Just A Chirp

Grosse Pointe Audubon

FALL 2016

50th Anniversary Celebration!

Youre Invited!

Fall Schedule
Cut out this schedule and put it on your refrigerator to help you
remember these important dates.
September 19 -- Our 50th anniversary party. See details above.
October 17 -- Grosse Pointe Audubons own Annie Crary will do a program on what she
has learned about birds and banding over the years, and what we are learning about birds
from bird banding.
November 21 -- Papua New Guinea: Another World in Another Time, presented by Don
Burlett.

PAGE 1

Help us Celebrate 50 years

Our September meeting will be a special one!
Its the 50th anniversary of Grosse Pointe Audubon! And what an event it will be! We will take
you back in time to learn the history of our wonderful organization. Participatory activities for
everyone, prizes, and---the event is free of charge!
We hope you will bring your family and friends!
(We may also have some special guests, local and
state government representatives.)
Date:

September 19, 2016

Location:
Time:

Tompkins Community Center

7:00 9:00 p.m. (optional bird
walk begins at 6:00)

We will begin the evening at 6 p.m. with an optional bird walk (weather permitting), led by our
own Joanna Pease. After the
walk, attendees can come
back to the center, visit several exhibits, and start eating. In addition, its BYOB, so
you can bring your own

adult beverage to celebrate. We will have plenty

of food, catered by Annabels of Oak Park (hors
d'oeuvres and non-alcoholic beverages).
The program will begin promptly at 7:00 pm.
We will have a slide show, providing you with the
history of Grosse Pointe Audubon. Then, Bird
Bingo, best home city (Grosse Pointe, Harper
Woods, or St. Clair Shores) bird sighting story
competition, and door prize drawings will round
out the evenings festivities. We hope you will be
able to attend this milestone event!
If you havent sent in your RSVP (so we can plan
sufficient food), please contact Trina BresserMatous at tbresser@aol.com or (313) 885-2784 by
the extended deadline of September 10th. We
look forward to seeing you on September 19th.
50th Anniversary Planning Committee:
Annie Crary, Mike Florian, Rosann Kovalcik, Trina Bresser
Matous, Mark OKeefe, Joanna Pease, Bill Rapai, Mary Rock,
Anna Wuerfel, and Judy Florian, Chair.
Prize Sponsors: Rosann Kovalcik, Wild Birds Unlimited, Bill
Rapai, author, and Mike Florian, photographer.

Tompkins Community Center

is located in Grosse Pointe
Parks Windmill Pointe
Park. The park is located at
the end of Windmill Pointe
Drive.
The park entrance has a gatehouse. When entering the
park, advise the guard that
you are attending the Grosse
Pointe Audubon event at the
Tompkins Center.

PAGE 2

Your 2016-2017 Officers

November 12th, 8:00-10:00AM

At our April meeting, the membership approved the

Walks last approximately two hours with a species
following officers: Bill Rapai, president, Mark
tally and review afterward. Hot beverages and baked
OKeefe, vice president, Trina Bresser-Matous,
goods are supplied by Pointe Vision.
treasurer, and Anna Wuerfel, secretary.
Participation is limited to 30 people, so register
ahead of time by calling the Ford House at
(313)884-4222. Registration costs $7 per person.
Fall Schedule
Recommended gear: Multiple layers of clothing,
We will celebrate the Clubs 50th anniversary at our
waterproof footwear, and binoculars if you have them
first meeting, September 19th. See details above.
(if not, the Ford House provides loaner pairs).
On October 17th, Grosse Pointe Audubons own
Annie Crary, a master bird bander, will do a program
on what she has learned about birds and banding over
Grosse Pointe Birding Challenge Results
the years, and what we are learning about birds from
Each year in
bird banding.
Spring, teams of
And on November 21th Don Burlett returns to
Grosse Pointe Audubon to give a program on a birding
destination that
combines history,
culture and nature.
In Papua New
Guinea: Another
World in Another
Time, we will see
how this country has
both modern cities and isolated villages that differ
seemingly by centuries.
Bird Walks at the Ford House!
It's a beautiful place to view migration of raptors,
warblers and other avian species. Join join them for
their fall series of bird walks on the beautiful grounds
where over 190 species of birds have been reported.
Walks are led by member Rosann Kovalcik.
Upcoming Walks will be held on the following
Saturdays:
August 27th, 8:00-10:00AM
September 24th, 8:00-10:00AM
October 22nd, 8:00-10:00AM

birders from the

Grosse Pointes engage in a friendly
competition, birding from 5:30 a.m.
until just before
noon, the check-in time for the tally. The team who has
the most species of birds after time runs out is the winner for that year.
This year, the Challenge was held on May 6. The
gathering at noon a Panera revealed that Team Grosse
Pointe Woods had the highest number of species seen
at 52, while Grosse Pointe Farms and Park team had 44
species, and Grosse Pointe City had 33. Total unique
species seen for the day were 70. The morning highlights included a Solitary Sandpiper at Lockmoor Golf
Course, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Heather Lane,
and an Osprey at Lakefront Park.
Dues
The new year has begun, and you can pay your dues
for the 2016-2017 season now. They are $15 for a
singe membership, and $25 for a family. Please make
your check payable to Grosse Pointe Audubon.

PAGE 3

JUST A CHIRP

FALL 2016

About Grosse Pointe Audubon

Bill Rapai, president, (313)-885-6502 or BRapai@aol.com
Mark OKeefe, vice president, (313) 884-7472 or imokruok2@aol.com
Trina Bresser-Matous, treasurer, tbresser@aol.com
Anna Wuerfel, secretary, wuerf2@netzero.net
Joanna Pease, board member, and representative to Seven Ponds Nature Center,
strixvaria@sbcglobal.net
Annie L. Crary, board member, andrea.l.crary@gmail.com
Michael Florian, board member, mflorian@comcast.net
Ed McHale, Facebook chief
Grosse Pointe Audubon is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

Go to www.gpaudubon.blogspot.com for an online copy of Just A Chirp, membership form,

rules for the G.P. Birding Challenge in the spring, and more. Keep up with other Grosse Pointe
birders (and like us) on Facebook!
Grosse Pointe Audubon meets in the Annex of the Pointe Unitarian Church at 17150 Maumee,
between St. Clair and Neff in Grosse Pointe. Social hour starts at 7 p.m. and the meeting
starts at 7:30. Our meetings are free and open to all, so bring a friend!

Grosse Pointe Audubon

443 St. Clair
Grosse Pointe, MI 48230