on comfort, food, and expert discussion of the conservation of the region, as well as identifying the raptors under the guidance of the Southern Arizona Bird Observatory and Tom Wood. Because of the need for a number of stops, and for getting in and out of the bus, we’ll be taking smaller buses on this trip, with a leader on each bus. Leaders will explain the behavior of the birds, why they are there, and help with identification. The date? February 13. The cost? $90 (to cover the additional cost of the small buses). Seats are limited, so call Jean Barchman on 622-5622 to reserve your place.

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EVENTS CALENDAR

Nov–Mar 2010. Giant reed removal at Sabino Canyon Recreation Area 1st Sunday each month (details p 4)Nov 7. Birdday Party at Agua Linda Farm (details p 8)Nov 9. Living With Nature lecture (Tucson): The Careful Foot: Reconciling the Needs of People and Wildlife. Prof Michael Rosenzweig (details p 9)Nov 21. Living With Nature lecture (Green Valley): Tidewalking. Betty Hupp & Marilyn Malone (details p 9)Nov 21. Giant reed removal along Sabino Creek (details p 4)Dec 12. Invasive fountain grass removal in Esperero Canyon (details p 4)Dec 14. Living With Nature lecture and Tucson Audubon Holiday Potluck (Tucson): Attracting birds to your yard and neighborhood. Rachel McCaffery (details p 9)Dec 19. Zeiss digiscoping class (details p 8)Jan 13–16, 2010. Wings Over Wilcox birding festival (details p 27)Jan 15 & 16, 2010. IBA Bird Monitoring workshop (details p 5)Jan 18–20, 2010. IBA survey, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (details p 5)Jan 23, 2010. Sandhill Cranes and gourmet food education trip (details p 10)Jan 27–30, 2010. IBA survey, Cabeza Prieta NWR (details p 5)Jan 30, 2010. Saturday morning at the Mason Center (details p 6)Feb 2, 2010. Tucson Audubon Gala (details p 32)Feb 4–Mar 10, 2010. Backyard Birding and Beyond classes for beginners (details p 8)Feb 6–17, 2010. Landscaping for Wildlife and Sustainability course (details p 10)Feb 13, 2010. Raptors in the Sulphur Springs Valley education trip (details p 10)Feb 24, 2010. Tucson Audubon volunteer orientation (details p 7)Apr 15–18, 2010. Institute of Desert Ecology (details left) VF

The Institute of Desert Ecology (IDE) is just around the corner. In just a few months, the days will be getting longer again, the daytime temperatures will again be rising, and lowland desert camping or hiking will be on your mind. Why not combine these with the chance to learn all about the Sonoran Desert in an inviting setting?

The 2010 Institute will be a siginificant milestone for Tucson Audubon’s longest-running education program. For 40 years, our amazing faculty of local experts has been teaching Sonoran Desert ecology to people from around the continent. We are proud to have more than 2000 graduates from the program from over the years, many of whom have gone on to careers in a similar field or used the knowledge gained in teaching others. If you have attended in the past, seriously consider a refresher. If you’ve heard of the event but haven’t yet attended, this is the year to do it. In the spirit of celebration of this milestone year, we’re offering some fun ideas for past or future attendees:

Give IDe as a gift1. —Know a friend or loved one who would love to attend IDE? This program makes an excellent gift! Keep in mind the holidays are coming up. . . .Graduation Dinner2. —If you would like to attend again but aren’t able to come for the full program, you are welcome to join us for the evening graduation meal on Saturday, April 17. This is a good way to reconnect with the faculty and relive some of the fun moments of past Institutes. The cost for the Saturday meal is $30.00.T-shirt contest3. —See the boxed text below for more information.To register or for more information, contact

Matt Brooks, Institute Director, at 622–2230 or [email protected].

Above: Carl Tomoff brings it all together at the closing talkLeft: Spectacular Pusch Ridge of the Catalina Mountains

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40th Annual Institute of Desert EcologyApril 15–18, 2010 • Catalina State Park

CALLING ALL ARTISTS! If you have a good

idea for the 40th annual Institute of Desert

Ecology T-shirt, we’d love to see it. At the

end of January we’ll review the submissions

we receive and decide on a winner. That

design will then grace our newest IDE

T-shirt. Obviously, the submission should be

Sonoran Desert themed. For more details,

please email Matt Brooks at mbrooks@

tucsonaudubon.org.


Bald Eagle—our national symbol of pride, majesty, power and grace. It breeds only in North America, and is the largest of all our raptors except for the California Condor. It’s a surprise to some people that this bird likes to eat carrion, and was once called a “bird of low moral character” by Benjamin Franklin (for its tendency to steal fish from Ospreys). But that aside, most people do think the Bald Eagle is a great symbol for our country.

There’s nothing like seeing your first adult Bald Eagle. Mine was while canoeing down the Colorado River. We rounded a bend and came upon one eating a fish on a gravel bar far ahead. We immediately went silent and slowly drifted closer. As we approached, the eagle picked the fish up in its talons and slowly flew upstream—passing our canoe a mere pebble’s throw away. I’ll never forget the majestically slow beats of wings, as large, seemingly, as a fully opened newspaper—a magical moment for sure.

The calls of this bird are a little less majestic however, and when you see one on TV on anything other than a documentary, there’s usually a Red-tailed Hawk-sounding call given instead. To me the Bald Eagle’s call sounds like a series of rapid squeaky notes, almost rail-like. I’ll bet ol’ Ben would make a “harrumpf” sound here—he wanted the Wild Turkey chosen as our nation’s bird instead!

The word eagle comes from the Latin aquila, originally “black eagle,” which comes from the Latin words aquilus “dark,” and aquilo “north wind” (which darkened the sky), and was used as a military standard in Imperial Rome. The adjective “aquiline” usually describes a large and somewhat hooked nose

suggesting the beak of a large bird. Although “bald” would nowadays call to mind hairless or featherless, in Middle English (c.1200-c.1500) balled meant “shining white.” The scientific name Haliaeetus leucocephalus derives from the Greek haliaetos “sea eagle” (halos “the sea” and aetos “eagle”), with the species name coming from the Greek leukos, “white,” and kephalos, “head.”

Bald Eagle populations have changed dramatically over the last century. Early on, they were so numerous in Alaska that a bounty was offered for killing them. Later, the effects of DDT caused a nesting-success rate drop from 75 percent to 14 percent in one study, with subsequent listing on the Endangered Species List. The banning of DDT helped lead to eventual delisting, and since then Bald Eagle nesting has been documented in all continental U.S. states except Rhode Island and Vermont. It helps that they are long-lived birds, and longevity records include individuals living 28 (wild) and 36 (captive) years. Habitat loss, as usual, is considered the biggest conservation threat today.

Bald Eagles are not closely related to the Golden Eagle. The latter is the sole North American member of a worldwide group sometimes called “booted” or true eagles, closely related to buteos. The Bald Eagle is a member of a group known as fish-eagles and thought to be more closely related to kites. Steller’s Sea-Eagle and White-tailed Eagle are also members of this group.

Adult Bald Eagles are one of the easier raptors to identify with their all-white heads and tails, massive size, and

huge heads and bills. Shape and size differences help to identify high-soaring eagles. Look for very large, rectangular wings (for both Bald & Golden Eagles) and a large head and neck for Balds. Goldens have a narrower head and neck and a longer, slightly fanned tail that I find distinctive in shape. If you get close/scope views of perched birds, note the massive bill on the Bald Eagle—quite impressive!

Juvenile Bald Eagles are less easy to identify, and adult plumage

is attained only after birds are 4½ to 5½ years of age. Juvenile birds have a blotchy appearance, less defined than young Goldens. Like many raptors, juveniles have

longer tails and broader wings than adults. Like learning to

surf on a big surfboard, I’ve heard this makes it easier for young birds

to learn flying, while adult birds can maneuver more quickly after prey with

shorter feathering.Here in Arizona, we generally can

count on having a few Bald Eagles around each winter, though I believe recent years have seen fewer. The bird is listed as being casual to rare in southeastern Arizona from December through mid-March. Places to look include larger lakes, agricultural areas and grasslands. Examples of each that at least used to be productive are Parker Canyon Lake, the Sulphur Springs Valley, and the San Rafael grasslands. To pick a best site to try for one I’d suggest driving east on Rucker Canyon Road towards the west flank of the Chiricahua Mountains, checking out all high-flying raptors. One can find a dozen different raptors on a day’s birding in the Sulphur Springs Valley, and Tucson Audubon field trips regularly visit there in winter (see p 10 for an upcoming trip). Try going on one for a look at this striking bird. Good luck! VF

Bald Eagle is listed as being casual to rare in southeastern Arizona from December through mid-March.

GEORGE WEST

AVAILABLe IN OuR NATuRe ShOPSRaptors of Western North America by Brian K. Wheeler. The most thorough guide to the American West’s raptors, fully illustrated with hundreds of full-color photographs and detailed species maps. $29.95

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Interesting stories about birds with interesting names

Bald EagleLARRY LIESE


The monsoon season that normally brings welcome rains and cooler temperatures to the desert Southwest fizzled and was anything but normal this year, timidly sprinkling below average amounts of rain here and there and ending earlier than usual.

As birders weathered the steamy end to a hot and dry summer, the birding itself continued its torrid pace in August and September. The Ramsey Canyon Brown-backed Solitaire and Aztec Thrush extended their stays. The Patagonia Sinaloa Wren continued to play hide-and-seek through the period. Rufous-capped Warblers were regularly reported from their early summer haunts, and Black-capped Gnatcatchers were observed on multiple locations in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains.

Two Plain-capped Starthroats showed up, one just south of Patagonia and the other at the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve; and a Green Kingfisher returned to the San Pedro’s Kingfisher Pond. Short-tailed Hawks were again noted atop the Chiricahua Mountains, and a successful breeding of Flame-colored Tanagers occurred in the lower part of the range.

In late August and early September the shorebird conditions at Willcox were the best in years, with extensive mudflats to attract a wide range of species including Ruddy Turnstone and Red Knot. In Tucson, Sweetwater Wetlands was regularly coughing up 80 to over 100 species to keen-eyed birders.

Dickcissel and Vaux’s Swift sightings seemed above average.

This bounty of these rarities and their associated locations are scattered throughout many national forests, preserves and private residences all over southeast Arizona. Birders here are blessed with an amazing array of birding habitats to choose from including mature Sonoran Desert, densely vegetated riparian areas, sky islands with conifer-covered summits, oak-shaded rocky hillsides, grasslands, lakes, ponds, and washes. Despite such a wealth of habitats available each time afield, have you ever considered in-town Tucson for birding?

Tucson is a sprawling urban area much like other cities across our country, an interesting mash of roads, businesses, residential neighborhoods, vacant lots, dry washes, and the occasional park. These dry washes and parks are sometimes thickly vegetated with native and sometimes exotic non-native shrubs and trees. To our avian friends, these green oases mean food, water and shelter (see pp 16–17). Fall, winter and spring tend to be the best times for checking local habitat patches in search of migrants, stray visitors from the east and our year-round residents.

A birding journey to your neighborhood open space can definitely be classified as “eco-friendly.” To the environmentally conscious birder, the primary benefit

these urban birding sites and parks provide is their proximity to where

we work, live and play. A few examples of Tucson’s city parks include Reid, Fort Lowell, Lakeside, and McCormick, all easily accessible by bike, bus, carpool or walking.

Reid Park (S. Country Club and 22nd Street) is a

large enclave with mature trees, ball fields, artificial lakes, grassy

picnic areas, and playground facilities. Despite being surrounded by cityscape, it attracts a wide variety of migrants, breeders and vagrants. Past highlights include Chestnut-sided Yellow-throated,

Pine and Hooded Warblers; various raptors; Red Phalarope; and more.

Fort Lowell Park (Craycroft Road between Fort Lowell and Glenn) is a smaller historic park with a tiny lake, riparian corridor, typical park facilities and lots of open areas. A well-birded row of cottonwoods running from the parking area to Craycroft Road has harbored Northern Parula, and Lewis’s Woodpecker is sometimes found in the pecan grove. In fall and winter, Hooded Mergansers occasionally favor the small lake.

Lakeside Park (Stella Road between E. Camino Seco and S. Pantano Road) is different from the other example parks, a bit more manicured, but with large native and exotic trees and the typical park amenities. The park features a rather large lake which has attracted an amazing array of water birds over the years including Black Skimmer, Brown Pelican, Black Tern, Pacific Loon and others.

McCormick Park (Columbus Road between Fort Lowell and Glenn) is a compact park with lots of open area, park facilities, a playground and large trees. This park was birded heavily this past winter, thanks to a lowland wintering set of Williamson’s and Red-naped Sapsuckers favoring the mature pines scattered about. Vermilion Flycatchers may be found here all year.

These are but a few examples of Tucson’s many urban habitats. Pick your nearest city park, weed patch, wash or arroyo, and your eco-friendly explorations may spark some late summer birding sizzle! And don’t forget to enter site details and birds seen to www.aviatlas.com (see p 14 of the September/October Vermilion Flycatcher). VF

Cliff Cathers runs Economy Birding Services, Inc. www.economybirding.com

A well-birded row of cottonwoods in Fort Lowell Park (left) has harbored Northern Parula (right)

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Above: Thunderstorm over Rincon Mountains; Inset: Rufous-capped Warbler

WHERE TO GO, BIRDS TO SEE

Monsoon Fizzle—Summer SizzleCLIFF CATHERS | VOLUNTEER FIELD TRIP LEADER


Are you making your yard or neighborhood into a home for birds and other wildlife?

