SEPTEMBER ACTIVITY

DATE: SUN, SEPT. 21^st, 2008

ACTIVITY: Shaker Lakes Nature Center

TIME: 8:00 a.m.

PLACE: Shaker Lakes Nature Center

Please join us for our first field trip for the 2008 -2009 season at Shaker Lakes Nature Center; located in Shaker Heights, Ohio. It has been several years since we have visited this area. Possible many of you have not recently been to this premier Cleveland “hot spot”. We should encounter many of the migratory species including the “fall warblers”, thrushes, and sparrows.

There is a boardwalk and several trails so the walking is fairly easy, but be prepared for weather as this will be a rain or shine event. Lets go and have some fun! Call Jim at 440-257-2507 for more information or a ride.

Directions: The Nature Center is located at 2600 South Park Blvd., Shaker Heights, OH. Take Interstate 271 to Chagrin Blvd/West. Turn right onto Richmond Rd. Turn left onto Shaker Blvd. Turn right onto South Park Blvd. At the fork in the road, bear left. The Nature Center is at the bottom of the hill. If you need more info or directions call Jim McConnor at 440-257-2507

An Extra Bird Walk!

Looking for an extra bird walk? Meet at the Mentor Lagoons trail head parking lot on September 13 at 7:30 AM. (It’s at Saturday.) This is a Coast Weeks event led by Jim McConnor of Blackbrook Audubon and is free to everyone. Early fall migrants will be the species of interest – which include vireos, thrushes, warblers, and sparrows. Come join the fun!

Directions: Mentor Lagoons is off of Harbor Drive - north of Lakeshore Boulevard just past the intersection of Hopkins Road.

OCTOBER ACTIVITY

DATE: SAT, OCT. 11^th, 2008

ACTIVITY: Headlands Beach State Park

TIME: 8:00 a.m.

PLACE: Mentor

This is the premier birding site on the east side of Cleveland and we will be there to see the late migratory songbirds and possibly some of the early waterfowl. We will head directly for the beach and then bird the bushes afterwards. We then will travel to the Mentor Lagoons for more birding by the marsh and into the woods. Bring a “scope” if you have one. The birding can be “long distance” on the water and remember to dress for the weather. We’ll see you there!

Directions: Take SR-44 North to the entrance of the park and follow the road to the right until you get to the last parking lot. Furthest parking lot east is designated P-1 and is locally know as “the fisherman’s parking lot”.

Blackbrook Audubon Society

September

Program: Tues. Sept. 16, 2008 – 7:00 p.m.

Meyer Center – Geauga Park District

Dan Best – “Ohio’s Comeback Critters”

Field Trip: Sun. Sept. 21, 2008

Shaker Lakes Nature Center – 8:00 a.m.

October

Program: Tues. Oct. 21, 2008 – 7:00 p.m.

Visitor Center – Holden Arboretum

Haans Petrushke – “Low Impact

Gardening for Biodiversity”

Field Trip: Sat. Oct. 11, 2008

Headlands Beach State Park - 8:00 a.m.

November

Program: Tues. Nov. 18, 2008 – 7:00 p.m.

Visitor Center – Holden Arboretum

Jim McCormac – “Wild Ohio – The

Best of our Natural Heritage”

Field Trip: Sun. Nov. 16, 2008

Eastlake Power Plant and west

Meeting location and time TBA

December

Christmas Bird Count

Sat. Dec. 27, 2008

Lake County

January

Program: Tues. Jan. 20, 2009 – 7:00 p.m.

Penitentiary Glen Nature Center

Jerry Wiedmann – “Butterflies”

Field Trip: Sun. Jan. 18, 2009

Best Lake, Hayes Rd., Headwaters

Meeting location and time TBA

All Programs and Field trips are free and open to the public!

2008-2009 Programs and Meeting Schedule

February

Program: Tues. Feb. 17, 2009 – 7:00 p.m.

Penitentiary Glen Nature Center

Lori Deemer – “Polar Bears”

Field Trip: Sun. Feb. 15, 2009

Avon Lake Power Plant, Rocky River

Meeting location and time TBA

March

Program: Tues. Mar. 17, 2009 – 7:00 p.m.

Penitentiary Glen Nature Center

Andy Avram – “Snakes”

Field Trip: Sun. Mar. 15, 2009

Sheldon Marsh, Cedar Point

Meeting location and time TBA

April

Program: Tues. Apr. 21, 2009 – 7:00 p.m.

