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.

BIRDATHON!

The 9th Annual Dr. William S. Beecher Birdathon Cup Challenge was held during the weekend of May 17-18. Teams headed out to see how many species they could identify within a 24-hour period.
The results?

Field's Flickers (Nick Block, Josh Engel & Jason Weckstein; May 17th) 153 species

Steel Belted Kingfishers (Caitlin Lill, Joe Lill & Jeff Sanders; May 18th) 133 species

Blue Collar Birders (John Duran, Greg Neise & Randy Shonkwiler; May 18th) 129 species

Present President's Posse (Alan Anderson, Bobbi Asher & Chris van Wassenhove; May 18th) 112 species

The total of species identified by the combined teams is 174. For a pdf of the species tallied, broken down by teams, click here

Thanks go out to all who birded, contributed or will contribute!

Want to contribute? Download a pledge form pdf here

LIGHTS OUT!!!

Now that spring migration has begun, our nationally-known program, Lights Out! has also resumed. 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!

NORTH PARK VILLAGE BIRDWALKS

North Park Village Nature Center. Saturdays in September and October from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.

These are Chicago Audubon’s regular Saturday morning walks. Join us to learn about birds and their habitats while walking with new and seasoned birders through the beautiful early springtime woods surrounding the Nature Center (5801-D N. Pulaski Rd., Chicago). The walks are led by expert birders. For information, call Roger Shamley at (773) 274-5362, or the Chicago Audubon office at (773) 539-6793. Everyone is welcome!

WOODED ISLAND BIRDWALKS

Chicago's Jackson Park. Wednesdays at 7:00 a.m. and Saturdays at 8:00 a.m.

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. Contact Doug Anderson with questions at (773) 493-7058. Everyone is welcome!

LONG-EARED OWLS MAKE THE NEWS!

Normally, Long-eared Owls are widely-known to be the most reticent of owls. Amazingly, a number of these owls have been roosting, for the third winter in a row, in a park near downtown Chicago. As many as eleven owls have been seen at this roost, but, as of late January 2008 the number has dwindled to three or four. This winter, word got out about this roost, and the resultant attention has sparked a bit of controversy within the birding circles. If you have had the pleasure of seeing these birds, please keep in mind the fact that this particular group of owls has been UNUSUALLY accommodating. If you happen across owls at another location, do not assume that they will be unbothered by your presence. Do not approach them too closely, and avoid using flash photography.
Please enjoy the photograph of two of the downtown Long-eareds taken by CAS Board Member Roger Shamley!

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>>