Marily will explain the mutual dependence of flowers and bees, the caste system within the hive and how to manage a hive.
Steven Moysan has been a beekeeper for 5 year and has 40 colonies. He is also the current County Bee Inspector.
Sat, 9/6/2025 10:00AM-12:00PM EDT
Description: We will clean up one of our favorite surf spots in Northern Ohio, Lakeside Landing near the marina in Lorain, Ohio.
Purpose: Our local beaches are stewarded by volunteers just like you! We welcome you to an engaging day of toes in the sand with family, friends and new acquaintances, raising awareness about litter and plastic pollution.
Role: By taking practical action to protect the environment, your collection efforts allow Surfrider to use data to influence laws and reduce waste at the source!
Vibe: Active teamwork, education, and fun!
Register here: https://volunteer.surfrider.org/opportunities/ZPIwn4YLar
"Leave the Leaves" is a growing environmental movement that encourages homeowners and communities to rethink traditional fall cleanup. Instead of raking and bagging leaves, this approach promotes a more sustainable and wildlife-friendly practice.
Rob Swindell, executive director of the Black River Audubon Society, explains that by leaving leaves in place or using them as mulch, you can:
Support Wildlife: Leaf litter provides crucial habitat for overwintering pollinators, amphibians, and beneficial insects like fireflies and butterflies.
Improve Soil Health: Decomposing leaves naturally fertilize the soil, reducing the need for chemical treatments and supporting healthier plants.
Promote Sustainability: Keeping leaves on the ground reduces landfill waste and helps mitigate climate change by maintaining a natural carbon cycle.
Benefit Birds: Many bird species rely on leaf litter for foraging, finding insects and seeds hidden beneath the leaves. A natural yard supports native bird populations year-round.
Reduce Pollution and Noise: Gas-powered leaf blowers contribute to air pollution, carbon emissions, and excessive noise, which can be harmful to both people and wildlife. Avoiding their use promotes a cleaner, quieter environment.
Explore the ecological benefits of leaving fallen leaves in your yard instead of raking them away. Learn how leaf litter provides essential habitat for pollinators, enriches soil health, and supports local wildlife while reducing waste and labor. Discover simple ways to embrace this natural process for a healthier, more sustainable landscape.
Speaker: Rob Swindell, BRAS Executive Director
Explore the ecological benefits of leaving fallen leaves in your yard instead of raking them away. Learn how leaf litter provides essential habitat for pollinators, enriches soil health, and supports local wildlife while reducing waste and labor. Discover simple ways to embrace this natural process for a healthier, more sustainable landscape.
Speaker: Rob Swindell, BRAS Executive Director
Explore the ecological benefits of leaving fallen leaves in your yard instead of raking them away. Learn how leaf litter provides essential habitat for pollinators, enriches soil health, and supports local wildlife while reducing waste and labor. Discover simple ways to embrace this natural process for a healthier, more sustainable landscape.
Speaker: Rob Swindell, BRAS Executive Director
We secure and address the 500+ pre-folded Wingtips newsletter for mailing.
If you care to join us, we can always use the help.
Leader: Paul Sherwood
Meetup Location: Outside the Visitor Center
Presentation looks at the almost 3 billion birds we have lost since 1970— why it is happening and what we can do about it.
Speaker: Rob Swindell, BRAS Executive Director
Explore the ecological benefits of leaving fallen leaves in your yard instead of raking them away. Learn how leaf litter provides essential habitat for pollinators, enriches soil health, and supports local wildlife while reducing waste and labor. Discover simple ways to embrace this natural process for a healthier, more sustainable landscape.
Speaker: Rob Swindell, BRAS Executive Director
Butterflies are largely admired for their beauty and grace, but are rarely recognized for their variety of physical, chemical, and behavioral adaptations that increase their survival rates. This program is designed to discuss these defense strategies along with photos and anecdotes from the travels of Dr. Glenn Crisler’s travels across the eastern USA.
