1. pets
2. birds

October 2014, Volume 54, No. 3
published monthly September – April, bi-monthly May – August, November – December
by GRAC, 6152 Georgeann Ct., Belmont, MI 49506-9783 On the web: www.glsga.org/grac Information: GRAC.information@glsga.org
October Meeting Notes
Date:
Time:
Location:
Speaker:
Topic:
Monday, October 27, 2014
7:00 PM social; 7:30 PM program
Orchard View Church
Ray Gates, Biology Professor, Cornerstone
University
Ecology and Management of the
Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
through the Eyes of Faith
Grand Rapids Audubon welcomes Ray Gates,
Professor of Biology at Cornerstone University, as the
speaker for this evening’s program.
Ray has spent several summers working with the U.S.
Forest Service in the Yellowstone area including four
summers at Old Faithful. One of the courses he teaches
is a field oriented study of the biodiversity and
management of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Students spend time in the field studying the ecology of
Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park
and the surrounding National Forests. During field trips,
they hike to identify the native birds, wildflowers,
reptiles and amphibians. Tonight’s talk will explore this
awesome ecosystem and the different agencies involved
with their management.
Join us for this event and bring a friend. Social time
begins at 7:00 PM and the free program begins promptly
at 7:30 PM. Guests are always welcome.
by Mary Austin, Assistant Treasurer/Membership Chairperson
Happy autumn to you!
Thank you to those members who have renewed their
GRAC membership for the 2014 – 2015 fiscal year. To those
who have not yet renewed, now is the time!
As a reminder, to renew (or start a GRAC membership for
yourself, friend or family member), you can use the
application form that is included in this Caller issue.
GRAC says “hello” to the newest members of the club:
Angela and Steve Johnson, Grand Rapids
Marilyn Keigley, Grand Rapids
Justin Kellner, Grand Rapids
Carolyn Miller, Grand Rapids
Carol Oostdyk, Walker
GRAC appreciates these individuals who have recently
made special contributions to GRAC:
General Fund: Steve and Ellen Alkema, Mary Jane
Dockeray, Ruth Fridsma
Junior Audubon: Anonymous, Ruth Fridsma
Maher Sanctuary: Ruth Fridsma
Sustaining Membership: John Chronowski, Norm
Sevensma, Paula Sullivan
In parting, I wish you good luck in identifying those
difficult fall warblers, and I hope that you see lots of
migrating waterfowl. Additionally, I look forward to seeing
you at the October general membership meeting.
Board Meeting Notice
Thank You
Thank you to those who contributed items to the
drawing that was held after the September meeting.
Your generosity is very much appreciated,
especially by those lucky enough to have their
numbers called out!
Deadline for Nov./Dec. newsletter articles: November 1
Mary’s Membership Musings
(send to Linda Damstra)
The next GRAC Board meeting will be
held Monday, October 27, 2014 at 6:00
PM at Orchard View Church located at
2770 Leffingwell Ave. NE. All interested
members are invited to attend.
For membership information contact assistant treasurer
Mary Austin at the address, phone number or E-mail on the
back of the Caller or see website www.glsga.org/grac.
October 2014
Ranger Steve’s Nature Niche
Wildlife Injuries
by Ranger Steve Mueller
Animals can live with some injuries and others are deadly.
Years ago when Ruffed Grouse were more common at Ody
Brook, one tried to fly through the living room side window
and out the front window. It did not see the glass and broke
its neck. For the past 20 years I keep the side window blinds
pulled most of the time to prevent similar collisions.
I photographed a Monarch during
fall migration with wings so tattered
that it could not possibly make it to
Mexico. Perhaps it was one of the
last breeding Monarchs of the season
and not a member of the migration
population. (See photo.)
Screens were removed from
windows for winter but now I leave
them. Birds would hit the window
and die. Now they hit the screen and
might get injured but I don’t find their corpses below the
window. They hit the screen but they fly away.
During late fall Rusty Blackbird migration, I found one of
them near the pond. They migrate in large flocks from the far
north summer breeding grounds. Their population size has
been declining and it is not understood why. Summer
breeding grounds are relatively undisturbed. Migration is a
time of high mortality for birds. The Rusty Blackbird I
encountered could not fly. It had a broken wing and was left
behind. It appeared healthy except for the injured wing. It ran
and hopped easily to get out sight. Unable to fly, it would not
survive winter and probably would starve in short order
during fall.
