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Arizona
Important Bird Areas Program / Tucson Audubon Society
IBA
Program Updates
Reports from the Field: Spring 2007
By Scott Wilbor
Sonoita Creek State Natural Area & Patagonia Lake IBA Dedication a SUCCESS! Sixty people attended this great event. The two morning bird walks and two boat tours were productive and fun! Birds of the water and its margins stood out. Cinnamon Teal and Gadwall poking along the shoreline, along with a Common Moorhen in the reeds, all were nice finds. Clark’s and Western Grebes together were a highlight as well. The dedication highlighted the outstanding partnership between the AZ IBA Program and Arizona State Parks. The IBA Program trained both volunteers and park staff to conduct bird surveys that were completed in summer of 2005. This “wilderness” park of — 11 creek miles was a challenge logistically, but the bird data collected were vital to its approval as an Arizona IBA by our IBA Science Committee. Additionally, our results helped the Arizona State Parks plan for visitor use, with special planning undertaken in order to protect sensitive nesting bird species and their habitat. The highlight of the Dedication was easily RickWright’s “Why I IBA.” This poetic presentation tied together citizen-science for IBA conservation, birding, and the thrill of finding rare birds. Rick’s talk elicited an outstanding ovation from all in attendance! “Wow!” is all I can say.
International Migratory Bird Day Celebration Survey Records 61 Species at Tumacacori NHP. Five group leaders led 50 or so IMBD attendees through the Tumacacori National Historical Park (TUMA), a part of the Upper Santa Cruz River IBA.With temperatures climbing steadily by 9a.m., birding was good, but brief, on the bright sunny morning of May 12. Participants did find 61 species, including Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Townsend’sWarbler, and a Zone-tailed Hawk.Most abundant were the Phainopepla, House Finch, Vermilion Flycatcher, Summer Tanager, and Lucy’sWarbler. Friends of the Santa Cruz River (FOSCR) and the Arizona IBA Program gave a conservation update for the area, and a fine brunch provided by FOSCR was enjoyed by all! See the species list at www.friendsofsantacruzriver.org.
Gray Hawks & Other Raptors Nesting in Surprising Numbers at Two “IBAs.” The AZ IBA Program at Tucson Audubon has been investigating the distribution and success of nesting Gray Hawks along the Santa Cruz River and Sonoita Creek since 2005. This year three volunteers,Matt Brooks (Tucson Audubon staff), and I have been helping to survey the Upper Santa Cruz River IBA and at The Nature Conservancy Preserve along upper Sonoita Creek in Patagonia (a proposed IBA). Three nesting territories were found at TUMA; a fourth is suspected. Four nesting territories were located along the Carmen to Tubac Bridge river reach. Finally three nesting territories are along the Esperanza Ranch conservation easement reach, but only one on the easement proper. That’s ten known nest territories (!), and we are still missing the area from Tubac Bridge north to Esperanza. Esperanza Ranch also hosts nesting Great Horned Owl, Swainson’s Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, and Red-tailed Hawk. At the much smaller TNC Sonoita Creek (2-mile) reach we found six Gray Hawk nesting territories (an astounding density!), and a Great Blue Heron rookery of six nests. Our goal is to observe which nests are successful (fledging young), and to map the nests in relation to land ownership and vegetation types, and then to meet with appropriate landowners to discuss protecting essential nesting and nearby foraging habitat.
Lower Sabino Creek IBA Team Reports Peregrine Use of IBA. This new IBA Team composed of Liz Payne (leader), Jean Hengesbaugh and Rebecca Larkin is being hosted by Beth and Bill Woodin, longtime Tucson Audubon supporters and avid conservationists, who have a home and significant property along Sabino Creek. They have provided access for our surveys, and facilitated passage of our team with adjoining neighbors as well. Both in late March and early May this team has recorded a
foraging Peregrine Falcon! Tucson Audubon member Brian Nicholas has similar reports of lowland Peregrines at the Lakes at Castle Rocks, south of Tanque Verde.We may find these lower riparian areas as important foraging areas for nesting falcons of the Catalina Mountains; more reports are needed. The team also found plenty of cavity-nesting species, and a battle between the natives (Gila and Ladder-backWoodpeckers, Lucy’sWarbler, Ashthroated Flycatcher) and non-native species (Starling, House Sparrow) seems to be apparent. Bewick’sWren may be a casualty.
Surveys at Simpson HRP Find White-tailed Kite and Swainson’s Hawk, Nesting (?). Yes, we believe we have nesting White-tailed Kites at (or very near) our Simpson Habitat Restoration Project. Up to 4 or 6 birds have been seen as late as May 17 and 28 in the fields south of the Santa Cruz River riparian corridor. Definite flight display behaviors have been observed between birds.More surveys are needed to find the nest sites. To the north, also on the restoration managed property, we recently observed an adult Swainson’s Hawk carrying sticks into a tree—so the possibility of nesting seems good, although notably a late attempt. Similar to the previous account, we have had a Peregrine foraging over the riparian zone at Simpson (Ragged Top & the Silverbell Mountains provide nearby nesting habitat).
Bird Surveyors needed for Lower San Pedro IBA in early July.We head back to the Lower San Pedro River in early July to repeat our group surveys of last year, along the San Manuel toWinkelman reach (only a one day commitment). Check the Tucson Audubon IBA or the new aziba.org web site for further information, or call to signup and be notified of the dates. Raptors and Yellow-billed Cuckoo will be our focus.
IBA Training Happening at Audubon Celebration (Sept. 14 Field Site: Gilbert Riparian Preserve IBA). It’s not too early to think about training to become part of an IBA Team for next season (September–March) at one of our focus areas. Train at our IBA Bird Monitoring Workshop at the Audubon Celebration in Tempe—all nine chapters will be there. Friday will be our field day at Gilbert Riparian Preserve to learn transect, area search, point count, and census protocols.We will first have classroom time at the Gilbert Library next door to the preserve. If you can’t make this workshop, no worries; watch for other IBA training opportunities in the fall through Tucson Audubon announcements, including new IBA Site Stewardship Team training.
In the latter half of July, I will be visiting a world-renowned IBA in Costa Rica, La Amistad National Park, to learn about local conservation efforts in two bordering areas. I will give you the full report in the Flycatcher this Fall. Adios for now!
Three new southern Arizona IBAs approved by Science Committee! (March 2007)
Important Bird Areas Program Looks for a Few Heroic Birders (February 2006)
Now Available: Upper Santa Cruz River Avian Habitat Plan (December 2005 – January 2006)
Tufted Jays, Logging, and Marijuana—an IBA Story
Changes for 2005 in Arizona's Important Bird Areas Program (February 2005)
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This page was updated on 01/30/07