Dedicated to creating a greater awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the interrelatedness of all Michigan’s wild places and wildlife and the need for stewardship.
A NOTE FROM OUR PRESIDENT Join Us
ATOUR MAY MEETING!
Bird Walk at the Capital City Bird Sanctuary
Thursday May 4 - 7:00pm 6160 Delta River Dr., Lansing
Parking is available at the Hawk Meadows park. The sanctuary is across the street. We will meet at the parking lot before beginning our walk.
Join new Michigan Audubon
Conservation Manager Chad Machinski to learn more about the Capital City Bird Sanctuary as well as opportunities to help volunteer.
We will see which birds are migrating through and Chad will discuss the plants and ecosystems during the walk!
Also, if you would like to use eBird but are not sure how, we will be able to get you started on this walk! Please download the eBird app and complete your registration prior to the walk. (You will need to login and have a username and password prior to the first time submitting an ebird checklist.)
Bathroom facilities are available at Hawk Meadows Park
The walk will be moderate, with the possibility of muddy uneven trails depending on the weather. If the weather is really poor, (sustained rain, freezing temps, or high winds) we will cancel the walk. Please check your email or our facebook page for cancellations.
Our last two meetings of the program year will take place outside at wonderful local birding sites.
This month we will meet and explore the Capital City Bird Sanctuary. This diverse spot has wetland, woodland, prairie and river frontage. It is a great place to visit year-round and especially interesting in the spring.
The walk will start at the parking lot (at Hawk Meadows Park) and head across the street. The trails are not paved and may be muddy depending on the week's weather. There will be a short walk and longer walk option and guests and birders of all ages are welcome! Please be sure to check your email or our facebook page if the weather looks questionable. We will email out a cancellation by 6pm if needed.
During this walk we will also have the chance to hear from the new Conservation Manager of Michigan Audubon, Chad Machinski. He will share about the ecosystems of the sanctuary and share opportunities to volunteer and help maintain the sanctuary and to help with monitoring.
For those of you interested in using eBird, the sanctuary has many easily recognizable species and a great hotspot bird list. If all these words are new to you, I recommend visiting eBird before your visit to learn more about the possible species present during May and to sign up for an account.
At our board meeting in April, our board began discussions about potentially changing the name of
Capital Area Audubon Society. As shared in our March Call Note, the Audubon name has a problematic history and clubs around the country are discussing how the continued use of the Audubon can exclude people and stifle diversity. (Please see last month's wonderful article by board member Susan Elbin to read about the different steps Audubon societies across the country are taking to reexamine their use of the Audubon name.)
We would like to encourage our members to reach out, think about what the name could be, the history of our club and the challenges and opportunities that could come from changing the club's name or the challenges by keeping it the same
Our club mission is "Dedicated to creating a greater awareness, appreciation and understanding of the interrelatedness of all Michigan's wild places and wildlife and the need for stewardship". No matter what name we go by, that will hold true.
I hope to see many of you at our walk this week!
Kristy Taylor CAAS Board PresidentCAAS EVENTS
Monthly meetings are held the first Thursday of the month September - June All meetings are open to the public.
Thank you Ed Merz!
Longtime CAAS Member Ed Merz is donating the proceeds from the sales of his book to support the mission of the CAAS. We appreciate his thoughtfulness and continued support! We also thank him for the beautiful paintings he donated to our silent auction last month.
We are seeking two new board members for the 2023-2024 program year!
If you would be interested in serving on our board, please email your interest and a short bio for inclusion in our June Newsletter. Board members help steer the direction of the CAAS, arrange program speakers, field trips and more. A member vote will take place at our June monthly meeting to approve new Board members. Please email you bio to - caascallnote@gmail.com
Spring Bird Walks - Saturday Mornings in May at Fenner Nature Center Walks begin at the parking lot at 8am. Learn about the spring migrants moving through the area. Beginners and birders of all ages are welcome.
Thursday, June 1 - Annual Meeting, Member Walk and Ice Cream Social at Fenner Nature Center
Join CAAS members and guests for a quick annual meeting to approve new board members, followed by ice cream and a walk around Fenner.
Our 2023-2024 Program year will begin next September. If you have ideas for speakers or field trips, please email us at caascallnote@gmail.com or let a board member know.
NOTES FROM THE HAWK DECK
Whitefish Point Bird Observatory Spring Count Updates - Week Two by Jess Cosentino, 2023 WPBO Raptor Counter
The WPBO spring raptor count has continued to gain momentum over the past week. As we cross into the second half of April, nearly 2,800 migrant raptors have pushed north past the Point since this year’s count began.
April 11 brought less favorable migration conditions as blustery northwest winds blew in off the lake for most of the count, resulting in the first lower double-digit day count of the season so far. The non-raptor highlights on that dreary cold day were (1) a female SHARP-TAILED GROUSE making two passes south of the hawk platform before perching atop one of the nearby pines to the north, spending several minutes hanging out before dropping back down into cover again and (2) a BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER calling and fluttering around the treeline to the south of the platform in the morning hours, later appearing at the feeders.
