The newsletter for the Daviess County Audubon Society

Dr. Seuss has entertained several generations of youngsters with his story about Horton, a loyal elephant, stuck with the irresponsible Maisey bird's egg. A similar story is played out every year in the natural world as the Brown-headed Cowbird seeks out the nests of other birds for surrogate parents to hatch and raise her young. Dr. Blaine Ferrell from Western Kentucky University has done a study of the Brown-headed Cowbird at Bernheim Forrest. Won't it be fun to learn about this much hated bird following a study done so close to home? And won't it be fun to meet a speaker so revered in our state. Whenever we talk with birders from western Kentucky, they ask if we've ever gone birding with Dr. Ferrell. He accepted this speaking engagement by saying, "I am always happy to talk about birds." This is our last meeting of the year and you won't want to miss it.

If you are interested in helping with the Ohio River Sweep this year, please pick-up a form at the meeting on June 11. This form is an agreement releasing the city of Owensboro from liability in the event of injury. You will need to take the form with you on the day of the litter collection along the river's banks. Last year our club had 8 people to turnout for the day of showing respect to Ole Man River. When the event was postponed last year (due to muddy banks), our people decided to pick-up trash on their own. Our group worked 1/2 day and managed to clean a strip of land about 3 city blocks in size. We concentrated on the banks at English Park and picked up an industrial sized dumpster full of garbage. If you are unable to attend this month's meeting, you may get the needed forms at the Sanitation offices 1410 W. 5^th Street.

A success by any measure is the way our chapter's first ever birdathon can be described:

When you try a lot of things, you're gonna have some duds. We expected to earn about $200 for our efforts at the mall on April 28, but we have been told that we will only net $58.60. The Board of Directors has discussed trying Books-A-Million as a location if another Book Fair is planned for next year. We are comparing notes with Evansville Audubon to try to avoid any mistakes that might have caused the low return on effort.

As our newsletter goes to press, we still do not know how much of a donation to expect from The Pet Food Center for our bird seed sale held there on April 14. In the past we have conducted seed sales at Harralsons and The Pet Food Center with earnings for our day's work in the $75-$100 range. Nothing says that this will be the amount we will be given this time, but it is our desire to keep the membership apprised.

When the report is finished, the directors will begin the process of planning for the year 2001-2002. At this last meeting that I will oversee, I plan to ask the Directors to dare to dream, to think about the needs of our chapter in our community, how our chapter can be a dynamic and significant player in Kentucky through the Kentucky Audubon Council. I hope we can keep our eyes open to the environmental problems of our planet without becoming consumed with the "Chicken Little" alarmist way of eliciting concern. We want to do the best we can in the situation where we find ourselves, and we want to have fun doing it. Sack cloth and ashes is a turn-off that likely won't serve well the Audubon cause. If the creator had not meant for nature to be fun, would there be so much mystery, wonder, and beauty connected with it?

It is my hope that this year we can again use the preparation of the annual report as an in-depth review of the year just ending; evaluating our efforts as objectively as possible as we look forward to the year that will begin with monthly meetings in September. I hope that every one of you will have a wonderful summer.

I'm hopping down from the perch now. I've been up here long enough. Large Avian

Society, the Kentucky Audubon Council and The National Audubon Society are

1- Yr introductory $20 _________ 2-Yr introductory $35______ Student or Senior $15_______

Please make your check payable to : The National Audubon Society and mail to: Rose Ann Radzelovage, Treasurer at 2224 Fairview Dr. Owensboro If you do not wish to be a member of The National Audubon Society, but wish to receive our newsletter, please make your check payable for $10 to Daviess County Audubon Society. The name and address on your check will be our file data unless you tell us otherwise.

If you wish to make a donation in support of any of our chapter's activities, the payee on your check should be The Daviess County Audubon Society. Thank you for supporting Audubon. The date on the mailing label below is the date your membership will expire. You will receive renewal notices from The National Audubon Society before the expiration date. Labels with the letter 'L' are for those who are not members of The National Audubon Society. Our chapter does not send renewal notices; the L followed by the date is the only notice you will receive. Please keep your membership active._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

306 Hoover Hill Road

Hartford, KY 42347

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