Connect To A Cause Fundraiser
Connect to YOUR Cause
Save the date! Connect to a Cause 2024 will take place on September 19th, from 8 AM to 8 PM. This year, we are proud to support 95 incredible non-profit organizations that have a significant impact on our community. Your generosity and commitment have been crucial to our success since 2020, enabling us to raise over $1M for non-profit organizations serving Lorain County. Let’s continue this incredible journey in 2024 and reach new heights together. Join us in making Connect to a Cause 2024 another unforgettable day of giving and community spirit. Your support will empower these 95 non-profits to continue making a difference. Together, we can create a brighter future for everyone.
Black River Audubon Society and 94 other organizations are participating this year. Please consider donating to your favorite cause(s) on this day.
Connect to a Cause 2024 | Community Foundation Lorain County (peoplewhocare.org)
Wingtips Folding- volunteers please
If you are able to help, please contact Chad Wilson at robswindell@yahoo.com
We gather monthly from August-April to fold the monthly newsletter that we send out to members. We are always looking for help. This typically takes 1-1.5 hours.
Field Trip: Oberlin Preserve
Leader: Kate Pilacky
Meet at: The parking lot at the Preserve.
![Program: Brian Shifflet "The Language of Flowers"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1721247054369-VRQY1DD7WQ5QHNAUSDHI/Brian+Shifflet.jpg)
Program: Brian Shifflet "The Language of Flowers"
Humans using nature symbolically is as old as civilization, but did you know that at one point in history, you could spark or end a romance with a bouquet of flowers? A rose was not always just a rose in the 19th century! Discover the coded meaning behind the language of flowers.
Brian was born and raised in the Port Clinton area. He is currently an active classical cellist in the area performing with the Firelands Symphony Orchestra and the Firelands String Quartet and performs around NW and North-Central Ohio. In addition, Brian is a member of North Coast Narrative, a 19th century reenacting group hosting living history events and presentations around the area. Combining his love of art, gardening (which he has been doing since he was small, ) and life in the 19th century, Brian created this presentation about the history and use of floriography through history, but particularly focusing on its use during the mid-late 19th century. Brian currently resides on Catawba Island with his partner Aaron and their cat Bruno.
Wingtips Folding- volunteers please
If you are able to help, please contact Chad Wilson at robswindell@yahoo.com
We gather monthly from August-April to fold the monthly newsletter that we send out to members. We are always looking for help. This typically takes 1-1.5 hours.
Field Trip: Sheffield Lake Recreational Trail
Leader: Chad Wilson
Meet by: Small gravel parking lot that looks a lot like a driveway just east of The Cardinal Scoop (4282 E. Lake Rd). It should also be possible to park in The Cardinal Scoop's parking lot as they do not open until later in the day.
![Program: Jerry Jelinek "Trumpeter Swans of Northern Ohio"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1721242553029-2KQQ6HOULDUQZ7M6KN9N/Jerry_Jelinek_Vertical_Portrait_1_%C2%A92012_Jeff_Gibson_Small.jpg)
Program: Jerry Jelinek "Trumpeter Swans of Northern Ohio"
Description: In 2023 Jerry was captivated by the first Trumpeter swan nest he came upon in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. That initial encounter became a personal project as he documented the 2023 nesting season with still images and videos.
Bio: Jerry is an active member of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Photographic Society for whom he leads outings. Jerry is a five time winner of the Best of Show award for the society and his still images have appeared in CVNP's yearly calendars as well as numerous CVNP publications.
![Field Trip: Wellington Upground Reservoir](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1722800048622-L535WVSE1GLDKZICAM26/R.jpg)
Field Trip: Wellington Upground Reservoir
Leader: Patty McKelvy
Meet at: The South edge of the reservoir at the top of the hill.
Wingtips Folding- volunteers please
If you are able to help, please contact Chad Wilson at robswindell@yahoo.com
We gather monthly from August-April to fold the monthly newsletter that we send out to members. We are always looking for help. This typically takes 1-1.5 hours.
![Program: Tom Bartlett- "Northern Saw-whet Owl Research in Ohio"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1721247026735-L592VYVV3NXEJQ2F653R/Img_5169a.jpg)
Program: Tom Bartlett- "Northern Saw-whet Owl Research in Ohio"
A look at the research on migrant Northern Saw-whet owls in Ohio. How, why, where and the results.
H Thomas Bartlett (tom); Research Associate with the Department of Ornithology, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, retired secondary science teacher (31+ years) , licensed bird bander with the US Geological Survey (53 years), certified bird bander and trainer under the North American Banding Council, published dozens of papers and one book. Tom is married with one daughter. He and his wife Paula, who now works with him on the research, and one daughter, They spend 4-5 months a year on the Lake Erie Islands banding birds and another 30+ days a year banding at Springville Marsh State Nature Preserve. In Oct 2021, Tom banded a Northern Saw-whet on Kelly’s Island giving making that his 100,000 bird banded since 1971. He and his team have banded over 1250 Norther Saw-=whet owls on Kelly’s Iland alone. This data has been used to protect over 2090 acres of land on the Lake Erie Islands.
