The Arrival of Fall

Below you can find information on the latest happenings of the Sycamore Audubon Society.

OCTOBER 2-3 TURKEY LEG BOOTH – Feast of the Hunter’s Moon.  SAS’s biggest yearly fundraiser.  Stop by and buy a smoked turkey leg – they are delicious!  You can also help at the booth.  See page 2.

OCTOBER 1-3 FALL BIRDING FESTIVAL – Indiana Audubon’s Society’s Fall meeting at McCormick’s Creek Park.  Bird humorist Al Batt is Saturday night’s Keynote Speaker.  The weekend starts Friday with a 7 p.m program on Indiana’s Birds of Prey.  Saturday has birding tours, radar ornithology, nature journaling, and workshops, as well as the young birder’s club.  Sunday has more tours, photo workshops, etc.  Go to www.Indianaaudubon.org and register to get more info and sign up to attend.

OCTOBER 6 – 1-3 pm Rain Gardens.  Dan Dunten at Lilly Nature Center (Wed. in the wild)

OCTOBER 9 – Black Rock Nature Hike – Tour is led by Gus Nyberg, NICHES executive director.  The walk will cover areas of private land not normally open to the public as well as view the progress on woodland recovery on NICHES property initiated earlier this year.  From the Lafayette area go west on South River/Division Road into Warren County, turn south (left) on CR 1125 E just before entering Greenhill.  Go 3.5 miles, turn east on CR 350 N, go .5 miles to the NICHES sign on the right.

OCTOBER 10 – Waterfowl Afternoon – Meet 1:30 p.m. at the gravel parking lot at Celery Bog.  We will go to Celery Bog, Mulvey Pond, Pine Creek or wherever migrating ducks and geese have been reported.  This trip is planned to be in the safe period between early and late waterfowl hunting periods.

OCTOBER 13 – 1-3 pm Fall Colors Walk.  Outdoor program at Clegg led by Jim Peterson, Clegg Garden Manager and Steward (Wednesdays in the wild).

OCTOBER 14 – PROGRAM:  Bird Conservation in Indiana:  Conflicting Management, Species and Methods.  Ross Brittain, IUPUI.  Ross is the Indiana Director of Bird Conservation for the Natuional Audubon Society here in Indiana.  One of his research projects dealt with the Northern Saw-whet Owls.  7:15 p.m Lilly Nature Center, Celery Bog Nature Area, W.L.

OCTOBER 20 or 27 – Raptors in Rehab and Education by Carol Blacketer of the Wildlife Wildlife Center, Lilly Nature Center (Wednesdays in the wild).

OCTOBER 20 or 27 – Mosses.  Bob McNight, Indiana Academy of Sciences, Lilly Nature Center (Wednesdays in the wild).

OCTOBER 22-24 SAS’s Fall Bake and Plant Sale.  Friday 6-8:30 p.m, Saturday 10-5, and Sunday 1-6 at the W.L. Public Library.  Cashiers needed as well as donations of things to sell – and of course customers!

NOVEMBER 3- 7-9 p.m.  Emerald Ash Borer.  Jody Ellis at Lilly Nature Center (Wednesdays in the wild).

NOVEMBER 10 – 1-3 p.m. Late Migrant and Winter Resident Birds.  Susan Ulrich, SAS.  Indoor presentation followed by outdoor bike hike at Lilly Nature Center (Wednesdays in the wild).

NOVEMBER 11 – PROGRAM – Birds of Trinidad and Tobago – Russ and Vivian Mumford.  A program of Vivian’s slides showing scenery and wildlife, supplemented by slides of Russ Mumford’s artwork of some of the birds seen on the trip.  His drawing of the Barred Antshrike is shown on page 6.  7:15 p.m. Lilly Nature Center, Celery Bog Nature Area, WL.

NOVEMBER 17 – 1-3 p.m. Fruits of Fall – featuring Persimmons.  Lynn Layden and Sally Weeks of Battle Ground Environmental Education Center  (Wednesdays in the wild, at the Battle Ground Environmental Education Center).

NOVEMBER 21 Sandhill Cranes.  A Sunday afternoon trip to Jasper-Pulaski to see thousans of staging Sandhill Cranes and perhaps a Whooping Crane or two as well.  Meet at the gravel parking lot at Celery Bog at 3:30 p.m. to carpool to JP.  We will return around 7 p.m.

DECEMBER 4 – Early Winter Birds.  Barny Dunning, leader.  December is the time for Snowy Owls, Rough-legged Hawks and winter finches.  We will monitor internet bird reports to plan a full day or half day trip to go where the interesting birds are.  A likely option is the Lake Michigan shore, where Snow Buntings, winter gulls, Saw-whet and Snowy Owls are possible.  If nothing is happening there, we will stick closer to home.  8 a.m. at the gravel parking lot at Celery Bog Nature Area, W.L

DECEMBER 9 – PROGRAM- Urban Bird Conservation.  Don Gorney, Amos W. Butler Audubon Society and program director for Lights Out Indy.  Don has worked on many projects that affect birds in urban environments, such as projects involving Common Nighthawks, Chimney Swifts, DNR habitat preservation at Fort Harrison State Park and Lights Out Indy, which has the goal of preventing bird deaths due to building collisions.  7:15 p.m. Lilly Nature Center, Celery Bog Nature Area, W.L.

DECEMBER 18 – Lafayette area Christmas Bird Count.  An all day bird census covering the 15 mile diameter count circle in Tippecanoe County.  Field counters and feeder counters needed.  More in December.