Welcome! The Grand Traverse Audubon Club members enjoy birding together, meeting for nature-oriented programs or field trips, and participating in service projects related to the environment. We are concerned about the preservation of habitat for wildlife, and natural areas for the enjoyment of all residents. We are a chapter of the Michigan Audubon Society .
Our regular programs are usually the third Thursday of the month at the Boardman River Nature Center on Cass Road at 7:00 PM. Everyone is welcome to attend!
Our Next Program:
JUNE
*SPECIAL* June 19 – Friends of Whitefish Point Banding Program – (Venue TBD)
Nova Mackentley and Chris Neri will be presenting on the programs and work of Friends of Whitefish Point, including owl banding, nest box monitoring, and studying the movements of Northern Saw-whet Owls. They will also discuss the need for support to continue their efforts..
Our Next Field Trip
MAY
MAY
May 17 – Interlochen Public Library Birding Field Trip
May 17, 10 a.m. / Interlochen Public Library / 9411 Tenth Street, Interlochen, MI 49643 231-276-6767
Mary Ellen Newport will give an overview of Michigan birds, and best practices for beginning birders. Participants are encouraged to download the Merlin app, and load the “US: Midwest Pack.” We have binoculars to share, but bring your own if you want to learn how to focus them specifically for your eyes. We’l start in the Library and end up birding out back!
Our Next Sunday Bird Walk
Join us at various locations around the area for a birding experience designed for those just getting started or wanting to polish their skills. We’ll focus on identification skills, not just a big list. Outings will start at 7:30 AM and last about 2 hours. Note that the walks may start earlier as the days get longer! **The last Sunday of the Month will be held in the evening. The weekly location will be announced early in the week via BirdAlert. Contact leader and coordinator Kirk Waterstripe (4walkinglightly@gmail.com) with any questions.
May 18 @ 7:30 am – Shumsky Road with Maryellen Newport (Questions: (419) 494-6471
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZPD7Dj3YrFQvjZ7z9
Walking surface is a dirt road
Our Next Community Partner Events:
MAY-JUNE
28 – 1 (Friday through Tuesday) – Aldo Leopold Festival
This year’s festival concentrates on Birds, Bugs, & Birds. Beginning in the early 1890s, the Leopold family made annual treks from their Burlington, Iowa, home to their cottage, first by steam ferry from Chicago to Mackinac Island and later by rail. There, young Leopold spent his days in the woods and on the water. He would map trails and make lists of flora and fauna. His efforts & influence on modern land ethics, land and wildlife conservation, and the American love of the land are celebrated annually during this festival at the Les Cheneaux Islands, Michigan in the U.P. near Hessel Michigan. Registration opens April 1, 2024.
For more information: https://www.aldoleopoldfestival.org
JUNE
June 14 (Saturday) Elk Rapids Bird Walk by Green ER & G T Audubon Club
Join Kathie Wiley with Grand Traverse Audubon Club on an Elk Rapids Village Bird Walk on Saturday, June 14th at 8:00 am. This event is limited to 15 people. (There will be a wait list, so please cancel with Kathie if your plans change) What to bring: Binoculars if you have them. (here is a video of how to focus them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhCtI3gkj-I ), and good walking shoes.
We will be starting at the Gazebo near Edward C. Grace Memorial Harbor, looking for any ducks like Mergansers as well as Tree Swallows and Chimney Swifts. Next, we’ll walk toward the library to look for warblers such as Yellow Warblers and possibly Gray Catbirds and Warbling Vireos. We’ll then venture to the south side of the library and cross Library Bridge over the Elk River. We’ll then walk toward E. Rapids Community Housing listening for birds, probably Chipping Sparrows and Pine Warblers. Along the way expect to hear/see American Redstarts and perhaps a Black-throated Green Warbler or Ovenbird. For added enjoyment, if you get a chance, please look up the birds mentioned in this description for both their markings and their calls before the hike. Please contact Kathie Wiley to sign up for this event: dujour1@gmail.com
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