March-April 2004 Big Bluesterm Flyer Big Bluestem Audubon Society

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Big Bluestem Flyer Big Bluestem Flyer

Volume 39, Number 4 March/April 2004

Programs

March 18 Bruce Ehresman, Wildlife Diversity Program

Biologist, Iowa DNR

“Nongame Accomplishments of Iowa’s

Wildlife Diversity Program”Bruce will discuss many of the programs that he has

been involved with during the last 24 years including

barn owls, peregrines, river otters, prairie chickens,trumpeter swans, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, and

pelicans. A number of species once extirpated from the

state are returning to the Iowa landscape, and he will

talk about how we can keep that trend alive.

April 15Gary L Shea, Park Ranger, USFWS

"Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge

A 2004 Overview"Gary has been a park ranger for 13 years. He is from

Central Illinois and graduated from Western Illinois

University with a B.S. in Recreation/Parks/Tourism

Administration. He was been stationed in Illinois,Missouri, Washington State and Lake Tahoe, California.

He is now the lead Environmental Education Specialist

at the Neal Smith NWS Prairie learning Center.

Field Trips

March 20 Little Wall and Anderson Lakes and marshes of

northern Story and southern Hamilton Counties

April 17Peterson Pits and McFarland Park

May 8Bird-a-thon See Page 3.

May 15Camp Dodge nature trails. Led by Harlan Ratcliff.

Meet at 8:00 behind the Ames Wild Birds Unlimited or

at the Iowa Audubon HQ at Saylorville Lake at 8:30-

8:45.

May 29Birders’ Brunch. Meet at 8:00 in the upper Ledges

near the campground entrance. We’ll hike down the hill

and have brunch in the lower Ledges. Please bring afood item to share.

Page 2 Officers and CommitteesPresident’s ColumnField Trip report

Page 3 Birdathon Announcement Page 4 Jungbluths Investigate CoffeePage 5 AmeriCorps in Iowa

Photo Exhibit of Ada Hayden Heritage Park

In This Issue

Newsletter of the Big Bluestem Audubon Society

Page 6 Saylorville and Boone Bird CountsPage 7 New Members

Membership FormCoupons

Page 8 Chickadee Checkoff and Wildlife Diversity Funding

For details about regular field trips, contact Jeff Nichols

at 515-795-4176 or [email protected].

Unless otherwise indicated, regular field trips leave

promptly at 8:00 am from the public parking lot west of

(behind) the Ames Wild Birds Unlimited (WBU), located

south of the railroad tracks at 213 Duff Ave. Trip

destinations are subject to change based on recent rare

bird sightings and the desires of the participants.

Program meetings are held monthly, September-May on

the third Thursday of the month at 7:30 pm, Room

2226 Veterinary Medicine Building, Iowa State

University, Ames, Iowa.

If you would like to meet and dine with the speaker and

the BBAS Board before the monthly meeting, please

confirm space and location with John Pohlman at

515-232-6816 or [email protected]



2 Big Bluestem Flyer March/April 2004

Big Bluestem Audubon SocietyOfficers and Committees

OfficersPresident: John Pohlman 232-6816 [email protected] Vice-President: Linda Thomas 292-7534 [email protected] Secretary: Bruce Ehresman 296-2995 [email protected]: Ed Carbrey 292-2404

Board MembersBreanne Marpe, 289-1106 [email protected]

Jeff

:

Nichols 795-4176 [email protected] Brookes Wolfgang Oesterreich 515-232-3285 (h) [email protected] Matt Wetrich 956-4299 [email protected]

The mission of the Big Bluestem Audubon Society is to

enjoy the observation and study of birds and natural

ecosystems, contribute to their conservation and

restoration, engage in educational activities to benefit

humanity, and gain a broader understanding and deeper

appreciation of the world in which we live.

