WETLAND MATTERS Number 53 May-June'95 Newsletter of Oxbow, Inc. Birdathon Oxbow, Inc.'s annual fund raiser, Birdathon '95, will be held between 5 P.M. May 12th and 5 P.M. May 13th. Teams sponsored by tri-state area conservation organizations will spend 24 hours searching for birds. They raise pledges of money for each species of birds they detect and split their pledges with Oxbow. Oxbow, Inc. will sponsor three teams of its own. All money raised by these teams will go to Oxbow and be used to protect the Oxbow wetlands. You can participate in Birdathon by pledging your support for one of these Oxbow teams. Team #1: Geriatric Gents, will be headed by Karl Maslowski. Karl said he thought the team would spend a good part of its time in Adams county. Every year Karl's team finds birds that no other team finds. Who knows what they'll find this year! Team #2 Fire and Brimstone Birder's Guild. Joe Bens and Paul Wharton. Last year Joe and Paul won the Golden Starling Award by finding a record breaking 159 species of birds. We expect no less from them this year. Team #3 No See Ums, David Styer, Charlie Saunders and Steve Pelikan. Last year, Dave and his team found 156 species of birds. Dave said they'd try even harder this year. Pledging your support is easy. Fill up the form and mail it in. After Birdathon is over, you’ll receive an account for the adventures of Oxbow's teams and a memo telling what your pledge come to. Thank you in advance for your support. Billboards In March, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Division of Water held a public hearing concerning an application by I275 Enterprises to construct billboards in the floodway of the Great Miami River. It seems that the application was rather vague since IDNR engineers were not able to interpret it correctly. The engineers thought that the proposal was for one billboard in the floodway of the Great Miami River. At the hearing, a representative of I275 Enterprises explained that the proposal was for up to 21 billboards in the floodway. He would not say exactly how many billboards the proposal was for. He also declined to say how they would be supplied by electric power, how they would be installed, or exactly how large the signs would be. He thought they might be up to 95 feet high. He also said I275 enterprises didn’t plan to survey the area for possible archeological sites before construction because they didn’t think there were any sites present and because they didn’t know how to go about such a survey. Many people attended the hearing and wanted to present evidence they thought should be considered. The representative from IDNR Division of Water explained many times that she only wanted to hear about water-related matters, and that other divisions of IDNR would comment on the proposal, but not hold public hearings. Since IDNR couldn’t understand the original proposal, there will be another hearing. Many of the people at the first hearing took time off work to attend; we hope that the next one will be in the evening. When it became clear that another hearing would be scheduled, Oxbow’s attorney, Tim Mara, requested that representatives from other divisions of IDNR attend the next hearing. Oxbow, Inc. feels that the I-275 proposal should be considered as part of the many developments planned for the area, and the cumulative effects of all the billboards proposed in the area should be considered. Calendar Meetings 9 May (Tuesday) 7:30 P.M. Oxbow meeting at the Cincinnati Zoo Education Building. (Enter throught the exit gate on Erkenbrecher Avenue.) Kani Meyer, Education Director at the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History is just back from a trip to India. In her talk "India, land of contrasts" she will share her trip (and slides) with us. 13 June (Tuesday) 7:30 P.M. Oxbow meeting at the Lawrenceburg Public Library. From Cincinnati, turn left off U.S. 50 onto Walnut St. Turn right onto High Street. The Library is on the right side of High St.) Kani Meyer's agreeded to present her program on India (see above) again for people in Lawrenceburg. This might be your last chance to her about here experiences traveling in India. Field Trips 23 May (Tuesday) 6:30 P.M. Oxbow field trip. Meet Dave Styer at 50's Root Beer for this year's first evening walk at the Oxbow. Sunsets are beautiful at the Oxbow. Call Dave at (513)-772-4395 if you need more information. LETTERS Representatives of Oxbow, Inc. will be invited to present evidence to the Indiana Gaming Commission in Indianapolis. As a result, the time available for letter writing has been extended. Your letters are very important and we need them no later than June 1, 1995. Please address your letters to the officials listed below, but mail them to Oxbow, In.c (PO Box 43391, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45243-0391). The letters will then have a bigger effect because they can be delivered en masse. Address your letters to Indiana Gaming Commission John J. Thar, Executive Director 302 West Washington St. Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202-2767 Indiana Department of Natural Resources Water Division James J. Hebenstreit, Assistant Director 402 West Washington St. Room W264 Indianapolis, Indiana, 46204-2212 Mayor Don Combs Eads Parkway Lawrenceburg, Indiana, 47025 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District Doug Shelton, Chief Permits, North Section P.O. Box 59 Louisville, KY, 40201-0059 Many letters have already arrived. Here are some good lines that were used in letters that Oxbow has already received. Perhaps they'll inspire you or serve as a starting point for your own letters. I have been to the Oxbow and this beautiful and recreational resource is wonderful. I look forward to gambling at the new facility, (but) I trust that the Indiana Gaming Commission is not willing to gamble with the fragile Oxbow ecosystem. Indiana's prime natural heritage areas must not be compromised... Nature has an intrinsic value and right to exist... Most of the letter mentions one or more of these points: 1) Serious consideration of alternate sites for gaming development. 2) Possible negative impacts of development on the Oxbow ecosystem. 3) The value of wetlands (as habitat for wildlife; for flood control, water purification, and aquifer recharge). 4) Unknown effects of changing the hydrology in the area. 5) Archaeological sites and wetlands are protected because they are irreplaceable. Cleanup To celebrate Earth Day, Tom Harrison organized another cleanup of Oxbow owned land. John Homer, Mike Kluesener, Tim Mara, Dennis Mason, and Greg Mendell helped. Much of their time was spent on removing large appliances. In the end they removed 4 stoves, 1 freezer, 3 refrigerators, 1 dryer, 1 air conditioner and 1 hotel sized ice-maker. These were brought to the Fairgrounds where the Dearborn County Solid Waste District was running an appliance collection day. Gifts Oxbow gratefully acknowledges gifts of $500 from The Polly M. & Kenneth B. Bassett Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, From the Helen G. Henry F. and Louise Tuechter Dornette Foundation, and from the Southern Ohio Dog and Game Protective Association, W.S. Moore, President. On April 21st, Oxbow's President, Norma L. Flannery, accepted a $1,500 research award grant from Cinergy Corporation. The presentation was made at a ceremony held at the Phoenix Hotel. Memorials In memory of Donor Joseph Fitzwater, Sr. Fred and Peggy Gatch Julie Godsey Remember Norma L. Flannery Blue Boy Johnson Cheryl Winslow-Devine, D.V.M. Alfred Schlaemeus Bob and Betty Myers Wallace F. Smith Lisette Anhofer Wallace F.Smith David Dierig Wallace F. Smith Employees of the Fairfield Overhead District, Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company Wallace F. Smith James W. Robinson Wallace F. Smith George and Linda Uchtman & Family Ida and Frank Waldron Wayne R. Wauligman, D.D.S. Herbert Westendorf Wayne R. Wauligman, D.D.S. Oxbow Sponsored Research Published Paper describes new species In the paper 'Taxonomic and Ultrastructural study of Trachelomonas Ehr. and Strombomonas Defl. (Euglenophyta) From Oxbow Lakes in Alabama and Indiana (U.S.A.)" Dr. Visitacion Conforti of the City University of Buenos Aires and Dr. Gea-Jae Joo, from Pusan National University, describe 9 species new to science which were found during Dr. Joo's study of the Oxbow lake. The organisms are relatives of the Euglena familiar to many from highs school biology class. In addition to the new species, Confori and Joo also report on the discovery of 7 new varieties (subspecies) in the oxbow lake. When he described his work to an Oxbow meeting in Larwenceburg several years ago, Dr. Joo explained that he attributed the large number and diversity of species in the waters of the oxbow lake to the unique hydrology of the area, and to the shallowness and productivity of the lake itself. Oxbow, Inc. sponsored Dr. Joo's investigation of the oxbow lake while he was a postdoctoral researcher at Miami University. The insights gained from his research will help Oxbow, Inc. better manage the lake and surrounding lands. Morris Mercer Field Notes This year the large flights of waterfowl