2007 Schedule

November 12 - Rick Taylor of Borderland Tours will present "A Birder in Bhutan"
Join Rick Taylor, founder and director of Borderland Tours, for a virtual tour of the kingdom of Bhutan . This cultural and natural paradise, an area approximately the size of southeastern Arizona , is home to an avifauna of 600 species. Buddhist culture, which reveres all forms of life, has preserved pristine forests and approachable wildlife. The highland birds are no less extravagant than the majestic scenery of this mountain kingdom or the brilliant colors of the many-hued prayer flags.

Richard Cachor Taylor not only heads Borderland Tours, but is author of checklists for birds of the Chiricahua and Huachuca mountains, Trogons of the Arizona Borderlands , and the ABA's A Birder's Guide to Southeastern Arizona . Rick has contributed guiding services over the years to Tucson Audubon's Birdathon fundraiser. He set a ‘Big Year' record for the most bird species (717) seen in Mexico in 1988.

December 12 - Tucson Audubon's Annual Holiday Potluck 6 pm
You are cordially invited to Tucson Audubon's Annual Holiday Potluck, held in the auditorium of the Historic YWCA. We are pleased to announce that this year's speaker is Tucson Audubon's very own Executive Director, Dr. Paul Green. His talk is entitled “Compact Fluorescent Bird: on being thoughtful during the holiday season.” Please join us for what promises to be an interesting presentation.

RSVP : Space is limited so call the main Audubon Nature Shop at 629-0510 to reserve your spot!

January 14 - "Big Little Geology Tales from the Southwest"
Does geology keep you up at night? Then join consulting geologist and Tucson Audubon's Institute of Desert Ecology faculty member, Bob Scarborough, as he explores some of the geologic mysteries you might have pondered. What about Mexico 's Pinacate volcanic field just south of the border? Why has one-quarter of earth's history been brushed under the rug? Can you actually drive through a volcanic caldera formed by Mt. St. Helens on steroids? When was Arizona smothered in carbonate muck? What formed the chocolate-covered-caramel-candy-like Basin and Range? And, further afield: why on earth is Zion Canyon so deep, the Sierra Nevada so high; why do 400-pound rocks skate across the Racetrack in Death Valley ?

Bob claims he got his MS in Geology at the University of Arizona “sometime during the last century.” He then worked for the Arizona Geological Survey, dangling from helicopters to assess the safety of Salt River dams, discovering earthquake hazards in Arizona , and tackling the problem of hot radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain , Nevada .

He was geologist for the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum , where he “glued together a diminutive sauropod dinosaur,” among other unusual tasks. He was a consultant for Biosphere 2; appraised landslide hazards in Malibu , California ; and searched for gypsum deposits in North America , the Caribbean , and Europe . In his extremely varied career, Bob has not neglected teaching and, in his inimitable way, has delighted tour groups, community college students, Tucson Audubon members and friends about the subject he clearly loves.

February 11 - Brad Lancaster, author of Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands on water harvesting. Join Tucson Audubon for a ‘sustainability evening' featuring Brad Lancaster, author of the book series Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond, Volumes I and 2 of which will be for sale and signing after his presentation . You will also have an opportunity to learn about materials related to rainwater and greywater harvesting and ideas and techniques for other earth-friendly activities, such as solar energy. Several organizations and businesses have been invited to display information and will be on hand to answer questions.

Brad says he loves the rain and any desert dweller can relate to that. He and his brother Rodd, who is field manager of Tucson Audubon's restoration programs,  "have created an oasis in the desert by directing .... harvested rainwater not off their property and into storm drains, but ..... into ..... a thriving landscape that includes habitat for wildlife." He began harvesting water in a small way at his own property in 1994 when drought began to impact a sour orange tree and he says, it “became my passion and my profession. Fueled by what I've learned from hands-on experience, I've taught countless workshops on rainwater harvesting and permaculture – an integrated system of sustainable design.” In short, he has become the authority on do-it-yourself water harvesting in the desert. An environmental engineer who knows Brad's work has said, “Brad Lancaster in one of the rare individuals who combines a practical ability to design and implement common-sense solutions to rainwater management issues with a clear ecological and political vision of the importance of doing so.”

