Join Sue Cottrell to hear about the trip she co-led to Veracruz, Mexico in October of 2022 to experience the “Rio de Rapaces”. Veracruz is located at one of the narrowest parts of Mexico so all the raptors that migrate south get funneled through here. It is the largest raptor migration in the world with 4-6 million counted as they migrate to Central and South America each fall. Sue will talk about the official count sites that are here as well as other birds they saw and show photos of the trip. 

Sue Cottrell has been studying birds of prey and guiding outdoor trips for more than 30 years. She has trapped and banded raptors during fall migration on the east side of the Cascades for many years as a volunteer of the Falcon Research Group. Sue is also the head of Raptor Studies Northwest, an NGO dedicated to education and the conservation of raptors in the Pacific Northwest.

Our February meeting will be held in-person at The Whatcom Museum.