|
 |
|
7:00am-
9:00am
|
Beginning
Birding
Peg Abbott
San Pedro House |
Aug. 2 Workshop
$50.00 (followed by an included field trip
to the San Pedro until 12 Noon) |
 Learn the basics of birdwatching with Peg Abbott of Naturalist Journeys. Basic bird identification skills, habitat and recognition will be discussed. Immediately following the lecture the group will car pool to the nearby San Pedro River for the field trip.
|
9:00am-
11:00am |
Wildlife
Photography
Workshop
in Classroom and Field
Tom Whetten |
Aug. 2 Workshop
$90.00 (includes field trip on Friday) |
Avid wildlife photographer Tom Whetten is the Information and Education Program Manager for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Region V. Come and learns some tips for improving your photography skills with Tom. This is a necessary part of the workshop, as you will go out in the field on Friday, August 3 (6:30-3:30) to use your new photography skills. There is a limit to this workshop so please sign up early!
[click
here to go to
the field trip
listing]
|
|
11:00am-
12:30pm |
The Art of Digiscoping
Jeff Bouton |
Aug.
2 Workshop
$15.00 |
|
Digiscoping allows birders to quickly and easily move from viewing through a spotting scope to capturing stunning images. To become efficient though one needs to fully understand the limitations of the various components of varying digiscoping setups. In this session we will review different types of equipment, how to avoid common pitfalls in field craft, and camera settings that will offer the best end results. Whether you want to preserve your memories of wildlife seen in the field, document some rare sighting, or even capture stunning wildlife images, digiscoping may be the answer for you. There will be a short field component offeruing opportunities for hands on demonstration following the classroom session.
|
 |
Noon-
1:00pm |
Trees of the Sky Islands
Dean Schlichting |
Aug.
2 Program
No Charge |
|
| Join Fort Huachuca Rangeland Ecologist Dean Schlichting for a talk on the numerous tree species found in the area. A primary focus will be the many Oak species of the region. Important ecological aspects of some of the unique trees of the region will also be discussed. There will be time at the end for any botanical or tree questions the conference attendees may have. |
|
1:00pm-
2:00pm |
Reptiles and Amphibians
Bill Radke |
Aug.
2 Program
No Charge |
|
| Southeast Arizona provides a tremendous diversity of habitats used by more than just birds. This area of the state is also renowned for its many varieties of colorful and interesting reptiles and amphibians. Learn to identify many of the snakes, lizards, frogs, and toads that occur in the area, and begin to understand why these creatures are important members of the ecosystem. Learn how to safely see and respect them, and come away with a greater appreciation for these often over looked and sometimes unappreciated animals. The discussion includes a slide presentation along with some live reptiles. Presented by Bill Radke, a biologist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
|
|
2:00pm-
3:00pm |
Southwest Insects
Carl Olson |
Aug.
2 Program
No Charge |
|
Insects and other arthropods thrive in the deserts of the Southwest. Come and learn some natural history, highlights and adaptation strategies of this amazing group. Presented by Carl Olson, the Bug Man from U of A.
|
|
3:00pm-
4:00pm |
Butterflies for Birders
Priscilla & Hank Brodkin |
Aug.
2 Program
No Charge |
|
 Join Hank and Priscilla Brodkin, two of the co-authors of the Butterflies of Arizona - a Photographic Guide, the field guide written with Bob Stewart, for a photographic adventure into the realm of Arizona’s beautiful butterflies. Butterfly observation and ID will be discussed. Butterfly’s defense mechanisms, food and nectar plants and some basic butterfly gardening will also be covered.
|
|
|
4:00pm-
5:30pm
|
Arizona Dragonflies 101
Bob Behrstock
|
Aug. 2 Workshop
No Charge
|
|
| Southeastern Arizona’s wetland habitats include canyon streams, ponds, reservoirs, rain pools, irrigated fields, and spring-fed cienegas. All of these offer a rich, colorful, and initially confusing assortment of dragonflies and damselflies. Several new field guides and the advent of close-focus binoculars have encouraged birders and butterfliers to turn their optics toward these fascinating aquatic insects. After explaining the benefits of watching them, Bob will presents a beginner's introduction to Arizona's dragons and damsels, differentiating the characteristics of the two groups, discussing something of their life history, behavior, and habitats, and providing some suggestions for recognizing them in the field.
|
|
5:30pm-
8:00pm |
Welcome Reception, Southwestern Buffet,
and Talk by Scott Weidensaul |
Aug. 2 Special Event
$20 |
|
Use this opportunity to meet your fellow birders, field trip leaders, and community leaders. Good food and good company! Open bar. Followed by “Living on the Wind: The World of Migratory Birds “– a presentation by Scott Weidensaul:
At any moment of every day, migratory birds fill the skies of the western hemisphere, journeying from the High Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, across the Atlantic and Pacific, moving by day and night. Join naturalist and author Scott Weidensaul on an exploration of how and why bird migrate, and the conservation challenges that face them, based on his book, Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds. The program ranges from the doorstep of the Aleutians in Alaska, and the frozen edge of Hudson Bay in Canada, through the rainforests of Central and South America to the grassy pampas of Argentina, and is filled with the drama and sweep of this remarkable phenomenon.
