Robert Cooper Audubon Society

RCAS Program Archives

2007-08 season

Oct.
Cerulean warblers in Indiana: BSU ornithologist Kamal Islam presented research that he and his students have conducted on this declining species over the last seven years.

Nov.
Photography across Indiana: Richard Fields, photography editor for Outdoor Indiana magazine and one of two state photographers for the DNR, presented a montage of some of his best photos, taken across the state. Fields' work has been collected in Indiana Impressions and Indiana from the Air.

Dec.
Future of the environmental movement: David Keuhl, BSU urban planning professor, gave an overview of the changing trends and emphases in environmental organizations over the last 150 years.

Jan.
Indiana karst systems: Nick Noe, of the Indiana Karst Conservancy, gave a presentation on Indiana karst t systems (limestone regions with sinks, underground streams, and caverns), which are rich with geological, biological and archaeological significance.

Feb.
Natural areas of ECI: Tom Swinford, Regional Ecologist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, in its Division of Nature Preserves, introduced us to some of East Central Indiana’s natural areas.

Mar.
Mapping natural areas in ECI: Kyle Johnson, GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Coordinator for Delaware Co., showed how GIS is used to assist various community projects and organizations and to address environmental issues.

Apr.
Attracting purple martins: Tom Jonker, an Indiana Mentor with the Purple Martin Conservation Association, offered tips about housing styles, both commercially made and homemade, and nest checks, as well as strategies for keeping starlings and house sparrows from taking over martin housing.

May
Birds of the Limberlost: Naturalist Bill Hubbard introduced us to some of the birds of the Limberlost and their songs, as well as a brief history of the Limberlost (1,500 acres of restored wetlands in Jay and Adams Counties) and author Gene Stratton-Porter, who lived in and wrote about the Limberlost.

June
Dealing with invasive exotic plants: John Taylor, Land Manager for BSU's Field Station and Environmental Education Center, presented information on invasive exotic plant species, their impact upon native ecosystem, their costs (economic and otherwise), and management strategies.

2006-07 season

Oct.
Chimney swift nesting and roosting: Shirley Needham, a wildlife rehabilitator from Rochester, Indiana, presented research that she and others have done on chimney swifts and the disappearance of suitable nesting and roosting sites. More info at www.chimneyswifts.org.

Nov.
The Birds of Madison County: Tom and Jean Harbron, creators of the Birds of Madison County website, showed highlights of the birds that they've chronicled for nearly eight years along the banks of Killbuck Creek and White River and in Shadyside Park in Anderson.

Dec.
IDNR reintroduction project: John Castrale, Nongame Bird Biologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, updated our chapter on the continued success of Indiana's reintroduction projects for such species as ospreys, river otters, and bald eagles.

Jan.
The secret lives of Monarch butterflies: Loretta Heiniger, whose Anderson property serves as an official Monarch Butterfly Waystation, took us through the life cycle of Monarchs and presented information about the habitat that they and other butterflies require for survival.

Feb.
Bluebird basics: Greg Beavers, Vice President of the Indiana Bluebird Society, told us everything we need to know about the Eastern bluebird, including tips on attracting bluebirds and monitoring nest box activity.

Mar.
Red-tail Conservancy: Barry Banks, Executive Director of Red-tail Conservancy, presented a pictorial tour of the 17 properties protected by Red-tail in five counties of East Central Indiana – now totaling well over 1,000 acres.

Apr.
Confronting climate change: BSU professor John Vann, who was trained through The Climate Project (www.theclimateproject.org), presented information about climate change and links between human activity and greenhouse gas emissions.

May
Bat conservation at the Indianapolis Airport: Dale Sparks, Assistant Director of the Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation, spoke about bat conservation research he has been doing on bats at the Indianapolis Airport.

June
Emerald ash borer and other invasive insects: Melissa Shepson, from Purdue University's Department of Entomology, gave an overview of invasive insect species in Indiana, with a special focus on the emerald ash borer and efforts to control the damage they do.

