CLARK COUNTY AUDUBON SOCIETY
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
SPRING 2012

                We have barely had a winter this year. I don’t know what this will do to the duck migration. We have already seen almost all of the regularly occurring ducks. Maybe we will have some cold weather to keep them from leaving too early. We are starting with a walk in late February to look for ducks and then a few weeks later we shall start having walks every week.. We shall be meeting at Buck Creek State Park at the parking lot at the corner of Croft and Robert Eastman Roads for all trips except for the Old Reid Park walks and the Lake Erie trip this spring.

                Do not let inexperience keep you from participating on our field trips. We all started at one time and our leaders are always willing to help in any way possible. Be sure to dress for protection from the weather, mud, brush, and briars. Wear comfortable shoes that will keep your feet warm and dry. Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them. Young people are welcome, but children under 14 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or adult who has assumed responsibility for them.

                Times indicated are departure times, so be ready to leave the assembly point at that time. All day trips require a sack lunch. Anyone is welcome to join an all day trip even if you cannot stay for the entire trip. Please call the leader if you plan to meet us somewhere other than the designated meeting place. For additional information call the leader listed for that particular trip.

                The weekend of May 11 to 13 will be our outing to Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge on Lake Erie. Contact Doug Overacker for information. You must contact Doug a week before the trip so that he will know how many people will be going. 

Saturday, March 17th, 7:30 AM        Buck Creek State Park                              Leader, Doug Overacker            (324-1871)
We hope there are still some ducks around. There are lots of trails to look for birds so if the ducks are scarce we should still be able to find some birds. It may still be cold so make sure you dress warmly enough for this half day trip.

Saturday, March 24th, 7:30 AM         Buck Creek State Park                Leader, Doug Overacker             (324-1871)
We shall spend another day looking for ducks and maybe some sparrows. There are lots of places to look for birds in the park.  It may still be cold so make sure you dress warmly enough for this half day trip.

Monday, March 26th, 7:30 PM        MONTHLY MEETING
See the Chickadee Chronicles for details.

Friday, March 30th, 8:00 AM                       Old Reid Park                      Leader, Doug Overacker               (324-1871)
This walk is with the Springfield City Parks. We shall meet at the bridge on Pumphouse Road. You can get there either from Columbus Avenue or from Croft Road. We shall walk from the bridge to the ponds looking for ducks and other water birds as well as any other birds that show up. This walk should be a couple hours long. 

Saturday, March 31st, 7:30 AM          Spring Valley Wildlife Area                   Leader, Doug Overacker              (324-1871)
This area can have ducks and other water birds as well as some early migrants like sparrows. The walking can be wet so be prepared. This is a half day trip but we might get back a little later than noon.

Saturday, April 7th, 7:30 AM                    Buck Creek State Park               Leader, Doug Overacker             (324-1871)
The weather will determine what we might be looking for this morning. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker could be around by this date. Make sure you dress for the weather for this half day trip.

Saturday, April 14th, 7:30 AM                  Batelle Darby Metropark                 Leader, Doug Overacker              (324-1871)
With the added land, this is a big area now. There are woods, streamside habitat, and wetlands. We will probably check out the wetlands this morning. This is a half day trip.

Sunday, April 22nd, 7:30 AM                   John Bryan State Park                  Leader, Doug Overacker               (324-1871)
This trip is on Sunday. This is a great woodland area. One of our targets will be Louisiana Waterthrush, an early returning warbler. We should a few other warblers as well as the usual woodland birds on this half day trip. 

Monday, April 23rd 7:30 PM                            Monthly Meeting
See the Chickadee Chronicles for details.

Friday, April 27th, 8:00 AM                    Old Reid Park                            Leader, Doug Overacker                (324-1871)
This walk is with the Springfield City Parks. We shall again meet at the bridge on Pumphouse Road. You can get there either from Columbus Avenue or from Croft Road. Today we will be looking for Yellow-throated Warblers and maybe Northern Parulas. We may see some other early migrants. We shall walk from the bridge through the park and along the bike trail. This walk should be a couple hours long. 

Saturday, April 28th, 7:30 AM                Davey Woods                      Leader, Doug Overacker                  (324-1871)
This is a very nice woods. We are going early to try to beat the leaves. We hope to see Cerulean Warblers and some other warblers. In December we saw a Barred Owl. Maybe we can find it again. This is a half day trip.

Friday through Sunday   May 11, 12, and 13    Lake Erie Trip             Leader, Doug Overacker                  (324-1871)
This is the best birding area in the state of Ohio for spring warblers. This is the weekend for Migratory Bird Day so it will be crowded but there should be lots of birds. There are lots of places to look so we won’t be in the crowds all of the time. Please call Doug to let him know if you are going.  

Saturday, May 19th, 7:30 AM                Buck Creek State Park                        Leader, Doug Overacker                   (324-1871)
There still should be migrating warblers plus lots of other birds to look for at this time. We usually have Bobolinks on Yeazell Road also. Come for the walk in the morning and our potluck in the afternoon. This is a half day trip.

Saturday May 19th, 5:00 PM                               Annual Meeting
We shall have our meeting at the Lakeview Shelter below the Corps of Engineers visitor center at Buck Creek State Park, the same place as the last few years. See the Chickadee Chronicles for further information.