Birdathon
The Beckham Bird Club sponsors an annual spring migration Birdathon to raise funds for education, conservation and other related birding projects in the Greater Louisville area and across Kentucky. Organizations interested in receiving a grant should fill out this form and submit to the Beckham Bird Club by January 31, 2021. Please be specific as to how your project will benefit birds. Grants are awarded in October of the same year and may vary in amount depending on funds raised from the Birdathon. Organizations that receive grants are required to submit a report detailing how funds were used by March 15th of the year following the grant year.
Several BBC members took part in the Big Global Day on Saturday, May 9. In the past Jefferson County and Fayette County have had a contest do see who would see the most species. But this year was different the two groups decided to just go out and bird and find as many birds as possible throughout the state. Jefferson County recorded 140 species and 188 species were seen in Kentucky. See the newsletter for more details.
Your donations are very important to the different groups BBC have accepted as recipients of our birdathon money. Even if you did not receive an email or phone call please consider giving a donation – NO AMOUNT IS TOO SMALL. Make your check payable to Beckham Bird Club. If you have not been contacted send your contribution to the post office box address: Beckham Bird Club, P.O. Box 5301, Louisville, KY 40255-0301. Otherwise send it to the person you sponsored. Help us reach $20,000. Thanks so much!!! Thanks to all who have all ready sent in a donation.
2020 BBC BIRDATHON – PLEASE READ
This is an extraordinary year to have the 2020 Birdathon. With many of our birding spots closed or having restrictions and trying to keep a social distance because of Covid-19 the Birdathon is going to change this year. Instead of going out to look for birds as we have done in the past, we will not be doing so this year. We decided that to ensure the safety of our members we will instead be asking you to just donate to the Birdathon as you have done in the past to help the following organizations. If you have donated before you will receive an email or phone call asking you to do so again this year. If you have not donated in the past, we hope you will consider doing so as these organizations will most certainly be in dire straits this year.
There will be two ways to donate: 1) make your check out to Beckham Bird Club and please indicate on your check 2020 Birdathon and mail to Beckham Bird Club, PO Box 5301, Louisville, KY 40255-0301 or 2) use PayPal by clicking on http://www.beckhambirdclub.org/membership.html to access the membership page with the PayPal link. You can also use your credit card at the PayPal site also. PLEASE BE SURE TO DESIGNATE YOUR CONTRIBUTION FOR BIRDATHON USING THE PULL-DOWN MENU IN THE PAYPAL LINK.
The following are the recipients of the 2020 BBC Birdathon:
KY Natural Lands Trust
The primary focus remains on the Pine Mountain Wildlands Corridor. This acquisition will also be a key link in connecting the existing protected areas and expanding the corridor.
Surry Hills Nature Preserves, Inc.
We plan to maintain the family farm as a green space entity, and to protect the natural communities that are present, including a twenty-five-acre old growth forest. Approximately one half of the farm is secure from future development, but we are attempting to purchase additional farmland from family members to expand the amount of land that can be included in the nature preserve.
Sunnyside Master Gardeners Bluebird Team
We construct BB boxes and install trails which are used by cavity nesters, such as, Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Tufted Titmouse and House Wrens. We will use the grant to purchase materials for the construction of boxes and installation on trails.
KY Conservation Committee
Funds will be used for research, and educational presentation materials and webinars for multiple projects.
Such as protecting and maintaining the habitat in the Upper Cumberland Watershed, continuing our work to protect threats to key habitat funding such as KY’s Heritage Land Conservation Fund and work to educate key decision-makers and civic leaders on lands in their counties and protect that funding.
Louisville/Jefferson County Environmental Trust
We plan to use the Birdathon grant to purchase and develop outreach and education materials for current & prospective conservation easement donors as well as updating our outreach brochure and develop a portable educational display to be taken to events.
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve
This grant request is to provide funding for a very exciting, new bird mural! This bird mural would be painted by our Artist-in-Residence, Jean Smith. The goal of the mural would be to present a variety of native birds, and additionally will be used as part of bird classes offered with our school field trips, Thrive Forest School, and as part of public events, such as our Great Backyard Bird Count.
Louisville Nature Center
LNC seeks funding for two areas: bird education and improvements to the bird blind. Most funds will go toward enabling Title 1 schools from JCPS to come to the LNC for bird-related programs for free or at a discounted rate, and to cover any supplies associated with those programs. The remainder of funds will go toward repairing and improving a water feature at the bird blind, to provide habitat and water for birds in the summer drought season.
Woods and Waters Land Trust
The mission of the Woods and Waters Land Trust (WWLT) is to preserve the natural areas—forests, streams, cliffs and other natural features of the lower Kentucky River and its tributaries—and to promote responsible land use and appreciation of the natural landscape. We will concentrate funds to be used in three areas, Trail improvements, Land conservation and Invasive plant removal.
Kentucky Resources Council
KRC seeks continued support for our shared mission of restoring and protecting our natural environment and conserving our natural resources to assure a healthy society and environment. Among the ways in which the Council advances our shared mission are: Community and environmental defense, Programmatic advocacy, Education and outreach, as well as our Environmental Leadership program.
Office of KY Nature Preserves
The goal of our management work is to protect and expand glades and grasslands on the Crooked Creek State Nature Preserve and to improve the quality and diversity of the ecological communities found there.
