Bat Caves of the
Armendaris Ranch
Members Only Field Trip
July 27 & 28, 2019
$200 each participant
We are thrilled that we can again offer our most popular field trip -- to the Bat Caves of the Armendaris Ranch, in conjunction with Ted Turner Expeditions. Join us for an incredible outing as we visit New Mexico's largest colony of Mexican free-tail bats, and 4th largest in the country. Up to several million bats emerge from collapsed lava tube caves in the Jornada del Muerto Volcanic Field, while Swainson’s Hawk descend from the skies above to hunt them. We watch the extravaganza from our perch on the rim of the cave opening. The sights and sounds are unforgettable, as are the photographic opportunities such a night viewing of the Milky Way.
We will carpool down or meet in T or C, NM, and then drive to the ranch headquarters in Engle. There, we will consolidate into as few 4WD vehicles as possible and head out to the bat caves, stopping to watch wildlife along the way, arriving late afternoon on Saturday. There will be time to set up your tent and get settled before we enjoy a gourmet dinner prepared by chef Taffy Glen of the Sierra Grande Lodge. Please bring your own favorite beverage for the evening.
David Barfield, Activities Director of Ted Turner Expeditions, will be on hand to regale us with information about the bat caves and other wildlife, as we settle in to watch the nightly show! Prepare to be amazed! Gail Garber, director of Hawks Aloft says: “ This is the best wildlife experience I’ve ever had, a once in a lifetime event!” (even though she’s lead this trip many times). Breakfast burritos will be cooked the next morning, allowing you to marvel at the very different flight styles employed by the bats as they return to their day roost.
Be sure to bring a comfortable camp chair, so we can sit in the darkening night to watch bats flying all around us, and see the Milky Way come to light! It is indeed, a once-in a lifetime trip, and we don’t know if we will be able to offer it again. We will send out complete details to registrants.
YouTube links:
Registration will open on Monday, May 13, 2019 at noon.
Above images by Emmitt Booher and Keith Bauer.
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Baby Birds by the Dozens
Please Help!
Spring means an increase in intakes to our Raptor Rescue Program! This Barn Owlet arrived just 10 days ago, and he will be with us for at least 2 months, eating 4 large mice every day! Image by Larry Rimer.
Please consider supporting our "Baby Shower" by a donation through our
GoFundMe Campaign!
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A Spring Birding Break, by Trevor Fetz, Lead Avian Biologist
Most of my time the last couple of months has been devoted to data entry, data analysis,and report writing--all of which get monotonous. But, in mid-April, my wife and I managed to escape to south Texas --without the kids-- for a few days of birding. I hadn't been to south Texas for close to 15 years, and there are a number of new birding hot spots in the region that weren't on the radar the last time I was there. One of those is Quinta Mazatlan, a historic estate in McAllen that has become a World Birding Center location. It was the first place we visited, and although relatively small, it didn't disappoint. Upon getting out of the car we were greeted by a Buff-bellied Hummingbird in an adjacent tree and a flock of Green Parakeets landing on the property. While we were there we saw many of the south Texas specialties, including Green Jay, Altamira Oriole, Plain Chachalaca, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Black-bellied
Whistling-Duck, and Olive Sparrow. But, the biggest highlights while we were there
were two life birds: Crimson-collared Grosbeak and Clay-colored Thrush.
We also spent a fair amount of time on South Padre Island looking for Neotropical
migrants. Although we were too early for peak migration and the weather wasn't right for big migrant fallouts, we did see small numbers of a variety of eastern migrants, including Prothonotary Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Painted Bunting, and Tropical Kingbird. On our drive back from South Padre Island I picked up my third lifer of the trip: Aplomado Falcon. Other locations we managed to get to included Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park, where we picked up Ringed Kingfisher; Laguna Atascosa NWR, where we picked up Crested Caracara, White-tailed Hawk, Harris's Hawk, and Wood Stork; and Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, where we found Groove-billed Ani, Green Kingfisher, and White-eyed Vireo. We didn't have nearly enough time to hit all the places I would have liked to visit, but it was an enjoyable, relaxing trip.
Altamira Oriole image by Trevor Fetz
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Owls of New Mexico!
We are pleased to introduce our brand new T-shirt, featuring images of our Avian Ambassadors and nearly every single species of owl that might be found in our state. Designed by Scott Lowry, this unique T-shirt is the perfect gift for a loved one during the holidays. After all,
whoooo doesn't love owls?!
The shirt comes in both long and short sleeves. All shirts are $30 and can be ordered on our website or can be picked up at the office. Ladies sizes are available in short sleeves; all long-sleeved shirts are unisex, and we also have youth sizes in short sleeves.
