Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis

April 6, 2010

Captivating Bluebirds

Stan Tekeila

Author of “Birds of Minnesota”, “Captivating Bluebirds”, and many more

Naturalist, wildlife photographer and writer Stan Tekiela is the originator of the popular state-specific field guides such as Birds of (state name) Field Guide, Wildflowers of (state name), and Trees of (state name). Over the past two decades Stan has authored more than 100 field guides, nature appreciation books and wildlife audio CDs for nearly every state in the nation, presenting many species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, trees, wildflowers and cacti.

Holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural History from the University of Minnesota and as an active professional naturalist for more than 20 years, Stan studies and photographs wildlife throughout the United States and has received various national and regional awards for his books and photographs.

Also a well-known columnist and radio personality, his syndicated column appears in over 20 newspapers and his wildlife programs are broadcast on a number of Midwest radio stations. He is a member of the North American Nature Photography Association and Canon Professional Services along with many other professional organizations.

Stan resides in Victoria, Minnesota, with his wife, Katherine, and daughter, Abigail. He can be contacted via his web page at www.naturesmart.com.

Bluebirds are one of Stan’s most favorite birds to photograph and this PowerPoint and talk shows it. This presentation is filled with award winning images of one of America’s most favorite backyard birds. Stan’s talk about bluebirds will enlighten even the most knowledgeable bird lover. You will be amazed and delighted at this wonderful talk.

The meeting is Tuesday, April 6, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.  Coffee and cookies are provided, and everyone is welcome.

Programs are at the Mayflower Church, which is located at:

109 East Diamond Lake Road

just west of 35W on Diamond Lake Road.

May 4, 2010

Saving our Wetlands and Bird Habitats

Tom Cooper, U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The Bluebird Recovery Program is holding its annual conference at Medford School in Medford, MN on Saturday, April 17. Registration is from 8 -9 am; the program starts at 9 am and lasts until 4:30 pm. The list of speakers includes Jim Gilbert, Al Batt, Roger Strand, Murph, and Keith Radel. The Minnesota Raptor Center will bring several birds of prey and a field trip to John Beals Trail will be offered.

Registration before April 10 costs $8/person; April 10 and afterwards costs $10/person. Lunch is available for an additional $10.50 (see registration form for the menu).

To register or for more information, go to www.bbrp.org

Or call: JENean Mortenson at 507.332.7003 or
Keith Radel at 507.210.0961

Dr. Jane Goddall will discuss her work with chimpanzees in the Gombe Stream National Park in Tanazania, her Roots & Shoots program for young people, and her role as a U.N. Messenger of Peace. She also will offer suggestions for ways we can all make a positive difference every day in the world.

Her lecture is being co-sponsored by the Minnesota Zoo. After speaking, Dr. Goodall will sign books. Books, other merchandise, and JGI (Jane Goodall Institute) memberships will be available for purchase.

General admission tickets are $50. They are tax deductible. There are other price levels. Tickets are selling quickly.

For more information or to buy tickets, call 952.920.3512
or go to www.bethelsynagogue.org

Beth El Synagogue is located at 5224 W. 26th Street, St Louis Park.

March 2, 2010

A Birder’s Guide to Minnesota

Kim Eckert

Kim Eckert, with over 45 years of birding experience throughout the U.S. and Canada, has now been guiding birders or teaching bird identification classes for more than 30 of those years. Since the 1980s, he has led tours to places like Newfoundland, Churchill, California, Arizona, Florida, locations in the Great Lakes and Great Plains, and to Texas – a favorite and frequent winter destination. He has authored four editions of A Birder’s Guide to Minnesota, and he has written numerous articles, notes, and seasonal reports for the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union journal The Loon and other publications, such as Birding and North American Birds. He also operates the Minnesota Birding Weekends program of birding tours (now in its 25th year), has been a member for three decades of Minnesota’s Records Committee, and for 20 years he served as Naturalist at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve in Duluth. A Minnesota resident since attending St. John’s University in the 1960s, he has resided in Duluth since 1977.

