"If you take care of the birds, you take care of most of the environmental problems of the world." Thomas Lovejoy

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~News and Upcoming Events~ Photo Share Party! this Thursday, Feb 8th, 7:00pm, at the Lamphouse Theater! Field Trip to the Eagle Tree ~ Saturday, Feb 10th ~ 12:30 - 6 pm Feb 12th - Last day to submit your comments to the BLM about the Owyhee Canyons Travel Management Plan. Be an advocate for Golden Eagles, hikers, and solitude. Show your support for PFA by joining the growing community of members! Click ❤️ Here Upcoming Programs and Field Trips! Citizen Science: Great Backyard Bird Count ~ eBird Essentials Order Plants for Pollinators from the Magic Valley Pollinator Council Seven Simple Actions to Help Birds in 2024

Annual February Photo Sharing PARTY! Thursday, February 8, 2024 7:00 PM On the BIG Screen at the Lamphouse Theater 223 5th Ave S Please join Prairie Falcon’s Photo Sharing Party. Get together with your birding pals to share photos and the stories behind the photos. Soft drinks, wine, beer, popcorn and more available for purchase! What a great way to kick-start another season of great Prairie Falcon Audubon programs.

Northern Pygmy-Owl Georgetown, Idaho Pat Weber, Photographer

Saturday, February 10th Meet at 12:30 PM at the Twin Falls Visitor's Center parking lot. We'll travel together to Clear Springs Pond north of Buhl. After checking out the waterfowl on the pond and the warblers along the outlet creek, we will head to the "Eagle Tree" to watch and listen as the eagles fly in to roost for the night. Plan to have a hot chocolate at the West Point Cafe afterwards. We will try to be back in Twin Falls by 6:00 PM

Leave Room for the Wild Ones in the Owyhees from the Idaho Conservation League... The BLM is developing a much needed Travel Management Plan for the Silver City Travel Planning Area in the Owyhees.  Travel plans can help recreationists access their public lands but motorized routes in the wrong places can ruin the solitude and wildlife habitat that makes this place special. Nesting golden eagles are particularly sensitive to human disturbance.  ICL, Prairie Falcon Audubon, and others are supporting Alternative B that provides public access while leaving space for golden eagles and other wildlife. We are also asking to convert some motorized trails for non-motorized recreationists.  This travel plan is going to be in place for decades. NOW is the time for you to make a difference. Click on this link and please tell the BLM the following: You prefer Alternative B as a cap for motorized trails The BLM should provide at least a ¾-mile buffer around golden eagle nests  The travel plan should convert select motorized trails into non-motorized trails for equestrians, mountain bikers, and hikers.  Make your comment stand out by mentioning a personal connection you have to the Owyhees (from a hiking trip, a scenic drive, or a wildlife viewing adventure).

More Programs! More Field Trips! Mark your calendars!

PROGRAMS: MARCH 7th - Birding Panama with Randy Smith, Pat Weber and Sarah Harris APRIL 4th - Using Native Plants to create a habitat for birds in your own back yard - with Ann DeBolt, former Idaho Botanical Garden's Botanist MAY 2nd - Snake River Birds of Prey with Mike Kochert, Scientist Emeritus at the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center A Local Land Trusts Wallace Keck FIELD TRIPS FEBRUARY 10th - Clear Lakes Pond and The Eagle Tree MARCH 16th - Nighttime Owl Prowl with Zeke Watkins MARCH 30th - Sage Grouse Lek April ?? - Garden Tour MAY 4th - Birding by Bicycle JUNE 8th - Birding by kayak at Wilson Lake JUNE ?? - South Hills Big Day and Potluck- TBD VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Weeding at Orton Botanical Garden Sagebrush/Bitterbrush planting? Clean-up somewhere/anywhere/everywhere? FALL BIRDING CLASS More information coming....

CITIZEN SCIENCE Get Involved!

Red-breasted Nuthatch

American Goldfinch

Spotted Towhee

FREE eBird Essentials Course This January’s eBirder of the Month challenge, sponsored by Carl Zeiss Sports Optics, can help eBirders of every experience level learn something new about eBird. The free, self-guided eBird Essentials course contains the fundamental information every eBirder should know— everything from best practices to time-saving tips and tricks. The eBirder of the Month will be drawn from eBirders who complete the eBird Essentials course and submit 1 or more eligible checklists in January. If you have already completed the course, just submit at least one checklist in January to qualify. This course is for everyone from beginning eBirders to long-time users. The step-by-step walk-throughs and video tutorials make using eBird a breeze. Sign up for eBird Essentials today! The winner will receive new ZEISS SFL 8×40 binoculars and will be notified by the 10th of the following month. Each month eBird features a new eBird challenge and a new set of selection criteria.

