Navajo Nation Golden Eagles Return to the Eagle Aviary
by Gail Garber, Executive Director
Many of you followed the tragic events that unfolded in March 2018 where Bald and Golden Eagles were being shot on the Navajo Agricultural Products lands south of Farmington, New Mexico by persons unknown for the purpose of collecting tail feathers from the wounded birds, that were then left to die from their injuries. On Tuesday, July 31, 2018, Larry Rimer, Dr. Kathleen Ramsay, Lori Paras and I attended the press conference at the Navajo Nation Zoo in Window Rock. Below, I share comments from the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife and also the US Fish and Wildlife Service:
Navajo Nation Statement: Golden Eagles, one of the most sacred birds to the Navajo People, have many threats to their survival on the Navajo Nation. They are threatened by climate change, drought, and excessive grazing, leading to low prey availability, disturbances to their nesting and hunting areas, lead poisoning, powerline electrocutions, vehicle strikes and other accidents. The Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife has been dealing another serious threat as well, illegal shooting for feathers.
The most recent of these illegal acts occurred in March 2018, as the Department’s Wildlife Law Enforcement Program responded to numerous calls regarding eagles shot with their tail feathers removed. These heinous acts were conducted solely for financial benefit, going against federal laws, tribal code, and the spiritual sacredness of the Golden Eagle.
Today, July 31, 2018, the Department is welcoming two of these Golden Eagles back to the Navajo Nation; unfortunately they both were severely injured from the gunshots and cannot be returned to the wild. Both eagles will remain in captivity at the Navajo Nation Eagle Sanctuary and will be cared for by the expert staff of the Navajo Nation Zoo for the remainder of their lives.
Although we are pleased to be able to provide a home for these two eagles with our federally-permitted Eagle Sanctuary, the Department is disgusted by the acts of this person(s) that shot these eagles and removed their tail feathers. All efforts are being made by the Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to apprehend these violators.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Statement:
These rehabilitated eagles represent both the extreme cruelty and compassion of people. The Service is still investigating these crimes and hopes to see justice done. A reward is being offered for information in the case. We thank our partners, both those helping with the investigation and the rehabilitators who tended to these birds. We recognize the importance of eagles to our tribal partners and will continue to work through our tribal aviary program and National Eagle Repository to provide a legal source of feathers for cultural and religious needs.
We, at Hawks Aloft, want to recognizes and thank all of the partners who helped in the care and transport of these birds: David Mikesic and his staff at the Navajo Nation Zoo. Dr. Kariana Atkinson and Dr. Ray Hudgell at Petroglyph Animal Hospital, Dr. Kathleen Ramsay at Cottonwood Rehabilitation, Lori Paras at Santa Fe Raptor Center, Larry and Kim Rimer, Arlette Miller, Katrina Hucks, James Robinson, Nirankar Ambriz, Ty Horak, and Lisa Morgan.
Male Golden Eagle with Navajo Nation
Zookeepers Shane Littlesinger and Lionel Tsosie
. Image by Larry Rimer
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Buy your tickets to the gala on our webstore--
click here!
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In the event of inclement weather, a backup date has been set for November 11, 2018.
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Malary Can See Again!!!!
Thank you to everyone who donated to the Fund to Restore Malary's Eyesight! We also thank Dr. Kent Burgesser at Eye Care for Animals for the excellent surgery to remove her cataracts, and the rest of their team. Additionally, much gratitude is owed to Dr. Kariana Atkinson of Petroglyph Animal Hospital who provided the surgical anesthesia and took such great care with Malary. Finally, we thank Liz Roberts, Malary's primary caretaker (Mom) for her excellent care of our beloved Prairie Falcon. It takes a village to accomplish miracles. All time was donated for the surgery, including veterinary services. We were charged only for actual medical and equipment charges.
