Pictured, left to right: Michael Bain, Sinda Sutton, Laura Haslett, and Jim Hoagland (photo by Jim Hoagland, using a remote)
Community Gift for Our Feathered Neighbors
Jim Hoagland
For the second time this year, the SaddleBrooke Ranch (SBR) Hiking Club and the Birding and Nature Group held a “seed drive” to support Oracle State Park. Charles Hester led the Hiking Club’s effort, and Jim Hoagland led the Birding and Nature Group. SBR resident Laura Haslett, representing the Hiking Club, and Jim Hoagland, representing the Birding and Nature Group, recently presented 14 quail blocks, 1,200 pounds of wild bird seed, a camera bird feeder, and much-needed storage containers to Sinda Sutton, Park Manager, and Michael Bain, Senior Ranger, at Oracle State Park. In total, the drive provided more than 1,350 pounds of wild bird seed.
If you haven’t visited Oracle State Park’s Kannally Ranch Patio, you might be missing out on a wonderful, accessible birding experience for all, including those with mobility challenges.
The state park receives only limited funding to cover the cost of bird food, so this donation will keep the feeding stations full for many days. “We are very thankful to the SaddleBrooke Ranch community for donating the bird food, particularly the quail blocks and the storage containers,” said Sutton. “We invite you to come along, bring your lunch, and relax in one of the chairs on the patio as you enjoy watching the birds arrive to feed. Since food sources for wild birds are often scarce and vary from year to year, this can make a difference.”
She also extended a standing invitation to all members of the SBR community. “If you want to find out more about the activities we offer at the Park, you can visit our website at AZstateparks.com/oracle or our Facebook page to see the times and dates of the nature walks, geology walks, star parties, and all the other programs and events available for the whole family to enjoy.” Michael, an avid photographer, was very excited about the bird feeder with a camera. They have several cameras in remote locations to monitor wildlife, and this one will add to their surveying and knowledge of birds in remote areas. Follow updates on what Michael discovers on their Oracle State Park Facebook page.
The ranger team at Oracle State Park would like to thank all SBR residents who have donated to this good cause. Over the past few years, the birding community has focused on initiatives such as “Birding for Every BODY” and “Birdability Outings.” The Oracle State Park patio is ideal for nature lovers, especially those with accessibility challenges, including individuals who use wheelchairs, walkers, or other assistive devices, as well as those with other health issues. It offers a relaxed birding experience with seating to enjoy the birds. If you couldn’t participate in our fall seed drive and would like to donate in the future, we will hold another seed drive in the spring. Look for an announcement on the SBR Facebook page in early spring.
From Woodshop to Wilderness
Jim Hoagland
The SaddleBrooke Ranch Woodworking Club recently built owl boxes for the Tucson Bird Alliance’s (TBA) Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl project. Their goal was to make 30 boxes in under four hours, but they overachieved and finished 32. The team included John Gordon, Pete Watson, Joe Strano, Tom Wallis, John Mertz, Scott Saxon, Tony Manza, and Jim Hoagland. Gary Truax and Jim delivered the boxes to the TBA’s Mason Center for the next steps.
The SBR Woodworking Club has worked on several nesting box projects for the TBA. When Olya Weekley, TBA’s Applied Conservation Program Manager, asked Jim and Scott to help with this project, they were excited to get involved and quickly agreed.
These boxes are part of the project “Status and Habitat Enhancements for the Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (FPO) in the Altar and Avra Valleys,” led by Dr. Aaron Flesch of the University of Arizona. The Altar Valley is known for its open landscape and ranching history. It lies in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, surrounded by mountain ranges, making it an ideal habitat for desert wildlife. The area includes the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge and is home to many plant species, from saguaros to oaks. It also provides important habitat for birds such as Lucy’s Warbler, Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Elf Owl, Gray Hawk, Gilded Flicker, Crested Caracara, Masked Bobwhite Quail, and many other raptors and songbirds.
TBA is planting thousands of saguaros across Arizona, but these cacti take many years to mature. FPOs nest in saguaro cavities, usually made by woodpeckers. Because of competition and habitat loss, these cavities are hard to find. That’s why this project is important. The nest boxes are made to copy saguaro cavities.
The SBR Woodworking Club built the outer box, which holds a cedar inner box. Insulation between the boxes helps keep the temperature similar to a real saguaro. The outside is coated to help control temperature, and the boxes are set up at different heights on poles in the desert. The project aims to install 100 boxes.
FPOs are small owls that live year-round from the southwestern United States to southern South America. They usually form pairs in the fall of their first year and nest the following spring. Incubation and chick-rearing each take about 28 days. Females lay between two and seven eggs, and both parents feed the chicks. The adults care for the young until they leave the nest, usually seven to eight weeks after fledging. FPOs were once common in Phoenix, but none have been seen there since 1950.
Olya thanked the SBR Community and the Woodworking Club for supporting the project. She said, “Tucson Bird Alliance is truly grateful for SBR’s support. These boxes are crucial to our effort to increase the availability of suitable nesting cavities for the Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls, a federally threatened species. We look forward to receiving the results of our efforts and will share them with the SBR Community.”