Dr. Glenn Crisler II is an analytical chemist with a deep passion for lepidoptery. Glenn is an avid naturalist who leads outdoor hikes and delivers lectures for various organizations. He is on a mission to photograph all the butterfly species of the eastern USA. Some of his findings have been featured in News of the Lepidopterist’s Society and the Society of Kentucky Lepidopterists.
Learn birding basics. Where to find them, how to identify them. Birdwatching vs. birding. Conservation and ethics.
Speaker: Rob Swindell, BRAS Executive Director
TBD
Explore the ecological benefits of leaving fallen leaves in your yard instead of raking them away. Learn how leaf litter provides essential habitat for pollinators, enriches soil health, and supports local wildlife while reducing waste and labor. Discover simple ways to embrace this natural process for a healthier, more sustainable landscape.
Speaker: Rob Swindell, BRAS Executive Director
Leader: Paul Sherwood
Meetup Location:
Explore the ecological benefits of leaving fallen leaves in your yard instead of raking them away. Learn how leaf litter provides essential habitat for pollinators, enriches soil health, and supports local wildlife while reducing waste and labor. Discover simple ways to embrace this natural process for a healthier, more sustainable landscape.
Speaker: Rob Swindell, BRAS Executive Director
Explore the ecological benefits of leaving fallen leaves in your yard instead of raking them away. Learn how leaf litter provides essential habitat for pollinators, enriches soil health, and supports local wildlife while reducing waste and labor. Discover simple ways to embrace this natural process for a healthier, more sustainable landscape.
Speaker: Rob Swindell, BRAS Executive Director
We secure and address the 500+ pre-folded Wingtips newsletter for mailing.
If you care to join us, we can always use the help.
If you are interested in volunteering in this area, please join us.
Ms. Uhrig will focus on the current population status of American kestrels, discuss several research projects conducted a The Wilds by staff and university researchers, trends in nesting success and what we can do to help conserve this declining species.
Genelle Uhrig, M.Sc. is the Director of Ecology at The Wilds. Ms. Uhrig is a Conservation Biologist with 8 years of experience in field ecology and conservation genetics, specializing in on-invasive genetic studies utilizing scat and environmental DNA (eDNA) for species and individual ID, genetic diversity, gene flow, and parentage analyses. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University and a Master of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Ms. Uhrig has worked with a variety of aquatic and terrestrial wildlife species and currently works with native species reintroduction efforts at The Wilds, including Eastern hellbenders and the federally threatened, state endangered American burying beetle. In addition to working with native Ohio wildlife species, mis. Uhrig also oversees restoration efforts at The Wilds.
The Wilds has been involved in American kestrel conservation in SE Ohio for over a decade with the initial installation of several nest boxes on and around the property. Efforts were expanded in 2020 with the addition of 9 new boxes and again in 2024 with an additional 3 new nest boxes. The Wilds has worked with several Ohio bird conservation groups on these efforts including the Ohio Ornithological Society, Ohio Bluebird Society, several chapters of the Audubon Society, and Kirtland Bird Club, to name a few. The Wilds has also partnered with university professors from Muskingum University and Ohio University on several American kestrel research projects. With almost 10,000 acres of protected land of which over 700 have been restored to tall-grass prairie, The Wilds is prime habitat for this declining species.
Leader: Paul Sherwood
Meetup Location: Parking Lot
We secure and address the 500+ pre-folded Wingtips newsletter for mailing.
If you care to join us, we can always use the help.
Doors Open: 5:30
Executive Director’s Welcome: 6:00
Dinner: 6:15
Speaker- Gary Gerrone: Naturalist and Author
“I was supposed to play baseball…simple as that. So, naturally, I went to a ‘baseball school’ where they took baseball really, really, seriously. I did hangout until the last cut, but I was told that maybe studying might serve me best. I tried just about every major until settling on biology. What could be more important than studying ‘life’? After acquiring my B.S., a small problem emerged…I wasn’t qualified to do anything. Fate lined me up with a Naturalist interview with Lorain County Metro Parks…and I was very excited. Not so much to work, but to find out what the heck a Naturalist was. Well…I got the job…and I loved the job…and I stuck around for about three decades expounding on the attributes and importance of nature. Somewhere in the middle, hikes and talks were joined by writing about nature. Not wanting to be like every other nature writer, I developed a unique style…and a level of acceptance. …and until someone tells me to stop, I am just going to keep on writing.
