Sweetwater Wetlands reopens to wetland birds and birders after controlled burns eradicate invasive wetland plant species. Arizona Field Ornithologists conduct field expedition to Greenlee County. Cochise County receives $1.5 million Arizona state grant for water recharge project to protect San Pedro River. Birdability continues work promoting projects to enhance wildlife viewing for all. 72-year-old Albatross, oldest known wild bird, lays an egg. Bird of the episode: Gila Woodpecker. Birding hot...
Dec 17, 2024•31 min•Season 4Ep. 169
News from the Northern Arizona Audubon Society December Newsletter. A Bureau of Land Management plan to save the Greater Sage Grouse in grasslands across the West. A report on the unique nature of bird vision. Bird of the episode: Elf Owl. Birding hotspot: Las Cienegas National Wildlife Area. Friend of wildlife: Friends of Sonoita Creek.
Dec 11, 2024•37 min•Season 4Ep. 168
A discussion about bird memory. A description of the Northern Parula, a small New World Warbler sometimes encountered in Arizona. Audubon Southwest report on efforts to conserve and protect birds as renewable energy systems roll out across Arizona. Bird of the episode: Pied-billed Grebe. Birding hotspot: Bubbling Ponds important bird area in Cornville. Friend of Wildlife: Arizona Land and Water Trust.
Dec 04, 2024•36 min•Season 4Ep. 167
How discarded fishing line (monofilament) endangers wildlife throughout Arizona and how to dispose of it properly. How Towhees and other birds use a variety of foraging techniques to uncover insect prey. Bird of the episode: the Common Whimbrel. Birding hotspot: Base and Meridian Wildlife Management Area west of Phoenix. Friend of wildlife organization: Desert Foothills Land Trust.
Nov 27, 2024•31 min•Season 4Ep. 166
A report by Arizona Game and Fish Department on record-setting success in Bald Eagle nesting and fledging across the state during the 2024 breeding season. A report on efforts in the West to monitor saline lake populations of the Snowy Plover, especially on Great Salt Lake in Utah. Bird of the episode: Turkey Vulture: Birding Hotspot: Agua Fria National Monument in central Arizona north of Phoenix. Friend of Wildlife: organizations including the University of Arizona working to establish the San...
Nov 20, 2024•39 min•Season 4Ep. 165
A report on how birds invented the internet. How Canada Geese have expanded their range throughout North America including in Arizona. Bird of the episode: the Cactus Wren, North America's largest wren. Birding hotspot, Whitewater Draw and the Sulphur Springs Valley. Friend of Wildlife: Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection.
Nov 12, 2024•34 min•Season 4Ep. 164
Some thoughts about a new book by renowned fiction writer and beginning birder Amy Tan, author of the long-time New York Times bestseller The Joy Luck Club and, more recently, Backyard Bird Chronicles that describers her experiences as a new birder and reveals her extraordinary talent as a bird illustrator based here on the west coast. Bird of the episode: Wilson's Warbler. Birding hotspot, the Aztec Feedlot east of Yuma, Arizona. Friend of wildlife, the Arizona Natural History Association....
Nov 05, 2024•34 min•Season 4Ep. 163
An introduction to the Dicksissel, a seed-eating bird that breeds in the vast grasslands of the Great Plains, is sometimes spotted here in Arizona in migration. A report on how rodenticides commonly used to kill rats also kill birds of prey that feed on dead and dying rats and other rodents that ingest them. An article on Turkey Vultures that feed on roadkill and other carrion in the desert. Bird of the episode, the New World warbler, the Painted Redstart. Birding hotspot, Tinajas Altas, nine pl...
Oct 30, 2024•39 min•Season 4Ep. 162
A commentary on the reliability of eBird and other citizen science data collection tools by White Mountain Audubon Society President Mary Williams. A description of differences between 'Old World' and 'New World' bird species. Bird of the episode: Great Crested Flycatcher. Birding Hotspot: Bartlett Lake Recreation Area. Friend of Wildlife: Sky Island Alliance.
Oct 23, 2024•39 min•Season 4Ep. 161
The Paton Center for Hummingbirds has reopened following completion of Phase One of renovations that include replacement of the roof on the visitor's center. Four healthy California Condors have been released into the wild along the Arizona Utah border. Arizona Game and Fish Department reports the condors are adjusting well. Birders and other conservationists have asked municipal officials to reconsider creation of a new paved parking lot along Prescott Creek in the city of Prescott. Audubon's W...
Oct 16, 2024•35 min•Season 4Ep. 160
Are so-called 'rare' birds tracked by eBird and other citizen-science tools really all that rare? That question comes up more and more often as more and more birding enthusiasts go looking in the wild. We have a take on that. A report on fall birding on the Mogollon Rim from White Mountain Audubon Society. A report by the Sonoran Audubon Society on a number of birding events coming up in October and beyond in Central Arizona. Bird of the episode: Orange-Crowned Warbler. Birding Hotspot: Seven Sp...
