April 2 Edition of "Audubon In the News"

COMMON BIRDS IN DECLINE

National Audubon's unprecedented analysis of forty years of citizen-science bird population data from our own Christmas Bird Count plus the Breeding Bird Survey reveals the alarming decline of many of our most common and beloved birds.

http://stateofthebirds.audubon.org/CBID/

Common Grassland Birds Disappearing in Midwest (Judy Pollock, Director of Bird Conservation and Stephen Packard, Executive Director for Audubon Chicago-Region, are interviewed for a PBS segment of NewsHour with Jim Lehrer about Audubon's recent Common Birds in Decline report) (RealPlayer required)

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/environment/july-dec07/birds_07-31.html

Audubon: Common backyard birds becoming less common

http://www.cnn.com/

Some Common Birds Not So Common Anymore (Associated Press article)

http://www.washingtonpost.com

AUDUBON CHAPTERS

Rare Painted Trillium is honored as part of the Detroit Audubon's St Clair Woods Sanctuary

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Audubon New York Applauds the House for Taking Important Step in Protecting Clean Water, Open Space, and Wildlife

Albany, NY, June 7, 2007 - On May 23, the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, led by Chairman, Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA), released their proposed changes to the President's Budget request. Included in the proposal was increased funding for key conservation programs that restore and protect the water quality and habitat of Long Island Sound, and prevent New York's wildlife from becoming endangered.

Under this proposal, thanks in part to strong advocacy by Audubon New York and the National Audubon Society public policy office, the recently reauthorized Long Island Sound Restoration Act and newly enacted Long Island Sound Stewardship Act would receive $10 million, and the State Wildlife Grants Program would receive $85 million.

For more information about Audubon New York, go to http://ny.audubon.org/.

Group Seeks Tougher Penalties for Killing Birds (Bob Sallinger, conservation director for Audubon Society of Portland, is quoted in a story about the chapter's call for Congress to establish tougher penalties for those who kill migratory birds)

http://www.oregonlive.com

Children Benefit When Exposed to Nature (Mary Arginteanu, of the Richmond Audubon Society in Virginia, is featured in an article describing the benefits of connecting children to nature)

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/opinion

The Science of Attracting Birds (Ron Windingstad, bird conservation coordinator, and Mark Peterson, executive director for Audubon Minnesota, quoted in an article giving tips for bringing birds to your yard)

http://www.kare11.com

Gardeners Urged to Use Plants Native to Pennsylvania (Steven Saffier, Audubon Pennsylvania's Audubon At Home Coordinator, conducted a lecture on how people can use native plants in their backyards in ways that will benefit birds and other wild life)

http://www.phillyburbs.com

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AUDUBON PUBLIC POLICY

VITAL ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION PROJECTS APPROVED IN HISTORIC VETO OVERRIDE

Audubon Priority Enacted Into Law

The U.S. Congress voted today to override the president's veto of the Water Resources Development Act, a $23 billion piece of legislation that authorizes more than $5.5 billion for key ecosystem restoration projects. The president issued his veto on Nov. 2, citing the bill's cost. This marks the first time Congress has overridden a veto in this Administration and only the 106th time in history.  

Audubon has lobbied for passage of WRDA for five years and urged the congressional override because of the bill's funding to key Audubon priorities like the Everglades , the Great Lakes , coastal Louisiana , and the Mississippi River .

"In today's historic veto override, Congress has kept its promise to restore America's Everglades and made an historic national commitment to the protection of more of America's most sensitive and valuable ecosystems, including the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi River, and the Great Lakes," said April Gromnicki, Audubon's Director of Ecosystem Restoration.  "If there is a cause that merits a historic vote such as this, it's fitting that the cause be to restore some of our most special places before they are lost forever."

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A Florida Rest Stop (Julie Wraithmell, wildlife policy coordinator for Audubon of Florida, quoted in an article about an

observed decline in Red Knots as they migrate through Florida)

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EDUCATION AND AUDUBON CENTERS AND SANCTUARIES

Audubon EagleWatch Program (Audubon's EagleWatch Program at the Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland , FL , is featured) (video and text included) More Information

Go Ahead and Feed the Birds (Antonia Nocero, education director for the Audubon Center at Mill Grove, is quoted in an article about best practices for feeding backyard birds)

http://www.philly.com/inquirer

Students Help Audubon Center (Article features students' contributions to the Audubon Conservation Education Center south of Billings, MT; the students made birdhouses for the Center, in hopes of attracting more birds)

http://www.billingsgazette.net

IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS (IBA) PROGRAM

Tawas Point Designated Important Bird Area (Caleb Putnam, Michigan IBA coordinator, helps dedicate the Tawas Point State Park in East Tawas, MI as an IBA during the second annual Tawas Point Birding Festival) http://www.iosconews.com

Help Georgia's Birds (Georgia IBA coordinator, Mary Elfner, lists 10 ways to help Georgia's birds)
http://savannahnow.com/node/371564

BIRDS, BIRDING AND WILDLIFE

NJ Bans Horseshoe Crabbing to Help Migratory Shorebird (Article about the Governor of New Jersey's decision to ban horseshoe crabbing, in an effort to boost Red Knot populations, which depend on horseshoe crabs for sustenance)

http://www.newsday.com

Bald Eagle Soaring 'Success,' But At What Cost? (Greg Butcher, Audubon's director of bird conservation, is quoted in an article chronicling the Bald Eagle's upcoming delisting from the Endangered Species Act)

http://www.cnn.com

West Nile Virus Devastates Backyard Birds (An article describing the West Nile Virus' deadly effect on seven

species of birds quotes Greg Butcher, Audubon's director of bird conservation)

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Audubon's Great River Birding Trail Highlights Mississippi River Birding Hotspots Vicksburg, MS, June 7, 2007 - The Mississippi River corridor is rich in birds and wildlife, and Audubon's new Great River Birding Trail website enables birders and others to discover many of the best places to see them. It offers in-depth information on parks, refuges and other natural areas, including site descriptions and photos, driving directions, and lists of species visitors may spot at each site.

