Prairie Woods Audubon Society

Five Years?

2012-01-31T16:01:00.000-06:00

We Got Five Years? by Louis Vassmer, Pres., PWA

There is a sublime song by David Bowie which was written in the early 70s called, Five Years. It is about a dying planet, “...News had just come over..We had five years left to cry in...He said ‘earth was really dying.” It is a terrifying song, yet it is something we may have to face someday.

Global climate change is real. Tipping points across the global ecosystem are showing ominous signs and change. The peer reviewed evidence is overwhelming. 97% if scientists and most scientific organization have stated and agree the changes are in large part due to aerosols, fossil fuel combustion, massive deforestation around the globe, methane release from landfills and agriculture, a growing world world population and so on. This is not a hoax, not a plot to destroy capitalism or to make Al Gore rich. This is reality.

Yes, we can turn off lights when leaving a room, drive less and walk more, eat local and do all the things which are “green.” These things are to be commended but it won’t solve the bigger problem. So, while you worry about reusing a paper cup, BP is dumping mercury into Lake Michigan, 1.584 pounds of ammonia and 4,924 pounds of sludge into the lake every single day! This is backed and approved by the EPA. Yes, that EPA. The body which is supposed to support the environment and our drinking water.

We need to pressure Congress, the President and industry to invoke national and earthwide change in manufacturing, what kinds of energy we use, how we grow our food, investing in family planning and education, etc. Sure, it’s a huge complex problem. We can tackle it if there is a real will of the people. In the end, we’ll gain in clean air, water and sustainable habitats. If not, someday in the distant future, we may only have five more years.

Find Us On Facebook!

2010-08-19T21:31:00.003-05:00

Prairie Woods has many wonderful friends from around the world. Come read their posts and add your own. Many of the posts are of current environmental news and important to read. Hope to see you soon.

A TRIP TO WATCH THE WHOOPERS – by Pat Prichard

2010-08-13T10:44:00.001-05:00

On Saturday, July 31, 2010, Prairie Woods Audubon board members were treated to a “behind the scenes” look at the Whooping Cranes being trained to follow the ultra-light aircraft at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Necedah, Wisconsin. This training is to prepare them for the young Whoopers’ first migration to Florida in the fall. Each group of birds at Necedah are called “cohorts”. Each cohort is comprised of birds of different ages, so as to be able to train each group in stages accordingly. Board members saw Cohort One, which is up to its full compliment of eight birds, and is the oldest group on site. David Johnson, Operation Migration board member, and Joe Duff, Operation Migration Co-founder and C.E.O. (and pilot) were our hosts.

Joe Duff joined Bill Lishman in 1993 and helped him conduct the first human-led bird migration. The two "artists turned naturalists" used two ultralight aircraft to lead 18 Canada geese from Ontario to Virginia. The success of this initial study led to the founding of Operation Migration the following year, and the making of "Fly Away Home" in 1995. For the film, Duff trained the "actor geese" to follow the aircraft, and worked closely with the production crew; even contributing some of the footage. In the same year Joe led Sandhill cranes in flights around southern Ontario, as well as leading 60 geese to South Carolina with Lishman and the OM crew. Joe heads the team that conducts ongoing fieldwork and annually leads a new generation of Whooping cranes on their1200+ mile migration from the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin to the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida.

The first time you experience the “performance” of the young Whoopers following an ultra-light, you get the feeling that you are in the presence of something very special….not to mention feeling quite privileged that you are one of only a few individuals who has witnessed this momentous, quite unique process. Even for those who don’t follow every move of the Whooping Crane “initiation” process every year (courtesy of the daily notes posted on the “In The Field” page found at www.operationmigration.com), the experience of watching this process was found to be almost spiritual. Also in the presence of the young chicks was an older Whooper from the 2005 flock that has been hanging out with them. It apparently decided that it was going to take advantage of the handouts that were being given to the chicks during training; well, hey, why should it have to forage on its own when there’s free food to be had? One smart bird.

Efforts to establish a non-migratory Whooping crane flock began in Florida in 1993, using cranes hatched in captivity. In September, 1999, after searching for the best possible location to establish a second migratory flock, it was recommended that the flock be taught a migration route with central Wisconsin as the northern terminus and the west coast of Florida as the new wintering location. Operation Migration's ultralight-led migration technique is the main reintroduction method. Today, over 40 Whooping cranes are migrating in eastern North America brought about by the efforts of Operation Migration and their partners in the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership. The Eastern Migratory Population (EMP) numbered 97 Whooping Cranes at the end of the July 24th reporting period. This number breaks down into 52 males, 45 females and 2 wild-hatched chicks.

