Audubon
       Society of
             Kentucky
                      Kestrel

Rose Canon, Editor
1016 Della Drive
Lexington, KY  40504

BIRDING SCHEDULE, ACTIVITIES,
AND NEWS

At Spring Luncheon

ASK Elects Officers, Discusses Centennial

  Jim Hodge was elected president of Audubon Society of Kentucky, succeeding Jackie Van Willigen, who served two years.   David Lang was elected secretary, succeeding Terri Koontz.  Reelected were Bernice Wood, vice president, and Jim Williams, treasurer.

 There was discussion of the ASK centennial which will be next year, 2010, but nothing was decided. Several members volunteered   to form a committee to work on ideas.  Rose Canon offered to set up a photo album for ASK on a Picasa.com website.  Anyone who has old photos is asked to send them to her.  They will be returned.

  Jim Williams presented the treasurer’s report showing a checking account balance (Feb. 28) of $2508 and a savings account balance
(Jan. 31) of $4006.  Income totaled $3337 and disbursements $2403.  Our share of profits from the January seed sale is not yet known.

  Donna Alexander, program manager for Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, a private nonprofit organization, spoke on efforts to preserve land on Pine Mountain.

 David Lang reported on the ASK list server which is now being used for communication within ASK.  At the time of the luncheon,  31 people had signed up.  If you want to keep up to date with ASK activities and local bird sightings, and you  haven’t signed up yet, see instructions on page 3.

May 1-3 at Blue Licks Battlefield SP

Early Date, New Location for ASK ’09 Spring Birding Weekend
 
   The ASK Spring Weekend comes as early as it can this year with the first Saturday in May (Derby Day) being May 2.  This may mean the trees won’t have leafed out so much and birds may be easier to see.  It could also be slightly early in the warbler migration.

  Blue Licks Battlefield State Park is an old park (1927), with a fairly new lodge (1999), but it’s the first time ASK has held its weekend there.  That makes it new territory for us.  It will be interesting to see how the birding compares to other places we have been.

   To get to Blue Licks from Lexington, just take U.S. 68 north (North Broadway) and stay on it till you get there, taking the bypass around Paris.  Go on through Millersburg, and when you cross the bridge over the Licking River, you are nearly there.  Watch for signs. The distance is 48 miles, but don’t be misled.  US 68 will never be mistaken for an interstate.

 The deadline is past for rooms in the Audubon block in the lodge. If you  haven’t made a reservation, you can find out if any rooms are available by telephone, 800/443-7008 or online at www.parks.ky.gov.

   Weekend activities will feature, as always, formal birding with guided walks led by ASK birders, informal birding all the time, a potluck picnic Friday evening, Derby Party Saturday afternoon, and program Saturday night with brief business meeting.   For the potluck, bring a dish to share (meat, vegetable, salad or dessert) and your own beverage and utensils.  For the party,  bring an appetizer and your own beverage.

    Park naturalist Paul Tierney will present a program Saturday evening.  Wayne Davis will report on his recent experiences building and placing bird houses.

    Schedule on Page 2