“The best ever,” several people gushed about Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory’s Annual BBQ with the Birds. Highlights were many. 1. Governor John Hickenlooper and other dignitaries cut the ribbon on the new Environmental Learning Center and began planting the native plant garden. He told the crowd of 360 attendees “The Learning Center’s motto, ‘A healthy home for birds is a healthy home for all of us,’ is powerful advice…Wildlife, especially birds, are an indicator that lets us know our environment is safe and healthy.” With Barr Lake’s bird list totaling 350 species, “this is a pretty safe place to be,” he quipped. 2. Mark Obmascik, author of The Big Year, a tale of “competitive birdwatching,” spoke about how much he admired and appreciated the three birders as they pursued their principled but maniacal quest to see the most birds in a single year. He described challenges presented by outrageous locations and situations during filming of the movie to be released October 14. Mark also was David and Scott Menough’s guest on “Bird Talk” that aired live from the BBQ. 3. Successful silent and live auction bidders won valued possessions while raising significant funds to support our environmental education efforts. One unique item was a plaque featuring one of the three recaptured geo-locators carried to South America and back by a black swift, the last U.S. nester to reveal its wintering area. Bidding was lively for a special and rare item, a large two-volume signed set of Roger Tory Peterson’s paintings for his best selling bird guide. 4. Karen Levad presented the Rich Levad Award to Larry Semo, who sadly passed away on August 20. This award honors the ornithologist who made the most outstanding contributions in the thirteen-state area served by RMBO. Although Larry’s time on the RMBO board was cut short, he exhibited “a strong commitment to advancing the science of birds, was expert in the field of ornithology and empowered others to become engaged in conservation.” 5. Amber Tyler received the Nelda Gamble Award as Volunteer of the Year. Amber was in the first class of RMBO Naturalists and volunteered 200 hours last year. She asks children, “What catches your eye, your ear? What makes you curious?” 6. Around 150 gawkers enjoyed up–close-and-personal views of birds as they were being banded. 7. Exhibitors enjoyed showing off their products (Wild Birds Unlimited, S&S Optika) and wards (Wild Wings, Butterfly Pavilion), telling visitors about their special venues and programs (RMBO, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Wildlife Experience, Denver Field Ornithologists, Barr Lake State Park), and bringing kids close to nature (Fantastic Facepainting). 8. Presentations on Colonial Waterbirds, Grassland Conservation, and Colorado’s Migrating Birds shared many insights with visitors, as did the workshop on backyard wildlife habitats. 9. Children of all ages played games with outrageous creatures painted on their faces. 10. The burgers from The Brighton Depot were great. 11. People have provided suggestions for making our BBQ for the Birds even better. If you have more feedback, please let me know! 12. We all loved the camaraderie as people who respect wildlife and habitat shared favorite stories and friendships. To all of you who joined the festivities, thank you for supporting RMBO and its mission of conserving birds and their habitats. We hope you had a great time! Larry Modesitt Chairman, Board of Directors
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