Committee ChairsArchivist: Hank Zaletel 382-427 [email protected] Bird-a-thon Co-chairs: Karl and Carmen Jungbluth, 432-5057

weatherbird.opencominc.com Conservation Chair: Bruce Ehresman 296-2995

[email protected] Education Chair: Amy Yoakum, 232-2516

[email protected] Trip Chair: Jeff Nichols [email protected] Membership Chair: Al Johnson 233-4831 awindj@aol. comProgram Chair: vacant Publicity Chair: Linda Thomas 292-7534

[email protected] Publications & Electronic Media Co-Chairs:

David Edwards 292-3790 [email protected] Joyce Bahrenfus 275-3263 [email protected]

BBAS Web Site: http://www.wyalusing.org/BBAS.htmIowa Bird Sightings Hotline 319-338-9881 Wildlife Care Clinic 515-294-4900

President’s Column

Over the years, the relationship between Big Blue-

stem Audubon Society (BBAS) and National Audubon

Society (NAS) has changed. One of those changes has

eliminated any portion of existing members’ dues from

being sent back to BBAS from NAS. We do still get 100

percent of new members subscription dues. That means

BBAS now has to raise money on its own. This can be

accomplished either through signing up new members or

through other forms of fundraising. Luckily, the con-cerns of fund raising have been well addressed by BBAS

annually sponsoring Birdathon. Karl Jungbluth was

looking ahead to this time, when he initially organized

BBAS’s first Birdathon several years ago. With Karl’s

and Carmen’s continued guidance, it has become the an-

nual event that many of us participate in, raising over

$5000 in 2002 and over $4000 in 2003. It is our primary

means of fund raising.

Why do we need to do fund raising? Let me remind

you of just some of the things that BBAS has invested in

or been involved with in recent years. BBAS produces

five newsletters annually. We have been providing schol-

arship money to some fifth and sixth graders to attend

the Young Naturalist’s Camp at the Y Camp in Boone

for a few years now. BBAS has been providing Audubon

Adventures to numerous classrooms for many years. We

have bought binoculars for the Boone County naturalist

to use when she teaches area elementary students about

birds. We have invested money in Iowa’s Important Bird

Areas Program, and, to habitat areas like Colo Ponds,

Kellerton Prairie Area, and Mortensen Mounds. BBAS

just recently contributed to Iowa State University’s

Wildlife Care Clinic in an effort to build a larger aviary

rehab facility, and to Osprey reintroduction programs at

Saylorville and Don Williams Lake. And the list goes on

and on. With these kind of worthwhile programs, it iseasy to see how the funds can be invested quickly.

These are the types of activities that BBAS has been,

and will continue to be involved with and to help fund.

This year we hope to raise $5000. So when you are re-

viewing the Birdathon registration elsewhere in thisnewsletter, try to keep those great activities in mind.

That way when you are asking your friends and rela-

tives to be Birdathon participants or sponsors, you canexplain what Big Bluestem Audubon Society is all about.

And don’t forget, Birdathon is always fun.With all of that being said, anyone who might be in-

terested in serving on the Board of Directors of BBAS,

please contact the Nominations Committee Chair, Linda

Thomas or Committee Member, Breanne Marpe.

And last but not least, please remember the Chicka-

dee Check-Off when you do your State of Iowa taxes.John Pohlman

Field trip report, Winter Potpourri, 24 January 2004

Nine people turned out for a great day of birding (24

species) and camaraderie in very cold but sunny

weather. Our first stop was Mabaska, where we viewed

Canada Geese, Mallards, and a lone American Coot. A

stop at Jeff and Mary’s house didn’t produce the ex-

pected Common Redpoll, but most trip participants fi-nally got to see this little bird on subsequent visits. The

obvious highlight of the trip was close-up looks at two

Northern Saw-whet Owls at Ledges, where we also

found many Red-headed Woodpeckers. After a quick

roadside stop to marvel at a HUGE cottonwood tree, we

headed for Fraser to look for Bald Eagles. We saw a few

eagles en route and one at the dam. We finished the day

at Joyce and Jon Bahrenfus’s home, where we weretreated to a delicious chili lunch. Thanks, Joyce and Jon,

for the great food and your hospitality! Jeff Nichols



Art by Kirsten Munsen

Pledges Support These

Worthy Causes

•

Iowa’s Important Bird Areas–Identify, monitor and conserveplaces essential to birds

• Audubon Adventures educationalmaterials for local schools

• Osprey Introduction Project atDon Williams Lake

• Scholarships for the Young Naturalists Workshop at theBoone Y-Camp

• $1000 toward the purchase of landwithin Union Hills Bird ConservationArea (BCA)

• A donation to “Saving Our AvianResources” rehabilitation andenvironmental education program

• All money stays in Iowa and is tax-deductible as allowed by law

B i r d a t h o n !

The annual Birdathon is Big Bluestem Audubon’s main fundraising event. It’s like a walkathon, except we

count birds to raise funds for birds.

Even if you can’t tell a Bittern from a Bobolink, you can learn. It’s all for a worthy cause. Birdathoners spend

all day, or just a few hours. Try it!

