Tubac Nature Center

06/18/2026

TUBAC NATURE CENTER JOURNAL - SPECIAL PLACES, SPECIAL MOMENTS

Once dressed and ready for the day in Tubac one of my first acts is to raise the shades covering the kitchen windows. To see the almost invariably bright blue sky and brilliant sunshine raises my spirits instantly. I know it is good to be alive. Now we are vacationing in Delaware and when I get out of bed I look out a very large bedroom window facing Prime Hook NWR. The sky is not always blue but the contrast between the deep green vegetation of the marsh out our window and the open water that changes color with the varying tones of the sky is amazing too.

The marsh is alive with the sounds of birds from daybreak until deep into dusk. The window is only ever briefly free of birds zooming by in pursuit of food and other daily needs. The zoomers are barn swallows, tree swallows, chimney swifts, and so many purple martins. The swallows and swifts speak in hushed tones or not at all, but the martins are gruff and very talkative. The great blue herons croak as they hunt the open water, the laughing gulls cry as they coast overhead, and the geese honk periodically unseen. If you listen closely, you will regularly hear the “witchity, witchity” of the common yellow-throat warbler, though this particular fellow has several variations on his witchity theme. The redwing blackbirds, common grackles, American robins, and mourning doves chat continuously as they argue about territory, youngsters, and other grievances I can only guess at. I can hear the mockingbird mimicking his neighbors from a perch in the front of the house. Every once in a while I hear the “will-will-willet” of the willet repeating his name. I don’t know why, but every time I hear its call I smile.

I guess the particular place doesn’t really matter. If we open our minds to the opportunity, it could be the backyard feeder, the woodlot down the street, or a several thousand acre marsh that is our special place. May we all be wise enough to recognize the special moments in our own special places.

Jim Karp
Tubac Nature Center
June 16, 2026

06/10/2026

TUBAC NATURE CENTER JOURNAL - THE QUIET ONES

A group of Tubac birders met in November, 2017 to explore the possibility of starting a nature center. We had enthusiasm, energy, and an idea. A key missing element was money. Several weeks into the process, as the word got around the community about our idea, I received a phone call from a man I knew only by sight but had never spoken to. He said that he thought the nature center was one of the best ideas for Tubac that he had heard in while. He asked what he could do. I said we needed funding. He said let me know how much and get back to me. After some rough guessing and calculations, I called him back and said we needed about $10,000 to get off the ground. He said, “We have a lot of friends in the area, we will see what we can do.

After Bob Schuyler contacted his friends, the checks began to roll in. Shortly, we had $8400 donated, and certainly enough to get the process of forming the nature center off the ground. In the following months, we turned to Bob and his wife, Marty, for advice several times to solve minor and more significant issues. They never hesitated to help. Bob served on the board of directors for a period, convinced his friend, Dick Taggart, to step in to become our second Treasurer, and called occasionally with advice.

Last week Bob passed away! A very sad event for many of us, and especially for his family. There are so many people like Bob and Marty who pitch in quietly to make their communities better, getting little notice, and few “thank you’s.” Let’s take a moment to raise of glass to Bob, and to all the Bobs and Martys who quietly and with dedication make their communities the great places we live in.

Jim Karp
Tubac Nature Center
June 9, 2026

06/03/2026

Announcements and Ramblings

The Nature Center will be open tomorrow, Wednesday June 3, but then it will be closed through the rest of the month. It will be open again on Wednesday July 1.

Mikey
Tuesday Bird Walk Grasslands between Proctor Rd and Florida Wash, Madera Canyon--Carrie Nation Trail - 2-Jun-26

Today Dale, Caroline and myself went up Madera Canyon for a bird hike. Dale is still recovering from knee surgery and did very well but it was harder going down than up. We tried for Botteri Sparrows in the lower canyon but did not hear or see them. We then drove to the trail head for the Carrie Nation trail and started up. We wanted to see Trogans but only heard them in the distance up canyon, but we did get to see and hear Sulphur-bellied Flycatchers. The Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher is one of my favorite flycatchers because of it's funny squeaky call and it's not bad looking either. We got to hear Red-faced and Grace's Warblers, Hutton's and Plumbeous Vireos, Western Wood and Greater Pewees. The Greater Pewee has a great call that sounds like "Ho-say ma-reeah". We saw a large Hummingbird chase off a Mexican Jay which we were pretty sure that it was a Blue-throated Mountain-gem which is one of the larger Humingbirds. We did pretty well getting almost 40 species and hearing Scaled Quail down in the lower canyon. It's getting hotter now and I'm thinking about going up Mount Lemon soon.

