GSBAS ALERTS

Carolee Caffrey marked three Fish Crows (when nestlings) on the campus of Hofstra University (Hempstead) last spring.  At least two of them were still OK in mid-August when they dispersed out of the area. Carol asks people to keep a look out for them and to please get back to her at clcaffrey@gmail.com if they're seen. They've got light blue patagial tags bearing two letters - the same on both sides: BB, HU, and SR.

A Volunteer Expo was held to persuade locals to donate their time to helping Suffolk County Parks.  GSBAS' own Judy Davis is featured in the video at the following link:

http://www.mylitv.com/articles/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=605%3Asuffolk-county-parks-foundation-volunteer-opportunity-expo&catid=48%3Along-island-community&Itemid=30

Audubon is letting birds loose on the Internet! Their unprecedented Birding the Net social media campaign challenges virtual birders to compete for prizes in a “big month” from October 10 through November 7, 2011. Birds are fluttering, hopping, and soaring across more than 100 websites. Each time you see a bird, it's a chance to add that species to your list – and add to your chances of winning awesome prizes, including a trip for two to the Galapagos Islands courtesy of Lindblad Expeditions. Please see the Audubon website for more details on how to get involved.

(Washington, D.C., September 21, 2011) Feral cat colonies bring together a series of high risk elements that result in a 'perfect storm' of rabies exposure, according to Steve Holmer, senior policy analyst at American Bird Conservancy. Holmer’s assertion is part of his presentation, called "Managed Cat Colonies and Rabies,"  that is one of 28 presentations being aired in over 70 countries in connection with the second annual World Rabies Day International Webinar to be held September 21 and 22. More information

Former Audubon director Dan Lufkin is donating a Grainger McKoy wood carving of a flock of Carolina Parakeets to the National Audubon Society. The life-size piece will be part of the upcoming Grainger McKoy exhibit of his sculptures and wood carvings of birds at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia, from September 25, 2011, through January 8, 2012.

Dan is making this gift to both positively impact bird conservation and to inspire the next generation of conservation leaders. The Carolina Parakeets will be showcased at the new Audubon Center at Mill Grove in Pennsylvania, the original home of John James Audubon when he came to America. The Center will also showcase one of Audubon's Double Elephant Portfolio's of the Birds of America. From this base in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Audubon launched his famous painting expeditions throughout the early America.

The High Museum of Art's "The Sculpture of Grainger McKoy" exhibition will feature 34 small- to large-scale sculptures and several related models and color sketches produced over the course of Grainger McKoy's career, which spans from the early 1970s until the present. The installation will also explore McKoy's artistic process, showcasing a selection of sketches to finished sculptures, as well as a film of the artist at work in his studio.

For more information about the upcoming exhibition or to make advance reservations, visit http://www.high.org/Art/Exhibitions/Grainger-McKoy.aspx. Receive $3 off admission or $10 off a Museum Membership by using the online promo code HIGH.

A New Visitor Center is Coming to the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge Complex!

Construction is underway for a new Visitor Center and Headquaters to be located at Wertheim NWR in Shirley, NY. The Visitor Center will include exhibits, a gift shop, and and environmental education space. The anticipated opening is Summer/Fall 2011.

You can be part of the Visitor Center! One of the exhibits will be a photo mosaic of an osprey. There will be one large picture of an opsrey which will be comprised of several thousand pictures of people enjoying nature. They still need pictures, so now is your chance to literally be in a permanent exhibit. Click here to find out how!

Located less than a mile from Orient Point, the tip of Long Island’s North Fork, lies the 840 acre, pork chop-shaped Plum Island.

Most famously, the island houses the Plum Island Animal Disease Center. What is lesser known is that the approximately 90% of Plum Island that is undeveloped not only holds significant ecological and scenic sites -- it also holds nationally-significant artifacts and historic buildings, including the 1870 Plum Gut Lighthouse and the 1897 Fort Terry army barracks and weapons batteries.

Now, Plum Island's wildlife habitat is in danger of being sold to developers. In 2008, Congress approved sale of the island to a private party, with plans to move the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility to another state.

The approximately 90% of Plum Island that is undeveloped not only holds significant ecological and scenic sites -- it also holds nationally-significant artifacts and historic buildings – including the 1870 Plum Gut Lighthouse and the 1897 Fort Terry army barracks and weapons batteries. Plum Island’s scenic value, ecological resources and historic sites offer tremendous potential for recreation and public education, and make it an ideal candidate for permanent preservation.

Visit the Preserve Plum Island website | Sign the petition to save Plum Island

Preserve Plum Island Case Statement (pdf. - 773 kb)

Find Preserve Plum Island on Facebook