All About Birds Inspires Wonder of Birds in Young Adults

(photo credit: Ironwood Tree Experience/Sonoran Joint Venture)

In the cool, short days of late 2014, an exciting new program began germinating in Tucson. Aimed to equip young adults with the skills and experience to find, identify, and enjoy birds, the All About Birds program has taken dozens of youth to some fantastic birding hotspots near and far. This program is a partnership between Sonoran Joint Venture, Ironwood Tree Experience, and Tucson Audubon, with the ultimate goal of establishing a permanent "Young Birder's Club" in Tucson.

All About Bird members bird Sweetwater Wetlands on the very first excursion in Nov. 2014 (photo credit: Ironwood Tree Experience/Sonoran Joint Venture)

All About Birds searching for some good ones in Madera Canyon (photo credit: Ironwood Tree Experience/Sonoran Joint Venture) 

The group's young birders have gained some impressive skills under the tutelage of former Tucson Audubon board member and ace birder Jennie Duberstein. Duberstein also happens to be the Coordinator of Sonoran Joint Venture, a bi-national organization dedicated to conserving birds and their habitats in the Southwestern USA and Northwestern Mexico. Since it's inception, Duberstein has guided youth in this program on trips to many locales, ranging from Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains to our own Pima Canyon in the Catalinas, and many points in-between.

(photo credit: Ironwood Tree Experience/Sonoran Joint Venture)

Checking out the feeders, Tucson Audubon's Paton Center for Hummingbirds (photo credit: Ironwood Tree Experience/Sonoran Joint Venture)

All About Birds also guided rookie birders on a tour of Sweetwater Wetlands during Tucson Audubon's recent "Tucson Meet Your Birds" event. 

 Helping a new birder identify a waterbird at Tucson Meet Your Birds (photo credit: Ironwood Tree Experience/Sonoran Joint Venture)

The intrepid guides during Tucson Meet Your Birds (photo credit: Ironwood Tree Experience/Sonoran Joint Venture)

This spring the group will bird some new spots around Southeastern Arizona, and will continue to build their birding and leadership skills. This Saturday, several veteran All About Birders will help Ironwood Tree Experience lead recently-arrived refugees on a birding and nature adventure as part of the Get Outside: Refugee Program. Look for updates about this exciting program in the near future...

(photo credit: Ironwood Tree Experience/Sonoran Joint Venture)

This program was made possible by a grant from the Arizona Game and Fish Heritage Fund--thanks Game and Fish.