Birdathon
The Beckham Bird Club conducts an annual Birdathon to raise funds that are disbursed to organizations that have applied for grants to fund activities that support bird conservation through habitat preservation and improvement, environmental education and public advocacy.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR 2024 GRANTS. GO TO THE END OF THIS PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
BBC members are contacted to give to each year’s Birdathon. You will be asked to make a pledge. This pledge can be done in two ways – pledging an amount for every bird seen or a set amount. After the Birdathon which will be held in May you will be contacted by the person you made your pledge to. That person will send you a description of their day of birding and how to send in your pledge. Should you not be contacted we hope you will still contribute to our Birdathon by either 1) making a check out to Beckham Bird Club and please indicate on your check 2024 Birdathon and mail to Beckham Bird Club, PO Box 5301, Louisville, KY 40255-0301 or 2) use PayPal at beckhambirdclub.org and click on activities or membership. You can also use your credit card at the PayPal site.
INFORMATION ABOUT PAST BIRDATHON GRANTS MAY BE FOUND IN THE BBC NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES. IN GENERAL, GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE ANNOUNCED IN THE APRIL ISSUE AND THE AMOUNT OF THE GRANTS IS ANNOUNCED IN THE NOVEMBER ISSUE.
Below are the organizations that the BBC board approved for grants for 2023. Because this year's Birdathon raised funds in excess of the total amount requested, the board funded each applicant for the full amount requested and made an additional donation as noted below.
KY Natural Lands Trust, Inc. ($2500)
KNLT is working to further expand the 3,101-acre Warbler Ridge Preserve on Pine Mountain that was established in 2020. The preserve is part of 9,000-acres of state and nonprofit conservation lands along the Harlan-Letcher County line. We are currently working on several additions to Warbler-Ridge representing over 600 acres of wildlands. These targeted tracts will protect areas that are essential for a variety of bird species, providing summer nesting sites and a migratory route when they return from their wintering grounds.
Jefferson Memorial Forest ($1350)
We would like to increase bird education by bringing in Raptor Rehab for six programs. This will provide engaging experiences with owls to increase awareness and conservation actions. Funds will be used to help us partner with Raptor Rehab to provide educational programs to youth and families.
Josephine Sculpture Park ($5000)
We have ongoing initiatives that have focused on revitalizing several wooded areas and aggressive removal of invasive plant species. There are 3 revitalized meadows-including the largest in Franklin County – that have been reseeded and planted with KY native wildflowers and grasses to improve birding habitats.
Funding from Beckham Bird Club will be used to conserve and restore habitats that are important to birds and provide ongoing bird-specific education to visitors of all ages.
Habitat Restoration:
• Manage vegetation throughout park to attract birds for feeding and shelter.
• Remove invasive species throughout the park.
• Maintain native tree saplings planted in 2018 to maximize survival.
• Maintain three native plant meadows (0.25 acres, 1 acre, 2 acres), each at different stages of installation and management.
Bird Education:
• Maintain and monitor an 11-box bluebird trail in partnership with Bluebirds of Central KY including a data station in the visitor center for visitors to learn about and see nest box data in real time.
• Maintain bird feeder stations and bird blinds to increase visitor opportunity to observe and learn about birds in the park.
• Complete and maintain a new accessible birding location at the park that will include observation platforms to be accessed by individuals with mobility challenges.
• Partner with birding-related organizations and businesses to offer birding opportunities and increased community outreach.
The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky ($3688)
Organizations Purpose: The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of KY is a 100-acre public garden located on the campus of the University of KY in the heart of Lexington. Our Mission is to showcase KY landscapes and serve as a resource center for environmental and horticultural education, research and conservation. The Arboretum is open to the public and free of charge 365 days per year from dawn to dusk and we receive approximately 200,000 visitors annually. Our landscape also provides important habitat for wildlife, including birds and pollinators. The Arboretum is an e-bird hotspot where 158 different species of birds have been observed- in terms of diversity, we are in the top five e-bird hotspots in Fayette County.
