Led By: Steve Minard

This is planned as a summer trip to the marsh at Lane’s Landing in the Muskegon State Game Area. Nesting birds have settled in and many of them should be attending to their young. It is one of the better times of year to see Least Bitterns in flight. They are present in this marsh and if you are watching carefully, and you are lucky, you may see one make a brief flight from on spot to another in the marsh. Rails, ducks and cranes are also possible. Depending on time, we may visit other nearby birding areas.

Essentials: Meet at the Boy Scout Headquarters west off Walker Road just north of I-96 at 8:00 AM. We plan to bird until noon, you may want to bring a snack to hold you over until lunch.

Safety Hazards: Driving in a caravan can be hazardous. Get directions from the leader for travel to the next stop. Please exercise caution on the roads at all times, and watch the car ahead of you when driving in a caravan. Please have a passenger handle all radio or phone communications while in a car.

Led By: Steve Minard

We will explore this park in Kent County to look for Prothonotary Warbler and Red Headed Woodpecker. In 2024 I found a Blue Gray Gnatcatcher nest over the trail. Plan to cross the Grand River on the foot bridge and follow the trail along the river. We should spend a couple of hours on the trails.

Essentials: Meet at the west parking lot off of Grand River Drive south west of Lowell. This is on the south side of the Grand River. Stay left when you enter the park to reach the west parking lot. Watch out for heat and bugs.

Safety Hazards: Drive safely to meet the group. Watch for traffic on the pathway.

Led By: Spencer High

Spring Migration is here and what better way to experience it than by being out in nature with friends! We will be hiking throughout Dune Harbor Park - Muskegon County and documenting all of the different visiting birds that we find. 

This birding excursion will be led by Spencer High, the President of the Grand Rapids Audubon Club and he’ll share some of his favorite bird facts, stories and information about Dune Harbor Park - Muskegon County along the way. 

With its location near the migratory pathway along Lake Michigan, you never know which feathered friends might make an appearance! 

Feel free to bring your own binoculars! A few pairs will be available to borrow, along with field guides if needed. Dress accordingly to the weather, but remember that it can be quite windy near the lakeshore.

Led By: Steve Minard

Roselle Park is a good birding area right here in Kent County. It’s on the Grand River, and has wetlands, wooded edges, and open areas. At this date, warblers should still be moving and many of the sparrows and woodland birds should be present. We will plan to stick to the paved trails and avoid the water if there is flooding.

Essentials: Meet at the Roselle Park parking lot by the visitor center. It’s entrance is across from Michigan Ave and north of the south parking lot entrance. This is west of Ada and south of Knapp along Grand River Dr.

Safety Hazards: Drive safely to meet the group. Watch for traffic on the pathway.

Come Celebrate GRAUD With Us!

Birding Hike - Picnic Dinner - Social hour - Bird Trivia and More!

It’s been a wonderful year, and we are all deserving of a bit of fun to round things off! More details to come, but mark your calendars for a fun evening enjoying nature with others.

Led By: Steve Minard

Roselle Park is a good birding area right here in Kent County. It’s on the Grand River, and has wetlands, wooded edges, and open areas. At this date, warblers should still be moving and many of the sparrows and woodland birds should be present. We will plan to stick to the paved trails and avoid the water if there is flooding.

Essentials: Meet at the Roselle Park parking lot by the visitor center. It’s entrance is across from Michigan Ave and north of the south parking lot entrance. This is west of Ada and south of Knapp along Grand River Dr.

Safety Hazards: Drive safely to meet the group. Watch for traffic on the pathway.

Led By: Steve Minard

This trip is an evening walk to the Hodenpyl Woods area at the west end of Reeds Lake. Varied woodland, marsh, and lake habitat provides a variety of birds right in town. We hope to find some warblers ducks, and with luck terns on the lake. Birders of all skills are welcome.

Essentials: Meet at the East Grand Rapids Utility Building parking lot on Reeds Lake Blvd north of Gaslight Village at 6:00 PM. Waterproof footwear and insect repellent may be useful. Poison Ivy is thick in places.

Safety Hazards: Drive safely to meet the group. Watch for traffic when crossing the road and bicycles on the pathway.

Led By: Steve Minard

This trip is an evening walk to the Hodenpyl Woods area at the west end of Reeds Lake.  Varied woodland, marsh, and lake habitat provides a variety of birds right in town.  On this trip, we will concentrate on waterbirds, and early warblers.  The boardwalk provides good views of the lake and marsh areas so we will visit it.  Birders of all skills are welcome.

Essentials: Meet at the East Grand Rapids Utility Building parking lot on Reeds Lake Blvd north of Gaslight Village at 6:00 PM.  Waterproof footwear and insect repellent may be useful.  Poison Ivy is thick in places.

Safety Hazards: Drive safely to meet the group. Watch for traffic when crossing the road and bicycles on the pathway.

NOTE: While we love dogs, we ask you to please NOT bring your pup(s) on club field trips, as it can stress/frighten away the birds. Thank you!

