Early Birds: April Picnic, Bird Watch & Centennial Challenge
By Joy Dingley
Early Birds Club
Desert Rivers Audubon
We seem to make a habit of choosing a date for our picnic that gives us extreme weather. One year it was torrential rain at Boyce Thompson Arboretum and this year it was extremely hot on our trip to some of the Salt River birding spots.
We made a good start by seeing a Harris Hawk at our meeting place of the junction of Power Road and McKellips and we continued to get some of our target birds, including Western Tanager, Lucy’s Warbler, Vermillion Flycatcher and, of course, Bald Eagle.
Birding the Salt River with Desert Rivers Audubon’s Early Birds children’s club.
We had time for a picnic at Coon Bluff but even by 10.30 am it was getting very, very hot and that’s as far as we got before we decided to call it a day. We have, however, added a lot of birds to our list which now stands at 77 species. That only leaves us 23 to get before the end of January 2013 and since we will be meeting mostly at Gilbert that’s a very challenging number.
The children now have a Summer Challenge to work on until we meet again in October.
We’re always happy to have new members join, aged between 7 and 14. So if you know of any families who might be interested you’ll find Jamie’s contact information on our website. We also enjoy having experienced birders go out with the older children at Gilbert on the third Saturday of the month so If you have some time and would like to help us get those last few birds please contact me, Joy Dingley, joy.dingley@cox.net.
A Hundred Birds for a Hundred Years
By Joy Dingley
Early Birds Club
Desert Rivers Audubon
The Early Birds have set themselves a target in this Centennial Year for Arizona. They are going to try to find 100 bird species. They began in February and submitted their list to the Great BackYard Bird Count which is run by Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society.
We are hoping lots of people will want to sponsor us at a few cents per bird. At one cent for each species the sponsor would pay one dollar if we manage to see 100 different species. What we would like to do with the money is buy a set of good field guides so we can all use them when we go out together.
These are the “rules” for adding species. We can only add a bird if it has been seen when we are out together as a group at our normal monthly meetings. So no birds seen while any of the children are on vacation. The counting stops after our meeting in January 2013 – that will be a year after we started.
So one hundred birds will not be easy to find. We have seen 55 different species since we began and we are keeping our record on E-bird. But we’ve only got Oct, November, December and January at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve and one other meeting when we have our annual picnic at a location that has yet to be decided. So it’s not going to be so easy!
If you would like to help us by sponsoring us, email me, joy.dingley@cox.net. Wish us luck!
Your Yuma: Visit Another World in Southwestern Arizona (without leaving the East Valley) April 10, 2012
Henry Detwiler discusses southwestern Arizona natural History April 10th @ Desert Rivers Audubon's monthly meeting.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012, 7-8:30pm, Gilbert Community Center, 130 North Oak Street, Gilbert, Henry Detwiler, past President of the Southern Illinois Audubon Society & member of the Arizona Rare Bird Committee, guides us through the natural history of southwestern Arizona. Detwiler is the author of Finding Birds in Yuma County, Arizona & co-author of Finding Birds at the Salton Sea and in Imperial County, California.
Come early to browse our mobile book shop, visit, and discover volunteer opportunities with Desert Rivers Audubon. Learn about our Burrowing Owl Habitat opening at the end of April at Zanjero Park, Gilbert. We’ll brief everyone on our painting day at the Hummingbird Habitat at Desert Breeze Park, Chandler, April 14, 8-10am. Light refreshments served (last meeting until Sept.)
Desert Rivers and Tropical Cats
by Mike Evans
Conservation Director
Desert Rivers Audubon Society
The recent stories of jaguars and ocelots being spotted in Arizona got me thinking about the historic role that our desert rivers played in wildlife population distribution. My thoughts wandered to the impact the “dang fence” on the border would have in limiting the future distribution of these tropical species back into Arizona. I also got to thinking about how our modern system of canals has come to partially replace the role that our desert rivers historically played in wildlife distribution, especially here in the Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, and Mesa area.
