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Rimmy Jim Tank and Cameron Get Ready for the Great
October 22, Lew Hastings Backyard Bird Count!
Excellent fall weather and 8 talented birders spent The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) re-
Saturday morning birding Rimmy Jim Tank and turns for its ninth season February 17-20, 2006.
Cameron. Rimmy Jim Tank was the most produc- The National Audubon Society and the Cornell
tive of the two stops with the most notable birds Laboratory of Ornithology encourage everyone to
being a Northern Harrier, Lesser Scaup, Great Blue count birds with a buddy! Every pair of eyes is
Heron, Bushtit (notable because there was only needed and everybirdy counts, whether in a back-
one!), Long-billed Dowitcher, and an excellent yard, on a high-rise balcony, in a park, or on any
aerial display by a Cooper’s Hawk. Cameron and of the 730 million acres of public lands. In 2005,
the seeps were slow with a common Snipe as the participants sent in more than 52,000 checklists,
most unusual sighting. A total of 28 species were with a record-breaking 613 species and more than
seen that morning. 6 million birds counted. Anyone with Internet ac-
cess can see the results in maps and charts as the
sightings pour in.
Flagstaff Lakes and Hotspots “The level of energy created each February by
November 19, Troy Blodgett
Great Backyard Bird counters is phenomenal,”
Six of us participated in this field trip that started said Dr. Paul Green, director of Citizen Science
at the Continental lake west of the Athletic Club. for Audubon. “What always amazes me are the
We were treated to optimal lighting and eye-pop- new discoveries made by people across North
ping views of American wigeon, green-winged America.”
teal, and a hooded merganser pair. Other stops For nearly a decade, the GBBC has kept tabs on
included Lake Elaine and Lake Mary. The wind the ever-changing patterns of birds in winter. How
was picking up by the time we trained scopes on far north will American Robins be reported this
more ducks and a smattering of long-billed dow- year? Will Sandhill Cranes migrate early or late?
itchers at Ashurst Lake. There we met a pair of Introduced Eurasian Collared-Doves have been
Californians birding their way home from Bosque turning up in new states-where will they be this
del Apache and they trailed us to the overlook at year? Native Red-bellied Woodpeckers have
Mormon Lake, the last stop of the morning. From See GBBC
GBBC, page 5
the overlook we were all treated to views of a har- St. George Winter Bird Festival
rier far below and a bald eagle harrassing the
This 3rd annual birding festival from January
hundreds of coots on the lake.
27-29, 2006, features free presentations, work-
shops, exhibits, children’s activities, lunch social,
field trips and banquet. Novice and advanced
Page Springs Work Days birders will enjoy the 3-day event!
The field trips feature nine Washington County
The next work days at Page Springs Fish hot spots from the Southwest Utah Birding Trails
Hatchery/Important Bird Area will be Febru- map. The evening banquet at SunRiver St. George,
ary 11, 2006. The two days in 2005 were very features keynote speaker Merrill Webb on “In-
productive and we hope to accomplish more fluence of St. George Golf Courses on Wintering
in 2006. Bring hat, water, gloves and working Waterfowl.” Cost is $20 and pre-registration is
implements to the IBA parking lot where we will required through the St. George Recreation Cen-
meet at 9 a.m. We will work until around 3 p.m. ter: www.activityreg.com.
NAAS will provide lunch so we need a head count For information contact Charlie Sheard
as to how many are coming. Contact Anita Mac- (435.879.2210 or mcsheard@redrock.net). To
Farlane at ajmac@sedona.net or 928-282-4063 view or print a poster, schedule of events, or a ban-
by Feb. 8th. Thanks for helping and we hope to quet registration form go to Red Cliffs Audubon
see you there. Society web site: www.xmission.com/~cldavis/
JAN/FEB 2006
NEWS ... Page 5
Huge Success - Rachel Edelstein been spreading to the northeast-will the trend
continue? Scientists also want more information
This was a windfall year for The Arboretum at on declining species, such as Rusty Blackbirds
Flagstaff when Susan Ruble of High Country Rap- and Painted Buntings. While these species are
tors suggested the possibility of providing educa- suffering due to the continued destruction of
tional programming on raptors. She was inter- their preferred habitats, other factors, such as
ested in finding a public venue for on-the-fist and mercury accumulation in Rusty Blackbirds, and
free-flight programs for wild birds of prey. The removal of Painted Buntings for the illegal cage
Arboretum’s outdoor amphitheater provided a bird industry, may make a bad situation worse.
suitable location for such public programs. Susan “This project has become a major source of sci-
also needed a group of motivated docents to han- entific information about North American bird
dle the rehabilitated birds and provide education- populations,” said Dr. John Fitzpatrick, direc-
al presentations. Arboretum volunteers stepped tor of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.
