Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society Program Overview For times and places of specific events, please go to the Calendar page. Welcome to the OVAS! The Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society (OVAS) conducts regular activities and major events throughout its program year, Oct. thru April. Our outdoor birding field trips, educational programs and conservation activities are summarized on this page. The annual calendar is established well in advance so you can easily plan your schedule. Participate in one or two of these great activities and we know you will want to join the chapter. This table will help you find about our programs of interest to you. Audubon Adventures Adopt-A-Bird Beginner Birding Classes Canoe Trips Christmas Bird Count Birding Field Trips Joint Society Meetings Overnight Nature Trips Nature & Conservation Presentations Chapter Programs Audubon Adventures: This quarterly nature education magazine for 5th grades is sent to 87 local classrooms throughout Lake County Florida. The kit contains 32 student magazines, an Audubon video tape, poster and teacher's guide for use. Sponsorship of a classroom for a whole year is only $41.50. Teachers have given the Audubon Society whole-hearted praise for this illustrative and fun-to-read material. To learn more or to sponsor classroom subscriptions go to the Chapter's Education Page. and call our Education Chair. Adopt-A-Bird: In 2002 the 5th grade classrooms are being encouraged to Adopt-A-Bird. This National Audubon Adopt-A-Bird program helps support the recovery of injured birds of prey. Volunteers are needed to go to one of the 22 schools in Lake County and assist the teachers with paperwork and the collection of funds ($50) to adopt-a-bird. A staff member from the Birds of Pray Center in Maitland FL will bring the adopted bird to the classroom and let the children enjoy seeing the fruits of their savings and earnings. To volunteer call Mary Anderson at 787-9320. Return to Top Beginner Birding Classes: Just new or need a refresher on to how to identify our feathered friends? Beginner classes help you with selecting a field book, adjusting your binoculars, using identification markings and finding the best birding locations. See Birding for more. Canoe Trips: Our canoe trips are bird hikes on water. Fun and exciting. We use canoe outfitters so you only need a lunch and binoculars. Watch the calendar for time and location. Christmas Bird Count: It is traditional, national in scope and we participate. Return to Top Birding Field Trips: These day trips visit the best birding areas around central Florida. Bring a lunch and your binoculars to the assembly location. Often there are more than one trip per month. Included is a boat trip to see water birds from the water. The calendar lists field trip dates and locations. See Birding for more. Joint Society Meetings: Our programs include joint meetings with several groups concerned with nature and the environment. If your group wishes to schedule a joint meeting write us or call the Chapter Program Chairperson. See Meetings for more. Overnight Nature Trips: To experience the highlights of Florida's nature, an overnight trip is scheduled annually. Often the trip is a three day adventure with a two night stay at a convenient hotel. See the calendar for the trip schedule. Car and van pools take us to our hotel, then it is off to see the flora and fauna in a different and exciting locale for two days or more. Advance reservations are required. See Birding for more information. Return to Top Nature & Conservation Presentations: These presentations occur during the regular meetings on fourth Tuesdays at 1:30 P.M. The meetings are held at the Trout Lake Nature Center in Eustis Florida. See the calendar for the schedule of presentations. Shown is Dr. Richard Hesterberg, lepidopterist at Cypress Gardens, presenting a program on butterflies and moths. See Meetings for more.       Return to Top