|
 |
|
 |
 |
8:00am-
9:00am
|
Ups and Downs of the Flycatchers
of Southeastern Arizona
Homer Hansen
|
Aug. 3 Workshop in Classroom and Field
$65 – ( includes a field trip from the San Pedro to the Huachucas immediately following until 4:00pm) |
Identification of flycatchers is one of the great challenges of birding. This presentation will focus on characteristics, behaviors, and other clues for the identification of the flycatchers of southeast Arizona. This detailed presentation will be useful for the expert and beginner alike. Both visual and audio presentations will be given for those really interested in learning about flycatchers. The talk will be followed by a field trip through many habitats to study these birds in the wild.
Participants must bring a valid US photo ID to access Ft. Huachuca.
[click here to jump to field trip description]
|
|
9:00am-
10:00am |
The Jaguar in Southeastern Arizona
Sergio Avila |
Aug. 3 Program
No Charge |
 The jaguar (Panthera onca) is the largest cat in the Western Hemisphere and is a species of conservation concern throughout its range. The interest in jaguar research and conservation in the United States, especially in Arizona, has increased in the last decade following a series of events that have shed light on this big cat's distribution in the southwestern United States. Jaguars have been photo-documented in Arizona and New Mexico over the last ten years, and while data exists on the assumed origin of these dispersing cats in Sonora and information is emerging on their northern reach in southern Arizona, little or no data exist on the presence of jaguars within the 150 miles of habitat between these two areas. The Sky Island Alliance is committed to securing jaguar recovery in the region and to promoting conservation throughout the borderlands in both Arizona and Sonora with the implementation of the Jaguars of the Sonoran Sky Islands project.
|
|
10:00am-
11:00am |
Geology of Southeast Arizona
Sandy Kunzer |
Aug.
3 program
No Charge |
|
| For birders, gardeners and anyone who drinks water. A science based, non-academic, multi-media presentation; that explains, illustrates and reinforces the concept that “it all starts with the earth”.
|
|
11:00am-
Noon |
Plants – From the River to the Peaks
Betsy Kunzer |
Aug.
3 Program
No Charge |
|
 The San Pedro River Valley and the surrounding mountains provide a great variety of habitats. This photo program explores this variety, emphasizing flowers but sneaking in a few animals, ecology and other things along the way.
|
|
Noon-
1:00pm |
Birds and Beavers on the San Pedro
Glen Johnson |
Aug.
3 Program
No Charge |
|
| Discover how the reintroduction of the beaver on the San Pedro River has dramatically affected the bird life. Glen Johnson has been doing this study for the BLM.
|
|
1:00pm-
2:00pm |
Water Gardening
Angel Rutherford |
Aug.
3 Program
No Charge |
|
 Considering adding a pond to your landscape? Water Gardens can be a water-wise way to bring plants, water and animals together in your landscape, and they are surprisingly easy to create. This program will give the basic information needed to create a water feature. It will tell about pumps and filtration, selection and care of fish, selection of pond plants, understanding the nitrogen cycle and preventing algae, how to design a natural looking pond and talk about the critters a water feature will attract and how to prevent a Mosquito problem. It will tell you how to create a small tub garden or to install a pre-formed tub and what you need to know about creating a liner pond and will discuss the difference between a Water Garden, a Wildlife Pond and a Koi Pond.
|
|
2:00pm-
3:00pm |
Birding Alone: The End of a Team Sport?
Rick Wright |
Aug.
3 Program
No Charge |
|
| The explosive growth of birding in North America has been matched by an equally impressive decline in social birding. Just twenty-five years ago, the birding tradition was still an oral one, passed down across the generations from mentor to student. Today, with the ready availability of nearly overwhelming amounts of information, in the form of excellent field guides, lavishly illustrated websites, and instant e-communication, it is possible to become a competent birder without, quite literally, ever having spoken to another breathing human. In his thoughtful and entertaining presentation, Rick Wright argues that mere technical competence should not be allowed to replace the human, even the artistic aspects of birding, and that our sport’s future lies in a return to the past, where information is only one of the complex and fascinating set of skills that make up the experience of birding.
|
|
3:00pm-
4:00pm |
Hummingbirds of the U.S.
Charles Melton |
Aug.
3 Program
No Charge |
|
 Hummingbirds are fascinating creatures and southeast Arizona is one of the best areas in the U.S. to view them. This video program provides information on identification tips, range, habitat preferences, and migration patterns for most of the species occurring in the U.S. Behaviors such as nesting, feeding, bathing, courtship, territorial defense, singing and many others will be shown. Information on where to view hummingbirds in the area will also be discussed.
|
|
4:00pm-
5:00pm |
Introduction to Birding by Ear
Rick Romea |
Aug.
