Northern Wings – Connecting People and Birds of Northern Arizona

Located a few miles south of Flagstaff, Kachina Wetlands Preserve is one of four sanctuaries supported by the Northern Arizona Audubon Society.  It teems with activity, drawing in walkers (many with dogs), bicyclists, and birders.  In this episode, I chat with Christina Votja, the steward for the preserve, about its history, biodiversity, beauty, important role in bird migration, and more.  Links:...

In this episode, I chat with Abbie Brozich and Samantha (Sam) Grow, the first two recipients of the Northern Arizona Motus Student Grant Program, about their experiences with the program and how it advances their education and career goals.  As part of the Motus Student Grant Program, Abbie and Sam used the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, and other resources, to learn more about two birds that had...

This episode features Harry Jones, Ph. D., an applied field ecologist who, in addition to his scholarly pursuits and conservation efforts, is a frequent guide on bird walks hosted by the Northern Arizona Audubon Society.  We chat about his work at the intersection of community, landscape, population, and conservation biology, the joys of birding in northern Arizona, and his recommendations for bir...

Join Matt as he talks with Dr. Emily Cory, a northern Arizona native, animal behaviorist, and researcher with a Ph. D. in psychology and a minor in astrobiology. Dr. Cory has studied raven intelligence, traveled from Arizona to Rwanda observing mountain gorillas, and presented her work on corvid cognition at NAAS meetings—often alongside her African White-necked Raven, Shade. In this episode, she...

In this episode, NAAS member Matt Anderson interviews Nancy Steele, President of the Northern Arizona Audubon Society, regarding her love for birds, wildlife and nature, the path she’s taken to her current position, and the organization’s accomplishments, plans, and connections with birders and communities in Northern Arizona.   This conversation was recorded in August 2025 and mentions a few acti...

In this episode, Matt talks with Becky Hardy.  Becky is a Yavapai County master gardener, bird guide, Northern Arizona Audubon Society's education chair and most recently co-founded Butterfly Enthusiasts of Northern Arizona (BENA).  BENA is a wildlife conservation and education nonprofit with the mission to “create a world where butterflies thrive, for the benefit of nature and people.”  In t...

In this bonus episode of Northern Wings, we continue our conversation with Becky Hardy, this time, focusing on creating habitats for butterflies and hummingbirds.  Becky is the president of the Butterfly Enthusiasts of Northern Arizona, a Yavapai County master gardener, birding guide, and the education chair for the Northern Arizona Audubon Society.     We recorded this episode at Bubbling Ponds P...

In this episode, you get two Matts for the price of one.  Matt Anderson interviews Matt Jenkins, a third-year doctoral student at the University of Arizona, about the fascinating research he’s conducting regarding bluebirds (both Western and Mountain) using data he’s collecting in Northern Arizona and elsewhere.  We talk about Matt’s fascinating journey, from his boyhood interest in birds to his s...

In this episode, I chat with Alice Madar, who serves as both the executive director of the International Hummingbird Society and vice president of the Northern Arizona Audubon Society.  We discuss the beauty of hummingbirds and the challenges they face, the upcoming Sedona Hummingbird Festival, her deep commitment to conservation, and her extraordinary photographic adventures.   We are grateful to...

In this episode, I chat with Paul Dougherty, Ph. D., about the research he is conducting that brought him to northern Arizona to collect data.   Dr. Dougherty is a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.  One of his primary interests is molting behavior, a chronically understudied aspect of avian biology that can render bird populations...

In this episode, NAAS member Matt Anderson interviews immediate past president, Kay Hawklee, and board member, Rick Moore, on the efforts that led to the installation of two Motus wildlife tracking stations in Northern Arizona.  Motus is an international research community working together to study the movement and behavior of birds, bats, and insects ( www.motus.org ).  The two new stations are d...

In our episode on the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, we looked forward to receiving the first “pings,” or detections of tagged birds.  That future has become real.  This update provides information on three recent detections.    Visit the Motus site (www.motus.org) to see the most recent data from the two stations in northern Arizona.  Thank you for listening.  Please visit our website and subscr...

The Northern Arizona Audubon Society is launching a podcast focused on appreciating and protecting birds and the places they need in this beautiful part of the Southwest.   Listen to this trailer for more information and subscribe now so you don’t miss an episode!  Thank you for listening.  Please visit our website and subscribe to our Instagram feed. Website: https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.or...