Jim Hoagland
It was another successful year for the SaddleBrooke Ranch (SBR) Cuckoos Birdathon. Later in May, after the submission date for this article, the Cuckoos would find out if they defended their title of “Best Bucks for Birds” at the Tucson Bird Alliance (TBA) wrap-up party. With the donations and pledges, thanks to friends, family, and the support of the SBR community, the Cuckoos raised over $9,000, making the total funds raised for their five years of participation in Birdathons to around $40,000. All funds raised are used to support the TBA’s mission.
This year’s Birdathon ran from April 1 through April 30. The Cuckoos chose a 24-hour format of “the Big Day, Free Style.” Four teams of two to three people visited several birding “hotspots” in the area. This year’s Cuckoos included Laurie McCoy, Deb and Gary Sandin, Gerry and Claire Tietje, Ben and Nancy Eisenstein, Tim DeJonghe, Carrie Gelsey, Rick and Sheree Gillispie, Michelle Jenning, and leader, SBR Birdman Jim Hoagland.
Starting at 4 p.m. on April 29, several Cuckoos began the Birdathon at Peppersauce Campground, and Tim and Jim stayed to do owling that evening. Other members birded around SaddleBrooke Ranch, waiting for the nighthawks to show up at the pond. Early the next morning, Gerry and Claire drove to bird Mount Lemmon where they identified many high-elevation bird species, including two “lifers,” birds they had never seen before. They saw 46 species overall. Laurie, Ben, and Nancy started their early morning at Sweetwater Wetlands, recording an impressive 55 species. The visited birding “hotspots” in Marana, Redrock, the Santa Cruz River, and Park Link Drive.
Jim had suggested that Deb’s team stop at Queen Valley on their way to Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Not being there before, they wondered if they were being sent on a wild goose chase. While there, a young man approached them from inside an enclosure. He had seen them with their binoculars and asked if they were interested in another area of the facility. Their jaws dropped as they entered this special place, a wastewater treatment plant that had an abundance of bird species. Boyce Thompson and Cross Creek Dairy, were a letdown; however, the team still finished with a total of 67 species.
Jim and Michelle started the day by the SBR pond and worked their way back to the small pond near hole number 5, recording 52 species. They added several other species later when visiting Winkelman Flats Park, Keary Lake, Oracle State Park, and Mammoth Sewer Ponds. With Jim’s birding and owling the night before, they had an impressive total of 104 species. When the dust settled, the Cuckoos had broken their previous year’s record of 127 species with a total of 145 species.
We dedicated our Birdathon this year to one of our team members, Rick Gillispie, who has been battling brain cancer. Although Rick and Sheree were not able to participate in this year’s Birdathon, they were in our thoughts during the Birdathon.
Thanks again for all the support from the SBR community, family, and friends. We can’t wait to do it again next year.