Scott Weidensaul to receive award April 24

At Mill Grove -- the first American home of French artist, naturalist and author John James Audubon -- birder and Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Scott Weidensaul will receive the first John James Audubon Center Award for Art Inspiring Conservation. His work will be honored at Friends of a Feather, a gala reception at the facility in Audubon, Pa. Weidensaul's most recent book, "Of a Feather: A brief history of American birding," debuted in September 2007.

Sponsored by Audubon Center at Mill Grove, the award seeks to honor an artist who conveys the value of nature, interprets conservation challenges and inspires action to protect birds and other wildlife.

“John James Audubon used a brush to transform how Americans look at nature; Scott Weidensaul uses words to the same magical effect,” said Jean Bochnowski, director of the center.

Scott Weidensaul does more than write about birds. As a federal licensed bird-bander, he leads teams from the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art (Millersburg, PA) to harmlessly catch, band and release hundreds of Saw-Whet Owls each fall. Much of what is now known about the migratory patterns of these tiny and elusive raptors comes from the work of Mr. Weidensaul and hundreds of other volunteer researchers.

Tickets for the gala reception begin at $65; contact the center at 610-666-5593 x105 or millgrove@audubon.org.