National Audubon Society

May 2020

Verdin.

Looking for homebound opportunities to engage with birds? We have plenty of resources for you, your family, and your friends. From taking a virtual tour of Arizona’s Important Bird Areas, to testing your Arizona bird knowledge with weekly quizzes, there are plenty of ways you can connect with birds and the places they need from the comfort and safety of your own home.

Take a gander at our Audubon at Home resources, or broaden your wingspan and check out Audubon’s network-wide opportunities.

Audubon Arizona in the News

Native Plants Help Restore the Colorado River
Audubon’s advocacy at work in Yuma, Arizona.
Yuma Audubon Society Partners With Cocopah Indian Tribe for Earth Day Reforestation, KAWC
Using an Audubon Western Water grant, the Yuma chapter donated 200 trees to the tribe’s reforestation project. Watch Cocopah Now’s video on the partnership.
Western Rivers Bird Count Cancelled Until Next Year
Surveys over last two years significantly increased bird data at key sites.
The Arizona Republic Heads to the Colorado River Delta with Audubon’s Jennifer Pitt, Arizona Republic
How a trickle of water is breathing life into the parched Colorado River Delta.
El Seco Delta del Río Colorado va Cobrando Vida de Nuevo ¿Cómo se está Logrando esto?, Lavoz Arizona
Grupos ambientalistas están utilizando pequeñas cantidades de agua para restaurar los humedales y los bosques.

Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons wade in and fly over the Gilbert Riparian Preserve.

Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve.

Why Water Policy Matters for Birds, Fish, and Other Wildlife

Join us for this webinar series to learn why Audubon and our partners engage in water policy the way we do. Learn how current water policies and regulations have shaped opportunities for habitat restoration and water replenishment. See how innovative solutions across the state are making positive strides for rivers, and learn about what more is left to be done.

May 12: How the Gilbert Riparian Preserve Came to Be

June 9: The Santa Cruz Heritage Project: Origins and Evolution

July 14: The Cochise Conservation and Recharge Network: How it Helps the San Pedro River

August 11: How the Verde River Exchange is Innovating Arizona Water—Voluntarily

Burrowing Owl.

Burrowing Owls at Rio Salado

Although all spring workdays were canceled, Audubon and Wild at Heart have taken turns building tents and feeding owls. Come Sunday, the second of two release tents at Rio Salado will come down and two new pairs will be in residence. What does it look like when a tent comes down?

While waiting to see if we can ramp up workdays in the fall, learn more about Burrowing Owls here. Then, test your skills with our Burrowing Owl quiz.

Giving under the CARES Act

All taxpayers can now take an above-the-line deduction for cash contributions of up to $300. And if you itemize your deductions, the normal limit for contributions—usually 50 percent of adjusted gross income (AGI) or 60 percent for cash—is suspended for 2020. This means that you can deduct 100 percent of gifts valued at your full AGI. We suggest you consult your tax advisor for more details. Make a gift to Audubon Arizona here.

While we are limiting our programs for the safety of our community and adjusting to life during COVID-19, we want to take the time to thank the people and organizations that have supported us over the past year. Thank you.

Audubon Arizona (Virtual) Events

May 12: How the Gilbert Riparian Preserve Came to Be [Webinar]

May 21: Birds n’ Beer–Gila Topminnow: Providing Safe Harbor for Arizona's Smallest Native Fish [Webinar]

View all of Audubon Arizona’s events

Missed it?
Here are recordings of last month’s webinars:

Birds n’ Beer–Marsh Birding: The Search for the Yuma Ridgway’s Rail: Facebook | Zoom

The Economic Impact of Arizona’s Rivers, Lakes, and Streams: Facebook | Zoom

Overview of the Colorado River for Birds and People: Facebook

Chapter and Partner Events

Tucson Audubon Society: Virtual Social Events and Classes
Explore opportunities from habitat landscape design to armchair birding.

Friends of the Verde River: Virtual Birding Fest 2020
Did you miss the online Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival? Not to worry–you can still immerse yourself in the festival through their collaborative gallery.

View our list of chapters to find local opportunities.

A triptych of our Education Manager Emily Macklin. Separate photos of her with children, holding a snake, and looking through binoculars.

Migrating North

Emily Macklin joined Audubon Arizona’s team in 2014 and enthusiastically led our suite of K-8 programs: field trips, in-class outreach programs, after-school adventures, summer camp, and so much more. If you’ve worked with Emily or attended one of her classes, you know that her commitment to conservation and passion for the environment shine through everything she does. Always quick with a smile and a kind word, Emily has been a valued teammate for six years and is now embarking on a new adventure in Colorado. Although we are sad to see her go, we are thrilled for her and the exciting opportunities that await. Join us in wishing Emily all the best in her next chapter!

Verdin: Ly Dang/Audubon Photography Awards
Gilbert Riparian Preserve: Jasper Nance/Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Burrowing Owl: Jenohn Wrieden

Monthly Giving | Legacy Giving | Giving Stock | Memorial Giving

Support Audubon Arizona

View April’s Newsletter
Audubon Arizona newsletter editor: Morgan Moore

Audubon Arizona
3131 S. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85040 USA
(602) 468-6470 az.audubon.org

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