The evening meeting on Wednesday, January 15, of our Audubon group will feature a presentation by Charlie Tyrrell on a birding trip enjoyed by him and his wife to the Mindo Cloud Forest in Ecuador. We invite you to join us when we trade our bare January trees for a photographic journey to this green and colorful high elevation rainforest.
This area of the Andean Forests is often shrouded in low lying mist and clouds which provide permanent moisture to the landscape. It is recognized globally as an important biodiversity hotspot.  The Mindo Cloud Forest supports over 550 different bird species, many of them exotic both in color and behavior.  The Mindo Cloudforest Foundation is among those conservation organizations that believe “tourism focused on birdwatching is vital in fostering conservation and sustainable economic growth for local communities”.  It makes preserving life sustaining habitat economically attractive.
Tyrrell is a retired engineer with a passion for photographing wildlife and landscapes who settled full time in Pagosa Springs in 2022.  He calls himself an amateur, but his talent is evident in his amazing photographs.
The public is invited to join us on the 15th to escape the January doldrums.  We meet at the Community United Methodist Church on Lewis St.  Enter through the side door closest to the parking lot or let us know to open the main doors for handicap entry.  Enjoy refreshments with us starting at 6 PM prior to a short business meeting  at 6:30 preceding the presentation.
In appreciation for our meeting space, contributions of non-perishable food for the church food bank are collected at our meetings.  If you are unable to join us in person, a link to join on Zoom will be posted here prior to the meeting.