For the first time, anyone anywhere in the world with Internet access can participate in the 16th annual Great Backyard Bird Count, which starts Friday and continues through Monday.
Participants will watch birds at any location for at least 15 minutes, tally the numbers of each species and report the figures online at www.BirdCount.org. The GBBC is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon, with Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada and Wild Birds Unlimited.
The GBBC is open to anyone of any skill level and welcomes bird observations from any location, including backyards, national parks, gardens, wetlands and urban landscapes. The four-day count typically receives sightings from thousands of people reporting more than 600 bird species in the United States and Canada alone.
“We’re eager to see how many of the world’s 10,240 bird species will be reported during the count this year,” said John Fitzpatrick, Cornell lab director. “We need as many people as possible to help build the wealth of data that scientists need to track the health of bird populations through time.”
Locally, Dobbs Memorial Park personnel and Wabash Valley Audubon Society volunteers will be participating from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, at the Dobbs Memorial Park Nature Center, 5170 E. Poplar St.
During last year’s 2012 Great Backyard Bird Count participants from the Wabash Valley service area of Clay, Parke, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties turned in 22 checklists. Terre Haute led the way with 11 checklists and 40 different species that were reported. In Terre Haute, the most abundant species were house sparrows with 163 reported, mallards were next with 80, and American crows came in third at 65 counted.
Other area 2012 participants reported from Rockville, St. Bernice, Brazil, Montezuma, Poland, Universal, and W. Terre Haute. Universal led the way with the most number of individual birds at 1,308, compared with Terre Haute at 748.
On Universal’s only checklist, a participant reported 500 greater white-fronted geese, 120 mallards and 100 each of trumpeter swans, gadwalls, American coots and red-winged blackbirds.
The rarest species to be found in the five county area with one of each species reported were the pileated woodpecker (Rockville), great blue heron (Universal) and the following species reported from Terre Haute: wood duck, killdeer, yellow-bellied sapsucker, Northern flicker, swamp sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, and brown-headed cowbird.
Participants will be able to view reports on interactive maps and contribute observations for ongoing bird research and conservation efforts.
For the first time, participants will also be able to upload counts from the field using the eBird BirdLog app for Apple or Android smartphones.
To celebrate the new global reach of the count, developers of the eBird BirdLog app are offering regional versions of the app for just 99 cents through Monday. For bird ID tips and more information about how to participate, visit www.BirdCount.org. The count also includes a photo contest and a prize drawing.
For more information about the Wabash Valley Audubon Society, visit www.wabashvalleyaudubon.org.
Valley Life
Great Backyard Bird Count set Feb. 15-18
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Longtime weatherman Jesse Walker relates well to people of Wabash Valley
While in middle and high school, Jesse Walker developed a strong interest in the weather. He thought about a career at the National Weather Service or at a storm prediction center, but the idea of becoming a television meteorologist never entered his mind.
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YOUR GREEN VALLEY: Keep your garden — and yourself — safe from lead
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lead poisoning is the No. 1 preventable environmental cause of illness in children.
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TRIED ‘N’ TRUE: Need something for the kids? Try these Ritzy Cookies
When we have dinners at the church, one of the ladies brings these cookies. Nancy Kahl has been making these for some time now. They are so good. Need something for your kids? Make sure that there isn’t any one who can’t have peanuts. These are so easy and extra good.
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DNR stocks ponds in Terre Haute with catfish
Fishing opportunities in eight Indiana cities got a boost on Monday as part of an ongoing effort by the Department of Natural Resources to promote angling in urban areas.
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Katherine Trueblood to celebrate 90th birthday
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State Park Road Rally coming up June 9-11
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CANDLES plans film night
CANDLES Holocaust Museum will host a film night at 7 p.m. on Thursday, featuring the documentary “Porraimos: Europe’s Gypsies in the Holocaust” and its director Alexandra Isles, at the museum.
“Porraimos” premiered at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2002. -
Author to lead interpretive writing workshop
An interpretive writing workshop led by Alan Leftridge, Ph.D., author of the textbook “Interpretive Writing,” will be offered from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 12 at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis.
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WEDDING: Published May 19, 2013
Brown-Edwards
Ruth Brown and Josh Edwards were married at 2:30 p.m. on May 11, 2013, in West Terre Haute by the Rev. Paul Shelton. -
Fraud and Scam Awareness Seminar is Tuesday
The Investor Protection Trust estimated that more than 7.3 million seniors (about 20 percent of all Americans 65 and older) have been victimized by a scam. Met Life Inc. estimated the annual loss by victims of elderly scams at $2.9 billion dollars.
