Memorial Weekend Nature Get-A-Way Adventure a Nest of Bald Eagles Filled the Spotting Presentation of All the Fantastic Natural Scope Frame
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www.detroitaudubon.org Fall 2008 MEMORIAL WEEKEND NATURE GET-A-WAY ADVENTURE A nest of Bald Eagles filled the spotting presentation of all the fantastic natural scope frame. The group ooohhhed and areas in the Hale/Tawas area that ahhhed as a parent bird flew in quite people could visit. close with prey in its talons to feed the Our first hike, a perpetual favorite of large babies. It was Memorial Weekend the weekend, was led Saturday morning and the Detroit Audubon Society was by birding expert, Karl Overman. back at its annual nature get-a-way Many bird species were seen, including weekend at Loon Lake Lutheran Retreat warblers, orioles, whimbrel and more. center. Over 50 people, some families Other people decided to take a guided with young children, were having their tour of the historical Tawas lighthouse. DAS Members holding their first snake annual family get-together. Some new Many were enthralled to view the park, - photo by Rosemarie Attilio friends to our group scoured sand dunes, the birds and beautiful scenery from the woods, ponds, lakes and rivers in the fun very top of the lighthouse. After Lumberman’s we headed to the filled 3 and a half day event. nearby Iargo Springs natural area, After a picnic lunch, some people which boasts over 300 stairs down The weekend started off on Friday night decided to head back to camp to enjoy with Board members, Rosemarie Attilio into a series of wooden walkways that kayaking or hiking around Loon Lake, take you through a breathtaking view and Jim Bull, signing up folks for nature and yes, it does have nesting loons, hikes, activities and showing a PowerPoint of natural springs, wildflowers, plants whose plaintive calls can be heard in and birds. A Bald Eagle flew over the the early misty morning hours or at dusk group as we walked the deck. Others echoing over the water. of the group chose to stay up top on the In Your ----- Rosemarie Attilio and Jim Bull led a viewing platform and take in the vista group to the Lumberman’s Monument, without having to suffer the return trip where some tested their strength rolling up the stairs. Memorial Weekend Nature Get-a-Way 1 logs with antique logging tools. Others Saturday evening, Rosemarie Attilio President’s Message 2 tried their hand at the giant saws, gave a presentation - Birds, Bugs and Audubon Book 2 cutting a souvenir piece of white pine Books of the Amazon Rain Forest. Safe Passage Great Lakes 3 and marking the log with the logging Rosemarie discussed her recent trip to the The Flyway online? 3 brand. There was a small museum which Amazon jungle to deliver school supplies 2008-2009 Duck Stamp 3 enlightened us on Michigan’s lumbering An Amazon Adventure 4 to children in the Peruvian Amazon history. Lumberman’s Monument also Tidbits From the Past 5 Rainforest. The trip was co-sponsored Fall Campout at Point Pelee 6 sported a huge blowout embankment by the Detroit Zoological Society, and Please E-Mail Us! 6 where logs once were rolled into the CONAPAC, the Civil Association for Seven Ponds Heritage Harvest Days 6 river. Many children attempted to run Conservation of the Peruvian Amazon th WPBO 25 Annual Quilt Raffle 6 down this colossal sand dune without Environment. The purpose was both DAS Donation Form Form 7 ending up head-over-heals and were Festival of Hawks 8 to bring school supplies to children in rewarded by a cool plunge in the river the remote areas of the jungle and to after their efforts. - continued on Page 7 Printed on Recycled Paper, 20% Recycled Content - Page 2 - PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE DAS TURNS 70!! Next year Detroit Audubon will mark its 70th anniversary! We want to make it a special time and we want our members to help us celebrate. DAS began in 1939 with a group of nature enthusiasts and bird watchers. Two of them, Ed and Ann Boyes were very much A publication of the Detroit Audubon Society, involved in bird song recording and wildlife movies. They ran a 26080 Berg Rd, Southfield, MI, 48033 series of wildlife programs at the Detroit News auditorium in Detroit Telephone: (248) 354-4960 for many years. This was followed by DAS sponsoring the Wildlife Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. - File Series at Rackham Auditorium and later in Royal Oak for over Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. 