We stumbled upon him and after a couple photos, took a wide detour around the nest.

This year we found out that some less-covered counties are counting on Sunday instead of the usual Saturday to try and attract more birders for both days. We hope to participate both days next year.

Some of the highlights from our day of counting:

Preening Green Heron

Osprey at Nest

Red-breasted Nuthatch (more of a winter bird)

Northern Waterthrush

One of many many Yellow Warblers

Tree Swallows (we had lots!)

I would have taken more photos but after being caught in a heavy downpour I decided to put the camera away.

Barn Swallow

Saturday morning the Ohio Birdfreaks headed to the Black Swamp Bird Observatory. Though it was tempting to start birding as soon as we arrived, we were signed up as volunteers at the info booth that morning so to work we went!

Ohio Young Birders Club Volunteers

The three of us (including new birder Jamie) manned the booth to help answer questions and take walk-in registrations. It was amazing to see so many new, seasoned and expert birders in and out of the area. As they came and went, many took advantage of Leica’s generosity as they brewed up some (complimentary) amazing Birds and Beans coffee.

An large number of volunteers signed up to help during the Biggest Week. It is great to see so many people volunteer their time to help make the event a success!

Pine Siskens at Black Swamp Bird Observatory

The Birdfreaks will be helping all throughout the week in various locations. But what we are doing is small change compared to what the folks at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory do to make the Biggest Week happen. I can’t even begin to explain how awesome these people are along with each and every volunteer and sponsor of the event.

A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPS MAKE THE BIGGEST WEEK IN AMERICAN BIRDING A SUCCESS!!

We decided to walk the boardwalk just next to the Nature Center in Maumee Bay State Park. Jamie found life birds galore – a stunning view of a Blackburnian Warbler, Palm Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers and a very large number of Yellow Warblers. A Swainson’s Thrush, some White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows added to the excitement. We also found an Eastern Screech-Owl hanging out near a nest box (word is that the Mrs. was inside the box).

At 7:30 we headed upstairs in the lodge to see none other than our good friend and awesome Ohio Young Birder Kristina “Catbird” Polk. Kristina writes a blog we enjoy called wild@heart. And did we mention that she is amazing?

(Kristina is the one with the cool hat)

The basics about Kristina:

Kristina Polk is a 17 year old birder from North Ridgeville Ohio, whose passion for birds began as an interest in wildlife photography. She is a long time vegan and is compassionate towards all life, including the birds she’s gotten to know through birding. She also enjoys art in all forms, including sketching and writing, and uses these hobbies to channel her love of wildlife. Additionally, Kristina volunteers in spring and autumn at Black Swamp Bird Observatory’s bird banding station. She is attending the University of Wyoming next fall to pursue an education in wildlife biology. – Biggest Week Bios

What else we know about her? Well…she is a great writer (Here is a link to an example from The Eyrie – ABA’s young birder blog – Worlds Away)

She is compassionate about all animals, a great speaker and an inspiration to all future conservationists. The best thing about her is that she makes others feel what she feels – love for nature. And of course we love her because she LOVES catbirds.

The talk was great and we are always happy to hear one of her talks. All-in-all a great start to our Biggest Week activities!

Northern Parula

Online registration has closed BUT that doesn’t mean you can’t still sign up! They are accepting walk-in registration at the festival registration table at Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center and at Black Swamp Bird Observatory for just $20.

The registration table will be open from 7 A.M. – 7 P.M.
Thursday, May 2 through Friday, May 10th
Walk-in registration gains you access to the daily guided walks at Magee Marsh, evening socials at Maumee Bay Lodge, and discounts at dozens of participating local businesses.

SO, you might be wondering, how is birding with so many people? Are you used to being one of just a few or even a solo bird watcher?

If you have never experienced birding near and with so many other people just like you, I highly recommend it! There is nothing like it and it’s amazing!

This isn’t a crowded fair of people you may not wish to be around; it’s not Walmart where everyone is looking for their own list of things. This is a group of like-minded people all looking at the same thing: awesome migratory birds!

Did I mention it is an amazing experience?