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FAMILY TIES: While searching for my grandfather, I found my mother
I remember the afternoon my mother received the chilling news from her nephew that her oldest sister and brother-in-law had been killed in a car/bus collision.
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GRAPE SENSE: Same old whites getting you down? Try something different
If the same old Chardonnay, Riesling or Pinot Grigio is getting you down, try something different.
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TRIED ‘N’ TRUE: A Rhubarb Nut Bread for the season
Last fall we went to the Covered Bridge Festival. Gene loves to go. Anyway, I got to talking to this lady, Treva Smith, at Bridgeton.
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ENGAGEMENT: Published May 12, 2013
Stoelting-Steele
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Friends of Library plans annual book sale
The Friends of the Vigo County Public Library is planning its annual book sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 4 p.m. May 19 in the Main Library Lower Level Meeting Rooms A, B, C and D.
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Woman’s Press Club celebrates 100 years
On Feb. 18, 1913, a group of 13 female journalists and activists met for lunch at the Tea Room in L. S. Ayres Department Store in downtown Indianapolis to found the Woman’s Press Club of Indianapolis.
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Children’s Museum to host orientation for summer volunteers
Those who are looking for a way to give back to the community and have fun at the same time are invited to attend a volunteer orientation session at the Terre Haute Children’s Museum from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
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Walk for greyhound rescue
A family pet walk fundraiser open to all breeds is set for at 2 p.m. May 19 at Buggs Temple on the Canal Walk in Indianapolis.
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‘Food Safety: From Garden Gates to Dinner Plates’ workshop coming up in June
There is a new law on the books in Illinois called the Cottage Food Operation Act of 2011. This new law allows for the preparation and sale of certain low-risk foods in the private home without the expense of a commercially certified kitchen and for the sale of said foods at a farmers market.
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Scams are brown bag focus
The Vigo County Public Library’s next brown bag event, “Don’t Be a Victim!” featuring Amy Wardlow, is set for 12:10 p.m. Thursday at the main branch.
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Countryside, Kalorama gardens celebrating opening weekend
Countryside Gardens, owned by Terry and Jennie O’Rourke, and Kalorama Gardens, owned by Steve and Linda Gard, opened for the season this weekend. Both gardens are in Marshall, Ill. Opening days continue from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today.
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Saturday seminar to bring nationally known genealogists to Ivy Tech
The Wabash Valley Genealogy Society is offering the public a unique opportunity to learn more about the new techniques and methods now available for individuals interested in doing genealogical research on the Internet.
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Evening Thyme Garden Club to host garden fair at Clark County Fairgrounds
The Evening Thyme Garden Club will present the 15th annual garden fair from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m Saturday at Clark County Fairgrounds in Marshall, Ill., with free parking and admission.
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Student mentoring program offers one-on-one technology instruction
The Connecting Generations Mentoring Program can help those who would like one-on-one instruction on how to use the Internet or other technology.
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CULINARY COURSES: Clabber Girl Classroom Kitchen provides variety of cooking courses for the Valley
There are a few taste-bud-tantalizing-perks for having America’s leading baking powder producer in your backyard. For nearly 120 years, Clabber Girl has been a staple in Terre Haute. In 1899, Hulman and Company began offering up what was to become one of the oldest brands in the country, Clabber baking powder. In 1923, the company changed the baking powder brand name to Clabber Girl.
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CHRIS DAVIES: Keep sodium levels in mind when sweating buckets
Salt, or sodium, is vital to life. Too much or too little sodium can cause all kinds of problems in your body. How much sodium do we need if we are exercising consistently?
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YOUR GREEN VALLEY: Union Hospital creates community garden
Union Hospital will be opening a community garden on its campus in mid-May. Before they embarked on such a challenge, they looked to their neighbor Indiana State University for advice.
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TRIED ‘N’ TRUE: Try this when you’ve got to avoid salt
I have a good friend in an assisted living complex. She went to her doctor last winter and he told her she had to leave off the salt. My mother used this when dad couldn’t have any salt.
I like to keep this on hand. In summer when it’s real hot I keep in refrigerator. Keep in an air tight container. -
NEWSMAKER: May 5, 2013
Carolyn Whitcomb Jeffries was installed as president of the State Huguenot Society of Indiana on April 21 at Meridian Hills Country Club of Indianapolis.
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ANNIVERSARY: Published May 5, 2013
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Abel
Larry and Rose Abel will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.
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