| Sept. | Monitoring Overwinter Survival Program: Steven Albert and Lauren Helton, of the Institute for Bird Populations, will tell us about the institute’s Monitoring Overwinter Survival (MoSI) program, an international network that helps scientists better understand the factors that affect avian population declines. |
| Oct. | Treasuries & discoveries: Chapter members shared images and stories of their 2021 birding joys and encounters. |
Nov. | A naturalist’s day: Dana Reckelhoff, interpretive naturalist at Patoka Lake for Indiana State Parks and Reservoirs, shared insights about the work that interpretive naturalists do, in a program co-sponsored by Ball State’s student chapter of The Wildlife Society. Eagle Marsh: Betsy Yankowiak, Director of Preserves and Programs for the Little River Wetlands Project, told us about Eagle Marsh’s history as wetland restoration project and the many features that attract birds and other wildlife throughout the year. |
| Dec. | Conservation Awards: We celebrated seven individuals who’ve made outstanding contributions to conservation activities in East Central Indiana. For details, visit our Conservation Awards page. |
| Jan. | So Many Geese: David Shearer, a PhD student in environmental sciences at Ball state University, told us about a study of Canada Geese that he’d been leading. He shared information about the growing populations of geese in urban areas, their impacts, and management strategies. |
| Feb. | Growing Home with Red-tail: Growing Home is Red-tail Land Conservancy’s certification program for healthy habitats that support wildlife. Kelley Phillips and John Huber updated us on Red-tail’s land conservation work and shared details about the Growing Home program. |
| Mar. | 2021 Bird Mortality Event: Allisyn Gillet, state ornithologist for the Indiana DNR, spoke on last summer’s mysterious bird illness, when sick and dead songbirds were reported in Monroe County. No definitive cause was ever determined. |
| Apr. | Dispersal Patterns of Cerulean Warblers in Southern Indiana: Lara Jones, an M.S. student in biology at Ball State University, explained how events that occur during the non-breeding season affect reproduction and overall ecology of Cerulean Warblers. |
| May | Nocturnal Heterothermy in North American Songbirds during Migration: Ryan Leys, a master’s student at the University of Waterloo, has been working to understand why some bird species migrate north earlier and south later, why similar species overwinter in different locations, and how certain species are able to survive in low-quality habitats. |
| June | Oak-history Forests and Indiana Songbirds: Southern Indiana’s hardwood forests of oak and hickories provide many benefits to both wildlife and humans. Dr. Kamal Islam (Ball State University’s ornithologist) explored the benefits of these forest to birds and other wildlife, with a focus on the Cerulean Warbler. |
Enjoying and protecting nature in East Central Indiana since 1974
Robert Cooper Audubon Society 