Penitentiary Glen Nature Center

Speaker TBA

Field Trip: Sun. Apr. 19, 2009

Conneaut Harbor- time TBA

May

Program: Tues. May 19, 2009 – 7:00 p.m.

West Woods Nature Center –

Geauga Park District

Speaker TBA

Field Trip: Sun. May 17, 2009

Frohring Meadows – Geauga Park

Meeting location and time TBA

Birdathon: Sat. May 9 thru Sun. May 17, 2009

Any 24 hour period wherever you

Choose

June

Picnic: Tues. Jun. 16, 2009

Veterans Park – Lake Metroparks

Arrive 6:00 p.m. – Eat 6:30 p.m.

Walk to follow

For updates and more information visit our web site: www.blackbrookaudubon.org

FROM the DESK of the PRESIDENT

I would like to thank the outgoing President Nancy Dilgren, outgoing vice president Jim McConnor and outgoing Treasurer Barb Shuter. This past year we had many successful projects, field trips and programs all of which could not have been accomplished with out the help of these individuals. I also want to thank them for continuing on the board this year to help our current goals and mission. Nancy is elected Treasurer. Jim is chair of friends and field trips. Barb is elected Vice President.

In addition to our elected officers and previous board members, I have appointed two new chairs this year. Julie Dougherty will be the new education Chair replacing my position, and Rebecca Walters will be co-chairing the Conservation position with Sue Kaufmann. Both Julie and Rebecca work at The Holden Arboretum, and come to Blackbrook with excitement and enthusiasm. Please welcome both Julie and Rebecca the next time you see them at a meeting or a field trip.

There are still two volunteer positions open, Hospitality Chair and Publicity Chair. The Hospitality Chair is responsible for arriving a bit early for each meeting and starting the hot water and/or coffee. This person also coordinates people offering to bring refreshments and if there are not enough volunteers, buys (at Blackbrook’s cost) something to serve. The Publicity Chair is responsible for getting information on our meetings and programs out to local libraries and parks and trying to get notices in newspapers or on the local channels on the different cable systems. This does not take a great deal of time, as the other board members stand ready to help deliver the materials. If anyone would be interested in either of these jobs, please let me know.

Also if you would like to attend a board meeting first before committing to a job, feel free to attend. We welcome new faces and ideas! The meetings are generally held the first Tuesday of the month at 7:15 p.m. at the Marsh House in Mentor and are always open to anyone who wishes to attend. Just check first with a board member as occasionally we change the date to accommodate the board member’s schedules.

We have an exciting year ahead of us including many new projects. I am thrilled about being your new president and look forward to serving this great organization.

Thank you for your continued support,

Becky

IMPORTANT BIRD AREA WALKS: We will be collecting data on the birds that live or visit Lake Metroparks, Veterans Park. We will be conducting three Bird Walks in September and two all the other months till April! These walks will take place on the 2^nd and 4^th Sundays (at 8 A.M.) of every month with and extra one the 3^rd Wednesday (at 6 P.M.)of September. Everyone who is interested in lending their eyes and ears, meet at the parking lot at 5740 Hopkins Road, Mentor OH 44060. The first bird walk at Veterans Park will start on Sunday, May 11^th

John Kolar (Roger Tory Peterson Institute)

Dan Best (National Association for Interpretation)

Geauga Naturalists Receive Top Honors

We all strive to leave our own personal mark on the world, and for two Geauga Park District Naturalists that legacy has been recently recognized in the form of awards.

Region IV of the National Association for Interpretation recently bestowed its top honor on Senior Naturalist Dan Best. Dan was honored by his peers at the NAI Spring Conference with the "Distinguished Professional Interpreter" award for his vast knowledge, skill, creativity and dedication to helping others to understand, appreciate and protect both natural and cultural resources. Whether it's interjecting his sense of wonder and humor into walks and talks, writing for publication, training staff and volunteers, strumming his guitar for a Tune-Trader session, or paddling the river to monitor his prothonotory warbler (Metamucil) nest boxes, Dan's commitment and skill are evident. Dan has been instrumental in the development of park master plans and interpretive facilities and has been a catalyst for previous awards for program development. Dan has also been the mastermind behind Geauga Park's wildly successful major exhibits, "Engage the Ice Age" and "Bio-centennial". His latest undertaking is "Wild Nights - Nature after Dark and Underground" slated to open November 1 at The West Woods.

