“Sensational Birds, Sensational Observations” looks at the peculiar behavior of common birds and overviews some of their extraordinary actions. This program will help birders become more attentive to the actions of the birds they watch and more appreciative of their special lives. Guaranteed to give you a new perspective on the birds you already know!

       Discover exciting and “easy care” native plants for your landscape. Learn more about native Ohio plants that attract birds and butterflies -  some will even do well in that soggy spot in your yard! Landscape with the plants migrating birds and butterflies need for their journey. 
      Cheryl Harner is fascinated by the connections between botany and wildlife.She is an avid gardener and lifelong wildflower and butterfly enthusiast. President of Greater Mohican Audubon Society and Richland County’s Soil and Water Conservationist of the Year 2010, she enjoys volunteering at the Ohio Governor’s Residence Heritage Garden and Gorman Nature Center. A great enthusiast for conservation, Cheryl promotes environmental education and the use of native plants in the home landscape. 

       Freelance writer, photographer, speaker and editor Chip Gross has been fascinated by the out-of-doors all his life. In 1976, Gross was hired by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife, as a state wildlife officer. He completed a 27-year career with the agency, advancing to wildlife education officer and ultimately editor of its two wildlife magazines, Wild Ohio and Wild Ohio for Kids. It was during his years with the Ohio DNR that Gross began freelance writing and shooting photographs of outdoor subjects, selling his first story in 1981. Since that time, he has gone on to sell hundreds of articles and photos to national, regional and state outdoor publications, as well as websites. He has also written four books: Home, At Last, Is The Hunter, a novel, and Pro Tactics: Steelhead & Salmon, Ohio Wildlife Viewing Guide and Young Beginner’s Guide to Shooting & Archery, all nonfiction.

       Hummingbirds are, perhaps, the most amazing flying machines on Planet Earth.There are about 340 species, and they occur only in the Americas. The combination of incredible powers of flight, often outrageously showy plumage and fantastic nectar-seeking habits makes hummers true marvels of nature.
       This program will mostly focus on Ohio’s only breeding hummingbird, the ruby-throated hummingbird. Feathered dynamos, ruby-throats are a joy to observe and live far more complex lives than most observers realize. Their life cycle involves tree bark, lichens, spiders, myriad flowering plants and tropical winters in places very different than Ohio.
       Jim works for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, specializing in nongame wildlife diversity issues, especially birds. He was inaugural president of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Jim is author of Birds of Ohio (Lone Pine 2004), The Great Lakes Nature Guide (Lone Pine 2009) and Wild Ohio: The Best of Our Natural Heritage (Kent State University Press 2009). The last of these won the 2010 Ohioian Book Award. Jim writes a column, “Nature,” for the Columbus Dispatch and has authored or co-authored over 100 scientific and popular articles in a variety of publications.

       Kim Kaufman has spent the last 15 years of her life completely immersed in the world of birds and birding. In this fun and enlightening presentation, Kim will share some of the weirdest, coolest, scariest and most memorable things she’s learned about birds and birders and, along the way, try to help you get more from every birding opportunity. 

       Greg Miller has been birding for almost 50 years and has birded in all 50 states. He was formerly on the board of directors for Southern Maryland Audubon Society and the board of directors for the Ohio Ornithological Society.
       In 1998, Greg did a Big Year in an effort to see as many species of birds as possible in one calendar year. Two other birders and he broke the 700 mark. Their individual stories, as well as the interactive competition, are documented in Mark Obmascik’s book, The Big Year,  2004. The book made the USA Today’s Best Books of  2004, New York Times Best Seller #35, and it was an Amazon Top 100 Seller for weeks.
       Filming was completed the summer of  2010 for a comedic movie, The Big Year, to be released in 2011. Stars include Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson.