Newsletter of the Northern Arizona Audubon Society
Horseshoe Crabs and Birds of
Delaware Bay
Horseshoe crabs were once thought to be
useless, worthless ‘crabs’ (they are actually more
closely related to scorpions) and were harvested on
the beach in order to feed chickens and pigs, and
to make fertilizer. After a long period of reduced
numbers, the Delaware Bay population grew dur-
ing the mid-1900’s until there
were literally millions of them
spawning on the beaches of
Delaware Bay throughout the
spring and into the summer.
Then in the 1990’s, it was
discovered that female horse-
shoe crabs were extremely
attractive as bait for the eel
and conch fishery (somewhat
driven by the intense demand
for eels in Europe and Japan).
A Watchable Wildlife site - Picture Canyon. Photo
Uncontrolled harvesting of courtesy of Scott Harger
horseshoe crabs led to a severe
drop in the numbers of crabs spawning on the
beaches, just at the time that migratory shorebirds
arrived from South America. The unintentional
consequences of “over harvesting” has led to inten-
sive controversy over the importance of the linkage
between the deposition of horseshoe crabs eggs in
the sand, and the value of these eggs to some spe-
cies of shorebirds, such as the red knot, relative to
the bird’s reproductive cycle.
Another concern relates to the medical impor-
tance of the blood of the horseshoe crab. It was
See delaware, page 9
March & April Meetings
“Horshoe Crabs and Birds of Delaware Bay ” “Watchable Wildlife Program”
Bob Loveland
Flagstaff - March 15 (Thurs)
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
1601 N San Francisco St
Sedona - March 21 (Wed)
Jewish Community Center of Sedona
100 Meadowlark Drive (off Hwy 79)
Meetings start at 7:00 pm with social time. Formal meeting begins at 7:30pm.
Volume XXXVI • Number 4 • March/April 2007
Watchable Wildlife Program
The Arizona Game & Fish Dept (AGFD), Flag-
staff Region II Office, has a Watchable Wildlife
Vision.They envision a network of urban and re-
gional wildlife watching sites, connected by trail
systems: the Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS),
the Arizona Trail, the Flagstaff Loop Trail, and
Forest Service trails and roads. Sites will span an
array of Northern Arizona bi-
omes: lakes, wetlands, riparian
streams, pine-oak woodlands,
old growth ponderosa pine and
mixed conifer, forest meadows,
grasslands, and pinyon-juniper
woodlands. The focus will be
on Flagstaff urban sites and
Anderson Mesa wild land sites.
Watchable Wildlife site devel-
opment would involve habitat
restoration, education, inter-
pretation, access, and ameni-
ties. They envision a system that
provides for a spectrum of user preferences, ranging
from “developed” sites with viewing platforms and
bathrooms to “undeveloped” sites with quiet nature
trails and photography viewing blinds.
To illustrate and explain this unique plan, Sarah
Lantz, Urban Wildlife Planner, and Rick Miller,
Habitat Program Manager, will present slides and
lead discussions at NAAS meetings, April 18 at
Sedona and April 19 at Flagstaff. Sarah has a co-
operative planning position with the AGFD and
Coconino County, where her work focuses on land
See wildlife, page 9
Rick Miller & Sarah Lantz
Sedona - April 18 (Wed)
Jewish Community Center of Sedona
100 Meadowlark Drive (off Hwy 79)
Flagstaff - April 19 (Thurs)
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
1601 N San Francisco St
 Page 2 BLACKHAWK WATCH
President’s Corner
Phyllis Kegley, President

Why I Love Birds

I consider myself lucky that my parents intro- Next to that were wooded hills. I started explor-
duced me to a love of birds when I was a young ing this area to look for deer but began to see birds
child. My mother especially loved the Cardinals and that were unfamiliar to me. The warblers were so
Carolina Wrens. We had a loose leaf notebook of challenging that I started taking notes rather than
bird plates by Louis Fuertes that I used to sit and carrying a field guide. The latter didn’t work when
go through from beginning to end. Many of those there were so many different ones constantly mov-
birds seemed so exotic to me. I loved the colors and ing. I began to focus better on field marks and later
patterns of the ducks, never dreaming that I could comparing my notes to the field guide. Blue-winged,
see many of them in the flooded bottoms of the local black-and-white, ovenbird, worm-eating, black-
Scioto and Ohio Rivers. I had to wait until my adult throated green, chestnut-sided, black-throated blue,
years to discover this. bay-breasted ...all so beautiful in their own way. Each
Because I was not involved in any nature group, I one gave me great joy.
discovered new birds slowly, savoring each new find. Being by myself, I had some special experiences.
Special was a Whip-poor-will that my boyfriend and One was scaring up a Woodcock with lots of babies,
I found on a state forest road. At first it looked like a startling experience. Another was having Magnolia
a leaf; its camouflage was so good. Warblers in lucious spring plumage cavorting right
Putting up a bird feeder was a natural thing when over my head as if I wasn’t there.