More favorable southerly winds returned the following day, and a strong SHARP-SHINNED HAWK flight poured over the dunes in the first morning hours of the count (well over 100 in the first three hours). While mixed in with the tiny accipiters, a lone juvenile NORTHERN GOSHAWK made a low pass at treetop level to the north of the platform close enough to make out the white slash of an eyebrow marking without even lifting binoculars to one’s eyes. As the sharpies slowed, a nice push of REDTAILED HAWKS gained their own momentum in the early afternoon hours. April 13 brought the spring count’s first BROAD-WINGED HAWK a very early migrant heading north, with the most recent earliest record from the spring count before this year dating back to April 12, 2015. After being spotted distant to the south, the adult bird slowly chugged north with emphatic wing flaps until it reached just before the platform, making an abrupt 180degree turn (perhaps upon seeing the water and long cross into Canada), and returned towards the southern horizon out of view.
April 14 saw another robust tripledigit SHARP-SHINNED HAWK push throughout the day; however, the following two days (April 15 and 16) would bring the first noticeably large
push of migrant raptors, with just over a thousand passing north over that time.
While brewing coffee and making breakfast, I received an early morning text just minutes before sunrise on April 15 from the owl banders, Chris and Nova: “Hawks moving early today. Looks like it might be a fun day if they don’t go high.” As I pulled into the parking lot in front of the lighthouse, a pair of sharpies spiraled low overhead above the trees as a frosty southwest wind swept through their leaves: Migration was on! There was barely enough time to set up a scope and take the first quick sips of hot coffee before ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS began zipping northeast over the dune tree line.
In just the first hour, I observed 17, followed by a burst of 41 in the next, and the momentum did not relent until early afternoon. A total of 124 roughies would pass by before the end of the count, with birds continuing to migrate north well into the late day.
While the excitement was easy to focus on the mosaic of light and dark morph migrant roughies, SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS poured out of the sky while mixed in with their buteo companions a total of 521 would pass the platform before the day’s end. A seemingly continuous flurry of small flapping accipiters buzzed north in all directions. While the raptor flight provided ample counting entertainment, the non-raptor highlight from the hawk platform was 3,064 SANDHILL CRANES pushing north in large groups throughout the day. The guttural calls of the large birds rang out into the skies for hours as they approached from the south, spiraled in erratic, cacophonous circles before deciding whether or not to make the heroic 20-mile open water cross over the lake into Canada.
This was a great first big day of the spring count; however, the following day also brought an exciting second consecutive triple-digit ROUGHLEGGED HAWK flight (102), likely the residual birds to the south that did not pass the previous day. A large storm system moved in from the south and landed on the Point by mid-afternoon, and one could witness from below a mix of buteos riding the leading edge of the storm wall to get a jump on the poor weather.
Come up the Point to catch some of the spring raptor migration this year before the birds head north!
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SPRING EVENTS
Check out our Facebook page at facebook.com/capitalareaaudubon for events around the state and much more!
Great Lakes Audubon
Off the Beaten Path: Birding at Michigan's Wetland Wonders - Webinar
May 2, 6:30-7:30pm
Discover your next favorite birding hotspot! Join MI Birds for a free webinar to learn about Michigan's Wetland Wonders. to RSVP, visitact.audubon.org/a/beaten-pathbirding-michigans-wetland-wonderswebinar
Biggest Week in American Birding
May 5-14, Oak Harbor, Ohio and surrounding area.
Join birders and guides from around the world for spring migration on the shores of Lake Erie. Workshops, tours, presentations and expos are held during this amazing week. Registration and schedule are available atbiggestweekinamericanbirding.com
Bird Migration Days at Tawas State Park
May 12-13, 8am - dusk
Volunteers from AuSable Valley Audubon will be available to share information about spring migrants and area birding spots, including Tuttle Marsh, Lumberman's Monument and more. Please visit the AuSable Valley Audubon Facebook page for more information.
SeaGrant BioBlitz
April 22 - May 20
Contribute your iNaturalist sightings from the Great Lakes Region
Become a member of the iNaturalist Great Lake BioBlitz project and start making observations! Full details are available at michiganseagrant.com
Kirtland's Warbler Tours
May 27- June 30
Hartwick Pines State Park, Grayling
Tours are held daily at 7am with additional 11am tours on Saturdays and Sundays. Tours cost $15 per person and you must have a recreation passport to enter the State Park. Tours are limited to 25 people and pre-registration is required.
www.michiganaudubon.org/kirtlandswarbler-tours/
PLANT PINES FOR THE KIRTLAND'S WARBLER
Plant pines to help restore Kirtland's warbler habitat
Your help is needed to plant jack pines on May 6 in Grayling to provide nesting sites for the tiny Kirtland's warbler. This rare bird, recovered from the endangered species list in 2019, nests only on the ground under young jack pine trees.
"Imagine the satisfaction of visiting in five or six years and seeing Kirtland's warblers nesting in trees you helped plant," said William Rapai, director of the Kirtland Warbler's Alliance. The Alliance is hosting this event.
Event details:
What: Jack pine planting.
Where: W 4 Mile Road, Grayling. Crawford County, Michigan.
When: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Saturday, May 6.
