"King Gumdrop" - Male Costas in Surprise, AZ (Hilary Joy Morejon)

Dan Lebbin - Vice President of Threatened Species from American Bird Conservancy has given us an update on our partnered conservation project.

"Huembo Reserve (an ecological easement on community owned land, operated by our partner ECOAN) continues to function well and welcome visitors. There was a landslide in the area recently and this damaged some of the shade coffee they had restored at the site. The big push we have been making recently is fundraising to establish a second larger protected area for the spatuletail with a nearby community called Cuispes. Private Conservation Areas are legal designations under the Peruvian national protected area system with the Ministry of Environment. The land is owned and thereby zoned by the community, but recognized in this system by the national government through a process of evaluation and approval by the ministry. International Hummingbird Society funds donated to ABC for the spatuletail will go to this project."

Here are details on the conservation project and where your donations can help fund this incredible partnership project.

Peru: Cuispes Private Conservation Area

Requested level of support: $115,050

Partner: ECOAN

Location: Amazonas, Peru

Projected acreage to protect: 1,112 acres

Timeline: 3-year project total (2023-2026)

"The Cuispes PCA will protect 1,112 acres (450 ha) of montane forests, meadows, and scrub at 1,200 – 2,500m elevation, and the Yumbilla waterfall (5^th tallest in the world at 895 m high). Cuispes lies in a transition zone between the moist eastern slope of the Andes and the drier Marañon Valley and contains habitat important for Speckle-chested Piculet and Lulu’s Tody-Flycatcher (both Endangered), and Marvelous Spatuletail and Royal Sunangel (both Vulnerable).

ECOAN has been working with the Cuispes community and with the support of Planète Urgence to restore forest and install a 30-acre shade coffee farm to help provide a long-term source of income. There is great potential for tourism around both birding and the waterfall. This location is south of Huembo, an approximately 100-acre conservation easement for the Marvelous Spatuletail, established by ECOAN and the local community of San Lucas de Pomacochas in 2007 with ABC support. Huembo now serves as a tourism anchor for visitors interested in seeing and photographing the Marvelous Spatuletail. The Yumbilla waterfall is one of several in the “Waterfall Valley of Bongará,” including Gocta (771 m), La Chinata (580 m) and Pabellón (>400 m). ABC is currently working with the Inter-American Development Bank to support development of birding tourism along Peru’s Northern Peru Birding Route. Cuispes should benefit from this funding along with Huembo and Abra Patricia. 

We are planning to allocate $95,700 of our Bezos Earth Fund (BirdLife grant) funds and $21,250 from a private donor – a total of $116,950 towards this project. ECOAN also anticipates $65,000 from Planète Urgence as co-finance for this project. This leaves $115,050 remaining to secure. As this is a designation, estimating price per acre is not straightforward, but if we conservatively count the budget above minus restoration, management, monitoring, and administration we get an estimate of $135/acre." - Dan Lebbin

The International Hummingbird Society has raised $5,148.00 towards this endeavor, thus far!

Activity

Cost USD

Coordination (staff salaries; communications and promotion; logistics, e.g., travel, accommodation, food)

$54,000

Community Engagement (conservation agreements, capacity building and environmental education, sustainable livelihoods)

$58,000

Restoration (infrastructure, plant production, fencing and care of restored areas)

$43,000

Conservation Area Creation (workshops, feasibility assessments, base line biological surveys, cadastral research, protected area application preparation, permits and meetings with SERNANP)

$38,000

Conservation Area Management (infrastructure, signage, boundary demarcation, equipment for park guards and surveillance, training, park guard salaries, ecotourism planning)

$64,000

Monitoring (training, monitoring equipment and logistics, evaluation and analysis)

$13,000

ECOAN Project Administration

$27,000

TOTAL

$297,000

Map of the proposed Cuispes PCA (lower right) with the Huembo Reserve (conservation easement) (upper left). The town of Pedro Ruiz is located at the bottom center.

These cute and comfy Hummingbird Crew Socks are not just to keep your feet warm but are a part of Solmate Socks Give Back Collection! ! A portion of the proceeds from these socks will be donated to the International Hummingbird Society, and help in our mission of education (Sedona Hummingbird Festival) and conservation (Endangered Marvelous Spatuletail Conservation Project).

Colors in this sock: Turquoise, Pink, Pale Yellow, Green, White, and Purple. If you buy two pairs of socks you will have a matching set. These socks will also be available for purchase at the Sedona Hummingbird Festival at our Society Booth!