We had a total of 38 species today. The Trip Report is here: https://ebird.org/tripreport/533612

Rob Rutledge
Grasslands between Proctor Rd and Florida Wash - 2-Jun-26 - 6:42 AM - 0.133 mile(s) - 15 minute(s) – Rob

5 Scaled Quail
1 Ash-throated Flycatcher
1 Brown-crested Flycatcher
14 Common Raven
5 Black-throated Sparrow
2 Lark Sparrow
2 Lucy's Warbler
2 Blue Grosbeak

Number of Taxa: 8

Madera Canyon--Carrie Nation Trail - 2-Jun-26 - 7:15 AM - 0.899 mile(s) - 3 hour(s), 12 minute(s) – Rob

5 Wild Turkey
1 Blue-throated Mountain-gem – Bright blue gorget, gray underparts, white eyebrow, and white tail corners.
1 Coppery-tailed Trogon
2 Acorn Woodpecker
4 Arizona Woodpecker
1 Northern Flicker
1 Greater Pewee
2 Western Wood-Pewee
1 Western Flycatcher
2 Dusky-capped Flycatcher
4 Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher
2 Hutton's Vireo
2 Plumbeous Vireo
1 Steller's Jay
7 Mexican Jay
2 Common Raven
6 Bridled Titmouse
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
2 Brown Creeper
1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
1 Northern House Wren
1 Bewick's Wren
2 Spotted Towhee
2 Bronzed Cowbird
2 Brown-headed Cowbird
3 Grace's Warbler
1 Red-faced Warbler
2 Painted Redstart
2 Hepatic Tanager
2 Western Tanager
2 Black-headed Grosbeak

Number of Taxa: 31

TUBAC NATURE CENTER JOURNAL - YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN

A two day trip from the Chicago area across the south end of the Great Lakes led us to Syracuse, our old stomping grounds in the decades before Tubac. About 40 miles west of Syracuse, abutting the New York State Thruway (I-90), is Montezuma NWR. It is a 10,000 acre preserve that provides habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds. My first of many visits here in the 1960’s was pre-dawn watching hundreds, maybe thousands of Canada geese depart for the day to feed in the surrounding fields. Quite a sight! Today migration was over, and the brisk, cold winds kept all wildlife honkered down and our three-mile car tour of the preserve was relatively uneventful. A few dozen lingering Canada geese, a single Common Gallinule, and 4 swans on mound nests too distant to identify, but probably Trumpeter Swans.

We were merely 2 miles from Seneca Falls, NY, so my wife, Eddie, decided to fulfill a long-held wish to visit the Women’s Rights National Historical Park in that town. We spent a couple of hours absorbing the exhibits in this National Park. Near the entrance stood life-size metal statues of the famous women suffragettes, along with their supporter, Frederick Douglas. The exhibits run the gamut from the more recent Title IX to the great gathering of supporters in 1848. To me one of the most impressive exhibits was a side-side comparison of how the Iroquois Confederacy (six indigenous nations) treated women versus how our white ancestors did. We called them “savages”, but comparatively white men of that age seemed more deserving of that disparaging designation.

One of the strong draws for me to return to Central New York was to visit the Pleasant Valley Preserve. A few years ago the Central New York Land Trust acquired a 305 acre property that sounded idyllic to me. It had open meadows, ponds, new coniferous plantations, mid-life deciduous forests, and hilltop views of the beautiful region. It did not disappoint! Except for the hilltop view (too much climbing for my diseased lungs even with an oxygen concentrator), I got to see much of the preserve. When I opened the car door a Willow Flycatcher sang from a nearby tree, Eastern Bluebirds twittered overhead, a pair of Baltimore Orioles bounced in the trees overhead near the first pond, and a family of Common Mergansers floated on the pond. A painted turtle sparkled in the nearby grass. As I entered the forested area a Veery repeated its name and then sang its flute-like song, then the tinkling song of the Wood Thrush joined, and the Eastern Wood Pewee provided background music with a repeated pee-o-wee. Soon the rising notes of the Ovenbird - teacher, teacher, teacher - joined the chorus. Thirty-four species in less than two hours wasn’t a bad morning.