Jaguar, Panthera onca.
For those that missed the news reports, the Arizona Game and Fish Department confirmed through photographs that a mountain lion hunter treed a jaguar southeast of Tucson. The Arizona Daily Star also reported that in June a helicopter pilot for Homeland Security spotted a jaguar loping down a forested hillside in the Santa Rita Mountains of southern Arizona. Arizona Game & Fish also reported that a further five reports by hunters have been confirmed and the department is now attempting to determine through photographic analysis how many jaguars may be roaming about southern Arizona. The Game & Fish believe that these individuals represent the most northern part of a population of jaguars living in Sonora, Mexico.
We were also recently briefly regaled with the story of a sighting of an ocelot. Upon further analysis, the Game and Fish Department believes that the cat was more likely a serval, or serval hybrid, an African cat popular in the pet trade. However, there were two other confirmed sightings of ocelots earlier in the year, both in the Huachuca Mountains.
These are only the third and fourth reports of ocelots in Arizona since the 1960’s. It was generally agreed by most wildlife observers
Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis, also known as the dwarf leopard or McKenney's wildcat.
that the ocelot was extinct in Arizona until one was found dead along the highway in the Globe area in 2010 and one was photographed in 2009 by a trail camera belonging to the Sky Island Alliance. There is a small remnant population of ocelots in Texas and the rest of the range was believed to be much farther south in Mexico, but now Arizona has to be added to the list of locations where the species is still holding on to some territory.
Historically, Arizona’s desert rivers have been corridors for wildlife. Although the exact locations of the traditional corridors used by jaguars and ocelots remain uncertain, there is good evidence that the prey species of both cats were originally found in abundance along our desert rivers. For these species to survive, movement corridors need to be maintained. Conservation efforts are crucial as habitat becomes more fragmented and isolated. The Sky Island Alliance is one organization working to maintain the connections north and south of the border through their Wildlife Linkages program.
One threat to the continued efforts to conserve both of these species is the proposed border fence. The Center for Biological Diversity has been warning of the environmental catastrophe that the border fence would be for wildlife populations for five years. Back in 2006, the Center said:
More border walls, militarization, low-level aircraft and roads would further damage already-stressed wildlife and places, such as the Cactus Pygmy Owl and Sonoran Pronghorn in Arizona, Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard and Peninsular Ranges Bighorn Sheep in California, Jaguar and Mexican Gray Wolves in New Mexico, and the Rio Grande River, Ocelot, and Big Bend National Park in Texas. Triple walls are harmful to wildlife blocking critical migration corridors and destroying valuable habitat. The distance of the triple wall – 370 miles – is approximately the distance of the entire border in Arizona.
With two Arizona desert rivers having their headwaters in Mexico, the border fence will affect wildlife distribution. It seems clear that the northernmost range for the ocelot and jaguar would be cut off from the population in Mexico and stop any natural repopulation of these species in Arizona.
Roosevelt Water Conservation District
Closer to home, our canal system is the wildlife corridor for coyotes and other mammals. In the southeast valley, the four SRP canals (Consolidated, Eastern, Western, & Tempe) plus the Roosevelt Water Conservation District canal are regular coyote corridors. When we add in the Eastern Maricopa Floodway, we have a wildlife corridor that stretches from the San Tan Mountains in the south to the Salt River Recreation Area. So the next time you see a coyote in one of the East Valley riparian areas, or a coyote loping through a southeast valley neighborhood, remind yourself that it is the same mode of transit that wildlife has always used in the southwest: our riparian desert rivers. And, if you want your children and grandchildren to someday see jaguars and ocelots in the wildlands of Arizona, let your opinion be known to our elected officials the next time they start talking about building “the dang fence”.
Desert Rivers Audubon & Wild At Heart Dig In Wildlife Development for Burrowing Owls in Gilbert
By Eileen Kane
Communications Director
Desert Rivers Audubon
Greg Clark, Owl Habitat Coordinator for raptor rescue and rehabilitation group Wild At Heart, talked about the struggle to preserve Arizona’s Burrowing Owls, September 13, 2011, at Desert Rivers Audubon’s monthly meeting.
