Double Header for Meeting on April 14th

Mary Paine headlined the programs for the April Lake Bluff monthly meeting with a very informative and fascinating review of her recent trip to Tanzania with her family. Among the sites visited were Ngorogoro Crater http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngorongoro_Conservation_Area and the Serengetti as well as the indiginous tribal area of the Tanzanian Bushmen. We all appreciated Mary's enthusiastic descriptions of her trip and insights into the culture and wildlife of Eastern Africa.

Akos Hivekovics and his wife Jessica did a short program on their ecotourism company
http://www.wildlifeandnaturetravel.com. After showing some very amazing pictures of Antartica we were able to see the plans for the Esperanza Center which is hoped to be a survival ark for dozens of species of amphibians and birds currently facing extinction. Akos and Jessica will return in fall for a more extensive showing of their travels and efforts to protect biodiviersity.

April Activities for Manistee Audubon

On Wednesday April 14th Mary Paine will present a program on her family's trip to Tanzania and the incredible Ngorogoro Crater Wildlife Refuge. Program at 7:00PM at the Lake Bluff Audubon Center.

On Saturday April 17th Meet at the causway at Arcadia at 8:00AM for the annual Arcadia spring birding trip with Benzie Audubon.

Pat Ryan and the Alaskan Islands

Horned Puffin one of the many birds studied by Pat Ryan during his stay in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.

Members of the Manistee Audubon enjoyed an excellent slide program by Pat Ryan of the USDA on his studies of seabirds of the Alaskan Islands during February's meeting on Wednesday Feb 10th.

Come join us for our next meeting on March 10th at 7:00PM for a viewing of the amazing PBS video on hummingbirds. We will talk about hummingbird feeders, gardens and sightings after the video with refreshments and hot chocolate.

The Seven Mysteries of Birding by Doug Cook

Doug Cook, President of the West Michigan Bank and Trust presented the January program at the Manistee Audubon Center. This was a thought provoking and humorous subject, the development of birding skills from beginner to master. Mr. Cook also had some very timely jokes on the economy and the US Banking system. This was a very entertaining program and I hope to see an article modeled after this lighting up the pages of "Birders World", "Birding", "Winging It" or some other publication. Thanks Doug!

Manistee Christmas Bird Count Results 2009

Fox sparrow on 2009 count. Photo by George and Mary Ann LaDuke


Field and Feeder observers combined efforts to find a total of 70 species for the count day plus one for the count period on our 2009 Manistee Christmas Bird Count.

The weather was fair this year unlike the mess we contended with last year and light winds, relatively mild temperatures and better road conditions helped observers cover most of the area. Many of the inland waters were frozen but sections of Portage Lake and Manistee Lake were open to help boost the numbers of ducks seen. That in addition to several good birds at feeders helped boost the total up into the 70 range which we have only attained a few times before.

Best Birds: Glaucous Gull found by David Dister at First St. Pier, 2 Red-throated Loons at Fifth Avenue breakwall by Tom Pavlik a Detroit metro birder that came up to help out with Brian Allen. They also found a Catbird near the Lake Bluff Audubon Center. Carl Freeman found only the second every record of Common Yellowthroat at Portage Lake surviving near a stream in dense cattails and phragmites. Barry Barto and Doug Cook found a lone Great Blue Heron. At the feeders George and Mary Ann LaDuke had what might be our first Fox Sparrow ever on the count and Annette Peterson had both a Grackle and an Eastern Towhee!

Big numbers: Long-tailed Duck 10,900, White-winged Scoter 2,352, Common Goldeneye 3628, Eastern Bluebird 26, and Black-capped Chickadee 466. Total individuals were at 23,279 a possible new high for the count.

Thanks to all who helped out, it was a very good day.

Manistee Christmas Bird Count 2009

photo courtesy of Barb Graf

Manistee Christmas Bird Count 2009

December 19th.

Please join us in our annual winter bird survey. We need volunteers to help us identify and count birds in the field and along the shore (Contact Brian Allen at 723-9911 days, and 723-7956 eve.) and at feeders (Don Kogut 723-5928).

This is an all day event. Some field counters will meet for lunch at the Blue Slipper Pizzeria & Bakery in downtown Onekama at 1:00PM (not the Bistro).

Birders are also invited to help on the Benzie CBC the following day by contacting Carl Freeman at 352-4739.

Chickadee Christmas at Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary

Chickadee Christmas - Lake Bluff
Event Time: December 5, 2009

Additional Info
Don't miss this winter's Chickadee Christmas at the Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary. The fun filled event will take place from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Decemeber 5th. Take part in guided nature walks around the property, make a bird feeder from pine cones, or place a bid on an evergreen wreath or other items during the silent auction. Work of local wildlife artists will be on display and there will be homemade chocolates for sale.

Chickadee Christmas is part of Manistee's annual Victorian Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend. For more information on that event and its numerous activities,visit the Manistee County Chamber of Commerce website at Manistee Chamber of Commerce. For more information on Chickadee Christmas contact Wendy Tatar.