THE QUARTERLY NEWS MAGAZINE OF TUCSON AUDUBON SOCIETY | TUCSONAUDUBON.ORG VermFLYCATCHERilion July–September 2014 | Volume 59, Number 3 Birding Economics Patagonia’s Ecotourism ● Tucson Bird & Wildlife Festival What’s in a Name: Vermilion Flycatcher ● Southeastern Arizona’s Summer Sparrows Features THE QUARTERLY NEWS MAGAZINE OF TUCSON AUDUBON SOCIETY | TUCSONAUDUBON.ORG 12 What’s in a Name: Vermilion Flycatcher VermFLYCATCHERilion 13 Southeastern Arizona’s Summer July–September 2014 | Volume 59, Number 3 Sparrows 14 Hold That Note Tucson Audubon promotes the protection and stewardship of southern Arizona’s biological diversity 15 Another Important Step in Patagonia’s through the study and enjoyment of birds and the Ecotourism Efforts places they live. Founded in 1949, Tucson Audubon is southern Arizona’s leading non-profit engaging people 16 It’s the Fourth! in the conservation of birds and their habitats. 17 The Grass is Always Greener in Southeastern Arizona? Tucson Audubon Society 300 E. University Blvd. #120, Tucson, AZ 85705 629-0510 (voice) or 623-3476 (fax) Departments All phone numbers are area code 520 unless otherwise stated. tucsonaudubon.org 4 Events and Classes Birding Economics 5 Events Calendar Tucson Bird & Wildlife Festival ● Patagonia’s Ecotourism Board Officers & Directors SEAZ’s Summer Sparrows ● What’s in a Name: Vermilion Flycatcher President Cynthia Pruett 5 Living with Nature Lecture Series Vice President Bob Hernbrode Secretary Ruth Russell 6 News Roundup FRONT COVER: Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher in Ramsey Treasurer Richard Carlson 18 Conservation and Education News Directors at Large Matt Bailey, Ardeth Barnhart, Canyon by Muriel Neddermeyer. Muriel is a marketing Gavin Bieber, Les Corey, Edward Curley, Jennie Duberstein, 24 Birding Travel from Our Business Partners professional and mother of two teenagers. She loves Dave Dunford, Debra Finch, Jesus Garcia, Kathy Jacobs, 25 Field Trips watching and photographing birds in her spare time. John Kennedy, Claire Zucker, Nancy Young Wright Board Committees Conservation Chair Chris McVie, 25 Birds & Business Alliance To have your photograph considered for use in the Development Les Corey, Education Jennie Duberstein, 26 Nature Shops Vermilion Flycatcher, please contact Matt Griffiths at Finance Richard Carlson, Nominating & Governance Dave [email protected]. Dunford, Personnel Cynthia Pruett 27 Book Reviews Programs & Activities Field Trips Matt Griffiths Library 629-0510 Membership Meetings 629-0510 Birding in Tucson and Southern Arizona Rare Bird Alert Andrew Core | Report Rare Birds 629-0510 Staff (unless otherwise stated, dial 629-0510 plus extension) The Sonoran Desert Takes to the Skies Executive Director Paul Green ext 7001 Jessica Stephens, Director of Public Relations, Visit Tucson Accountant Michelle Bourgeois ext 7003 Finance ext 7014 Membership & Development Manager Located along the migratory path between Canada Flycatchers, and many other species. Birding buffs Kara Kaczmarzyk ext 7009 Membership & Development Assistant Vacant ext 7002 and Mexico, Southern Arizona’s lush desert is might even catch a glimpse of more than 150 Events & Volunteer Coordinator Julie Pulliam ext 7011 one of the best birdwatching areas in the United species in a single day during Southern Arizona’s Environmental Education Coordinator Bété Jones ext 7012 States. More than 500 species can be observed spectacular spring and fall migrations. IBA Conservation Biologist Jennie MacFarland ext 7004 Urban Program Manager Kendall Kroesen ext 7006 throughout the year, and hummingbirds are Visitors from around the world travel to Tucson Restoration Ecologist Jonathan Horst 971-6238 especially plentiful. Bird watching enthusiasts need and Southern Arizona for our unique desert setting Field Supervisor Rodd Lancaster 256-6909 only take a short drive through rolling grasslands, and abundance of watchable wildlife. According Restoration Specialist Andy Bennett 262-1314 Communications and Habitat Restoration desert greenery and lofty mountain ranges to to a study by Arizona Game & Fish Department, Matthew Griffiths 971-7924 find Gray Hawks, Red-faced Warblers, Vermilion watchable wildlife activities, including birding, Conservation Advocate Matt Clark 307-0956 generated a $1.4 billion economic impact in which Coordinator: Paton Center for Hummingbirds Keith Ashley 488-2981 732,343 non-residents participated in related Operations and Retail Manager Sara Pike ext 7008 activities statewide. In 2013, the Tucson Audubon Operations and Retail Coordinator Kelly DiGiacomo ext 7007 Operations and Retail Coordinator Sarah Whelan ext 7007 Society released a county-level analysis of birding Tucson Audubon Nature Shops in the region. Locally, the economic impact is $300 300 