Birdathon! TM is a Trademark of the National Audubon Society

H o w D o e s i t W o r k ?

1. Audubon Bi rdathon is a nat ional team event .

2 . B i rders co l lect p ledges f rom donors to supportAudubon ef for ts . Ask re lat ives , f r iends, neighbors,co - w o r ker s t o p l ed g e a f i xed amo u n t o f $10 , 20 , o r $50 , o r ask t h em t o p l ed g e an amo u n t p er sp ec i esi d en t i f i ed . We u su a l l y see 50 t o 100+ sp ec i es .

3 . S ign up by contact ing the B i rdathonCoord inators.

4 . Pr izes and incent ives : Non-members whopledge $20 or more get a compl imentary Audubonmembersh ip . Everyone is e l ig ib le to win pr izes–

b i r d f eed er s , b i r d b o o ks , T - sh i r t s , b i n o cu l a r s–good stu f f f rom local businesses and nat ionalsponsors.

5 . On May 8th , head to your favor i te b i rd ing spot .C o u n t as man y sp ec i es as yo u can . H ave f u n !

We need ALL chapter members to

support this effort!

• Collect at least $20 in pledges, and join us on

May 10th. Use the form on the reverse side.

• If you can’t join the Birdathon, support us by

sponsoring the chapter effort. Send your

donation, payable to Big Bluestem Audubon

to Ed Carbrey, Treasurer, 3313 Morningside

St, Ames, IA 50014

• Thank You!

L O O K I N G T O J O I N U P

W I T H O T H E R S O R F O R M AT E A M ? C O N T A C TB I R D A T H O NC O O R D I N A T O R S , K A R L &C A R M E N J U N G B L U T H ,5 1 5 - 4 3 2 - 5 0 5 7

May 8,

2004



March/April 20044 Big Bluestem Flyer

Newsletter Material DeadlineBecause we would like to have the newsletter to each member before the first day of its coverage, the editor

needs to have material at least two weeks before that.

Hence the deadlines for the future will be the fifteenth of April.

Millions drink coffee everyday. Yet, for most of the

people who grow coffee, their livelihood is as fragile as

the beautiful, bird friendly habitats that they protect.

Why?

Carmen and I found out on a trip to Central America

in early February. Our visit included a home stay with a

coffee farming family in Nicaragua, visits to coffee coop-

eratives, and discussions with experts on local cultureand global economics. The people of Nicaragua welcomed

us, but many of the birds stayed hidden in the lush

green foliage!

Our travels took us from the Pacific lowlands, dotted

with smoking volcanoes, up to coffee country, near

Matagalpa. Coffee was dried in the sun, and sacks of

coffee were piled high at processing plants. The land-

scape turned greener and the roads turned rough.

The goal of our trip was to learn about fair trade. Fair

trade ensures that farmers can sell their coffee at a price

that guarantees them a living wage. The movement also

promotes good business, access to credit, and protects

tropical environments. Even with the benefit of a fairtrade price, our host family lived in a mud brick and

rough wood house, without electricity or running water.

Cooking was done over a wood fire, and laundry and

bathing were done in the creek. We were glad that they

were organic farmers, protecting their water supply!

Other people in Nicaragua are not as lucky. Workers

on coffee plantations earn barely 2 dollars a day, andhave no work for much of the year. They struggle to buy

food. Many of the coffee plantations have abandoned the

traditional shade grown methods, moving toward the

use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to grow coffee

in the sun. The people and the environment suffer.

Coffee production requires an amazing amount of

handwork, every step of the way. The “shade grown” and

“organic” small farmers use composting and other inno-

vative practices to keep their coffee plants healthy. The

beans are picked, sorted, de-pulped, dried and reselectedby hand. Only the finest beans are exported as “fair

trade” coffee.

As a bird watcher and environmental activist, I’ve

wondered, “Which coffee should we buy?” Shade-grown,

organic, bird-friendly, fair trade or the cheapest on sale?

After our experiences, the answer is hands down, FAIR

TRADE. With fair trade, the small coffee farmers are

getting a bigger percentage of your coffee dollar. This

keeps them on their land, where they can grow their

own food and stay out of deep poverty. These fair trade

small farmers use shade grown, bird-friendly methods.

Many are farming organically, even if they are not certi-

fied organic. Plus, their cooperatives are putting 5-10%

of your coffee dollar back into the community.

