The Rosenbirder's celebrated their 10th, annual Birdathon this year! Birdathon is now an "old" tradition for us, so we decided to put a new spin on it and visit a two, never-birded-before places!

The team kicked off with a little backyard birding before heading out to Marana in search of Burrowing Owls. For three teammates, this was a lifer! The hotspot clinched a few key species, including American Kestrel, for us and proved a delightful surprise for Amy and Cesar who had lived nearby for a couple of years without ever knowing owls were so close.

From there, we headed north to the Gilbert Water Ranch. In previous years we've gone south towards Patagonia or up through the biomes of Mt Lemmon, so we weren't sure what to expect near the Phoenix area...could it usher in a whole new slew of species for our Birdathon records? Or would it be all dried up and not worth the drive? Well, we were confident the latter wouldn't be the case (we virtually scouted the place on eBird after all!), but it was still nice to find such an active park at our arrival!

We spent a couple of hours wandering around the park, birdwatching and geocaching. It was incredible to see so many birds in breeding plummage; elegant egrets with long head-feathers and Ruddy Ducks with bright, blue bills. The ponds did bring us a few new species, including a lifer pair of Black-necked Stilts for three team members! It felt like we could spend all day staring at these birds, but with the heat starting to catch up with us, we called it a day and made a break back to Tucson. With afternoon naps and half-lidded eyes watching backyard bird feeders, we concluded another wonderful Birdathon :) Feel free to check out our eBird trip report!

If you would like to support the Rosenbirders with a donation, please feel free to add an encouraging note! Donations of all amounts are greatly appreciated, and help support the amazing bird and habitat conservation work of Tucson Audubon!

Pledges:

• Joan Powell: $1/species
• Marcia Grand: $12/species
• Sheri Montgomery: $1/species and an extra $5 per owl, $5 per Kestrel, and $5 for a Montezuma Quail
• Clague Van Slyke: $100 and a anniversary bonus of $10 per team member who sees a life bird. Happy team anniversary!

 PLEDGE (PAY LATER) 

 DONATE (PAY NOW) 

Birdathon is one of Tucson Bird Alliance’s largest fundraisers and has existed for over 35 years! It’s a great way to use our love of bird watching to support Tucson Bird Alliance’s mission to inspire people to enjoy and protect birds.

By donating to one or more Birdathon teams you are ensuring Tucson Bird Alliance's vital work can continue well into the future. Whether it's preserving critical habitats, educating future stewards of the environment, or advocating for bird-friendly policies, your support makes a tangible difference.

Birdathon donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Tucson Bird Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Join us in making a difference for birds and their habitats by donating or pledging to a Birdathon team today!

Supporting a team by writing a check?

• Make checks payable to: Tucson Bird Alliance
• Write the team name on memo line
• Mail to: 
  Tucson Bird Alliance
  PO Box 91770
  Tucson, AZ 85752

REGISTER YOUR OWN TEAM HERE
BACK TO BIRDATHON HOME PAGE