Birdfreak Birders Jennie and Dakota will be spending two weekends and a couple of weekdays up at the event and we will have in-tow a brand NEW birder! We are beyond excited to introduce our friend Jamie to the mix of birding.

We should have a lot of things to talk and blog about in the next week – GOOD SPRING BIRDING EVERYONE and hope to see you at the Biggest Week!

The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book: 448 Great Things to Do in Nature Before You Grow Up by Stacy Tornio and Ken Keffer is a great asset for coming up with fun outdoor activities.

It is a book that is much needed in a time where more and more kids are spending less and less time outdoors.

Inside are tons of fun activities ranging from finding bird nests to milking a cow! Each of the activities has an “adventure scale” from 1 to 5 and for each there is a basic description of the activity, plus a more challenging addition the the basic quest.

The activities are organized by season, starting with my favorite season, Spring. In each season are specific destinations, projects, games, and recipes.

Many of the items listed you will most likely be familiar with. But I found a great number of activities I’ve never really thought about or hadn’t really appreciated when I was a kid.

Every parent should buy The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book and encourage their children to do as many as the activities in it as possible.

I may even try a few of these myself because you’re never too old to enjoy the outdoors like a kid!

There is a fun giveaway where you can win an autographed copy of this great book and a box of CLIF Kid ZBars. Go to Destination Nature for more details.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher to review on Birdfreak.com. The links are to our Amazon affiliate account.

The following review of the Crossley ID Guide: Raptors is part of the Raptor Blog Tour. Make sure to check out all the really great articles about this superbly fine guide.

Turkey Vultures. Some people hate them because they are “ugly” or “gross”. But I think they are awesome.

Sure, these birds urinate on themselves and will vomit on predators if the need arises. But what is gross to humans is perfectly effective for vultures.

Turkey Vultures are nature’s garbage disposals. Any roadkill is free game. And it doesn’t matter if a deceased animal had a disease or toxin in its system; mostly the Turkey Vulture is unharmed!

The Crossley ID Guide: Raptors by: Richard Crossley, Jerry Liguori & Brian Sullivan covers all North American raptors, including the majestic Turkey Vulture.

One of the Turkey Vulture plates in the new guide

The guide includes 101 color plates with over a thousand photographs. The photos are superimposed on a background to form a scene of multiple birds in multiple poses and angles.

Enter to win the ultimate Crossley ID Guide sweepstakes sponsored by Princeton University Press.

This format is unique to the Crossley ID Guides and a fascinating approach to bird identification. This way you are able to see the same species at varying distances and even in differing light.

The goal is to mimic what you may see in the field and create a better understanding of what to look for and how to identify the birds.

The Turkey Vulture plates show amazing close-up detail of the bizarre, featherless heads of these always interesting birds. The plates also show the habit of large numbers of vultures forming a “kettle” or circle, soaring on thermals plus varying angles of birds in flight.

The Crossley ID Guide: Raptors takes the unique Crossley approach and focuses exclusively on the large, beautiful diurnal raptors.

And it does an excellent job covering the amazing Turkey Vulture.

Check out more great posts on The Raptor Blog Tour.

The tour continues tomorrow with posts from:

• Another Bird Blog
• RadleyIce
• Magnificent Frigatebird

Join the Raptor ID Happy Hour: with Richard Crossley and Brian Sullivan on Friday, March 22nd.

Plates provided by Princeton University Press.

Shreve is where Ohio’s largest inland natural wetland complex exists (5,671 acres) making this the perfect place to host a spring migration sensation!

The 13th Annual Shreve Migration Sensation includes workshops, vendors, live birds, hands on events and even some snakes! We have attended the past three years and each time have had a wonderful experience!

So…what’s going on this year?

Some great workshops are planned which are all included for the low price of a 10 dollar admission and only 15 dollars for a family.