Kim will provide a general overview of the best birding sites in the state, along with the sought-after species that Minnesota is renowned for.

The meeting is Tuesday, March 2, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.  Coffee and cookies are provided, and everyone is welcome.

Programs are at the Mayflower Church, which is located at:

109 East Diamond Lake Road

just west of 35W on Diamond Lake Road.

Upcoming programs:

April 6, 2010

Captivating Bluebirds

Stan Tekeila

Author of “Birds of Minnesota”, “Captivating Bluebirds”, and many more

May 4, 2010

Saving our Wetlands and Bird Habitats

Tom Cooper, U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis has arranged to have tours of the Bell Museum’s Ornithology Laboratory on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota.  One tour will be on Wednesday, January 27th at 6:00 p.m. and another on Tuesday, February 9th at 6:00 p.m. Since space will be limited, please sign up by calling or e-mailing Jerry Bahls at 763-572-2333, jobaud@comcast.net, or Susan Tertell at 612-729-1566, stertell@gmail.com.  Information on the meeting place will be give when you sign up.  The tour will be at the Ecology Building on the St. Paul campus. There is a small amount of metered parking adjacent to the building, and also a pay parking lot accessible from Buford Circle.

Big Waterbirds Galore

Arnie Fredrickson

Everything you wanted to know about water birds and more! Arnie Frederickson will be presenting a slideshow on sandhill cranes, trumpeter and tundra swans, snow geese, and white pelicans. Arnie is retired from the University of Minnesota where he served as a member of the faculty of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. He got hooked on photography at the age of 32 when he received a Kodak Instamatic camera for his birthday. Arnie started out photographing wildflowers and landscapes. He discovered white pelicans at age 66 and was hooked. Soon he included tundra and trumpeter swans, herons and egrets, and sandhill cranes in his passion for the big birds. Arnie also serves as the volunteer trumpeter swan monitor for the Three Rivers Park District.

Tuesday, February 2, from 7:00 to 9:00. Coffee and cookies are provided, and everyone is welcome.

Programs are at the Mayflower Church which is located at:

109 East Diamond Lake Road

… just west of 35W on Diamond Lake Road.
Enter through the main entrance and go downstairs to the big room.

Upcoming programs:

March 2, 2010

Birding Sites in Minnesota  - Kim Eckert, author of “A Birder’s Guide to Minnesota”

April 6, 2010

Captivating Bluebirds - Stan Tekeila, author of “Birds of Minnesota”, “Captivating Bluebirds”, and many more

May 4, 2010

Saving our Wetlands and Bird Habitats - Tom Cooper, U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Phenology is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as “the study of periodic biological phenomena, such as flowering, breeding, and migration, especially as related to climate”.

This is certainly a topic of interest to birders, from the casual to the devoted.  If you notice something that you think will be of interest to other birders, please submit a comment and we will post it.  Have you seen a flock of flickers in your nearby park?  Or maybe a slew of cedar waxwings in your cedar trees.  Whether it is the first or last robin of the year, or the nest you have in your tree, another birder will find it of interest.

Thanks for your submissions, and remember, there are still interesting birds to see this time of year – and always!

Stan Tekiela will be a presenter at the April meeting of the Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis.   You might also be interested in attending this program.

Wild about Birds with Stan Tekiela

Join author, naturalist and wildlife photographer Stan Tekiela as he presents fun facts about common backyard birds. Stan will challenge your ideas about some common birds such as the European Starling, the American Crow and much, much more. You will never look at these birds the same way again.

January 21, 7-8 p.m. at Lebanon Hills Regional Park – Visitor Center, 860 Cliff Road, Eagan.

$6/person, ages 5 and under free. Registration required.

More information and link to register at:

http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/LeisureRecreation/CountyParks/Calendar/201001211900_Park_WildAboutBirdswithStanTekiela.htm