Thursday, August 23, 2012

September Meeting Announcement


“Native Plants for Our Native Birds”
Creating a more bird-friendly suburban landscape
 

East Hampton Belltown Garden Club

Monday, September 24, 2012

7:00 PM

East Hampton Public Library

 

Join avid birder, conservationist & citizen scientist, Michael Corcoran as he discusses Connecticut's songbirds, their role in our natural systems, and what we, as landowners, can do to help support them.   With a basic understanding of a songbird's life-cycle and their relationship with our native flora, even the smallest of properties can provide safe haven for our breeding birds, and provide a vital "stop-over" for migratory songbirds as the travel through our state.
 
 
Michael Corcoran is a life-long birder, with a particular passion for migratory songbirds. Over the past 20 years, he has participated in countless citizen-based bird population studies. A Connecticut Audubon Society volunteer since 1994, Michael has helped maintain a migratory bird banding station at CAS’s Birdcraft Sanctuary in Fairfield, CT.  Birdcraft, established in 1914, is the oldest privately owned bird sanctuary in the country and one of the earliest examples of “Birdscaping”.  Michael is a 2010 Coverts cooperator through the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.  The Coverts Project promotes sound forest stewardship practices for wildlife, clean water and forest sustainability. It advocates for the management of grassland, shrubland and young forest habitat for wildlife on Connecticut’s private lands. 

Michael has taken the knowledge of bird behavior gained as a bird bander, and his experience in the field, and applied it to his own 3 acres in South Glastonbury. With a simple understanding of how our native songbird and native plant communities are linked, he has provided safe haven for breeding birds and created a migratory “stop-over” for birds during their seasonal movements. To date, he has recorded 128 bird species on a 13-year “yard-list”.

Leading trips a field, and speaking throughout the state for birding clubs, garden clubs and conservation organizations, Michael is an advocate for bird conservation, promoting bird appreciation not only for their intrinsic beauty but, as a valuable natural resource. His conservation efforts have been recognized with the Connecticut Audubon Society’s 2012 Environmental Excellence Award and with a citation from the State of Connecticut’s General Assembly.
 
Please mark your calendar and
plan to bring a friend or neighbor. 
We hope to see you there.

 

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