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Photos courtesy of GCBO staff except where noted.


GCBO Experiences Auction

Our Experiences Auction ends tomorrow at noon! Better get on that last minute bidding. There are still some great items with low prices and a few that haven't even been bid on yet. We are sure you can find an exciting trip or adventure for that special someone in your life. Click here to bid now!


With Your Help We Now Have a Truck!

Thanks to your generous donations  and our good friends at McRee Ford in Dickinson we now have a truck! This 2012 Ford F150 only had 14,000 miles on it when we drove it off the lot on November 8th. The truck will be used primarily for the Motus project as we work to get our towers installed but we will also be using it for our shorebird projects, the hawk watch, and the oystercatcher project. We can't thank you enough!


Welcome Martin Hagne

After a six month search and a thorough vetting process, GCBO's Executive Board has hired Martin Hagne to succeed Carol Jones as GCBO Executive Director. Martin served as the executive director of the Valley Nature Center in Weslaco, TX for 11 years overseeing all aspects of its operation. As a field biologist, he has conducted numerous baseline wildlife studies, assessments, and evaluations, and he served on several state, regional and local environmental committees. His most recent responsibilities as a general manager overseeing 14 departments at a for-profit business coupled with his extensive nonprofit experience established him as the prime candidate to lead the organization and build on its history of demonstrated success. Hagne is slated to assume the executive director role in January 2017. Carol's retirement date has not yet been set.


Year End Appeal

Join This year has flown by and our staff, seasonal biologists, contractors, and volunteers have had many successes! It is because of your generosity that we continue to make progress on behalf of the species we are working to help protect. To allow us to further our efforts in 2017 and increase our capacity, please consider making a year-end gift toward one or more of the following projects:

 

Non-breeding Shorebird Program

Eastern Willet Migration Project

American Oystercatcher Stewardship

Summer Bird Camp

Unrestricted where it is needed most

 

You can read our full appeal here which includes a description of each of these projects as well as more information about GCBO. You can donate at JustGive or print out the form on the appeal and mail it to us. Thanks for your support! We are looking forward to a great 2017.


Check Out Our New Site Partner Network Map

Our partner and friend Amanda Hackney of Black Cat GIS created a super clickable map for our website showing all our Site Partner Network sites. You can zoom in on the map and click on any site to get more information. This is something we've long desired but not had the funds to make happen. Now it is a reality! Check it out and if you need any GIS support, Amanda's your gal!


GCBO Holiday Sale

Friday, December 2
Shop from 9:00 to 5:00pm
299 Hwy 332 West, Lake Jackson

Please join us for our annual Open House & Holiday Sale at our GCBO headquarters in Lake Jackson. Nature gifts for all ages at great prices and some yummy Christmas treats to eat as well. It's a Tax Free Day and members also receive their regular 10% discount on top of that! A savings of 18% while still contributing to bird conservation programming. You can also come by and pay for your Experiences Auction item so you'll be ready to put it under the tree.

 

Don't forget to use Amazon Smile when shopping online and designate GCBO as your beneficiary. Every little bit helps!


Adopt An Oystercatcher or Hummingbird

Looking for a unique Christmas present? How about adopting an American Oystercatcher? We will begin monitoring nesting oystercatchers again in February 2017 and if you adopt one of our banded birds, Sue will update you monthly on your bird's progress through the nesting season in 2017. She will be monitoring birds in West Galveston and East Matagorda Bays on a regular basis so you can choose any of the banded birds in those bays. For a complete list, contact Sue.

 

Oystercatchers not your thing? How about adopting a hummingbird? Winter hummingbird season is upon us and we usually catch several Rufous and there is a possibility of several other species. You can adopt any of the species we catch (so far Rufous, Black-chinned, and Anna's)! If your bird is caught again, we will let you know when and where it was caught.


Become a GCBO Member

Did you know you can become a GCBO member! Membership categories include:

  • Student or Senior $20
  • Individual $30
  • Family $50
  • Supporting $150
  • Gulf Steward $300
  • Lifetime $1000

Members receive our bi-annual newsletter containing the latest in GCBO activities, a 10% discount in our nature store, access to special GCBO field trips, and a great feeling knowing you're helping to support bird conservation in the Americas. You can become a member on our website or just give us a call and we'll take your information over the phone (979-480-0999).


GCBO Wish List

 

Our wish list is still shrinking! Thanks to Doug and Nadia Wetzel we now have a 40 inch flat screen in the field house. Woohoo! And thanks to Tom and Virginia Taroni, we have very spiffy washer and dryer for our RV hosts' use. There are only a few items left! Can you help us out? Take a look and see if you can donate any of these items. We will be happy to provide you with a tax donation letter for your efforts!. Thanks so much.

  • several loads of crushed concrete ($200 value)
  • stackable plastic chairs for hawk watch (up to 20)
  • a knowledgeable person to hook up wifi in the field house (we have the necessary equipment)
  • four 100 ft garden hoses

Monthly Bird Banding at GCBO

It's December and the winter birds have arrived in force. Last month we caught several Yellow-rumped Warblers, a sure sign that winter is here. Bird banding will be on Saturday, December 17th from 8:00 until noon. Remember, the birds get up early so the earlier you are here the more you'll see. Seeing birds in the hand is a great way to get kids young and old excited about wildlife. See the map on our webpage for directions or use your GPS to take you to 299 Hwy 332 West, Lake Jackson, TX.


  www.gcbo.org | Telephone 979-480-0999 | Contact Us
This e-mail was sent by the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory
299 W. Hwy 332, Lake Jackson, TX  77566

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