Saving Birds Thru Habitat
Calendar of Events for 2013


For all events (except Nature North) please meet at the Habitat Discovery Center, 5020 North Putnam Road. For additional information/directions, call 231-271-3738. Loaner binoculars are available.

Saturday, May 4, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Wildflower walk at Saving Birds Thru Habitat and Charter Sanctuary with Brian Zimmerman
Brian's passion for the natural world is one of the reasons he became interested in native plants. For the past several years he has studied the relationship between native plants and healthy ecosystems. As a result, he now offers the largest selection of quality native plants in northern Michigan at Four Season Nursery. We will begin our hike at 10AM at the Habitat Discovery Center, 5020 N. Putnam Road. Call 231-271-3738 with questions. Brian will be offering 20% off coupons for native plants at his nursery for participants of this hike.

Saturday, May 11, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Bird Hike
Charter Sanctuary co-owner and Saving Birds Thru Habitat Executive Director Kay Charter will lead a Bird Hike on both properties. The hike will focus on early arriving breeding birds and those that are still migrating through the area. We will begin our hike at 10AM at the Habitat Discovery Center, 5020 N. Putnam Road. Call 231-271-3738 with questions. Brian Zimmerman will be offering a 10% coupon at Four Season Nursery for participants in this hike.

Saturday, May 18, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Volunteer day at the Saving Birds Thru Habitat Discovery Center
Join us at 10AM to help clearing trails, cleaning gardens, or removing invasive plants. Learn why non-native plants are deleterious to a healthy bird population. Bring garden gloves if you have them. We will begin our program at the Habitat Discovery Center, 5020 N. Putnam Road. Call 231-271-3738 with questions.

Sunday, May 19, 2013 | 8:00 a.m.
Joint SBTH/Leelanau Conservancy bird hike at Lighthouse West with Kay Charter and Ed and Linda Ketterer.
We’ll be looking for late migrants as well as species that have established territories and begun nesting. Hike begins at 8:00AM at Lighthouse West parking lot.

Saturday, May 25, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Family Day
Join us with your kids and grandkids for a morning of fun conservation-related hikes and games. Youngsters love our Bird ‘n Bug Safari, our Great Migration Game or Fill the Bill. Program begins at 10AM at the Habitat Discovery Center, 5020 N. Putnam Road. Call 231-271-3738 with questions.

Wednesday, May 29 through Sunday, June 2, 2013
Leelanau Peninsula Birding Festival
A conservation-based festival that includes two endangered species and a number of threatened species. Check it out at www.mibirdfest.com.

Saturday, June 8, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Bird Hike
Charter Sanctuary co-owner and Saving Birds Thru Habitat Executive Director Kay Charter will lead a Bird Hike on both properties. The hike will focus on breeding birds of the area and their habitat requirements. We will begin our hike at 10AM at the Habitat Discovery Center at 5020 N. Putnam Road. Call 231-271- 3738 with questions. Brian Zimmerman will be offering a 10% coupon at Four Season Nursery for participants in this hike.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013 | 8:30 a.m.
Join Brian Price and Kay Charter for an all day bus trip
This trip will focus on various stages of habitat restoration at Lighthouse West and DeYoung Natural Areas and Charter Sanctuary. Clay Cliffs, where restoration has not yet begun, is included in the trip. We will explore what habitat improvements are underway at each site, and what those changes mean for birds and other wildlife that use those sites. Meet at the boat launch parking lot across from M-204 in Suttons Bay at 8:30 AM. Trip will end around 4pm. Lunch will be included. Cost is $50.00. Call 231-271-3738 with questions.

Thursday, June 13, 2013 | 5:00 p.m.
Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce After Hours
We will be hosting this month’s business get together. Birding hikes on Charter Sanctuary will be offered. Begins at 5PM.

Saturday, June 15, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Volunteer day at the Saving Birds Thru Habitat Discovery Center
Join us at 10AM to help clearing trails, cleaning gardens, or removing invasive plants. Learn why non-native plants are deleterious to a healthy bird population. Bring garden gloves if you have them. Bring garden gloves if you have them. We will begin our program at the Habitat Discovery Center, 5020 N. Putnam Road. Call 231-271-3738 with questions.

Thursday, June 20, 2013 | 6:00 p.m.
Genuine Leelanau Co-presidents Cherryll Frick and Molly Phinny and the Board of Genuine Leelanau will host this fund-raiser at the Habitat Discovery Center
Genuine Leelanau will present Kay Charter, our Executive Director, with $1,000 for the organization’s dedication and long-term goals toward the environment and its importance in the health and survival of our bird population.

This cocktail-hour event will be a fund-raiser for Genuine Leelanau. Funds raised from this event will go towards the Laundry Project, which offers free laundry days in the Suttons Bay Laundromat to Leelanau County people in need. Please join us for this fun and fine-feathered event. Guided birding hikes will be offered. Event begins at 6PM. Tickets are $50.00 per person.

