Thursday, 22 January 2026

[cobirds] BCAS January Program: Birds, Science, and Art with Dr. Johanna Beam

Hello everyone,

Boulder County Audubon Society invites you to our January evening program:

Intersecting Birds, Science, and Art
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
7:15–8:45 PM (Doors open at 6:30 PM)
Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder
5001 Pennsylvania Ave, Boulder, CO

In-person and Zoom options available

What do art, science, and eBird sightings all have in common?
Join us for an engaging presentation by Dr. Johanna Beam, who will share her journey from teen naturalist to research scientist and scientific illustrator. Johanna will explore how eBird data are used by scientists and artists alike, including how these data have helped illuminate species' ranges and evolutionary history—highlighted through the Yellow-breasted Chat and the discovery of the Chihuahuan Meadowlark.

Dr. Beam is a postdoctoral research fellow at Colorado State University and Texas Tech University, working with the Bird Genoscape Project. Her research focuses on evolutionary genomics in birds, and she is also an accomplished scientific illustrator. As a high school student, Johanna's careful observation of an unusual meadowlark led to a genetic study that ultimately contributed to the recognition of a new bird species added to the official North American species list in 2022.

In-Person Program
BCAS is pleased to welcome everyone back to in-person programs at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder. Doors open at 6:30 PM for socializing with light refreshments, and the program begins at 7:15 PM. Masks are optional; free surgical masks will be available. Please stay home if you are feeling sick.

An FM hearing assistive system is available in the Earth room where BCAS programs are held. The receivers and headsets for these can typically be found in a basket on the table to the right as you enter the double doors to the Earth room. There are four receivers of this type. They are fed sound directly from the sound system and the user can control the volume themselves. More information on how to use these systems -  links to  https://centerforhearingaccess.org/wp-content/uploads/How-to-use-assistive-listening-systems.pdf?t=1768882810 

Online Program (Zoom)
The Zoom meeting room opens at 7:10 PM, with the program beginning at 7:15 PM. Questions for the speaker will be taken through the chat feature. The zoom link will be posted here on the day of the event Intersecting Birds, Science, and Art — Boulder County Audubon.

We hope you'll join us for this unique evening at the intersection of birding, science, and art.

Best regards,
Boulder County Audubon Society

Matias Comina, Boulder County 

Board Member at Large 

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Wednesday, 21 January 2026

Re: [cobirds] Re: Merlin update for Android (might eventually be released for iOS)

As far as updating bird packs, there is now a Merlin  option to download the sounds separate from the photos, so you can download sounds so
they are available  to listen to, even without good reception. 

Pat Cullen
Longmont, CO

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 2:45:17 PM UTC-7 CaoimhĂ­n Perkins wrote:
I miss the old Merlin in general. I have bird packs downloaded with their audio, but it still has to load their audio packs whenever I look at a bird's profile, which means I can't listen in areas with no reception. It didn't use to do that.

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Tuesday, 20 January 2026

[cobirds] BCAS program: Intersecting Birds, Science, and Art - Johanna Beam - Tu 1/27/26

Please join Boulder County Audubon for our monthly speaker series!

Intersecting Birds, Science, and Art

Tuesday, January 27, 2026
cookes & conversation starting at 6:30 PM 
program at 7:15 PM -  8:45 PM

Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder 
5001 Pennsylvania Avenue Boulder, CO, 80303

What do art, science, and eBird sightings all have in common? Dr. Johanna Beam will dive into her personal journey from teen naturalist to research scientist and everything in between. Johanna will talk about all the various ways scientists and illustrators use eBird data in their work, including how eBird data has shed light on species' ranges and evolutionary history with Yellow-breasted Chat and Chihuahuan Meadowlark.

Dr. Johanna Beam is a postdoctoral research fellow at Colorado State and Texas Tech universities. She studies evolutionary genomics in birds and is also a scientific illustrator.

