SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
CARSON VALLEY, Nev. — The Eagles and Agriculture event is adding new and exciting tours this year with the focus on the many other hawks, falcons and accipiters that winter in northern Nevada’s Carson Valley. These smaller raptors are the interest of many of the event goers and are the focus of two, three-hour tours being offered by the local business Birding Under Nevada Skies. The new tours, named the “Raptor Highway and Byway Tours,” will be available to the public and are scheduled to avoid any conflict with the other eagle tours and seminars.
The Raptor Highway and Byway Tours will be offered once on Saturday and again on Sunday and will be operated in a smaller van with the number of participants limited to 15. Birding Under Nevada Skies will be providing two guides per tour. The tour guides will be Jim Woods, the owner/guide and a local birder, and Jim Eidel, a well-known ornithologist who has played critical roles in the development of the Great Basin Bird Observatory and the Lahontan Audubon Society.
The species of raptors typically found in Carson Valley are red-tailed hawks, rough-legged hawks, ferruginous hawks, red-shouldered hawks, Cooper’s hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, prairie falcons, kestrels, merlins and peregrine falcons, as well as the golden and bald eagles. There is also the possibility of finding great horned owls and barn owls during the tours.
Participants are encouraged to bring spotting scopes and cameras. The cost is $45 per person and sign-up for the tours can be done by contacting the Carson Valley Arts Council at 775-782-8207 or by going online to www.visitcarsonvalley.org to download the registration form. Once on the Web site you can also check out the great lodging specials and learn more about the Eagles and Agriculture event. For additional lodging and visitor information call the Carson Valley Visitors Authority at 775-782-8144 or toll-free at 800-727-7677. To learn more about Birding Under Nevada Skies, please visit its Web site at www.birdingundernevadaskies.com.
