Conservation Manager Chad Machinski, M.S., joined the Michigan Audubon team in March of 2023 and has made great progress in reviving the stewardship of MA’s sanctuaries and engaging with our dedicated volunteers ever since. To help you stay connected with the work being done, he will be presenting regular online updates about activities going on at them: birds seen or heard, conservation work, improvements, interesting plants, and more. Since my last update, there has been an increase in bird, animal, and plant activity at our sanctuaries. As we get deeper into spring, each day will bring ..read more

Every year, we experience the phenomenon of migration — twice, in fact. But year after year, the change of seasons is shifting. Spring comes early, and fall comes late. What does this mean for migratory birds? What does this mean for us? The environment? In order to understand its impacts, first, we need to understand what migration is. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes migration as “periodic, large-scale movements of populations of animals.”1 It is easy for us to believe that birds migrate due to temperature changes, but in reality, as long as there are enough resources, most birds ca ..read more

Conservation Manager Chad Machinski, M.S., joined the Michigan Audubon team in March of 2023 and has made great progress in reviving the stewardship of MA’s sanctuaries and engaging with our dedicated volunteers ever since. To help you stay connected with the work being done, he will be presenting regular online updates about activities going on at them: birds seen or heard, conservation work, improvements, interesting plants, and more. One day, I’m hearing the chorus frogs singing in their vernal pools and sweating as I’m cutting down autumn olive; the next day, the sanctuaries are silent ..read more

We are thrilled to announce and congratulate David Flaspohler, Megan Heft, and Lynn Miller on their successful election to the board. Their diverse perspectives, extensive experience, and exceptional leadership skills make them valuable additions to our team. We eagerly anticipate their contributions and insights, which will undoubtedly help us achieve our goals and make a positive impact in the coming years. We greatly appreciate the valuable contribution of the Michigan Audubon members who have voted and continue to provide their guidance to this organization. Your involvement is crucial t ..read more

I had the joy and privilege of taking over the nest box monitoring at Phyllis Haehnle Memorial Sanctuary in 2023. It quickly became my favorite place to monitor boxes for so many reasons, but mostly because I found it to be such a special, peaceful, full-of-life place to spend several hours of my day. I had the good fortune of almost always having the sanctuary to myself. As I got further into the monitoring process, I quickly learned the behavior of certain birds in specific locations. I could almost predict how many Tree Swallows would try to dive-bomb me, how many “friends” they ..read more

Help us celebrate the diverse avian world in our state by submitting your captivating photos to the 2024 Michigan Audubon Photography Awards! We are eager to see the breathtaking images you captured during your birding escapades in Michigan, whether at a birding hotspot or right in your backyard. Jan Lewis captured the 2023 Michigan Audubon Photography Awards with this amazing image of battling Sharp-tailed Grouse. The contest is open to current Michigan Audubon members, and we encourage all levels of photographers to participate. One grand prize winner and three honorable mentions will be ..read more

We know life is busy with numerous items to keep track of. Make it a little easier by enrolling your Michigan Audubon membership in our auto-renewal program. This feature not only saves you time by not having to remember to renew each year, but it also saves Michigan Audubon money by reducing resource usage and lowering postage fees while ensuring membership dues are paid promptly. HOW TO ENROLL Enrolling in membership auto-renewal is as easy as visiting the MA constituent portal. If you have any questions or need assistance with your membership, please call 517-580-7364. STEP ONE: Log in to t ..read more

Conservation Manager Chad Machinski, M.S., joined the Michigan Audubon team in March and has made great progress in reviving the stewardship of MA’s sanctuaries and engaging with our dedicated volunteers ever since. To help you stay connected with the work being done, he will be presenting regular online updates about activities going on at them: birds seen or heard, conservation work, improvements, interesting plants, and more. PHYLLIS HAEHNLE MEMORIAL SANCTUARY In late October, the bugling calls of Sandhill Cranes reverberated through the sky as they left Mud Lake to seek foraging s ..read more

This year marks the 124th annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC), an annual winter census of birds across the Western Hemisphere. This survey is one of the two most extensive long-term data sets used to estimate bird population trends (the other data set is the Breeding Bird Survey). More generally, the CBC is an event of camaraderie. The CBC is a chance for birders (and non-birders) to come together in the doldrums of winter in search of every Tufted Titmouse and Snowy Owl. Many groups uphold traditions of pre-dawn breakfasts and spirited luncheons where teams converge to compare lists in go ..read more

Conservation Manager Chad Machinski, M.S., joined the Michigan Audubon team in March and has made great progress in reviving the stewardship of MA’s sanctuaries and engaging with our dedicated volunteers ever since. To help you stay connected with the work being done, he will be presenting regular online updates about activities going on at them: birds seen or heard, conservation work, improvements, interesting plants, and more. OTIS FARM BIRD SANCTUARY While blinding, the sun turned the towering trees into silhouettes and lit up the smooth swamp aster that lines the boardwalk at Otis ..read more