2006 Birdathon
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Dayton Audubon Society's annual Birdathon is one of our most popular and important events, raising thousands of dollars annually. Again this year, the primary beneficiaries of this fund-raising drive will be Aullwood Audubon Center education programs and the Beaver Creek Wetlands Association; Birdathon participants, of course, are beneficiaries of the fun! 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 28th to 5:00 p.m., Saturday, April 29th. Create your own team or join one of the existing teams. ALL chapter members are welcome to support this important effort! You can participate in several ways:
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* 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 skills 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 29th for refreshments and the big tally! Hear
about those great sightings!
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Again this year, non-Audubon members who contribute $20 or more will receive a membership to the National Audubon Society and Dayton Audubon. For details on this program, 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, Judy Whitaker
_____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
_____Tenacious Towhees: Xenia Central Middle School students
Instead of a per species pledge, I will donate $________________ to Dayton Audubon's Birdathon.
Name___________________________________________Phone___________________________
Address_________________________________________________________________________
City, State,Zip____________________________________________________________________
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Calendar
Saturday, April 8, 8:00 a.m.
Field Trip: Spring Valley Wildlife Area.
SVWA is an outstanding Miami Valley birding locale, and late March is very good for waterfowl headed north. Go south of the town of Spring Valley on US 42 along the Little Miami River. Turn left (east) on Roxanna-New Burlington Rd. Follow to Pence Jones Rd and take all the way to the end (past the trailer park) to meet leader Charlotte Mathena (433-2167) in the lower parking lot. Please bring your scope if you have one.
Sunday, April 9, 8:30 a.m.
Field Trip: Sycamore State Park.
Sycamore State Park is close to home, just Northwest of Dayton in the city of Trotwood, and offers trails through meadows, woodlands, ponds, and creeks that provide great habitat for nesters and migrants. The huge sycamores lining the banks of Wolf Creek give the park its name. Take US35 west from Dayton about 6 miles to Snyder Road, then right (north) 3-1/2 miles to Wolf Creek Pike, turn left and meet leader Todd Jergens (837-4302) in the parking lot a short distance down the road on the right side.
Wednesday, April 12, 7:30 p.m.
DAS Board of Directors Meeting
Harrigan Auto Center Reserve, 475 Congress Park Dr.
Saturday, April 15, 8:30 a.m.
Field Trip: Englewood MetroPark.
The diverse habitat of this premier MetroPark can hold a wide variety of migrants and nesters, including Vireos, Warblers, and Orioles. From Dayton take I-75 north to I-70 west to the airport access road, exit at US40 and go west to the park entrance at the east side of the dam. Meet leader Barbara Keegan (435-0707). in the upper parking lot at the dam and US40.
Note: No DAS Meeting/Program this month.
Earth Day
Saturday, April 22, 8:00 a.m.
Field Trip: Sugarcreek MetroPark.
A large area of upland woods, fields, and riparian habitat, Sugarcreek is often full of returning nesters and migrants by the middle of April. From I-675, south on Wilmington Pike (cross SR725), continue to Conference Road. Meet leader Jennifer Monahan (435-0707) in the parking lot on Conference Road.
Earth Day
Saturday, April 22, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Aullwood Native Plant Sale.
At the Aullwood Farm, 9101 Frederick Pike. Call 890-7360 for details.
Earth Day
Saturday, April 22, 2:30 p.m.
Aullwood Earth Day Discovery Walk.
At the Aullwood Center, 1000 Aullwood Road. Call 890-7360 for details.
Earth Day
Saturday, April 22, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
Aullwood Farm Nightlife Walk.
At the Aullwood Farm, 9101 Frederick Pke. Call 890-7360 for details.
Sunday, April 23, 7:30 a.m.
Field Trip: Aullwood Audubon Center.
Earth Day weekend is a great time to visit the fields and woods at Aullwood, which will certainly be hopping with birds during spring migration. Join Aullwood naturalist Tom Hissong (890-7360) on this popular field trip in looking for the abundant spring bird life that abounds at Aullwood. Take US 40 west from I-75 (or from the airport access highway) at Vandalia, turn south on Aullwood Road at the east end of the Englewood Dam (between the Dayton International Airport and Englewood), and go 1/2 mile to the nature center on the left.
Friday-Saturday, April 28-29
DAS Birdathon.
Please see above for details.
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Audubon, Other Conservationists Sue Federal Government to Save Songbird
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Asheville, NC, March 17, 2005 - Five conservation groups representing almost one million members filed suit on February 28 against Interior Secretary Gale Norton and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for ignoring their petition to add the Cerulean Warbler to the nation's list of threatened species. The groups filed their petition more than five years ago, and repeatedly have sought to compel the agency to follow the legal requirements for responding to such citizen petitions. In the intervening years, the rate of the bird's decline appears to have quickened, and threats to the bird's survival have worsened.