Bernheim Forest
Bernheim is proud to be the first organization in Kentucky to install MOTUS and link Kentucky to the global bird research community. MOTUS is a data driven bird tracking system. Data collection on bird migration, life cycles, habitat requirements, etc. will help scientists better understand birds and how to help the declining bird populations.
Several BBC members took part in the Big Global Day on Saturday, May 9. In the past Jefferson County and Fayette County have had a contest do see who would see the most species. But this year was different the two groups decided to just go out and bird and find as many birds as possible throughout the state. Jefferson County recorded 140 species and 188 species were seen in Kentucky. See the newsletter for more details.
Your donations are very important to the different groups BBC have accepted as recipients of our birdathon money. Even if you did not receive an email or phone call please consider giving a donation – NO AMOUNT IS TOO SMALL. Make your check payable to Beckham Bird Club. If you have not been contacted send your contribution to the post office box address: Beckham Bird Club, P.O. Box 5301, Louisville, KY 40255-0301. Otherwise send it to the person you sponsored. Help us reach $20,000. Thanks so much!!! Thanks to all who have all ready sent in a donation.
2020 BBC BIRDATHON – PLEASE READ
This is an extraordinary year to have the 2020 Birdathon. With many of our birding spots closed or having restrictions and trying to keep a social distance because of Covid-19 the Birdathon is going to change this year. Instead of going out to look for birds as we have done in the past, we will not be doing so this year. We decided that to ensure the safety of our members we will instead be asking you to just donate to the Birdathon as you have done in the past to help the following organizations. If you have donated before you will receive an email or phone call asking you to do so again this year. If you have not donated in the past, we hope you will consider doing so as these organizations will most certainly be in dire straits this year.
There will be two ways to donate: 1) make your check out to Beckham Bird Club and please indicate on your check 2020 Birdathon and mail to Beckham Bird Club, PO Box 5301, Louisville, KY 40255-0301 or 2) use PayPal by clicking on http://www.beckhambirdclub.org/membership.html to access the membership page with the PayPal link. You can also use your credit card at the PayPal site also. PLEASE BE SURE TO DESIGNATE YOUR CONTRIBUTION FOR BIRDATHON USING THE PULL-DOWN MENU IN THE PAYPAL LINK.
The following are the recipients of the 2020 BBC Birdathon:
KY Natural Lands Trust
The primary focus remains on the Pine Mountain Wildlands Corridor. This acquisition will also be a key link in connecting the existing protected areas and expanding the corridor.
Surry Hills Nature Preserves, Inc.
We plan to maintain the family farm as a green space entity, and to protect the natural communities that are present, including a twenty-five-acre old growth forest. Approximately one half of the farm is secure from future development, but we are attempting to purchase additional farmland from family members to expand the amount of land that can be included in the nature preserve.
Sunnyside Master Gardeners Bluebird Team
We construct BB boxes and install trails which are used by cavity nesters, such as, Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Tufted Titmouse and House Wrens. We will use the grant to purchase materials for the construction of boxes and installation on trails.
KY Conservation Committee
Funds will be used for research, and educational presentation materials and webinars for multiple projects.
Such as protecting and maintaining the habitat in the Upper Cumberland Watershed, continuing our work to protect threats to key habitat funding such as KY’s Heritage Land Conservation Fund and work to educate key decision-makers and civic leaders on lands in their counties and protect that funding.
Louisville/Jefferson County Environmental Trust
We plan to use the Birdathon grant to purchase and develop outreach and education materials for current & prospective conservation easement donors as well as updating our outreach brochure and develop a portable educational display to be taken to events.
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve
This grant request is to provide funding for a very exciting, new bird mural! This bird mural would be painted by our Artist-in-Residence, Jean Smith. The goal of the mural would be to present a variety of native birds, and additionally will be used as part of bird classes offered with our school field trips, Thrive Forest School, and as part of public events, such as our Great Backyard Bird Count.
Louisville Nature Center
LNC seeks funding for two areas: bird education and improvements to the bird blind. Most funds will go toward enabling Title 1 schools from JCPS to come to the LNC for bird-related programs for free or at a discounted rate, and to cover any supplies associated with those programs. The remainder of funds will go toward repairing and improving a water feature at the bird blind, to provide habitat and water for birds in the summer drought season.
Woods and Waters Land Trust
The mission of the Woods and Waters Land Trust (WWLT) is to preserve the natural areas—forests, streams, cliffs and other natural features of the lower Kentucky River and its tributaries—and to promote responsible land use and appreciation of the natural landscape. We will concentrate funds to be used in three areas, Trail improvements, Land conservation and Invasive plant removal.
Kentucky Resources Council
KRC seeks continued support for our shared mission of restoring and protecting our natural environment and conserving our natural resources to assure a healthy society and environment. Among the ways in which the Council advances our shared mission are: Community and environmental defense, Programmatic advocacy, Education and outreach, as well as our Environmental Leadership program.
Office of KY Nature Preserves
The goal of our management work is to protect and expand glades and grasslands on the Crooked Creek State Nature Preserve and to improve the quality and diversity of the ecological communities found there.
Bernheim Forest
Bernheim is proud to be the first organization in Kentucky to install MOTUS and link Kentucky to the global bird research community. MOTUS is a data driven bird tracking system. Data collection on bird migration, life cycles, habitat requirements, etc. will help scientists better understand birds and how to help the declining bird populations.