Fire Ecology

Justin Heslinga - Land Conservancy of West Michigan

Justin is the Conservation Director at the Land Conservancy of West Michigan.  He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Calvin College and a Master’s degree in Conservation Ecology from the University of Michigan.  He is an ecologist with expertise in botany, ecological restoration, land management, and strategic planning. As Conservation Director at the Land Conservancy, Justin coordinates efforts to protect and restore ecologically critical land in West Michigan.

Fire has played a central role in shaping Michigan’s natural landscapes for thousands of years. Drawing on recent research and real-world case studies, this presentation will highlight the history of fire in Michigan, the use of prescribed fire as a tool for restoring habitats, and the connections between fire and bird conservation.

Slow Birding

Led By: Alex Field

Join the Land Conservancy of West Michigan and GRAC board member Alex Field to practice a birding style called “slow birding”. We will take our time on the trail, moving slow and letting the birds come to us. For more information and to register, visit naturenearby.org/events

Led By: Steve Minard

Join us to look for marsh birds at Lane’s Landing in the Muskegon State Game Area.  Rails should be in the marsh by this date and Swamp Sparrows should be on territory.  After checking out the marsh, we’ll see how the winds blow and either head over to the Muskegon Wastewater to check out the waterfowl or head to Grand Haven to check out Harbor Island and hawk watch locations to look for migrating hawks.  At the Wastewater, Northern Shoveled and Ruddy Duck are likely; in Grand Haven, we could see Caspian Tern on Lake Michigan or rails in the Harbor Island marshes.  Birders of all skills are welcome.

Essentials: Meet at the Boy Scout Headquarters west off Walker Road just north of I-96 at 7:00 AM.  We plan to bird until noon, you may want to bring a snack to hold you over until lunch.

Safety Hazards: Driving in a caravan can be hazardous.  Get directions from the leader for travel to the next stop.  Please exercise caution on the roads at all times, and watch the car ahead of you when driving in a caravan.  Please have a passenger handle all radio or phone communications while in a car.

Join us for a morning of land stewardship at Maher Audubon Sanctuary. Please come dressed for the weather and bring work gloves and tools for trail maintenance (garden rake, loppers, clippers, etc.).

In the case of rain, this workday will be rescheduled to take place the following Saturday, April 19.

For further questions, contact Chris Baer, Chair of the Maher Sanctuary Committee, by emailing: maher@graud.org

Birds of Prey

Joy Funk - Outdoor Discovery Center

What makes a bird of prey different from other birds? Using the collection of live birds from Outdoor Discovery Center, you will learn the life history of several species including hawks, owls and falcons. There will be a chance to get an up-close look at the birds and explore artifacts including skulls, wings, talons and feathers.

Joy Funk graduated from the University of Illinois and worked as a naturalist in Kentucky and Illinois before joining the Outdoor Discovery Center team in 2013. It was the ODC's vision and broad scope to advance outdoor education and conservation in West Michigan that first piqued her interest in working there. Having practically grown up outside, Joy has a keen interest in providing the next generation an opportunity to do the same. She feels that playing, exploring, and learning outside is vital to a better life.

Membership Meetings are free to attend and open to the public.

Led By: Steve Minard and Ruth Fridsma

One way we can help our local nesting birds is by providing places for them to nest.  Jim Ponshair aided the birds for many years with a number of bluebird box trails at the Muskegon Wastewater.  This does add up to a large number of boxes to clean every year and we need a good size group to do the job.  The annual bluebird box cleaning is a great way to learn your way around the Muskegon Wastewater.  It’s also a good way to learn about bluebird boxes, how to clean them, and see how the type of box and habitat affects who uses the box.  Since we’re at the Wastewater, we usually see some good birds while we work.  You may even get to meet mice or Flying Squirrels up close and personal.  And you get to help the bluebirds, swallows, chickadees, wrens and other birds that use the boxes.  This year you can meet the group, or head directly to clean your group of boxes.  Send Steve an email at sdminard@gmail.com to get a group of boxes to clean.  If you want, we will meet at the Maple Island Road entrance to the Muskegon Wastewater System at 9:00 am.  Lunch is one your own this year.  Following lunch, some participants may bird the nearby Muskegon State Game Area to look for early migrants.  This can be an all day trip, or you can head out before or after lunch.  For all the carpenters and builders out there, we always need more bluebird boxes.  Boxes suffer damage over the years and new boxes are always needed.  Send Steve an email at sdminard@gmail.com if you have new boxes to donate.

Essentials: Meet at the Maple Island Road entrance to the Muskegon Wastewater System at 9:00 am.  This is a bit north of White Road.  If you have an area, you can head there directly.  Come dressed for the weather.  Bring some tools (screwdrivers, pliers, scrapper, hammer and nails) and gloves for cleaning out the bluebird houses.

Safety Hazards: Driving in a caravan can be hazardous.  Get directions from the leader for travel to the next stop.  Please exercise caution on the roads at all times, and watch the car ahead of you when driving in a caravan.  Please have a passenger handle all radio or phone communications while in a car.