A Cultural History of Hummingbirds with Noah Comet
May
7
6:00 PM18:00

A Cultural History of Hummingbirds with Noah Comet

70th Annual MAS Banquet

Franciscan Renewal Center

5802 East Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85252-4124

6:00 PM BYOB Social Hour, Raffle, & Silent Auction. Raffle tickets available at the door.

7:00 PM  Buffet Dinner.

Cost: $30.00 per person. Reservations required. Deadline to register April 15. No-shows will be billed. You may pay at the door (cash or check), or Paypal or credit card online. Mail checks, payable to Maricopa Audubon Society, to MAS Banquet, c/o Emily Thomas, 2519 Diamond, Mesa, AZ 85204.

Our agenda will include induction of our new Board

Guest Speaker Noah Comet

A Cultural History of Hummingbirds

The hummingbird's abundant fascinations have earned a prominent but under-examined place in cultural history, and that is the subject of professor Noah Comet’s presentation. Reaching back to the pre-Colombian Americas—particularly to the Aztec’s chief god, Huītzilōpōchtli, who was named for and often figured as a hummingbird--and forward, via WWII to the present day, Comet will explain how the bird evolved from a bloodthirsty deity into a transatlantic metaphor and even a physical commodity. 

Noah Comet holds graduate degrees from NYU and UCLA, and is a professor of English at the United States Naval Academy. He is widely published in the field of nineteenth-century British studies, his credits including a 2013 book from Macmillan Press and many essays in scholarly journals. He is also a certified State of Maryland Master Naturalist, an avid outdoorsman, and a nature writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the Denver Post, the Chicago Tribune and the Baltimore Sun. A native of northeastern Ohio, he traces his love of birds to (among other things) a surprise encounter with a Barred Owl in Cleveland, who landed on a branch just inches from his head and shared several minutes with him in silent, mutual curiosity. Since then, Comet has made it one of his life goals to see all of America’s owl species; he’s more than halfway there. He lives in Annapolis with his wife and 12-year-old son.

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Tanzania Safari
Apr
2
7:30 PM19:30

Tanzania Safari

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Mat will talk on the birds and animals of Tanzania's most loved National Parks, from Tarangire National Park to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Mat will also talk about aspects of going on African safari.

Mat Dry is an African Safari Guide who has been operating in East and Southern Africa for 18 years. He specializes in creating custom-made trips for clients to see Africa's most iconic wildlife destintations and their iconic animals. He is an expert in all things African from flora and fauna to culture and history.

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Feathers, Beaks and Senses: a Little Bird Biology with Cindy Marple
Mar
5
7:30 PM19:30

Feathers, Beaks and Senses: a Little Bird Biology with Cindy Marple

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This easily digestible presentation is a great introduction to avian biology. You will get a bird's-eye view of how birds are adapted to the unique challenges they face. Both tyro and advanced birders alike will benefit from this interesting talk. Cindy Marple is a Nature Photographer whose favorite subject is birds. Her interest in birding has grown the more she observes and learns about birds. She teaches Birding Skills and Bird Photography through the City of Chandler Recreation department and at Hassayampa River Preserve.

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Wild at Heart: Saving Burrowing Owls with Greg Clark
Feb
6
7:30 PM19:30

Wild at Heart: Saving Burrowing Owls with Greg Clark

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Meeting ID: 847 3113 3054
Passcode: 257406

Western Burrowing Owls have experienced declining populations for decades.

Wild At Heart’s Burrowing Owl Recovery Project is a comprehensive, multi-faceted effort to conserve this species in Arizona. Learn about these efforts to rescue, reengineer habitat identification, relocate, release, and monitor these owls and what you can do to help ensure their survival.

Greg Clark is an engineer who volunteered to support the Arizona Breeding Bird Atlas project, an AZ Game and Fish bird survey project in the 90’s. That project led to curiosity about the decline of Burrowing Owls in the West, and what could be done about it. In 2000 Greg decided to expand the earlier work started by Wild At Heart to rescue and relocate owls from areas about to be developed. Over 30 years this program has relocated thousands of owls to thousands of artificial burrows and received recognition from Cox Conserve Heros, The North American Bird Conservation Initiative, The John Muir Association, and others.

