Vermilion

Tucson Audubon Society | tucsonaudubon.org

f l y c a t c h e r
January–February 2010 | Volume 55,
54, Number 1
5

The Value of
Mistletoe

Conservation Priorities for 2010 3

New Global IBAs in Arizona 5
Wildlife Linkage Success 19

Wasted Water? Not in My Patch! 14

What’s in a Name? Phainopepla 15
Raw Deal for U.S. Taxpayers 20

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 Ma g a z i n e

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 Trossman
Vice President Mich Coker
Secretary Robert Merideth
Treasurer Lindsey Quisenberry
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 Stitzer
Board Committees Conservation Chris McVie,
Development Sandy Elers, Education Cynthia Pruett,
Membership Jessie Shinn, Finance Lindsey Quisenberry,
Personnel Mich Coker, Nominating Robert Merideth
Programs & Activities
Field Trips Darlene Smyth 297-2315
Library David West
Membership Meetings Jean Barchman
629-0510
622-5622
Rare Bird Alert John Yerger | Report Rare Birds 798-1005
Staff
Executive Director Paul Green 777-9525
Finance and Operations Brad Paxton 629-0757
Accountant Michelle Bourgeois 629-0757
Membership Coordinator Jean Barchman 622-5622
Special Projects Erin Olmstead 622-5622
Education & Outreach Specialist Matt Brooks 622-2230
IBA Conservation Biologist Scott Wilbor 628-1730
IBA Program Assistant Samantha Barnett 628-1730
Restoration Program Manager Kendall Kroesen 206-9900
Field Supervisor Rodd Lancaster 256-6909
Restoration/Communications Specialist
Matthew Griffiths 206-9900
Restoration Specialist Chris Harrison 206-9900
Restoration Specialist Andy Bennett 206-9900
Mason 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 #120 629-0510
623-3476 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)
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 mgriffiths@
tucsonaudubon.org.
Coordinator Matt Griffiths 206-9900
Proofreaders Jane & Warren Tisdale 749-2139 and
Tucson Audubon staff and board members
Design/Layout Eng-Li Green
2 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010
Features
13 Water and Wildlife
14 Wasted Water? Not in My Patch!
15 What’s in a Name? Phainopepla
16 Discovering the Value of Mistletoe
Departments
3 Commentary
4 News Roundup
8 Events Calendar
8 Events and Classes
12 Living With Nature
18 Conservation and Education News
21 Field Trips
24 Birding Travel from Our
Business Partners
25 Classified Ads
26 Nature Shops
27 Bookends
Wild Time for Water
Kendall Kroesen, Restoration Program Manager
The Central Arizona Project (CAP), which currently
delivers nearly 60 percent of Tucson’s water,
is Arizona’s largest single user of electricity.
Ninety-five percent of that electricity comes from a
coal-burning plant near Lake Powell.
This means that our water consumption
contributes to pollution and global warming,
as well as to degrading the significant water-
dependent wildlife habitats of the Colorado River
Delta—formerly one of the world’s largest fresh-
water estuaries—and other riparian habitats of the
Colorado River.
In addition to its ruling that carbon dioxide is a
pollutant, the EPA may require coal-burning plants
to install very expensive technology to reduce
nitrogen oxide pollution—making it prohibitively
expensive to operate (the Lake Powell plant is
already installing a much less expensive and
slightly less effective system). The more expensive
system could cause the price of CAP water to
double or triple (see www.cap-az.com/public-
information/ngs/).
The price we pay for our water does not reflect
its true costs because many are externalities:
the effects on the Colorado River, the effects of
pollution from the power plant. We can reduce
some degradation, but it will increase our water
bills substantially.
VERMILION
Tucson Audubon Society | tucsonaudubon.org
F L Y C A T C H E R
January–February 2010 | Volume 55,
54, Number 1
5
The Value of
Mistletoe
Conservation Priorities for 2010 3
New Global IBAs in Arizona 5
Wildlife Linkage Success 19
Wasted Water? Not in My Patch! 14
What’s in a Name? Phainopepla 15
Raw Deal for U.S. Taxpayers 20
TUCSON AUDUBON’S BI-MONTHLY NEWS MAGAZINE
Front cover: Sandhill Crane by Donna Tolbert-
Anderson. You can see more of her nature photography
at www.capturingnaturesimages.com.
To have your photographs considered for use in the
Vermilion Flycatcher, please contact Matt Griffiths at
mgriffiths@tucsonaudubon.org.
It is a positive
sign that Tucson
and Pima County
are cooperating
Anita Pittenger
on the “Water and
Wastewater Infrastructure,
Supply and Planning Study.”
Phases I and II (an inventory, and a study of values
and policy) were overseen by a citizen committee.
Their report, plus several technical papers, is
available at www.tucsonpimawaterstudy.com.
The ultimate goal of this 5-phase study is to
develop a “sustainable water future and a livable
region.” We must follow its progress closely to
make sure the result is a plan for true sustainability,
and that the “respect for the environment”
espoused by the study is not superficial.
For many, “sustainable water” means the
perpetual availability of water for people. They
do not take into account the needs of any other
species.
We need to widen the angle of our lens and see
that water sustainability must mean sustainability
for song sparrows, beavers, ash trees and all of us
who breathe the air. VF
 Commentary
Chris McVie | Conservation Chair
When it comes to Conservation, it’s about
the Water, the Habitat and Wildlife Linkages
As we look to serving our community during
2010, we will continue to expand our offerings of
free birding trips, expand the range and number of
our education activities, and bring greater clarity
to our conservation work. While some of our
conservation activities focus on restoring degraded
riparian habitats, and identifying and monitoring the
most important habitats for birds and other wildlife,
and maintaining their viability, advocacy is also an
important part of our work. The coming year brings
significant opportunities and challenges ahead.
Here are some of the highlights:
On a national level, we look forward
to the enactment of the Clean Water
Restoration Act (www.opencongress.
org/bill/111-s787/show) . For residents of the
western United States, this act should clarify the
importance of conserving ephemeral waters and
their watersheds, such as the Santa Cruz and San
Pedro Rivers and their tributaries. Locally, this
may provide an increased level of guidance for the
Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) and increased
certainty for developers, water and flood control
managers, and conservationists regarding potential
impacts to such important areas as Davidson
Canyon, an area identified by Pima County’s
Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan (SDCP) as a
Critical Landscape Linkage (CLL) and Important
Riparian Area (IRA).
The passage of the Senate Climate
Change Bill (www.opencongress.org/
bill/111-s1933/show) could be a step forward in
reducing our nation’s contribution to increasing
levels of C02 in the atmosphere, currently at 386
parts per million, up from 313 parts per million in
1958. It may also provide the impetus to invest
in cleaner, greener technologies and move us
forward towards a more sustainable economy,
while avoiding the dire consequences of inaction
Tice Supplee
San Pedro River
that would include the disruption of the ecological
systems that maintain our life on earth.
Reform of the 1872 Mining Law
would update the mining law to reflect the best
available scientific information protecting our
nation’s clean air and water, institute higher
reclamation standards, and ensure royalties in
exchange for the resources that are extracted. The
proposed Rosemont Copper Mine, the proposed
Resolution Copper Mine, and the proposed
uranium mining projects in the vicinity of the Grand
Canyon could be vastly improved or averted
through passage of this bill (www.earthworksaction.
org/1872.cfm).
While some of our
conservation activities focus
on restoring degraded
riparian habitats, and
identifying and monitoring
the most important habitats
for birds and other wildlife,
and maintaining their viability,
advocacy is also an important
part of our work.
On a statewide level, Arizona
State Trust Land reform (www.land.
state.az.us/news/2009/062609_reform.htm)
continues to be high priority. Unfortunately, as the
process has unfolded through 2009, the current
effort, led by the Governor and the State Land
Department, has been reluctant to fully integrate
the important conservation work done by a number
of agencies and organizations such as the Western
Governors Association (www.westgov.org/index.
php?option=com_content&view=article&id=123&I
temid=68), the Arizona Wildlife Linkages Working
Kendall Kroesen
Tortolita Fan from Arthur Pack Park
January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 3
Group (www.azdot.gov/
Kendall Kroesen
Highways/OES/AZ_WildLife_
Linkages/workgroup.asp), the Arizona Game
and Fish Department (www.azgfd.gov/w_c/index.
shtml), the Arizona Department of Transportation
(www.azdot.gov/Highways/NResources/index.asp),
the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection (www.
sonorandesert.org/), and local jurisdictions (www.
pima.gov/CMO/SDCP/, www.marana.com/index.
aspx?NID=193, and www.tucsonaz.gov/ocsd/HCP.
php). Integration of the best available conservation
science could enable our state to better meet the
needs of our human and wildlife populations in
adapting to climate change and the demands of
rapid growth.
Locally, the planning for the next Pima
County Open Space Bond is moving
forward. We support the recommendation of the
Conservation Acquisition Commission for $285
million and recommend that the funding be used
not only to complete the acquisition of previously
Board of Supervisors-approved purchases, but
to acquire identified private and State Trust Land
parcels within and adjacent to identified important
wildlife corridors (CLLs) and to expand protected
areas, such as the Tortolita Mountain Park.
The bond election is currently scheduled for the
November 2010 election, but has been a moving
target due to the state of the economy.
Habitat Conservation Plans
(HCPs) are underway in Pima County, the Town
of Marana, and the City of Tucson: see www.pima.
gov/CMO/SDCP/reports/d52/MSCP.pdf, www.
marana.com/index.aspx?NID=193, and www.
tucsonaz.gov/ocsd/HCP.php. After the profound
loss of Dr. Maeveen Behan, guiding light of the
SDCP, the county continues to move forward with
its final application to the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) for a Section 10 permit
under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The City
of Tucson is preparing an HCP for their Avra Valley
Water lands and a proposed solar installation.
Marana’s proposed HCP is slated to intensively
develop the majority of the Tortolita Fan’s old
growth ironwood and saguaro forest.
We will be asking for your help in bringing
pressure to bear on these issues throughout the
year. We do much of this by email. If you are not
on our email list you can register by going to www.
tucsonaudubon.org and click on the Sign up for
email newsletter link.VF
 Tucson Audubon
News Roundup
Gearing up for Birdathon
Erin Olmstead, Special Projects
Paul & Eng-Li Green
Birdathoning in Madera Canyon, April 2009
Do you plan to get out birding more
this year, and perhaps involve your
friends in your favorite hobby? Having
a firm plan may make your dreams
become real, so we offer our 2010
Birdathon as a great opportunity to get
out birding, and the money you raise
will help us teach people about birds
and save habitat!
A Birdathon is like a walkathon,
except instead of raising money per
mile walked, we raise money per
species seen. Here’s how it works:
This year’s Birdathon will run from
April 9 through May 9.
You bird when, where, and however
you like during that time. In addition
to your commitment of one day’s
birding, you will need to ask a couple
of your friends, relatives, neighbors,
or colleagues to sponsor your effort,
either on a per-species-seen basis
or with a fixed amount. It’s a simple
way to connect birding and habitat
protection, and to share the fun of
birding with your community!
We are making a few exciting
changes for this year’s Birdathon.
We’re developing a cool and easy-to-
use online pledge tool that will simplify
the registration and sponsorship
process. You’ll be able to customize
your own personal fundraising
4 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010
Youth birding off to a flying start
Kendall Kroesen, Restoration Program Manager
Paul & Eng-Li Green
The first field trip of Tucson Tucson parks and birding hotspots.
Audubon’s Young Birders Club is We’ll look for wintering species both
scheduled for Saturday January 30. common and rare, with emphasis
The club is designed for children ages on finding rarities that have been
8 to 18. All kids in this age group with reported recently.
an interest in birds are invited to join We will end the trip at Reid Park
in the trip. with a lunch meeting in one of the
The club’s adult field trip leaders ramadas. We hope the young birders
are Robert Payne (vermillion233@ themselves will play an important role
hotmail.com, 867-0490) and Scott in determining the focus and direction
Olmstead (sparverius81@hotmail. of the club. It is our hope that, beyond
com, 840-9567). They are young men gaining and sharing birding skills,
that share a passion for birding and club members will gain an interest
webpage to conveniently get the
a desire to help open up the world of in natural history and take on citizen
word out among family and friends,
birding to kids. At least one member science projects that “give back” to
who will then be able to sponsor your
of the Tucson Audubon staff will the birding community and to wildlife.
team’s birding securely online. You’ll
accompany the first trip. Contact the Thereafter, club field trips will be
even be able to track your progress
trip leaders to sign up. on the fourth Saturday of each month.
toward individual and team fundraising
As noted in the field trip description We will look at expanding field trip
goals. Remember—great prizes will
(see page 22), the January 30 trip opportunities as the program grows
be awarded to the top performers in
will be a half-day of birding in local and diversifies.
several categories including: Most
Pledges Collected, Most Money
Raised, Most Money Raised per
species, Most Species Seen per
With your holiday gift you can be
Gallon of Gas, and perhaps Most part of a brighter future!
Species Seen. The focus is on birding,
fun, and fundraising that does not cost You still have the opportunity to join with hundreds of others in our community
the earth. to make a year-end tax-deductible gift to Tucson Audubon. You will have
So make a date with yourself to received a letter in the mail, and an email also, telling you how you can be a
go birding in April and May, and mark part of our year-end appeal. The easiest way to give is to call Jean Barchman
that date in your calendar today. at (520) 622-5622, or go online to www.tucsonaudubon.org and click on the
Get a few friends together for your End of Year Appeal link. Paul Green, Executive Director.
Big Day of Birding (or Big Sit). Then
start thinking about who you can
get to sponsor you. New to birding
or a first-time Birdathoner? Check
out www.tucsonaudubon.org/what-
we-do/birding/birdathon.html to learn
more about fun and successful past
All photos Paul & Eng-Li Green
birdathons and consider joining one
of Tucson Audubon’s expert-guided
teams. I’ll be giving you much more
information in the next issue—stay
tuned!
 Two Arizona Important Bird Areas gain global status!
Coming up: January and February “backcountry” surveys in premier Sonoran desert habitats in
southwest Arizona, and Southern AZ IBA Bird Monitoring Workshop in early March.
Scott Wilbor Important Bird Areas Program Conservation Biologist

Scott Wilbor
Elaine Morrall

Alan D. Wilson / Naturepicsonline.com

Cabeza Prieta NWR (Cholla Pass), site
of our first “backcountry” multi-team IBA
survey in 2010.