I was married and we had our first home. One day I I joined the local nature club and learned so much
went out to fill the feeder and as I was standing un- more about the neotropical migrants that passed
der the tree a Pileated Woodpecker with a juvenile through southern Ohio during migration. Some, such
landed in the tree eight feet above my head. I froze as the Hooded Warbler, breed in the state forest. It
and slowly moved my head to watch them. That’s as seemed as if there was a male on territory every 20
close as I ever got to these huge “jackhammers.” feet.
I was talking with my mother-in-law one day Participating in breeding bird atlas work, trav-
and looking out the window when a Rose-breasted eling to Costa Rica, Alaska, Mexico, the Maritime
Grosbeak flew into the yard. I had never seen one Provinces and other special birding places has en-
before and was so excited that I told my mother-in- riched my love of birds. Now it is more than just
law I would call her back. I know she thought I was identifying a species. Watching their behavior is just
crazy. as important.
In the late 80’s we bought a new home on the edge I still get a thrill when I see a new bird or one that
of town. Across the street were acres of regenerating is rare to me. I can’t imagine a world without birds.
farm land with lots of edges and a beautiful creek.
Teaming With Wildlife Coalition to Ask for Increased State Wildlife Funding for 2008
On February 27 - March 1st, Teaming with Summit” to help chart the Coalition’s efforts over
Wildlife Coalition members from every state who the year ahead.
will be flying to Washington D.C. to demand in-
creased funding for wildlife conservation! Our Welcome to our new and renewing members:
own and wonderful Anita MacFarlane and Tice Gary Botello Joan Kramer
Supplee, Director of Bird Conservation for Brianna Bruvold Paul R. Lescault
Audubon Arizona, will be among those Coali- Elii Chapman Mike & Bonnie OʼDonnell
tion members. The Coalition will be shooting for Liz Danbury Laura Merrick & Henry Roe
Patty Denison Mary R. Miles
$85 million in state wildlife funding in the 2008 Norma Dieffenbach John Schaefer
Federal budget. As usual, Wednesday’s hill visits Cindy Emmett Michelle & Gerry Snyder
will be capped off with our famous wildlife re- Louise B. Francis Virginia E. Todd
ception in the House of Representatives. Then Lois C. Herrmann Norm & Linda Wallen
on Thursday we will be doing something new, John Kline
hosting the first “Teaming with Wildlife Coalition
 MARCH/APRIL 2007
UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS ...
Walnut Canyon/Technology Show and Tell
Sun, March 25
W e’ll meet at Jitters Gourmet Coffee, at 3504
East Route 66 in Flagstaff at 8 am and pro-
ceed out to Walnut Canyon National Monument,
trusting that a few of us will have Local Passports
or America the Beautiful Passes. Bring your latest
gadget---new camera, optics, tripod, ipod or what-
ever---to show and tell to whomever in the group
is interested as we stroll along either the rim trail
or the island trail. This will be a casual exchange
of information. You can ask what the device cost,
but owners have the right to remain silent. Older
binoculars/cameras etc., are welcome to show and
tell if you want to extoll their timeless virtues. We
will birdwatch along the way, so bring your optics
even if you aren’t proud of them. Also bring water,
snacks, etc. End time around 11:30 am Please call
Jodi at 556.0097 or e-mail jgriffith@mna.mus.
as.us if you intend to participate, especially if you
are bringing gadgets to Show and Tell or if you will
have a Passport/America the Beautiful Pass.
Urban Watchable Wildlife Sites in Flagstaff
Sat, April 21 - Sarah Lantz, leader
S arah Lantz, Urban Wildlife Planner with the
Arizona Game and Fish Flagstaff Regional Office
will lead Northern Arizona Audubon Society on a
tour of some of the many potential Urban Watchable
Wildlife Sites in Flagstaff. Our focus will be the Rio de
Flag as a “Watchable Wildlife Greenway Corridor.”
We’ll visit Picture Canyon, then drive over to Willow
Bend and enjoy wildlife watching along the FUTS
trail from Sawmill County Park to the I-40 wetlands.
We will depart from the McDonalds parking lot near
Flagstaff Mall on N. Hwy 89, at 7 am. If you would
like more detailed information on where to meet,
please call Sarah Lantz, 928.214.1253.
Owling on the Peaks
Sat, May 5 - Tom Linda, leader
W e will meet at the Museum of Northern Ari-
zona’s flagpole near the nature trail at 5:00
p.m. and see what is about. Then we’ll head up to the
peaks to look for owls. Birds we hope to find are Great
Horned, Flammulated, N. Pygmy, N. Saw-whet Owls,
and if we’re really lucky, a Long-eared. We will bird
till about 8 pm so bring warm clothes, binoculars,
flashlights and food (optional). Contact Tom Linda
at 928.527.6899 if you need more information.