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Journey from Bugs to Birding: A Two-Year Perspective with Evan Waite
Jan
2
7:30 PM19:30

Journey from Bugs to Birding: A Two-Year Perspective with Evan Waite

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Evan Waite, an evolutionary biology Ph.D. student at Arizona State University, will talk about his journey from bugs to birds. He has always considered himself a naturalist but only seriously took up birding in October of 2021. After six years of academic entomology, he has shifted his primary pastime from the mocroscope to binoculars. He will discuss the differences between his career and his new hobby, and the challenges of doing both.

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Behind The Scenes with Jim Burns
Dec
5
7:30 PM19:30

Behind The Scenes with Jim Burns

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Behind the Scenes will raise the curtain on some interesting and seldom observed behaviors of a few of our common and not so common Arizona birds as seen through the photographer's lens.

Jim Burns, a long time contributor to the Cactus Wrendition, is a nature writer/photographer based in ScottsdaleHis birding column, Bird is a Verb, originally carried by the Arizona Republic, continues on his website, jimburnsphotos.com, where you can see more of his work.


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Meeting ID: 854 4970 1369
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Meeting ID: 854 4970 1369
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Ethiopia and Yellowstone in Winter with David and Diane Reesor
Nov
7
7:30 PM19:30

Ethiopia and Yellowstone in Winter with David and Diane Reesor

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zoom link here

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Meeting ID: 895 8738 5926 Passcode: 368504

Historically throughout Africa, wildlife populations have been rapidly declining. In Ethiopia, a 17-year-old civil war along with severe drought negatively impacted the country’s habitat even further. We were fortunate to see the endangered Ethiopian Wolf and Mountain Nyala..both elusive, both beautiful.

Winter in Yellowstone means fewer crowds, frigid temperatures and steaming geysers. Skis, snowshoes and snowmobiles are the primary modes of transportation as roads close, rivers freeze, and snowstorms transform the park into a winter wonderland.

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Mexican Spotted Owl with Amanda Moors
Sep
5
7:30 PM19:30

Mexican Spotted Owl with Amanda Moors

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Throughout her career, Amanda Moors has done it all - studied black bears in the forests of Maine, taken to the skies for aerial surveys of big game animals in Arizona, scoured grasslands for elusive box turtles, and traveled to the edges of the land (literally) to survey those hard-to-identify shorebirds. However, if you mention her name around conservation professionals in Arizona, there's one species that's bound to come up: the Mexican Spotted Owl, a protected species listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Since the early 90s, Amanda has been surveying for and studying this montane forest and canyon-dwelling owl, providing invaluable data to land managers and wildlife agencies that have greatly aided in its conservation. Through this work, she's traveled from the ponderosa pine forests of central and northern Arizona to the Sky Islands in the southeastern corner of the state. During her presentation, we'll learn more about the imperiled Mexican Spotted Owl, what it takes to survey for them, and more.

In the last few years Amanda has also become a professional photographer, specializing in wildlife and landscape astrophotography.  In addition to printing her beautiful photos, she has also started making functional art by printing her photos on useful items like blankets, bath mats, pillows, mugs and more.  She will be bringing some of those items to sell the night of her presentation.  You can preview some of her work on her website and etsy store linked below; like-and-follow Amanda Moors Photography on Facebook as well.

https://www.amandamoors.com/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MoorsWildlife

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30,000 Miles in Search of Godwits, from the Mexican Border to the Arctic Ocean with Bruce Beehler
May
2
6:00 PM18:00

30,000 Miles in Search of Godwits, from the Mexican Border to the Arctic Ocean with Bruce Beehler

66th Annual MAS Banquet 

RESERVATIONS ARE CLOSED

Francis Meeting Room 5802 E.Lincoln Drive Scottsdale AZ 85253

6:00 pm BYOB social hour, raffle, and silent auction. Come early to meet old friends and new, and to peruse the auction and raffle tables. Raffle tickets available at the door.

7:00 pm Buffet Dinner (includes vegan option). 

