Fall 2009
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Just A Chirp Grosse Pointe Audubon
Autumn 2009
Invasion of the hummers! It seems there were more hummingbirds around Grosse Pointe this summer than we've ever seen before. A neighbor of mine started seeing one at her feeder regularly early in the summer, and suddenly in August she started seeing two. I stopped by recently to watch the hummers come and go from her feeder and realized that there were actually three! The photo at right is of one of the hummers that have been coming to her feeder. It's an adult female. You can tell by some of the
Run for your lives! We’ve been invaded by these guys! blotchiness in her breast feathers that she is undergoing molt.
A few days later, I stopped by one of the plant See Autumn, Page 2
Fall Schedule Sept. 21—”Fun in the Rain Forest” with Grosse Pointe Audubon’s own Mike Florian. Mike is also the president of the Grosse Pointe Camera Club. He will tell the stories behind the amazing photos he took on his and Judy’s trip to Costa Rica with New Jersey Audubon last October. Oct. 19—Clayton Daughenbaugh, Midwest Field Organizer for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, will present “Wild Utah: America’s Red Rock Wilderness,” a film narrated by Robert Redford. The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and its partners in the Utah Wilderness Coalition seek to gain local support for a proposal to protect wilderness areas in Utah’s red rock canyon lands. Legislation to do so is currently pending in the United States Congress. Nov. 16— "Of Berries and Birds: The Fall Stopover Ecology of Catharus Thrushes." Julie Craves discusses the results of her long-term study of stopover ecology of migrant birds in an urban natural area. The paper written from this ground-breaking study was recently published in the prestigious Wilson Journal of Ornithology.
PAGE 1
Autumn, continued from Page 1 nurseries on Mack Avenue, and workers there said they have been seeing hummers at their location all summer. They have also heard from an unusually high number of customers this year who have seen hummingbirds in their backyards. Fall hummingbird migration has already begun, so if you have a feeder, you might want to put it up and keep it up through October. Because the mix you put in the feeder is rich with sugar, it goes bad after about a week, so. don't forget to change the water regularly, and never put dye in the mix! Looking back at our last meeting in April and our first meeting in September, you might think that Grosse Pointe Audubon has gone all Costa Rica all the time. It’s only coincidence that we have scheduled two Costa Rica programs back-to-back. I apologize for that, but I did not want to wait any longer to schedule a program by our own Mike Florian. Besides being a member of Grosse Pointe Audubon, Mike is president of the Grosse Pointe Camera Club. You probably know from other programs that he has given that he’s an outstanding photographer. Our October 19 meeting will be something a bit different: Clayton Daughenbaugh of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance will present a short film narrated by Robert Redford, “Wild Utah: America’s Red Rock Wilderness.” Daughenbaugh is part of a citizens group that is seeking to preserve wilderness areas in Utah’s Red Rocks Canyonlands. On Nov. 16, Julie Craves, director of avian research at the Rouge River Bird Observatory "Of Berries and Birds: The Fall Stopover Ecology of Catharus Thrushes." This might sound a little, um, dull, but Julie’s work is being recognized and lauded as critically important to understanding how
birds use urban sites to recharge their energy during migration. At our annual meeting last April, membership re-elected Bill Rapai as president, Sylvia Sanders as vice president and Mark O’Keefe as treasurer. We appreciate your continued faith in us. As for the coming year, I have set the following goals: 1. Present interesting and informative speakers at our meetings. 2. Present a children’s program in conjunction with the War Memorial. 3. Get as many people as possible involved in our fun events like the Birding Challenge, which will be held in late April or early May. 4. Get as many people as possible to come out to see the new building at Seven Ponds Nature Center next May. We’ve already set a date and have a speaker for our children’s program: Francie Krawcke will be returning Feb. 6 to present “Hunters of the Sky,” and she will be bringing live hawks and owls and even a bald eagle. More information will come in the January newsletter. Set your calendars now for May 8, 2010, for our annual spring field trip to Seven Ponds Nature Center. You need to come to Seven Ponds this spring to see what your dues to Grosse Pointe Audubon have helped to build: a magnificent new addition to the Interpretative Building. The addition was sorely needed because the old building was inadequate and had been operating above capacity for several years. The new building was made possible through donations made in a capital campaign. That campaign is still a bit short of its $1.8 million goal. so if you have a penny to spare, I’m sure Joanna Pease, our representative to the Seven Ponds board, would be happy to hear from you. -- Bill Rapai, President PAGE 2
Seven Ponds Nature Center Call (810) 796-3200 for more information or to register for programs. Sunday, Sept. 13, 2:00 p.m. Prairie Plant and Animal Survival. Early fall is a great time to go for a walk in our prairie. Learn how to identify some of the common plants and animals as well as the unique ways they survive. Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 19 and 20, 11:00-5:00 33rd Annual Heritage Harvest Days. A weekend of heritage-related activities, including crafts, games, demonstrations, music, food and much more. Bake sale, magicians, model railroads, blacksmith, used book sale, children’s tent with crafts, prairie wagon rides. $6 adults and $2 children. To volunteer, call 810-796-3200. Sunday, Sept. 27, 1:00 p.m. Invasive Plant Workday. We will work on removing the non-native plants that are invading the nature center. This is a great chance to earn community service or Master Gardener hours. Bring your own work gloves. Saturday, Oct. 3, 10:00 a.m. Curious Canoers of Seven Ponds. What a great way to spend time looking at the natural world. Use your canoe or one of ours. Pre-register at 810-796-3200. Limited to eight canoes. Minimum age of 6. Fee: $5.00 ($3.00 members). Sunday, Oct. 4, 2:00 p.m. Jonathan Woods Walk. What a splendid time for an afternoon stroll amidst the changing colors of autumn. Learn why we are treated to fall’s bounty of color with a walk through the woods. Sunday, Oct. 11, 1:00 p.m. Invasive Plant Workday. We will work on removing the non-native shrubs that are invading the nature center. This is a great chance
to earn community service or Master Gardener hours. Bring your own work gloves. Saturday, Oct. 17, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Birdseed Saturday. “Birdseed weekend” will again feature a number of activities related to watching, feeding, and enjoying the birds. The Rookery Bookstore will have an excellent variety of birdseed and bird feeders, as well as a great selection of nature related gifts including books, DVDs, CD’s, puppets, and more. There will also be a bake sale put on by the Stingers. Sunday, Oct. 18, 2:00 p.m. Grand Opening for the new Schemm-Naish Interpretive Building! Join the Seven Ponds board, staff, volunteers, members, and others for the official opening of our renovated facility. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be followed by building tours and cider and donuts. Come see what we have accomplished! Sunday, Oct. 25, 1:00 p.m. Prairie Seed Collecting. During this afternoon activity, we’ll share information about planting a prairie, recognizing prairie plants at the seed stage, and how to collect prairie seed. Participants will have an opportunity to collect prairie seed for their own use. Bring some paper bags and a bucket if you plan to collect seed. Fee: $3.00 (members free). Saturday, Oct. 31, 9:30 a.m. Seven Ponds Sketchers. Join our naturalist as we walk the trails with sketchbooks to draw and learn the natural history of many species of plants and animals. Age 16 and above. Fee: $3.00 (members free). Sunday Nov. 1, 2:00 p.m. Winds of Change. The winds of November are a natural sign that winter is on the way. For the lakes and forest, it is a time when nutrients are replenished. Come join us for a walk as we explain about these processes. PAGE 3
JUST A CHIRP
AUTUMN 2009
About Grosse Pointe Audubon President -- Bill Rapai, president, (313) 885-6502 or [email protected] Sylvia Sanders, vice president, (313) 886-0869 Mark O’Keefe, treasurer, (313) 884-7472 or [email protected] Joanna Pease, representative to Seven Ponds Nature Center, [email protected] 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
Autumn 2009
Invasion of the hummers! It seems there were more hummingbirds around Grosse Pointe this summer than we've ever seen before. A neighbor of mine started seeing one at her feeder regularly early in the summer, and suddenly in August she started seeing two. I stopped by recently to watch the hummers come and go from her feeder and realized that there were actually three! The photo at right is of one of the hummers that have been coming to her feeder. It's an adult female. You can tell by some of the
Run for your lives! We’ve been invaded by these guys! blotchiness in her breast feathers that she is undergoing molt.
