Just A Chirp

Grosse Pointe Audubon Winter 2019

Climate change: Hotter birds = fewer birds

From the President:
Biologists have been warning about climate
change’s potential impacts on birds for the past
decade or so, but until now I did not know of a
direct impact other than by potentially
eliminating certain seasonal food sources.
Now, a study from Swedish researchers says
that extended heatwaves will impact individual
birds by making them less able to supply food
to their offspring. Why? Because when it’s hot,
birds don’t have the energy to forage.
The study, published in the journal
Functional Ecology, showed that overheated
birds have smaller offspring that may have
lower chances of survival. We all know from our
own observations that birds are less active in
the mid-summer heat. Knowing that,
researchers in Sweden asked, what happens if
summer’s heat arrived earlier in the spring, as
models predict for the future? Will early
intense heat have an impact on the birds and
their ability to raise their young?
Researchers studied Eurasian Blue Tits, one
of the most common birds in Sweden. They
discovered that the Eurasian Blue Tit’s body
temperature can increase by as much as 4
degrees Celsius on hot days during the nesting
season when they are working hard to feed their
young. As a result of their investigation, they
can now, for the first time, show that birds that
are able to more easily shed excess heat will
likely be better parents—they will have the
More on Page 2

Winter Schedule
  Cut out this schedule and put it on your refrigerator to help you remember
these important dates.

Jan. 28—Like Father, Like Son: The Autobiography of a Birder

Ray Stocking, a former Grosse Pointer who now lives in Ann Arbor, shares the story of his unusual
introduction to bird watching some 25 years ago. During his senior year in college, with very little
birding experience and no binoculars, Ray's father, Jerome, asked Ray to join him in an overnight
birding trip that would alter Ray’s world forever.
Feb. 25—Birds, Beasts and Beliefs
Cathy Theisen takes us on a photo journey from southern India's Nagarhole National Park north to
Binsar Forest Reserve, near the Nepali border. Bengal tigers, Hornbills, Asian Elephants, Treepies,
Minivets, Fantails, Barbets, Laughingthrushes, and Painted Spurfowl are just some of the myriad
species spread across this fantastic landscape.
March 18—Birding Jeopardy!
Put your knowledge of all things feathered to the test during this unique, and fun, game designed to
get your “bird – brain” working. From biology to folklore to identification and more; it’s all fair game.
From beginner to expert. Hosted by Kevin Arnold of the Huron-Clinton Metroparks
Authority. MEETING WILL BE HELD AT EWALD BRANCH OF THE GP PUBLIC LIBRARY!

PAGE 1
 JUST A CHIRP SPRING 2018

From The President, from Page 1 we are hoping to get curious members of the
general public to attend the meeting with the
ability to stay cooler, which gives them more goal of introducing them to Grosse Pointe
energy to forage for food. More energy results, Audubon.
of course, in larger, healthier and more viable One last important note about the March
offspring. meeting: special thank you to Ed McHale for
The researchers know this because—are you suggesting the program and contacting the
ready for this?—they shaved the breast feathers presenter.
of half the birds in the study to allow them to We have speakers booked through spring,
shed heat more easily. The other half in the but if you have an idea for a presentation in the
group remained unshaven and were placed in fall, please suggest it. We will start booking fall
the control group. speakers in May.
The results showed that parents with
trimmed feathers had a lower body temperature Anchor Bay CBC results
and weighed more than The results are in:
their untrimmed The annual Anchor Bay
parents at the end of Christmas Bird Count
the breeding season. In totaled 25,000
addition, their offspring individuals and 99
were larger and often species.The count was
heavier. Makes sense. held on Sunday, Dec, 16.
The sunny and mild
Note meeting dates weather conditions
and locations! made for some
I hope you noticed a interesting birding in a
couple of things on the surprising way: it was a
winter schedule that are slow, slow day. Even
significant. First, as though our total species
usual our January and count was 99, which is
February meetings will A map of the Anchor Bay count area. the second highest total
be held on the fourth since the inception of the
Monday of the month. We count, the total number of
do that during these two individual birds was
months to avoid conflicts significantly lower (2018:
with the MLK and 25,000 vs. 2017: 73,000).
Presidents Day holidays. In The weather prior to the
March, however, the count was also relatively
meeting will be held on the mild, which resulted in a
third Monday, but it will be very low count for
held at the Ewald branch of waterfowl and shorebirds.
the Grosse Pointe Public Ironically lots of open water
Library. We are partnering results in fewer birds.
with the Grosse Pointe The count did have a list
Public Library for this meeting for two reasons: buster first: an extremely late Cape May
the room at Ewald Branch Library is a better Warbler (left). Other rarities include: Trumpeter
setup for a Jeopardy-style setting and because Swan, Ring-necked Pheasant, Sharp-shinned