Who: Kirtland Warbler's Alliance partners and volunteers.
Volunteers will receive lunch and an appreciation gift. Please wear closedtoe shoes and appropriate outdoor gear for the day's weather. Planting equipment will be provided.
The incredible recovery of the Kirtland's warbler from the endangered species list was due to the efforts of dedicated partners.
Partners in this planting initiative include the Kirtland's Warbler Alliance, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, Huron Pines and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
For more information, contact Director@KirtlandsWarbler.org or visit mucc.org/inspire_events/jackpine-planting-day-in-the-graylingforest-management-unit-crawfordcounty/
This planting event is sponsored by the Grosse Pointe Audubon Society and the Michigan DNR.
MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP NATIVE PLANT GUIDE
Meridian Township recently released a beautiful online native plant guide offering helpful tips for preparing your yard before you plant, choosing productive, vs. non-productive plants, how to get started, finding and purchasing plants, garden designs, and community resources.
In the guide, Meridian Township Stewardship Coordinator, Emma Campbell, shares that "Planting native plants ' brings those woodland, prairie, or wetland plants into our yard where we can get to know them and see how beautiful they can be."
The guide is free and also give resources for planning your plantings and purchasing native plants locally!
To download, visithttps://www.flipsnack.com/homtv2 14life/meridian-township-nativeplant-guide.html
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CAPITAL CITY BIRD SANCTUARY
CAAS MEMBERSHIP
Support community programs with your CAAS Membership. Your membership supports programs in our community and monthly meetings Sept through June.
Memberships run the length of the program year, September to August.
SEPTEMBER 2023 - AUGUST 2024
Membership Categories
Individual $15.00
Family $20.00
Contributing $30.00
Sustaining $50.00
Donor $100.00
To sign up and pay online, visitcapitalareaaudubon.org
If you would like to mail your membership form and payment, please mail toCAAS, PO Box 22065, Lansing, MI 48910
CALL NOTE
Published monthly
September through June by the Capital Area Audubon Society PO Box 22065, Lansing MI 48909.
Deadline for submissions: 20th of the month.
2022-2023 CAAS Officers
President Kristy Taylor
Vice President Patricia Deventer
Secretary
Nick Segerson
Treasurer Michael Caterino
Membership Richard Yarsevich
Editor & Facebook Kristy Taylor
Publicity & Hospitality
Field Trip Coordinator
Program Coordinator
Historian
Website
Sandra Conn
Patricia Deventer
Barb Andersen
Sandra Conn
2022-2023 CAAS Board of Directors
Michael Caterino
Sandra Conn
Patricia Deventer
Susan Elbin
Barb Andersen
Nick Segerson
Kristy Taylor
Richard Yarsevich
OPEN SEAT
caaudubon@gmail.com
capitalareaaudubon.org
facebook.com/capitalareaaudubon
Michigan Audubon Website -
Michigan Audubon owns a collection of properties, called bird sanctuaries, in both the upper and lower peninsulas of the state that total over 4,000 acres combined. The network consists of 18 sanctuary properties that total nearly 4,000 acres combined. The habitats we protect and steward include rivers, lakes, marshes, bogs, fens, grasslands, hardwoods, and northern conifer forests. Each property plays a critical role in protecting Michigan native plants and animals, including endangered and threatened species. See a map of our sanctuaries and a full list on the website at michiganaudubon.org
Before Michigan Audubon purchased or received via donation the acreage that now comprises our network of bird and nature sanctuaries throughout the state, we wholly acknowledge that this land is the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg–Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi–Indigenous peoples.
Michigan Audubon supports and actively advocates, through collaborative programs and projects involving wildlife and land conservation, for the sovereignty of Indigenous individuals and communities who live here now, and for those who were forcibly removed from their homeland. By offering this Land Acknowledgement, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty and hold our organizational policies and practices more accountable to the needs of American Indian and Indigenous peoples.
We honor the Anishinaabe and Indigenous Peoples’ connection to this region, to the land itself, and to the balance, harmony, and intrinsic value of the living ecosystem. We offer an abundance of gratitude for the cherished opportunity to conserve these properties in perpetuity, and to care for them with respect, integrity, and best practices.
Michigan Audubon’s properties are managed, restored, and stewarded with land preservation and ecological health and balance as top priorities. For your enjoyment, many of our sanctuaries are also multi-use areas that are open to the public on a year-round basis. Sanctuaries are open from dawn to dusk for “treading lightly” outdoor recreation activities such as hiking, nature study, bird watching, and cross-country skiing.
Capital City Bird Sanctuary
Located on the banks of the Grand River in Delta Township near Lansing, this 63-acre property is an oasis of habitat in an expanding suburban area that attracts spring and fall migrating warblers. Walking paths lead through grasslands, shrub habitats, and along the Grand River.
The sanctuary is adjacent to Hawk Meadow, a Delta Township park, whose land was also donated by Michigan Audubon benefactor, Carl Haussman.
Amenities:
1.8 miles of easy, mowed hiking trails.
Parking available at Hawk Meadow; walk across the street for kiosk and main trail head.
Demonstration native bird garden.
Nest box trail.