Burrowing Owl visits Desert Rivers Audubon's September 2011 meeting, photo by Linda Covey.
A Species of Special Concern, Burrowing Owls live their lives largely in underground burrows made by squirrels, coyotes, skunks and other animals. Small and active both day and night, Burrowing Owls are vulnerable to other birds of prey, animals, and construction.
With over 5,000 artificial owl burrows installed throughout Arizona, Greg describds his latest project with Desert Rivers Audubon to install 100 burrows at Zanjero Park, Gilbert. Immediately adjacent to active farmland, Zanjero is an example of the disturbed land on the fringes of suburban areas Burrowing Owls prefer.
Desert Rivers Audubon is organizing volunteers to dig the burrows, 8am-2pm, Saturday, October 29, 2011 at Zanjero Park, 3785 S. Lindsay Road, Lindsay Road, South of Loop 202, Gilbert. In the spring, volunteers will again be needed to feed and care for the owls while they are acclimated to the site and before their release.
The Burrowing Owl Habitat Project is made possible by a grant from Together Green, an initiative by the National Audubon Society and Toyota to fund conservation projects, train environmental leaders, and offer volunteer and individual action opportunities that significantly benefit the environment.
Desert Rivers Audubon and Wild At Heart will also present a technology forum Wednesday, September 28, 2011, as part of the Gangplank Brown Bag Series lunchtime series. Both organizations are seeking advice and brainstorming on social media, mobile technology, and signage to enhance the public’s experience of this Burrowing Owl habitat.
UPDATE (10/24/2011) from Greg Clark:
“Zanjero Park is considered underutilized by the Town of Gilbert. It is designed for use by horses and there is evidence that horse owners do take their horses there for riding. But, it is not used much for that purpose. It has attractive recirculating water features and two well maintained ramadas that are occasionally used at lunch time by office workers. The main trail around the edge of the park is part of a larger trail used mostly by bicycles. This appears to me to be the main use in the park. There is a nice park bench area and plantings in one area in the middle of the trail.
“Because the park is devoid of grass it is not attractive to families with small children looking for a playground. For all these reasons the park doesn’t see much use. But, situated next to farm land, it is perfect for Burrowing Owls. The trail system and park bench would allow easy access to see the owls and small children would not typically be at the park running around and looking for fun opportunities to chase the owls. The low density vegetation will allow the owls good visibility, especially in the large basin area where the release sites are located. 100 burrows are being installed with four release sites.
“Once the owls are present the use of the park will go way up as people go to see the owls up pretty close.
“The close proximity of Campo Verde High School (adjacent to the park) could provide scientific and educational opportunities for the students via monitoring, owl behavior descriptions, pellet comparison studies with other nearby owl sites, and gathering video and still images for web site reports and creative writing.
“I anticipate that one release tent per year would go up for the next 4 years.”
UPDATE (11/14/2011) from Steve Thomas (conact stevepthomas@cox.net to volunteer):
If you missed #OWLDAY, Wild at Heart has another habitat install project, Saturday, November 19, 2011.
“On Nov 19th we will be constructing new homes for burrowing owls at a farm northwest of Gila Bend. Travel time from Phoenix to the site is approximately 2 hours.
“The 400 new homes, or artificial burrows as they are called, are needed to relocate AZ burrowing owls who have been displaced by development and/or loss of their natural burrows and habitat.
“Building the burrows consists of placing plastic burrow chambers in the ground, connecting flexible access tubes to the chambers and creating ground-level entrances so the owls can get down inside their new home. We expect these new homes will support many families of owls for the next 20 years.
“Children are welcome at the event. Children ages 10 and up can usually perform any of the tasks; children ages 8-9 can learn some of the more difficult tasks and be good helpers to an adult or teen. Children 4-7 may be able to paint the tubes and help carry supplies back and forth. Children under 4 will need constant supervision to be sure they stay safe.”
