Birdathon
The Beckham Bird Club conducts an annual Birdathon to raise funds that are disbursed to organizations that have applied for grants to fund activities that support bird conservation through habitat preservation and improvement, environmental education and public advocacy.
BBC members are contacted to give to each year’s Birdathon. You will be asked to make a pledge. This pledge can be done in two ways – pledging an amount for every bird seen or a set amount. After the Birdathon which will be held in May you will be contacted by the person you made your pledge to. That person will send you a description of their day of birding and how to send in your pledge. Should you not be contacted we hope you will still contribute to our Birdathon by either 1) making a check out to Beckham Bird Club and please indicate on your check 2024 Birdathon and mail to Beckham Bird Club, PO Box 5301, Louisville, KY 40255-0301 or 2) use PayPal at beckhambirdclub.org and click on activities or membership. You can also use your credit card at the PayPal site.
INFORMATION ABOUT PAST BIRDATHON GRANTS MAY BE FOUND IN THE BBC NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES. IN GENERAL, GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE ANNOUNCED IN THE APRIL ISSUE AND THE AMOUNT OF THE GRANTS IS ANNOUNCED IN THE NOVEMBER ISSUE.
2024 BIRDATHON APPROVED APPLICANTS
The following organizations have been approved for grants in 2024. A brief description of the request and the amount requested by each is listed below. For detailed descriptions, click here. The amount actually granted will depend on the amount raised by the Birdathon. Please give generously.
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest ($5000)
For new and existing programming focused on birds.
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve ($1805)
To improve bird habitat by converting a degraded three-acre site into a native plant prairie.
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, Lexington ($2474)
To monitor and improve water quality and improve bird habitat at a bird watching station.
Jefferson Memorial Forest ($1600)
For bird education programs.
Josephine Sculpture Park, Frankfort ($5000)
For habitat restoration and bird education.
Kentucky Conservation Committee ($2500)
Public education and policy work relating to species and habitat protection, including in communities affected by large energy projects. Advocacy for protection of migration corridors.
Kentucky Natural Lands Trust ($2500)
For continued acquisition of critical wildland habitat in Eastern Kentucky, including Pine Mountain, which provides nesting habitat for forest species, including warblers.
Kentucky Resources Council ($3000)
To support legal advocacy to protect Bernheim Arboretum against energy development and to improve air quality in Kentucky, including Mammoth Cave National Park.
Louisville Nature Center ($3150)
To improve birding facilities, purchase bird seed for feeders and provide environmental education to students at a high-poverty school.
Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves ($5000)
For conservation and expansion of glade and grassland habitats in state natural areas.
Raptor Rehabilitation Of Kentucky ($2000)
For construction of a new enclosure to house American Kestrel chicks while they are rehabilitated.
Sunnyside Master Gardeners Bluebird Team ($1000)
To construct new nest boxes and trails for Eastern Bluebirds and other small songbirds.
The Nature Conservancy in Kentucky ($5000)
To support management and stewardship in the organizations eight publicly accessible preserves in the state.
The Parklands of Floyds Fork ($1550)
To support bird-oriented educational programming that is provided at no charge to economically disadvantaged children and families.
Woods and Waters Land Trust ($3000)
To conserve several tracts of land adjacent to Elkhorn Creek in Franklin County.
2023 BIRDATHON GRANTS
Below are the organizations that the BBC board provided grants to in 2023. Because the 2023 Birdathon raised funds in excess of the total amount requested, the board funded each applicant for the full amount requested and made an additional donation as noted below.
The details for each recipient may be found in the April 2023 Beckham Observer newsletter.
KY Natural Lands Trust, Inc. ($2500)
Jefferson Memorial Forest ($1350)
Josephine Sculpture Park ($5000)
The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky ($3688)
Sunnyside Master Gardeners Bluebird Team ($1000)
KY Resources Council ($3000)
Kentucky Conservation Committee ($2500)
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve ($1485)
Louisville Nature Center ($1200)
Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky ($1700)
Additional recipient selected by the BBC board.
APPLICATIONS FOR 2025 GRANTS:
Applications for the 2025 Birdathon grants will open late this year. Applications must be received or postmarked by January 31, 2025.
FOR GRANT RECIPIENTS:
Recipients of 2024 grants will be asked to submit a report to the Beckham Bird Club. If you receive a grant in 2024 and will apply for a 2025 grant, the report must be submitted by March 15, 2025.
