For some blind and visually impaired persons birding by ear has become a lifelong passion. Their ranks are swelling, and birding trails in Arizona and elsewhere are undergoing changes to become more accessible to visually impaired and otherwise disabled birders. Bird of the week: Hepatic Tanager. Birding hotspot: Gillespie Wash in Graham County. Friend of wildlife organization: Arizona Association of Environmental Professionals. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up across Arizona.
Sep 06, 2023•35 min•Season 3Ep. 109
A Hurricane Hilary follow-up... a look at research that investigates where birds go during a hurricane and other major weather events. A report on a wildlife overpass planned for Interstate 40 near Flagstaff that will allow Elk, Deer, Pronghorn and other large mammals to cross the highway unimpeded by vehicular traffic. Bird of the episode: Glossy Ibis. Birding hotspot: Tempe Town Lake. Friend-of-wildlife organization: Southwest Biological Science Center. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming ...
Aug 30, 2023•38 min•Season 3Ep. 108
A report on recent research that shows hummingbirds actively prey on an invasive insect that has been devastating blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and other fruit crops. Growers are installing hummingbird feeders in berry patches to attract them. Bird of the week: Eared Grebe. Birding hotspot: Riggs and Price Road ponds in Maricopa County. Friend of wildlife organization: biological sciences program at Grand Canyon University, Phoenix. Calendar of bird friendly events coming up in Arizona....
Aug 23, 2023•29 min•Season 3Ep. 107
A sampling of July 2023 postings to the American Birding Association Arizona-New Mexico listserv by seasoned birders in Yuma County and southeastern Arizona. Bird of the episode: Dark-eyed Junco. Birding Hotspot: Rousseau Sod Farm complex at Scottsdale. Friend of Wildlife organization: Friends of the Ironwood Forest. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona.
Aug 16, 2023•33 min•Season 3Ep. 106
A report on new scientific evidence that changes in atmospheric pressure affect bird behavior in migration. More specifically, studies have found that departure times during migration can be predicted with weather data. Another report on bi-partisan support for continuation of the Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Enhancements Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. Bird of the episode: Double-crested Cormorant. Birding hotspot: Lake Pleasant Regional Park. Friend-of-wildlife organi...
Aug 09, 2023•40 min•Season 2Ep. 105
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has restored protection for the Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy Owl based on accumulating evidence it is struggling to maintain its nesting range in the Tucson area. Once listed as endangered that status was set aside in the face of pressure from developers. Bird of the episode: the Downy Woodpecker. Birding hotspot: the remote Vekol Wash in the south-central Arizona borderlands region. Friend of wildlife organization: Navajo Nation Fish and Wildlife Service. Calendar of ...
Aug 02, 2023•41 min•Season 2Ep. 104
A report on the devastating Diamond wildfire west of Scottsdale earlier this summer posted by the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. An assessment of its impact on the McDowell Conservancy Preserve and surrounding desert landscape is underway. A report from the BBC on how Magpies in Europe have turned the tables on human efforts to discourage their presence where it is not wanted by using anti-bird spikes and similar material to protect themselves and their nestlings from predators. Bird-of-the-episo...
Jul 26, 2023•37 min•Season 2Ep. 103
A report on how the uniquely southwestern Lucy's Warbler got its name, and the controversy over whether to replace it. Lucy Baird was an extraordinarily successful ornithologist who helped establish the Smithsonian Institution as the premier scientific repository for bird identification and categorization. Bird of the episode: the Kingbird. Birding hotspot: St. John's Sewage Treatment Ponds in northeastern Arizona. Friend-of-wildlife organization: Arizona Association for Environmental Education....
Jul 19, 2023•34 min•Season 2Ep. 102
Caring for birdwatching equipment in the wild including binoculars, photography gear, video cameras. An introduction to the Greater Roadrunner, fearless predator of the Sonoran desert. Bird-of-the-episode: Crissal Thrasher. Birding Hotspot: Jacques Marsh atop the Mogollon Rim near Show Low, AZ. Friend-of-wildlife organization: Friends of Tonto National Forest. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona.
Jul 12, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 101
Maricopa Audubon Society bird list update including new recent sightings. Results of the Global Big Day bird survey, the most data ever gathered by eBird. Bird of the episode: Cooper's Hawk. Birding hotspot: Chiricahua Mountains region of southeastern Arizona. Friend-of-wildlife organization: Rocky Mountain Research Station based in Colorado that has a field office with staff at Flagstaff. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona.