Our IBA Bird Monitoring Workshop

is moving to March 5th and 6th. The
first day will be in a classroom, 8
a.m. (breakfast provided) to noon,
with optional afternoon training and
John H. Hoffman

birding. The second day will be field

Top L to R: Anderson Mesa (Long Lake), a new GLobal IBA in Arizona; recognized specifically for Pinyon Jay, a species listed as
“Vulnerable”.
Bottom L to R: Chiricahua Mountains (Cave Creek Canyon), another new Global IBA in Arizona; recognized specifically for Mexican
Spotted Owl listed as “Near Threatened”.
This past November, the National
Audubon IBA Technical Committee
reviewed two of our Arizona Important
Bird Areas, and based on data we
provided, elevated both to Global
IBA status. Our program, which uses
trained volunteer IBA bird surveyors,
often provides the essential bird data
for these state and national reviews.
If you are interested in becoming a
volunteer IBA bird surveyor, please
join us at the training workshop to be
held in Tucson on March 5th and 6th
(new date).
Anderson Mesa, southeast of
Flagstaff in the Coconino National
Forest, was recognized as a Global
IBA for the essential habitat this
forested and lake complex provides
for Pinyon Jay (IUCN Red List
Vulnerable). Flocks of these jays
numbering in the hundreds nest
and feed throughout this pinyon and
ponderosa pine covered mesa. One
of our northern IBA Team efforts
collected extensive bird data for this
area in 2005.
The Chiricahua Mountains,
in southeastern Arizona, within the
Coronado National Forest, was
accepted as the other new Global
IBA. This area was recognized for
the abundant Mexican Spotted Owl
population (IUCN Red List Near
Threatened). Biologist Helen
Snyder documented that this owl and
ten other owl species are nesting
within the exceptionally high quality
habitats of sycamore/oak/juniper
riparian, pine/oak, and mixed conifer
vegetation, within the many canyons
of this 9600 foot range. The overall
owl density (and for raptors overall) is
extremely high.
Two other Arizona IBAs have
already received Global IBA
designation; Marble Canyon for
California Condor and the lower
San Pedro River for Bell’s Vireo.
The recent recognition of Anderson
Helen Snyder
techniques training from 8 to noon
in Avra Valley. We are looking for
intermediate to advanced birds with
a bent towards science-based data
collection. Our first “backcountry”
multiple team effort will be at Cabeza
Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, now
Mesa and the Chiricahua Mountains Jan. 28–30 (with possible exploration
brings the total number of Global extension through that Saturday,
IBAs in the United States to 378. This then return Sunday). “Backcountry”
status gives further recognition to surveys to Organ Pipe Cactus
these areas for the exceptional bird National Monument follow on Feb.
populations of global concern that 18–20. All our IBA inventory and
they support. monitoring efforts are designed to
Last year we had 26 IBA Teams help further our site-based knowledge
monitoring birds in Arizona, and 13 of bird populations of concern in
were in southern Arizona (plus four Arizona, and promote good land
“backcountry” survey efforts). In management and stewardship for
2010 we will continue IBA Teams their long-term conservation. Please
at Sabino canyon & creek (3 visit our website, www.aziba.org for
teams), Tanque Verde Wash, Santa IBA bird survey, resource fieldwork,
Catalina Mountains, and southern and other workshop announcements,
Santa Rita Mountains; and multi- as well as to access all our bird
team “backcountry” surveys in the survey results and to see photos &
Patagonia Mountains, Cabeza Prieta videos of the sites. You too can be
National Wildlife Refuge, and Organ part of Audubon’s Important Bird
Pipe Cactus National Monument. We Areas conservation program; we hope
hope to train and assemble new teams to see you at our Southern AZ IBA
for Tanque Verde Wash (to expand Bird Monitoring Workshop in March
coverage), Cienega Creek, Patagonia or sooner!
area, Amado area, and a new site
along the lower San Pedro River.
January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 5
 Tucson Audubon
News Roundup
Kudos and cookies
Jean Barchman, Membership Coordinator
Jean Barchman
Volunteers (left to right) Joe Orenstein, Wanda Wynne, David West, Kathy Olmstead, and
Craig Marken joined with others in Tucson Audubon’s library to celebrate voluteerism.
Members of Tucson Audubon’s staff
and board honored the volunteers
Tuesday, December 8 with a fondue
buffet, pizza, relish and fruit plate,
coffee and punch in the Library Room.
The volunteers’ help is essential to the
success of Tucson Audubon Nature
Shops, in assisting the office as a
mailing crew, as field trip leaders,
and as Board members. Eighteen
volunteers received a door prize.
We thank these local businesses for
providing gift certificates to be used
Welcome new members!
Lidia Artiola, Peter Berry, Cynthia
Bethard, Robert Billups, Roger
Boerner, Nina and Dave Bossert,
William and Mary Bush, Judith
Carlson, Herb Carpenter, Tom Carr,
Marsha Colbert, Duane and Pat Cote,
Laurel Dambrosio, Dino DeConcini,
Joe Duchene, James Kevin Erwin,
Virginia Fairchild, Lillian Fox, Ed and
Linda Golding, Barry Greenhow,
Bob Hadden, Pamela Heiman,
Judith Henderson, Karen and John
Hewitt, Audrey Hill and Kathryn Hill,
Sher Horosko, Robert Huntoon,
Nina Isaac, DeeAnn Jackson, Jeff
Jordan, Richard Kidwell, Ruth
In Memory
We thank the following people that made a heartfelt donation in memory of a
loved one. Regretfully, it was omitted from the last Flycatcher issue.
In memory of Bill Massey from Molly Pollock and Mark Stevenson.
Jean Barchman, Membership Coordinator
6 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010
as door prizes: Arizona-Sonora Desert
Museum, Chili’s Restaurant, Chuy’s
Mesquite Broiler, International Wildlife
Museum, Mane Street Salon, Mini-
Time Machine Museum of Miniatures,
Pima Air & Space Museum/Titan
Missile Museum, Time Market,
Tohono Chul Park, Tucson Children’s
Museum, and Wild Birds Unlimited.
Pizza was provided by Brooklyn
Pizza. There was a cookie exchange
afterwards.
Lucius, Judi Maikoff, Betty McElhill,
Karen McFadden, Ellen McMahon,
Ed and Tatia Morrison, Jeanne
Oehler, Thomas Oliver, Jeffrey
and Gwen Olmstead, Dayaljibhai
Patel, Wally Paton, Scot Pipkin, Jim
Quirk, Elizabeth Reed, Virginia Rich,
Kenneth and Judy Riskind, Starr
Rounds, Alissa Sadalla, Doug and
Kathi Sanders, Delia Schmedding,
Richard Schooler, Maria Schuchardt,
Arlene Stigen, Marceline VandeWater,
Liz Vermillion, Candice Weber, Robert
Wedemeyer, Susan Williams, Sharon
Young, Jennifer Zehr
Volunteer news roundup
Becky Aparicio, Volunteer Coordinator
New volunteers
Mike Byers—community outreach
always there half-an-hour before any
one else arrives, and sets up chairs
Eileen Sykora—membership & and membership materials, making
community outreach sure everyone signs the all-important
sign-in sheet. That’s how I got her
Volunteers of the Year name in the first place.
As we honor our first Volunteers
Caroline Patrick juggles lots of
of the Year (see p 7) I find myself
activities that a back-to-school mother
considering more and more what
of a teenage son would. She began
makes a GREAT volunteer. Certainly
as a shop sales volunteer and now
giving lots of time to an organization
keeps the classes organized for the
is a plus, and quality of work is
Education Outreach programs as well.
paramount. But not to be forgotten
Keep an eye out for her on her motor
is the enthusiasm and attitude that
scooter and helmet!
a volunteer brings, the impact he or
she makes on the organization and Don’t Miss This
to the fulfillment of its mission. The Giant Reed Removal in Sabino
high quality of nominees this year Canyon—every Sunday thru March
made our decision difficult, for Tucson 7, 2010. Bring friends, neighbors and
Audubon is blessed with a number of family to help control this invasive
volunteer staff that fit these criteria. plant. Check out the details in the
I’d like to tell about some of our newer Restoration news and web pages.
volunteers who are in the process of
Tucson Audubon Society
becoming GREAT! They have been
Gala—February 2, 2010. This very
volunteers less than six months.
fun and elegant event was knock-out
Lynn Kelley-Piper is a yoga therapist wonderful last year and we’re looking
and teacher who is new to Tucson. for a team of party people to help with
Her love of birds and the outdoors many tasks. Interested? Call Becky at
brought her to Tucson Audubon. She 622-2230 or 760-7881.
has become a great tabling volunteer
Volunteer Orientation—February 24,
for different events. She can get the
2010. The staff and board members
most skeptical listener to leave her/
will describe their work, clarify
his name and e-mail on one of our
objectives, and answer questions
sign-in forms, and she is able to get
about volunteering for Tucson
fifty people to sign that all-important
Audubon. Darlene Smyth will share
liability form before they head out to
her volunteer experiences as our Field
cut Arundo donax.
Trip Leader organizer and give tips on
Eileen Sykora lives in Green Valley “comfortable birding” for the physically
and jumped in to volunteer with us challenged. Coffee and snacks will be
when we needed someone to help at served 9:30–11:30 am. RSVP: Becky
the Green Valley lecture series. She’s 622-2230 or 760-7881.
Birds of North America Online—
Subscription Discount for TAS Members!
Fascinated by birds? Indulge your ornithological curiosity with a
subscription to Birds of North America Online. In addition to comprehensive
and frequently-updated species accounts, this fantastic resource offers image
and video galleries illustrating plumages, behaviors, habitat, nests and eggs,
and more, plus a selection of recordings of bird songs and calls from Cornell’s
Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds. In cooperation with Cornell Lab of
Ornithology, we are pleased to offer our members the opportunity to subscribe
to BNA Online (or renew your subscription) at the discounted price of $32 per
year. Check it out at bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna and contact Jean Barchman at
622-5622 to get the discount code. Makes a great gift!