Deer/car collisions in the vicinity of V&V Nursery and
Ody Brook Nature Sanctuary increase during October and
November. Usually one to three deer get hit at this time of
year while crossing the road at Ody Brook. The county
installed experimental Deer Crossing signs but found drivers
did not slow down. The signs were determined ineffective
and removed. Drivers do not reduce speed for posted deer
crossings.
An injured deer with a broken leg frequented Ody Brook. I
expect it received the injury from a car but was able to
survive. The lower leg dangled loosely below the break.
Another deer had an unusable leg with a swelling the size of a
football.
One night I heard vehicle breaks and a skid. I went to see if
someone crashed and needed help. The people were fine but
they hit a deer that ran off. We used a flashlight to locate the
deer at woods edge. When we approached, it managed to
penetrate deeper into the woods. With further searching I
found it with three broken legs. I called the sheriff. They shot
the crippled deer.
Spring and fall migrations result in high death rates, as do
Grand Rapids Audubon Club
road crossings. Birds collide with buildings, windows and
other objects. A national program called “Safe Passage”
encourages lights be turned off above the fourth floors in
buildings at night. Light causes birds to fly toward the
buildings during night migration where collisions result in
death. It is especially dangerous on foggy nights. We can help
animals survive by using darkening shades or by turning the
lights off. If you work at a business with more than four
floors, encourage managers to turn out lights at night for bird
“Safe Passage.”
We cannot prevent all collisions with vehicles or home
windows but we can save some lives. Window decals alert
birds to the presence of glass. Slowing down in the vicinity of
Ody Brook and V&V Nursery will save the lives of animals
and people. (There have been two human fatalities here.)
Raccoons, squirrels, weasels, mink, small birds and a long
list of others are found dead on the road. A Great Blue Heron
flew low over the road and barely escaped being hit. Drive
defensively in areas where wildlife frequently crosses roads.
Save your life and theirs.
Natural history questions or topic suggestions can be
directed to Ranger Steve (Mueller) at Ody Brook, 13010
Northland Dr., Cedar Springs, MI 49319-8433, Phone: (616)
696-1753 or by E-mail at: odybrook@chartermi.net.
Harry F. Stiles Memorial Scholarship
GRAC members, Mary Austin and Rob Peters have been
working with the GRAC board to revise and update the
requirements and procedures one must follow in order to apply
for the Harry F. Stiles Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship
is awarded to promote and support nature-related educational
opportunities in keeping with the ideals advocated by Mr.
Stiles when he established it in 1955 when he served as GRAC
President.
The full information sheet and an application form are
available on the GRAC website and some copies will be made
available at membership meetings.
The board wishes to thank Mary and Rob and all who
provided input in order to make this scholarship relevant to
today’s environmental and nature enthusiast. A volunteer is
needed to serve as the Scholarship Chairperson. This person
will receive and evaluate the applications as they come in and
make recommendations to the board as to recipients of the
scholarship. Please contact President Scott Hutchings, Rob
Peters or Mary Austin if you would be willing to serve in this
capacity. Scott and Mary’s contact information is on the
mailing page of this newsletter. Rob can be contacted at (616)
632-2181 or by E-mail at lrp003@aquinas.edu.
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October 2014
GRAC Field Trips
October through November
Watch the Caller for future trip
announcements. We are always looking for additional field
trips. Call Steve Minard at (616) 942-7165 if you have a spot
you would like to show to the group. A complete list of Field
Trips will be published in the November/December Caller
and is now available on the GRAC website.
October 25, 2014, Saturday, 8:00 AM
Leader: Steve Minard
Fall Migrants at Muskegon State Park
We’ll plan to check Lake Michigan to see what’s on the
beach and hike the trails from the Snug Harbor Picnic area.
Many birds are possible on the beach, or it could be quiet. In
the woods, late warblers, vireos and thrushes are still possible
at this late date. If we run long, we’ll look for a place to stop
for lunch. If the state park is quiet, we will consider a stop at
the Muskegon Lake Conservation Area or the Muskegon
Wastewater. Birders of all skills are welcome.
