|
|
|
|
|
GoodGiving Challenge Ends at Midnight: Tell Your Peeps!
|
|
As of this posting, we've already topped last year's total in this year's Good Giving Challenge. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this important CKAS end-of-year drive. We hoped to raise $5,000 to construct a MOTUS station to help track Kentucky birds—a bold goal—and we are pleased to report that we are more than halfway there. With your help ( donations can be as low as $10) we still can.
|
|
|
Next Big PROW Build Planned
|
|
Big news: Central Kentucky Audubon Society has received a National Audubon Collaborative Funding Grant for $450 towards our next Prothonotary Warbler Nest Tube build. We have ordered the pieces necessary to assemble 140 tubes and begun prep work: we're pre-drilling the entry holes with a drill press and jig (much safer and quicker) so we won't have as much drilling to do on assembly day. But we still expect to have plenty of work to go around. We will gather at Mark & Jessica's House (105 Eastin Road, Lexington; long narrow driveway) at 11:00am on Sunday, January 8th and assemble and paint until we're out of pieces. If you'd like to help or to be kept in the loop if anything changes, send an e-mail to president@CKAS.org to be added to the info list. Be prepared to play with silicon caulk and spray paint; dress warmly as some of this will take place outdoors and in an unheated garage. Maybe the weather will be as nice as it was for last January's build, but we doubt it.
|
|
|
Christmas Bird Count Nets 90 Species
|
|
Our designated count circle for the 117th Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count took place on on December 17th. Many thanks to Mark Tower for arranging, directing, and processing list data; thanks also to Dave Svetich for hosting the pot luck and impromptu owl prowl that evening. This year's Christmas bird counters tallied ninety species and counted over 25,000 individual birds, high counts for the last several years. It was a particularly strong year for water fowl, recording high numbers of Mallards, Gadwalls, American Coots, American Black Ducks, Ruddy Ducks, and Canada Geese. There were rarities like the Great Egret and Lesser Black-Backed Gull, and reports included one Orange-Crowned Warblers, two Palm Warblers, and eight Redheads. We hit a new record high with 521 American Crows. Some species, though, were noticeably lower: we recorded only half as many Black Vultures and Killdeer, a quarter as many House Sparrows, and a tenth as many Brown-Headed Cowbirds as last year. Some species were still notably missing too: for the third year in a row there were no Wood Ducks in this year's count.
A Golden-crowned Kinglet awaits tally by Lexington Christmas Bird Counters
|
|
Upcoming CKAS (& Other) Events
These and other events can be found on our CKAS Web Calendar. Know of a bird-themed event we missed? Please send details to calendar@CKAS.org to get them added to our web & Facebook pages.
|
|
Dec. 31st (Sat.) 11:59pm: Good Giving Challenge Finale. Your last chance to support CKAS in the Good Giving Challenge is today! Your generous tax-deductible donation can help us do more good for central Kentucky's birds. Special thanks to Wild Birds Unlimited for their $1,000 matching sponsorship.
Jan. 1st (Sun.) 9:00am-11:30am+/-: Bird Walk Lexington Cemetery 833 W. Main St., Lexington. Meet/park around the first right turn after coming in the gate. Do NOT park in the gatehouse spaces!
Jan. 1st (Sun.) +/- 11:30am-2:00pm: Bird Walk Maine Chance Farm (Spindletop) 2099 Newtown Pike, Lexington. At some point in the morning, the group from the Lexington Cemetery walk will migrate and regroup at the McDonald's at Newtown Pike & I-64 to continue birdwatching at Maine Chance. If 9:00 was too early for you but you'd like to catch this half of the morning's walk, please e-mail David before the walk so we can call you when we leave the cemetery and you can meet up with us in the McD's parking lot.
Jan. 4th (Wed.) 7:00pm-8:30pm: CKAS General Meeting Good Foods co-Op: Rochdale Room 455 Southland Drive, Lexington. Come prepared to make some plans for 2017! We will likely head someplace for dinner after.
Jan. 5th (Thur.) All Day: National Bird Day A day not only to appreciate the native birds flying free outside our windows, but also to reflect on how we treat the native birds of other countries and to "think outside the cage." Support for efforts to protect birds in their natural habitat like those undertaken by World Parrot Trust makes a great (belated) holiday gift.
Jan. 8th (Sun.) 11:00am: Protho Nest Box Build Mark & Jessica's House, 105 Eastin Road, Lexington. Want to help assemble nest tubes for our continuing Prothonotary Warbler project? We could use all the help we can get: We aim to complete 140 today. Drop an e-mail to be added to the info & update list.
