We have UBOP babies!

There are at least 20  burrows with Baby Owls!

Be sure to check out the Burrowing Owl Project page for more project updates and pictures of the volunteers and Owls!  Read all about Project Objectives and the Natural History of the Burrowing Owl here.

Our online UBOP photo gallery is available now!  We have been taking hundreds of pictures of the Burrowing Owl families that we're monitoring.  Keep checking back to see what new pictures have been uploaded to the gallery.  The gallery changes daily and we still have hundreds of images to process and take pictures almost every day!  You'll be able to see how the little ones change day by day and how adorable they are!


Juvie @ Burrow 307

RRAS Family Photo Album

We have our very own RRAS online family photo album now.  Take a look!

Keep sending in your pictures! A big thanks to those who have already submitted pictures, keep them coming.  Let us see what wild birds you're getting pictures of and send them in to share with everyone.

If you would like to contribute to the content of this website, then become a RRAS Reporter!  It's easy and it's free!  Just send us your "field reports" from bird watching in the valley or in your own backyard.  Got news or views?  Send that too.  Care to share - and let the rest of us know what's going on in your piece of the habitat. C'mon, send us the scoop.

In June 2008 the terms for several of our board members will be ending.  This is an opportunity for those of you who are new to RRAS, and for others who’ve never had the chance to participate as a board member, to become involved and be an integral part of our organization.  Our seasoned board members have built a good foundation – now let’s continue to build on that even more!  If you would like to step in to fill an open spot on our board, please let us know.

Available positions:

Newsletter Editor, Membership Chair, Field Trip Chair, Fundraising Chair, and Whittel Fund Representative.  Board Member terms are from July 1 – June 30th, and meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month at Pam Nickels' office.

Click on Getting Involved for more information.

Read a special report by our Conservation Chair, John Hiatt: Claim Markers Make Avian Death Traps

Read Marilyn Mackett's special report about Teshekpuk Lake: An Ecological Jewel In Alaska Threatened

*** Update ***
05/16/08 ADMINISTRATION RELENTS ON DRILLING NEAR TESHEKPUK LAKE
Audubon Campaign Brings Victory for Unique Alaska Habitat

The Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (NRA) will begin hosting interpretive hikes every Saturday from May 17 through October 11, 2008.  Seven volunteers have been recruited and trained to lead groups this summer.  The hikes will vary in distance and levels of difficulty on established Forest Service walking trails.  Most hikes will begin in the morning and finish later in the afternoon.  Participating hikers may enjoy cooler climates and a wide array of scenic beauty. If you are interested, please contact the Kyle Canyon Visitor Center at 702-872-5486 for reservations to join a group hike and information on what hikes are available. Group size is limited.  Download schedule here.

The Spring Mountains is a Nevada Important Bird Area.

Corn Creek Walks: Spring feeds three ponds at this headquarters of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge. It is a major bird watching area and is prime habitat for aquatic and land plants and animals.  Join Bob during the morning to observe all these creatures in a surprising setting, and learn about the history and future of the area.

Sat 07/26, 08/02, 08/09

Flying High with the Birds: Come to Red Rock with your 5-10 year olds for a fun and interactive program with Missy about the birds of Red Rock. Children will learn interesting facts, participate in an activity and discover how spectacular birds really are! Limited space.

Sat 08/23

Please call (702) 515-5367 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. PST for program times and reservations.

The only way we’ll be successful in our conservation efforts is with your help.  We know that lawmakers care about your views and opinions.  As a constituent, you have a unique ability to convey your concerns about issues affecting birds, wildlife and their habitats — and be heard like no lobbyist here in Washington, DC.  Helping is easy, won’t take much time, and most importantly, will go a very long way in protecting our wildlife!

Visit Audubon Action for current advocacy campaigns such as Help Save Our Migratory Birds!

Each spring, millions of birds travel thousands of miles from Latin America and the Caribbean to their breeding grounds as far north as the Arctic.  Months later, as the temperature drops and winter sets in, these migrants make the long trip back to warmer southern climates.  These neotropical migrants face increasing threats—habitat loss, invasive species, disease, and a changing climate.  Since its inception in 2002, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act has provided millions of dollars for vital conservation efforts, including monitoring efforts, habitat restoration, education, and other projects in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean.  But many essential conservation projects remain unfunded.

Please urge your U.S. Representative to cosponsor HR 5756, which will reauthorize this vital program with increased funding.  Personalized letters have the most impact.  Please edit the sample letter available on the Audubon Action website to explain why protecting migratory songbirds is important to you.

Audubon is proud to partner with the Alliance for Climate Protection's We Can Solve It campaign and this bold challenge to America is exactly what we need to create jobs, reduce our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels, reduce the risks from catastrophic climate change, and make America more secure.

