| Oct. | Introduction to the world of orchid pollination: Following a tour of Ball State’s new Nature Lab, Carol Day, Orchid Curator of the Rinard Orchid Greenhouse, introduced us to the strategies that orchids use to entice hummingbirds, butterflies, and other insects to transfer pollen from one plant to another. |
| Nov. | Julian Grudens, a graduate student at Ball State, shared stories and photos from famous bird observatories and migration spectacles in eastern North America, featuring Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory (Minnesota),Cape May Bird Observatory (New Jersey), and Long Point Bird Observatory (Ontario, Canada). |
| Dec. | Five different conservation heroes in East Central Indiana were honored at our annual conservation awards celebration. Visit the Conservation Awards page to learn more. The program was recorded and can be viewed on our YouTube channel. |
| Jan. | William Rapai, a nationally recognized author and authority on Kirtland’s Warblers, gave a presentation on the amazing rebound of this iconic Michigan species. It went from fewer than 400 birds in 1987 to more than 4,000 today, losing its status of Endangered Species in 2019. The program was recorded and can be viewed on our YouTube channel. |
| Feb. | Nathan Pieplow, author of the Peterson Field Guides to Bird Sounds of Eastern North America and Western North America, shared insights on the language of birds, from the pillow talk of Red-winged Blackbirds to Cliff Swallows that have found food. The program was recorded and can be viewed on our YouTube channel. |
| Mar. | Three Ball State graduate students in biology shared their research on Indiana forests and wildlife: Brit Nahorney (microbiome diversity and diet of Ceruliean Warblers), Kathryn McGowan (impact of human-altered landscapes on bat abundance and distribution), and Nate Golub (Indiana’s few remaining old-growth forests). |
Enjoying and protecting nature in East Central Indiana since 1974
Robert Cooper Audubon Society 