Dayton Audubon Society, 1375 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton,
OH 45414-5398
Photo by Jim Simpson
The Officers and Directors of the Dayton Audubon Society wish you a joyful holiday season and a happy and prosperous new year.
Christmas Bird Count
The 85th Dayton Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count will take place on Sunday, December 28, 2008. Local participants, in 12 teams, will attempt to identify and count all of the birds in 12 areas (see below) located within a 15-mile diameter area centered at the intersection of Needmore Road and Webster Street.
Everyone is welcome to participate, so check the list of areas below to find the team you would like to join. Feeder watchers can also participate if the feeder is within the count area, and if the results are reported at or before the compilation meeting.
The Christmas Count tradition began in New England on Christmas Day, 1900, when 27 conservationists organized a bird count to protest the traditional, organized hunting competition known as the "holiday side hunt." Instead of shooting birds, the conservationists simply observed and counted them. The tradition caught on and spread, and now, every holiday season, thousands of participants across the country take to the fields and woods to record wintering bird species. The data collected over the years has provided useful and interesting information on early winter distribution patterns of many bird species (as well as occasional fluctuations), and serves as a valid indicator of the overall health of the environment. Our local Christmas Count has been affiliated with the National Audubon Christmas count since 1923.
The results of the count will be tabulated at our Compilation Meeting on Tuesday, December 30,, 2008 at 7:15 p.m., at Aullwood Audubon Center, 1000 Aullwood Road. Even if you cannot participate in the count itself, you are invited to attend the Compilation Meeting. Light refreshments will be served, and many interesting sightings and amusing tales will be told.
Grab your binoculars and spotting scopes, and dress warmly! We always have a great time no matter what the weather. If you have any questions, please contact Sue Tackett at 439-3799.
Christmas Count Areas and Leaders
Aullwood
Audubon Center and Farm, Dayton Airport
Ray Corder 833-4177
Carriage Hill
MetroPark
Mike Coogan 438-5688
Charleston Falls
Reserve
Sue Tackett 439-3799
Cricket
Holler
Jim Williams 342-9472
Downtown Parks,
Leland Center, Boonshoft Museum, Miami River North, Wolf Creek
Dick Balk 886-0092
Eastwood Lake,
Huffman Reservoir, Mad River
Dave Nolin 432-0266
Englewood
MetroPark
(Contact Sue Tackett, 439-3799)
Hill and Dales
Park, Old River, Carillon Park, Calvary Cemetery, Miami River South
Daryl Michael 687-1480
Taylorsville
MetroPark
Tom Hissong 890-7360
Woodland
Cemetery
Jim and Annette Arnold 862-4437
Wright State University,
Hilltop Gravel Pit
Ken and Gretchen Beers, 767-1457
Wright-Patterson
AFB
Charlotte Mathena 433-2167
Calendar
Sundays, December 7, and January 4, 10:00 a.m.
Field Trips: Eastwood Lake/Huffman Reserve
The weather is the key factor for this series of field trips. We will look for waterfowl on Eastwood Lake (and actually hope for cold and rainy instead of warm and balmy; bad for the birders but great for the ducks!). We will then head up Route 4 to Huffman Reserve, which often has open water when other areas are frozen. Meet leader Jennifer Monahan (654-3301) at Eastwood Lake in the first main parking lot, off of Harshman Road east of Route 4.
Tuesday, December 9,7:30 p.m.
DAS Board of Directors Meeting
Harrigan Auto Center Reserve, 475 Congress Park Dr.
Sunday, December 28
85th DAS Christmas Bird Count
See article above.
Tuesday, December 30, 7:15 p.m.
Christmas Count Compilation Meeting
Aullwood Audubon Center
See article above
Tuesday, January 13, 7:30 p.m.
DAS Board of Directors Meeting
Harrigan Auto Center Reserve, 475 Congress Park Dr.
Wednesday, January 21, 7:00 p.m.
DAS Program/Meeting - Ecotourism
Please see the article below.
Tuesday, February 10, 7:30 p.m.
DAS Board of Directors Meeting
Harrigan Auto Center Reserve, 475 Congress Park Dr.