Here is a list of all six workshops

1. Cute Chicks (Young Birds) by Chuck Jakubchak, Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist
2. Not the Last of the Mohicans! By Cheryl Harner (on the Mohican Park and Malabar Farm State Park before and today)
3. Birds, Bugs & Botany: A Photographic Foray by Judy Semrock
4. Wood-Warblers: Gems of the Forest by Jim McCormac
5. Go Birding: It’s good for you! By Kimberly Kaufman
6. The Magic of Bird Flight by Kenn Kaufman

There will be fun activities for children as well. Hands-on programs, a dip-net program (bring boots), information on snakes from The Wilderness Center, and live animals from the Akron Zoo.

This event is completely worth a day out and in addition to all the wonderful events, the birding area is great! Killbuck Marsh, Shreve Lake, Brown’s Bog and Funk Bottoms wildlife area…when you get there the registration desk has a great map of where to go and bird throughout the day.

Check out a list of birds you might see – HERE

Dakota back in 2010 at our first Shreve Migration Sensation

YES – The Biggest Week in American Birding!

Registration is now open! Some of the workshops and field trips are filling up fast so it is definitely not too early to reserve your place for a bird-filled week of fun!

The entire week (10 days!) is only 30 dollars for adults, and 10 dollars for students! There are fees for some of the trips and presentations but many are free, including a a talk by Kim Kaufman on shade-grown coffee and guided tours on the Magee Marsh Boardwalk!

During the festival you can register, pick up your name badge and registration packet between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Maumee Bay Lodge & Convention Center.

What’s going on at his big incredible week of birding? Well the main attraction of course would be THE MIGRATING BIRDS. Check out the links below if you would like a preview of what you likely will find while you are here:

*Kenn Kaufman’s Birding Predictions
*Birds to Expect

In addition to the great birding there are presentations, field trips, book signings, banding demonstrations, and even a bird tattoo contest! You can view the complete schedule of events HERE.

Here a few of the MANY things we are looking forward to:

Young birder Kristina Polk (author of the Wild at Heart blog) will be presenting And Then I Met a Gray Catbird: How One Bird Changed My Whole Life May 3rd at the Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center at 7:30 p.m.

We have heard Kristina speak before and her words have passion and power. She is definitely an advocate for our birds and a great speaker.

Punk Rock Big Year: Paul Riss knocked birding stereotypes out when he decided to do a big year of birding AND tattoo the Latin name of every new bird he saw during that time. In addition to his cool presentation May 4th at 7:30 p.m. he will be judging a bird tattoo contest at 5 p.m. (both will be at the Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center).

Paul Riss (right) took a moment at the Ohio Young Birder Conference in 2011 to pose with Dakota

Whether you are a photographer, new birder or ornithologist – guided walks every day (free with your name badge) are one of the BEST ways to see every bird and connect with other birders. Bird guide author and amazing birder Kenn Kaufman will be guiding these walks at 8am and 11am on the boardwalk.

Birders on the Boardwalk, 2010

There will be a Bird-Friendly Coffee Bar at the Maumee Lodge & Conference Center and Birds and Beans coffee will also be served at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory. In addition to being one of the best coffees around, it is by far the best coffee for the birds!

Kim Kaufman will be speaking all about the awesomeness of shade-grown coffee on Sunday May 5th at 3 p.m. at the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. She and Kenn spent some time at a bird-friendly coffee farm and it is amazing how just buying coffee can impact our birds in a wonderful way!

Okay, I could go on and on but the Biggest Week has a wonderful website so go check them out! They have information on all the events, maps, places to stay and contact and registration info.

If you have not attended before – it is really worth it! And if you have, then you know it’s true!

GOOD BIRDING AND HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

The collection starts with the early pioneers of bird study household names like Wilson and Audubon, and continues to todays expert naturalists Kaufman and Sibley.

Twenty-three naturalists are covered, each with detailed information from their early days to their lifelong accomplishments.

While I was familiar with several of the naturalists in More Than Birds, the majority were new to me. The material, while historical, felt fresh and exciting like I was exploring with these great adventurers.

These naturalists were more than just looking to study birds. They had deep feelings towards the conservation and preservation of birds and their habitat.

Read about Jack Miner, “the father of conservation” as well as Robert Ridgway, “curator of the Smithsonian Institution’s bird collections for forty-nine years…”.

