Bill Rapai, the former long-time president of Grosse Pointe Audubon, talked about some of the interesting birds we might see in the Grosse Pointes. Baltimore orioles are common in the Spring but disappear into the foliage of the trees where they nest. The red-bellied woodpecker, on the other hand, is easy to spot because of the noise it makes and its bright red head. When it was first discovered in the 1700's, the red-headed woodpecker was already named, so the ornithologist who named it focused on a pale red blush on its belly.
Although state Audubon societies existed in many states, a national society wasn't formed until 1905, and many state societies, including Michigan, wanted to remain independent. Grosse Pointe Audubon is a chapter of the Michigan Audubon Society, the state's oldest conservation organization. Grosse Pointe Audubon serves the Grosse Pointes, Harper Woods and St Clair Shores to promote the awareness, understanding, enjoyment of and stewardship of the environment with an emphasis on birds and their habitats. It hosts several meetings each year and conducts bird walks and other field trips. They invite you to join them at one of their meetings or bird walks.
Bill updated us on the status of the Kirtland's warbler, an endangered songbird that nests in northern Michigan and the subject of one of the three books that he has authored. As recently as 1987, there were fewer than 400 birds remaining, but as a result of conservation efforts, the population now exceeds 4,000.
Bill explained that southeast Michigan is located where two migratory flyways overlap, making it a good area for bird watching. He discussed numerous other birds we might see, including the red-winged blackbird, killdeer, belted kingfisher, wood duck, ring-billed gull, double-crested cormorant, brown-headed cowbird, red-tailed hawk, Cooper's hawk, swallow, ruby-throated hummingbird, yellow warbler, American redstart, cedar waxwing, and more, and even gave us the calls of some of them. Before taking questions, Bill discussed some of the best places to see a variety of bird species, including the grounds of the Ford House. Finally, he suggested some websites to help educate us, including the Cornell Bird Lab.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology—Home | Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
See pictures from the meeting here:
July 25, 2023 Members Meeting