In short, fair trade coffee IS shade grown, bird-

friendly and, usually organic - a real gourmet “cup of

justice.” [Two lines of Fair-trade coffee can be purchased

at Wheatsfield Grocery at 413 Douglas, Ames - ed.]If you would like to learn more about coffee in Nicaragua or

fair trade, Carmen and I would be happy to talk to churches or

other groups. Just give us a call at 515-432-5057, or email [email protected]. Karl Jungbluth

What Goes Into Your Cup of Coffee? Jungbluths Investigate



5March/April 2004 Big Bluestem Flyer

Catch a Fire with AmeriCorps in IowaThe land between two rivers needs your help! Iowa has become the most biologically altered State in the Union.

Once covered predominantly in tallgrass prairie as far as the eye could see, now less than one tenth of one percent

of this original land cover remains. The prairie has been plowed, wetlands have been drained, and old-growth for-

ests cut, replaced by a gridwork of monocultures and highways – an orderly human landscape of parallel lines andright angles. As a member in Keepers of the Land /AmeriCorps, you will be working to protect those last pockets of

wildness that remain in Iowa.

If you are passionate about protecting the environment and eager to serve your country, Keepers of the Land /

AmeriCorps wants you. While playing an important role in preserving our natural heritage, you gain useful skills,

meet others who share your commitment to the environment, and develop the confidence and pride that comes

from working hard and getting things done.

So what can you get done with AmeriCorps?? This summer, AmeriCorps’ Ecosystem Management Team needs

seasonal members ready to rough it for a few months, eager to get their hands dirty for the sake of Iowa’s natural

areas. As a member of the Ecosystem Management Team, you will reap the reward of actually witnessing the fruits

of your labor whether you are helping repair an eroded trail or restoring a native prairie. You will be working be-

side individuals who share your commitment to the environment and living amidst Iowa’s most scenic treasures.

This is truly your alternative to the typical summer job. Come and join the team!

Pursue your passion. Protect the land. Catch a fire with AmeriCorps!

For more details on Keepers of the Land / AmeriCorps, visit our site at:

http://www.iowadnr.com/volunteer/americorps/index.html

For information about our nation’s “domestic Peace Corps,” visit:

http://www.americorps.org/

View the photo exhibit and find out “Who Lives in Ada Hayden Heritage Park?”

Monday, April 5, 2004, 7:00 PM Story County Conservation Center, McFarland Park Join Ames Photographer and BBAS member Janet Jepeway for a program and reception in the first public hours

of her photo exhibit, “Ada Hayden Heritage Park: Water, Fish, Flora and Fauna” on Monday, April 5, 2004, 7:00

PM at the Story County Conservation Center, McFarland Park, 56461 180th

St., Ames, Iowa. Since the City of Ames took ownership of Hallett’s Quarry over two years ago, Janet has taken 1,500 pictures

and slides, and spent 300 hours at the site for the purpose of creating an historical record of its restoration and

transition into Ada Hayden Heritage Park. She has taken photos at the new park every month of the year and dur-

ing all types of weather.

“Ada Hayden Heritage Park: Water, Fish, Flora and Fauna” is an interactive exhibit that allows children and

adults of all ages to “play detective” by looking at clues in the pictures to find “Who lives in Ada Hayden Heritage

Park?” All photographs in the exhibit are for sale. Profits after expenses will be donated to the restoration of the

former quarry as a park and backup water supply for the City of Ames. Prints purchased will be signed and dated

by the photographer.

Co-sponsors of the program series are Story County Conservation Partners and Ames Historical Society

(founded as Ames Heritage Association in 1980).

Funding Sponsors of the exhibit are: Outdoor Lighting Associates Inc., Royce J. Bitzer, and Wild Birds

UnlimitedJanet has arranged a series of three programs to accompany her photo exhibit.