Page 3
Gilbert Water Ranch - Riparian Institute
Sat, April 7 - Curt Fultz, leader
T here’s something wonderfully inspiring about
this place. Right there in the Phoenix metro-
politan area a municipality has created a riparian
oasis using mostly retreated wastewater. There’s no
smell and the seven lakes serve different recreational
tastes. Fishing is done in the lake next to the excellent
library where we’ll park. In a tree just a few feet from
the parking area, trip leader Curt Fultz was treated
to a view of five Peach-faced Lovebirds on a visit
in January. A Streak-backed Oriole has been seen
regularly for the past year at the wildlife preserve ri-
parian lake and we should see a large number of spe-
cies, some in great numbers. The Riparian Institute
(check it out on the web) is the organization behind
it. This enjoyable outing is sure to make one wonder
why this type of thing isn’t being done in other cities.
We’ll meet in parking lot at the MacDonalds in Camp
Verde at I -17 and 260 at 8am to carpool. Call Curt
(928.221.7376) or e-mail (swb@infomagic.net) for
more info. Bring water, lunch and sun protection.
It’s about a mile of easy walking.
Sedona Wastewater Treatment
Sat, April 14 – Troy Blodgett, leader
S edona Wetlands attracts ducks, shorebirds, and
early migrants in April. Sightings of uncommon
birds are not so uncommon here. Prepare for a mod-
erate amount of walking. Flagstaffers meet at the
south end of the Flagstaff WalMart parking lot (near
Woodlands Village Blvd and Big 5 Sporting Goods)
at 7:30 am We’ll carpool from there and bird Oak
Creek on the way. Sedonans and others meet up with
us at 9 am in front of Sedona Wastewater entrance in
Sedona. Bring binocs, water, sunscreen, and a scope
if you have one. Contact 779.1313 for more info.
Page Springs Work Day March 10
The next work day at Page Springs Fish Hatchery
(PSFH) will be March 10. Workers have been cutting
Russian olive trees along Oak Creek, and there are still
many more that need to go. We will rent a chipper for
the refuse that has been left. There is a need for helpers
of all kinds but especially those who can feed the chip-
per. This is not difficult work, just steady. We will start at
9 am. Meet at the Bubbling Ponds parking area. Bring a
hat, sturdy gloves, water, and a lopper if you have one.
NAAS will provide lunch so if you are coming
let Anita MacFarlane know by Thursday March 8
so we will have enough food. ajmac@sedona.net or
928.282.4063.
 Page 4
FIELD TRIP NEWS BLACKHAWK WATCH

Annual NAAS Birdathon

Boyce Thompson Arboretum
February 11 - Betsy Feinberg Think Spring. Think birds. Think May. Lace
up your boots and empty the antediluvian energy
The best adjective to describe the Boyce Thomp-
bar crumbs out of your rucksack. It’s time for the
son Arboretum can be taken from the name of the
annual NAAS Birdathon! This year the rules are a bit
nearest town: Superior. Arizona’s oldest and largest
different. YOU get to choose the day for your team.
botanical garden, located in Queen Creek Canyon,
Any day in May qualifies. The challenge is for you
is a magical place of boojum trees, bizarre rock
to figure out what day your team is likely to see the
formations, collections of plants from the world’s
greatest number of species.
deserts, and bird habi-
tat ranging from desert New to the Birdathon? The objectives are:
to riparian. 1. Identify as many bird species as possible
Ten NAAS mem- during a one single 24-hour period.
bers from Flagstaff and 2. Strive to have all team members identify
Sedona spent a special all species recorded.
Sunday on February 3. Raise money for education and restoration
11 at the Arboretum, projects in Northern Arizona.
observing 30 species 4. Have fun.
of birds, which was a Prizes are awarded to winning teams in sev-
good number for win- eral categories, such as highest number of species,
ter. Highlights of the most unusual team name, most unusual species,
day were a sora rail we Enjoying the ride on the swaying sus-
bridge are Barbara Ragaly-Hirt, and most money raised. Prizes in previous years
spotted dodging among pension
Betsy Feinberg, and Michelle Snyder. have included a llama hike for six, gift certificates
the reeds at Ayer Lake, to Picazzo’s and other restaurants, bird feeders, bird
a giant boojum tree looking for all the world like and natural history books, and much, much more.
an upside-down carrot that had just had a terrible Pledge forms and details of the rules and prizes
fright at the Halloween fun house, and a red-breasted will be available in April. If you would like to par-
sapsucker. ticipate on a team or create your own team, please
Red-breasted sapsuckers are commonly seen contact Betsy Feinberg at BetsyFPub101@Catharon.
along the coasts of California, but few are ever seen in com, or call Betsy at her business (Catharon Soft-
Arizona. Our NAAS group gave the Arboretum staff a ware): 928.203.0676, xt 11.