Wednesday, February 18, 7:00 p.m.
DAS Program/Meeting - Bahamas
Please see the article below
Be sure to check our website, www.dayton.net/audubon, or the Rare Bird Alert number, 937-640-2473 for possible field trip additions in January and February
Ecotourism
Our January 21, 2009 DAS meeting will feature Jared Merriman of the Ohio Young Birders Club, who will talk about ecotourism and its effect on the on the use natural resources here and in developing countries. Jared, age 17, was one of the presenters at the second Ohio Young Birders Club conference in October, and for someone so young, he's been around.The program promises to be a whirlwind tour throughout the Americas, emphasizing ecotourism and birding, and exploring how birders and our travels can be a positive influence on conservation.
Bahamas: Birds, Babes, and Beaches
The Bahama Islands lie just a short distance off the coast of Florida, and are famous for their "babes and beaches". But, did you know that the islands are home to a few endemic species of birds - including a swallow, hummingbird, and yellowthroat - found nowhere else on earth? There are also a number of unique subspecies found on the islands, including a parrot and a very rare Bahama Nuthatch. If the cold and dark of winter is getting to you, Join John and Karen Shrader for our February 18th, 2009 program as we explore our neighbors in the sunny Bahama Islands.
Both of the above programs will take place at Wegerzyn Garden Center, 1301 East Siebenthaler Avenue from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Our meetings are held in the main auditorium: you can enter through the front doors and take the elevator or stairs down. Everyone is encouraged to attend and bring their friends. Refreshments will be served, and parking is free. Please join us! Hang this article on your 'fridge so you wont forget!
Harpy Eagle Expedition
DAS members Jim and Cindy Beckman, two of our newest Directors, are organizing a birding expedition to Panama this winter, specifically to central Panama and the Darien (eastern Panama), from February 26 to March 8, 2009. The highlight of the trip will be a an extremely rare chance to see Harpy Eagles on their nest. The cost of the trip is $1,385 per person (8-person minimum), based on double occupancy. The price includes lodging, meals, an expert birding guide, and transportation within Panama. The price does NOT include international airfare from US to Panama.
This could be an exciting and rare birding event, and a great chance to get away to warmer climes at the end of winter. For more information, please contact Jim and Cindy at oz1221@sbcglobal.net or 937-862-4505
Please note: This is NOT a DAS-sponsored event.
Birding with Youth
Dayton Audubon Society is working to form a local chapter of the Ohio Young Birders Club. OYBC, under the leadership of Kim Kaufmann, has been very successful in offering birding opportunities to youth in northern Ohio, and several other states are now looking to Ohio for guidance in developing young birder organizations, as is the American Birding Association.
For more information about OYBC, see http://www.ohioyoungbirders.org/ about.htm. If you know anyone between the ages of 12 and 18 who might like to become involved in a community of young people with similar interests (birding, nature, conservation), please contact DAS board member Cindy Beckman at oz1221@sbcglobal.net or 937-862-4505.
Greene County Parks Dept. to Offer Young Birder Activities
Young birders in Greene County should watch for the Greene County Parks Department winter bulletin to get information about upcoming activities. Beginning in January, naturalists and volunteers will lead activities for young people interested in learning about and observing birds.
11th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count
Count for the Birds in America's Great Backyard, Feb 13-16, 2009
* No fee or registration required
* All ages and skill levels welcome
* Track results in real time online
* Count in your backyard, balcony, schoolyard, park, wildlife refuge
* Be a part of the network
* Sponsored by National Audubon and Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.
Join with thousand of others to find out how many birds are being seen in your area and across the continent this winter. By participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count, you help document where birds are, and track changes in their numbers compared to previous years, helping scientists paint a picture of the state of birds this winter.
Participants in the 2009 count are also invited to upload their bird videos to YouTube; some will also be featured on the GBBC web site. For more information, or to get started, go to http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
Get Involved!
Are you fond of birding-related activities? Are you interested in the environment? Do you wish the Dayton Audubon Society offered more for YOU? Well, we can use you!
