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.

The newest issue is now available.   Volume 35, Issue 2

SUMMER BIRD COUNT. June 1 – July 31. See current Sycamore Warbler

RIVERFEST July 10 Tapawingo Park 10-5. Lots of kid-friendly activities, Voyageur Canoe races (get a team together and compete), vendors, displays, food.  SAS WILL BE THERE. If you can help at the booth let us know, or stop by to say “hi”.

**UPDATED **TIPPECANOE BUTTERFLY COUNT JULY 17 Evonik (formerly Lilly) Wildlife Habitat Area. People are encouraged to come, see, and learn more about butterflies.  Beginners welcome.  The count follows an identification workshop.  Participants go out in groups with at least one expert.  Information can be found at Tippecanoe County Butterfly Count

TWO IN ONE FIELD TRIP. August 28 Half-day trip, Prophetstown SP + Spinn Prairie.  Bring a sack lunch.  Meet 7 a.m. at the park (far east end of Prophetstown Rd).  We will look for wildflowers, grassland birds, and early Fall migrants.  At 9:30 latecomers can meet us at the McDonalds on IN 43 by the I65 interchange.  We will then go to Spinn Prairie, 2 miles north of Reynolds (CR 200N and Meridian).  This prairie should be renewed from a burn last November.  Again we will check out flowers and avian friends.  We may stop at White County One, a gamebird habitat two miles away for pheasant and bobwhite.  Prior to returning, we’ll stop at Reynolds and eat our picnic lunch in their park while listening for the resident Eurasian-collared Doves.

SAS’s INVITATIONAL PROGRAM Thursday, September 9, 7:15 p.m bring a 5-10 minute program of digital images, slides, videos, whatever.  CARRY-IN DINNER at 6 p.m. Bring a dish to share.

Spring is less than a week away, and many birds have already arrived!  Keep up to date with happenings through the Sycamore Audubon by marking your calendars with the following activities!  Volume 35, Issue 1 of the Sycamore Warbler newsletter is also available for download.  Warbler Vol 35 Iss 1

Saturday, March 20.  First day of Spring migrant trip.  Meet at 8:30 a.m at the Celery Bog gravel parking area.  We will look over the wetlands at Celery Bog for migrating water birds and move to other areas if birds are being reported elsewhere.

March 25 (Every Thursday) .  Early bird hikes start.  Barny Dunning 8 a.m. Purdue Horticultural Park.  These will be held every Thursday during the spring migration period.

March 26-28 (Friday-Sunday).  Spring Bake and Plant Sale.  Bring donations to the West Lafayette library.  Funds will help build a bird observation tower along the lake shore.  Donations are needed!  More info within the newsletter.

Thursday, April 8.  PROGRAM:  Chattering in the Chimney:  The mysterious Chimney Swift.  Shirley Needham, Wildlife Rehabilitator, Fulton County.  7:15 p.m.  Lilly Nature Center, West Lafayette.  Sign up for a Big Day in May Bird Count starting at 6:45 p.m.

Sunday, April 18.  Prophetstown State Park.  Meet at 6:30 p.m. (evening!) at the far end of the drive in Prophetstown.  We will walk the trails along the boundaries of the park and look at the prairie in spring, while watching for migrants passing through.  Contact Barny for directions.

Saturday, April 24.  Indiana Beach Campground.  Rick Read will lead a walk through the Indiana Beach Campground.  Habitats include riparian, lake/pond, field and forest.  The campground is located on the north side of Monticello, off West Shafer Drive.  At Indiana Beach Road, turn west (away from the amusement park).  Meet outside the campground registration office at 7:30 a.m. for a 2-3 hour walk.  We’ll enter the park together; participants can leave at any time.

April 30 – May 1.  IAS Spring Birding Festival.  At Indiana Audubon Society’s Mary Gray Sanctuary near Connersville.  Loads of activities.  Go to Indianaaudubon.org for more information.  Bill Cummings, who used to be on SAS’s board years ago, is organizing the event.

May 8.  Big Day in May bird count.  All day bird count.  See newsletter.

Thursday, May 13.  PROGRAM:  Birds and Wildlife of India.  Russ Mumford, former professor of Wildlife Science, will share his photos and paintings from his travels in the forest reserves of India.  7:15 Lilly Nature Center, W. L.

Saturday, May 15.  Tippecanoe River State Park and Winamac SF&WA.  Jon Chapman will take us to his favorite birding spots in two outstanding state refuges that straddle US-31, 4 miles north of Winamac.  Jon will lead us through various habitats to view resident and migrant waterfowl and passerines.  Carpools will depart from two locations.  Barny Dunning will lead one from the W. Lafayette Celery Bog gravel parking lot departing at 6 a.m.  Rick Read will lead another departing from the Monticello Public Library at 6:30 a.m.  We will meet Jon inside Tippecanoe River SP at the Waterfowl Area Parking Lot at 7:30 a.m.

Saturday, May 29.  Martell Forest trip.  Meet at 7 a.m. for a half day trip starting at the entrance to Purdue’s Martell Forest on the east side of County Road 725 West in Tippecanoe County (south of SR 26 and north of Division Rd).  We will be looking for birds of the mature forest, plus late spring migrants.  This is the time Connecticut Warblers migrate through Indiana.

Wednesday, June 9.  Grassland Birds at Prophetstown State Park.  Susan Ulrich 1-3 p.m.  A Wednesdays in the Wild program.  There is a charge for each car entering the park.  We will see what grassland birds and other interesting things we can find that might be around.

2010 marks the beginning of reorganization and revamping of the Sycamore Audubon Society website.  Please check back here in the future for information on trips, contacts, and ways to stay involved and informed as a birder.  Please look for updated conservation news by browsing the links on the right.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Sunday, March 7.  Woodcock Courtship Trip.  6:30 p.m Celery Bog parking lot.  We will carpool to the Purdue Wildlife Area off SR 26 in the hopes of seeing (or hearing) courting American Woodcock at sundown.  Return should be around 8:30 p.m

• Thursday, March 11.  PROGRAM:  Hellbender Stories.  Rod Williams, assistant Professor in Forestry and Natural Resources, will talk about this rarely seen large amphibian found in Indiana.  7:15 Lilly Nature Center, West Lafayette.

• Saturday, March 20.  First day of Spring migrant trip.  Meet at 8:30 a.m. at Celery Bog parking area.  We will look over the wetlands at Celery Bog for migrating water birds and move to other areas if birds are being reported elsewhere.

• Thursday, April 8.  PROGRAM:  Chattering in the Chimney:  The mysterious Chimney Swift.  Shirley Needham, Wildlife Rehabilitator, Fulton County.  7:15 p.m.  Lilly Nature Center, West Lafayette.

-Attached is the 2009-2010 winter issue of the newsletter.  Warbler Vol 34 Iss 4