Southwest Wings Birding and Nature Festival

About the Event

This family friendly event is our main one with expertly guided field trips, pre-festival Jamboree, free programs, including some new ones just for kids, exhibitors, vendors, live animals and Keynote Buffet Dinner.

The small-group guided field trips will be mainly in Group Vans but there will also be several Car Caravan style, in participants' own vehicles, to nearby easily-accessible locations. Each trip is led by an expert guide and this year we welcome two special guest guides, Greg Homel and Rick Wright.

Schedule of Events:

12:00-1:15 PM: Chris Harbard: Hummingbirds - the Flying Jewels of the Americas

Colorful marvels of the avian world, hummingbirds, have captured both our imaginations and our hearts. Sierra Vista may be the Hummingbird Capital of the US, with an unbeaten 15 species, but there are hundreds more of these amazing creatures, from Mexico to the far south of Argentina. Chris will tell you about their amazing biology and describe their incredible adaptations and colors.

​1:30-2:45 PM: Bill Cavaliere: Naiche: last Hereditary Chief of the Chiricahua Apaches

Naiche was the youngest son of the famous Chiricahua Apache chief Cochise. He was thrust into the position of chief unexpectedly and was unprepared for this important role. During the period of his leadership, the numbers of white people into his homelands increased, as did the numbers of soldiers in both the American and Mexican armies. Additionally, these armies were equipped with newer technology. And finally, the use of Apache scouts within both the American and Mexican armies further turned the tide against the Chiricahua Apaches.

​3:00-4:15 PM: Priscilla Brodkin: Butterflies for Birders

Take a virtual field trip identifying and photographing the butterflies of SE Arizona. We will concentrate on butterflies in taxonomic order with emphasis on food & nectar plants plus behavior and defense mechanisms! Join the co-author of Butterflies of Arizona for this special trip filled with the BEAUTY of nature and remember, when the birding is slow, butterflies emerge to fill out your day.

4:30-5:45 PM: Eric Moore, Owner, The Outlook: Optics 101 Workshop

Confused by optics jargon such as eye-relief, exit-pupil, interpupillary distance, objective lens, field of view and color fidelity? Want to know what those numbers mean on a pair of binocular, such as 8x42, 10x42? Eric Moore will lead a discussion on optical equipment covering both binoculars and spotting scopes designed for birders. This will be a hands-on class where you will have the opportunity to try out different models of Vortex and Swarovski Optik products.

Click here to Register.

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