Tucson Audubon will recognize your efforts! Contact us for more information about how to get your property recognized ([email protected], or 971-2385). There’s no charge to you for recognition, but there is a charge to purchase a sign announcing your property’s status (see photo).

Are you just starting to transform your yard into habitat? Want some

pointers? Tucson Audubon teaches a course called Landscaping for Wildlife and Sustainability. The next 16-hour course will be taught February 6, 10, 13 and 17 (two Saturday mornings and two Wednesday evenings). Whether you are a gardening enthusiast, a landscape designer, or just want more birds in your yard, you’ll enjoy learning about a new model for landscaping (see p 10).

Our new model for landscaping isn’t just getting rid of lawns. In the new model, basins and swales, alone or

in combination with cisterns, hold and infiltrate water into the ground. We plant landscapes densely and with a wide variety of native plant species, creating a complex vegetative structure. Plants survive mostly on rainwater.

In the new model many trees are thorny, providing cover from predators and protected places to nest (see p 15). Plants host insects, and produce fruits and seeds that are eaten by birds and reptiles. Trees and shrubs are rarely trimmed, allowing low branches to cover

SPECIAL FEATURE | SUSTAINABLE LIVING

Create Sustainable Urban Wildlife Habitat in Your NeighborhoodKENDALL KROESEN | RESTORATION PROGRAM MANAGER

Besides the habitat recognition program and the landscaping course, here’s what Tucson Audubon is doing in the urban Tucson area:

getting volunteers into streams and • washes to remove invasive plants (see page 4)improving habitat around our offices • at the Historic YWCA (see page 4)working with entire neighborhoods • to improve habitat, such as Barrio Kroeger Laneworking with AviAtlas (• www.aviatlas.com) to establish and publicize “urban birding trails” in the Tucson area (see page 14 of the September/October issue of the Vermilion Flycatcher)

promoting advancement of the • science of urban birds and working to translate it into improvements in habitat (see page 16)studying the possible expansion of the • Sabino and Bear Creek Important Bird Area to encompass Tanque Verde Washgearing up to send our restoration • crew into private backyards to improve habitatforming a youth birding program so • that young birders can meet and have a structured way to develop birding and conservation skills (see page 4)working with county and municipal • officials on several fronts to help address the needs of wildlife

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the ground, increasing the total biomass on which birds and other animals forage.

Landscapes can grow food for people too! Eat some of the same plants that provide food for birds (mesquite meal, native fruits, native salad greens). Grow heritage fruit trees and share their produce with migrating tanagers and grosbeaks. Plant a vegetable garden and water it from the cistern.

New discoveries await us as we research how to make our cities friendlier to birds. We will learn more about helping some of the species most sensitive to human encroachment. We will explore how to provide nests for cavity-nesting birds that have declined in our cities. Nest box programs have worked for Eastern Bluebirds; we need to find out how to make them work for birds like Bewick’s Wren and Lucy’s Warbler.

Finally, we need to continue to explore ways to take less water from our natural environment, and make sure that most of what we use is recycled to support a diverse urban population of plants and animals. VF

SPECIAL FEATURE | SUSTAINABLE LIVING

Create Sustainable Urban Wildlife Habitat in Your NeighborhoodKENDALL KROESEN | RESTORATION PROGRAM MANAGER

Another big “thanks” to Desert Survivors Plant Nursery for providing native plants at wholesale for our project in Barrio Kroeger Lane, and for other contributions! See www.desertsurvivors.org.

here’s the back story. As we build residential, commercial, and industrial areas for humans, most other creatures die. Some can’t adapt to development and others die because we take their water. Most of the laws that regulate the water in our environment allocate it to humans—virtually none is reserved for flora and fauna. Beware of those that say we have an assured water supply for the foreseeable future—humans might; birds do not.

Can we change the city? There are precedents. A couple of decades ago most lawns disappeared and were replaced by low-water-use landscapes. In the last ten years rainwater harvesting has gone from something done by fringe permaculturists—known for eating cactus fruits and showering outdoors with their chickens—to something that the City of Tucson mandates for new commercial developments.

My next article will be about eating cactus fruit and showering outdoors!

SuSTAINABILITy CORNeRFor this month’s sustainability tip, check out the rebates available from Tucson Water for toilet and other water conservation upgrades. See www.tucsonaz.gov/water/rebate.htm for details. Currently new Tucson toilets are mandated to use no more than 1.6 GPF (gallons per flush). Rebates are now available for upgrading to high efficiency toilets that use 1.3 gallons per flush.

Rebates are also available for irrigation upgrades on commercial buildings and multifamily residences, and new pre-rinse nozzles for commercial kitchens that use less water. Businesses can also receive recognition through the WaterSmart Business Program.

These rebates represent the implementation of some of the 22 strategies recommended recommendations of a Community Conservation Task Force—learn more about the task force and their recommendations at www.ci.tucson.az.us/water/cons-townhalls.htm.

Come in and see Tucson Audubon’s new “sustainability corner” in the main Nature Shop! And remember, you soon will be able to use the composting toilet being installed at our Mason Center, operating at zero GPF!

From top left: Native landscapes increasingly adorn neighborhoods. A “rain garden” in Barrio Kroeger Lane. Tucson Audubon’s Landscaping for Wildlife and Sustainability course. Firewheel (Gaillardia pulchella), a popular wildflower native to Arizona and other states. Sign marking properties that are recognized as habitat by Tucson Audubon. Yellow trumpetbush (Tecoma stans) and Hooker’s evening primrose (Oenothera hookeri). Lower left: Screwbean (Prosopis pubescens), an increasingly common landscaping plant (inset: screwbean pods).

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Many kinds of wildlife can be found in urban areas, but birds are often among the most visible, diverse, and desirable—and Tucson is an incredible place to live if you appreciate birds.

Tucson has been the focus for some of the most important research on birds in urban environments. When I began my graduate work at the University of Arizona, I was fortunate to take over the coordination of the Tucson Bird Count (TBC), which was established by Will Turner in 2001. The TBC is a citizen science project that is designed to assess the distribution and abundance of birds throughout the Tucson area.

In addition to the broad, citywide information we can get from the TBC, I was also interested in examining how things like the plants used in landscapes at smaller scales (such as individual yards and neighborhoods) impact birds. To do this, I looked at the relationships between 10 bird species and a variety of habitat features at these smaller scales and, as it turns out, there are a lot of relatively simple things that people can do in their yards and neighborhoods to help sustain populations of native birds in Tucson.

The following is the first in a series of articles that looks at the results of this research and outlines some of the practical steps homeowners can take to encourage native birds.

Native Vegetation and Native Birds—Don’t Forget the Thorn Trees!

Vegetation is one of the most important factors in determining which birds are found in a particular area. While cities tend to have fewer species of birds than nearby natural areas, residential areas could support higher numbers of many types of native birds with the right mix of plants. I studied ten bird species: Ash-throated Flycatcher, Cactus Wren, Curve-billed Thrasher, Gambel’s Quail, Gila Woodpecker, Lesser Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, Phainopepla, Pyrrhuloxia, and Verdin. The amount and type of native plants present in an area were the most important factors in determining whether or not a species occurred there. Some species, such as Pyrrhuloxia, Verdin, and Gambel’s Quail, simply preferred native plants to non-native plants whereas other species preferred specific types of native plants.

Native plants are important to many native bird species because they provide food and cover, a relationship that has developed over millions of years. On the other hand, many non-native birds, such as House Sparrows, are often highly adaptable to different environments and can utilize a wide variety of plants—hence their

Tucson’s natural

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development. Above: Blue palo verde. Right: Ironwood flowers.

SPECIAL FEATURE | SUSTAINING BIRD POPULATIONS IN TUCSON

Thorny Issues for Birds RACHEL MCCAFFREY

Ash-throated Flycatcher (top) and Northern Cardinal

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widespread global distribution. In residential areas, the types of vegetation people plant will largely influence the birds present in their yards, and many Tucson yards contain few native plants or lack the diversity of plants necessary to attract a variety of native birds.

One type of native plant that is often missing from residential landscapes, even those filled with native plants, is thorn trees or bushes. In the Tucson area, native thorn trees and bushes favored by birds include acacias (such as the whitethorn and catclaw), ironwood, desert hackberry, velvet mesquite, and palo verde (blue or foothills). In my study, the number of thorn trees in a yard correlated strongly with the presence of Ash-throated Flycatchers, Gambel’s

Quail, Northern Cardinals, and Verdins. In arid environments like Tucson, thorn trees and bushes can act as the mid-story shrub layer that is often missing from residential landscapes dominated by heavily pruned trees, flowering plants and ground cover. This mid-story shrub layer provides cover, nesting sites and foraging opportunities (insectivores like Verdins search for insects among the leaves and flowers), and its presence is a good indicator of a quality habitat for native birds.

Yet, many homeowners either remove thorn trees or avoid planting them due to concerns about the difficulty of trimming such plants or the danger thorns may pose to children and pets. However, the presence of only one or two thorn trees can significantly increase the likelihood of attracting the types of birds that use them. For example, in my study, Verdins were only found in about eight percent of yards that didn’t have any thorn trees or bushes (regardless of the surrounding habitat), whereas they were found in 41 percent of yards with one or two thorn trees or bushes. So, a single thorn tree or bush, placed in an out-of-the-way location where it can be avoided by people and pets and left untrimmed, could have a considerable impact on the variety and number of native birds visiting your yard.

In my next article, I’ll address the important relationship between the Phainopepla and mistletoe. VF

Rachel McCaffrey is the speaker for our Christmas potuck on Monday, December 14 at the Dunbar Springs Community Center (see p 9 for details).

Above left to right: Cactus Wren; Tucson Botanical GardensNumber of thorn trees or bushes within a yard (0.5 ha in size)

Percent of sites with Verdins

0 7.71–2 41.33–4 45.64+ 51.3

The Nature Conservancy yard in Tucson.

AVAILABLe IN OuR NATuRe ShOPS

Cactus of Arizona by Nora & Rick Bowers and Stan Tekiela. $14.95

Trees of Arizona by Stan Tekiela. $13.95

Cacti and Succulents. A Simon & Schuster’s Guide edited by Stanley Schuler. $16.00

Desert Bird Gardening and Native Trees: Guide to Landscaping both published by Arizona Plant Society and Tucson Audubon Society. $3.50 each

SPECIAL FEATURE | SUSTAINING BIRD POPULATIONS IN TUCSON

Thorny Issues for Birds RACHEL MCCAFFREY

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The 2004 Open Space Bond was a big step toward initial implementation of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, and especially for mitigating impacts to habitat for important desert species. With over 66 percent of voters supporting the open space question, it was a huge success and the most highly supported of all the General Obligation bond measures on the ballot that year.

Pima County has acquired many important biological properties with the 1997 and 2004 Open Space Bond funds. Properties include the A-7 Ranch near the San Pedro River; 290 acres in Cochie Canyon in the Tortolita Mountains; the Bar V Ranch in Davidson Canyon; Madera Highlands, a 366-acre parcel adjacent to the Buenos Aires NWR; the Rancho Seco, Sopori Ranch, and portions of the Marley Ranch in Altar Valley; and over 1300 acres in the Tucson Mountains, including the 700-acre Sweetwater Preserve. In all, Pima

County has purchased over 51,000 acres of fee lands and also manages over 127,000 acres of State Trust Land grazing leases.

However, there is a great need to continue to purchase and protect desert uplands, grasslands and riparian areas in Pima County, the most important of which are identified as “Habitat Protection Priorities.” Key habitat areas identified as needing permanent protection by the County-appointed team of biologists are valued at $2.6 billion or more. Additionally, more urban parcels of open space have been identified for purchase totaling $200 million or more. When this “Habitat Protection Priorities” map was developed in 2003 for the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, it was meant to guide future open space purchases that would off-set, or mitigate for, the impacts of urban and suburban growth in Pima County. And while it will take multiple bonds and other funding sources to

complete a functional natural preserve system, the sooner we purchase open space, the more economical it is and the more certainty our community has as to where growth may occur and what will be protected.

And very importantly, we have the opportunity NOW to purchase State Trust Land at reasonable prices while land prices are low and the state deficit is high. This can be done with select parcels by purchasing them at auction as Pima County did with Tumamoc Hill. As well, the conservation community continues to work on State Trust Land reform, which will be accomplished in the timeframe of the next bond expenditures—10–13 years.

The citizen-based Conservation Acquisition Commission has recommended to the County Bond Advisory Committee that the 2010 bond election include $285 million for habitat and community open space. Unfortunately, the County

Administrator has indicated to the bond committee that open space is not his priority in 2010 and is recommending enough funding ONLY to buy the lands already committed to the purchase of Marley Ranch, and an additional $10 million toward community open space, which has a price tag of over $200 million.

Please attend future bond meetings and let the bond committee members know that you want to fully fund open space! The next meeting will be held Friday, November 20, 8 am, at Manning house, 450 W. Paseo Redondo (downtown Tucson).

