Los Angeles Audubon - Born To Talk

Do you enjoy the great outdoors? Do you love nature? I’m very excited to have two women from the Los Angeles Audubon Chapter join me on my Born To Talk Radio Show on April 18th. Tune in to watch and listen on www.latalklive.com from 1-2 PT

Cindy Hardin is the Director of Outdoor Education for LA Audubon.Carol Babeli is the Director of Development and Communication.Their smiles represent just how much they enjoy their work. I have a great affection for the bird world and the environment that they live in. My ears are super sensitive to the songs of the local birds and my curiosity is always tweaked when I hear an unfamiliar sound.

The next logical step for me is to grab my camera, that’s why you will see so many blogs about birds and nature.

Have you ever wondered what the Audubon Society is all about? This will be your chance to hear about the fabulous work these women are involved in.

There are Audubon chapters all over the country. Here is the link to the Los Angeles chapter www.laaudubon.org

No matter where you live, springtime is a wonderful time to be outdoors. Maybe you like to hike, maybe you like to take a walk by a stream, a lake or the ocean. When ever Mother Nature has a part in the process beauty is the natural by product.

I’ve had the good fortune of participating these past two months on the First Saturday of the month at the Open Wetlands. The focus is fulfilling the mission of educating the public about birds, wildlife and conservation.

This free event provides the visitors with binoculars and guided tours by their experienced volunteers. Many birders of all ages show up between 9-12. My experience has been wonderful. The gentle walk takes us past the Ballona Salt Marsh. I’ve learned about the ecosystems and the migration of the many birds that visit this area.

One bird that I have always hoped to see is a Kingfisher. Through the expert eyes of our guide and a powerful spotting scope along the Ballona Creek, my wish was granted.Of course there are Hummingbirds.Part of the enjoyment on these walks is just being outdoors with whatever is blooming. This is a Dune Lupine.Plenty of water birds fish along the creek beds and we get to witness that in this serene setting.This Willet had a lucky day.There is nesting going on. This photo of the Great Blue Heron’s nesting was farther away than my camera could clearly see, but through the stationary scope on the tree, they were magnificent.The Canada Goose was much more photogenic at close range!Undoubtably I’m drawn to this experience with my camera. However, there is so much more that LA Audubon Chapter offers and that will be the focus of the show.

Environmental Education Programs is what Cindy is all about. She visits local elementary schools in preparation for their visits to the Ballona Wetlands and also to Kenneth Hahn Park in Baldwin Hills. There is also a connection to Dorsey High School’s Baldwin Hills Restoration Leadership Program and Greenhouse Internship Program.

Do you have some extra time on your hands? There are many volunteer opportunities at this Chapter. Take some time to visit their website for more information and to see their photo galleries and calendar of events.

Carol does a great job of keeping the public informed.

Here’s the link to Bird LA Day. There are many places to explore based on your interests on May 7th. www.birdladay.org.

This is what I’m going to do. I’ll be heading off to Venice, just a neighboring town from my home to listen to Dave Collins http://davecollinsimages.com/ an expert bird and wildlife photographer at http://www.theg2gallery.com/ and then take a walk over to the Wetlands to take photos.

We will be talking about this and so much more. You won’t want to miss it. If you miss the live show, the link will be available on my website www.borntotalkradioshow.com and my Born To Talk Radio Show Facebook Page.

Happy Sunday, from my house to yours! Next week’s show…Members of the Lawn Bowlers Association.