Cost: $30.00 per person. Reservations required. Deadline to register April 15th. No-shows will be billed. You may pay at the door (cash or check) or mail checks payable to Maricopa Audubon Society to MAS Banquet, c/o Vicki Hire, PO Box 603, Chandler, AZ 85244. Our agenda will include induction of our new Board and presentation of the 14th Annual Herb Fibel Award for Distinguished Service to Maricopa Audubon Society. Reserve online here.

Our Program

Between 2019 and 2022, Beehler completed five field trips in search of Hudsonian Godwits. Beehler visited stop-over sites through the Great Plains; visited breeding habitat in western Alaska, Churchill, Manitoba, and the High Arctic of western Canada; and did field surveys at a famous autumn staging site in James Bay. In all, Beehler traveled solo by car more than 30,000 miles, encountering Hudsonian Godwits in ten states and provinces. He also spent time with Marbled and Bar-tailed Godwits, and 33 additional shorebird species. Beehler accompanied various fieldworkers studying godwits and other species in remote and iconic field sites. Beehler will recount the highlights of his more than five months in the field, from Nome and Point Barrow to Tuktoyaktuk, Moosonee, and Monomoy Island.

Our Featured Speaker

Bruce Beehler is an ornithologist, conservationist, and naturalist.  He received his PhD from Princeton studying the behavioral ecology of the birds-of-paradise of  Papua New Guinea. 

Beehler has spent much of his scientific career studying and conserving birds and their forest habitats. He has published seventeen books and monographs and authored scores of technical and popular articles about birds and nature including The Birds of Paradise (1998), The Birds of New Guinea (1986, 2015) and the two-volume Ecology of Papua (2007). He is a Research Associate, Bird Division, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, and a Scientific Affiliate of the American Bird Conservancy. Today Beehler carries out natural history studies and writing focused on wildlife and natural places in North America.

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Discover Plants of the Sonoran Desert And Its Birds with Jim Shepherd
Apr
4
7:30 PM19:30

Discover Plants of the Sonoran Desert And Its Birds with Jim Shepherd

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Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86539282171?pwd=RFFwbUFUTDRJM2NLQjhUSDhEUkVBdz09
Meeting ID: 865 3928 2171
Passcode: 874601

6:00PM Pre-meeting dinner at Saigon Bowl 8213 E. Roosevelt Street, Scottsdale

A lifelong amateur naturalist, Jim’s retirement allowed him to return to his love of nature.  He has been a volunteer tour guide for the Boyce Thompson Arboretum for the past eight years, teaching about arid land plants.  Most recently, his book A Walk In The Wallace Desert Garden-Discovering Desert Secrets profiles 48 arid land plants, many found in the Sonoran Desert.  Jim will guide us through Sonoran Desert plants and the habitat they provide for birds.

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Endemism and Exploitation: A glimpse into Solomon Islands with Dr. Adam Stein
Mar
7
7:30 PM19:30

Endemism and Exploitation: A glimpse into Solomon Islands with Dr. Adam Stein

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6:00PM Pre-meeting dinner at Saigon Bowl 8213 E. Roosevelt Street, Scottsdale

Adam C. Stein will share insights into the natural world of the Solomon Islands and the forces at play to exploit it from his work with the Trop Bio Lab in the summer of 2022.

 Link to the Trop Bio Lab: http://tropbiolab.org/JACU/

 Adam C. Stein earned his PhD in evolutionary biology from Syracuse University. Since completion of his dissertation, Adam has been involved in research, teaching, and conservation projects around the globe. Currently, he is an assistant teaching professor in the Applied Biology Department at Arizona State University. www.adamcstein.wordpress.com

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Magnificent Majestic Mono Lake with Harriet and Dr. Andrew T. Smith
Feb
7
7:30 PM19:30

Magnificent Majestic Mono Lake with Harriet and Dr. Andrew T. Smith

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Meeting ID: 835 5068 2895
Passcode: 869495

The authors of The Astonishing, Astounding, Amazing Sonoran Desert will present their latest book, Magnificent Majestic Mono Lake. This book is an entertaining introduction to the simple ecosystem and fascinating wildlife of California’s Mono Lake and its basin, and it tells the inspiring story of the fifty-year effort to save Mono Lake from being drained dry by the City of Los Angeles. The book will be available for purchase.

