2008 Missouri Bluebird Conference Speakers

The Missouri Bluebird Society is honored to have the following individuals as program presenters at our 2008 Missouri Bluebird Conference Sept.13th in Independence, MO.

Sandy Seibert is the Keynote Speaker for our Conference. She will be presenting a very useful and informative program entitled “Nest Box Predators & Competitors”. Sandy has served as President of Bluebirds Across Nebraska (BAN) since 2003. She also holds the positions of Membership Chairperson and Douglas County Coordinator for BAN. She has been awarded the Appreciation Award from BAN for her contributions to bluebird conservation. In 1992, Sandy opened Backyard Birds, Inc., a nature store located in Omaha, Nebraska. She writes a monthly newsletter, “Backyard Chatter” and is a monthly guest on the “Plant Talk Show”, a live call-in radio program. Sandy has been awarded the Friends of the Aquarium Award by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for her ongoing work at the Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium Outdoor Education Center. She presents bluebird workshops and maintains a bluebird trail at Schramm State Recreation Area, home to the Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium.

Mark McKellar will present “Missouri’s Sparrows- More than Little Brown Birds”. Mark worked as a field biologist for the Department of Defense at Fort Bragg, NC and as a wildlife management specialist for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission before making the switch to environmental education. He has been the Assistant Nature Center Manager at the Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center in Blue Springs, MO and the Director of the Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary in Liberty. Mark and his wife Melanie purchased the Backyard Bird Center in Kansas City in March of 2002. Throughout Mark’s career, the common thread has been birds. He has led birding expeditions from California to Maine and never passes up a chance to explore new areas for birds. Each year Mark volunteers his time to conduct Breeding Bird Survey Routes and migration counts here in Missouri.

John Hess, Emeritus Professor of Biology, University of Central Missouri is a scientist who combines knowledge of biology with the aesthetic of an artist. John will be presenting a program on the Galapagos Islands. He served as President of the Prairie Chapter of the Biological Photographic Association and is currently a juried member of "Best of Missouri Hands". In 2006 he was awarded an Artist-in-Residence position at Rocky Mountain National Park and in 2007 at Mesa Verde. His book on the Galápagos Islands is now in press with an expected release date of March 2009.

Jack Dodson will present “Growing Mealworms – a supplemental food for Bluebirds”. Jack is a native of Missouri who is a family doctor by trade and an amateur naturalist at heart. He is also President of the Missouri Bluebird Society and maintains an extensive nest box trail in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Michael O’Keefe, MOBS Board member and “Conference Committee Chair” for the 2008 Missouri Bluebird Conference will give a brief presentation on Bluebird Trails in the Kansas City area, followed by a guided tour of the Burr Oak Woods Nature Center Bluebird Trail. Michael works for KMOS-TV, licensed to the University of Central Missouri, where he is pursuing graduate studies in environmental science. He has volunteered at Burr Oak Woods since 2000.

FRIDAY, SEPT 12TH: Steve Garr will present “Bluebirding for Everyone” in a special, free, P

re-Conference presentation! Steve is Vice-President of MOBS, Bluebird Columnist for the Nature Society News, and a former President of the North American Bluebird Society. Much of Steve’s research on Bluebirds has focused on bringing Bluebirds back to suburban and metropolitan areas. Steve’s presentation will be at 4:00 pm at the Burr Oak Woods conservation Nature Center in Blue Springs, MO.

2008 Missouri Bluebird Conference Schedule

Please note schedule is subject to minor last-minute changes

Saturday, Sept.13th, 2008 The Hilton Garden Inn Independence, MO

8:00 am: Registration Table Open Attendees Pick up Conference Packets & Name Badges

9:00 am: Welcome by Missouri Bluebird Society President, Jack Dodson. Annual membership meeting/

elections, introduction of Board Members.

10:00 am: Sandy Siebert presenting “Nest Box Predators & Competitors”. Sandy is the President of

“Bluebirds Across Nebraska” and has a terrific & useful program on a subject of primary concern to Bluebirders everywhere. Regardless of the predator issues faced, Sandy has advice that can help you get more healthy babies out of the nest box and on their way!

11:15 am: Mark McKellar presents “Missouri’s Sparrows-More than Little Brown Birds!” Sparrows

have to be the “Rodney Dangerfields” of the bird world! Twenty one different sparrows call Missouri home for at least part of their lives, yet most people only know that introduced imposter: the House Sparrow. We will learn how to attract and identify many of the beautiful native sparrows you can see in and around your yards and parks.

12:15 pm: Lunch plus a wonderful program on the Galapagos Islands by John Hess of Brawley Creek Photography.

1:30 pm: Jack Dodson presents “Growing Mealworms –a supplemental food for Bluebirds”. Jack is the President of the Missouri Bluebird Society and has perfected a favorite system for growing mealworms to feed the many cavity –nesters and other songbirds that visit his mid-Missouri home.

2:15 pm: Break for final Silent Auction/Raffle purchases

2:30 pm : All Silent Auction bidding ends– attendees pay for purchases and collect items

3:00 pm: Michael O’Keefe presents a brief program on “Bluebird Trails in the Kansas City area” followed by a Field Trip to tour the nearby Burr Oak Woods Nature Center Bluebird Trail. The conference will end at approximately 5:00 pm , following the trail tour at Burr Oaks Woods.