Buoyed by my success I headed southeast to Old Fly Marsh, along winding, hilly roads that would never be built today, past Beak & Skiff orchards where we spent family outings picking apples in the Fall. We purchased most of Old Fly property in 1978 from a local banker. The marsh was constructed at the behest of John Weeks, probably the most notable conservationist during the Twentieth Century in Central New York. The man seemed to know everything there was to know about nature, and he had the soul of a poet. The visit was shorter than I had hoped because my energy was running low. But the songs of the American Redstart, Eastern Warbling Vireo, Canada Goose, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, and Red-bellied Woodpecker provided the background music. Very few warblers and no Wood Ducks today. You can’t have everything, but you can go home again. Thank you Central New York, you are one beautiful and special place.

Jim Karp
Tubac Nature Center
June 2, 2026

02 Jun, 2026. Created by Tubac Nature Center

06/01/2026

https://www.borderlandia.org/shop/p/anza-trail-walk

Join local guide and historian Alex La Pierre on a special hike commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Juan Bautista de Anza Expedition . Starting at the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park , we’ll head south along the scenic cottonwood-lined Santa Cruz River. Alex will share fascinating stori

05/27/2026

05/27/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HWxiJrFEy/?mibextid=wwXIfr

05/27/2026

Tuesday Bird Walk – Tubac Nature Center, Santa Gertrudis Lane - 26-May-26

It has been beautiful today, cool morning to start, lots of birds. We had our local Zone-tailed Hawk flyby as it went looking for coffee or lizards. We had 14 people show up for the last bird walk until September. We went down to Santa Gertrudis Lane where we had lots of Lucy's Warblers and Chats talking to us as we walked down to the river. The river was dry at the crossing but we found water further down, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Western Wood-Pewees and Brown-crested Flycatchers were singing along the road before we headed south. We found the Thick-billed Kingbirds making some noise in their favorite trees. As we went further we found some water still in the river and Song Sparrows were bathing in this section, then down where the river bends east we went out onto the gravel bar where we found a Green Kingfisher swooping from perch to perch on little branches above the water. The Kingfisher didn't mind us at all and flew right by us and landed even closer right at the bend in the river, tick ticking as it flew by. Summer is a great time to see the Green Kingfishers as they are busy feeding young. Gray hawks were calling up and down the river as well as Cassin's Kingbirds, Cardinals and many Phainopeplas. As we started back we came to where the water went under so we could walk back up the river. We came to a barbed wire fence strung across the river, I spread the fence so everyone could step through and of course I got my pant leg caught going through and fell down for a good laugh. As we walked back up the lane we ended with a Swainson's Hawk and some Black Vultures. We did one last stop at the Deli for sweets and stories.

We will start the walks sometime in September and if I have any good adventures this summer I will send them to Mikey to share with you, till then good birding!!!!

Rob Rutledge

We had a total of 37 species today. The Trip Report is here: https://ebird.org/tripreport/529784

Tubac Nature Center - 26-May-26 - 6:40 AM - - 15 minute(s) – Rob

2 White-winged Dove
1 Mourning Dove
1 Zone-tailed Hawk
2 Gila Woodpecker
1 Ladder-backed Woodpecker
1 Vermilion Flycatcher
2 Brown-crested Flycatcher
1 Verdin
1 Phainopepla
7 House Finch
2 Yellow-breasted Chat
2 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 Lucy's Warbler
2 Summer Tanager
1 Northern Cardinal

Number of Taxa: 15

Santa Gertrudis Lane (foot access only) - 26-May-26 - 7:11 AM - 0.698 mile(s) - 2 hour(s), 5 minute(s) – Rob

