Hoo Are You? with Raymond VanBuskirk – G24040301
Please call 505.685.1016 or 505.685.1000 ext. 4330 to register for this workshop.
Owls are regarded as one of the planet’s most successful nocturnal predators, which unfortunately for birders means that they’re very hard to get a look at. Some species of owls have such high-resolution vision and sharp hearing that they are able to detect the slightest movement of a rodent buried deep under a snow bank from a great distance away. Like a ghost in the night the owl takes flight never making a noise, and then falls from the sky, plunging talons-first into the snow, and onto their unsuspecting prey below. Impressive is an understatement. So how does one go about locating, and then seeing, a nocturnal predatory bird in the wild? Well, that is the whole goal of this workshop. Raymond has been wandering through the woods at night looking for owls since he was a child and he’s developed quite a knack for locating these secretive creatures. This workshop consists of an evening presentation, during which time Raymond will teach you all of his tips and tricks for finding, seeing, and identifying owls in New Mexico, as well as the morals and ethics behind it. Additionally we will enjoy two night hikes where we will gather in the woods to put our new skills to the test, with chances of encountering multiple species of owls that call Ghost Ranch and the surrounding wild lands their home. Owls or no owls we promise to deliver two wonderful nights of instructional owling under the stars and a welcoming and safe space for ALL birders to enjoy the great outdoors at night.
Instructor
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Raymond VanBuskirk
Raymond L. VanBuskirk’s love for the natural world was born in the pine forests of the Land of Enchantment. He is a New Mexico native and has spent the first 30 years of his life following his dream of creating a career based around birding. Raymond is a Senior Leader with WINGS Birding Tours, leading trips all over this magnificent planet. His career experience includes multiple ornithological field research positions, including two summers as seabird research technician on the Arctic Ocean, head Rosy-Finch researcher with Rio Grande Bird Research Inc., past president of the Central New Mexico Audubon Society, board member of Western Field Ornithologists, and birding specialist for Leica Sport Optics. He has authored many papers and articles on birds and is currently writing a field guide to the birds of New Mexico.
Raymond is a proud member of QBNA, the continent’s informal birding club for the LGBTQIA+ community.