With it being almost to the year mark since the passing of our Board Member, David Salman, we wanted to remember him and his absolute passion for flowers and gardening. Click button below to read of his amazing life and drive for making gardens flourish. Check out his article with tips on pollinator gardens. A purchase from High Country Gardens will help support one of our corporate sponsors. Mention the Hummingbird Society for a discount.

It's the perfect time of year to make your garden a summer oasis for pollinators - especially hummingbirds. Waterwise Gardening has got you covered on how to create the perfect garden.

Stock Image

We are thrilled that Rich Armstrong from Northern Arizona Audubon Society has added FOUR NEW early morning birding trips to this year's itinerary . This is an excellent opportunity to get in some additional birding and see some new species you might not have seen before! We still have the same trips from last year (Chuckwalla, Page Springs, Oak Creek Canyon, and Wetlands & Yard), but have added the following...

Jail Trail (NEW)- a variety of birds along the Verde River. Easy walk completely in shade with possibility of owls, hawks, and riparian species.

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Birds & History (NEW)- , where Sedona began - make 4 stops along red rock loop to see a few birds and learn the history of where Sedona started.

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Windmill Park & Fish Hatchery Butterfly Garden (NEW)- see vermillion flycatcher (possible), cliff swallow, Abert's towhee at windmill and butterflies as well as birds at the fish hatchery

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Buddhist Stupa (NEW)- walk a desert area to see birds like crissal thrasher, juniper titmouse, canyon towhee, woodhouse scrub jay, and maybe sit and meditate at a few of the stops.

*When you click the button below you will need to fill out our brief waiver in order to proceed to ticket sales.*

This year we have a delectable menu for Saturday evening's Gala Banquet at the Poco Diablo Resort. We would love to have you all join us as we share the evening meeting those involved with the festival such as staff, presenters, banders, exhibitors, and more! Click button below menu to be directed to our festival page where you can go buy tickets.

*When you click the button below you will need to fill out our brief waiver in order to proceed to ticket sales.*

Master Bander - Steve Bouricius at a banding table with various instruments and tools to collect necessary hummingbird data.

Each year the Sedona Hummingbird Festival has featured hummingbird banding demonstrations led by a team of licensed master hummingbird banders. Hummingbirds are carefully caught and fitted with a tiny, uniquely numbered band around the leg. The birds are examined, measured, and released unharmed. The data collected is submitted to the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory and the Arizona Game and Fish Department. This data is a permanent record available to other researchers.

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The hummingbird band weighing about six ten-thousandths of a gram, individualizes a bird, much like a social security number. Whenever a bird is re-encountered it can provide researchers information about the population, site fidelity, migration, and longevity. 

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Since 2012, banding at the Sedona Hummingbird Festival has provided a good picture of the resident and migrant hummingbirds in Sedona. Visitors may see Anna’s, Black-chinned, Rufous, Broad-tailed, and Calliope hummingbirds. More rare species such as Costa’s, Rivoli’s and Broad-billed hummingbirds might also be seen.

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Our dedicated and longtime hummingbird banding site hosts provide an array of hummingbird nectar plants and feeders to attract hundreds of hummingbirds daily. This is a wonderful opportunity to see an abundance of hummingbirds up close, doing what hummingbirds do as they compete for food in a natural environment. A careful observer may see hummingbirds catching insects, feeding from flowers and then jockeying for space at feeders, all in a matter of moments.



Steve and Deb Bouricius Biographies

Steve and Deb Bouricius are engaged in multi-faceted studies of hummingbirds including a 15 year study of Black-chinned Hummingbirds nesting in their apple orchard. Steve is a master bird bander with 23 years of experience banding hummingbirds and dippers. He has led a team of hummingbird banders at the Sedona Hummingbird Festival since 2012. 

In 2001, Steve and Deb were first in the nation to earn hummingbird bander certification by the North American Banding Council. They later certified as hummingbird banding trainers. They are licensed by the U.S. Geological Survey Bird Banding Laboratory, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, and Arizona Game and Fish Department. 

Steve has conducted field trips, seminars, presentations and banding demonstrations for thousands of people over the years. He is a past president of the Colorado Field Ornithologists and served on the board of directors for nine years.

Steve and Deb have banded 13 species of hummingbirds in the United States, and 11 species in Colorado. In 2009, Steve and Deb hosted the Hummingbird Research Group Conference which brought together 35 hummingbird banders from across North America. In three morning sessions, 1568 hummingbirds of three species were banded. 

