Black River Audubon Society
Welcome to the Black River Audubon Society!
Established in 1958, members of Black River Audubon Society (BRAS) are committed to protecting birds and other wildlife while preserving their ecosystems and natural environment in our community. We are a membership organization dedicated to protecting our environment through conservation, education and advocacy. We have monthly speakers from September to May, as well as monthly field trips to birding hotspots across the state. We engage in conservation through our bird programs, such as our bluebirds and kestrels, and through the preservation of local natural habitats. We advocate for laws and policies that are favorable to our mission.
Please consider getting involved and joining our organization!
Education
Educational programs include monthly speakers, field trips, scholarships and programs for children.
Conservation
Conservation efforts include our bluebird and kestrel programs, creating natural habitats and working in the community.
October Program-
Matt Valencic
”Migrating Waterfowl and Winter Birds of NE Ohio”
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
7:00 PM 9:00 PM
Sandy Ridge Reservation
**Please note a change to our upcoming program and location.
Matt Valencic will present Migrating Waterfowl and Winter Birds of Northeast Ohio at Sandy Ridge Reservation.**
Once the pretty summer songbirds have departed for points south, what do birders do? They put on another layer of cloths and go looking for waterfowl – Ducks, Geese, Swans, Loons, Grebes & Gulls. This presentation showcases these hardy visitors along with Hawks, Owls and smaller birds like Snow Buntings, Larkspurs and Kinglets. If you don’t like cold weather, ask about ‘car birding,” a favorite alternative to walking when wind chills plummet!
Matt Valencic has been interested in birds and other wildlife most of his life but did not start photographing them until 2006. He retired in 2015 and shortly thereafter met some members of the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland at an event. He felt an immediate bond with them and their mission of education and land stewardship. His catalog of bird pictures soon became the content of several presentations about the birds of NE Ohio and their habitats.
Today Matt helps direct the education outreach of this chapter and is a member of the Sanctuary Committee and the Board of Trustees. His favorite pastime is pursuing and photographing birds in Geauga County, in the hope of better pictures for his talks. He and his wife Patti live on an 8-acre ‘hobby farm’ in Geauga County with their two horses and a large vegetable garden. They have 3 adult children and 9 grandchildren, and he is always grooming those grandkids into future bird watchers, gardeners and nature nerds.
Advocacy
There are many ways to get involved and work with us to protect nature. We offer memberships and need volunteers.
