These weekly emails at times are almost like a field guide to birds. Thank you, photographers, for the stellar photos of birds you have allowed us to use. This week you can see of Nashville Warbler, Elegant Quail, Summer Tanager and Atlantic Puffin.

These birds are out there for the watching. Nashville Warblers are migrating through our area this fall and will again next spring. Elegant Quail are not local but you can see them on our next trip to Sonora! Summer Tanager is a pretty common nesting bird in riparian areas and mountain canyons. It's a long trip to see Atlantic Puffins! If you don't have the opportunity to go to Maine (or parts north) to see them in person, read about them in this week's Nature Shop featured book!

The health of populations of all these birds are not guaranteed. Read below about ways you can help protect the health of wildlife and participate in Tucson Audubon's pro-bird efforts!

- Kendall Kroesen, email editor

Birds, Plants, Culture and Bacanora Along the Rio Sonora

Special field trip: Travel with Tucson Audubon and South of the Border Tours to Sonora, Mexico this fall

November 6 - 10, $1350
Guides: Lynn Hassler, birder, author and naturalist; Jesus Garcia, Educational Specialist at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and native Sonoran.

Traveling by luxury motor coach, there will be a two night stop at Rancho Cerro Colorado, rich in biodiversity, and two nights in the charming town of Banamichi, at a posado right on the town square. In addition to birding, there will be many cultural activities, including time at a working ranch, and much more! Check out Tucson Audubon’s website for complete information.
Get details and sign up for trip.

Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to explore our neighbor to the south!

Elegant Quail by Amy McAndrews

You Can Have Your Suet Cake and Eat it Too!

The new Suet Cam at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds is set to go live this Friday, September 11.

You won't believe the variety of birds (and mammals!) that like suet. Here's another clip to tide you over. Make sure to tune in this Friday!

Paton Center guests NOTE: There is now a public WIFI for use in the Paton backyard. Try it out the next time you are there!

Join the Volunteer Mail Crew at Our Mason Center

Employment Opportunity at Tucson Audubon

JOB TITLE: Retail & Operations Assistant
SUMMARY: This position supports the Associate Director in duties related to managing the Tucson Audubon Society (Tucson Audubon) offices and the Nature Shops. The Retail & Operations Assistant works with all Tucson Audubon staff, volunteers, board members, members, and the general public. Applications accepted until position filled. 

See the full job description and find out how to apply

Fall Birding Field Trips = FUN

September 19—Saturday 6:30- 9:30 AM
Migrating Hummers - WOW Arizona
Trip Rating: Easy/moderate Distance: 1k Surface: Gravel/path/pavement
Leaders: Christopher Vincent & MaryEllen Landen cj@wowarizona.org 520.907.8735

September 20—Sunday, 8:00 AM
Fall Kickoff in Oracle State Park with Bob and Prudy Bowers
Trip Rating: Easy/Moderate Walking Distance: Less than 1 mile Elevation Change: 50 feet Ground Conditions: Surfaced patios, dirt trails
Leaders: Bob and Prudy Bowers at bobandpru@aol.com

September 26—Saturday 7:00 AM
Atturbury Wash, Lincoln Regional Park
Trip Rating: Easy. Walking Distance: 1 mile. Elevation Gain: Moderate. Ground Conditions: Mostly groomed trail, some sand/gravel.
Leader: Kendall Kroesen: 520.971.2385 or  kkroesen@tucsonaudubon.org

October 10—Saturday 7:00 AM
Pena Blanca Lake
Trip Leader: Clifford A. Cathers - AZCliffy@Q.com - 520.982.3272

October 31—Saturday 9 a.m.
Reid Park
Leader: John Higgins. 520-578-1830 jghiggins@comcast.net

NOTE: The weekly Wake Up With the Birds at Agua Caliente Park now requires online registration and has a $5 fee. See pima.gov/nrpr for more info.

See the full list of current trips and sign up online here

Birder image by Kate Reynolds

20 Days to Save Our Parks

Conservation Through Project Puffin

Project Puffin is the inspiring story of how a beloved seabird was restored to long-abandoned nesting colonies off the Maine coast. As a young ornithology instructor at the Hog Island Audubon Camp, Dr. Stephen W. Kress learned that puffins had nested on nearby islands until extirpated by hunters in the late 1800s. To right this environmental wrong, he resolved to bring puffins back to one such island—Eastern Egg Rock. Yet bringing the plan to reality meant convincing skeptics, finding resources, and inventing restoration methods at a time when many believed in “letting nature take its course.”

Today, Project Puffin has restored more than 1,000 puffin pairs to three Maine islands. But even more exciting, techniques developed during the project have helped to restore rare and endangered seabirds worldwide. Further, reestablished puffins now serve as a window into the effects of global warming. The success of Dr. Kress’s project offers hope that people can restore lost wildlife populations and the habitats that support them. The need for such inspiration has never been greater. (dust jacket)

Pick up your copy at the Tucson Audubon Nature Shop today for $30.00 and learn more about the efforts to save this adorable bird.

OPTICS Now is the time to invest…
If you have been contemplating an investment in a new pair of optics, now is the time. Swarovski is running its Swarovision Savings promotion and offering up to 18% off select EL models for a limited time only. Not sure what you are looking for? Stop into the Tucson Audubon Nature Shop and work one on one with our volunteers to find the right pair for all your birding needs. Our beautiful demonstration garden is an oasis perfect for a trial run on a new pair of binoculars.

Stop in today and find your next pair of optics and save BIG! Nature Shop details

Add Your Voice to Shape Tucson Parks and Rec. Plan

CITY OF TUCSON PARKS AND RECREATION SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT FOR FIVE-YEAR MASTER PLAN

The Tucson Parks and Recreation Department will hold public open houses to gather input for a 5-year master plan to deliver recreation and leisure opportunities. All meetings will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Dates and locations are below. Full details can be found at www.tucsonaz.gov/parks/masterplan. 

Talking points:

1. Wildlife watchers and nature lovers are one of the biggest recreation groups but are mostly not on the Parks and Rec Department radar.

2. As the city developed and recreation facilities were provided, places to watch birds in the Tucson metro area were declining due to development and groundwater pumping.

3. Preserve natural open space in parks where it occurs, and enhance amount and variety of trees and native vegetation in developed parks.

4. Reduce certain, small turf in parks to conserve water and reduce mowing, and replace it with native plants that provide for birds and pollinators.

Contact Kendall Kroesen, Urban Program Manager, for more about this process, at (520) 209-1806. 

Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015 Randolph Golf Complex Copper Room	Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015 Donna Liggins Center
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015 El Pueblo Activity Center - Multipurpose Room	Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015 El Rio Center Multipurpose Room
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 Clements Center Multipurpose Room	Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015 Sahuaro High School

—Tucson Audubon Staff
(image by Angela Pritchard)