| | Dear omss,
Preparation for fall migration has begun! In fact, the majority of HWI migration sites will be open by the end of the month. Don't forget that all of our migration sites are open to the public. Become a Citizen Scientist and participate at one of our migration sites this season for an experience that is both rewarding and unforgettable. We hope you can all join us for our 25th Anniversary Celebration, Wings Across the West, in Salt Lake City in September. Get your tickets now!
Don't forget to become our friend on Facebook if you haven't already. It's the best place for the most up to date HWI banter. Tell your friends to join us on Facebook, too. From all of us at HawkWatch International, thank you for your support and for subscribing to our monthly e-newsletter, RaptorUpdate. |
 Wings Across the West:
25 Years of Raptor Conservation | | 
HawkWatch International's
Wings Across the West: Celebrating 25 Years of Raptor Conservation September 8, 2011 6:00 - 9:00 pm Rice Eccles Stadium Tower, Salt Lake City Ticket price: $75 Click here to purchase your tickets today! Join us for an evening of friends, food, hands-on educational displays, and our very special guest lecturer National Geographic Photographer Joel Sartore Joel is a committed conservationist who has worked with National Geographic for 20 years, and has a passion for endangered species and land use issues. Don't miss his visually beautiful and inspiring presentation and the chance to meet him in person.
For more information, visit our website.
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Go Hawkwatching!
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From mid-August to mid-November, HWI watches the sky and counts thousands of raptors as they migrate south for the winter. We count, band, and study several species of raptors. If you have never had the opportunity to witness the marvel of migration, make this your year. The public is welcome at all HWI Raptor Migration sites! Visit www.hawkwatch.org for site information, brochures, and directions. Organized groups, please call ahead as some wilderness areas have group size regulations: (800) 726-HAWK.
1. Chelan Ridge, Washington August 23 to October 27
2. Bonney Butte, Oregon August 28 to October 31
3. Bridger Mountains, Montana September 5 to October 31
4. Commissary Ridge, Wyoming August 27 to November 5
5. Goshute Mountains, Nevada August 15 to November 5
6. Wellsville Mountains, Utah Not operating*
7. Grand Canyon - Lipan Point Not operating*
8. Grand Canyon - Yaki Point Not operating*
9. Manzano Mountains, New Mexico Closed to the public by USFS
10. Sandia Mountains, New Mexico Not operating*
11. Smith Point, Texas August 1 to September 30
12. Corpus Christi, Texas August 14 to November 15
13. Veracruz, Mexico August 20 to November 20
* For more information about the migration site closures, please see the next article.
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Message About Migration Site Closures
| All of us here at HWI, staff and Board, would like to address the recent closures of some of our fall migration projects (2011-Smith Point, TX; Grand Canyon's Yaki and Lipan Points; and 2008-Wellsville Mtns, UT). As a HWI supporter, we want to keep you well informed on why and how we made these decisions. We'd also like to take a minute to tell you about some of our plans for the future, and the critical role HWI will continue to play in raptor conservation.
The decision to close a project is never easy. In order for our
organization to continue to stay healthy and deliver on our mission, we must continually evaluate our priorities to ensure our resources are focused in the places that achieve the most powerful results.
When we consider whether a site should be closed, we use consistent, objective criteria to inform our process. Following are the criteria we use to make these determinations:
1. Can the project support trapping/banding operations?
2. Is the project accessible to the public and volunteers to ensure
sufficient local support? Does the project have a local base of
volunteers that can help sustain HWI's project efforts?
3. Are there sufficient funds (individual donations, government,
foundation, corporate, etc.) to support the specific site?
4. What is the scientific value of the project relative to the region, the species monitored, geographic relation to other projects, and HWI's five-year research/conservation goals?
5. Can we work with a local partner to share the time, treasure, and talent it requires to operate a migration project in a scientifically sound way?
6. Does HWI currently have adequate staff resources available to
commit to ensure thorough and meaningful results?
7. Can hypothesis-based research be performed there and/or can wildlife-management recommendations come out of the data collected?
Times have changed. Government funding priorities have shifted,
individual donors and corporations are holding us to new standards, and the economy has undergone a dramatic transformation. HWI will continue to evolve to ensure our scientific integrity is never
compromised. We will continue to bring our research and 25 years of expertise to important discussions about raptor populations and conservation.
We continue to recognize the importance of keeping tabs on raptor populations through annual migration counts, and appreciate the
enjoyment participating in a hawkwatch brings. However, we also recognize that the way HWI can continue to fulfill its mission is to broaden our focus and dedicate more resources to serve more comprehensive research and conservation objectives--including issues raptors are facing now, and how we can help them adapt as climate, landscapes, and resources change in the years ahead.
Please know that all your years of support continue to pay off in
significant ways, as many of HWI's new science and conservation endeavors are or will be dependant upon the 30 years of long-term migration monitoring data your support made possible.
If you have questions about any of the migration project closings, or want to know how you can help, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can reach HWI's Community Manager, Nikki Wayment, at 801-484-6808 x 101 or nprice@hawkwatch.org. Thank you for your concern and your support.
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Upcoming Fall Migration Events
| Diversions, Dams, Dikes, and Riparian Degradation
Friday, September 16 , 2011
Silver City, New Mexico
7:30 am - noon
Explore the mid-elevation biotic diversity of the Gila River's Mogollon Box Area with HWI Research Biologist Mike Neal. Learn how past, present, and future threats to the Gila watershed can impact this unique and diverse ecosystem.
For more information or to register, visit the Gila River Festival website.
Chelan Ridge Hawk Migration Festival September 17, 2011
Riverfront Park, Pateros, Washington
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Come and learn all about migration during the peak of the season. 
This free event includes vendors, demonstrations, live birds, and trips to the Chelan Ridge Raptor Migration Site.
For more information or to sign up for the Chelan Ridge Shuttle or fieldtrips visit the HWI website.
Identifying Hawks in Flight Identification Class
September 21, 2011
Portland Audubon
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Field trip to Bonney Butte
September 24, 2011
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Join Portland Audubon as they experience the work
being done at the Bonney Butte migration site.
For more information or to register, visit the Portland Audubon website.
Celebration of Flight
Hazel Bazemore Park Hawkwatch September 23 -25, 2011
Come celebrate the peak of the Gulf Coast flight. Bear witness to hundreds of thousands of raptors as they continue their migration south!
For more information, visit www.ccbirding.com
Bridger Raptor Fest Bozeman, Montana October 7 - 9, 2011
The festival, which is free to the public, centers around the largest known  Golden Eagle migration in the United States. Activities include wildlife films, nature walks and talks, education, and entertainment programs for people of all ages.
For more information, visit the website.
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| Upcoming Utah Events | | Owl Prowl
Friday, August 19
Swanner Eco Center, 1258 Center Drive, Park City 8:00 - 10:00 pm
Join HWI Science Director Markus Mika at the Swanner Eco Center in Park City for an evening all about owls. Learn about the Flammulated Owl, a species of interest, and then go on the prowl to see what kinds of owls live in Park City. Flashlights will be provided.
Reservations are required. Please RSVP to Savannah by email or 435-649-1767 ext 113.
Raptor Program Friday, August 26, 2011 Mirror Lake Campground, Utah 7:00 - 8:00 pm Come out and meet our education raptors. Learn about why we have the birds, why raptors are unique, and the work HWI does on their behalf. |
| | Please feel free to email us at enews@hawkwatch.org if you have questions, comments, or suggestions. For more information about HawkWatch International, please visit our website at www.hawkwatch.org.
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