2005-06 season

Oct.
Environmental activism: Chap. president Mike Lannoo, Phil Tevis, and John Craddock led a discussion about the role that the RCAS can play in water quality, habitat restoration, and other environmental impact issues in East Central Indiana.

Nov.
Specimen collecting in Antarctica & Lilly Endowment funding: Mike Lannoo gave a slide show on his collecting trip to the Ross Sea, and Rick Lopez talked about possible ways to fund conservation activities in East Central Indiana.

Dec.
Important Bird Areas of Indiana: James Cole presented information about the international IBA program and the IBAs in Indiana, which provide essential habitat for one or more bird species for breeding, wintering, and/or migrating.

Jan.
White River transformation: John Craddock, former Director of Muncie's Bureau of Water Quality, showed "before" and "after" slides of the clean-up and transformation of the White River that he orchestrated in the 1970s and '80s.

Feb.
Indiana wildlife before the Ice Age: Geology professor James Farlow presented information about rhinos, camels, and other amazing animals that once lived in Indiana, especially those found in The Pipe Creek Sinkhole in Grant County.

Mar.
Wetlands restoration at the Limberlost: Ken Brunswick, co-founder of Limberlost Swamp Remembered and Regional Ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources, gave updates on the progress of wetlands restoration at the Limberlost, now totaling nearly 1,300 acres.

Apr.
John James Audubon: The 2006 banquet speaker was William Souder, author of Under a Wild Sky: John James Audubon and the Making of The Birds of America. His program gave little-known insights into Audubon as a man, a naturalist, and a wildlife artist.

May
Cope Environmental Center: Lina Gordy, then Executive Director of Cope Environmental Center, showed what the Centerville organization is doing to provide education, research, and demonstrations to promote the sustainable use of the earth's resources.

June
Wide world of orchids: Russ Vernon, co-owner of New Vision Orchids in Yorktown, introduced listeners to the beautiful and mysterious family of orchids and the interesting business of developing, growing, and caring for them.

2004-05 season

Oct. Mountaintop mining: Dave Cooper, an environmental activist from Lexington, Kentucky, showed us the devastating destruction that's being created by mountaintop coal mining practices in West Virginia and eastern Kentucky.

Nov.
Colorful fall photography: Allen King, one of our long-time members, took us from New England to Utah, with a detour to Florida, following the season's changing colors through the lens of a camera.

Dec.
Galapagos Islands: Dr. Paul Thomas, a veteran global traveler, introduced us to the fascinating organisms that caught Charles Darwin’s attention when he visited the Galapagos Islands in the 1830s.

Jan.
Meeting canceled because of bad weather.

Feb.
Bird documentary: Videotape of a special bird presentation.

Mar.
Freshwater mussels: Brant Fisher, Nongame Aquatic Biologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, gave an overview of freshwater mussels, one of the most endangered groups of animals in Indiana.

Apr.
Spring warblers: For the 2005 banquet, Don Gorney, well-known birdwatcher and Chair of the Indiana Bird Records Committee, provided a slide show presentation on the more common warblers of East Central Indiana.

May
Antlered flies: Dr. Gary Dodson, biology professor at Ball State University, shared his research on the strange-looking antlered flies of Papua New Guinea and Australia.

June
Malformed frogs: Laura Guderyahn, research assistant to Dr. Mike Lannoo in amphibian research, discussed known causes of malformed frogs.