The Great River Birding Trail was born in 2000, when Audubon began mapping birding sites from the Mississippi River's headwaters in northern Minnesota to the river's mouth at the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana. Currently, website visitors can view birding locations in Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and parts of Louisiana.

Audubon is leading an aggressive ten-state initiative to address the multiple conservation challenges facing the Mississippi River. Problems include loss of wildlife habitat, declining bird populations, and water quality degradation.To view the Great River Birding Trail, go to http://www.greatriverbirding.org.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS FROM AUDUBON'S BIRDLIFE PARTNERS

Bermuda Petrel Returns to Nonsuch Island Bermuda after 400 years (Story about successful translocation of a species once thought to be extinct; David Wege, BirdLife International's Caribbean Programme Manager, is quoted)

http://www.surfbirds.com

BirdLife's 2007 World Round-up (A reflection of BirdLife International's year of conservation)
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Research Confirms Extent of Europe's Disappearing

Farmland Birds

(BirdLife International took part in releasing results of data collected over 25 years showing a drastic decline in Europe's farmland birds)

http://www.birdlife.org

Spoon-billed Sandpiper on Brink of Extinction (Evgeny Syroechkovskiy, vice president of the Russian Bird Conservation Union-BirdLife International's designated partner in Russia, is quoted in a story about extinction threats for the spoon-billed sandpiper)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21266478/

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NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY PROGRAMS

The National Audubon Society and Toyota

yesterday launched TogetherGreen, a nationwide Audubon program to fund conservation projects, train environmental leaders, and offer volunteer opportunities to significantly benefit the environment. TogetherGreen is funded through a generous $20 million grant from Toyota. Audubon President John Flicker and Patricia Salas Pineda, group vice president of Toyota Motor North America, announced the alliance in a press conference. Below is a highlight of the early stories published, with more to follow!

http://www.bizjournals.com

GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

A record-breaking 85,000 checklists were submitted during the Great Backyard Bird Count this year, tallying more species than ever before - 635. The Audubon and Cornell Lab media teams also had a banner year, generating 450 stories coast to coast. Below are samples of articles about the GBBC's great success.

Activist Urges Congress to Address Threats to Planet

(Story penned by Tony Iallonardo, director of communications for policy at Audubon, describes Audubon's recent population and habitat work-study tour to the Philippines)

http://www.alextimes.com

Speakers at Audubon Meet Say Warming Affects Migration (Article detailing National Audubon Society's annual board meeting in

Park City, UT, and its focus on global warming)

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Bird Count Participants Tally Millions of Birds (National Audubon Society's president, John Flicker, quoted in an article about a record-breaking

year for the Great Backyard Bird Count; this year's count totaled 11 million birds across the United States and Canada)

AUDUBON STATE PROGRAMS

Politics of Protection (Article about the politics behind listing and delisting species from the Endangered Species Act; education specialist for Audubon Ohio, Casey Tucker, is quoted)

http://www.dispatch.com

Swallowed-tailed Kite Added to WatchList (Ann Shahid, IBA coordinator for Audubon South Carolina, is quoted in an article about efforts to monitor the swallow-tailed kite in South Carolina, based on this year's WatchList results)

http://www.charleston.net/news

North Seattle Woman Takes a Stand to Save Trees (Article about Seattle residents' efforts to save a grove of trees slated to be cut down for a school's renovation; Matthew Mega, director of conservation for the Seattle Audubon Society, is quoted)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com

Audubon Teaches Pupils About Natural World (Story about the methods Jamestown Audubon Society in New York uses to teach students about nature)

http://post-journal.com

Thanks to Girl, Shell Key's Birds Safer (Nine year old Audubon of Florida member, Nora Jade Flower, is featured in a story reminding readers that even kids can be conservationists)

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Biologists Struggle to Save the Spotted Owl (NewsHour with Jim Lehrer report chronicles scientists' struggles with the administration over the Northern Spotted Owl recovery plan; Audubon Washington was represented over the past year on the Spotted Owl Recovery Team) More Information

Audubon California Applauds Signing of Legislation to Protect California Condor (Op-ed penned by Audubon California highlights its support for new legislation, AB 821, which will aid the recovery of California condor by banning the use of lead ammunition in the bird's range)
http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_67936.shtml

Army Corps Issues Permit for Mirasol Golf Course (Brad Cornell, policy staff for Audubon of Florida, is quoted in a story about plans to develop a golf community that would potentially destroy wetlands and affect local wood storks) http://www.naplesnews.com

Pinellas Bans Pets, Alcohol On Shell Key (Story announces rules for an undeveloped barrier island of the coast of Florida; Audubon of Florida is named in the article for praising the new bans as steps toward protecting the island's shorebirds)

http://www.tbo.com/news

Bald Eagles Could Interfere With City's $800 Million Project (Lynda White, Eagle Watch coordinator for the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, is quoted in a story about a pair of bald eagles nesting in the middle of Winter Springs' redevelopment plans in Florida)

http://www.wftv.com/news/14329908/detail.html

Valley Hills Residents Season Their Lawns With Spicebush (Audubon At Home coordinator, Steven Saffier, is featured in a story about a native-plants initiative, supported by Audubon Pennsylvania)
http://www.waynesuburban.com

Simply Science - Bird Watching (Audubon Minnesota teamed up with the National Park Service to create an annual boat ride down the Mississippi River to encourage bird conservation; Ron Windingstad, bird conservation coordinator for Audubon Minnesota, is quoted)

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