In this presentation, I will talk about my process, and my growth through dozens of examples of my over 500 published works.
Dinner: Roast Beef (GF), Chicken Cordon Bleu, Lasagna, Rigatoni Marinara (VEG); Mashed Potatoes (GF), Macaroni and Cheese; Green Beans Almondine (VEG/GF), California Vegetable Medley (VEG/GF); Salad (VEG/GF), rolls and Cake.
(GF=gluten free, VEG=vegetarian)
Coffee, Water, Tea
Chance Raffles, Silent Auction Items, 50/50, Spin to Win Wheel and more…
Registration Required (Reg. will open Nov 1, 2025)
Cost
$25 for Members, $35 for non-members
If you are a member, those living in your household are a part of your membership. How do you know if you’re a member? Members received our Wingtips newsletter in the mail each month. If you don’t receive that, you are not a member- unless there is a glitch. If you do not receive Wingtips but you think you are a current member, contact us at blackriveraudubon@gmail.com
We secure and address the 500+ pre-folded Wingtips newsletter for mailing.
If you care to join us, we can always use the help.
Birding has the power to connect people to place—and few places are as vibrant, vital, and bird-rich as Ohio’s Lake Erie shoreline. Originally launched in 2014, the Lake Erie Birding Trail program received a major refresh, with 90 featured hotspots, a brand-new guidebook, an app, and a whole lot of heart.
Join Jamey Emmert of the Ohio Division of Wildlife for a behind-the-scenes look at the revitalization of this beloved trail—from big-picture conservation goals to quirky bird-nerd side quests. Learn about hidden gems along the route, discover how the trail supports communities and conservation, and hear what’s next as the trail program soars into the future. Whether you’ve birded the trail for years or are just hearing about it for the first time, you’ll leave inspired to explore—and share—this iconic Ohio birding experience.
Jamey Emmert is the Avian Education Coordinator for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Since earning her Wildlife Management degree from Hocking College in 2003, she’s been passionately driving conservation and educational initiatives—most notably, the revitalized Lake Erie Birding Trail program. When she’s not leading workshops or collaborating on conservation projects, Jamey is out birding, traveling, hunting, fishing, artifact hunting, and gardening with native plants—often with her husband Greg and their two canine birders.
Banding Projects Director
Black Swamp Bird Observatory
Join us for a game of bird jeopardy. We will have snacks on the tables and prizes for the winners. Each table will be a team. This is a great program built by Steve Waller from a birding group in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Tim Fairweather, retired naturalist from Sandy Ridge, will be our host- who needs Ken Jennings.
The Kirtland’s warbler is an iconic species in Michigan, nesting primarily in the jack pine forests of the northern Lower Peninsula.
As recently as 1987 there were fewer than 400 birds in the entire population. Today, there are more than 4,000 birds. In October 2019, the Kirtland’s warbler was removed from the Endangered Species List.
That’s a reason to celebrate, but it doesn’t mean we can wash our hands and walk away because conservation of the Kirtland’s warbler has special challenges. Unlike every other animal that has been removed from the Endangered Species List, the Kirtland’s warbler will require continued human intervention to ensure its survival.
William Rapai is the author of three books, including The Kirtland’s Warbler: The story of a bird’s fight for survival and the people who saved it and is the executive director of the Kirtland’s warbler alliance, a nonprofit created to support Kirtland’s Warbler conservation.
A Bird’s Eye View: The Sensory World of Birds: Did you know that a bird’s eyesight is more than seven times keener than yours? Birds experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the world in a radically different way than we do. Learn about some of the amazing ways birds make sense of their environment.
Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems that support aquatic AND terrestrial plants and animals. They provide nesting habitat for many species in the summer and resting/feeding habitat for migrating waterfowl and passerines in spring and fall. This presentation showcases iconic wetland species like Egrets, Herons, Ibis and Rails along with raptors, waterfowl, warblers and more. There is even a bonus section presenting insects, reptiles, amphibians and mammals that make their homes in wetlands.
Matt Valencic has been interested in birds and other wildlife most of his life but did not start photographing them until 2006. He retired in 2015and shortly thereafter met some members of the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland. He felt an immediate bond with them and their mission of education and land stewardship. His catalog of bird pictures soon became the content of several presentations about the birds of NE Ohio and their habitats.
Matt helps direct the education outreach of this chapter and is a member of the Sanctuary Committee and the Board of Trustees. His favorite pastime is pursuing and photographing birds in Geauga County, in the hope of better pictures for his talks. He and his wife Patti live on an 8 acre “hobby” farm in Geauga County with their two horses and a large vegetable garden. They have 3 adult children and 9 grandchildren, and he is always grooming those grandkids into future bird watchers, gardeners and nature nerds.
Dr. Joe Blanda will present his exciting adventures from his 2016 birding journey that led to much more than a long list of birds. From this presentation you might learn about some interesting destinations and unusual birds but most importantly, you might gain a better appreciation for a mindful approach to birding.
Dr. Joe Blanda is a reecetly retired orthopedic surgeon. His interest in birds has led him to many exciting destinations and has made him an avid backyard birder. In addition to birding, he enjoys managing a pollinator garden in his yard and helping with a few bluebird trails. Dr. Blanda enjoys introducing marginalized populations to birding through a nature prescription program.
TBD
Kim’s program is about the connection between people and birds. It touches on how birds inspire us, motivate us, how they bring us joy, and how they bring people together in a powerfully positive way.
Chance Raffle: purchase tickets at the event for the chance to win one or more of several fabulous items. Also win tickets at the event.
Silent Auction: we will have a couple of items to bid on in case you have a competitive spirit.
Cost: TBD
If you would like to see what we do and potentially help, please join us.
"The Black River Audubon Society Bluebird Program will be holding a tutorial class on Saturday August 23 at 2pm for volunteers interested in learning how to help with data entry of our nesting notes into Nestwatch. If you are interested in helping with this project which starts in September and will be completed in October, please contact Penny Brandau by text message at 440-670-3684 or by email to pennybrandau@gmail.com.for more information."
We secure and address the 500+ pre-folded Wingtips newsletter for mailing.
If you care to join us, we can always use the help.
Leader: Lorain County Metropark Staff
Meetup Location: Pavilion outside the Johnson Center
Helpful tricks and tips for photographing beautiful but challenging birds.
Speaker: Rob Swindell, BRAS Executive Director
Leader: Chad Wilson
Meetup Location: Parking Lot
RSVP To Gina Swindell at ginaswindell@roadrunner.com by 6/21.
BRAS will provide Sloppy Joes and beverages. Atendees are asked to consider bringing a side dish or dessert. Also, bring a chair.
Come for dinner and the movie “The Big Year”, one that most birders never tire of. Or, come for one or the other. We will start the movie at about 8:00 p.m. It will be shown outside, weather permitting.
Leader: TBA
Meetup Location: Parking lot off of Old Colorado Ave (behind Anderson’s Automotive Center)
Lake Breeze Road (Sheffield) ends at Old Colorado Ave, turn left and parking lot will be on the right
Leader: Chad Wilson
Meetup Location: Near the metal deck that hangs over the lake facing Lakeside Landing
Drive to the back of the park to meet at the trailhead at the far northern lot. Walk includes the beginning sections of the parking lot and the red and blue trails. Terrain: crushed gravel, short boardwalks, and sometimes mud on the grass trail. Approx 2 miles. Contact: 440-787-7736
Leader: Paul Sherwood
Meetup Location: West end entrance at the deck before at boardwalk entrance.
Drive all the way until you can’t drive any further. The west end entrance is at the back of the drive at the west end of the parking lots.
