Dayton Audubon Society, 1375 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton,
OH 45414-5398
Photo by Jim Simpson
2008 BIRDATHON
It's April: Spring is really taking off, the baseball season has begun, and Dayton Audubon is geared up for our annual Birdathon. One of our most popular and important events, Birdathon raises thousands of dollars annually for local environmental programs and projects, including Aullwood Audubon Center and the Beaver Creek Wetlands Association. The greatest benefit, of course, is the fun for Birdathon participants. Join us this month as we spend 24 hours counting as many different bird species as we can see or hear; at this time of year, you might spot up to 100 different species just in this area! Donations are raised through pledges gathered by the participants - typically a per-species amount, but fixed amounts are also welcome.
This year's Birdathon will be held from 5:00 p.m., Friday, April 25th to 5:00 p.m., Saturday, April 26th. ALL chapter members are welcome to support this important effort! You can participate in several ways:
Collect pledges and/or donations, and send them to the Birdathon chairperson, Judy Whitaker, c/o Dayton Audubon Society, 1375 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton Ohio, 45414-5398. Make checks payable to Dayton Audubon Society. You can also pledge to one of the teams listed below.
Participate in the count: You are welcome to join us for 24 hours of FUN; improve your birding skilla and raise money for two very worthy environmental organizations that are right here in our area.
Bring your pledges and/or donations to Patty's Shelter at Englewood MetroPark at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, April 26th for refreshments and the big tally! Hear about those great sightings!
Again this year, non-Audubon members who contribute $20 or more will receive a membership to the National Audubon Society and Dayton Audubon. As a special prize, the team that brings in the largest amount of pledges will receive a copy of "Gems of the Greater Dayton Region", a just-published book co-authored by Brian Hackett and Dane Mutter, with photographs by Allan Horvath.
For more details, how to enter your own team (it's very easy), or other Birdathon questions, call Judy Whitaker at 293-1914.
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Yes, I will support DAS Birdathon. I pledge _____________ per species to the team(s) checked below.
_____Old Birders: Charlotte Mathena, Sue Tackett, Jim Hill, John Howard
_____Aristoquacks: Barbara Keegan, Jennifer Monahan
_____Philanthropic Phalaropes: Jim Simpson, Mike Zimmerman
_____Solitary Sandpipers: Mike Coogan, Mark Dillon
_____Wright State Rails: Wright State University and Beaver Creek Wetlands
_____Wild Berrys: Betty Berry and Betty Leve
_____Wandering Warblers: Cindy Beckman et al
Instead of a per species pledge, I will donate $________________ to Dayton Audubon's Birdathon.
Name___________________________________________Phone___________________________
Address_________________________________________________________________________
City, State,Zip____________________________________________________________________
Tuesday, April 8, 7:30 p.m.
DAS Board of Directors Meeting.
Harrigan Auto Center Reserve, 475 Congress Park Dr.
Friday-Saturday, April 25-26
DAS Birdathon
Please see above for details.
Tuesday, May 13, 7:20 p.m.
DAS Board of Directors Meeting
Harrigan Auto Center Reserve, 475 Congress Park Dr.
If You Like Warblers, Vireos, and Tanagers...
Have you ever seen a brightly colored yellow warbler darting from branch to branch, a brilliant male scarlet tanager, or a flaming orange and black Baltimore oriole? Do you know what you are hearing when you enter a woods full of bird sounds? If you answered no to both of these questions, then you will be interested in an upcoming series of Beginning/Intermediate classes and field trips offered by Aullwood and Instructor Tom Hissong.
Experience the wonder of spring by watching and learning about the truly remarkable Neotropical migrants that pass through our area. Topics covered in this four-session class include: basic bird biology, classification, migration, vocalization, nesting, ecology, natural history, conservation, and much more. Learn the skills necessary for the field identification of these brightly colored birds by sight and sound. Binoculars and a field guide are required.
The four classes are offered from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m., and again from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. on April 15, 22, and 29, and May 6. Related weekend field trips are scheduled as follows:
April 19 - Spring Valley Wildlife Area - 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
May 3-4 - Tar Hollow State Park/ Forest - 8:00 a.m. Saturday and to 12:00 p.m. on Sunday
May 10-11 - Magee Marsh/Ottawa NWR - 8:00 a.m. Saturday and to 12:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Transportation and lodging for field trips is at participant's expense.
To register, call Aullwood at 937-890-7360.
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
Audubon In The Classroom
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!
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
__ Education
__ Field Trips
__ Membership
__ Programs
__ 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 Mike Coogan at 937-438-5688, 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