DAS is always seeking new Officer and Director candidates. If you or someone you know is interested in helping to develop and lead your DAS, please contact President Mike Coogan, or any of the officers or Board members listed on the Organization web page. A simple commitment of time, with a wealth of satisfaction!
DAS Scholarships Available
The Dayton Audubon Society is deeply committed to education
and,in part, shows that commitment by offering scholarships annually to
individuals who can make a difference in our community. Perhaps you know
someone who might benefit from the DAS mission. Read on and, if you can,
help us find deserving scholars.
Charlie Breish Memorial Camp Scholarships
Dayton Audubon offers financial assistance for teachers and other adults to attend National Audubon's summer ecology workshops in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming, the woodland community of Connecticut, and the coast of Maine.
While the camps and workshops are open to everyone these days, they are still especially popular with teachers. If you know of a dynamic elementary or secondary teacher, let us know about them!
National Audubon also offers a summer camp in Maine to youngsters ages 10 through 14.
The Dively Scholarship
Since 1982, DAS has offered tuition help to college students
through the Dively Scholarship Program, originally endowed in memory of
DAS member Dick Dively. Though we cannot offer a lot of money, the Dively
Scholarship has helped both undergraduate and graduate students reach academic
goals in fields that further the cause of environmentalism and conservation.
Dively scholarship recipients are not restricted to scientific fields;
other connections, such as environmental law, are possible.
The Shawen Grant
The Bob Shawen Memorial Youth Ornithology Grant was established in
memory of long-time DAS activist Bob Shawen. The goal of the program is
to provide funds, materials, and/or speakers for elementary classrooms,
youth groups, or field experience settings to promote knowledge of birds,
their habits, and their habitats.
What can you do?
Help us find scholarship candidates. Talk to interested people or people you think ought to be interested. Spread the word! To recommend candidates, apply for scholarships, or receive further information, please call DAS Projects/Memorials Chair Tom Schaefer at 937-276-2162, or e-mail him at tom@earthspeaks.org. You can also write to
Dayton Audubon Society
1375 East Siebenthaler Avenue
Dayton, Ohio 45414-5398
or e-mail us at
audubon@dayton.net
Environmental Legacy
A bequest of any size to Dayton Audubon can have a lasting effecton on
ecological concerns and environmental education in the Dayton area. We ask that you consider leaving a specific amount, a percentage of your estate, or the remainder of your estate after other bequests, to
the Dayton Audubon Society.
For more specifics on this, or other information about gift planning, please phone Tom Schaefer, 937-276-2162, or write to Dayton Audubon Society, 1375 E. Siebenthaler Avenue, Dayton, Ohio 45414-5398.
Time and Talents
Dayton Audubon is an organization of volunteers committed to education, the natural sciences, and an environmental ethic. Help and new ideas from the ranks of the membership are needed in order for the organization to reach its goals. If you would like to help in any of the following capacities, please let us know. Your involvement will be welcome.
I would like to help with:
__ Birdathon
__ Conservation Committee
__ Education Committee
__ Field Trips
__ Membership Comittee
__ Publicity
__ Yellow Warbler
__ Other:
________________________
Send with your name and phone number to Dayton Audubon Society,
1375 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton, Ohio 45414-5398. You can also
call DAS President Jennifer Monahan at 937-654-3301, or e-mail us at
audubon@dayton.net.
As a member of the National Audubon Society, you are also a member
of the Dayton area chapter. There are no local dues, and you receive your
newsletter automatically. To find out more about the Dayton Audubon Society,
contact one of the officers whose numbers are listed in the Dayton Audubon
Society Organization webpage. Better yet, come to
a meeting or join us on a field trip!
The DAS meets at 7:00 p.m. at the Wegerzyn Center, 1301
East Siebenthaler Avenue, on the third Wednesday of every month from September
to June. See you there!
Southwest Ohio Rare Bird Alert
937-640-BIRD (2473)
Includes updated information on DAS activities.
To report unusual sightings, call Betty Berry at 937-836-3022, or
Ralph Dennler at 937-294-5086
Christmas Bird Count 