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Bay County Audubon Society
P.O. Box 1182
Panama City, Florida 32402
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FROM BIRDWATCHING ...TO THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
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Upcoming Events
Roseate Spoonbill May 26,2018
Camp Helen State Park
Photo by Emily Ellis
"Bay County Audubon Society, Inc. does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations."
Come join Bay County Audubon's exciting and Informative Monthly Meetings!
We will meet in person in the St. Andrews Episcopal Church Parish Hall at 1608 Baker Ct and broadcast live on Zoom at 6:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month
Our in-person meetings started again in September 2022. We will also continue making the meetings available via Zoom. Several Board members have worked hard to make this "hybrid" program possible. The meeting Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85357950738. This address will also be available on our Facebook page. A meeting reminder email, with the link, will be sent a few days before the meeting. to members that have provided us their email addresses Thank all of you who continue to support BCAS by participating in our meetings.
Upcoming Membership Meetings:
Monday, May 8. Annual Meeting: Installment of Officers, “Conservationist of the Year” Award, “Year in Review”, Potluck Banquet. (No Zoom this time) See below for more info.
Upcoming Field Trips
Saturday, May 20. Workday and Birding at Laidlaw Preserve
Visit to Laidlaw Preserve for a workday starting at 8:30 am, meet at gate. To caravan, meet at Porter Park next to Bailey Bridge in Lynn Haven at 7:30am. Bring lunch, bug spray, water, gloves; as available bring loppers and trimmers for a work day in a hidden preserve.
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CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION
Black Bellied Whistling Duck Feb 2, 2022 Panama City Beach Conservation Park
Wagon ride at Conservation Park
Many of you likely recall last year’s “Nature Connection 2022” Program featuring Noah Strycker. He led our NC Program by spotlighting nature education through various methods: classroom visits and videos about Antarctica, a Penguin Art Contest for elementary schoolers, bird walks, his lecture on his penguin studies, the First Annual Art/Photography Contest at the Panama City Center for the Arts, and ultimately Noah’s awesome “Big Year 2015” presentation about his journey to 41 countries identifying 6,042 birds.
There were many things a “Nature Lover” could love. But what about our next Program? How can we share the love with even more Nature Lovers? How can they share the love with others?
One of the Nature Connection Programs we want to sponsor again is the Art/Photography Contest at the Panama City Center for the Arts in conjunction with Bay Arts Alliance. Last year, 73 people submitted 140 entries for judging in three categories for both Art and Photography. We also want to include our youth and teachers again in a “nature art contest”, as we did with last year’s Penguin Art Contest, but this time with a new nature subject (retiring the much-loved penguin, at least for the time being).
Co-President's Message By Brian Dusseault
NATURE: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”
Along with those successful artistic endeavors, I would like to explore adding a new part to our Nature Connection Art/Photography Program, a photo exhibit instead of a Contest. The idea grew out of a frustration that there no longer seems to be no outlet for novice or amateur photographers to get their nature photos out for others to appreciate. Sadly, it seems there’s no public nature connection anymore available to most people to share who are not professionals. Most amateurs don’t want money for a special photo; they just want to share the beauty of nature they see with others to appreciate.
So, this new presentation format would allow anyone in Bay County with a camera to demonstrate their love for nature by sharing a single photograph with others. It’s the “People’s Nature Photo Event.” This large-scale format will allow viewers to connect with nature by appreciating another person’s nature connection through photography.
How might we do this? Participants would email their photo to the designated email address, with name, location, and a brief description of the photo’s special appeal. At the Art/Photo Contest Award event at the PC Center for the Arts, these photos would be shown on a high-definition TV or projection screen on a continuous loop. Hundreds of digital photos could be accommodated this way, along with the physical entries from the Art/Photo contestants. It’s like two events at one time in one place. We would also fit in the student art contest, still being developed.
This digital Amateur Nature Photography event can accommodate a wide range of talent, in which participants need not print and frame photos, pay entry fees, and judged. It’s entirely digital; just push “Send”.
Currently, we (Audubon and Bay Arts Alliance) are looking at Friday December 8 for the Art/Photography Contest, the showing of the student art contests, and this digital photo component. We will soon need to develop the rules for this event. I am thinking no entry fee, but entrants may make a donation if desired. There are other considerations, but I just want to lay out a framework at this time.
I encourage each member to give me your input, critiques, suggestions to better develop the concept. Please email me or call. I really do want to pick your brain on this, as I see great potential. Thank you.
Brian Dusseault
bdusseault@aol.com
850-832-7579
PS: Best Buy in Panama City has offered to donate a HD TV for use to project the digital pictures and personnel to assist with the event as needed.
2022 Conservationist of the Year
End of the Year Potluck Banquet
Join us at our 2022-23 "Year End" monthly meeting Monday May 8 at the St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Parish Hall, 1608 Baker Court. (There will not be any Zoom.) This meeting will be a celebration of another interesting year in the life of our Chapter, as can be seen from the "Program" below, culminating in Gail Casteel's "Year in Review" in pictures and commentary. As to the Potluck Supper, bring a dish of your choice (side, dessert, appetizer, drinks, etc) and add it to the table for all to share and enjoy. BCAS will provide a ham. New officers will be sworn in by Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki. Special guest Kelly Langenberg, head of the Bay Education Foundation, Inc., will give us a detailed status on the Classroom Grants we funded for $10,000 last year, with an accounting of the projects to date, teachers and students involved, money spent, and money left. The "Conservationist of the Year" Award will be announced and bestowed, but you'll have to be present to congratulate the newest recipient(s) and see why this choice was made. All in all, this will be an enjoyable evening for all.
Program: 6:30 Pot Luck Supper
7:10 Business/Announcements
7:15 Installation of Officers - Mayor Brudnicki presiding
7:20 Bay Education Foundation, "Status of Classroom Grants" - Kelly Langenberg, Executive Director
7:30 “Conservationist of the Year” Award (surprise!)
7:40 “Year in Review” - Gail Casteel
8:00 Adjourn