3 Program
No Charge |
|
| Ever wonder what the bird guides mean when they say: ‘a noisy twittering call ’ or ‘a thin penetrating whistle’. Or how about ‘dry chip’ or ‘liquid trill’. In this class, we will start to develop a common language to describe bird vocalizations, using examples from common southwest birds. We will learn to characterize bird sounds as to common types and sound qualities. Then we will introduce some of the simple tricks that take the mystery out of birding by ear, including: name-saying, mneumonics and memory tricks, cadence and sound quality tip-offs, sound-alike birds, and figuring out trillers.
|
|
5:30pm-
7:00pm |
Silent Auction and
Vendors’ Open House |
Aug.
3
No Charge - Open Bar |
|
| Enjoy bidding on all sorts of things to benefit Southwest Wings’ education program for the children in the community, while you munch on appetizers and enjoy refreshments. Meet the vendors and see what they have to offer.
|
|
|
 |
|
10:00am-
Noon
|
Nest Box Building Workshop
for Kids
ages 5 and up!
Kate Scott
|
Aug. 4 Workshop
No Charge |
| Open your eyes and your backyard to the wonders of nature and share this adventure with your children or grandchildren. Please join Kate Scott, Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Birdhouse Network Ambassador for AZ, as she takes you through the steps of welcoming cavity-nesting birds to your garden. All you need to bring is a philips head screwdriver to assemble your nest box! All guardians, parents,and grandparents are invited to stay and join in this fun-filled, heart- warming event!
|
|
Noon-
1:00pm
|
The Geometry of Birds
Peg Abbott |
Aug. 4 Program
No Charge |
 Shape and size do matter! Learn to use beaks, tails, backs, and other body parts as a great comparative tool to make that final determination about just what bird species you are seeing. Bring your field guides and hone you’re your i.d. skills during this workshop offered by Peg Abbott, director of Naturalist Tours and Sky Islands Field Seminars
|
|
1:00pm-
2:00pm |
Ecology of Coatis in Southeastern Arizona
Christine Haas |
Aug.
4 program
No Charge |
|
 In addition to the huge variety of birds, southeastern Arizona is also home to some very interesting mammals. Join Chris as she uncovers some of the mysteries of one of Arizona's most enigmatic mammals - the white-nosed coati. We'll learn about their social behavior, where they live, what they eat and what eats them. We'll also discuss whether or not they are really recent additions to Arizona's fauna.
|
2:00pm-
3:00pm |
Hummingbirds 101
Tom Wood |
Aug.
4 Program
No Charge |
|
| From their insect-like flight to the brilliant iridescence of their plumage, hummingbirds have long fascinated birders and non-birders alike. In this program, Tom Wood of the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory answers many of the most common questions about these often misunderstood birds, including how to attract and feed them and how
scientists are revealing new and surprising information their behavior and adaptations.
|
|
3:00pm
4:00pm |
Gardening for Wildlife
Cheri Melton |
Aug.
4 Program
No Charge |
|
 Do butterflies, hummingbirds, ladybugs, birds and other creatures that grace the garden fascinate you? Cheri Melton, avid backyard habitat and vegetable gardener, will show you how to use the basics: water, food/native plants, shelter/nestboxes to create a low maintenance habitat garden. Learn how to conserve our most precious resources -- air, water, soil, -- by using simple Xeriscape and Permaculture techniques that functions in harmony and spirit with the High Desert and our sustaining Mother Earth.
|
4:00pm-
5:00pm |
Birds of SE Arizona
Brian Prescott |
Aug.
4 Program
No Charge |
|
| Resident birds will be discussed along with some of the Mexican species that come to nest in the region. The Sky Islands of South East Arizona are the home of many target species that visit from Mexico. We will also touch on a few of the birds that winter in the area for your future reference. And of course we will cover the specialties that the area is noted for.
|
|
4:00pm-
6:00pm |
Hummingbird Banding
Sheri Williamson & Tom Wood |
Aug.
4 Workshop
No Charge - at the San Pedro House |
|
| Observe up close as researchers from the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory capture, band, and record data in their twelfth season studying the importance of the San Pedro River as a migration corridor and nesting area for hummingbirds. A fabulous opportunity to see hummers in the hand and up close - bring your cameras! There is no charge for this program and pre-registration is not required. However, donations are gratefully accepted. Hummingbird "adoptions" will also be available.
|
|
6:00pm-
9:00pm |
Keynote Banquet featuring Scott Weidensaul
(followed by a Book Signing) |
Aug.
4 Special Event
$35 |
|
 |
|
Author and naturalist Scott Weidensaul has written more than two dozen books on natural history, including Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds, a Pulitzer Prize finalist; The Ghost with Trembling Wings, about the search for species that may or may not be extinct; and his most recent book, upon which his talk will be based, Return to Wild America: A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul. He lectures widely on wildlife and environmental topics, and is an active field researcher, specializing in birds of prey and hummingbirds. He lives in the Appalachians of eastern Pennsylvania.
Our banquet this year will feature a buffet that will include a vegetarian dish along with traditional fare. Beer and wine will be available. |
|
| |
|
|