A recent posting by Joe Duff makes one realize that the Operation Migration folks themselves, who work so intensely with these cranes, don’t take their experience for granted and still have a soft spot for these guys even after ten years.

Date: July 20, 2010
Reporter: Joe Duff
Subject: JUST TOO CUTE
Location: Necedah NWR

Maybe if we were working with snails or trying to reintroduce an endangered cactus it would be easier to maintain the proper scientific aloofness. If it were anything less regal than a Whooping crane, it would be simpler to stay emotionally detached. As it is, we use numbers instead of names and minimize the amount of time we spend with them but it is still hard to remain impartial. We keep our distance so they can be wild creatures but it is not easy.

When they get older and after they have been on their own for a while, they tend to be a little more aggressive. Each encounter starts with a little posturing. But when they are young and covered in fluff, more legs and feet than body, they are just too hard to resist. When they run behind you in unquestioning loyalty with wing outstretched for a purpose they have yet to comprehend, they are just too damned cute.

Operation Migration relies solely on donations from individuals and other organizations to continue their work. Please visit operationmigration.org for more information on how you can contribute to this very worthy cause.

2010-07-30T13:48:00.001-05:00

National Audubon News For Your Reading

Audubon President & CEO

David Yarnold has been named the new President and Chief Executive Officer of Audubon, effective September 1, 2010, giving new momentum to efforts to connect people with nature and their power to protect it. A passionate conservationist, Yarnold currently serves as Executive Director of Environmental Defense Fund and President of Environmental Defense Action Fund. Prior to that, he was a Pulitzer Prize-winning editor at the San Jose Mercury News. A passionate conservationist, Yarnold currently serves as Executive Director of Environmental Defense Fund and President of Environmental Defense Action Fund. Prior to that, he was a Pulitzer Prize-winning editor at the San Jose Mercury News.

“David brings proven leadership in the for-profit and non-profit sectors to Audubon at a time when efforts to protect birds, habitats and the resources that sustain us are needed more than ever;” said Holt Thrasher, Audubon’s Board Chair. “His leadership ability, his passion for conservation and grassroots action, his communications skills and his organizational expertise all make him the perfect fit for the Audubon of 2010 and beyond.”

“David is a boundary-crosser, the kind of flexible thinker and values-based executive that a complex conservation and fundraising landscape demands right now,” Thrasher said. “He shares Audubon’s traditional passion for birds and its visionary understanding that helping people to protect them will safeguard our own future as well. I have no doubt that David will lead Audubon in expanding its reach to new audiences and elevating its conservation successes to new heights.”

Yarnold has been at EDF since April 2005, where he is responsible for all operations, from programs, to development and marketing/communications. He helped expand EDF’s innovative corporate partnerships work, focused on EDF's international programs, particularly in China, and helped the organization grow from $52M to $117M in revenue. He is also President of the organization’s Action Fund, its political action arm.

“Audubon’s mission has never been more relevant. From the grassroots to state houses to national and regional policy, its wingspan is unparalleled,” Yarnold said. “I’m excited by the opportunity to work with a nationwide network of Audubon Chapters and Audubon Centers that combine local concern, knowledge and action to equal conservation that makes a difference on a grand scale. It will be an honor lead an organization whose name has meant ‘trust’ and ‘conservation achievement’ for more than a hundred years.”

Yarnold’s San Jose Mercury News was consistently ranked as one of America’s 10 Best Newspapers. His paper was called, “America’s Boldest Newspaper” by a panel of international judges. During his time in San Jose, the Mercury News was widely recognized for its commitment to diversity and for its in-depth coverage of technology. He was also one of three Pulitzer Prize finalists for editorial writing in 2005.

“For me, going to Audubon is like going home. Community-based education and action that breeds broader changes has always been engaging and rewarding for me and those are the things Audubon does best,” Yarnold said.

He will assume the Presidency of Audubon on Sept 1. Yarnold will replace Dr. Frank Gill who generously and with great skill stepped in as Audubon’s interim President following the departure in January of long-time CEO John Flicker.

