*This Thursday, Carrol Henderson will be our program speaker at the MInnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter this Thursday. Our meetings are free and open to the public.*
*Bird Study in Cuba* *by Carrol Henderson*, Minnesota DNR Carrol Henderson and his wife Ethelle have led two bird study trips to Cuba in the past year and have discovered a wonderful bird-rich environment in a country where 20% of the land is set aside as natural areas and national parks to protect their extraordinary biological diversity. Cuba has 26 endemic birds, more than the Galapagos Islands. General nature tourism or “birdwatching” is not allowed in Cuba because of restrictions imposed by the US Treasury Department in accordance with the current trade embargo on Cuba. However, the Treasury Department does allow “bird study” for US citizens when they are part of nonprofit-sponsored “People-to-People” or “Humanitarian Projects for the Environment” project in Cuba. Come and learn about why Cuba has so many endemic wildlife species, what are the unique birds that can be seen in Cuba, what species of North American birds winter in Cuba, and what are some of the special habitats that provide habitat for wildlife there. *When*: Please join us this Thursday, May 22nd at 7:00 pm to socialize over cookies. A brief business meeting and the featured speaker begin at 7:30 pm. Meeting will conclude before 9:00 pm. *Where*: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center 3815 American Blvd E, Bloomington. Take Hwy 494 to 34th Ave. Go south to American Blvd; turn left and go 2 blocks. Center will be on your right. Enter through the door at the middle of the building. Seating is limited and there is a possibility, although not expected, that late arrivals may be turned away. *Public Transit*: Accessible by METRO Blue line (Hiawatha light rail), The Visitor Center is a couple of blocks east of the American Blvd. stop. Steve Weston On Quigley Lake in Eagan, MN [email protected] ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