This will be our first Annual Meeting Event. We will have dinner, Chinese raffles and a silent auction along with this great program on Owls. We will catch you up on all that BRAS has done in 2024 and what we hope to accomplish in 2025.
The cost is $20 per person and you get 5 raffle tickets with that. Registration is required.
Wingtips Folding- volunteers please
If you are able to help, please contact Chad Wilson at robswindell@yahoo.com
We gather monthly from August-April to fold the monthly newsletter that we send out to members. We are always looking for help. This typically takes 1-1.5 hours.
Wellington Christmas Bird Count
Location and Time: Meet at the Wellington McDonalds (800 N. Main St.) at 8:00 AM
Leader: Paul Sherwood
![Program: Marne A. Titchenell "Bats: What You Didn't Learn Watching Batman"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1721245917028-FM3O2UWQXVM9B656ZTZU/20191002_145322.jpg)
Program: Marne A. Titchenell "Bats: What You Didn't Learn Watching Batman"
Join Marne Titchenell , Extension Wildlife Program Director for the Ohio State University, as she discusses the lives of Ohio bats and dispels common myths. She will discuss the unique ecology of bats, threats to their populations and what folks can do to help Ohio’s bat populations.
Marne is the Extension Wildlife Program Specialist, with the School of Environment and Natural Resources, within the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Marne received her B.S. and M.S. in wildlife management and forestry from the Ohio State University, where she studied the response of bat populations to harvests in oak-hickory forests in southern Ohio. Her work with bats continues in her current position, where she helped to establish the Ohio Bat Working Group, co-authored the Ohio Bat Conservation Plan, and provides public and professional education on bat ecology and conservation. She also works to provide a variety of educational programs, workshops, conferences, and publications centered on wildlife ecology and biology, habitat management for wildlife, and managing nuisance wildlife species.
![Sax-Zim-Bog 2025](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1721246267689-DVBZ95SVQK0UP409Z900/szb+2024.jpg)
Sax-Zim-Bog 2025
BRAS is going back to the bog. We will leave bright and early from Elyria for the long drive to the bog where we will bird for two full days with a professional guide- Judd Brink.
Details to come.
![Program: Judy Semroc "Ohio Raptors"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1721247249963-1SUP3Z75F798BLSFGE00/judy-semroc.jpg)
![Program: Lucy McKernan "Challenges and Solutions for Preventing Bird-Window Collisions"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1722798666110-O2KXOM8CMB2TLHWQSODC/277755913_5046774095438880_4525013597542257905_n.jpg)
Program: Lucy McKernan "Challenges and Solutions for Preventing Bird-Window Collisions"
About one billion birds die each year in the United States from window strikes and 46% of these collisions occur on residential structures. Learn some of the latest research and what simple, affordable deterrents can be purchased or made at home.
Lucy began experimenting with bird-window collision prevention at her Seven Hills home in 2009 after witnessing a male robin strike the sunroom window, at a top speed, as he was fleeing a raptor.
Her early methods were using crude materials that often resulted in hilarious window aesthetics, but they worked! Now, Lucy uses the latest films and markers for a more please effect.
![Jack Smith Outstanding Speaker: Steve Shunk "How Woodpeckers Can Save The World"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1722948311932-D1PNW0NZH78XJS77V0DS/SAS_RDCwoodpeckerave_20161029_102741_001.jpg)
Jack Smith Outstanding Speaker: Steve Shunk "How Woodpeckers Can Save The World"
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.
![Program: Diana Steele "Lynds Jones- The Birdman of Oberlin"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1722798717470-OUKS4KZ772WIVGNXKOGK/Diana+Steele+1.jpg)
Program: Diana Steele "Lynds Jones- The Birdman of Oberlin"
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.
![Program: Sue Newcomb- Spotted Lanternfly, No Really a Fly!](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1724817965647-XNGROFUE1KNFTKG49CUN/IMG_1090.jpg)
Program: Sue Newcomb- Spotted Lanternfly, No Really a Fly!
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.
![Program- Marilyn Teeple "Bees & Flowers Working Together"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1726081737830-1C4QU2HEW4JCHSQY9Y4O/Beekeper+4.jpg)
Program- Marilyn Teeple "Bees & Flowers Working Together"
Marily will explain the mutual dependence of flowers and bees, the caste system within the hive and how to manage a hive.
