Weminuche Audubon Society

Landowner Basics Class-Water Rights
2024-04-09 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Denver) | CSU Extension Office, 344 Hwy 84, Pagosa Springs, CO, 81147
Presented by Colorado Division of Water Resources and San Juan Water Conservancy District. Register for this free class by email; robin.young@colostate.edu or by phone; 970-264-5931.

Landowner Basics Class- Weed Management
2024-04-02 18:00 - 20:00 | CSU Extension Office, 344 Hwy 84, Pagosa Springs, CO, 81147
Archuleta County Weed and Pest Supervisor Ethan Proud will cover landowner noxious weed responsibilities, including the management of invasive plant species to promote healthy landscapes for native plant species, pollinators and wildlife. Register for this free class by email; robin.young@colostate.edu or by phone; 970-264-5931.

March Chapter Meeting
2024-03-27 18:00 - 20:00 | Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St, Pagosa Springs, CO
We hope that you will join us this month when we welcome Doug Clark, wildlife biologist with the Rio Grande National Forest. Doug’s career as a Biological Technician, and now Wildlife Biologist, with the USFS has spanned more than 30 years. He currently works out of Del Norte, CO, but past projects have found him working in Alaska, Colorado and South Dakota in a variety of wildlife surveys including Canada lynx, wolves, bats, birds, and black-footed ferrets to name a few.
The goal of a wildlife biologist on the National Forest is to ensure diverse and sustainable populations of the native plants and animals that call the forest home. In this role, Doug provides guidance for interdisciplinary projects such as timber, recreation, and fuels treatments that occur on the forest. He will talk about his work to protect some of the Species of Conservation Concern, Threatened and Endangered Species, and Birds of Conservation Concern that can be found in the Rio Grande National Forest.
The public is invited to join us for our meeting on Wednesday, March 27, at the Community United Methodist Church on Lewis St. Please note that this is one week later in the month than our meetings normally occur. We will gather at 6 PM for socializing and the meeting will start at 6:30. Please enter through the side door off the parking lot or let us know to open the main door for handicap entry. In appreciation for our meeting space, we welcome donations of non-perishable food for the church food bank. If you are unable to join us in person, use the following link to join on Zoom. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82935497603?pwd=[REDACTED]
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Monte Vista Crane Festival
2024-03-08 - 2024-03-10 | Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge, Monte Vista, Colorado
At the Monte Vista Crane Festival you can enjoy thousands of Sandhill Cranes, ducks, and geese flying against a backdrop of mountain scenery. Raptors will adorn the power poles and owls will be sitting with their young. A visit to the Monte Vista Crane Festival is an opportunity to see an amazing natural spectacle as well as experience a unique rural community. Registration is now open for festival events. Don’t delay, spots for special events fill quickly. For more information visit, http://mvcranefest.org

February Chapter Meeting
2024-02-21 18:00 - 20:00 | Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St, Pagosa Springs, CO
This month we are excited to take a tour of birding in Arizona led by our member Jeffrey Reichel. Jeff is an experienced birder and excellent photographer who lives in Pagosa Springs, but also spends some time in Arizona looking for new and beautiful birds. This will be our opportunity to leave winter behind for an hour or so when he shares his knowledge and photographs of birds we don’t get to see here. Jeff developed an interest in birds at a young age growing up in Wisconsin. For many years his fascination with birds was eclipsed by other interests. According to Jeff, he took birding up again around 10 years ago when his wife suggested that it might be fun to do something other than just hiking. Anyone who has followed Jeff up a trail knows that can be a challenge!
The public is invited to join us for our meeting on Wednesday, February 21, at the Community United Methodist Church on Lewis St. We will gather at 6 PM for socializing and the meeting will start at 6:30. Please enter through the side door off the parking lot or let us know to open the main door for handicap entry. In appreciation for our meeting space, we welcome donations of non-perishable food for the church food bank. Prior to the meeting, a link to join on Zoom will be posted here for those unable to attend in person.
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Birding for the Great Backyard Bird Count
2024-02-17 08:30 - 10:30 | Riverwalk
Join us on the Riverwalk to tally birds that we identify on Saturday morning. Our count will be added to results for the GBBC. We will meet at our native plant garden near the GGP domes at 8:30 AM. Bring your binoculars. This is a family-friendly event but please leave dogs at home. We love them but the birds don’t.

Great Backyard Bird Count
2024-02-16 - 2024-02-19 | CO
Join us in counting birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count in February. This global census of birds paints a snapshot of where birds are before spring migration begins. Count birds for as little as 15 minutes where ever you are during the count period and enter your findings on ebird.org. It’s that simple. For further information on the count visit http://birdcount.org

Durango Dipper Count
2024-02-10 10:00 - 13:00 | CO
Count Moved to Sunday, February 11
We’re excited to join members of the Durango Dipper Lovers for a fun day conducting the annual winter dipper count on the Animas River on February 11 at 10 am. We’ll meet on the river trail in front of the Powerhouse and plan to break into groups to cover different sections of the river. Expect to spend about three hours walking the river trail and observing.
Bring binoculars, water, and snacks, and of course, weather-appropriate garb. If weather is forecast to be much too stormy on Saturday, we’ll email by Friday afternoon. If that’s the case, please save Sunday, Feb. 11 as an alternate day, at the same time and place.
This is the seventh year for the winter dipper count, and the ninth year since starting the American Dipper Project. We’re gearing up for spring nesting season, and hope you can help to monitor nest success of dippers again this coming season.

Feel free to invite anyone who might want to join the project this spring! See you on February 11, and feel free to contact us with any questions. If you plan to attend, please let Steve and Shelley know to expect you with an email to them at sm3662@gmail.com.

January Chapter Meeting
2024-01-17 18:00 - 20:00 | Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St, Pagosa Springs, CO
In November our Audubon chapter hosted a presentation by Dr. Terry Root on Climate Change. The consequences of global warming which we are experiencing now and predictions for the future left us concerned if enough is being done to slow the trajectory that we are on. Can our actions make a difference? How do we achieve the goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035?
The good news is that the energy grid is undergoing a massive transformation from technologies that have historically powered modern life to a system that will also be increasingly clean and sustainable. A couple of promising avenues in development are distributed energy resources (DERs) and virtual power plants (VPPs). Distributed energy resources are things like solar panels and batteries, which supply electricity within the communities they are in, while also increasing resilience because there are less transmission lines needed to import the energy. A virtual power plant will congregate attributes and resources of DERs, while demanding side technologies (electric vehicles, smart appliances, etc), and energy efficiency measures to help meet energy demand placed on the electric grid.
With us to explain these concepts at our January meeting will be Holly Metzler, now serving her second term on the LaPlata Electric Association Board Of Directors. Metzler received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Fort Lewis College, and in 2018 completed her Master of Science in Environmental Policy from University of Denver. She has lived most of her life in Pagosa Springs, where currently she and her husband are local business owners.
The public is invited to join us at this meeting. We meet at 6 PM for socializing with a short business meeting followed by the presentation starting at 6:30. Please enter through the side door off the parking lot, or let us know to open the main door for handicap entry. In appreciation for our meeting space, we welcome donations of non-perishable food for the church food bank. For those unable to join us in person, use the following link to view the presentation on Zoom.
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Christmas Bird Count
2023-12-16 | CO
Plan to join us on Saturday, December 16, for National Audubon’s 124th annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC). This will mark the 13th year of data contributions from the Pagosa Springs area in the count organized by Weminuche Audubon Society. Some of our area bird lovers have taken part in all of these local counts.If a major storm cancels the count on the 16th, we will hold it on the 17th.
The Christmas Bird Count is the longest running citizen science census of early winter birds in the Western Hemisphere. The CBC provides critical data on bird populations which is widely used in predicting trends and in protecting species in declines. Our count follows established protocols for documenting all birds detected within a 15 mile diameter circle, divided into 8 zones, which is centered at the transfer station on Trujillo Rd.2
We encourage participation by bird enthusiasts of all skill levels to join in the fun. Visitors to Pagosa are always welcome to join us. You may join a team to count birds in one of the designated zones. If you live within the count circle area, you can join from home by counting birds at your feeders, or by welcoming us onto your property to count the birds we see.
To get involved, send us an email, weminucheaudubon@gmail.com

