Anita MacFarlane long ago went to the birds — at least their cause.

MacFarlane is an avid bird advocate. She always had an interest in birds but until she retired to Sedona, MacFarlane just didn’t have the time to devote to ornithology.

In 1976, she saw a class in ornithology coming up at Yavapai College Sedona Campus. MacFarlane’s husband, Eugene, told her she ought to take it. MacFarlane did and it blossomed into a lifelong relationship with the earth’s feathered friends.

Northern Arizona Audubon Society’s president taught the class MacFarlane took, and several students were members.

“I enjoyed the class and started attending the society’s meetings,” MacFarlane said. “Well, as happens, they asked if I’d do something so I became the hospitality chairwoman. Then they asked if I’d be vice president and two years later the president.”

In 1982, the society started the Arizona Wilderness Coalition along with the Sierra Club and other environmental groups with the goal to establish wilderness areas throughout the state.

“If you want birds to thrive, you have to provide areas for them to do that,” MacFarlane said. “In 1984 we worked with Gov. [Bruce] Babbitt and [U.S. Sen. John] McCain and established a number of areas including Munds Mountain and Red Rock Secret Mountain, which was originally Rattlesnake, wilderness areas near Sedona.”

Meanwhile, Eugene worked with Keep Sedona Beautiful and joined with the coalition to have Oak Creek designated as a unique waterway.

Then, in 1990, with others, MacFarlane formed the Arizona Audubon Council, which consisted of all six Audubon groups in Arizona. She served as president for the first seven years. MacFarlane also served on the Arizona Audubon Board for several years, until recently.

When the state’s forest plan was formed, MacFarlane worked on the plan to ensure more and better treatment of wildlife issues and to protect more of the sensitive species in the forest.

“We were trying to get loggers to save the big trees, 16 inches or larger in diameter, and harvest to thin the forest instead of clear cut. The large trees are very important to the animals, especially ones like the spotted owl,” MacFarlane said.

To aid the cause, MacFarlane went to Flagstaff and testified before the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Board whether they should declare the spotted owl an endangered species. The loggers also testified and bused in several people to the hearings.

“It was the first time I was ever booed,” MacFarlane said and laughed. “Walking out of there was a bit scary.”

MacFarlane’s love of birds started many years ago — in the 1960s. Her husband enjoyed camping in the desert and she went along.

“In the 1960s the birds were very tame and we could watch them up close. I tried to take photographs but they are always moving,” she said. “I learned if you want to see birds you must have habitat for them.”

Birds provide a great deal of benefit to humans. They spread seed, keep some unwanted bird populations out of areas and eat insects. Of course, they are beautiful to see, interesting to watch and enjoyable to hear, especially the songbirds, MacFarlane said.

On a birding trip to Pinetop, the coalition discovered how the town developed a wetlands to treat its wastewater. The area was thick with birds of many colors and species.

She presented the idea in Sedona, but it did not fly. However, times have changed.

“After all these years of working, we’re going to have 27.7 acres of wetlands constructed near the wastewater treatment plant,” MacFarlane said. “It will help treat the wastewater along with provide habitat for the birds and other wildlife.”

Besides being a beautiful area, MacFarlane said it will draw tourists.

“We’re going to start working on an educational program with the city, as well,” she said.

MacFarlane served on the state’s Audubon Society board until this past summer but intends to stay involved with the local society. She served on Sedona City Council and briefly as mayor.

“I’m not doing much anymore. I’m 81 and just had my first grandchild. I want to spend time with her,” MacFarlane said with a grandmotherly smile.

She will follow the construction of the wetlands, which started Nov. 28, and will participate in the winter bird count.

“Birds are really interesting and entertaining. The personalities of each species is different like the juniper titmouse flies down, picks up a seed and flies back to the branch. Then there’s the scrub jay that comes down, gobbles up as much as he can hold and flies off to bury them for later,” MacFarlane said. “The birds bring a lot of liveliness and color to our lives.”