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The Cultural Meaning of Birds
by Maggie Grimason, Senior Editor
For earthbound humans, birds have long carried great cultural and spiritual meaning. In ancient times, for example, in countries as distant from each other as Italy, India, and Tibet, augury was practiced to divine the future. This practice examined the flight and song of birds like crows, ravens, and vultures in order to predict the outcomes of battles, alliances, weddings, and more. There were soothsayers who specialized in this form of divination in particular called augurs.
Eyes have long turned to the skies searching for indication of what was to come. In Chinook culture, the chattering of Blue Jays was thought to be an indication of approaching enemies. Farther south, some Pueblo cultures saw the drumming of the clairvoyant woodpeckers as analogous for a forecast for rain.
At other times and in other cultures, birds are often seen as symbolic of certain values. In Japan, crows are a stand-in for familial love, while in ancient Egypt, crows symbolized loyalty. In Cherokee cultural belief, Chickadees were indicative of truthfulness, and in other Native cultures in North America, the same bird carried the added meaning of tremendous bravery. In Christian tradition, birds like doves symbolize peace, while sparrows are synonymous with humbleness.
It seems that more than any other species family, birds have come to carry great human meaning. Perhaps it is their ethereal ability to leave the ground that has so long intrigued human beings, their lives lived in the clouds and tree tops that remain in many ways obscure to us. Whatever the case, the construction of human meaning in the world has long been tied to the creatures with a unique ability to move back and forth between heaven and earth.
Blue Jay image by David Powell
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Gathering of Nations by Ellie Althoff, Education Coordinator
Tingley Coliseum has hosted a wide variety of events in its history including a number of games, concerts, and arts and craft shows. Most recently, however, from April 25th through the 27th, Tingley Coliseum hosted the 36th annual world celebration Gathering of Nations Pow Wow.
For two whole days, from 10 am to 7 pm, we were stationed in the Northeast corner of the Manuel Lujan Jr. Exhibit Complex selling raffle tickets, educating the public about our Avian Ambassadors, and wishfully smelling the sweets being sold at the neighboring booths.
With over 565 tribes from the United States and 220 tribes from Canada attending, Gathering of Nations is North America’s largest Pow Wow, bringing in 60,000+ visitors each year. With this amount of excitement and attendance, it is not surprise that Gathering of Nations was one of our most successful outreach events of the year so far! We will be continuing to share the stories of our Avian Ambassadors at outreach booths throughout the summer with events such as the NM Science Fiesta and Lavender Festival in June/July respectively.
We thank all those who volunteered at this event: Mary Bruesch, Evelyn McGarry, Arlette Miller, Rebecca
Ezechukwu, Mary Chappelle, Ed Chappelle, Chellye Porter, and Larry Rimer.
Photo by Ellie Althoff
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Changing of the Seasons
Hellos and Good-byes
by Gail Garber, Executive Director
RIP Clark Kent.
You shared 14 years with us after arriving from the
Cascades Raptor Center
as a youngster. Over the years, you thrilled audiences with your character and beauty, teaching everyone about American Kestrels. One amazingly comfortable fellow both in public and in private! Those of us that cared for you will remember you always, especially for the little love gifts you sometimes left for us. There will never be another kestrel quite like you. We hope you find your true love now, on the other side of the rainbow bridge. (Select images of the little fellow appear above - taken by a variety of photographers)
The past month has definitely been one of transition. We said a sad farewell to
Katrina Hucks, who left us for a better position with TRC Company where she will utilize not only her biological avian expertise, but also use her GIS skills and learn archaeological surveys! The best news is that Katrina is remaining on board as a volunteer! Look for her on the Armendaris Bat Caves trip.
Due to the unexpected passing of her mom,
Maggie Grimason is temporarily working from Indiana. Our thoughts and prayers are with Maggie and her sisters as they recover from this tragedy.
Due to a medical issue,
Angela Green suddenly departed at month's end. She is not expected to return and we are thrilled to announce that we have already filled her position.
We welcome some new and returning faces too:
John Stanek, who worked for us 15 years ago, is returning as an avian surveyor for the Jemez CFLRP project, monitoring songbirds in the Jemez Mountains and the Valles Caldera.
Raymond VanBuskirk also is returning as an avian surveyor where he will be monitoring all bird species in the Middle Rio Grande Bosque.
Sue Harrelson, recently retired from the US Forest Service, Jemez Ranger District, is a project manager for the Taos BLM Raptor Study.
Greg Finkelberg, began work on May 6 as field technician. He will work on a wide variety of projects, all involving birds.
Jill Morris, will be joining us as office manager on May 13! Look for her cheery smile next time you stop by the office!
Please join us in welcoming these new faces at Hawks Aloft!
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Discover the Darien
& Canal Zone of Panama
with Hawks Aloft and Canopy Family!
November 9-18, 2019
Only 4 spots remain!
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We are excited to offer our newest adventure destination tour – Discover the
Darien region of Panama
! Darien National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site! Mark your calendars for November 2019.