PAGE 2
JUST A CHIRP WINTER 2019

Hawk, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Red-headed City, Farms, Park and Woods. (Sorry, GP
Woodpecker, Common Yellowthroat, Snow Shores; maybe next time.)
Bunting, Common Grackle, Surf Scoter, Black Because of our ability to gather four
Scoter, Common Loon, Turkey Vulture, proclamations at the last minute, Michigan
American Kestrel, Merlin, Common Gallinule, finished the year with more proclamations
Killdeer, Iceland Gull, Barred Owl, Long-eared than any other state, beating Illinois by one.
Owl, Horned lark, Eastern Towhee, Field
Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Lapland Bird walks at the Ford House
Longspur, and Brown-headed Cowbird. Bird walks are scheduled for Jan. 26, Feb. 23
More than 35 people participated in the and March 23. As always, the walks will be led
count, including six members of Grosse Pointe by Rosann Kovalcik except for when they’re
Audubon: Mark O’Keefe, Mike and Judy not. Make a reservation at 313-884-4222. There
Florian Rosann Kovalcik, Joanna Pease and is a fee.
Bill Rapai.
Spring Fling
2018, The Year of the Bird The annual Whitefish Point Bird
We have just completed the Year of the Observatory gathering is scheduled for April
Bird as declared by National Audubon, 26-27. As of right now, I don’t know who is
National Geographic, scheduled to speak.
Cornell Lab of That shouldn’t matter.
Ornithology, and their Just go!
partner organizations.
The goal of the effort Pay your dues
was to celebrate the To get you to pay your
centennial of the dues, I’m going to
Migratory Bird Treaty channel Jimmy Cagney
Act, which is America’s from his gangster film
most effective piece of days. Ready? Here
legislation for goes: You dirty rat. I’m
protecting wild birds. gonna getcha. You
The other reason was didn’t pay your dues.
to bring attention to
environmental Ink cartridges
degradation and loss of Yup, we’re still
bird habitat. collecting them. Along
Grosse Pointe with old cell phones,
Audubon was asked in pagers and PDAs.
early December to Please bring your old
participate by prodding items for recycling,
the governments in the which allows GP
five Grosse Pointe Audubon to make a
communities to buck on the side.
approve proclamations
declaring 2018 The Year of the Bird in GP I have a bit of space to fill, so let me just
tell you I want 2019 to be a year when…OOPS!

PAGE 3
JUST A CHIRP WINTER 2019

About Grosse Pointe Audubon

Bill Rapai, president, (313) 885-6502 or BRapai@aol.com

Mark O’Keefe, vice president, (313) 884-7472 or imokruok2@aol.com
Trina Bresser Matous, treasurer, tbressler@aol.com
Anna Wuerfel, secretary, anna.wuerfel@att.net
Board of Directors: Mike Florian, Joanna Pease
Joanna Pease, representative to Seven Ponds Nature Center, strixvaria@sbcglobal.net
Edward McHale, Facebook Poobah

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