A few days later, I stopped by one of the plant See Autumn, Page 2
Fall Schedule Sept. 21—”Fun in the Rain Forest” with Grosse Pointe Audubon’s own Mike Florian. Mike is also the president of the Grosse Pointe Camera Club. He will tell the stories behind the amazing photos he took on his and Judy’s trip to Costa Rica with New Jersey Audubon last October. Oct. 19—Clayton Daughenbaugh, Midwest Field Organizer for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, will present “Wild Utah: America’s Red Rock Wilderness,” a film narrated by Robert Redford. The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and its partners in the Utah Wilderness Coalition seek to gain local support for a proposal to protect wilderness areas in Utah’s red rock canyon lands. Legislation to do so is currently pending in the United States Congress. Nov. 16— "Of Berries and Birds: The Fall Stopover Ecology of Catharus Thrushes." Julie Craves discusses the results of her long-term study of stopover ecology of migrant birds in an urban natural area. The paper written from this ground-breaking study was recently published in the prestigious Wilson Journal of Ornithology.
PAGE 1
Autumn, continued from Page 1 nurseries on Mack Avenue, and workers there said they have been seeing hummers at their location all summer. They have also heard from an unusually high number of customers this year who have seen hummingbirds in their backyards. Fall hummingbird migration has already begun, so if you have a feeder, you might want to put it up and keep it up through October. Because the mix you put in the feeder is rich with sugar, it goes bad after about a week, so. don't forget to change the water regularly, and never put dye in the mix! Looking back at our last meeting in April and our first meeting in September, you might think that Grosse Pointe Audubon has gone all Costa Rica all the time. It’s only coincidence that we have scheduled two Costa Rica programs back-to-back. I apologize for that, but I did not want to wait any longer to schedule a program by our own Mike Florian. Besides being a member of Grosse Pointe Audubon, Mike is president of the Grosse Pointe Camera Club. You probably know from other programs that he has given that he’s an outstanding photographer. Our October 19 meeting will be something a bit different: Clayton Daughenbaugh of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance will present a short film narrated by Robert Redford, “Wild Utah: America’s Red Rock Wilderness.” Daughenbaugh is part of a citizens group that is seeking to preserve wilderness areas in Utah’s Red Rocks Canyonlands. On Nov. 16, Julie Craves, director of avian research at the Rouge River Bird Observatory "Of Berries and Birds: The Fall Stopover Ecology of Catharus Thrushes." This might sound a little, um, dull, but Julie’s work is being recognized and lauded as critically important to understanding how
birds use urban sites to recharge their energy during migration. At our annual meeting last April, membership re-elected Bill Rapai as president, Sylvia Sanders as vice president and Mark O’Keefe as treasurer. We appreciate your continued faith in us. As for the coming year, I have set the following goals: 1. Present interesting and informative speakers at our meetings. 2. Present a children’s program in conjunction with the War Memorial. 3. Get as many people as possible involved in our fun events like the Birding Challenge, which will be held in late April or early May. 4. Get as many people as possible to come out to see the new building at Seven Ponds Nature Center next May. We’ve already set a date and have a speaker for our children’s program: Francie Krawcke will be returning Feb. 6 to present “Hunters of the Sky,” and she will be bringing live hawks and owls and even a bald eagle. More information will come in the January newsletter. Set your calendars now for May 8, 2010, for our annual spring field trip to Seven Ponds Nature Center. You need to come to Seven Ponds this spring to see what your dues to Grosse Pointe Audubon have helped to build: a magnificent new addition to the Interpretative Building. The addition was sorely needed because the old building was inadequate and had been operating above capacity for several years. The new building was made possible through donations made in a capital campaign. That campaign is still a bit short of its $1.8 million goal. so if you have a penny to spare, I’m sure Joanna Pease, our representative to the Seven Ponds board, would be happy to hear from you. -- Bill Rapai, President PAGE 2
