One offshoot of the duck feeding discussion is that I was asked, "what can ordinary people and birders do to help birds?". There are tons of ways and I could probably type pages and pages, but in the mean time, I'd like to throw out one easy way and open up a thread where people can add their suggestions. One very easy way is to buy duck stamps, they are available in post offices and the proceeds from their sales are used to purchase habitat for birds, and not just ducks. The Migratory Bird Conservation Fund is an important source of funding to acquire land for the National Wildlife Refuge system and has provided millions of dollars of funding for New England's own Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge to acquire land in the Connecticut River Watershed. For more information on duck stamps: http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/Info/Stamps/stampinfo.htm I will post more suggestions later, but for now I'd love to hear what other suggestions are out there. Thanks! Patrick Comins, Meriden Audubon Connecticut, COA and Friends of Conte. PS Also I was reminded of a few other reasons why waterfowl feeding is discuraged, salmonella, aspergillosis (mold poisoning), avain flu and botulism. I also remembered about this document from the USFWS: http://library.fws.gov/Pubs9/caution_waterfowl.pdf

Um I appreciate the link and without starting a war... this stamp's sale as the website says "serves as a hunting license." I'm sorry but I have to ask now what difference it makes in feeding waterfowl proper foods if ducks are going to die anyway at the hands of a hunter's bullet? It's a double-edged blade if you ask me... I don't condone hunting as too many don't do it right... my dad was a hunter... glad he's not around now or I'd definitely have ulcers. Sorry but this isn't a program I'll be supporting. There has to be something better that truly embraces the needs of the wild critters and saves habitat that is open space for people to commune with nature and not have to worry about the wildlife dying by way of hunting. Please, don't beat on me... this is my opinion, so back to birding... I logged 22 species so far in my Yard Count... how are others fairing? Donna Lorello Branford ----- Original Message ----- From: "COMINS, Patrick" <PCOMINS@audubon.org> To: <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Sent: Saturday, February 13, 2010 11:45 AM Subject: [CT Birds] How can people help birds. > One offshoot of the duck feeding discussion is that I was asked, "what can > ordinary people and birders do to help birds?". There are tons of ways > and I could probably type pages and pages, but in the mean time, I'd like > to throw out one easy way and open up a thread where people can add their > suggestions. > > One very easy way is to buy duck stamps, they are available in post > offices and the proceeds from their sales are used to purchase habitat for > birds, and not just ducks. The Migratory Bird Conservation Fund is an > important source of funding to acquire land for the National Wildlife > Refuge system and has provided millions of dollars of funding for New > England's own Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge to acquire > land in the Connecticut River Watershed. > > For more information on duck stamps: > http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/Info/Stamps/stampinfo.htm > I will post more suggestions later, but for now I'd love to hear what > other suggestions are out there. > > Thanks! > > Patrick Comins, Meriden > Audubon Connecticut, COA and Friends of Conte. > > PS Also I was reminded of a few other reasons why waterfowl feeding is > discuraged, salmonella, aspergillosis (mold poisoning), avain flu and > botulism. I also remembered about this document from the USFWS: > http://library.fws.gov/Pubs9/caution_waterfowl.pdf > > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) > for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit > http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org

The Federal Duck Stamp Program is the most successful habitat protection program in history. Almost 100% of the monies generated go directly to funding the aquisition of habitat in the form National Wildlife Refuges and wildlife management areas. Another perk is unlimited access to all NWRs which allow public access. I buy one every year despite being a non-hunter in addition to my CT and National Audubon memberships. In my opinion is a tremendous bargain on multiple levels. Chris Sent from my iPhone On Feb 13, 2010, at 12:39, "Donna" <sunny19682@comcast.net> wrote: > Um I appreciate the link and without starting a war... this stamp's > sale as the website says "serves as a hunting license." I'm sorry > but I have to ask now what difference it makes in feeding waterfowl > proper foods if ducks are going to die anyway at the hands of a > hunter's bullet? It's a double-edged blade if you ask me... I don't > condone hunting as too many don't do it right... my dad was a > hunter... glad he's not around now or I'd definitely have ulcers. > > Sorry but this isn't a program I'll be supporting. There has to be > something better that truly embraces the needs of the wild critters > and saves habitat that is open space for people to commune with > nature and not have to worry about the wildlife dying by way of > hunting. > > Please, don't beat on me... this is my opinion, so back to > birding... I logged 22 species so far in my Yard Count... how are > others fairing? > > Donna Lorello > Branford > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "COMINS, Patrick" <PCOMINS@audubon.org > > > To: <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> > Sent: Saturday, February 13, 2010 11:45 AM > Subject: [CT Birds] How can people help birds. > > >> One offshoot of the duck feeding discussion is that I was asked, >> "what can ordinary people and birders do to help birds?". There >> are tons of ways and I could probably type pages and pages, but in >> the mean time, I'd like to throw out one easy way and open up a >> thread where people can add their suggestions. >> >> One very easy way is to buy duck stamps, they are available in post >> offices and the proceeds from their sales are used to purchase >> habitat for birds, and not just ducks. The Migratory Bird >> Conservation Fund is an important source of funding to acquire land >> for the National Wildlife Refuge system and has provided millions >> of dollars of funding for New England's own Silvio O. Conte >> National Fish and Wildlife Refuge to acquire land in the >> Connecticut River Watershed. >> >> For more information on duck stamps: >> http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/Info/Stamps/stampinfo.htm >> I will post more suggestions later, but for now I'd love to hear >> what other suggestions are out there. >> >> Thanks! >> >> Patrick Comins, Meriden >> Audubon Connecticut, COA and Friends of Conte. >> >> PS Also I was reminded of a few other reasons why waterfowl feeding >> is discuraged, salmonella, aspergillosis (mold poisoning), avain >> flu and botulism. I also remembered about this document from the >> USFWS: >> http://library.fws.gov/Pubs9/caution_waterfowl.pdf >> >> _______________________________________________ >> This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association >> (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. >> For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org > > > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association > (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org