Saturday, June 22, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Birding in Peru, Part 2
Brian Allen will present a PowerPoint program about his second birding trip to Peru. In spring of 2010 he was invited back to Peru on a free trip sponsored by Kolibri Expeditions to explore the feasibility of doing ecotourism in the Satipo valley of the east central Andes. Brian says that his program shows some of the stunning scenery and some of the scariest roads for birding he has ever have experienced! He will take us to some of the last retreats of the Black-spectacled Brush Finch, the endemic Pardusco and the gorgeous Golden-backed and Yellow-scarfed Tanagers.

Saturday, June 29, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Family Day
Join us with your kids and grandkids for a morning of fun conservation-related hikes and games. Youngsters love our Bird ‘n Bug Safari, our Great Migration Game or Fill the Bill. We will begin our program at 10AM at the Habitat Discovery Center at 5020 N. Putnam Road. Call 231-271-3738 with questions.

Saturday, July 6, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Bird Hike
Charter Sanctuary co-owner and Saving Birds Thru Habitat Executive Director Kay Charter will lead a Bird Hike on both properties. The hike will focus on late breeding birds and their habitat requirements. We will begin our hike at 10AM at the Habitat Discovery Center at 5020 N. Putnam Road. Call 231-271-3738 with questions. Brian Zimmerman will be offering a 10% coupon at Four Season Nursery for participants in this hike.

Saturday, July 13, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Volunteer day at the Saving Birds Thru Habitat Discovery Center
Join us at 10AM to help clearing trails, cleaning gardens, or removing invasive plants. Bring garden gloves if you have them. We will begin our program at the Habitat Discovery Center, 5020 N. Putnam Road. Call 231-271-3738 with questions.

Thursday, July 18, 2013 | All Day
Event at Inland Seas
All day event at Inland Seas. Bring the kids for Bird ‘n Bug Safari.

Saturday, July 27, 2013| 10:00 a.m.
“Why I Love Clear cutting” by Eric Ellis
Many of us believe that there is nothing good about clear cutting. While we don’t want to see old-growth forests mowed down, there is a place in our bird conservation toolbox for clear cutting in many areas. Join Eric Ellis, Wildlife Habitat Biologist with Conservation Resource Alliance for this entertaining and thought-provoking program on clear cutting. Program begins at 10AM.

Saturday, August 3, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Bird Hike
Charter Sanctuary co-owner and Saving Birds Thru Habitat Executive Director Kay Charter will lead a Bird Hike on both properties. The hike will focus on early arriving breeding birds and those that are still migrating through the area. We will begin our hike at 10AM at the Habitat Discovery Center at 5020 N. Putnam Road. Call 231-271-3738 with questions. Brian Zimmerman will be offering a 10% coupon at Four Season Nursery for participants in this hike.

Saturday, August 10, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Volunteer day at the Saving Birds Thru Habitat Discovery Center
Join us at 10AM to help clearing trails, cleaning gardens, or removing invasive plants. Learn why non-native plants are deleterious to a healthy bird population. Bring garden gloves if you have them. Bring garden gloves if you have them. We will begin our program at the Habitat Discovery Center, 5020 N. Putnam Road. Call 231-271-3738 with questions.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013 | 9:00 a.m. - All Day
Invasive species seminar with Vern Stephens
$35.00 fee includes lunch. Program includes strategic planning, treatment methods, invasive species control and information about new herbicides. Morning will be spent in classroom. After a break for lunch, we will go into the field on Charter Sanctuary and an adjacent property to check on results of treated areas. At the end of the day, we will return to the Discovery Center for recap and evaluation.

Saturday, August 24, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
Family Day
Join us with your kids and grandkids for a morning of fun conservation-related hikes and games. Youngsters love our Bird ‘n Bug Safari, our Great Migration Game or Fill the Bill. Program begins at 10AM. Call 231- 271-3738 with questions.

Saturday, September 7, 2013 | 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Tenth Anniversary Celebration
Glen Chown and Greg Butcher speakers and music by Northport Community Band. Refreshments available along with a silent auction. One item available for auctioning will be a one-week stay at a beautiful lake front home on Beaver Island. Bird Hikes on Charter Sanctuary.

Saturday, September 14, 2013 | 10:00 a.m.
A Bird’s Eye View of the Prairie
What is that little brown bird and what is it doing in the eight-foot tall grasses? Join SBTH Executive Director and Leelanau Conservancy Docent Bobbie Poor for this joint program about the importance of prairie to our many sparrow species. Program begins at 10AM. Call 231-271-3738 with questions.

Saturday, September 14, 2013 | 2:00 p.m.
Prairie Walk with Jim and Kay Charter
Learn about the importance of prairie to our migrating and nesting birds populations, as well as all you want to know about prairie restoration and maintenance. Program begins at 2PM. Call 231-271-3738 with questions.

Saturday, October 26, 2013 | 2:00 p.m.
Arachnophobia
What good are spiders? Should we fear them? What is their role in the natural world? How does a decline in our bird populations affect their numbers? Learn all about the creature that is most feared than any other on the planet