Tucson Audubon Society is proud
to declare Darlene Smyth
“Volunteer of the Year 2009”, so
says the certificate presented at
December’s Member Potluck.
Darlene Smyth is our Field Trip
Coordinator who averages over
100 hours a month organizing the
30+ volunteer trip leaders as well
as leading several trips a month
herself. She and her husband Mike
have been members for twenty years
and Darlene became a volunteer
nearly five years ago. As Sara Pike
says, “Darlene oversees every one
of our free field trips and makes
sure they’re covered. By doing this
she puts a valuable sales tool in our
hands for customers, visitors and
prospective new members”. She
radiates enthusiasm and her passion
for birding shines through. Darlene
Saving our birding heritage
Almost all readers have probably
visited the garden of Marion Paton
in Patagonia, known throughout
the birding community as the most
reliable place to see the Violet-
crowned Hummingbird in the United
States. Marion and her late husband
Wally kept the feeders topped up, and
made visiting birders welcome.
Members are likely aware that
Marion Paton died on August 29,
2009, leaving some uncertainty about
the future of this important birding
site. Tucson Audubon is working with
the Paton family members to facilitate
their ability to keep the house open
to the public, to welcome birders,
VOLUNTEERs OF THE Year
is also on the new Youth Birding
committee and brings her signature
hard working ethic to this program.
Darlene’s favorite birding site
is Madera Canyon for its variety of
bird species and natural beauty.
She has birded extensively over
North America and several countries
in Central and South America and
declares, through a number of
interesting experiences, that “birding
is not for sissies”. A Border Patrol
agent once drew his gun when he
mistook her statement that she and
a friend were birders, for “my friend
and I are murderers”.
When pressed to pick her favorite
bird she thinks the Rose-breasted
Grosbeak she saw for the first time in
High Island, Texas is top of her list.
Darlene admits that she loves
her cats even more than birding,
but keeps her pets on a leash while
outside. She’s a mineral and gem
fan, collects antique porcelain, is a
wine enthusiast and loves travel in
general. She’s an eclectic reader,
consuming great literature to “jelly-
bean” books one after the other.
She also has a particular interest
in organizing information about
birding locations which are friendly
to birders with physical limitations.
Check her developing web site:
www.comfortablebirdingforall.com.
and to maintain the feeders. An ideal
outcome would be for the property to
be purchased from the family, with
a management agreement in place
with the new owners that would allow
birders access, and for the feeders
to be maintained. Tucson Audubon
is currently working with the family to
help identify potential buyers and, in
the meantime, the family has entered
an agreement with Tucson Audubon
member and field trip leader, Michael
Marsden, to manage the property.
The Paton property is now, and
hopefully will remain indefinitely, open
to birders just as it has been during
the past several years.
Not one but TWO Volunteers of the
Year! John Yerger received his
certificate at the Potluck and said a
few words of thanks and gave the
guests a plug to become volunteers.
No, he didn’t bring Fruit Cake, but
admits he likes it! He currently serves
as the Field Expedition Chair for
the Arizona Field Ornithologists, is
the silent but powerful force behind
our Tucson Rare Bird Alert, and is
a Senior Guide for the Adventure
Birding Company.
As a volunteer Field Trip Leader
for the Tucson Audubon Society,
VIREO
Tucson Audubon and the Patons
share the goal of identifying a buyer
who will keep the property open to
birders while honoring the legacy
of Marion and Wally Paton. In that
regard, we invite our readers to
please contact Jean Barchman 622-
5622 should they have information
that might lead toward identifying
potential buyers.
The Paton property is important
in many ways. For birders, it is the
best place to find Violet-crowned
Hummingbird during their trip to
Arizona. For the town of Patagonia, it
is a vital part of the economy, bringing
many thousands of people into town
January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 7
John has thoroughly enjoyed leading
trips to the Chiricahua Mountains
(where he has studied Painted
Redstarts), the Sulphur Springs
Valley, and the lower Santa Cruz
River. Since becoming a member just
three years ago, John has made a
profound difference in our ability to
keep abreast of all the bird sightings
that our local Tucsonans and visitors
make.
John says that all birds are his
favorites...but one that stands out in
his mind is Chestnut-sided Shrike-
Vireo viewed on Volcan de Fuego in
the state of Colima, Mexico. Locally,
Sycamore Canyon in the Pajarito
Mountains (west of Nogales, east of
Ruby) is a favorite place of his to bird:
“You just never know what’s going to
turn up there! There’s always a few
memorable birds, and I almost always
see Montezuma Quail”. Because
John is a well-rounded naturalist he
keeps his eyes open to other events,
such as his viewing a Brown Vine
Snake eat an Ornate Tree Lizard.
His experiencing a Ruby-crowned
Kinglet landing on him while on a
deep sea pelagic trip 150 miles
from land, rates as one of his most
unusual bird occurrences. We’re
hoping that he’ll bring some of his
own home brewed beer to our next
party and perhaps strum on his guitar
for us.
The late Marion Paton in her backyard
where they spend money on various
goods and services in addition to the
sugar fund at the Paton property.
As part of our region’s birding
heritage, it is priceless. We invite
your assistance in helping provide
information that might secure the
preservation of this unique location. VF
 Tucson Audubon
Events and Classes
Saturday Mornings at the Mason Center
January 30 from 9:30 am to noon
Our first successful event with excellent speakers
and enthusiastic participants kicked off in
September with what we hope will be a series
of relaxed Saturday mornings at the Mason
Center. It’s a time to meet and greet over light
refreshments with music, followed by two speakers
on topics of interest to Northwestern Tucsonans.
If you missed the first gathering, be sure to
mark your calendar for Saturday, January 30,
and join us for an informative program. Another
highlight is the Center’s composting toilet that is
fast becoming a reality. You don’t want to miss
seeing and possibly utilizing the first commercial
composting toilet in Pima County—another
incentive to join the fun on January 30.
9:00 am: Gates open with light refreshments,
music, information on sustainable design practices
(tabling booths), and meet and greet.
9:30 am: Ribbon cutting for the composting toilet
(crown the auction winners), continuation of 9 am
activities.
The Spectacular Excursions Filling Fast
Richard Fray
Red-shouldered Hawk in Sulphur Springs Valley area
8 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010
Events Calendar
Jan 11. Living With Nature lecture (Tucson):
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls in the Sonoran
Desert with Aaron D. Flesch (details p 12)
Jan 13–16. Wings Over Wilcox birding festival
(details p 27)
Jan 15 & 16. IBA Bird Monitoring workshop
(details p 5)
At some time after 10:00 am, the Sky Island
Jan 16. Living With Nature lecture (Green
Alliance will present a program with two talks.
Valley): Land of Black Volcanoes and White
Janice Przybyl, the Wild Linkages Program Sands with Dr. Larry Marshall and Dr. Clark
Director, will speak first. The title of her Blake (details p 12)
presentation is Getting from here to there: The
Jan 18–20. IBA survey, Organ Pipe Cactus
who, what, where and why of wildlife linkages.
National Monument (details p 5)
Jessica Lamberton, Wildlife Biologist and
Outreach Specialist will follow after a short break. Jan 23. Sandhill Cranes and gourmet food
Her presentation will address Studies of bobcats
education trip (details below and p 22)
in urban environments. Jan 27–30. IBA survey, Cabeza Prieta NWR
(details p 5)
Jan 30. Saturday morning at the Mason
Center (details left).
Jan 30. Young Birder event (details p 4)
Feb 2. Tucson Audubon Gala (details p 28)
Feb 3 & 6. Raptors, Their Habits and
Morphology class (details p 11)
Feb 4–Mar 10. Backyard Birding and Beyond
Paul & Eng-Li Green
classes for beginners (details p 11)
Feb 8. Living With Nature lecture (Tucson):
Tucson Birding Hotspots with Aaron Floyd
and Eva Baird, and Conserving for Birds with
Carolyn Campbell (details p 12)
Feb 6–17. Landscaping for Wildlife and
Sustainability course (details p 9)
Feb 13. Raptors in the Sulphur Springs Valley
The Sandhill Crane and Gourmet Food bus
education trip (details below and p 23)
excursion for Saturday January 23, 2010, is almost
Feb 20. Living With Nature lecture (Green
full. In addition to the birds and food, you will learn
Valley): Spotted Owls with Amanda Moors
about the cranes and their conservation in Arizona.
(details p 12)
Experts from the Arizona Land and Water Trust,
Arizona Game and Fish Department and Tucson Feb 20. Gull Identification workshop in Puerto
Peñasco, Mexico, with Dave Stejskal and
Audubon will be along to make this a memorable
Chris Benesh (details p 9)
event. Along, too, will be our special guest, Chuck
George, meteorologist and weather newscaster for Feb 24. Tucson Audubon volunteer orientation
Channel 13-KOLD. Cost is $75 and the destination (details p 6)
is Whitewater Draw. March 20 & 21. Riparian Family Institute
(details p 10)
The Viewing Raptors in the Sulphur
Springs Valley excursion on February 13, 2010, Apr 15–18. Institute of Desert Ecology (details
is also close to full. This is a wonderful opportunity
p 10)
to view wintering birds, including many raptors, with Apr 21–May 22. Knowing and Understanding
expert Tom Wood of the Southern Arizona Bird Raptors course (details p 11)
Observatory. The emphasis is on comfort, food and Apr 22 & 24. Birding by Habitat: Birds of Mt
expert discussion of the conservation of the region. Lemmon workshop (details p 11)
Travel is by smal bus. Cost is $90 (to cover the
cost of using small buses). Available in our Nature
For more details, consult the articles on ­Shops Raptors of Western North
page 10 of the November/December Vermillion America by Brian K. Wheeler, with
Flycatcher. Call Jean Barchman on 622-5622 to hundreds of color photos and maps.
reserve your place or to be put on a wait list. $29.95

Landscaping for Wildlife and Diversity
February 6–17
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? What
other ecological issues can good landscaping
address?
Course 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
Kendall Kroesen
Learn to Identify Gulls with Arizona Experts
February 20–21 • Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico
OVERVIEW: Birdwatchers in Arizona enjoy one
of the richest and most diverse avifaunas in the
country, but if you have birded here for more
than a few months, you’ve learned that there’s a
definite lack of gulls to view and study in this state.
That’s why we’re announcing our first-ever Gull
Workshop to be held in conjunction with the
Arizona Field Ornithologists (AZFO) in Puerto
Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico on February 20–21,
2010. Chris Benesh and Dave Stejskal of Field
Guides, Inc. have generously offered to lead this
workshop!
Puerto Peñasco is the winter home to some
impressive numbers of gulls, exhibiting a wide
variety of plumages, with as many as a dozen
species present in late February. We can expect
to see large numbers of Ring-billed, California,
Herring, Yellow-footed, and Heermann’s Gulls,
with smaller numbers of Bonaparte’s, Thayer’s,
Glaucous-winged, Western, and perhaps other
scarcer species. The vast majority of our time will
be spent studying and discussing the identification
and molt of as many species as possible over
Saturday and Sunday, hoping to come away with
Kendall Kroesen
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.
This is a great introduction to the topic
for backyard enthusiasts, real estate agents,
landscape designers and installers, and others
interested in helping Tucson support declining
wildlife populations.
Left: Making our backyards more like this landscape at
Tucson Audubon’s Mason Center would help birds and
other wildlife.
Above: Western pygmy blues and many other pollinators
visit desert broom.
The course fee is $250. Please register
by contacting Jean Barchman at 622-5622
or jbarchman@tucsonaudubon.org. If you
have questions about the course, contact
Kendall Kroesen at 971-2385 or kkroesen@
tucsonaudubon.org.
Jim & Deva Burns. www.JimBurnsPhotos.com
a better understanding of the identification of the
gulls back home in Arizona.
While this shouldn’t be viewed as a general
field trip to sample Puerto Peñasco’s rich birdlife,
we’ll undoubtedly see a number of other enticing
waterbirds while there.
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY / WHAT TO EXPECT
IN THE FIELD: Climate in Puerto Peñasco at this
season is much like that of Phoenix or Tucson in
late February (chilly mornings warming to the 60s
or low 70s during the daytime). We’ll be doing our
birding from the roadside or along the beach, with
no significant climbing involved. We encourage
each participant to bring along their own spotting Heermann’s Gull
scope for this workshop.
FEES AND REGISTRATION: We are limiting the CARPOOLING, MEETING TIMES/PLACES:
participation for this special event to ten Tucson Car pools will leave from both the Phoenix and
Audubon members and ten AZFO members only, Tucson areas early on Saturday morning (4 hour
and ask that participants contribute $10 each to drive to Puerto Peñasco from either location);
cover the leaders’ expenses. Registration will open returning Sunday evening. Carpooling to be
on January 6. Email Darlene Smyth: dsmyth3@ coordinated with registered participants. Please
comcast.net to sign up. Passport now required for send your phone number and general location
land border crossings. (city/town) when registering!
January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 9
 Tucson Audubon
Events & Classes Mesquite Girdlers! Rufous-winged
Bring Your Family to Learn
Sparrows! Schist!
about Riparian Habitats Institute of Desert Ecology • April 15–18
Riparian Family Institute • Have you ever wanted to peer into a Gila monster’s
mouth or set out on a lizard wrangling expedition?
for four decades now in a hands-on, interactive
environment during four days of field workshops,
March 20–21 Ever wondered why mesquite girdlers “girdle” group classes, and gourmet food. This is an
mesquite branches? Does the diversity of life in the opportunity you shouldn’t miss. Location: Catalina
Matt Brooks

Sonoran Desert simply leave you in awe? If you State Park. To sign up, call the Nature Shop at
answered “yes” to any of the above, you definitely 629-0510 or email education@tucsonaudubon.

James Prudente
need to check out our upcoming Institute of Desert org or visit www.tucsonaudubon.org/what-we-do/
Ecology. Our local expert faculty have been education/ide.html.
helping desert enthusiasts satisfy their curiosity

Join us for the spring edition of Riparian Family

Institute. We’ll be exploring the riverside
ecosystems of the San Pedro River and camping
under the stars. Activities include river walks, a
bird walk, insect identification, blacklighting for
nighttime invertebrates, habitat restoration, a
campfire, and plenty of fun, fun, fun! Space is
limited, so contact Nature Shop at 629-0510 or

Sara Pike
email education@tucsonaudubon.org soon to
reserve spaces for your family.

Take Bird ID Beyond Guess Work

Moving to Mastery and Specialty Workshops • Fall 2010–Spring 2011
If you consider yourself an intermediate birder or
will complete our Backyard Birding and Beyond
class this spring, you should consider the next
step in developing your skills as a birder. Take
identification beyond guess work and provide a
framework in which to hone your skills by moving
beyond the basics with our Moving to Mastery
course. Or, if you have a special interest in a
particular bird family, check out our Specialty
Workshops. For more information call 622-2230.
Moving to Mastery
Classroom sessions: Wednesdays, October 13, 20,
27 and November 3 & 10, 2010
Field trips: October 16, 23, 30, and February 6
Specialty Workshops
Sparrows: February 10 & 20, 2010
Warblers: September 1 & 4, 2010
Flycatchers: September 8 & 11, 2010
James Prudente

To sign up, call the Nature Shop at 629-0510 or Sparrows: January 26 & 29, 2011
email education@tucsonaudubon.org. Raptors: February 2 & 5, 2011