1 Eurasian Collared-Dove
3 White-winged Dove
1 Mourning Dove
1 Broad-billed Hummingbird
3 Black Vulture
5 Turkey Vulture
3 Gray Hawk
1 Swainson's Hawk
1 Green Kingfisher
2 Gila Woodpecker
1 Western Wood-Pewee
3 Vermilion Flycatcher
1 Dusky-capped Flycatcher
3 Brown-crested Flycatcher
1 Cassin's Kingbird
2 Thick-billed Kingbird
2 Bell's Vireo
2 Common Raven
2 Verdin
2 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
2 Barn Swallow
2 Bewick's Wren
6 Phainopepla
2 Song Sparrow
2 Abert's Towhee
7 Yellow-breasted Chat
4 Lucy's Warbler
1 Common Yellowthroat
8 Northern Yellow Warbler
4 Northern Cardinal
3 Black-headed Grosbeak
8 Blue Grosbeak

Number of Taxa: 32
TUBAC NATURE CENTER JOURNAL - BELIEVE IT OR NOT

We are quietly nestled with family in northern Illinois, so not much nature or birds for a while.

We all know about the terrible nuclear accident in Chernobyl in the Ukraine about forty years ago. After the accident the government put 2600 square kilometers off limits for most human activity due to radioactivity levels. A recent study of the accident brought in some interesting results. The study pertained to how animals were doing within the off-limits to human zone. It did not examine whether the toxic atmosphere caused any non-lethal changes in the animals. In essence, it studied what impact taking humans out of the equation had on animal populations, since only limited entry for scientific purposes was allowed. The scientist in this study used wildlife cameras to locate and count the animals existing on the site.

Despite being in the most radioactive area in the world, animals are thriving. Thirteen species were studied, including wolves, brown bears, Eurasian lynx, moose, red deer, wild boar, and others. When the number of animals in the restricted zone was compared to the number in a partially restricted zone, and to an unrestricted area, the number of animals dropped significantly. Moose were especially sensitive to human encroachment. Oddly, the animals are not thriving in spite of the exclusion zone but because of it. We often hear that humans are spoiling the Earth and that we may eventually make our home uninhabitable. Is it possible that we will make it uninhabitable for ourselves, but the rest of nature will somehow thrive? That is a sobering thought. Does it speak to creating more and larger wilderness areas where human entry is prohibited or extremely limited? Whatever the lessons of the study may be, it certainly should suggest some humility on our part.

The sun is shining in Illinois on this Memorial Day, the air is warming to comfortable temperatures, and I hope it is the same wherever you are. For some of you it may be a sad day of remembrance, but I hope the warmth of the sun will lift your spirits and make us all thankful and renewed in our efforts in creating a better place for everyone.

Jim Karp
Tubac Nature Center
May 26, 2026

26 May, 2026. Created by Tubac Nature Center

05/22/2026

Announcements and Ramblings

May Habitat Restoration Volunteer Event – Has been cancelled as no one has signed up.

Mikey Dunn
Tuesday Bird Walk - Tubac Community Center and Nature Center - 19-May-26

For those of you that have left already today was really nice weather. We started at about 60 degrees and finished about 75 degrees. We had a Zone-tailed Hawk start out the morning with a fly by and soon after a juvenile Gray Hawk did the same. While my goal today was to fine as many Rose Throated Becards and Violet-crowned Hummingbirds we found neither today, but I will keep looking. We had lots of Flycatchers to listen to, Brown-crested, Dusky-capped and even some Tropical Kingbirds. The river is still dry north of the bridge but the golf course is still watering which the birds take advantage of. The Northern Beardless Tyrannulets were calling and one even fought with a Bewicks Wren near it's nest.

I think next week will be the last hike till the fall season, still at 7 am and I'm thinking about going to Santa Gertrudis lane next week.