Or call, write, or email the bond committee: Pima County Bond Advisory Committee, 130 W. Congress, 10th Floor, Tucson, Arizona 85701 Attn: Mr. Larry Hecker, Chair. Address email comments to: [email protected]

For talking points go to the Coalition’s website at www.sonorandesert.org. VF

CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION NEWSCHRIS MCVIE, PAUL GREEN, KENDALL KROESEN, AND SCOTT WILBOR

2010 Open Space Bond Funding Needs Your Help!

By Carolyn Campbell, Executive Director, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection

Rosemont Mine UpdateThe Coronado National Forest was due to release its draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Rosemont Copper Mine, south of Tucson, in November. Its release has been postponed, and no date has been set for its public release. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires an EIS; and in June Tucson Audubon had emailed members asking them to thank U.S. Reps. Gabrielle Giffords and Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) for asking USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to have the Coronado NF consider a “no action” alternative for the mine in the EIS, that could lead to a decision to deny the mine. The announcement on October 14 by Coronado NF supervisor Jeanine Derby comes shortly before an October 24 visit by Jay Jensen, deputy secretary for the Department of Agriculture. Jensen, who oversees U.S. Forest Service policy, was invited by Giffords and Grijalva to tour the mine site and meet with the public. For more information please visit www.scenicsantaritas.org

What if your plane ride could become a park? What if your car emissions could support green jobs? Now you can lend a hand to your community and shrink your carbon footprint at the same time. You can buy carbon credits through the The Local Trust, a Tucson-based non-profit, and choose to direct them to Tucson Audubon Habitat Creation. That way all of your money will stay close to home and create new habitat. The money you pay to offset your carbon use will support the local economy in the Tucson region, create green jobs, and build productive xeriscapes you can see and use yourself. In partnership with The Local Trust, Tucson Audubon will receive your funds and plant trees and other vegetation that will capture carbon from the atmosphere. The Local Trust offers

neutralizing credits to offset your travel and regeneration credits that go beyond your footprint, so you don’t just keep a zero balance; you help rebuild a healthy world. How do you do it? Just go to www.thelocaltrust.

org, calculate your impact, purchase your credits, and choose Tucson Audubon as the recipient. When Tucson Audubon is ready to plant, we’ll let you know where your habitat is so you can watch it grow.

Carbon Credits through Tucson Audubon

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NovemberNovember 3—Tuesday 8:30 am–10:30 am Return to Avra ValleyWe will explore the shallow ponds and mesquite thickets of this venerable bird and birder magnet; we can hope for a selection of shorebirds, perhaps some waterfowl, and good numbers of sparrows and raptors. Bring water, a hat, notebook and pencil, and a spotting scope if you have one. We’ll be walking almost a mile on wide dirt or gravel paths. Meet at the Mission Library parking lot on the northwest corner of Mission Rd. and Ajo at 8:30 am. Leaders: Rick Wright and Alison Beringer; [email protected]

November 8—Sunday 7:30 am

Bugs and Birds of Arivaca CienegaJohn Rhodes of Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute will give us insight into the world of bugs as we enjoy this dual-purpose trip. A scope will be available to view birds, and with advance notification, loaner optics can be arranged. You may wish to have close-focusing optics or reading glasses available to better see the bugs. Meet at the Fry’s parking lot at Irvington and I-19 at 7:30 am or at the McDonald’s in Green Valley at 8 am. 80 miles roundtrip. Co-leaders: John Rhodes [email protected] and Darlene Smyth [email protected]

November 10—Tuesday 5 am

San Rafael grasslandsThis trip provides an opportunity to see raptors and grassland sparrows. The number of bird species we will see is not large, but we hope to see some birds not easily seen elsewhere. Mostly birding from cars, but some walking through tall grass and over rocky slopes. If you don’t have a high-clearance vehicle, plan to carpool with someone who does. Bring lunch. Scope may be useful. Meet at Houghton Road north of I-10 in time for a 5 am departure. 150 miles roundtrip. Leader: Jim Hays 895-3299 or (email preferred) [email protected]

November 14—SaturdayNo field tripThis is the day for current leaders to attend a workshop to improve their skills under the generous leadership of Chris Benesh and Dave Stejskal.

November 17—Tuesday 7 am

Photo Workshop— Pond at Elephant HeadMake your bird images “jump off” the page! Join Andy Rogers, Washington-based photographer and Oro Valley winter resident, at this location which is a photographer’s dream as he leads this workshop. Andy photographs birds across the nation 200 days per year and will share tips and his camera lenses with you. Any camera is appropriate. Limit of 8. No Fees. Sign up and ask questions beginning October 30. 80 miles roundtrip. Leader: Andy Rogers [email protected] 425-417-4648

November 21—Saturday 7 am

Northeast Tucson’s Incredible BirdsWe will explore Woodland Road, the ponds and fields, Tanque Verde Loop, and finish at Agua Caliente. This low carbon trip can produce about 60 species including some great looks at raptors. Bring scopes and your enthusiasm! Great trip for beginners. Trip ends at 1 pm but we will break at 11:30 (lunch) for those who need to leave early. Meet at the McDonald’s at Tanque Verde and Catalina Hwy at 7 am. Leader: Brian Nicholas [email protected]

November 24 —Tuesday 7 am Sunrise Birding at Tucson’s Sam Lena ParkGreat location for beginning birders! Wake up with the birds at this urban park, where we’ll leisurely walk the 2.2-mile loop path overlooking several ponds and restored Tucson Basin habitat, including riparian, marsh, mesquite bosque, upland, and grassland. Expect urban, desert-scrub and wetland birds. Done by 10 am. Please RSVP to leader starting November 10. (Local) Leader: Cynthia Barstad 237-2331 [email protected]

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TUCSON AUDUBON FIELD TRIPSDARLENE SMYTH | FIELD TRIP COORDINATOR

For the latest or expanded field trip information visit www.tucsonaudubon.org or call us at 520-629-0510

general Information Tucson Audubon field trips are free. For general information call field trip coordinator Darlene Smyth 297-2315. For specific information about a trip, contact the leader of that trip.Please dress appropriately for your field trip. Always wear sturdy shoes, a hat, and use sun protection. Bring plenty of snacks and water for yourself. Always bring your binoculars, field guide, and for most trips a scope can be useful. Bring money to cover your share of the carpooling and any required entry fees (eg for state parks).

Arrival Times Please arrive before listed departure times. Trips will leave promptly at the time given.

Carpooling Sites uNW Tucson: Ina and Via Ponte—commuter

parking lot one block west of Oracle and Ina, south side of Ina.

v SW Tucson: I-19 and Irvington—Fry’s parking lot.

wGreen Valley: I-19 and Continental Rd exit 63—McDonald’s parking lot.

xNE Tucson: Tanque Verde Rd/ Catalina Hwy—McDonald’s parking lot.

Tucson Audubon strongly encourages carpooling and for some trips it may be required. Check the trip listings for meeting/carpooling sites. You are expected to reimburse the driver for the actual cost of fuel. Drivers and trip leaders are not expected to contribute.

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]

After Your Field Trip Don’t forget to stop in the Tucson Audubon Nature Shop to check out new books, see wonderful nature items, and chat with volunteers.

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November 28—Saturday 6:30 am Patagonia-Sonoita Creek PreserveJoin Tucson Audubon for a post-Turkey Day strut through The Nature Conservancy’s Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve. We’ll be looking for migrants, holdover rarities and little yellow-green jobs. Entrance fee required. Meet at Houghton Rd. just north of I-10 at 6:30 am (leader not present) or at the preserve parking area at 7:30 am. Remember water, sunscreen and a hat. 120 miles roundtrip. Leader: Clifford A. Cathers [email protected] 520-762-3201

December & JanuaryDecember 1—Tuesday 6:30 am

Sonoita Creek Natural Area at Patagonia LakeWe will start from the trailhead just below Lake Patagonia and hike along the riparian area below the dam for a 3.5-mile loop, making it essential that you bring good hiking shoes, plenty of water, hat and sun screen and a snack or small lunch. For more location information see the website: azstateparks.com/Parks/SOCR/ Limited participation, so call the leader to register beginning November 20. State park fee area. 150 miles roundtrip. Leader: Norma Miller [email protected] 578-1399

December 5—Saturday 6:30 am

Santa Cruz River-TubacFire and good rains have produced great habitat for birds in this flat-mile-stretch. Recent rarities have included a Prothonotary Warbler and a Red-eyed Vireo, and we can expect a morning of mixed flocks of wintering birds, especially sparrows. Limited to 10 people. Register with

the leader beginning December 2. Leader: Sally Johnsen 399-4050 [email protected]

December 8—Tuesday 9:15 am–11 am

Sweetwater Wetlands The euphemistically named Sweetwater Wetlands are Tucson’s own migrant trap, full of wintering passerines, shorebirds, and waterfowl. We can expect to see large numbers of sparrows, warblers, and ducks. Bring water, a hat, notebook and pencil, and a spotting scope if you have one. Plan on walking about a mile on paved sidewalks, with plenty of opportunities to pause on a bench and enjoy the show. Meet at Sweetwater Wetlands parking lot at 9:15 am. Leaders: Rick Wright and Alison Beringer; [email protected].

December 12—Saturday 5:30 am–3 pm

Tres Rios Wetlands (Phoenix) Tres Rios is where the Salt, Gila, and Agua Fria Rivers unite to provide a home for a rich variety of birds. Tom Hildebrandt of Arizona Game & Fish will join us to share his expertise on the birds, wildlife, and history of this lush greenbelt in metro Phoenix that features year-round running water. Meet at 5:30 am for carpooling at the commuter parking lot at Ina and Via Ponte, one block west of Oracle and Ina, on the south side of Ina. 3 pm return. 260 miles round-trip. Leader: Richard Filley [email protected] or 480-277-0834

December 15—Tuesday 7 am

Santa Cruz FlatsWinter in the Flats can mean raptors and perhaps, with very good luck, Mountain Plovers, as a small number of these declining birds sometimes winter here. Powder fine dust permeates the Flats making it necessary to strictly limit the number of cars on this trip. Contact the leader for details and to sign up starting December 1. Leader: Darlene Smyth [email protected] 297-2315

December 19—SaturdayNogales Christmas Bird CountHelp other birders as they conduct this interesting count. This is a holiday tradition that is 110 years old this year! Contact Michael Bissontz for details [email protected]

December 19—SaturdaySanta Catalina Christmas Bird CountJoin in this 110-year-old tradition. Ask to be assigned to help an experienced counter. Contact: Bob Bates [email protected]

December 20—SundayTucson Valley Christmas Bird CountHave fun and join one of the many teams conducting Christmas Counts throughout the Tucson area. We are celebrating the 110th anniversary of this count! No experience necessary. Contact Larry early to grab the most exciting count areas! Larry Liese [email protected] 743-3520

December 22—Tuesday 8:30 am

Whitewater DrawMeet at Houghton Rd. north of I-10 at 8:30 am. We will carpool from there and should arrive at our destination late in the morning. Fortunately the birds we are looking for are not the early-morning types. We should see lots of the wonderful cranes, plus ducks, some raptors, and various other water-loving species including, occasionally, gulls. Bring a scope if you have one. We will start back by mid-afternoon. About 250 miles roundtrip. Leader: Brian McKnight [email protected]

December 27—Sunday Tanque Verde Wash/NE TucsonWalk off those holiday meals with a post Christmas stroll along Tanque Verde Wash, both east and west of Wentworth Road in northeast Tucson. We’ll see if any Lawrence’s Goldfinches are visiting from California. Meet at the McDonald’s at Tanque Verde and Catalina Highway at 7:30 am. Leader: Clifford A. Cathers, [email protected] 762-3201

December 29—Tuesday 6:30–8:30 pm

Star Party for the Whole Family—galileo Style!The leader will have a telescope for you to view the moon, Jupiter and its Galilean moons, double stars, and more! Or, if you have a Galileo-type telescope, bring it and have fun learning to use it. Binoculars useful but not required. Meet at top of Campbell Ave.—north of Skyline Drive. Significant cloudiness cancels the event. If in doubt, call leader. Leader: Michael S. Smith [email protected] 299-0122

January 1—Friday 7:30–10:30 amSweetwater Wetlands for New Birders or Visitors to TucsonStart a new year of birding as we stroll along paved/dirt paths chatting about binoculars, field guides, primary habitats, behaviors, and identification of common birds of this reclaimed

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TUCSON AUDUBON FIELD TRIPS


water site. We’ll likely share our walk with warblers, hawks, woodpeckers, flycatchers, sparrows, grebes, ducks, rails, shorebirds, and others amidst the cattail marsh, open-water ponds, shallow basins, cottonwoods and willows, and desert scrub along the adjacent Santa Cruz River bed. Meet at Sweetwater Wetlands parking lot. Leader: Cynthia Barstad 237-2331 [email protected]

January 2—SaturdayDudleyville Christmas Bird CountFor 110 years now, people have been getting up early to count every bird in their assigned area. Ask to help an experienced counter! Contact: Doug Jenness [email protected]

January 8—Friday 6:30–8:30 pm

Star Party for the Whole Family—galileo Style!The leader will have a telescope for you to view the moon, Jupiter and its Galilean moons, double stars, and more! Or, if you have a Galileo-type telescope, bring that and have fun learning to use it. Binoculars useful but not required. Meet at top of Campbell Ave.—north of Skyline Drive. Significant cloudiness cancels the event. If in doubt, call leader. Leader: Michael S. Smith [email protected] 299-0122