Andrew Smith is President's Professor Emeritus and a Distinguished Sustainability Scientist in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. He is a conservation biologist whose work includes the behavioral ecology of mammals, effects of habitat fragmentation, and ecosystem services provided by small mammals. Smith served as Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Lagomorph Specialist Group from 1991 - 2021. Books include: A Guide to the Mammals of China (2008) and Lagomorphs: Pikas, Rabbits, and Hares of the World (2018). In 2015 Smith received the Aldo Leopold Conservation Award from the American Society of Mammalogists. He has studied American pikas in the Sierra Nevada since 1969 and Plateau pikas on the Tibetan plateau since 1984.

Harriet Smith is a retired clinical psychologist and published author (Parenting for Primates, 2006) with an avid interest in the ecology and conservation of wild places. She hopes that writing about threatened ecosystems will help contribute to their conservation.

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The Status of the Crested Caracara in Arizona with Doug Jenness
Jan
3
7:30 PM19:30

The Status of the Crested Caracara in Arizona with Doug Jenness

  • 2450 N 64th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85257 (map)
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Photo by Muriel Neddermeyer.

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Doug Jenness, Editor of Arizona Birds , Founding member of the Arizona Field Ornithologists, has been involved in field work on Crested Caracaras in Arizona for the past 15 years and authored many articles on them.

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So Many Species, So Little Time.  Can we save more by focusing on only a few? with Dr. Dave Pearson
Dec
6
7:30 PM19:30

So Many Species, So Little Time.  Can we save more by focusing on only a few? with Dr. Dave Pearson

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Meeting ID: 882 7772 7584
Passcode: 425153

For effective conservation and habitat management of biodiversity, it is not enough to know a species is present or that it is declining. We must know why it is in trouble. The detailed knowledge to answer the “why” relies on in-depth studies that are unavailable for most species. One way to deal with this problem is to use a few well-studied species as stand-ins or surrogates for the species in trouble. What are the qualifications for these surrogates, and what are the advantages and limitations of this policy? Is it reliable, and is it accurate?

Dr. Pearson's research is focused on ecology, conservation and environmental education. Although he has worked on a breadth of organisms from crabs and insects to Paramecium and birds, and a range of habitat types from coral atolls to desert grasslands, much of his research concentrated on a small group of insects, tiger beetles, in tropical lowland rain forests around the world. He has also worked with the Gila River Indian Community the last five years surveying seasonal changes in the birds of their artificial wetlands. Dr. Pearson has taught 28 biodiversity workshops in 18 countries, and he has written 15 books including a series of travelers' wildlife guides for various countries.

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Montana and the West Coast with Larry Arbanas
Nov
1
7:30 PM19:30

Montana and the West Coast with Larry Arbanas

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Meeting ID: 839 8336 6530
Passcode: 646646

Nature filmmaker Larry Arbanas will present footage filmed last summer from Montana and the West coast from Washington to California. Arbanas produces bird, wildlife, environmental, social issue and documentary films for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, PBS, USFWS, USFS and most recently the orientation room video for the redesigned River of Time Museum in Fountain Hills. He currently resides in Mesa with his bride of 3 months. Just to be clear, his bride is a bit older than 3 months.

Larry Arbanas was born in Chicago and spent most of his youthful years in the 'burbs. Summers were spent at his Grandfolk's rural Michigan farm, basically as free child laborers in Grandma’s garden. When the work was done, we were free to roam. The best spot was the swamp. just full of Pickerel Frogs, Bullfrogs, Northern Pike and all sorts of bird life. It was heaven on Earth! This love of nature was instilled early and Larry has been pursuing, learning about and documenting natural history ever since.

