The Leaflet, May/June 2001
- Off the Beaten Path by Jess Gwinn
- Spring Education / Conservation Fund Drive Bulletin by Susan Hengeveld
- Help Sponsor Audubon Adventures in Local Classrooms
- SAS Calendar for May / June 2001
- 15th Annual McCormick's Creek May Day Bird Count
Off the Beaten Path
Spring migration has begun, meaning of course that it is also time for the
spring bird counts. The focus of SAS is the Monroe County Parks Department
Birdathon. For the last few years SAS has expanded our Birdathon emphasis.
We now field as many teams as there are willing participants. In addition
we have coupled the Birdathon with two other fundraising efforts, a silent
auction and a raffle. The proceeds from these fundraisers now are being directed
towards SAS education efforts. Last year SAS sponsored 135 classrooms with
Audubon Adventures, 7th highest number in the country! Each of these classrooms
costs SAS approximately $42. While much of this money is raised through grants,
SAS has had to spend more of our own money each year to support this growing
number of sponsorships. To offset this cost, the spring fundraisers associated
with the Birdathon have been earmarked to support SAS education efforts directly
and through the creation of an endowment. Please consider supporting these
efforts by purchasing raffle tickets or bidding on items at the silent auction.
Of course pledging support for the Birdathon teams or actually participating
in the count would be a great way to offer support as well as spend an enjoyable
day in the field. Read elsewhere in the Leaflet for more details.
Speaking of spring migrants, you may want to visit Yellowwood State Forest to catch a glimpse of the rare Tree Sitting Guardian! One is nesting now in Indiana for the first time in recent history. Seriously, for those of you who support conservation efforts, please visit Mary Demkovich and offer her encouragement for her stand against logging in your state forests. These forests and trees belong to all of us, not to the IDNR. IDNR currently operates as if in a vacuum. They must understand that they work for us. We want, and more importantly, need more mature closed canopy forests in Indiana, not more second growth cutover tree stands. Our private forests provide enough of the latter. To visit Mary: Take Routte 45 East (10th Street) for 12 miles to Lanam Ridge Road which forks off to the right. Follow it to the second road on the right, DuBois Ridge. Go right. Travel about a mile down DuBois and park in the Tecumseh Trail parking lot (next to Prange Pond). From here, continue on foot down the same road to the logging road on the left. Follow this road and look in the canopy for her "nest."
Spring Education / Conservation Fund Drive Bulletin
One of SAS's primary missions is to find ways to advance public understanding of the value and need for conservation of wildlife, wildlife habitat, our natural resources, and the relationship between the intelligent treatment and wise use of these resources to human progress. The ultimate purpose of our fund drive is to start an endowment fund from which annual grants will be awarded. But we need your help to get things started! The proceeds from this year's Birdathon, Raffle and Silent Auction will all go towards this fund.
Silent Auction
As part of the Spring Education / Conservation Fund Drive, SAS will be holding its Third Annual Silent Auction. Once again, Bloomingfoods on East Third Street has graciously agreed to display items and accept bids during the week of May 12th to the 18th. On Saturday, May 19th, the items will be displayed at the Bloomington / Monroe County Parks & Recreation EarthFest celebration at Karst Farm Park. Items will be displayed and bidding will be permitted between noon and 3:00 p.m. Pick-up of items will take place between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. at Karst Farm Park. One of the top items available at this year's auction is a limited edition, signed print of Mexican Owls, by Roger Tory Peterson. This is the print that appears in Peterson's Mexican Field Guide to Birds. On the print, there are drawings of Crested, Spectacled, Black-and-white, Stygian, Mottled, Striped, Whiskered Screech-, Vermiculated Screech-, Ferruginous Pygmy-, Least Pygmy-, Elf, and Unspotted Saw-whet Owls - an exquisite print! Other items will include gift certificates, products, and services from local businesses and establishments. For example, last year, there were books from a couple of local bookstores, a plant from a local nursery, gift certificates for haircuts, gift certificates to local restaurants, bird feeders, t-shirts, and many other items. Items for this year include gift certificates from The Limestone Grille and Opie Taylor's, and a limited edition Harley Davidson Barbie doll worth $75.99! Take a look at (and bid on) items while they are being displayed at Bloomingfoods, but be sure also to take part in the final bidding at Karst Farm Park on Saturday afternoon, May 19.