Valentine gift when Celia Holm, Elaine Morrall, and
Jodi Griffith spotted the bird tapping for dinner in a
grove of large trees near the visitor center. Wanted: Field Trip Leaders
Paul Wolterbeek, head of the volunteer staff at
Don’t worry if you can’t ID every possible bird; all
the Arboretum, was openly skeptical, not having seen
it takes to successfully lead a trip is a willingness to
the bird himself, but Gerry Snyder of Sedona was on
scout a locale, greet and get to know your trip partici-
hand to snap some close-up photographs of our prize pants on the field trip morning, and keep the group
bird. The red-breast- together (tough, sometimes) so that experienced bird-
ed sapsucker and the ers are on hand to assist others.
red-naped sapsucker Trips typically go out for the morning or slightly
have been known to longer. We are always looking for new places to go, as
hybridize. We are well as for new folks to help out. And we are open to
waiting to hear the new approaches to birding, from sitting in lawn chairs
opinion of the Arbo- at Dead Horse Ranch campground to taking the chair-
retum staff: Is the lift at Snowbowl.
bird a hybrid or a If you would like to lead a morning field trip for NAAS
purebred? Whatever please contact Dena Greenwood for the below-the-rim
the answer, we know trips at 928.567.3007 or e-mail naturalists@sedona.
we had a rare sighting net. For above-the-rim trips, Jodi can be reached at
and a rare day. 928.556.0097 or jgriffith@mna.mus.az.us.
The Prize Bird! Photos Gerry Snyder
 MARCH/APRIL 2007
NEWS ...
Come Bird the Verde!
Welcome Reception: Thursday, April 26th in
the main tent from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Free with
Festival registration. Come for wine and nibbles as
well as a wonderful opportunity for socializing with
your fellow bird enthusiasts and trip guides.
Keynote Dessert Reception: Featuring Pro-
fessor Avian Guano. Brd. D
Saturday, April 28th at Yavapai College Campus
– Cottonwood from 6:00 – 8:30 pm
This years evening will start off with the wonder-
ful sounds of Joseph Leal, a Native American flutist
know for his gift of weaving bird and animal sounds
within his music. Next prepare to laugh and learn.
Professor Avian Guano, alias Denny Olson, is more
than just another funny bird; you won’t even real-
ize how much you’ve learned until after the giggles
and laughter subside. With his light-hearted look
at nature, Denny forges an unlikely union between
science, humor, and drama. You really don’t want
to miss seeing this nationally renowned and inno-
vative performer and educator...not to mention all
those delicious desserts!
Family Fun Day – Conservation & Critters:
Saturday, April 28th
Children’s bird walk; 10:00 am to 2:00 pm many
other special programs just for kids and their fami-
lies. This year’s highlight will be a presentation by
“Critterman”. Other activities include the “Duck
Pond”, building birdfeeders and birdhouses and the
“rock wheel” which gives everyone a sample to take
home. You don’t need to register, just show up, and
watch the kids delight in playing games and watch-
ing presentations that make learning fun! Be sure
to check in at the children’s registration booth for a
complete schedule and 10 free activity tickets, per
child.
Workshops & Seminars: Butterflies & Dragon-
flies for Birders; Wildlife Photography; Binocular
Basics; Bird Silhouette ID; Flycatchers; Protecting
Wildlife; Venomous Critters of the Desert are just
a few of the workshops & seminars being offered at
the festival this year.
Field Trips: Tavasci Marsh; Fossil Creek; Con-
dor Caper; Page Springs; Gap Creek;
Cadillac Canoe; Verde Valley Geology; Raptor
Rhapsody; Botanical Walk; Rock Hounding – His-
toric Salt Mine and oh, so many more...
For more detailed information about all the
activities and field trips and to register, go to our
website: www/birdyverde.org. And, if you’d like to
Page 5
Tres Rios Nature and Earth Festival
Don’t miss the opportunity to visit this area
where three rivers converge, the Gila, the Salt
and the Agua Fria on March 17 & 18. Located at
the Base and Meridian Wildlife Area, the Festival
celebrates an ambitious restoration project that
will restore a 17-mile stretch of one of the richest
wildlife habitats in North America.
The Gila River, which has been dammed and
planted with salt cedar to help in flood control,
is a mere trickle except during monsoon floods.
The El Rio restoration project will turn 17 miles
of the river, between the confluence of the Agua
Fria River in Goodyear and Maricopa County
Highway 85, into the meandering wetland it once
was. Although the main purpose of the project is
flood control, a bonus will be a return of the lush
riparian habitat that existed before the dams.
One small lake in Avondale and a proposed
Buckeye Lake will provide the core of the wet-
lands. Bank protection, levees, lakes and trees
will restore the wildlife habitat when the salt ce-
dars are removed.