Jan. 12th (Thur.) 1:30pm: [ * RESCHEDULED from Nov. & Dec. * Will NOT be rescheduled (so we're told) * ] Public Rezoning Hearing LFUCG Center 200 E. Main Street, 2nd Floor, Lexington KY. Public hearing (before the Urban County Planning Commission) for the rezoning of the peninsula of land on Reservoir #4 off Squires Road. This area is one of the largest undeveloped sections of Reservoir #4 and supports a wide variety of songbirds, wading birds, raptors, and other wildlife. CKAS has sent a letter disapproving of the current development plan, but please attend the meeting and voice your opinion against the rezoning.
Jan. 14th (Sat.) 8:00am-2:00pm: Winter Bird Seed Sale Day #1 Southern States Co-Op 2570 Palumbo, Lexington. Do you have enough bird seed to make it to Summer? Now's the time to stock up. You can take your seed with you or leave it at Southern States to pick up as you need. NOTE: All stored seed must be picked up within twelve months! A portion of the proceeds goes to supporting CKAS. Volunteers needed from 8-11 & 11-2: e-mail seedsale@ckas.org.
Jan 14th (Sat.) 11:00am-12:30pm: 2nd Saturday Seminar (Program TBD) Wild Birds Unlimited 152 N. Locust Hill, Lexington KY. Always something fun and educational! Keep your calendar free.
Jan. 20th (Fri.) All day: Penguin Awareness Day A day set aside to celebrate Penguins and take a moment to learn more about them. 21 Penguin GIFs you can share.
Jan. 21st (Sat.) 8:00am-2:00pm: Winter Bird Seed Sale Day #2 Southern States Co-Op 2570 Palumbo, Lexington. Missed us last week? This is your last chance to stock up enough bird seed to make it through the winter. You can take your seed with you or leave it at Southern States to pick up as you need. NOTE: All stored seed must be picked up within twelve months! A portion of the proceeds goes to supporting CKAS. Volunteers needed from 8-11 & 11-2: e-mail seedsale@ckas.org.
Jan. 28th (Sat.) 9:00am-12:30pm: Bird Walk Raven Run Nature Sanctuary 3990 Raven Run Way, Lexington. Join CKAS for a guided walk at Raven Run. Meet at the Visitor's Center.
Feb. 2nd (Thur.) All day: World Wetlands Day Celebrate wetlands and the many species that utilize them. worldwetlandsday.org.
Feb. 4th (Sat.) 8:30am-1:00pm: Bird Walk Griffith Woods WMA 2001-3499 Leesburg Pike, Cynthiana. To carpool/caravan: 8:30am DEPARTURE from the Northside Public Library. Park near the multi-color library sign. BE PROMPT!
Feb. 11th (Sat.) 8:00am-1:00pm: Live Raptors at the Fayette County District Science Fair Bryan Station High School 201 Easton Road, Lexington. Join us as we welcome Raptor Rehab and their education birds. Which birds will they bring this year? Drop by the CKAS table to see! Volunteers wanted to help staff the CKAS table: e-mail here.
Feb. 11th (Sat.) 11:00am-12:30pm: 2nd Saturday Seminar (Program TBD) Wild Birds Unlimited 152 N. Locust Hill, Lexington KY. Always something fun and educational! Keep your calendar free.
Feb. 17th-20th (Fri.-Mon.) All day, each day: Great Backyard Bird Count Your backyard. An annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. More info on counting and to register your count at gbbc.birdcount.org.
Feb. 18th (Sat.) 10:00am-11:00am & 2:00pm-3:00pm: GBBC for Beginners The Arboretum 500 Alumni Drive, Lexington. Learn about Kentucky's winter birds, how they survive, and how you can help them thrive. Beginning birders of all ages welcome (Family-friendly event). Make sure to dress for the outdoors as we'll end with a short bird walk/count. Cost $1, Audubon Members free (sign up or renew membership here and select Central Kentucky Audubon as your Chapter Donation Designation). Register by calling 859-257-6955.
Feb. 19th (Sun.) 9:00am-12:30pm: Bird Walk Lexington Cemetery 833 W. Main St., Lexington. Meet/park around the first right turn after coming in the gate. Do NOT park in the gatehouse spaces!
Feb. 25th (Sat.) 8:00pm-2:00pm: Bird Walk Camp Catalpa/Lake Reba 2200 Catalpa Loop Rd, Richmond. To carpool/caravan: 8:00am DEPARTURE from the outer parking lot of Lakeside Golf Course. BE PROMPT!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
