PROGRAMS

Meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month, September-April, at the Phoenix Zoo Auditorium.  Meetings start at 7:30, and feature a speaker, book sales, refreshments, and a chance to socialize with fellow MAS members.  Non-members welcome!

Join us for a pre-meeting dinner at Pete's 19th Tee, 1405 N Mill Avenue, Tempe (at the Rolling Hills Golf Course) starting at 6:00 p.m.  

We are delighted to announce that Dr. Robert Ohmart, ASU Biology Professor and longtime friend of Maricopa Audubon, will be our featured speaker at our Annual Banquet and Meeting on Tuesday, May 7th Dr. Ohmart's tutelage has been the inspiration for many of his students to turn their birding hobbies into satisfying careers in ornithology and habitat preservation.  Thy subject of Bob's presentation is "The Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge - Tantalizing and Undiscovered Jewel."

Com and hear this dynamic speaker, vote for board candidates and celebrate our successes with us as we complete our forty ninth year as an Audubon Chapter, comprised solely of volunteers, working towards making our world a better place for birds, for other wildlife, and thus for the human species, to reside in and flourish.

The buffet dinner, which will feature cuisine to suit everyone's taste, will be $20 a person.  The cash bar and hospitality hour will begin at 6:00PM., and they'll start serving the buffet at 7:00/  Dress is casual.  The place is the Shalimar Country Club in Tempe again, one block north of Southern, midway between McClintock and Price.  Make your reservations early by calling Herb Fibel at (480) 966-5246, or Cynthia Donald at (480) 768-0593.  You can pat at the door or mail your check to Herb Fibel, Treasurer, 1128 E. Geneva Dr., Tempe, Arizona  85282.  One request.  We understand that plans can change but last year we had to pay for 13 no shows.  So, if you have made a reservation and find that you can not make it, please call as early as you can and let us know.

Come and meet old friends and maybe make some new ones.  We'll see you on May 7th

  By Deva Burns

COMMITTEES/SUPPORT

Activist Alert: 
Shawn Bauer 
602-828-3607
shawnbaur@hotmail.com

Arizona Audubon 
Council Rep:
Herb Fibel 
408-966-5246
herbertsfibel@aol.com

Bird Alert 

Book Store
Richard & Karen Kaiser
602-276-3312

Field Observations
Janet Witzeman
602-840-6089

Hospitality
Cynthia Donald (Coffee)
Sherry Celine (Cookies)

Web Page
Michell Fulton
480-968-5141
webmaster@maricopaaudubon.org

Maricopa Audubon Web Site
www.maricopaaudubon.org 

AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE 

Bequests are an important source of support for the Maricopa Audubon Society.  Your chapter has dedicated itself to the protection of natural world through public education and advocacy for the wiser use and preservation of our land, water, air and other irreplaceable natural resources.

You can invest in the future of our natural world by making a bequest in your will to the Maricopa Audubon Society .  Talk to your attorney for more information on how this can be accomplished.

This Wren•dition carries some common threads from issues past - conservation, the need for money to support those things we care about, and a newer plea to stand up and be counted.  Jim Burns reminds us, again, that there are an awful lot of us "birders" out there.  To aid those of you looking for a New Year's Resolution, I have one again included a list of governmental contacts.

How many of you thought that Phoenix was a birding "desert"?  Read the Special Species article in this issue and realize that a real gem is right here.  If you are interested in placing your name on the slate for a position on the MAS Board, please contact a member of the nominating committee listed in the Notes and Announcements section.  Finally, come to the banquet on May 7 and vote for the coming year's board members.  We will also have a wonderful dinner and a great speaker - ASU Biology Professor, Dr. Robert Ohmart.

Annual Board Elections - It's that time of year again.  Our annual board elections will be held at the Annual Banquet and Meeting on May 7th, and, as provided by our bylaws, a nominating committee has been named by our president.  If you are interested in stepping forward and in assuming a leadership role in your chapter in the coming fiscal year which begins June 1st, please call on of the following Nominating Committee members and let him or her know of your interest

Harvey Beatty, Chairman
 (480) 990-0415

Olga Harbour
(480) 503-9291

Charlotte Norrid
(480) 967-4957

Second Annual Feathered Friends Festival -  March 23, 2002.  The Riparian Preserve at water Ranch, located on the southeast corner of Greenfield and Guadalupe in Gilbert, Arizona.  Parking is available just east of the Southeast Regional Library.  Cost is $10/family or a membership.  The event will last from 9:00-2:00.  Fro more information, to become a vendor, or to volunteer for the event, call 480-503-0734 or 602-696-1195.  You can also contact MAS Education Chair, Sirena at 602-522-7438 or sbrownlw@hdrinc.com 

