Gwen Grace

A screech owl, Pluto, visited the Desert Rivers Audubon meeting on March 8, much to the delight of the audience. Just eight inches of seriousness, he lives at Liberty Wildlife Rehabilitation center. The staff presented the Desert Rivers members with birds that come through its door. Pluto was imprinted by humans, meaning fed, and therefore not taught the owl ways and unable to survive in the wild. Cell phones and cameras recorded a barn owl, a Swainson hawk, and a zone-tailed hawk, along with a peregrine falcon. Troop 380 of the Boy Scouts was present and asked many good questions of the Liberty Wildlife staff, especially about the peregrine falcon. The peregrine, being a power-diver for prey, can reach 200 miles per hour.

Most of those birds were recovered from injuries, broken wings, weak bones, broken beaks, and human imprinting, unable to return to the wild. These birds then become teachers and educators for humans.

Soon to be missed: The final Desert Rivers Audubon Family Birdwalks will also end for this year until cooler weather in October.

The final free Family Birdwalk will be at Chandler Veterans Oasis Park, Chandler Heights and Linsday, on the first Saturday, April 2, from 8 to 11 a.m. Desert Rivers Audubon lends binoculars, and a bird leader will guide visitors through the park and point out the different birds.

The Monthly Speaker Series will continue through May on Zoom. Go to www.Desertriversaudubon.org to register. A link will be emailed to you.

On April 12 at 7 p.m., ASU Professor Kevin McGraw will present “Keeping Cool, How Love Birds and Other Birds Are Adapting to Rising Temperatures” in person at the Gilbert Library at Greenfield and Guadalupe, or on Zoom. Rosy-faced lovebirds are now in Sun Lakes!

On May 10 at 7 p.m., Jake Thompson will present “My Big Year: Birding on the Clock.” Jake spent the year finding species all throughout Arizona.

Liberty Wildlife urges folks to not try to take care of birds, but to call for assistance so birds are not imprinted and cannot be returned to the wild. Further, Liberty urges that HOAs and folks trim their palm trees in late spring or summer, as they are nesting sites for owls and hawks. The birds will have fledged by then. The phone number for Liberty Wildlife is 480-998-5550.