Special Events and Other News
Check here for upcoming events. In the fall we will have an announcement about our Christmas bird count; in the spring we will feature information about Birdathon.
Lorraine Schulte Excellence in Teaching Award 2010
MVAS wishes to recognize the efforts of teachers who encourage children to care for the environment and is offering the 13th Lorraine Schulte Excellence in Teaching Award of $200. Any person who is aware of a teacher whom they feel excels in this area can nominate that teacher for the award by completing a brief application. Also, any teacher of grades K-12 can submit an application. Applicants are asked to list the objectives of the program they would like to be considered with a brief description of teaching techniques, program activities and a simple evaluation of the outcome. For more information or to obtain a copy of the application, call Lorraine Schulte, Mesilla Valley Audubon Society, at 575-524-7029, or email her at mljs47@gmail.com. Please review this form on our Newsletter Page under the February 2010 link.
River of Birds Festival 2010
Date: Saturday & Sunday, May 1-2, 2010
Location: Leasburg Dam State Park
Join us for the first annual River of Birds Festival! This event will spotlight the rich diversity of birds that migrate along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico. It will also showcase the wonderful assemblage of New Mexico State Parks found along the Rio Grande and highlight their role in facilitating bird and other wildlife migration. This year we have a number of presentations and field trips scheduled (see below) and we hope to expand it in the coming years. Come help us celebrate the rich diversity of birds and other wildlife along the Rio Grande. For more information check out our Newsletter page and click on the May 2010 newsletter links.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
7:30 to 8:30 PM River of Bats
- Rob Yaksich, Instructional Coordinator, NM State Parks - North Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
9:00 to 10:00 PM Navigating the Night Skies
- Jon Holtzman, Professor of Astronomy, NMSU - Park Visitor Center
SUNDAY, May 2
8:00 to 11:00 AM Birds in the Hand: Mist Netting
- Mara Weisenberger, Wildlife Biologist, San Andres NWR - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
8:00 to 10:00 AM Rev Up for Audubon’s Birdathon: Guided Bird Walk
- David Griffin, President, Mesilla Valley Audubon Society - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
- Rob Yaksich, Instructional Coordinator, NM State Parks - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
8:00 to 10:00 AM Hummingbird Migration and Behavior
- Joan Day-Martin, Hummingbirds of New Mexico - North Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
10:30 to 11:30 AM Plants and Bugs with the Butterfly Guy
- Steve Cary, Chief Naturalist, NM State Parks - North Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
12:30 to 1:00 PM River of Birds Festival Keynote Addresses - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd
- NM State Parks, Evaristo Giron, Manager, Leasburg Dam State Park
- Audubon New Mexico, Beth Bardwell, Director of Freshwater Conservation
- Congressman Teague
- Senator Bingaman (invited)
- Senator Udall, Anna Apodaca, Field Representative
- Governor Richardson (invited)
- Lt. Governor Denish (invited)
- State Senator Garcia (invited)
- State Representative Jeff Steinborn
- Dona Ana Co. Commissioner Oscar Vasquez-Butler (invited)
1:00 to 1:30 PM The Rio Grande and El Camino Rea de Tierra Adentro
- Jean Fulton, Executive Director,El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Trail Association - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
1:00 to 3:30 PM Rolling Rivers Water Trailer
- Natural Resources Conservation Service & Dona Ana Soil and Water Conservation District - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
1:30 to 3:30 PM Birds of Prey
- Hawks Aloft - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
Birdathon May 2010
Birdathon is Audubons largest annual fundraising event, and the worlds largest bird-watching competition with thousands of people participating. MVAS members join to count birds, have fun, and raise funds for our mission of conservation, education, and advocacy. Here is how Birdathon works: people count birds and collect pledges from sponsors based on the number of species they see in a 24-hr period. All you have to do is choose a date and time in May, and start counting. You can do it alone; with a friend or as a team. And you do not have to be an expert; some people do Birdathon from their yard, others drive dozens of miles, while others choose to Go Green and do their Birdathon by bike. Depending on your effort you may end up seeing 35 to 50 or more species, or rack up over 150 species! The key is to have fun and raise money for MVAS programs. For more information visit our website or contact David Griffin.
