News

SABO's Calendar of Events has been updated with Whitewater Wetland Walks, Sandhill Crane Watch programs, Hawk Stalk tours, and the ever popular Sparrow-phobics Anonymous workshop. We're looking forward to another "birdy" winter here in southeastern Arizona - join us!

Show your support for birds in this election season and every season with SABO's retro campaign buttons and magnets! Choose from a statesmanlike Loggerhead Shrike or a presidential Lincoln's Sparrow. Better yet, promote birding bipartisanship with one of each! Both designs are also available as magnets, and 25% of your purchase will benefit SABO's conservation and outreach programs on behalf of birds and their habitats.

Thanks to SABO's Facebook friend Carl Bendorf for his suggestion to balance out out button selection.

To avoid conflicting with another event at the San Pedro House on September 22, we've moved that week's banding sessions up one day. The session at Casa de San Pedro B&B (open to SABO members by reservation and to Casa guests) will now be held on Thursday, September 20, and the San Pedro House session (open to the general public without reservations) be held on Friday, September 21.

Heavy rains in the Huachuca Mountains on Monday night washed out the Carr Reef Campground, injuring two campers, and damaged Ramsey Canyon Preserve.

The Nature Conservancy reports that Ramsey Canyon Preserve will be closed until further notice for recovery from a "significant flood event."

For updates on access to Carr Canyon and other parts of the Coronado National Forest within the Huachuca Mountains, contact the U.S. Forest Service Sierra Vista Ranger District at 520-378-0311. For updates on access to Ramsey Canyon Preserve, contact Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve at 520-394-2400.

Have you tried GoodDining? Members earn up to 6% of their bill as a donation for their favorite cause at over 10,000 participating restaurants nationwide, including the Outside Inn in Sierra Vista and more than 40 restaurants in Tucson. Better yet, new GoodDining members earn an additional $5 bonus donation when they join and dine in May during National Dine Out for Charity Month.

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The Monument fire and its aftermath have changed Miller Canyon, but life is springing forth in new abundance. Bright verbenas and other wildflowers decorate slopes where the fire reduced the tree cover. The April 5 group enjoyed 22 species of birds and 14 species of butterflies.

New migrants are arriving daily, and the next scheduled Canyon Walk on April 26 should be excellent. Join us!

For your trip planning and/or armchair birding pleasure, we're posting reports from recent field trips to the blog in the For Members Only section of the Web site. Log in with your member email address to read the latest reports.

Enjoy!

(Elf Owl in Carr Canyon by Tom Wood)

A warm welcome to SABO's newest Business Patron, Sunglow Ranch, and its general manager Brooks Bradbury. Located on the western edge of the Chiricahua Mountains (overlooking the Sulphur Springs Valley), the ranch combines traditional western guest ranch activities with resort amenities. We look forward to meeting Brooks and exploring the ranch and its wildlife watching opportunities.

It is with deep sorrow that we report the passing on January 25 of longtime friend, neighbor, and SABO supporter May Kolbe. May and her husband Walter are known to the birding community as founders, owners, and hosts of the San Pedro River Inn.

May's kind and compassionate nature are reflected in her careers as a music teacher, a therapist working with emotionally disturbed children, and a healthcare administrator, including 15 years at the Copper Queen Hospital in Bisbee. She was also devoted to family; she and Walter celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on January 14.

We extend heartfelt condolences to Walter, their children Laura Nelson, Susan Kolbe, Becky Davis, and Daniel Kolbe, and all of the Kolbe family on their heartbreaking loss.

After much technical wrangling during transfer of our domain name to a new host, SABO's Web pages and e-mail are all working again. We apologize for any inconvenience the outage may have caused. If you are still experiencing problems, please let us know.