New Zealand
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In October, 2002, DAS field trip chairs Karen and John Shrader presented a fascinating program of their trip to Alaska to find the rare and elusive Siberian Tit and the Whiskered Auklet, a bird confined to the central Aleutians and islands off Siberia. At this month's DAS meeting, on November 17, John and Karen will again present an exciting travelogue; this time, they have visited New Zealand and its environs, and they will have lots of great photos and other items to share with DAS members.
The program 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 elevator or stairs. Everyone is encouraged to attend and bring their friends.
Refreshments will be served and parking is free. Please join us!
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Calendar
Tuesday, November 9, 7:30 p.m.
DAS Board of Directors Meeting
Leland Center, 1375 E. Siebenthaler Avenue.
Saturday, November 13, 8:30 a.m.
Gem City Birders Field Trip: Lima Reservoirs/ Lake St. Mary's.
Meet at the Boonshoft Museum's Ridge Avenue parking lot to car-pool for this all-day trip to the reservoirs, lake, and fish hatcheries. Leader Dave Dister (855-3013) promises Snow Buntings and Scoters. Bring a snack to hold you over (and feed the drivers) until we break for lunch at the Mexican restaurant.
Sunday, November 14, 9:00 a.m.
Field Trip: Whitewater State Park, Indiana.
Our popular, traditional end to the fall season's field trips! You just never know what will be seen on this trip: waterfowl, shorebirds, few early winter birds, Black Vultures, Turkeys, and/or Sandhill Cranes. Plan now to stay all morning - bring a picnic lunch with you, and since it is now fall, bring a jacket in case the weather is a bit brisk! This is the trip for great birds AND fellowship! Take SR 725 west to Indiana 44 to Liberty. South on Rt. 101 to the state park sign. Meet Lee and Polly Hall (434-4531) at the park entrance. Don't forget your good luck "bear claw necklace"!
Wednesday, November 17, 7:00 p.m.
DAS Program: New Zealand.
With Karen and John Shrader. Wegerzyn Garden Center. Please see the article above.
Sunday, January 2, 2005.
78th DAS Christmas Bird Count
Details in the next issue of The Yellow Warbler.
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Administration's Removal Of Marbled Murrelet Protections Wrong
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In a move that can only be described as politics trumping science, the Bush administration redefined the population of Marbled Murrelets in Washington, Oregon, and northern California in preparation for removing the bird's Endangered Species Act protections.
Administration officials announced that Pacific Northwest Marbled Murrelets would no longer be considered distinct from murrelets in Canada and Alaska, disregarding recent recommendations by independent, private-sector scientists, as well as their own scientists, to recognize the differences and keep federal protections in place.
"We need Endangered Species Act decisions to be based on real science if the Act is to provide a safety net for imperiled birds like the Marbled Murrelet," said Bob Perciasepe, Chief Operating Officer of National Audubon Society. "The Administration is using junk science to cut holes in the safety net big enough for an old growth forest to fall through."
For more information, visit www.audubon.org/news/press_releases/murrelet.html.
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Educating Children about the Environment
By Carrie Corder
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There are many new fun and exciting ways to introduce environmentally friendly ideas to children and young adults. One of the best programs for children and young adults currently available is Project Wet, Project Wild, and Project Learning Tree. After a few hours of training, an educator can be certified to teach and participate in activities with a broad spectrum of topics on the environment. With lesson plans and activities designed for specific age groups, one can teach children and young adults about the environmental impacts of daily living, as well as why conservation is so important. Information on Project Wet, Wild, and Learning Tree, as well as other educational materials, can be found on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website, www.dnr.state.oh.us/education.
Another activity that is being used frequently in classrooms today is Project Feeder Watch, conducted by Cornell University. Though the program is designed for anyone from the general public to contribute to their data through an online database, it can be an exciting way for students to learn to identify birds and gain a respect for the environment around them. The website can be accessed at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw. There is also Project Pigeon Watch, which is wonderful for inner city schools and families that may not have the opportunity to see as wide of a variety of birds. This program,also conducted by Cornell University, looks at the different coloration of pigeons, and the website can be accessed at http://www.cornell.edu/ppw.
These programs can greatly help students to be able to experience the environment around them, and is something they can do right in their schoolyard or backyard. Though one of the best ways for children to experience wildlife is to go on a field trip and explore a stream or a forest, activities like this will truly get young minds thinking about how important conservation is. It is never too early to educate children about why the environment is so important. By educating children from a young age, the future of our environment can be better preserved.
Carrie Corder, a student at Marietta College, is a recipient of a DAS Dively Scholarship (see below).
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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.
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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:
________________________
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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