Dan has special ties to Blackbrook Audubon, since he is a former Board Member and continues to be a program presenter. Don't miss his session on "Comeback Critters" on the fall schedule.

In commemoration of the centennial Year of his birth, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute has instituted achievement awards that recognize the work of nature educators who are following in Dr. Peterson's footsteps. It has just been announced that Geauga Park District Naturalist John Kolar has been selected to receive their top-tier Blanche Hornbeck citation for outstanding work in nature education. Blanche was the teacher who inspired Roger, so recipients of the award must follow her lead.

John Kolar has a ready smile and flair for drama, which he brings to his interpretive programs. He's been known to don a costume and transform himself into "Otter-man" or "Mantis-man", all to help inspire and enlighten audiences of all ages. John also heads up Geauga Park District's NatureScopes program which provides 5th grade classes with binoculars, field guides, instruction and opportunities to put their tools to use in both indoor and outdoor settings as microscopes and instruments for distance viewing. A homemade star dome (which John constructed from tarps and duct tape) is a highlight for the Astronomy day programs.

NE Ohio is lucky to claim these talented naturalists. Check the website www.geaugaparkdistrict.org for more program information.

Birdathon Results:

Blackbrook Audubon held its most successful Birdathon in many years this past May. The teams that turned in bird lists together saw a total of 140 species of birds. Jim McConnor, Anders Fjeldstad, Roger Beuck and Mary McConnor lead the way with 130 species. Becky Thompson and Julie Doughterty and their team saw 75 species. Mary Ann Wagner’s team saw 52 species and Nancy Dilgren had 56.

More important was the money raised. Again Jim, Anders, Roger and Mary led the way raising over $1000. Mary Ann was second with over $400. Three other teams, Becky’s, Nancy’s and Judy Kolesar’s each raised over $100 plus several individual donations were made. A few late donations are still trickling in, but right now the total is right around $1900!!!!

This money is very important as we will be paying much of the cost of supplying Audubon Adventures to over 150 classrooms (or over 3700 students) attending programs at Holden Arboretum during the coming school year. We will send Audubon Adventures to several Geauga classrooms through the Geauga Park District and a set goes to the Mentor Marsh Nature Center as well. Audubon Adventures helps the children learn about nature and practice skills they need for their proficiency tests. They also introduce the name ‘Audubon’ and its commitment to the natural world to these children at a young age.

The board of Blackbrook has committed $2100 to this project in 2008 and the money raised from Birdathon along with what we plan to raise from the Robert Bateman Poster Raffle will allow us to meet this commitment. A huge thank-you to all who participated as well as to those who donated money.

Blackbrook receives grant from Audubon Ohio for Prothonotary Warblers Nesting Boxes

On May 17, 2008 Blackbrook volunteers helped over 100 Girl Scouts build 20 Prothonotary warbler nesting boxes. Blackbrook volunteers introduce the scouts to Prothonotary warblers including how to identify by sight and sound and the importance of attracting the warblers to The Holden Arboretum. In June the boxes were placed in various locations throughout Holden including Blueberry Pond, Buttonbush Bog and Corning Lake. In spring of 2009 Holden anticipates nesting pairs of Prothonotary warblers.

To help fund this project Blackbrook applied for a grant through Audubon Ohio. In June, Blackbrook received notice from the grant committee that they were awarded $415.00 to fund the project. The awarded amount covered the entire project plus a few additional items need for monitoring the boxes. A big thanks goes to Becky Thompson, president, and Mary Ann Wagner, secretary, for completing the grant application in time for the deadline.

Robert Bateman Poster Raffle

One of our board members, Harriet Pedone, received the poster when she attended the recent Bateman show at Gallery One. She decided that she would donate it to Blackbrook for a raffle and approached Robert to see if he would sign it. He said that he did not normally sign posters, but that he would make an exception in this case as Harriet was planning to donate it to Audubon, a charity and an organization that he knew did good work. His signature and the small drawing he did beside it make this poster priceless. We will begin selling tickets early in September and the drawing will be held Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at our program meeting at Holden Arboretum. The winner need not be present that night. Tickets will be $2 apiece or 3 for $5. You will be able to get your tickets from any board member during this period, plus we will sell tickets at our October and November program meetings at Holden. (Please note: we will not be selling tickets at our September meeting due to Park policy.) If anyone wishes to purchase tickets and cannot attend either of the meetings or reach another board member, please contact Nancy at angydy@earthlink.net or (440) 257-1090.

