Sunday, January 29, 2012

Tempe Marketplace Marsh Aquatic Bird Survey 2012

Cormorants and Egrets hanging out in the reeds just east of the
east dam at Tempe Town Lake.

One of the perks of doing some of the Urban Aquatic Bird Surveys is gaining temporary access to prime birding areas that are normally off limits.  West valley birder and photographer Jeff Ritz had the enviable opportunity to survey the vast Tres Rios Wetlands area that is not open to the public yet.  His team had 42 species, and 3,699 individual birds!

Don Witter scouting out the area east of Tempe Town Lake.
(Photo by Jeff Stemshorn.)
The opportunity to survey Tempe Marketplace went to three very experienced birders from Desert Botanical Garden's Monday morning bird walks - Don Witter, Joyce Goodman and Gay Christensen.  Their area included the lush riparian area behind Tempe Marketplace and the area between McClintock and the east dam of Tempe Town Lake.  They were hoping to see the Eurasian Green-winged Teal that had been spotted there recently, but he was a no-show.  They did manage though to see a Sora, a Common Moorhen, and the Belted Kingfisher!

Survey Results:
Green Heron at Tempe Marketplace Marsh. 
(Photo by Jeff Stemshorn.)
Canada Goose 5
Gadwall 31
American Wigeon 4
Mallard 14
Northern Shoveler 51
Green-winged Teal 8
Ruddy Duck 62
Pied-billed Grebe 11
Neotropic Cormorant 140
Double-crested Cormorant 129
Great Blue Heron 5
Great Egret 8
Snowy Egret 42
Green Herons 1
Black-crowned Night Heron 1
Sora 1
Common Moorhen 1
American Coot 137
Black-necked Stilt 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1 
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Osprey 2
Belted Kingfisher 1

Total Species: 23   Total Ind.: 659
 
Area Surveyed - Tempe Marketplace Marsh
 Other areas included in the Phoenix Area Urban Aquatic Bird Survey are the gazillion golf course ponds across the valley, the many urban park ponds and residential ponds, Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Site, Glendale Recharge Ponds, Tres Rios Hayfield Site, the ponds at the Phoenix Zoo and Papago Park, Gilbert Water Ranch, ASU Research Park, and Fountain Hills Lake.  So there are plenty of opportunities for volunteers!  If you are interested in joining next year's survey, contact Troy Corman at Arizona Game and Fish Department - tcorman@azgfd.gov .



3 comments:

  1. Your work has always been a great source of inspiration for me. I refer you blog to many of my friends as well.
    Thanks for sharing knowledge..
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  2. Thank you Angelina! My hope is to inspire more disabled people to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Mother Nature has such a healing effect on the body, mind, and spirit!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you Angelina! My hope is to inspire more disabled people to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Mother Nature has such a healing effect on the body, mind, and spirit!

    ReplyDelete

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