MEETINGS      FIELD TRIPS      MEMBERSHIP      CONSTITUTION  CONTACTS     LINKS

Purpose
The Yuma Audubon Society is dedicated to conserving natural resources, educating members on conservation issues, and increasing awareness about the diversity of nature in the Yuma, AZ, area.  Our constitution is here: YAS Constitution

In the recent past, Yuma Audubon has sponsored Audubon Adventures, the Yuma Birding & Nature Festival, and Audubon Christmas Bird Counts.

Common Poorwill

Meetings
Meetings are held the second Tuesday of November through the second Tuesday of April at 7:00 p.m., at the Southwest Arizona NWR Complex Office, located at 9300 E. 28th Street (the 2nd building just east of Ave. 9E.)  A kick-off meeting in October and a May picnic are held at the Yuma West Wetlands. Here are the events we have planned for fall/winter 2010/2011.

2011 Fall Meetings:
Tuesday, Nov 8 at 7:00 p.m. - Impacts of the Laguna Fire on wildlife and future plans for the Area presented by Erica Stewart, BLM Biologist
Tuesday, Dec 13 at 7:00 p.m. - This is our annual Christmas celebration where members will showcase their slides and stories from 2011

2012 Spring Meetings:
Tuesday, Jan 10 at 7:00 p.m. - David Sussman will give a fine slide presentation on Panama
Tuesday, Feb 14 at 7:00 p.m. - Tice Supplee, Arizona Audubon Society Biologist, will talk about the Important Bird Areas (IBA's) along the Colorado River. The next morning she'll lead a field trip to some of them!
Tuesday, Mar 13 at 7:00 p.m. - Please join us for Habitat Development at Imperial NWR by Nathan Lenon and Associates, Bureau of Reclamation's Multispecies Conservation Project. The following Saturday we'll tour the new fish ponds at Imperial NWR.
Tuesday, Apr 10 at 7:00 p.m. - Henry Detwiler will take you on an armchair journey to some of Belize's premier birding & natural history destinations
tuesday, May 8  We'll be celebrating spring with our annual potluck at the Yuma West Wetlands Park

Field Trips
Yuma is surrounded by many natural features, including the Colorado & Gila Rivers, deserts, mountains, the Imperial Dunes, and the Salton Sea.  Join us as we explore these areas in search of diverse birds, reptiles, mammals, and plants.

Field trips are typically held the Saturday following the monthly Tuesday meeting.  We carpool from the "Big Lots" parking lot (corner of 16th Str & 4th Ave.) at 7:00 a.m. unless otherwise noted. Past trips have visited the Salton Sea NWR, Cibola NWR, Cienega de Santa Clara, and Palm Canyon.

2011 & 2012 Field Trips will include:
Saturday, Nov 12 at 7:00 a.m. (Big Lots parking lot) Betty's Kitchen, Erica Steward
Saturday, Dec 31 Christmas Bird Count in a 15-mile circle around Imperial Dam
Saturday, Jan 14 David Sussman will lead a birding trip to the Imperial Dam area -- carpool from the USFWS Complex office (see directions above under Meeting location) at 8:00 a.m.
Wednesday, Feb 15 Visit IBA locations along the Colorado River with Tice Supplee
Saturday, Mar 17 Visit the new Fish Ponds in the closed area of Imperial NWR with the refuge biologist, Joe

Field Trip Reports

14 Feb 2009:  Al Borgardt reported "A good day of birding at Cibola. Total of 80 species seen. The best bird of the day was an Eastern Phoebe located near the south end of the Goose Loop. All of us enjoyed the multitude of Sandhill Cranes. A feast for the eyes." And Cody Hurlock reported to the AZ/NM bird list server: "Hello all, Our Yuma Audubon field trip to Cibola NWR on Feb. 14 was quite successful - with a total count of 80 species. The most notable being an EASTERN PHOEBE seen at the south end of the "Goose Loop" drive perched on a stalk in a recently cut/harvested corn field. We all had good looks at the bird from about 100 ft and could clearly see its whitish underparts and drabber coloration. After a few minutes it flew into a tamarisk next to the irrigation ditch on the south side of the road. Other nice birds included: Black-throated Gray Warbler - 1 near the west entrance of the nature trail Ash-throated Flycatcher - 1 along the nature trail Red-naped Sapsucker - 1 near Cibola Lake Green-tailed Towhee - 1 near Oxbow Lake Campground 2000+ Canada Goose 500+ Sandhill Crane The staff at the refuge headquarters informed us of a Worm-eating Warbler that was caught at the nature trail twice in the last month in mist nets as part of some research project. We looked and listened but didn't see the bird.

17 Jan 2009:  On Jan 17 we headed out east of town.  Adventurous members who came along were: Al & Helga Borgardt, Cody Hurlock, Murray Jackson, Karen Horoschuk, Jean & Terry Beasley, Michal Graber, Bob, L.D Smith, Ron & Sue Bodner, and Henry & Suzanne Detwiler. About 5 miles east and 1 mile north of Tacna we finally tracked down a pair of LeConte's Thrashers.  We never heard them sing, but they were certainly interested in our taped calls.  Also in the area were a few Sage Sparrows. At Quigley Waterfowl Management Area we saw the regular Abert's Towhees, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a small flock of Sandhill Cranes in the wet fields.  As we were eating lunch a Prairie Falcon swooped down close-by and snagged a sparrow or lark from the dry farm field.  A second Prairie Falcon then entered the scene and tried to steal the meal from the first one.  But it was unsuccessful, and they both flew off. At the Effie May riparian area a few miles west of Wellton we were rewarded by the Least Flycatcher, which has been lingering there since at least October 2008.  Also there was a Spotted Towhee.  After finding a few egrets and waterfowl along the Gila River we departed for home.

Christmas Bird Count

Membership
Membership can be at the national or chapter level, or both. Fee structures and benefits are as follows:

Contacts

Links
National Audubon Society www.audubon.org
Imperial NWR www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=22560
Cibola NWR www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/cibola.html
Local & National Rare Bird Reports  birdingonthe.net
Southwest Birders www.southwestbirders.com
Yuma-area Bird Guide www.southwestbirders.com m/guide_yuma.htm
Salton Sea Bird Guide www.southwestbirders.com/swb_Imperial_County_Book.htm
ASU - AZ bird songs http://askabiologist.asu.edu/expstuff/experiments/birdsongs/
 

Thick-billed Kingbird - Yuma Main Drain