passed through the Oxbow area in February. The flooding has been much less than '94 but still there have been many spectacular days of wildlife viewing in the Oxbow.. I've seen the Oxbow land flooded and crowded with ducks and geese and watched as other flights came in to join those already in the fields. The large flights are mostly Mallards and Black Ducks but I've also seen more Pintails than for several years. As I watched Tundra Swan and Common Loons I wondered where they would spend the summer and raise their families before coming back through in the fall. The first week of April was delightful. On Friday I made a trip to the Oxbow to prepare for a field trip scheduled for the weekend. I pulled in and stopped as soon as I could see the water. The shallow water out toward the Beaver Pond seemed to be alive with ducks. Most of the birds before me were Green-winged Teal. I counted 77 of them, and there were some Blue-winged Teal as well. The Green-wings were perfect with their brown, green and yellows in just the right places. All the ducks were busy — some hurrying along the bank, and most feeding half submerged. Some stopped eating just long enough to chase one of their flock-mates that had crowded too close. The water was so shallow that it seemed about knee-deep on a short duck. A few Pectoral Sandpipers hurried around in the corn stubble. I looked toward the Oxbow Lake and it as bust too. I could see great Egret, several Black-crowned Night Heron in the weeds and shallow water. Some coot busied themselves in the water while others stood atop the old Muskrat house. Carp splashed around them, and there were more teal, Shovelers, and Wood Ducks sharing the weeds and water. There were many Double Crested Cormorants in the air, and then I saw a couple trees almost black with cormorants (there were more than 50). The next morning, Jim Simpson and I arrived to see much the same scene I had seen the day before. After looking around we moved on toward Wood Duck Slough. Really, you had to be there. A warm gentle breeze was out of the south, carrying the sweet smell of spring. Turkey Vultures circled easy in the blue sky. Across the water of the Oxbow the pale green willows stirred in the breeze. Halfway down the willows was a light brown line left by the last high water. Below the line the willows were still dark. But they’ll green up soon. We crawled up for a peek over into Wood Duck Slough. What a tranquil scene was there before us. Blue-winged Teal were busy in the brushy water. A pair of Wood Duck cruised along the other side, and the male climbed up on a small log to preen. Down the slough were more woodies and teal, along with a few Shovelers and several Greater Yellowlegs. There were many more birds than we had seen as we found out when they all took to the air as a train rumbled past the other end of the slough. As we walked on down toward the old beaver dam, a fine looking Cooper's Hawk came up off the ground in front of us. The hawk swiftly found its way through the trees. It was time to head out. On the way out we had a close look at an Osprey. I was trying to take a picture through the scope, but was much too slow. The Osprey seemed to scold us, as it flew back toward Wood Duck Slough. On the way out we stopped to talk to Sue Simon and Gene Kritsky. They were getting ready to put out turtle traps to aid them in their study of the turtles of the Oxbow. Sue was getting into her waders. I think Gene was saving the deeper water for Sue. We checked the Great Horned Owl nest from Mt. Nebo Road and the nest in Shawnee. Each nest has two young. We saw an adult at Shawnee. The floor of the woods is greening up. Several deer browsed on tender shoots. On the wooded hillside the Dutchman’s Breeches and Squirrel Corn are in bloom. The leaves of the Buckeye threes are getting bigger and the patches of dark green were May Apples now about 8 inches high. Songs of birds are in the air, including that of the Sycamore Warbler which surprised us. We heard Pileated Woodpeckers as well. The sun was getting high so we headed home for lunch. After lunch Frances, my wife, Marilyn, our daughter, Sarah, our grand-daughter, Jim and I made a trip back to the owl's nest. I wanted everyone to seen the owlets before they leave the nest. They seemed to be hot in the afternoon sun. Sarah was looking at them through the 'scope and said that one of the owlets winked at her. It was a fun trip. I'm sure there is more cool weather to come before summer, but today was a beautiful warm spring day in the Oxbow. It's my hope we can keep this area as it was today.