Audubon: Letters

(letters)

Early Activists

Iread with great interest Jennifer Price's article "Hats Off to Audubon" [November-December 2004]. As a children's librarian, I first learned of Minna Hall and Harriet Hemenway from a book called She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head, written by Kathryn Lasky and illustrated by David Catrow (Hyperion, 1995). This book is recommended for elementary-school children. Colorful illustrations and invented dialogue help to present this important information in a style that is appealing to youngsters.

Margaret Anne Carswell
Macon, GA

A More Perfect Union

As curator-director of Mill Grove for more than a quarter of a century (1966–1994), I am gratified to see it adopted by an organization sympathetic to its needs ["Where It All Began," November-December 2004].

There has been a longstanding relationship between Mill Grove and the Audubon Society. Fred Peters, former chairman of Montgomery County's board of commissioners, told me he was inspired to acquire Mill Grove for the county in 1951 because of memories of Massachusetts Audubon's Pleasant Valley Nature Center in the Berkshires. National Audubon's vice-president, Carol W. Buchheister, was on hand at the public ceremony announcing its purchase. When, 19 years ago, America celebrated the 200th birthday of John James Audubon, Mill Grove had a hugely successful, three-day affair attended by thousands of people, including the late Roger Tory Peterson. It would not have been possible without Walt Pomeroy, Audubon's mid-Atlantic regional office director, and his staff.

Over the years, in crisis and in calm, support for Mill Grove has come from legions of individuals, Audubon Society chapters, foundations, and Montgomery County. Mill Grove supporters believe that preservation of our environment, our history, and our culture are indeed important. They also understand that this effort can be successful through education, citizen involvement, and identifying a vision of where they want to go. This is most certainly a part of the Audubon Society's philosophy. It will be interesting to watch this new chapter unfold in the relationship between Mill Grove and Audubon. May success and goodwill prevail.

Edward W. Graham
Farmington, ME

The Maine Point

The "Audubon Milestones" timeline [November-December 2004] reveals an impressive record of accomplishment in America's conservation movement. Another contribution occurred in 1936 and is still going strong to this day. The Audubon Camp in Maine on Hog Island was established that year; now, nearly 70 years later, the camp is host to more than 400 people each summer. Hog Island instructors continue to be world-class ornithologists, naturalists, and educators who share their knowledge and experience. In addition to traditional sessions for teachers, there are general public, family, youth, and teen camps. Surely this bespeaks an Audubon milestone if not a cornerstone in the foundation of nature education in America.

Seth Benz, Director
Audubon Camp in Maine, Hog Island
Bremen, ME

Blackbird Blues

It shouldn't surprise us that the " rusty" is in decline along with the more common blackbirds of the Great Plains, Midwest, and East ["Tally Ho Ho Ho," November-December 2004]. This autumn I witnessed not even one of the mile-long strings of blackbirds that formerly spanned the autumn skies of the Mississippi Valley. About 30 years ago their numbers began to decline, and then to dive; now redwings are comparatively sparse in the wetlands, and grackle colonies are much reduced in the pines. A contributing factor has been the introduction, three decades ago, of pesticides used on crops and lawns. These toxins have spread in the environment, and decimated insect populations and all the creatures that prey on them. We old-timers are appalled at the scarcity of insect life circling the streetlights now as compared to half a century ago. Then, even in urban areas, swirls of silent bats and lines of noisy nighthawks vied for the insectivorous feast that clouded the night sky.

Donald E. Smith
Mondovi, WI

Looking Forward

I've just received the November-December issue of Audubon, and want to take a moment to tell you why I continue to subscribe after 10 years. Two words: Ted Williams. His is the very first article I read. I know that speaking his mind every month, touching on controversial topics, opens him to a huge amount of criticism. But as long as an intelligent writer like Ted continues to write for you guys, I'll continue to subscribe. Great job, Ted, and great job, Audubon!

Mark J. Hartzer
Naperville, IL

Ted Williams's "We’re Winning" [November-December 2004] leaves me scratching my head. As I sit here writing this, 24 turkeys are outside the front of my house. So, like Ted Williams, I have seen species added to my area of the world. But this does not negate the huge areas of land around me being converted to housing; the failure of the Chesapeake Bay to improve appreciably, even with all the effort being exerted; the disappearance of lizards, turtles, and frogs from areas where they used to be found when I was a kid; the invasive plants that now are outcompeting the spring wildflowers all around me; the fragmentation and loss of forests nearby. The list goes on. Let's not give up hope, but let's also be realistic.

Rodger Waldman
Seven Valleys, PA

Hooked for Life

I enjoyed reading T. Edward Nickens's Journal ["To the Woods," September-October 2004] about raising his children outside. I did the same with my three, and I want to reassure him that it works. My oldest took her first steps on an Audubon fall bird count. When they became teenagers, I often despaired for their outdoor life, but today, as adults between the ages of 27 and 33, they all work and spend time in the outdoors. The values in their lives are fully centered around nature in just the way that we brought them up!

Billie Sue Hulsey
Birmingham, AL

Corrections
The photograph of the American flamingo on page 49 of the November-December 2004 issue was incorrectly credited. The photograph was taken by Art Wolfe. "Where It All Began" (November-December 2004) refers to Edward Vair, a New York businessman, as a benefactor of Mill Grove. This man was actually Edwin H. Vare Jr. of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Don't Forget to Write
Send letters to Letters to the Editor, Audubon, 225 Varick St. 7th Floor, New York, NY 10014 or editor@audubon.org. Include your name, address, and daytime phone. Letters may be edited for clarity and length. To see more letters, and letters on previous issues of Audubon, go to "Sound Off!"

Sound off! Send a letter to the editor about this piece.

Enjoy Audubon on-line? Check out our print edition!