National Audubon Society, Defenders of Wildlife, Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project, Western North Carolina Alliance and Heartwood filed suit in District Court in Washington D.C. They are among the 28 conservation groups from across the East that petitioned the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in 2000 to list the bird as threatened and designate critical habitat for its long-term survival.
The Cerulean Warbler population has dropped almost 82% throughout its U.S. range over the last 40 years, making it the fastest declining warbler in the country. In the U.S., the worst of the Cerulean's decline has been in the core of its range - 65% in the Ohio Hills in Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania and 80% in the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia. The Cerulean would be the first warbler listed as threatened under the Act. Three other species of warbler found in the U.S. on the list - Bachman's, Kirtland's, and Golden-cheeked - are endangered.
To read the press release in its entirety, go to http://audubon.org/news/press_releases/Cerulean_
Warbler_03_03_06.html.
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Audubon Ohio Urges Congress to Restore Great Lakes
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President Bush recommended cuts to many programs necessary to restore the Great Lakes on February 6 in his proposed federal budget. The Great Lakes are a resource that many Ohio and New York residents depend on for their economic health, recreational opportunities and quality of life.
"The President still talks the talk on Great Lakes protection, but his budget doesn't walk the walk," said Jerry Tinianow, Audubon Ohio's executive director. "Three million Ohio citizens depend on Lake Erie for drinking water and 350 species of birds depend on it for migration and nesting habitat. The President's budget suggests that their needs are declining. They are not. The longer we wait to restore the Great Lakes, the more expensive it becomes. Others must now step-up their leadership in this effort, specifically, Congress and our state."
Cuts in the President's proposed budget include:
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· $193 million to the national Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which assists communities in updating their sewer systems so that raw sewage does not contaminate lakes and beaches.
· $1 million to the Great Lakes National Program Office, which administers grants to the region and is responsible for implementing the consensus-based Great Lakes Regional Collaboration plan;
· $2 million to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, which is responsible for controlling the Sea Lamprey, an invasive species that has decimated the region's fishery.
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Congress will consider funding levels for Great Lakes programs later this year.
The release of the President's proposed budget comes shortly after his own presidential task force unveiled a historic plan to restore the Great Lakes. That plan, widely hailed by citizens, business leaders and elected officials, called for increased funding to stop sewage from contaminating lakes and beaches; restore wetlands for waterfowl, fish and wildlife; clean up the most polluted harbors in the region; and prevent aquatic invasive species like the Asian carp from entering the lakes and disrupting the fishery.
"We've made great strides in the last year to identify the restoration and clean up needs for the Great lakes, and the Bush Administration has led this charge. However, these drastic cuts in funding put the implementation of this plan in jeopardy," said David J. Miller, executive director of Audubon New York. The plan created will surely lead the Great Lakes states in a collaborative effort to restore 20 percent of the world's fresh water, and we now urge Congress to renew the commitment, and push for increased funding."
"As a nation, we know we must restore the Great Lakes and we know how to do it - and we have the overwhelming support of residents and local, state, and federal elected officials," said April Gromnicki, Audubon's Asst. Director of Government Relations in Washington, DC. "To ensure a sustainable future for our nation, we must invest in the restoration of our natural treasures. Congress must provide critical funding for Great Lakes restoration."
For more information, go to www.audubon.org/ campaign/greatlakes/ great_lakes_audubon.html, www.audubon.org/states/oh/oh/documents/ GLMailerFinal.pdf or www.ny.audubon.org/news/ 060207.htm.
To read Audubon New York's testimony on the New York State budget, which includes the issue of the restoration of the Great Lakes, visit www.ny.audubon.org/budget.htm.
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Get Involved!
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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 Dick Balk, or any of the officers or Board members listed on the Organization web page. A simple commitment of time, with a wealth of satisfaction!
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Audubon In The Classroom
| One of the best ways to further the environmental cause is through education, and one of the best environmental education tools is National Audubon's Audubon Adventures program. Audubon Adventures provides to participating classrooms four packets, each covering a different environmental/ecological topic, such as animal communication, wildflowers,and pond life. The packets contain instructional material, pictures, posters, and other items, including a teacher's guide, and are geared to the 4th or 5th grade level (although it has been used successfully in 6th grade classrooms as well). The materials are fun as well as educational, and participating teachers have been unanimously enthusiastic.
Dayton Audubon 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 Barbara Keegan at 435-0707. 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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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 tschaefer@ameritech.net. You can also write to
Dayton Audubon Society
1375 East Siebenthaler Avenue
Dayton, Ohio 45414-5398
or e-mail us at
audubon@dayton.net
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Environmental Legacy
| A bequest of any size to Dayton Audubon can have
a lasting effect 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.
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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:
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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 Dick Balk at 937-886-0092, or e-mail us at
audubon@dayton.net.
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| 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 Alert
937-640-BIRD (2473)
Includes updated information on DAS activities.
To report unusual sightings, call Betty Berry at 937-836-3022, or
Jim Arnold at 937-862-4437 |
Previous Yellow Warblers
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E-Mail Dayton Audubon(audubon@dayton.net)
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