Help Stop BP from Torching Endangered Sea Turtles

2010-07-01T15:00:00.006-05:00

We thought we would share this information with our readers.

Reports keep coming in from locals in the Gulf and stories on NPR and in The New York Times -- endangered sea turtles are being burned alive as part of BP's careless oil spill cleanup efforts.

This is unacceptable. These rare, important turtles are becoming trapped in the oily surface of the Gulf and then torched by cleanup crews in "controlled burns" of corralled oil -- any wildlife caught inside the corral are literally burned alive.

And it's illegal: As protected species under the Endangered Species Act, anyone responsible for killing a Kemp's Ridley sea turtle -- the turtle most affected by the Gulf oil disaster -- is liable for criminal penalties including prison time and civil fines of up to $25,000 for each violation.

Take action right now and send this to all your friends. Tell BP to stop torching endangered sea turtles. The turtles should not be burned alive in the process of cleaning up the oil spill that's already destroying their habitat. We can stop it and get the turtles out of harm's way with your help.

Click here to find out more and take action.

If you have trouble following the link, go tohttp://action.biologicaldiversity.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4186.

Petition:

BP: Stop blocking the rescue of endangered sea turtles before you burn them alive in your surface oil "controlled burn" cleanup operations. You have a responsibility to protect these rare, important turtles and it is illegal under the Endangered Species Act to kill these imperiled species

Donate now to support our work.

In situ burn photo courtesy Flickr Commons/Deepwater Horizon Response; Kemp's Ridley sea turtle photo by Bill Reaves, Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Center for Biological Diversity P.O. Box 710 Tucson, AZ 857021- 866-357-3349

HELP THE WHOOPING CRANES!

2010-01-27T10:53:00.002-06:00

WE ARE HOLDING A RAFFLE

TO RAISE FUNDS FOR OPERATION MIGRATION!

From January 21 through April 15, 2010, Prairie Woods Audubon will be holding a raffle to raise funds for Operation Migration (OM). OM has faced a number of unpredictable and costly challenges during their Fall 2009 southbound migration. OM is a non-profit organization operating in the United States and Canada, they rely on grants and contributions from individuals and foundations to fund future efforts. THEY NEED YOUR HELP!

OM has played a leading role in the reintroduction of endangered Whooping cranes into eastern North America since 2001. In the 1940s the species was reduced to just 15 birds in the U.S.; today it is up to 389 (as of July 2008). OM is a founding partner of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP), the coalition of non-profit organizations and government agencies behind the project to safeguard the endangered Whooping crane from extinction.

There are two (2) sets of raffle items. Both sets contain: An Operation Migration t-shirt, pin, notepad and a book titled, “The Whooping Crane: North America’s Symbol of Conservation.” In addition to this, one set has a plush, 14” Whooping Crane, the other set has a handcrafted wheat straw Crane ornament. Both sets will be on display at all four meetings held during this period. If you are unable to attend a meeting during this time but would like to participate in the raffle/give a donation, please contact Pat Prichard at pprich39@aol.com.

In addition to the raffle we are holding, there are other ways in which you can contribute: participate in the “Give a WHOOP!” campaign or the MileMaker program, become a member, purchase merchandise or give a donation. Please visit Operation Migration’s web site at http://operationmigration.org/index.html for more information.

Raffle tickets are $2.00 each, or $5.00 for three (3).

2009-12-29T15:49:00.004-06:00

THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

FEB. 12th THROUGH 15th , 2010

This year's Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) will be here before we know it! We hope many of our members will participate this year. The GBBC is scheduled for President’s Day Weekend (Feb 12th through 15th).

The GBBC is a great activity for families that's both free and educational, while also getting kids outside. In a time when everyone is cutting back on their expenses, the GBBC makes the perfect stay-cation activity. Counts can be conducted in your own backyard, or a local park or forest preserve. The GBBC is led by the National Audubon Society & the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

It provides an opportunity for people of all ages to learn about birds and environment we share. Visit www.birdcount.org to view this year's press release for the GBBC, and to get further info on participating in it. As Prairie Woods has done in the past, anyone who is not able to access a computer to submit their data, worksheets will be available at the January 21st meeting for members to complete and return to PWA for entry.

Please frequent our web site at http://prairiewoodsaudubon.org/ to get further details on any GBBC event(s) being held/sponsored by Prairie Woods Audubon.

