Washtenaw Bird and Nature Alliance

Nature Walk at Kuebler Langford Nature Area
2023-12-30 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Detroit) | Kuebler Langford Beechwood Entrance, 76XV+GR9, Ann Arbor, MI, 48103, United States
Kuebler Langford is one of Ann Arbor’s most biodiverse natural areas with high quality oak-hickory forest and prairie ecosystems. Join us as we explore, discover, and discuss the winter habitat of this special place. We will turn our focus towards the plants, fungi, and animals that live here. While we will be focusing on other flora and fauna, we won’t ignore the birds, so please feel free to bring your binoculars. Did you know that there is another, separate nature area, tucked inside Kuebler? We’ll talk about that too.

Please register as the event is limited to 15 to improve everyone’s experience.
Directions: Meet at the Beechwood Dr. entrance. From Sunset Rd., north on Beechwood Drive, just past M14 underpass.

Leader: Matthew Spoor

New Year’s Bird Walk at Gallup Park
2024-01-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Gallup Park Playground, 3175 Gallup Park Rd, Ann Arbor, 48104, United States
What will be the first bird you see in 2024? Get a boost to next year’s list by joining the crazy birders of Washtenaw County for a refreshing New Year’s morning bird walk. Meet at the Gallup Park playground parking lot at the east end of Gallup Park Rd.
Leaders: Juliet Berger & Matthew Spoor

All are welcome and encouraged to join us. New to birding? Bird curious? No binoculars? No problem! There is no better way to learn than to get out in the field with experienced birders that love to help. Plus, you get to meet awesome people. Absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. We will have many pairs of quality binoculars on hand for anyone to use.
eBird Checklist Signup: If you are attending the walk and would like the eBird checklist shared with you, please give us your email or eBird username here (you may do this onsite well): tinyurl.com/eBirdList

Weekend Walk for Birds at Matthaei Botanical Gardens
2024-01-07 10:00 - 12:00 | Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, United States
Exploring the winter woods, water, and prairie of Matthaei is always a rewarding experience. Seeing Bluebirds on a canvas of white snow never disappoints. Please join us as we search for everything from finches to flickers along Fleming Creek.
Directions: Meet at the steps to the conservatory. Matthaei members park for free with metered parking for everyone else. Free to park a bike there and it’s a beautiful ride along the bike path from Geddes to the gardens.
Leader: Matthew Spoor & Juliet Berger

All are welcome and encouraged to join us. New to birding? Bird curious? No binoculars? No problem! There is no better way to learn than to get out in the field with experienced birders that love to help. Plus, you get to meet awesome people. Absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. We will have many pairs of quality binoculars on hand for anyone to use.

eBird Checklist Signup: If you are attending the walk and would like the eBird checklist shared with you, please give us your email or eBird username here (you may do this onsite well): tinyurl.com/eBirdList

Birding the Upper Peninsula *Members Only*
2024-01-13 07:30 - 2024-01-14 12:00 | Saulte Ste. Marie, Saulte Ste. Marie, 49783
**Registration is full, BUT please join the waitlist as we may open a few more spots depending on logistics.**
If a spot opens, the next person on the waitlist is automatically registered.
We may consider a second trip if there are enough people on the waiting list.
We will travel to Sault Ste. Marie on Friday, January 12th, and bird all day Saturday and Sunday morning with a goal of departing Sault Ste. Marie around noon on Sunday. Target birds include: Snowy Owl, Bohemian Waxwing, Pine Grosbeak, Red and White-winged Crossbills, Evening Grosbeak, Ruffed and Sharp-tailed Grouse, Purple Finch, Snow Bunting, and more! Maybe the heavens will align for a Spruce Grouse lifer for your trip leader this year finally? Space is limited to 20 and membership is required. You may join or renew your membership here. While the trip is free for members, a $30 dollar donation per person to defray the leaders’ costs is suggested but not required. Venmo link here.
Basic Itinerary – Detailed itinerary will be sent at least a week out
Friday, January 12th
Arrive Sault Ste. Marie. Some may bird on the way up and we will provide some suggestions in a later email for doing so.
Saturday, January 13th
7:30 am – Meet at hotel for departure
6:30 pm – Dinner at a local restaurant
Sunday, January 14th
7:30 am – Meet at hotel for departure
Noon – Conclude birding and arrive at hotel for folks to get their cars and head home
** Please note: We will caravanning together in as few vehicles as possible while birding. Those not driving in the caravan will leave their cars at the hotel. So, it is important everyone can bird the entire morning on Sunday. If you have to leave before noon on Sunday, this may present logistical challenges for the group. **
Members, please register below. Lodging information and other logistical details will be shared after registration.
View the trip report from 2023 here.
Trip Leaders: Matthew Spoor & Juliet Berger
This is one of our very few MEMBERS ONLY events. If you are not a member or need to renew, you can do so here.

BIPOC Bird Walk at Eberwhite Woods
2024-01-13 09:30 - 11:30 | Eberwhite Woods – School Parking Lot, 800 Soule Blvd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48103, United States
**Canceled due to forecasted unsafe travel conditions.**

We invite all people from the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community and our white allies to join us on this walk to look for wintering birds in this lovely nature area. Maybe we’ll see the local owls! All ages and skill levels are invited. We will have extra binoculars if you do not have any.
Directions: Parking will be in the Eberwhite Elementary School at 800 Soule Blvd, Ann Arbor.

Leader: Victor Chen

eBird Checklist Signup: If you are attending the walk and would like the eBird checklist from this walk shared with you, please fill out this form (you may do this onsite well): https://forms.gle/p6D24QSrPHbc4o7LA

All are welcome and encouraged to join us. New to birding? Bird curious? No binoculars? No problem! There is no better way to learn than to get out in the field with experienced birders that love to help. Plus, you get to meet awesome people. Absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. We will have many pairs of quality binoculars on hand for anyone to use.

Northern Ecuador Tour with Ben Lucking
2024-01-16 - 2024-01-29 | MI
Northern Ecuador is arguably home to the greatest avian diversity of anywhere in the world. This tour explores a cross section of the region from West to East, covering a wide range of elevations on both slopes of the Andes. As a whole this tour aims to keep a relaxed pace and keep moves between accommodations at a minimum. The concentrated nature of Ecuador’s diversity means a short drive in any direction can result in a near complete shift in birdlife.
We begin with the Western slope of the Andes, exploring the arid highlands around Quito before descending into the incredibly diverse cloud forests and rainforests of the Chocó bioregion. This area is characterized by a wide array of gemstone-like hummingbirds and tanagers, as well as world class feeding stations catering to birders. The Andes are rich in birdlife from end to end but nowhere is it perhaps so accessible as this region centered around the town of Mindo. Expect close views and excellent photo opportunities. Reserva Amagusa in particular could lay credible claim to being the best place to photograph birds anywhere in the world. From here we make our way back to the highlands as we head towards the Eastern slope and the Amazon basin.
The second half of the tour will be an exploration of Napo Province, an area roughly half the size of New Jersey that has recorded over 1000 species. From high elevation páramo to Amazonian lowlands this area packs unbelievable diversity of scenery and wildlife into a small area. This side of the Andes is somewhat wilder and more intact than the West, with massive swathes of land protected by the trio of Cayambe-Coca, Sumaco Napo-Galeras, and Antisana National Parks. These parks have limited access by road and are therefore havens for a wonderful array of special wildlife. What limited access there is offers a glimpse into this wild world, with a host of rare species to be found amongst the impressive scenery.
Maximum 4 participants
Download/view this PDF for detailed information, including pricing, a detailed itinerary, and contact information.

Francie Krawcke with Michigan Avian Experience
2024-01-17 19:30 - 21:00 | Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, United States
Our January program will be Francie Krawcke of Michigan Avian Experience, doing a raptor program for us with live raptors. More details coming, but you won’t want to miss this exciting program.
Note: This will be an in-person meeting only; there will be no virtual/Zoom option.