Project Description: Our team is in the process of restoring native species diversity within the Arboretum Woods, a 15-acre remnant Inner Bluegrass woodland, and we are seeking funding to help us accomplish these improvements. This land is one of the best remaining examples of Inner Bluegrass woodland – a rare ecological community in Kentucky. Preserved within these woods are several veteran trees that are estimated to be 200-300 years old, including blue ash, chinquapin oak, and KY coffeetree. This natural area also provides important bird and wildlife habitat as well as a recreational area with walking trails for visitors.
This community has been degraded over time through invasive species encroachment. Our plan is to begin with management of a carpet of wintercreeper and begin restoring the understory with native plants. We manage the wintercreeper through a targeted foliar herbicide treatment of the vines during the dormant season (to minimize impacts to desirable species).
We also manage several other invasive species, including lesser celandine, bush honeysuckle, Italian arum, and garlic mustard.
The next step will involve planting regionally appropriate native seed and plants grown from local-genotype seed into the understory, in order to increase native diversity and improve wildlife habitat.
By increasing the diversity of native species within The Arboretum Woods, we hope to have a direct positive impact on birds by improving the habitat for them. This will provide more cover and additional food options for native birds in terms of native fruits and the insects that utilize our native plants.
We intend to use any funds awarded for this project to pay for habitat management. These costs include those associated with invasive species management, transportation costs for collecting native seed from natural areas in the region, propagation supplies, and materials to build benches in our native plant nursery.
Sunnyside Master Gardeners Bluebird Team ($1000)
We plan to construct boxes and trails for Eastern Bluebirds, Carolina Chickadees, Tree Swallows, Carolina Wrens, House Wrens, Tufted Titmouse and many others. The grant would be used for materials for boxes, trail development and educational materials.
KY Resources Council ($3000)
KYRC again requests support for its Environmental and Community Defense program in Fiscal Year 2023-2024.
• One of the projects that we have been working on and will continue to provide legal assistance for is the ongoing legal fight to stop LG&E from running a gas pipeline through Bernheim’s Cedar Grove Wildlife corridor, home to more than 200 bird species, and protected under a conservation easement. While we have made some progress, we will continue legal work on this case.
• We also seek support for an exciting new program we’re calling “Good Trouble” (in honor of the late Congressman John Lewis). This initiative will significantly reform the permitting and regulatory landscape in KY and dramatically benefit communities, wildlife, and conservation lands across the state by supporting community engagement and working to identify and remedy deficiencies in these permits and authorizations.
We will also continue to advocate for wildlife and bird conservation as part of our legal work, as those issues arise.
The funds will be used to employ the attorneys providing the expert environmental, pro-bono legal services under KRC’s Environmental and Community Defense program and Good Trouble program.
Kentucky Conservation Committee ($2500)
We are working on several projects at this time where Beckham funding would provide essential support.
• We are continuing to work on public education and policies relating to species and habitat protection. We continue to advise citizens in communities where large-scale energy projects may impact critical habitat. For example, we are monitoring over 35 large-scale solar projects and targeting clear energy developers, landowners, and wildlife interests, where we help constituents understand misinformation and provide advice on making these projects more compatible for wildlife.
• We are also continuing our advocacy work this year on migration corridors and how they work alongside good transportation planning and possibility to use resources included in the new federal Wildlife Crossings Pilot program. This is also part of our effort to promote the implementation of individual components of the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that can benefit wildlife. We will be educating the public and state and local agencies about these funding opportunities.
• We are continuing our work to preserve the agency funding for Kentucky’s Heritage Land Conservation Fund.
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve ($1485)
We learned a lot during the pandemic, including that schools are requesting our resource teachers go into the classroom setting, rather than pay the high fees of transportation to bring students to Creasey Mahan. In response, we are developing a new traveling educational program. This grant would provide funding to develop two traveling birding programs to be given in a classroom setting. This includes creating handouts, Power Point presentations, and extra visuals to share with students to increase interest and curiosity about birds and birdwatching.