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Let’s Be Transparent About Windows and Reflect on Solutions: Anthropogenic Threats Facing Birds with Jason D Struthers
Oct
4
7:30 PM19:30

Let’s Be Transparent About Windows and Reflect on Solutions: Anthropogenic Threats Facing Birds with Jason D Struthers

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Meeting ID: 838 9187 6329
Passcode: 745097

Anthropogenic hazards are largely responsible for the net loss of nearly 3 billion birds from North America between 1970 and 2018. Bird-window collisions is estimated to indiscriminately kill 0.5 to 1 billion birds annually in the US. Unfortunately, this avoidable human-caused hazard receives little public attention and minimal research. Join me as we delve into this, and other anthropogenic bird hazards. Learn some solutions that you can do to ensure that birds can prosper, be enjoyed by future generations, and continue to provide key ecosystem services that we depend on.

Jason D Struthers obtained his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2011 from  U of Montreal, his Masters in anatomic pathology in 2013 from U of Saskatchewan and completed his anatomic pathology residency at U of Florida. He become a board-certified anatomic pathologist in 2015 and spent a year as such at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom. In 2016 he joined Midwestern University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Glendale. As associate professor, he divides his time among teaching, scholarly pursuits, mentoring the new Audubon on Campus chapter, and providing diagnostic pathology services to veterinarians, law enforcement, Arizona Humane Society, AGFD, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix and Reid Park Zoos, Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, etc. He is Education Chair for Maricopa Audubon Society. His scholarly endeavors include 15 peer-reviewed publications, dozens of conference presentations, and mentoring veterinary students and anatomic pathology residents. His scholarly publications include research on tamandua (anteater), Mexican gray wolf, Bornean rangutan, cattle, and bighorn sheep.

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My Experience at Rio Diablo Birding Camp with Jacob Bagley
Sep
6
7:30 PM19:30

My Experience at Rio Diablo Birding Camp with Jacob Bagley

  • Papago Buttes Church of the Brethren 2450 N 64th St Scottsdale, AZ 85257 (map)
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Jacob will recount the spectacular places and biodiversity he experienced at Rio Diablo Birding Camp, touring the Big Bend area last year from the high-elevation Chisos and Davis Mountains, to the winding gorges of Seminole Canyon, to the banks of the Rio Grande River.

Jacob Bagley is a sophomore at Shadow Mountain High School where he takes honors and AP classes. He is involved in the Digital Academy of Advanced Placement Scholars, Veterans Heritage Project, and the National Honor Society. He has been birding since April 2020. What started as a quarantine hobby quickly became his number one passion. Jacob enjoys chasing a rarity as much as birding his local patch. Birding has enabled Jacob to establish many great friendships, expand his network, and explore the natural beauty of Arizona and beyond. He is excited to lead his first birding tour in Southeast Arizona, one of his favorite birding regions.

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The Sonoran Desert with Harriet and Dr. Andrew T. Smith
May
3
7:30 PM19:30

The Sonoran Desert with Harriet and Dr. Andrew T. Smith

We are currently meeting both in person and by Zoom. We are correcting the zoom audio so please come back!

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Meeting ID: 812 3770 5301. Passcode: 940862

Please see meeting location, details and pre-meeting dinner information here.

This meeting is our annual member meeting and includes the election of the Board of Directors. Please contact the nominating committee to get on, or nominate someone for, the ballot here.

Extending from the southwestern US into northern Mexico, the Sonoran Desert is an ecological hotspot of biodiversity due to its vast array of habitats. The Smiths will speak on the wonders of the Sonoran Desert and the importance of environmental education through books such as “The Astonishing, Astounding, Amazing Sonoran Desert”. They will sign copies and all proceeds from their book  funds Friends of the Sonoran Desert (FSD), a nonprofit whose mission is to preserve and protect the Sonoran Desert. 

Harriet Smith, Managing Director, FSD, is a retired clinical psychologist from Tucson. As a child, she awoke to the coos of Mourning Doves, hiked trails where the vibrant colors of cactus blooms and the sound of rattlesnakes caught her attention, and swam in natural desert pools that filled after monsoon rains. Her desire to conserve the Sonoran Desert motivated her to write this book. She also authored Parenting for Primates, 2005, Harvard University Press.

