March 2008

Sat. Mar. 8 7:00AM-3:00PM

This trip will take in some of the bird migration hotspots along the Illinois River; spots renowned for both scenic quality and bird diversity. After meeting at the Nature Center @ 7:00AM, we will travel south along the east shore of the river stopping at Spring Lake and Chautauqua, have a catered lunch overlooking the Dickson Mounds complex, then proceed to one of the largest wetland restoration projects in the world, the Nature Conservancy’s Emiqoun Preserve. From there on to Rice Lake and Banner Marsh. Trip leaders: Maury Brucker and John Mullen of Peoria Audubon Society. Preregistration a must. Call 686-3360 for more info and registration. Age: 14 & up.  A $30 fee includes transportation in a Peoria Park District van and the Catered Lunch

Wed. Mar. 12, 7:00 PM

James Herkart of The Nature Conservancy will speak on Nesting Habitat of Grassland Birds.  The talk will also include the effect of habitat fragmentation.

April 2008

Sat. April 5,

 8:30AM - 3:00PM

Bert Princen will be leading a birding tour to the private 14,000+ acre wetlands west of Canton, IL.  Bert received special permission to visit this facility that is closed to the public.  We typically see a very wide range of waterfowl and other bird species at all the lakes and woods in the closed facility.  Since the area is closed to the public, it is a rare opportunity to go birding.  Click for photo galleries from previous two of MSD trips: Oct 2007;  Nov. 2006

Trip is Free, but pre-registration mandatory.  Call Bert Princen at 691-0519.  We will meet at 8:00 AM in Farmington, IL 1 block south of Illinois 116 on South Route 97 then carpool to the facility.  This is one block south of the stop sign in the center of the town - NOT the North Route 97 on the east edge of town.  We will arrive at the MSD facility, located off Hickory Road, 4-5 miles west of Canton, IL at 8:30 AM.  Map of MSD facility Satellite Image

Wed. April. 9, 7:00 PM

Hummingbird Night! Vernon Kleen, host of several hummingbird festivals and one of the few people registered to band hummingbirds, will discuss hummingbirds, hummingbird conservation, and provide all kinds of information regarding these little birds  Click for Photo Gallery of 2007 Hummingbird Festival

Sat. April 12, 7:30 AM

Search for spring migrants and resident birds of Forest Park with a guide form Peoria Audubon. Please bring your own binoculars or you may borrow a pair from Forest Park. All levels welcome; no experience required. Age: 10 & up Fee: Donations requested

Sat. April 19, 11:00 AM - 4 PM

Food, Fun, and Earth-friendly Solutions.  Peruse the numerous booths, locate local resources, and learn what you can do to make a difference.  Plus live music from several people and bands.

April 18-20

The Decatur Audubon Society and Illinois Audubon Society invite everyone to “Spring into Decatur.” The event will be held April 18-20, 2008, at the Decatur Conference Center & Hotel.

Beginning and experienced wildlife watchers are invited to attend an assortment of guided field trips to nearby natural areas and cultural points of interest. Special guest speakers have been scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings. “The weekend will offer many opportunities to get out and enjoy Decatur and the surrounding area,” says Marge Evans, Field Trip Coordinator for the event.  Registration Deadline: April 11  PDF Registration Form

Sat. April 26 7:00-10:00 AM (Approx.)

Pete Fenner will host a field trip on the Illinois River Trail. We will meet at 7:00 am at the Carl Spindler Marina parking lot in East Peoria. We will be taking a nice boardwalk trail walk leading out to a marshy area, where we can expect a variety of woodland, marsh and perhaps some river species as well.  Click for Info & Directions

May 2008

Sat. May 10

Statewide bird count.  To volunteer for Peoria County, contact: Mike Miller (309) 686-3360; mmiller@peoriaparks.org   Additional Info for volunteering in other counties in Illinois

Sat. May 10 9:00-11:30 AM

Instructor: John Mullen.  Get acquainted with the local avian world.  Emphasis will be on simple appreciation of these winged wonders as well as the identification by coloration, shape, behavior, vocalizations, and other characteristics. Field guides and binoculars will also be discussed. Participants will have the opportunity to practice what they've learned during the hands-on, outdoor portion of this workshop.  Register through Illinois Central College, 309-999-4545. Fee: $14/person.  

Wed. May 14, 7:00 PM

Mike Callahan, former Director of Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District will provide an insight into the steps in creating the 188 acre Kenneth L. Schroeder Wildlife Sanctuary, 5 miles south of Bloomington,   According to Ken, the facility which serves as a buffer from the waste reclamation facility, will be open to the public and provide hiking trails and an observation blind to view the wetlands.  An additional 80 acres was just added and under development.