FOuR CeNTuRIeS OF TeLeSCOPeS(Now it’s your time!)Need an idea for a youngster’s holiday gift? What about a Galileo-type telescope—for $15? These have better optics than the one Galileo Galilei used; they are certainly inexpensive, and easily put together. Obviously, the telescopes were designed with astronomy in mind. But we astronomers—who are also birders—know that they will help identify that little somebody sitting way over there on a distant telephone pole!https://www.galileoscope.org/gs/

SPeCIAL FIeLD TRIPSJanuary 18-21, 2010—Monday–ThursdaySouthern CaliforniaWe will do a loop with stops that include, but are not limited to, the Salton Sea, upper Newport Bay, Bolsa Chica, the San Elijo lagoon, La Jolla and Mission Bay, Mission Dam Park, and Cuyamaca State Park with a late return to Tucson. We will particularly look for Allen’s Hummingbird, Belding’s Savannah Sparrow, Clark’s and Horned Grebes, Brant, Surf Scoters, Black-vented Shearwaters, gulls, terns, shorebirds, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Wrentits, California Gnatcatchers, Towhees, Thrashers, and Quail—and with good weather in the mountains, possibly White-headed Woodpeckers and Purple Finch. Participants will be expected to share the leader’s fuel costs. A maximum of 7 people may register for this trip starting on December 7. Contact the leader for details. About 1,000 miles roundtrip. Leader: Diane Touret [email protected]

May 4–11, 2010Migration in Southwest OhioBlackburnian Warbler? Cerulean Warbler? Pileated Woodpecker? Scarlet Tanager? Acadian Flycatcher? Henslow’s Sparrow? Philadelphia Vireo? More? Join Clifford Cathers of Economy Birding Services, Inc. for this exciting field trip to southwestern Ohio during the peak of the spring migration. This little-birded section of our country offers a wealth of birds, lush deciduous forests, comfortable and inexpensive accommodations, interesting weather and memorable food. Clifford will reveal his favorite boyhood birding spots in search of 150 or more eastern species, including up to 35 varieties of warblers. Interested? Contact Clifford at [email protected] or 520-762-3201; or Darlene Smyth, Tucson Audubon Field Trip Coordinator at [email protected] or 297-2315 for a detailed trip description, bird checklist and registration form. Tucson Audubon is testing a new concept for overnight field trips where participants share in the leader’s basic expenses. Registration for this trip is $100.00 which is your total share of the leader’s expenses. Only six spots left so register soon! VF

ARIzONA CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS 2009/2010 The National Audubon Society has conducted Christmas bird counts since 1900. Volunteers from across North America and beyond will take to the field during one calendar day between December 14 and January 5 to record every bird species and individual bird encountered within a designated 15-mile diameter circle. These records now comprise an extensive ornithological database that enables monitoring of winter bird populations and the overall health of the environment. Participants are typically assigned to teams based on their bird identification skill level and endurance. Many counts hold a compilation dinner at the end of the day where results are tabulated and stories shared. A $5.00 participation fee defrays a portion of the cost of tabulating and publishing the overall count results. Help is needed on most of these counts, so find one that interests you and contact the compiler for more information. —Walter Thurber

Southeast Arizona Counts (For complete list of Arizona counts, please visit www.tucsonaudubon.org)

Date Day Count Name Compiler Phone E-Mail12/18 Fr Buenos Aires NWR Bonnie Swarbrick 823-4251 x108 [email protected]/18 Fr Saint David Tom Wood 432-1388 [email protected]/19 Sa Avra Valley Mary Lou Cole 578-0114 [email protected]/19 Sa Nogales Michael Bissontz 577-8778 [email protected]/19 Sa Ramsey Canyon Ted Mouras 803-0221 [email protected]/19 Sa Santa Catalina Mountains Bob Bates 296-5629 [email protected]/20 Su Tucson Valley Larry Liese 743-3520 [email protected]/21 Mo Elfrida Tom Wood 432-1388 [email protected]/27 Su Patagonia Abbie Zeltzer 604-6320 [email protected]/28 Mo Gila River Troy Corman 602-482-6187 [email protected]/28 Mo Green Valley-Madera Canyon Michael Marsden 269-6240 [email protected]/2 Sa Appleton-Whittell Robert Weissler 803-0794 [email protected]/2 Sa Dudleyville Doug Jenness 909-1529 [email protected]/2 Sa Portal Jackie Lewis 558-2287 [email protected]/3 Su Atascosa Highlands Rich Hoyer 325-5310 [email protected]

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PARTNERING WITH TUCSON AUDUBON FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Do you know how Tucson Audubon is governed, and would you like to be a part of the process? Here is a short review of how our Society works.

The Board of Directors is responsible for the overall direction of the Society and to make sure that it is fulfilling its mission. The duties of the Board include ensuring that the Society is run in a stable and professional manner, conducting annual reviews to determine whether it is achieving its goals, approving the annual budget and other financial oversight, taking a leadership role in fundraising and hiring and evaluating the Executive Director. Much of the work of the Board is done through committees and these are Conservation, Development, Education, Finance, Membership, Nomination, and Personnel. A description of each committee follows.

CONSERVATION: This important committee is responsible for advising and recommending to the Board which conservation policies Tucson Audubon should support or adopt. This includes informing on local, state, and national conservation issues. The committee’s subcommittee on Land Management supervises the various restoration sites that the Society is developing. The subcommittee also oversees the management and care of the various parcels owned by the Society and reviews properties under consideration for acquisition. Chris McVie presides over this committee.

DEVELOPMENT: Raising funds for the Society so that it can carry out

its mission is the purpose of this committee, and its fundraising

success is essential to the Society’s future. Among the

events it organizes are the annual birdathon, the

annual and special

fundraising appeals, donor recognition events, the annual gala, the annual holiday potluck, and other fundraising functions. Sandy Elers is chair of this committee.

EDUCATION: The members of this committee help develop and provide environmental information and educational services to teachers, adults, young people, and families. Included within this mandate is the developing and implementing of programs to meet the strategic plan, conducting classes, managing the Riparian Family Institute and the Institute of Desert Ecology, and other educational programs. The committee has recently adopted an education strategic plan and Cynthia Pruett, as chair, is guiding the committee through the implementation of the plan.

FINANCE: As you would imagine this committee oversees and assists the Executive Director in managing the Society’s finances, including its assets and accounting. It also assists the Executive Director in preparing the annual budget for the Society, and otherwise assists the treasurer (the chair of this committee) in carrying out his or her responsibilities. A long-time member of Tucson Audubon, Lindsey Quesinberry, has recently filled the treasurer’s position. Another important addition to the Society’s financial team is the appointment of Brad Paxton to the new staff position of Financial and Operations Manager.

MEMBERSHIP: This committee is responsible for planning and conducting membership campaigns, seeking ways to increase membership retention, recommending membership fee amounts and categories to the Board, and to see that the Society is responsive to its members. The chair of the committee is Jessie Shinn.

NOMINATINg: Robert Merideth, the Soceity’s Secretary, manages the committee that has the duty of finding candidates to fill the 21 board positions, as well as candidates for the four executive officers (president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary) of the Society.

PERSONNEL: While the Executive Director has the direct responsibility of hiring and supervising the staff, this committee assists him in reviewing and revising the personnel policies manual and other personnel-related matters. In addition, it conducts annual reviews of the ED’s performance and makes recommendations to the Board regarding salary and other benefits. Mich Coker, the Society’s Vice President, heads up this committee.

Now you should be able to understand how the Society is governed, at least in broad terms. If you have any interest in becoming a part of this management process or are just curious to see it function, you are always welcome to attend Board or committee meetings. Just let me know your interest and I will send you in the right direction.

You can contact me at [email protected].

governing for Success—A Volunteer AchievementHERB TROSSMAN | PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Vermilion SocietyWhen you include Tucson Audubon Society in your estate planning, you will join many others as a member of our Vermilion Society. Vermilion Society members are acknowledged in Tucson Audubon’s Vermilion Flycatcher news magazine and in our annual reports. Vermilion Society members also receive a handsome certificate, special invitations to Tucson Audubon events, and an invitation to an annual lunch to meet our staff and see your thoughtful contributions at work.

We sometimes receive bequests from people whom we have never had the opportunity to thank. If you include Tucson Audubon Society in your estate plans, we hope you will let us know. We value the opportunity to express our gratitude to people who are committed to the future of wildlife conservation and environmental education. Your gift inspires others to consider Tucson Audubon Society in their estate planning.

If you prefer to keep your intentions private, please know that your gift will be greatly appreciated by future generations of both people and wildlife.

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$10000 and above Nancy Bower and

Lindsey QuesinberryHarvey Lance EstateChris and Doug McVieAlice and William RoeMEt Foundation

$5000 to $9999 Cynthia PruettConnie and Jeff WoodmanEvelyn Y. McNeill

$1000 to $4999 Ann BeeghlyBarbara and William BickelMarilyn and John BickingMelanie Builder and

Richard FrayRuth CanadaMich CokerCarol and Don EagleSandy and Karl ElersDebra A FinchJulia and Mark GordonEng-Li and Paul GreenMargy Gale Harris and

Ralph WeeksJulie and Larry HeckerEllen and William KurtzJan and David LabinerDick McCarverShari and Edward

MontgomeryNeil MultackKatharine OlmsteadDr. Thomas RehmDr. Cathryn RoseLinda and J.D. StitzerPat and Herb TrossmanJoan and Dr. Robert TweitMary and Skip WalkerWanda Wynne and

Craig MarkenDavid Yetman

Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.Southern Arizona Paving &

ConstructionTucson Electric Power

$500 to $999 Kate Beale and Bob BoehmShawn P. BurkeLorene CalderPatricia and Richard

CarlsonJoan Kaye CauthornEng-Cheong ChongEng-Min ChongSusan B ClarkKevin DahlAlison DeanJoan E. Donnelly and

David TaylorDavid DunfordMary and David DunhamMary Kay and Robert

EiermannKay and Mike FaganMarcia GrandLinda H. GreeneMichele C. HacherlRichard H. HillCynthia LindquistCheryl A Lockhart and

Roger C. WolfRobert Merideth and

Liz PaynePolly G. MillerBarbara and Jeffrey MinkerJan and John MuellerHal MyersMartha PillePatricia and Wayne

ScheibleMary Beth Tyndall and

Kendall KroesenJ David WestMartha WiewelDr. James M. WoolfendenMrs. Elizabeth Zukoski

Cox CommunicationsCoyote Wore SideburnsIBM International

FoundationPfizer Foundation

Matching Gifts

$250 to $499 Pat and Briggs AckertWilliam AdlerMelanie and Harris AmhowitzJean and Rich BarchmanBetty and Peter BengtsonPatty and Clark BlakeJean BorisJacqueline L. CairdSam Kathryn CampanaBonnie and Leslie N Corey, Jr.Dr. Jeffrey DeanKimberlyn Drew and

Andrew MooreVirginia and John EdgertonJudy and Richard EdisonDorothy H. FinleyDiana and David FreshwaterDr. Edward HacskayloDiana Hadley and Peter

WarshallJanine and Bob HernbrodeKatharine Jacobs and

David PlaneSarah and John KennedyChi and Rodd LancasterRichard LaskyGloria and James LawrenceCherie and David LazaroffLaura LePere and Brad PaxtonMarcia and Ries LindleyLaura López-Hoffman and

Adrian QuijadaHelen MacLeodIlina and Neil MarkowitzJudy and Robert MillerPatricia Morgan and

Peter F. SalomonPam Negri and Ted ForsbergDarlene and Doug NewtonSandra and Ted NotzMelissa Owen and

Troy McDanielJayne Raffety

Marcee SherrillMarilyn SnyderTice SuppleeWilliam TaylorMartha and Abbott TaylorDr. Judith Ulreich and

Dr. John UlreichRosemary and Elliott ValentineNan Stockholm Walden and

Richard WaldenGeorge E WatsonPeggy and Bob WenrickJohn WiseEnvironmental Fund for ArizonaWindibrow Foundation

$100 to $249 Doris and Larry AbramsMary and Greg AndrewsHolly ArvanitesAnn AudreyElizabeth AugelloKaren and Donald BahnickNicky BakerPaul BankoDonna BaremoreJean BassettBarbara BennettAlexia BivingsKerstin and Spencer BlockLois and Timothy BlowersNancy BowerGail L. BrandtJim BuizerMichael ByersBarbara and Stuart CalderMargaret Jean ClarkSally ConyneConnie and Kenneth CooksonEdward CorwinLaura CotterColleen CrombieJohn CrowDonald E. CrowellJack CulverKathy and Edward Curley, JrChristine L. CurtisDavid DanellAbigail DarrahShirley S. DavisDr. Patricia Dean

Linda and Will DeBoerJoseph DeRouenCynthia DonaldBernard J. DoughertyMehina Drees and

Dr. Barney BurnsKaren L. DrydenDiane DubeDorsey DunnAeyn EdwardsKendall ElmerSharon Emley and Don I. ArkinDoris and Douglas EvansCristina FeeleyDr. Susan Fleming and

Susan BensonMary Ellen FlynnJudith FortneyLinda FriedmanPauline FuusJudith Gans and Joseph KaltWilliam H. GardnerJoan and Daniel Gilb and

Joel GilbPatricia GillisDanny G. GinCheryl and Bob GoodbergNancy and Ellery GreenKathleen and Charles GrierDiane GriffithsDorothy GyurkoDr. Melissa Halpern and

Charles MacCabeElise HarrisonLiz Harrison and Rick EdwardsCharles HassenGeorge HawthorneDiane and James HaysDonna and Christopher HelmsJean and Mark HengesbaughJenifer HochstrasserDianne Huston

You, as a member of Tucson Audubon, represent our lifeblood. Without your involvement, we would have no standing in our community. As a testament to your support, we list here a statement of your giving to Tucson Audubon for the fiscal year that ended on August 30, 2009, and we thank you for the dollars that you have sent us.