Community of Faith UCC Church
$25 Per person.
A series of slides and specimens will be presented along with a discussion of a new “invasive” species.
Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive planthopper that feeds on a wide range of plants, including grapes, hops, stone fruits, and hardwood trees. When the spotted lanternfly feeds, it excretes a sticky, sugary fluid that causes sooty mold, which can further damage plants. Its preferred host is tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), and today 17 States have some degree of infestation.
The spotted lanternfly is a hitchhiking pest that is native to Asia. It lays its eggs on any hard surface including grills, vehicles, trailers, firewood, outdoor furniture, bikes and toys. The pest was first detected in 2014 in Pennsylvania. It likely arrived in the United States on goods shipped from overseas.
Sue is a retired earth and life science teacher who has traveled to all 50 states visiting many national parks and monuments. She is also the first woman firefighter, paramedic, inspector serving the Avon Lake Fire Dept. for 32 years, part time. Sue was the recipient of the 2024 BRAS Hog Island scholarship.
Drive to the back of the park to meet at the trailhead at the far northern lot. Walk includes the beginning sections of the parking lot and the red and blue trails. Terrain: crushed gravel, short boardwalks, and sometimes mud on the grass trail. Approx 2 miles. Contact: 440-787-7736
Drive to the back of the park to meet at the trailhead at the far northern lot. Walk includes the beginning sections of the parking lot and the red and blue trails. Terrain: crushed gravel, short boardwalks, and sometimes mud on the grass trail. Approx 2 miles. Contact: 440-787-7736
Elyria Senior Club
North Abbe Baptist
Drive to the back of the park to meet at the trailhead at the far northern lot. Walk includes the beginning sections of the parking lot and the red and blue trails. Terrain: crushed gravel, short boardwalks, and sometimes mud on the grass trail. Approx 2 miles. Contact: 440-787-7736
Leader: Chad Wilson
Meetup Location: Tailgators Sports Bar Parking Lot
33499 Lake Rd. Avon Lake, OH 44012
https://birdinghotspots.org/hotspot/L274600
Drive to the back of the park to meet at the trailhead at the far northern lot. Walk includes the beginning sections of the parking lot and the red and blue trails. Terrain: crushed gravel, short boardwalks, and sometimes mud on the grass trail. Approx 2 miles. Contact: 440-787-7736
Lynds Jones (1865-1951) was a pioneering ornithologist and ecologist from Oberlin who is responsible for many of the common practices that recreational birders take for granted as “standard practice” in the field, more than a century later, including keeping lists, doing Big Days, and the Christmas Bird Count.
Diana Steele has been a science writer for more than 30 years. She is an avid birder and has birded in all 50 U.S. states and six continents. An active volunteer with BRAS, she is also a former board member of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Black River Audubon is hosting award winning National Audubon’s traveling photo show @ the Avon Lake Public Library. If you’d like to see this stop by the library anytime during the month of April.
Woodpeckers represent one of the most specialized bird families in the world, and these woodland carpenters perform critical ecological services in Ohio’s forest and woodland habitats. In fact, on no other continent than North America are woodpeckers such important contributors to woodland ecology. Join author, naturalist, field biologist, and woodpecker fanatic, Steve Shunk, for an exciting journey into the lives and times of Ohio’s woodpeckers. Steve will share secrets of woodpecker anatomy and their fascinating adaptations plus stories of their dynamic natural histories as he interprets the keystone roles that woodpeckers play across the Buckeye State and beyond.
Author of the Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of North America, Steve gives presentations and leads birding tours from North America to Borneo. He co-founded the East Cascades Bird Conservancy and the Oregon Birding Trails program, and he has studied woodpeckers for more than 25 years from his former base in Central Oregon. Today, Steve and his partner, Lizzy Martinez, work as resident naturalists at a private guest ranch in western Jalisco, Mexico, where they enjoy regional endemics like the Golden-cheeked and Gray-crowned Woodpeckers. When not guiding on the ranch, Steve leads tours for Arizona-based Naturalist Journeys.