Deb Bouricius is a lifelong bird watcher who has banded hummingbirds since 1999. She is the Senior Business Systems Analyst for the 20th Judicial District Attorney in Boulder, Colorado. Deb has developed the sophisticated database programs which keep track of their banding and nest observations. She has designed a user-friendly key for in-hand identification of hummingbirds which combines much of the knowledge in current literature. Debbie is also an avid gardener who enjoys planting for hummingbirds.

(Check back next month to read more on our other two Master Banders - Scott Rashid and Kate McLaughlin)

*When you click the button below you will need to fill out our brief waiver in order to proceed to ticket sales.*

Peruvian Safari: Photographing Winged Wonders of the Highlands

Friday, July 28th (4pm - 4:45am)

Description

Peru is home to nearly 120 species of hummingbird, 14 of which live nowhere else. Alice Madar will share photos and stories from her recent three-week safari in the Peruvian Andes, where she observed more than 50 species of hummingbirds and photographed most of them, including the Marvelous Spatuletail and Rufous-crested Coquette. After seeing her presentation, you may want to pack your bags and head for Peru, too!​

Biography

Alice Madar is an avid photographer with a particular enthusiasm for bird images. She strives to capture the personalities of the birds and interesting interactions between them. Because hummingbirds are generally territorial, there are plenty of interactions to record. Alice notes that no other bird can scowl as well as a hummingbird can! Although she makes it a point to take at least one big wildlife adventure trip every year, Alice never tires of exploring the spectacular trails around Sedona. The Madars have lived in Sedona for nearly 30 years and enjoy observing the antics of all the wildlife that visits their backyard -- whether it be feathered, furred, or scaled.

Of Hummingbirds and Humans: Community-centered Conservation of the Juan Fernández Firecrown

Saturday, July 29th (9:45am - 10:30am)

Presentation

Approximately 420 miles off the coast of central Chile, the rugged volcanic island of Robinson Crusoe rises dramatically out of the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean. This remote island is the exclusive home of the Juan Fernández Firecrown, a critically endangered hummingbird that is also the only known species of hummingbird endemic to an oceanic island. For the past 18 years, Peter Hodum has helped lead conservation efforts centered on saving the Firecrown from extinction. In this talk, Dr. Hodum will provide a brief overview of the spectacular natural history of the Juan Fernández Islands and discuss the ecology of the Firecrown and the factors threatening its long-term survival. He will share the conservation actions being taken, the inspiring role of the local community on Robinson Crusoe in these efforts, and what is needed to safeguard the future for this stunning hummingbird.

Biography

Dr. Peter Hodum is a professor in the Biology and the Environmental Studies and Science departments at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA, and the Chile Program Director for Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, a conservation non-profit organization. His research focuses primarily on the conservation and ecology of threatened seabirds, landbirds and island ecosystems in Chile and Washington State. His work also focuses strongly on community-centered conservation, including how communities can be more effectively and authentically involved in conservation.

Capturing the Iridescence, Movement, and Light of the Hummingbird on Canvas – A Live Demonstration

Friday, July 28th (1:30pm - 2:15pm)

Presentation

Gamini will be painting the astounding Marvelous Spatuletail live on stage from start to finish. The Marvelous Spatuletail is an endangered hummingbird that is found in northern Peru. The International Hummingbird Society is currently helping raise money along with the American Bird Conservancy to help in the conservation efforts of this amazing bird.



Biography 

Gamini is a Sri Lankan-American wildlife artist of renown. As a child, he had to sleep on a slanted bed when his pet baby elephant, Maya, sat on it. At the age of 19, he became a self-taught wildlife artist in his native country of Sri Lanka. He was inspired by the beautiful rainforest country he grew up in and wanted to share the beauty and wonder of nature with those around him He says: “As a Buddhist, respect for all life and nature is ingrained in my life philosophy and is a part of my canvas. I have been fortunate to visit over 55 countries keeping detailed sketchbooks, taking photos, and creating paintings from these travels.” At one of his first art shows in 1979, president JR Jayewardene blessed the ceremony, and over 150 paintings were sold in that exhibit. The Ratnavira name means “Hero of Gems” and their caste is jewelers. After his father saw his success as an artist, he gave his blessing on his wildlife art career, versus following the family business of gem and jewelry design. The president of Sri Lanka collected his work and named him the Chief Advisor to him on Wildlife and Conservation for the Department of Wildlife. After touring with Prince Philip through the country, they worked together on “Let them Live”, an elephant conservation program with the World Wildlife Fund and he designed elephant stamps in addition to 34 other postage stamps for his country. Gamini was also commissioned by the President to paint a 9 foot mural of Ringneck Parakeets, for the airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, receiving over $237,000 US Dollars.