Greg Clark, Wild At Heart Burrowing Owl Habitat Coordinator, joins chapter president Krys Hammers and a rescued burrowing owl at Desert Rivers Audubon's September 2011 meeting. Photo by Linda Covey.
Tropical Kingbird Attends Desert Rivers Audubon’s Board Retreat
by Mike Evans
Conservation Director
Desert Rivers Audubon Society
Desert Rivers Audubon Board of Directors Retreat Saturday, July 30, 2011 at the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center, Phoenix, AZ.
Tropical Kingbird
Having not seen one in a couple of decades, and only having seen Couch’s Kingbird once before (when one spent the winter outside Tacna, AZ), and not hearing it’s call, we can’t definitively say it is a Tropical and not a Couch’s. We had a very good view of the tail and back in the scope. There was no white on the tail, and the tail had a distinctive notch. The tail color was brown, not black. Yesterday and today, multiple books were used for reference. I hope someone with more experience with Tropical Kingbirds can substantiate the find.
Cow Bird Conundrums
by Joy Dingley
Education Committee
Desert Rivers Audubon
Cowbirds at bird feeder.
When I grew up in England every child knew the call of the cuckoo and that it laid its eggs in other birds’ nests. Yet, even when I was a grown up bird watcher no one could give me a reasonable explanation of why the bird should choose such a roundabout way to produce the next generation – still less how the behavior evolved. So when I got to theU.S.and found that Cowbirds followed the same route of absentee parenting I was delighted when I was given a rational explanation. Cowbirds apparently followed the great herds of buffalo around feasting on the attendant insects. When the herd moved, the birds moved and they didn’t have time to build a nest, incubate eggs and feed the young ones.
It sounded good to me and I’ve repeated the explanation to other people. However, I’ve now got doubts about it. Right from the start I should have asked, if there are still enough insects around to feed the young chicks then why aren’t there enough for the parents as well? Many birds feed their young the protein providing insects they need to develop but make do with a much less rich diet themselves.
Secondly I noticed this summer how often Cowbirds are coming to my seed feeders. There do seem to be more of them than I’ve noticed before but this isn’t the first year they have done this. Even at the Santa Rita lodge in Madera Canyon at the end of May they were vying with Black Headed Grosbeaks for possession of the seed feeders. So if they aren’t dependant on insects they could have stayed with their chicks for a few weeks before flying on to where the Buffalo had migrated.
So I’m back to asking the same questions I used to ask about the cuckoo, how on earth did this strategy evolve, could the bird ever revert to looking after its own eggs if the surrogate parents disappear and what mechanism ensures that the parasite bird doesn’t wipe out all the possible surrogate parents if they are too successful in a given area? Somebody out there must know!
AZGFD Wildlife Viewing Action Plan-Birders Be Heard
Join Desert Rivers Audubon members and Conservation Director Mike Evans in listening to and commenting about the AZGFD Wildlife Viewing Action Plan, Wednesday, June 29, 2011, 6:00pm - 8:00pm at the Arizona Game and Fish Department Mesa Regional Office, 7200 E. University Drive, Mesa, AZ. Mike notes, “I like attending this kind of meeting. It gives you a chance to have your voice heard and you leave with a feeling of having actually accomplished something.”
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking public review and input on an action plan for wildlife viewing recreation in Arizona.
The Wildlife Viewing Action Plan outlines objectives and strategies to help guide and implement a statewide watchable wildlife project. It identifies programs, products, and services the department is currently providing in wildlife viewing recreation, discusses opportunities and challenges for the future, and identifies new approaches that, if implemented, will help take advantage of opportunities and overcome challenges.
Game and Fish is seeking input from the public on the general topics and strategies that have been developed in the plan.
“This is a step to include users and stakeholders in evaluating the plan,” says Watchable Wildlife Coordinator Joe Yarchin. “We’re looking for input on any broad objectives or strategies we might have missed, including alternatives. We want feedback on whether this is hitting the mark or has some gaps that need to be addressed.”