Marilyn has been a beekeeper for 10 years, successfully managing two of her own hives and is deeply involved with the Lorain County Beekeepers Association.
![Program- Dr. Glenn Crisler II "Butterfly Defenses"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1723813428458-LVCSTH1WF52V3P9IZ5D8/image3.jpeg)
Program- Dr. Glenn Crisler II "Butterfly Defenses"
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.
![Monarch Tagging Event @ The Oberlin Preserve](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1722518460435-70UG37OSRNN8N56N6H6S/download.jpg)
Monarch Tagging Event @ The Oberlin Preserve
Registration required.
Rachael Shamy, from Nature’s Nursery, will present at our monthly program on September 3rd. Then, on Wednesday September 4th she’ll meet us at the Oberlin Preserve with 50 Monarch Butterflies that she has raised to tag and send off on their journey to Mexico.
![Program: Rachel Shamy "Introduction to Northern Ohio Butterflies"](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1721248513207-9H3A9VH47E4YW64S40YH/88321391_10219808082984469_6770595271572193280_n+%281%29.jpg)
Program: Rachel Shamy "Introduction to Northern Ohio Butterflies"
Introduction to the common butterfly species in our area and how to identify them along with how to identify the difference between butterflies and moths. She will also discuss saving our Monarch butterflies. There will be a follow up tagging/release event a few weeks later at the Oberlin Preserve Prairie.
Rachel has been a butterfly monitor for the Toledo Area Metroparks for some time. She also helps spot and identify all of the butterfly species for the yearly NABA (North American Butterly Association) count in the Oak Openings Region.
![Documentary: "Fluddles" with filmmaker Bob Dolgan](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1721234778719-7WNX3GRU7QSIHF7VH7PB/fluddles-sticker-draft+%28002%29.png)
Documentary: "Fluddles" with filmmaker Bob Dolgan
Bob Dolgan, Founder
Prior to starting Turnstone Strategies, Bob spent 17 years in communications and marketing with Advance Illinois, Greater Chicago Food Depository and Anixter Center. His career started in journalism with the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch. He has a Bachelor’s degree from Kenyon College and a Master of Business Administration in Marketing Management from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.
Bob's created two documentary films about Chicago Piping Plovers Monty and Rose that have been accepted to multiple film festivals and broadcast several times on public television. His film, "The Magic Stump," was released in September 2022. Bob received the Excellence in Environmental Reporting Award (Broadcast) from Chicago Audubon Society in 2022. His latest film, "Fluddles," was released in 2023.
FLUDDLES chronicles the wildlife of agricultural wetlands of Illinois. Sometimes simply described as “big puddles,” fluddles appear in the spring and fall and provide habitat and forage for a diversity of waterfowl and shorebird species. FLUDDLES takes viewers on a journey to these secret, oft-fleeting wildernesses in a time when Illinois has lost 90% of its original wetlands. FLUDDLES features those who enjoy the beauty of wetlands while showcasing the movement under way to construct more wetlands, which provide critical habitat, reduce flooding and erosion, and help to ensure healthier waterways.
Wingtips Folding- volunteers please
If you are able to help, please contact Chad Wilson at robswindell@yahoo.com
We gather monthly from August-April to fold the monthly newsletter that we send out to members. We are always looking for help. This typically takes 1-1.5 hours.
![BRAS Program: Grafton Library](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1721242854184-M6WDC5AQ9S9I4LQW84CY/286_Library_Exterior_199109_GMPL_B2F11.jpg)
Field Trip: Lorain Impound- Lakeside Landing
Leader: Paul Sherwood
Meetup at paves path that leads to the metal deck that overhands the lake
![BRAS Program: Amherst Public Library](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1721242777716-5LGRP1NJOYMRE73Q17M5/OLC.jpg)
![BRAS Program: Elyria Central Library](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e8e68295922a6755b0b90e4/1721242969772-TMTMOODPJEMUZ2DB1I0Z/0567-cpp-1827t-2048x1365.jpg)
BRAS Board Meeting- Budget
Delloyd Room
Set budget for July 2024-December 2024. New calendar year Budget will be set in January as we move from a fiscal year to a calendar year.
Spring Bird Walk: Vermilion Reservation- BACON WOODS (Copy)
Vermilion River Reservation - Bacon Woods https://birdinghotspots.org/hotspot/L274600
Note: 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 with questions.
Leaders: Josh Vardous and Ed Wransky
Spring Birding Walks: Elywood Park
Terrain: Easy to moderate terrain depending on the weather. We walk about 1 mile over 1-2 hours.
For information visit the Lorain County Metroparks website https://www.loraincountymetroparks.com/cascade-park.
