President's Message
Bill Rowe
Hi to all, and thank you in advance for reading this issue of Tale Feathers; it covers some important news of St. Louis Audubon activities.
First, our work on the new iteration of our Strategic Plan (2024-2029) is almost complete. We will soon be providing you with a link where you can see what the Board has determined to be our major goals and action steps as we move through the coming five years.
Second, our Annual Meeting for all SLAS members will be held on Wednesday, April 24. It starts at 6:30 with a summary of the year’s finances, a quick look forward at the budget, and a vote on the proposed slate of officers and new Board members, as mandated by the bylaws. After a short break, the meeting will resume with a talk by Chris Brown, chair of the entomology group for Webster Groves Nature Study Society (see announcement below). This meeting will be held in person, at Webster University, and we sincerely hope you will plan to be there.
Third, I would also like to highlight another event that many of us look forward to annually: the Birdathon. This will be its seventh year of bringing a wide diversity of members and their friends and families out for a morning, a day, or even a whole month of birding. The primary object is to have fun and see a lot, and along the way you (and your supporters) will contribute to a major annual event that helps fund St. Louis Audubon’s work. It is set to begin on May 1 and runs for the whole month, allowing everyone, at any level of interest and skill, to participate in the ways that suit them best. Again, note the announcement below, and I hope to see you out there! I should add that, in addition to participating, if you have any thoughts about potential sponsors for the Birdathon, whether businesses or individuals, please contact Amy with your ideas.
Finally, let me mention the imminent changes on your Board of Directors—imminent because of our unusual fiscal year, which runs from May 1 to April 30 of the next year. The timing of our Board terms follows the same calendar, and so every year at this time we may see some members finish up their terms while others are just joining or re-joining us. In 2024, for a variety of reasons, we have no members leaving but several coming in. Actually, two of these, Erin Goss and Jennifer Rehg, were already welcomed onto the Board back in August and have been participating since then. As of May 1, we will be delighted to have Jonah Eckels and Matt Rowe joining the Board for the first time and Jean Favara returning to the Board after a hiatus of a year.
As your officers, Gail Saxton will continue as Secretary and Nick Eaton as Treasurer; the two Vice Presidents will continue, Michael Meredith for Conservation and Stephanie Schroeder for Education and Outreach; and the President position will move from me to my Board colleague Ellen Harmon, who will bring great energy to that role, plus experience in law and management.
It’s been a real privilege to serve as your President for these two years, and a real pleasure to work with the Board and with our staff, Amy, Dan, and Shannon. Per the bylaws, I will remain on the Board for one more year as Past President, helping Ellen and the Board and staff in any way I can.
New Mexico Tour
St. Louis Audubon has just completed its second in a series of out-of-state birding tours, this one to New Mexico, March 5-10. It was organized by the Naturalist Journeys tour company and led by Pat Lueders (who works for them) and myself. There isn’t room in a Tale Feathers issue to give a day-by-day account of the many places we went and the 121 species we encountered, but a handy way to give you some sense of it is the eBird Trip Report, viewable here:
We encountered weather from the 30’s to the 60's and had generally smooth sailing throughout; only once did a fresh snowfall block us from getting to our destination. As always happens, we missed some hoped-for species, but, overall, we had good luck and fine views. The Trip Report will open up to our species list, with an icon at the right to click for more details on each one. If you want to see the full list of sites we visited, with separate results for each, click on "19 checklists" at the top. And we hope you enjoy the photo gallery provided below.
These tours have been well received: the next one, to southeastern Arizona in mid-August this year, is sold out, and we will soon be planning the 2025 offerings. Be watching these newsletters for announcements, and opportunities to let us know you are interested.
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Panorama from the Sandia Mountains
Photo Credit: Bill Rowe
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Sandhill Cranes on the Rio Grande
Photo Credit: Bill Rowe
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Curve-billed Thrasher
Photo Credit: Bill Rowe
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Mountain Bluebird
Photo Credit: Bill Rowe
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Greater Roadrunner
Photo Credit: Pat Lueders
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Abert's Squirrel
Photo Credit: Bill Rowe
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Black-throated Sparrow
Photo Credit: Pat Lueders
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Side-blotched Lizard
Photo Credit: Bill Rowe
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Ornithological forecast, April 2024
April may have been the cruelest month for T.S. Eliot, but it’s not so for birders; in fact, it is one of the two most delightful months of transition between the colder and the warmer halves of the year, the other being October. The trees are leafing out, but slowly enough to leave the canopy more open and viewable than it is later. Lots and lots of passerines (small land birds) are arriving, some to nest here and others to pass on northward, and while we do not yet see the biggest influx of birds that wintered in the neotropics (that’s coming in May), we have the beginnings of it at the end of April, and we do already see most of those from the southern US. These incoming species, along with our permanent residents, will be singing, staking out territories, building nests, and then laying eggs, or at least getting close to that stage. Meanwhile, after a few species of shorebirds in March, we can see these same few molting into their colorful breeding plumage—like Dunlin, Long-billed Dowitcher, and American Golden-Plover—plus many additional species from the big shorebird menu, as well as migrant terns, which join the gulls in warmer weather. Migrant raptors continue, with Merlins in open country, Sharp-shinned and Broad-winged Hawks overhead, and the possibility of a rare Swainson’s Hawk. Herons, egrets, and other wading birds arrive, as do the more obscure wetland species like rails; and some semi-western birds are at their most likely this month (think Cinnamon Teal and Yellow-headed Blackbird). This note could go on for pages; the basic message is, get on out there and look!