Please take a few minutes to view the five minute version of this important message and pass it along. We think you'll be inspired and energized by his message of hope and leadership for America.

As the U.S. faces record prices at the pump, President Bush and pro-drilling advocates insist that opening the Arctic Refuge to oil development is the answer. Ironically, the Bush Administration's own Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently reported that even at peak production in 2027, the oil produced from the Refuge would only reduce the price of a barrel of oil by 78 cents. Increased conservation and use of alternative technologies would yield nearly ten times more savings than what consumers would ever get from drilling in the Arctic Refuge, based on the EIA's report.

A recent report by the House Natural Resources Committee Majority Staff concluded that oil and gas companies hold nearly 68 million acres of leased federal land and waters that they are not developing. If these leased lands were developed and brought into production, U.S. daily oil production could increase by nearly 4.8 million barrels of oil, which would cut U.S. oil imports by more than a third, and be more than six times the estimated daily peak production from the Refuge. In response to this report, on June 12 Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) introduced The Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act of 2008 (HR 6251), which would force oil and gas companies to either produce or give up stockpiled federal onshore and offshore leases by barring the companies from obtaining additional leases until they are producing oil or gas or are diligently developing the leases they already hold. On June 26, HR 6251, also known as the "Use It or Lose It" bill, received a majority of House votes (223-195) but did not pass because it was brought up under a special rule that requires a two-thirds vote for passage.

For more information: Download an analysis of the EIA data compiled by Richard Fineberg (355kb PDF).

On March 26th the National Audubon Society and Toyota launched TogetherGreen, a nationwide Audubon program to fund conservation projects, train environmental leaders, and offer volunteer opportunities to significantly benefit the environment. A $20 million Toyota grant—the largest Audubon has received in its 103-year history—will fund TogetherGreen for five years, enabling Audubon to expand the scope and reach of its internationally-known conservation programs.

TogetherGreen will include three program components:

Innovation Grants to fund dozens of on-the-ground projects each year that employ creative approaches and engage diverse communities to help achieve measurable land, water and/or energy conservation results. Grant requirements will broaden project participation and promote innovation by uniting Audubon's national network with environmental and community partners.
 

Conservation Fellowships to train and foster up to 200 promising environmental leaders who can serve as role models, expert guides and organizers for engaging new and diverse audiences in effective conservation action.
 

Volunteer Days to be offered at Audubon Centers and other locations nationwide, providing hands-on opportunities to address environmental problems and take part in restoration activities.

Audubon and the America Bird Conservancy have joined forces to rally conservationists around America's most imperiled birds.  WatchList 2007, a new analysis from these leading bird conservation organizations, uses the latest available research from the bird conservation community along with citizen science data from the Christmas Bird Count and the annual Breeding Bird Survey to identify 176 species in the continental U.S. and 38 in Hawaii that are in need of immediate conservation help.  It is a call to action to save species fighting for survival amid a convergence of environmental challenges, including habitat loss, invasive species and global warming.

Fortunately, there are many things you can do for the birds and for our future.  Start at home. It may seem indirect, but by conserving energy, for example, you can save habitats from the worst impacts of global warming.  Take action for sound environmental policy, urging lawmakers to pass laws to fight global warming, improve farming practices, and save wetlands.  And as a volunteer, monitor birds and protect their habitats through citizen science efforts like Audubon's Christmas Bird Count and the Important Bird Areas program.

Here are some specific ways you can help: 

Protect Local Habitat
Join local Audubon Chapters and other groups to protect and restore habitats close to home.  Audubon's Important Bird Areas program offers opportunities to save critical bird habitat, from small land parcels to broad landscapes.  Read more about Nevada's Important Bird Areas.

Promote Sound Agricultural Policy
This has enormous impact on grassland birds and habitat.  Promoting strong conservation provisions in the federal Farm Bill and Conservation Reserve Program can help to protect millions of acres of vital habitat.

Support Sustainable Forests
The Boreal Forest in the Northern U.S. and Canada is essential breeding territory for many species of birds.  Federal and state legislations promoting sustainable forest management will help fight habitat loss from inappropriate logging, mining, and drilling.

Protect Wetlands
Support for local, state and federal wetlands conservation programs is essential to protect a wide array of species.  Learn more.

Fight Global Warming 
Declining birds populations is just one impact of global warming's mounting threat to people and wildlife around the world.  Individual energy conservation along with strong federal, state, and local legislation to cap greenhouse emissions can help to curb its worst consequences.  Learn more. 

Combat Invasive Species
Invasive non-native species disrupt the delicate ecological balance that sustains birds and other wildlife.  Federal, regional, state, and local regulations are needed to combat this growing environmental threat.  he Audubon At Home program also offers tips for supporting birds with native plants.