• Live migration over Coconino County
  
• Live migration over Yavapai County
  

Verde River Monitoring and Education Program with the Verde River Institute - (must sign up: doug@verderiverinstitute.org)

These classes serve as an excellent way to educate Audubon members on the Verde River and how its ecosystems conserve birds!

The Institute's Spring/Summer Monitoring and Education course is still open for new students! The Wednesday slots have all been filled, but we still have space on the Saturday lessons!  Classes will be held weekly for 10 weeks from April 29th until July1st for Saturday students. Classes meet at Tuzigoot River Access Point (TuziRAP) in Clarkdale, where we'll have a 1-hour discussion of that day's topics; followed by a 4-hour (or so) kayak trip from Lower Tapco River Access Point (TapcoRAP) to TuziRAP.

Along the way, we'll discuss experiential things about the day's lesson topics, and we'll stop halfway down to e at lunch and talk. The kayak trips always present unexpected opportunities to discuss something about the river along the way.

Summer/Fall classes will start in mid-July (probably July 19. )

If you are interested in becoming a "Verde River Nerd," email Doug at doug@verderiverinstitute.org.

Many thanks to Rich Armstrong for teaching his Birding 101 class at the Camp Verde Library. Rich is undoubtably the most active member of NAAS!  He is the Chair of Field Trips in Sedona and the Verde Valley, Steward of the Sedona Wetlands and Compiler of the Sedona Christmas Bird Count. Rich has taught this class to people who are curious about the hobby of bird watching to their benefit and to that of our organization.  Giving the gift of a teaching a new hobby to those who are seeking is so important in these days of stress. There was a huge amount of interest expressed by the number of attendees to this class. These participants were treated to a great variety of birds and raptors with one of NAAS's best guides and teachers!

Report:
I taught 30 folks a 2 hour Birding 101 class on March 31st at the Camp Verde library. Then on April 1st I had 10 of them bird Rezzonico Park and the Camp Verde STP. Then on April 2nd I had another 12 of them bird Rezzonico Park and the Camp Verde STP. Highlights were singing Lucy's Warbler, Abert's Towhee, close views of both male & female Vermillion Flycatchers, a very cooperative Hutton's Vireo, Cliff Swallows going in and out of nests, Great Horned Owls on a nest and next to it, and scope views of all 3 male teal species, Greater Yellowlegs, and Wilson's Snipe.
By Rich Armstrong

The Northern Arizona Audubon Fun Day held at the Sedona Wetlands Preserve on Feb. 25 was a big success. The weather cooperated with sunny skies, and the ducks showed up at the ponds. About 100 people, adults and children, visited the preserve and partook in the festivities. Michael Erb made you answer bird trivia questions to ‘win’ one of the coloring books he drew. Tracy and pals from Friends of the Verde River gave a lesson on BioBlitz and encouraged all to get outside and look around! Tony and his group from Yavapai County Flood Control talked about, you guessed it, water and how it flows. Northern AZ Audubon's art table was very popular where participants learned to draw a bird.  The NAAS bird identification and migration games taught participants that they know more birds than they first thought they did. Rich pointed out ducks from the viewing platform giving everyone an opportunity to use the spotting scope. We want to thank our sponsors of this event; Jason Vargo, Events & Rentals Technician from the Sedona Parks & Recreation Department; Roxanne Holland and the Sedona Sewage Treatment Plant; and the City of Cottonwood. Thanks to all the NAAS volunteers-- Nanette & Rich Armstrong, Kay Hawklee, Denae Dearden, Becky Hardy, Sally Reynolds, Susan Meyer and Dana Kjellgren who made this NAAS  Verde Valley Sci-Tech event possible.

Kids make the best bird sounds ever! We discovered this during out time outdoors with kids who are definitely interested in birds!

Eight children and their parents attended the "Talk, walk and make" event that NAAS hosted at the Sedona Library on February 11th.

Viviane the librarian began the program by pointing out all the books the library has to offer about birds. Then she red a story.

Nanette began with a quick lesson about birds, what makes a bird, what to look for to identify them, when you find one give good directions for others to find the bird, etc. 

We handed out binoculars. Gave a quick lesson on how to focus, how to find a bird with them, how to care for them.  Then we went outside and walked around the new patio and observed birds that were coming into feeders that NAAS Volunteer, Sally Reynolds, had set up. We continued on library grounds following the bird sounds - which were being echoed by several musical childrens' whistles! 

We returned inside for the craft. Pine cones with string tied around them were used as homemade bird feeders the children could take home. The children smeared the cone with vegetable shortening with plastic knife or spoon, then rolled the cone in bird seed. Then placed the cone in a plastic baggie. We instructed the children to hang the pine cone in a place where a squirrel might not be able to reach. Volunteers and kids had a great time!

The Flagstaff monthly program was covered by Features Writer, Hava Herzog, for The Lumberjack (NAU's newspaper).  Hava interviewed NAAS, Southwest Audubon, the Grand Canyon Trust and NAU's The Wildlife Society club leaders to find out how we are all coming together to help save Pinyon Jay habitat. 

It's great when a like-minded group of conservationists focus on a conservation goal. 

"The Northern Arizona Audubon Society (NAAS) is a volunteer-led organization that engages in community science to educate and advocate for the conservation of birds and their habitats. NAAS gathered together Jan. 24 at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church for a presentation on the pinyon jay and how to help save it."

Pinyon Jay Community Science Initiative article

Dena Greenwood said to think of her when we see Western Bluebirds and many of us still do when we see those brilliant birds and hear their sweet contact calls as they keep in touch with each other. She left us far too early in June of 2018 and as an expression of appreciation NAAS members and other dear friends gave donations that created the Greenwood Fund:

"This is a fund established in memory of Dena Greenwood in recognition of her tireless and loving commitment to birds, the birding community and the preservation of the natural world of Northern Arizona."

Dena's beloved husband, Randy Miller, and friend, Brent Bitz, have created an enduring project for The Greenwood Fund that honors her life perfectly. In the upcoming years, NAAS will partner with Friends of the Verde River to establish a "Library Pollinator & Learning Garden" at the Camp Verde Library. Dena was an educator and her teaching will continue through this interactive garden space. 

The goal of the "Learning Garden" is threefold - to implement and demonstrate the capture and use of rainwater, to provide and encourage hands-on learning opportunities and experiences, and to turn a neglected area of library grounds into a beautiful garden space.  Dena would love knowing that water conservation techniques and the value of pollinators for the health of gardens are being taught. She would very much appreciate that people of all ages are being taught harvesting techniques for successful and sustainable greenspaces in the Verde Valley. 

Dena's memory lives on and will never fade from our hearts or the earth!

(This fund is now closed but rest assured your donations are being put to the utmost use to benefit the natural world and its future stewards.)

On the night of December 7, 2022, NAAS received recognition from Friends of the Verde River for our conservation efforts.

Nancy Steele, Executive Director of Friends, said, "Northern Arizona Audubon Society's work to preserve the Verde River, from supporting the Arizona Wilderness Act to opposing sand and gravel mining in the Verde River, has been consistent in advocating for a healthy and flowing Verde River system, which is necessary for healthy bird populations. Members of NAAS serve as the core of our volunteers for the Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival, educating residents and visitors about birds and wildlife.  As a partner, NAAS has been working alongside Friends of the Verde River towards the same goals for all our history. For these reasons and more, I am pleased to award NAAS as the Non-profit Partner of the Year on behalf of Friends of the Verde River." 

NAAS is happy to provide the bird guides for the birding festival that Friends has put on for the past 20 years. 

Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival