All Aiken programs are now taking place on Zoom until further notice. Instructions for each meeting are emailed the week before the meeting. To receive emails, sign up for our email list! Or just email [email protected] for instructions. Hope to see everyone – virtually – very soon!
All of our meetings are now recorded and can be viewed on our YouTube channel here.
No Boundaries for Wildlife: Saving Tropical Birds in the Pikes Peak Region
Nic Korte is a forty-year resident of Grand Junction, Colorado. He has been the Conservation Chairman for Grand Valley Audubon for more than two decades. Simultaneously, he has led a Western Screech-Owl project that has engaged several hundred Grand Valley citizens and has resulted in record counts of this small native owl. His volunteer work in the conservation community culminated in his being the 2015 recipient of the Richard G. Levad Award, awarded by the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies which recognizes individuals who “have provided distinguished service to the ornithological community, made scholarly contributions to the field of ornithology and/ or have enthused others about conserving birds and their habitats.” In July 2019, nominated by Audubon Rockies, Nic received the William Dutcher Award from the National Audubon Society for his “leadership in the birding community of Western Colorado for over four decades and his continual voice for the environment, birds, and the conservation challenges they face every day.” In 2020, Ten Jungle Days, Nic’s paean to the tropical rain forest combined with memoir and thoughts on the future, was published by Outskirts Press.
Nic Korte has journeyed to the American tropics (Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Panama) more than 40 times and has personally documented sightings of more than 2000 species of birds. He has had the good fortune of many marvelous experiences but has also witnessed much destruction and loss. These observations have resulted in his upcoming presentation entitled “There are no boundaries for wildlife: Saving Tropical Birds in The Pike’s Peak Region.”
Birding Namibia
October 21 / Amy Sherman
Birds and Renewable Energy
With the increase in demand for renewable energy across the U.S., there is also increasing concern over potential impacts to birds and other wildlife. This presentation will provide an overview of the various federal regulations that govern development of renewable energy with respect to birds, as well as the best management practices and mitigation measures utilized by wind projects in order to manage avian impacts. Major regulations discussed will include the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service managed compliance with these regulations. We’ll also discuss how local renewable energy projects are addressing avian concerns, and what you can do to support changes to regulations to strengthen protection of birds.
Amy Sherman is a Project Manager and Biologist with Tetra Tech, Inc. in Colorado Springs. She has over 12 years of experience specializing in environmental permitting support for energy, transportation and water projects across the Great Plains and Western United States. Ms. Sherman is a member of the Aiken Audubon Society and an avid local birder.
Come join us!
Aiken Audubon programs are free and open to the public. They are held at Bear Creek Nature Center, located at 245 Bear Creek Road, Colorado Springs, 80906. Coffee, snacks, and socializing begins at 6:30 pm and programs begin at 7 pm.
Aiken’s weather cancellation policy: Sometimes inclement weather may cause us to cancel an Aiken meeting. If this happens, a decision will be made by 1 pm on the meeting date. Notification will be placed here our website, on our Facebook page, and sent out through our email notification list. In addition, a message will be posted on the CoBirds Listserv, which many Aiken birders subscribe to. If there is any doubt, please do not hesitate to contact any Aiken board members via telephone. Always, your safety is first so use your own judgement when coming to a meeting.
Finally, if you would like to present a program at one of our meetings, or have suggestions for a speaker and/or topic, please contact program chair Diane Luck at [email protected].