Home

Your Help Is Needed!
Did you know that PRAS keeps bird feeders filled at George Wyth State Park, Cedar Valley Hospice, and other locations so that the public can enjoy bird watching? Cash donations that pay for bird seed is needed for this annual endeavor and our bird seed fund is very low - can you help? Any cash donation helps! Please issue and mail a check to Prairie Rapids Audubon Society, P.O. Box 682, Waterloo, IA 50704, or click here to make a donation with PayPal. Thank you!!

Wednesday Morning Birding Continues in October
See details on the Field Trips page

The Red Tail Newsletter for October 2024 "Birds and Wildlife of East Africa" Join us for the next Prairie Rapids Audubon Society meeting on October 8, at 7:00 PM in the lower level of the First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Falls. The program for the evening features Linda Rudolph, retired U of I pharmacist and world traveler.  To join the meeting virtually, click this Zoom link; meeting ID is 581 087 8571 and the passcode is 1999 Linda Rudolph was born in Ithaca, NY, which is the home of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, so it seems fitting that she loves being out in the field and watching birds! Evidently, she loves traveling because eBird reports that she has seen birds in 31 countries and territories. As an adolescent, Linda lived in North Africa and the White stork there was her “spark bird,” the bird that began her life-long passion for birds. Linda returned to Africa recently, and she invites viewers to travel there through her photos to see endemic birds, large and small mammals, the Serengeti, and more.

In the Sky - October 2024

"Were I to write out one prescription designed to help alleviate at least some of the self-made miseries of mankind, it would read like this: One gentle dose of starlight to be taken each clear night just before retiring." - Leslie Peltier

Hydrogen from Soda Cans
By David Voigts, PRAS Board Member & Conservation Chair

In findings that seem too unbelievable to be true, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found a way to generate non-polluting hydrogen gas from sea water by mixing it with aluminum pellets from recycled soda cans.  Even more astonishing, according to an article in Cell Reports Physical Science, the reaction was speeded up greatly by the addition of coffee grounds.

The researchers had been looking for a substance that could speed up the normally slow reaction when in desperation they added coffee grounds to the experiment, and the yield of hydrogen increased dramatically.  This led them to try and find out why this happened.  A chemical analysis of the coffee grounds determined that they contained imidazole, an active ingredient in caffeine.  This was the key to speeding the reaction, and 0.1 ounces of aluminum pellets yielded 13.5 ounces of hydrogen in 5 minutes.

If these results can be scaled up, the implication is staggering.  For example, 40 pounds of aluminum pellets could power a small underwater submarine for about 30 days.  This demonstrates the importance of technology in getting us out of the climate mess, and our government should do all it can to support such research.

Iowa's Natural Lands

By David Voigts, PRAS Board Member & Conservation Chair

Iowa has many tracts of natural lands, both public and privately owned, scattered in a sea of corn and soybeans.  These lands are important for outdoor recreation, habitat for wildlife and plants, and for scenic vistas and trails.  In addition, studies by the Iowa Economic Development Authority have shown that natural landscapes and outdoor recreation are among the top five factors that influence a person’s decision of where to live.  Publicly owned lands are especially important because they are accessible to everyone. 

With the demonstrated importance of natural lands, the obvious question is, “Do We have enough?”  .  According to a recent article in Iowa Natural Heritage magazine, we need more public lands to sustain our wildlife and native vegetation communities, for outdoor recreation, to improve water quality,  and to attract and retain a workforce.  

If additional public lands are needed, what are we to do?  Iowa‘s Department of Natural Resources has provided guidance in their Wildlife Action Plan.  However, implementing the plan requires adequate funding.  Funding could come from the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund that was established by Iowa voters in 2010 but will not be funded until the legislature increases the sales tax by $0.00375.  Let’s do it. 

New to Birding?

Check out this great new brochure from Iowa Audubon that gives you all the information about enjoying the activity of watching birds!

Subscribe to our Online RedTail Newsletter

We've gone online now...check out the online RedTail Newsletter on the "Newsletters & Zoom" page and find archived newsletters. 

Song on a Wire - Wikimedia Commons

Bird Flight Patterns and Music Concert Program
You are now able to access the online concert video and curriculum (see link and password below-posted with permission by the copyright holder).
The link provides the full concert video and online curriculum with activities, lessons, extra musical performances, composer interviews and educational games. This resource will remain active through June 2022 (for one year), so utilize it for your programs, personal edification working with your children or grandchildren to teach them about music and birds!

Bird Flight Patterns and Music Link: https://nbsymphony.org/bird-flight-patterns-and-music-curriculum/

Password:  BFPMC  (case sensitive)

 

Find an injured bird or animal? Call Black Hawk Wildlife Rehabilitation Project 319-277-6511

Subscribe to the PRAS YouTube Channel if you are interested in watching recordings of our past Zoom meetings for which we have permission to post for viewing.

Contribute to our Flickr Photo Stream

Go to this URL:   https://www.flickr.com/photos/prairierapidsaudubon/
Click "Login" 

The email address associated with PRAS's account is:   praudubon@gmail.com

Email praudubon@gmail.com to request password for email; we won't post it here online.

Save the UN and PWD so it is quick and easy the next time you upload photos.

Click the Upload icon (looks like cloud with an arrow) and follow prompts.

Here is Flick's help page for uploads.

Click the Photos link on the above navigation bar to see photos.

Find us on Facebook

We share information about field trips, local sightings, fun and interesting photos and stories about birds, nature, the environment, etc. on our Facebook page. Check it out and like us and "share" our posts.