Arizona Bird Call

Report from Western Water News on recent shorebird surveys conducted in Arizona. A look at hybrids, those perplexing, confusing, sometimes difficult to ID birds that often defy description. Bird of the episode: Buff-breasted Flycatcher. Birding hotspot Chevelon Canyon Wildlife Management Area on the Mogollon Rim. Friends of Wildlife: Friends of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southern Arizona.

In a detrimental development for conservation of birds and other wildlife nearly 3,000 local newspapers have closed their doors in recent years, many highly regarded for their coverage over the years. Local media often perform a 'watchdog' function that can only be done locally for a number of reasons. National Audubon is sounding the alarm.
Aldo Leopold, legendary author of 'A Sand County Almanac' is remembered.
And, getting to know the Thick-billed Kingbird.
Bird of the Episode: Franklin's Gull. Birding hotspot: Ramsey Canyon near Sierra Vista. Friend of Wildlife: Student Conservation Association.

Third and final installment of reading of 'Must Add Water' from the Spring 2024 edition of Audubon Magazine regarding the state of saline lakes in the western United States and remote areas of Latin America with particular focus on Wilson's Phalarope and recent discoveries about how it is adapting to climate change. Bird of the episode, the Lesser Yellowlegs. Birding hotspot, Mica Mountain in the Rincon Mountains of southeastern Arizona. Friends of Wildlife: Sonoran Joint Venture.

Part two of 'Must Add Water,' an article from Audubon Magazine's Spring 2024 edition regarding the critical importance of saline lakes as stopovers for migrating waterfowl and other wildlife. Bird of the episode: Lucy's Warbler. Birding hotspot: Madera Canyon near Mt. Wrightson in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson. Friend of Wildlife organization: Arizona Solar Center, a broad coalition of colleges, universities and other organizations working to expand expertise and innovation within the growing solar industry in Arizona.

First of a three-part series of readings from Audubon Magazine regarding saline lakes in Western North America and the critical role they play for migrating water birds. Parts 2 and 3 will be included in episodes 145 and 146 respectively. Bird of the episode: Lesser Nighthawk. Birding hotspot: New River Reserve on the New River north of New River, Arizona. Friend of wildlife organization: Friends of Agua Caliente Park, Tucson

A report on woodpeckers that bang away on metal and other non-wood surfaces here in the Sonoran Desert. A report in an ongoing series that describes how bird's have been given human names and the growing movement to change some to be more reflective of the birds themselves. A report on how some birds are using human-created materials to build their nests in urban areas throughout the Southwest. A description of the Brown Creeper, tiny bird of pine forests in Arizona. Bird of the episode: Lincoln's Sparrow. Birding hotspot: Jewell of the Creek Preserve on Cave Creek in Maricopa County. Friend of Wildlife organization: Institute for Tribal Professionals at Northern Arizona University.

Announcement by Tucson Audubon Society that it has begun a process to change its name. The purpose is to delete the name of John James Audubon, an avowed racist who kept and sold enslaved people. A new report describes ongoing abandonment of millions of acres of cropland across North America beginning in the 1980s. Some scientists speculate this will have a positive effect on grassland birds and avian migrants. And, news about how to find birds nests in your neighborhood. Bird of the episode: Lewis' Woodpecker. Birding hotspot: Pena Blanca Lake. Friends of Wildlife: Cienega Watershed Partnership.

An update on the status of the imperiled Pinyon Jay of Arizona's highland pinyon pine woodlands from Charles Babbitt, Conservation Chair of the Maricopa Audubon Society.  A report on detections of bird. species by the Haikubox installed at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds. A report on a sighting of an Iceland Gull in Tucson. Bird of the episode: Long-billed Dowitcher. Birding hotspot: Willcox Playa, Cochise County. Friend of wildlife organization: Sky Island Alliance.

Renowned ornithologist and Audubon field guide editor Kenn Kaufman explains why tyrant flycatchers are so difficult to identify here in the Southwest. It's not about looks; it's about vocalization, he says. A report on the world-famous 'Thrasher Spot' at Beeline and Salome Highway west of Phoenix. The site has been leveled to make way for a massive solar farm. Bird of the episode: the Loggerhead Shrike. Birding hotspot: Buckskin Mountain State Park. Friend of wildlife organization: Arizona Land and Water Trust. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in Arizona.

A report on effects of groundwater depletion on riparian birds. Ongoing residential and industrial development across Arizona is significantly reducing surface water in key riparian zones, disrupting natural ecological patterns on which birds and other wildlife depend. A report on a productive birding field trip to the Mogollon Rim lakes region in August, 2024 by members of the Maricopa Audubon Society. Bird of the episode: MacGillivray's Warbler. Birding hotspot: Cattail Cove State Park in western Arizona. friends of wildlife organization: Friends of Kentucky Camp in southeastern Arizona. Calendar of bird-friendly events coming up in days ahead in Arizona.