We also include here a statement of the hours that you have given to this organization. While nearly 1000 cash gifts for the year add up to around

$350,000, just as significant is your gift of time. We recognize nearly 350 gifts of time during the year, totaling more than 11,000 hours. This translates into an equivalent of nearly $207,000 based on a value of $18.73 that The Independent Sector places on each hour of volunteer time in Arizona.

We have other things to thank you for. Some members have told us that we are included in their wills, and as such, they are members of the Vermilion Society. Some members give each

month through automatic credit card payments, and they are part of our Frequent Flyer program.

The past year has been a great challenge to the non-profit community. Tucson Audubon shed staff members and reduced costs to help balance our budget. You responded generously when we sent out a summer plea for funds. Our board and staff thank you for your belief in our mission, and ask that you continue to support us as you are able in the months ahead. Paul Green

Not-for-profit. For Birds, For Wildlife, and For Your Quality of Life

Tucson Audubon thanks and honors our donors for their generous gifts.

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Melinda F. IrvinGary M. IsraelGayle and Fritz JandreyLenice JohnsonSally H. JohnsonKaren and Charles

JonaitisMary Jo JonesRamona L. JonesCarol and Timothy KeeferPatricia KennedyKeitha KinneMiriam and Ed KistenDana KleinSusan KozacekAnne and Edwin

KreutzmannCarolyn and Paul

KroesenIlene and Calvin KuninElizabeth Lawrence and

Matt GriffithsPatricia and Wade

LeitnerElizabeth and Gene

LightnerMariana LivingstonRobert C. MartinCeil Matson and

John ArmitageDr. Sandra L. MattsonFelicio and Warren MayLinda Mayro and

William DoelleRachel McCaffreyLynn J. McLaughlinBarbara and John

McLeanLinda and Michael

McNultyRobert MestaBarbara and Pete MillerSusan and George

MitchellRobert I. ModicaNarca Moore-Craig and

Alan CraigLynette Newton and

Linda NewtonCarlos OchoaBlain OlbertAnne Olson-ScribnerSarah OtterstromLori PascarellaNikki PetersMargaret PetersenCharles PettisSara and Vincent PikeLaura PinnasMarcia PolleyMolly PollockSarah and Clark PorterJewel and Harvey

PrendevilleSandra QureshiStephanie and David

RainieSusan RandolphEdward F. RatajczakEdgar RawlAdelaide T. Reeves

Margaret RendlJudith RhymerGinny and Dr. Melvin

RobertsCarol RosePeter RosenbergAmy and Michael RuleAlpha Alice RussellJean RussellBarrie RyanJoan-Marie SchaeferElise Schepeler and

William HarrisonBarbara O. SchneidauDr. Cecil R. SchwalbeRussell ScottMary and John SedwickFarrish and Mark SharonNathan ShinnAnne and Samuel

ShiversNancy Silvis and

John GrayHyatt Simpson and Daryl

HermanEllen and Terje SkotheimPeggy and John SmithJanet and Linwood SmithJana and Joseph W.

SmithMichael SmithShirley and Joe SpitlerMary Lou SplainToni Chase StovallBarbara StraubGerry and Jim SullivanGayle and John

SwarbrickDiane and Glen SzollosiJohn F. TannerJoan and John TedfordRoger TessMargaret B. ThomasCynthia Thomssen and

Joe HydeCarolyn and H. Anton

TucherAnn and John

TundermannGenevieve TvrdikSylvia Van GundyDeborah VathJoanne W. Von BlonDouglas VoughtDr. Frances Ann WalkerHal WareCarole and L.F. “Swede”

WarnekeRichard WarrenAudrey and Ron WatkinsWesley WeathersArlene and Dr. Thomas

WebsterVernon G. WellsDaniel WennyJoyce and Russell

WidnerDr. Laurel WilkeningBashas’ Inc.

George A Binney Conservation Foundation

Kimberlyn Drew RealtorExcel Printing

CommunicationsSEABA

$50 to $99 Donna B. AllenLinda (Chloe) Alley-

SarnackJim AlrutzBecky AparicioCarolyn S ArbiterMargaret ArmbrusterCarol and Richard AronoffCatherine Aspinwall and

Catherine GioannettiEva Baird and Aaron FloydHelen BaldwinJane A BardinLaura BartonDee and Bob BatesTimothy J. BatesJoan and Richard BeckerKathy BenRosalie BennettBill BorisElizabeth Bouwens KoehlerAnne BowdenBeverly and Fred BrinkLarry BrooksMichelle and Nelson

James BrownBen BuilderNicola BuilderColin BuilderHarvey BurgessPatty and David BurksRich BurtellDonna and James M.

Byers, IIIBrenda CampanisEliza and Kent CampbellLynn Carey and

Harry PeckBarbara CarrollHelen and Donald CarsonKaren and James CarsonNancy R. CaryKatharine W. CohenLeslie Cohen and

K. BharathanLouise and Charles ConradRita L. CoxLynn Crew and

Aaron MillerJoanne and Charles CurtisDan DavisLaura DavisGlenda and Tom DeMossCarol des CognetsSusan and Steve DolanCynthia DouglasAnn DurschAnne and Richard EdwardsCynthia and John EdwardsRosemary and John EliasDianne EnglekeMarion EricksonSusan Fahringer and

Keith WormanDon T. FallisNancy FarinaAlice and Thomas FarleyDonald Finch

Dorothy Fitch and John Munier

Sylvia FosterMaureen FrayMarian and Austin FurmanGlenn L. GabanskiCatherine M. GaleMerrill F. GarretetHeather and Dustin GarrickJames A GessamanLeroy GilesAaron GolubRobin L. GomezMary A. GoodmanElizabeth A. GoodwinClive GreenKaren and William GriffithsDenise GriffithsKarin GrilloTheresa Grzyb-WysockiElizabeth GuldsethSteve HaganBarbara Hall and

Richard H. BarberDorothee HarmonBetty and Norwood HazardLinda and Tom HeadleeSusan and Greg HessJoan and Dr. Gary

HeymannNathalie and Clint HinmanRon HollandJim HomewoodStella and Phillip HotchkissJackie and Oscar

HunsakerSue HuntBrian HurdStanley JacobsMichael JacobsonTherese M. Jezioro and

Thomas HestwoodCathleen JohnsonFreda JohnsonLarry L. JohnsonDavid JordanMarianne and Paul KaestleMandy KatzKatherine and Paul KatzBarbara and David KellyRita S. KesterSuzette and Edgar KingScott KnightPatricia KochDebra Kornmiller and

George CampbllKaren KrebbsNicole Kredich and

Jamie BrownJinny KyleNorma and Abe Lackow

Bobbie LambertJohn LameyDiane and Stewart

LancasterCynthia and Howard

LawrenceSherry Lewis and

Jim LoganHoward LilleyCarolyn and Robert LongTornie MacKayVivian and Aleck

MacKinnonBonnie MacysSonja Macys and

Charles WillardSharon MegdalNina and R.W. MeridethBeth Mitchneck and

Paul CarterDiane P. MonnierDorothy and Earl

MontgomeryJanet MooreWendy Moore and

Rick BruscaLawrence MorganEmily and Ted MorrisonKrista and John NeisCatherine and David

NewellHella Nordberg and

Alicia TonniesIris and James NotestineMargaret and C.A. NugentMary-Lou and Stewart

PalmerSarah and Dr. John D.

PalmerLindsey PantonLois PawlakMargaret PearsonBruce PhenegerLorel PicciurroRobert A. PlaneRonald PrasekSarah Prasek and

Matt! BrooksTerri and M. zafar QureshiAudrey and Robert RayCynthia ReinersDiana RhoadesMrs. Glenn S. RichardsPaul RobbinsDr. William J. RobinsonJoan RoblesMichael RosenzweigLaura and Tom RubboJean RuddDorothy and Stan RussellRuth Ogden RussellRobert D. Sandine

Ray SayreDr. Helen and Dr. John

SchaeferMichele SchichtGinny SeabrookChristina Rabe SegerCharles SeniawskiBob Shank, Jr.Virginia ShapiroHerbert H. SheathelmCarol and Randy ShinnDr. Ronnie SidnerTodd SilverMelinda and Irv SimonPatricia and Dan SimsMiriam SmeadCurtis SmithLynda SmithDr. Mark M. StevensonDaniel StolteCarol Tepper and

Linda TepperEdward Tobin, IVDonna Tolbert-AndersonColonia Solana Nancy

TuheyJeanne and Raymond M.

TurnerCarl TuttleWilliam M. TyndallMargarita ValenzuelaLinda VidalLucile Von SpreckenMary WallaceJoan F. Weaver and

Beverly GinnEllen and Dr. George C.

WestJudith WhitcombJarrell WickerKaren Wiley and Bill AstleLori WoodsAnita and James

WoodwardAnn Youberg Czaja and

Bob CzajaLoraine zagulaSteve ZimmermanHomeowners Assoc.Economy Birding

Services,Inc.MasterCardTucson Cactus &

Succelent Society

up to $49 Leif AbrellRex AdamsDan AikenDr. Edward H. AlexanderBarbara AllenJames E. Ambrose, Jr.

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Greta AndersonWilliam AndersonRonald A Anderson, Jr.Anne and Ronald

Anderson, SrValari AndresRobert AndrewsDr. S.E. ApitzTamara ArboitSharon and Max AtwellDiane E. AustinMary Lee AustinBarbara BairdJoseph BakerBarbara BakerArdie BakerKerry BaldwinGwen BalussMary Jan BancroftCynthia BarstadDr. Roger A BarthelsonPamela BaumJennifer L. BeckerManley BegayKathy Ben and Scott L.

WilborAlison BeringerVera BerkmanChristine BerryAngela BestJessie BhangooHenry S. BienieckiBetty BlackstockDorothy BooneElizabeth BothDr. Georgiana BoyerAmanda BoyleOlga BracamonteCatherine BradleyJames BraggDr. Clait BraunAnne BrittPriscilla and Henry

BrodkinBarbara and Carl

BronderDebbie BrooksAnne BrowningWilliam L. BruniLori BryantMichael R. BurksWendy BurroughsBarbara M. CainMary and Edmund

CaldwellKaren CampasanoMary Jane CarlingNancy CarlsonMary Ann and Thomas

CarlsonFrances C. CarterDrew CarterJanice CattJohn N. ChaneyMalcolm S. ChesworthEng-Wei ChongRoberta ClarkSara and David ClementLee and Andrew ComrieDr. Sandra CookMaura and Stephen

CornellTressa CossPeter CowanFran CoxLisa CoynerJanice CrebbsM Carol Crew

Valerie CwikVirginia and Daniel

DanieuAugusta DavisMichael D DawsonDavid J. DayLinda De NommeCarol J. de WaardCarrie DeanEve and Earl DentonPat and Michael DeVitoJudith and Fred DippoldLinda DobbynMarilyn DohertyDavid DonskerDan DorseyJoan and Donald Dowler,

MDKari DriscollJanet DuberryWilliam DupontAntonio DurandoTim DurnellPatrick EganDiane and Preston

EverettJames B FadimLinda FaganSusan FallonVirginia FarwellPhilip FellemanRob FergusBetty Finley and

Charlie SpeerDavid FisherRhonda FlemingJames FleullanArnold FogelGloria ForsRob FrayKathy FullinBruce FultonCarianne FunicelliRoger l. FunkAmy Gaiennie and

Ken KingsleyJames GanoP.J. GarciaGregg GarfinRochelle Gerratt and

Roger ApplegatePatricia GerrodetteBenita J GettelSharon GilbertGay GilbertBarbara V. GilkersonKevin GilloolyRodney GlassmanKelly GoldsmithBonnie and John

GonzalesConstance Gottlund-

StevensMary GraciaCharles GrafLisa GraumlichYajaira and Floyd GrayLila GreismanBeth GrindellDonald H. GuntherDwight HahnSarah J. Hahn BrooksTrish HainesSheila aand Donald

HamannLouise and Dick

HammondClark HaneyHomer Hansen

Mary E. HansenNina HansenSally HansonAnne and Alan HarmanKay HarrellPaula HartgravesPatti Hartmann and

Bruce PlenkPatricia HartshorneDoreen HedgerKathleen HeitzmannNorma and Timothy

HelentjarisImogene B. HelmCarol and Jim

HemingwayElaine HermanPatricia HigginbothamSusan and W. Richard

HildrethVicki and George HillAnne and Dr. Schuyler

HiltsJeffry HippHarriet and Robert

HirschJoanne and Andrew

HoganCarol and Dr. Arnold

HollanderDick HomanFred HoodE Marguerite HowardEric HubbellGenaviene HueftleThomas HuelsRosemary and Dr.

