The Orioles are back and will once again run our traditional Birdathon route, an epic all-day quest for birds in the Santa Catalina Mountains! On April 20 we'll bird Tucson's own "sky island" mountain range from bottom to top over the course of one long day, and aim to see a selection of the representative bird species found in each life zone as we go. We'll start at dawn with riparian habitat along Tanque Verde Creek and then bird the Sonoran Desert at the foot of the mountains before continuing upward through the oak, pine, and fir forests toward the top of the mountains. Our target is to see and/or hear 100-120 species throughout the day.
The Orioles Birdathon team for 2024 is Scott Olmstead, Carl Englander, Malcolm Chesworth, Marty Herde, Nancy Trimmer, and Will Russell.
**Update: It was a beautiful day in the field and we finished with a satisfying 105 species, slowlyl and steadily adding to our total throughout the day. The biggest surprise was an unexpected Osprey that flew over Agua Caliente Park at sunset. Thanks to everyone for their support!**
Pledges:
- Marcia Grand: $10/species and $10 for every occupied nest, $20 for an active nest in a saguaro, $100 for 6 different hummingbirds, $100 for 3 different birds in a parking lot, $100 if you find and report a stinknet area to be cleared.