Thanks
Rob Rutledge
Tubac Community Center and Nature Center - 19-May-26 - 06:43 AM - 1.571 mile(s) - 3 hour(s), 6 minute(s) - Rob

2 Mexican Duck
6 Gambel's Quail
3 White-winged Dove
3 Mourning Dove
3 Broad-billed Hummingbird
2 Black Vulture
1 Turkey Vulture
1 Cooper's Hawk
3 Gray Hawk
2 Zone-tailed Hawk
7 Gila Woodpecker
7 Ladder-backed Woodpecker
2 Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet
1 Western Wood-Pewee
1 Dusky Flycatcher
1 Black Phoebe
1 Say's Phoebe
2 Vermilion Flycatcher
2 Dusky-capped Flycatcher
10 Brown-crested Flycatcher
2 Tropical Kingbird
1 Cassin's Kingbird
2 Western Kingbird
3 Bell's Vireo
4 Bridled Titmouse
3 Verdin
4 Barn Swallow
3 White-breasted Nuthatch
3 Brown Creeper - Streaked brown, white, and gray on its back, helping it blend perfectly into tree bark. It has a clean white throat and pale, cinnamon-washed underparts.
5 Bewick's Wren
2 European Starling
1 Northern Mockingbird
6 Phainopepla
7 House Sparrow
13 House Finch
10 Lesser Goldfinch
4 Song Sparrow
4 Abert's Towhee
5 Yellow-breasted Chat
1 Bullock's Oriole
6 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 Orange-crowned Warbler
7 Lucy's Warbler
6 Northern Yellow Warbler
1 Wilson's Warbler
8 Summer Tanager
6 Northern Cardinal

Number of Taxa: 47

TUBAC NATURE CENTER JOURNAL - SEE THE USA IN ….

We have taken many trips to see the USA, but never in a Chevrolet as in the old jingle. Our first wildlife stop was at Basque del Apache in New Mexico. Last Thursday morning I spent several hours doing a mostly car-based tour on the north and south tour roads. I counted 53 species, and Merlin recorded at least 10 to 12 more that were likely there, but I neither saw nor heard them so they are not counted within the 53. Wild Turkeys strutted or fed in many of the open field areas. There wasn’t a lot of water in the Basque, but on one of the ponded areas on the south tour road there were Common Gallinules, American Avosets, Wilson’s Phalaropes, and several species of ducks. In truth, I didn’t have a scope so I could not identify many of the far away birds on the water. Animal life was thin, just 4 javalina.

Then it was on to the Pawnee National Grasslands in northeast Colorado. The Grasslands produced 32 species. We did get most of the birds with “lark” in their names. We had Lark Buntings literally in the hundreds (though I reported fewer to avoid explanation to e-bird), close to 100 Horned Larks, many, many Western Meadowlarks, and one Lark Sparrow. We also had a Kestrel, a Red-tailed Hawk, a Swainson’s Hawk, and an Osprey sitting by a pond. The pond also produced several species of ducks, a Forster’s Tern, and a Spotted Sandpiper. My list apparently did not get to e-bird, so I’m having trouble remembering other spaces, but the highlight was the unbelievable number of male Lark Buntings. For some reason they are special to me. The males are beautiful. The animal count includes more than 60 pronghorn (our largest count in any year) in various places, a few mule deer, and many prairie dog towns.

On we went to Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Bird life was slim, but a nice array of buffalo (bison if you are a purest), many more prairie dog towns (with much chirps as we raised their alarm when we stopped), and about 26 wild horses. It is a different experience when you know the horses are wild (with apologies to those who love the tame type.)

On to our next adventure wherever that might be.

Jim Karp
Tubac Nature Center
May 19, 2026

05/14/2026

Announcements and Ramblings

May Habitat Restoration Volunteer Event – You have one more chance to participate in our monthly event of removing invasive plants. Our last one for the season will be May 20, 2026 at 9:00 AM Register here. Meet at Ron Morriss Park.

Mikey Dunn
Tuesday Bird Walk - Tubac Nature Center, Pena Blanca Lake - 12-May-26

Six people showed up for birding and we took a look around the center before we started out to Pena Blanca Lake. Temp started at 73 degrees and we birded for 2 hours stopping when it started to get warm. We had 38 species at the lake. Three Green Herons were fun to watch as they flew around the cattails. We had baby Coots which are so cute with their p***y red head feathers. We had to walk around quite a few cows as they had moved in for water and shade. The Gray Hawks had moved back into their nest tree, the Zone-tailed Hawks were not seen but I hope to find them next time I go down to the lake.