Andrew Smith, Director, FSD, is President’s Professor Emeritus and a Distinguished Sustainability Scientist in the School of Life Sciences at ASU. Since 1991 he has served as Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Lagomorph Group. Books include A Guide to the Mammals of China, 2008, Princeton University Press, and Lagomorphs: Pikas, Rabbits, and Hares of the World, 2018, Johns Hopkins University Press. In 2015 he received the Aldo Leopold Conservation Award from the American Society of Mammalogists.

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Saving the Blue Crow – How Community Science Helps Pinyon Jays with Cathy Wise
Apr
5
7:30 PM19:30

Saving the Blue Crow – How Community Science Helps Pinyon Jays with Cathy Wise

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Zoom/in person hybrid meeting.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87124014481?pwd=RXFzZlk5VjhWTklIeVZrYVZvcW40QT09 

Meeting ID: 871 2401 4481. Passcode: 357056

Pre-meeting dinner will be held at Saigon Bowl. Please see details here.

The Pinyon Jay, an iconic bird of western Pinyon-Juniper forests, has declined precipitously since the late 60’s. Drought, climate change, and habitat loss negatively impact the bird, and we are struggling to get an accurate picture of Pinyon Jay status due to the birds’ enormous range and nomadic nature. Enter community scientists and an ambitious monitoring plan! Learn about the program and how you can help.

Cathy Wise has a BS in Avian Sciences from UC Davis and has studied birds throughout the west. She is Community Science Manager with Audubon Southwest and has worked for the USFS, Utah DWR, and the AGFD. Cathy oversees Burrowing Owl relocation and Yellow-billed Cuckoo surveys, and promotes Audubon’s “Plants for Birds” intentional landscaping program. She is an avid hiker, climber, snowboarder, gardener and beer enthusiast.

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Chasing a Desert Apparition: LeConte’s Thrasher with Jay Sheppard ZOOM ONLY
Mar
1
7:30 PM19:30

Chasing a Desert Apparition: LeConte’s Thrasher with Jay Sheppard ZOOM ONLY

NOTE: Our regularly scheduled program, Larry Arbanas on Montana and the West Coast, has been postponed. We have a new program which will be ZOOM ONLY. NO IN-PERSON MEETING. No pre-meeting dinner. Please enjoy the program from home.

​Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88471103580?pwd=QXcyZ2RXc0Y1Y2NJeis4NFA0ejM4QT09

Meeting ID: 884 7110 3580 Passcode: 708853

Jay will discuss some of the challenges and results of his study of this uncommon desert bird. This thrasher is a shy, poorly-known, and little-studied species found in the hottest and driest deserts of the American Southwest and northwestern Mexico. The bird rarely, if ever, drinks any water. Jay has spent years studying this enigmatic bird and gives the results of his study with some insight into its daily life. Some 350 thrashers were color-banded and followed around an 1800-acre tract in the San Joaquin Valley of California for several years. Extensive information was learned about the life history of this bird. His monograph, “The Biology of a Desert Apparition: LeConte’s Thrasher (Toxostoma lecontei)” was published in 2018.

Jay is a retired biologist from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and lives in Laurel, Maryland. He worked for a number of years at the Bird Banding Laboratory, located at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge, and later in the endangered species program office in Washington, DC. He was born and raised in Ohio, went to Miami University, served 5 years as a Navy officer with the Pacific Fleet, and moved to Maryland in 1972 after graduate school at Long Beach State University. He has been watching and studying birds and nature since as long as he can remember.

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Neotropical Birding with Cindy Marple
Feb
1
7:30 PM19:30

Neotropical Birding with Cindy Marple

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We are currently meeting both in person and by Zoom, for those who prefer not to attend in person.

 Join Zoom Meeting

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 Meeting ID: 843 8733 4915 Passcode: 630581

Please see meeting location, details here. THERE WILL NOT BE A PRE-MEETING DINNER TONIGHT.

The tropical regions of the planet are known for their biodiversity; the New World tropics have the most diversity of birds of any region.  From the familiar to the unique, we’ll explore bird families and species of the various habitats found in the Neotropics. Spoiler alert- it isn’t all rainforest! 

