Wichita Audubon

Volume 37 No. 8 May 2003

CNC Upcoming May Program

Programs We had to postpone this program Coming Events
from February, but it's finally here,
May 3, Saturday just in time for the spring return of May 3
5 pm - ? our favorite butterflies. Dr. Orley Warbler Walk in Oak Park. Meet
Twilight Dinner "Chip" Taylor is Professor of Ecology at the lily pond at the north end
Join us for a beach party, a visit with and Evolutionary Biology at K.U., of the park and join in the search
Chuck the Turkey Vulture, barbecue, and director of Project Monarch for spring migrants. Leader:
a scavenger hunt, and lots of fun. See Watch. The citizen scientists who Kevin Groeneweg, 687-4268,
page 3 for details participate in the Monarch Watch kgroeneweg@cox.net
tagging program have helped
June 14, Saturday create a magnificent database that May 3
10 - 11 am can be mined to answer numerous Twilight Dinner at Chaplin Nature
Wildflower Walk questions concerning monarchs. In Center - 5:00 pm
If you have ever wondered about the this presentation, Chip will show
native flowers you see in prairies and how the data from the tag recoveries May 10
fields, here is a great chance to learn can be used to test a new theory North American Migration Bird
about them. We will hike the trails in concerning the timing and pace of Count. Similar to the Christmas
search of spider milkweed, larkspur, the migration during both the fall bird count, this national event
ruella, and many others. We will and spring migrations. covers all of Sedgwick county.
also discuss the traditional uses and You can join other members and To join a team and help count
edibility of some of the plants. our speaker for dinner before the migrants, call Harry Gregory, 263-
program at 5:45 pm at Jason's Deli, 7608, birdfan@infi.net
August 16, Saturday 21st and Rock Road.
10-11 am May 20
Stream Ecology Regular Meeting, “Monarchs, A
Whether you want to cool off or you New Theory to Explain the Timing
have a special place in your heart for June Picnic and Pace of the Migration,” by
things that crawl, wiggle or swim, Join us for our annual picnic on Dr. Orley "Chip" Taylor, 7:30 pm
This is the program for the young Tuesday, June 17 at PAWNEE Great Plains Nature Center.
curious mind. Children will enjoy PRAIRIE PARK at the west side
digging in the mud to get a close- picnic shelter. See page 2 for map May 18
up look at dragonfly nymphs, and details. Quivira NWR/Cheyenne Bottoms
bloodworms, scuds, and others. The field trip. Meet at the Quivira
Nature Center will provide containers. headquarters building at 9 am
Wear old clothes and shoes. for shorebirds, waders, and other
migrants. Leader: Bob Dester, 316-
For more information about any 283-7070.
Chaplin Nature Center programs
call Shawn Silliman at June 17
620-442-4133, or e-mail Annual Picnic, 6:00 pm at Pawnee
cnc@wichitaaudubon.org. Prairie Park, west side shelter.
June Picnic, con't. Birdathon Wetlands Restoration
Bring a dish to share and your own Birdathon is a fund-raising activity Project at Chaplin
service. Iced tea will be provided, or that is also a lot of fun, and open to any
bring your own drink. The west side member that likes to bird and wants Nature Center
picnic shelter is located on Pawnee, to help. A Birdathon team solicits With the help of grants from the
approximately three blocks east of pledges from friends, neighbors, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Maize Road. Note: Pawnee is not a coworkers, even total strangers, for and the GE Fund, a well was drilled and
through street. It is possible to reach the number of bird species they can a windmill erected to provide water
the picnic shelter from Tyler Road, but find in a 24 hour period. The team to Kingfisher pond. The windmill
far simpler from Maize Rd. picks a date between April 20 and has been erected on the prairie just
May 27 and goes birding. Then the south of the Weck building and pole
pledges roll in to help support WAS barn. It uses an airlift technique to
and Chaplin Nature Center. pump the water, so it doesn't have
We really would like to have your be directly over the well. The well
Be sure to keep up help this year. To join a team talk to is located at the southeast corner of
with the latest news on Carol Cumberland, Patty Marlett, or the pond. The water is flowing, and
conservation issues, local Shawn Silliman. If you don't want to the pond is getting bigger every day.
issues and events by go birding, consider soliciting pledges The next step will be to plant some
visiting our website at for one of the teams, or contribute aquatic plants to add to the diversity
www.wichitaaudubon.org. yourself. Any and all assistance is in the pond. It should be ready to
appreciated. serve as a great outdoor laboratory
for kids this summer.
The windmill is immediately visible
as you drive into the nature center.,
so be sure to take a look for it and
visit Kingfisher pond to see how it
is growing.
2002-2003 WAS Officers
President Patty Marlett 942-2164
Vice-president Kevin Groeneweg 687-4268
pmarlett@mac.com
kgroeneweg@cox.net
Big Brothers Big
Secretary Sharon Bolin 620-584-2314 jbolin@sktc.net Sisters
Treasurer Duane Delong 684-7456 dwdelong@earthlink.net
Directors
Wichita Audubon has been
Bill Beard 722-3081 wbeard@cox.net approached by the Big Brothers Big
Carol Cumberland 685-4867 ccumb@swbell.net Sisters organization to join in their
Mary Englemen-Kemmer 688-5322 rockchalk123@aol.com
Barbara Millar 838-8542 bmi3931874@aol.com
Pass It On program. The goal of this
Cheryl Miller 978-7900 (wk) cherylmiller1@cox.net program is to share an appreciation
Gary Straley 620-221-3664 garrob@hit.net of the outdoors and nature with
Committee Chairs children. Our participation would
Newsletter Patty Marlett 942-2164 pmarlett@mac.com
CNC Gary Straley 620-221-3664 garrob@hit.net
involve organizing a field trip for
Programs Kevin Groeneweg 687-4268 kgroeneweg@cox.net children who have not yet been
Conservation Barbara Millar 838-8542 bmi3931874@aol.com matched with a big brother or sister.
Development Carol Cumberland 685-4867 ccumb@swbell.net
Membership Sister Patricia Stanley pstanley@csjwichita.orgt
We would provide one gender
Hospitality Laura Groeneweg 687-4268 lauranng@cox.net matched volunteer for each child.
Field Trips Harry Gregory 263-7608 birdfan@infi.net BBBS would provide professional staff
Finance Cheryl Miller 978-7900 (wk) cherylmiller1@cox.net
Naturalist Shawn Silliman 620-442-4133 cnc@wichitaaudubon.org
supervision, and any transportation
or food needed.
www.wichitaaudubon.org The WAS board would very much like
email any officer: was@wichitaaudubon.org to see us be a part of this program, but
Send address changes to Sister Patricia Stanley, 6739 Perryton, Wichita, KS 67226
pstanley@csjwichita.org
we need a volunteer who would be
continued on page 4
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Twilight dinner at Chaplin Nature Center
This special event, on Saturday May
3, is to honor our members and donors
who make Chaplin Nature Center
possible. Activities include

•Barbecue dinner on the

beach (weather permitting -
if it's raining we'll move inside)
•Nature scavenger hunt for kids
•Sand castle building contest
•Bird watching
•Owl calling
•An animal program by Joyce Lent, a
naturalist at the Great Plains Nature can't walk that far. We want this to for children 12 and under - and this
Center in Wichita, featuring "Chuck" be accessible to everyone. is all you can eat!
the Turkey Vulture. Donors who have given one hundred It's not too late to let us know
dollars or more in the past year will you are coming. Call Carol
Festivities begin with a social hour be honored with a free dinner (you Cumberland at 685-4867 or email
at 5:00 pm, dinner at 6:00 pm, and will receive a personal invitation in ccumb@swbell.net.
activities continuing until after dark. the mail.)
There will be transportation provided All others are invited to join in the fun
to the sandbar, so don't worry if you for only $6.50 for adults and $3.25

Kansas Birding and Prairie Flora Trails

Audubon of Kansas, with a grant folks can work on this project. An Volunteers should keep records of
from the Kansas Division of Travel individual site or ”rural route” must be time and mileage devoted to the
and Tourism, is developing birding selected and described. Information project, along with any other costs
trails in Kansas. will be gathered about historic associated with their efforts. We need
features, community amenities or this to help us with our requirement
The Kansas Birding and Prairie Flora events, and by making site visits. for “in-kind” services for the grant
Trails system will include four routes Collectively, the product will be provided by the Kansas Division of
going across the state, as described an outline for nature-based tourism Travel and Tourism.
on our audubonofkansas.org website. opportunities within the county. The
A statewide map and field guide will individual or team will prepare/write We will be able to reimburse folks for
be published for the system, and the material for use in the publications some of their transportation (mileage)
a website will provide additional and/or the website. Contributions of costs, or will provide a receipt
detail. photographs for the website will be of your charitable contributions.
greatly appreciated. However, because of the limitation
Will You Become a County County coordinators will contact of funds, we cannot obligate funds
Coordinator for This Project? or provide names of people for mileage or travel expenses to and
knowledgeable about the counties from destinations far outside of your
There are several ways in which and various sites, help us find or immediate area.
dedicated individuals or a team of develop site maps and descriptions. continued on Page 4
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 Non-Profit
Wichita Audubon Society Organization
U.S. Postage
P.O. Box 47607 PAID
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, KS 67201 Permit No. 921

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Printed on recycled paper

Kansas Birding and Prairie Flora Trails, continued Big Brosther Big Sisters,
We will be working on the publication or a document that can be added as con't
by late spring and will be doing an attachment. Feel free to include willing to coordinate the effort. This
some field visits to follow up on the information from the Breeding Bird would mean working with the BBBS
descriptions. Atlas or from Christmas Bird Counts staff and lining up WAS volunteers.
if it has the potential of adding to If you are that person, please call
We are enthused about the prospect the experience of someone visiting Patty Marlett at 942-2164, or email
of working with you during this final the area. pmarlett@mac.com. We would also
stage of the project. We want the like to hear from people interested in
website to have personality and utility We would like to provide information being one of the volunteers matched
that goes beyond any other birding about Audubon chapters on the trails with a child for the event.
trail site in the country. Thus, please website. This may be valuable for
feel free to be innovative and personal. recruitment of new members.
For example, if one is describing a
site and this vicinity is where you or Thanks.-- Ron Klataske and
friends saw a rare bird (for Kansas) Ferdouz Vuilliomenet
in 1996, include a note to that effect. Audubon of Kansas
If the Kansas Ornithology Society w w w. a u d u b o n o f k a n s a s . o r g
or the Kansas Herpetological Society 785-537-4385, fax 785-537-4395
held a spring meeting in the county
in 2001 and recorded some notable
species, please share that with a note
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