At the Festival there will be fixed observation sta-
tions and small group excursions through the Base
and Meridian Wildlife Area where visitors can observe
the abundant wildlife of the area. Experts will be there
to help identify the birds, interpret animal evidence
observed, and give details of their natural history.
The Festival is located adjacent to Phoenix In-
ternational Raceway in Avondale. Hours are 10
am to 6 pm both days and admission is free. Ac-
tivities include hikes to petroglyphs, bird-watch-
ing, wildlife tours, wildlife and environmental
displays, entertainment and a fishing clinic at the
Buckeye Water Conservation District impound-
ment lake, which is open to the public only during
the Festival. Some events require pre-registra-
tion. For more information, call (623)204-2130
or visit www.tresriosnaturefestival.com.
volunteer to help out with Northern AZ Audubon’s
festival table, please contact Kathie Satterfield,
k.satterfield@yahoo.com or call her at 928.522.0375
Bird the Verde! - April 26 – 29, 2007
Dead Horse Ranch State Park
Cottonwood, AZ
 Page 6
NEWS ... BLACKHAWK WATCH

Rio de Flag - Important Bird Area Beginning Birding Class

- Kathie Satterfield
Northern Arizona Audubon is pleased to report
that we are undertaking, yet another, Important
Bird Area (IBA) project, this time along Flagstaff’s
ephemeral river, the Rio de Flag. Committee mem-
bers, Jim Logan, Bea Cooley, Jodi Griffith, Noah
Gaines and myself, have determined count tran-
sect locations for each of four separate areas along
the Rio de Flag. The first is the section of the Rio
that runs through the Museum of Northern Arizona
property and above the dam belonging to the City of
Flagstaff. The second is near Willow Bend Environ-
mental Education Center. Location three is along
Picture Canyon, and the fourth is along the east Rio
in an area we’ve unofficially dubbed “Logan’s Cross-
ing”, near Townsend-Winona Road.
The IBA program is an effort to help conserve
birds and their habitats in Arizona. The goals of
the program are to identify and designate key bird
sites; establish priorities for land managers; activate
public participation in bird conservation efforts and
provide public education and outreach opportuni-
ties.
An IBA site must meet one or more of the follow-
ing criteria:
1) Be important to endangered or threatened
species, or to special conservation status species in
Arizona.
2) Have significant numbers of birds concen-
trate for breeding, during migration, or in winter.
Are you interested in bird watching but do not
know where to start? Northern Arizona Audubon
Society will be offering a bird watching workshop
for beginners starting March 27. The workshop
includes 4 evening classes and 3 fieldtrips. Topics
covered include what to look for in purchasing a
pair of binoculars, field guides, and tips and tech-
niques for identifying and enjoying common birds
found around Flagstaff and below the Rim. The
evening classes will be held in the Flagstaff main
(downtown) library community room Tuesdays,
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm, March 27 through April 17.
Fieldtrips will be offered Saturdays, April 7, 14,
and 21. A refundable $20.00 deposit is required
to reserve a place in class. The $20.00 will be re-
turned at the end of the class. The instructors will
be Bea Cooley and Jim Logan.
For additional information please and/or to
register call Jim Logan at 928.526.3244.
Have fun this spring learning about the color-
ful birds of Northern Arizona!
Congratulations to Linda Hall, our winner of the
Sedona International Film Festival tickets. We
hope you had a wonderful time, Linda.
Have you visited our web site?

WWW.NAZAS.ORG
3) Contain rare or unique habitat or are an ex-
ceptional representative of an ecological community
type and that hold important species assemblages
beneficial, whether or not IBA status is achieved. It
largely restricted to a distinctive habitat or ecologi-
will be invaluable for combating ill-conceived future
cal community.
projects along the Rio and for retaining the flow of
4) Be important for long-term research and/or
treated effluent that enriches our wildlife habitat.
monitoring with publication of that research. Or
IBA’s have no legal land-use implications. They
support educational programs in which a significant
are a voluntary means of attaining local conserva-
component of the program content focuses on avian
tion by building and mobilizing networks of birders
ecology. This includes sites where habitat restora-
and conservation professionals. They can attract
tion is a significant management goal and educates
funding and often effect land-use planning at the
the public about the value of restored habitat for
local level.
birds.
We have also discovered, through discussing the
We think that our Rio de Flag sites all meet the
project with other community leaders, that a great
fourth criteria as the Rio is in dire need of habitat
number of people here in Flagstaff care deeply about
restoration and all of our sites are in areas readily
the Rio de Flag, and they have enthusiastically em-
accessed by the public and would lend themselves
braced the idea of an even bigger project – cleaning
easily to public education programs. We also feel
up and restoring the Rio, from the headwaters on
that the data gathered for this IBA project will be
down. Now that’s what we call exciting!
 MARCH/APRIL 2007
NEWS ...