Sat. May 17, 7:30 AM

Search for spring migrants and resident birds of Forest Park with a guide form Peoria Audubon. Please bring your own binoculars or you may borrow a pair from Forest Park. All levels welcome; no experience required. Age: 10 & up Fee: Donations requested

Sun. May 18, 1:00-5:00 (?) PM

Maury Brucker will be leading a field trip to the 10 acre Oak Bluff Savannah that was recently restored with a grant with the Midwest Forester's Partnership.  Maury has identified over 140 species at the property near Henry, IL.  Meet at Forest Park Nature Center @ 1:00 PM to carpool to the savannah

June 2008

Sat. June 7, 7:30 AM

Search for spring migrants and resident birds of Forest Park with a guide form Peoria Audubon. Please bring your own binoculars or you may borrow a pair from Forest Park. All levels welcome; no experience required. Age: 10 & up Fee: Donations requested

July 2008

Sat. July 5, Starts at 10:00 AM

Bird watching is a wonderful way to relax and learn about the natural world.  We'll go over the basics for learning how to bird watch, covering everything from bird feeder and feed selection, binocular basics, backyard habitats, and a bit of natural history on common backyard birds. If you own binoculars, please bring them for the binocular tutorial. Fee: Donations appreciated  Contact John Mullen @ 309-686-3360 for more information. 

August 2008

7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Catch the peak of shorebird migration at Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge and adjoining sites–some of the best places in Illinois to see the thousands of shorebirds that stop during their spectacular migration. Naturally, we’ll take in the great scenery and other early migrants as well. This trip, led by Maury Brucker and John Mullen of Peoria Audubon Society and Forest Park Nature Center, includes transportation and a delicious lunch. Pre-registration a must, as this trip fills up fast. Call 309-686-3360 for more info and registration. Best for 12 and up. Fee: $35/person, Forest Park Nature Center and/or Peoria Audubon Members receive a $5 discount.  Photos from Sept. 2007 Birding the Illinois River Tour

Vernon Kleen from Springfield (one of the few licensed hummingbird banders in the U.S.) will be on hand to demonstrate hummingbird banding and discuss the fascinating world of hummingbirds.  You will have a chance to feel the heart beat of a hummingbird and “adopt” one of these beautiful flyers. This free event is a come-as-you-please activity. Jointly sponsored by Forest Park Nature Center and Illinois Audubon. Fee: Donations appreciated Photo Gallery from 2007 Peoria Hummingbird Festival

September 2008

Wed. Sept. 10, 7:00 PM

Brad Walker, River Restoration Coordinator, for the Prairie Rivers Network, will speak on their work of protecting the rivers and streams of Illinois to promote the lasting health and beauty of watershed communities.   According to Brad, "In 2006 we expanded into the related issue of river restoration. We are specifically working to raise awareness and improve conditions for restoration activities to occur along the Upper Mississippi and Illinois River's area within Illinois."

October 2008

Wed. Oct. 8,    7:00 PM

Tom Clay, Executive Director of the Illinois Audubon Society will speak on "110 Years of Illinois Audubon."  From its beginnings as an educational and scientific organization, Illinois Audubon is now Illinois' oldest conservation organization and continues to grow

Tom will speak on how Illinois Audubon has grown in that it now owns 10 statewide wildlife sanctuaries, consisting of nearly 1000 acres.  Further, in recent years, Illinois Audubon has become a land trust partner that has worked to acquire an additional 2000 acres for protection from future development, and is now being managed for rich habitat and biodiversity.

November 2008

Wed. Nov. 12,  7:00 PM

Annette Prince, Director of Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, will discuss the actions to rescue and salvage thousands of migratory birds that were harmed by collisions with downtown Chicago buildings.  Click here - for info on reducing risk of bird strikes. 

December 2008

Wed. Dec. 10,    7:00 PM

Marshall B. Plumley, Illinois River Basin Integrator with the US Arm Corps of Engineers, will speak on the Illinois River restoration projects funded by the recent passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). 

Peoria Audubon Society conducts three annual Christmas Bird Counts: Peoria and Chautauqua in December, and Chillicothe in January.  Dates and contact info will be communicated later   

January 2009

Tracy Fox will be coordinating the annual Chillicothe Christmas Bird Count.  Contact Tracy at 309-369-5331 to volunteer

Wed. Jan. 7,    6:30 PM

Bring your CD of jpgs, videos, or slide carousel, table service and a covered dish to share.  Christmas Bird Count results will be presented.  Note the earlier starting time

Peoria Audubon Society annually conducts a census of the eagle population along the Illinois river from Henry, IL to Havana, IL 

February 2009

Wed. Feb. 11,    7:00 PM

Ben O'Neal from the University of Illinois Department of Atmospheric Science at Chaimpaign-Urbana, will be discussing the use of weather radar to track and follow water fowl migration. 

March 2009

Wed. Mar. 11,    7:00 PM

Anaise Berry, Director of the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway, will discuss the benefits and the establishment of the Scenic Byway based on their scenery, cultural, historical, natural, recreational or archaeological opportunities.