Monday, April 5, 7:00 PM , “Flora and Fauna of Ada Hayden Heritage Park”

by Steve Lekwa, Director, Story County Conservation

Thursday, April 29, 7:00 PM “Fish and Fishing at Ada Hayden Heritage Park

by Ted Tedesco, Veteran Angler and Mayor, City of Ames

Sunday, May 16, 1:30 – 4:00 PM “Butterflies and Dragonflies of Ada Hayden Heritage Park”

by Royce J. Bitzer, Department of Entomology, Iowa State University

Photo Exhibit Of Ada Hayden Heritage Park: Water, Fish, Flora & Fauna



6 March/April 2004Big Bluestem Flyer

Saylorville 2003 (Updated) and Boone 2004 Christmas Bird Counts

Saylorville Boone Saylorville BooneAmerican White Pelican 3 American Crow 806 1540Snow Goose 1 Horned Lark 3 6

Canada Goose 369 106 Black-capped Chickadee 278 365Mallard 27 40 Tufted Titmouse 26 64Ring-necked Duck 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch 9 4

Greater Scaup 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 107 163

Lesser Scaup-11 Brown Creeper 2 7Common Goldeneye 185 Carolina Wren 1 1Common Merganser 445 Winter Wren 1 CWRed-breasted Merganser 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 7 2Bald Eagle 11 80 Eastern Bluebird 44 5Northern Harrier 2 Hermit Thrush 4

Sharp-shinned Hawk 4 1 American Robin 469 25Cooper's Hawk 4 2 European Starling 8165 1655Red-tailed Hawk 63 58 Cedar Waxwing 279 295Rough-legged Hawk 6 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler 6 5American Kestrel 17 13 American Tree Sparrow 347 81

Merlin CW Field Sparrow 1Ring-necked Pheasant 144 11 Song Sparrow 32 2Wild Turkey 11 57 Swamp Sparrow 4Bonaparte's Gull 1 White-throated Sparrow 93 5Ring-billed Gull 7 Harris's Sparrow 2 4

Herring Gull 16 White-crowned Sparrow 1Rock Pigeon 1078 194 Dark-eyed Junco 545 685Mourning Dove 213 21 Lapland Longspur 25Eurasian Collared-dove 1 Northern Cardinal 444 188Eastern Screech-Owl 19 13 Red-winged Blackbird 714 150Great Horned Owl 25 9 meadowlark sp. 121 CW

Barred Owl 7 4 Rusty Blackbird 3Long-eared Owl 1 Brewer's Blackbird 1Northern Saw-whet Owl 2 Common Grackle 2 38Belted Kingfisher 2 7 Brown-headed Cowbird 63

Red-headed Woodpecker 10 54 Purple Finch 42 72Red-bellied Woodpecker 136 139 House Finch 91 61Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 3 American Goldfinch 191 282Downy Woodpecker 163 165 House Sparrow 1444 1095Hairy Woodpecker 29 63Northern Flicker 61 35 Species 72 54

Pileated Woodpecker 3 Total Birds 17764 8086Northern Shrike 1 2 Observers 27

Blue Jay 315 198

Boone County Bird Count Friends, Thanks so much for all your help in making the 18th Boone County CBC a

success. While we may have been a bit "understaffed," we still tallied 54 species and over 8000 birds on January

3rd and located three additional species during count week. Don't forget -- next year's count will be held on Satur-

day, 1 January 2005. Have a great year!Mark Widrlechner, Compiler



Big Bluestem Flyer March/April 2004 7

Present the coupons below at the time of your purchase and a donation will be given to BBAS.Donations will fund the various habitat restoration and educational projects undertaken by BBAS.

Brekke s Town & Country Store, Inc.

1 1/2 miles east of I-35 on new U.S. 30 and 1/4 mile north

Hours: 8-6 M-F, 8-4 Sat. (515) 232-7906

Purchase Donation

Up tp $15 $1.50$15 and over $3.00$35 and over $5.00Over $70 $7.50

Brekke’s offers Big Bluestem Audubon Society a donationwhen bird seed or other bird products are purchased.Present this coupon with your purchase and a donation will begiven to BBAS.

Offer good until April 30, 2004

Membership Application forms

Clip and JoinDon’t forget gift memberships!

New member of the National Audubon Society. You will

receive the Audubon magazine, the Big Bluestem Flyer ,membership card. — $20Please make your check payable to National Audubon

Society and include “Chapter Code H-57” on the check

Subscribe to the Big Bluestem Flyer for one year and participate in some Big Bluestem Society Activities — $10Restrictions are that you will not be a National Audubon Societymember or have voting privileges, and you cannot be an officer or committee chair. Please make your check payable to Big Bluestem

Audubon Society.

Send your check and this coupon toAl Johnson, Membership Chair 3912 Squaw Road, Ames, IA 50014

Name _______________________________________________Address _____________________________________________ City_____________________ State____ ZIP_______________ Phone ________________ E-mail _______________________ Please do not use this form for renewals to the National Audubon Soc.