Essentials: Meet at the Boy Scout Headquarters on Walker
(north of I-96) at 7:30 AM. You may want a drink or snack to
keep you going until lunch.
Safety Hazards: Driving in a caravan can be hazardous. Get
directions from the trip leader for travel to the next stop.
Please exercise caution on the roads at all times. Designate a
passenger to handle all radio or phone communications while
in a car.
November 1, 2015, Saturday, 7:30 AM
Leader: Steve Minard
Lake Shore Migrants
We will plan to look for the best-reported late shorebirds,
winter ducks, winter gulls, or winter finches along the
lakeshore. Winter ducks should be in the area, and the other
late migrants should still be moving south. This time of year
presents an opportunity for birds that can be difficult to find
in our area, so we’ll check the bird alerts and go with the best
prospects.
We are likely to start on the lakeshore with Holland State
Park, Oval Beach or Douglas Beach as possible targets. From
Lake Michigan, we’re likely to work inland with stops
possible along Lake Macatawa, the Kalamazoo River or the
Todd Farm Unit of the Allegan State Game Area. If we are
lucky, a mega rarity will be chase-able and we may travel
further afield. Bring your family radio if you have one and
we’ll try to keep in touch between cars. This is planned as a
morning trip, but we could extend it with a lunch stop.
Essentials: Meet at the McDonald’s in Hudsonville and car
pool from there. Be ready to head out at 7:30 AM. You may
want a drink or snack to keep you going until lunch. Come
prepared for cold weather. A spotting scope could come in
handy on this trip.
Safety Hazards: Cold weather and slippery winter driving
are the main hazards. As with winter trips in particular, bad
weather may cancel the trip. Driving in a caravan can be
Grand Rapids Audubon Club
hazardous. Get directions from the leader for travel to the next
stop. Exercise caution on the roads at all times and watch the
car ahead of you when driving in a caravan. Have a passenger
handle all radio or phone communications while in a car.
Remember the Christmas Bird Count!
Make plans now to participate in the 2014 Christmas Bird
Count for Kent County. Complete details will be published in
the November/December Caller.
Join on January 3, 2015 at Wittenbach/Wege Agriscience and Environmental Center, 11715 Vergennes Rd,
Lowell, Michigan 49331. Field teams depart at 8:00 AM with
friends and knowledgeable birders. At 5:00 PM we gather to
tally section findings. Choose to participate part or all day.
Donations are encouraged to support the National Audubon
Program but there is no charge to participate.
Have a great time participating in the longest citizen
science program in existence with records going back 114
years. The data collected is useful for tracking bird locations
and species abundances. Our club has 60 years of records for
the Kent County Count.
Direct inquires to Tom Leggett at (616) 249-3382 or
tomleggett@hotmail.com.
Stories in Nature
Rare Bear
by RangerSteve Mueller
A black bear was reported to have crossed Northland Drive
near 15 Mile Road a few years ago. I wondered if it had
followed the Rogue River to Cedar Creek, made its way to
Little Cedar Creek and possibly wandered through Ody Brook
before getting to 15 Mile Road. A visitor told me he saw a
bear track here a few years ago but I personally never saw
evidence of the bear. The track was seen about the time a bear
crossed Northland Drive. Many people may also recall the
sow bear that wintered near Ada and emerged from her winter
sleep with cubs.
Michigan’s regeneration of forest and
wild land vegetation has made it possible
for bears to re-inhabit areas where they
lived prior to forest clearing and large
human population settlement. Living near
bears may present some problems but
generally we can co-exist, but not always.
One September I was camping at Yellowstone National
Park at the edge of the campground. A ranger drove through
the campground with a loudspeaker warning people to put
coolers away and to clean camp well after eating because a
bear was coming into the campground for easy food. The park
service set a live trap to capture the bear for relocation but had
not been successful yet.
My tent was set up as a lean-to so I could view the forest.
At about 11:00 PM I was lying in the sleeping bag and saw
the bear walking directly towards me. I was deciding if I
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October 2014
Fall Migrants at Maher Sanctuary
Field Trip
Junior Audubon
September 13, 2014
by Steve Minard
When birding, flexibility is always important. We took
advantage of that with a big change in plans for the
September 13 field trip. We met at the Arby’s on M-37 at
44th St. planning to head to the Maher Sanctuary. I had
checked the bird alerts Friday night and noticed that an
immature Sabine’s Gull had been found at the Muskegon
Wastewater during the day. I mentioned this to the group and
that anyone interested could head over there after the trip.