Weekend Walk for Birds at Ford Lake
2024-01-21 10:00 - 12:00 | North Hydro Park Winter Entrance, 6C6W+WH5, Ypsilanti Charter Twp
***location moved to North Hydro. Meet here: http://tinyurl.com/MeetWAS
Grove St. east. Right on Woodale. Left on Ambassador
Ford Lake and its boardwalk provide one of the best winter birding opportunities in Washtenaw County. There have been 76 species seen in February at Ford Lake and we look forward to seeing a variety of waterfowl, gulls and local winter birds.
Directions: Meet at the parking lot off of South Grove Street. Lot is located south of I-94 at the northeast corner of Ford Lake, across from the Citgo Station at the intersection of Service Drive and South Grove St.
Leader: Matthew Spoor

All are welcome and encouraged to join us. New to birding? Bird curious? No binoculars? No problem! There is no better way to learn than to get out in the field with experienced birders that love to help. Plus, you get to meet awesome people. Absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. We will have many pairs of quality binoculars on hand for anyone to use.

eBird Checklist Signup: If you are attending the walk and would like the eBird checklist shared with you, please give us your email or eBird username here (you may do this onsite well): tinyurl.com/eBirdList

Winter Tree Identification Walk **RESCHEDULED for Sunday, January 21st**
2024-01-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Bird Hills Nature Area – Newport Entrance, 862M+4M, Ann Arbor, United States
***RESCHEDULED for Sunday, January 21st***
Want to learn the difference between a hickory and a hackberry? How about a beech from a basswood. Join us as Isaac Smith, who teaches woody plant identification at the University of Michigan, leads an interactive winter hike to learn to ID common Michigan trees with their bark, buds and twigs! Isaac is also an avid birder and does research on how climate change affects bird reproduction.
Directions: Meet at the Bird Hills parking lot off of Newport Rd.
Leader: Isaac Smith

All are welcome and encouraged to join us. Nearly all of our events are open to members and non-members alike.

Restoration Workday at Searles Nature Preserve
2024-01-27 14:00 - 16:00 | Searles Nature Preserve, 585V+4J Ypsilanti, Michigan, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, United States
Did you know Washtenaw Audubon owns a nature preserve? We do! Searles Nature Preserve is a 50 acre natural area that hosts the headwaters of Stony Creek. Did you also know that Ninety-seven percent of North American landbirds require animal, primarily insect, protein to raise their young? Most insects require specific, native, host plants for successful reproduction and this is why supporting a biodiverse ecosystem of native plants is so important. More on this here: https://tinyl.io/93Ka
Join us as we work to remove invasive species and improve biodiversity to support the birds we love.Tools and know how will be provided. Please bring leather work gloves, wear long pants, tall socks, and closed-toe shoes or boots.
Directions: Meet at the entrance to the preserve on Bolla Road between Crane and Stony Creek Roads. (map here)

Weekend Walk for Birds at Nichols Arboretum
2024-02-03 09:00 - 11:00 | Nichols Arboretum – Dow Prairie, Ann Arbor, MI, 48103, United States
The Arb, with 165 species reported to eBird, is the number one hotspot for birds in the county. The diversity of habitat provides opportunities to discover a wide variety of species. Join us as we explore this local gem.
Directions: Meet at the east end of the arboretum at the Dow Prairie entrance. From Geddes Ave., turn north onto Riverview Dr. and stay right until it terminates at Riverview Ct. cul-de-sac. Check the website for a link to the map if you have never been there.
Leader: Matthew Spoor
New to birding? Bird curious? No binoculars? No problem! There is no better way to learn than to get out in the field with experienced birders that love to help. Plus, you get to meet awesome people. Absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. We will have many pairs of quality binoculars on hand for anyone to use.

Nature Walk at LeFurge Woods Nature Preserve
2024-02-04 11:00 - 13:00 | LeFurge Woods Nature Preserve, 2452 N Prospect Rd #2198, Superior Charter Twp, MI, MI, 48198, United States
** Note: The trails are muddy out there, so wear boots, but don’ let that stop you from coming out. One can expect mud in spots to up to a couple inches deep. Although, with the freezing temps overnight, I suspect it won’t be that bad.**
Join naturalists George Hammond and Matt Spoor as we explore this 325 acre nature preserve owned and managed by Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy. Bring your curiosity and questions as we investigate this wonderful cross section of southern Michigan habitat types. Trails wind throughout wetlands, meadows, agricultural lands, and, of course, wonderfully preserved LeFurge Woods.
Directions: Meet at the parking lot at 2384 N. Prospect Rd., Superior Twp.
Leaders: George Hammond & Matt Spoor