OR

Donate 10%of Your NextPurchase to

Big Bluestem Audubon Society

BIRDSEED • FEEDERS • BIRDBATHS • OPTICS • NATURE GIFTS

213 Duff Ave. Ames, IA 50010 (515) 956-3145Mon-Wed 9:30-5:30 Thurs 9:30-8Fri 9:30-5:30 Sat 9-5 Sun 12-4

Coupon must be presented at time of purchaseMay not be combined with any other offer Not valid on specially-priced merchandise

Offer Expires: 4/30/2004

Linda Adams

Doris Batcheller

Liz Beck

Deborah Blaedel

Martha Bloom

M. L. Carman

Pearle Elder

Sara EricksonLouise Henderson

Sylvia La Port

Doris Lott

Coleen Nutty

Rosemary Osheim

Evelyn Ostrander Schnable

Kate-Shane Patterson

Hazel Purviance

Nathan Peters

R. L. Saunders

James Savage

John Smith

Wayne Spear Valerie Stallbaumer

Joan Stauduhar

J. P. Sullivan

David Wilder

Richard Van Zwol

New Members



I f y o u h a v e a n “ X ” a f t e r y o u r n a m e o n y o u r m a i l i n g l a b e l , t h i s w i l l b e y o u r l a s t i s s u e o f t h e F l y e r u n l e s s y o u r e n e w .

N o n - P r o f i t O r g . U . S . P o s t a g e P a i d

P e r m i t N o . 1 3 1 A m e s , I o w a

B i g B l u e s t e m F l y e r D a v i d C . E d w a r d s , E d i t o r B i g B l u e s t e m A u d u b o n S o c i e t y 2 3 0 8 S t a t e A v e A m e s , I A 5 0 0 1 4

Printed on Recycled paper

W e w e l c o m e n e w m e m b e r s !

March/April 2004 Vol 39 No. 4

Chickadee Checkoff and Wildlife Diversity Funding

Iowa’s Bird Conservation Area Program, Audubon’s

Important Bird Area Program, Osprey Reintroduction,

Trumpeter Swan Reintroduction, Prairie Chicken Rein-

troduction, Peregrine Falcon Reintroduction, Barn Owl

Restoration, Bald Eagle Restoration, Otter Restoration,

American Kestrel Nest Box Program, Frog/Toad and

Rookery Surveys, and Bluebird Recovery Program. What

do all of these programs have in common? They all areprograms either assisted or initiated by the Iowa DNR’s

Wildlife Diversity Program. But because of low funding

to this program, and because of severe budget cuts now

in effect, the Wildlife Diversity Program is suffering.

This means that much less can be done to benefit Iowa’s

nongame wildlife until funding increases.

In the past, the Wildlife Diversity Program received

all of its funding from donations to the “Chickadee

Checkoff ” (Fish and Wildlife Protection Fund) on Iowa’s

Income Tax 1040 Forms. But Chickadee Checkoff re-

ceipts have averaged only about $135,000 in recent

years. That’s less than half of what it takes to keep the

program running, making it necessary to supplementthe Wildlife Diversity Program with some DNR Fish and

Wildlife Trust Fund revenues. Because the Fish and

Wildlife Trust Fund is also severely low, you can see

why it is so important for those who care about wildlife

to remember to contribute to the Chickadee Checkoff

Fund this year. Story County residents, in particu-

lar, have been very supportive of nongame wildlife

funding in the past, and the Wildlife Diversity Program

staff hope that you will be generous again during this

tax season.

Another way to help is by purchasing the Nongame

Support Certificate, produced annually, each featuring aphotograph of a bird, mammal, reptile, amphibian, or

butterfly. DNR staff originally provided the photos, but

in recent years the series has featured photos by some of

Iowa’s best independent nature photographers. This

year’s certificate is a photo taken by local photographer,

Roger Hill, a wonderful picture of a strutting male

Sharp-tailed Grouse. Prints are limited to 1,000 num-

bered editions annually and sell for $5 each. They may

be purchased from the DNR License Bureau, Wallace

State Office Bldg., Des Moines, IA 50039.

We have already made significant headway with pro-

grams for nongame wildlife, particularly for birds. This

would not be possible without the generous support of groups like Big Bluestem Audubon Society, and we very

much appreciate that support! For More Information

Contact: Wildlife Diversity Program, 515-432-2823, or-

[email protected]. Bruce Ehresman

Documents

March-April 2004 Big Bluesterm Flyer Big Bluestem Audubon Society