Audubon Society of Kalamazoo: April Meeting

APRIL PROGRAM “Two Rivers Coalition: Partnering with Prothonotary Warblers”

Two Rivers Coalition (TRC) is a citizen-based nonprofit group working to protect the health and promote the awareness of the Black River and Paw Paw River Watersheds through conservation, education, and advocacy. TRC, along with several partners and volunteers, supports a variety of projects and activities including aquatic macro invertebrate studies, water quality analysis, invasive species education, paddling events, and educational meetings. TRC is also involved in supporting the Paw Paw River Water Trail and the Black River Water Trail.

Prothonotary Warblers are bright, colorful, vibrant yellow warblers that can be found nesting along river floodplain forests, swamps, and forest ponds. Southwest Michigan is at the northern edge of the Prothonotary Warbler’s breeding range. Research supports that Prothonotary Warblers can also be an indicator species of the ecological integrity of the floodplain forests where they nest.

TRC has launched a project, led by Dan Burton, to look into the distribution and abundance of Prothonotary Warblers nesting in the floodplain forest corridor along the Paw Paw River. Following study information from other areas, TRC has also launched a Prothonotary Warbler Nest Box Project to see if the warblers will utilize the “man-made” nest boxes at a couple of locations along the Paw Paw River.

Please join us Monday, April 24th, as Dan Burton presents an overview of Two Rivers Coalition and the TRC Prothonotary Warbler Project. Dan has worked as a food scientist and quality engineer for 30 years, but spends his free time exploring his interests and passion in the outdoors through a variety of activities. Those activities include 30 years involved in aquatic macro invertebrate studies, ten years doing frog and toad surveys and butterfly surveys, and he has also participated in Monarch research and Bumble Bee surveys. Dan is also a MSU certified Conservation Steward and Master Naturalist and volunteers as a steward for two Michigan Nature Association sanctuaries. An avid paddler, Dan also assists on TRC paddling events and is a TRC Board member. Dan is also the author and publisher of “A Paddling Guide to the Kalamazoo River Watershed.”

We hope you’ll join us on Monday, April 24, at People’s Church, 1758 North 10th Street, Kalamazoo. Our program starts at 7:30 PM and is preceded by a social time with light refreshments at 7:00 PM. Snacks and beverages will be provided. Masks are recommended but not required in the church. Handicap parking and access is at either the front or the rear entrance of the building.

We will have a simultaneous Zoom link to the meeting for those who can’t make it or feel uncomfortable as yet to attend in person. This link will be emailed shortly before the meeting. We will also be recording the meeting for later viewing.

This event was submitted to our community calendar page by an outside organizer and is not a Michigan Audubon event. If you have questions, please reach out to the event organizers or the contact information provided in the event description.