The Arizona Game and Fish Department recognizes the need to manage for positive wildlife 
opportunities for all outdoor recreationists. There is strong public interest in watching wildlife. According to the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, 1.3 million wildlife viewing participants spend $838 million in Arizona annually.
Despite this comparatively large demographic, there appears to be a significant gap between the current conditions, as they relate to wildlife viewing recreation, and the desired future conditions. The action plan outlines objectives, goals and actions to narrow the gap.
Comments can be submitted at the meetings, or you can submit comments by e-mail to wwreview@azgfd.gov or by U.S. mail to: Wildlife Viewing Action Plan Comment, c/o Arizona Game and Fish Department, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086. The deadline to submit comment is July 6, 2011.
Desert Rivers Recognized Bird Habitat Program
Fairy Duster attracts hummingbirds
If you have a backyard, park, schoolyard, or business landscape that is planted with native and low-water use plants, you are providing a good habitat to attract birds.
Desert Rivers Audubon wants to recognize you for your efforts. Maybe it should be lack of efforts, since we recommend that you don’t overly trim or prune your desert plants. Since grass lawns are not recommended, you also don’t have to mow. We want you to spend more time enjoying the wildlife in your habitat, instead of tending it.
Birds look in your habitat for shelter, food and water. Native plants such as Chuparosa and Fairy Dusters not only attract hummingbirds and butterflies, but grow into lush shrubs and bloom year-round. Palo Verde trees produce those colorful yellow blooms in the spring, stay green year-round, and provide shade in summer. A small gray yellow-headed bird called a Verdin loves to nest and hang out in Palo Verdes. Woodpeckers and Peach-faced Lovebirds live in holes in the saguaro cactus. It doesn’t hurt our special native cactus and provides an insulated abode for these colorful and interesting birds. It produces sweet blooms that attract Hummingbirds and insects that are yummy snack for most birds. Not only do these plants attract birds, they use less water. This means more water is available for our native riparian areas.
To be recognized for your habitat, visit our website. For a donation of $25 or more, you will receive an attractive 8×12 metal sign and proudly display in your habitat. 
With a recognized habitat that attracts birds at your park, school or business, contact our Education Director about doing a lunchtime program for you. We can bring loaner binoculars and educate your employees, customers, or students about the birds in your habitat.
Love Is in The Air (and Sometimes Under a Rock) @ Boyce Thompson Arboretum
Click here for the checklist of birds that frequent the arboretum grounds.
Join Desert Rivers Audubon at our monthly meeting February 14, 2012 at Gilbert Community Center, 130 N. Oak St., Gilbert, 7pm, for “Love is in the Air” with Paul Wolterbeek of Boyce Thompson Arboretum.
Taylor Family Legume Garden
Valentines Day, means that “Love is in the Air,” but our guest speaker would argue that love is sometimes lurking behind a tree, holding binoculars and a camera, and taking notes.
No, he’s not a creepy stalker or a papparazzo – Paul Wolterbeek is one of those dedicatedstaffers we know & love over at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Paul coordinates BTA’s volunteer program and also the public event series, arranging guided bird walks and presentations by nature photographers; summer evening concerts and how-to-juice-prickly-pear-cactus-fruit classes.
He’s one of those people who appears to love his job, and has an infectious love of birds, mammals and our Sonoran Desert … and on this evening he will share anecdotes about some of his favorite spots at BTA (maybe even share a few “secret undisclosed location” places nearby for birding, too!), with a slide show of BTA birds photographed by some of the top avian artists we have in AZ: Brendon Grice, Richard Ditch, Cindy Marple.
With any luck, Paul’s sweetie (and summertime owl research boss, Amanda) may be here, too; her lively presentation on Mexican Spotted Owls was a highlight of our 2009 speaker series.
Come early to browse our mobile book shop, visit, and learn about volunteer opportunities with Desert Rivers Audubon. Light refreshments served.
Desert Rivers Audubon on Flickr
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