BBC members are contacted to give to each year’s Birdathon. You will be asked to make a pledge. This pledge can be done in two ways – pledging an amount for every bird seen or a set amount. After the Birdathon which will be held in May you will be contacted by the person you made your pledge to. That person will send you a description of their day of birding and how to send in your pledge. Should you not be contacted we hope you will still contribute to our Birdathon by either 1) making a check out to Beckham Bird Club and please indicate on your check 2024 Birdathon and mail to Beckham Bird Club, PO Box 5301, Louisville, KY 40255-0301 or 2) use PayPal at beckhambirdclub.org and click on activities or membership. You can also use your credit card at the PayPal site.
INFORMATION ABOUT PAST BIRDATHON GRANTS MAY BE FOUND IN THE BBC NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES. IN GENERAL, GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE ANNOUNCED IN THE APRIL ISSUE AND THE AMOUNT OF THE GRANTS IS ANNOUNCED IN THE NOVEMBER ISSUE.
2024 BIRDATHON APPROVED APPLICANTS
The following organizations have been approved for grants in 2024. A brief description of the request and the amount requested by each is listed below. For detailed descriptions, click here. The amount actually granted will depend on the amount raised by the Birdathon. Please give generously.
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest ($5000)
For new and existing programming focused on birds.
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve ($1805)
To improve bird habitat by converting a degraded three-acre site into a native plant prairie.
Floracliff Nature Sanctuary, Lexington ($2474)
To monitor and improve water quality and improve bird habitat at a bird watching station.
Jefferson Memorial Forest ($1600)
For bird education programs.
Josephine Sculpture Park, Frankfort ($5000)
For habitat restoration and bird education.
Kentucky Conservation Committee ($2500)
Public education and policy work relating to species and habitat protection, including in communities affected by large energy projects. Advocacy for protection of migration corridors.
Kentucky Natural Lands Trust ($2500)
For continued acquisition of critical wildland habitat in Eastern Kentucky, including Pine Mountain, which provides nesting habitat for forest species, including warblers.
Kentucky Resources Council ($3000)
To support legal advocacy to protect Bernheim Arboretum against energy development and to improve air quality in Kentucky, including Mammoth Cave National Park.
Louisville Nature Center ($3150)
To improve birding facilities, purchase bird seed for feeders and provide environmental education to students at a high-poverty school.
Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves ($5000)
For conservation and expansion of glade and grassland habitats in state natural areas.
Raptor Rehabilitation Of Kentucky ($2000)
For construction of a new enclosure to house American Kestrel chicks while they are rehabilitated.
Sunnyside Master Gardeners Bluebird Team ($1000)
To construct new nest boxes and trails for Eastern Bluebirds and other small songbirds.
The Nature Conservancy in Kentucky ($5000)
To support management and stewardship in the organizations eight publicly accessible preserves in the state.
The Parklands of Floyds Fork ($1550)
To support bird-oriented educational programming that is provided at no charge to economically disadvantaged children and families.
Woods and Waters Land Trust ($3000)
To conserve several tracts of land adjacent to Elkhorn Creek in Franklin County.
2023 BIRDATHON GRANTS
Below are the organizations that the BBC board provided grants to in 2023. Because the 2023 Birdathon raised funds in excess of the total amount requested, the board funded each applicant for the full amount requested and made an additional donation as noted below.
The details for each recipient may be found in the April 2023 Beckham Observer newsletter.
KY Natural Lands Trust, Inc. ($2500)
Jefferson Memorial Forest ($1350)
Josephine Sculpture Park ($5000)
The Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky ($3688)
Sunnyside Master Gardeners Bluebird Team ($1000)
KY Resources Council ($3000)
Kentucky Conservation Committee ($2500)
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve ($1485)
Louisville Nature Center ($1200)
Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky ($1700)
Additional recipient selected by the BBC board.
APPLICATIONS FOR 2025 GRANTS:
Applications for the 2025 Birdathon grants will open late this year. Applications must be received or postmarked by January 31, 2025.
FOR GRANT RECIPIENTS:
Recipients of 2024 grants will be asked to submit a report to the Beckham Bird Club. If you receive a grant in 2024 and will apply for a 2025 grant, the report must be submitted by March 15, 2025.