Meetings, activities and announcements
- Membership Survey – A printable version of the LAS Membership Survey mailed to member households on April 21 can be downloaded from the following link - Membership Survey.
- Eleventh Annual - Spring Wings Bird Festival, Fallon, Nevada - May 9-11, 2008
The Spring Wings Bird Festival coincides with International Migratory Bird Day and the height of spring migration in the Lahontan Valley wetlands. These internationally recognized wetlands are temporary home to over 260 species of birds, including thousands of White-faced Ibis, Long-billed Dowitcher, American White Pelicans, Black-necked Stilts, American Avocets, and many other waterfowl and waterbirds. During the 2007 festival, 164 different species were logged – a new festival record!
The Friday night 2008 keynote speaker will be author and naturalist Scott Weidensaul. Scott is a much sought-after speaker at Audubon/nature centers and festivals across the nation. On Saturday, join speaker Al Batt, who will educate while he entertains. Al's talks are thoughtful and humorous, and you will learn while you laugh.
This year the festival is at a new venue, Oats Park. Acivities in the park include kites (making and flying !), birds, children's activities, art, vendor booths, environmental information, and food. The presentations will be held in beautiful Barkley Theater adjacent to the park. Friday and Saturday keynotes will be staged there as well. Prepare for some wonderful changes for this year’s event
Registration will be in the gym beside the Barkley Theater. However, registering now is strongly advised. Additional information, brochure, and registration on-line at www.springwings.org or by telephone at (775) 428-6452 or fax (775) 423-5158.
- CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
The May meeting of LAS is the usual time for nomination and election of LAS officers and Board of Trustees members, and it will soon be here! We are looking for enthusiastic and energetic (well, at least enthusiastic) people to step up to the plate and volunteer to become directly involved in the organization. This year is an important one, since two of our most important officers have elected to step down -- our President (Karen Kish) and our Treasurer (Dave Straley). Both have played major roles in the success of our chapter, and both will be sorely missed in their respective capacities. So if any of you are willing to take on a challenge, the LAS Nomination Committee (Alan Gubanich and Jacque Lowery) would love to hear from you! Anyone can nominate themself or anyone else for any of the positions listed below, even if the name of a nominee already appears. We encourage you to think seriously about the nomination process and join us at the May 27 meeting to help elect next year's slate of Officers and Board members. We're always looking for new blood! Contact Alan (aag@unr.nevada.edu; 857-0191) or Jacque (wbureno@sbcglobal.net) if you wish to submit your name or the name of a colleague for any of the positions below.
Nominees for LAS Officers and Board members as of April 14, 2008. Nominations are still open and will remain open until the election is held the evening of May 27, 2008 at the General Meeting. Only LAS members are allowed to vote, but anyone can nominate.
- President -- no nominee yet
- Vice-President -- Alan Gubanich
- Treasurer -- Jane Burnham
- Recording Secretary -- Bonnie Wagner
- Board of Trustees:
- Seat # 1 -- no nominee yet
- Seat # 2 -- Gene Hansel
- Seat #4 -- Kathy Oakes
- Register now for a wonderful weekend in the West Humboldt Mountains birding in Buena Vista, Wilson, and Straight Canyons surrounding the historic mining town of Unionville. See the field trips page for more information.
- EDUCATION COMMITTEE: Busy Season Ahead -- Volunteers Appreciated!
With Spring just around the corner, the Education Committee will soon be busy leading field trips again for local elementary school kids at Washoe Lake. In the last two years, with the help of several volunteers and some staff from the Washoe Lake State Park, LAS led 28 birding & natural history field trips for hundreds of Washoe County school children and teachers. With anywhere from 30 to 60 children per trip, one person can't do it all, so if you have any available time we would welcome your help. Most trips will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays, usually from late April through late May. LAS will provide binoculars and spotting scopes, but feel free to bring your own. You don't need to be a birding or natural history expert, just a willing and enthusiastic worker. So if you can spare some time as either an assistant or a trip leader contact Alan Gubanich at 857-0191 or aag@unr.nevada.edu. You'll quickly realize what a difference you can make for many of these bright young kids -- and you'll have lots of fun too!
The Education Committee also visits classrooms and runs information booths at various events to teach school kids and adults about birds of Nevada and their habitats. In fact, the Committee has already visited the Elementary School and High School in Lovelock, CC Meneley Elementary School in Minden, and Elmcrest Elementary School in Reno, plus taught a workshop for the general public at Moana Lane Nursery this month. If you are interested in participating at any of these kinds of venues, contact Alan. The next event will be the Tune In To Kids Fair at Idlewild Park on Saturday, April 12 from 10:00 am to 4:00pm. We will need volunteers to work shifts at the LAS table -- even just an hour of your time will be appreciated. Again, contact Alan if you would like to help: 857-0191 or aag@unr.nevada.edu.
Looking forward to working with you!
- Monthly Meetings- Held every fourth Tuesday September through May, 6:30 pm (social), 7:00 pm (program meeting). Please visit the Meetings page for details.
- Field Trips- A great way to view and learn about birds in our area. They are free for Audubon members and non-members. Birders of all skill levels are welcome to participate. Please visit the Field Trips page for more information.
- Birds & Books - Would you like to share your love of bird and books with others? If so please visit the Birds & Books page.
- LAS Info Line On-Line – Need to contact LAS for information? Please contact Info Line Manager Jacque Lowery at wbureno@sbcglobal.net
- Read postings to the Nevada Birds List Server to find out what's been seen throughout Nevada. To Join the Nevada Birds List Server visit this link
- For comments, suggestions, errors on the website please contact the LAS Webmaster Steve Ting at scting@charter.net
The Lahontan Audubon Society a chapter of the National Audubon Society, based in Reno and serving all of northern Nevada, represents over 1,000 memberships of conservation-minded individuals and families.
We seek to help restore, preserve, and improve habitat for birds and other wildlife and to provide education about birds and their habitats in Nevada and adjacent areas of California.
Our other primary activities include guided birding trips for the public and for school groups, site clean-ups and improvements, annual birding classes, and Christmas Bird Count. We publish occasional position papers on key Nevada conservation area issues, and we participate in or partner with various Nevada conservation agencies and groups.
Our newsletter The Pelican and the Audubon Nevada Birds List Server disseminate Nevada birding information.
Our flagship conservation effort is our Nevada Important Bird Areas program, headed by Director of Bird Conservation Robin Powell, part of a hemispheric program to identify and preserve key bird habitat areas.
We invite your involvement or membership.
Lahontan Audubon Society
P.O. Box 2304
Reno, NV 89505
Information Line 775/324-BIRD (2473)