10 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010

 During 2010 Tucson Audubon will offer a range of new and continuing ways of learning about birds and birding (listed on pages 8–12),
taught by leading birders and educators in our community. Since we will offer most of these courses just once a year, we recommend that
you secure your place at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment. Once courses are fully subscribed, we will add names to a wait
list. If you have questions about any of the classes and workshops, please call 622-2230 or email education@tucsonaudubon. To sign up,
please call our main Nature Shop at 629-0510 or drop by the store at 300 E University Blvd.
Backyard Birding and
Beyond for Beginners
February and March
February will be here before you know it and what
better way to expand your bird IQ than with this
class, which is designed for beginners and will
be taught by Lynn Hassler. You will learn why
southeastern Arizona is such a great place for birds
and why birdwatching is so much darn fun! We’ll
address how to separate birds by habitat, seasonal
occurrence, and behavior. We’ll learn about field
marks and vocalizations. Get the lowdown on
binoculars and field guides, birding vocabulary, and
etiquette in the field.
As a participant you will learn how to identify
local birds and discover some of their interesting
characteristics and charms. We will also cover
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, and it will be enjoyable! The course
includes three two-hour classroom sessions and
two field trips, up to about three hours in length.
We will run the course two times, once in
Tucson, and once in Green Valley.
Course leader is Lynn Hassler, birder for more
than 35 years, author of numerous books (including
Birds of the American Southwest; Hummingbirds
Lifelong Birding Series Specialty Workshop
Sparrows, Their Habits and Morphology
February 10 & 20
We still have a few openings for this February
class, taught by Homer Hansen. The class takes
the form of a three-hour classroom lecture and a
one-day field trip. See p 10 for more details of this
Specialty Workshop.
Classroom session: Tucson Audubon, Wednesday,
February 10, 6–9 pm
Field trip: Saturday, February 20, time to be
announced
Cost of the workshop: $110 for members, $145 for
non-members which includes a membership in
Tucson Audubon
Doris Evans
of the American
West; Roadrunners; and Gambel’s Quail) and
educator on plants, birds, and desert ecology.
Tucson Course
Classroom sessions: Thursdays: February 4, 11,
and 18, 6–8 pm at Tucson Audubon
Field trips: Saturdays, February 6 and 20;
locations/times to be announced
Green Valley Course
Classroom sessions: Mondays February 8, 15, and
22, 10 am–12 noon, location to be announced
Field trips: Mondays March 1 and 8; 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, please contact our main Nature
Shop at 629-0510 or you can sign up in person
at the store located at 300 E University Blvd in
Tucson. If you have questions regarding classes
and workshops, please call Education at 622-2230
or email education@tucsonaudubon.org.
To sign up,
please contact
our main Nature
Shop at 629-0510
or you can sign
up in person at
the store located
George West
at 300 E. University
Blvd in Tucson. If you have
questions regarding classes and workshops,
please call Education at 622-2230 or email
education@tucsonaudubon.org.
January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 11
Birding By Habitat for All
Birders: A Workshop for
the Birds of Mt Lemmon
April 22 & 24
Our Sky Islands provide
elevation contrasts that
result in a great diversity
of animals and plants.
Educator Lynn Hassler will
teach a one-hour classroom
session on the habitats of
George West
the Santa Catalina Mountains,
describing the varied cast of avian characters. We
will bird our way up the Mt. Lemmon Highway on
our Saturday field trip, stopping to experience the
birds associated with assorted habitats.
Classroom session: Tucson Audubon, Thursday,
April 22 , 6 pm (1 hour)
Field trip: Saturday, April 24, 7 am–3 pm.
Cost of the workshop: $90 for members and $125
for non-members which includes a membership
in Tucson Audubon.
Knowing and Understanding
Raptors for All Birders
May 22
Raptor biologist Jim Dawson, an authority on
Harris’s Hawk and Raptor Conservation Biologist
with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, will teach
this class. You will learn to cut through the many
ambiguities of raptor identification and broaden
your knowledge of the habitats and foods each
species use. We will study both resident and
migrant species moving through from the south.
This interactive class will give you increased
knowledge, ID skills, and will include an element of
fun through some neat quizzes.
The course will consist of five two-hour
classroom sessions and one eight-hour field trip.
Classroom session: Tucson Audubon,
Wednesdays, April 21 through May 19, 6:30–
8:30 pm.
Field trip: Saturday, May 22. Start time and location
to be announced.
Cost of the workshop: $185 for members and $220
for nonmembers which includes a membership
in Tucson Audubon.
 Tu c s on A u d u b on ’s L iv i ng w i t h Nat ur e L e ct ur e S e r i es
Tucson Living with
Nature Lecture Series /
Member Meetings
DuVal 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 Series
Joyner-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 jbarchman@tucsonaudubon.
org for more information or visit
tucsonaudubon.org.
January 11 • Tucson
STATUS, NATURAL HISTORY, AND
RECOVERY OF FERRUGINOUS
PYGMY-OWLS IN THE SONORAN
DESERT with Aaron D. Flesch,
University of Arizona, School
of Natural Resources and the
Environment
In the Tucson region, controversy
over needs for urban growth versus
preservation enveloped a small
owl about which little was known
for much of the last decade. The
Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
is the northernmost subspecies of
the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl and
occurs from lowland Arizona south
to Sinaloa, Mexico. Although once
described as common in riparian
areas and adjacent desert scrub
in central and southern Arizona,
these small yet fierce diurnal owls
were extirpated from much of their
former range in Arizona in the mid
1900s, and listed as endangered in
1997. Despite continued declines,
Pygmy-Owls were removed from
Sky Jacobs
12 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010
the endangered species list in 2006
for reasons unrelated to recovery,
and are now being reconsidered
for relisting due to steep declines in
distribution and abundance.
On January 11, 2010, Aaron will
discuss the status, natural history,
and recovery prospects for Pygmy-
Owls in the Sonoran Desert and
summarize what we have learned
about the species since it was first
listed as endangered. Information on
Pygmy-Owls in Arizona is challenging
to obtain due in part to their rarity and
the absence of systematic efforts to
monitor populations. The last Pygmy-
Owl known in the Tucson area was
captured in 2006 for use in a captive
breeding effort that is still being
attempted by the Arizona Game and
Fish Department. Despite recent
extirpation from the Tucson area,
Pygmy-Owls have occurred in Organ
Pipe Cactus National Monument,
Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife
Refuge, in and around the Altar
Valley, and on the Tohono O’odham
Nation since 2001. Results from
surveys of recently occupied sites in
Arizona suggest that Pygmy-Owls
have declined in Arizona over the last
decade, that individuals in some sites
are not paired, and that occupied
sites are fragmented across southern
Arizona and surrounded by large
areas of non-habitat.
Since 2000, I Aaron has studied
the natural history and ecology of
Pygmy-Owls in northern Sonora
where they are more common and
where he has monitored abundance,
reproductive performance, survival,
and movements in a 25,000
km2 study area just south of the
international border. These data,
combined with movement of Pygmy-
Owls from Sonora, may prove critical
for recovery in Arizona and for long-
term persistence of populations in
the Sonoran Desert. This is because
when combined with strategies to
manage and enhance habitat, natural
or facilitated dispersal of owls from
Sonora may augment populations
in Arizona. Despite good prospects
for recovery, numerous threats to
Pygmy-Owl habitat—and landscapes
linkages that foster connectivity
among patches of habitat—exist in
the region. Please join Aaron for a
fun and informative presentation of
the latest data on Pygmy-Owls in
the Sonoran Desert and stories and
pictures about his adventures in
Sonora.
January 16 • Green Valley
LAND OF BLACK VOLCANOES
AND WHITE SANDS with
Dr. Larry Marshall and
Dr. Clark Blake
Join the authors of Land of Black
Volcanoes and White Sands—The
Pinacate and Gran Desierto de
Altar Biosphere Reserve for an
illustrated journey highlighting
this remote and starkly beautiful
area. Together you will explore
the geology, plants, animals, and
human history of the Gran Desierto,
considered by many to be “the heart
and soul of the Sonoran Desert.”
Dr. Marshall is a “semi-retired”
geologist and paleontologist who
works on historical, environmental
and conservation issues in southern
Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. Dr.
Blake is a retired geologist who is
also an avid birder and former board
member of Tucson Audubon. Both
will be on hand to sign copies of their
new book, which will be available for
sale after the presentation.
February 8 • Tucson
TUCSON BIRDING HOTSPOTS
with Aaron Floyd and Eva Baird and
CONSERVING FOR BIRDS with
Carolyn Campbell
The Co-founders of Project AviAtlas,
Aaron Floyd and Eva Baird, will
be presenting the Tucson Birding
Hotspots partnership between
Tucson Audubon and AviAtlas
aimed at creating a resource of
community-described local birding
locations. During the talk they will be
highlighting your efforts to date, while
also taking you across the world to
show the different scales of project
AviAtlas. Carolyn Campbell will
explain how the Multi-Species Habitat
Conservation Plan and the Maeveen
Behan Conservation Lands System
of the Sonoran Desert Conservation
Plan benefits birds and birders,
and will tell you what you can do to
support it.
February 20 • Green Valley
SPOTTED OWLS with
Amanda Moors
Ever wonder how biologists study
nighttime animals such as owls?
Come learn some of the techniques
used to locate, capture, and
monitor Mexican Spotted Owls as
biologist Amanda Moors shares her
experience researching the owls
in the Catalina Mountains and the
San Carlos Apache Reservation.
She will show video and photos of
these beautiful raptors as well as
discuss the impact of the wildfires
that occurred in the Catalinas during
her study.
Amanda Moors, a contract wildlife
biologist and resident of Globe, AZ
has studied everything from black
bears in New Hampshire to spotted
owls, elk, mountain lions, bighorn
sheep and western box turtles all
around the Grand Canyon State.
VF
 Special Feature | Water and Wildlife

Riparian Magic
Julia Fonseca

The most productive and diverse

settings for wildlife in our area are along
short stream segments that provide year-
round water. Summer and winter floods
fill these channels and then recede,
replenishing the aquifer and leaving
behind detritus caught in the branches of
dense stream-side vegetation.
Unfortunately, these areas have been
the hardest hit. Lowering of the water
table has eliminated the most productive
parts of the ecosystem: the year-round
running water and the rich diversity of
plant life that was rooted in the moist soil.
Loss of shallow water tables has robbed
our region of the persistently wet settings
where plants and animal populations
could best weather multi-year or even
multi-decadal droughts.
The diversity of riparian vegetation
is hard to replicate, in part because the
characteristic vegetation requires more Illustration showing baseline conditions for wildlife within
the Santa Cruz sub-basin before water was mined for Available in our
water than is currently available. Even with intensive human consumptive use (from Environmental Nature ­Shops
sufficient water, planting dense groves Restoration in Pima County in Cooperation with the U.S.
of mesquite or cottonwood trees alone Army Corps of Engineers; www.pima.gov/cmo/sdcp/ The Lessening Stream,
reports/d12/028ENV.pdf)
would not replace the wildlife value of the Michael F. Logan, $24.95. An
periodic flushes of flooding that stimulate This is why protection of the remaining environmental history of the
new growth, create woody debris piles, riparian habitat is so important. Diverse Santa Cruz River.
and open up new areas of moist soil. vegetation and persistently moist soils Vernal Pools, Natural
Even if the water and seeds are together in a place wide enough to allow History and Conservation,
available for riparian vegetation, the a flood to pass is what creates riparian Elizabeth A. Colburn, $29.95.
floodplains are largely developed or magic! Planting vegetation is not enough. For readers who want to
channelized. Putting the vegetation in Fortunately, in Pima County we still recognize, understand,
a too-narrow channel means it will just have undammed streams, and in some protect and manage
be eroded or scoured away. Planting places, there are still wide floodplains. seasonally wet pools
vegetation outside the floodplain means An example of such a place is the Santa wherever they occur.
that there will be no flood disturbance, Cruz River downstream of the treatment Water in the West, a High
which is ecologically important to plants. Another is at the end of Columbus Country News Reader, edited
many seed-eating birds as well to the Boulevard at the Rillito. In this area, artifi- by Char Miller, $29.95. A
regeneration process. cial tributary channels were removed and collection of the best reporting
a combination of reclaimed water, tributary on the subject of water in the
runoff, and occasional flood disturbance West, drawn from the pages
from the Rillito now maintains riparian of High Country News.
habitat. In today’s changed environment, Eye Know Water, a DK book
effluent or reclaimed water is the for kids, Penelope Arlon,
bridge needed to establish new riparian
Paul & Eng-Li Green

$8.99. Where does rain

Outflow from the Ina Road wastewater treatment plant
vegetation and buffer riparian habitat from come from? Why does the
drought-induced desiccation. VF
sea taste salty? How do you
make ice? Which animals
Julia Fonseca is Environmental Planning live in water? A book for kids
Manager, Pima County Office of Conserv- to find out all about water!
ation Science and Environmental Policy.

January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 13

 Where to Go, Birds to See
Wasted Water? Not in My Patch!
Michael Marsden
I get nostalgic about wastewater
treatment plants. As a youngster in
England I spent hours working the
open beds for that elusive shorebird
from Siberia or North America among
the masses of Dunlins and Common
Redshanks. Sadly many of those beds
disappeared with modernization. Imagine
my pleasure, therefore, on coming to
Arizona and finding treatment plants not
dissimilar to those I remember from years
ago. Only the absence of lowering skies
and daylong drizzle conspires against my
feeling entirely at home.
The most productive of our plants are
described in detail in Tucson Audubon’s
Finding Birds in Southeast Arizona
(updated at www.tucsonaudubon.
org). They are (in descending order of
numbers of species recorded on eBird)
Sweetwater, Willcox, Avra Valley, Roger
Road, Sierra Vista, Green Valley, Benson,
Amado, Mammoth, Casa Grande,
Thatcher, Sunsites and Corona de
Tucson. A missing hotspot is the federal
facility at Nogales, but that has been
closed to casual birders since renovations
started in 2003.
The plants have been ideal for
witnessing some of the extraordinary
birding patterns of the last few weeks
in our region: the unprecedented
numbers of southward-moving Vaux’s
Swifts in September and early October,
the remarkable variety of canyon
birds descending to the lowlands, the
Michael Marsden
American White Pelican
14 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010
astounding influx of eastern neotropical
migrants and the invasions of Western
Bluebirds and Lawrence’s Goldfinches,
a promising augury for Christmas Bird
Counts.
The place to have been is Sweetwater
Wetlands. The array of birds was
phenomenal: Jerry Bock and others
amassed over a hundred species there
several times in October and November.
All the regulars were present—and at
Sweetwater these include such gems
as Cinnamon Teal, Harris’s Hawk,
Black-necked Stilt and Yellow-headed
Blackbird—but so were Steller’s Jays,
Western Scrub-Jays, Mexican Jays and
other oddities, rarities such as Horned
Grebe, Wood Thrush and Golden-
crowned Sparrow and even an exotic
Orange Bishop and Nutmeg Mannikin.
Best of all were the eastern warblers:
Tennessee, Chestnut-sided, Blackpoll,
Black-and-white and Prothonotary
Warblers were all eagerly added to
birders’ state and life lists.
Inevitably other plants were
overshadowed as birders gravitated
towards Sweetwater. But there were
highlights elsewhere: Ruddy Ground-
Doves at neighboring Roger Road,
Bonaparte’s Gulls at Benson, Dunlins at
Avra Valley, Greater Scaup at Sierra Vista
and Green Valley and a high of ten Wood
Ducks at Amado. Only Lake Willcox, with
Red-necked Phalarope, Semipalmated
Plover and Heerman’s Gull, though, could
James Prudente
Wood Duck
Jim & Deva Burns. www.JimBurnsPhotos.com
Black-and-white Warbler
compete, at least in the shorebird and
larid stakes, with Sweetwater.
January and February are great
months for birding our local plants.
Wildfowl and sparrow numbers are at
their peak and there’s always a chance
of something unusual: Long-tailed Duck,
White-winged Scoter, Tundra Swan,
Herring Gull and Red Phalarope are just
some of the species worth looking for. It’s
difficult to resist the allure of Sweetwater
and Willcox, but do try to visit other plants
as well. One I would recommend is the
recently re-opened Avra Valley with its
long string of rarities over the years.
And do join one of Huachuca Audubon’s
Sunday morning walks at Sierra Vista
Environmental Operations Park—the
only time the plant is normally open
(birding from the elaborate, but curiously
situated, viewing platform there is often
unproductive).
I would particularly urge you to
consider some of the less birded plants.
However unpromising they may appear,
they are going to attract good birds
at some time. Everyone likes to see
rarities at Sweetwater but they’ve so
often been found and identified for you
already. There really is a special pleasure
in adopting your own birding area (in
England we call it a “patch”) where others
tend not to go, working it regularly and
becoming the expert on it and its birds.
You’ll soon find that coming across a new
species there can be as exciting as any
vagrant you chase. And a wastewater
treatment plant makes a great patch.
VF
Michael Marsden is a full-time birder
and an occasional tour leader with
Anza Birders.

