Audubon Miami Valley

Student Art Contest Award Winners Chosen

lizwoedl — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 22:45:43 +0000

The Audubon Miami Valley 2012 Student Art Contest Award Winners have been chosen! There will be Artwork Exhibit and Awards Ceremony at Alumni Hall, Miami University on March 3, 2012, 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm.

The Awards Ceremony will begin at 2:00 pm followed by refreshments. Live Raptors will be on hand at 3:00 pm. Student art entry pick-up begins at 4:00 pm. To the list of the contestants and awards go to Art Contest Awards 2012.

Many thanks to the students, teachers and schools who participated! Thanks also to the volunteer organizers and panel of judges for their enthusiasm and expertise.

Filed under: Art Contest, BIRDS

Outing to Visit Spring Grove Cemetery, 2/25/12

lizwoedl — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 18:11:19 +0000

Saturday, February 25, 2012 - Spring Grove Cemetery with Dick Munson. Spring Grove Cemetery is one of the premier arboretum cemeteries in the United States. It contains the final resting place of many local and national luminaries. Spring Grove contains numerous examples of some of the largest and rarest trees in North America and Spring Grove is a great birding site. The hike will involve some hills and perhaps even a bit of snow on the ground. A winter hike allow us to see many trees without their leaves, revealing their true magnificence in terms of shape, bark, and branching habit. Join us for a brisk and inspiring hike through a truly beautiful place. Dress warmly and wear good boots for warmth and traction. Meet on the southwest side of the old Oxford Wal-Mart parking lot at 8:00am to car pool or caravan.

Filed under: BIRDS

Town Peterson to Speak on 3/12/12

lizwoedl — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:54:51 +0000

MARCH 12, 2012: Birds of the World: Assessing the Status of Accessible Knowledge of World Birds, Town Peterson, University Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS. Dr. Peterson’s research focuses on aspects of the geography of biodiversity, especially the geography and ecology of species’ distributions in space and in time. His formal training began at Miami University, with a degree in Zoology. In his graduate studies at the University of Chicago, he specialized in tropical ornithology, with a particular focus on systematics. As such, one component of his research focuses on the taxonomy of birds, as well as on the phylogeny of recently radiated clades of birds. Tied to this focus is work with the basic geography of bird distributions and the composition of local avifaunas, based on detailed site inventories and scientific collections around the world which is the focus of this talk. Dr. Peterson’s work, however, has taken him into other fields, including conservation biology and planning, invasive species biology, and disease transmission systems. Dr. Peterson’s work is collaborative in nature, and usually involves geographers, computer scientists, and biologists. This talk will be in 218 Pearson Hall, Miami University, Oxford at 7:30 P.M.

Filed under: BIRDS

Wolf Creek Habitat and Rescue, 1/28

lizwoedl — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:58:43 +0000

January 28, 2012 - Wolf Creek Habitat and Rescue. Because of many requests to go back to Wolf Creek Habitat, we will return January 28 to play with the wolves. There is no charge to visit the facility but if you would like to go in the pen with the wolves it is $20 a person. For more information about Wolf Creek Habitat: www.nighthowls7.com.  No fur or red coats if you want to go in the pens with the wolves and it will be muddy so wear clothes that if they get dirty you won’t mind. Also no dangle earrings or piercings.  Wolf Creek Habitat only allows pocket cameras on the property. This is not a field trip for children. Meet on the southwest side of the old Oxford Wal-Mart parking lot near McDonalds at 9:30 to car pool or caravan. We will stop for a hot drink and lunch on the way back to Oxford. - Linda Williams, Field Trip Chair,  jlwms67@gmail.com

Filed under: CONSERVATION, FIELD TRIPS

Faces of the Christmas Bird Count

lizwoedl — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 01:58:05 +0000

The Christmas Bird Count is not a time to take a lot of bird pictures. The participants are too intent in counting every bird in sight that a camera would just get in the way. Rising early to get a good head start on the day, everyone convenes at noon to tally the numbers, share stories and eat a hearty chili soup lunch. To find out more about the count’s result go to our Christmas Bird Count page. To see more pictures from the event visit our Audubon Miami Valley Facebook page.