All proceeds from the sale of the raffle tickets will go towards Audubon Adventures. We send a very big thank-you to Harriet for donating the poster and obtaining the signature.

Friends of Blackbrook Audubon

If you would like to support Blackbrook Audubon Society, then you may want to consider a membership in Friends of Blackbrook. You will receive our newsletter four times a year and will be invited to our annual thank-you event. More importantly, you will be helping Blackbrook continue to provide opportunities for people to learn about and enjoy nature. And of course, Blackbrook is a 501(c)3 organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Friends of Blackbrook Audubon

Name ____________________________

Address __________________________

_________________________________

City ___________ State ___ Zip _______

Amount of Donation: ___ $20 ____ $30

___ $40 ____ Other

Please make checks payable to: Blackbrook Audubon Society and mail to: James McConnor 5758 Beech Dr. Mentor on the Lake, OH 44060

Or call Jim at (440) 257-2507 for more information on the benefits associated with Friends of Blackbrook membership.

An Anytime, Anywhere Celebration of Nature in the City
by Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Nature has the power to soothe and enthuse. More people are finding that out as they join the free, year-round “Celebrate Urban Birds!” citizen-science project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. From schools, hospitals, and senior centers, to wellness programs, scout packs, and military bases, participants are reaping the benefits of a closer connection to the natural world and a new appreciation for city birds.

A girl in 4-H changed her mind about city birds after taking part in the project: “At first I didn't like urban birds,” she said. “I thought of them as pests. Then I realized that they are just like me and other kids. We are ignored or people just see as us pests or don’t see us at all…yet if you look a little deeper you can see that on the inside we are pretty unique and cool!”

People of all ages and backgrounds participate in Celebrate Urban Birds through gardening, cultural activities and citizen-science. For the citizen-science part of the project, participants watch city birds for 10 minutes, check off 15 target species of birds, and send the information through the mail or the Internet to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Once enough data are gathered, scientists hope to learn more about how birds survive in cities and how they use urban green spaces such as parks, rooftop `to draw people into bird study and observation. While supplies last, everyone who signs up will receive a Celebrate Urban Birds kit in English and Spanish with two colorful urban birds posters, educational materials about birds and urban greening, a data form, and a packet of sunflower seeds to plant in pots and gardens. More than 60,000 free kits have been distributed.

After receiving his kit, one elementary school youngster with Down syndrome declared, “I will take these posters home and put them up on my wall forever because I'm going to be a scientist when I grow up!” Teachers find that the 10-minute bird observation can be done within a class period, and it reinforces math, reading, scientific, artistic, and team-building skills. One teacher noted, “Our group of middle school boys was impressed with being able to help with a project sponsored by a university.”

Winners have been chosen for the project’s first “Beautiful Birds in Urban Places” video and photo contest. Marian Mendez of Hialeah, Florida, captured first prize with her images of birds found in her back yard. Learn more about Celebrate Urban Birds and sign up at www.CelebrateUrbanBirds.org!

BLACKBROOK AUDUBON SOCIETY

PO Box 1306

Mentor, OH 44060-1306

Becky Thompson - President

Bruce Roberts - Editor

If You’ve Ever Wanted to Know More About Raptors,

the Lake Erie Raptor Seminar Is Your Place To Be!

Maumee Bay, OH – September 27 & 28, 2008, the Ohio Ornithological Society (OOS) and Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO), are featuring presentations by raptor experts sharing their knowledge about the fascinating and intriguing group of birds classified as raptors. Seminars take place at the Maumee Bay Resort & Conference Center with field trips to four local birding hotspots. Saturday evening will feature dinner with keynote speaker, Brian Wheeler, author of Raptors of Eastern North America Photographic Guide to North American Raptors.

Sunday will offer a field trip to Lake Erie Metropark, a premier hawk-watching location in Brownstown, Michigan, to witness the spectacle of migrating raptors.

For more information, costs and registration form, call BSBO at 419-898-4070 or visit http://www.bsbobird.org

UPCOMING EVENTS

Robert Bateman Poster Raffle

Mentor, OH 44060-1306

Bruce Roberts - Editor