Cute Chicks! You recognize the parents when you see them, but have you met their offspring? This program overviews different species of familiar birds and provides interesting information about both parents and hatchlings. The most notable portion of the program is the beautiful photography of young birds, some just recently hatched. Educational content, combined with entertaining photos, make this presentation enjoyable and memorable.

 Our Ohio State Parks are the most valuable of our natural resources, a gift set aside by our forefathers and intended for our grandchildren. This program shows colorful photos and film clips of the Mohican Park and Malabar Farm State Park the way they were, and their many recreational uses of today. Learn how the North Central Ohio Land Conservancy has been promoting parks for the people while protecting them from invasive species, fragmentation and noise pollution. The people of the greater Mohican area care about our parks and natural areas. Ohio State parks: love them; protect them; share them with friends.
Cheryl Harner’s extensive volunteer work includes longtime leadership in Greater Mohican Audubon Society and Richland County Master Gardeners. Co-founder of Flora-Quest, she writes a native plant, bird and butterfly blog for its website: Weedpicker’s Journal at www.cherylharner.blogspot.com.

Program will illustrate strategies on where to seek birds based on their food and foraging preferences. Information will include particulars on tree and plant species, the insects that utilize them and the birds that feed upon them. Judy currently works in the Natural Areas Division for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History as a Conservation Specialist. She is the founder of Operation Botanic Rescue (a volunteer plant-rescue group), Quail Hollow Land Conservancy and Chrysalis in Time — the first Ohio chapter of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA). Judy also co-wrote The Dragonflies & Damselflies of Northeast Ohio with Larry Rosche and Linda Gilbert. In 2010, Judy received the Portage County Environmental Hero Award. As a former petroleum geologist and science teacher, Judy loves to learn about and share her passion for the natural world through hikes, interpretive programs and photography.

In a spectacular and unrivaled migratory tidal wave, one billion or more warblers temporarily colonize North America each year. These colorful sprites winter in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Thirty-eight species breed east of the Mississippi, and most of them are intricately linked to the ecology of the vast eastern deciduous forest. Native plants spawn food chains that are essential to the survival of warblers and most other songbirds. This program will explore the fascinating hidden world of one of our most beloved groups of songbirds, the warblers. Jim works for the Ohio Division of Wildlife and was the 2009 recipient of the Ludlow Griscom Award, given annually by the American Birding Association to individuals who have made significant regional contributions to ornithology. A noted author and columnist, his book about wood-warblers is slated for release in 2013.

There are many reasons why people enjoy birding. For some, it’s the challenge of finding and identifying birds. For others, photographing birds is the main attraction. Some folks enjoy the peacefulness that watching birds in their backyard brings. And for some, it’s the social aspect of birding that holds the greatest appeal. But there’s one thing about birding that we all have in common: it’s good for our health! In this program, Kimberly Kaufman will share some of the health benefits of birding. Imagine being able to tell your nonbirding boss, parents or spouse, “I need to go birding because it’s good for my health!”

Part of the reason why we find birds so appealing is the fact that they can fly — most of them, anyway. For humans, the flight of birds may symbolize the ultimate freedom. But what does flight mean for the birds themselves? In this heavily illustrated program, Kenn Kaufman will describe the basics of how birds fly and will talk about how flight defines the lifestyles of many different kinds of birds. This is a recently-developed program, so it should be a new one for just about everyone attending the Shreve Migration.