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Mark Your Calendars, by Maggie Grimason, Senior Editor
The first Saturday in September is International Vulture Awareness Day. Spearheaded by the Birds of Prey Programme and the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa, along with the Hawk Conservancy Trust in the UK, this day has grown into a widely marked opportunity to educate people about these important species.
Often portrayed as harbingers of death, these birds are actually pivotal to the well-being of life. They function as nature’s clean-up crew, devouring carrion and dead carcasses, and in doing so, preventing disease transmission to other species, including humans. Their powerfully acidic stomachs can even handle consuming animals infected with anthrax!
Yet, vulture populations the world over are in decline, largely due to poisoning—that is, in the food they consume. A leading cause of this is toxic lead bullet fragments in remains left behind by hunters after field-dressing an animal, as well as medications used to treat livestock, another animal that often figures into the diet of vultures. Additionally, the effects of habitat fragmentation and global warming threaten vultures as much as they threaten other species of birds in New Mexico and beyond.
Honoring the many diverse species of vulture throughout the world and taking the time to educate ourselves about these vital species is one antidote to their continued decline. Head over to the
Vulture Day website for more information on this bird-centric holiday, or even stop in at the
Albuquerque BioPark Zoo (903 Tenth Street SW) on Sept. 1 between 10am and 2pm for a day of vulture activities and talks. You might even consider
"adopting" Beauty, our educational Turkey Vulture!
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Help support our non-releasable raptors through our Adopt-a-Raptor program. Hawks Aloft houses and cares for 25 permanently disabled raptors (and one corvid!). Our Avian Ambassadors travel throughout the Southwest, helping us to educate the public about how to help protect these beautiful animals. We provide them with top-quality housing, food, and medical care for their entire lives. It costs an average of $2000/mo. just for their food. When you adopt a raptor, you help feed our birds, make home improvements, and provide veterinary care for one avian ambassador of your choice. Prices range from $35-$100 depending on the species.
Click here to Adopt a Raptor
such as Flame, our very tiny Flammulated Owl, photographed here by Larry Rimer. When you adopt a Hawks Aloft raptor you will receive:
- A one-year Hawks Aloft membership
- An Adoption Certificate
- An information sheet about the individual bird you have adopted
- Exclusive access to video updates about your bird
- Your choice of:
A professional 8×10 photo of your bird, or
A stuffed Audubon Bird with realistic vocalizations
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Raptor Activity on Energy Transmission Lines, by Katrina Hucks, Avian Biologist and Raptor Rescue Coordinator
This year, we added something new to our suite of studies. PNM, our local energy company, contracted Hawks Aloft to conduct a comprehensive survey of transmission towers from Clines Corners to Portales. This particular line supplies power to much of eastern New Mexico, including the wind energy industry and technology companies. In early 2018, it became apparent to PNM that bird activity might have been causing power outages across the line. When raptors defecate, they create long, viscous “streams” of excrement. These streams can land on charged parts of the structures and cause a power outage. Similarly, dangling material in raptor and corvid nests can become dislodged and potentially cause an outage. PNM asked us to survey the transmission structures and get an idea of what conditions might have been causing outages along this line.
The survey targeted nesting raptor and corvid activity, among both actively nesting birds and perched birds. In this area, with very few trees available for nesting and perching, these structures are ideal. We surveyed roughly 680 structures for activity, many of which contained multiple nests. Initial analysis showed that outages might be correlated with areas of high Red-tailed Hawk usage, a common nesting raptor on these structures. We’re looking forward to learning if these correlations will change as more data are analyzed. This opportunity to collaborate with the energy sector on important bird issues was a valuable learning experience for all of us, and shows exactly how birds can adapt to our presence in the environment.
Several volunteers and staff worked on this project, including: Larry Rimer, Trevor Fetz, Amanda Schluter, Lisa Schluter, Ellie Althoff, interns Adam Johnson and Ian Pollitt, and myself.