In 1889, Florence Merriam Bailey wrote a list of “Hints to Observers” which include seven tips to prevent birds from flushing at your approach. These tips still hold true today.

Whether you are new to birding or a long time student of ornithology, there is bound to be a lot of newfound information in this fun read.

List of Naturalists Covered

• Alexander Wilson
• John James Audubon
• Thomas Nuttall
• Spencer Fullerton Baird
• Robert Kennicott
• Robert Ridgway
• Florence Merriam Bailey
• Allan Cyril Brooks
• Cordelia Standwood
• Jack Miner
• James Henry Fleming
• Percy Algernon Taverner
• Margaret Morse Nice
• Joseph Dewey Soper
• Louise de Kiriline Lawrence
• Doris H. Speirs and J. Murray Speirs
• Roger Tory Peterson
• Hans Albert Hochbaum
• Robert W. Nero
• Robert Bateman
• Kenn Kaufman
• David Allen Sibley

Disclaimer: We received a copy of this book from the publisher to review on Birdfreak.com. The links are to our Amazon Affiliate account.

Order More Than Birds: Adventurous Lives of North American Naturalists today!

The New York State Young Birders Club provides community, friendship, and fun for young people who have a passion for wild birds and their habitats

If you know a young nature lover in New York – you might want to consider a gift membership – it’s only TEN dollars! (Twenty for adult members)

Youth member benefits include:
* make new friends who share your passion for birds!
*go on young birder field trips and other events throughout New York State.
*join in on bird counts and other birding projects with other young birders.
*contribute to and get email alerts about special events and resources for birders.
*get photos, artwork, and writings published on this website and in newsletters around the state.
*are eligible for NYSYBC scholarships
*voice their ideas to help shape NYSYBC.

Check out their membership page to see the many benefits for adult members, alumni and partners!

They also have a Flickr Photo Group called NYS Young Birder’s Photos for photos taken by members of the club.

The New York State Young Birders Club is another wonderful example of the perfect place for budding young birders and future conservationists.

New York is an AWESOME place to watch birds! Back in 2008, Birdfreak Eddie, Dakota and Dad (Grandpa) visited another great blogger Tom from Mon@rch’s Nature Blog.

Donald & Lillian Stokes have published new regional editions to their highly acclaimed The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America (available March 26, 2013).

The books are split into western and eastern regions and are jam-packed with some of the best bird photography out there.

These guides provide the most current and up-to-date information on birds and is a complete update to the former Stokes Field Guides published in 1996.

The coverage is geographically split along an imaginary line that cuts through the great plains states: North Dakota, South Dakota up into Canada and on down through Texas. This works for us since it is difficult to divide the country in terms of bird distribution but the western parts of especially North and South Dakota seem more “west” than “east”.

Both guides follow the same format with the western boasting 2,400 photos to the eastern’s 2,200.

The best part of the guides, other than the superb photo quality, is the display of birds in various plumages and ages. When applicable, differing male and female plumages are shown as well as age cycles of gulls and other obvious plumage variances among specific bird species.

The sheer number of photographs somewhat overshadows the text. But the descriptions of birds including flight, habitat and voice notes should not be overlooked. The text is full of pertinent information to help the identification process.

All notable subspecies and hybrids are also included in the text as well as the photos.

The range maps show year-round, breeding and wintering grounds as well as migration paths.

Sprinkled throughout the species are “identification tips” boxes that further explain how to distinguish between difficult and similar looking species.

Follow Donald and Lillian Stokes on their popular blog – Stokes Birding Blog.

Disclaimer: we received copies of these books from the publisher to review on Birdfreak.com. The links are to our Amazon Affiliate account.

Order now!
The New Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region

The New Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Western Region

All birders (and “almost” birders) are welcome to join in. It is just a three-step process:

1. Create an account for the GBBC; if you already eBird you can use the same login
2. Count birds! 15 minutes is the minimum and you don’t have to count every day (although why not?)
3. Enter your results on the GBBC website or eBird

But the best part of the Great Backyard Bird Count is getting kids involved. What a perfect time to sit down, watch birds, and practice identification.

