Special Events and Meetings Calendar
Meetings and Events
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Annual Spaghetti Dinner “Caught in a SNOWstorm” Featuring: Dave F. Brinker Regional Ecologist, Natural Heritage Program, Wildlife and Heritage Service, Maryland DNR Postponed until further notice The winter of 2013-14 saw the largest invasion of Snowy Owls in decades. By the first week of December 2013, birders realized something extraordinary was underway. Thousands of Snowy Owls were flooding south into the United States. In some cases, birders found dozens, even hundreds, gathered in a single location. As the magnitude of the irruption became clear, veteran owl researchers mobilized a response, and Project SNOWstorm (SNOW is the four-letter code that banders and birders use for SNowy OWl) was born. Project SNOWstorm is an unprecedented, crowd funded research program designed to gather information about these raptors using telemetry, banding, toxicology screening, DNA analysis, and more. Dave Brinker created Project SNOWstorm in partnership with naturalist and author Scott Weidensaul, who directs the owl migration research program for the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Pennsylvania, and Norman Smith of Massachusetts Audubon, who has studied Snowy Owls for more than 30 years at Boston's Logan Airport. The project is a collaborative effort of a diverse group of scientists and organizations who all rapidly mobilized to study this historic Snowy Owl irruption. Project SNOWstorm is an example of a growing number of citizen-science efforts energized by the rapid communication and coordination facilitated by the internet and social media. The researchers behind Project SNOWstorm are hopeful that their efforts will not only produce useful information about the winter movements of Snowy Owls, but will ultimately better inform conservation efforts. Dave will present an overview of Project SNOWstorm and will share essential findings from the research. Where: St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 4711 Edmondson Avenue, Baltimore, MD. Cost: $10.00 per person for dinner and the program, $13.00 if you would like a glass of wine or a beer with dinner. Advanced Reservations required: We expect this dinner will sell out and we do not want to turn anyone away at the door. We also need to plan in advance for food. Call (443) 423-1847—leave your name, telephone number, number of people, and specify if you prefer vegetarian sauce. Please send checks: payable to the Chesapeake Audubon Society, PO Box 3173, Baltimore, MD 21228. Directions: Take Baltimore beltway to exit 15A (Route 40, Baltimore National Pike east, towards Baltimore.) Take Route 40 about 2 miles, just past the convergence of Route 40 and Edmondson Ave. The Church is on the right. We are again extremely fortunate to have a local guitarist and songwriter, Sean McCahill, performing for your listening pleasure Upcoming Events at Pickering Creek Audubon Center click here Upcoming Events at Patterson Park Audubon Center click here Chesapeake Audubon Society Board Meetings Board meetings, which are open to our members and interested individuals, are usually held the first Wednesday of even numbered months unless otherwise announced. Email info@chesapeakeaudubon.org for location if you are interested in attending. |