Jul 05, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 100
A report on how birds and other wildlife keep cool during the heat of the Arizona summer. Bird of the episode: Crested Caracara. Birding Hotspot: Big Horn Mountains Wilderness. Friend of wildlife: Arizona Ecological Services Field Office. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona.
Jun 28, 2023•32 min•Season 20Ep. 99
A description of 'Arizona warblers,' six warbler species endemic to Arizona according to noted Arizona birder Charles J. Babbitt, author of Birding Arizona: What to Know, Where to Go. Bird of the episode: Costa's Hummingbird. Birding hotspot: Fool Hollow Lake State Park. Friend of wildlife organization: American Bird Conservancy. Calendar of bird friendly events coming up in Arizona.
Jun 21, 2023•38 min•Season 2Ep. 98
A report on research that demonstrates birds are becoming smaller. A team of scientists recently compared data collected over many decades that documents how birds have shrunk, especially small birds. Bird of the episode, the Common Yellowthroat. Birding hotspot: the Baboquivari Peak Wilderness. Friend of Wildlife organization: Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center. Calendar of bird friendly events coming up across Arizona.
Jun 14, 2023•36 min•Season 2Ep. 98
An overview of numerous studies on the impact of tracking technology including the installation of physical tracking devices on migrating birds. These include acoustic (audio) tracking, leg bands, collars, wing tags and full-body harnesses. Bird-of-the-week: Cordilleran Flycatcher. Birding hotspot: Confluence of the Little Colorado River and Silver Creek in northeast Arizona. Friend of Wildlife: Black Canyon Heritage Park. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona.
Jun 07, 2023•34 min•Season 2Ep. 96
A report by Tucson Audubon Society on how to attract night birds to your yard. Information about scholarships and other opportunities for youth and college students interested in nature studies. Bird of the week: Dusky Flycatcher. Birding Hotspot: Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness. Friend of wildlife organization: Wildlife for Tomorrow. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona.
May 31, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 95
A report by the Arizona Republic on how the municipality of Queen Creek in Maricopa County is working to acquire water rights to support expected growth in that community. The plan proposes construction of wastewater recharge ponds that have proven to be magnets for waterfowl and other wild birds. Bird of the episode: Meadowlark. Birding Hotspot: Rock Art Ranch in northeastern Arizona. Friend of wildlife: Coconino Watershed Partnership. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona....
May 24, 2023•33 min•Season 2Ep. 94
Report on California Condor deaths from bird flu along the Arizona-Utah border. A report on a proposal by conservationists to have a wildlife corridor along the outflow of the Agua Fria River near Glendale and Peoria designated the McMicken Dam Conservation Area. A summary of research on how Cooper's Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks co-exist in backyard ecosystems. Bird of the episode: Mexican Whip-poor-will. Birding Hotspot: Blue Range Wilderness. Friend of wildlife organization: Arizona Wildlife ...
May 17, 2023•37 min•Season 2Ep. 93
Insomnia keeping you awake at night? Or is it that Northern Mockingbird rattling away outside the bedroom window? You are not alone. Louie Dombrowski at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds has the scoop. And, a deep dive into the difference between precocial and altricial birds; why some are off and running the moment they are born while others stay in the nest for weeks before fledging. Bird of the week: Elegant Trogon. Birding hotspot: Round Valley near Greer, Arizona. Friend of wildlife: Oasis ...
May 10, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 92
An article from Desert Rivers Audubon Magazine on how to turn your Arizona backyard landscape into a bird oasis. Introducing new Southwest Audubon Policy Manager Sam Draper and new Rio Salado Audubon Center director Daniel Roper-Jones. Bird of the episode: Common Gallinule. Birding Hotspot: Aubrey Peak Wilderness. Friend-of-Wildlife: ConservationJobBoard.com. Calendar of bird friendly events coming up in Arizona.
May 03, 2023•36 min•Season 2Ep. 91
White Mountain Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count report. Get to know the Bill's Vireo. A description of Arizona's Important Bird Area (IBA) program. Bird of the episode: Ferruginous Hawk. Birding Hotspot: Sulphur Springs Valley in southeastern Arizona. Friend of wildlife organization: Northland Pioneer College. Calendar of bird friendly events coming up in days ahead.
Apr 26, 2023•33 min•Season 2Ep. 90
Western Water News update on drought conditions in western North America. Tucson Audubon launches program to offer its expertise to organizations looking for interesting programs pertaining to wildlife conservation and protection. An overview of the Bird Buddy Hummingbird monitor. Bird of the episode: Forster's Tern. Birding Hotspot: Big Horn Mountain Wilderness. Friend of Wildlife: Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Calendar of bird friendly events coming up in the days ahead.