What’s in a Name?
Interesting stories about birds with interesting ­names
Phainopepla
Larry Liese
Taking a walk through a stretch of
Sonoran desert the other day I noticed
how prevalent mistletoe berries were
in most of the mesquite and palo verde
trees there. Hearing the distinctive, low
rising whistle of a nearby Phainopepla,
I suddenly realized that nearly half of
the trees had one of these interesting
birds perched at their tops. At the same
location in the hotter months of the year
there won’t be a single one there, though
the rest of the resident desert birds would
all be around.
This seasonality of Phainopepla habits
highlights one of their most interesting
traits. They are one of only a handful
of birds worldwide that breed in two
distinct habitats at different times of year.
Between February and April they will
breed in the Sonoran Desert lowlands.
When temperatures get hotter
and mistletoe berry supplies
dwindle they will retreat
to higher elevations,
beginning a May
through July
breeding season
in oak and sycamore
canyons, sometimes
quite close to their
winter ranges.
George
West
Phainopepla are one of
only a handful of birds
worldwide that breed in
two distinct habitats at
different times of year.
Interestingly, it is not known whether
the same birds successfully fledging
young in the desert are the same ones
breeding again later. The other two main
possibilities are that it is a separate
population that breeds higher up or that
pairs suffering failed nesting attempts
earlier are the ones, or perhaps it is a
mixture. This fact illustrates one of my
favorite aspects of nature—there’s always
more for us to learn!
Central to the desert half of their
lifestyle is the Phainopepla’s strong tie to
berries of desert mistletoe. Believe it or
not, these birds can eat over a thousand
mistletoe berries in a day. Their digestive
tracts being specially
adapted to rapidly
process the berries,
they will pass the
undigested inner
seed in twelve
minutes! If it lands
in a favorable
location, the
sticky seed
may end up
parasitizing a
new host tree.
Phainopeplas
are one of
the most
important links
in that chain.
This specialization
comes at a cost though,
as freezing weather can
destroy mistletoe berries
and reduce populations
over large areas for
several years.
Another interesting
trait that relates to the
first is the bird’s behavior
January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 15
on territory. In the desert in early winter,
single Phainopeplas will vigorously
defend their berry patches from intruders,
repelling others of their species, larger
birds or other animals. As the spring
breeding season ensues and pairs form,
they then defend a territory together.
After migrating to the highlands for the
hotter months birds often form communal
feeding flocks, foraging for food sources
in a larger area together. A suspected
force behind this difference is that besides
providing food, desert mistletoe is used
by the birds for roosting and nesting
sites, and the long-lasting berry source
makes defense worthwhile. Woodland
berry sources are found in open areas
away from the nesting sites, and are an
ephemeral food source with flying insects
making up a much larger portion of the
birds’ diet in summer.
Phainopepla was first described
by William Swainson in 1838 and is a
member of the Silky-flycatcher family
Ptilogonatidae, a small Middle-American
family including the Gray Silky-flycatcher,
whose range begins not too far south of
us in Mexico, plus the Long-tailed and
Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatchers found
in Costa Rica and Panama. “Silkies”
are slender, long-tailed birds with
small bills closely related to waxwings.
Plumages are soft and sleek and all but
the Black-and-Yellow are crested. Most
birders have heard that Phainopepla
(Phainopepla nitens) translates to “shining
robe.” This is from the Greek phainos
“shining,” and peplos “robe.” The species
name, nitens, is Latin and also means
shining, all of course relating to their
glossy plumage.
So if you have a favorite patch of
Sonoran Desert nearby, watch for the
seasonal change in this beautiful bird’s
behavior, hopefully observing these and
other interesting facets of their lives.
Good luck! VF
Available in our Nature S ­ hops
100 Birds and How They Got Their Names
by Diana Wells. Interested in
why other birds have the names
they do? This fun little book is
full of myths, legends and true
stories about how birds got their
names. Great trivia for those
drives between birding hotspots.
$18.95
Special Feature | Sustaining Bird Populations in Tucson

Discovering the Value of Mistletoe

Rachel McCaffrey

When I was
doing my bird
surveys in
neighborhoods
across Tucson,
I could usually

Photos.com
guess whether
or not I

Burns. www.JimBurns
would see a
Phainopepla
at a site before

Both photos Jim & Deva

I even got out
of the car.
Female (left) and male (right) Phainopepla

Available in our
Nature ­Shops
Do you want to make your
yard into an inviting habitat
for wildlife, but don’t know
where to start? In our shops
we have a wide selection of
books on landscaping with
native habitat and wildlife in
mind.
While the distribution of any species depends
on complex interactions between the bird’s
needs for food, water and shelter (and during
breeding season, mates), in the case of the
Phainopepla all of those needs are met by one
plant. During their time in Tucson (generally the
fall through the spring, as they head to higher
elevations and cooler temperatures during the
summer) Phainopeplas are almost completely
dependent on desert mistletoe, a parasitic plant
that colonizes many of our desert trees such as
acacias, mesquites, palo verdes, smoke trees,
and ironwoods.
Desert mistletoe provides Phainopeplas with
food, water, shelter and nesting sites, and in
return, Phainopeplas spread desert mistletoe to
other trees through their droppings. While many
other birds eat desert mistletoe berries (see
box), Phainopeplas have developed specialized
digestive systems that allow them to process
many mistletoe berries while leaving the seeds
intact for dispersal. In fact, a single Phainopepla
can eat more than 1,100 desert mistletoe berries
per day! When a remnant seed is deposited onto
the branch of a suitable host tree, it germinates,
penetrates the bark, and taps into the tree’s
tissues to absorb water, minerals, and nutrients.
Because Phainopeplas disproportionately visit
larger trees (so they can perch high enough to
view the surrounding area) and generally stay
close to existing mistletoe, desert mistletoe tends
to be found in clusters of mature trees.
Given the importance of desert mistletoe to
Phainopeplas, it is not surprising that they will
vigorously defend infected trees against other
Phainopeplas and fruit-eating birds. In fact, since
clumps of desert mistletoe also act as nesting
sites for Phainopeplas (the dense vegetation
can result in a micro-climate that shelters young
from the wind and is significantly cooler than
the surrounding air), Phainopeplas can defend
their fruiting and nesting sites simultaneously.
As a result, in areas with aggregations of desert
mistletoe, you can often see Phainopeplas
advertising their territories by perching on top of
a large tree or shrub and calling. In my surveys,
Phainopeplas were found in 78% of yards that
had three or more trees with desert mistletoe
clumps, and of all of the potential habitat features
I studied, desert mistletoe was the only significant
factor in predicting whether or not a Phainopepla
would be present at a site.

16 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010

 So, from a biological perspective, we have a

Both photos Matt Griffiths

pretty good idea of what Phainopeplas in Tucson

e
need—desert mistletoe (and the trees that host
it). Yet, as with many wildlife conservation issues
that involve species living in close proximity to
people, the social aspects are more complicated.
Desert mistletoe parasitizes the same trees
that many Tucson residents appreciate (and
that many other species of wildlife rely on),
and there has been much debate over whether
or not desert mistletoe causes the premature
death of its host trees. Most local landscaping
companies advocate for the active removal of
any desert mistletoe, and some homeowners
associations enforce rules requiring residents to
destroy the plant. (Given its spreading pattern,
one neighbor’s desert mistletoe can easily
become the entire neighborhood’s!). However, Desert mistletoe

I
recent scientific evidence suggests that desert
mistletoe’s impacts on Tucson’s trees may be far
Mistletoe means “dung-on-a-twig”. In Europe people used to
less damaging than many believe, with growth think that mistletoe plants burst forth—as if by magic—from
taking decades to cause significant damage the excrement of the “mistel” (or “missel”) thrush (Turdus
and mistletoe-related tree deaths only occurring viscivorus). ‘Mistel’ is the Anglo-Saxon word for ‘dung,’ and
‘tan’ is the word for ‘twig’. The scientific name for the bird
during sustained periods of drought. In fact, means the “thrush that eats sticky things”.
given how valuable mistletoe is to many wildlife
species, some scientists have suggested that
we actively cultivate it and include it in areas native trees in these areas support large amounts
undergoing restoration efforts. of desert mistletoe, and are therefore invaluable
While these differing viewpoints may leave to Phainopeplas and countless other types of
bird-loving homeowners conflicted about how to wildlife. VF

best manage desert mistletoe in their yards and

neighborhoods, the real conservation issue may Rachel McCaffrey has served as coordinator of
be better considered at a broader level. Certainly, the Tucson Bird Count since 2003, and recently
Phainopeplas will be more attracted to your completed her doctorate at The University of
Arizona. Her research has focused on issues In addition to its benefit to
yard if you have desert mistletoe—yet, ensuring
related to urban birds, particularly how to Phainopeplas, many other
that populations of Phainopeplas continue to
maintain healthy populations of native birds in types of wildlife around
persist in the Tucson area will depend mostly on
developed areas. Tucson benefit from desert
protecting the dwindling areas of desert riparian
mistletoe:
woodlands around the city. The high densities of
• Gila Woodpeckers,
House Finches, Northern
Mistletoe—The Give-and-Take Plant Mockingbirds, Mourning
Doves, and Gambel’s Quail
Desert mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum), specific Mistletoe is a natural and valuable part of the feed on desert mistletoe
to trees in the legume family, is well adapted to arid ecosystem, providing highly nutritious food and shelter for berries.
environments with leaves reduced to tiny scales (although a variety of wildlife species, including birds, bighorn sheep,
• Desert mistletoe berries
it is frost sensitive, winter freezes reducing or eliminating white-tailed and mule deer, livestock, butterflies, bees,
can serve as an important
its fruit crop). It is a hemi-parasite—it has chlorophyll, so beetles, weevils, spider mites, moths and other insects
water source for many birds
can make some of its own food. Mistletoe has separate (food for birds). The Pima, Tohono O’Odham, Seri and
and mammals.
male and female plants, which bloom in the spring. The Mayo Indians all used the plant medicinally and also ate
male flowers are tiny and inconspicuous, but they exude the berries of desert mistletoe. • Deer, squirrels, and mice
a fragrance similar to orange blossoms, permeating the The presence of desert mistletoe in a habitat provides all feed on desert mistletoe
desert with a delicious scent. Female plants produce for greater biodiversity, increasing variety of species as berries, and deer and cattle
translucent pink berries in winter. After feasting on the well as increased numbers of individuals. The next time will consume the leaves.
berries, birds wipe the sticky seeds from their beaks, or you see a clump of desert mistletoe, take a closer look. • Many birds, including
leave their droppings on a live branch, enabling a new You might find concealed nests of birds, roosting Screech Cactus Wrens and Abert’s
mistletoe plant to germinate there. The sticky seed sends or Elf Owls, great blue hairstreak caterpillars or any Towhees, nest in clumps
root-like growths (haustoria) into the branch to begin a new number of other creatures in this hub of life. of desert mistletoe, while
plant. A seed that lands on a dead branch, a cactus or others use its branches as
Pinau Merlin
non-leguminous tree will not germinate. nesting material.

January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 17

 Conservation and Education News The Water Project
Chris McVie, Paul Green, Kendall Kroesen, and Scott Wilbor
March 26–28, 2010

Protecting Arizona’s Rivers, Wildlife Habitat, and

Agricultural Heritage
Aaron Citron, Project Manager, Arizona Land and Water Trust

Arizona Land and Water Trust
(ALWT) has protected over 30,000
acres in southern Arizona since
1978. It provides a bridge between
preservation-minded landowners
(often farmers and ranchers) and
conservation buyers. In 2004, ALWT
began to recognize an opportunity
connections by working with willing
landowners to identify conservation
tools and implementation strategies
that can balance the health of desert
rivers with sustainable agriculture.
As a first step in this process,
ALWT recently released Benefitting
Landowners and Desert Rivers:
To provide the most valuable and
useful information possible, early in
2010 ALWT will embark on a listening
tour to better understand the needs
of Arizona’s landowners and its
regulatory community. By working to
provide information to all interests,
ALWT hopes to open a dialogue

to better connect land and water
conservation mechanisms to benefit
rural areas by addressing both natural
resources and working farms and
ranches. Land and water are often
inextricably linked components in land
conservation projects—especially
in the arid Southwest. Historically,
however, water rights have not been
central to land protection projects.
To address this issue in the face of
the twin stressors of drought and
growth, ALWT launched its Desert
Rivers and Riparian Heritage Initiative
in 2007. The Initiative highlights the
connections between water for people,
the environment, and rural agriculture.
The focus is on strengthening these
Clockwise from top left: Cattle at lake on the Babacomari Ranch (Frank McChesney); Cienega on the Babacomari
River (Frank McChesney); Edgar Canyon (Josh Schachter); Windmill on the Babacomari Ranch (Frank McChesney);
Babacomari Ranch roundup (Frank McChesney); Stock tank on the Sopori Ranch (Arizona Land and Water Trust)
A Water Rights Handbook for
Conservation Agreements in Arizona.
Connected, protected landscapes
such as working ranches and farms
often allow for effective groundwater
recharge which protects regional
water supplies while providing local
food and wildlife habitat. With the
Water Rights Handbook, ALWT aims
to offer landowners information about
options and best practices for water
management that will benefit their
operations. At the same time, these
management options are intended to
help firm up Arizona’s water supplies
and enhance environmental flows for
future generations.
that will promote healthy watersheds
sustained by working desert rivers—
rivers that support healthy floodplains
and riparian habitat—flowing beside
working landscapes. Through diverse
partnerships we can ensure that the
future of Arizona’s water is planned
for and managed to protect our rich
agricultural and riparian heritage.
We invite you to contact Arizona
Land and Water Trust if you would
like to be included in our water rights
for conservation listening tour: Aaron
Citron, Project Manager, Arizona Land
and Water Trust, 577–8564, acitron@
alwt.org
Jeff Hitchcock
This participatory Water Festival
celebrates, educates, and facilitates
creative problem-solving for our most
precious and endangered resource—
water. This fun event includes
a performance, art happenings,
film festival, information tables,
interactive panel discussion, water
ritual, and other activities. The event
is developed through cross-sector
collaborations, combining the many
voices of artists, cultural workers,
educators, scientists, engineers,
architects, climatologists, water
harvesters, city planners, investors,
politicians, and other community
members interested in addressing
water issues from various angles.
Through brainstorm sessions and
hands-on project development, the
festival intends to build a model for
collaborative problem-solving and
creative expression.
Planned to be a yearly event, this
upcoming festival initiates Tucson’s
World Water Week, a series of events
to coincide with the international
observance of World Water Day,
an initiative that grew out of the
1992 United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development
(UNCED). For more information,
to sign up for participation, and
check out vending and sponsorship
opportunities, visit the website: www.
WaterProjectFestival.org; email: info@
TheConsciousCollective.org; or call
(520) 791-9359.

