En-Raptor-Ed

Check out this Harris's Hawk perched on GCBO board member Marshall Graham's head at last year's En-Raptor-Ed event.  This could be you!  Or you could stand next to a Golden Eagle, or feel the rush of air as a Gyrfalcon flies by, or see a Barn Owl swoop down on a mouse, but only if you get your ticket soon by calling the GCBO office.  Our fourth annual En-Raptor-Ed fundraiser will be held Saturday, November 7th at the Kinkaid School in Houston, TX.  Jonathan Wood will once again put on a fantastic show with his raptor entourage including birds of prey from every habitat on the planet including Arctic, Desert, Rainforest, Wetland, Prairie, Woodland, and Tundra.  Come see some of the most magnificent birds on earth and enjoy a delicious lunch for your donation of $100 per adult and $15 per child.  Please call our office at 979-480-0999 to purchase your ticket and check our website for more information.

Burning Hawk Wine Supports GCBO

In May 2008, a hawk was electrocuted and caught fire when it perched on a power pole in Windsor, CA.  This in turn sparked a fire at the edge of a vineyard and burned two acres.  When Nick Papadopoulos read the story he was fascinated but heart-broken to learn that many species of birds are injured or killed in this fashion and he wondered how to keep the legacy of this hawk alive.  His idea was to create a label of wine for people to enjoy and along the way make a difference for the birds.  His answer: Burning Hawk Wine which donates a percentage of its proceeds to key projects and organizations who play a critical role in bird conservation and energy system management.  GCBO is honored to have been chosen to receive Burning Hawk's entire conservation budget for November and December this year including all online sales and those at the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival.  Burning Hawk offers four exceptionally fine wines: an ultra-premium Napa Valley Red, a Sonoma Chardonnay, a North Coast Zinfandel, and a Sauvignon Blanc, all of which can be shipped to most states.  What a great way to support GCBO and Christmas shop at the same time!

Brazil Land Acquisition

This is a view of the Lemgruber property located adjacent to Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu  (REGUA) land in Brazil which GCBO's Tropical Forest Forever Fund is helping to purchase.  It is crucial that we acquire this land because its substantial forests are in excellent condition and it offers a major step in connecting REGUA to the "Paraiso" reserve to the east as well as consolidating the REGUA reserve.  These forests have so far suffered a minimal amount of logging and offer the reintroduced Red-billed Curassow and the Black-fronted Piping-Guan a guaranteed area of protection.  Funding to purchase this property has been received from the World Land Trust (UK) and British Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), but there is still a significant shortfall which has to be raised.  Any contributions that GCBO's Tropical Forest Forever Fund can make are greatly appreciated.

Rio de Rapaces Festival

Our Site Partner Pronatura Veracruz held their first ever Festival of Birds of Prey on October 10 at the Mario A. Ramos Bird Observatory in Chichicaxtle, Veracruz. Chichicaxtle is one of the most famous places to observe migrating raptors because of the sheer numbers of birds that pass: 1,200,000 in a day and 4,500,000 in a fall season.  This festival, geared towards educating the Mexican public about bird migration, is part of Pronatura Veracruz's education outreach program.  The festival included workshops, parades, plays, raptor shows, homing pigeon demonstrations, and cultural events.  Through the Site Partner Network, GCBO has supported Pronatura Veracruz's bird monitoring efforts for several years.  We applaud their efforts to educate the public about the importance of bird migration.

Join Us at the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival

GCBO will be hosting a booth at the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival in Harlingen, Texas November 12-15, 2009.  GCBO Advisory Board member Bill Baker is a keynote speaker and will be talking about his experiences with the Birding Classic.  The Rio Grande Valley boasts the biggest concentration of eye-popping tropical species, birds not found anywhere else in the U.S. and the birding festival is long-famed for the quality of its field trip leaders.  Bird with the big names, the authors and editors of your favorite books and publications.  Check out their new photography trip. Read more about the festival on their website and come by the GCBO booth while you are there to get an update on our programs, buy a Birding Classic t-shirt, and visit with our staff.

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