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. 

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.

Bob Dolgan: Piping Plovers in Chicago      

Filmaker, Bob Dolgan will speak and show a film that tells the story of "Monty & Rose," a pair of endangered Piping Plovers attempting to nest on a busy beach in Chicago.  The short independent documentary chronicles these special birds and an unpredictable series of events including a proposed music festival that propelled them to national headlines. 

Monty and Rose became the first piping plovers to nest within the city limits of Chicago since 1955. In addition to the showing the film, Bob will provide additional information, stories and answer questions regarding this marvelous event.  Click HERE to watch the official trailer of Monty and Rose.    

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

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. 

Brian "Fox" Ellis, an award winning professional storyteller and author from the Bishop Hill Creative Commons, located in Bishop Hill, IL, will be our featured speaker for the evening. Brian's goal is to provide: "Education and Inspiration through the Art of Storytelling!"  Among his Brian's many performance impersonations is his portrayal of John James Audubon.

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