18 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010

Wildlife Bridge and Underpasses Will Link The Tortolitas and
Catalinas for Wildlife
by Carolyn Campbell, Executive Director, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection

The illustrations above are photographs and artist renditions of the locations for the
150-foot-wide land bridge across Oracle Road, State Route 77, and an underpass beneath
the same road. Each will be incorporated as part of the widening planned for 2013. The
top two illustrations show the sites as they currently exist: on the left looking west, on the
right looking east. The lower two illustrations are artist renditions of how the wildlife bridge
(left), and the underpass (right) will look. Combined with fencing along the road, the bridge
will funnel wildlife across the road in a manner safe for the animals, and for people driving
on the road. The rendition on the left shows what the bridge might look like for motorists
driving on the widened Route 77.

biodiversity that still exists at the acres as an open space Wildlife

Exciting news! On December 10, Pima
County’s Regional Transportation
Authority (RTA) approved the first
wildlife overpass structure in southern
Arizona, and largest in Arizona,
utilizing over $8 million of RTA funding
for a bridge and two underpasses
designed to move wildlife safely
between the Santa Catalina and
Tortolita mountain ranges! The
funding comes from a 20-year $2.1
billion transportation package that
county voters approved in 2006 that
included $45 million for wildlife-related
infrastructure.
This latest step in helping to
ensure wildlife connectivity follows
years of efforts by the Coalition for
Sonoran Desert Protection and all its
member groups in working with local
jurisdictions and state and federal
agencies on regional conservation
planning.
The Arizona Department of
Transportation (ADOT) proposal
was developed jointly by ADOT, the
Arizona Game and Fish Department,
the Coalition for Sonoran Desert
Protection, and Coalition member
groups Sky Island Alliance and
Tucson Audubon Society. The wildlife
infrastructure will be included in
the design of the next phase of an
on-going highway widening project
of Arizona State Route 77 (Oracle
Road), an urban street in the Tucson
metropolitan area that becomes a
rural highway as it moves north out of
Pima County and into the adjacent,
more rural Pinal County.
This is an exciting step in our
efforts to protect the incredible
urban edges of Tucson. Over the last
decade, conservation groups have
focused a coordinated effort on the
Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan,
and through that effort have been able
to accomplish acquisition of habitat to
expand mountain parks, take steps
with multiple local jurisdictions to
assure open space through land use
planning, and obtain assured funding
sources for wildlife infrastructure.
The wildlife crossings will be built
on a road that bisects the protected
open space between the Coronado
National Forest and Catalina
State Park in the Santa Catalina
Mountain range and Pima County’s
Tortolita Mountain Park. Located
between the two protected areas
lie 9000 acres of state land, which
recently went through a cooperative,
multijurisdictional land use planning
process that designated over 5000
Corridor.  The design was developed
by Northern Arizona University’s Dr.
Paul Beier, a pioneer in science-
based approaches to wildlife corridor
designs.
Much thanks goes to the hard work
of Tucson Audubon’s Conservation
Chair Christina McVie, Janice Przybyl
of Sky Island Alliance’s Wildlife
Linkages Program, and Siobhan
Nordhaugen, Wildlife Connectivity
Special Projects Manager for ADOT.
The final design phase begins
in March 2010, with construction
scheduled for 2013. Stay tuned for
more successes in this area, as
Coalition representatives are now
working with ADOT and the Town
of Marana on design of wildlife
crossing infrastructure in the Tucson
Mountain—Tortolita Mountain
linkage area!

January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 19

 Conservation &
Education News
Conservation Updates
Senator John McCain has
successfully struck a deal with
Senator Jeff Bingaman of New
Mexico, Chair of the Senate Energy
& Natural Resources Committee, to
pass, by a voice vote and without
debate, the Resolution Copper (Rio
Tinto) land exchange bill, S. 409, as
amended, along with a bundle of 31
other bills. Passage of the bill brings
us closer to making the Oak Flat Land
Exchange a foregone conclusion.
After holding up Senate confirmation
hearings, and advocating for a quick
resolution favoring the wealthy foreign
owned mining company, McCain
also disregarded the commitments
made to Native American tribes
to consult prior to moving the bill
forward. Conservation groups who
have followed this issue closely, and
submitted testimony to Congress,
were excluded.
This action comes on the heels
of the news that Rio Tinto has been
charged with war crimes and will
soon be defending itself in federal
court. The Los Angeles District Court
has ruled that, due to the “universal”
nature of Rio Tinto’s crimes,
Bougainville islanders do not need to
exhaust legal options in Papua New
Guinea and, under the US Alien Tort
Claims Act, can seek legal remedy for
crimes against humanity, war crimes
and racial discrimination committed
by the mining giant in the 1980s and
1990s. The plaintiffs allege that Rio
Tinto created extensive environmental
damage at its Bougainville mine,
paid Black workers less than white
counterparts and instigated a violent
civil war, leading to the deaths
of roughly 10% of the island’s
population.
The “compromise” benefiting the
$300 billion dollar mining consortium
appears to circumvent NEPA
(National Environmental Policy
Act) requirements to consider
reasonable alternatives and
impacts in advance of an action
and contains a number of other
20 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010
clauses that are tremendous setbacks
for Native American communities,
climbers, naturalists, and citizens.
This “compromise”:
• Allows Resolution Copper to
immediately commence and
continue directional drilling to
explore under Oak Flat for three
years and install a drilling pad
within it, prior to NEPA compliance
or tribal consultation. Oak Flat was
determined to be a native sacred
cultural site and withdrawn from
mining by President Eisenhower’s
Executive Order. This sets a
precedent undoing and making
vulnerable all lands previously
withdrawn from mineral exploration
nationally.
• Removes previously agreed to
commitments to the recreational
climbing community, including
finding a replacement site that
would provide an equally world
class climbing site.
• Removes the mandate to provide
an alternative camp site for citizen
recreational use and ignores the
need to provide another traditional
acorn gathering location for tribal
cultural activities.
• Leaves unchanged the provision
that allows the Town of Superior
the chance to buy (at full market
value) land that, without the
interference of Rio Tinto, the Town
would have received free of charge
from the US Forest Service.  at the Schwennesen’s road crossing
• Leaves tremendous wiggle room
for the appraisal process to cheat
the US taxpayer out of full payment
for the tremendous natural and
mineral resources we would lose.
• Allows Rio Tinto’s subsidiary, BHP,
to develop up to 35,000 residences
on land it owns along the lower
San Pedro River, potentially
dewatering and devaluing lands
included in this land exchange
and imperiling other conservation
lands mitigating for impacts to
Oak Flat region (above); lower San Pedro
River (right)
endangered species downstream
of the proposed development.
These mitigation lands are
for impacts resulting from the
construction of the Roosevelt
dam, and subsequent lake, which
provides water to the city of
Phoenix via the Salt River Project.
Tucson Audubon has long
advocated for the creation of a
National Wildlife Refuge along the
lower San Pedro River precisely
because it is home to threatened
and endangered species and would
benefit from management by the
US Fish and Wildlife Service, the
agency mandated by federal law to
specifically address threatened and
endangered species issues. The new
version of the bill only mentions the
possibility of a National Conservation
Area, which would be managed by
the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM), the same agency that did not
initially defend their own conservation
easement on the lower San Pedro,
near Dudleyville (see below).
It would appear, by virtue of the
“compromise” negotiated by Senator
McCain and Senator Bingaman, that,
though the Secretary of Agriculture
could still find the bill not in the public
interest, the Senate is sending a
strong message that it wants the
predetermined outcome of the bill
to benefit a foreign mining company
and not their constituents —the US
taxpayers who own the land.
In further news regarding the
lower San Pedro River, we may be
Patrick Dockens
Matt Griffiths
near a settlement regarding our
lawsuit against Pinal County for
their violation of the conservation
easement held by the BLM
on the Schwennesen’s road
crossing at the San Pedro River
near Dudleyville. The BLM has
decided to defend the conservation
easement they hold, fulfilling their
legal obligation, and the Army Corps
of Engineers (ACOE) has cited the
county for violation of Section 404
of the Clean Water Act, because
the county dredged and filled the
river and did not consult nor get an
appropriate permit prior to taking
actions which adversely impacted
a designated Water of the US and,
possibly, an endangered species, the
Southwest Willow Flycatcher. If the
county is actually held accountable for
its illegal actions, this will be a great
victory for us and our partners, without
whose efforts the BLM and the ACOE
might not have fulfilled their legal
responsibility to pursue this issue
in a timely fashion – it could have
languished for years or worse yet,
been ignored. VF
 Tucson Audubon Field Trips
Darlene Smyth | Field Trip Coordinator
Going North to:
Do you live way north of Tucson, want to bird
with Tucson Audubon, but find it to be frustrating
because trips seem to always head south,
making it difficult for you to meet for early
carpooling? The Field Trip Leaders are making
a real effort to include our valued northern
members at least once per month as we offer
“Going North to:” trips. Please look for
these trips to be listed each month and, if you
like the idea, please encourage the leaders by
dropping them a note.
January
January 1—Friday 7:30 to 10:30 am
Sweetwater Wetlands for New
Birders or Visitors to Tucson
Start 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
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, willows and desert scrub
along the adjacent Santa Cruz River bed. Meet at
Sweetwater Wetlands parking lot. Leader: Cynthia
Barstad 237-2331 cynthiabarstad@gmail.com
January 2—Saturday
Dudleyville Christmas
Bird Count
For 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 d_jenness@hotmail.com
January 5—Tuesday 6 am to 1 pm
San Rafael Grasslands
Join us in the San Rafael Valley in search of
grassland specialties. We’ll sort out difficult
sparrows, longspurs and pipits, and watch for
unique raptors. A spotting scope can be useful.
Dress in layers for a cold morning start, and maybe
wind. High-top hiking boots can keep out annoying
grass seeds. Moderate walking on uneven ground.
Space limited; contact leader for details and to
sign up starting December 15. 120 miles roundtrip.
Leader: John Yerger john@adventurebirding.com
or 814-308-4078
don’t Forget to stop in our Nature Shop for your field and ID Guides,
and other birding supplies.
Richard Fray
Sulphur Springs Valley
January 8—Friday 6:30 to 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 can be useful, but not required.
Meet at the top of Campbell Ave.—north of Skyline
Drive. Leader: Michael S. Smith mssq@comcast.
net 299-0122
January 9—Saturday 7:30 am
Sulphur Springs Valley
Wintering Raptors
We will drive 250 miles in search of wintering
raptors in the Sulphur Springs Valley. We will likely
see buteos, accipiters, harriers, falcons, owls and
possibly eagles on this trip. Bring drinks, lunch,
binoculars, raptor field guides and a scope if you
have one. Drivers are requested to arrive with
a full tank of gasoline. Meet on the west side of
Houghton Road, just north of I-10 at 7:30 am. Back
by 5 pm. Leaders: Ned and Linda Harris (751-
2105), nedharris@cox.net
January 12—Tuesday 6 am
Going North to: Boyce-
Thompson Arboretum
Expect to spend the morning at this state park
which often shelters a good mix of birds in the
winter. Bring lunch and be prepared to pay the
entrance fee to the park or bring your pass. A stop
at Oak Flats is possible. Meet at the commuter lot
at Ina and Via Ponte (one block west of Oracle
and Ina on the south side of Ina) at 6 am or in the
Bashas’ parking lot in Catalina at the northeast
corner of the intersection of Oracle Rd. and Golder
Ranch Rd. before 6:30 am. 200 miles roundtrip.
Leader: Diane Touret dctouret@comcast.net
January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 21
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
u NW 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.
w Green Valley: I-19 and Continental Rd exit
63—McDonald’s parking lot.
x NE 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 rarebirdalert@
tucsonaudubon.org
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.
Sara Pike