Great Backyard Bird Count February 16 - 19, 2024 Watch this short video about the GBBC Participating is easy, fun to do alone or with others, and can be done anywhere you find birds. Decide where you will watch birds. Anywhere will do - home, park, WMA, a Magic Valley Birding Hotspot! Watch birds for 15 minutes or more, at least once over the four days, February 16 - 19, 2024. Identify all the birds you see or hear within your planned time/location and use the best tool for sharing your bird sightings: Use the eBird Mobile app or enter your bird list on the eBird website (desktop/laptop). If you are a beginning bird admirer and new to bird identification, try using the Merlin Bird ID app to tell us what birds you are seeing or hearing. If you already contribute to Merlin or eBird, continue what you are doing! All entries over the 4-days count towards GBBC.

2nd Annual Twin Falls Pollinator Plant Sale Purchase locally grown plants to start or expand your own pollinator garden! Join the Twin Falls Pollinator Council in supporting bees, butterflies, birds and other beneficial insects in our area. Scan the QR code - select your choice of "Idaho Native" or "Cottage Garden" Collections.  This would make a wonderful gift for Mother's Day!

Idaho Native Collection: These native plants are beneficial to our local pollinators and come back year after year. This is representative of what will be offered. Actual plants offered may be different.

Cottage Garden Collection: These cottage garden plants do well in the Magic Valley area and are good for pollinators. There is a mixture of perennials and annuals. Some will re-seed for years to come.

Place your ORDER NOW! Scan the QR Code or CLICK HERE Pick up your plants Friday, May 10th or Saturday, May 11th, 2024 between 10 am and 3 pm Native Roots LLC 2475 E 3600 N Twin Falls, ID

Seven Simple Actions to Help Birds From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Click the link above to read the full article, watch some great little videos, and be inspired to do some good in the world to help out the birds

1. Make Windows Safer, Day and Night These simple steps save birds: On the outside of the window, install screens or break up reflections—using film, paint, or Acopian BirdSavers or other string spaced no more than two inches high or four inches wide.

2. Keep Cats Indoors A solution that’s good for cats and birds: Save birds and keep cats healthy by keeping cats indoors or creating an outdoor “catio.” You can also train your cat to walk on a leash.

3. Reduce Lawn, Plant Natives Add native plants, watch birds come in: Native plants add interest and beauty to your yard and neighborhood, and provide shelter and nesting areas for birds. The nectar, seeds, berries, and insects will sustain birds and diverse wildlife.

4. Avoid Pesticides A healthy choice for you, your family, and birds: Consider purchasing organic food. Nearly 70% of produce sold in the U.S. contains pesticides. Reduce pesticides around your home and garden.

5. Drink Coffee That’s Good for Birds Enjoy shade-grown coffee: It’s a win-win-win: it’s delicious, economically beneficial to coffee farmers, and helps more than 42 species of North American migratory songbirds that winter in coffee plantations, including orioles, warblers, and thrushes.

6. Protect Our Planet from Plastic Reduce your plastics: Avoid single-use plastics including bags, bottles, wraps, and disposable utensils. It’s far better to choose reusable items, but if you do have disposable plastic, be sure to recycle it.

7. Watch Birds, Share What You See Enjoy birds while helping science and conservation: Join a project such as eBird, Project FeederWatch, Christmas Bird Count, Climate Watch, or The Great Backyard Bird Count to record your bird observations. Your contributions will provide valuable information to show where birds are thriving—and where they need our help. Note: If you don’t yet know how to use eBird, we have a free course to help you get the most out of the project and its tools.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement Prairie Falcon Audubon, Inc. fully supports National Audubon Society's statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (www.audubon.org/about/equity-diversity-and-inclusion-audubon). Prairie Falcon Audubon, Inc. believes that everyone has the right to enjoy birds, the outdoors, and a healthy and safe environment. In order to fulfill our mission to educate the general public about birds, bird watching, and preservation/improvement of the environment that birds and bird watchers share, we will work to include everyone, no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, political affiliation, age, or disability. We are committed to building an equitable, diverse, anti-racist, accessible, fun, and inclusive organization that supports birds, and the people who watch them, in our community.

CHECK THIS OUT! Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bird Academy An incredible resource for anyone (young to old) who wants to learn more about birds! "Whether you’re a bird lover, an educator, or a student, interactive courses and multimedia-rich resources will lead you into the fascinating lives of birds, from birding basics to comprehensive ornithology."

Courses Learn More About Birds with These Courses FREE - $130 Start at your level. Go at your own pace. There’s something for every bird enthusiast. Videos Watch a Short Video FREE A curated collection of educational videos from Cornell Lab Games Play games Powered by Birds FREE Birds are awesome. Play games that explore flight, song, dance, feathers, and so much more. Lectures Listen to a Lecture FREE Keep learning with this curated collection of videos from the Cornell Lab. Each is about an hour long.