Two Weeks, Seven Woodpeckers, But No Lord God Bird - By Zackery Zdinak
Walking knee deep in cold water beneath tow-
ering cypress and tupelo on a timeless overcast
morning, the forest squeaks, squawks and chips
with surprisingly diverse bird life for a frosty, leaf-
less forest. Cardinals, blackbirds, brown thrashers,
“butter butts”, eastern bluebirds, Carolina wrens,
brown creepers, golden-crowned kinglets, and the
list goes on. So noisy, yet so peaceful after a frenet-
ic morning, jostling to make and eat breakfast with
15 others volunteers in a relatively small hunting
lodge, checking equipment batteries and dressing
in ill-fitting waders. Then an hour-long ride by van
to the day’s search area, we drive past dormant
farm fields, sometimes white and grey with snow,
Ross’ and white-fronted geese. Solo for yet another
day in my designated tiny corner of the White Riv-
er National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Arkansas,
looking for you-know-who.
I did not see or hear an ivory-billed woodpeck-
er during those two weeks in January 2007, that
much I can say. Beyond that, the confidentiality
contract I signed with Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology
nixes me from reporting data and pertinent site
information. Of course I wanted to see one, willed
it daily. I viewed each day’s offerings of pileated
woodpeckers with consciousness
like never before. Learning about
the 7 reliable sightings of IBWO and
seeing first hand the limited visibil-
ity of these dense forests, I knew my
odds were beyond slim. Yet, there
was something about being a part
of this fieldwork and this ad hoc
team. And as one young teammate
put it, “Oh boy, people I can talk to
about birds for hours without their
eye’s glazing over!”
They came from far and wide,
geographically and personally: an
engineer from California, a young
Montreal man who’s made two
personal trips prior, a 60 some-
thing nurse from Ohio, an fishing
guide from Scotland on winter
break, a returning volunteer for a second year, a
father-daughter backyard birding pair, and all the
others. Despite the professionally low wages of
field biologists, the staff too were there out of per-
Page 7
sonal desire. Several agreed the changing faces of
volunteer crews helped make bearable a job with
so little opportunity to actually witness the animal
they are there to study.
The first day the staff gave us a half-day brief-
ing on identification of the ivory-billed woodpeck-
er (visual and auditory), and what’s known of their
cavities. We spent the afternoon getting to know
the equipment we’d carry daily: gps, video record-
er, compass, and cell phone. With freezing nights
and daily overcast the norm for January, we’d usu-
ally leave the lodge by 8 am, drive 1⁄2 to an hour to
an area to hike for the day. The lowest lands were
flooded, some bottomland hardwood forests open
and free of under story, but with a rise of less than
a meter, the forest habitat was great for greenbrier
that made hiking difficult. Three times we used
canoes to access deeply flooded forest. One time
we used audio recordings in an area of a reported
sighting in December. Our last day we canoed into
the area where David Laneau’s video with the fly-
ing IBWO was taken.
While the two weeks were quite tiring, I’d en-
courage interested birders to join future searches.
Winter is best because of visibility in leafless forests
(bald cypress shed needles, too),
and the lack of mosquitoes. Water
moccasins can be out anytime it’s
warm. Visit Cornell’s website at
www.birds.cornell.edu for lots of
details on this and other searches.
They also provide good informa-
tion and links on how to access the
area for personal searching.
Oh, the seven woodpeckers
I did see were: pileated, red-bel-
lied, red-headed, red-cockaded,
flicker, downy, and yellow-bellied
sapsucker. Even though I grew up
in the eastern states, I did acquire
5 lifers in the 46 species seen. We
also saw bobcat, black bear, nutria,
otter and, my favorite, armadillos.
On our weekends, some volunteers
followed various wintering longspur, sparrow and
owl reports; one recording a whopping 70 birds.
And several added an ivory-billed woodpecker
burger in Brinkley.
 Page 8
NEWS ...
Citizens Alert: PredatorWatch
The American Bird Conservancy has launched
Project PredatorWatch, a new citizen-science proj-
ect to investigate the impact of free-roaming cats
and other predators on wild animals in the US and
Canada. You can provide important information to
conservationists. This includes helping to identify
birds and other wildlife species that are most affected
by interactions with cats and other predators such as
hawks and foxes; determining how predator-wildlife
interactions are affected by season or climate; exam-
ining the differences between urban, suburban, and
rural environments; determining which animal spe-
cies and what age or sex are most vulnerable to pre-
dation. ABC will collect data using an online survey.
If you observe a predator-wildlife interaction in your
yard, simply visit ABC’s Cats Indoors! Campaign
Web site (www.abcbirds.org/cats) to access the sur-
vey. Complete a new survey everytime you witness a
predator-wildlife interaction in your yard.
