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Elusive and beautiful, owls are a highly sought-after bird on any serious birder’s life list. Their mysterious nocturnal lifestyle captures our imagination and fuels our desire to find them. But for that same reason they’re are often hard to find and even harder to see; unless you know how to look that is.
This workshop is geared not so much at owl ID (although we will definitely cover that too) as much as HOW to find owls. We hope to improve your owling skills to the point where you feel confident to plan and execute a productive owling adventure on your own! During our classroom workshop we will discuss where and when to find owls in New Mexico, what equipment you’ll need, different owling strategies; what works and what doesn’t and of course we will also cover owl ID. The following evening we will put our new skills to use during a night time owling outing in the Sandia Mountains.
We’ll spend several hours learning how to bring in and see Northern Saw-Whet, Flammulated, Western-Screech and Great Horned Owls!
All information on this page regards our 2015 workshop which has already past. We plan to run a very similar trip in 2016, stay tuned for details.
20% of all profits donated to local nonprofit partners!
Now offering discounts for multiple workshop registrations. See “Pricing & Payments” tab for details
Friday May 29th & June 19th, 2015
We will be gathering for dinner at 5:00 pm at O’Neill’s Pub on Central and Washington. After dinner, at 6:00 pm, we will move next door to Newton’s Cradle Office Space where the workshop presentation will be held. If you prefer to eat dinner on your own you are more than welcome to just meet us at Newton’s Cradle at 6:00pm for the presentation.
Saturday May 30th & June 20th, 2015
We will meet at 7:00pm at the Greenside Cafe in Cedar Crest just a few minutes east of Albuquerque for dinner. After dinner, at 8:00pm, we head up the Sandia Crest road in search of owls! Again, if you would like to skip dinner you are more than welcome to meet us at 8:00pm for the beginning of the field workshop. We plan on returning to Greenside Cafe and concluding the tour by 11:00pm at the latest.
Although we will typically adhere to the above itinerary, the exact schedule of the tour is liable to change depending on local conditions and of course the birds!
Dress
Informal throughout. The Sandia Mountains at night can sometimes be chilly and a light jacket is a good idea. We will mostly be owling from the road and well established trails so sturdy footwear is recommended. In addition to the normal birding equipment it would be smart to bring along a small headlamp for personal use.
Group Size
Maximum group size is 20 participants although we typically have less. We have 2 to 4 guides for this workshop depending on participation.
Tour Pace
Hiking is very minimal and limited to the road and possibly some well established trails; we won’t go far in any case.
Food
We will provided some snacks and water if needed.
Transportation
Our vehicle will depend on the group size often we are in a 15 passenger van. It is important that all participants be able to ride in any seat in the van.
Cost
$125 (+7% Tax)
This price includes the Friday evening class ($25) and the Saturday field workshop ($100). All transportation from the departure point (Greenside Cafe), guide fees, snacks, and water are included. Meals and other expenses are not included in this price. We do offer the option to attend the lecture portion only for $25, please inquire if interested.
Discounts available for multi workshop registrations. Discount pricing is as follows.
2 Workshops – 5% discount – $237.50
3 Workshops – 10% discount – $337.50
4 Workshops – 15% discount – $425
5 Workshops – 20% discount – $500
If you are registering for multiple workshops please complete the registration form for one workshop and send us an email detailing which workshops you would like to participate on. We will then confirm your registration for all workshops and send you an invoice for full payment.
Reservations & Confirmation
To reserve your spot for this workshop you will need to complete the following:
Complete the workshop registration form found under the “Registration” tab
Complete payment on the “Payment Options” tab. Your spot will not be reserved until we receive full payment for the workshop.
(If you are registering for multiple workshops please complete the registration form for one workshop and send us an email detailing which workshops you would like to participate on. We will then confirm your registration for all workshops and send you an invoice for full payment.)
After completing your reservation we will contact you via email to confirm your reservation and provide you with additional information about your workshop. We will require you to complete the Liability Waiver (Click link to download the Liability Waiver). You can return the waiver to us via Fax or Post, or you may return it to us in person during the workshop class. Liability Wavier is required to participate in the workshop In the case that you must cancel your reservation High Desert Birding Adventures will allow a one-time transfer of payment to an upcoming workshop as long as the transfer takes place at least 1 week prior to the workshop date. Please contact us to discuss this option. If you do not wish to transfer payment to an upcoming workshop we will refund 50% of your payment up to 2 weeks prior to the workshop date. Within two weeks of the workshop date the entire payment amount is non-refundable.
Registration Form
Fill out the following form to register for the trip. Fill out the following form to register for the trip. (If you prefer a hard copy, you can print the registration form and return it to us via fax or mail. Workshop Registration Form – Click the link to download PDF)
Remember that your spot is not reserved until we have received your full payment for the workshop. For payment options click on the “Payment Options” tab above.
If you are registering for multiple workshops please complete the registration form for one workshop and send us an email detailing which workshops you would like to participate on. We will then confirm your registration for all workshops and send you an invoice for full payment.
How Are You Registration Form
Payment
To pay online us the PayPal button below:
Checks should be made payable to “BRANT” for the amount outlined below:
Cost
Tax
Total
$125
$8.75
$133.75
7522 Edith Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, NM
87113
If you are registering for multiple workshops please complete the registration form for one workshop and send us an email detailing which workshops you would like to participate on. We will then confirm your registration for all workshops and send you an invoice for full payment.