Panama, a biologically and culturally diverse country connects North and South America. It is a haven for wildlife watchers of all kinds, especially birders. The Canopy Family has operated ecotourism lodges in Panama since 1999. Their mission is “to share the nature, history and culture of the Republic of Panamá with passion and enthusiasm, focused on customer satisfaction and guided by the principles of conservation and social responsibility.”
This trip will be lead by Gail Garber, Executive Director, and Katrina Hucks, Avian Biologist. Katrina worked as a hawk migration counter at Canopy Tower in Panama prior to beginning work at Hawks Aloft.
Trip Highlights
- Look for Harpy Eagles! (as of this writing a new nest has been found with indications that the pair is incubating eggs)
- Visit the Darién region of Panama, a vast area of the eastern part of the country with no
roads and diverse wildlife. Stay at the Canopy Family’s Canopy Camp
- Explore local culture, including a native Embera village
- Take time to photograph the amazing wildlife that includes not only birds, but a vast array of other wildlife from butterflies to monkeys and reptiles
- Relax and enjoy rainforest-level views from the famous Canopy Tower.
Hawks Aloft has offered trips to Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, and other international destinations at least once a year to experience diverse wildlife and new cultures. Join Hawks Aloft and the Canopy Family on the trip of a lifetime!
Trip limited to 12 participants with three trip leaders. (Only 4 spots remain)
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Coming Soon!
Member Trip 2020
Brazil!
The Pantanal and Amazon River!
Stay tuned . . .
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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 Dulcita, our very large Great Horned 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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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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*Check out intakes and thank-you's after the Photographer's Gallery*
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Photographers Monthly Gallery - Mike TR Dunn
Mike is photographer who loves to share his photos as much as he enjoys taking them. His images depict, to his closest ability, what was actually seen through the lens of the camera. Mike was born and raised in Wisconsin and lived there until moving to Colorado sixteen years ago. His passion for photographing birds began after a trip to Bosque del Apache NWR in 2009. Since then, much of his time has been spent photographing birds, with a real love for raptors, on the plains of Colorado. Please
visit Mike's website
for more images. He also invites you to
visit his Facebook page.
- Ferruginous Hawk.
- Burrowing Owl.
- Red-tailed Hawk.
- Northern Harrier.
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Thank You to our April Donors!
Chuck Brandt
Wendy Brown
Niels Chapman
David Comings
James Cook
Corale Geballe
Cathleen Daffer
Ann Rhodes
Steven Scheld
United Way of Central NM
Stephanie Wright
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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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April Intakes
Barn Owl (2)
(one owlet still in care, recovering from pelvic Fx)
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Horned Owl
(one owlet returned to nest)
Great Horned Owl
(one owlet euthanized - severe infection)
Great Horned Owl
(one owlet transferred to
SF Raptor Center)
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
American Kestrel
(was trapped between walls in a mobile home - likely released by now)
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And Thank You to Our Corporate Donors:
Amazon Smile Foundation
Avangrid Renewables
Benevitty Fund
The Binky Foundation
Central New Mexico Audubon Society
Charles Schwab
Coca-Cola Foundation
Farmers Electric Cooperative
Four Corners Bird Club
Gathering of Nations
Holbrook Travel
Intel Corporation
Kroger Company
Land of Enchantment Wildlife Foundation
McFarland Cascade
Nichols Ranch
PNM Resources Foundation
Peabody Natural Resources Company
Sonepar USA
Summit Construction
Summit Line Construction
Tetra Tech
The Verdes Foundation
Wild Birds Unlimited
Wildside Nature Tours
Womack Wealth Management
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Raptor Rescue Team
Nirankar Ambriz
Victoria Ambriz
Daniel Archuleta
Mary Bruesch
Ed Chappelle
Mary Chappelle
Joanne Dahringer
Shannon Harrison
Ty Horak
Denise Inight
Jeannine Kinzer
Arlette Miller
Laura McCammon
Bill McCammon
Evelyn McGarry
Julie Morales
Eliane Notah
Chellye Porter
Amanda Rael
Larry Rimer
James Robinson
Anita Sisk
Bruce Sisk
Davedda Thomas
Tony Thomas
Frank Wilson
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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
Rebecca Ezechukwu
Evelyn McGarry
Arlette Miller
Chellye Porter
Elizabeth Roberts
Allison Schacht
Anita Sisk
Bruce Sisk
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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
Maggie Grimason,
Senior Editor
Sue Harrelson,
Project Manager, Taos Gorge Raptor Study Coordinator
John Stanek,
Avian Surveyor
Greg Finkelberg
, Field Technician
Raymond Van Buskirk
, Avian Surveyor
Mirinisa Stewart-Tengco,
Webmaster
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Our Board of Directors
Alwyn VanderWalt
Chair
Mary Chappelle,
Vice-chair
Terry Edwards,
Treasurer
Sarah Beans
, Secretary
Dagny Cosby,
Board Member
Carter Cherry,
Board Member
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