Thanks to our BEN Bulletin
sponsor:
The Bird Education
Network (BEN) was created following the February 2007 National
Gathering, hosted by the Council for Environmental Education
(CEE). BEN is a CEE initiative that seeks to connect and
support a community of bird education professionals.
Over 3,000
individuals representing 300 organizations receive
communications and engage in professional dialogue through the
BEN-run Bird Education Listserv.
A BEN Committee has been
established to provide advice and guidance for this important
initiative, to advance "bird conservation through
education." |
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Quick
Links
 Become a Fan of Flying
WILD | |
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 Flying WILD
Activity Teaches How Oil in
Water Effects
Birds
The recent
Gulf oil spill imposes serious concerns for
irreplaceable wetlands, beaches, fish and birds.
Educators can use Flying WILD's
activity "Oily Problems" to help students learn why
birds' feather must stay clean and well-conditioned and
discover how oil in water can hurt birds. "Oily
Problems" can be found on page 271 of Flying
WILD: An Educators
Guide to Celebrating Birds.
To help bird
educators navigate the volume of information coming
forth daily about the Gulf oil spill and birds --The
Flying WILD National Office has complied an Educator Resource page on the Gulf
Oil Spill. This new page includes links to key
websites, educator tools, articles and ways you can
help. To visit the page click here.
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A young and talented artist from Long
Island, NY, named Olivia Bouler, 11 years old, has
launched a personal crusade to do whatever she can to
help fight against the looming environmental disaster
from the oil spill. Olivia not only has family members
who live near the gulf, but she has a deep love for
birds. When Olivia first heard about the leaking oil,
she immediately called Audubon to ask what she could do
to help. From that conversation, she got the idea to use
her artistic talent to create original watercolor images
for anyone willing to donate money to an organization
that provides wildlife disaster relief, such as Audubon.
As of June 11 2010, she has helped raise over
$80,000 to help rescue the birds from the oil spill
still happening. For more about Olivia's story click here to read an article featured on
MSNBC or visit her AOL
artist page.
Additional ways to help include reporting bird
sightings along the Gulf Coast. Since May 4th, birders
have reported more than 150,00 birds observations from
Gulf States. For more information see the Cornell
Lab of Ornithology's website.
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 2010 Federal Junior Duck Stamp
Available June 25th
The
2010 Federal Junior Duck Stamp
Contest winners were recently announced by U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service April 23rd.
 The 2010 -2011Federal Junior Duck
Stamp winner, a stunning
Hooded Merganser with autumn foliage, by eighteen
year old Columbus, Ohio student, Rui Huang will go
on sale June 25th.
Huang's art was chosen
from among 51 Best-of Show winners from every state and
the District of Columbia at the National Junior Duck
Stamp, held April 23 in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Where to
get the Junior Duck Stamp
Junior Duck Stamps can be purchased
through the United States Postal Service's website and many of their post office
locations, Amplex Corporation's website, and many National
Wildlife Refuges.
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 June - Great Outdoors
Month
President Barack Obama and nearly all of
America's governors have proclaimed June as Great
Outdoors Month. The proclamations, requested by a
coalition of outdoor recreation and conservation
organizations, celebrate the many special events held
during June, including National Trails Day®, National
Fishing and Boating Week, National Get Outdoors Day,
National Marina Day and the Great American Backyard
Campout, and the benefits of time outdoors to the health
of Americans, young and old.
President Obama's proclamation states,
"America's vast and varied outdoor spaces are a source
of great national pride, and we have long strived to
protect them for future generations. Our lands provide
countless opportunities for exploration, recreation, and
reflection, whether in solitude or with family and
friends. During Great Outdoors Month, we renew our
enduring commitment to protect our natural landscapes,
to enjoy them and to promote active lifestyles for
ourselves and our children." Referring to America's
great outdoor spaces, the proclamation goes on to say,
"These places are especially important today, as an
increasing number of Americans, especially children,
fall into unhealthy sedentary
lifestyles."
Great Outdoors Month is a great time for bird
educators to build on this theme in an effort to build
bird conservation through education.
For more information about Great Outdoors Month click here.
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 Funky Nests in Funky
Places
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is accepting entries
for Funky nests in Funky places.
People of all ages are invited to go
outside and look for Funky nests in Funky
places! Participants are asked to take
photos, do some painting, write a story, make a quilt,
create a sculpture.
The first 50 entries will receive a copy of Cornell's
"Doves and pigeons of North America" poster by Julie
Zickefoose. Cornell Lab
of Ornithology's Funk nests in Funky
places can also be used as a resource to
engage and educate students about birds. For more
information and contest rules click here.
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How You Can
Help
For more
information visit:
