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

Birds and Climate Change

A report from National Audubon released yesterday models how our changing climate could affect the ranges of 588 North American birds. Using information from the Christmas Bird Count and the North American Breeding Bird Survey to define the range of conditions each species needs to survive, and future greenhouse gas emissions scenarios, they mapped where each bird’s ideal climatic range may be found in the future as the climate changes.

Of the 588 bird species modeled, 314 species would lose more than one half of their current climatic range by 2080 if global warming continues at its current pace. Of these,126 would lose more than half of their current range by 2050.  Some species ranges will shift or even expand.

The study covers Alaska, Canada, and the lower 48 states: there is insufficient data to study the effects of global warming on birds that winter in Latin America. The model does not include factors such as sea-level rise, prey base, species competition, and the complexities of ecology, such as inter-species competition in the new ranges, it simply identifies which species are most sensitive to the projected change in the near future.

The National Audubon site features animated maps that show the probability of a bird occurring at a location based on the climate in the area in three future time periods (2020, 2050, and 2080). Perhaps most useful are the Venn diagrams for each species, where the size of the circles indicates the species’ range size in 2000 and 2080, and the amount of overlap between the circle indicates geographic range stability:  Lots of overlap means little shift and no overlap indicates the species will leave its current range entirely.

Take a look at the Gilded Flicker here for example. You can also read an overview of the study at the National Audubon website.

What Are Folks Seeing These Days at the Paton Center?

In addition to the fall migrants, some new permanent residents you can expect soon in the backyard at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds are: three more versatile "flip" benches, a new canopy, an overhaul of the seed feeders, a large bird checklist sign, and a new (shiny!) donation box. Wouldn't you like to help us fund these improvements?  Soon enough we'll fill you in on bigger changes for the front yard.

Meanwhile, stay tuned and stay true to the Virtual Sugar Fund by making your donation at: tucsonaudubon.org/paton.

Needed: Volunteers to Help With Paton Casita Renovation Next Week
If you would be available next week Wed, Thurs., or Fri. (Sept. 17, 18, or 19) to travel to the Paton Center and help with priming and painting the inside of the casita, please contact Keith, the Paton Center Coordinator

Call for carpenters
We’re seeking volunteer carpenters for a few projects:

1. Help restore two antique benches from the Paton Center.
2. Join our crew of nest box builders to support our Win-Win for Azure Bluebirds and Arizona Vineyards conservation project to expand the breeding territory of the Azure Bluebird into the Sonoita Grasslands
3. Volunteer at the Western Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) high school “MakerSpace” (shop class) to guide students building American Kestrel and Western Screech Owl boxes for the Tucson Audubon Nature Shop. To find our more about this project, contact Keith and read his blog post.
   

Bring our carpentry to the modern era

We now have numerous projects for which, as you can see, we need better tools. If you’ve got a table saw or compound miter saw laying around collecting dust instead of producing sawdust, consider donating it to us.

Or, maybe help us buy a new one… Contact Jonathan.

 

Birding Opportunities Continue This Fall

September 13 | Saturday 5:30 am
St. David and Willcox
Mid-September usually offers plenty of birds and occasional pleasant surprises. We will begin in the riparian habitat in St. David in the relative cool of the morning. We will be walking a mile or two over mostly level ground. Then we head to the Willcox ponds to see what shorebirds are migrating through.  We may stop at the Benson ponds on our return to Tucson (by mid-afternoon). Meet at Houghton Road, just north of I-10 (about 180 miles round trip). You must register online.
Leader Dave Dunford. Contact Dave with questions, 520-909-1809 ddunford@dakotacom.net

November 1 | Saturday 8 am
Sabino Canyon
We'll bird Sabino Canyon Recreation Area walking a loop that includes both Sonoran desert uplands and Sabino Creek riparian areas. The 4-mile walk includes rocky uneven trails. Meet at the ramada by the Visitor's Center at 5700 N Sabino Canyon Road. $5 parking fee. Return by noon. Leaders are Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists. Limit 15 participants. You must register online.
Leaders: Jean & Mark Hengesbaugh, contact with questions jhhenge@yahoo.com

Conservation News

News related to the accelerating global warming crisis has captured the headlines this week. Today the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, announcing that “The amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a new record high in 2013, propelled by a surge in levels of carbon dioxide.” It is not surprising then that 2013 tied with 2003 as the fourth warmest year on record, and May of this year was the warmest in recorded history. Today’s announcement from WMO has “injected even greater urgency into the need for concerted international action against accelerating and potentially devastating climate change.”

Disruption: Educate Your Friends About Climate Change

Disruption is a short film about how we can change the world -- before the fossil fuel industry irreversibly changes the climate. It looks at how social movements of the past mobilized at decisive moments to shift the course of history, and applies those lessons to the decisive fight of this generation.

It features author and filmmaker Naomi Klein, CNN host and movement leader Van Jones, MSNBC's Chris Hayes, plus many more, including some of the key scientific voices sounding the alarm.
Here’s the most exciting part of this story: it’s not finished yet. The next act will be written in the streets on September 21st, when the People's Climate March takes over Tucson, New York (and cities across the globe).
This is the history we'll tell the next generation -- about the end of fossil fuels, about how the world was in crisis, about how we started to turn it around together. Forward your friends the link to watch the film.

Arizona Representatives Stop EPA and ACE From Doing Their Jobs

We regret we are unable to thank seven Representatives from Arizona who voted against the environment yesterday. They voted for HR 5078 that prevents the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) from doing their jobs in a professional, science based manner, and against the intent of the Clean Water Act.

We are pleased to report, however, that Representatives Raul Grijalva and Ed Pastor voted against HR 5078 in an effort to protect the intent of the Clean Water Act and the health and functions of our watersheds.

Thank you Congressmen Grijalva and Pastor!

HR 5078 prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the new Waters of the US Proposed Rule which seeks to clarify a previously controversial and confusing court ruling (the public comment period for the new proposal ends October 20, 2014); prohibits the EPA or ACE from using the best available scientific information from the current Rule proposal as the basis for any future Rule; and requires EPA and USACE to work with state and local authorities to develop piecemeal recommendations for the scope of a Waters of the US rule and then issue a report of their findings.

To say the least, this will make the job of serving the public’s interests in administrating impacts to Waters of the US less consistent and much more difficult and cumbersome.

Be sure to bookmark our comprehensive events calendar here

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Plain-capped Starthroat banner by Bryan Holliday