THE VALLEY HARRIER

Table of Contents:
President's Message: It's Birdathon Time (by SeEtta Moss) ------------------------------	(1)
May Program: Photographing Nature -----------------------------------------------------	(1)
Conservation Notes (by Dave Johnson) --------------------------------------------------	(2)
Bent's Fort Trip Report ------------------------------------------------------------------	(2)
AVAS/Aiken Trip to the Gold Belt Tour Area --------------------------------------------	(2)
AVAS Leadership / New Members ------------------------------------------------------	(3)
May and Summer Field Trips (by Margie Joy) --------------------------------------------	(4)
Nature's World: Sandhills in Spring (by Susan Tweit) -------------------------------------	(5)

North American Migration Count

AVAS member Dave Silverman will be conducting the Pueblo County North American Migration Count (NAMC) this year on May l0. AVAS members are invited to join him. See page four for information on this field trip.

Data collected on the Count includes all species seen plus number of each seen. The data is sent to Maryland Partners in Flight who in turn compiles for a USFWS data base. Over 500 NAMC's nationwide will be done on May l0. The Count is similar to the CBC's except no fees are required and the only major restriction is that each Count limit itself to one county.

The NAMC was started in the mid-1950's by a group of Maryland birders headed by Chandler Robbins, author of the Golden Guide of North American Birds. In the early l990's, a fall NAMC was started the 3rd Saturday in September, which we have also done in Pueblo County since l995.

Contact Dave Silverman (489-3565 in Rye) for more information about migration counts and the May 10 field trip.

MAY CALENDAR

Friday, May 9 May program (see p. 1)

Saturday, May 10 BIRDATHON! (see p. 1)

Monday, May 11 AVAS Board meeting at

Pueblo Raptor Center 7 pm

Saturday, May 24 Beginning Birders (page 4)

SUMMER CALENDAR

Sunday, June 15 Butterfly count (see p. 4)

Saturday, Aug. 16 Wet Mountain Valley

field trip (see page 4)