Bird Monitors Needed
The Bird Conservation Network will offer three workshops in March and April for new and prospective bird monitors. Birds need a voice, and monitoring is a rewarding and interesting way of providing them with that voice. If you regularly visit a certain site, or are a regular eBird user, or would like an opportunity to immerse yourself in the bird life of a preserve, and you recognize our breeding birds by sight and sound, please join us. You can attend any of the workshops and receive the same information. Read more...
Wanted! Your photos.
We are looking for photos taken by WCAS members (in digital format) for our web page. Pictures of birds, WCAS field trips, outings, and other activities would be appreciated. Please be sure to include your name for photo credit and a brief description of the image. Check our Gallery section for recent updates.
Bird Sightings
Don't forget to check out the latest bird sightings and send your own as well.
Are you interested in learning more about birds and birding in and around Will County? Would you like to meet others that enjoy birding? Join us at one of our upcoming activities and find out what the Will County Audubon Society is all about. We hope to see you there! |
WCAS member Gil Anderson took this picture of a Red-breasted Nuthatch at his feeder. |
Next Meeting:
Thursday March 11, 2010
Pilcher Park Nature Center, Joliet, IL
Program: Marilyn Campbell - Owls of North America
WELCOME BACK MARILYN! An old friend and previous guest speaker, and Will County Audubon favorite, Marilyn Campbell is returning for an encore. Marilyn is not only an avid birder but also an avian expert speaker. She is the former Director of the Illinois Audubon Society, Editor of Illinois Audubon, and author of many articles in the Illinois Audubon. | 
photo © Pat Bluhm |
Quoting Marilyn, her program will feature “one of my favorite group of birds, the owls”. Her talk will include a discussion of their unique adaptations and images of our North American owls for identification.
A brief social time will precede the 7:15 pm meeting.
All Will County Audubon Society meetings are open to the general public with no charge.
Sounds of the Night - Woodcock Walk
Saturday, March 27
7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Monee Reservoir
To register, please call 708.534.8499
| As the sun sets, the male woodcock makes his way to the edge of a field and prepares for his extraordinary theatrical performance. It’s spectacular “sky dance” display is not to be missed! Normally timid and elusive, the woodcock is readily observed during the early spring breeding |
season when he leaves the safety and cover of the forest to attract a mate.
Spend the first part of the evening learning about the American woodcock, and then take an hour hike to watch for the courtship flight of the male. There is magic in experiencing the woodcock dance, and it is a ritual of spring not just for the woodcock, but for the birders who go to enjoy it. There will be a short walk from the building to the viewing area on a paved trail. Please dress warmly for the weather. This program is for persons 7 years and older.
International Migratory Bird Day Event
Saturday April 24, 2010 from 8 AM until Noon
Lake Renwick Heron Rookery and Visitor Center Plainfield, IL
photo © Joyce Flanagan | What is International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD)?
IMBD celebrates and brings attention to one of the most important and spectacular events in the Americas—bird migration between their summer and winter homes. Bird Day is celebrated in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central Americas through bird festivals, bird walks, and education programs.
Read more about IMBD at the official web site here.
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A bird hike and other activities are planned for the event. We will be giving away posters and have pins and t-shirts for sale. Check back here for more information and mark your calendars now. Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Visitor Center is located on Renwick Road one mile east of Route 30 in Plainfield.
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Illinois Coalition for Responsible Outdoor Lighting Symposium
Date: Thursday, March 11, 2010; 8:00 am - 3:30 pm
Location: Lewis University's Romeoville, Illinois campus
The Will County Audubon Chapter and the Illinois Audubon Society are among the sponsors of this daylong event.
The Illinois Coalition for Responsible Outdoor Lighting has teamed up with Lewis University to present a day-long symposium on manmade light and its effects on our planet.
Registration is free of charge, but pre-registration is required for all attendees except current Lewis University students. More information including a printable registration form with further details is available by clicking here.
The day will feature lectures by prominent speakers on such topics as:
- Artificial light and the natural environment
- Outdoor lighting, energy waste and sustainability
- Light at night and human health
- The loss of the night sky and its effects on science and society
- Illumination for safety and security
The goal is to bring together timely information on these subjects in a forum where all our fellow Illinois citizens can learn not only more about the "perils" which current lighting practices lighting pose, but also about the "promises" of a future where the night is illuminated in a responsible, sustainable manner. |
