Vol. 34, No. 3 The Meadowlark Messengerchampaigncountyaudubon.org/newsletters/2017/April_2017... ·...

April ProgramGlobal Insights from Local Birds: Research Findings and Natural History Observations from Our BackyardsThursday, April 6, 7pm Urbana Free Library Auditorium Presenter: Loren Merrill, Postdoctoral Researcher at the INHSLoren has had the opportunity to photograph his birding adventures the world over. Through his travels, Loren has gone birding and taken part in research on 5 different continents, 14 countries, and 48 states.

For this talk, he will highlight some of his research in the Champaign area, examining questions of how landscape composition impacts health and condition of shrub-nesting birds.

Through these photographic adventures, we can gain important insight into the life of birds even in our own backyards.

April 2017 • Vol. 34, No. 3

ChampaignCountyAudubon.org

Champaign County Audubon Society • A Chapter of the National Audubon Society

The Meadowlark Messenger

In This Issue:Field Notes ..................................................... Page 2

Nature Shop ................................................... Page 2

Sangamon River Field Trip ........................... Page 3

Sunday Morning Birdswalks........................ Page 3

Conservation Spotlight ................................ Page 4

Calendar of Events ........................................ Page 6

Champaign County Audubon Society • A Chapter of the National Audubon Society Page | 1

Continued on Page 3

NEW! CCAS Member’s BirdwalksWe are very excited to announce a new pilot program! This April we will be launching Member’s Birdwalks at exclusive locations in the Champaign-Urbana area!

These walks will be much like our public programs but for CCAS members only and at locations not accessible to the general public.

10% discount for CCAS members! Monday–Saturday, 9am–4pm Anita Purves Nature Center 1505 N. Broadway, Urbana, IL

Looking for new homes are a Great Horned Owl and Skunk puppets as well as many more critters and singing birds! Think of us when shopping for nature related guides, and children’s books. All sales support Audubon and the Park District’s environmental programs. Last year’s proceeds gave $580 to Anita Purves, $500 for Audubon’s Kendeigh grants and $500 for Audubon other projects.

Champaign County Audubon SocietyP.O. Box 882, Urbana, IL [email protected]

Officers• Co-Presidents: Sara Johnson and

Cheryl Pettus• Vice President: John Dunkelberger• Secretary: Charlene Anchor• Treasurer: Allan Penwell

Members at Large, 2016-2017• Janet Jokela• Caitlin Lill• Jeff Peyton

Members at Large, 2017-2018• Beth Chato • Brody Dunn • Carie Nixon

Committee Chairs• Bylaws: vacant• Conservation: Jeff Peyton• Education: Pam Leiter• Field Trip: Beth Chato• Finance: Astrid Berkson• Hospitality: vacant• Membership: Caitlin Lill• Nature Shop: Beth Chato• Program: Sara Johnson• Publications: vacant• Publicity: Carie Nixon

Newsletter Coordinator: Ruth Walker

Webmaster & BirdNotes Listserve Manager: Pam Leiter

Champaign County Audubon publishes The Meadowlark Messenger nine times per year. Comments regarding the newsletter, or articles for submission, are welcome.

Get this newsletter delivered right to your inbox—in color! Would you like to go paperless and help our funds go further? Please visit the Newsletter

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Field Notes Submitted by: Beth Chato A Bald Eagle nest near St. Joe, as well as nesting Great Horned Owls and Red-tailed Hawks nest building near the St. Joe Wetlands. A variety of waterfowl on our local lakes. Juncos are still with us.

Report from the March 4 Emiquon Field trip: We saw 32 species including 30 White-fronted Geese,10 kinds of duck, many many coots, a Horned Grebe, 50 White Pelicans, and some Rusty Blackbirds. After lunch we visited the Dixon Mounds Museum with its wealth of Native American lore.

Sunday Morning Birdwalks continue through the end of May. 7:30-9am at Anita Purves parking lot. New on March 19 were a Golden-crowned Kinglet and Fox Sparrow. The resident Cooper’s Hawk was also seen.

Birdnotes ListserveJoin our Birdnotes listserve to get the latest local bird sightings in your inbox! Here’s how: go to ChampaignCountyAudubon.org and click on ‘Join Birdnotes.’ Enter your info, then click ‘Subscribe.’



Sunday Morning Birdwalks Our most popular event! Meet at the Anita Purves Nature Center parking lot, 1505 N. Broadway, Urbana, at 7:30 AM. Walks in the nearby Busey Woods and Crystal Lake Park officially last about 1 1/2 hours (though some intrepid birders stay later).

Walks continue each Sunday through the end of May. Starting now we will see an increasing number of bird species as spring arrives.

An adventure for any age and level of birding experience as we share our identification skills.

• Our first outing will be at 7:30 AM Saturday, April 1st at the Urbana Park District’s Perkins project, a future park with excellent water, shorebird, and warbler habitat. We will meet at the Perkins road dog park and unlock the gates along with a UPD staff member.

• The second Member’s Birdwalk will be held at 7:30 AM Saturday, April 8th at two research plots maintained by the University of Illinois. Trelease Woods has strong promise for owls while the diverse Phillips Tract will surely be overflowing with warblers. We will meet at the back of the Urbana Meijer’s parking lot on Philo road to see if carpooling is necessary. We’ll then drive the short distance to the plots, where a U of I staff member will unlock the gates for us.

The member interest in these events will help us decide the May schedule and whether or not to continue to pursue new, exclusive locations for the fall migration period. Stay tuned for more and we hope to see you at a Member’s Birdwalk!