Winter Birds 101
2023-12-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St, Pagosa Springs, CO
The last class prior to the Christmas Bird Count and presented by Audubon Rockies Community Naturalist, Keith Bruno, will cover raptors and the protocols established by National Audubon to be used on count day.
We always have a fun time at these classes and hope that you can join us in person. Come early to sign up for the count and share a treat. Class will start promptly at 6. A donation of non-perishable food for the church food bank is appreciated. If you are unable to make it to the class, you can join us on Zoom using the following link
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Winter Birds 101
2023-12-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St, Pagosa Springs, CO
The second of 3 bird identification classes in preparation for the Christmas Bird Count and presented by Audubon Rockies Community Naturalist, Keith Bruno, will cover songbirds. Learn to differentiate those tricky little brown birds.
We always have a fun time at these classes. Come early to sign up for the count and share a treat. Classes will start promptly at 6. A donation of non-perishable food for the church food bank is appreciated. We hope to see you in person, but if you can’t make it, you can join us on Zoom using the link posted here prior to the meeting.
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Meeting ID: 820 0059 3178
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Winter Birds 101
2023-11-29 18:00 - 20:00 | Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St, Pagosa Springs, CO
The first of 3 bird identification classes presented by Audubon Rockies Community Naturalist, Keith Bruno, in preparation for the Christmas Bird Count. The first class will cover waterfowl, in time to go out and practice your skills on local lakes before they freeze over. The amount of open water on count day always makes a big difference in bird numbers.
We always have a fun time at these classes. Classes will start promptly at 6. Come early to sign up for the count and share a treat. A donation of non perishable food for the church food bank is appreciated. Hope to see you in person, but if you can’t make it, here is the link to join by Zoom
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Weminuche Audubon November Meeting addresses Climate Change with Dr. Terry Root
2023-11-15 18:00 - 20:00 | PLPOA Clubhouse, 230 Port Ave., Pagosa Springs, CO, 81147, United States
Please join us for a special evening with Dr. Terry Root and her presentation, “Climate Change is Disrupting Everything (But We Can Help Stop It). You won’t want to miss this important conversation. We invite you to bring a friend.
Since the late 1800s, the average global temperature has increased about 2.2 o F (1.2 o C) and we are on track to surpass the Paris Agreement target of 2.7 o F (1.5 o C) by 2030s. Even with the pledges made in 2021 at the COP in Glasgow, Scotland, the planet will warm above those levels. Millions of people and countless numbers of animals and plants around the globe are being greatly affected by our rapidly changing climate. The changes include numerous extreme heat waves, record low temperatures in the US due to polar vortices, extreme droughts, extreme floods, extensive wildfires, and longer, hotter summers. Unless we soon slow the rapid warming, the millions of people affected will become billions of people suffering due to escalating climate disruption. Additionally, hundreds of thousands to millions of entire species—including species we rely upon—will face extinction. Current extinction rate indicates that the 6th Mass Extinction has not only begun but is escalating. We must stop our fossil-fuel addiction to dampen such world-wide problems. Thankfully, the largest US climate change bill (Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)) was recently signed into law, providing $369 billion to fight rapid warming. Individuals, cities, counties and states can take advantage of many IRA programs. Additionally, we can do many things, collectively and individually, to decrease the emissions of CO 2 and other greenhouse gases. We just need the personal and political will to do it, which we certainly can muster.
Terry L. Root is Professor Emerita at Stanford University. She was a lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change 4th Assessment Report that in 2007 was co-
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with Vice President Al Gore. Also, she was a lead author for the 3rd Assessment Report (2001) and a Review Editor for the 5th Assessment Report (2014). In addition to other honors, Root was awarded the Spirit of Defenders Award for Science by Defenders of Wildlife in 2010, and Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 for the conservation organization Point Blue. She served on the National Audubon Board of Directors from 2010 to 2019, currently serves on the boards of Defenders of Wildlife and Birds Caribbean, and is on numerous science advisory boards, including the Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute.
Root earned her undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of New Mexico, her master’s degree in biology from the University of Colorado and her
doctorate in Biology from Princeton University. She was a professor at the University of
Michigan for 15 years, and then at Stanford University for 15 years. Now she frequently gives talks around the US on climate change, and plastics and wildlife. Currently she lives in Santa Fe, NM, with her husband, Jim Davis, and their cockapoo, Misa.

