The Valley Harrier (Page 4)

THE VALLEY HARRIER

Newsletter of the

ARKANSAS VALLEY

AUDUBON SOCIETY

(Colorado)

Volume XXVIII Issue 6

October, 2002

Page 1 2 3 4 5

Table of Contents

FIELD TRIP

REPORT

The AVAS field trip for last month was held on Sept. 28 so there was not time to get a report for the Harrier.

However the field trip report for August 24 is in. AVAS members Jane Pederson—of Chicago and Custer County—and Dave Sliverman of Rye led a dozen beginning and experienced birders around Lake DeWeese and the Grape Creek drainage below the dam, in the Wet Mountain Valley. By noon the group left for Jane’s property in the Sangre de Cristo range west of Hillside. After a delightful lunch break at her bird-friendly cabin the rest of the afternoon was spent in riparian areas nearby where the presence of water attracted even more birds than normal, due to the drought.

Among the 105 species seen, participants saw olive-sided and ash-throated flycatchers, six species of swallows, all three nuthatch species, a Franklin’s gull that was difficult to identify, six different species of sparrows, five types of warblers, and one of the most colorful of all, a male lazuli bunting, still in breeding plumage.

Colfax County Birding Club Outings

AVAS member Dave Cleary invites Auduboners and birders in our region to participate in field trips in the Ratón, New Mexico area.

On Saturday, October 5 the trip will take place in Mills Canyon. Participants will meet at the Brown Hotel in Springer at 7:30 a.m. Carpooling into high-clearance vehicles is a must.

Saturday, November 2 Dave will lead an outing to Sugarite Canyon State Park. He asks all to meet at the park’s visitor center at 8:00 a.m. for some hiking in the morning. Afternoon activities will depend on the weather and current “hot spot.”

For more details, Dave can be reached at his home in Maxwell, NM, phone (505) 375-2971.

Beginners are especially invited to the October birding field trip

AVAS Vice President Mark Yaeger (a.k.a. Radeaux, the bird/nature artist) will lead a field trip designed to get novices started in birdwatching. Mark writes:

“Join me and other members of the Arkansas Valley Audubon Society for a morning of casual birdwatching in Pueblo's City Park. We will meet on Saturday Oct. 12 at 8:00 a.m. by the pond in City Park near the George Williams Pavilion.

“This trip is especially for the birdwatcher who considers themselves a beginner. A variety of bird field guides will be available for use and there will be some discussion on the merits of the different field guides.

“The observers will take time to identify every bird seen in the park. If there is enough time, participants will also walk down to the river bottom below the park. Bring binoculars if you have them. Some AVAS members will have spotting scopes to view cooperative birds. Tips will be given on the various optics available for birding and other places to look for birds in the Pueblo area. The trip will last until 11:00 a.m.”

Mark Yaeger has many years’ experience helping people of all ages learn the basics of birdwatching. He is nationally known for his bird art, which can be found in the homes of many highly respected birders. He is the illustrator for the 630-page Breeding Bird Atlas of Colorado.