E University Blvd #120 ext 7015 million, where birding was the primary activity Hours: 10 AM–4 PM, Mon–Sat for approximately 77 percent of non-resident Agua Caliente Park, 12325 E Roger Rd 760-7881 Hours: Thu–Sat 10 AM–1:30 PM. Please call to confirm hours. watchable wildlife participants. The shop opens earlier and closes later during certain months. Visit Tucson, the region’s official destination marketing organization, values the importance of Vermilion Flycatcher is published quarterly. For address birding as a draw to our area. Working with local changes or subscription problems call 629-0510, or write to groups, including the Tucson Audubon Society, Membership Coordinator at the address above. Submissions are due 1st of the month, one month before issue date. Send we promote various activities and itineraries to submissions as Microsoft Word or RTF documents, or plain visitors, showcase the area’s “birding hotspots” and text files, to Matt Griffiths at [email protected]. highlight regional birding festivals throughout the Coordinator Matt Griffiths 971-7924 Proofreaders Tucson Audubon staff and volunteers year. For more information about visiting Tucson Design / Layout Eng-Li Green and Southern Arizona, go to visittucson.org. © 2014 Tucson Audubon Society CHARLES MILES / CCL WARBLER, RED-FACED CCL in photo credits = Creative Commons License creativecommons.org. All photos © the photographer. 2 Tucson Audubon Vermilion Flycatcher JULY–SEPTEMBER 2014 Visit tucsonaudubon.org for updates and more. COMMENTARY PAUL GREEN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KENDALL KROESEN KENDALL Growing the PIE Nearly 30,000 visitors travel each year to Tucson Audubon’s newly acquired Paton Center for Hummingbirds to watch amazing birds. Our guests leave tokens of Above left to right: Patagonia-Sonoita Creek appreciation in the donation box and pick value of conserving natural Preserve; Magnificent Hummingbird up a brochure informing them of other resources in the region. great birding sites in the area: Harshaw Management efforts to protect habitats Only by protecting our wildlife resources Canyon, the Patagonia Rest Stop, The for wildlife will safeguard the economic will southeast Arizona communities be Nature Conservancy’s Patagonia-Sonoita viability of the local nature tourism assured of sustaining the economic Creek Preserve, and Patagonia Lake industry. However, our communities and opportunities associated with nature State Park. The brochure also offers tips decision makers must face a number of tourism into the future. for coffee, lunch, dinner, and lodging. challenges before outdoor recreation and In our state, private property rights and We’re working with the Patagonia Town tourism can influence and contribute to the 1872 Mining Law include the right to Manager’s office and the local business our economy at their greatest potential. destroy irreplaceable resources even as ALAN D. WILSON, WWW.NATURESPICSONLINE.COM association to develop a strategic most of us strive to conserve our national Two Keys: Collaboration and approach to economic development treasures, their associated landscapes, Creative Planning linked to traveling birders. Businesses and their ecological functions for future Without broader-level cooperation and providing services for visitors benefit—as generations. Witness the Rosemont Mine planning, nature tourism destinations are do birders. It’s a win-win situation. Tucson and the Santa Ritas. Witness Wildcat bound to operate in isolation, each site Audubon is growing the PIE by working Silver and Harshaw Canyon. Witness competing—rather than collaborating— to protect the most important Places for the Tribute housing development and with its neighbors. Our region would birds, providing Information for traveling the Lower San Pedro River. All destroy benefit from a regional nature tourism birders, and by developing Events to natural functioning ecosystems that strategy! And Tucson Audubon is poised attract people to southeast Arizona. provide ecological services, wildlife to play a key role for the southeast corner Tucson Audubon is also collaborating resources, and more besides. of our state. with the City of Tucson and Pima County Nature tourism planning based on A great deal of the undeveloped land at a more preliminary stage on ideas and wildlife-watching economics is very much around Tucson, Patagonia, and the rest projects to develop an integrated local a collaborative and collective enterprise. of southeast Arizona is teeming with birds nature tourism strategy. We have recently To work successfully it engages planners, and other wildlife. It is also controlled by received funding to develop birding trails politicians, businesses, chambers private entities who realize few of the within the City of