Everyone wanted to go over immediately. Two more birders
showed up and they wanted to look for the Sabine’s Gull, too.
So we car pooled up, headed north on M-37 to I-96,
Coopersville and the Muskegon Wastewater. We arrived at
the southeast corner of the east lagoon. A swirling flock of
European Starlings greeted us along with the usual flocks of
Ring-bill and Herring Gulls that were joined by a single
Bonaparte’s Gull. On the water were rafts of ducks, Mallards
and Blue-winged Teal. Along the near edge were Killdeer,
Least Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper and a Sanderling. Barn
Swallows darted this way and that chasing bugs; American
Crows loafed on the dump; and 2 Bald Eagles flew by,
probably looking for lunch. We added a Spotted Sandpiper
driving around the east lagoon. On the west lagoon, we added
a flock of Canada Geese, 2 Horned Grebe, 9 Lesser
Yellowlegs, and about 200 Northern Shoveler. Here, Tree
Swallows predominated in the air while we picked up a
Northern Pintail and 5 Gadwall in one of the cells.
We consulted with other birders in the area, and the
Sabine’s Gull had been seen earlier, but we couldn’t find it.
We moved west. Then we got a call from one of the other
birders. The gull had been seen and was close to our dike, but
behind us and into the sun. To avoid flushing it before we
could locate it, we drove all the way around the cells to put
the sun behind us. This worked and we got to see and
photograph the 1st year Sabine’s Gull as it sat on the water
and slowly drifted away from the dike. Mission Accomplished!
After taking our fill, we moved on, adding a pair of PiedBilled Grebe on the west lagoon and Turkey Vultures in the
air. In one of the grassy cells, we found some shorebirds: 2
Black-belled Plover, 1 American Golden Plover and 6
Semipalmated Plover. Five Sandhill Crane flew in and we
picked up a Green-winged Teal and a Great Blue Heron. A
quick visit to the South
Wastewater picked up a flock of
50 American Crow. We wrapped
up the trip and headed back
through Grand Rapids to Arby’s
near the airport.
Participants: Steve Minard, Phil
Willemstein, Marcia Fellows, Gary Deckert, James Cross,
David Cross, Jim Shea and Norine Shea.
Grand Rapids Audubon Club
by Kim Bradley-Davidson
and Bethany Sheffer
Wow, what an awesome summer we
had! From getting close-up views of
Peregrine Falcons in Belknap Park to learning about the
importance of native habitats in Prairie Wolf Park (while
munching on wild apples!), we were awarded some neat
opportunities to explore interesting wildlife. Our visit to
Pickerel Lake during the month of July was especially fruitful
– we saw a Great Blue Heron, a Green Heron, a Kingbird,
Catbird and heard a variety of amphibians calling along the
edges of the lake. We even saw a couple of cleverly
camouflaged frogs as we peered over the edges of the lake’s
boardwalk. We had fun while soaking up the sun outdoors!
Our adventures continued into the month of September with
our visit to Feathered Friends of Michigan parrot rescue.
Located in the tiny town of Milan, Michigan, Feathered
Friends provided a unique learning opportunity for our group.
It allowed us to explore the concept of bird ownership in the
U.S. and how the illegal importation of exotic parrots gravely
harms wild populations in places like Central and South
America, Africa and Australia. Families were able to gain
close looks at a variety of exotic species and learn about their
countries of origin, behaviors, needs and struggles with life in
captivity from the organization’s knowledgeable Executive
Director Marie Crowley. Later we engaged in the fun activity
of making toys for the rescue parrots using materials such as
foam and wood – great for birds requiring lots of mental
stimulation and chew toys!
Please check out an incredible PBS documentary called
“Parrot Confidential” for a more in-depth look at the global
parrot trade and its effects. View this documentary for free at
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/parrotconfidential/parrot-confidential/8496/ (Watch for Marie
Crowley’s interview and Feathered Friend’s debut!
