For the first time in its 20-year history, this year's Annual Wings Over Willcox Birding and Nature Festival in Southeastern Arizona will feature a special Beginning Birdwatching field trip in Spanish on Saturday, Jan. 19.
Of more than 900 species of birds that live in the United States and Canada, more than half can be found in Arizona at some time during the year. Some are here year round while others breed in Arizona and then migrate south to Mexico and other areas in Latin America for the winter. For some birds that breed in the northern United States and Canada, southern Arizona is their winter destination, and January is the perfect time to see some of these species.
Sandhill Cranes, ducks, sparrows, hawks, and many more species spend the winter months here before returning to their breeding grounds in the north in the spring.
If you have ever wanted to learn more about the birds around you, now is your chance. Join us on Saturday, Jan. 19, at the 20th Annual Wings Over Willcox Birding and Nature Festival for a special Beginning Birdwatching field trip in Spanish.
Whether you are a native speaker or would like to improve your Spanish, join us to learn and practice basic bird identification skills, including how to use binoculars, how to use a field guide to identify birds, and more. We will spend time observing and identifying common bird species at the Willcox ponds and nearby areas.
Jennie Duberstein will be your guide for this three-hour tour. She is the Education and Outreach Coordinator for the Sonoran Joint Venture (www.sonoranjv.org), an organization whose mission is the conservation of the unique birds and habitats of the southwest United States and northwest Mexico. In addition, she has many years of experience teaching about and studying birds in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America.
Binoculars and Spanish field guides will be provided for use during the tour.
For more information or to register, please contact Karla: 520-284-4122 o 520-507-1029.
When: Saturday, Jan. 19, 7:50 a.m.-11 a.m.
Where: Meet at the Willcox Community Center
Cost: Free, but space is limited so registration is required.
