Audubon Society 'a diverse group'

The Tri-Moraine Audubon Society, based in Lima, covers Allen, Auglaize, Hancock, Hardin, Logan, Mercer, Shelby and Van Wert counties. Eric Broughton, president of the chapter, has been involved with the Audubon Society since he moved to Lima in 1987. He advised beginning birders not to be intimidated, as they will learn to identify species a few at a time. Really, Broughton said, Audubon Society field trips are just an excuse to get out into the woods. "We make jokes about, there's always food involved," he said. The organization's website describes its members as "a diverse group of people with a common interest in our natural environment. We like to watch birds, butterflies, and bugs; stop and smell the wildflowers; and learn about and marvel at nature's wonders. We go on outdoor field trips, take pictures, feed birds, educate, recycle, support environmental activities, plant trees, and enjoy spending time with other nature lovers. We invite you to join us!" Longtime birdwatchers can tell you how many species of birds are on their "life list" — a list of all the species they have seen and identified since they began birding. A December 2018 story by Steve Hampton on birdwatchingdaily.com, detailing his quest to reach the milestone of seeing 700 species in the continental U.S. and Canada, notes that the official American Birding Association tally for the region is about 1,000 species that are theoretically possible. However, only 650 species occur regularly in the area, with others that "stop by occasionally," he wrote. To reach hundreds of species seen, of course, requires significant travel. But to keep a list at all requires knowing definitively how to tell one type of bird from another. That's easy if you are looking at, for example, a cardinal or a blue jay, as not many other things look like them. It gets harder when you are looking at sparrows. But this doesn't have to be overwhelming. "You learn the easy ones first," Broughton said. He advised beginning birders not to even worry about what are known as the "Little Brown Jobs" (or "LBJs") — the many small brown birds that may all look alike at first. Once you learn how to identify the easy ones, "next time, you'll own those," and you can learn to identify new types, Broughton said. In addition to the parks along Lake Erie, which the Audubon Society will visit in May in search of warblers, Broughton said other popular places for area birders are St. Mary's Fish Hatchery in Auglaize County and Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area in Wyandot and Marion counties. Broughton said the latter is particularly good for ducks and raptors. The local chapter, based in Lima, got its charter from the national Audubon Society in 1972. It's volunteer-based. Broughton said the organization continues to receive donations, and is giving mini-grants to other environmental education groups. Program meetings are held from September through May, with a board meeting every other month and a field trip once a month. The Audubon Society also gets involved with environmental causes. For example, members have been recommending native plants to plant near proposed solar farms in Lima and Defiance. Decades ago, before recycling was popular, Audubon Society volunteers would collect materials for recycling. And, since 1980, the Tri-Moraine Audubon Society had used for its environmental education weekend what was then Camp Myeerah in Bellefontaine, owned and managed by the Appleseed Ridge Girl Scouts. In 2014, through the efforts of the Audubon Society, the Trust for Public Land, and the Bellefontaine Parks and Recreation Department, Camp Myeerah was purchased from the Girl Scouts with funds from the Clean Ohio fund. It is now owned and operated by the Bellefontaine Parks and Recreation Department and operated under the guidelines of a conservation easement held by the Tri-Moraine Audubon Society. It was renamed Myeerah Nature Preserve, and habitat restoration is ongoing. For more information or to get involved with the Audubon Society, visit tri-moraineaudubon.org