Project Feeder Watch!

2009-10-29T21:28:00.002-05:00

Project FeederWatch (article & pic by Nancy Lloyd)

Late January 2009: It was not one of my FeederWatch days, but I was sitting by the kitchen window, sipping coffee, checking my email, and glancing now and then at the feeder outside. A small bird landed on the shepherd’s hook. My brain immediately said “pine siskin,” but another part, the what’s-wrong-with-this-picture portion asked, “red poll?” I made a dive for my binoculars and, sure enough, it was a female common red poll. On January 29^th, I reported 4 red polls, and on March 5^th, I counted 30. This past winter had an “irruption” of red polls, which means the red poll is a bird not regularly seen in this area, or, at least, not in large numbers. They don’t migrate, like warblers. Weather conditions and a shortage of food can push these birds out of their summer range. I have participated in Project FeederWatch (PFW) for 6 out of the 10 years I have lived in my current home and I have watched my feeders year round for the entire time. This was my first sighting of red polls at my home. Pine siskins are another irruptive species. According to my data, I’ve seen them every other year prior to 2007. For the past 2 years, they’ve been regular visitors at my feeders and last year in record numbers.

It’s easy to participate in PFW. The season starts in early November and ends in early April. You can sign up by mail or online at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/. There is a $15 fee. They will send you a packet to get started. Basically, you pick 2 consecutive days, say, Wednesday and Thursday. Each week on those days, you watch your feeders and record each species and the maximum number of that species present during the 2-day period. For example, you see 3 chickadees all at once at the feeder at 10:00 Wednesday morning, and 5 chickadees on the feeder and in the tree at 2:00 the following afternoon. You would report a total of 5 chickadees for that week. You will also record the amount of time you spent watching your feeders (you set the time for as little or as much as you want) and what the weather conditions were for those 2 days. Once your data is entered, you can access previous weeks, months or years, and see what other regions are reporting. More importantly, scientists use the data to track trends in winter bird populations for information on songbirds, habitat, and climate effects. The PFW website also has tips on bird feeding and identification. Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s online bird guide (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/) is very informative and easy to use.

This year, PFW will start on November 14^th and ends on April 2, 2010. Participate and your data could help scientists make the case for preserving important habitat for songbirds. Plus, when someone asks you when you might see a pine siskin, you can answer, “Well, last year, I started seeing them on November 27^th…”

110th Christmas Bird Count

2009-10-29T21:15:00.004-05:00

The 110^th Christmas Bird Count (picture & article by Nancy Lloyd)

Since December 25,1900, the Christmas Bird Count has been a tradition that has gone from sparing birds from wanton slaughter to helping birds by tracking population trends. The Christmas Day “side hunt” was a tradition of going out with friends and shooting as many birds as you could. The fledgling Audubon Society and well-known ornithologist Frank Chapman managed to transform this tradition into counting, rather than shooting, the birds. The data compiled on modern Christmas Bird Counts aid scientists by recording the winter bird population trends, which can indicate shifts in climate, effects of pollution, decline in critical habitats, etc.

Nowadays, the CBC is held on a day chosen between December 14^th and January 5^th. The count area is determined by selecting a predetermined 15-mile diameter circle and assigning a Compiler to that circle. Anyone can participate. You can go out with a team or stay at home and watch your feeders, as long as your home is within the circle. If you are a beginning birder, you’ll be in a group with more experienced birders that can help identify the birds you see. Spotting the birds is often the hardest part. You never know what you’re going to get yourself into. Last year’s count was a perfect example. The previous night, it had been raining, but by 4:30 am, the temperature had dropped to barely above zero. The day turned out to be sunny, but windy and bitter cold. Birds don’t like those conditions any more than we do, so the birding was tough. We still got out to a lot of the sheltered areas and found pockets of birds. We even had trouble finding some of the common species. It’s a pathetic birding day when you rejoice because you finally flushed a small flock of pigeons in a Jewel parking lot. But, hey, it added another species to the tally. Other years, we’ve had to deal with deep snow or pouring rain. Or the weather could be perfect: sunny, mild temperatures, light winds.

