Suitable habitat and past detections suggest that Mexican Spotted Owls could be breeding in remote terrain of the nearby HD Mountains, but are the birds there? Mexican Spotted Owls are protected under the Endangered Species Act and their numbers are limited by suitable nesting habitat. Their historic range is shrinking as a result of disturbances including timber removal practices, wildfire and oil and gas development. Can you find a bird who hunts at dusk and at night, roosts during the day and is most vocal during breeding season when snowfall limits access?
Forming a partnership with San Juan Citizens Alliance and members of the Fort Lewis College Seeds ecology club, members of Weminuche Audubon set out to answer this question late last winter. Thanks to a grant from Denver Audubon and donations, Weminuche Audubon was able to purchase Autonomous Recording Units(ARU’s), a relatively new technology used to record the unique calls of birds.                                            At the September Weminuche Audubon meeting, chapter member Kurt Huffman will explain how the ARU’s were used in our Mexican Spotted Owl Project, how the data captured by ARU’s is analyzed and the exciting possibilities for future use.
We will begin the meeting with a presentation by Peyton Jackson, a Pagosa Springs High School student who was awarded a scholarship from our chapter to attend American Birding Association’s Camp Colorado in July.  This scholarship is made possible by the generous support of Joan Ward in honor of her late husband, Michael Ward. An anonymous donation made as a memorial for Jody Venard-Beham also supported the scholarship this year.
Jackson has participated with our chapter in Christmas Bird Counts and recently constructed and donated over one hundred nest boxes, distributed in our area as a part of his Eagle Scout Project. We are excited to find out what he learned at the camp.

  The public is invited to join us for these presentations at our meeting. Enter through the side door close to the parking lot.  Let us know and we can open the main door for handicap entry.  Arrive at 6:00 PM for snacks and socializing before the meeting starts at 6:30.  A donation of non-perishable food for the church food bank, in appreciation for our meeting space, is appreciated.  Foods that don’t require cooking like peanut-butter are especially requested.

If you are unable to attend in person, please use the following link to join us on Zoom.

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Meeting ID: 820 0059 3178
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