The other aspect of this grant request is, we are asking for support to replace three bird feeders in the bird blind at the Nature Center, and to purchase a years’ worth of quality seed and suet. We use one 40 lb. bag of wild bird seed every two weeks, and three suet cakes a week.
Grant funds will be used in these ways:
• Resource teachers will develop two new in-classroom bird programs, design handouts, activities, show and tell items, and presentations. $400
• Marketing outreach to schools, update education pages on web site $85
• Purchase three new bird feeders and one squirrel guard $75
• Purchase quality wild bird seed (40 lb bags) for a year. $650
• Purchase suet cakes (18 cakes-bulk purchase) for a year $175
• Various Nyjer thistle and mealworms (limited amounts) $100
Louisville Nature Center ($1200)
The request this year is for funding to help feed the birds with both seed and native plants, and to keep the birds safe from window collisions. We will be making and installing new Acopian Bird Savers, as well as leading participants in a free workshop where they will make their own to take home and install.
How the funds will be used:
• $600 for Bird seed & $100 for squirrel baffles for our bird blind (our usual source of donated bird seed has gone out of business).
• $200 for native plants to be planted around the bird blind that will provide food for birds and caterpillars.
• $300 for materials to make Acopian Bird Savers for both us (to be used on classroom windows) and workshop participants to take home.
Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky ($1700)
Although Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky did not apply for a grant this year, the BBC Board voted to make a donation to support the organization's work to return injured birds of prey to the wild and to educate the public about the importance and value of hawks, eagles, vultures, falcons and owls.
APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN FOR 2024 GRANTS:
Applications are now open for the 2024 Birdathon grants. Applications must be received or postmarked by January 31, 2024. The form may be found here.
FOR GRANT RECIPIENTS:
Recipients of 2023 grants are requested to submit a report to the Beckham Bird Club. If you received a grant in 2023 and are applying for a 2024 grant, the report must be submitted by March 15, 2024. The form may be found here.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR 2024 GRANTS. GO TO THE END OF THIS PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
BBC members are contacted to give to each year’s Birdathon. You will be asked to make a pledge. This pledge can be done in two ways – pledging an amount for every bird seen or a set amount. After the Birdathon which will be held in May you will be contacted by the person you made your pledge to. That person will send you a description of their day of birding and how to send in your pledge. Should you not be contacted we hope you will still contribute to our Birdathon by either 1) making a check out to Beckham Bird Club and please indicate on your check 2024 Birdathon and mail to Beckham Bird Club, PO Box 5301, Louisville, KY 40255-0301 or 2) use PayPal at beckhambirdclub.org and click on activities or membership. You can also use your credit card at the PayPal site.
INFORMATION ABOUT PAST BIRDATHON GRANTS MAY BE FOUND IN THE BBC NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES. IN GENERAL, GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE ANNOUNCED IN THE APRIL ISSUE AND THE AMOUNT OF THE GRANTS IS ANNOUNCED IN THE NOVEMBER ISSUE.
Below are the organizations that the BBC board approved for grants for 2023. Because this year's Birdathon raised funds in excess of the total amount requested, the board funded each applicant for the full amount requested and made an additional donation as noted below.
KY Natural Lands Trust, Inc. ($2500)
KNLT is working to further expand the 3,101-acre Warbler Ridge Preserve on Pine Mountain that was established in 2020. The preserve is part of 9,000-acres of state and nonprofit conservation lands along the Harlan-Letcher County line. We are currently working on several additions to Warbler-Ridge representing over 600 acres of wildlands. These targeted tracts will protect areas that are essential for a variety of bird species, providing summer nesting sites and a migratory route when they return from their wintering grounds.
Jefferson Memorial Forest ($1350)
We would like to increase bird education by bringing in Raptor Rehab for six programs. This will provide engaging experiences with owls to increase awareness and conservation actions. Funds will be used to help us partner with Raptor Rehab to provide educational programs to youth and families.
