COVID-19 Notice

At the present time, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, all previously scheduled Peoria Audubon Society membership meetings - that would normally be held at Forest Park Nature Center - are hereby cancelled or postponed until further notice out of concern for the health and safety of our members and the community.

Instead, we will be offering programs virtually via Zoom. A Zoom link will be provided to our email subscribers prior to the event. All programs are open to the public and free.

Although field trips are on hold, birding walks and informal birding events are being planned where physical distancing and safety can effectively be practiced.  We encourage everyone to enjoy the outdoors while remaining safe. 

Steve Zehner, a local eBird and iNaturalist user, will hosted a Zoom virtual meeting with us on becoming citizen scientists with eBird and iNaturalist. He discussed using eBird to plan a trip to local hotspots, record and share bird observations, attach pictures, create lists by location, and set up alerts for birds of interest.

Click Here to view recording of Steve's presentation.

Request for volunteers to come to the Oak Bluff Nature Preserve 4-miles southwest of Henry, IL to assist with removing invasive species.  The local ICC SAFE student group will also be helping out.  (Google Map)

Bring water and work gloves.  Loppers and/or saws should be available.  Working with a dedicated group should be fun, and we'll remain socially distant.  It's a great place that needs some TLC to let nature show through.  After a few hours, we'll sit back and enjoy nature! 

Mike Miller, Supervisor of Environmental of Interpretive Services at Peoria Park District, hosted a virtual Zoom meeting on habitat grant projects in Peoria.  The District has received IDNR funding to complete several habitat projects in the Peoria area.  In particular Mike highlighted projects in Donovan Park, Detweiller Riverside, and Robinson Parks. 

These projects are designed to improve habitat for the Federally Endangered Rusty Patch Bumble Bee, Federally Threatened Decurrent False Aster, and the Monarch Butterfly. 

Click Here to view recording of Mike's presentation.

November 2020

Request for volunteers to come to the Oak Bluff Nature Preserve 4-miles southwest of Henry, IL to assist with removing invasive species, hauling and burning.  (Google Map)

Bring water and work gloves.  Loppers and/or saws should be available.  Working with a dedicated group should be fun, and we'll remain socially distant.  It's a great place that needs some TLC to let nature show through. After a few hours, we'll sit back and enjoy nature!

Mike Coyne-Logan, Education Facilitator of Living Lands & Waters will bring his presentation to us with a focus on waste reduction.  Mike will share the history of the organization and the story of founder Chad Pregracke! Mike will describe what it’s like to clean up garbage on the river, live on a barge for most of the year, and show examples of bizarre items they found on the river.

Send email request to peoriaaudubon@gmail.com for more information and a link to attend/watch the free virtual Zoom meeting.

The 121st annual Audubon Peoria Christmas Bird Count. Contact Mike Miller (309) 681-2858 to participate

Sat. Dec. 26

The 121sth annual Audubon Chautauqua Christmas Bird Count. Contact Rick Fox (309) 369-5330 to participate

The 121st annual Audubon Chillicothe Christmas Bird Count. Contact Tracy Fox (309) 369-5331 to participate

Mark Glenshaw: Lives of Great Horned Owls in Forest Park of St. Louis

Mark H. X. Glenshaw is an award-winning naturalist who has closely observed and documented the lives of Great Horned Owls in Forest Park, a large urban park in St. Louis, Missouri, since December 2005.  Mark’s talk, Forest Park Owls: Hiding In Plain Sight, will cover how he found these owls, basic facts about the species, and the different behaviors he has been able to observe and document with photos and videos to illustrate these behaviors.

You may have heard about the owls and Mark's work with them from the regular media coverage they receive-now here is your opportunity to learn more about the owls in person.  Mark's YouTube Channel of the owls. 

Send email request to peoriaaudubon@gmail.com for more information and a link to attend/watch the free virtual Zoom meeting.

February 2021

Jason Beverlin: Latest Developments at Emiquon

Jason Beverlin, Deputy Director of The Nature Conservancy's Illinois River Program at Emiquon Preserve, will be with us to enlighten us with all the latest developments at Emiquon - the largest wetland restoration in the United States after the Everglades. 

Send email request to peoriaaudubon@gmail.com for more information and a link to attend/watch the free virtual Zoom meeting.

Jennifer Kuroda, founder of Illinois Bobcat Foundation will be with us to speak about...Bobcats!   - Bobcats, named for their short, bobbed tails, are about twice the size of a common house cat. They use their keen sight and hearing to hunt rabbits, squirrels, small rodents and some birds.

Bobcats are mostly nocturnal, reclusive animals that prefer forested or wooded areas. Once hunted almost to extinction in the Midwest, bobcats have been making a comeback in recent years.  Jennifer will cover every facet of the elusive cats, including history, biology, predator perception and management and will speak about the ongoing bobcat population studies in Illinois.

Send email request to peoriaaudubon@gmail.com for more information and a link to attend/watch the free virtual Zoom meeting.