SBR Cuckoos are Back Again with “The Big Day”

For the third year in a row, SaddleBrooke Ranch will field a team to participate in Tucson Audubon Society’s annual Birdathon fundraiser. The SBR Cuckoos, comprised of leader, ‘The Birdman of SBR’ Jim Hoagland, Laurie McCoy, Jim Bradford, Deb Sandin and Kathy Williams have already achieved two remarkable milestones: Grand Champion the first year, and Highest Fundraiser the second. How will we be able to top that, we asked ourselves?!

Well, the answer was simple—expand the team of birding enthusiasts. The Cuckoos welcome our newest members: Karen Vanderwall, Carrie Gelsey, and Rick & Sheree Gillaspie. All are veterans of Jim’s monthly bird surveys on our spectacular Nature Trail. Jim often posts photographs of the beautiful, and sometimes elusive, birds we spot on those outings on the SBR Facebook page, NextDoor and in featured articles of “Nature’s Way” in the SBR Ranch Roundup community newspaper.

The purpose of the SBR Cuckoos is to assist the Tucson Audubon Society (TAS) in raising funds to support the important work they do. Their mission is “inspiring people to enjoy and protect birds through recreation, education, conservation and restoration of the environment.” They provide educational Zoom programs, field trip outings, and in-person socials such as the “Birds ‘n’ Beer” meetups at local establishments like the Tucson Hop Shop. Funds also support the Tucson Audubon Society offices (and wonderful gift shop), the Mason Center and the Paton Center for Hummingbirds in Patagonia.

The SBR Cuckoos have chosen to continue the format of “The Big Day: Free Style”, where we attempt to identify as many bird species as possible in a 24-hour timespan. (Think “The Big Year”, the 2011 film starring Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black, but condensed into one day.) Our plan this year is to divide the team into two units. One will stay locally—SBR, Willow Spring Road, and Oracle’s City and State Parks. The other will go further afield in Pinal County covering Mammoth, Aravaipa Canyon Road, and the San Pedro River Crossing. If all goes well, we hope to rendezvous the two teams in Peppersauce Campground at the base of Mount Lemmon. Our Birdathon will begin the evening of April 25^th and finish 24 hours later on April 26^th. As with last year, our goal is to exceed 100 different bird species.

We are honored to help support such a great organization as Tucson Audubon Society, and hope you will join us with your pledges. There are two ways to donate, and no amount is too small to help us achieve our goal of $7500. The first is to donate a fixed dollar amount. The second, which is more fun, is to make a pledge that challenges the team. It could be something like $1 per bird, or $5 per soaring raptor or $25 per owl. Let your imagination run wild! Make your donations and pledges at https://tucsonaudubon.org/birdathon/

As an incentive for everyone who makes a pledge of $25 or more, you will receive Jim’s 2024 desk calendar filled with the wonderful photos you have come to know and love. But wait, there is more! For the individual who makes the largest contribution, Jim will gift an 18” X 12” Metal Print Photo of your choice.

Thanks to everyone in advance for helping the SBR Cuckoos achieve their goal and supporting the work the Tucson Audubon Society.

Pledges:

• Jim Hoagland: $1/bird species seen by the team and $2 for every bird species seen over the 100. $25 for each new Pinal county bird species for me and $100 for any new lifer bird. $10 for each owl Species and an extra $10 if I photograph one. $50 if the team see a Roadrunner. $1 for each bird species that has the name Black in its name.
• Glenna Matthews: $1/species
• Maria Astaire: $1/species. You go team!
• Laura Haslett: $1/species. Have a great time and I hope you break last year's record in number of species & $$ raised.
• Robert Thompson: $3/species and an extra $5 per species over 100 counted
• Fred Weber: $0.25/species; $25.00 for a picture of an eagle sighted during the Birdathon; $10.00 if Jim Hoagland sees a species he has never seen before
• Karen Vanderwall: $1/species; Looking forward to my 1st Tucson Audubon Birdathon as a member of the SaddleBrooke Ranch Cuckoos Team! Together, we can help to make a difference!!
• Laurie McCoy: $1/species and $50 for finding a Greater Roadrunner
• Deb Sandin: $1/species and  an additional $100 if the goal of 100 birds ID'd is met or exceeded.  We can do it!!!
• Carol Andrews: $1/species
• Nancy & Ben Eisenstein: $1/species
• Carrie Gelsey: $1/species
• Pam Steube: $1/species and $ 50 for every owl/or roadrunner you photograph.
• Brenda Wright: $0.50/species