Just A Chirp

Grosse Pointe Audubon Winter 2013

A new year, new goals

From the President: The year 2013 is only a few hours old, but already Ive started a list. Wait, its not the one you might think. For the rst time, Ive started a list of personal birding goals. On that list so far are just four items: 1. Improve my gull identication skills. 2. Add a Henslows Sparrow to my life list. 3. Spend more time drawing the birds. The process of drawing a bird forces me to pay closer attention to eld marks which will help my identication skills. 4. Spend as much time as possible educating children about birds and their habitats. This point was driven home last fall when Rosann Kovalcik and I led a group of students from a Harper Woods middle school on a bird walk at the Ford House. A couple things stood out to me about this particular bird walk. First, I was both surprised and pleased by how willing these kids were to have a morning of pure exploration. They asked smart questions and they genuinely seemed excited about the opportunity to learn outside of the classroom. Second, many of
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A young man checks out a robins nest on a Grosse Pointe Audubon bird walk.

Winter Schedule
Cut out this schedule and put it on your refrigerator to help you remember these important dates. Jan. 28Great Lakes Habitat Restoration: Stories from Sea Grant projects in the Lake St. Clair Detroit River System. The corridor between lakes Huron and Erie is used by over 65 species of sh, is a yway for millions of migratory waterfowl, and contains some of the largest and most diverse wetlands remaining in the region. Michigan Sea Grant Extension Educator Mary Bohling will highlight some of the projects that are leading to wildlife recovery and environmental sustainability of our region. Feb. 25Frogs of Michigan. Michigan is home to 13 species of frogs.Many of them are never seen by the average person because of their secretive habits.The easiest and best time to nd them is when the male frogs are calling to attract a mate.Chorus frogs start calling in March and Bullfrogs nish calling in July. Naturalist Gordon Lonie will share three short videos of his experiences venturing into ponds to see frogs and toads calling, mating and laying eggs. March 18LivingBird Food - Growing Nature at Home. Why plant native species? Deep roots equal drought resistant plants and a stable landscape, and native plants provide natural food for local birds. John DeLisle from Wild Ones Southeast Michigan Chapter will join us to talk about the benets of native plants and how best to install them in your yard. ! PAGE 1

From The President, from Page 1 these children had never been given a chance to consider the natural world around them. Not just the birds, but stu as simple as a tree or as exotic as an odd fungus. This was their rst chance to to look at nature closely, to touch and feel, and listen to someone tell them cool facts about the stu they are seeing. They ate it up. Ive always been willing to work with kids, and Ive given programs to school kids and led eld trips over the past few years, but that particular day reinforced the idea that I need to do more. Yes, I will still keep personal goals, like a yearly list of all the birds I see in Grosse Pointe as I compete with myself to see more birds than I did the previous year. But time spent with kids who are willing to learn about birds and nature will be far more rewarding. Bird class in Ann Arbor, Feb. 26April 30 Francie Krawcke of the Leslie Science and Nature Center and Deaver Armstrong, Ann Arbors city ornithologist and experienced Washtenaw Audubon Field trip guide, have designed a two-month class that will be a great way to learn about birds and birdwatching. The class will cover basic bird anatomy and physiology, behavior, taxonomy, reproduction, vocalizations, and bird identication in a relaxed, interactive atmosphere. These topics will be covered in the lecture component on Tuesdays from 7-8:30 p.m. The Saturday morning eld trips to various local sites (usually starting around 9 a.m. and nishing by noon) will introduce participants to the local birds and provide some details about how the birds interact with each other and their various habitats. !

Because the classes will be held at Leslie Science and Nature Center in Ann Arbor, the instructors will be able to use live birds in demonstrations. And recognizing that people are busy and may not be able to make it to every session, reference materials will be provided so that catching up will never be a problem. Cost is $295 for seven lectures and seven eld trips. This course is geared toward adults, but interested adolescents should inquire. Class size is limited, so early registration is suggested. To register, please call 734-531-6052 or go to http://www.lesliesnc.org/ programs-friends-families/birds-prey-all-ages. I know both Dea and Francie, and I highly endorse them and this class! Dues If youve received a dues notice with this newsletter, it means that you have not paid your dues for the 2012-13 year. Mail a check to Mark OKeefe or bring your dues to our Jan. 28 meeting. Please! Okay, pretty please! Bird Walks at the Ford House Start your new year o right! Join Rosann Kovalcik for walks on Jan. 19, March 2, March 23 and April 20. All walks are at 8 a.m. There is a $7 fee. Call (313) 884-4222 to register. A little snow and a little cold is no big deal, not when there are birds to see! Ink cartridges = $ Please bring your old ink cartridges and cell phones to our meetings and deposit them in the box by the front door. Your waste will be recycled for cash that will help keep Grosse Pointe Audubon in the black. Epson and HP cartridges only! PAGE 2