Tour: University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Bird Collection
2024-02-08 19:00 - 21:00 | University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, 3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, United States
Join us for a presentation and tour of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology’s Bird Collection. The collection, comprising 210,000 specimens, is the 5th largest in North America and the 2nd largest at a university. We are fortunate to have Dr. Ben Winger as our host for the evening. Dr. Winger is the Curator of Birds & Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. He will give a presentation followed by a tour.
Due to the nature of the space, we will be limiting the tour to 30 people and to WAS members only and requiring registration. If there is space available the week prior to the event, we will open them to non-members. Memberships start at just $10 per year and go to great causes like environmental education, conservation, and scholarships for those in need. More information here.
Directions: Registered attendees will meet at University of Michigan Research Museums Center at 3600 Varsity Drive. Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/iVWWdZN77x5vgsgbA

Attendance: 35 / 30

Registrations are closed for this event

Trumpeter Swans at Gallup Park with Detroit Bird Alliance
2024-02-10 08:30 - 10:30 | Gallup Park Livery, 77GX+Q86, Ann Arbor, 48105, United States
Join Washtenaw Audubon and Detroit Bird Alliance as we partner to find and learn all about Trumpeter Swans. We will explore other waterfowl on and around Geddes Pond at Gallup Park. This is always a fun event where we get to meet up with our fellow birders from Detroit to see and learn about this amazing species.
Directions: We will meet in main Gallup parking lot near the livery. Pull into Gallup Park and it’s the first lot with parking on both sides.
Leader: Matthew Spoor

All are welcome and encouraged to join us. New to birding? Bird curious? No binoculars? No problem! There is no better way to learn than to get out in the field with experienced birders that love to help. Plus, you get to meet awesome people. Absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. We will have many pairs of quality binoculars on hand for anyone to use.

eBird Checklist Signup: If you are attending the walk and would like the eBird checklist shared with you, please give us your email or eBird username here (you may do this onsite well): tinyurl.com/eBirdList

Photo by Alan D. Wilson, www.naturespicsonline.com, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

BIPOC Bird Walk at DeVine Preserve
2024-02-17 09:30 - 11:30 | DeVine Preserve, 6110 West Liberty Road, Ann Arbor, 48103, United States
We invite all people from the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community and our white allies to join us on this walk to look for waterfowl and winter birds. All ages and skill levels are invited. We will have extra binoculars if you do not have any.
Directions: Meet in the parking lot at DeVine Preserve, 6110 W Liberty Rd.
Leader: Victor Chen

eBird Checklist Signup: If you are attending the walk and would like the eBird checklist from this walk shared with you, please fill out this form (you may do this onsite well): https://forms.gle/p6D24QSrPHbc4o7LA

All are welcome and encouraged to join us. New to birding? Bird curious? No binoculars? No problem! There is no better way to learn than to get out in the field with experienced birders that love to help. Plus, you get to meet awesome people. Absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. We will have many pairs of quality binoculars on hand for anyone to use.

Weekend Waterfowl Walk at Ford Lake
2024-02-18 09:00 - 11:00 | Ford Lake Boardwalk Access, 526 S. Grove Street, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, United States
Ford Lake and its boardwalk provide one of the best winter birding opportunities in Washtenaw County. There have been 76 species seen at Ford Lake in February. We look forward to seeing a variety of waterfowl, gulls and local winter birds.
Directions: Meet at the parking lot off of South Grove Street. Lot is located south of I-94 at the northeast corner of Ford Lake, across from the Citgo Station at the intersection of Service Drive and South Grove St.
Leader: Matthew Spoor

All are welcome and encouraged to join us. New to birding? Bird curious? No binoculars? No problem! There is no better way to learn than to get out in the field with experienced birders that love to help. Plus, you get to meet awesome people. Absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. We will have many pairs of quality binoculars on hand for anyone to use.
eBird Checklist Signup: If you are attending the walk and would like the eBird checklist shared with you, please give us your email or eBird username here (you may do this onsite well): tinyurl.com/eBirdList

Joan Kellenberg: Michigan’s Remarkable Efforts to Save the Endangered Great Lakes Piping Plover
2024-02-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, United States
Washtenaw Audubon Society and the Sierra Club Huron Valley Group have partnered to bring you this special presentation. After discovering the Great Lakes Piping Plover Recovery Team at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in 2020, Joan joined them as a volunteer in 2021. She enjoys traveling north to spend hours on the beach educating park visitors about piping plovers and doing safety checks on nesting adults and new chicks. Last summer, she went to North Manitou Island, the largest Great Lakes piping plover breeding area, to track a new plover pair.
Joan lives in Ann Arbor and is a public health professional by training. She was an informal bird enthusiast until she discovered the Great Lakes piping plover. Now her family says it has become an obsession. She hopes to convince others to join the piping plover recovery effort!