Check here for upcoming events. In the fall we will have an announcement about our Christmas bird count; in the spring we will feature information about Birdathon.
Lorraine Schulte Excellence in Teaching Award 2010
MVAS wishes to recognize the efforts of teachers who encourage children to care for the environment and is offering the 13th Lorraine Schulte Excellence in Teaching Award of $200. Any person who is aware of a teacher whom they feel excels in this area can nominate that teacher for the award by completing a brief application. Also, any teacher of grades K-12 can submit an application. Applicants are asked to list the objectives of the program they would like to be considered with a brief description of teaching techniques, program activities and a simple evaluation of the outcome. For more information or to obtain a copy of the application, call Lorraine Schulte, Mesilla Valley Audubon Society, at 575-524-7029, or email her at mljs47@gmail.com. Please review this form on our Newsletter Page under the February 2010 link.
River of Birds Festival 2010
Date: Saturday & Sunday, May 1-2, 2010
Location: Leasburg Dam State Park
Join us for the first annual River of Birds Festival! This event will spotlight the rich diversity of birds that migrate along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico. It will also showcase the wonderful assemblage of New Mexico State Parks found along the Rio Grande and highlight their role in facilitating bird and other wildlife migration. This year we have a number of presentations and field trips scheduled (see below) and we hope to expand it in the coming years. Come help us celebrate the rich diversity of birds and other wildlife along the Rio Grande. For more information check out our Newsletter page and click on the May 2010 newsletter links.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
7:30 to 8:30 PM River of Bats
- Rob Yaksich, Instructional Coordinator, NM State Parks - North Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
9:00 to 10:00 PM Navigating the Night Skies
- Jon Holtzman, Professor of Astronomy, NMSU - Park Visitor Center
SUNDAY, May 2
8:00 to 11:00 AM Birds in the Hand: Mist Netting
- Mara Weisenberger, Wildlife Biologist, San Andres NWR - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
8:00 to 10:00 AM Rev Up for Audubon’s Birdathon: Guided Bird Walk
- David Griffin, President, Mesilla Valley Audubon Society - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
- Rob Yaksich, Instructional Coordinator, NM State Parks - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
8:00 to 10:00 AM Hummingbird Migration and Behavior
- Joan Day-Martin, Hummingbirds of New Mexico - North Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
10:30 to 11:30 AM Plants and Bugs with the Butterfly Guy
- Steve Cary, Chief Naturalist, NM State Parks - North Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
12:30 to 1:00 PM River of Birds Festival Keynote Addresses - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd
- NM State Parks, Evaristo Giron, Manager, Leasburg Dam State Park
- Audubon New Mexico, Beth Bardwell, Director of Freshwater Conservation
- Congressman Teague
- Senator Bingaman (invited)
- Senator Udall, Anna Apodaca, Field Representative
- Governor Richardson (invited)
- Lt. Governor Denish (invited)
- State Senator Garcia (invited)
- State Representative Jeff Steinborn
- Dona Ana Co. Commissioner Oscar Vasquez-Butler (invited)
1:00 to 1:30 PM The Rio Grande and El Camino Rea de Tierra Adentro
- Jean Fulton, Executive Director,El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Trail Association - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
1:00 to 3:30 PM Rolling Rivers Water Trailer
- Natural Resources Conservation Service & Dona Ana Soil and Water Conservation District - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
1:30 to 3:30 PM Birds of Prey
- Hawks Aloft - South Picnic Area Leasburg Dam Rd.
Birdathon May 2010
Birdathon is Audubons largest annual fundraising event, and the worlds largest bird-watching competition with thousands of people participating. MVAS members join to count birds, have fun, and raise funds for our mission of conservation, education, and advocacy. Here is how Birdathon works: people count birds and collect pledges from sponsors based on the number of species they see in a 24-hr period. All you have to do is choose a date and time in May, and start counting. You can do it alone; with a friend or as a team. And you do not have to be an expert; some people do Birdathon from their yard, others drive dozens of miles, while others choose to Go Green and do their Birdathon by bike. Depending on your effort you may end up seeing 35 to 50 or more species, or rack up over 150 species! The key is to have fun and raise money for MVAS programs. For more information visit our website or contact David Griffin.