Come and learn from Brad and his family, for whom rainwater is the primary water source, gray water the secondary source, and groundwater only an infrequent supplemental source. All this while improving the quality and cost of maintaining your house and yard.

March 10 - "Birds, Birders, and a New Bulgaria"
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS, presents an introduction to one of the birding world's best-kept secrets. Bulgaria, an ancient country in eastern Europe, stretches from the Rhodopi Mountains along the Greek border to the Black Sea, with a dazzling variety of habitats and birds to be seen in between. A number of the rarest and most sought-after species in western Europe—European Roller, Black-eared Wheatear, or Griffon Vulture—are common on the steppes and in the forests of Bulgaria, where they are joined by such Balkan specialties as Masked Shrike and Sombre Tit. At any time of year, but especially in late spring or early autumn, a visit to this beautiful country is a glimpse into a life and a landscape that has otherwise all but vanished from most of the continent.

With Bulgaria's entry into the European Union in 2007, the country and its dazzling birdlife enjoy new opportunities—and confront new challenges. While EU conservation policies should result in the protection of Bulgaria 's many continental and global rarities, the infusion of money in the form of agricultural subsidies and greatly increased tourism threatens to upset the balanced rural lifeways that have made the Bulgarian countryside a refuge for so many imperiled plants and animals. Constructive pressure from foreign ecotourists may help to resist the steamroller of progress and development, but in Bulgaria as throughout the world, lasting conservation efforts must have a local impetus. There are encouraging signs of a true environmental ethos emerging in Bulgaria, giving hope that this nearly pristine country will continue to shelter some of the finest habitats, and provide some of the finest birding, anywhere in Europe.

Rick Wright is the Managing Director of WINGS, a Tucson-based ornithotourism company offering birding and nature tours throughout the world. An impassioned birder for more than 30 years, he is a widely published writer, frequent speaker at festivals and conferences, and a popular and experienced leader and guide. A native of southeast Nebraska, Rick attended the University of Nebraska and Harvard Law School, and holds the M.A. and Ph.D. from Princeton University. He has lived and traveled widely in Europe over the years, birding all the while.

April 14 - Karen Krebbs, conservation biologist for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum with over 20 years of hummingbird research and care, will present “Those Amazing Hummers”. In addition, this meeting will be the official kickoff for Birdathon '08. Karen will discuss and explain some of the amazing hummingbird behaviors and breeding biology she has observed over the past 21 years during her research and numerous observations. Her hummingbird images are spectacular and amusing! Hummingbirds will make you smile and laugh! Join us for an evening of amazement and fun!

Karen Krebbs is a Conservation Biologist at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson and has studied hummingbirds (and bats) for more than 21 years. She has written books, articles, and scientific papers on hummers. Her Hummingbird Husbandry Manual is the only one of its kind in the world for captive hummingbirds. She oversaw the “Hummingbirds of the Sonoran Desert Region” Exhibit at the Desert Museum for 15 years. She gives advice to other zoological institutions and gardens about keeping hummers alive and well in captivity. Karen's hummingbird book Hummingbirds: Beauty in Flight is popular with hummingbird enthusiasts. Karen's hummingbird lectures, workshops, and natural history trips are very popular. She has researched behavior and the breeding of hummingbirds in both captivity and the wild. Karen has also led natural history trips for the Desert Museum in Arizona, New Mexico, Baja, Mexico, and Costa Rica.

Green Valley Lectures

November 17 - Gila Conservation Coalition with Coalition Chairman, Dutch Salmon, on Gila River conservation efforts.
Special time: 1 p.m.

Picture a place where over 250 species of birds have been recorded; where streamside habitat supports wildlife ranging from the mountain lion to the loach minnow, and where no large dams impede the flow of waters. This is the Gila River , which the Gila Conservation Coalition (GCC) strives to protect.

