Dayton Audubon Society"The Yellow Warbler"The Newsletter of the Dayton Audubon SocietyMarch 2008Volume 71 - No. 1
Dayton Audubon Society, 1375 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton, OH 45414-5398 |
Photo by Jim Simpson
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Aullwood Interns
Christmas Bird Count Results
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A springtime tradition and one of our most popular annual events!! Put it on your calendar NOW: Dayton Audubon's annual Birdathon will take place from 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 25, until 5:00 p.m. Saturday, April 26. Teams of DAS birders will be counting bird species in a 24-hour period, all to raise funds for important local environmental work. Again this year, the money we collect will be divided between Aullwood and the Beaver Creek Wetlands Association. Both organizations are dedicated to the education of children and the preservation of natural habitat right here in the greater Dayton area. Teams are being formed now; if you would like to participate, to make a pledge, or to help raise pledges from your friends, neighbors, and coworkers, call Judy Whitaker at 293-1914 for more information. This year, as a bonus incentive, a $20 or more pledge to Birdathon will earn the donor a one-year membership to National Audubon/Dayton Audubon. Help DAS in our biggest fundraiser of the year. Call today! (More details about Birdathon will be in your next Yellow Warbler.) |
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Dayton's newest book has arrived at the Aullwood Nature Store! Gems of the Greater Dayton Region, a book about "special places reflecting the Miami Valley's unique natural and cultural identity," includes the Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm. Authors Brian Hackett and Dane Mutter present an exciting written tour of our area, while over 100 beautiful photographs visually take us to places such as Patterson Memorial, Beaver Creek Wetlands, and the Miami-Erie Canal. Gems of the Greater Dayton Region, partially underwritten by Dayton Audubon Society, is available for sale in the Aullwood Nature Store for $35.95. |
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Columbus Audubon Society's annual outdoor learning adventure, Eco Weekend, is a nature retreat for singles, families, young and old from age 4 up. Held at Camp Oty' Okwa near Conkles Hollow in beautiful Hocking Hills (Southeast Ohio) on the first weekend in May, Eco-Weekend offers an affordable and enjoyable weekend learning about nature from experienced instructors who share their expertise, enthusiasm and knowledge of our nature world. Programs include instruction and excursions on subjects that range from wild flowers to wild animals, backyards to backwoods, creatures to crafts, water sports to winged flight, trees to telescopes, and much more! Pre-registration is necessary. You can download a brochure from the website, or call Roz Horn, Chair of the Eco-Weekend Committee, at 614-262-0312. |
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Observers counted 649 birds during the recent Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Survey - the highest number ever recorded during the event. The previous record count for bald eagles during this survey was 554 in 2006. In 2007, 194 eaglets fledged from 116 nests in Ohio. Bald eagles were observed in 70 of Ohio's 88 counties during this year's survey, conducted January 2-15. Sandusky, Ottawa, Erie, Trumbull and Wyandot counties, along the western Lake Erie shore, continued to report the largest number. Sandusky County had the greatest number of sightings with 76 reports. Good concentrations of Bald Eagles were also sighted around the mouth of the Sandusky River, and along the Kokosing, Mohican, Scioto, Grand and Muskingum rivers. The southern-most locations in the state to report sightings were in Brown, Clermont, Scioto and Hamilton counties along the Ohio River. State wildlife officials and volunteers conduct the mid-winter survey each January as part of a national effort coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The survey documents trends in wintering populations of eagles in the lower 48 states, including both Bald and Golden Eagles. For details, visit www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife. |
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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! |
| 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.
Dayton Audubon Society
or e-mail us at |
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As students are heading back to school, the National Audubon Society is preparing its 22nd season of Audubon Adventures, an acclaimed environmental education publication for 4th, 5th, or 6th grade elementary classrooms. Audubon Adventures helps teachers make learning about science and nature part of students' everyday lives, integrating reading with science and other core disciplines. More educators than ever are using Audubon Adventures to bring environmental education into their classrooms, and research shows that incorporating the environment into the curriculum supports improved learning, test scores and community service. According to a 2000 report issued by the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, in which they reviewed schools that adopted environmental education as the central focus of their academic programs, the results of including environmental education in the classroom were striking - reading and mathematics scores improved, students performed better in science and social studies, they developed the ability to transfer their knowledge from familiar to unfamiliar contexts, they learned to "do science" rather than just "learn about science," and classroom discipline problems declined. This year, Audubon Adventures is focusing on four compelling topics: Home is Where the Nest Is, The Buzz about Native Bees, Bats: Mammals on the Wing, and Wild About Birds, featuring The Legacy of John James Audubon. Audubon invites elementary school teachers around the country to engage students' curiosity about the natural world by bringing science to life in the classroom with Audubon Adventures. Each issue is full of facts, activities, and action tips that connect nature with science, reading, and art, and also inspire and empower kids to care for nature in their daily lives. DAS annually sponsors Audubon Adventures for a number of area schools. If you know of a classroom that would like us to sponsor Audubon Adventures for them, or you would like to sponsor a class yourself, please contact Dick Balk at 886-0092. The cost for Audubon Adventures is $35 per classroom, and the packets are designed for a class of up to 30 students. The kids need you! We can make a difference! |
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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. |
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
__ Education
__ Field Trips
__ Membership
__ Programs
__ Publicity
__ Yellow Warbler
__ Other:
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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 Mike Coogan at 937-438-5688, or e-mail us ataudubon@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! |
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Southwest Ohio Rare Bird Alert937-640-BIRD (2473)To report unusual sightings, call Betty Berry at 937-836-3022, or Ralph Dennler at 937-294-5086 |
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