Lights Out Cleveland Updates with Amy LeMonds, Director of Wildlife, Lake Erie Nature and Science Center (LENSC)

Amy LeMonds, Director of Wildlife, Lake Erie Nature and Science Center (LENSC) talks about Lights Out Cleveland and issues a Call for Volunteers to address migratory bird injury and track bird mortality rates.

A conversation with Amy LeMonds, Director of Wildlife, Lake Erie Nature and Science Center (LENSC) and Partner, Lights Out Cleveland with news and updates on program activity and July 2017 volunteer training to respond to migratory bird injury and track bird mortality rates due to building collisions in the City of Cleveland, Ohio. ​With Betsey Merkel, Web and Marketing, Western Cuyahoga Audubon.

Lights Out Field Volunteers Needed

We need your help! Each year, millions of migrating birds are killed by building collisions in the U.S. A recent review of published studies suggested that between 365 and 988 million birds are killed annually. Although we all enjoy the beauty of Cleveland’s skyline, many are unaware of the impact these buildings have on our beautiful migrating birds. Many of the warblers, orioles, thrushes, and other songbirds migrate through Cleveland at night, using the stars to orient their flight. When there is fog or a cloud layer, birds are no longer able to see the stars and can mis-orient and start tracking artificial lights, particularly around tall buildings.

By dimming the building's lights during the peak of spring and fall migration, we can save many birds each year.

Light’s Out Cleveland is a group of local partnering organizations working together to create awareness about the effects brightly lit buildings have on nocturnally migrating birds. Through this awareness we will create change and save migrating birds' lives.

We are looking for volunteers to help collect injured and deceased birds from the grounds of downtown Cleveland’s buildings during peak migration months (from the middle of March to late May, and from mid-August through end-October). Any live birds will need to be transported to Lake Erie Nature & Science Center for care and treatment through their rehabilitation program. All deceased birds will be processed by Cleveland Museum of Natural History and used for research purposes, including data collection about the scale of these impacts.

We will be holding training session for interested volunteers at 6 p.m. on Tuesday July 25 at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center. If you are interested in volunteering please rsvp to wildlife@lensc.org or by calling 440.471.8358. If you cannot attend the session but would like to learn more please email or call us to find out how you can help!

View "Lights Out Field Volunteers Needed 2017" PDF

We thank you in advance for your help with this effort!

Lake Erie Nature and Science Center (LENSC) Lights Out Cleveland Leaders

Photo: Amy LeMonds, Director of Wildlife, Lake Erie Nature and Science Center (LENSC)

​Amy LeMonds, Director of Wildlife, Lake Erie Nature and Science Center (LENSC)
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In May 2013 Amy LeMonds was selected as the Director of Wildlife. Amy has been on staff since 2005; her service to the Center’s wildlife program began in the role of Wildlife Specialist and evolved to Wildlife Rehabilitation Specialist and then to Wildlife Rehabilitation Coordinator. In November 2011 Amy became the first rehabilitator in the state of Ohio to be certified by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. In January 2014 Amy was named to the Ohio Wildlife Rehabilitators Association Board of Trustees, and in that role has now coordinated 2 of the annual conferences. In addition, Amy holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Baldwin-Wallace University.

Photo: Tim Jasinski, Wildlife Rehabilitation Specialist, Lake Erie Nature and Science Center (LENSC)

Tim Jasinski, Wildlife Rehabilitation Specialist, Lake Erie Nature and Science Center (LENSC)
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Tim Jasinski first became involved with the Center as a volunteer in 2007. He was hired as a seasonal and accepted a part time position in 2013. In 2014, Tim was promoted to a full time position as Wildlife Rehabilitation Specialist. His interest in animals began as a child when he had many pets and bred a variety of avian species. Tim’s first job was at Pet Supplies Plus where he moved into a management position. He has also gained experience with animal care in as an employee of Cleveland Museum of Natural History and Greater Cleveland Aquarium while volunteering at various wildlife rehabilitation facilities which he has found to be his true passion.

Learn more about the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center, 28728 Wolf Rd, Bay Village, OH 44140. Explore their online resources, attend programs, and give generously to ensure the support of this invaluable Northeast Ohio asset. Go to the website here. ​

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