Our final program for the year is one you’re certainly not
going to want to miss. Can you guess why? We’ll give you
three convincing reasons:
1.) It will be in a pole barn,
2.) It will involve woodworking and building birdhouses,
3.) It will be facilitated by our very own Gene Schmidt and
Penny Folsom!
That’s right! For the month of October, we’ll build
birdhouses with Gene in Penny’s pole barn, and make winter
bird feeders so that our feathered friends can be warm and
well fed during the cold months. Junior Audubon members
and guests will head directly to Penny’s house on
Saturday, October 11th for our final formal 2014 program
that will take place from 10:00 AM until 12:00 PM. All are
invited! Please be aware, however, that Penny’s barn will
NOT be heated, so dress accordingly. Contact Kim or
Bethany for directions. Hot cocoa, snacks and fun times will
be provided!
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October 2014
Maher Sanctuary Notes
Fall for Asters, Goldenrods and Grasses
by Chris Baer
The asters are coming! The asters are coming! And, they
are blooming in September and October at Maher Sanctuary.
Blue and white dominate in the aster world. Maher has
eight species of aster and while we are dwelling on the genus
named Aster, the hair splitters that determine scientific names
have replaced it with the mind blowing, mouth filling name
Symphotrichum. For the sake of brevity in this article I will
use the name aster.
What you will mostly see along the boardwalk will be the
flat-topped aster, A. umbellatus, with its bluish-white flowers
and New England aster, A. novae-anglieae, with larger
flowers of violet-purple and sometimes rose with a yellow
eye. The New England aster is particularly welcome in the
sunny home garden and adapts to a variety of conditions. An
aster near the boardwalk looking frothy is A. cordifolius x
urophyllum, a natural hybrid that is white or blue with a dark
eye. This aster’s parents are found separately elsewhere in the
state but not here and no one knows why.
The goldenrods like the drier areas of Maher Sanctuary.
The dominant species is Canada goldenrod, Solidago
canadensis. It is an aggressive colonizer and crawls
vigorously by running roots. The small yellow flowers on
clusters “sprout” from the top of the stem like a bad hair day.
This is one of the goldenrods that frequently has a gall
(swelling of the stem) just below the cluster of flowers.
Fishermen prize the small grub that resides in the gall.
A delightful small goldenrod, S. caesia, the blue-stemmed
goldenrod is found in shadier, moist, woodsy places. The
flowers sit in the leaf axils along most of the stem and the
stem bends gracefully over.
In the prairie and upland field and shrub area, thanks to our
autumn olive removal, you may find the showy goldenrod,
S. speciosa. And, showy it is with a large terminal plume of
bright yellow flowers. Most likely it will be covered with
many different kinds of insects especially bees. It is a
pollinator magnet.
There are seven species of goldenrod at Maher of which
showy and blue-stemmed would be a wonderful addition to
your garden. They are very long blooming and interesting at a
time when most other flowers are declining and they attract
insects, which bring in the birds.
Big bluestem or turkey foot grass along with broomsedge
and Indian grass (Andropogon gerardii and virginicus and
Sorghastrum nutans, respectively) are all found in the same
area as the showy goldenrod. These are prairie indicator
species. The broomsedge is not a sedge, but a grass that quite
often is found with little bluestem. A small difference is the
“spaethe-like sheath” mostly enclosing the top of the grass
that separates these two. This, and the fact that little bluestem
turns bronze-gold in the fall and is very striking in the
landscape. Both are short enough to almost be ground cover
Grand Rapids Audubon Club
while big bluestem and Indian grass can reach six feet plus.
Indian grass in early fall has yellow blooming flowers that
dangle delightfully from near its top edge like bright yellow
earrings. When you see it blooming you know fall is almost
upon us. The other common name for big bluestem, turkey
foot, refers to the terminal three parted purplish spikes which
makes it easy to identify. This deep-rooted grass is well suited
for erosion control.
Butterflies—as a food source for their larvae many skippers
use little and big bluestem. A few checkerspots and crescent
larvae use asters. The adults of many butterflies use goldenrod
as well as aster flowers.
Next time: Fall, 1964 from the Archives. Cowbird egg
brooded by a pigeon?