Chuck Watkins is a full-time artist who has specialized in oil painting birds and wildlife for 11 years. During this time, he has produced around 100 paintings per year and traveled extensively throughout the Southwest to participate in 26 art shows annually. Click below for his website.

Claudia designs and creates gifts of metal for garden and home including hummingbird ornaments. 

She also has a love of photography, and prints her images on metal. She is locally owned and has been operating since 1986. Click button below for more!

Handmade pottery, exotic plants, and garden gifts for the hummingbird lover in your life. We are a family owned, San Diego based business, specializing in handmade gifts from all around the world. Our name means “The Hummingbird Garden” in Spanish. We specialize in Talavera, Teakwood Furniture, Custom Live Edge tables, cacti, plumeria, desert roses, and many other hummingbird attracting plants. Click button below for more!

NaturesTies are pictures uniquely created by Jennifer Knotts from neckties and stitched to canvas background. The pictures are created keeping in mind the connection between the essence of the hummingbirds and their connection to humanity. Many different pictures are created of these mystical magical birds in this collection.

Experience the magic of hummingbirds in the beautiful red rock setting of Sedona! Just a note, the hummingbirds are on their own schedule, and if they don't happen to be present in a particular garden when you are, you will still have a chance to see what the gardens have to offer in terms of hummingbird-attracting plants in a high desert environment. Three of the six gardens are listed below... more to come in next newsletter!

Garden 1 - A Landscaper’s Garden: Garden of Larry Anderson

Larry’s Garden is an organic working and display garden. From grapevines to container pots, this garden has exceptional and numerous examples of the wide varieties of hummingbird-loving plants that grow well in this desert region. See Larry’s two wild and wonderful ‘Hummingbird Feeder Sculptures’. Wander into the shade of large trees and arbors perfect for nests as well as resting sites for migrating hummingbirds and other Northern American bird species.

Not handicapped accessible.

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Garden 2 - Enhanced Nature: Garden of Dan Wiencek

 I like to call my philosophy for landscaping “Enhanced Nature.” To attract hummers, I have a variety of Salvias and Butterfly Bushes and, of course, a handful of feeders. In the last three years I have planted about 500 plants. 

I try to use plants that are well adapted to our temperatures and, with the exception of the back yard, try to blend my landscaping with the natural environment. The back yard is a bit more formal than the balance of the property, but still focuses primarily on adapted plants.

Our lot backs to National Forest with red rock views of Elephant rock (one of the twin buttes) and has a wash running through it, so the setting is pretty amazing. We are blessed to have 2/3 of an acre with plentiful native trees and shrubs, including what I think may be the biggest Manzanita in the area. Be sure to check it out as you arrive.

Not handicapped accessible.

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Garden 3 - Many Gardens in One: Garden of Trea Christopher Grey and Kimall Christiansen

Nestled high on a hill adjacent to National Forest, this ½ acre property of artist Trea Christopher Grey and designer Kimall Christensen rests in the quiet Casa Mañana neighborhood of Sedona. There are 11 unique garden settings here to experience, many with stunning views of Sedona’s Red Rock majesty. 

The water garden carries the imagination to Bali (water lilies tropical palms, ginger and bamboos.) The Mediterranean garden evokes a “Persian Pleasure Garden” (Pomegranate, Italian Cypress, Rosemary, Figs and Ornamental grasses.) Each nestled space provides seating to observe birds and wildlife, and for quiet contemplation.

Trea and Kimall have had the great pleasure to nurture this garden for 24 years, resulting in many mature trees and plants. This is also considered a ‘collectors’ garden’ with many diverse plant species that thrive…and are given allowance to naturalize and reconfigure the garden on an annual basis. Incorporated are plants that attract hummingbirds, including red salvias, vitex, Agastache, lantana, columbine, penstemon, buddleia, cat mine, daylily, yucca, desert willow and honeysuckle.

Not handicapped accessible.

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(Check back next month for more garden descriptions or go to our website.)

*When you click the button below you will need to fill out our brief waiver in order to proceed to ticket sales.*

The highly sought after Merkin Vineyard Kebab Wagon is returning for the festival! Their kebabs are sure to satisfy any appetite you may have. They will also be serving their scrumptious gelato to keep you cool during the day! They will be at the festival on Friday and Saturday.

Excited to see you all - soon!