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Virginia: The Secret of the Red Knots
Dr. Jonathan Cohen SUNY-ESF Professor

Wednesday, March 7, 7:00PM
Fayetteville Free Library
300 Orchard Street, Fayetteville, New York

Dr. Cohen has been involved in research on the effects of human disturbance on the behavior and reproductive success of Snowy Plovers in Florida and Alabama. His past work has included population and habitat studies of birds of conservation concern, including Piping Plovers, Red Knots, and Greater Scaup.

Professor Cohen has earned the following degrees:
Ph.D. Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, VA Tech University, May 2005
M.S. Renewable Natural Resources, University of Connecticut, May 1998
B.S. Natural Resources, Cornell University, May 1994

Great Backyard Bird Count

February 17 – 20

Anywhere, anyone and it’s free – great for kids and families.

Click here for more information.

Snowy Owl © Ian Davies

Onondaga Audubon in the news:

Click here to read a nice article in the February 3rd Post Standard about winter birding featuring an interview with chapter president Gene Huggins.

The annual Spring Field Ornithology course offered by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is perfect for anyone who enjoys being outdoors. This year’s eight-week course takes place March 21 through May 13 and is designed for bird watchers of all skill levels.

The full class consists of lectures, weekend field trips and special overnight trips to Montezuma National Wildlife Refugeand Cape May, N.J.

A number of Onondaga Audubon members have taken the course and everyone highly recommends it.

Their web site has more information.

Natural History Conference in Syracuse

The conference is the 12th Northeast Natural History Conference, which takes
place April 15-19, 2012 in Syracuse, NY. It is administered by the Humboldt
Field Research Institute in Steuben, Maine; this is thesame highly acclaimed
organization that runs field seminars/workshops each summer and fall;
they also publish the journals Northeastern Naturalist and Southeastern Naturalist.

The NENHC is the largest regional forum for researchers, natural resource
managers, students and naturalists to present current information on the varied
aspects of applied field biology (freshwater, marine and terrestrial) and
natural history of the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.

This year, for the first time, the NENHC will take place in Syracuse, in
partnership with SUNY-ESF. It’s a great way for students to learn about
natural history in our local area, and to present projects in a less formal
atmosphere than in the meetings run by scientific societies.

Here is the conference website. Early registration is now open:

We also remember Wangari Muta Maathai, the woman who believed that the lives of Kenyans would be made better if “economic and social progress went hand in hand with environmental protection” (www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15060167 -Richard Black, 26 September 2011). Maathai lost her battle with cancer on September 25.  She founded The Green Belt Movement in 1977 to counter the deforestation that had destroyed the pristine landscape she had known as a child. Land had been cleared for cash crops like coffee and tea.  Trees were gone, firewood supplies depleted, and the streams had dried up. The women, who had to gather firewood and fetch water, saw the damage firsthand.  She taught them to plant trees and to make their own tree nurseries. Maathai led thousands of women to take action in a culture where the male is “the sage of the family” (Taking Root-The Vision of Wangari Maathai).  At first, the women were not taken seriously, but in time the ones in the Green Belt Movement were viewed as a threat by the government that was continuing the colonial tradition of land clearing. In spite of harassment, the women persevered and The Green Belt philosophy even spread to other African nations. The forests and the wildlife they maintain have been preserved in conflict areas like the Congo Basin. In Kenya alone, 45 million trees have been planted. Wangari Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.  She was the first African woman to receive such recognition, as well as the first woman in East Africa to earn a PhD. She did all of this in the context of a culture that labeled her a ‘crazy woman’ and felt that she “should behave like a good African woman and do as she was told” (www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment).

I urge anyone who is interested in learning more about this remarkable woman to watch the 2008 film titled “Taking Root-The Vision of Wangari Maathai.” It may be accessed online at www.pbs.org/independentlens/takingroot/index.html.  It is a truly inspirational tribute to a woman who came to devote her life to the principle that, “It is the people who must save the environment” (Taking Root…). The film is startling to those of us who have either forgotten about or never viewed the harsh realities of imperialism and government oppression. Her advice for humanity to stop threatening its life support system resonates with truth today.

2012 is starting out with a terrific (if sometimes cold) trip:

Oswego River and Harbor, Saturday, January 7 led by Bill Purcell

Join Bill on a 4-6 hour trip to look for waterfowl and gulls along the Oswego River to Oswego Harbor. Please contact Bill for details at 315 382-2871 or wpurcell@twcny.rr.com

Look here in January as more field trips are planned for the late winter and spring

Field trips are free and open to the public. Novice birders (and non-birders too!) are welcome. If you are planning to join us on a field trip, you should contact the leader. Typically there is contact information with the trip details on this page. Please call at a reasonable hour as most birders turn in early. Carpooling from the meeting place is good for the environment.. If your schedule allows you to join a carpool, consider offering the driver help with the cost of gas.

We are organizing our first ever Bird Festival at Derby Hill for May 12, 2012 and are looking for people interested in planning and helping at the festival. You can learn more by contacting Jason Mauro at 474-3778 or jmauro@ocs.cnyric.org.

Be a part of this festival from the beginning!

Equipment donations needed

The chapter is always happy to accept dollar donations but sometimes people have equipment and supplies they no longer need but we could really use. Here is our wish list:

• Portable digital projector

• Portable public address system

• Shop Vac

If you have any of these items that you would like to donate, please contact Ken Karwowski at sterna@twcny.rr.com.

Thank you for helping.

 Mike Allen, a retired DEC agent who worked extensively on the recovery of the Bald Eagle in New York State, will share the story of his work.

 Wednesday, December 14, 7:00 PM, Fayetteville Free Library, 300 Orchard Street, Fayetteville, NY

Gerry Smith will lead an Onondaga Audubon sponsored field trip to Northwestern Jefferson County for early winter hawks, open country birds and waterfowl. Short-eared Owl and Snowy Owl are possible with other northern species likely. This trip will be primarily by car and is weather dependent. For anyone interested an extension to dusk to seek Short-eared Owls leaving their daytime roost may be offered. Please contact Gerry at 315 771-6902 for details.

 Saturday, November 19

Gene Huggins will lead his traditional trip to Fair Haven State Park to look for Purple Sandpiper. There is also the possibility of seeing a Red-throated Loon, Snowy Owl, Horned Larks and Snow Buntings. Important: Please dress warmly. Please contact Gene for details 315 696-8065.

Onondaga Audubon board member Margaret Tzen spent several weeks in northwestern India this summer. Come and spend a fascinating hour learning more about the bird life and habitats of this fabulous land.

Wednesday, November 9, 7:00PM

Fayetteville Library

300 Orchard Street

Onondaga Audubon members are active participants in three local Christmas Bird Counts.

If you would like to participate please contact the count compiler directly.

Syracuse Christmas Bird Count

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Kevin McGann – Compiler

pmcgann1@twcny.rr.com

635-7013

Oswego Christmas Bird Count

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Bill Purcell – Compiler

wpurcell@twcny.rr.com

382-2871

Skaneateles Christmas Bird Count

Monday, January 2, 2012

John Cashier – Compiler

fjcash@twcny.rr.com

469-3314

It’s a long ways from upstate New York but owls are fascinating anywhere! Come for an evening learning about SUNY ESF graduate student Chris Standley’s work on the owls of the unique habitats of Washington State.

Wednesday, October 12, 7:00PM

Liverpool Library

310 Tulip Street, Liverpool, New York