Feeder watching is one of the best ways to learn about birds. These are usually common species that can be seen up close and for long periods of time. If your feeders are really hopping then there is the likeliness of size comparison between different species.

The GBBC has a whole section for kids that includes printable coloring pages, puzzles, a sound quiz, and other identification tools.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is really a perfect way to get the whole family more interested in birds and to participate in some citizen science.

Plus, who doesn’t enjoy watching birds on a cold winter day?

The Minnesota Young Birders Club is supported by the Science Museum of Minnesota. It is open to kids age 13-18 from Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Annual membership is $20.00 but youth can attend one event prior to becoming a full member.

The Minnesota Young Birder Club connects youth to other young birders in the state via monthly field days, workshops, and social media. We provide a challenging environment where youth can learn about birds, conservation and science while socializing with friends. – Minnesota Young Birders Club

There are many programs/field trips listed on the club’s website with more listed on their Facebook group page.

Overall, the Minnesota Young Birders Club is off to a great start. We suggest they get a website separate from the Science Museum of Minnesota and allow the young members the ability to add content and share information.

Hopefully they can expand their reach across the entire state of Minnesota.

The Young Birders Network aims to provide resources for young birders to connect and learn, while giving their adult advocates resources to encourage and support. Though the network is primarily geared for ages 12-18, younger birders and college students alike may also find relevant resources. The network is coordinated by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and includes dozens of partners. – Young Birders Network

The YBN has a list of Young Birder Regional Clubs as well as a list of young birder blogs. There are many fine young bird bloggers out there, so check them out!

You can also access eBird directly through the YBN and submit your checklists (highly recommended).

Plus, if your state is lacking in the young birder club category, there is a young birder club toolkit available to get the ball rolling.

So, check out the Young Birders Network now!

Appropriately named, Hope Elementary School in Carlsbad, California did just that on January 17, 2013. They planted over 50 different native plants, shrubs and trees in their new Native Habitat Exploration Garden. (see U-T San Diego News article here)

Partners in Fish and Wildlife gave the school a three thousand dollar grant to create a four thousand square foot native habitat. The event was coordinated by Jonathan Snapp-Cook, a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service biologist.

The benefits of this program might be obvious – but they are critical in helping future conservationists:

-Improved habitat – providing habitat for local and migratory wildlife
-Teaching and learning – limitless options to teach and explore – from learning native plants to history and geography.
-Stewardship : What better way to teach children how to be stewards of the land?
-Social development – Not only does this help kids learn to explore but it gets them outside in nature.

With partners such as the National Fish and Wildlife Service, students can be reached on a school-wide level and have a daily accessible place to study, learn and appreciate wildlife.

The biggest benefit of coordinating this type of habitat creation, aside from monetary help, is that the school receives expert advice and instructions on how to properly create a wonderful habitat to attract wildlife and how to maintain the environment.

Download the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Schoolyard Habitat Project Guide – (PDF) – this is a planning guide for creating schoolyard habitat and outdoor classroom projects.

Carlsbad, Ca is 35 miles north of San Diego, Ca

This is our indoor cat Rajah enjoying the birds on the DVD.

Note: you may need to hit refresh to view the video.

The Indiana Young Birders Club offers everything a young birder needs. Field trips, newsletters, conservation projects, outreach programs and of course many birding friends and contacts!

The IYBC also has a blog! Indiana Young Birders – Birding Today…Protecting Tomorrow

One unique thing that the Indiana Young Birders Club offers is a Fledgling membership for young birders up to age eleven. This is a five dollar membership and then the young birder membership is twenty dollars (ages 12 and up). What a great way to include the younger crowd (especially good for younger siblings of a young birder) and it preps them for future birding and conservation!

Here is a look at what is being planned for 2013!
February – Great Backyard Bird Count
May – Spring Migration Trip
May – Salamonie Bird Day
May – Young Birders Big Day Competition
May – Heron Rookery Trip
June – Goose Pond
June – Bio Blitz
August 24th – 1st IYBC Annual Conference!!!
November – IYBC Trip to OYBC Conference in Ohio
(check out last year’s conference!).