We Need Your Help!
by Tricia Boot
The Grand Rapids Audubon Club once again has the ability
to sponsor the distribution of Audubon Adventures kits to
West Michigan classrooms. These print and digital
educational kits are correlated to the Common Core Standards
for English Language Arts and the Next Generation Science
Standards for grades 3–5. And what’s more, they’re colorful,
engaging and fun—perfect for the students and teachers who
take part in the program.
GRAC has the capacity to sponsor more than fifty
classrooms, thanks, in large part, to the generous funds raised
via the 2014 West Michigan Birdathon and Nature Festival
and other fundraising efforts.
That’s where your help is needed. We’re on the hunt for
interested teachers and classrooms.
This program is open to public, private, charter and
homeschool students throughout West Michigan. All
suggestions are welcome. We are particularly interested in
targeting those schools that have limited resources or are
otherwise underserved. We’re also hoping to branch out of
Grand Rapids and include schools in Rockford, Ottawa
County, Muskegon, and other cities where we have a reach.
Please pass teacher/principal/homeschool parent names and
contact information and/or suggestions directly to Tricia Boot
at twoolfenden@gmail.com. Or, pass her contact information
directly to these folks. Thank you for your help in getting
these exciting kits into the hands of our next generation of
naturalists. Find out more information about Audubon
Adventures at: www.audubonadventures.org/.
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October 2014
Michigan Audubon News
by Wendy Tatar, Program Coordinator, MAS
The following is excerpted with
permission from the Michigan Audubon
online newsletter, “Chapter Connections”
for October 2014.
Michigan Audubon Hosts Crane Viewing Opportunities
October and November weekends provide great
opportunities to view Sandhill Cranes at two Michigan
Audubon sanctuaries. Every fall, spectacular flocks of Greater
Sandhill Cranes gather at the Bernard W. Baker Sanctuary in
Calhoun County and the Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Sanctuary
in Jackson County, before they head out to spend winter in
Tennessee, Georgia and northern Florida. After spending the
autumn days foraging for insects and leftover grain in nearby
farm fields, the cranes return to the safety of the sanctuaries in
the hours before sunset.
Big Marsh Lake in Baker Sanctuary is the best place to see
the cranes at the closest distance. Although the cranes roost
on the sanctuary, viewing takes place from the Battle Creek
Kiwanis Club property adjacent to Baker Sanctuary.
Michigan Audubon is allowed to open the gates to the
Kiwanis Youth Area from 4:00–7:00 PM on Saturday and
Sunday evenings from October 18 through November 9. The
Battle Creek Kiwanis Youth Area is located at 22300 15 Mile
Rd., northwest of the I-94 and I-69 interchange, only minutes
south of Bellevue.
Crane viewing is also possible at the Phyllis Haehnle
Memorial Sanctuary, northeast of Jackson, where the cranes
roost in Mud Lake Marsh. The public can visit the sanctuary
any day to watch cranes, but volunteers from the Jackson
Audubon Society will be on hand weekends October through
mid-November from 4:00 PM until dusk.
It can take several hours for all the cranes to return to the
roost when they fly in for the evening. When the cranes fly
out in the morning, however, right at sunrise, all the birds
pretty much leave at once. This makes
for a spectacular viewing opportunity
from the Haehnle Sanctuary. The
Haehnle Sanctuary parking area is
located across the road from 9011
Seymour Road in Jackson County. The
number of cranes roosting at Haehnle is
dependent on the water level in Mud Lake. On Tuesdays the
Jackson Audubon Society posts the latest crane numbers on
the Sanctuary’s website: haehnlesanctuary.org. The website
also provides maps and directions.
Michigan Audubon Land Dedication
Michigan Audubon has completed the purchase of property
adjacent to the Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Sanctuary. This 48acre property addition brings the total acreage of Haehnle
Sanctuary to over 1,000 acres.
A dedication ceremony will take place at 2:00 PM on
Saturday, October 18 during the Cranes, Colors, and
Grand Rapids Audubon Club
Cabernet Festival, an annual event co-hosted by the Haehnle
Committee from Jackson Audubon Society.