October Chapter Meeting
2023-10-18 18:00 - 20:00 | Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St, Pagosa Springs, CO
October is the month when chapter members set aside time to share stories and photos of places we’ve been and wildlife we’ve seen in the past year. There are some excellent photographers in our group and we look forward to seeing their favorite captures. Some of us have traveled far and others develop relationships with the critters we see in our own backyards.
If you have photos to share, please bring them on a flash drive. We will project them on the screen and you can narrate. Those who don’t use a camera can paint a picture with words to describe a special experience.
Everyone is welcome to join us for this fun get together. We will meet in the Community United Methodist Church on Lewis St starting at 6:00 PM for social time with the meeting starting at 6:30. Please enter through the side door closest to the parking lot. In appreciation for our meeting space we ask that you bring a donation of non perishable food for the church food bank.
If you are unable to join us in person, use the following link to join us on Zoom
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October Big Day
2023-10-14 | CO
Mark your calendars for October Big Day—14 Oct 2023! Like Global Big Day, October Big Day is an opportunity to unite around our shared love of birds. Last October, nearly 35,000 people from 185 countries submitted 80,000 checklists with eBird, demonstrating the power of birds to bring people together.
Wherever you are on 14 October, take a few minutes to join in this global celebration. Participate from anywhere—even from home! By taking part in October Big Day you’re also celebrating Global Bird Weekend and World Migratory Bird Day. Be a part of the global team and help set a new record for October birding.
Participation is simple using the following steps;
-Sign in on your account on ebird.org or if you are new to this platform, create a personal Cornell Lab account.
-Document bird species and numbers that you identify in one area for as little as 10 minutes or as long as you like during the day. Submit a new checklist when you change locations. You are now part of this global effort to understand how bird populations are faring.

Public Lands Meeting
2023-10-04 18:30 - 20:00 | CO
Please join us for a special meeting of the Weminuche Audubon Society that will take place at 6:30 pm on Oct 4th in the PLPOA clubhouse on Port Ave. The speaker will be Walt Dabney, whose career in the National Park Service and Texas State Parks spans more than 40 years, including several years in Southeast Utah, where his responsibilities included Hovenweep NM, along with the other national parks in that region. After 30 years with the National Park Service, Walt finished his career in public lands administration as Director of State Parks for Texas Parks and Wildlife from 1999 to 2010. He continues to teach new professionals entering into public lands administration through a number of organizations, including Texas A&M University.
Many Americans use public lands for recreation and business but don’t understand how those lands came to be in the public domain. Sitting as we do in Pagosa Springs in the midst of National Forest lands, his talk will surely be of interest to us. We hope to see you there.
Dabney will cover topics including;
The origin story of public lands
The US Constitution and public lands
Statehood acts/state constitutions and public lands
How public lands became privately owned
Why most public lands are in the West
The creation of the National Forest Service, National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management
The economic value of public lands
Efforts to transfer public lands from public ownership

September Chapter Meeting
2023-09-20 18:00 - 20:00 | Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St, Pagosa Springs, CO
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.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82000593178?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 820 0059 3178
Passcode: [REDACTED]
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Birding at Chimney Rock
2023-08-30 08:00 - 10:00 | Chimney Rock National Monument, 3179 CO 151, Chimney Rock, CO, 81121
Join us for a fun and casual 2-hour bird-walk led by a knowledgeable birding guide from the Weminuche Audubon Society. These outings are designed to introduce you to the diverse community of birds that spend their summer at Chimney Rock National Monument. Birders of all skill levels are welcome to participate. Your guide will help you identify various species and explain the unique adaptations that allow these birds to survive here.
Participants will be walking slowly on uneven terrain in the lower area of CRNM (no archaeological sites are included on this tour). Good walking shoes are advised, along with plenty of water and sun protection. Bring binoculars if you have them. Not recommended for young children.
Guests must enter through the Hwy 151 entry gate during the check-in period 7:45 AM to 8:00 AM; the gate will be locked at the end of that time. This is a Chimney Rock event and a fee is charged. Visit http://chimneyrockco.org to place a reservation.

Riverwalk Naturalist Tour
2023-08-29 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-08-26 08:00 - 09:30, 2023-08-22 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-08-19 08:00 - 09:30, 2023-08-15 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-07-29 08:00 - 09:30 | Riverwalk
Take a tour of discovery through the Riverwalk wetlands conservation area with trained naturalists from Pagosa Wetland Partners. Tours are free and last approximately 1-1.5 hours. The 1.5 mile paved trail is wheel-chair accessible. Please bring water, sunglasses, a hat and your curiosity. Cameras and binoculars are a plus, but no pets please.
Tours start from the Native Plants Garden on the Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership site in Centennial Park.

