Volume 6, Number 18

Friday, October 17th, 2008

Circulation: 4,700

“True hope is swift,
and flies with swallow's wings.”

- William Shakespeare


As migrating birds wing south, shorter days herald the coming season of colorful foliage and crisp skies, a busy season at Audubon. Please continue to send your news stories, links to news coverage, and announcements to Delta Willis at dwillis@audubon.org.


NEWS FROM THE AUDUBON NETWORK
Highlights of recent achievements, events and actions throughout the Audubon Network

Audubon magazine makes cover of Photo District News (PDN)
Audubon magazine's award-winning art department was profiled in the cover story of the October issue of Photo District News, the leading magazine of professional photography.

PDN chose the story, "A Natural Fit," to kick off a new section introducing photographers to top editorial environments for their work. The cover featured here shows a Sharon Beals' photograph of a hoary redpoll nest that ran in the March-April Audubon.

The PDN article, which explores how the magazine's great nature photography supports Audubon's conservation mission, features images from recent issues as well as interviews with design director Kevin Fisher and photo editor Kim Hubbard. For more about Audubon magazine visit http://www.audubonmagazine.org.

Dallas Trinity Center opening October 17-19
National Audubon Society President John Flicker, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, state representatives, and city officials will cut the ribbon to dedicate the new Trinity River Audubon Center on Friday, Oct. 17. Open to the public on Saturday, the new center was built on top of a former landfill. Achieving a Gold LEED certification, the structure resembles a bird with outstretched wings. See these news features with photos of the Center.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/dallas/stories/101508dnmetaudubon.15dd99d.html
http://www.kera.org/artandseek/content/2008/10/10/videospecial-report-the-new-trinity-river-audubon-center/

New Director at Audubon Texas
Robert Benson, formerly with The Nature Conservancy of Texas, has accepted the position of Executive Director, Audubon Texas, to begin October 27, working out of Audubon's Austin office. Bob brings to Audubon over 14 years of successful experience in public relations and fund-raising for several conservation organizations, including TNC and Ducks Unlimited. An avid outdoorsman, Bob grew up in Pennsylvania and is inspired by Audubon's growing reach across Texas.

Anne Brown will remain with Audubon working on special assignments. "Her contribution to Audubon Texas is immeasurable," wrote Les Corey. "We are indebted to her leadership and the legacy of accomplishments completed during her tenure as Executive Director."


EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Upcoming events and opportunities for Audubon News Readers

Audubon NY Keesee Awards November 5: Audubon New York will honor former Governor George Pataki with the Thomas W. Keesee Award at the annual Conservation Award Luncheon on November 5, at the Rainbow Room in New York City. During his tenure as New York Governor (1995-2006) Pataki advanced innovative policies in conservation. His initiatives included the protection of over one million acres, the adoption of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the implementation of the nation's first green building tax credit, landmark brownfield legislation, and programs to enhance the production and use of alternative energy. Pataki also created the first Bird Conservation Area (BCA) initiative, based on Audubon's Important Bird Areas program.

Peter Berle, President of the National Audubon Society from 1985-1995, will also be honored, in memoriam. The Awards luncheon will benefit Audubon New York's statewide programs, including work on two of the honorees' legacies: habitat protection in the Adirondacks, and the Bird Conservation Areas program. Benefit Chairs include Margot Paul Ernst, Constantine Sidamon-Eristoff, and Virginia Stowe.

To attend the Awards luncheon, RSVP to 212 979-3039 or email Lisa Ganguzza at lganguzza@audubon.org

Tamar Chotzen Award: Lynda White, EagleWatch Coordinator at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland, Florida, was named the recipient of the 2008 Tamar Chotzen Audubon Educator of the Year Award. This honor, first bestowed in 2007, was created to recognize exemplary work in education and is presented annually to an individual who has furthered Audubon's vision for environmental education, Audubon Centers, and conservation work. A member of the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey staff since 1998, veteran educator White leads over 300 EagleWatch volunteers. These "citizen scientists" monitor nearly 300 active nest sites, evaluating threats and/or problems, and providing state and federal wildlife agencies with data that helps inform conservation planning and protect the Bald Eagles and their habitat. Committed to bringing nature education to diverse groups and communities, White travels throughout the state with one of the rehabilitated Bald Eagles from the Center by her side.

The Florida Birds of Prey Center was featured in this news article http://www.wftv.com/travelgetaways/17686003/detail.html


AUDUBON IN THE NEWS
A monthly round-up of some of the ways Audubon is making news coast to coast

Mike Daulton, Audubon's director of policy, on plans to diminish the Endangered Species Act
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE49B1W020081012

Brooke Langston, director of the Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary in Tiburon CA, published an Op Ed urging action on future oil spill plans; days later, the bill was signed.
http://www.marinij.com/marinvoice/ci_10485031

Thelma Gilmur, an active Audubon Society volunteer, won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cascade Land Conservancy in Tacoma, WA.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/soundlife/story/500558.html

Common Birds in Decline Globally

A new report by BirdLife International released September 22 broadened the alarm first sounded in the U.S. by Audubon's 2007 Common Birds in Decline analysis. Several Audubon offices across the nation piggybacked the global report with their own media outreach. Madison Audubon Society in Wisconsin scored with 3 placements.

The first was in the Oct. 7 by Wisconsin State Journal in response to a press release collaboratively issued by Madison Audubon, the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative (WBCI), and the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin (NRF) and based on the NAS/BirdLife International release.
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/308186

The second about Birds in Decline, also a result of a joint press release, was published Sept 29 on NewsoftheNorth.Net,
http://newsofthenorth.net/article.cfm?articleID=24246

The third is an upcoming radio interview on the Larry Meiller Show on Wisconsin Public Radio on Wed, Oct 22.

Nationally, Dr. Tom Bancroft spoke about the issue during a live 30 interview on PRN Radio.

Global Warming

Eric Draper of Audubon of Florida published an Op-Ed on Climate Change
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008810030315

IBAs

As part of the first annual Stratford Bird Fest, Audubon Connecticut recognized Stratford Great Meadows Marsh and Long Beach West/Pleasure Beach barrier beach complex as an Important Bird Area (IBA). Audubon CT received $50,000 in funding to develop a conservation plan for the area.
http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=20160392&BRD=1637&PAG=461&dept_id=9180&rfi=8

Audubon Iowa A new IBA encompasses approximately 135,000 acres, including the Effigy Mounds National Monument, the Yellow River State Forest, Pike's Peak State Park, the Sny Magill/North Cedar Unit of the Iowa DNR, the Bloody Run Wildlife Management Area, and portions of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. "This is the most important IBA on the river," said dedication organizer Jon "Hawkman" Stravers of the Audubon Mississippi River Initiative.
http://www.prairieduchienarea.com/courier/

Audubon IBA Director John Cecil and team are working with the Maguire Group to determine globally significant IBAs in Alabama, West Virginia, and Rhode Island.
http://www.al.com/outdoors/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/sports/1223802918209090.xml&coll=1

Audubon Pennsylvania's Steven J. Saffier, Audubon At Home Coordinator was featured in several articles about bird friendly backyards.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/20081003_The_joys_of_a_fall_garden_.html?page=1&c=y

http://www.waynesuburban.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/SingleWeekly;jsessionid=
FRhBLvlGMrvlJZtpMTMyQfc4qnFfnyy8Y3z6YTyQXT9J02ZH7tCm!-1764336015?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_wk_article
&r21.pgpath=%2FWSU%2FLife&r21.content=%2FWSU%2FLife%2FHeadlineList_Story_2506087

http://www.bnd.com/living/home/story/496274.html