Contributed article
SAFFORD — A weekend of educational and fun bird-oriented presentations and activities will be hosted Sept. 23-25 by Arizona Field Ornithologists (AZFO), a statewide organization of birders and ornithologists dedicated to increasing the knowledge of the identification, status, and distribution of Arizona’s birdlife.
The theme of this year’s annual meeting, Sky Islands and Desert Waters, draws attention to the diversity of habitats and abundance of water features in Graham County.
Meeting details are posted at http://www.azfo.org/index.html.
Saturday presentations will take place at Eastern Arizona College’s Discovery Park Campus Circle D Ranch House. Topics will include the latest research on Lucy’s Warbler, Crissal Thrasher, Pinyon Jay, Purple Martin, and Desert House Finch as well as those birds found at the Barry M. Goldwater Range West.
Updates on AZFO activities, field expeditions, youth scholarships, research grants, and new species recently documented in Arizona will be covered.
Cost is $25 for AZFO members, $35 for nonmembers. Catered lunch by Kainoa’s Hawaiian Grill is $10 with advance signup required.
An evening banquet at the Mt. Graham Golf Club will feature well-known author, guide and Arizona native Rick Taylor. His talk, Six Seasons: A Birding Year in the Land of the Apache, will highlight the Chiricahua Apaches’ six seasons based on transitions in nature and how those relate to birds. Taylor’s newest book, Birds of Arizona, has just been published and will be available for purchase and signing after his talk.
Cost of the banquet is $25 and can be paid on the registration page for those attending daylong presentations; those wishing to attend only the banquet and keynote presentation can contact Diane Drobka; call 928-485-2744 (leave message) or e-mail sunny1az@yahoo.com to sign up and choose menu option. Payment required by Sept. 15.