This will be a hybrid in-person and virtual meeting. To connect by Zoom please use the following link: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/3288051893?pwd=[REDACTED]

Restoration Workday at Searles Nature Preserve
2024-02-25 14:00 - 16:00 | Searles Nature Preserve, 585V+4J Ypsilanti, Michigan, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, United States
Did you know Washtenaw Audubon owns a nature preserve? We do! Searles Nature Preserve is a 50 acre natural area that hosts the headwaters of Stony Creek. Did you also know that Ninety-seven percent of North American landbirds require animal, primarily insect, protein to raise their young? Most insects require specific, native, host plants for successful reproduction and this is why supporting a biodiverse ecosystem of native plants is so important. More on this here: https://tinyl.io/93Ka
Join us as we work to remove invasive species and improve biodiversity to support the birds we love. Tools and know how will be provided. Please bring leather work gloves, wear long pants, tall socks, and closed-toe shoes or boots.
Directions: Meet at the entrance to the preserve on Bolla Road between Crane and Stony Creek Roads. (map here)

Diversity in the Outdoors: Presentation at Mallet’s Creek Library
2024-02-28 18:00 - 19:00 | Ann Arbor District Library: Malletts Creek Branch, 3090 E Eisenhower Pkwy, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, United States
Joint presentation between Natural Area Preservation and Ann Arbor District Library. Victor Chen (Education Chair for Washtenaw Bird & Nature Alliance) and Brandan Freeman (founder of the Shades of the Outdoors BIPOC group) discuss their experiences of being a person of color in the outdoors and how we can all make the outdoors more welcoming for everybody.
Directions: 3090 E. Eisenhower Parkway (east of Stone School Road)

Weekend Waterfowl Walk at Barton Pond
2024-03-03 09:00 - 11:00 | Barton Nature Area Parking Lot, MI
We will be searching for winter waterfowl on the pond. This is one of the top birding locations for March in Washtenaw County. See November Barton Pond eBird Sightings for a list of what has been seen and this eBird bar chart of what can be expected when. We may also search the surrounding nature area for overwintering birds.
Dress warm as it can be windy near the pond. Bring a scope if you have one. Most people don’t so don’t worry, we share.
Directions: Meet at the Barton Nature Area parking lot off of Huron River Drive, 250 feet north of Bird Rd, near Barton Dam.
Leaders: Juliet Berger & Matt Spoor

All are welcome and encouraged to join us. New to birding? Bird curious? No binoculars? No problem! There is no better way to learn than to get out in the field with experienced birders that love to help. Plus, you get to meet awesome people. Absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. We will have many pairs of quality binoculars on hand for anyone to use.

eBird Checklist Signup: If you are attending the walk and would like the eBird checklist shared with you, please give us your email or eBird username here (you may do this onsite well): tinyurl.com/eBirdList

Tour: University of Michigan Herbarium
2024-03-07 19:00 - 21:00 | University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, 3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, United States
Join us for a presentation and tour of the University of Michigan Herbarium hosted by Aly Baumgartner, applied paleobotanist and vascular plants collection manager. The collections consist of 1.7 million irreplaceable specimens of vascular plants, algae, bryophytes, fungi, and lichens originating from places and habitats that are now prohibitively expensive or dangerous to visit or that have been drastically altered by human activity. They include representatives of extinct species and populations, providing a portion of the only record available for studying effects of environmental change on the distribution, appearances, and genetic features of the world’s plants and fungi. Please know that an herbarium houses dried, pressed plants, so there will be no live plants there. The tour will be informal and participants are highly encouraged to bring curiosity and questions!
Due to the nature of the space, we will be limiting the tour to 30 people and to WAS members only. If there is space available the week prior to the event, we will open them to non-members.
Directions: Registered attendees will meet at University of Michigan Research Museums Center at 3600 Varsity Drive. Map

BIPOC Bird Walk at North Hydro Park
2024-03-09 09:30 - 11:30 | North Hydro Park Winter Entrance, 6C6W+WH5, Ypsilanti Charter Twp
We invite all people from the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community and our white allies to join us on this walk to look for waterfowl and winter birds. All ages and skill levels are invited. We will have extra binoculars if you do not have any.
Directions: Meet at the entrance by Ambassador Drive and Woodale Ave. If there is snow on the ground, be sure to wear boots.
Leader: Victor Chen