Ways to Participate
Join a team
For the past few years, Sassafras Audubon Society has been fielding several teams to participate in the Monroe County Parks and Recreation May Birdathon. All proceeds from SAS teams will go towards our education efforts, including Audubon Adventures and our Conservation Endowment Fund. The more teams we have in the field, the more birds we can find! Birders of all levels are welcome to join a team! We invite you to come and enjoy a crazy day of birding, experiencing the thrill of spring migration like you have never experienced before! Warning: It can become very addicting!
Pledge your support
Whether you choose to directly participate by joining a team, or whether you would prefer to hear about it secondhand, we ask for you support! Pledge a set amount or pledge per species seen/heard. Challenge the SAS teams to go out and get as many species as possible! Keep in mind, if you are pledging per species, SAS team totals will be combined for a grand species count (ranging between 130-150 species).
Recruit other pledges
Want to do more? You can help us out even further by recruiting your family, friends, or co-workers to pledge their support for SAS also. Included in The Leaflet is a pledge sheet that you can use to help in your efforts. SAS asks that you recruit and then collect from your pledges, and then send the pledge sheet and money (checks only) to Sassafras Audubon Society, Susan Hengeveld, SAS Treasurer, P.O. Box 85, Bloomington, IN 47402.
Buy a raffle ticket
In conjunction with the May Birdathon, we will once again sponsor a raffle. The drawing will be held during the May 6th Birdathon potluck dinner. Buy 1 raffle ticket for $1 or 6 raffle tickets for $5. All proceeds will go to the educational efforts of SAS. Tickets are on page five for you to cut out and mail in. Feel free to copy the tickets if needed. Note: all raffle tickets must be RECEIVED by May 5th in order to be entered into the May 6th drawing.
- Grand Prize: One-week stay in a Fort Meyer's Beach Condo (airfare not included)
- 2nd Prize: $100 gift certificate to Wild Birds Unlimited in Bloomington
- 3rd Prize: The new National Audubon Society: The Sibley Guide to Birds
- 4th Prize: Peterson Field Guide: Eastern / Central Birding By Ear CDs
- 5th Prize: SAS tote bag
- 6th Prize: SAS t-shirt
Join us for the potluck: Sunday, May 6th - 4-7pm -hosted by Henry Wahl at the Woodcrest Party Room at 2606 East Second Street. Regardless of whether or not you participated directly in the Birdathon, we encourage all members to attend the potluck. Meet the birders that went out into the field, hear all of their stories (or tall tales). Just enjoy a relaxing evening talking about birds! For more information, or coordination of dishes, please contact Susan Hengeveld (988-1671) or shengeve@indiana.edu
Help Sponsor Audubon Adventures in Local Classrooms
This link will take you to a form you can print out to mail in for support of Audubon Adventures (note: using this link will open a new window in your browser).
SAS Calendar for May / June 2001
All outings and programs are free and open to non-members.
May 5, 2001 "May Birdathon"
SAS will once again participate in the Monroe County Parks & Recreation May Birdathon. SAS will be fielding as many teams as possible--please see The Leaflet for more information.
May 6, 2001 "Birdathon Potluck, Woodcrest Party Room, 4:00 - 7:00 pm"
Hosted by Henry Wahl at the Woodcrest Party Room at 2606 East Second Street from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Contact Susan Hengeveld (988-1671) if you want to coordinate dishes.
May 12, 2001 "McCormick's Creek May Day Bird Count"
This count of Owen County birds is sponsored by the Indiana Audubon Society. Some of the highlight areas include Cagles Mill Lake (Cataract State Recreation Area), the "Owen" part of Owen-Putnam State Forest, all of McCormick's Creek State Park, a large section of the White River, and Green's Bluff Nature Preserve. We also enjoy birding in a reclaimed strip mine area that usually produces Dickcissels and Blue Grosbeaks. If you wish to participate and be placed on a team, please call Jess Gwinn, 876-8623.