up to the plate enthusiastically and helped with “It is a classic example of the vital role citizens
presentations every Saturday and Sunday from and the Internet now play in understanding our
June through October. Shows were given twice a planet.”
day with an average of 50 visitors in the audience. In 2006, for the first time, the Lab of Orni-
Our “raptor docents” learned details about the thology and Audubon are launching an element
habits of gyr falcons, great-horned owls, kestrels, of friendly competition. Awards will be given to
red-tailed hawks, and peregrine falcons, as well as localities that submit the most checklists, record
how to handle rehabilitated wild birds. the greatest number species, or count the highest
In 2006, High Country Raptors will expand the number of birds. (Last year’s top numbers: 433
popular raptor programs to include every week- checklists from Gautier, Mississippi, 169 species
end that The Arboretum is open to the public. As from Corpus Christi, Texas, and 291,246 birds
a result, there will be a greater need for volunteers from Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Mis-
throughout the year. Raptor volunteers are en- souri.) A photo contest will also be held based on
couraged to enroll in the docent training program bird pictures taken during the event and submit-
that teaches volunteers how to provide public ted for posting on the GBBC gallery. Winners will
tours and educational programs at The Arbore- be announced after all the data from the event
tum. There is an introductory session on Janu- have been submitted.
ary 31, 2006 from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. for folks who Everyone can participate, from beginning bird
would like to learn more about the mission of The watchers to seasoned experts. During the count,
Arboretum and its public programs. Docents at- bird watchers tally up birds for as little as 15
tend classes every Tuesday afternoon from 1:00 minutes, or for as long as they like, keeping track
to 3:30 p.m. from February through April. In of the highest number of each bird species they
May, during the same time block, folks who wish see together at one time. Participants enter their
to learn how to become raptor docents will learn numbers online at www.birdsource.org/gbbc and
bird handling techniques as well as background can explore sightings maps, lists, and charts as
information on each bird species. There is a $75 the count progresses.
fee to attend the regular docent training, $50 of Year-round, anyone can view results from past
which will be reimbursed once the docent leads counts and learn how to participate by visiting
25 hours of tours. Docents who have completed www.birdsource.org/gbbc. There is no fee or
their training program can attend the raptor do- registration for the event, which is sponsored
cent training in May free of charge. Other volun- by Wild Birds Unlimited. For more informa-
teers may sign up for just the raptor training for a tion, contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at
materials fee of $25. For more information about cornellbirds@cornell.edu or 800.843.2473 or
volunteer opportunities at The Arboretum, visit contact Audubon at citizenscience@audubon.
www.thearb.org or call Rachel Edelstein at 928. org; .215.355.9588, Ext. 16.
774.1442, ext. 110.
Page 6
NEWS ... BLACKHAWK WATCH
Senator Stevens from Alaska attached a rider Welcome to our new and renewing members:
on the defense budget bill allowing oil exploration Dee Brewer Sherry Lewis/Jim Logan
in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. The bill Janet D. Collins Janis McKeone
Jean Confer Elaine Melia
was defeated before the holidays as many of the John Coons Mimi Murov
moderate senators, including Senator McCain, Abraham Feinberg Bonnie & Mike OʼDonnell
opposed the Arctic provision. This issue is never Ted Fritzinger Sue Ordway
dead so continue to listen to news when congress Joan Hadden Sally Sanderson
returns after the holiday. Ross & Beth Hawkins Marjorie Schaeffer
Vera Hull Mousie Staub
How to Contact Your Lawmakers Ed & Amelia Jaskulski Larry Stevens
State Lawmakers
Address: Capitol Complex Governor Janet Napolitano Northern Arizona
1700 W Washington www.governor.state.az.us Audubon Society Directory
Phoenix, AZ 85007 Phone : 602.542.4331
1.800.352.8404 Fax : 602.542.1381 Officers
District 1: District 2: President: Phyllis Kegley 214.0415
Sen. Ken Bennett Sen. Albert Hale Vice President: Anita MacFarlane 282.4063
kbennett@azleg.state.az.us Recording Secretary: Bea Cooley 526.5069
ahale@azleg.state.az.us Treasurer: Lyman Brainerd 282.7371
602.926.5584 602-926-4323
Directors at Large
Rep. Lucy Mason Rep. Albert Tom Celia Holm 774.6952
lmason@azleg.state.az.us atom@azleg.state.az.us Karin Slavey 282.9688
602.926.5874 602-926-5862 Linda Raymond
WWW.NAZAS.ORG