	2003-04 season
Oct.
Nov.	IDNR reintroduction project: Dr. John Castrale, Nongame Biologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, gave us an overview of Indiana's programs to reintroduce peregrine falcons, bald eagles, whooping cranes, and ospreys to the state.
Dec.	Photography from Lake Powell: Allen King, one of chapter's most talented photographers, took us to Lake Powell and surrounding areas in southern Utah and northern Arizona.
Jan.	Bats: Dr. Tom Morrell, wildlife biologist at Ball State University, presented some of his own research findings about bats, including their important roles in pollination, insect control, and dispersal of fruit seeds.
Feb.	Digiscoping: Phil Kelly told us about the newest form of wildlife photography: digiscoping, which is the combined used of digital cameras with quality birding spotting scopes. Click to see excerpts from Phil's digiscope set-up, a rufous/Allen's hummingbird, and a black-bellied whistling duck.
Mar.	Turkey vultures: Dr. Neil Sabine, a biology professor from IU East, shared research he's done on turkey vultures, especially their social habits, as well as past research on bald eagles.
Apr.	Birdsongs: Brad Jackson entertained us and even educated us about learning to identify birds by their songs, as the speaker for this year's spring awards banquet.
May	Aquatic invasive species: Dr. Gwen White helped us learn what we can do to stop nuisance aquatic plant and animal invaders such as zebra mussels, bighead carp, purple loosestrife, white perch, and sea lamprey.
June	Butterflies of Indiana: Sandy Belth, naturalist and outdoor educator in Monroe County, introduced us to her vast knowledge of butterflies that occur throughout southern Indiana and beyond. Her husband Jeff supplied the stunning butterfly photography.

Back to "Monthly Programs"

	2007-08 season
Oct.	Cerulean warblers in Indiana: BSU ornithologist Kamal Islam presented research that he and his students have conducted on this declining species over the last seven years.
Nov.	Photography across Indiana: Richard Fields, photography editor for Outdoor Indiana magazine and one of two state photographers for the DNR, presented a montage of some of his best photos, taken across the state. Fields' work has been collected in Indiana Impressions and Indiana from the Air.
Dec.	Future of the environmental movement: David Keuhl, BSU urban planning professor, gave an overview of the changing trends and emphases in environmental organizations over the last 150 years.
Jan.	Indiana karst systems: Nick Noe, of the Indiana Karst Conservancy, gave a presentation on Indiana karst t systems (limestone regions with sinks, underground streams, and caverns), which are rich with geological, biological and archaeological significance.
Feb.	Natural areas of ECI: Tom Swinford, Regional Ecologist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, in its Division of Nature Preserves, introduced us to some of East Central Indiana’s natural areas.
Mar.	Mapping natural areas in ECI: Kyle Johnson, GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Coordinator for Delaware Co., showed how GIS is used to assist various community projects and organizations and to address environmental issues.
Apr.	Attracting purple martins: Tom Jonker, an Indiana Mentor with the Purple Martin Conservation Association, offered tips about housing styles, both commercially made and homemade, and nest checks, as well as strategies for keeping starlings and house sparrows from taking over martin housing.
May	Birds of the Limberlost: Naturalist Bill Hubbard introduced us to some of the birds of the Limberlost and their songs, as well as a brief history of the Limberlost (1,500 acres of restored wetlands in Jay and Adams Counties) and author Gene Stratton-Porter, who lived in and wrote about the Limberlost.
June	Dealing with invasive exotic plants: John Taylor, Land Manager for BSU's Field Station and Environmental Education Center, presented information on invasive exotic plant species, their impact upon native ecosystem, their costs (economic and otherwise), and management strategies.

	2006-07 season
Oct.	Chimney swift nesting and roosting: Shirley Needham, a wildlife rehabilitator from Rochester, Indiana, presented research that she and others have done on chimney swifts and the disappearance of suitable nesting and roosting sites. More info at www.chimneyswifts.org.
Nov.	The Birds of Madison County: Tom and Jean Harbron, creators of the Birds of Madison County website, showed highlights of the birds that they've chronicled for nearly eight years along the banks of Killbuck Creek and White River and in Shadyside Park in Anderson.
Dec.	IDNR reintroduction project: John Castrale, Nongame Bird Biologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, updated our chapter on the continued success of Indiana's reintroduction projects for such species as ospreys, river otters, and bald eagles.
Jan.	The secret lives of Monarch butterflies: Loretta Heiniger, whose Anderson property serves as an official Monarch Butterfly Waystation, took us through the life cycle of Monarchs and presented information about the habitat that they and other butterflies require for survival.
Feb.	Bluebird basics: Greg Beavers, Vice President of the Indiana Bluebird Society, told us everything we need to know about the Eastern bluebird, including tips on attracting bluebirds and monitoring nest box activity.
Mar.	Red-tail Conservancy: Barry Banks, Executive Director of Red-tail Conservancy, presented a pictorial tour of the 17 properties protected by Red-tail in five counties of East Central Indiana – now totaling well over 1,000 acres.
Apr.	Confronting climate change: BSU professor John Vann, who was trained through The Climate Project (www.theclimateproject.org), presented information about climate change and links between human activity and greenhouse gas emissions.
May	Bat conservation at the Indianapolis Airport: Dale Sparks, Assistant Director of the Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation, spoke about bat conservation research he has been doing on bats at the Indianapolis Airport.
June	Emerald ash borer and other invasive insects: Melissa Shepson, from Purdue University's Department of Entomology, gave an overview of invasive insect species in Indiana, with a special focus on the emerald ash borer and efforts to control the damage they do.

