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March |
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Wednesday, March 3, 2010
“Nature Preserves & Birds in
Northeast Ohio”
Presented by David Kriska and Eddie Dengg
Birders in the Cleveland area (and anyone who
appreciates nature!) are lucky that far-sighted
people have protected a wonderful range of rare
natural areas. For instance, the Western Reserve
Land Conservancy (which works to protect the scenic
beauty, rural character and natural resources of
northern Ohio, and the state’s largest land trust)
has preserved more than 250 properties and more than
20,000 acres. Many of the WRLC areas are critical
bird habitat, and open to birders. The Cleveland
Museum of Natural History's Natural Areas Program
now comprises 37 nature preserves and 4,781 acres
that contain unique natural communities, such as
hemlock northern hardwood forest, Lake Erie island
alvar, fossil dune ridge, marshes, swamps and
glacial wetlands. They protect 110 state-listed
plant species and 90 state listed or rare fauna, and
provide critical habitat for migratory and rare
nesting birds. Together, they represent the
remarkable biological diversity that was once
widespread throughout the region.
About
David . . .
David Kriska is the Biodiversity Coordinator at the
Center for Conservation & Biodiversity, Natural
Areas Division, of The Cleveland Museum of Natural
History. David conducts breeding bird surveys on
Museum preserves to track the status of our regions
rarest breeding birds.
Eddie Dengg is Western Reserve Land Conservancy's
Biodiversity Specialist and lead negotiator on land
acquisitions. He has helped make northern Ohio a
better place to live through nearly two decades of
work in conservation and outdoor recreation. Before
joining the Land Conservancy, Dengg was Executive
Director of Grand River Partners, Inc., worked as
the park Botanist at Cuyahoga Valley National Park,
and is a past President of the Ohio Invasive Plants
Council.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area
See
van trips for
description and times.
Saturday, March 27, 2009
Shreve Migration
Sensation
7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Shreve Elementary School
598 North Market Street (State Route 226),
Shreve, Ohio 44676
Kenn Kaufman will be speaking
For information visit:
http://www.valkyrie.net/~rehmje/migration/
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April |
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Wednesday, April 7, 2010
“Four decades of Change: Northern Alaskan Seabirds
Respond to a Rapidly Melting Arctic”
Presented by George Divoky
George has spent 35 years studying arctic
seabirds off northern Alaska witnessing major
changes in the avifauna and marine and coastal
habitats of the region. Warming-induced changes in
snow have affected a number of the region’s marine
birds by causing rapid changes in the distribution
and abundance of their nest sites, prey, competitors
and predators. Divoky's annual observations from
his research island provide evidence of the rapid
rate of change occurring at northern latitudes.
About George Divoky . . .
George Divoky was raised in Cleveland and his
interest in birds began on the trails of Shaker
Lakes and North Chagrin Reservation. He has worked
in the arctic Alaska since 1970 studying the marine
birds of the region. Divoky obtained his doctorate
from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and is now
director of Friends of Cooper Island, a nonprofit
dedicated to continuing his three-decade study of
Black Guillemots and informing the public of his
findings. He is one of the founders of the Pacific
Seabird Group, an international society of
professional ornithologists and conservationists
studying and protecting the marine birds of the
Pacific Basin. When not in Alaska he lives in
Seattle where he has a 19-year-old son.
Saturday, April 24 at 8:00 a.m.
Station Road,
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Leader:
Dwight Chasar
Target Species: Cerulean
and Yellow-throated Warblers and migrants.
Directions:
I—77 South to Exit 149A, State Route 82 East
(Royalton Road). Continue east on State Route 82,
crossing State Route 21 (Brecksville Rd). Go right
(south) at Riverview Road and left (east) at
entrance to Station Road at bottom of hill.
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May |
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Wednesday, May 5, 2010
“A Shade-grown Coffee Future”
Presented by Paul Baicich
You've probably heard about the links between birds
and shade-grown coffee. Some coffees threaten the
lives of birds; some coffees can actually benefit
birds. And millions of coffee-drinkers can make the
difference. In this talk we will take a journey to
visit vital points of intersection, a crossroads for
birds, agriculture, and people. Here, Paul Baicich
explores the shade-coffee/birds connection, focusing
on Latin America and the Caribbean and “our” birds
which migrate to the Neotropics. You will leave this
presentation with a greater appreciation of the
issues and the ability to explain the
coffee-and-bird issue to birding and non-birding
friends alike!
About
Paul J. Baicich . . .
Paul has been an active
birder since his early teens in New
York City. A former employee of the
American Birding Association, he
edited 14 of their "ABA Birdfinding
Guides," edited Birding, ABA's
bi-monthly magazine, and served as
ABA's Director of Conservation and
Public Policy.
His concerns include an abiding
interest in bird conservation and
studies in the breeding biology of
North American birds. In this last
regard, he has co-authored (with the
late Colin Harrison)
A Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and
Nestlings of North American Birds
(1997). Paul also has co-led a
number of birding tours and
workshops to Alaska. These Alaska
destinations include the Aleutians,
the Pribilofs, the Seward Peninsula,
and St. Lawrence Island.
Among his many other activities, he
has been working for the National
Wildlife Refuge System on a
consultant basis on issues of
popular birding and parallel refuge
receptiveness. In addition, Paul
co-edits (with Wayne Petersen) the
popular monthly
Birding Community
E-bulletin.
Saturday, May 1 at 8:00 a.m.
Tuscarawas Meadow Area,
Firestone Metropark, Summit County
Leader:
Ed
Pierce
Target Species:
Spring Migrants (always great warbler numbers, and
much more!)
Directions:
Take I-77 to I-76 near Akron to I-277 East/US Route
224 East. Exit at South Main Street, turning right
(south) and continue for approximately one mile,
Turn left (east) on Warner Road, left again on
Harrington Road and immediately left into the
Tuscarawas Meadow's parking lot.
Notes:
Bring something for potluck brunch at home of Ed and
Cheryl Pierce immediately following walk (their home
is adjacent to the park)