All are welcome and encouraged to join us. New to birding? Bird curious? No binoculars? No problem! There is no better way to learn than to get out in the field with experienced birders that love to help. Plus, you get to meet awesome people. Absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. We will have many pairs of quality binoculars on hand for anyone to use.

eBird Checklist Signup: If you are attending the walk and would like the eBird checklist shared with you, please give us your email or eBird username here (you may do this onsite well): tinyurl.com/eBirdList

Weekend Waterfowl Walk at Gallup Park
2024-03-16 08:00 - 10:00 | Gallup Park Livery, 77GX+Q86, Ann Arbor, 48105, United States
The pond and surrounding woods at Gallup provide one of the most diverse hotspots for March birding in Washtenaw County. This should be the peak of waterfowl migration and we hope to see some interesting species.
Directions: Meet at the Gallup Park Livery parking lot.
Leaders: Juliet Berger & Matthew Spoor

All are welcome and encouraged to join us. New to birding? Bird curious? No binoculars? No problem! There is no better way to learn than to get out in the field with experienced birders that love to help. Plus, you get to meet awesome people. Absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. We will have many pairs of quality binoculars on hand for anyone to use.

eBird Checklist Signup: If you are attending the walk and would like the eBird checklist shared with you, please give us your email or eBird username here (you may do this onsite well): tinyurl.com/eBirdList

Nature Walk at Goodrich Preserve
2024-03-17 11:00 - 13:00 | Goodrich Preserve, 3685 N Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, 48105, United States
Join naturalists George Hammond and Matt Spoor as we explore this forest. Though this property is only 36 acres, it is connected to University of Michigan Horner McLaughlin Woods, Washtenaw County’s Freeman Preserve, the City of Ann Arbor’s Marshal Nature and comprises a 296 acre complex. It is dominated by old growth forest that ranges from hilltop oak-hickory on the eastern Goodrich property to maple-mixed Hardwoods covering rich central valleys.
Directions: From U.S.-23: Exit 41, Plymouth Road. Head east on Plymouth, left onto Dixboro Road (heading north). The preserve access point is located on the west side of Dixboro Road in Ann Arbor Township, approximately 0.2 miles south of M-14 and 150 feet north of Overbrook Drive.
Leaders: George Hammond & Matthew Spoor

Special Member Meeting: Name Change Vote
2024-03-20 19:30 - 20:30 | Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N Dixboro Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, United States
We have a very important meeting to share with you all. On March 20th, 2024 at Matthaei Botanical Gardens at 7:30 PM, we will vote in an up or down vote to ratify our newly selected name, Washtenaw Bird & Nature Alliance! Please plan to attend if you are a member, as of March 15th or join/renew by then. You may contact our membership chair, Diana Miller membership@washtenawbna.org to check your membership status if you are not sure. Only members can vote. According to our Constitution and By-laws, our votes to change the constitution must be in person, and fulfill a certain percentage of our members in attendance. Don’t miss the chance to help us make this historic change.
I want to give you all an idea of how we decided upon Washtenaw Bird & Nature Alliance. In October, at our in person meeting at Matthaei Botanical Gardens, members overwhelmingly voted to drop the name of Audubon from our organization. Members wanted to avoid names that sound exclusive like ‘society and club’ and people’s names like Audubon or Wilson. There is a movement afoot within sister organizations across the country, including some in our immediate vicinity, to use the name Bird Alliance. In fact Detroit Audubon recently adopted Detroit Bird Alliance as their new name. We sincerely hope National Audubon will reconsider their decision to keep Audubon, and believe that a consensus name among our sister organizations, like Bird Alliance, is a great way to move NAS in this direction. We took a poll of our members, which was sent out in October after the meeting, and over 150 WAS community members responded!! Thank you!! The most abundant name suggestions contained Bird Alliance. Next, we formed a subcommittee of interested community members and WAS Board members, who decided on 3 name alternatives from the suggestions of members, all incorporating the Bird Alliance moniker. Then in a recent vote of the WAS Board, we decided upon Washtenaw Bird & Nature Alliance. The word Audubon always meant more than birds to me and others, so we added Nature to our new proposed name to encompass all we do. Ever been to a Butterfly Walk, Moth Night, Museum Insect or Herbarium tour or one of our Nature Walks? We are Birds AND Nature.
Please plan to join us at Matthaei at our March 20th, 7:30 PM meeting to ratify our new name!! I promise to bake another BIG cake and we can all have a festive naming party of special significance!
I am looking forward to seeing you all at the naming party!
Good birding,
Juliet Berger, President
Washtenaw Audubon Society

