Our First Saturday Bird Outings, created as part of our commitment to the Lane Audubon…
Date Set for Eugene Christmas Bird Count
This year Sunday, December 29, is the date for the 2019 Eugene Christmas Bird Count (ECBC). This fun and exciting event is open to anyone interested in birds. If you are a beginning birdwatcher and want to learn more, this is a good opportunity to learn while bird watching with experienced birders. If you are a skilled birdwatcher, we could use your assistance and expertise. Whether or not you have participated in the past, we hope you will join us this year. We have space for everyone.
This will be the 78th ECBC and the National Audubon Society’s 120th Christmas Bird Count. Dick Lamster is the Coordinator again this year. Our 15-mile-diameter Count Circle is divided into 27 Areas, each with an expert birder as the Team Leader. We also welcome Home Counters who can report birds seen in their yards while still staying warm and dry inside. Watch for more information in the December-January issue of The Quail, or contact Dick Lamster at 541.343.8664, or maeveanddick@q.com
Booth Set-Up Volunteer Needed
If you’d like to help Lane Audubon in a big way but don’t have a lot of time available, here is a great chance to get involved on an occasional basis.
The booth set-up/take-down volunteer delivers and erects our portable booth, tables, and display materials at event and festival sites, and then dismantles them after the event is over. Set-up and take-down require only an hour or two of your time, usually on a Saturday morning and early Sunday evening, a few times a year. If you enjoy being out and about and doing a little light physical activity (nothing too strenuous), this could be the spot for you. Access to a larger vehicle (a van or pickup) is useful but not required.
Orientation and training for the booth set-up position will be provided. It can be rewarding to work behind the scenes to help Lane Audubon spread the word about the importance of birds and their habitats. If you’d like to learn more about this opportunity, please call Ron Renchler at 541.345.0834 or e-mail christyandron2@gmail.com
Recruiting Volunteers and Classrooms for Audubon in the Schools
Audubon in the Schools (AITS) has been popular and well-received in the Lane County schools. Last school year we visited 19 schools and gave 44 presentations to 1,085 students! We want to continue bringing this special program to grade school classrooms. If you are a teacher and want to sign up for a class visit, please schedule with Barb Pope at aitsbirds@gmail.com
If you are interested in volunteering with this program, contact Maeve Sowles at audubon@laneaudubon.org
Our core group of volunteers are eager to get back into classrooms, and they would love to welcome new volunteers. Training is provided, and we typically have at least two people working together during each class session. Several requests for fall-term class sessions have already been received.
Nearby Nature Has a New Nature-related Events Calendar
Nearby Nature has a new feature on its website: a calendar of community nature education and participation events. Created by Rick Ahrens, it’s somewhat similar to our LCAS calendar, but the format is different. It’s laid out in a monthly grid, so you can see at a glance what’s happening on the days you have available. Each entry links to a window with more information. You can think of it as one-stop shopping for outdoor activities. Some of the groups listed in October included: Lane County Audubon Society, Eugene Astronomical Society, Mt Pisgah Arboretum, Grassroots Garden, REI, Willamette Resources & Education Network (WREN), Obsidians, Eugene Natural History Society, and Science Pub. You’ll find it at nearbynature.org/ricks-list/
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