Some of the Indian Young Birders members attended the 2012 Ohio Young Birders Conference last year and I think we have a great shot at someday having a regional conference! We look forward to the first Indiana Young Birder Conference!

The festival schedule will be published by the end of January and festival registration will open in mid February.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Photo by Dakota Outcalt Callaway

Kim Kaufman – director of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory and our dear bird sister and friend has worked long, incredible hours along with her spectacular birding team to make this event a ravishing success for the past three years and there is no doubt that this year will be even better! There are no words to describe her hard work at promoting birds and conservation. (WE LOVE HER SO MUCH!)

Last year, Jennifer Outcalt (Veery) was proud to be part of the Blog Team alongside other super bird bloggers. Bird blogging is such an awesome way to spread news, discuss birding issues and to network with other birders and even new or future birders!

Up Close and Personal with a Prothonotary Warbler

Photo by Dakota Outcalt Callaway

This year’s event is sure to be even bigger than the last – so it’s not too soon to mark your calendar, read up on last year’s events and gear up for a week in the Warbler Capital of the World: Northwest Ohio!

The very BEST part of this event: there are tons of birders! If you have ever been in a large group of birders like this – it’s crowded but not crowded – there is nothing like being with so many others that share your passion. It’s incredible.

Not convinced? Read Dr. Drew Lanham’s account of his experience in Northwest Ohio in 2012 and you will be!

Bird Banding Demonstration – 2010

Look for more posts on upcoming events, registration and our experiences! Good birding!

2013: Michigan Audubon proudly presents – the Michigan Young Birders Club!

Here is the information on the brand new club from the Michigan Audubon’s Website:

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As 2013 begins Michigan Audubon looks forward to something that has been in the planning stages for the past year, the launch of a Michigan Young Birders Club (MYBC). With the assistance of Sarah Toner and advice from the staff at Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO), MYBC joins 12 other state and five regional Young Birder Clubs in the country.

MYBC membership is for youth ages 12 – 18. An Advisory Board, who will decide on the schedule of programs and the division of tasks amongst the members, will be established at the first meeting, scheduled for January 19th at the Michigan Audubon headquarters.

Members will create their own online newsletter and administer the club’s social networking sites. Planning a conference with presentations given by members and other young birders will also be on their agenda in the near future. The Club will be overseen by Program Coordinator Wendy Tatar.

MYBC membership is $15 and $10 for additional members of the same family. Operation of the club won’t be possible without the help of adults. There will be a supporting adult membership ($20), which will receive the online newsletter. Funds generated by adult support will go to fund the club’s activities and hopefully build an account that can one day support scholarships for members to attend conferences and camps around the country. Adult mentors will be called on to lead birding trips and provide transportation to field trips and programs. A few adults will be seated on the Advisory Board for oversight.

We are currently in the process of creating the membership registration forms for this page. Check back before the end of the year to sign up.

Michigan Audubon
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Michigan already offers three junior Audubon clubs:
- Grand Rapids Junior Audubon Club
- Kalamazoo Junior Audubon
- Junior Birders of Northern Michigan

Contact Wendy Tatar at – wendyt@michiganaudubon.org for more information.

Identifying these acrobatic wonders; that’s the tricky part!

Hawks in Flight: Second Edition is a magnificent update to the first edition published over two decades ago. All diurnal raptors with established breeding populations in the United States and Canada are included in 300 plus colorful, informative pages. This means 11 species not covered in the first edition are now included.

The authors of Hawks in Flight are three big names of birding: Pete Dunne, David Sibley, and Clay Sutton. Each brings years of expertise of raptors. The photos and illustrations are stunning and provide a great learning tool for raptor identification. The text is detailed and specific yet remains readable and understandable.

The raptors are organized by type: buteos, accipiters, falcons, etc. with regional specialities removed from the family base of birds. Then, later in the book, there are chapters dedicated to southwestern buteos, Florida specialties, and regional specialties. This arrangement works well for studying more common raptors found during migration versus birding in southeastern Arizona or southern Florida.

Perhaps my favorite feature in the entire book is the “Putting it Together” section at the end of each chapter. This is a summary of the family of birds that puts everything together to get a better understanding of the types of birds. For example, the end of the Eagles and Vultures chapter has info on how to tell big black birds apart.