The Aleutian Goose  Festival:  A Celebration of Wildness -  March 22-25, 2002.  A Project of the Redwood Economic Development Institute (REDI) 207 Price Mall, Crescent City, CA  95531 ~ 707-465-0888 or 1-800-343-8300 ~ fax 707-465-1388 ~ soar2@northcoast.com or visit the festival at www.redwoodlink.com/sor  Contacts: Sandra Jerabek, Rick Hiser (707) 465-0888, -440, -6191.  Located in the home of the Redwood National & State Parks, the Smith River Nation Recreation Area, and the Lake Earl Wildlife Area, this birding, nature and heritage festival provides 75 field excursions, workshops, and ocean, river and coastal lagoon boat trips.  Field trips and workshops feature ancient redwoods; whalewatching; Spotted Owls, Marbled Murrelets, and 167 other bird species; nature photography and sketching; wolf and mountain lion ecology; native plants; wild salmon spawning; dune walks; lighthouse tours; local maritime and Tolowa Indian history; tidepools, and even seal pups.  A "Wing & Whales" trade fair with gifts, are and displays; children's activities and Mother Goose puppet theater, and live birds of prey "up close and personal: are al part of the offering. 

Yuma Birding Nature Festival–April 19-21.  Contact: Yuma Convention & Visitor’s Bureau at 800-293-0071 or www.visityuma.com

Verde Valley Birding Festival–April 27-29.  Contact: Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce at 520-282-2202 or cottonwoodchamber@sedona.net 

Annual ABA Convention -  In Duluth, NM, June 10-16, 2002.  If you are interested in attending, please call the ABA at 800-850-2473 x 233 and request a convention booklet.  The Duluth area offers an exciting mix of habitats and birding possibilities.

Flycatchers:  ABA's Institute for Field Ornithology (IFO)  -  July 20-25 in Sierra Vista, AZ with Chris Benesh.  Appropriate for birders of all levels and emphasizing the flycatcher species that breed in southeastern AZ.  Limited to 10.  For information contact IFO Coordinator Kimberly Lynn at 800-850-2473 x235 orifo@aba.org.  You can also visit the IFO pages on the ABA site, www.americanbirding.org.

Sparrows of the United States and Canada:  The Phographic Guide (Academic Press)  -  This superb identification guide by James Rising has just recently been released.  MAS photographers Jim Burns and Rich Ditch were contributors to this book and Rich will be reviewing the book in a future Wren•dition.

Al Anderson from Sierra Vista  -  Sends some interesting pieces of information.  Audubon has a new gift-membership program now.  If you give a membership (and Magazine subscription) as a gift, you chapter gets all of the 15 dollars the first year.  Secondly, our Arizona State Legislature has re-offered for 2001, the School Tax Credits program.  With this program, you can give up to $200 per person ($250 per couple) to the public school (K-12) of you choice (you can give even more to private schools), and have the amount you give taken off your Arizona State income tax.  The State allows an exemption, dollar for dollar, up to, but not exceeding your state tax for this year, 2001.  The contribution can be extended over five taxable years if your state tax is less than the contribution.  Where else can you designate your tax dollars for the public good, and not have it cost you a cent?  You give the money directly to the school of your choice (K-12), where it must be used for (1) character education programs, or (2) extra curricular activities.  These are very broad categories indeed, and you can designate within them what your contribution will be used for: band uniforms, field trips, etc.  The school can almost always find a program/activity which is compatible with your wishes.  The problem is that may not be renewed for 2002 and in order to take advantage for 2001you had to contact the school before December 31, 2001.  But keep it in mind to encourage the legislature to renew again - just think if all Audubon members made that contribution, what an impact it could have on you youth and on the birds.

More birding and nature festivals.  www.americanbirding.org 

Audubon Adventures:  Give the gift of discovery and share your love of the environment.  The program is designated for students in grades 4-6.  Introduce an entire classroom (up to 32 students) to the wonders of nature for just $35 (plus shipping charges).  You can select your favorite school or let Audubon do it for you.  For orders:  call 800/813-5037.

Maricopa Audubon T-Shirts are available for sale at member meetings or by mail. They feature a Barn Owl primary flight feather overshadowing the common and Latin names of birds found in Maricopa County. Long-sleeved shirts are available in Charcoal, Med, Large or XL, for $20.00. Add $4.00 shipping and handling for the first shirt, $1.50 for each additional shirt. Please allow 3 weeks for delivery. Make checks out to: Maricopa Audubon Society, 1128 E Geneva Dr., Tempe, AZ 85282. For info, contact Laurie Nessel at (480) 968-5614 or laurienessel@hotmail.com

Do you have an interesting story to tell about birding?  Please forward your submissions to the Editor—Deva Burns.  Check the back page for address/e-mail.  Actually, attaching an article to an e-mail is the absolute easiest way to submit an article.  If you have pictures or slides, you do need to send those to me directly.  Remember, all articles may not be published the first month after receipt.