Seven Ponds Nature Center

Call (810) 796-3200 for more information or to register for programs. WinterFest Saturday, Jan. 19, 10 a.m.3 p.m. Join us for our annual winter fun day. Included is a bonre on the ice, ice cutting, mammal tracking, snowshoe walks, cross country skiing, and ice skating. The popular Pinecrest Percherons will be here from noon3:00 p.m. to whisk folks through the prairie on an old fashioned sleigh ride. Inside will be childrens crafts. Bring a t-shirt, sweatshirt, or pillowcase to decorate with animal tracks. Includes a campre lunch of a hot dog, chips, and hot chocolate. Bring your own skates and cross country skis or try out the centers snowshoes. Fee: $3; free for members. Sleigh rides will cost $2 per person. Snowshoe Walk Wednesday, Jan. 20, 8 a.m. Join us for a quiet walk through soft snow as a naturalist points out the wonders of winter. Winter Bird Walk Wednesday, Jan. 23, 8 a.m. Winter is well established at the nature center, and it will be an excellent day to look for wintering nches. We will start our morning watching the feeders over hot beverages, and then walk some of the trails in search of Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush, and Golden-crowned Kinglet. Bring binoculars and eld guide, and dress for the weather. Fee: $3; free for members. Snowshoe Making Workshop Saturdays, Feb. 2, 9 and 16, 9 a.m.1 p.m. Participants will each make a pair of Ojibway style snowshoes. Participants will receive the snowshoes in kit form and will be guided through the process of lacing the sections, nishing the snowshoes, and attaching bindings. ! Along the way, well learn about the different types of snowshoes and their long history in North America. Fee includes snowshoe frames, lacing, bindings, nishing materials, and all instructions. The workshop is limited to 12 participants. Pre-registration is required. Fee: 175; $165 for members. Workshop: Using Natural Light and Composition in Nature Photography Saturdays, Feb. 23 and March 2 9 a.m.noon Participants will examine ve types of natural light in conjunction with basic composition principles that may be used when photographing nature. Discussion will center around the inuence that natural light and composition techniques have on the subject of your photograph and methods that can be employed to fashion that inuence and achieve the desired image. This workshop will have classroom instruction and shooting times at the center, weather permitting. Open to all photographers but familiarity with your camera is a prerequisite. There will be a group critique at a later date. Instructor Dale Vronch is a retired teacher who conducts photography classes and workshops. Pre-registration is required. Fee: $110 per person; limit 10 participants. Winter Bird Walk Wednesday, Feb. 27, 8 a.m. Days are getting longer and year-around resident birds such as chickadees, titmice, and cardinals are singing on sunny days. There may also be enough open water for ducks and possibly the rst wave of blackbirds. Today we will begin our watching inside, enjoying hot beverages while we watch for winter nches and other feeder birds. We will then take a late winter walk in search of a variety of species. Bring binoculars and eld guide, and dress for the weather. Fee: $3; members free. PAGE 3

JUST A CHIRP!

WINTER 2013

About Grosse Pointe Audubon

Bill Rapai, president, (313) 885-6502 or BRapai@aol.com Sylvia Sanders, vice president, (313) 886-0869 Mark OKeefe, treasurer, (313) 884-7472 or Birds891357@aol.com Joanna Pease, representative to Seven Ponds Nature Center, strixvaria@sbcglobal.net http://www.facebook.com/pages/Grosse-Pointe-Audubon/145490528869148 www.gpaudubon.blogspot.com Grosse Pointe Audubon meets in the Annex of the Pointe Unitarian Church at 17150 Maumee, between St. Clair and Neff in Grosse Pointe. Social hour starts at 7 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7:30. Our meetings are free and open to all, so bring a friend!

Grosse Pointe Audubon 443 St. Clair Grosse Pointe, MI 48230