Oct 09, 2024•29 min•Season 4Ep. 159
Kenn Kaufman, Field Editor at Audubon Magazine, notes recent changes regarding bird names and species differentiation by the American Ornithological Society. White Mountain Audubon Society board member Suzy Walker discusses Birdcast, an online tool for tracking birds in migration across Arizona. Sarah King, rancher and Nature Conservancy board member describes investments in water conservation underway in the Altar Valley south of Tucson. Tucson Audubon Society's Matt Griffiths describes Vaux's ...
Oct 01, 2024•33 min•Season 4Ep. 158
A description of how raptors have been observed using fire to drive prey from hiding places in grasslands in Australia. Some field biologists have documented this behavior, even speculate that birds may have taught early humans to use fire for cooking and other purposes. Bird of the episode: the Lesser Scaup. Birding hotspot: Chino Valley northwest of Prescott. Friend of wildlife organization: Hispanic Access Foundation.
Sep 24, 2024•35 min•Season 4Ep. 157
Four captive California Condors are set to be released into the wild from Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona at the end of September. The public is invited to witness this dramatic event in person or virtually. Banding of American White Pelicans at Great Salt Lake resumed this summer. Great Salt Lake is a major bird migration stop-over in Utah. Bird of the episode: Western Tanager. Birding hotspot: Maricopa County parks. Friend of Wildlife: Liberty Wildlife in Phoenix.
Sep 18, 2024•43 min•Season 4Ep. 156
A description of an encounter with the rare Zone-tailed Hawk on our patio in central Arizona. According to the Sibley Guide to Birds (2nd Edition) Fewer than 300 nesting sites are known to exist in North America. Excerpts from the newsletter of the Northern Arizona Audubon Society including a report on its recent CHAMP field trip for families of children with cancer. Bird of the episode: Pygmy Nuthatch. Birding hotspot: Fossil Creek wildlife area in the Coconino National Forest. Friend of Wildli...
Sep 10, 2024•37 min•Season 4Ep. 155
An update by Charles J. Babbitt, Conservation chair of the Maricopa Audubon Society on effects of groundwater pumping by mining operations in the Pinto Creek basin near Superior, Arizona. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service policy is a major win for mining interests in the region while perennial streams are being dewatered at an alarming rate. A Roseate Spoonbill was spotted in a pond on the Mogollon Rim, a very unusual sighting in Arizona's high country. A...
Sep 04, 2024•27 min•Season 4Ep. 154
An introduction to the Coloradito, the Red-faced Warbler, one of the most sought-after birds by visitors to Arizona. A report on the historic Yavapai-Apache water agreement recently concluded with multiple partners working to achieve sustainable water resources in the Southwest. A brief description of molting wherein birds lose their feathers in a process that replaces them in time for migration and breeding. Bird of the episode: Mountain Bluebird. Birding hotspot: Yuma East Wetlands in the lowe...
Aug 28, 2024•28 min•Season 4Ep. 156
An update on the possible return of Desert Martins to the Sonoran Desert. Desert Martins only nest in Saguaro cacti, and Tucson Audubon is asking area residents to be on the lookout for this elusive species. A report on recent audio detections in the area by the Haikubox, a device that listens for bird songs and calls and collects and reports that data automatically. A description of webinars to be presented by Southwest Audubon's Appleton Whittell Research Fellows describing their work and how ...
Aug 21, 2024•36 min•Season 4Ep. 152
A report on a multi-million dollar WaterSMART grant awarded to a consortium of organizations including Audubon Southwest to restore riparian corridors along the Gila River southwest of Phoenix. Projects will include removal of invasive species such as Salt Cedar that have altered the river ecosystem by driving out native species. And a report on what birds hear - and don't hear - including the vocal range of the human voice. Go ahead and yack it up in the field. Chances are nearby birds are NOT ...
Aug 14, 2024•31 min•Season 4Ep. 151
A report on the importance of citizen scientists, overwhelmingly volunteers, serving as ecological stewards along the U.S. Mexico border. Stereotypically characterized as drawn from the ranks of retirees, many are students, professionals, individuals with specialized expertise that lends itself to tasks at hand. Bird of the episode: Scaled Quail. Birding Hotspot: Ramsey Canyon Preserve near Sierra Vista. Friends of wildlife: the many science programs at the University of Arizona, Tucson.
