July August 2003 Vermilionlycatcher Tucson Audubon Society F www.tucsonaudubon.org Leaders in Conservation & Education since 1949 Volume 47, Number 9 ISSN 1094-9909 Winged Migration Fundraiser July 9 Reception 5:30 p.m., Exclusive Screening 6:30 p.m. Lowes Cineplex Catalina Cinema, 2320 N. Campbell Avenue Come spend a cool summer evening supporting the Tucson Audubon Society at an exclusive pre-screening of Jacques Perrin’s academy award nominated documentary film, Winged Migra- Email Updates tion. Ticket prices are $10 for members and $15 for non-members. All proceeds benefit the Tucson Audubon Society. We can send you periodic email updates on conser- “Earthbound, watching the birds fly across the sky, we undertook this film. We vation issues and Tucson had to go higher, nearer the birds, within striking distance of the stars. What if Audubon events! To sub- we embarked on the most fabulous of journeys, abandoning our towns and scribe, write to tasupdates- countryside, off on a tour of the planet. What if borders did not exist, the earth [email protected]. a one and only space. What if we learned to be as free as birds?” - Jacques Perrin For more information contact Kendall Kroesen There are only 219 seats in the theater! Get your tickets today at the Tucson Audubon Nature at [email protected], or Shop, 300 E. University Ave. (southeast corner of University Blvd. and 5th Ave.). Remember our 206-9900. summer hours, Tuesday – Saturday 10-4 (Thursdays 10-5). Tickets can also be reserved by calling the Tucson Audubon Nature Shop at 629-0510. Many thanks to Lowes Cineplex Catalina Cinemas and Sony Pictures Classics. J Inside Calendar .................. 11 Conservation News ..... 4 Dastardly Duos ........ 22 Director’s Perch ......... 2 Field Trips .................. 6 Field Trip Reports ...... 8 Pictures Classics Mathieu Simonet/Sony Mason Audubon Center News ...................... 12 Meeting program ...... 28 Membership Information .............. 26 Nature Shop ............. 20 RBA Highlights ........ 23 Thanks & Wishes ..... 27 Travel Program ......... 16 Web Corner .............. 27 Canada Geese, in Winged Migration 2 Vermilion Flycatcher Tucson Audubon Society July August 2003 Tucson Audubon Society Officers Directors Perch Sonja Macys President, Robert Merideth .................. 884-4393 Vice President, Bill Mannan ................. 621-7283 Secretary, Linda Stitzer ......................... 297-3173 As the spring migration ends and Dr. John Madden is a doctor by Treasurer, Walter Kavanagh ................. 621-1750 Directors at Large temperatures rise, activities at Tucson trade and training, but an astute natu- Audubon have begun to dwindle. Sum- ralist by passion. For the past three de- Wendy Burroughs Lawrence Liese 578-3650 743-3520 mer affords us an opportunity to re- cades, Madden has stewarded a 7-acre Don Eagle Chris McVie flect on the year’s accomplishments and lot at the confluence of Sabino Creek 629-0510 629-0510 Floyd Gray Robert Mesta define areas for future attention. Each & Bear Creek. This oasis and its 1.25 670-5582 629-0510 June, our staff and board of directors meet acre pond provides important habitat Lisa Harris Susan Randolph 629-0510 629-0510 to discuss these and other issues pertinent to some 200+ species of birds and has Steven Hopp Peggy Wenrick to the future of our chapter. A few of this been studied by keen local naturalists 629-0510 629-0510 Kristi Keller Roger Wolf year’s accomplishments include… Kenn Kaufman and David Lazaroff. 629-0510 882-9633 u Through the Santa Cruz River We are honored to have been chosen David Yetman 621-2484 Habitat Restoration Project we as the property’s stewards after Dr. Board Committees have improved Madden is no longer Conservation, Bill Mannan .................... 621-7283 150 acres of with us. Education, Floyd Gray ........................... 670-5582 abandoned farm Just as some sites Development, Peggy Wenrick ............... 629-0510 fields, riparian are important to birds Nominating, Susan Randolph .............. 629-0510 Community Presence, Linda Stitzer ......... 297-3173 areas, and xero- Kroesen Kendall for the habitat they riparian areas. provide, others are im- Programs and Activities u Bird Alert ................................................. 798-1005 Through the Ari- portant for the oppor- Bird Reporting ........................................ 696-4461 zona Important tunities they provide Bird Census, Susan Birky ...................... 743-9390 to birders to view Library, Bill Scott .................................... 887-5813 Bird Areas Pro- Madden property Mailing, Gerald Sweeney ..................... 326-3701 gram we have ap- some of southeast Field Trips, John Higgins ...................... 