Goldfinch Newsletter Apr 2001 - Daviess County Audubon Society

April 2001

The Goldfinch

The newsletter for the Daviess County Audubon Society

Directors’ meetings are the first Monday of each month

Meetings Sept.- June, each second Monday at 7 PM

April 9^th Meeting is at 720 Ford Avenue,

Located about midway between Frederica Street and the HealthPark

at Trinity Episcopal Church

Star Gazing in a World of Blinding Light

By Richard Gelderman

We hear about smog, noise, genetic engineering, overpopulation, brown fields, and more, ad infinitum. Here comes another modern day side effect that blocks part of the natural world from our eyes. Is it only astronomers who should care about this other kind of pollution? Our modern world has become cluttered with neon, street lights, security lights, motion lights, search lights, airport lights, halogen lights, emergency lights….have I made you feel as if a strobe light is flashing in your face?

If Mother Nature gives us a clear sky on April 9, we will adjourn at about 8:30 to schlep over to Brescia's Science Building to open up the Observatory roof and look at what the heavens are offering. A disclaimer is in order: Michele Morek warns us that Brescia is surrounded by lights and it is not likely that we will see a lot up above our fair city. If it is not raining and we can open the roof, there is a very good view from 5 stories up. The observatory field trip gave us pretty views of St. Stephens Cathedral bathed in light, the Ohio River bridge strung with lights, and lights all the way to Towne Square's lighted parking lot.

We'll post details about the change from our normal meeting location on the doors at The Technical College for people who might travel to the meeting on 'Auto Pilot' April 9. See you at Trinity Episcopal.

Open House Sunday, April 1 at 4 PM

Tour the straw bale house at Maple Mount in West Louisville. Park near the tennis courts. It's a must see!

Biking and Birding is April 21^st Field Trip

The plan is to meet at the intersection of Highway 60 and KY 279 near Stanley at 9AM. Bring sun block, a sack lunch, and your binoculars. The club will provide Band-Aids. We plan to take a leisurely ride about 5 to 7 miles West along the river and then head back. This trip is weather dependent. If it's raining, sleep-in and go to First Christian's Block Party at 7^th & Daviess Streets from 11AM to 2 PM. Our club is sponsoring a booth in honor of trees because in April we celebrate Arbor Day. There will be a free lunch, so the biking birders might wish to buzz by after their ride to refuel.

The Community College Count is April 15 at 2 PM

Stressed? 9 to 5 Blues? Spring Fever?

Take a hike!

No time, you say? Gotta get the taxes done. Gotta get the last of the leaves out of the yard. Gotta catch up on laundry. Gotta go to the grocery. Gotta go to work to pay the mortgage.

No problem. Our chapter has a hike for you that won't even get your shoes muddy. You can go out at midnight if you like. The hike is a cyber hike. Eric Williams has posted a selection of Rob Rold's wildflower photos on our Web site. Treat yourself to a break and feast your eyes on some of Kentucky's most delicate and short-lived beauties. A lot of wild flowers out in the forests and along roadsides will be faded and gone by the time you get the tax return filed, but that doesn't mean you can’t take a break and let your neck muscles loosen up. Go to audubon.wku.edu/daviess/audubon.html and click on 'What's new'.

We hope our Web site will never take the place of the marvelous out-of-doors, but sometimes it is nice to stop with all the busyness of life and just gaze at a thing of beauty. Wildflowers are so quiet, so remote, so lost in the mad rush that they deserve a moment in the cyber spotlight. Check it out.

You've Got to Kiss a Lot of Frogs

Once again members of The Daviess County Audubon Society made us proud. When the call went out from N.A.A.M.P., North American Amphibian Monitoring Program, for volunteers to listen for frogs along pre-designated routes, 6 of our members volunteered. These brave souls have been out along the highways and byways in Sacramento, Huntsville, Rome, Corydon, and Waverly looking for places to park (just like back in high school) hoping not to be run over by the locals, where they can hear themselves think and hear all the peeps, grunts, raaacks, and trills coming from ditches, ponds, trees, and creeks. The task these people have taken on is not for the couch potato crowd; running a route takes almost 2 hours and these routes are far afield where a lengthy commute is required going and coming. Frog calls are music to their ears and the data they collect goes into a national repository. Way to go, Frog Loggers!

The Big Bad Wolf Won't Blow this Baby Down

At a special meeting March 12, the society's directors voted unanimously to undertake the biggest fund raising effort in the club's history. It was agreed to match the Pennyroyal Girl Scout Council dollar-for-dollar up to $1000 toward the construction of a bird viewing blind to be built at the Girl Scout Camp just south of town. More information is in the enclosed brochure and Open House on p.1.

We need everybody's help with this fund raising effort. Our typical annual budget is only about $1000. Therefore, we will need to weave baskets, and sell: straw bales, birdseed, donuts, trees, books, and a quilt. We'll be announcing a Birdathon and a Car Clean up for next month. Please read through the events we will be sponsoring and volunteer to help with one or more. There is something for everyone to do. We are asking for donations in amounts to fit almost every budget. Please talk-up this effort. Spread the word.

