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Are you an active birder interested in helping to conserve bird populations in the Sky Island Region? Join Sky Island Alliance, the Arizona Coordinated Bird Monitoring Program, and Tucson Audubon Society to inventory bird populations in critical habitats located in Northern Mexico. This is a two-part adventure including a training in September of 2012 and a birding expedition in June of 2013. This is a remarkable opportunity for birders to learn new skills and apply their passion to an area of conservation need!
Part I*
On September 14th – 16th 2012 volunteers will participate in a two-day training hosted at a luxury ecotourism ranch high in the oak woodlands of the Sierra la Esmeralda. This ranch, located near Nogales, Sonora, has a long history of partnering with Sky Island Alliance (http://www.rancholaesmeralda.com.mx/). The training will cover bird ecology, conservation issues, and specific bird inventory protocols–learning these skills will open doors for participating in other bird inventory work.
Part II
In June 2013 volunteers will travel to the Sierra San Luis to spend a week inventorying high elevation habitats including mountain grasslands, oak woodlands, and pine-oak forests. All sites are located 35 miles southeast of Douglas/Agua Prieta on the Rancho Pan Duro. Data collected on this expedition will fill information gaps for high priority stewardship species and better identify bird conservation priorities in the face of climate change.
Who: Experienced to intermediate birders interested in exploring bird habitats on Sky Island Alliance’s partner ranches in Northern Mexico.
Why: Collect critical data on stewardship species in under-studied areas in Northern Mexico.
When: Two separate events include a two-day bird monitoring training held on September 14th – 16th of 2012 and a week-long birding expedition in June 2013.
Where: The volunteer training will be held at an ecotourism ranch in the Sierra la Esmeralda near Nogales, Sonora. The week-long birding expedition will cover numerous high-elevation habitats in the Sierra San Luis, 35 miles southeast of Agua Prieta, on the Rancho Pan Duro.
Cost: $150 will cover lodging, food, and expert-led training at the Ranch Esmeralda. Food will be provided during the week-long birding expedition in 2013 at Rancho Pan Duro.
Contact Nick Deyo at the Sky Island Alliance for further information and to RSVP.
Email: nick@skyislandalliance.org
Phone: (520) 624-7080×20
*If you have already been trained in Arizona Coordinated Bird Monitoring Program’s area search protocols, the September 2012 training and associated costs are optional.