Join GCC chairman, Dutch Salmon for a picturesque tour of the natural and cultural history of the Gila, and the latest threat to divert 14,000 acre-feet of water each year from one of the last free-flowing rivers in the Southwest. Mr. Salmon founded GCC in 1984 and has written about and advocated for the river since then. He has been fortunate to canoe, hike, and fish the Gila from its source in New Mexico to Safford, Arizona, and will give us first-hand testimony.

January 19 - "The California Condor and Native American Cultures" 10a.m. at the Green Valley Public Library
Join Tucson Audubon Society's Board of Directors member, Robert Mesta for a very special presentation and book signing.

The first people of North America , the Indians, have always maintained a unique relationship with the animals in their natural world. It was this relationship that helped shape their belief system and their manner of worship. In California there existed a very special relationship between the Condor and Indian peoples. Indians revered the largest bird in their natural world; it played an integral role in their lives and culture. The importance of the Condor has been chronicled in oral legends, traditions, ceremonies, dances and rock paintings. In an evening of storytelling Robert Mesta will share this ancient connection with his audience. 

Robert Mesta is a biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. He has spent most of his professional career working to protect, conserve and recover threatened and endangered North American bird populations. He has directed national-level programs to recover the Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, and the California Condor. Robert currently coordinates the Sonoran Joint Venture, a bi-national bird conservation program between the US and Mexico .

His new children's book, Condor, Spirit of the Grand Canyon will be available for purchase (or bring your own) and Robert will be happy to sign copies for you at this event.

February 16, 2008 - 10am
DESERT CHEMICAL DEFENSES: HOW “DEFENSELESS” CREATURES DEFEND THEMSELVES
The chemistry of plants and animals and their environment drives entire ecosystems. It is difficult to understand organisms and how they behave and interact without understanding their interior environment. Michael Wilson will give you a glimpse of how the world really works—how chemistry affects you and the creatures around you. Medicinal plants, defensive chemistry, notorious poisons, indigenous uses, history, murder and mayhem—you will not be able to think about nature in the same way after this talk.

Michael Wilson has served as Research Director of the Drylands Institute since 1993. He has been involved in environmental and public health, agriculture and horticulture. Mr. Wilson’s primary areas of interest are entomology and botany. He is a coauthor of Trees of Sonora, and is writing a series of articles on the insect life of Sonora. A current project is A Desert Pharmacopoeia: the Medicinal Plants of Arizona and Sonora, a book that will cover nearly 1,000 species of plants with medicinal uses.

March 15, 2008 - 10am
Colors of the Andes: Birding and Natural History in a Vibrant Land with Peg Abbott, of Naturalist Journeys

From colorful birds to butterflies to busy markets, the Andean nations of Ecuador and Peru provide spectacular experiences for the naturalist. Join Peg Abbott, of the travel company Naturalist Journeys as she shares tales of trips to these fascinating countries over the past several years.  Peg will describe the geology, ecology and biodiversity of the Andes and highlight conservation efforts of the Jocotoco Foundation in Ecuador www.jocotocofoundation.org .  She shares images of landscapes from lush Amazonia to snow-capped volcanoes, and birds such as the secretive Zig-Zag Heron, the boldly marked Toco Toucan, and the rare Jocotoco Antpitta. 

Peg Abbott lives in Portal, Arizona, and owns, and guides for a small travel company she created 10 years ago -- Naturalist Journeys www.naturalistjourneys.com .  Some of you may remember Peg, as she worked for the National Audubon Society for 17 years, directing Audubon Camp in the West, teaching at the Ornithology sessions of the Audubon Camp in Maine, and organizing and guiding Audubon Ecology Workshops.  She has a great love of all aspects of nature, with a focus on birding and geography.  She is involved with a number of conservation issues – most recently the Yellowstone Wolf Reintroduction and several non-profit efforts in the Andes. Peg holds a Master's Degree in Forestry and Wildlife from Northern Arizona University, and got her start birding with the Colorado Springs, then Sedona Audubon chapters in her college years.  She travels extensively thoughout the year, and looks forward to sharing her experience.