The count day for the Barrington area this year is December 14^th. The compiler for the Barrington Area is Duane Heaton. He organizes the count teams, collects their results and sends the report to National Audubon. Depending on how many people volunteer, there may be a lot of area to cover. Deer Grove Forest Preserve, Paul Douglas Forest Preserve, Margreth Riemer Reservoir, Hamilton Park and Harper College are typically included in the count. The more teams there are, the more area can be covered. There is a $5 fee to cover the administrative costs. To participate or to report the counts at your feeders, contact Duane Heaton. You can also find out about other compilers in your area and when their counts take place by going to the Audubon website (http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/getinvolved.html).

Duane Heaton: (847) 358-5856 or email: dheaton19@comcast.net

Watching The Migrant Birds

2009-05-15T14:44:00.006-05:00

I love to travel but it is a hassle. Making reservations, packing, finding people to take care of our two dogs, airlines, gas prices.......

However, compared to what migratory birds go through, human travel is easy. True, birds don't need passports or visas. There are no walls, airline screenings or guards for birds. The cliche, "they are as free as bird" is apt here.

However, sometimes their flight is disrupted by storms and are killed by the thousands. Other times migratory birds are thwarted by habitat loss decimating whole populations. Window collisions are deadly for the flapping travelers. The list of deadly obstacles includes global climate change, pollution, telephone and guy wires, hunting, and so on. With all the danger and long distances these birds travel, it amazes how most survive the trek.

Many people aren't aware of what trials migratory birds endure. So many folks don't know anything about migratory birds nor have any idea what makes them so important to the planet's ecology.
Thanks to the "visionaries" who knew it was important to raise awareness about the plight of migratory birds, International Migratory Bird Day was born. The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Ctr. and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, set aside a special time for these remarkable creatures. The day is called, International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD for the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean Islands and Central America. Other countries around the world celebrate migratory birds with World Migration Day.

Now, IMBD isn't an actual "day" per se. With the view that every day should be not only for birds but for all living things, IMBD or WMD can be celebrated all year round depending on when the birds are migrating in any given area. However, in much of North America, it is usually celebrated in May because many birds are migrating at that time.

There are festivals, fairs, birding events, rallies, picnics, hikes and bird counts this week-end. Take a look what is near you. Almost all the events are free and everyone is welcome no matter what your "birding IQ" is. We must all stand together for change. Afterall, many of the things that kills birds will eventually kill us too.

If you are in the NW suburbs of Chicago, there will be two events Prairie Woods Audubon is involved with. There is the Lake Arlington IMBD and Crabtree Nature Ctr. Check the PWA website calendar for details! We'd love to see you.

On The Brink Of Extinction

2009-05-14T08:41:00.006-05:00

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released a frightening report called, the Red List. However, the study had some good news for the future of some bird species threatened with extinction, reporting habitat conservation measures do and can work. BirdLife International conducted the research. The group discovered 1,227 species or 12% of birds might be wiped off the face of our blue planet.

The Red List records a whopping 192 bird species as Critically Endangered. The grim news is happening on every single continent, according to, Jeremy "Jez" Bird who is the Global Species Programme Officer for BirdLife.

For example, the Gorgeted Puffleg (pictured above) was only discovered by researchers in 2005 and is now on the Critically Endangered category.

Is there any hope? Some species such as the gorgeous Lear's Macaw is slowing gaining some ground with conservation measures. The goal to ensure the bird populations of the world are safe from habitat destruction, logging, pollution, illegal poaching and climate change is not impossible. Like the canary in the coal mine, if the birds disappear, our future is very dark indeed.

PWA Blogging Away

2009-05-12T11:01:00.001-05:00

Hello!

The reason for a Prairie Woods Audubon blog is we've become a very very busy organization. In the past two years we've gone from perhaps one or two activities/events per month to up to 6 activities per month in the spring, summer and fall.
One reason for the heightened activity is our Board. Through the efforts of our passionate Board Members, our presence in the community is being felt in the suburbs of the Chicago area.
Another reason for the activity is the perception that caring about the planet is good again. Children are regularly engaging in environmental projects, workplaces are organizing recycling projects, seniors are working as environmental stewards for the next generation, and so on.

There is so much hope yet, our work is far from over. This blog will post announcements of our activities, news items, activism, fund raising news, birding, vacation tips, gardening, contests, veggie recipes, photos from our members......well, you'll have to check in everyday for many surprises too!

Thank you for stopping by,

Louie Vassmer, Pres. PWA