BIRD PROGRAM: There are so many birders in our readership area
that we can’t help but think some might be interested in becoming
part of a new program offered by the National Audubon Society.

Audubon Pennsylvania, the state office of the National Audubon
Society, has registered more than 200 properties statewide in their
new Audubon At Home – Bird Habitat Recognition program. But they
want to get to 1,000.

None of those 200 properties are within our readership area
comprised of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter counties.

More than 30 counties in Pennsylvania contain registered
bird-friendly habitat properties but, according to Audubon, there
are quite a few counties “where bird lovers are
under-represented.”

Included are McKean County and the three counties nearest to us:
Elk, Cameron and Potter.

This program, funded in part by Together Green
(TogetherGreen.org), allows property owners who landscape with
native plants, feed birds, and provide other resources to register
their property and join a statewide community of “birdscapers.”

Homeowners, schoolyard habitats, parks, and green-minded
businesses can apply online at no cost and have the option of
obtaining an attractive yard sign that can be posted on their
property.

“We’re aiming for 1,000 properties by December,” said Steven
Saffier, the program’s coordinator, “And we’re thrilled to have 200
properties representing over 2,000 acres in Pennsylvania. A lot of
people are helping birds on their own property and we’re hoping to
provide information to enhance their efforts. Birds certainly can
use our help and the network of people created by Bird Habitat
Recognition will be able to help an audience new to the world of
habitat gardening.”

The program’s application takes about five minutes and can be
found on their website that also boasts a variety of valuable
information, plant lists, and other resources.

E-Newsletters are emailed to program participants who are also
able to post questions on the program’s listserve.

They can also keep up with Audubon At Home via a newly launched
Twitter site. The Audubon At Home program itself is based at Mill
Grove, John James Audubon’s first home in America located near
Valley Forge. Audubon Pennsylvania is the state office of the
National Audubon Society, an organization celebrating more than 100
years of service to the nation in conservation and public
education.