	2005-06 season
Oct.	Environmental activism: Chap. president Mike Lannoo, Phil Tevis, and John Craddock led a discussion about the role that the RCAS can play in water quality, habitat restoration, and other environmental impact issues in East Central Indiana.
Nov.	Specimen collecting in Antarctica & Lilly Endowment funding: Mike Lannoo gave a slide show on his collecting trip to the Ross Sea, and Rick Lopez talked about possible ways to fund conservation activities in East Central Indiana.
Dec.	Important Bird Areas of Indiana: James Cole presented information about the international IBA program and the IBAs in Indiana, which provide essential habitat for one or more bird species for breeding, wintering, and/or migrating.
Jan.	White River transformation: John Craddock, former Director of Muncie's Bureau of Water Quality, showed "before" and "after" slides of the clean-up and transformation of the White River that he orchestrated in the 1970s and '80s.
Feb.	Indiana wildlife before the Ice Age: Geology professor James Farlow presented information about rhinos, camels, and other amazing animals that once lived in Indiana, especially those found in The Pipe Creek Sinkhole in Grant County.
Mar.	Wetlands restoration at the Limberlost: Ken Brunswick, co-founder of Limberlost Swamp Remembered and Regional Ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources, gave updates on the progress of wetlands restoration at the Limberlost, now totaling nearly 1,300 acres.
Apr.	John James Audubon: The 2006 banquet speaker was William Souder, author of Under a Wild Sky: John James Audubon and the Making of The Birds of America. His program gave little-known insights into Audubon as a man, a naturalist, and a wildlife artist.
May	Cope Environmental Center: Lina Gordy, then Executive Director of Cope Environmental Center, showed what the Centerville organization is doing to provide education, research, and demonstrations to promote the sustainable use of the earth's resources.
June	Wide world of orchids: Russ Vernon, co-owner of New Vision Orchids in Yorktown, introduced listeners to the beautiful and mysterious family of orchids and the interesting business of developing, growing, and caring for them.

	2004-05 season
Oct.	Mountaintop mining: Dave Cooper, an environmental activist from Lexington, Kentucky, showed us the devastating destruction that's being created by mountaintop coal mining practices in West Virginia and eastern Kentucky.
Nov.	Colorful fall photography: Allen King, one of our long-time members, took us from New England to Utah, with a detour to Florida, following the season's changing colors through the lens of a camera.
Dec.	Galapagos Islands: Dr. Paul Thomas, a veteran global traveler, introduced us to the fascinating organisms that caught Charles Darwin’s attention when he visited the Galapagos Islands in the 1830s.
Jan.	Meeting canceled because of bad weather.
Feb.	Bird documentary: Videotape of a special bird presentation.
Mar.	Freshwater mussels: Brant Fisher, Nongame Aquatic Biologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, gave an overview of freshwater mussels, one of the most endangered groups of animals in Indiana.
Apr.	Spring warblers: For the 2005 banquet, Don Gorney, well-known birdwatcher and Chair of the Indiana Bird Records Committee, provided a slide show presentation on the more common warblers of East Central Indiana.
May	Antlered flies: Dr. Gary Dodson, biology professor at Ball State University, shared his research on the strange-looking antlered flies of Papua New Guinea and Australia.
June	Malformed frogs: Laura Guderyahn, research assistant to Dr. Mike Lannoo in amphibian research, discussed known causes of malformed frogs.