Josephine Sculpture Park ($5000)
We have ongoing initiatives that have focused on revitalizing several wooded areas and aggressive removal of invasive plant species. There are 3 revitalized meadows-including the largest in Franklin County – that have been reseeded and planted with KY native wildflowers and grasses to improve birding habitats.
Funding from Beckham Bird Club will be used to conserve and restore habitats that are important to birds and provide ongoing bird-specific education to visitors of all ages.
Habitat Restoration:
• Manage vegetation throughout park to attract birds for feeding and shelter.
• Remove invasive species throughout the park.
• Maintain native tree saplings planted in 2018 to maximize survival.
• Maintain three native plant meadows (0.25 acres, 1 acre, 2 acres), each at different stages of installation and management.
Bird Education:
• Maintain and monitor an 11-box bluebird trail in partnership with Bluebirds of Central KY including a data station in the visitor center for visitors to learn about and see nest box data in real time.
• Maintain bird feeder stations and bird blinds to increase visitor opportunity to observe and learn about birds in the park.
• Complete and maintain a new accessible birding location at the park that will include observation platforms to be accessed by individuals with mobility challenges.
• Partner with birding-related organizations and businesses to offer birding opportunities and increased community outreach.
The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky ($3688)
Organizations Purpose: The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of KY is a 100-acre public garden located on the campus of the University of KY in the heart of Lexington. Our Mission is to showcase KY landscapes and serve as a resource center for environmental and horticultural education, research and conservation. The Arboretum is open to the public and free of charge 365 days per year from dawn to dusk and we receive approximately 200,000 visitors annually. Our landscape also provides important habitat for wildlife, including birds and pollinators. The Arboretum is an e-bird hotspot where 158 different species of birds have been observed- in terms of diversity, we are in the top five e-bird hotspots in Fayette County.
Project Description: Our team is in the process of restoring native species diversity within the Arboretum Woods, a 15-acre remnant Inner Bluegrass woodland, and we are seeking funding to help us accomplish these improvements. This land is one of the best remaining examples of Inner Bluegrass woodland – a rare ecological community in Kentucky. Preserved within these woods are several veteran trees that are estimated to be 200-300 years old, including blue ash, chinquapin oak, and KY coffeetree. This natural area also provides important bird and wildlife habitat as well as a recreational area with walking trails for visitors.
This community has been degraded over time through invasive species encroachment. Our plan is to begin with management of a carpet of wintercreeper and begin restoring the understory with native plants. We manage the wintercreeper through a targeted foliar herbicide treatment of the vines during the dormant season (to minimize impacts to desirable species).
We also manage several other invasive species, including lesser celandine, bush honeysuckle, Italian arum, and garlic mustard.
The next step will involve planting regionally appropriate native seed and plants grown from local-genotype seed into the understory, in order to increase native diversity and improve wildlife habitat.
By increasing the diversity of native species within The Arboretum Woods, we hope to have a direct positive impact on birds by improving the habitat for them. This will provide more cover and additional food options for native birds in terms of native fruits and the insects that utilize our native plants.
We intend to use any funds awarded for this project to pay for habitat management. These costs include those associated with invasive species management, transportation costs for collecting native seed from natural areas in the region, propagation supplies, and materials to build benches in our native plant nursery.
Sunnyside Master Gardeners Bluebird Team ($1000)
We plan to construct boxes and trails for Eastern Bluebirds, Carolina Chickadees, Tree Swallows, Carolina Wrens, House Wrens, Tufted Titmouse and many others. The grant would be used for materials for boxes, trail development and educational materials.
KY Resources Council ($3000)
KYRC again requests support for its Environmental and Community Defense program in Fiscal Year 2023-2024.
