It's Spring!

Goodbye cold and grey; hello sunshine, green grass, flowers, and of course--butterflies! On the Ocean State Butterflies yahoo group there have already been a few butterfly sightings posted. There is now a great new feature where everyone can add sightings directly to a database. Just go to the site, sign in, and click on "database" in the left sidebar, and go from there.

Audubon's butterfly programs for spring and early summer are scheduled. Come on out and join us as we search for spring butterflies! Call 401-949-5454 for more information and to register, or email jlewis@asri.org.

Butterfly Walks:
Mourning Cloak Walk ~ Powder Mill Ledges in Smithfield with Eugenia Marks. Saturday, April 25, 11 am-12:30 pm. Rain date Sunday April 26 at 1 pm.
Elfins at Nicholas Farm ~ Search for Elfin butterflies at Nicholas Farm in Coventry with Walter Bosse. Saturday, May 9--please note TIME CHANGE: 12:30 pm -2:30 pm (not 10 am -noon).
Butterflies at Caratunk ~ Family Butterfly Walk at Caratunk Refuge in Seekonk with Mike Tucker. Saturday, June 6, 10 am-12 pm.

Butterfly Count Orientations/ID Workshops:
Tuesday, June 23—6-7:30 pm at Portsmouth Free Public Library, 2658 East Main Rd., Portsmouth
Wednesday, July 1—6:30-8 pm at Audubon Headquarters, Powder Mill Ledges Refuge, 12 Sanderson Rd., Smithfield
Tuesday, July 7th—7-8:30 pm at US Fish & Wildlife’s Kettle Pond Visitor Center, 50 Bend Rd., Charleston
Thursday, July 9—7-8:30 pm at Audubon’s Fisherville Brook Refuge, Pardon Joslin Rd., Exeter

Butterfly Counts: East Bay: Saturday, June 27, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Survey areas here also overlap into the West Bay) West Bay: Saturday, July 11, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

These annual butterfly counts are organized all over North America by the North American Butterfly Association (NABA). Audubon Society of Rhode Island coordinates the counts in Rhode Island and submits the data to NABA. Volunteers go into specified survey areas to identify and record all the butterflies they can in one day. The event is open to the public, and amateurs are welcome. Participants may choose to survey for the whole day or a shorter time if they choose. Survey areas, according to NABA protocol, are 15 mile diameter circles. Once plotted, these same areas are re-surveyed every year.

If you are interested in participating, contact July Lewis at 401-949-5454 x3044 or jlewis@asri.org. We will send out information and requests to register for the count as we get closer to the date.

Eugenia Marks & July Lewis Audubon Society of RI
401-949-5454