LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Last September everyone in Lake County was shocked and stricken by the now-notorious Valley fire.

Since the Redbud Audubon Society program was scheduled for barely a week after that event, the group canceled the program.

Fortunately, speaker Gordon Beebe agreed to reschedule and the group is very pleased to welcome him on Thursday, April 21, to present: “Exploring the Colombian Southwest Andes and Intermountain Valleys.”

Beebe is president of the Madrone Audubon Society, in neighboring Sonoma County, and the group looks forward to his program.

Torrent ducks, cock-of-the-rock and more are shown in photos, video, and audio recordings, all seamlessly integrated into the presentation.

Experience the visual beauty and unique songs and calls of the birds of the varied habitats of southwest Colombia, from the valleys, cloud forest, freshwater lagoon and rivers, to the páramo, high in the Andes.

Watch the antics of a black-billed mountain toucan as it feeds in the cloud forest; see five species of antpittas up close at Río Blanco Preserve, hear the unusual song of the Jet Antbird at Sonso Lagoon, and delight in the Buffy Helmetcrest, a hummingbird of the Páramo.

Beebe is a project coordinator for the Sonoma County Breeding Bird Atlas, a Saturday bird walk leader and the Web site editor for Madrone Audubon. He lives with his wife Judy in Santa Rosa.

Join the Redbud Audubon on Thursday, April 21, at the Lower Lake Methodist Church Social Hall for an interesting evening.

As always, programs are free and open to the public with refreshments at 7 p.m. and program at 7:15 p.m. 

The hall is across the parking lot from the Methodist Church. If you are coming through Lower Lake, turn left on Lake Street and then right on Second Street.