• One of the projects that we have been working on and will continue to provide legal assistance for is the ongoing legal fight to stop LG&E from running a gas pipeline through Bernheim’s Cedar Grove Wildlife corridor, home to more than 200 bird species, and protected under a conservation easement. While we have made some progress, we will continue legal work on this case.
• We also seek support for an exciting new program we’re calling “Good Trouble” (in honor of the late Congressman John Lewis). This initiative will significantly reform the permitting and regulatory landscape in KY and dramatically benefit communities, wildlife, and conservation lands across the state by supporting community engagement and working to identify and remedy deficiencies in these permits and authorizations.
We will also continue to advocate for wildlife and bird conservation as part of our legal work, as those issues arise.
The funds will be used to employ the attorneys providing the expert environmental, pro-bono legal services under KRC’s Environmental and Community Defense program and Good Trouble program.
Kentucky Conservation Committee ($2500)
We are working on several projects at this time where Beckham funding would provide essential support.
• We are continuing to work on public education and policies relating to species and habitat protection. We continue to advise citizens in communities where large-scale energy projects may impact critical habitat. For example, we are monitoring over 35 large-scale solar projects and targeting clear energy developers, landowners, and wildlife interests, where we help constituents understand misinformation and provide advice on making these projects more compatible for wildlife.
• We are also continuing our advocacy work this year on migration corridors and how they work alongside good transportation planning and possibility to use resources included in the new federal Wildlife Crossings Pilot program. This is also part of our effort to promote the implementation of individual components of the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that can benefit wildlife. We will be educating the public and state and local agencies about these funding opportunities.
• We are continuing our work to preserve the agency funding for Kentucky’s Heritage Land Conservation Fund.
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve ($1485)
We learned a lot during the pandemic, including that schools are requesting our resource teachers go into the classroom setting, rather than pay the high fees of transportation to bring students to Creasey Mahan. In response, we are developing a new traveling educational program. This grant would provide funding to develop two traveling birding programs to be given in a classroom setting. This includes creating handouts, Power Point presentations, and extra visuals to share with students to increase interest and curiosity about birds and birdwatching.
The other aspect of this grant request is, we are asking for support to replace three bird feeders in the bird blind at the Nature Center, and to purchase a years’ worth of quality seed and suet. We use one 40 lb. bag of wild bird seed every two weeks, and three suet cakes a week.
Grant funds will be used in these ways:
• Resource teachers will develop two new in-classroom bird programs, design handouts, activities, show and tell items, and presentations. $400
• Marketing outreach to schools, update education pages on web site $85
• Purchase three new bird feeders and one squirrel guard $75
• Purchase quality wild bird seed (40 lb bags) for a year. $650
• Purchase suet cakes (18 cakes-bulk purchase) for a year $175
• Various Nyjer thistle and mealworms (limited amounts) $100
Louisville Nature Center ($1200)
The request this year is for funding to help feed the birds with both seed and native plants, and to keep the birds safe from window collisions. We will be making and installing new Acopian Bird Savers, as well as leading participants in a free workshop where they will make their own to take home and install.
How the funds will be used:
• $600 for Bird seed & $100 for squirrel baffles for our bird blind (our usual source of donated bird seed has gone out of business).
• $200 for native plants to be planted around the bird blind that will provide food for birds and caterpillars.
• $300 for materials to make Acopian Bird Savers for both us (to be used on classroom windows) and workshop participants to take home.
Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky ($1700)
Although Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky did not apply for a grant this year, the BBC Board voted to make a donation to support the organization's work to return injured birds of prey to the wild and to educate the public about the importance and value of hawks, eagles, vultures, falcons and owls.
APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN FOR 2024 GRANTS:
Applications are now open for the 2024 Birdathon grants. Applications must be received or postmarked by January 31, 2024. The form may be found here.
FOR GRANT RECIPIENTS:
Recipients of 2023 grants are requested to submit a report to the Beckham Bird Club. If you received a grant in 2023 and are applying for a 2024 grant, the report must be submitted by March 15, 2024. The form may be found here.