Cindy Marple is a Nature Photographer whose favorite subject is birds.  Her interest in birds and birding has grown as she spends time observing and learning more about her subjects.  She now teaches  Birding skills and bird photography through the City of Chandler Recreation department, with Thursday night classes starting January 2022.

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South Mountain Park and Preserve with Dr. Andrew Lenartz
Jan
4
7:30 PM19:30

South Mountain Park and Preserve with Dr. Andrew Lenartz

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We are currently meeting both in person and by Zoom.

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87223090083?pwd=OUxGbmYvTzFtWGtrS01rakJmV29KQT09

 Meeting ID: 872 2309 0083 Passcode: 110706 

Please see meeting location, details and pre-meeting dinner information here.

In the new book South Mountain Park and Preserve: A Guide to the Trails, Plants, and Animals in Phoenix’s Most Popular City Park, local college educator and park volunteer Dr. Andrew Lenartz covers the history, hiking trails, and recreational opportunities of the 4th largest municipal park in the US.  Lenartz will share information on this unique local treasure including the geology, natural history, and his favorite places to visit.

 Dr. Lenartz is a Psychology Professor at Gateway Community College in Phoenix. He is a volunteer Park Steward and a near-daily user at South Mountain Park. When not visiting the park, he is generally talking, writing, or dreaming about it.

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Snakes of Arizona with Andrew T. Holycross
Dec
7
7:30 PM19:30

Snakes of Arizona with Andrew T. Holycross

  • Papago Buttes Church of the Brethren (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

We are currently meeting both in person and by Zoom.

To join by Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82718923318?pwd=UXBuTENPUTgvSEp4NzFCd2pTbEZ3dz09

Meeting ID: 827 1892 3318

Passcode: 136194

Please see meeting location, details and pre-meeting dinner information here.

A fascination with snakes drove the creation of this definitive, scholarly reference that celebrates what we know about every species found in Arizona. Written for naturalists and professional biologists, resource managers, teachers and students alike, this essential book examines all aspects of the biology of Arizona’s snakes, as supported by a complete review of the primary and gray scientific literature plus a trove of previously unpublished data and observations. Fifty-nine peer-reviewed species accounts authored by leading authorities comprise the heart of this elegant and beautiful opus. Each account describes one snake species and discusses its taxonomy, distribution and abundance, habitat, diet and foraging biology, predators and parasites, behavior, and reproduction.

Andrew Holycross will be selling this exquisite book for $30, half the list cost, to the first 12 buyers. One book per person. Please bring cash or checks to Andrew T. Holycross.

The book is exquisitely illustrated with over 390 figures and photographs. Introductory chapters eloquently describe Arizona’s biotic communities, the need for action to conserve species, and other useful topics. Dot distribution maps for each species, based on vouchered records, are gathered in a concluding chapter. This essential reference comes complete with over 3, 170 unique literature citations, inviting the reader to further explore the captivating world of the snakes of Arizona. 860 Pages. Andrew T. Holyoke and Joseph C. Mitchell, editors. Foreword by Harry W. Greene. Illustrations by Randall D. Babb.

Andrew Holycross earned his Masters degree at University of Nebraska -Omaha studying Prairie Rattlesnakes in the Nebraska Sand Hills. He earned a Ph.D. in Zoology from Arizona State University in 2002 studying the conservation genetics and natural history of two endangered species of rattlesnakes in the Southwest. In 2004 he joined the faculty at Mesa Community College and has been teaching biology courses there ever since. He is an adjunct curator for herpetology in the BioCollections at ASU. He has contributed dozens of scholarly articles to the scientific literature, co-authored the 1st and 2nd editions of A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles in Arizona, and co-edited the book Snakes of Arizona. In addition to herpetology and teaching, his passions include outdoor activities. He is 1 of only 3 people who have hiked the entire length of Grand Canyon on both sides of the Colorado River and he started an outdoor club, the Adventure Association, at Mesa Community College in order to instill self-confidence and leadership skills in future leaders. He helped build the Red Mountain Campus in a manner that remains true to its Environmental Sustainability and Environmental Education missions.

