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April/May 2008 Update

Celebrate Urban Birds News
April/May 2008

Thank you and keep spreading the word!

We've been pleasantly overwhelmed with requests for more than 50,000 kits in the last three months from individuals and over 2,000 organizations throughout 50 states and around the world.

All this through word of mouth! Please keep it going. Let friends, family members, and organizations in your community know how they can Celebrate Urban Birds!

Please don't forget to enter your data! It's easy and fun!

 

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How can I help urban birds in my community?
Visit the Celebrate Urban Birds website: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/resources-for-celebrating/tips/helping-birds-in-cities

Learn simple things you can do to help birds in your community.

Or download the following handout. It includes a list of container-friendly plants that are good for birds:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/resources-for-celebrating/CUBS%20Helping%20Birds.pdf

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New data entry and data viewing pages
Great new data entry and data viewing capabilities are now available. You can now set up more than one site and return to it time after time to enter data. Data viewing has also improved. For example, if you want to explore a summary of observations by geographic area you can use the "aggregation tool". It looks like a light blue polygon and can be found towards the top of the map.  Click on it once then click on an area of the map you want to explore. To learn more about using the data map please visit our FAQ: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/data/online-data-entry-faq#help-with-interactive-maps

Folks in Austin, Texas and Seattle, Washington have been busy!

http://watch.birds.cornell.edu/cub/maps/map

Explore for yourself! Highlight your corner of the world by entering data today.

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South Allegheny Elementary School video

Not sure what Celebrate Urban Birds is all about?

Let kids from South Allegheny Elementary School tell you. Watch their video: http://www.southallegheny.org/webpages/podcasts/index.cfm?subpage=277214

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Connect through the arts
"Many people see with their brain.  We have preconceived ideas of what a tree or a bird looks like.  These are conventional images in our minds.  Artists train their eye to override these ingrained images and to see purely through their eyes and then record what they see, and/or what it makes them feel"

~Elsie Dentes, master quilter.

Learn how to integrate the arts in your celebration of any size. Partner with local artists if possible. Explore ideas on our website: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/resources-for-celebrating/art-activities-connect-you-with-nature

Download a Celebrate Urban Birds through the Arts flyer to promote your event:http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/promote/Celebrate%20Urban%20Birds%20ARTS%202008.pdf

 

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Workshop at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Our Spring Celebrate Urban Birds Workshop at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology on March 14th was a great success. Participants from across the US visited the Lab and learned about Cornell Lab of Ornithology resources. Here are a couple of featured activities from the workshop:

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Mini-grants awarded
Seed mandalas, rooftop gardens on webcams, poetry celebrations of bird gardens in the South Bronx, paddling on the Gowanus Canal, schools partnered with museums, community garden potlucks (with original songs), and more. What do all these activities have in common? They were selected to receive mini-grants by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in honor of their efforts and creative outreach. Learn more about our mini grant winners: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/Spotlight/featured-organizations

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Ideas for groups and organizations
Explore pages of ideas and resources on the website specifically for youth groups, community gardens, homeschools, 4-H, schools, nature centers, Cooperative Extension offices, and much more: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/GettingStarted/GettingStarted#4-ideas-for-celebrating
Explore our resource pages for ideas on integrating the arts, greening, PowerPoint presentations, and much more: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/resources-for-celebrating

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We need your help to keep going!

Help us keep our commitment to distribute kits to ALL participants.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/donate

Why does it matter? For every kit we give to someone who has not had the opportunity to connect with nature, we get a bit closer to creating a world that cares about conserving and interacting with nature. It's good for kids, it's good for families, it's good for seniors, it's good for birds! We promote healthier neighborhoods, habitat improvement for birds, kids getting outdoors, and connection with nature.

 

"You mean I get to take this kit home with me?" asked a boy with Down Syndrome in a participating elementary school classroom. "I will take it home and put it on the wall forever--because I'm going to be a scientist when I grow up!"

We've had to temporarily reduce the numbers of kits offered to organizations because we don't want to run out. Help us get the Celebrate Urban Birds kits to everyone!

 

If you are an organization, consider paying $1.50 per kit to get your logo on the kits that you distribute! Email urbanbirds@cornell.edu to find out more.

 

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Celebrating youth
Check out the newest additions to our Celebrating Youth section: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/Spotlight/youth-participants/youth-participants

Do you know any youth that Celebrate Urban Birds through their art, give back to their community, or who excel in greening efforts, careful data collection, or birding skills?

We'd like to highlight youth on our site. Send an email to: urbanbirds@cornell.edu to tell us about youth in your community.

 

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Join Celebrate Urban Birds on Facebook

Join our Facebook Group so that you can easily share photos, events, and ideas. Help us make it a great success!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5487246308

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We want to feature your event (big or small)
Send us a quick description and photos and we'll help you get the word out by featuring you on the Celebrate Urban Birds website. It doesn't need to be fancy or complicated. Just get us the information so we can help you publicize the event and bring attention to your community, school, or organization. See http://www.birds.cornell.edu/celebration/showcase-of-events

Did you photograph a robin making a nest on a tire? Hold an evening event at your local library? Watch a Killdeer display in the parking log? Each Celebrate Urban Birds event is unique and exciting!

 

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Spotlight on research
Question the value of the arts in promoting conservation? Read an paper by Jacobson et al. in Conservation Biology (Volume 21, No. 1, 7-10) titled: "Promoting Conservation through the Arts: Outreach for Hearts and Minds." The paper explores how PROMOTING CONSERVATION though the arts is effective because it engages emotion, brings in new audiences, and awakens sense of place and community.

 

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