Fourmile Ranch Educator Training
2023-08-28 08:00 - 2023-08-31 17:00 | Hershey Fourmile Ranch, Snowball Rd, Pagosa Springs, CO, 81147
Learn to be an environmental educator and inspire a lifelong love of nature and conservation in youth. Join our group of friendly dedicated volunteers in this important program that offers area elementary age students the opportunity to spend the day in nature education. Weminuche Audubon has supported this program conducted by Audubon Rockies since 2007 and its reach continues to expand each year. Training and easy to learn lessons set up volunteers for success. Training will be held from August 28 to 31. Please pass the word to people you know who may be interested. For more information on the program and to sign up for training contact kbruno@audubon.org

Trail Days at Fourmile Ranch
2023-08-22 08:00 - 2023-08-24 17:00 | Hershey Fourmile Ranch, Snowball Rd, Pagosa Springs, CO, 81147
Help prepare the property for fall education programs. Volunteers are needed to assist in clearing trails, setting trail signs, unpacking supplies and more. We can find a job for you!!! Contribute as much or as little time as your schedule allows between August 22 and 24. Contact kbruno@audubon.org for directions and your availability.

Birding at Chimney Rock
2023-08-19 08:00 - 10:00 | Chimney Rock National Monument, 3179 CO 151, Chimney Rock, CO, 81121
Join us for a fun and casual 2-hour bird-walk led by a knowledgeable birding guide from the Weminuche Audubon Society. These outings are designed to introduce you to the diverse community of birds that spend their summer at Chimney Rock National Monument. Birders of all skill levels are welcome to participate. Your guide will help you identify various species and explain the unique adaptations that allow these birds to survive here.
Participants will be walking slowly on uneven terrain in the lower area of CRNM (no archaeological sites are included on this tour). Good walking shoes are advised, along with plenty of water and sun protection. Bring binoculars if you have them. Not recommended for young children.
Guests must enter through the Hwy 151 entry gate during the check-in 7: 45-8:00 AM. the gate will be locked at the end of that time. This is a Chimney Rock event and a fee is charged. Visit http://chimneyrockco.org to place a reservation.

August Chapter Meeting-Focus on Water
2023-08-16 18:00 - 20:00 | Community United Methodist Church, 434 Lewis St, Pagosa Springs, CO
Our August meeting will address the question, where does our water come from? Most of us turn on a faucet and there it is. We don’t stop to wonder just how it got there and think about the stops along the way.
We are fortunate to have Josh Kurz agree to speak at our August meeting and trace the water that is our lifeblood to its watershed sources. He has created an easy to understand diagram to help us visualize the journey that water takes to our homes.
Kurz will additionally challenge us to think about the importance of all of the other demands on our local water supply on top of our municipal uses. Will future demand for water exceed current supply?
Kurz is an educator passionate about water. Prior to entering the teaching profession, he worked for 4 years as an hydrologist. He currently teaches science at Pagosa Springs High School.
The public is invited to join us for this educational presentation at our meeting on Wednesday, August 16, at the Community United Methodist Church on Lewis St. 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.
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August Plant Walk
2023-08-02 09:30 - 14:00 | CO
Join Certified Herbalist, Lake McCullough, for a fun and educational ramble through the forest, as we identify edible and medicinal native plants. The walks are free of charge! Weminuche Audubon Society is proud to partner with Lake in offering these walks. In order to handle increased popularity and demand for information about our local ecosystems, we will be conducting two back-to-back plant walks at each location. There is a 15-person maximum on each walk. Please call ahead to schedule!
The August walk will explore wildflowers and medicinal plants of the Continental Divide
First Tour: 9:30 to 11:30
Second Tour: 11:45 to 1:45
Late summer herbs, wildflowers, and edible plants on the Continental Divide. Meet at the Continental Divide Trail parking lot at the top of Wolf Creek Pass. Take Highway 160 east for about 23 miles from downtown Pagosa, to the top of Wolf Creek Pass. Parking is on the right side of the highway, at the Continental Divide Interpretive Sign. Walk is about 2 miles roundtrip. Please be prepared for rocky trails and unpredictable weather, and leave dogs at home.
Advance registration is required and these popular tours book quickly. Please call Lake at 970-398-0923 to reserve your space or see her at her business, Earthsense Herbals, at 144 Pagosa St. Shop here for natural remedies, jewelry and fantastic artwork.
