ABA Events Update!
It’s go time! We want to go birding… and we want to go with you.
Check out these cool ABA birding events. And stay tuned….
Things are looking rosy for an ABA event in Albuquerque, New Mexico in February of 2013, so keep an eye on the events page:
Brown-headed Nuthatches at Chincoteague NWR, Virginia. (Photo by G. Armistead)
It’s a Party on the Chesapeake! October 17-21, 2012
Join the flock! The Cape Charles, Virginia Birding Rally is on at Kiptopeke State Park. Come smell the musky Spartina saltmarsh as we search amid the periwinkle snails and fiddlers crabs for Saltmarsh Sparrows. Stand amid the creaking ol’-timer Loblolly pines, as we listen for the rubber-ducky musings of Brown-headed Nutchatches. Feel the thrill of a “flight day” when hawks and songbirds fill the air, practically tripping over each other, as they seek refuge at the peak of fall migration. Nestled just inside the Chesapeake Bay, at the tip of the Delmarva Peninsula, the Cape Charles area is one of the premier migration spots in the nation. We’ve got a great set of field trips planned (including Chincoteague NWR) with a bunch of fun ABA leaders such as Jeff Gordon, Ted Floyd, Amy Davis and George Armistead, among others. So bring a friend and get ready to rally!
To register or for more info, go to: http://www.aba.org/events/rally12/. Email George Armistead at (garmistead@aba.org) with any questions.
Initiated in 1983, The Institute for Field Ornithology was developed to offer birders “novel opportunities for the study of birds.”
We are excited to offer these IFO Programs:
Sierra Vista, Arizona: Dec. 6-11, 2012
Winter Sparrows of the Southwest
With Homer Hansen
(Limited to 10 participants)
Rufous-winged Sparrow in Arizona. (Photo by Bill Schmoker)
Stalk the semi-desert grasslands and riparian woodlands of southeast Arizona. See just how beautiful brown and gray birds can be, as Arizona native Homer Hanson helps you sort through handsomely attired sparrows likely to include Rufous-winged, Botteri’s, Baird’s and Black-throated and potentially 15+ other species. While the chance of seeing a snazzy winter vagrant always lurks, the expected species are themselves impressive. Heck, you might finally learn how to properly pronounce Pyrrhuloxia or Phainopepla! Based in Sierra Vista, Homer will present a series of illustrated talks on sparrows, towhees, and longspurs, detailing how they differ in appearance and behavior, so that on your return home you have seen a nice array of sparrows and southwestern specialties, and owning some familiarity with these subtle beauties.
To register call (800) 850-2473 or email Nancy Hawley (nhawley@aba.org). For more information go to: http://www.aba.org/events/2012sparrows/.
(Purple Sandpiper at Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey. (Photo by G. Armistead)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Mar. 27-31, 2013
Birding and History at the Birthplace of American Ornithology
with George Armistead and Ted Floyd
(Limited to 20 participants)
The City of Brotherly Love is the birthplace of our nation, but also the birthplace of bird study in North America. Come join Pennsylvania natives George Armistead and Ted Floyd as they retrace the steps of luminaries such as Audubon, Wilson, Cassin, Say, and Bond (yes, James Bond!), among others. We’ll examine the rich history of this area and of course go birding too, visiting a variety of birding and historical sites. The month of March is the bridge from winter to spring on the mid-Atlantic coastal plain, and our visit is timed to take advantage of this. While covering the hallowed grounds of our birding forefathers, we shall search for the “peenting” and twisting of an American Woodcock in display. And, symbols of winter shall persist too, with Purple Sandpiper, Great Cormorant, and a great array of seaducks and gulls providing ample targets to search for and pick through. Join us for a 5-day jaunt to Philly, a city chock-full of history, culture, good eats, and great birding.
Registration opens October 1st. For more information go to: http://aba.org/events/2013/IFO-PA/, or to reserve your spot now, call (800) 850-2473 or email Nancy Hawley (nhawley@aba.org).
Help build a stronger birding community by joining the ABA! Visit: http://www.aba.org/join.
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