Image by Katrina Hucks
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Living with the Landscape, by Ellie Althoff, Education and Outreach Coordinator
The school year is quickly approaching and with it so is the Living with the Landscape program. Beginning in September, four lucky schools will have the chance to participate in the fun, hands-on learning this program brings. Living with the Landscape is grant-funded and provides multiple visits throughout the year to Title 1 elementary schools at absolutely no cost. For over 15 years, this program has offered students insight into environmental topics including New Mexico habitats, food chains, bird biology, migration, and more.
After a competitive application process, the four schools chosen to participate during the 2018-2019 school year are: South Mountain Elementary School, Matheson Park Elementary School, Apache Elementary School, and Wherry Elementary School. In these four schools alone 1,347 students will get the chance to admire live raptor species, learn scientific concepts through play, and actively engage in a conservation projects of their choosing. Previous projects have included habitat restoration, removal of invasive plants, and water conservation campaigns. Living with the Landscape doesn’t stop there--the fourth and fifth grade students will get to visit a nearby natural area at the end of their year that further connects them to their local environment. In addition, a family conservation night offers the promise of prizes, pictures, and a lot of fun for students, siblings, and parents.
The students that have participated in Living with the Landscape before prove just how important and influential this education program has been. One student from the 2017-2018 noted that “I learned that birds use they’re feathers to stay warm, to steer, to fly, and to balance. I learned that birds come in all different sizes.” Another student said that their favorite part was when their teacher was dressed up like a bird! No matter if they remember the usefulness of feathers, a bird adaptation game, or just how much fun they had learning about science--this program will surely create lasting memories for all of the students in the four participating schools this year.
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Looking for a Carpentry Volunteer!
Calling all woodworkers!
Recently, an anonymous individual donated three mounted owl specimens--a Great Horned Owl, a Short-eared Owl, and a Barred Owl. Two of these species are not regularly found in New Mexico, thus creating a wonderful opportunity to see these birds up close. We will be using the mounts for various educational purposes, and they will need display cases. These cases will allow us to display and transport the mounts, keeping them from harmful sunlight, insects, and the ever-present New Mexico dust. If you are willing to donate your woodworking services or have display cases you can donate, please
contact Gail.
Image by Katrina Hucks
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Lavender in the Village Festival, by Angela Green, Office Manager
In early July, we participated in the annual Lavender in the Village Festival (our third time!), and as usual it was a wonderfully successful event.
After a last-minute booth change at the start of the day, things ran very smoothly. Hawks Aloft was one of over 100 vendors vying for the attention of thousands of festival-goers. We introduced the public to Avian Ambassadors Harlan (Harlan’s Red-Tailed Hawk), Sunny (Prairie Falcon), Shadow (Western Screech-Owl), Flame (Flammulated Owl), Cedar (Long-Eared Owl), and Kiki (Merlin).
The birds are always a big draw, but this year the real show-stopper was the raffle quilt. People just had to stop by to see the gorgeous quilt that was displayed at the back of our booth. We had our hands full selling raffle tickets all day!
Thank you to the volunteers who, despite the heat, helped make the day so successful: Arlette Miller, Chellye Porter, Dianne Rossbach, and Bruce and Anita Sisk. We couldn’t have done it without you!
Photo by Gail Garber
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That's a Wrap!, By Amanda Schluter, Biologist and Field Technician
Monsoon season is fully underway. As much as I loved working in the remote reaches of New Mexico, I am happy to be closer to home. Those dirt roads can be tricky to drive in the mud following a rainstorm, and camping is never fun when you’re wet! We recently completed monitoring nesting raptors in the Upper Rio Grande Gorge and at El Segundo Coal Mine. All species were severely affected by the ongoing drought, unfortunately. Although the data still need to be analyzed, the number of nests for both projects was very low and many pairs failed to produce any young. Despite the difficult conditions, we did see some newly fledged Golden Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks, Prairie Falcons, and Peregrine Falcons take to the skies!
