by NIAS | Jan 20, 2025
Northern IL Amphibians: Their Natural History & Their Conservation Trends
Tuesday, March 4 at 7:00 pm
St. John United Church of Christ, Freeport, IL and via Zoom
This presentation by Dr. Allison Sacerdote-Velat will provide general natural history information on northern Illinois frog and salamander species, as well as an overview of their challenges, and opportunities for conservation. Dr. Sacerdote-Velat is the Curator of Biology & Herpetology/VP of Conservation Research at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences, conducting research focused on conservation and restoration of local amphibians and reptiles including the wood frog, blue-spotted salamander, and smooth greensnake. Allison also directs the Calling Frog Survey, a community science program that engages and trains over 200 volunteers annually to monitor breeding frog populations across the northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana regions of the Chicago Wilderness.
Program will be held at St. John United Church of Christ in Freeport with Zoom as an option. If you would like to receive the Zoom link please use the contact us button on our website.
by NIAS | Jan 19, 2025
Wintering Raptors of Illinois & Wisconsin
Tuesday, Feb 4 at 7:00 pm
St. John United Church of Christ, Freeport, IL
Vic Berardi, founder of the all-volunteer Illinois Beach State Park Hawkwatch and well-known raptor photographer, will
discuss wintering raptors of Illinois and Wisconsin. Emphasis will be raptor descriptions and possible locations to find these birds in the winter months. Vic spends a great deal of time in the winter searching for raptors and photographing them.
His photographs have been used by several conservation organizations and in raptor field guides. His book contributions include, “Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America” by Donald & Lillian Stokes, “Hawks From Every Angle” and “Hawks At A Distance” by Jerry Liguori, “Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North America” by Pete Dunne with Kevin Carlson, “The Crossley Guide: Raptors” by Richard Crossley, Jerry Liguori and Brian Sullivan and the “Pembina Valley Raptor Field Guide.” Most recently he has contributed many photos for the new HawkWatch International, HWI Raptor ID app co-authored by Jerry Liguori and Brian Sullivan and has made contributions to the latest raptor book by Brian Wheeler, “Birds of Prey of the East: A Field Guide.”
by NIAS | Nov 26, 2024
The Return of the Grizzly
A hybrid program that wil be offered in person at the church or via Zoom.
Tuesday, Jan 7th at 7:00pm
St. John United Church of Christ, Freeport, IL
All members of Northwest Illinois Audubon Society (that we have emails for), will receive the zoom link the week before the program. If you are not a member, we want you to join us for this great program, you need to email, [email protected] to receive your zoom link. Zoom (from home) or come in-person to St John United Church of Christ (Presenter Dan Sullivan will be zooming from Montana). There will be a showing of the documentary produced by “Save the Yellowstone Grizzly” organization called, “The Return of the Grizzly.” (You are encouraged to watch their first produced video, “The Beast of Our Time,” found on YouTube.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cfuSIlEIyY&t=158s] After the showing there will be a follow-up zoom discussion with Executive Producer of the documentary, Dan Sullivan. Dan is one of the founding people of the “Save the Yellowstone Grizzly” organization formed in 2016, along with authors; Rick Bass, Terry Tempest Williams and Doug Peacock. Dan is a board advisor for Park County Environmental Council and has been a fierce advocate for wilderness all his life. He has spent decades exploring and protecting the backcountry in and around Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks. He has called Livingston, Montana, home for more than 30 years.
The Return of the Grizzly
This powerful 37-minute documentary follows the path and challenges of the “explorer bear,” the pioneering young male grizzlies that come from small, isolated core populations. The grizzly bear needs to explore and pioneer new habitats to spread its gene pool, and its long journeys are increasingly driven–and hemmed in–by the ravages of climate change. “The effect of climate change is creating explorer bears. Safe passage and tolerance for grizzly bears are the best bet for connectivity between Glacier and Yellowstone,” said Doug Peacock, award- winning author, filmmaker, grizzly bear expert and founder of Save the Yellowstone
Grizzly. Safe wildlife corridors over/under busy highways are a win/win for public safety and grizzly survival. “Return of the Grizzly” proves that, through coexistence and tolerance, humans and grizzlies can “learn” to live together, as Native Americans have proven for thousands of years. The film is narrated by one of America’s most beloved actors and storytellers, Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges, and is scored by legendary pianist Bill Payne of Little Feat. The executive producers are Doug Peacock and Dan Sullivan. “Return of the Grizzly” offers proven, long-term solutions for human/bear conflict, a vision for the grizzly’s secure future in its native habitat, and ways for YOU to get productively involved in the preservation of this unique American species, one whose independence, strength, and determination mirrors our own.
by NIAS | Nov 26, 2024
The Sloth Storytelling Hour – Monthly Program and Potluck
Tuesday, December 3rd with Potluck at 6:00 pm and program starting at 7:15 pm
St. John United Church of Christ, Freeport, IL
We will start the evening with a delicious potluck meal. Bring a dish to pass and your own table service. NIAS will provide beverages. After the meal, there will be some brief announcements with the program to follow at approximately 7:15.
You may heard of the “Moth Radio Hour” a program where people tell their stories. The Sloth Storytelling Hour is our version of that great storytelling program. We have filled a night with personal stories in nature, including one of an animal encounter, a gardening escapade, an adventure ordeal, and a perfect moment in nature from our membership. The lineup of storytellers for the evening, alphabetically are: Richard Benning,
“Arachnid Window Lair,” Mary Blackmore, “The Hot Mama and the Cool Bird,” Elizabeth Boettner, “My Spark Bird,” Suzanne Falconer, “Sleek Stranger in the Snow,” Don Miller, “Terror on the Eleven Point River,” Steve Simpson, “Things that go “whoosh” on a gravel bar, “Teresa Smith, “Ho, Ho, Ho,” and Kathy Weber, “The Glaring Golden Eye. “It will be a fun night, and thank you storytellers for sharing your stories! (If while reading this you decide you have a story you would like to share that night, please email, [email protected] before that evening. We still have room for two more storytellers.)
by NIAS | Sep 18, 2024
What’s Up with Butterflies?
Presented by Alan Branhagen, Executive Director of the Natural Land Institute
Monday, November 4th at 7:00pm
St. John United Church of Christ, Freeport, IL
The program will be presented by Alan Branhagen, who will reveal to us the marvelous array of butterflies (and moths) that can be found in our area. You will learn about the various species found here, their status, how you can attract them to your yard with their host and nectar plants. You will also learn ways to garden or maintain your landscape so that you don’t harm them. Alan hopes the program inspires some reverence for these amazing insects that are sadly in trouble. What you see now is the new normal, but it is not normal. Luckily, they have resiliency to rebound if given a chance. Alan is an all-around naturalist specializing in birds, butterflies, botany, and planning and design with nature. He is the author of three books: The Gardeners Butterfly Book, Native Plants of the Midwest, and The Midwest Native Plant Primer. These books will be available for purchase and signing after the presentation.