Apr 19, 2023•37 min•Season 2Ep. 89
A report on Audubon lobbying for bird conservation and preservation at the Arizona state capital. A report on a California legislative proposal to save and clean up the Salton Sea, a critical migratory bird stopover in California. An overview of the federal Wilderness Area program. Bird of the episode: Gilded Flicker. Birding hotspot: Kanab Creek Wilderness. Friend of wildlife organization: Southern Arizona Experiment Station at the University of Arizona, Tucson. Calendar of bird friendly events...
Apr 12, 2023•34 min•Season 2Ep. 88
Report on a July 2022 ABA birding tour of the Santa Cruz River basin and surrounding area. A report on early spring birds spotted at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds near Tucson. Northern Arizona Audubon is recruiting bluebird nest box monitors. Bird of the episode: Eurasian Collared Dove. Birding hotspot: Santa Cruz County, AZ. Friend of Wildlife: South Mountain Community College. Calendar of bird friendly events coming up in the days and weeks ahead.
Apr 05, 2023•39 min•Season 2Ep. 87
Who - or what - is 'decapitating' beautiful Saguaro cacti in southeastern Arizona? Hint: it's a bird. A Tucson birder now spending part of the year at Pinetop-Lakeside describes his experience discovering new birds and birding hotspots along the Mogollon rim. Bird of the episode: Clark's Nutcracker. Birding Hotspot: Lyman Lake State Park. Friend-of-wildlife organization: Eastern Arizona College. Calendar of bird friendly events coming up in Arizona.
Mar 29, 2023•29 min•Season 2Ep. 86
A report published by the Washington Post earlier this month on the decision by the National Audubon Society to keep its name after years of controversy surrounding John James Audubon's legacy as a slave owner and anti-abolitionist. A number of regional Audubon Society chapters have vowed to shed Audubon's name from their titles. Bird of the week: Chestnut-sided Warbler. Birding hotspot, the Bear Wallow Wilderness in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. Friend of wildlife organization: Diné Enviro...
Mar 22, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 85
Followup on preparing nest boxes for the spring and summer nesting season. Update on the legendary thrasher spot at Baseline Road and Salome Highway west of Phoenix. Bird of the episode: Bushtit. Birding hotspot: Mule Mountains wilderness in southeastern Arizona. Friend of wildlife agency: Merriam-Powell Research Station at Northern Arizona University. Calendar of bird friendly events coming up in Arizona.
Mar 15, 2023•27 min•Season 2Ep. 84
Update on Avian Influenza currently spreading across North America. Scientists are reporting wild bird kills on an unprecedented scale, and that the virus has moved to mammals. The report titled 'Eagles are Falling, Bears are Going Blind' was posted recently on the website of The Atlantic magazine. Bird of the episode: Common Ground Dove. Birding hotspot: Concho Lake in northeastern Arizona. Friend-of-wildlife organization: San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge. Calendar of bird friendly event...
Mar 08, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 83
An overview of funding opportunities for scholarships and conservation activities available from the Northern Arizona Audubon Society. A description of the wildlife viewing station at the Apache electric power generating station in the Sulphur Valley, Cochise County. Bird of the episode: the Chipping Sparrow. Birding hotspot: Hellsgate Wilderness in the Tonto Creek basin. Friend of Wildlife organization: Southwestern Research Station of the Museum of Natural History. Calendar of bird friendly ev...
Mar 01, 2023•31 min•Season 2Ep. 82
News of scholarships available to students pursuing careers in environmental services. A blogger's report on December birding along the Santa Cruz Flats. Bird of the episode: Cassin's Kingbird. Birding hotspot: Show Low/Pinetop Lakeside area. Friend of Wildlife organization: University of Arizona Project Wet. Calendar of bird friendly events coming up in Arizona.
Feb 22, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 81
Arizona winter birding update and advice on preparing nest boxes for spring nesting along the Mogollon Rim from White Mountain Audubon President Mary Williams. Audubon's Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch has announced its popular 'Living Gently on the Land' potluck dinner series is back. A brief look at recent postings to the American Birding Association's Arizona-New Mexico birding list. Bird of the Episode: Canada Goose. Birding hotspot: Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness. Friend of wildlife organizati...
Feb 15, 2023•34 min•Season 2Ep. 80