Next Tuesday I plan to stay at the Nature Center and do the woods looking for Rose-throated Becards and Violet-crowned Hummingbirds.

We had a total of 45 species today. The trip Report is here: ebird.org/tripreport/520648

Rob
Tubac Nature Center - 12-May-26 - 06:44 AM - - 15 minute(s) - Rob

1 White-winged Dove
2 Mourning Dove
1 Broad-billed Hummingbird
2 Black Vulture
1 Gila Woodpecker
2 Ladder-backed Woodpecker
2 Vermilion Flycatcher
1 Ash-throated Flycatcher
2 Brown-crested Flycatcher
1 Verdin
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
2 Bewick's Wren
1 Northern Mockingbird
4 Phainopepla
4 House Finch
7 Lesser Goldfinch
1 Song Sparrow
2 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 Lucy's Warbler
1 Northern Yellow Warbler
2 Northern Cardinal
1 Black-headed Grosbeak

Number of Taxa: 22
Pena Blanca Lake - 12-May-26 - 07:36 AM - 0.867 mile(s) - 1 hour(s), 45 minute(s) - Rob

3 Mallard
2 White-winged Dove
1 Mourning Dove
2 White-throated Swift
10 American Coot
2 Pied-billed Grebe
3 Green Heron
15 Turkey Vulture
1 Gray Hawk
2 Swainson's Hawk
2 Red-tailed Hawk
2 Acorn Woodpecker
2 Ladder-backed Woodpecker
3 Black Phoebe
2 Vermilion Flycatcher
2 Dusky-capped Flycatcher
1 Ash-throated Flycatcher
3 Brown-crested Flycatcher
2 Cassin's Kingbird
8 Mexican Jay
1 Common Raven
1 Tree Swallow
1 Rock Wren
2 Bewick's Wren
1 Northern Mockingbird
2 Phainopepla
6 Lesser Goldfinch
4 Canyon Towhee
4 Red-winged Blackbird
4 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 Orange-crowned Warbler
9 Lucy's Warbler
2 Northern Yellow Warbler
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler
2 Wilson's Warbler
2 Summer Tanager
3 Northern Cardinal
2 Black-headed Grosbeak

Number of Taxa: 38
TUBAC NATURE CENTER JOURNAL - DAMN THE DAMS

Two weeks ago I was promoting beaver dams as a method for saving our Santa Cruz River and its cottonwood/willow forest. But dams are like most other things in life whether they are good or bad depends - on where they are, when they are there, and why they are there. In the eastern Untied States especially dams were an important part of the Industrial Revolution. Rivers were dammed to provide a water supply for farmers generally, for irrigation in particular, to provide hydropower to grist mills to grind flour, and to textile mills to provide fabric. Though dams served these purposes and others, they often sacrificed some of the natural values of the stream. The tide has turned.

The National Inventory of dams tracks 92,000 dams in the U.S., but there are hundreds of thousands of smaller dams, like the aforementioned beaver dams, that exist across our streams. In the last century plus we have removed 2,350 dams, and about 100 were removed in 2025 alone. The average dam was build 60 or more years ago. There are several reasons for dam removal, including that aging, deteriorating dams are no longer safe, they no longer serve their former useful purpose, and people have gained an appreciation for the natural values that were lost when streams were dammed.

It has often been said that it takes only one good person to make a difference. Lisa Hollingsworth-Segedy, as a representative of American Rivers, has led the process for removing 110 dams in her home state of Pennsylvania. And she is still at it. When the water flows free again, the fish return, and wildlife and plants begin to thrive, one wonders why we waited so long.

(We will be heading across country by car this week, so whether the Journal will be regular for the next couple of months is uncertain. We will head west to Bosque del Apache, then north to the Pawnee Grasslands of Colorado and then to Montana, then east through Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, then for a short visit to the old stomping grounds in Syracuse. Then we will settle along the Delaware Bay for the month of June, visit some sites in Pennsylvania and Ohio as we begin the return trip west, and finally sprint back across mid-country to land in Tubac again sometime in late July in time for the monsoons. Have a good summer!)

Jim Karp
Tubac Nature Center
May 12, 2026