Douglas HuestisMarajean and Jack

HulingAnne and Ron HummelSally and J.A. InnesM James JacobsonLynn and Max JarrettMarjorie JavetAlan JenkinsDoug JennessSue JensenDonna L. JesterMary JohnsonTracey N. Johnson and

Karl L. KosciuchMary JondrowCecilia and Randall

JonesJohn P. Jones, IIIBruce JosephGerald B. JulianiMartha KampMartin Z. KarsonRenee KeilmanDr. Arlene KellmanKarolyn KendrickLinda J. KennedyLois and Ronald KercadoSusan KetterlinusMargaret KidwellSusan KilgoreRobert KingSandra KiteDennis KizerianJaun KleinBarbara Ann KlensinDr. Kristine M KlewinCarolyn M. KobeMary Blaine KorffJames KroesenAnna Krull

Colleen Kyler and James Hrica

Kelly LacroixRenee LaRoiGarvin LarsonRenetta LarsonDiane M LaushRuth LawrenceDana LawsonJayne LawsonGraham LentonSharon and Larry

LevinsonBetty LevinsonJo Ann E. LewisJean LewisYue LiRebecca LimasDebra and Lawrence

LinettPaula W LipsitzDiana LivermanKathryn and Bill LloydKatherine LockeJane and James

LombardoJane B. LucalSarah LykensStephanie MacFarlandDeanna MacPhailHeath MaddoxJohn C. MallinsonLesley T MansurAna M MantillaHarriet M. MarbleTeri and Philip MarshS. A. MarstonAnne L. MartinPatricia and D.J. MartinSherry and James

MassieJoanne and Harry MayoJanine McCabeMegan McCarthyKarol McClellanStephen McCotterEmily McGovernPatrick McGowanConnie McInteeRebecca McKeeElaine S. Meye MeyerVista and John MichaelMascha MiedanerAlice MillerSheila and S.R. MillerTiffany Stone MillerGreg MillerLenore M. Monroe and

Alan FrolichMegan MosbyRay MouchaJacqueline MoxleySusan MullenDawn MyersCarolyn L. NashSusan NaumannEdward H. NelsonLova NjugunaDoug Noffsinger and

Roger FunkJeryl OgdenKristen OlbrysSharon and Dr. Thomas

P. OnakHelen and Joseph

OrensteinKerri J. OrmerodPatricia Orosz-CoghlanElizabeth Pagano

Carl W. PalettiSally and Everett ParkerToby ParksKathryn and Mike

PensingerMr. and Mrs. Lloyd J.

PerperCele PetersonLinda PfisterLinda Phelan and

Mort WomackPam O PhillipsWilma PinedoEllen PlaneEmily PlaneBruce M. PlenkMary Ann and Karl

PoganyCathryn and Martin

PokornyJenise and Leslie PorterCarol and Dr. Sholem

PostelBrian F. PowellVirginia PrasekRon PulliamJimmie and Bob PutmanRowena QuantrillElaine and Raymond

QuickBill RashJudith RaymondSandy and Christopher

ReithJanet ReueJean and David RiosArlene and Doug RipleyDr. Andrew RobertsonAndrew A RobinsonPatricia RoedigerAnne L. RogersJohn RosegrantJulia and Philip RosenElizabeth RosethalBarbara RothCathy Rowlette and

Kathy ZampierJonathan RulandRob SabataSteven SaffierDavid SafierDavid SalisburyShelia and Terry SansomJeanne SavardJosh SchachterWarren SchellhaseMaureen SchertzerRae Jean SchlimgenAmy SchlossbergPaula SchlusbergNan Schmidt and

Joseph O. ConnellCandace SchoyckJoe SchwanzJoan Scott and

Bill BroylesJune ScrogginLaura and Ryan SeelauGoldie and Isidore

ShapiroBecky Sharp DuncanJanice ShaughnessyMax O ShemwellJessie Shinn and

Randy GrohmanKeely SinclairMatt SlakeyMarilyn and Gerard

SmithKathy Smith

Helen SnyderVirginia and Frank Soltys Sonoran Joint VentureAmanda SorrellBecky SpencerJune StackJames R. StandenHarriet StandringVickie Stauffer and

Robert L. FrasherBarry D. StevensonMiriam Joanne StockwellBetty B. StonePat and Dennis StruckTerri StrunckSean SullivanSandy SummersSandra and Dean TaylorPatsy TeikenJudy TempleKristin Terpening and

Shannon BreslinGeri and Don ThayerJoan TimecheAudrey ToepperJoanne C. TriplettDiana TurnerKaren and Drew VactorSusan K. ValdiviaDebra ValovJerry Van CleveGus Van VlietEvie and Robert VaradyDiana Videtti and

Tom AldrichHutton WadeBarbara and Jim WagnerNancy and Richard

WalbertBarbara Walker and

Phil FeiginMargaret WardPatricia WaterfallRichard L. WattsJim WattsBetty Watts and

Fred J. WattsChristopher WendelNancy WendtWes WesenbergKatherine WestengardEllen WheelerInez Whipple and

David ChengSusan M White

Cynthia L WickerRuth WildermanWinifred Williams and

Kenneth HinkleKaren Williams and

William T. DennyMelissa WilsonJudith and Bayard M.

WilsonLori WilsonAmy and Blair WindleyFlorence F. WinslowAnn M WolfJoyce WongLaura L. WoodsAlan WrightSusan and Bob WymanGus YatesTiffany YeeJohn YergerCarmen YorkBarbara and Frank

YusupWilliam ZadinaNancy zierenbergAdrian ZiolkowskiClaire ZuckerBed and Bagels of

TucsonHaiti Arts/Galeria La

SirenaPendulum Studios, LLC

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A special thank you to the following Frequent Flyer donors for their monthly contributions:Mich CokerChristine CurtisKarl & Sandy ElersCristina FeeleyLinda H. GreeneRobert KingSusan KozacekHerb & Pat

TrossmanDeborah Vath



500 hr or moreSandy ElersEng-Li GreenChris McVie

250 to 499 hrRobert MeridethLiz PayneCynthia PruettJean RiosHerb TrossmanDavid West

125 to 249 hrDoris EvansJim HaysCraig MarkenJeri OgdenKathy OlmsteadKaren O’NeilMartha PilleTom RehmBarbara SchneidauJessie ShinnDarlene Smyth

75 to 124 hrLarry AbramsLexie BivingsLaura CotterFran CoxShirley DavisCheryl GoodbergLinda GreenLiz HarrisonTim HelentjarisJean HengesbaughMark Hengesbaugh Karen HochgrafJan LabinerVivian MackinnonMaggie PearsonLorel PicciuroLinda StitzerWalter ThurberWanda Wynne

50 to 74 hrRosie BennettSusan BirkyClark BlakeStacy BurleighCliff CathersMich Coker

Carol EagleMary Kay EiremannMary Ellen FlynnRichard FrayJulie GordonAndy HoganJoanne HoganCarolyn LewisDavid MollCarlos OchoaErlinda OchoaJoe OrensteinWilliam RoeAndree TarbyMartha WiewelKathy Wingert

25 to 49 hrKati AndersonKeith ArchibaldSharon ArnoldDebbie BartolazziHarvey BeattyMatt BrooksKathie BrownSteve BurkSue BurkBeth ClarkBill ClarkJerry ColeJennifer CordovaNigel CrookCynthia DominguezSue DrownDave DunfordMarjorie EckmanLainie EpsteinCraig GordonBill GrossiNed HarrisNorma JenkinsPhilip KlineCathy KoehlerSue KozacekBobbie LambertCherie LazaroffRonda LustmanDoug McVieAnthony MolinaPam NegriCaroline PatrickRobert Payne

Sara PikeBonnie PranterAlfred RomeroErik ShapiroPeggy SmithPhil SmithWarren TisdaleJane TisdaleDiane TouretPeggy WenrickJohn Yerger

10 to 24 hrBill AdlerLori AldecoaPeggy AlexanderKathe AndersonWalt AndersonMary AndrewsJulie AppletreeBarbara BickelDaniel BorquezMeg BuchananElizabeth BurkeJudy CalvertRichard CarlsonPat CarlsonJean ClarkJeff CorcoranTed CorderyCarrie DeanTara DeckPatty DenisonJim DouthitGinny DunnMichael EvansStacy FischerKelly FlemingSylvia FosterJohn HigginsJutta HolzhausMac HudsonRob HuntBrian IsonDoug JennessTherese Jezioro

Irene KondorKendall KroesenDavid LabinerSonja LadouceurKaren LaFranceLarry LieseJane LombardoJuan LopezDavid LouieCarol MadeheimNeil MarkowiczNancy McMahonPat McNivenPinau MerlinEd MollShari MontgomeryEric MooreBrian NicholasJuan Carlos OchoaJoanne OellersSally OhanseianMichael PensingerKathryn PensingerLindsey QuesinberryAdrian QuijadaMicah RiegnerAndy RobertsonJean ScheibeJoe SchwanzGinny SeabrookLeslie SellSharon SellKevin SmithJanine SpencerAnn StefflerCarol TepperAudrey ToepperCarl TomoffOctavio UlloaRebeca ValenzuelaDeborah VathTim WernetteBill WieboldtErika WilsonRick Wright

Tucson Audubon thanks and honors our volunteers for the gift of their time and skills.

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up to 10 hrMarlys AckermanNick AstrauskasDiane AustinAlona BachiCarol BeardmoreAndy BennettCharlie BentLinda BergDiane BerneyRay BerneyAlan BlixtTroy BlodgettPaula BlumerDiego BorquezMolly BradshawCliff BraunMatt BrownStephen BuckJosh BurrJohnny CasillasRosie CatalanClaire CaylaAnn ChaneckaAudrey ClarkPeter CollinsBea CooleyJohn CoonsKim CreaganMeghan DennisonJoy DingleySteve DingleyNancy DochertyRussell DuerksenJohann DuerksenAnn DurningKendall ElmerSandra Engoron-

MarchAbraham EstopellanAaron EvansJulie FabreMike FaganKay FaganCarlos FigueroaGayle ForsytheCassie FrantzCharles FreemanSantiago GalvisBirgitta GaudBob GessnerSusan GilbertDeborah GreenRandy GrohmanFelipe GuerreroMary HanleyMichael HanleyElizabeth HardingDavid HarwoodCat HaydenDaryl HermanJim HiggsShirley HollandDanny HolleyCelia HolmDick HomanNatalie HoughtonBarb HouserHoll-lee HuffmanDennis JexNatasha KlineGisela Kluwin, Betsy KunzerSandy Kunzer

Sarah Lantz(Reif)Ries LindleyJim LoganJesse LopezFabian MadaEd MalaisMartha MartinPaul M. MartinBob McCormickKaren McWhirterElizabeth MeyerSue MingerAdrian MonquezElaine MooreConrad MooreAnore NewmanMichael NicosiaMichelle OchoaEstevan OchotorenaScott OlmsteadSue OrdwayJeremy PapugaKrya PerryAlice PeteraulckiWendy PhelpsValerie PhippsBev PostmusClair PostmusCarol Jean PryArt QuijadaRoger RaddRavi RamJudy ReedMark RiegnerJean RigdenMolly RobisonGeorge RodriguezRick RomeaBrittney RorexMike RosenfeldValentine RoyzucoSuzzette RussiLia SansomDick SauerCarol SchoolerRich SchoolerJonathan SeelySusan SferraSandy ShepardHyatt SimpsonPriya SinghMike SmithPete SocknessAndy SorensenMartin SperryPatricia SperryMea SteesKaren StuckeChristine SylvesterClaire TurnerJose ValenzuelaIvett ValenzuelaCarolyn VemulapalliMargaret WardBob WenrickScott WilborCathy WiseDan WolgastConnie WoodmanJeff WoodmanSam WoodrichDaniela YellanSundee ZellerVF


ADVeNTuRe BIRDING [email protected] • 495-0229San Blas: Mangrove estuaries, Coffee Fincas, Palm Forests and More. Dec 12–20, 2009, $1990. Leader: Keith Kamper. The coastal fishing village of San Blas is one of the premier birding destinations in Mexico. We’ll visit mangrove estuaries, coffee fincas, beaches and coastal lagoons. 25 Mexican endemics possible including San Blas Jays, Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Cinnamon Hummingbird and Golden Vireo. Jungle boat tour with oddities like Boat- billed Heron and Northern Potoo, even iguanas and crocodiles! We will be based at one motel throughout; so we can unpack, unwind and enjoy the region’s natural and cultural history, fresh mariscos and green-flash sunsets.South Texas: Specialties and Migrants in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. April 3–11, 2010, $1890. Leaders: John Yerger and/or Jake Mohlmann. Join us in “the other” premier U.S. birding destination, with guides who have lived and birded there. With specialties like Great Kiskadee, Green Jay and Altamira Oriole, how can you miss? We’ll sample all habitats from tidal mudflats to subtropical thornscrub to prime Chihuahuan Desert. Visit both classic hotspots and lesser-known local secrets for rarer residents like Clay-colored Robin and Hook-billed Kite. This trip is timed to catch loads of spring migrants, and probably a few Mexican rarities!