Photo: Little Blue Heron
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At Home Ecology, Curated Conservation
April 2024
Shannon Callahan
If you’re anything like me, you have been pacing around your gardens these past couple of weeks, checking to see what’s coming up. April starts off slow, but don’t blink; otherwise, you’ll miss the explosion of growth! Now is the perfect time to explore the endless trails zig-zagging through high-quality Missouri natural areas to see our native spring ephemerals in their element. A mature stand of Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) is truly a sight to behold. In our gardens, you’re likely seeing Eastern Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) either in full bloom or just about to pop, signaling that a rush of hummingbirds is not far behind. Additionally, one of my favorite uber-adaptable filler-friendly species, Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea), is spreading out its bright yellow umbels. Be sure to keep an eye out for the first generation of Black Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio polyxenes) laying eggs on your Zizia spp., as they have already emerged in some parts of the state. Despite the recent bought of chilly weather, spring is in full force, and with it, another growing season is underway!
Photo: Virginia Bluebells
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WE ARE HIRING!
We're excited to announce that we are looking for an Urban Conservation Specialist to join our fun, talented, and collaborative team!
As an Urban Conservation Specialist, you'll be responsible for promoting the BirdSafeSTL program, overseeing the Urban Bird Treaty City status and activities, and facilitating habitat improvement stewardship opportunities.
The ideal candidate has a Bachelor’s Degree in a natural resources-based field of study or two years of directly related conservation program experience; excellent project management and organizational skills; and is a proven self-starter.
If you're looking for a dynamic workplace where you can grow and make a difference, we'd love to hear from you!
For questions, or to submit a cover letter and resume, contact Amy by April 30.
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DON'T MISS OUT ON THESE UPCOMING PROGRAMS! |
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Sorting through the so-called insect apocalypse
We’ve all seen the headlines since Hallmann et al published their findings in 2017 of dramatic reductions of insect biomass in Germany over a 27 year period: “Plummeting insect numbers threaten collapse of nature,” “The collapse of insects,” “The insect apocalypse is here”. Entomologist and ecological risk assessor, Chris Brown, will discuss what we have learned about insect decline seven years on and what we think might be causing it.
Registration not required.
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What's a Birdathon, you ask?
Well, it's a uniquely Audubon way to support our mission to protect our local birds and their habitats!
The St. Louis Birdathon is like a walkathon, only instead of counting miles, you count birds. Anyone can participate, from beginners to expert birders. This is a fun and educational event for all ages and runs the entire month of May!
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No time for birding? You can still make a difference for birds by making a pledge to support our conservation, education, and advocacy work.
Can't wait to bird-watch with you again!
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Join others who share your interests in nature, birds and wildlife!
Click on the link to register.
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A beginner bird walk is a short (two hours or less) walk along a path or trail, either around a loop or out-and-back. It is designed, broadly, to help participants see as many birds as possible, and in particular to become familiar with a good variety of our commoner birds.
A field trip is an excursion to a natural area around St. Louis that is promising for finding birds and other wildlife. Generally it involves taking a walk at several points, noticing and recording as many birds as possible, and (as a goal for the leaders) helping all participants get a good look at each bird and learn something about it, such as its field marks, its song, its behavior. Some areas may be covered entirely by walking, while others may involve many short drives with stops in between to check fields, lakes, etc., often with the use of a scope. Field trips typically last a full morning, sometimes into the afternoon; the pre-trip announcement will let you know what length to expect and whether to bring a lunch along.
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ST. LOUIS AUDUBON SOCIETY BOARD MEETINGS
Next meeting: Tuesday, April 9
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Please Note: Board meetings will be held by Zoom and will not meet in person until further notice. If you have an interest in joining our volunteer Board, please contact one of the officers or staff members. |
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Officers & Staff
Bill Rowe, President
Michael Meredith, VP Conservation
Stephanie Schroeder, VP Education
Gail Saxton, Secretary
Nick Eaton, Treasurer
Amy Weeks, Executive Director
Dan Pearson, Director, BCH
dan@stlouisaudubon.org
Shannon Callahan, Outreach Specialist, BCH
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