Beginning this Fall, your Solera Birding Club field trips will be held in conjunction with Desert Rivers Audubon Society, (DRAS) and led by their expert birders.  Field Trips will be held the 1st Tuesdays, times to be listed each month.  We ask that reservations be made in advance, email or call Charles or Marion Saffell, marisaff@cox.net, 480 668-9393.  We
welcome al levels of birders, and we are excited to be working with your Solera group. 
 
Bring: Lots of water, snacks if you wish, binoculars, and field guides.  We suggest that you wear a hat, sunscreen and comfy walking shoes.  None of our trips will be difficult, most involve short walks from the cars.  We have many great sites for birding in Central Arizona, and we are hoping to hit all the high spots during this Winter season.
 
Our complete Audubon bookstore with field guides, birding books and supplies, and children's nature books, is open before our regular Desert Rivers Audubon meetings, (all open to the public), at the Gilbert Community Center;  also on the 1st Saturdays from 8-12, at the Veterans Oasis Park (October thru March);  and on the 3rd Saturdays, 8-12, at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve, October thru March.  On these Saturdays, our free family bird walks are open to the public, and Liberty Wildlife is always there with us, with beautiful live raptors on display.  Our website has more info on these as well as our regular field trips,  www.desertriversaudubon.org .
 
 
We'll explore the West Valley including Arlington, Gillespie Dam and agricultural fields.  We could see Burrowing Owls, Horned Larks, Meadowlarks, Egrets and also keep an eye out for raptors.  Meet at Solera Clubhouse @ 7:15 for carpooling.   Leader Krys Hammers teaches birding classes at the Chandler Parks and Rec, and at the Veteran's Oasis Park Environmental Education Center.  Krys, one of our expert birders,  is President of the Arizona Audubon Council, and Public Relations Director of Desert Rivers Audubon.  Krys also runs our traveling Bookstore.  With a little advance notice, we can bring field guides should anyone wish to purchase them on our field trips.  
 
On this trip, we'll meet at the Solera Clubhouse at 7:15 a.m., for carpooling, then we'll have a second meeting at the  Walgreen's on the  SE corner of McKellips and Power Roads.   We'll try to leave this area promptly at 7:45 a.m.  Our trip to the area East of Mesa will be led by Dr. Charles Saffell, retired Famly Physician and Field Trips Director of DRAS.  Charles has led field trips to this area for the past 33 years.  This trip will involve short drives to different campgrounds and parking areas along the river, with short walks from the cars at each.   We'll seek out migrating warblers, desert birds, waterbirds,  and usually can count on having good views of Bald Eagles and Osprey living along the river.  Each auto will need a Tonto National Forest pass.  Info on where these can be purchased in advance is on the Tonto NF website, www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/home.shtml .  $3.00 for Seniors with Golden Age Passes, $ 6.00 for others.  We'll only need one pass per car.
 
 
Tuesday, December 1,   Sycamore Creek, East Valley, Led by Mike Rupp. 
Sycamore Creek is along the old Hwy 87, (Country Club), which meanders along the creek, while cars rush by on the fast new highway nearby, this is a great birding resource. this time of year, and a nice smaller area to explore.  

Tuesday, January 5, 2010,  Scottsdale Ponds (Scottsdale & McCormick Rd.s), Led by Kathe Anderson.
 Located at scottsdale Rd. and McCormick Parkway, where there are tons of the wintering waterbirds.