Johanna participated in Boulder County Audubon's Teen Naturalist program, attended Audubon's teen bird camp at Hog Island, Maine, and studied bird evolution at CU Boulder. After getting a PhD in ornithology at Penn State, she returned to the Front Range as a postdoc with the Bird Genoscape Project. 

As a high school student, Johanna's keen eye and ear led her to notice an odd-looking meadowlark. Her curiosity about this bird turned into a successful undergraduate research project on the bird's genetics and ultimately a first-author report describing a new species, the Chihuahuan Meadowlark, accepted to the official North American species list in 2022. Johanna will share more about this story and her journey as a birder, scientist, and scientific illustrator.

Also on Zoom - check https://www.boulderaudubon.org/all-events/jan-2026-program for the link a day before the event.


I'm excited about this one and hope you'll attend too.

- Sandra Laursen

for the BCAS programs committee


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[cobirds] Applications now open for Teen Summer Camp at Hog Island, Maine

Boulder County Audubon Society is now accepting applications for the 2025 Summer Teen Program at Hog Island, Maine.  Colorado teens 15-17 years of age are eligible to apply.  Please check our website for the application form and instructions.  The application deadline is February 1, 2025.  Questions can be directed to scholarship@boulderaudubon.org

[cobirds] Re: Merlin update for Android (might eventually be released for iOS)

It would be great if they added a "Auto Save recordings" option in your settings, so it is a choice for the user instead of just a blanket upgrade.

Adrian Lakin
Mead, CO 

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 10:56:25 AM UTC-7 Kevin Schutz wrote:
I just ran across this "feature" earlier this morning.  It also seems that many earlier recordings have vanished.  I can't say I like this update.

Kevin Schutz
Monument, CO

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 9:04:14 AM UTC-7 Adrian Lakin wrote:
Some of you might've already noticed this update, but for the rest of you, there's new functionality that will impact you...

Prior to this update, when you were recording and you pressed the square button at the middle bottom of the screen, it both stopped the recording and also saved the recording to your phone. That is no longer true. Now the button stops the recording but DOES NOT SAVE IT. You can tell that the recording is on your phone because you can see the list of species and you can play the recording back but it IS NOT SAVED. If you start another recording or close Merlin, the recording is discarded, lost forever. If you do want to save the recording, a second step is now required. You must press the large button labeled "Save" at the upper right of the screen, and you must do that right away, before leaving the screen.
Some might like this because it doesn't fill up your phone's storage, but others will be really annoyed if they lose a recording.

Adrian Lakin
Mead, CO

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Re: [cobirds] Re: Merlin update for Android (might eventually be released for iOS)

I miss the old Merlin in general. I have bird packs downloaded with their audio, but it still has to load their audio packs whenever I look at a bird's profile, which means I can't listen in areas with no reception. It didn't use to do that.

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* All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate.
* Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/membership/
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[cobirds] Re: Merlin update for Android (might eventually be released for iOS)

I just ran across this "feature" earlier this morning.  It also seems that many earlier recordings have vanished.  I can't say I like this update.

Kevin Schutz
Monument, CO

On Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 9:04:14 AM UTC-7 Adrian Lakin wrote:
Some of you might've already noticed this update, but for the rest of you, there's new functionality that will impact you...

Prior to this update, when you were recording and you pressed the square button at the middle bottom of the screen, it both stopped the recording and also saved the recording to your phone. That is no longer true. Now the button stops the recording but DOES NOT SAVE IT. You can tell that the recording is on your phone because you can see the list of species and you can play the recording back but it IS NOT SAVED. If you start another recording or close Merlin, the recording is discarded, lost forever. If you do want to save the recording, a second step is now required. You must press the large button labeled "Save" at the upper right of the screen, and you must do that right away, before leaving the screen.
Some might like this because it doesn't fill up your phone's storage, but others will be really annoyed if they lose a recording.

Adrian Lakin
Mead, CO

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