20 years. Website – detroitaudubon.org Our offices went from the Boyes’ home, to 7 MI. Rd. to three Flyway is published four times a year and is mailed to different places in Royal Oak and now to the little nook we occupy over 6,500 local members of the National Audubon Soci- in Southfield. We have had several different Office Managers ety in Southeastern Michigan. starting with Louisa Butler, Carol Dick and currently Bev Stevenson. The opinions expressed by the authors and editors do not Our Board of Directors has ranged from as many as 36 members to necessarily reflect the policy of the DAS. the present 14, some of whom have been on the board starting in 1970 and there have been over 30 different presidents. Articles that appear in the Flyway may be reproduced freely as long as credit is given to Detroit Audubon Detroit Audubon has sponsored birding field trips and nature and Society. conservation member programs for many years, has booths in various home shows and other environmental organization shows such as Submission of original articles and artwork is welcomed. Clinton River Watershed Council, Hawkfest and Detroit Zoo Earth Deadline for the Winter ‘09 Issue is October 1, 2008. day and Shiver on the River on Belle Isle. Advertising rates are available by contacting the DAS office. We have been involved since the 70’s with many environmental causes and issues. The Bottle Bill is a DAS legacy. The Michigan Flyway Editor: Sue Beattie Kirtland Warbler recovery program, conservation easements, the St. Flyway Layout/Design: Don Tinson II Clair Woods Sanctuary and many others are ways DAS has been leading conservation efforts in Michigan. We were instrumental in banning the practice of fishing for tuna by targeting pods of dolphin with giant purse seines when we called for a Tuna Boycott. The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 incorporated strict controls For the Latest News and Views from and inspections on this practice. Detroit Audubon Detroit Audubon and others fought against the Detroit incinerator be sure to frequently visit our website: by joining a suit to block it and to control the release of particulates detroitaudubon.org from the smokestack. That suit was expensive but led to the use of scrubber technology to reduce effluents. We are hopeful that, with Detroit deciding not to buy back the incinerator next year when its contract ends, it will soon be shut down. DAS Board of Directors In the last year, DAS has initiated the Safe Passage Great Lakes project to curtail bird mortality due to collisions with tall buildings President: Richard Quick and towers. The Important Bird Areas program we currently support Vice President: Rosemarie Fielding will document, establish and help protect areas in the state where Treasurer: Beth Johnson significant bird populations can be found Secretary: Rosemarie Attilio As members of such an active organization, what do you want to do to celebrate the 70th anniversary? It is a rich history and there Rosemarie Attilio Beth Johnson is much more to be done. Send me your suggestions by October 1st Rochelle Gisela Lendle-King and we can start planning. Thanks for your support. Breitenbach John Makris Jim Bull Eugene Perrin Fred Charbonneau Richard Quick AUDUBON BOOK Chris Fielding Joan Seymour The University of Pittsburgh has digitized and mounted (online) one Rosemarie Fielding Jack Smiley Andrew Howell of the rare, complete sets of John James Audubon’s Birds of America. http://digital.library.pitt.edu/a/audubon/ Printed on Recycled Paper, 20% Recycled Conten - Page 3 - SAFE PASSAGE multiple environmental reasons and are 1,000 mile stretch between Pt. Isabel, bringing diverse organizations together Texas and Tampa Bay, Florida. The GREAT LAKES to cooperate for a common good. decision will have national implications as the FCC is forced to revisit its tower Jackson Audubon Society, a chapter Look for an article on Lights Out approval process. (Thanks to In Brief of Michigan Audubon, has obtained programs around the country in a and Earthjustice for this item). agreement from 13 buildings in the city future issue of Audubon Magazine. Both of Jackson to participate in the Safe National Audubon and the American Bird Representatives of DAS and Michigan Passage program. These buildings will Conservancy, as well as the USFWS, Audubon will be meeting in July to review be honored by our partners at Michigan are promoting efforts to deal with the progress in our joint effort and to plan Audubon and will be added to the Safe problems faced by migrating birds. for the coming year as we move forward Passage Honor Roll. Congratulations to with meeting the challenges that still lie Jackson Audubon for this outstanding In February, a federal appeals ahead of us. The fall migration will be effort! court judge chided the Federal underway with the early departure of Communications Commission for shorebirds by the time you receive this A list of contacts from cities who have approving thousands of communications publication and we are still in need of lights out programs or are working towers along the Gulf Coast without volunteers to spread the word, to help on starting one in their communities regard for their impact on migratory with the monitoring of both compliance has been compiled by the DAS Safe birds.