Thursday, February 7, 7pm
Program: The Great Backyard Bird Count: History and Use for Conservation
Anita Purves Nature Center (NOTE LOCATION)
Learn about the tradition and basis for the Great Backyard Bird Count, a community science endeavor that you can take part in! We will also include an eBird tutorial for those looking to learn how to use this useful software for personal and citizen science bird counts.
FREE and open to the public.

Saturday, February 17, 9am-4pm
Anita Purves Nature Center
Great Backyard Bird Count Event 
Help with bird conservation by counting birds. Anyone can participate–count for as little or as long as you wish! Record the birds you see through the windowed Wildlife Observation Room and during guided hikes. Get instruction in basic bird identification. Dress for the weather, and bring binoculars if you have them or borrow a pair at the nature center. Free activity stations will also be available. All ages. FREE. For more info: (217) 384-4062.
– 10am and 3pm: Winter Bird Hikes
– 11am-1pm: Make a Feeder
– 1-3pm: Nest Builders

Monday, February 19, 1-5pm
Homer Lake Interpretive Center
Great Backyard Bird Count Event
Enjoy making bird-themed crafts and help count the birds at our feeders for this citizen science event. From 2-4 p.m., see birds up close with UIS researchers as they demonstrate mist netting at the bird feeders. All ages. FREE. For more info: (217) 896-2455 or pleiter@ccfpd.org.

Monday, February 18, 7pm
CCAS Board Meeting
Champaign Public Library, Rm 215

Saturday, March 2, 7:30am
CCAS Members Birdwalk: Meadowbrook Park
A special birdwalk for Champaign County Audubon Society members! Meet at the Race street parking lot.

Sundays, March 4 – May 27, 7:30-9am
Sunday Morning Bird Walks
Meet in Anita Purves Nature Center parking lot. Join us at our longest-running program, the Sunday morning birdwalks! Walks run from 7:30 to about 9, but if the birds are good some birders will stay longer! Free and open to the public.

Thursday, March 7, 7pm
Program: Never Trust a Cowbird: How Brood Parasitic Birds and their Hosts Recognize Each Other
Urbana Free Library
Presenter: Mark E. Hauber, Professor of Animal Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (www.cowbirdlab.org)
Brood parasitic birds lay their eggs in others’ nests, causing the hosts to raise unrelated young in their brood. Why don’t parasites then not imprint on the hosts and why don’t hosts reject parasitic eggs? This talk will explore this evolutionary conundrum by reviewing the different types of experiments that we can conduct to answer such questions, including the use of diversely painted and maculated 3D printed eggs.