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There are over 200 specimens in the LAS taxidermy collection! Thanks to the Great Basin Institute, you can view the LAS taxidermy collection at the Galena Creek Visitor Center. The specimens are used regularly during our classroom visits and at education events.
The taxidermy collection has been established by the help of volunteers--people who have found dead birds and turned them over to LAS. Former Education Chair, Alan Gubanich, has state and federal Salvage and Educational Use Permits to allow him to use the specimens. Alan turns the dead birds over to a taxidermist who then mounts them for use. Many of the specimens have been paid for by grant monies from the National Audubon Society’s Whittell Fund Committee. Others were supported by monies from the LAS Education Committee or from our members. The Eagles and Agriculture Steering Committee in Carson Valley, the Spanish Springs Lions Club, and Great Basin Institute have also made generous donations. You can help. If you find a dead bird in good condition, put it in a plastic bag with a note stating your name, location, and date; squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible; and put the bird in a freezer. Contact Alan and he will let you know if it’s a species we can use and arrange to get the bird from you. January 2017
LAS participated as bird guides on the tour buses for the annual Eagles and Agriculture Festival January 28 and 29 in Gardnerville. Jim Woods organized the LAS bird guides for the event. Carmel Hilton, WildBirds Unlimited, and Alan Gubanich, LAS, gave a joint workshop for the public at Moana Nursery from 10:00 am to noon on “How to Attract Birds to Your Yard and How to Identify Them Once They Are There.” Carmel used feeders and seeds from Moana Nursery to talk about the attracting birds part, then Alan used a Powerpoint presentation to show attendees how to identify their typical (and sometimes untypical) neighborhood birds. About 30 people attended. The Great Basin Outdoor School scheduled for January 5 and 6 had to be cancelled due to weather. Linda Valle, Mary Luzier, and Becca Serdehely were to present at the event. November 2016
On November 10 Jim Woods, Linda Valle, and Mike Goddard gave three presentations about Owls and Hawks to 122 students at Bernice Matthews Elementary School. On November 29 Alan and Teresa Gubanich, Linda Valle, and Mike Goddard presented “What makes a bird a bird?” and “Bird identification” to 15 students at Gerlach Elementary School. On November 30 Steve and Paula Gessler gave a presention to the Seniors at Metropolitan Gardens apartments, featuring three of their past trips: Kayaking in the Sea of Cortez; northern coast of California; and Copper Canyon in Mexico. Eleven people attended. The LAS program at Metropolitan Gardens is still continuing, with at least one, sometimes two, presentations per month. On December 21 Jerry Fenwick will give another talk, featuring his photography of nesting herons and egrets. October 2016
October 1: Girl Scouts, Leave No Trace Awareness Day at Macarran Ranch. LAS volunteers Becca Serdehely, Jane Burnham, and Cindy and Mike Goddard presented Bird Identification to 60 Girls Scouts and their parents. October 4: Pleasant Valley Elementary School. Las volunteers Linda Valle, Mike Goddard, Peggy Cullane, and Michelle Hunt presented Bird Identification, What makes a Bird a Bird, and nest building to 464 students, parents, and teachers at Washoe Lake State Park October 11: Metropolitan Gardens. Bob Goodman presented “A world of miniscapes” to residents October 20: Sierra Nevada Academy Charter School Farm Days. Las volunteers Linda Valle and Mike Goddard presented a program about Hawks and Owls, Birds useful to farmers, to 340 students. October 21: Corbett Elementary School. Las Volunteers Linda Valle and Mike Goddard presented an owl program to 80 second grade students. October 25: Fernley Intermediate School. Las volunteers Linda Valle and Mike Goddard presented Bird Identification to 270 students. October 26: Metropolitan Gardens. Lindsey Dmitri presented “Seed dispersal by birds” to residents. The committee received 11 binoculars sent in for repair, 12 new Leupold Yosemite 6 x 30s, and 2 new Vortex Crossfire 8 x 42 binoculars. LAS also ordered 20 new folding Nevada Bird Guides from Waterford Press. Many thanks to Jacque Lowery for sending those old binoculars in for repair and researching and ordering the new binoculars and Nevada Bird Guides. |
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