Welcome, Jo, to Tucson Audubon's weekly update.

Enjoy this update and, as always, contact us with your concerns. 520-629-0510 or info@tucsonaudubon.org

OktoBIRDfest - You're Invited!

NEXT TUESDAY,  October 18, 5:30—7:30 pm
La Cocina, 201 N Court Ave, downtown historic Presidio

A party inspired by birds, hosted by birders, amidst German-inspired food and fun games for all!

• Live owls in attendance
• Chicken dance contest
• German bird ID quiz
• Prizes!
• Beer, brats and big pretzels

RSVP Requested but not required: Online, 520-209-1802, or our Facebook event.

Totally Owl-rageous! A Special Day with Paul Bannick

Paul Bannick, renowned photographer, author, and conservationist will launch his book OWL, A Year in the Lives of North American Owls, with us.

ONLY 4 SPOTS LEFT for the Madera Canyon morning walk which will be co-led by our own Jennie MacFarland.

Sign up now for the Green Valley luncheon and Tucson bird photography workshop, for a photo feast of owls and their habitats, and learn fascinating details about these secretive birds. The workshop will cover how to take great pictures with a digital camera, how to find and get close to birds, as well as techniques you can use. No Camera Required!

Materials Drive to Support Wildlife Rehabilitation

Miller's Wildlife Rehabilitation of Northwest Tucson is always generous in sharing their education birds at Tucson Audubon events. We would like to thank them by helping them to gather some of the materials they need to take care of their birds. They need pillow cases, sheets, towels (especially the big terry cloth ones), Kleenex, paper towels, bleach, laundry detergent, and fabric softener. These items will support the birds, so sheets and towels can be used items.

We will be accepting these goods at our Mason Center offices (3835 W. Hardy Road) and our Nature Shop location (300 E. University) for the month of October. We and Miller's Wildlife Rehabilitation of Northwest Tucson appreciate your support.

Current Volunteer Needs

This past weekend Tucson Audubon Society participated in the Tucson Meet Yourself event. Thanks again to all our volunteers who came out and welcomed attendees into our booth! A number of people new to Tucson Audubon stopped by to learn more about the programs we offer and our upcoming events.

Tucson Meet Your Birds on Oct. 22, 7am--1pm: This great community outreach event is coming up soon and we need your help to make it awesome! We still have 22 open volunteer slots, and we especially have needs with our children activities and in our optic area. Please check out all of our openings here, and let us know how you can fill a shift. Thank you!

Green Gardeners at Mason Center: Do you like to garden? The Mason Center has multiple gardens that need your helping hand in order to grow and thrive as focus points for pollinators, birds, and other desert critters.   Activities will include watering, planting, mulching, trimming, weeding and learning about plants and their role in the desert. The team will meet one day a week for 2 hours to get things started. You need no particular skills, just a desire to help and see the fruits of your labor take form. Add a bit of camaraderie to the mix, too. Cynthia Pruett, our past board president, will be your coordinator. The gardens await your help!

Habitat at Home: This program educates people about how to make safe, sustainable bird habitat in yards and neighborhoods. If you care about this initiative then we need your help to visit yards, engage new homeowners, prepare background work, and at tabling events. If you would like to be on the Habitat at Home volunteer team please contact Kendall Kroesen or volunteer@tucsonaudubon.org to begin engaging our community with us.

Contact Luke Safford to sign up for any of these opportunities, unless otherwise noted.

New in the Nature Shop - Sweet P's Organics

The Tucson Audubon Society Nature Shop proudly supports local entrepreneurs!
Tucsonan Paula Morris’s Sweet P’s organic product line is the result of her passion for science, skin care, and the Sonoran Desert. Her products are made with premium, certified organic ingredients and healing botanicals including wild-crafted prickly pear, cold-pressed golden jojoba oil, creosote hydrosol, fresh citrus, and locally farmed mesquite honey.

Now in stock:

• Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent & Sunscreen Combination: Retail $15.00
• Desert Essence Organic Shea Butter Lip Balm and Sunscreen Carabiner Set: Retail $10.00
• Prickly Pear Sunscreen SPF 30: Retail $14.00
• Organic Shea Butter Lip Balm SPF 15: Retail $3.50
• Pain Relief Balm: Retail $20.00

OPTICS

Celestron NatureView DX 8x32

Looking for a quality birding binocular, but don’t have a lot to spend? Or maybe a second pair to leave in the car or the patio?  Perhaps you’re looking for a binocular for the grandkid that you want to get interested in nature, but seem a bit hard on all their other “toys”?  This binocular is really solid; it will stand up to whatever abuse they dish out, including dropping it in Sweetwater!  It’s waterproof, so just fish it out of the pond and send them down the trail to find that Green Heron or even a Purple Gallinule. And, for just ~$100, you won’t have to worry and can buy one for each of them. Given its compact size, it’s comfortable for both kids and adults to use and still provides a good view of anything you might come across from the viewing pavilion or trail.  Take a look the next time you stop into the Tucson Audubon Society Nature Shop and you’ll understand why this is our top pick for a kid’s first binocular and how we can help you solve that annual problem of what to get them this Christmas.

Retail $110.00 Member Price $99.00

Both available in our Nature Shop. Stop by today!

—Tucson Audubon Staff