I have been asked to post the following information concerning an upcoming workshop on monitoring bird populations. Birders Workshop: Using your Birding Skills to Monitor an Important Bird Area Sunday, June 24, 2007, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Aurora, Ohio - Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland Education Center at the Blanche Katherine Novak Wildlife Sanctuary Come join us for a fun day to gather and share ideas, and to look at a variety of field birding techniques we can all use to monitor birds. A continental breakfast, lunch, and handouts are included. At the workshop, you will hear more about Important Bird Areas (IBAs). You will enjoy special presentations on a variety of field survey techniques and then practice these outside in the pleasant surroundings of the preserve. Some birders have already been involved with regular census projects, others are working on their own, others may not yet know how best to get involved. This is a chance for all of us who enjoy and value birds and IBAs to sit down, share ideas, and develop strategies for birding with a purpose. Join us by registering below. Audubon Ohio has identified 64 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in the state. Important Bird Areas are places of critical importance for the conservation of birds and of greater biodiversity. They are identified according to standardized criteria, providing practical targets for locally applied conservation action. IBAs do the following: . Hold significant numbers of one or more priority bird species . Provide significant rare or unusual habitat with representative species within that habitat . Have exceptionally large numbers of migratory or congregatory species One of those IBAs is the Chagrin River Corridor. This includes the Aurora and Novak sanctuaries of the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland. Examples of other IBAs more distant but well-traveled and well-birded are the Western Lake Erie Basin, The Wilds, and Killdeer Plains/Big Island. The purpose of the workshop is to build on past efforts and develop additional monitoring activities at IBAs. Birders of all skill levels will have opportunities to contribute and provide valuable information on what is happening with the birdlife at IBAs. We hope that individuals or groups will adopt an IBA and conduct regular bird censusing at the site. WORKSHOP PRESENTERS: Tom Bartlett and John Ritzenthaler WORKSHOP LOCATION: The workshop will be held at the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland's new education center at its Novak Sanctuary in Aurora. The Novak sanctuary is located east of Aurora on Townline Rd., about 3/4 mile north of the intersection of Townline Road and State Route 82. WORKSHOP REGISTRATION - SUNDAY, JUNE 24, 2007 (Cut out this form for mailing to Audubon Ohio or include the same information with your registration check) Name:___________________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________________ City: __________________________ State: ______ Zip:__________ Phone:___________________________________________________ E-mail:___________________________________________________ . INFORMATION: John Ritzenthaler, 614-224-3303, < [log in to unmask] > . COST: $10.00 / person - (includes continental breakfast, handouts, snacks, and lunch). Make checks payable to Audubon Ohio and send to the address below. . MEALS: Vegetarian option is available by request. . REGISTRATION DEADLINE: June 18, 2007. Mail with check made out to Audubon Ohio to: Audubon Ohio IBA Monitoring Workshop 692 N. High St., Suite 303 Columbus, OH 43215-1585 Tom Bartlett Tiffin, Ohio [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ 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]