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Volume 66 - No.3 Photo by Jim Simpson Dayton Audubon Society,1375 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton, OH 45414-5398
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On Wednesday, May 21, we’ll be bringing back the perennially popular Members Slide Show. Not limited to slides, of course; all DAS members are invited to bring out their birding pictures, art work, or other items that you’d like to share with your fellow DAS members. It’s always a good turnout, and plenty of fun, too. If you plan to participate, please call Program Chair Lee Hall at 434-4531, so he can coordinate the program. Dust off that old projector carousel and show us your stuff! Also on hand will be Audubon Ohio Executive Director Jerry Tinianow. Audubon Ohio, headquartered in Columbus, is the National Audubon Society’s state office for Ohio. They help to promote Audubon ideals and programs here in Ohio, including the Important Bird Area program, establishment of new nature centers, and coordination of environmental action by the nearly 20,000 Audubon members here in the Buckeye State. The program will be held at Wegerzyn Garden Center, 1301 East Siebenthaler Avenue from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. We meet in the lower level - entry is via the ramp to the west of the main entrance. As always, the general public is invited to attend and there is no admission fee. Parking is free. The 2003 DAS Annual Meeting will take place on June 18 at Wegerzyn. This will be a casual, pleasant evening, and a good opportunity to meet other members and hear about what has happened with DAS in the past year, and what is expected in the coming year. We also will be electing officers and directors for 2003-2004; the nominating committee will present a slate in the next Yellow Warbler. Mark your calendars now! |
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Have you ever wanted to make a difference for Ohio's environment but felt overwhelmed with the busy schedule of modern life? If so, you are invited to join the Sustainable Ohio Action Partnership (SOAP). SOAP is Ohio's newest, easiest way to make a difference with your email account. Through SOAP, a coalition of state-based environmental organizations, including Audubon Ohio, will send you one email a month detailing an important environmental issue facing your government. If you would like to send a letter on that issue, simply reply to our message and your response will be converted to a fax and then delivered to important decision-makers. It's that easy to use your email to have your important and relevant comments entered into the public record. SOAP also allows you to personalize the message by editing it as much as you want. The Sustainable Ohio Action Partnership is a coalition of over 3000 citizens acting on behalf of Ohio's natural treasures. Please join the growing force of Ohio residents advocating for change by visiting http://actionnetwork.org/OhioSOAP or join SOAP by calling Marnie Urso with the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund at (216) 623-1717. If you are looking for something a bit more intense than simply responding once a month to a SOAP alert, consider volunteering for one of the new "Green Teams" being organized by the Ohio Environmental Council. The OEC will provide training on how to be a citizen lobbyist, and will provide background information and guidance on how to lobby your state legislators on particular issues. You can enroll by visiting www.theoec.org/greenup_team_enroll.html. For more information, contact Heidi Hisrich at the OEC at (614) 487-7506.
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Saturday, May 3, 8:00 a.m. Field Trip: Englewood MetroPark. The most passerine migrants usually pass through the Dayton area during the first and second weeks of May, and Englewood MetroPark is always an outstanding place to look for them! Plan now to join Chris Vickers. (890-9633) to search for migrant wood warblers. To get to Englewood MetroPark, take US 40 west from I75 (north of Dayton). When you reach the east end of the dam,turn right (north) and meet at the parking lot on US 40 (between the Dayton International Airport and the city of Englewood). Please wear shoes or boots suitable for muddy terrain.
Sunday, May 4, 8:30 a.m.
Saturday, May 10, 8:30 a.m.
Sunday, May 11, 8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, May 13, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17, 8:00 a.m.
Saturday, May 17, 8:00 a.m.
Sunday, May 18, 8:30 a.m.
Wednesday, May 21, 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 1, 6:30 a.m.
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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 Committee
__ 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 Dick Balk at 937-886-0092.
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The results of this year's Great Backyard Bird Count, conducted during President's Day weekend this past February, indicate a dramatic decline in crow population in Ohio. In 2001, participants spotted 1,367 crows; in 2002 the number dropped a bit to 1,191, but in 2003 only 605 crows were spotted, a decline of nearly 50 percent in one year. John Fitzpatrick, Director of the Cornell Ornithology Lab, speculates that the substantial decline in crow populations in Ohio may be due to West Nile Virus. Crows appear to be particularly vulnerable to the virus. It is worth noting, however, that this year's GBBC coincided with the arrival of a large snowstorm that went on for two days, and undoubtedly reduced both the number of volunteers who were able to participate in the count and the number of birds observed. The snowstorm, however, did not necessarily reduce the numbers observed for all species: the storm might have driven more dark-eyed juncos to feeders, resulting in the increase from 1,297 reported in Ohio in 2002 to 1,754 reported in 2003. With the weather warming up, we are likely to see a resurgence of West Nile Virus in Ohio in coming months. The disease has generated a lot of concern, so it is important to keep a few facts in mind:
* Most mosquito bites will not lead to a WNV infection What about handling birds when conducting research, such as bird banding? A certain amount of precaution is warranted. An excellent fact sheet on this topic recently issued by The Ornithological Council is posted at www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/WNV.html. |
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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, except December and April. See you there! |
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