In the Jemez Mountains and the Valles Caldera National Preserve there also were a few snags. Both the national forest and preserve were closed due to fire danger for a good portion of the breeding season, but we were still able to complete the majority of the songbird surveys. Thanks to surveyors Gail Garber, Trevor Fetz, Katrina Hucks, and Raymond VanBuskirk for their hard work on these surveys!
Thank you to our dedicated raptor monitoring team: Roger Grimshaw, Bob Kipp, Susan Russo, Larry Rimer, Lisa Schluter, David Mayerson, and Glenda Moore. Together they have volunteered over 400 hours and traveled almost 7,000 miles for this field season alone. Without the help of such talented and committed volunteers, we would not be able to do this vital work.
Photo of the Rio Grande Gorge by Larry Rimer
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Support Hawks Aloft by Shopping at Smith's!
Many of you have long been Hawks Aloft supporters, and a good number of you have also been longtime Smith’s shoppers. For those not in the know, the grocery chain has a program that provides a small kick-back quarterly to nonprofits when their supporters link their shopper’s cards to the organization.
The company recently changed their policies regarding the program—so even if you’ve signed up in the past, you may need to do it again! The good news is that it is easy to do.
2)
Either create an account or sign-in to an existing one
3)
Once logged in, click on “Account Summary” on the left sidebar
4)
From there, scroll down to “Inspiring Donations Program” and click “Enroll”
5)
A searchable list will come up, you can either search for “Hawks Aloft” or enter our ID number for the program, GL430
6)
Shop using your card and now that every time you do so, you help out Hawks Aloft!
We appreciate your ongoing support in this, and so many other capacities!
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Guatemala: Birding the Highlands and Lake
Atitlán
with Hawks Aloft and Holbrook Travel
January 26 – February 5, 2019
Only 4 Spaces Remain!
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Keel-billed Toucan. Image by Kristin Brown
Guatemala is a richly diverse cultural center and a lush and vibrant paradise for birders. On this 10-day journey, you'll have the chance to explore a variety of habitats, seek out rare and endemic species, and meet with locals who are part of the Audubon bird-tourism initiative in Santiago Atitlán, a hub of Maya culture.
Here, at high elevations in the heart of Central America, Hawks Aloft is partnering with Holbrook Travel and Flyway Expeditions to bring our friends an experience like no other. We’ll seek out rare and native species in this region of Guatemala, which is nestled in the middle of one of the world’s prime migratory corridors. Birders will also have the opportunity to connect with locals who care about conservation through Audubon’s bird-tourism initiative, Santiago Atitlán. A portion of the proceeds of this excursion will be donated to conservation efforts in Guatemala.
See a detailed description on our
website
, or check out a full itinerary and register for this epic trip on
Holbrook Travel’s website
. We can’t wait to experience Guatemala with you!
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*Check out intakes and thank-you's after the Photographer's Gallery*
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Photographers Monthly Gallery - Tony Thomas
This month, we feature the males of four species of ducks by Tony Thomas. These intricately patterned birds are often overlooked, but through Tony's photographs, he shares their detail and beauty.
By vocation, Tony Thomas is a general contractor based in Albuquerque. He is the owner of Summit Construction, Inc., a company with a 45 year history of building in the state. His lifelong love of the outdoors has most recently turned him to photographing wild birds and animals in their natural environment. Tony and his wife, Davedda, travel the back roads of the deserts of southern New Mexico, and follow the Rocky Mountains north through the United States, Canada, and Alaska onward to the coast of the Arctic Ocean.
Click here to visit his website.
- American Wigeon
- Canvasback
- Gadwall
- Redhead
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Thank You to our July Donors!
