Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead, anthropologist

To download our bimonthly newsletter, the Compass, just click on "COMPASS" in the above menu! You can download a pdf of most every issue dating from the year 2000 right up to 2008, including the most current issue.

LIGHTS OUT!!!

Now that spring migration is around the corner, our nationally-known program, Lights Out! will also resume. With the cooperation and support of the Mayor's Nature and Wildlife Committee and the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago (BOMA), lights in many of downtown Chicago's tall buildings are turned out during the overnight hours in order to avoid attracting migratory birds, which can otherwise become disoriented and crash into the buildings. For more information, please click here!

WOODED ISLAND BIRDWALKS

Chicago's Jackson Park. Saturdays at 8:00am

These wonderful walks will continue through the year, up to New Year’s Day. Bring binoculars and field guides and please dress for the weather. Many species of songbirds and water birds are seen. Meet at Clarence Darrow Bridge, just south of the Museum of Science and Industry. For information, call the Chicago Audubon office at (773) 539-6793. All levels of birders are welcome!!

BOOK REVIEW: Birdwatcher, The Life of Roger Tory Peterson

Author: Elizabeth J. Rosenthal
Published 2008
Reviewed by Chris Van Wassenhove, CAS President

Imagine floating down a river and telling your companion that you would expect to find a peregrine falcon under the approaching bridge. Upon drifting under said bridge, a single feather floats down into your lap and you exclaim “a marbled godwit!” and look up to find the expected peregrine enjoying breakfast.

This exemplifies the birding genius of Roger Tory Peterson. (Can you identify a marbled godwit via a single feather?) In her recently published biography, Birdwatcher: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson, Elizabeth J. Rosenthal presents a comprehensive study of his life and multiple accomplishments.

Peterson was a pioneer in so many areas we accept as common realities today and he was such an inspiration to children and novice bird and nature enthusiasts. Any opportunity to teach children about the great outdoors excited him and he revolutionized nature guides to make them more user-friendly for the uninitiated as well as for the more experienced explorer.

Bird guides before Peterson’s time were lengthy tomes—too heavy and too verbose to be of much use in the field. Peterson brought the birds to life with his excellent paintings and descriptions of diagnostic traits and was one of the driving forces in making “birdwatcher” a common term.

Peterson was also a father of the environmental movement. He was among the first to point out how birds helped to control insect populations; how DDT was affecting the nesting success of raptors; and how stands of dead trees were important as nesting habitat for certain bird species.

Peterson did not limit himself to the United States. He helped found the World Wildlife Fund to raise money for conservation. Rosenthal writes of how Peterson’s British and European guides changed birdwatching in Europe forever. He did the same thing for Canada and for East Africa and he traveled the world, influencing the conservation discussion and enhancing enjoyment of nature wherever he went. In addition to his bird guides, Peterson published books on wildflowers, mammals, butterflies, shells, trees, rocks, minerals, amphibians and reptiles.

His history is fascinating and I have touched on just a tiny portion of it in this review. It is hard to believe one person could accomplish so much in a lifetime. Peterson had a favorite phrase that he quoted often in his speeches, “Birds are the most eloquent expression of reality.” This belief obviously drove the man and his passion. Please visit the author’s website at www.petersonbird.com for additional information about this well researched book.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW CAS BOARD MEMBERS

The downside to the departure of Christine and Stephen Lee to their new Colorado home is that it leaves us with openings on the CAS Board. We're looking for people with a passion for nature who want to "act locally." If you're interested in being nominated for the Board please contact Joe Lill at 773-631-3154 or trptjoe@aol.com.

THE ROGER TORY PETERSON CENTENNIAL

The year 2008 is the 100th year celebration of the birth of Roger Tory Peterson and we are proud to announce that the Chicago Audubon Society has been designated by the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History (RTPI) as the point organization for this area’s Centennial activities. The stated mission of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute is to continue the legacy of Roger Tory Peterson by promoting the teaching and study of nature, and to thereby create knowledge of and appreciation and responsibility for the natural world. Although many of the upcoming programs are still in the planning stages, we would like our readers to begin considering possible nominees for the awards programs described below. The next issue of the Compass will have more details of the nomination process and descriptions of the upcoming activities and programs. In the meantime, please give some thought to possible nominees for one or both of the following categories and check the RTPI website, www.rtpi.org, and here at the CAS website, for more information as the year progresses.

The Nature Education Achievement Awards Program is a series of awards honoring the best demonstrated hands-on teaching methods about nature education and also to recognize those professionals whose teaching practices exemplify how knowledge of and passion for the natural world can inspire others to become deeply committed to sharing their knowledge. The purpose of the program will be to inform America’s teachers and interpretive naturalists about the best and most current hands-on methods for teaching about the natural world. In addition to the “best practices” search, young budding naturalists will be honored and an individual who has exemplified a lifetime of achievement in the nature education field will also be honored.

The Roger Tory Peterson Young Naturalist Awards. The purpose of these awards is to honor young naturalists between the ages of 10 and 17 who show passion for and knowledge of the natural world by enthusiastically engaging in some form of outdoor nature studies such as field ornithology, entomology, botany, biology, and related fields. Outstanding young naturalists will be honored—those who set an example for other children by consistently experiencing outdoor natural environments for fun and intellectual stimulation. A parent, teacher, or other mentor such as a scoutmaster may nominate these young people.

At this time, we are looking for people who would like to be included on our Volunteer Team list to help with the upcoming 2008 Centennial events. Please give our office a call (773-539-6793) if you would like you name included on our list. If you leave a message, please mention that you are calling about the Volunteer Team list. Leave your name and address and, most important, your phone number. At this time, the events are in the first stages of planning but we need to know how many Volunteers will be able to help out. We hope to hear from you!

<TIPS FOR BIRD IDENTIFICATION

People have different approaches to bird watching and bird identification. Here are a few tips to help the new birder remember details before reaching for the guidebook. This information is meant to be a general guide and even if ... READ MORE>>

ADDITIONAL BIRD SAFETY INFORMATION

Continuing our efforts to supply our readers with bird safety information specifically related to the problem of birds pecking at windows, we hope the following will also be helpful. Birds will often mistake their own reflection ... READ MORE>>

Make Your Windows Safer for Birds

The Chicago Audubon office receives calls every spring from many people concerned about the bird that is “trying to get through the window.” Of course, the bird is only reacting to its own reflection in the glass. Hopefully, this article will answer many questions about this important problem -- including the most important question of all, “How do I keep the bird from injuring itself?” ... READ MORE>>

All Creatures Small and Smaller

When we come across a baby bird, squirrel, or rabbit, (to name just a few), our first instinct is to rescue it – a very understandable and very human reaction. However, chances are you shouldn’t try to rescue it – at least not immediately. Many animals leave their babies for extended periods of time ... READ MORE>>