Seven Ponds Nature Center Call (810) 796-3200 for more information or to register for programs. Sunday, Sept. 13, 2:00 p.m. Prairie Plant and Animal Survival. Early fall is a great time to go for a walk in our prairie. Learn how to identify some of the common plants and animals as well as the unique ways they survive. Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 19 and 20, 11:00-5:00 33rd Annual Heritage Harvest Days. A weekend of heritage-related activities, including crafts, games, demonstrations, music, food and much more. Bake sale, magicians, model railroads, blacksmith, used book sale, children’s tent with crafts, prairie wagon rides. $6 adults and $2 children. To volunteer, call 810-796-3200. Sunday, Sept. 27, 1:00 p.m. Invasive Plant Workday. We will work on removing the non-native plants that are invading the nature center. This is a great chance to earn community service or Master Gardener hours. Bring your own work gloves. Saturday, Oct. 3, 10:00 a.m. Curious Canoers of Seven Ponds. What a great way to spend time looking at the natural world. Use your canoe or one of ours. Pre-register at 810-796-3200. Limited to eight canoes. Minimum age of 6. Fee: $5.00 ($3.00 members). Sunday, Oct. 4, 2:00 p.m. Jonathan Woods Walk. What a splendid time for an afternoon stroll amidst the changing colors of autumn. Learn why we are treated to fall’s bounty of color with a walk through the woods. Sunday, Oct. 11, 1:00 p.m. Invasive Plant Workday. We will work on removing the non-native shrubs that are invading the nature center. This is a great chance
to earn community service or Master Gardener hours. Bring your own work gloves. Saturday, Oct. 17, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Birdseed Saturday. “Birdseed weekend” will again feature a number of activities related to watching, feeding, and enjoying the birds. The Rookery Bookstore will have an excellent variety of birdseed and bird feeders, as well as a great selection of nature related gifts including books, DVDs, CD’s, puppets, and more. There will also be a bake sale put on by the Stingers. Sunday, Oct. 18, 2:00 p.m. Grand Opening for the new Schemm-Naish Interpretive Building! Join the Seven Ponds board, staff, volunteers, members, and others for the official opening of our renovated facility. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be followed by building tours and cider and donuts. Come see what we have accomplished! Sunday, Oct. 25, 1:00 p.m. Prairie Seed Collecting. During this afternoon activity, we’ll share information about planting a prairie, recognizing prairie plants at the seed stage, and how to collect prairie seed. Participants will have an opportunity to collect prairie seed for their own use. Bring some paper bags and a bucket if you plan to collect seed. Fee: $3.00 (members free). Saturday, Oct. 31, 9:30 a.m. Seven Ponds Sketchers. Join our naturalist as we walk the trails with sketchbooks to draw and learn the natural history of many species of plants and animals. Age 16 and above. Fee: $3.00 (members free). Sunday Nov. 1, 2:00 p.m. Winds of Change. The winds of November are a natural sign that winter is on the way. For the lakes and forest, it is a time when nutrients are replenished. Come join us for a walk as we explain about these processes. PAGE 3
JUST A CHIRP
AUTUMN 2009
About Grosse Pointe Audubon President -- Bill Rapai, president, (313) 885-6502 or [email protected] Sylvia Sanders, vice president, (313) 886-0869 Mark O’Keefe, treasurer, (313) 884-7472 or [email protected] Joanna Pease, representative to Seven Ponds Nature Center, [email protected] 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