Tucson Audubon
Field Trips
January 16—Saturday 8 am
Hawks for Beginners: Avra Valley
Anyone who is new to birding or who just wants to
enjoy a morning of driving around looking at raptors
perched on power poles is especially invited. Some
walking but mostly standing on the side of the
road. Relaxed pace with time for you to take long
looks and get answers to your questions. At 8 am
Arizona Game and Fish Department will be on
hand to talk about the biology of the cranes, and
representatives from the Arizona Open Land and
Water Trust will talk about planned conservation of
the lands that will ensure that the birds continue to
thrive here in the winter. Our goal is to show how
the complex world of conservation works while at
the same time marveling at the spectacle of the
Sandhill Cranes. We will be traveling in buses from
Tucson, and we appreciate your early indication
of interest. Please contact Jean Barchman at 622-

we will carpool from the Mission Library parking
lot on the NW corner of Mission and Ajo. Done by
noon. Driving on paved and graded dirt (muddy?)
roads. Roundtrip of 30 miles. Contact leader if you
have questions. Leader: John Higgins 578-1830,
jghiggins@comcast.net
January 18–21—Monday–Thursday
Southern California
We 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
Shearwater, gulls, terns, shorebirds, Nuttall’s
Woodpecker, Wrentit, California Gnatcatcher,
Towhee, Thrasher, and Quail; and with good
weather in the mountains, possibly White-headed
Woodpecker 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 1000 miles roundtrip. Leader: Diane
Touret dctouret@comcast.net
January 23—Saturday 8 am to 4 pm
Sandhill Crane Special Excursion
The trip to see the Sandhill Cranes
at Whitewater Draw will be organized
jointly with the Arizona Land and Water
Trust. Experts from Tucson Audubon and the
Jim & Deva Burns. www.JimBurnsPhotos.com
5622 or Jbarchman@tucsonaudubon.org. There
will be a charge for this trip to cover the costs of
the buses and leaders.
January 24—Sunday 6 am
Parker Canyon Lake
We will check this beautiful canyon lake for
wintering waterfowl. In addition the area is reliable
for Bald Eagle, bluebirds, sapsuckers, and possibly
Montezuma Quail. We will walk part of the 5-mile
lake trail which is mostly flat, but be prepared for
uneven ground and mud in some sections. Bring
your lunch and scopes. Back in Tucson by early
afternoon. Meet at Houghton Road just north
of I-10 for carpooling. 150 miles roundtrip. Leaders:
Mark and Farrish Sharon marksharon10@msn.
com
January 26—Tuesday 7 am
Going North to: Gilbert Water Ranch
Spend the morning birding the riparian
preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch. Easy
level walking for 2 or so miles. Limited to
10 participants so contact the leader for carpooling
info and directions. 190 miles roundtrip. Leader:
M.E. Flynn 797-1743 or me.flynn@comcast.net
January 30—Saturday 7:15 am
Young Birders Club Field Trip
All kids between the ages of 8 and 18 with an
interest in birds are invited to join the first field trip
for the Tucson Audubon Young Birders Club. We
will spend a half-day birding in local Tucson parks
looking for wintering species both common and
rare. Emphasis will be on finding recently reported
rarities. We will end at Reid Park for lunch, during
which youth will help plan the next field trip. Great
chance to meet other young birders and to bird
with expert leaders. Parents will be required to sign
a waiver. Please bring lunch and water. Contact
one of the leaders listed below for details or to sign
Jean Barchman
Youth birding group at Sweetwater Wetlands
makes a hike here always worth the while. Meet
at Houghton Rd. just north of I-10 at 6:30 (leader
not present) or meet at the preserve parking
area at 7:30 am. Fee: $3 for Nature Conservancy
Members, $5 for non-members. 120 miles
roundtrip. Leader: Cliff Cathers AZCliffy@q.com
762-3201
February
February 2—Tuesday 5:30 am
Going North to: Buckeye-Salome
Thrasher Site
No groundhogs for us today, but we will be
searching for another critter to throw a shadow . . .
the LeConte’s Thrasher. Meet at the parking lot just
west of the Orange Grove Circle K (the one near
the corner of River/Thornydale), or from the Gila
Bend Shell Station at Exit 119 off I-8 at 7 am. Bring
lunch. Return via Arlington and Santa Cruz Flats,
time permitting. Roundtrip about 350 mi. Leader:
Diane Touret dctouret@comcast.net
February 6—Saturday 8 to 10:30 am
Sweetwater Wetlands Family Outing
Series (First Saturday every month)
Do you enjoy sharing the joy of outdoor activities
with your children or grandchildren? A new series
of monthly field trips will connect children (ages
4–14) and their families with ecology, nature,
conservation and BIRDS! Join Tucson Audubon
and Sunnyside School District’s newest partnership
as 7th-grade Student Urban Naturalists help guide
children through engaging hands-on activities
designed for specific age groups. A parent or
grandparent must accompany each child present.
Bring warm clothing, hat and gloves. Leader:

up. Leaders: Robert Payne vermillion233@hotmail. Deborah Vath at dvath@hotmail.com or 490-4835.

com 867-0490 and Scott Olmstead sparverius81@
hotmail.com 840-9567
January 30—Saturday 6:30 am
Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve
It’s back to the sparrow-filled preserve along
Sonoita Creek in Patagonia, where wintering
species will be on the menu. The historical
White-headed Woodpecker parade of rarities which have found this habitat
(See p 25 for more about this program.)
February 6—Saturday 6 am
Chino Canyon, Santa Rita Mtns.
Hike about 5 miles roundtrip to look for desert
residents, sparrows and raptors. This scenic, open
canyon is best hiked in the winter. Bring the usual,
plus lunch and sturdy hiking boots as we will be
on uneven, rocky road with some elevation gain.

22 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010


Sara Pike
Catalina State Park
Return to Tucson by 3 pm. Meet at the Fry’s parking
lot at Irvington and I-10 at 6 am or in Green Valley
at the McDonald’s at I-19 and Continental Rd. exit
at 6:30 am. 80 miles roundtrip. Leader: Michael
Bissontz 577-8778 seetrogon@comcast.net
February 9—Tuesday 8 am
Catalina State Park—Canyon Loop  aquatic habitats: Arivaca Cienega, one of the last
This park is one of the best places to see wintering
and resident birds which include Crissal Thrasher
and Rufous-winged Sparrows. Both should be up
and singing at this time. We will cross the wash
several times, so you may get your feet wet. The
park can be chilly early in the morning so dress
warmly. Meet at the northwest carpooling site (Ina
Rd. and Via Ponte) at 8 am (leader not present) or
at the trailhead in the park at 8:30 am. State Park
Pass/entry fee required. Leader: Denis Wright
zytgiest@pobox.com
February 13—Saturday Time TBA
Birds of Prey in the Sulphur Springs
Valley Excursion
Our Birds of Prey trip will be organized jointly with
the Southern Arizona Bird Observatory (SABO).
Raptor experts from Tucson Audubon and SABO
will be on hand to help with identification of the
birds, to tell us why they are there, and to explain
the behavior of the birds. We will be traveling
in buses from Tucson, and we appreciate your
early indication of interest. Please contact Jean
Robert Shantz
Red-tailed Hawk
Barchman on at 622-5622 or Jbarchman@
tucsonaudubon.org. There will be a charge for this
trip to cover the costs of the buses and leaders.
February 14—Sunday 6:30 am
Arivaca Lake & Cienega
We’ll be visiting two contrasting
remaining natural marshes in the region, and the
under-birded Arivaca Lake, a man-made reservoir
with productive wooded edges. Bring lunch. Meet
at Fry’s on Irvington at 6:30 am, the Green Valley
McDonald’s at 7 am, or the Longhorn Grill at
Amado at 7:15 am. 110 miles roundtrip. Leader:
Michael Marsden 269-6240 birdanza@cox.net“
February 16—Tuesday 5:45 am
Patagonia Lake State Park
Winter is trying to turn to spring and it’s
the clash of the seasons at this popular birding
spot. We’ll look for the early season migrants and
any goodies left over from the winter fare on a
mostly flat 2–3 mile hike through open scrub, lake
edge and creek-side forest. Meet at Houghton Rd.
just north of I-10 at 5:45 am (leader not present), or
at the visitors center in the park at 7 am. Per vehicle
entrance fee: $8. 140 miles roundtrip. Leader: Cliff
Cathers AZCliffy@q.com 762-3201
February 20–21—Saturday and Sunday
Gull Workshop—Puerto Peñasco,
Mexico
We’re announcing our first-ever joint Tucson
Audubon–Arizona Field Ornithologists Gull
Workshop, generously led by Chris Benesh &
Dave Stejskal of Field Guides, Inc. Puerto Peñasco
is the winter home to some impressive numbers
of gulls, exhibiting a wide variety of plumages,
with as many as a dozen species present in late
February. The vast majority of our time will be
spent studying and discussing the identification
and molt of as many species as we can. We’ll
also undoubtedly see a number of other enticing
waterbirds while there. Expect to spend the night
at a local hotel. Carpooling is essential and scopes
are encouraged. Passport required. Limited to
10 Tucson Audubon members and 10 AZFO
January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 23
members. $10 covers your share of the leader’s
expenses. (See p 9 for more details.) Registration
will open on January 6 by email to: dsmyth3@
comcast.net
February 23—Tuesday 7 am
Going North to: Boyce
Thompson Arboretum
State Park
Walk the beautiful and usually birdy grounds of the
Arboretum for a couple of miles. Slight elevation
gain on the paths. Bring a State Park pass if you
have one. Limited to 10 participants, so contact
the leader for carpooling info and directions. 160
miles roundtrip. Leader: M.E. Flynn 797-1743 or
me.flynn@comcast.net
February 27—Saturday TBA
Young Birders Club Field Trip
Destination: TBD
The destination of this trip will be decided by the
Tucson Audubon Young Birders Club members
during the first trip. Please contact one of the
leaders listed below for more information.
Subsequent trips are planned for the fourth
Saturday of each month. Leaders: Robert Payne
vermillion233@hotmail.com 867-0490; Scott
Olmstead sparverius81@hotmail.com 840-9567
February 27—Saturday 6:30 am
Going North to: Oracle State Park
This scenic park has been closed but the trails
are still available for hiking and birding. The trails
meander through live oaks, mesquites and yucca
on hilly and rocky terrain. Western Scrub-
Jay, woodpeckers, wrens, Bushtits, towhees and
wintering sparrows are expected species. Bring
snacks and water. We will meet at the usual NW
carpooling site (commuter parking lot at Ina and
Via Ponet), or at the park entrance at 7 am. Back in
Tucson by noon. 70 miles roundtrip. Leaders: Mark
and Farrish Sharon marksharon10@msn.com
March 2—Tuesday 6 am
Patagonia Lake State Park
We’ll look for waterbirds, flycatchers,
gnatcatchers and whatever else we can find. We’ll
walk a couple of miles on mostly level but not
always clearly delineated trails. Expect mud so
wear appropriate footgear. Bring lunch and park
fee or pass. We may visit other sites in Patagonia
and/or Nogales as well. Meet at the Fry’s at
Irvington and I-19 at 6 am. or at the Green Valley
McDonald’s (Continental Rd. exit) before 6:30 am.
140 miles roundtrip. Leader: Dave Dunford (571-
0535) or ddunford@dakotacom.net.
May 4–11
Migration in Southwest Ohio
This trip, to be led by Clifford Cathers of Economy
Birding Services, is now fully subscribed. VF
 Birding Travel
from our Business Partners
Adventure Birding C
­ ompany
www.adventurebirding.com
info@adventurebirding.com • 495-0229
Big Bend National Park: West Texas Birds
and Scenery. April 28–May 2, 2010, $1065.
Leaders: John Yerger and/or Keith Kamper. Big
Bend is perhaps the most remote birding hotspot
in the United States, and hosts spectacular
scenery. This is the only place in the U.S. to
find Colima Warbler, our main target. Ideal for
those desiring lots of birds on limited vacation
time. Painted Buntings and Golden-fronted
Woodpeckers are among the other goodies
we’ll seek on this fun-filled adventure!
South Texas: Specialties and Migrants in
the Lower Rio Grande Valley. April 3–11,
2010, $1890. Leaders: John Yerger and/or
Keith Kamper. 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 P
­ assages
www.naturetreks.net.
­info@naturetreks.net • 781-789-8127
Rancho Esmeralda Birding and Nature
Weekend. April 2–5, 2010, Join Pinau Merlin and
Larry Liese for 4 pleasurable days of exploring
the beauty and diversity of Rancho Esmeralda
in Sonora, Mexico. During the bountiful spring
season, we’ll enjoy birds, plants, butterflies,
reptiles, amphibians, and other wildlife on
our daily hikes and night walks. Includes
transportation, 3 nights at the Rancho Esmeralda
Lodge, all meals and guides. $1049.00 pp.
Alaska: Birding from Denali to the Sea. June
7–17, 2010. Tour several of Alaska’s prime birding
spots: Anchorage, Denali National Park, Denali
Highway, and the Kenai Peninsula including
Seward. Anticipate seeing a number of bird species
and hopefully all of the “Big 5” large mammals -
grizzlies, caribou, Dall sheep, moose, and wolves.
June is a spectacular month to view Alaska’s
USFWS
returning and breeding birds, along with the early
vibrant blooming summer flowers. $4399.00 pp.
Rancho E
­ smeralda
www.ranchoesmeraldanogales.com
326-9686 ext. 19
Solipaso ­Tours
www.solipaso.com • info@solipaso.com
San Blas and the Durango Highway. February
21–March 2, 2010, $2570 Leader: David MacKay.
Starting in Mazatlan, we bird the tropical deciduous
forest before heading up to find the target species
24 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010
of the Durango Highway. We’ll bird the key spots
including Singayta Road, La Bajada, and Cerro
de San Juan, and go on two boat trips up the San
Cristobal River and the mangrove estuary. There
are a possible 35 endemics on this trip (one of our
most popular), including Tufted Jay, Eared Quetzal,
Military Macaw, and Collared Forest Falcon.
Alamos. April 8–13, 2009, $1500. Leader:
David Mackay. We spend four nights in Alamos
at our El Pedregal Nature Lodge and bird for
Black-throated Magpie Jay, Mexican Parrotlet,
Elegant Quail and many others. We’ll also do
some coastal birding at Isla Huivilai and spend
our last night by the ocean in San Carlos. Enjoy
delicious regional cuisine, the warm hospitality
of the Mackays and a relaxed trip full of birding,
botanizing and exploring the area they call home.
Tour limited to 10 participants with one guide.
Tropical B
­ irding
www.tropicalbirding.com
info@tropicalbirding.com • 1-800-348-­5941
Eastern Ecuador: High Andes to Vast A ­ mazon.
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
join
Birds & Business Alliance
Today! and connect with the
Tucson Audubon community
For more information and to join, contact Erin Olmstead at
eolmstead@tucsonaudubon.org or 777-9525.
2 0 1 0 -2 0 1 1
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 • info@ventbird.com
Jamaica. March 31–April 7, 2010; $2,975 in double
occupancy from Montego Bay. This week-long trip
works well as an introduction to tropical birding or
as a specialty trip for those interested in seeking
island and regional specialty birds. Marshall’s
Pen, Rocklands Sanctuary, and Cockpit Country
are among the places you’ll travel with Brennan
Mulrooney in search of nearly 30 endemic species,
including such prizes as streamertail hummingbirds
and the hulking Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo!
Colorado Grouse. April 9–18, 2010; $2,575
in double occupancy from Gunnison. Join
Brian Gibbons and Michael O’Brien in pursuit
of 7 species of grouse, prairie-chicken, and
ptarmigan. Our targets include Greater and
Lesser prairie-chickens, Sharp-tailed Grouse,
Greater and Gunnison sage-grouse, Dusky
Grouse, and White-tailed Ptarmigan. Visit
lekking grounds and learn the natural history
of one of North America’s most interesting bird
families. Other attractions include good mammal
viewing and plenty of amazing scenery. VF
 The TAS-ifieds
Classified ADs
Classified and display ads are accepted from
individual members and members of our Birds
& Business Alliance. Visit tucsonaudubon.org/
vfly for rates or contact Matt Griffiths mgriffiths@
tucsonaudubon.org to book an ad.
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
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.
Wanted: Librarian/Volunteer who has
the skills, aptitude and inspiration to organize
Tucson Audubon’s outstanding book selection. We
are ready to introduce a professional computer
system to make our lending library a model of
efficiency, and need a volunteer who would enjoy
the challenge of researching software systems
and integrating this system for our staff and
members’ needs. That very special “Bookophile”
can download the volunteer application from our
web site, or call Becky at 622-2230, 760-7881 or
e-mail baparicio@tucsonaudubon.org.
Wings Over Willcox
Truly an Annual Spectacle!
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!
Volunteer with the Tucson Bird Count
—Birders Needed! The Tucson Bird Count
(TBC) is looking for new volunteers to join our
project and monitor birds around the Tucson area.
Since its start in 2001, volunteers have surveyed
birds at thousands of sites, gathering high-
quality data on birds in urban areas. Volunteers
are needed for both TBC programs, the annual
citywide Route Program and the quarterly Park
Monitoring Program.
Route Program: This annual count is held each
spring (April 15-May 15) and tracks how birds are
distributed across the city and how populations
change from year to year. The count covers the
entire Tucson area, with one survey point per
square kilometer. Volunteers adopt a route (a
series of survey points) and then perform point-
counts along their route on the morning of their
choice. Routes are available all over the city from
urban neighborhoods to natural areas, and new
volunteers are always needed!
Park Program: This program is designed to
monitor bird communities in parks, washes, and
other areas of birding interest around Tucson, and
we currently have more than 30 active sites. Sites
are monitored 4 times a year, allowing us to track
spring and fall migrations as well as wintering
and summering populations. We are looking for
new volunteers to take over the monitoring duties
at a few of our established sites (Tanque Verde
Wash, Tucson Botanical Gardens, Case Natural
Resources) or to adopt a new location!
To learn more about the TBC or volunteering,
please visit www.tucsonbirds.org or contact
Rachel McCaffrey at rachmcc@email.arizona.edu
or 730-3218.
Sweetwater Wetlands
Family Outing Series
(First Saturday of every month)
Sunnyside Unified School District and Tucson
Audubon have teamed up to provide an
ongoing series of monthly outings for children
and their families at Sweetwater Wetlands.
Seventh grade students at Lauffer Middle
School have developed the Sunnyside-Audubon
Student Urban Naturalists (SASUN) student
club. This service-learning project provides
an opportunity for students to participate in
volunteer service and social responsibility to
the Tucson community as well as develop
leadership skills and a deeper understanding
of our local environment. Trained student
leaders have developed age-appropriate
nature, conservation and birding activities for
children ages 4–14. All activities, materials, and
resources will be available to each child and
their accompanying adult in a backpack on loan
for the outing. Certificates of completion will be
awarded to each child. For more information
contact Deborah Vath at 490-4835 or online at
deborahv@susd12.0rg.
VF
January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 25
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.com
Nature Treks & Passages
• 781-789-8127 • naturetreks.net
Rancho Esmeralda • 326-9686
• www.ranchoesmeraldanogales.com
Solipaso Tours • www.solipaso.com
Tropical Birding • 800-348-5941
• www.tropicalbirding.com
Victor Emanuel Nature Tours
• 800-328-VENT • www.ventbirds.com
Silver
The Oasis at Way Out West
• 520-825-4590 • www.wowarizona.com
Snell & Wilmer • www.swlaw.com
Tucson Electric Power • www.tep.com
Copper
Bed & Bagels of Tucson • 520-760-5595
Lou Benson Construction
Borderland Tours • 800-525-7753
Brooklyn Pizza Company • 520-622-6868
Buffalo Exchange • 520-795-0508
Casa Adobe B&B in Rodeo, NM • 877-577-2275
Casa de San Pedro B&B • www.bedandbirds.com
Coyote Wore Sideburns • 520-623-7341
Desert Toyota of Tucson • 520-296-8535
Down By the River B&B • 520-720-9441
Economy Birding Services • 520-762-3201
El Conquistador Resort Patio Homes Association
Financial Architects • www.financial-architects.com
Fiore Tile Works • 520-971-0677
Greenfire Ecological Landscaping • 520-429-7306
Heartstone Mountain Ranch • 877-562-2955
Hughes Federal Credit Union • 520-794-8341
Kimberlyn Drew, Realtor • 520-237-1408
Lori Pascarella, Financial Consultant • 520-747-6167
Naturalist Journeys • 866-900-1146
P2 Preparedness • 520-971-5971
Rancho De La Osa • 800-872-6240
Ravens-Way Wild Journeys • 520-425-6425
RockJumper Birding Tours • www.rockjumper.co.za
Riverpark Inn • 800-551-1466
Spirit Tree Inn B&B • 520-394-0121
Sundance Press • 800-528-4827
TyrannoTours • 520-577-6546
The Lodge at Ventana Canyon
Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson • 520-795-9955
Wild Birds Unlimited • 520-878-9585
Visit www.tucsonaudubon.org for more
information about our Birds & Business Alliance
members, including links to their websites.
VF
 Support Tucson Audubon... Tucson Audubon
Become a Friend Today! Nature Shops
Annual Membership subscription Tucson Audubon’s Nature Shops provide for your needs in natural history books and
‰‰$35 ­Individual Contributor $100 q guides, birding optics and accessories, and gifts right here in Tucson. We offer a great
‰‰$50 Family Supporter $25­0 q selection, the best prices, and member discounts. Remember to shop locally.
‰‰$35­Senior Supporter* Guardian $500 q
‰‰$25­Senior Discount* Steward $1000 q
‰‰$25 ­Student* Leadership Circle $2500 q
*Individual

