Contact Tracy Fox (309) 369-5331 to participate

Wed. Jan. 8

6:30 pm @ FPNC

Bring your flash drive, CD, or even slide carousel of photos or videos and bring your table service and a covered dish to share.  Members share photo/video highlights from the year AND, all the stories! Christmas Bird Count results will be presented. Note the earlier 6:30 starting time.  As always, guests are welcome!

Wed. Feb. 12

7:00 pm @ FPNC

Meeting has been cancelled due to forecast of inclement weather for speaker who would have been driving up from St. Louis.  Mark Glenshaw has been observing, photographing, and describing the lives of a mated pair of Great Horned Owls in St. Louis' Forest Park for several years. As a dedicated amateur scientist.    

Join us as we hit the birding hotspots along the Illinois River in search of waterfowl. Transportation in a Peoria Park District van, snacks, and lunch at a Havana restaurant are included.  The areas we visit depend on where scouting reports show the birds to be, but will probably include Spring Lake, Chautauqua, Emiquon and Rice Lake. Timing of this trip is optimized for the for spring migration of waterfowl. 

Pre-registration Required.  Fee; $50/person (Audubon and Nature Center members receive a $5 discount) Call Forest Park Nature Center at (309)686-3360 to register

Wed. Mar. 11

7:00 pm @ FPNC

Tracy Fox and David Pittman are scheduled to talk about the importance and status of having wildlife corridors in the Peoria area.   

Wed. Apr. 8

7:00 pm @ FPNC

Steve Zehner, a local eBird and iNaturalist user, will be with us for an exciting and relaxed evening to show how to become a citizen scientist with eBird and iNaturalist to: (1) Plan trips knowing what birds are typically seen in hotspots; (2) enter observations for plants and insects for identification; (3) store observation data for use by scientific, education, and other observers; and much more.  

Statewide survey of birds.  This bird count is timed to be at the peak of spring migration.  The Peoria Audubon Society organizes teams to participate in the Statewide count.  Contact Mike Miller at (309) 681-2858, Peoria County compiler, for more information and to volunteer. 

Date Tentative

This trip will take in some of the waterfowl migration hotspots along the Illinois River- spots renowned for both scenic quality and bird diversity. After meeting at the Nature Center, we travel south along the east shore of the river stopping at Spring Lake and Chautauqua, then proceed to one of the largest wetland restoration projects in the world, the Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve. We will head on to Rice Lake and Banner Marsh. This trip, led by Dennis Endicott and Mike Miller of the Peoria Audubon Society, includes transportation in Peoria Park District van, a delicious lunch, and snacks.

Pre-registration Required.  Fee; $50/person (Audubon and Nature Center members receive a $5 discount) Call Forest Park Nature Center at (309)686-3360 to register 

Wed. Sept. 9

7:00 pm @ FPNC

Jennifer Kuroda, founder of the Illinois Bobcat Foundation, will cover every facet of the elusive cats, including history, biology, predator perception and management.  She will speak about the ongoing bobcat population studies in Illinois. 

Wed. Oct. 14

7:00 pm @ FPNC

Jason Beverlin, of The Nature Conservancy, will be with us to talk about new developments at the more than 6,000-acre, Emiquon Preserve - one of the largest floodplain restoration projects in the Midwest. 

Wed. Nov. 11

7:00 pm @ FPNC

Mark Glenshaw has been observing, photographing, and describing the lives of a mated pair of Great Horned Owls in St. Louis' Forest Park for several years. As a dedicated amateur scientist, Mark has photographed and documented owl behavior and led numerous Owl Prowls in the St. Louis area.  Come out to share in all the stories and images of owl behavior.     

Wed. Dec. 9

7:00 pm @ FPNC

Check back later as details are still being negotiated.

The 120th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Contact Mike Miller (309) 681-2858 to participate

Sat. Dec. 26

The 120th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Contact Sig Bjorklund (618) 363-1083 to participate