News

Dear Valued Members, Thank you for your past membership in our volunteer-led organization. We look forward to having you as a member for another year. As a reminder, our membership year begins on July 1st and ends on June 30th of the following year. Your support through membership renewal and additional donations allows the Audubon Society … Read more

Migration season is well under way and preparations have begun for this year’s Southwest Michigan Team Birdathon on May 16! ASK’s Kal-Haven Trail Trekkers team, Kent Martin, Joanna Sblendorio, Seth Chapman, and Donna Keller, will spend a long day chasing birds in Berrien County, hoping to exceed last year’s total of 122 species.  Please consider supporting … Read more

Just because most birds are enjoying warm temps and sunny skies down south this winter doesn’t mean we can’t have birdy fun! Join us at Erbelli’s, 6214 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo 49009, on Saturday, January 10, 2026, 2:00 to 4:30, in their side room, for an afternoon of fun. We will play Wingspan, a board game … Read more

Check out an insightful and important conversation featured in WMUK 102.1 FM‘s Story Beat segment with ASK Vice President, Gail Walter. In “Taking Flight with Bird Safety,” the discussion covers both our Peregrine Falcons and broader bird safety issues. https://www.wmuk.org/wmuk-news/2025-11-06/story-beat-taking-flight-with-bird-safety?fbclid=IwY2xjawN6-AlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeL6I5E1MZ20BETrL3C5y6HBxeROkYXiD02pERnlcYKW8e_mhv5omstNC0LCU_aem_NIE2N3BJFPmU7-QCF94ARA

Dan Raichel of the Natural Resources Defense Council presented a critical topic at our October program: “Neonicotinoids, Threatening Bees, Birds, and Our Health“ Below are two helpful links – a brief video explaining Neonics and a list of what YOU can do to help. Neonics, The ToxicTruth How to Get Involved If you missed the … Read more

By Donna Keller  – The role includes keeping an updated list of potential volunteers to table at outreach events and soliciting and scheduling volunteers for events; making arrangements to get tabling materials to and from outreach volunteers.   If you are interested in learning more, please email Donna Keller at askpresident@kalamazooaudubon.org.

By Will Keller – If anyone had told me five years ago that I would be partnering with one of the best ornithologists in the state of Michigan—someone I had admired from afar since my earliest days as a birder—on a weekly birding podcast, I wouldn’t have believed them. But here I am, telling you, my … Read more

By Gail Walter – Our resident Peregrine Falcons, Rebecca and Kewpee, stayed in their territory in downtown Kalamazoo all winter and were courting in late February. Courting for Peregrine Falcons generally means the male will bring food to the nest area to demonstrate that he is a good provider, and the female will accept it and … Read more

If you were unable to attend the ASK Annual Members Meeting on Saturday, May 30th, you can view the PowerPoint here. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us through our Contact Form.

On May 31st, ASK held the Annual Member Meeting; the day began with a bird walk. Following the walk, more than 40 people gathered to honor Ilse Gebhard and Russ Schipper for their many years of service to ASK. Laura Crocker, Shana Ramsey, Nate Fuller, and Donna Keller shared tributes. A plaque was placed at the … Read more

February 11, 2025 – MI DNR The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has recently sampled dead wild birds suspected to be positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza at multiple locations across Lower Michigan. The DNR’s ongoing disease surveillance indicates that HPAI is widespread in wild bird populations throughout the state. HPAI is a highly contagious … Read more

If you were unable to join us for the ASK Annual Members Meeting on Monday, May 20th, you can view the draft Meeting Minutes here and the PPT here. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out through our Contact Form.

Please follow this link to view the April presentation.

We have heard from some people who are having difficulty accessing the Kalamazoo falcon nest cam. We have not been able to duplicate the problem so are offering some suggestions and a request for information in order to try and sort things out. Try to access the cam from the website home page (https://www.kalamazoofalcons.com/) and … Read more

At the Annual Meeting in May, the Audubon Society of Kalamazoo will elect its officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer) for their one-year terms and a one-year at-large position and the second year of a three-year position. We are accepting nominations for all of the above officers and board members. The deadline for nominations is … Read more

Please follow this link to view the March presentation

Many ASK members and friends in the community enjoy and follow the Kalamazoo Peregrine Falcon Cam every year during nesting season. The website went live in 2015 thanks to donations from our members, the community, and sponsors. The site’s purpose was (and is) to provide a platform for education and a vehicle to host the … Read more

Please follow this link to view the February presentation

By Susan Schneider – February’s Beginning Birding Walk (BBW) was like January’s in that about 30 participants braved winter weather and enjoyed about 30 bird species. But there were some notable differences, too. Waterfowl were in, after January’s cold spell had iced up many local lakes. (Some of the hatchery’s ponds are always kept open.) … Read more

By Kent Martin – We had eleven energetic, motivated birders in caravan on a snowy Saturday afternoon, January 20, including a young grade-schooler from the Richland area who had done her homework and brought her parents along with a wish-liist of bird species. The group spanned a wide range in age and experience levels; several … Read more

Founded in 2011, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at WMU offers high quality non-credit programs for mature adults in the greater Kalamazoo community. This volunteer organization works with WMU emeriti, faculty, and staff to offer courses, events, and trips year-round. More information and registration can be found at their website https://wmich.edu/olli. Here are the OLLI courses being taught … Read more

Please follow this link to view the January presentation.

By Russ Shipper – First, I want to thank everyone who participated in this, the 76th Kalamazoo Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Almost all were experienced observers and they are critical to the count. But, I hope that next year some new participants will try out attending a count. It was 124 years ago when the first … Read more