We look forward to seeing you Tuesday October 22 at the Columbus Audubon's
monthly program. Members and guests quite welcomed!

Details below -



Darlene Sillick

Columbus Audubon, co-program chair

Ohio Young Birder Club, co-advisor

In 1794 a young poet, labor activist, and weaver arrived in Philadelphia, a
refugee from his native Scotland. His first letter home exclaims over the
bright colors and abundance of the birds he found in the fields and forests
of America. He taught school, wrote poetry, and engaged in the political
discussion of the young democracy. In 1803 he met William Bartram and
conceived the idea of describing all the birds of the United States. With
Bartram's guidance Wilson taught himself to draw and paint birds, to
identify them, and began his collection during a walk from Philadelphia to
Niagara Falls in the autumn of 1804. Volume 1 of Wilson's American
Ornithology was published in 1808 and volume 9 in 1814, the year after his
death. He wrote, edited, illustrated, and researched all nine volumes. He
also sold subscriptions. It was a monumental achievement in science, art,
and literature. This abundantly illustrated program tells us more about how
important Wilson's work was to the development of American science and
culture.

Many of you know Dr Edward (Jed) Burtt, Professor of Zoology at Ohio
Wesleyan University in Delaware. Jed has a distinguished record in
ornithology: his research into the microbiology of feathers led to his
discovery of feather-degrading bacteria on wild birds, new insights into the
evolution of avian color and maintenance behavior, and patents on a
composting process for feather-waste from the poultry industry. He serves as
co-director of the Ohio Wesleyan Honors Program and was recognized at the
2011 Ohio Professor of the year by the Kresge Foundation for Higher
Education and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. For
more information on Jed Burtt's background and work, check out his
<http://bio.owu.edu/ehburtt.html> OWU Web page.



Meanwhile, Jed has written a book on Wilson's life, so who better to tell us
about the life and times of Alexander Wilson? We will have a few copies of
his book, Alexander Wilson: the Scot who Founded American Ornithology, at
the program and Jed will be signing copies so bring yours if you have one.



7:00 - 7:15 pm: CA Short Program: Join Cody M. Kent, student at Ohio
Wesleyan University, as he discusses Feather degrading-bacteria on birds:
abundance and distribution of an agent of natural selection. Cody is a
student who works closely with Jed Burtt; seeing research "in the wild"
right here in central Ohio should be a fascinating experience.

7:15 - 7:30 pm: Social time and refreshments and time for the bird quiz with
study skins on loan from Dr, Angelika Nelson, The Ohio State University

7:30 - 9:00 pm: Main program, door prizes

Columbus Audubon public programs are free and open to the public. All
programs are held at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center 505 West Whittier
Street in the Scioto-Audubon Metro Park on the Whittier Peninsula.
www.columbusaudubon.org for more information.




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