A note regarding the birding economic impact study: This is an issue that my
team has spent thousands of hours working on over the course of the last few
years. I've worked with many of the Lake Erie area Chambers of Commerce,
Visitor's and Convention Bureaus, County Commissioners, et cetera, to raise
awareness of the significant economic impact birders have when they're
visiting this region; if they understand that birds = business they have
much more powerful motivation to support habitat conservation!
The BSBO staff worked with Dr. Xie to develop the questionnaire; however, we
received the draft document pretty late in the game, after the Biggest Week
event registration had started and we had our hands pretty full. Dr. Xie
incorporated nearly all of our suggestions, but our input was not as
comprehensive as we would have liked.
This data is obviously incredibly important, so I have one favor to ask in
regard to the sites chosen to conduct the survey. They are: Oak Openings,
Magee Marsh, Old Woman Creek, Sheldon Marsh, Mentor Marsh, and Conneaut
Harbor.
If you have birded Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Maumee Bay State Park,
or East Harbor State Park, could you please take an extra survey form, write
in these sites, and include your estimated spending at those sites as well.
I know this is extra work, but adding these additional sites will help
provide a more comprehensive look at the economic impact birders have in
this region.
We will have the survey at the event registration table and the BSBO tent
back at Magee Marsh as well.
On a migration note:
This morning's weather was interesting, weird, scary, captivating, and WET!
I'll post some photos of this bizarre cloud formation over the Lake on the
BSBO facebook page late (when I can take a deep breath!). Looking ahead, I
spoke to my friend Kristin Emery, Meteorologist with Channel 13 News out of
Toledo, a few hours ago and she told me that this major cell had passed for
today, so this afternoon should be dry, but cloudy. Tonight is going to be
stormy with some, "We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto," winds possible.
Tomorrow is going to be really windy, but dry (so far), and Sunday is
shaping up to be pretty nice. There are still great birds in the area and
the birding is quite good.
The Biggest Week partners have set up live from the field Twitter feeds that
post on large screens located at BSBO and Ottawa NWR. It's the high-tech
version of the sightings board! You can sign up to get these feeds by
visiting: www.twitter.com/biggestweek
I just checked the screen and here are the last few posts:
Bay-breasted Warbler, marker 5 on the Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Female Golden-winged Warbler, marker 6, Magee Marsh Boardwalk
Yellow-headed Blackbird, Krause Road, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
I know this has been posted before, but here's a link to a map of the
boardwalk with the numbers included:
http://www.biggestweekinamericanbirding.com/pdf/magee_marsh_boardwalk_map.pd
f
If you're in the area, stop by BSBO to get free maps like this of Magee,
Metzger, Ottawa NWR, and Sheldon's Marsh.
You can also get the latest predictions on migration in this area here:
www.bsbobird.org/birding
Many thanks,
Kimberly Kaufman
Executive Director
Black Swamp Bird Observatory
13551 West State Route 2
Oak Harbor, Ohio 43449
419-898-4070
www.bsbobird.org
www.ohioyoungbirders.org
www.biggestweekinamericanbirding.com
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BSBOBIRD
Become a fan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BSBOBIRD
-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Warren, Mary
Sent: Friday, May 07, 2010 12:51 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [Ohio-birds] BGSU $$ impact survey on Ohio birding:OOS IMBD
booth
Thanks Ann for mentioning the Birding Survey! I spoke with Phillip on
Wednesday and he will be at the boardwalk with 2 assistants this weekend
with the survey. We will also have them available at the Bird Center.
This results of this survey will give us valuable information, so we
hope that all birders will take a few minutes to fill them out! You
can turn them in at the Bird Center or mail them back in.
Happy Birding...........hold onto your hats for tomorrow............will
be very windy!
Mary L. Warren
Wildlife Communications Specialist
Magee Marsh Wildlife Area
13229 W. State Route 2
Oak Harbor, OH 43449
419-898-0960 #31
FAX: 419-898-4017
[log in to unmask]
"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in
order."
John Burroughs
-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Ann Oliver
Sent: Friday, May 07, 2010 12:01 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: BGSU $$ impact survey on Ohio birding:OOS IMBD booth
Hey Ohio Birders,
Ever wondered how much birding money influxes into businesses along
Ohio's Lake Erie shoreline during the migratory season? How far folks
travel? How much birders spend on food, gas, lodging, optics, and gifts?
A
professor from Bowling Green State University hopes to find out those
answers.
The Ohio Ornithological Society is assisting Dr. Philip Xie of BGSU
(Chair and Associate Professor of Sport Management, Recreation and
Tourism
Division: [log in to unmask]) with a survey on the economic impact of
"birding
tourism" in the Buckeye State. The survey focuses on six sites along
Lake
Eric from Oak Openings to Conneaut Harbor.
OOS will have copies of the BGSU "birding tourism" survey available
at
our booth at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area in the east parking lot, this
weekend
during International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) weekend as part of BSBO's
BWIAM festivities.
Please stop by the OOS booth this weekend to FILL OUT A SURVEY to
contribute YOUR data to this important study. In case you are "not"
visiting
Magee Marsh WA this weekend, THE STUDY IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO BE
DOWNLOADED
(and mailed back to BGSU) FROM OUR OOS WEBSITE:
http://www.ohiobirds.org/Survey_of_Birdwatchers.pdf
Why is this study important to birders and BIRDS? No one has
seriously
studied how much spending power birdwatchers contribute to the Ohio
economy.
Information related to the financial impact of birding dollars could be
used
by resource managers, conservation groups, local politicians, and
tourism
related companies such as hotels and restaurants.
Need an example of birding dollars at work? The Economic Impact of
the
January 2009 Space Coast Birding and Nature Festival in Titusville,
Florida
was greater than $1,000,000 for nearly 1,200 registered participants in
a 5- day period. Info: http://www.nbbd.com/fly/09-EconomicImpact.pdf We
know you
can practically see 1,200 folks in just an hour at the Crane Creek
boardwalk!
Meanwhile, in Texas, there is a proposal to build 39 tennis courts on
the
"Botanical Gardens" at the closed McAllen Nature Center. Only 15 acres
of
mature forest still exist within the 46 square miles of the city of
McAllen.
The bond issue general election takes place tomorrow, May 8, on IMBD!
Info:
http://www.riograndeguardian.com/rggnews_story.asp?story_no=21
If the Texas proposal passes, and McAllen "paves paradise", perhaps
the
city can build a "tree museum", charge a dollar and a half to see 'um,
and
play Joni Mitchell's song "Big Yellow Taxi" over the sound system.
Meanwhile, back in Ohio, you can do your part to contribute birding
$$$
information to the Ohio birding tourism study. Results, available in the
spring of 2011, will hopefully positively impact the conservation of our
natural resources, add another level of protection for birds, and maybe
even
create more birding jobs.
So, please stop by the OOS booth this weekend during BWIAM, or visit
our
website, to take part in this crucial study. The form should take 5-8
minutes to complete. Plus, we'll have free chocolate available at our
booth!
We'll also have OOS tee-shirts, OOS mugs, and OOS hats for sale as well
as a
raffle and special membership deal.
In Appreciation,
Ann Oliver
Editor of The Cerulean Newsletter (quarterly publication of OOS)
Cincinnati
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Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at
www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.
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______________________________________________________________________
Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.
You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]
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