578-1830 proved 11 “Ari- Arizona’s flying jewels. Program, Tom DeMoss .......................... 296-2963 zona Identified Important Bird Who hasn’t experienced the “oohs” and Audubon Nature Shop & Offices Areas” & facilitated a conservation “aahs” as the Violet-crowned Hum- 300 E. University Blvd. #120, Tucson, AZ 85705 easement on the Lower San Pedro mingbird alights upon one of the feed- Nature Shop Hours: Mon.Sat. 104, Mon. & Thu. 105 Shop Manager, Judy Edison River. ers at Marion Paton’s house? Many of Asst. Shop Manager, Susan Birky u At the Mason Audubon Center, you know that Marion has been ill and (520) 629-0510 Fax: (520) 623-3476 more than 140 volunt.eers have you have contacted us with concerns www.tucsonaudubon.org [email protected] contributed over 1265 hours of for her. We appreciate your concern Executive Director, Sonja Macys .......... 622-5622 their time to support education and we too are wishing her the best. Asst to ED, Jessie Shinn ........................ 628-1730 programs, grounds improvement, Early this year, we initiated a con- Accountant, Tina Eggert ........................ 629-0757 research initiatives, and to guide versation with Marion to discuss her MAC Outreach Coord., Jamie Brown ..... 744-0004 Education Prog. Man., Carrie Dean ...... 622-2230 the direction of the Center. wishes for the property. We have con- Education Specialist, Dan Wolgast ......... 744-0004 Thank you! tinued that discussion with her family Development Director, Holly Foster ...... 629-0757 u To provide a local membership op- and will soon reach an agreement with Restoration Projects, Ann Phillips ........ 206-9900 AZ IBA Coordinator, Scott Wilbor ....... 622-2230 tion, we established the “Friends them about the possibilities. As the in- Permaculture/Com., Kendall Kroesen .. 206-9900 of Tucson Audubon Society” mem- formation becomes available to us, we Editors, Jane & Warren Tisdale ............ 749-2139 bership program. This allows Tuc- will share it with you. What we do know Mission Statement son Audubon to retain 100% of now is that we will need considerable fi- Tucson Audubon Society is dedicated to im- proving the quality of the environment by pro- the revenue associated with mem- nancial support to preserve this property viding education, conservation, & recreation pro- grams, & environmental leadership & information. bership to support local programs. and maintain it as a haven for birders. Tucson Audubon is a non-profit volunteer or- And as for future attention, we are The upcoming year will be a turn- ganization of people with a common interest in birding & natural history. Tucson Audubon reaching into new geographic areas and ing point for Tucson Audubon, as we maintains offices in Tucson, an extensive library, hoping that you will join us. We con- move into Northeast Tucson and po- & a Nature Shop where nature-related items are sold for the benefit of our programs, (520) 629-0510. tinue to pursue gifts of land that might tentially Santa Cruz County. We hope The Vermilion Flycatcher is published contribute to the conservation of areas that you will continue to be a part of monthly except for combined May-Jun., Jul.- Aug., and Dec.-Jan. issues. For address changes that provide important habitat to birds. this adventure, and help us to enhance or subscription problems call (520) 628-1730, or A recent example is the Madden Prop- the habitat that our birds love and need. write to us (see page 26). Submissions for the September Flycatcher are due by August 7. erty on Sabino Creek. Birding depends on it! J July August 2003 Tucson Audubon Society Vermilion Flycatcher 3 Many Thanks to Our Spring Donors We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the many donors who contributed financially to Tucson Audubon this spring. The following gifts received between April 1 and May 31 of 2003 have helped make it possible to continue our important work in habitat conservation, restoration, education and recreation. The birds thank you! Green Kingfishers Judd Klement Juniata S. Hirsch ($1,000-$4,900) Howard Lilley Nancy S. Janney T & E, Inc. Ries & Marcia Lindley Eve Karnitis Rich Genser Nancy-Jo Merritt Mr. & Mrs. Burton Kinney Art Morgan Jinny Kyle Violet-crowned Hum- Patricia Pearson Abraham & Norma Lackow mingbirds W. J. Schilling Thomas Lucas ($250-$499) Mrs. Amy Schlossberg Ruth Mandara Robert Merideth Yolanda & Rick Shoemaker Mrs Leo F. Mermis Mr. Lowell S. Sorenson Melinda & Irwin Simon Christine Michalowski Rene Tanner Mr. Ralph E. Morgan Acorn Woodpeckers Joyce & Henry Thompson Mr. & Mrs. Richard Y Murray ($100-$249) Paula Treder Dr. John & Sarah Palmer Jeanne S. Broome Jeanne & Raymond Turner Romana & Milan Parobek Kathryn H. Burgess Brayton & Helen Perkins Barbara & Stuart Calder Cactus Wrens M. Joan Rauch Circle Z