Annual One Road Challenge
2024-03-23 00:00 - 11:00 | MI
This is a friendly team birding competition where teams pick one road in the county to see how many birds they can see in a morning along that road. If you have a team, great. If not, that’s OK too; register and we will help set you up with a team.
More details and competition rules can be found here.
Everyone is welcome to join the teams for lunch and tally rally at 11:30 AM at Holiday’s Restaurant (map here).
No need to participate in the event to join us for lunch and hear the great birding stories of the day.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.One Road Challenge RegistrationPlease register below. Please include the team leader and all team members along with your team name below. Once registrations complete, you will receive an email conformation of your registration.Registration Type *I am registering a teamI am registering to be placed on a teamTeam & Leader InformationTeam Name *What road will your team drive?Registrant Name *FirstLastEmail *Mobile Phone *Additional Team MembersTeammate 1FirstLastTeammate 2FirstLastTeammate 3FirstLastTeammate 4FirstLastSubmit

Restoration Workday at Searles Nature Preserve
2024-03-24 14:00 - 16:00 | Searles Nature Preserve, 585V+4J Ypsilanti, Michigan, Ypsilanti, MI, 48197, United States
Did you know Washtenaw Bird & Nature Alliance (formerly Washtenaw Audubon Society) owns a nature preserve? We do! Searles Nature Preserve is a 50 acre natural area that hosts the headwaters of Stony Creek. Did you also know that Ninety-seven percent of North American landbirds require animal, primarily insect, protein to raise their young? Most insects require specific, native, host plants for successful reproduction and this is why supporting a biodiverse ecosystem of native plants is so important. More on this here: https://tinyl.io/93Ka
Join us as we work to remove invasive species and improve biodiversity to support the birds we love. Tools and know how will be provided. Please bring leather work gloves, wear long pants, tall socks, and closed-toe shoes or boots.
Directions: Meet at the entrance to the preserve on Bolla Road between Crane and Stony Creek Roads. (map here)

Migration Thursdays at The Arb
2024-03-28 08:00 - 10:00, 2024-04-04 08:00 - 10:00 | Nichols Arboretum – Dow Prairie, Ann Arbor, MI, 48103, United States
Join us at Nichols Arboretum Thursday mornings through May to observe migrants making their way north. These leaderless walks are a great opportunity to join with other birders of all skill levels.
Directions: Meet at the east end of the arboretum near the Dow Prairie entrance.

All are welcome and encouraged to join us. New to birding? Bird curious? No binoculars? No problem! There is no better way to learn than to get out in the field with experienced birders that love to help. Plus, you get to meet awesome people. Absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. We will have many pairs of quality binoculars on hand for anyone to use.

eBird Checklist Signup: If you are attending the walk and would like the eBird checklist shared with you, please give us your email or eBird username here (you may do this onsite well): tinyurl.com/eBirdList

Tour: UM Museum of Zoology Insect Collection
2024-03-30 14:00 - 16:00 | University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, 3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, United States
Insects are the most diverse group of organisms on the planet. There are an estimated 5.5 million species accounting for 80% of animal life on earth and the most biomass of all terrestrial animals. When it comes to birds, 97% of all North American land birds rely on animal protein, largely insects, to raise their young. The University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Insect Collection currently houses approximately 4.5 million prepared insect specimens from around the world as well as hundreds of historical field notebooks and audio recordings related to specimens in the collection. Join us for a presentation and tour of this wonderful resource.
Due to the nature of the space, we will be limiting the tour to 20 people and to Washtenaw Bird & Nature Alliance (formerly Washtenaw Audubon Society) members only and requiring registration. If there is space available the week prior to the event, we will open them to non-members. Memberships start at just $10 per year and go to great causes like environmental education, conservation, and scholarships for those in need. More information here.
Directions: Registered attendees will meet at University of Michigan Research Museums Center at 3600 Varsity Drive.
