The Meadowlark Messenger
Check out the latest news and announcements from Champaign County Audubon Society and our partners!
For decades, our print newsletter, The Meadowlark Messenger, has informed our members about the latest news and events. We’re pleased to now bring you all the info you count on through our online blog too!
Bird of the Month: Carolina Wren
Ever been loudly scolded by a small reddish-brown ball of fluff with an upturned tail? You've met our latest bird of the month!
Field Notes: Recent Bird Walks Spotlight Parks
CCAS hosted city planners and brand new birders on recent special bird walks to showcase the quality habitat of local parks.
Bird of the Month: Pied-billed Grebe
This fun waterbird can be a challenge from afar to birders. Small size, sitting low in the water, and a short, thick bill...so it can't be a duck... And it's an excellent diver too? It's a Pied-billed Grebe!
Field Notes: Bird Walk Highlights
A Eurasian Collared-Dove continues to be spotted during our Sunday Morning Bird Walks, alongside eight warbler species so far and three flycatcher species!
Bird of the Month: Blue Jay
September’s bird of the month is one many of us have known since childhood, a bird which many people enjoy having at feeders because of their striking plumage and energy, while others resent them because they may drive other birds away from feeders.
Field Notes: July and August Highlights
July's field trip to Meadowbrook Park gave participants the thrill of seeing a pair of Cedar Waxwings building a nest, and August brought rare sightings: a pair of Snowy Egrets and a Swallow-tailed Kite!
Bird of the Month: Killdeer
You have likely already heard August’s bird of the month this summer. Named for its distinctive “kill-deer” call, this shorebird is a frequent visitor of lawns, pastures, fields, and golf courses.
Bird of the Month: Eastern Kingbird
July’s bird of the month is not a secretive one. It’s Latin name translates to “tyrant tyrant,” and it is not shy about letting other birds (and squirrels too!) know when they’re trespassing on its turf.
Field Notes: June 2024 Meadowbrook Walk
On June 22, bird walk participants found 36 species of birds in Meadowbrook Park. Join us for our next Meadowbrook walk on July 20!
Bird of the Month: Chimney Swift
You won’t see June’s bird of the month at your feeders,
nor perched in your yard, or perched anywhere for that
matter. This bird belongs a family that people thought
for many centuries had no feet!
Field Notes: 2024 Bird-a-Thon Results
May 5 – 12, birders from all over Champaign County chose their favorite birding hotspots and diligently counted birds all week, and the Champaign Park District, Urbana Park District, and Champaign County Forest Preserve District got together for some friendly competition!
Volunteers Remove Invasive Plants at Homer Lake to Improve Habitat
On April 13th, eight volunteers with Champaign County Audubon Society partnered with the Champaign County Forest Preserve District to remove invasive shrubs from an area near where migratory Northern Saw-Whet Owls spend the winter.
2024 Kendeigh Grant Awardees
Congratulations to our 2024 Kendeigh Grant awardees! This year’s funded projects will study how predators affect grassland birds, the health and winter ecology of Eastern Whip-poor-wills, and whether migratory American Robins are a source of West Nile Virus to non-migratory robins.
Bird of the Month: Common Yellowthroat
Spring is a great time to find warblers, as many migrate through Champaign County. This month’s featured bird is one of the warblers that sticks around, and is the most common to nest in our area.
Bird of the Month: Eastern Phoebe
April’s bird of the month is a flycatcher with a distinctive raspy call. Learn where to find this bird by its voice and spot its unique habit of “pumping” its tail up and down while perching.