The festival begins at Noon with guided nature walks on the
sanctuary trails. After the land dedication at 2:00 PM there
will be opportunities to see the new property; join Dahlem
Environmental Education Center naturalist, Gary Siegrist for a
program on Sandhill Crane natural history at 4:00 PM; go on a
driving tour of farm fields to see cranes relatively close and
return to the sanctuary to watch the cranes fly in to roost for
the night. Sandhill Crane Vineyards is another co-host of the
event and offers meal specials and a special wine uncorking.
(Rare Bear continued from page 3)
should get out of the bag and into my vehicle but it was too
late. The bear walked past my tent ignoring me. I heard it
beat a food cooler on the picnic table that the campers next to
me had not properly stored. After breaking it, the bear
proceeded to bear-proof garbage cans where it pounded them
and walked on.
I went to sleep until 3:00 AM when I woke to the noise
and breath of a bear. It had walked around my tent and was
peering in at me. Our noses were inches apart. In the
moonlight I could see its silhouette. I experienced some fear.
Bears are powerful and can be unpredictable. If the bear was
getting used to people it might be more likely to injure me in
some way.
I have encountered bears in the Upper Peninsula and other
locations. In each instance the bear has immediately turned
and run in fear. Their escapes were noisy as they ran through
brush making it stems push apart and slap back together.
This bear was inches from my head and a startle might
cause it to strike out with a powerful paw, break my neck or
otherwise injure me. Maybe it would take a quick defensive
bite before leaving. Fortunately I did not have food in my tent.
For a brief moment the bear and I looked each other in the
eye. Almost instinctively I quietly said under my breath,
“Hello.” The bear realized it was where it did not want to be.
It turned and started trotting into the forest. I said, “Hello,
hello, hello...” a little louder with each word as it left. It
picked up speed with each “hello.” My purpose at that point
was to make noise that would keep the bear moving away.
The bear was not interested in me and probably feared me.
It was looking for easy food. The neighbor campers were
endangering the bear by leaving a cooler accessible. If the
bear was captured, moved to a new location and later
returned to the campground, it would probably be killed.
People can learn to live with bears in nature niches but we
need to act intelligently in their presence.
If I shouted at the bear when I first saw it nose to nose, it
might have been more defensively aggressive and swiped me
with a paw or bit me. Instead, a quiet “hello” alerted it and
the bear departed quickly. It remains a pleasant memorable
experience for me instead of tragic one for either of us.
Page 6
www.glsga.org/grac
October 2014
October
18 Junior Audubon – Program: Birding Art and End of Season Celebration
25 Field Trip: Fall Migrants at Muskegon State Park with Steve Minard
27 GRAC Board Meeting (preceding our general membership meeting)
27 General Membership Meeting – Program: Ecology and Management of the Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem with Ray Gates
November
1 Deadline for November/December newsletter article
1 Field Trip: Lake Shore Migrants with Steve Minard
24 GRAC Board Meeting (preceding our general membership meeting)
24 General Membership Meeting – Program: Safari in Tanzania with Jeff Neumann
2015 Calendars
The 2015 GRAC calendars have arrived and are
available for purchase. They are a reasonable $6.00 apiece
and are sold at the fundraising table before each
membership meeting. Stop by and pick one up, or better
yet – buy two and give one as a gift to a friend!
Thank you, Bea Verburg, for making those available
again this year.
Grand Rapids Audubon Club
Membership Application
GRAC Board Meetings are held at 6:00 PM prior to each month’s general
membership meeting.
Junior Audubon Meetings are held Saturdays at various locations. Contact
Kim Bradley-Davidson or Bethany Sheffer for more information.
General Membership Meetings are held the last Monday of the month (Sept.
– May) at 7:30 PM at Orchard View Church on Leffingwell NE. December
(Christmas Bird Count) and May (Annual Banquet) meetings are held at
different locations and times. Upcoming field trip information is published in
each newsletter. See the GRAC website for the complete field trip list.
Any additions or deletions to the above calendar will be noted in future issues
of the newsletter.
Name _____________________________________________
Street _____________________________________________
City ______________________________________________
State / ZIP+4 _______________________________________
Phone _____________________________________________
Email _____________________________________________
Individual
$ 20.00
___________
Family
25.00
___________
Senior (65+)
12.00
___________
Student (14+w/ID)
12.00
___________
Sustaining
30.00
___________
Patron
60.00
___________
Individual Life Membership
400.00
Donation (General Fund, Jr. Audubon, Sanctuary,
___________
Scholarship, Audubon Adventures, etc.)