Karen Armstrong
Mark Aspelin
Charles Brandt
Edsal & Mary Chappelle
Intel Corporation
Dwayne & Marj Longenbaugh
Sue Lyons
Billy & Laura McCammon
Miguel Palaviccini
Sam Sanborn
Allison Schacht
Lynne Schluter
Martha Thomas
Afton Warrick
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Our Veterinarians and Rehabilitators
Kariana Atkinson, DVM
Mary & Ed Chappelle
Linda Contos, DVM
Cottonwood Rehabilitation Center
Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
Eye Care for Animals
Ray Hudgell, DVM
Gavin Kennard, DVM, DACVO
Daniel Levenson, DVM
Mike Melloy, DVM
Lisa Morgan
New Mexico Wildlife Center
Bob Peiffer, DVM, PhD
Petroglyph Animal Hospital
Kathleen Ramsay, DVM
Santa Fe Raptor Center
Southwest Veterinary Medical Center
Samantha Uhrig, DVM
Ventana Animal Clinic
Wildlife Rescue of New Mexico
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July Intakes
Black-crowned Night-Heron – leg damage
Cooper’s Hawk – wing and bill damage
Cooper’s Hawk – broken leg
Western Screech-Owl – fell from chimney
American Kestrel (2)– chicks out of nest
Golden Eagle – emaciated
Prairie Falcon – fractured wing
American Kestrel – threated by cats
Cooper’s Hawk – head trauma
Common Raven – broken leg
American Kestrel – fractured wing
Turkey Vulture – chick fell out of nest
Peregrine Falcon – chick out of nest, far from nesting cliffs
Cooper’s Hawk – injured wing
Hummingbird sp. – chick from nest, trapped inside
Cooper’s Hawk – failure to thrive
Western Screech-Owl – caught by cat
Cooper’s Hawk – window strike
Cooper’s Hawk – feather damage
Barn Owl – caught in barbed wire
Cooper’s Hawk – chick out of nest
Cooper’s Hawk – injured wing
Swainson’s Hawk – car strike
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Raptor Rescue Team
Nirankar Ambriz
Mary Bruesch
Ed Chappelle
Mary Chappelle
Charles Cummings
Tim Florence
Maggie Grimason
Shannon Harrison
Denise Inight
Jeannine Kinzer
Dean Klassy
Maurice Mackey
Arlette Miller
Lisa Morgan
Eliane Notah
Chellye Porter
Larry Rimer
Anita Sisk
Bruce Sisk
Sue Small
Mary Smith
Davedda Thomas
Tony Thomas
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Field Survey Teams
Chuck Brandt
Wendy Brown
Mary Bruesch
Ed Chappelle
Gill Clarke
Ed Clark
Charles Cummings
Vicki Dern
Roger Grimshaw
Fred Hashimoto
Joan Hashimoto
Jerry Hobart
Kay Jackson
Bob Kipp
Maurice Mackey
David Meyerson
Arlette Miller
Glenda Moore
Natalie Nunez
Bonnie Long
Dave Parson
Chellye Porter
Donna Royer
Susan Russo
Renee Robillard
Sam Sanborn
Allison Schacht
Martin Schelble
Dianne Schlies
Lisa Schluter
Mary Smith
Mary Walsh
Christie Wilcox
Steve Youtsey
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Education and Outreach
Chuck Brandt
Mary Bruesch
Ed Chappelle
Mary Chappelle
Dagny Cosby
Rebecca Ezechukwu
Tim Florence
Ava Gutierrez
Bryan Hall
Nancy Hall
Karen Kennedy
Maurice Mackey
Evelyn McGarry
Arlette Miller
Chellye Porter
Elizabeth Roberts
Dianne Rossbach
Allison Schacht
Anita Sisk
Bruce Sisk
Sue Small
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6715 Eagle Rock Ave NE
Albuquerque, NM 87113
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Who We Are
Gail Garber,
Executive Director
Trevor Fetz,
Lead Avian Biologist
Ellie Althoff,
Education Coordinator
Angela Green,
Office Manager
Maggie Grimason,
Senior Editor
Katrina Hucks,
Avian
Biologist and Raptor Rescue Coordinator
Amanda Schluter,
Biologist
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Our Board of Directors
Carter Cherry,
Chair
Mary Chappelle, Treasurer
Terry Edwards,
Director
Alwyn VanDerwalt
, Director
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