Presented by: Danielle Durham

Join us the first Monday of January for our free monthly program featuring guest speaker Danielle Durham. Danielle has been the southeast Michigan Peregrine Falcon nest coordinator with the DNR for the past several years and is also a falconer. She has a bird’s eye view into the lives of some really cool raptors as well as into the efforts which have helped Peregrine populations recover. We can’t wait to hear all about it!

The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. with social hour at 6:30 p.m. at the Sterling Heights Nature Center building. Follow us on Facebook for further updates.

From the brink of extinction to a new model for endangered species conservation, the Kirtland’s Warbler is an iconic species in Michigan, nesting primarily in the jack pine forests of the northern Lower Peninsula. You may have even seen it on some recent Michigan license plates! As late as 1987 there were fewer than 400 birds in the entire population. Today, there are more than 4,000 birds.

In October 2019, the Kirtland’s Warbler was removed from the endangered species list. That’s a reason to celebrate, but it doesn’t mean we can wash our hands and walk away. Conservation of the Kirtland’s Warbler has special challenges. Unlike every other animal that has been removed from the endangered species list, the Kirtland’s Warbler will require continued human intervention to ensure its survival.

Our guest speaker, William Rapai, is the author of The Kirtland’s Warbler: The Story of a Bird’s Fight for Survival and the People Who Saved It. He is also executive director of the Kirtland’s Warbler Alliance, a nonprofit created to support Kirtland’s Warbler conservation. Join us for social hour at 6:30 p.m., meeting at 7:00 p.m.

What species of reptiles and amphibians call Michigan home? How does one go about finding them? Join us for a presentation which explores the world of field herpetology (or “herping”), the pursuit of wild reptiles and amphibians. From information on these creatures to tips about photography and citizen science, guest speaker Nick Scobel will help us discover the hidden world beneath our feet.

Nick is a wildlife biologist, naturalist, and birder who lives just outside of Ann Arbor. He spends much of his spare time traversing Michigan’s wetlands, woods, and prairies in search of our native reptiles and amphibians to document and photograph. Social hour begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Sterling Heights Nature Center with the presentation starting at 7:00 p.m.

Monarch butterflies spend their summers brightening our Michigan pollinator gardens before making the long journey to Central Mexico where they overwinter in the mountains. Join Huron-Clinton Metroparks’ interpretive services supervisor Erin Parker for her program which follows the monarchs on their journeys and explores the threats they’re facing. Erin will also touch on how we can prepare to welcome them back to our Michigan gardens. Erin’s knowledge base is bolstered by her own experiences and research of monarchs she conducted in Mexico.

Join us in learning all about monarchs – how to attract them, how scientists study them, and how to help their dwindling populations. Social hour begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Sterling Heights Nature Center with the presentation starting at 7:00 p.m.

Join us for our next monthly program where we’ll watch an online presentation created by Kathi and Michael Rock and Brenna Marsicek of Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance. This approximately 40-minute presentation is all about Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. This comes at the perfect time, as these little “jewels of the sky” are now arriving for the summer. The information we’ll hear will help us better host, feed, and protect our little fast-flying friends from dangers such as window strikes. Our monthly programs also come with the added benefit of seeing each other and catching up on life and birds. Social hour will start at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting following at 7:00 p.m. at the Sterling Heights Nature Center.

June’s meeting will include a short walk along the path at the Sterling Heights Nature Center soaking up the sights, smells, and sounds of springtime in bloom. If bridge construction is ongoing, we may make it more of a short walk/stationary birding session, which can be productive in itself! We’ll also enjoy ice cream, courtesy of Macomb Audubon (no need to bring any utensils). Meet anywhere between 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to join.

Ater this June meeting, we’ll have our summer recess. Monthly meetings will resume in September, the week after Labor Day. Follow us on Facebook and check our website to stay connected virtually.

Our regular educational programs resume in October with a presentetion about beavers by Gordon Lonie . Lonie will discuss these often-misunderstood mammals and their vital role within the ecosystem of the clinton river.Lonie is a returning speaker with roots in our community, as he was the director of the Sterling Heights Nature Center for many years. Since leaving that role, he’s continued to bring awareness and interest to the public through speaking on this and other wildlife related topics. Social hour is at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting itself starts at 7:00 p.m. Are you following us on Facebook? Search for Macomb Audubon and give us a follow. It’s a great way to stay connected and receive updates and news.