Slate of Officers and Trustees to be
Elected at the May Annual Meetings
Many thanks to this year’s Nominating Com-
mittee, Karin Slavey, Bea Cooley, and Jim Logan,
for their work in putting together the slate of Offi-
cers and Board Trustees for the 2007-09 years. The
slate will be presented to members for their vote at
the May 16 (Sedona) and 17 (Flagstaff) meetings.
OFFICERS
President-open
Vice President-open
Secretary-Bea Cooley
Treasurer-Karin Slavey
TRUSTEES
Membership Co-Chair ATR-open
Program Chair-Phyllis Kegley
Bryan Cooperrider, newsletter and publications ATR
Dena Greenwood, Field Trip Co-Chair BTR
Jim Logan, Conservation Co-Chair ATR
Kathie Satterfield, at-large and Volunteer Coordinator
Wilma Morrison, Hospitality Co-Chair BTR
Development Committee Chair-open
Education Co-Chair BTR-open
Publicity ATR-Phyllis Kegley
David Smith-at-large
Lisa Spear-at-large
Celia Holm, at-large
ATR - Above the Rim, BTR - Below the Rim
BLACKHAWK WATCH
It’s Official! State Wildlife Grants will Re-
ceive $67.5 Million in Fiscal Year 2007!
President Bush has signed into law a highly un-
usual “continuing resolution” which will fund most
domestic programs, including State Wildlife Grants,
at fiscal year 2006 levels for the rest of fiscal year
2007. That means we avert the potential disaster
of cuts threatened by the House of Representatives.
Instead we’ve secured our best-case-scenario of level
funding at last year’s level of $67.5 million in fiscal
year 2007! That brings this program to a 7-year
total of more than $470 million in new funding for
wildlife!
This resolution also comes at a critical moment in
the Fiscal Year 2008 appropriations process. As we
announced last week, President Bush has called for
an increase to $69.5 million in his FY08 budget. We
hope Congress can do even better! Our champions on
The Hill recently circulated “Dear Colleague” letters
calling for $85 million for state wildlife grants. Stay
tuned because we’ll be asking for your help in getting
your congressional delegation to sign these letters!
Problems for Oak Creek?
On January 29th, 2007 the Sierra Club and the
Red Rock Rural Community Association (RRRCA)
released reports documenting that BySynergy, LLC,
developer of Bella Terra, a subdivision located on
the banks of Oak Creek, has filled in wetlands, de-
veloped within the Oak Creek floodplain, and is in
violation of Clean Water Act requirements.
In addition to BySynergy’s failure to obtain ap-
propriate permits for filling in the flood plain, wet-
lands destruction and violation of jurisdictional
water, residents are concerned about Bella Terra’s
impact on the underlying aquifer and its direct im-
pact on Oak Creek. The RRRCA and Sierra Club
earlier filed comments critical of Bella Terra’s aqui-
fer protection permit application which is pending
with the Arizona Department of Environmental
Quality(DEQ).
Reports by Paul Trotta, P.E.,PhD. a professor at
Northern Arizona University, Paul Leibfried, senior
scientist with the Flagstaff based environmental
consulting company SWCA and Paul Lindberg, a
geological engineer , have all been critical of the ac-
tivities of Bella Terra and their actions on the prop-
erty. These studies have been provided to the corps
of engineers, which has opened an investigation
into Bella Terra’s compliance with the applicable
regulations. - Anita MacFarlane
 MARCH/APRIL 2007 NEWS ...
delaware, from page 1
discovered that a component of their blue blood,
an amoebocyte, is the source of a substance called
LAL, which can be isolated in an active state. LAL
has become the standard for the detection of pyro-
gens, which are indicative of bacterial contamination
and infection. The medical industry utilizes LAL for
certifying prosthetic devices, such as heart valves,
hip joints, etc., to be free of bacterial products of
any kind, for use in patients. Needless to say, there
is concern about conserving horseshoe crabs from
extinction, since LAL is practically a necessity for
patients facing surgery.
Bob Loveland received a bachelor’s degree in
Natural Science from Rutgers University in 1959. After
receiving his doctoral degree from Harvard University
in 1963 and teaching for 20 years at Rutgers in New
Brunswick, NJ, he teamed up with a former graduate
student, Mark L. Botton, to begin a study of horseshoe
crabs in Delaware Bay. Research collaboration with Dr.
Botton, now of Fordham University in NYC, lasted for
over 20 years, until Bob retired from Rutgers in 2002.
Mark and Bob have published numerous papers on the
subject of horseshoe crabs, as well as giving seminars
at national and international meetings. Most of their
work has focused on the natural history and population
biology of these ancient creatures. Bob continues to do
research and publish articles on Limulus.
Arizona Audubon Council Meeting
The Arizona Audubon Council held its latest meet-
ing on February 10, 2007 in Phoenix. Present were
representatives of five of the eight chapters plus Sam
Campana and several of her staff from the State office.
