UPCOMING EVENTS
SWNMA Board Meeting
Mon, Apr 3, 2023
5:00 pm
Zoom
Southwestern New Mexico Audubon invites members to our Board of Directors meetings. We meet every two months on the first Monday of the month at 5 PM via Zoom. If you are interested in attending board meetings, please email swnmaudubon@gmail.org. We will add you to the list to receive the agenda and zoom link a few days in advance of the meeting.
The next meeting is June 5.
Continental Divide Trail Days and Gila Earth Day
Sat, April 22, 2023
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Gough Park, 1201 N Pope St., Silver City
The Gila Earth Day celebration will return to Gough Park and SWNMAS will be present with a booth in the park.
Once again the event is combined with Continental Divide Trail (CDT) Coalition’s Trail Days which will span April 21-23.
Visit Continental Divide Trail (CDT) Coalition’s Trail Days for the full schedule.

May 5 & 6: Cherry Creek Canyon Program and Outing
Introduction to Common (and a Few Uncommon) Birds along Cherry Creek Canyon for Beginning and Intermediate Birders
Program: Friday, May 5 | 6:00 - 7:00 pm | Harlan Hall Room 111 & Zoom
Outing: Saturday, May 6 | 7:00 - 10:00 am | Cherry Creek Trail
Program
Susan Mittelstadt and and William (Bill) Norris will provide tips for beginning and intermediate birders on how to use visual, auditory, behavioral and habitat cues to identify common (and a few uncommon) birds that occur in Cherry Creek Canyon in the spring and early summer. These include Swifts, Hummingbirds, Woodpeckers, Flycatchers, Swallows, Nuthatches, Titmice and Chickadees, Wood Warblers, Thrushes, Vireos, Grosbeaks, Tanagers (and a few surprises).
Cherry Creek Outing
Co-Leaders: Susan Mittelstadt and William (Bill) Norris. Participants should meet at the WNMU Fine Arts Center parking lot at 7 AM and plan to carpool to the site.

Please visit us on Facebook for updates and for virtual gatherings, announced here on the Website or for members via email.
Visit the joint SWNM Audubon Society and Gila Native Plant Society YouTube channel to view past recorded Zoom programs.
PAST EVENTS
Mar 3 & 4
Common Sparrow ID for Beginning and Intermediate Birders: Program and Outing

Karen Beckenbach and Bill Norris shared tips for identifying common sparrows in SW New Mexico for a packed lecture hall on Friday night. The next morning, over 25 birders joined them at the City of Rocks Cienega Trail to put their new-found knowledge to work. Sparrows observed included Vesper, Black-Throated, White-Crowned, Chipping, Brewers, Savannah, and Rufous-Crowned. Other highlights: Golden Eagle, pair of nesting Great Horned Owls, 60 Longspurs, and a pair of Loggerhead Shrikes.
View the complete eBird list here.
Thank you Karen and Bill for generously sharing your wisdom and time, and to those who attended this pairing of events.
Feb 3
Thailand: Temples and Birds Program

Karen Blisard and Russ Kleinman made over the 30+ SWNMA members quite jealous of their overseas adventures and astonishing bird sightings! Thank you Karen and Russ for taking us on this journey with you.
Dec 17, 2022
Christmas Bird Count and Potluck


Forty-two people participated in the Silver City CBC, its 61st year! Species counts were up 9%, and individuals were up 11% from 2021. Sixteen observers participated in the Gila River Christmas Bird Count; the total number of individual birds was much higher than other recent years. Get the specifics on our Bird Counts page.
Dec 10, 2022
Victorian Christmas and More

A huge thank you to everyone who helped out with or stopped by at the Victorian Christmas celebration on December 10th at the Silver City Museum! It was a doozy! Emily Pollom only prepped 20 crafts based on last year's participation so we were scrambling.
Highlights: Around 35 people made "stained glass" bird window collision preventers; Fifteen people (mostly families) signed up for more info about our chapter; Two people joined as members; A Montessori Rep asked about coordinating education activities at the school.
Great work everyone!