NATuRe TRekS AND PASSAGeSwww.naturetreks.net. [email protected] • 781-789-8127Copper Canyon, Mexico. unique 9-Day Birding Tour. Oct. 17–25 and Nov. 28–Dec. 6. See breathtaking vistas of the Sierra Madre Mountains. Enjoy the Copper Canyon Train ride from sea level to canyon rim. Relax on the tranquil float down the Rio Fuerte. The Copper Canyon adventure combines the best of natural history with diverse, cultural habitats. But the emphasis on this trip’s itinerary is birding—for the beginner, to the obsessed. $ 2749 pp.Alamos, Mexico. Guided Cultural and historical Tour. Nov. 13–18 and Dec. 11–16. Journey to colonial Alamos in southern Sonora, Mexico, known for its charming colonial architecture and elegant ambience. Search for neotropical birds in the Sinaloa thorn forest and tropical deciduous forest, and regional birds on the Rio Mayo and at mangrove estuaries on the Sea of Cortez. Charming local restaurants! $1599 pp

RANChO eSMeRALDAwww.ranchoesmeraldanogales.com326-9686 ext. 19

SOLIPASO TOuRSwww.solipaso.com • [email protected] Blas and the Durango highway. February 21–March 2, 2010, $2570 Leader: David MacKay.

Starting in the historic city center of Mazatlan, we bird the tropical deciduous forest before heading up to find the target species of the Durango Highway. We’ll bird the key spots including Singayta Road, the coffee plantations in La Bajada, and Cerro de San Juan, and go on two boat trips up the San Cristobal River and the mangrove labyrinths of the estuary. There are a possible 35 endemics on this trip, including Tufted Jay, Eared Quetzal, Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Military Macaw, Collared Forest Falcon, and San Blas Jay. Join us for one of our most popular trips. yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. January 10–19, 2010, $3100 per person. Leader: David MacKay Our ten day itinerary goes to all of the best birding habitats, including mangrove estuaries, beautiful beaches, dry tropical forest and dense jungle. We also visit some magnificent archeological ruins, enjoy regional cuisine and explore the world of the Mayan culture. We start on the island of Cozumel, looking for island endemics at the San Gervasio ruins and beyond. Once on the mainland, we begin a large “U” of the Peninsula, visiting Tulum, the environs of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Laguna Bacalar, the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Uxmal, the Celestun Biosphere Reserve and Merida. As on all our trips, we stay at great and unique hotels, enjoy really good food, and have lots of fun!.

TROPICAL BIRDINGwww.tropicalbirding.com [email protected] • 1-800-348- 5941eastern ecuador: high Andes to Vast Amazon. December 5–19, 2009. $3390 from Quito; March 5–19, 2010. $3690 from Quito. Starting from the magnificent high Andes dotted with snow- capped volcanoes towering over 18,000 ft, we head all the way down to the ultra- diverse Amazon lowlands. Well over 1,000 bird species occur in this region, but we can see them in comfort as we stay in some of the best lodges in Ecuador, including San Isidro, Wild Sumaco, and Sacha Lodge which has the only canopy walkway in the country. Tropical Birding’s main office is in Quito, so we know this wonderful country like no one else, and our tour leaders are second to none.Southern ecuador: Tumbesian Rarities and highland endemics. January 21–February 4, 2010. $3140 from Guayaquil. Pacific coast extension: February 4–7, 2010. $890 from Guayaquil. Birding in southern Ecuador has experienced a remarkable renaissance in the last few years. A series of brand-new eco- lodges and bird reserves make this trip an absolute delight and accessible to anyone. There is a magnificent variety of habitats and birds on this trip including the endemic- packed dry Tumbesian region, rich Andean cloudforests, 13,000 ft. Paramo, and even coastal estuaries. This is one of THE best trips for hummers: some of our tours have seen over 60 species! These are only two of our Ecuador tours: our complete lineup can be found on our website.

VICTOR eMANueL NATuRe TOuRS, INC.www.ventbird.com(512) 328-5221 • [email protected]’s Canopy Tower, January 30–February 6, 2010 with Kevin zimmer and a local leader; $2,975 in double occupancy from Panama City. Kevin Zimmer leads this exciting weeklong trip to central Panama and the always popular Canopy Tower. A stay at one of the most unique lodges that we know of promises 300+ species of birds (toucans, trogons, tanagers, motmots, cotingas, and more), mammals, and history. Highlights include birding the forest canopy from the top of the tower, walking in pristine jungle on Pipeline Road, and a visit to the engineering marvel that is the Panama Canal. This trip may be combined with our Chiriqui Highlands trip that visits the cloud forests of western Panama as well as our short post-trip to the remarkable Canopy Lodge at El Valle.kauai & hawaii: The Garden Isle & the Big Island. February 27–March 6, 2010 with Bob Sundstrom and a second leader; $3,295 in double occupancy from Lihue to Hilo. Renowned as a tropical paradise, the Hawaiian Islands are also a place of exceptional biological significance. Join us for this late winter tour in search of our 50th state’s most endangered endemic birds. This tour promises visits to many of Hawaii’s beautiful sites as well as some of its most important refuges. Big Island highlights include Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the slopes of Mauna Kea, and the Hakalau forest; at Kauai we’ll visit the famed Alakai Plateau, stunning Waimea Canyon, and extraordinary Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. VF

BIRDINg TRAVEL FROM OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS

WINgS OVER WILLCOX Truly an Annual Spectacle!

IN OuR NATuRe ShOPSHawaii’s Birds $10.99The Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific $45.00

The five-day 17th annual Wings Over Willcox Birding & Nature Festival begins Wednesday, January 13, 2010 and includes a weekend packed with outdoor adventures, indoor activities and banquet speaker Rich Glinski, editor and contributing author for the book The Raptors of Arizona. Visit www.wingsoverwillcox.com or call 1-800-200-2272 to reserve your seat!


Tucson Audubon thanks our Birds & Business Alliance Members, who have shown their support for bird conservation through annual contributions and in-kind donations. Please show them you appreciate their support

for us by supporting them. Please choose these progressive companies when you need a service.

STeRLING Adventure Birding Company • 520-495-0229 • www.adventurebirding.comNature Treks & Passages • 781-789-8127 • naturetreks.netRancho Esmeralda • 326-9686 • www.ranchoesmeraldanogales.comSolipaso Tours • www.solipaso.comTropical Birding • 800-348-5941 • www.tropicalbirding.com Victor Emanuel Nature Tours • 800-328-VENT • www.ventbirds.com

SiLverThe Oasis at Way Out West • 520-825-4590 • www.wowarizona.comSnell & Wilmer • www.swlaw.comTucson Electric Power • www.tep.com

CoPPerBed & Bagels of Tucson • 520-760-5595Lou Benson ConstructionBorderland Tours • 800-525-7753Brooklyn Pizza Company • 520-622-6868Buffalo Exchange • 520-795-0508*Casa Adobe B&B in Rodeo, NM • 877-577-2275Casa de San Pedro B&B • www.bedandbirds.comCoyote Wore Sideburns • 520-623-7341Desert Toyota of Tucson • 520-296-8535Down By the River B&B • 520-720-9441Economy Birding Services • 520-762-3201*El Conquistador Resort Patio Homes Association*Financial Architects • www.financial-architects.comFiore Tile Works • 520-971-0677Greenfire Ecological Landscaping • 520-429-7306 Heartstone Mountain Ranch • 877-562-2955 Hughes Federal Credit Union • 520-794-8341Kimberlyn Drew, Realtor • 520-237-1408Lori Pascarella, Financial Consultant • 520-747-6167Naturalist Journeys • 866-900-1146 P2 Preparedness • 520-971-5971 Rancho De La Osa • 800-872-6240Ravens-Way Wild Journeys • 520-425-6425RockJumper Birding Tours • www.rockjumper.co.zaRiverpark Inn • 800-551-1466Spirit Tree Inn B&B • 520-394-0121Sundance Press • 800-528-4827TyrannoTours • 520-577-6546*The Lodge at Ventana CanyonVeterinary Specialty Center of Tucson • 520-795-9955Wild Birds Unlimited • 520-878-9585Visit www.tucsonaudubon.org for more information about our Birds & Business Alliance members, including links to their websites.

Please welcome our newest Birds & Business Alliance Members

CASA De SAN PeDRO BeD AND BReAkFAST is located next to the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA) on ten acres with easy access to the San Pedro River, which offers excellent birding. The property also has a number of feeders on it to make birding easy and enjoyable year-round. § The bed and breakfast has 10 guest rooms, all with private entrance and private bath and individual thermostats for your comfort. A full breakfast is served each day and early breakfasts are available to accommodate birders. Fresh pies and cookies are available in the afternoon. Dinners are available certain times of the year, or for groups of 6 or more with advance notice. The common areas offer plenty of room to visit with other birders or spend quiet time updating your birdlist. § Our Barn Owl box has had a family in it the last three years. A bat house, made to house up to 6,000 bats, can be quite a sight in the early spring when over 400 bats have flown out searching for bugs. It is not unusual to see Lesser Night Hawks circling our fields, bats leaving their box, and Barn Owls taking flight during the mid-evening starting in early May. § The grounds are constantly being improved with drought-tolerant plants that attract birds and butterflies. We welcome birders to visit us and experience birding at our bed and breakfast, and if you would like to stay a night or two, we would be most happy to host you. www.bedandbirds.com.

eL CONquISTADOR ReSORT PATIO hOMeS ASSOCIATION, INC. El Conquistador Resort Patio Homes consists of 192 residences which border the golf course of the Hilton El Conquistador Resort in Oro Valley. § Beginning in mid 2007, the Association embarked on a three-year capital improvement /infrastructure renewal program. By the end of this program, over $480,000 will have been invested in this program including the planting of 250 new trees and over 1,000 new plants/shrubs. § Following the guidance of our consulting Landscape Designer, Greg Corman, all of the new tree and plant species are native to the Sonoran Desert and follow the principles of xeriscape landscaping. Three of the larger common areas were designated as “The Bird Garden,” “The Butterfly Garden” and the “Lizards Lair,” with the installation of appropriate new plantings and benches. § Other major components of the capital program were a totally new irrigation system, a major physical upgrade to the roads, and a complete new installation of decorative rock for the entire community. § One of the most gratifying results from these investments and management efforts is the reduction of three million gallons of irrigation water consumed in a two-year period as compared to the prior two years. § The reduction in the consumption of potable irrigation water was recognized by the town of Oro Valley in the town’s Monthly Magazine, Vista. The community was also

recognized in a feature article on Station KVOA News 4 by the “Green Team” reporter for our water conservation efforts and our tree- and shrub-planting program. § With all of these continuing efforts, we felt that a next logical step would be to join the Audubon Society whose overall goals and vision so closely complement those of our community. § We are proud to be a member of the Tucson Audubon Society. Board of Directors, El Conquistador Resort Patio Homes Association, Inc.

FINANCIAL ARChITeCTS Are you on a path to financial independence? When planning for your financial future you want to enlist the help of professionals you can trust. At Financial Architects, Certified Financial Planners™ James P. Walker and Brienne L. Dylewski are committed to helping individuals and businesses build financial futures that meet their personal and professional goals. As independent planners, they are truly able to work in the best interest of their clients on everything from retirement planning to wealth management to college savings. In business for more than 35 years, Financial Architects enjoys a solid reputation for providing expert financial advice and investment and insurance services to help clients reduce taxes and achieve financial independence. § If you would like to schedule a complimentary appointment please call 884-7550. Partial list of Services & Products: Business Retirement Plans, Business Insurance Planning, Employee Benefit Planning, Estate Planning, Private Portfolio Management, Mutual Funds, Annuities, 529 College Savings Plans and Long-Term Care Insurance. Ph: 884-7550. Website: www.financial-architects.com. § Securities and advisory services through KMS Financial Services, Inc.

The LODGe AT VeNTANA CANyON Against the dramatic backdrop of the Santa Catalina Mountains, nestled in the foothills of this pristine setting is the perfect vacation destination, the Lodge at Ventana Canyon. With just 50 spacious guest suites located within the gates of a private club, The Lodge offers a unique and intimate vacation experience. Be a member for a day or lifetime. § The Lodge offers every leisure activity you could possibly want. Heading the list of attractions are the two world-renowned Tom Fazio-designed golf courses, which will captivate your imagination as they wend their way through the scenic foothills at the base of the Santa Catalinas. Couple this with a world-class tennis program managed by Peter Burwash International, a spacious swimming facility, fitness center, a spa with room service, and dining facilities with eclectic menus designed to meet every taste. § The Lodge at Ventana Canyon is a four-diamond golf and tennis resort destination, voted #35 by Conde Nast Travelers Readers Poll of the top 100 golf resorts. Come and visit this Tucson classic. VF

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TUCSON AUDUBON’S BIRDS & BUSINESS ALLIANCE

*New member

Name

Address

City / State / Zip

Email

Phone

New membership � � Renewing membership Please email me about Tucson Audubon �events and conservation issues. Please do not share my contact information. � Please do not mail me � Vermilion Flycatcher. I’ll read it online.

DONATIONI would like to support Tucson Audubon �Society with an additional contribution of � $25 � $50 � $100 � $ 250. Tucson Audubon Frequent Flyer Monthly �Donor Program: I authorize the charge of $____ per month for ____ months to my credit card ($10/month minimum).

Tucson Audubon Society will use the full amount of your tax- deductible gift for its environmental, educational and recreational programs.

MeThOD OF PAyMeNT Check (payable to Tucson Audubon Society) � MasterCard � � Visa � AMEx

Credit Card No.

