Wrapping up Birdathon 2007

Audubon Ohio’s annual Birdathon event was a tremendous success this year. Even with the challenges of going carbon neutral (i.e. birding only at spots that we could reach from our homes without using a car) and threats of stormy weather, Audubon staff and board members were able to spot 93 species! Because of your support, Audubon Ohio was able to raise more than $5,000 to support bird and wildlife conservation throughout Ohio.

Early morning on Thursday May 10th, staff and board members set off on foot, bicycle or public transportation to explore the diverse habitat and wildlife in their own neighborhood. The threat of rain faded and the weather turned warm and sunny. To our delight we found our nearby wetlands, meadows, riverbeds and woodlands alive with the songs and beauty of birds. Scarlet tanagers, Baltimore orioles, great blue herons, red-tailed hawks and screech owls are only a few examples of the birds we saw and/or heard. But birds weren’t the only creatures stirring, we also spotted snakes, turtles, frogs and groundhogs to name a few. It’s comforting and awe-inspiring to know how diverse and dynamic Ohio’s natural habitats can be in our very own backyards!

By going carbon conscious this year, it made birding a little more challenging. However, by reducing our consumption of fossil fuels and thereby reducing the pollution and greenhouse gas they produce, we were doing our part to combat global warming and other environmental issues. If you’re interested in learning more about what you can do to reduce the impact of global warming, please visit: http://www.audubon.org/globalWarming/

If you would like to learn more about Birdathon 2007, a complete list of bird sightings are available here.