Aug 07, 2024•40 min•Season 4Ep. 150
A report on July birding along the Mogollon Rim in northeast Arizona and a riparian area between Eagar and Springerville during July. Written by Rob Bettaso, Field Trip coordinator and editor of the Osprey Overlook , newsletter of the White Mountain Audubon Society in Pinetop/Lakeside Arizona near Show Low, the report includes an invitation to join bird-walks in the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest in August by Mary Williams, President of the WMAS. Bird of the episode: the Killdeer. Birding hot...
Aug 01, 2024•24 min•Season 3Ep. 149
Report from Western Water News on recent shorebird surveys conducted in Arizona. A look at hybrids, those perplexing, confusing, sometimes difficult to ID birds that often defy description. Bird of the episode: Buff-breasted Flycatcher. Birding hotspot Chevelon Canyon Wildlife Management Area on the Mogollon Rim. Friends of Wildlife: Friends of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southern Arizona.
Jul 24, 2024•26 min•Season 3Ep. 148
In a detrimental development for conservation of birds and other wildlife nearly 3,000 local newspapers have closed their doors in recent years, many highly regarded for their coverage over the years. Local media often perform a 'watchdog' function that can only be done locally for a number of reasons. National Audubon is sounding the alarm. Aldo Leopold, legendary author of 'A Sand County Almanac' is remembered. And, getting to know the Thick-billed Kingbird. Bird of the Episode: Franklin's Gul...
Jul 17, 2024•33 min•Season 3Ep. 147
Third and final installment of reading of 'Must Add Water' from the Spring 2024 edition of Audubon Magazine regarding the state of saline lakes in the western United States and remote areas of Latin America with particular focus on Wilson's Phalarope and recent discoveries about how it is adapting to climate change. Bird of the episode, the Lesser Yellowlegs. Birding hotspot, Mica Mountain in the Rincon Mountains of southeastern Arizona. Friends of Wildlife: Sonoran Joint Venture.
Jul 10, 2024•32 min•Season 3Ep. 146
Part two of 'Must Add Water,' an article from Audubon Magazine's Spring 2024 edition regarding the critical importance of saline lakes as stopovers for migrating waterfowl and other wildlife. Bird of the episode: Lucy's Warbler. Birding hotspot: Madera Canyon near Mt. Wrightson in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson. Friend of Wildlife organization: Arizona Solar Center, a broad coalition of colleges, universities and other organizations working to expand expertise and innovation within the...
Jul 03, 2024•32 min•Season 3Ep. 145
First of a three-part series of readings from Audubon Magazine regarding saline lakes in Western North America and the critical role they play for migrating water birds. Parts 2 and 3 will be included in episodes 145 and 146 respectively. Bird of the episode: Lesser Nighthawk. Birding hotspot: New River Reserve on the New River north of New River, Arizona. Friend of wildlife organization: Friends of Agua Caliente Park, Tucson
Jun 26, 2024•34 min•Season 3Ep. 144
A report on woodpeckers that bang away on metal and other non-wood surfaces here in the Sonoran Desert. A report in an ongoing series that describes how bird's have been given human names and the growing movement to change some to be more reflective of the birds themselves. A report on how some birds are using human-created materials to build their nests in urban areas throughout the Southwest. A description of the Brown Creeper, tiny bird of pine forests in Arizona. Bird of the episode: Lincoln...
Jun 19, 2024•35 min•Season 3Ep. 143
Announcement by Tucson Audubon Society that it has begun a process to change its name. The purpose is to delete the name of John James Audubon, an avowed racist who kept and sold enslaved people. A new report describes ongoing abandonment of millions of acres of cropland across North America beginning in the 1980s. Some scientists speculate this will have a positive effect on grassland birds and avian migrants. And, news about how to find birds nests in your neighborhood. Bird of the episode: Le...
Jun 15, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 142
An update on the status of the imperiled Pinyon Jay of Arizona's highland pinyon pine woodlands from Charles Babbitt, Conservation Chair of the Maricopa Audubon Society. A report on detections of bird. species by the Haikubox installed at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds. A report on a sighting of an Iceland Gull in Tucson. Bird of the episode: Long-billed Dowitcher. Birding hotspot: Willcox Playa, Cochise County. Friend of wildlife organization: Sky Island Alliance.
Apr 17, 2024•36 min•Season 3Ep. 141
Renowned ornithologist and Audubon field guide editor Kenn Kaufman explains why tyrant flycatchers are so difficult to identify here in the Southwest. It's not about looks; it's about vocalization, he says. A report on the world-famous 'Thrasher Spot' at Beeline and Salome Highway west of Phoenix. The site has been leveled to make way for a massive solar farm. Bird of the episode: the Loggerhead Shrike. Birding hotspot: Buckskin Mountain State Park. Friend of wildlife organization: Arizona Land ...
Apr 10, 2024•33 min•Season 3Ep. 140