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The Changing Role of Wildfire in Arizona Ecosystems with Dr. Molly Hunter
Nov
2
7:30 PM19:30

The Changing Role of Wildfire in Arizona Ecosystems with Dr. Molly Hunter

  • Papago Buttes Church of the Brethren (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

This is our first in-person meeting since March 2020. It will be a hybrid meeting with a zoom link for those who prefer to view remotely. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82415476213?pwd=NXpOejV4SC9kU3FuTkpJVFpiOE1Ndz09

Meeting ID: 824 1547 6213                                                                        Passcode: 378877

Masks are optional. There will be hand sanitizer and your temperature will be taken at the door.

There will be a pre-meeting dinner at Cha Da Thai (formerly Noodles Ranch) at 6pm. See menu here.

Dr. Hunter is an Associate Research Professor in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona. Her main duty is to serve as the primary science advisor for the Joint Fire Science Program, a partnership among U.S. Forest Service and Department of Interior that funds scientific studies to inform wildland fire management. Dr. Hunter also serves as a Public Information Officer, supporting wildfire incidents in Arizona in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Prior to coming to the University of Arizona, Dr. Hunter was an Associate Research Professor in the School of Forestry at Northern Arizona University, where she taught a variety of continuing education courses for fire management professionals, maintained an active research program in fire ecology and management, and co-founded the Southwest Fire Science Consortium. Dr. Hunter has a PhD in Forest Science from Colorado State University and a BS in Plant Biology from the University of California at Davis.

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Laysan Albatross with Hob Osterlund
Oct
5
7:30 PM19:30

Laysan Albatross with Hob Osterlund

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85051661467?pwd=Y1l0M3ZtNzhCNGpFMWUrRnBxWGpxUT09

Meeting ID: 850 5166 1467

Passcode: 978643

Hob Osterlund is a Safina Center Fellow and the founder of the Kauaʻi Albatross Network. She is the author of “Holy Mōlī: Albatross and Other Ancestors” (Oregon State University Press, 2016) now in its fourth printing. In 2018 she produced a documentary called “Kalama’s Journey”, which won a Telly Award. An advanced-practice nurse who spent her career working in acute hospitals on Kauaʻi and Oʻahu, Hob performed a multi-ethnic pidgin-speaking comedy character called Ivy Push RN for national audiences. She now focuses her fulltime attention on advocacy for birds of Hawai’i, especially the magnificent Laysan Albatross.

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Ornitherapy or How One Birder Dealt with Birding Through the Pandemic
Sep
7
7:30 PM19:30

Ornitherapy or How One Birder Dealt with Birding Through the Pandemic

Photo credit: Jim Burns Star(ling) Wars

PLEASE NOTE PROGRAM CHANGE-New Speaker, New location.

We are not meeting at the Papago Church of the Brethren.

This meeting is by Zoom.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82109273479?pwd=bkIvNExid3ZVYXpNMGw0UlQ4MXBHZz09

Meeting ID: 821 0927 3479 Passcode: 817154

This link will be active by 7:15pm. The meeting starts 7:30pm.

Sorry for any disappointment.

Jim Burns is a nature writer/photographer based in Scottsdale. His bimonthly birding column, Bird Is A Verb, which originally appeared in the Arizona Republic and is now carried on his website, https://jimburnsphotos.com/. Visit his website to view more of his work.

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Himalayan Bird Adaptations to High Elevations
May
4
7:30 PM19:30

Himalayan Bird Adaptations to High Elevations


Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83817366629?pwd=ZVZ5UVBlZUI3Wjk4c21VMVU4ZnpUdz09

Meeting ID: 838 1736 6629 Passcode: 744129

Dr. Sahas Barve will talk about the biogeography of Himalayan birds and adaptations to two of the biggest challenges birds face at high elevations; a rarified air and cold temperatures. He will discuss how his findings fit into our understanding of the impact of climate change on birds living on the highest mountains in the world!

Sahas is an avian evolutionary ecologist. He is currently a Peter Buck Fellow at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History where he studies how birds stay warm in the high Himalayas. Sahas is also an avid birder and hopes to see 6000 bird species by the time he is 60. More about him at his website www.sahasbarve.com.



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