Death of a Songbird
Page 22
For every $1 contributed to the Migratory Bird Conservancy, more than $4 in on-the-ground habitat conservation is accomplished through federal funds and matching grants. A steering committee makes funding recommendations to the foundation, and administrative costs are paid solely by interest generated by the fund, or special donation. Which means every dollar donated goes to help conserve habitat.
Take Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, located in Socorro, New Mexico. It is one of the hottest birding and wildlife-watching sites in North America. Each fall, tens of thousands of snow geese, sandhill cranes, and dozens of other species stop at this site. Bosque del Apache is an important habitat link for migratory birds that nest in the U.S. and Canada and travel to Mexico and southern points for the winter. And, in addition to the birds, Bosque del Apache attracts more than 17,000 annual visitors.
However, a silent invader threatens this critical refuge. Creeping in from the edges is saltcedar, an invasive, exotic tree that destroys the wildlife values of western wetlands. Saltcedar can be controlled, but it’s costly and time consuming. With the award from the Migratory Bird Conservancy, two hundred acres of valuable wetlands will be restored.
To date, the Migratory Bird Conservancy has helped protect and improve habitats in famous birding sites such as Cape May, New Jersey, New River State Park in North Carolina, and Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. But the need is great, and your participation is needed. By making a tax-deductible contribution to the Migratory Bird Conservancy today, you can help keep the future bright for our birds!
Benefits of Contributing to the Migratory Bird Conservancy:
tax-deductible contributions
no administrative costs—every penny protects bird habitat!
minimum 4:1 leverage for every $1 contributed
Visit the Migratory Bird Conservancy Website at www.conservebirds.org for more information! And please support the companies listed on the Website that support the Migratory Bird Conservancy. Every time you purchase their products, you support bird conservation.
About the author
Chris Goff is the award-winning author of five environmental novels. The bestselling Birdwatcher’s Mystery series was nominated for two WILLA Literary Awards, a Colorado Author’s League Award, and published in the UK and Japan. The sixth installment in the series, A PARLIAMENT OF OWLS, will be launching in September 2015.
Acknowledgments
Death of a Songbird posed a different set of challenges than my first book, so a special thank-you needs to go to all the people who kept me honest.
To Janet Grill, a fellow writer, dear friend, and the best plotting partner a girl ever had; Janet Chapman, who dragged me off to several writing conferences and forced me to dig deeper; and Anne McHugh, who threw the party that helped put me on the local bestseller list—thank you. To the RMFW critique group that faithfully meets twice a month at Marie Callender's: Gwen Schuster Haynes, Suzanne Proulx, Louise Woodward, Janice Ford, Diane West, Janene McCrillis, Mary McPhee, Bob Strange, and David Jones; the MWA support group that meets the third Wednesday: Georgeanne and Steve Nelson, Barb and Leslie Stephens, Stephanie and John Kane, Christine Jorgensen, and Carol Caverley; and Liz Hill, Alice Kober, and Peggy Waide—you kept me smiling while you worked my tush off.
I also would like to acknowledge Scott Roederer, Rhonda Woodward, Father Tom, Margaret Harmon and all the other birders who attended the American Birding Association and Colorado Field Ornithologists conventions in Colorado. Your patience in helping me learn new skills, spot new birds, and your invaluable suggestions were greatly appreciated.
To my new publisher, Astor + Blue Editions, thank you for your commitment to keeping the stories of the EPOCH (Elk Park Ornithological Chapter) members circulating. I can think of no better partners than A + B and my new editor, Jillian Ports, to help me navigate the new waters of today's publishing world.
And, finally, a special thanks to my agent Peter Rubie for his unwavering support; Georgie Nelson, for her dynamite web design; and my family, for putting up with late dinners.
Read all of the Birdwatcher’s Mystery Series by Christine Goff, published by Astor + Blue Editions:
*A Rant of Ravens
*Death of a Songbird
*A Nest in the Ashes
*Death Takes a Gander
*A Sacrifice of Buntings
www.astorandblue.com