OIAS offers an informative and diverse series
of lectures and fun programs.
We welcome visitors. Please join us at:
Church of the Dunes
717 Sheldon
Grand Haven, MI
Meetings are held the third Tuesday of the month, 7:30 PM
2009 - 2010 Programs
September 15 -
7:30
Wolves of
the Great Lakes Region
Dr. Paul Keenlance,
Grand Valley State University,
October 20 -
7:30
Birds of
Peru's Manu Biosphere Reserve
Marilyn Crane
November 17 -
7:30
Natural
History of the Grand Tetons
Fred Bevis
Fred, retired professor of Natural Resources Management, GVSU, 1964-1994, will talk and show pictures about his 16th visit to the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, particularly emphasizing environmental change and ecological problems in the ecosystem.
January 19 -
7:30
Bat
Conservation
Amy Russell
Are you scared of bats? Ever wondered what those nighttime aviators are up to? Learn to appreciate and value bats when Amy Russell, an assistant professor of biology at Grand Valley State University, gives a talk entitled “Bats In Your Backyard: The Bats of Michigan”. The presentation will focus on local bat diversity, the benefits to humans of healthy bat populations, and conservation pressures faced by local bat populations.
Dr. Russell has been studying bats for 13 years, and will be sharing her experiences of doing bat research in the Caribbean, the United States, and Asia.
February 16 -
7:30
Communication Towers as Barriers to Bird Migration and Opportunities to Reduce
the Risk
Joelle Gehring, Michigan
Natural Features Inventory, Michigan State University - Extension, Lansing, MI
48909-7944
Each year millions of birds collide with communication towers during migration.
These avian fatalities are primarily Nearctic-Neotropical migrants and include
>60 USFWS Birds of Conservation Concern. Due to the proliferation of cellular
communications and digital television the number of towers has increased to
>100,000 in the US alone. The tower height, tower lighting, siting within the
landscape, and the presence of supporting guy wires influences the numbers of
avian collisions. Research has determined that taller towers, towers with guy
wires, and towers with non-flashing lights are involved in significantly more
avian collisions than shorter towers, unguyed towers, and towers with only
flashing lights. These mitigation techniques should be considered when planning
tower construction and siting. In addition, the FAA is currently evaluating the
safety of extinguishing non-flashing lights on existing towers, which would
reduce avian collisions by as much as 70%. These lighting changes can be
accomplished at minimal cost and would reduce the cost of tower operation.
Extinguishing non-flashing lights is one of the most effective and economically
feasible means of achieving a significant reduction in avian fatalities at
existing communication towers.
March 16 - 7:30
Birding
Nearby
Judi and Carl
Manning
As the snow of winter begins to melt, visions of fresh
spring flowers and migrating birds come to mind. Spring will soon be here, and
with it another exciting birding season! Perhaps you wonder if there are some
new places to visit, or if you are new to birding, you might be looking to hone
your birding skills. Whether beginner or experienced, please join Carl and Judi
Manning for Birding Nearby, a slide program showcasing some of our local birding
opportunities. We'll check some "where to bird" spots, and we'll throw in some
"how to bird" pointers as well, so you'll be ready when the birds arrive!
Carl and Judi are members of OIAS, and have enjoyed combining their passion for
birding and photography for several years. Come join us for an evening slide
show of Birding Nearby.
April 20 - 7:30
Birding
in Madagascar
Angie and Steve Hamberg
Steve and Angie Hamberg, world travelers and expert birders, present a program on this exotic island located off the southeast coast of Africa. Madagascar is one of Earth's most unique lands. Ninety percent of its plant species, and all of its native land mammals are found nowhere else in the world. More than half of the roughly 250 bird species are endemic, including five families of birds that live only here. We will visit all of the major habitats of the island, from rainforest in the east to desert scrub in the west. There are some great birds to see, and even a few lemurs.
Steve and Angie enjoy traveling to the more remote places on earth, and to date have been to 70 different countries, bringing their life list to over 5000 birds seen throughout the world. Angie enjoys the beauty and intrigue of wildlife and their natural surroundings and attempts to capture some of this with her photography as they share this experience with us.
May 18 - 6:30
Annual Potluck & Members’ “Show-and-Tell” Slide
Show
Everyone is encouraged to bring up
to 20 of their favorite nature shots to share.