Expiration Date Amount $

Signature

Please send your application with payment to Tucson Audubon Society,

300 E. University Blvd, #120, Tucson, AZ 85705

(Attn: Jean Barchman, Membership Coordinator)

OR join, renew or donate online at www.tucsonaudubon.org


Support Tucson Audubon... Become a Friend Today!

ANNuAL MeMBeRShIP SuBSCRIPTION$35 � Individual$50 � Family$35 � Senior Supporter*$25 � Senior Discount*$25 � Student*

Contributor $100 �Supporter $25 0 �Guardian $500 �Steward $1000 �

Leadership Circle $2500 �*IndividualBIRDING BuDDy WANTeD Kelly Fleming

520/394-0017 [email protected]. Intermediate Looking to sharpen all skills especially birding by ear in the Patagonia (I live here and know the back country), Santa Cruz Co. area. Once a week or more.

BIRDS & BuSINeSS ALLIANCe Join TODAY and connect with the Tucson Audubon community. For more information and to join, contact Paul Green at [email protected] or 777-9525.

eL PeDReGAL Nature Lodge—Alamos, Sonora, Mexico—Five luxurious guest casitas and central lodge set on 20 acres of intact tropical deciduous forest. Delicious regional cuisine, unrivaled local knowledge and warm hospitality. Birding tours, river trips, yoga classes and more available. Special Tucson Audubon package available. For more information: www.solipaso.com

LIke TO eNTeRTAIN? Enjoy birding? The education department is planning two programs, Sandhill Cranes and a Raptor Watch this winter. A volunteer will be treated to a free trip in exchange for helping host, simple food prep and packing. A great way to help. Call Becky: 622-2230

The OASIS AT WAy OuT WeST B&B/Private Nature Preserve. A secluded trail side location offers close-up wildlife observation and colorful mountain sunsets. Bird our trails (135+ House List) or the Catalinas. 20+ feeding stations, Naturalist/Photographer on-site, Wi-Fi, Hydrotherapy spas, Bike rentals, Eco-Excursions. WOWArizona.com. 520.825.4590.

THE TAS-IFIEDSCLASSIFIED ADS

Classified and display ads are accepted from individual members and members of our Birds & Business Alliance. Visit www.tucsonaudubon.org/verfly for rates or contact Matt Griffiths [email protected] to book an ad.

VOLuNTeeR NeeDeD Are you interested in helping the database side of our AZ Important Bird Area (IBA) Avian Science Initiative? Would you like to learn about what birds were seen where across our IBA survey network? Then the Az IBA Program could use your help with bird survey data entry at the TAS-IBA office possibly one morning a week (3 hours, Wednesday ideal). You must have a willingness to delve into the technical language of ornithological surveys and be open to learning our database structure and codes supporting our on-line data entry. Call Scott Wilbor, AZ IBA Program Conservation Biologist, at (520) 628-1730 to help. VF

Other Ways to Give!Tucson Audubon Society is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 100% of your financial and in-kind donations and membership dues are tax deductible.

The VeRMILION SOCIeTyCreate 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 WALLWhenever you visit our 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 Jean Barchman at [email protected] or 629-0757.

WORkPLACe GIVINGDonations 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; it’s 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 ID 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.

The IRA ChARITABLe ROLLOVeRLegislation has been extended retroactive to 2008 and 2009. During 2008 and 2009, holders of traditional IRAs who are at least 70½ years old can transfer up to $100,000 per year directly to charity — bypassing income tax. The extension comes as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, and enables Americans to give to the causes they care about.


Good Feeding PracticesIn addition to enjoying wild birds in your

backyard, Tucson Audubon promotes responsible bird-feeding practices that include, but are not limited to:

Storing your bird seed in a dry, rodent-proof • containerCleaning debris from under feeders regularly• Monitoring the number of birds at your feeder • (large concentrations are not recommended)Cleaning your feeders regularly• Marking any windows near your feeders to • eliminate potential window collisions (It is best to keep your feeder within 3 feet of your window so birds are flying slowly or not at all when near or on your feeder)Ground feeding is not encouraged, as this • can draw other wildlife to your yard and encourages large concentrations of birds such as pigeons, doves and other ground feeders. These ground feeders are also food for larger wildlife and become easy targets when concentrated in one area.Other tips to enjoy more wild birds in your

backyard:Landscape your yard with native plants, • as these provide food, shelter and nesting opportunitiesProvide water for birds—fresh, running water • is most appealingFor more information on responsible bird

feeding and creating a better habitat for birds, please stop by our store and pick up an Enjoying Wild Birds in Your Backyard brochure.

TUCSON AUDUBONNATURE SHOPS

Tucson Audubon’s Nature Shops provide for your needs in natural history books and guides, birding optics and accessories, and gifts right here in Tucson. We offer a great selection, the best prices, and member discounts. Remember to shop locally.

enhance your wild bird habitat by making the Nature Shop your stop for premium bird seed and feedersThe Tucson Audubon Nature Shop now offers a selection of premium wild bird seed and seed feeders, along with our selection of hummingbird feeders, to enhance your backyard habitat and enjoyment of bird-watching.

We’ve chosen a premium quality seed brand mixed to provide the best seed for our backyard birds here in urban and suburban Tucson. Wild Delight brand seed is mixed by a family-owned and operated company in Minnesota and their ingredients come from growers in the United States. Wild Delight seed does not have any added chemical preservatives in its seed formulations and the company studies nutritional needs of wild birds in order to provide needed nutrients in their seed mixes. Wild Delight brand does not use seed mix fillers such as milo or millet that are less desirable to feeder birds in our area, and provides one of the cleanest and most dust-free products available in the industry.

Just a few of the variety of seed mixes you will see in our store from Wild Delight brand:

Black Oil Sunflower Seed—Just about every seed-eating bird enjoys black oil sunflower, especially Northern Cardinal, Pyrrhuloxia, and House Finch. 7# bag—$15.99

Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Chickadee Food—This is a hearty blend of seed including sunflower, peanuts, pistachios, and pumpkin, as well as dried cranberries, apples and papaya. Gila Woodpeckers will enjoy this mix, and quite possibly a Cactus Wren, too! 5# bag—$14.99

Deck, Porch N’ Patio ® mix—This is a zero-waste bird seed mix. All of the nuts and seeds are hulled, allowing the birds to easily eat the seed and keeping you free from cleaning up opened shells. All songbirds go for this blend. Expect to see Northern Cardinal, quails, grosbeaks and finches among others. 5# bag—$15.99

Also available in our Nature Shop are various bird-seed feeder types, including feeders made from recycled plastic. You can take your pick from a tube-style feeder, hopper or wire mesh, or window feeder.

And don’t forget the hummingbirds! Feeding hummingbirds is easy and enjoyable. And, a few other bird species such as orioles, tanagers and woodpeckers also may enjoy your hummingbird feeder. The Nature Shop offers a wide selection of hummingbird feeders, and includes feeders that are very easy to keep clean.

Our staff and volunteers are looking forward to helping you enhance your backyard habitat with feeders and seed. Support Tucson Audubon when considering your bird seed and feeders purchase.

Don’t forget—all Friends of Tucson Audubon members receive 10% off seed, plus no sales tax for all of our customers!

We’ll see you in the shop soon! VF

TUCSON AUDUBON NATURE SHOPS

When you support your local Tucson Audubon Society you are supporting birds and bird habitat conservation. Thank you!

SHOP HOURSMAIN ShOP

Monday–Saturday 10 am–4 pm, except Monday & Thursday until 5 pm

Phone: 629-0510On the southeast corner of University Blvd and 5th Avenue.

AGuA CALIeNTe PARk ShOP October–February: Thursday, Friday & Saturday,

9 am–3:30 pm Phone: 760-7881

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).

WAke uP WITh The BIRDS Thursday 8:00 am: Loaner binoculars available, meet in front of the ranch house. For more information call Pima County Parks and Rec. 615-7855 or email [email protected] permit requests and general information about

park rules and regulations call 749-3718

Annual Black Friday and Saturday SaleFriday, November 27th and

Saturday, November 28th

Plus a T-shirt blowout and

single price sale bins!

Support local business, support

Tucson Audubon! We’ll see you there!

*Sale good on in-stock items only

15% off optics, coffee

and seed*

20% off all other items*

SARA

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ID Your TreeThe Sibley Guide to TreesDavid Allen Sibley. 2009. New York: KnopfISBN: 978-0-375-41519-7-4261

David Sibley’s new guide to trees is a bit large and expensive for a field guide (9.5 inches tall, an inch thick, 2.25 lbs., $39.95). On the other hand, there are a lot of trees out there. Sibley describes 668 of them.

One of the first things you will notice is the handsome map of USDA hardiness zones just inside the front cover. Sibley is attempting to

interest not only nature lovers with field guides in their backpacks, but also horticulturists and backyard gardeners. Each species description gives zones in which the tree can survive—in case you are wondering if there is a niche for a Joshua tree in your back yard.

Along with native trees, the guide covers lots of introduced species. Range maps for each species seem to be comprehensive, showing both the natural range of a native tree and areas where they have been introduced.

With a field guide I usually skip right to the species descriptions, but it’s worth reading the introductory material in this case. Sibley discusses what counts as a tree (Joshua tree apparently does) and how to make field observations. For those who are interested, there’s a good introduction to descriptive botany and taxonomy.

Now to the critical question: Can you actually identify trees using the system in this book? Sibley makes the point that no single “field mark” (leaf shape, bark texture, etc.) alone is enough to identify a tree—at least in most cases. So the guide describes, and often illustrates, several key diagnostic characteristics for each species. Be aware that it may be difficult to identify a tree that has no fruits or flowers, or that has lost its leaves.

Disconcerting to some users will be the fact that for most species there is no illustration of the entire tree, just the individual diagnostic parts (leaves, fruit, bark, etc.).

How does it hold up for trees in southeast Arizona? The guide seems to have good coverage—virtually all the local native trees are in here, from Apache pine to Arizona madrone to screwbean mesquite. There are some exceptions. Not surprisingly, extremely rare natives like Bursera are excluded. A short description of the genus Sambucus isn’t enough for you to identify Mexican elderberry to species, though it should get you to “elderberry.” A very common, introduced species—African sumac (Rhus lancea)—is nowhere to be seen. As in any guide, there are questionable details—the illustration of velvet mesquite pods looks far too purplish.

This seems like a good addition to the growing array of field guides. Compare this guide to other tree guides available in our nature shop and make your own decision. If you already have a backpack full of heavy guides, you might want to leave this one at home and learn to make notes and sketches in the field. I think Sibley would be okay with that.

Kendall Kroesen

BOOkeNDS

Crow Planet: essential Wisdom from the urban WildernessLyanda Lynn Haupt. 2009Little, Brown and CompanyISBN 0316019100240 pages. Hardcover

Haupt has written a much-needed book for today’s busy lifestyle. We all hear about nature and how we need to respect it, but often we don’t know how, or even where, to begin. Haupt tackles this problem by simply focusing on one animal, the crow. It’s a bird familiar to most people and easy to spot, unlike most songbirds that stay in the trees and are hard to study. Crows are out in the open and, being members of the corvid family, are intelligent and lively. Crows and other corvids are problem-solvers; they enjoy manipulating items and seem to think about what they are doing.

Haupt uses the crow as a communication tool to open the reader to the world of nature and observation. The book is filled with interesting stories about crows, and is solid with information on crow behavior, ecology, and general biology. Haupt has done her homework, not just on crow

ecology, but also how to relate this ecology to philosophy and everyday thinking about global issues. In the book we see the journey crows take between life and death, and how we should relate to these concepts in our own lives.

Haupt brings up a topic about which I have strong feelings. There seems to be a void in the lives of our children regarding nature. It seems that young folk would rather stay indoors and fiddle with electronic devices than venture outside and poke around in shrubbery and trees or lift rocks to discover the small worlds underneath. My daughter is two years old and is allowed, under supervision of course, to freely explore nature. As we pull weeds in the back yard, or work in the garden, she observes insects and toads, and I teach her that these things are alive and interesting. With this sort of exposure at a young age, I hope she will grow up to be an optimistic steward of the planet, doing her part to give nature the respect it deserves.

Haupt concludes with a meaningful thought. Instead of being wholeheartedly melancholy over the ecological state of the earth, she chose to dwell in possibility, as Emily Dickinson suggested: “…we cannot predict what will happen but we make

space for it … and realize that our participation has value.” Haupt explains that this is grown-up optimism, “where our bondedness with the rest of creation, a sense of profound interaction, and a belief in our shared ingenuity, [all] give meaning to our lives and actions on behalf of the more-than-human world.” VF

Howard Clark Editor, Fresno Audubon

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Vermilion Flycatcher Volume 54, Number 6 November–December 2009The 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.


Change Service Requested

The Second Annual Tucson Audubon Gala, Making a Splash for Wildlife, will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at the Arizona Inn, starting at 6 pm.

A no-host cocktail hour and silent auction will precede dinner. Robert Glennon, author of Unquenchable, will be the guest speaker. Chuck George, weather newscaster and meteorologist for Channel 13-KOLD, will MC.

For underwriting information or to make a reservation, please call Jean Barchman at 622-5622.

T U C S O N A U D U B O N g A L A — S A V E T H E D A T E !

Visit tucsonaudubon.org for event updates • See page 9 for Living with Nature / Membership Meeting details

RICH

ARD

FRAY

vermilion - tucson audubon society · in a precious and threatened landscape. vf. vermilion...

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