May 12-13, 2001 "Third International Migratory Bird Festival Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge"
Help celebrate Indiana's only international migratory bird festival! Last year around 400 people attended the events, and organizers hope to increase participation this year. Activities include informative and education programs and a number of bird hikes and field trips, a planned outing to closed areas of the Muscatatuck NWR. Contact Jason Lewis at Jason_Lewis@fsw.gov or (812) 273-0783 for more information.
Silent Auction for Spring Education Drive
May 12th-18th
Viewing of Silent Auction Items at Bloomingfoods on East Third Street. Bloomingfoods East will display our Silent Auction Items for one week. Bidding will begin at Bloomingfoods with final bids taking place on May 19th at Earthfest.
May 19th
SAS Silent Auction at Earthfest at Karst Farm Park. Final bids on all items. Item pick-up: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Call Ross Brittain at 333-2121 for details.
May 30, 2001, 7:00 p.m.
"May Program: Indiana's Butterflies: An Introduction"
Sandy Belth will present a slide show to introduce you to our state's butterflies. Come and learn how to identify our common butterflies. The focus will be on the butterflies which are most often encountered in our area, but you will also get a glimpse of a few of the unusual species which haunt our state. Suggested plantings to attract butterflies to your yard will also be discussed. Wednesday, May 30 in Room 1-C of the Monroe County Public Library at 7:00 p.m.
June 2, 2001 "Local Breeding Birds"
Join Jim and Susan Hengeveld on a tour to find the local species of breeding birds with a special focus on warblers. Meet at the K-Mart East parking lot at 7:00 a.m. The hike will last about four hours. Dress appropriately and bring water. Call 988-1671 if you have questions.
June 27, 2001, 7:00 p.m.
"June Program: Conservative Environmentalism"
Gordon Durnil is the author of The Making of a Conservative Environmentalist, published in 1995 by Indiana University Press. The book received rave international reviews and The New York Times said Durnil advanced "one of the single boldest environmental policy ideas of the 1990's." Durnil's experience includes serving as a lawyer, mediator, manager, diplomat, politician, speaker, and problem solver; he has also written several other books. Wednesday, June 27 in Room 1-C of the Monroe County Public Library at 7:00 p.m.
June 30, 2001 "Bloomington Parks Birds and Butterflies"
Join Ross Brittain on a morning hike to identify the various birds and butterflies that make their home at Griffy Lake and other Parks & Rec. properties. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Griffy Lake boathouse. Call Ross at 333-2121 if you have questions.
July 14, 2001 "The Monroe County Butterfly Count"
Volunteer to help local butterfly enthusiasts keep an official record of the number of butterflies and species seen in Monroe County. Last year we set another state record with 51 species of butterflies in one day. Contact Jeff and Sandy Belth at 825-8353 for details or to volunteer.
15th Annual McCormick's Creek May Day Bird Count
Big May Day Bird Counts are held nationwide on the second Saturday of May at the height of Spring migration, this year the count will be held on Saturday May 12. Charles Keller, co-author of Indiana Birds and Their Haunts, started the first Indiana counts in 1963. At first the counts only recorded the number of species present in the State, but starting in 1975 the numbers of individuals of each species were also counted. The Indiana Big May Day Counts are sponsored by the Indiana Audubon Society. Unlike Christmas Bird Counts where a count circle 15 miles in diameter is covered, Big May Day Bird Counts are held county by county. Since this one was created by staff at the McCormick's Creek State Park Nature Center in 1986, it has always gone by that name. This does not mean that we only count birds in the park. We count birds in all of Owen County. Some of the highlight areas include Cagles Mill Lake (Cataract State Recreation Area), the "Owen" part of Owen-Putnam State Forest, all of McCormick's Creek State Park, a large section of the White river, and Greene’s Bluff Nature Preserve. We also enjoy birding in a reclaimed strip mine area that usually produces Dickcissels and Blue Grosbeaks. Last year we recorded 104 species which was down from the previous year when we tallied 123 species. (We need people in the field!) The results are published in the Indiana Quarterly. Data collected is used to help determine the health of bird populations in Indiana. If you wish to participate and be placed on a team, please call Jess Gwinn, 876-8623.