Northern Wings – Connecting People and Birds of Northern Arizona

An Interview with Christina Votja About Kachina Wetlands

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: Northern Arizona Audubon Society Calendar     https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org/page-18090 [https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org/page-18090] NAAS Webpage: Kachina Wetlands: https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org/Kachina-Wetlands-Preserve Thank you for listening.  Please visit our website and subscribe to our Instagram feed. * Website: https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org [https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nazaudubon/ [https://www.instagram.com/nazaudubon/] The Northern Arizona Audubon Society has been the voice for birds in Northern Arizona since 1972. Join us. Add your voice.

Following Flight: Two Students, Two Birds, and the Power of Motus

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 “pinged” the Motus system in northern Arizona.  Abbie researched an American White Pelican and Sam a Flammulated Owl.  We talk about what they learned about, and from, their bird’s background and flight paths, and discuss some of the conservation efforts which may protect these species.   In addition, we talk about what the future may hold for Abbie and Sam as they graduate from NAU and begin exciting new chapters in their lives.     https://motus.org/ https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org/Motus-Wildlife-Tracking [https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org/Motus-Wildlife-Tracking] https://www.audubon.org/about/welcome-flight-plan [https://www.audubon.org/about/welcome-flight-plan] https://northernarizonaaudubon.org/motus-student-grants [https://northernarizonaaudubon.org/motus-student-grants]   Thank you for listening.  Please visit our website and subscribe to our Instagram feed. * Website: https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org [https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nazaudubon/ [https://www.instagram.com/nazaudubon/] The Northern Arizona Audubon Society has been the voice for birds in Northern Arizona since 1972. Join us. Add your voice.

A Conversation With Harry Jones, Ph.D.

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 birders related to identification and conservation.  In addition, Dr. Jones offers students interested in pursuing graduate education and employment in the field with sage advice regarding academic planning.   Truly, there is something in this episode for everyone.  Since we chatted about participatory science, I’ve taken the liberty of adding a link below to information on Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count.   Relevant Links: https://motus.org/ https://www.birdpop.org/ https://www.nps.gov/im/scpn/index.htm https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/ https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count Thank you for listening.  Please visit our website and subscribe to our Instagram feed. * Website: https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org [https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nazaudubon/ [https://www.instagram.com/nazaudubon/] The Northern Arizona Audubon Society has been the voice for birds in Northern Arizona since 1972. Join us. Add your voice.

Brains, Beaks, and Brilliant Ravens: A Conversation with Dr. Emily Cory

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 shares captivating stories from her research, insights into the remarkable intelligence of ravens and other corvids, and the experiences that shaped her journey in the study of animal behavior.  Thank you for listening.  Please visit our website and subscribe to our Instagram feed. * Website: https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org [https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nazaudubon/ [https://www.instagram.com/nazaudubon/] The Northern Arizona Audubon Society has been the voice for birds in Northern Arizona since 1972. Join us. Add your voice.

A Conversation with Nancy Steele, President of the Northern Arizona Audubon Society

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 activities that are now in the past.  For current information on everything from bird walks to volunteer opportunities to Motus pings, visit Northern Arizona Audubon Society’s website [https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org/].  We are grateful to William W.H. Gunn and the Macaulay Library, at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for the clip used in the Name That Birdsong segment of the podcast.   Relevant Links: https://motus.org/ [https://motus.org/] https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org/ [https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org/] https://northernarizonaaudubon.org/page-18090 [https://www.meetup.com/birding-flagstaff-sedona-and-the-verde-valley/] (events) Thank you for listening.  Please visit our website and subscribe to our Instagram feed. * Website: https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org [https://www.northernarizonaaudubon.org] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nazaudubon/ [https://www.instagram.com/nazaudubon/] The Northern Arizona Audubon Society has been the voice for birds in Northern Arizona since 1972. Join us. Add your voice.