Meetup: Parking Lot
Leader: Gina Swindell
Spring Bird Walk Series: Oberlin South Woods
Terrain: Easy
Length: 2 miles or less
Parking is at the far western edge of the parking lot for the Hamilton Road athletic fields. There is a nice large parking lot there. You walk just west to access the north-south path
The Oberlin Woods Path encompasses a total length of 3.1 miles within the city borders of Oberlin, Ohio. This scenic trail is managed by the Lorain County Metro Parks and offers a delightful journey through wet woods, characterized by mixed hardwoods, including white oak. Birdwatchers will appreciate the diverse avian life, with warblers, woodpeckers, owls, and sandpipers frequenting the area12. If you’re seeking a tranquil escape, this trail is open year-round and provides a beautiful experience regardless of the season
Field Trip: Indian Hollow/Sheldon Woods
Leader: Paul Sherwood
Meetup: Sheldon Woods parking lot
Spring Bird Walk: Vermilion Reservation- BACON WOODS
Vermilion River Reservation - Bacon Woods https://birdinghotspots.org/hotspot/L274600
Note: 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 with questions.
Leaders: Josh Vardous and Ed Wransky
Spring Bird Walk Series: Oberlin South Woods
Terrain: Easy gravel trail and depending on rainfall may be wet in one particular area.
Length: 2 miles or less
Parking is at the far western edge of the parking lot for the Hamilton Road athletic fields. There is a nice large parking lot there. You walk just west to access the north-south path
The Oberlin Woods Path encompasses a total length of 3.1 miles within the city borders of Oberlin, Ohio. This scenic trail is managed by the Lorain County Metro Parks and offers a delightful journey through wet woods, characterized by mixed hardwoods, including white oak. Birdwatchers will appreciate the diverse avian life, with warblers, woodpeckers, owls, and sandpipers frequenting the area12. If you’re seeking a tranquil escape, this trail is open year-round and provides a beautiful experience regardless of the season
Spring Birding Walks: Elywood Park
Terrain: Easy to moderate terrain depending on the weather. We walk about 1 mile over 1-2 hours.
For information visit the Lorain County Metroparks website https://www.loraincountymetroparks.com/cascade-park.
Meetup: Parking Lot
Leader: Gina Swindell
Program: Challenges of our Great Lakes for Humans & Wildlife
Presenter: Dr. Lara Rocketenetz
Spring Bird Walk Series: Oberlin South Woods
Terrain: Easy gravel trail and depending on rainfall may be wet in one particular area.
Length: 2 miles or less
Parking is at the far western edge of the parking lot for the Hamilton Road athletic fields. There is a nice large parking lot there. You walk just west to access the north-south path
The Oberlin Woods Path encompasses a total length of 3.1 miles within the city borders of Oberlin, Ohio. This scenic trail is managed by the Lorain County Metro Parks and offers a delightful journey through wet woods, characterized by mixed hardwoods, including white oak. Birdwatchers will appreciate the diverse avian life, with warblers, woodpeckers, owls, and sandpipers frequenting the area12. If you’re seeking a tranquil escape, this trail is open year-round and provides a beautiful experience regardless of the season
Spring Birding Walks: Elywood Park
Terrain: Easy to moderate terrain depending on the weather. We walk about 1 mile over 1-2 hours.
For information visit the Lorain County Metroparks website https://www.loraincountymetroparks.com/cascade-park.
Meetup: Parking Lot
Leader: Gina Swindell
Spring Bird Walk: Vermilion Reservation- BACON WOODS
Vermilion River Reservation - Bacon Woods https://birdinghotspots.org/hotspot/L274600
Note: 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 with questions.
Leaders: Josh Vardous and Ed Wransky
Field Trip: Magee Marsh
Leader: Paul Sherwood
Meetup at the West End deck near the boardwalk entrance
Spring Bird Walk: Vermilion Reservation- BACON WOODS
Vermilion River Reservation - Bacon Woods https://birdinghotspots.org/hotspot/L274600
Note: 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 with questions.
Leaders: Josh Vardous and Ed Wransky
Spring Bird Walk Series: Oberlin South Woods
Terrain: Easy gravel trail and depending on rainfall may be wet in one particular area.
Lenth: 2 miles or less
Parking is at the far western edge of the parking lot for the Hamilton Road athletic fields. There is a nice large parking lot there. You walk just west to access the north-south path
The Oberlin Woods Path encompasses a total length of 3.1 miles within the city borders of Oberlin, Ohio. This scenic trail is managed by the Lorain County Metro Parks and offers a delightful journey through wet woods, characterized by mixed hardwoods, including white oak. Birdwatchers will appreciate the diverse avian life, with warblers, woodpeckers, owls, and sandpipers frequenting the area12. If you’re seeking a tranquil escape, this trail is open year-round and provides a beautiful experience regardless of the season