Name

Address

City / State / ­Zip

Sunday Afternoons
Email

Phone
‰‰ New ­membership q 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.
Donation
‰‰I would like to support Tucson Audubon
Society with ­an additional contribution of
q $25 q $50 q $100 q $­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 q Visa q AMEX
Credit Card No.
Expiration Date Amount $
The Sun Always Shines in
Arizona – Even in Winter!
It’s never too early or too late to gear up for sun
protection, especially if you’re out and about bird
watching or hiking in southeast Arizona.
If you’re not sure where to get started, let us
help you! The Nature Shops provide gear for
sun protection that is both practical and stylish.
Consider a sun protection hat that shades both
your face and neck with a UPF 50, or how about a
sun protection shirt with a UPF 40!
Look for these great items the next time you’re
visiting the Nature Shop. We are the only shop
in town to carry the most popular sun protection
clothing brand: Sunday Afternoons.
Field Hat by Sunday
Afternoons
$40, various colors • UPF 50
This is a conventional sun hat
with high-tech features. This hat provides
a circular 4” brim in front and back (3.5” sides.) The
ventilating mesh side panels keep your head cool
and the elasticized wicking sweatband provides
The ventilating mesh side panels and wicking brow
sweatband keep your head cool and allow you to
focus instead on those feathered friends in the
trees! This hat also provides a floatable foam core.
Passport Shirt for women, by
Sunday Afternoons
$56, sea mist green • UPF 40
This shirt is great for local day trips
or international adventures. The
featherweight micro-grid fabric
provides a UPF 40. The cut is
flattering and slightly fitted. The back,
underarm and side provide venting with privacy
panels and there are 2 zippered chest pockets. The
sleeve tabs allow for short sleeve convenience and
the rapid dry micro fiber, moisture wicking and anti
microbial material is sure to keep you comfortable
no matter the weather. It’s also wrinkle free. Your
binoculars are sure to be the perfect accessory!
Sundial Shirt for men, by Sunday
Afternoons
$59, eucalyptus green • UPF 40

Signature internal adjustable sizing. The chinstrap keeps your
hat on your head in the breeze, but if it happens to
Please send your application with payment ­to
blow off and land in the pond at Agua Caliente or
Tucson Audubon ­Society,
Reid Park, or wherever you happen to be birding,
300 E. University Blvd, #120,
the brim has a floatable foam core!
Tucson, AZ ­85705
(Attn: Jean Barchman,
Adventure Hat by Sunday Afternoons
Membership Coordinator)
OR join, renew or ­donate online at $38, various colors • UPF 50
www.tucsonaudubon.org This is our best selling hat. It offers
unsurpassed full UV coverage with
a 4” front brim and a 7.5” veil with
lift-up tab to cover your neck on
those hot and sunny Arizona afternoons.
This practical shirt is the all-around comfort shirt
during any day or international trip. This shirt offers
featherweight micro-grid fabric with a UPF 40.
The back, underarm and sides provide
venting with privacy panels and the
2 chest pockets hide secondary
hidden zipper pockets. The
sleeve tabs allow for short sleeve
convenience and the rapid dry
micro fiber, moisture wicking and
anti microbial material keeps you
comfortable in all situations. It’s
wrinkle free! VF

26 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010


Art in Wilderness: Tumacacori Highlands
Sky Island Alliance. 2007.
2 audio CDs. 100 pages. Softcover. $40.00.
It was cold. We were sitting around a campfire.
We’d hiked all day; we were tired. We were well
fed. We were sharing stories, and songs and
tequila. We were photographers, writers, poets,
songwriters, environmentalists, scientists and
naturalists. We were in the Tumacacori highlands
of southern Arizona. The firewood crackled, the air
shimmered….
Art in Wilderness began with an idea and
culminated one spring weekend, when 19 artists,
BOOKENDS
located only an hour’s drive from Tucson. The
faces around the campfire belonged to such
locally-known favorites as Pulitzer Prize-nominated
author and poet Richard Shelton, John Burroughs
Award for Nature Writing recipient Ken Lamberton,
award winning singer and songwriter Kevin Pakulis,
and award winning artist and sculptor Sharon
Holnback.
Created with the hope that the art will move
people to support Wilderness designation for the
Tumacacori highlands, the project features original
essays, poetry, paintings, photographs, songs and
spoken-word performances by some of Arizona’s
best artists, writers, singers and photographers,
each work inspired by a stay in the Tumacacori
highlands of southern Arizona. For those who have
not had the opportunity to visit the Tumacacori
highlands, Art in Wilderness takes the Tumacacori
highlands to them.
Each piece gives the reader a sense of place—
from the sepia-toned photographs of rugged oak
woodland canyons by Michael Berman, to the
brilliant watercolor landscapes of Diana Madaras
and the memorable work of Alison Hawthorne
Deming, a Walt Whitman Award-winning poet.
“‘Who can withstand the recondite wisdom
can withstand the wolf or jaguar? Or the teeming
masses of invertebrates that plough though the soil
and sky and skin? Or maybe the real question is,
Who can stand it? Can we stand wilderness for the
sake of wilderness?”
Tim Hull wrote that “the American West,
especially its wild areas, would be nothing but a
vast, unknowable abstraction without the familiar
dispatches of writers, singers and painters,” and
calls Art in Wilderness “a multimedia creative gasp
of wonder…a beautifully put-together paperback
coffee-table book with two CDs tucked in pockets
inside the covers…the best result of which is a
song by the bluesy [Cantrell] Maryott, with lyrics by
Shelton and music by Pakulis.”
This nostalgic and conservation-inspired
collection was coordinated and produced by
Sky Island Alliance, a grassroots organization
dedicated to the protection and restoration of the
rich natural heritage of native species and habitats
in the Sky Island region of the southwestern
United States and northwestern Mexico. Sky
Island Alliance’s Art in Wilderness is a voice for
the Tumacacori highlands—a hopeful and moving
experience—that evokes both a smile and a call to
action. VF

poets and writers came together to hike, camp, and and sonorous silence of wilderness?’ asks Terry Jessica Lamberton
experience the rolling hills, rugged canyons, and Tempest Williams. This is the question,” writes Wilderness Outreach Associate
rare species habitat of the Tumacacori highlands, author Ken Lamberton. “It’s like asking, Who Sky Island Alliance

You’re invited! Tucson Audubon

Remember! What: Make it a family day to Willcox
to visit the 17th annual Wings Over
There is no such thing as bad Willcox festival!
weather—just inappropriate When: any day, January 13–17
clothing. Don’t enjoy our
Each year, the town of Willcox holds the
southwest sun without being
annual Wings Over Willcox festival in honor
protected.
of the wintering Sandhill Cranes, raptors and
And, don’t forget to carry wat
er
sparrows. You can sign up for daily field trips
with you at all times in our (fee) or check out the number of other events for
($22)
stainless steel water bottle! adults and children to learn about wildlife. Plus,
visit booths with many local vendors. Tucson
Audubon will have a booth at the festival, too.
Stop by and see us when you’re in town!
To learn more about the Wings Over Willcox
festival, visit: www.wingsoverwillcox.com
Nature Shops
When you support your local Tucson
Audubon Society you are supporting birds
and bird habitat conservation. Thank you!
SHOP HOURS
Main Shop
Monday–Saturday 10 am–4  pm,
except Monday & Thursday until 5  pm
Phone: 629-0510
On 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 8:30 am:

Loaner binoculars available, meet in front of the ranch
house. For more information call Pima County Parks
Richard Fray

and Rec. 615-7855 or email eeducation@pima.gov.

Sara Pike

For permit requests and general information about

park rules and regulations call 749-3718

When you need a book, think of Tucson Audubon Nature Shops first! Support your local book store. 520-623-3476

January–February 2010 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon 27

 NON-PROFIT ORG
US POSTAGE PAID
TUCSON, AZ
300 E University Blvd, #120 PERMIT #1345
Tucson, AZ 85705

Change Service Requested

Vermilion Flycatcher
Volume 55, Number 1 January–February 2010
The Vermilion Flycatcher is the newsletter of the
Tucson Audubon Society, a chapter of the National
Audubon Society. National Audubon Society members
and members of other chapters may receive the
Flycatcher by joining the Friends of Tucson Audubon.
See membership at www.tucsonaudubon.org.

T u c s o n A u d u b o n Ga l a — Sav e t h e d at e !

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.

Jim & Deva Burns. www.JimBurnsPhotos.com

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.

Visit tucsonaudubon.org for event updates • See page 12 for Living with Nature / Membership Meeting details.
28 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher January–February 2010