This is a great asset to quickly read up on types of birds without being overwhelmed.

Finally, the last chapter covers some of the other soaring birds that are not raptors.

Raptor identification can be tricky, but Hawks in Flight: Second Edition makes it easier and enjoyable.

Disclaimer: we received a copy of this book from the publisher to review on Birdfreak.com. The links are to our Amazon affiliate account.

The mission of the Iowa Young Birders Club:

Iowa Young Bird­ers pro­motes engage­ment with our nat­ural world and con­ser­va­tion issues by empow­er­ing young Iowans to study and enjoy birds and birding.

The Iowa Young Birders Club came to life on July 14, 2011 from the work of Carl and Linda Bendorf. The organization is an independent not-for-profit corporation and needs the support of young members as well as adults.

The club received a $20,000+ grant for its 2013 field trip programs so look for some really fun events for young birders.

The field trips are still being worked out so check back for more details.

Membership is just $10 a year and $35 for supporting adults so join now!

This year was the lowest in terms of counters so we did not find too many birds. One group had a misunderstanding of when the count was and we lost data for a large section of the circle.

That said, we still were spread thin so our numbers were really low. We found 46 species of birds with 3 more count week species. We counted 5,474 individual birds, the majority of them Canada Geese.

Other highlights include: 2 Barred Owls (one which my nephew spotted and we saw really well), 1 Northern Shrike, a Great Blue Heron, Northern Harrier, 2 Red Crossbills, 1 Lapland Longspur, and 1 Hermit Thrush.

There were some big misses with no American Robins or Yellow-rumped Warblers. They were found in good numbers on last year’s count.

This is what we do when we aren’t finding any birds

I was surprised by the variety of birds considering the low number of counters. Just shows what a great birding area northern Illinois is and how great the birders are that show up.

I am considering dissolving the count since there is such a lack of interest (this year and past years).

Young birders in Illinois are fortunate. In March of 2010 the Illinois Young Birders Club was formed under the umbrella of the Illinois Ornithological Society.

This statewide club organizes field trips and produces a quarterly newsletter for its members. The cost to join is just $10 per year and is open to ages 9-18. Adults can support the club as well with a $20 per year contribution that goes directly into funding the club’s activities.

The Illinois Young Birders Club Mission Objectives

1. To foster an interest in birding among young people in Illinois.
2. To offer a centralized community for young birders in Illinois.
3. To introduce members to possible career options related to birds & the natural sciences.
4. To offer and maintain a website (illinoisyoungbirders.org) and a discussion group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ILyoungbirders/) to facilitate communication among Illinois young birders and the adult birding community.
5. To provide a quarterly newsletter.
6. To provide the safest possible environment for scheduled field trips & other IYBC events.
7. To further awareness of conservation issues affecting Illinois birds.
8. To foster positive relationships with other Nature/Birding groups in Illinois.
9. To Have Fun!!!

The IYBC goes on a lot of field trips throughout the year, mostly in the Chicago area and suburbs. There are several field trips that reach south and west, but much of the state is under-reached.

We hope that in the future there can be chapters of the Illinois Young Birder Club, much like they have in Ohio. This would enable places that already have adult bird clubs to foster support for young birders in their respective locations.

For example, in Rockford there is an active (and aging) bird club that could really assist young birders in the city and surrounding counties on getting more involved and participating on field trips.

We feel that a lot of young birders are missing out. Hopefully, as they see their peers going on field trips, having fun, and sharing knowledge about birds and nature, they will be able to convince their friends to join in as well.

The Illinois Young Birders Club is itself young and has a lot of potential to spark interest in birders not just in the Prairie State but bordering states and beyond.

It will take a lot of work and promotion, but we know that kids are inherently attracted to nature and the outdoors. With a spark here and there they are bound to find it enjoyable and let it become part of their life.

And it will also take a lot of prodding to get more parents to back their kids as well. Without adult support, the young birders club will struggle to grow.

Let’s make it easier for kids to be the naturalists they were born to be.