Filed under: BIRDS

Good Birding at Brookville Lake

lizwoedl — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 02:49:38 +0000

With Jim Michael leading, on a beautiful (i.e., not freezing & windy) morning, we had some great looks at birds in Brookville Lake and Whitewater State Parks. Hardy kept this list: total species 35.

Common LoonPied-billed Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Canada Geese

Wood Duck

Green-winged Teal

Mallards (40)

Northern Pintail

Gadwall

Ring-necked duck

Lesser Scaup

Bufflehead

Hooded Merganser (50+)

Ruddy Duck

Northern Harrier

Red-tailed Hawk

Sandhill Cranes (170)

Killdeer

Bonaparte’s Gulls

Mourning Dove

Belted Kingfisher

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Blue Jay

American Crow

Tufted Titmouse

Red-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch

Carolina Wren

European Starling

Northern Cardinal

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Sparrow

Filed under: BIRDS

Christmas Bird Count, 12/17

lizwoedl — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:15:49 +0000

Audubon’s Annual ChristmasBirdCount takes place in-and-around Oxford on Saturday, Dec. 17, 7:30am at Miami University’s Ecology Research Center on Somerville Rd. The dawn-to-dusk census of bird species covers 176 square miles and is conducted according to National Audubon Society rules.

The original bird count was on Christmas Day in 1900. It now incorporates more than 1,600 organized efforts and more than 50,000 participants throughout most of North America, Hawaii, U.S. territories, Bermuda, the Caribbean and Pacific islands. Data collected are sent to National Audubon and published annually in a special “Christmas Bird Count” issue of “American Birds.”

Regardless of experience, new participants are welcome to join groups led by experts covering portions of the count area. First-time counters and those under 18 years of age can participate free of charge but repeat birders pay the $6 participation fee, which covers data processing and publication. Hot beverage and lunch are served at noon while we compile the first species and numbers of the Count. Participants are encouraged to bring food to share and their own table service.

Filed under: BIRDS, EDUCATION, EVENTS, HABITAT, HIKING

Eyes Along the River, 12/12

lizwoedl — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:39:02 +0000

Eyes Along the River – A Journey through Time, Jim Williams – formerly with the Hamilton County Park District

Join us for a story of the Ohio River. We will explore some of the natural and cultural history of the Ohio River from the late 1700’s to the present time. We will look at some of the changes that have occurred in relation to the flora, fauna and people and how transportation changed the face of the river forever.

Jim Williams was born and raised in the Greater Cincinnati area. His ancestors came to Southwest Ohio in the late 1700’s by flatboat. He grew up rambling the farms of the descendents of those early Ohio pioneers, exploring the natural beauty of the farmland and woods. Jim attended the University of Cincinnati earning a Bachelors degree in Education with a major in the Biological Sciences. While teaching botany and zoology in a Cincinnati, Ohio high school he went on to receive a MAT in botany at Miami University. Jim joined the staff of the Hamilton County Park District as a Naturalist/Educator. Later he became the Chief Naturalist/Program.

DECEMBER 12, 2011, 7:30pm , 2^nd Floor Oxford Community Room, Lebanon Citizens National Bank, unless noted otherwise. All meetings are free and open to the public.

Filed under: EDUCATION, HABITAT, SPEAKERS, WILDLIFE

Rare Birder Alert!

lizwoedl — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:17:42 +0000

Greg Miller, birder extraordinaire of The Big Year fame is coming to Miami U., Oxford Campus, Tuesday, November 29, 7pm, Room 112 Pearson Hall (Patterson Ave. and High St.)!!!

Filed under: UNCATEGORIZED

Brookville Winter Bird Hike

lizwoedl — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 03:18:57 +0000

December 3,2011 – Brookville Winter Bird Hike. Dave Russell will again take us on a hike around Brookville Lake Saturday, Dec. 3 to see what great birds we can find. This will be a good warm up for the Christmas Bird Count December 17. Meet at 8:00am on the west side of the new Oxford Wal-Mart parking lot on Rt. 27 north.

Filed under: BIRDS, EDUCATION, FIELD TRIPS