Upcoming Events
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Sat, May 9, 8am
Jackson Park Birdwalk
Sat, May 16, 8am
Black Mountain Birdwalk Fletcher Park Birdwalk
Tue, May 19, 7pm
"Saving the Cerulean Warbler: American Bird Conservancy Initiatives in Latin America," EMAS monthly program, Reuter Center, UNCA, Asheville
Tues, June 2 ,6:30 pm
EMAS board meeting at the Reuter Center, UNCA Asheville
Sat, Jun 6, 8am
Beaver Lake Birdwalk
Sat, Jun 13, 8am
Jackson Park Birdwalk
Tue, Jun 16, 7pm
EMAS General Meeting: "Bring Back the Monarch Butterfly" with Nina Veteto
Sat, Jun 20, 8am
Black Mountain Birdwalk Fletcher Park Birdwalk
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For the latest schedule and any changes:
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It's Birdathon Time! Three teams will compete this May to find the most species of birds in one day to fundraise for bird conservation. Birdathon contributions will support the Cerulean Warbler Reserve in Colombia, South America. The reserve was established by Pro Aves, a Colombian conservation organization dedicated to acquiring land and establishing bird sanctuaries across the country to protect critical habitat for our local neotropical migrants on their wintering grounds.
In 2012, EMAS Board members Doug Johnston, Simon Thompson and I visited the Cerulean Warbler Reserve. It was, of course, exciting to see so many colorful resident species. But we were even more excited about seeing some of our birds, including Cerulean, Blackburnian, Mourning, and Canada Warblers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Scarlet Tanagers, and Wood Thrush. Without the protection of the Pro Aves reserves on their wintering grounds, how many migrants would return to breed around Asheville and to thrill us with their beauty?
In 2014 friends and members of EMAS helped us raise more than $7,000 - a new record! The American Bird Conservancy matched $6,500 of our donation. You should feel proud of helping to contribute more than $13,000 to the Cerulean Warbler Reserve in 2014. With your generous contribution to this year's Birdathon, you can help us support this worthy conservation endeavor. Please make a pledge to your favorite team, the Beaver Lake Bluebirds, the Golden-wings or the Peregrines, or simply send a check to EMAS with the memo Birdathon.
I invite you to join us for a very special EMAS program at the Reuter Center on May 19. It's part of our Birdathon fundraiser and our biggest program event of the year. We ask all who attend for a $5 donation to support the Birdathon. Please plan to come!
Thanks and Good Birding!
Tom Tribble
President, Board of Directors
Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society
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"Saving the Cerulean Warbler: American Bird Conservancy Initiatives
in Latin America"
May 19, 7pm, Reuter Center, UNC Asheville
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Benjamin Skolnik,  Director of International Program Development for the American Bird Conservancy, will discuss the accomplishments of the Cerulean Warbler Corridor project to date and provide an overview of the many activities underway in Colombia. He will also discuss the broader context of protecting migratory and threatened resident avian species in Latin America and provide a snapshot of some of the hot global debates regarding biodiversity policy where ABC is actively making a difference for birds.
Benjamin received his MS in the Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology Program at the University of Maryland. He was a Peace Corps volunteer in a high Andean village in Ancash, Peru, where he worked on community initiatives including providing technical assistance in watershed conservation activities. He has participated in many avian field projects, including several in remote regions of Ecuador. Benjamin has worked as a GIS analyst for the US Fish and Wildlife Service Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act grant program and for Conservation International.
All EMAS programs are held at the Reuter Center on the UNCAsheville campus. Programs are free and open to the public.
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Support the EMAS Birdathon!
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The three EMAS Birdathon teams
 have polished their binoculars, made sandwiches, and gassed up their cars in preparation for the Birdathon. It's a marathon day spent birding from dawn to dark to raise money for environmental causes, in particular the Cerulean warbler. One of our most beautiful songbirds, and formerly one of the most abundant breeding warblers, it's now in serious decline due to habitat loss. While the teams have fun vying to out-bird each other, we also do our best to raise money for Cerulean warbler conservation. We hope you will support our efforts with your contribution. Please access the application form
here, print it and send it in with your check, or bring it to the May meeting.
Thank you very much for your generous donation!
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Cerulean Warbler
Conservation Corridor Effort
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 An American Bird Conservancy report cites EMAS as donors!
A ten-year effort carried out by three conservation groups has led to the establishment of a critical six-mile long by half-mile wide conservation corridor in Colombia that provides important winter habitat for the iconic Cerulean Warbler, a small but spectacular bird that has seen its population plummet 70 percent since 1966.
The effort was led by American Bird Conservancy (ABC), a leading U.S. bird conservation group; Fundacion ProAves, one of the leading conservation groups in Colombia; and Fonda para la Accion Ambient y la Ninez, a Columbian organization that focuses on community, youth, and environmental projects.
Nearly 3,000 acres of land were reforested to connect existing habitat, using 500,000 seedlings of 26 native species grown in nurseries established in the nearby Cerulean Warbler and Pauxi Pauxi bird reserves. More than 220 private landowners participated in the project by planting shade trees on their coffee and cocoa farms and cattle ranches.To read the complete report, follow this link: http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/150406.html
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2015 Elections for
EMAS Board of Directors
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At the June 16 EMAS program meeting, members will vote on officers who will serve a two year term on the EMAS Board. Current officers, President Tom Tribble, Secretary Marianne Mooney, and Treasurer Doug Williams, are willing to serve another term as allowed by the bylaws. We also have a current board member, Jim Poling, willing to serve as the new Vice President. If any EMAS member wishes to be considered for nomination for any of these positions, please contact Nominating Committee chair Gail Lankford at
whocooksforyou64@gmail.com
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Cabbage White:  A very common butterfly at BLBS, especially in the meadow and the fields next to the lake. From wing tip to wing tip just slightly more than an 11/2 inches.
 Common Whitetail: A dragonfly which, as the name implies, is very common and very easy to spot. This dragonfly will frequently land on the boardwalk at BLBS, offering great views. This dragonfly length ranges from 1 3/4 to 2 inches. Male pictured.
Tree Swallow:  Early in spring the Tree Swallows return to BLBS and nest in the Bluebird boxes (or should I say the Tree Swallow boxes) along the lake. A very striking bird to see in flight and at rest! Male pictured.
 Chickweed Geometer: A common moth at BLBS. The only problem is seeing one in the open. This moth spends most of the daylight hours "under leaf". From wing tip to wing tip this moth is about 3/4 inches. |
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