Sean Saville, Outreach Coordinator from National
Audubon, discussed with us the various issues which
are part of the Public Policy office within NAS. One
of the most important is keeping up with purse string
issues - working through the budget process to advo-
cate for the agencies within the Federal Government
that impact birds, wildlife and habitat. Among these
are public lands, Land and Water Conservation Fund,
Endangered species recovery programs, habitat ac-
quisition etc. Another item is attempting to watch for
bills that may weaken existing bills affecting our core
interests such as ESA, Neotropical Migratory Bird Act,
pollution laws, off-shore drilling or drilling in the Arc-
tic National Wildlife Refuge. Hot issues in 2007 will be
Global Warming, Arctic Refuge, drilling for oil on pub-
lic lands, especially in the sagebrush areas of Wyoming
and Montana, Everglades, Great Lakes Restoration,
Mississippi delta issues and 2008 appropriations.
Sean pointed out the newly reinvigorated Public
Policy department was interested in what we wanted
Page 9
wildlife, from page 1
and open space management for wildlife habitat.
She is working closely with Coconino County Parks and
Recreation (CCPR) to develop Watchable Wildlife pro-
grams at county parks and the Open Space Program.
Rick has been working on habitat restoration
projects in the AGFD, Flagstaff Regional office for
over 18 years, and has been with them for over 26
years. Rick is one of the leaders responsible for im-
plementing the landscape-scale habitat restoration
projects on Anderson Mesa (grassland restoration for
pronghorn, and lake/wetland fencing for waterfowl).
Much of what Rick will focus on during this program
will be the Anderson Mesa Lakes.
The vision is in the very early stages: AGFD is
seeking partnerships, additional site recommenda-
tions, user-preferred amenities, and potential funding
resources. Sarah and Rick look forward to ideas and
discussion from Northern Arizona Audubon Society
towards achieving the Watchable Wildlife Vision.
them to help us accomplish and welcomed our input.
We all enjoyed meeting Sean, and having him meet
with us and spend the day listening to our concerns.
Tice Supplee brought the Council up to date on
the Teaming with Wildlife program. This is a coopera-
tive effort of many groups to secure funding for State
Wildlife Grants from the Federal Government. This
program was established to prevent wildlife from be-
coming endangered. Each state has prepared a Wild-
life Action Plan which details how they plan to protect
wildlife and habitat for future generations and prevent
more birds and wildlife from being added to the ESA.
Tice, Anita and several representatives from other in-
terested groups will be going to Washington to meet
with others from about 40 states who are interested
in this issue. They will discuss issues and then meet
with their Senators and House Members to discuss the
program from February 27 to March 1. 2007.
Tice presented the draft of a proposed Coopera-
tive Partnership Agreement with the Arizona Ripar-
ian Council for the exchange of information on the
status, protection, and management of riparian sys-
tems in Arizona. This agreement will greatly improve
the ability of Audubon to assess streams within pro-
posed Important Bird Areas and increase our scien-
tific knowledge of these areas.
We received an update on the Rio Salado Nature Cen-
ter which is well on its way to being fully funded. Pro-
grams are already underway and Sam Campana is hoping
to break ground some time this year. She also announced
that the summer movie presentation will be on June 21 in
Scottsdale this year. - Anita MacFarlane
 Non-profit
BLACKHAWK WATCH U.S. Postage
Northern Arizona Audubon Society PAID
PO Box 1496, Sedona, AZ 86339 Flagstaff, AZ
Permit No. 163

JOIN US! What’s Brewin’?

NORTHERN ARIZONA AUDUBON SOCIETY “Shade Song” is the winning entry in the Audu-
bon Coffee Naming Contest -- Audubon con-
Please enroll me/our household as a Chap- gratulates Evelyn Forbes of Ocala, Florida on her
ter Member of Northern Arizona Audubon award-winning entry, chosen by National Audu-
Society (NAAS). bon Society and Rogers Family Company as the
new name of the Audubon French Roast coffee.
Name: Audubon Premium Shade Grown Coffee is
Address: 100% organic and certified 100% sustainable by
City, State, Zip the Rainforest Alliance. By choosing shade-grown
Phone: coffee, you can help protect the habitats of neo-
Email: tropical migratory birds that spend the winter on
(If you wish to be a part of the NAAS email list)
tropical coffee plantations. Audubon coffee can be
Enclosed: purchased locally at the Basha’s stores.
Check here if this is a
$12 for 1 year
change of address
$22 for 2 years
$30 for 3 years Check here if this is a
renewal • The BlackHawk Watch is published bi-monthly Septem-
ber through June , and is sent to members of the Northern
Please make checks payable to NAAS and mail to: Arizona Audubon Society as a membership benefit.
Membership Chair, NAAS • Articles are welcome from members and non-members. Send
PO Box 1496, Sedona, AZ 86339 proposed articles by email to newsletter@nazas.org Deadline
for copy is the 10th of the month.