Mark your calendar for as many of the upcoming events as you can manage.

Date Event Event Chair

April 3 Basket Weaving taught by Jan Treesh Cost $20 Ova Hookey & Rose Ann Radzelovage

6 to 9 PM at Basket Shop in The Thatch. Preregister/pay by mail: 1653 Griffith Ave

April 7 Krispy Kreme Donut Sale at K-Mart 9 AM 'til ? Joan Boggess and Joyce Moody

April 7 Birdseed Sale at The Pet Food Center 9A-5P Joe and Grace Ford

April 21 Tree Sale at First Christian Church's Carolyn Williams and

Block Party 7^th & Daviess Street 11 AM to 2 PM Rose Ann Radzelovage

April 27-9Book Fair at WaldenBooks Laura Morris

May Flying Geese Quilt Raffle Madeline Oetinger

May Car Detail by appointment Cost $50 Brenda Little

May 6-12 Birdathon Mary Kissel

From the President's Perch I felt a 'Little' bit like Rodney Dangerfield when I read the Messenger & Inquirer on the Internet last Tuesday. There was a meeting, a public forum, for public input hosted by the Parks Department about which our club knew nothing. In February, at a similar meeting, our Society was ably represented by Carolyn Williams, Ova Hookey, Rose Ann Radzelovage, Joe Ford, Grace Ford, Joan Boggess, and Joyce Moody. I've got my feathers ruffled. It is a loss for everybody when a community does not entertain the ideas of such a hard working and astute group as we. In my not-so-humble opinion, The Daviess County Audubon Society is THE environmental advocacy group best qualified to speak to the planners in the Parks Department. We are comprised of a diverse group of people who love this region and who prove it by many hours of volunteer work and community service. Our major endeavor is education and we offer a wide range of programs, activities and events to all the people of our area at almost no cost. We were surprised when we were invited to the February meetings; it was a first. 'Little' did we know that the invitation was possibly a fluke, out of character for the community? cont'd

If you think you know whose oversight caused us to be ignored Monday night, please give a copy of this column to him, her or them. The birds in town need to go let-loose on their cars!

Perhaps it's simpler to shut out a well-prepared and well-spoken group than to try to rebut its ideas? L.A.

Officers and Directors for 2000-2001 President G. Wm. "Bill" Little, Jr. (270) 298-4237 Vice-President & Program Chairman Mike Henshaw (270) 275-4250 Secretary Madeline Oetinger (270) 683-7681 Treasurer Rose Ann Radzelovage (270) 683-5972 Membership Chairs Mike Kavolus (270) 685-3305 & Janet Howard (270) 926-3795 Education Chairs Madeline Oetinger (270) 683-7681 & Carolyn Williams 683-5863 Field Trips Chair Rob Rold (270) 684-3209 Conservation Chair Scott Holder (270) 684-1582 Newsletter Editor Brenda Little (270) 298-4237 Webmaster Eric Williams shrike@apex.net Publicity Chair Alice Gene "Aggie" Lewis (270) 684-0536 Hospitality Chair Ova Hookey (270) 683-6364 Directors: Kathryn Clay, Pat Connell, and Lifetime Honorary Directors: Elinor Wilson, Joe Ford, A.L. "Bert" Powell, and Mildred "Millie" Powell.

Membership Application for New Members Dues for membership in Daviess County Audubon Society, the Kentucky Audubon Council and The National Audubon Society are $20 1- year_____or $35 for 2-Yr introductory ______.Student Membership $15_______ Please make your check payable to : The National Audubon Society and mail to: Rose Ann Radzelovage, Treasurer at 2224 Fairview Dr. Owensboro If you do not wish to be a member of The National Audubon Society, but wish to receive our newsletter, please make your check payable for $10 to Daviess County Audubon Society.

If you wish to make a donation in support of any of our chapter's activities, the payee on your check should be The Daviess County Audubon Society. Thank you for supporting Audubon. The date on the mailing label below is the date your membership will expire. You will receive renewal notices from The National Audubon Society before the expiration date. Labels with the letter 'L' are for those who are not members of The National Audubon Society. Our chapter does not send renewal notices; the L followed by the date is the only notice you will receive. Please keep your membership active._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The Goldfinch

306 Hoover Hill Road

Hartford, KY 42347

April 2001

Programs planned for 2000-2001

March 12 Birds and Dinosaurs, Common Roots? The latest fossil

Evidence.

April 9 Star Gazing in a World of Blinding Light, an Astronomical

Challenge. Presenter is Richard Gelderman

May 14 Eric Williams wrote his Master’s thesis about the White eyed

Vireo. He plans to ask Eastern Kentucky University for use

of his materials for this month’s program.