Field Trip to Sangamon River Forest Preserve Saturday, April 29, 8am

This is the newest Champaign County Preserve, just south of Fisher and not often visited. It has the Lincoln Ash Tree, one of the largest in the state, as well as several groves of large oaks and a prairie restoration. It should have a wide variety of spring migrant birds.

Meet at the Anita Purves Nature Center parking lot at 8am to car pool.

Everyone welcome!

Continued from poage 1: NEW! CCAS Member’s Birdwalks



Conservation Spotlight: Urbana Park DistrictSubmitted by: Jeff Peyton

We are featuring an ongoing series of monthly spotlights on local conservation organizations to highlight their efforts to preserve our natural resources and habitats. It is a critical time for protecting our natural areas, and we hope to provide concerned readers with information about how they can join the effort, either through volunteering, contributions, or just by taking advantage of the services these organizations provide.

You don’t have to leave town to find high-quality habitat! In addition to its numerous more traditional parks, the Urbana Park District is home to several great natural areas within the city. The park district manages restored prairie, wetlands, and woods that provide much-needed urban habitat for birds and other wildlife.

Meadowbrook Park in south Urbana is home to 80 acres of restored prairie and has recently seen major restoration projects in the Douglas Creek Basin and the Hickman Wildflower Walk. It is a great place for birding, especially to find grassland birds. In east Urbana, Weaver Park is home to approximately another 40 acres of restored prairie as well as a pond that often hosts sightings of waterfowl and wading birds. Busey Woods in northern Urbana is a great place for birding, especially if you’re looking for warblers. A fourth natural area, a wet prairie site near the Urbana dog park, is in the process of being restored but is not yet open to the public. Additionally, a major rejuvenation project is in progress for Crystal Lake, which will improve water quality, control erosion, and restore native vegetation to the shore and islands.

This month will also see the grand opening of the park district’s new Friendship Grove Nature Playscape on Earth Day, April 22. The playscape, located outside the Anita Purves Nature Center, is a hands-on outdoor space for children to interact with and be immersed in nature in a positive way without causing disturbance to the district’s sensitive natural areas. For the future of conservation, it is crucial for today’s children to form meaningful connections with the natural world.

You can help with the Urbana Park District’s conservation efforts by attending the Stewardship Saturday workdays. April workdays are on the 8th and 22nd, plus a special creek cleanup as part of the Boneyard Creek Community Day on April 29th. More information on these and other volunteer opportunities can be found at urbanaparks.org under the tab marked “Get Involved”, or you can call the Anita Purves Nature Center at 217-384-4062.

Join Champaign County Audubon Society! Yes, I’d like to become a member!When you join the Champaign County Audubon Society, 100% of your dues and donations support our efforts (and they’re tax deductible!).

$ CCAS Membership ($15 due each January).

$ __________ Additional donation to CCAS

$ __________ TOTAL

I am a new member I am renewing my membership

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Beginning in 2017, CCAS members will be automatically enrolled to receive our newsletter by e-mail; check this box if you would prefer to receive a paper copy.

Checks should made payable to CCAS. Send this form and your payment to: CCAS Membership Chair, P.O. Box 882, Urbana, IL 61803-0882. Thank you!


Champaign County Audubon Society • A Chapter of the National Audubon Society Page |5

The Champaign County Audubon Society is a Chapter of National

Audubon Society, Inc.

Join National Audubon Society!When you join National Audubon Society you receive one year of Audubon magazine. You also have the option to receive local birding and community events delivered to your inbox from CCAS.

• New members: Go online to http://bit.ly/nas-g50 or call 1-844-428-3826. Please tell them Champaign County Audubon Society sent you using our chapter code "G50."

• Renewing members: Go online to http://bit.ly/renew-nas or call 1-844-428-3826.

Welcome & Thanks to Our New & Renewing Local CCAS Members!Denise Green, Rodney Norbey, Richard Bishop, Brandon Tate, Charlene Anchor, Deanna Uphoff, Patricia Simpson, Mithun Bhowmick, Donna Wagner, Ralph and Gretka Wolfe, Rob Kanter, Stephen Tillman, Michael Barnhardt, Iris Swanson

Have questions? Contact Caitlin Lill, our Membership Chair, at [email protected].

Sundays, March thru May 28, 7:30-9am. Sunday Morning Bird Walks Meet in Anita Purves Nature Center parking lot.

Saturday, April 1, 7:30am. CCAS Member’s Birdwalk: Urbana Park District’s Perkins Project

Thursday, April 6, 7pm. April Program: Global Insights from Local Birds

Saturday, April 8, 7:30am: CCAS Member’s Birdwalk: Trelease Woods & Phillips Tract

Saturday, April 8: 9-11am Busey Woods; 1-3pm Weaver Park Saturday, April 29: 9-11am Crystal Lake Park (Boneyard Cleanup Day) Urbana Park District’s Stewardship Days. Call Anita Purves Nature Center (384-4062) for more info and to register.

Thurday, April 13, 6:30-8pm at Pizza M Birds, Bites & Brews: Come out for a drink, a snack, and some good conversation.

Thursday, April 20, 7pm; Board Meeting. Anita Purves Nature Center. Members are welcome.

Saturday, April 29, 8am Field Trip to Sangamon River Forest Preserve: Meet at the Anita Purves Nature Center parking lot at 8am to car pool.

Visit our website for more information! ChampaignCountyAudubon.org

Champaign County Audubon SocietyPO Box 882Urbana, IL 61803-0882

Calendar of Events

Vol. 34, No. 3 The Meadowlark Messengerchampaigncountyaudubon.org/newsletters/2017/April_2017... ·...

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