Our raptors are amazing for their speed, maneuverability and their reign at the apex of the food chain. This program will introduce information on natural history, behavior, habitat, preferences, population declines and more.

Judy is the founder of Chrysalis In Time, the first Ohio chapter of NABA. Judy also serves on the board of OOS (Conservation committee) and Ohio Biological Survey. She has co-authored two natural history guides on Dragonflies & Damsels and Goldenrods. For 20+ years Judy was a Conservation Specialist in the Natural Areas Division of CMNH. As a former petroleum geologist and science teacher Judy loves to learn about and share her passion for the natural world through field trips, interpretive programs and photography.

Learn more about Judy’s latest adventures & offerings through her new company, Nature Spark!

Website:  www.naturesparkohio.com

Email:  naturesparkohio@gmail.com

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.

Doors open at 5:30. Must purchase in advance.

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.

Leader: Patty McKelvy
Meet at: The South edge of the reservoir at the top of the hill.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fluddles - TURNST▶️NE (turnstoneimpact.com)

Leader: Paul Sherwood

Meetup at paves path that leads to the metal deck that overhands the lake