Oct. Reed Crawford, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, gave a presentation about the bats of Indiana, including topics of interest like species diversity, roost selection, foraging ecology, and strategies for conservation in urban and rural environments. Nov. With Kamal Islam, Ball State University Professor of Ornithology, we explored some of Colombia’sContinue reading “2023-2024 season”
Author Archives: rcaudubon
Miss an RCAS program?
Some of our monthly programs are available for viewing on our YouTube channel, including presentations by our 2024 conservation awards winners and our November 2024 presentation by state ornithologist Allisyn Gillet. Go to http://www.youtube.com/@robertcooperaudubonsociety7325, turn up your volume, and enjoy! And be sure to check the channel for any future programs that you miss.
2022-2023 season
Oct. Introduction to the world of orchid pollination: Following a tour of Ball State’s new Nature Lab, Carol Day, Orchid Curator of the Rinard Orchid Greenhouse, introduced us to the strategies that orchids use to entice hummingbirds, butterflies, and other insects to transfer pollen from one plant to another. Nov. Julian Grudens, a graduate studentContinue reading “2022-2023 season”
Forestry for the Birds
In summer 2022, a videographer for The Nature Conservancy spent some time with Dr. Kamal Islam and his students while they were in the field researching Cerulean Warblers in southern Indiana. The resulting 5-minute video, titled Forestry for the Birds, is available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8BcRQoLPr0. Kamal, who is Professor of Wildlife Biology at Ball StateContinue reading “Forestry for the Birds”
Audubon Bird Guide app
The National Audubon Society has released an updated version of its Audubon Bird Guide app and it’s FREE to bird-lovers nationwide! With 821 species profiles and 3200+ bird photos, Audubon’s award-winning app instantly turns any mobile device into the most trusted field guide in North America. To download the Bird Guide, go to www.audubon.org/app.
2021-22 Season
Sept. Monitoring Overwinter Survival Program: Steven Albert and Lauren Helton, of the Institute for Bird Populations, will tell us about the institute’s Monitoring Overwinter Survival (MoSI) program, an international network that helps scientists better understand the factors that affect avian population declines. Oct. Treasuries & discoveries: Chapter members shared images and stories of their 2021 birding joysContinue reading “2021-22 Season”
2020-21 Season
Oct. Stockbridge Audubon Society: Terri Gorney shared her research about the Stockbridge Audubon Society, the first Audubon chapter in Indiana and one of the oldest in the country. The chapter’s namesake, Charles Stockbridge, was a taxidermist whose collection of 200+ birds now resides at Earlham College. Nov. Voices & Vision for RCAS: In a veryContinue reading “2020-21 Season”
2019-20 Season
Oct. From cloud forests to deserts: Kamal Islam, Ball State professor of biology and RCAS board member, introduced us to the birds of Ecuador, one of the megadiverse countries of the world, with more than 1,600 species of birds. Nov. Bird of Prey film: In partnership with Ball State’s student chapter of The Wildlife Society, weContinue reading “2019-20 Season”
2018-19 Season
Oct. Undergraduate wildlife biology adventures: Kaitlin Gavenda presented her research on Northern Saw-whet Owls, and Kalee Snorden shared her experiences as an intern with Aves Argentinas. Both are in Ball State’s wildlife biology and conservation program. Nov. Bird of Prey: We co-sponsored showing of Bird of Prey, a documentary produced by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that tells theContinue reading “2018-19 Season”
2017-18 Season
Oct. Welcome back the bluebirds: Christy Frampton, president of Boone County Bluebird Society and district coordinator for the Indiana Bluebird Society, offered insights about Eastern Bluebirds’ nesting habits, why they need our help, and how to attract them. Nov. Conservation awards program Dec. Birding close to home: Rose Jeffery, RCAS Field Trip Chair, showcased the best birdingContinue reading “2017-18 Season”
2016-17 Season
Oct. Cerulean Warbler research: Ball State graduate student Clayton Delancey presented his current research, using radio transmitters, on Cerulean Warblers, a neotropical migrant species whose status is considered threatened. Nov. Conservation awards program Dec. Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign: Jodi Perras discussed the Indiana Michigan Power/AEP Rockport power plant—the nation’s sixth-largest carbon polluter and secondContinue reading “2016-17 Season”
2015-16 Season
Oct. Bats of Indiana: Purdue biologist Ryan Slack covered a variety of topics about bats: myths, specialized adaptations, anatomy and classification, habitats, conservation, White Nose Syndrome, bat calls, rabies, and the 12 bat species found in Indiana. Nov. Conservation awards program Dec. Bird research in southern Indiana: Jeff Riegel, field supervisor of the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE),Continue reading “2015-16 Season”
Robert Cooper Audubon Society 