In mid-May, we were surprised and happy to hear that the Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua had received a Mindful Birding Award!
Since the Chautauqua began in 2002 we have worked hard to make the event as low-impact as possible to the wildlife around which it revolves. In particular, since the rise in popularity of smartphones and other digital devices has made it easier to use audio playback to attract birds and alter their behavior, we have adopted the policy of the American Birding Association: “Individuals [should] limit the use of recordings and other methods of attracting birds, and never use such methods in heavily birded areas, or for attracting any species that is Threatened, Endangered, or of Special Concern, or is rare in your local area.”
For the Chautauqua, this means that audio playback devices should not be used by participants, and used only under limited circumstances by field trip leaders, with the exception of the State Reserve boardwalk below County Park, where no audio playback devices may be used.
In addition to practicing low-impact birding, we also award the Jeff Maurer Chautauqua Research Grant annually to foster and continue the long history of ecological research in the Mono Basin. The grant comes from the Chautauqua proceeds, and actively supports bird research and conservation. Recipient studies have included Snowy Plover research at Mono Lake, bird diversity conservation in Tuolumne Meadows, and Willow Flycatcher surveys along Rush Creek. This year the Chautauqua Research Grant is going to the Mono Lake Eared Grebe survey project, which has been conducted every year since 1996 and provides crucial information about Eared Grebe migration and health.
We’re proud to be able to offer a popular event that draws so many people to the Mono Basin to learn about this area’s remarkable bird life and natural history. Many thanks to Mindful Birding for the recognition! The text of the Mindful Birding Award press release is below:
20 May, 2015 PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua Receives a 2015 Mindful Birding Award for Adopting Ethical Birding Guidelines
The Mono Lake Committee and California State Parks are the recipients of a 2015 Mindful Birding Award for their efforts to promote ethical birding guidelines and bird conservation through their Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua event that will be held in Lee Vining, California from June 19th–21st, 2015.
The organizers of the Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua are long-time proponents of ethical birdwatching behavior. They have refined and simplified the event’s code of ethics over the years to provide clear guidance on how birders can achieve safe and gratifying birdwatching experiences while maintaining the ability of birds to behave naturally. The event distributes its code of ethics to field trip leaders and attendees, and publishes its ethics online for a wide distribution.
The Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua offers a variety of birdwatching field trips that will connect participants to nature through the splendor of birds. By strengthening participants’ connections to nature, and by providing guidance on ethical birding and nature conservation, the Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua is serving as a model for other birding festivals and helping attendees become even stronger messengers for and supporters of conservation for birds and people.
Mindful Birding is a charitable project of the Morrissey Family Foundation that presents ethical birding guidelines from around the world, and offers awards to birding festivals that demonstrate improved or superior ethics. The project has three goals: (1) increase awareness among birders of ethical birding guidelines, (2) increase the conservation contributions from America’s 47 million birdwatchers, and (3) encourage a practice of mindfulness among birders. To learn more, view past award recipients, and browse ethical birding guidelines, visit the website: www.mindfulbirding.org
INFORMATION CONTACTS: Marla Morrissey, Ashland, Oregon, (805) 801-4021 and Brandon Breen, Ashland, Oregon, (612) 910-6502