Total Amount Enclosed
Serving You
GRAC Board and Committee Chairpersons are listed below for convenience.
Grand Rapids Audubon Club Board of Directors and Special Committees
The Board of Directors consists of the Executive Council, the Immediate
Past President and Chairpersons of the Standing Committees. In addition to the
Board Of Directors, “Special Committees” and “Resident Agent” are also
listed below.
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
5 officers + 4 elected board members
President – Scott Hutchings
Vice President – John Chronowski
Secretary – Marilyn Pikaart
Treasurer – Norm Sevensma
Assistant Treasurer – Mary Austin
Board Member – James Cross
Board Member – Phil Willemstein
Board Member – Cande Elchroth
Board Member – Phil Pikaart
___________
___________
October 2014 Caller
Make checks payable to:
Grand Rapids Audubon Club, Inc.
Send application and check to:
Mary Austin, Assistant Treasurer
2021 Valentine, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525-2922
Check your preferred method of receiving the newsletter:
¨ I prefer to receive the Caller by mail.
¨ I prefer to read the Caller online at the GRAC website
upon receiving an E-mail notification that the new
issue is available. (Usually 10–14 days before the print
version arrives by mail.)
Membership dues and contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Grand Rapids Audubon Club
Page 7
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
(non-voting member)
Madeline Heibel 2012-13, 2013-14
STANDING COMMITTEES
Per 2013 GRAC Bylaws, there are
19 Standing Committees. Each
committee chairperson is a voting
member of the Board. Committee names
shown are per bylaws.
Audio/Visual – Robert Riepma
Bird Reports – Tom Holt
Caller Editor – Linda Damstra
Caller Publisher – Becky Kuhn
Christmas Count – SteveMueller /
Tom Leggett
Conservation – Ed Bolt
Field Trips – Steve Minard
Finance – Jill Goodell
Fund Development – Bea VerBurg
Historian – Chris Baer
Hospitality – Henry Raad /
Rosemary Radius
Junior Audubon – Kim BradleyDavidson / Bethany Sheffer
Library – Norine and Jim Shea /
Fidencio Paradez
Maher Sanctuary – Chris Baer
Membership – Mary Austin
Nominating – open
Publicity – Bea Verburg / Mary
Remer
Scholarship – open
Website – Fred VanOeveren
SPECIAL COMMITTEES /
CHAIRPERSONS
(non-members of Board of directors
in this capacity)
Audubon Adventures – Tricia Boot
Insurance – Jill Goodell
RESIDENT AGENT
Larry Burke
www.glsga.org/grac
DATED MATERIAL
PLEASE RUSH
Ten Issues per year
Published monthly except May and July
Grand Rapids Audubon Club
6152 Georgeann Ct.
Belmont, MI 49306-9783
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage Paid
Grand Rapids, MI
Permit No. 18
Return Service Requested
Grand Rapids Audubon Club
OFFICERS President:
Scott Hutchings (454-8013)
1417 Pine Ave. NW, 49504-3026
E-mail: GRAC.president@glsga.org
Vice President / Programs:
John Chronowski (915-9864)
2515 Elmwood Dr. SE, 49506-4256
E-mail: GRAC.vicepresident@glsga.org
Secretary:
Marilyn Pikaart (452-9755)
1740 Millbank St. SE, 49508-2668
E-mail: GRAC.secretary@glsga.org
Treasurer:
Norm Sevensma (949-8928)
2612 Hampshire Blvd. SE 49506-4772
E-mail: GRAC.treasurer@glsga.org
Assistant Treasurer / Membership:
Mary Austin (361-7993)
2021 Valentine NE, 49525-2922
E-mail: GRAC.membership@glsga.org
THE CALLER STAFF Newsletter Editor:
Linda Damstra (361-8216)
2488 Appleton NE, 49525-3171
E-mail: GRAC.newsletter@glsga.org
Publisher:
Becky Kuhn (785-7072)
6152 Georgeann Ct.
Belmont, MI 49306-9783
To Report Bird Sightings:
Tom Holt (821-6614)
12055 Lymburner Ave.
Sparta, MI 49345-8473
E-mail: thomasjholt32@yahoo.com