May 17 | 7 p.m. | Nature Lab & Zoom In January 2022 and 2023, Sarah Williams traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, to assist a large carnivore biologist in trapping and radio-collaring bobcats for mortality studies conducted by the Arizona Game & Fish Department. In this presentation, Sarah (M.S. in biology, 2007, Ball State) will discussContinue reading “Radio-collaring bobcats for mortality studies”
Category Archives: Programs
Rails: secretive, understudied, and in decline
June 21 | 7 p.m. | Nature Lab & Zoom Rails are a group of marsh birds that are traditionally challenging to monitor, especially during their winter and migratory periods. At our chapter’s June meeting, we’ll hear from Tabitha Olsen, an M.Sc. student in biology at the University of Central Oklahoma and our chapter’s 2022 FoxContinue reading “Rails: secretive, understudied, and in decline”
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”
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 