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You Could Win This Painting!

SWNM Audubon exists because of your interest
and we thank you for your support.

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The painting can be seen at,
Leyba & Ingalls Gallery, 315 Bullard Street, Downtown Silver City.
Open 1-4 pm Monday through Saturday.

Elli Sorensen donated her painting
Cliff Swallows on the San Francisco River
to help us raise the funds necessary to continue our advocacy and action supporting wildlife, birds and habitat.

This generous gift, a 2' x 3' mixed media painting valued at $3,000. from artist Elli Sorensen, shows Cliff Swallows building their nests along a segment of the San Francisco River that is included in the “Dutch Salmon Wild & Scenic Rivers Act” proposed by Senator Heinrich and Congressman Udall.

15% of Ticket Sales will be donated to the Youth Mural Project.
Help us support this educational program that connects youth from school districts in our region to artists, community leaders and the natural world.

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Merger of
Audubon Arizona & Audubon New Mexico

Earlier this summer, these two organizations that are part of National Audubon merged to combine their budgets and administration, and are now Audubon Southwest. The staff remain employees of National Audubon, and Jon Hayes, formerly the Executive Director of Audubon New Mexico is now in that position for Audubon Southwest. No staff have been laid off, although some roles have changed.

The merger will make operations more efficient, and allow for better coordination of conservation efforts. Regional water policy will be a continued focus. Southwestern New Mexico and much of Arizona are in the Lower Colorado watershed, so we share many water policy concerns.

 Southwestern New Mexico Audubon remains a Chapter affiliate of National Audubon, and we are still an all-volunteer organization that primarily depends upon dues and donations from our members and supporters.   — By Lisa Fields

2020: The Year of The Covid Quetzal

By Megan Ruehmann

Hearing news that Eared Quetzals were reported in the Gila National Forest was such a shock that had it not been for a photo, many would have a hard time believing it. But when a photo attached to an eBird report quickly circulated the birding community on September 28th, jaws were collectively dropping across the country and birders across the state were immediately making plans to try for a look themselves. The following two mornings, a dozen or so people were lucky enough to lay eyes on a female bird, and a handful more have heard the distinctive “squeeee-Chuck!” bursting from the dense tree canopies of Little Cherry Creek north of Pinos Altos*. There are now two reports of two individuals detected simultaneously, so this female doesn’t seem to have traveled alone.

Eared Quetzals (Euptilotis neoxenus) are a part of the Family Trogonidae, more closely related to quetzals of the tropics than the Elegant Trogon. They inhabit pine-oak woodlands of the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico and are known to be a far-wandering species. Two, maybe three individuals have been lingering in the Chiricahua Mountains near Portal, AZ since June of this year, where they have been encountered sporadically since 1977. Until now, they had never been confirmed with a photo and/or audio recording across the border in New Mexico.

*Explore eBird.com for location, date, and sighting information. If scouting for these birds, take great care to not create disturbance. They are known to be extremely wary of humans and even certain colors, and can fly great distances when disturbed.