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NewslettersHighlights of the Spring 2008 newsletter: Notes from the President: NEK Audubon's Birdathon Funds Conservation Camp Scholarships by Airie Lindsay The mission of NEK Audubon is to "foster the stewardship and enjoyment of birds, other wildlife and natural habitats." In this spirit, one of our chapter's most important activities is providing scholarships to local young people to attend high quality conservation camps. For many children this is their first camp experience and a wonderful introduction to the joys and mysteries of the natural world! This year we are sending one camper ages 10-13 to the Audubon youth camp at Hog Island off the coast of Maine and a high school student ages 15-18 to the NorthWoods EcoExperience in East Charleston, Vermont, to participate in field research with biologists. We believe that these young people will join others in the upcoming generation to cherish, preserve and protect our natural environment.
But this costs money! For the scholarships alone, NEK Audubon must raise $1,900. Our other expenses include: publishing and mailing the newsletter, taxes on our Windsong Wildlife Sanctuary in Peacham, insurance and our annual license, and miscellaneous other expenses we incur throughout the year. Our chapter operates frugally and receives no regular money from National Audubon. No one is paid for the many hours of work it takes to keep NEK Audubon alive and dynamic.
Our one and only fundraiser is the BIRDATHON. On May 18th a team of crack birders will lead trips throughout the Northeast Kingdom searching for as many bird species as we can find. We welcome you to join us. (See details in the enclosed flyer.) Remembering how important it is to encourage young people to gain respect for our natural surroundings, we hope you and many others will contribute generously to support our annual camp scholarships. Bird Chatter: Christmas Bird Count and Glimpses of Spring by Bill Marshall The annual Christmas Bird Count gives participants a chance to enjoy the challenges and beauty of winter at its depths in the Northeast Kingdom. With record snowfalls in December, a hiatus in January, and a second coming of accumulated snow by mid-February, we marvel at the endurance and perseverance of our avian friends. On January 1, 2008, twenty-two participants drove 333 miles, walked over 15 miles, and logged more than 50 hours to see what species were wintering in our northern climes. Four thousand, three hundred-thirty-three (4,333) birds were counted, testing the visual agility of our observers to count "accurately" the swirling clouds of starlings; the ubiquitous chickadees; and the sometimes bold, sometimes timid, flocks of turkeys that invade trench silos filled with corn nuggets and stroll through open woodlands or fields fringed by wooded areas. "And the winners are" ... 899 European Starlings, 835 Black-capped Chickadees, and 408 Wild Turkeys.
Now, on to thoughts of spring: We have included a photo (provided by Airie Lindsay) of an Ovenbird's nest that my wife and I found late last spring as a reminder that the invasion of our spring and summer residents is not too far off. This surge of birds along with our hearty winter residents reminds us of the truly remarkable sampling of birds that call Vermont home.
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To read past newsletter issues, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and/or print them out. If you don't have this program, go to the Adobe website to download the free version. Follow the instructions on that site.
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