Montana Audubon Center News
April 2023
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Greetings!
Spring has sprung here at the Montana Audubon Center! March signified the end of a windy winter. Throughout it all staff and visitors alike banded together to stay warm and active on the property. This month we are looking forward to seeing some of our migratory birds return to Billings, Montana. Along with our favorite feathered friends, we are also excited to see the plants begin to bud with new growth and the insect populations rise. During this pivotal season, students will get a chance to experience the advantages of this bird migration firsthand. With the nests beginning to form and the eggs being laid. The natural world is a fascinating one, and reaping the benefits for our health, happiness, and prosperity is a joy that is underappreciated during the winter.
April marks the beginning of our spring field trips for the ANTS program. Homeschool will learn just gneiss geology with the "Earth Rocks!" geology session beginning. Preschool continues, and our staff is beginning to prepare for the wave of Summer Camps to begin in June with canoe training. Our 8-month-long Master Naturalist course starts this month and we also have some exciting Community Programs that will be happening.
Enjoy the outdoors,
Lily Simon
BSWC Teacher Naturalist
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Become a Master Naturalist
Want to dive deep into learning about the natural world? We'll cover snakes, wildflowers, turtles and so much more during this 8-month Master Naturalist course for adults. Space is limited! Register today. See our website for more info and a link to register. Scholarships are available.
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Summer Camp Update
Summer camp registration is open for 2023 Adventure Camps. Most of our preschool and K-2 age group camps are full, but we recommend getting on the waitlist as most of them are short right now. There are plenty of openings for both of our older groups; students 3rd-5th grade and 6th-8th grade. Camps range from half-day to full-day sessions. We can't wait to start our amazing summer and to have you join us!
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Interested in a nature-based birthday party for your child?
The Montana Audubon Center offers birthday parties year-round (winter included!). All parties last two hours, with one hour dedicated to an engaging and fun nature-based program led by our experienced team of teacher naturalists.
Popular winter party themes include:
- Tricky Tracks and Animal Signs
- Dynamic Dinosaurs
- Backyard Birds
- Nature Hikes/Forest Games
More information can be found on our website.
Bookings are available on weekday afternoons and evenings, as well as Saturdays. Contact Alina Garner to book your party today!
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Upcoming Community Programs |
Family Programs
Evening Exploration: 1st Tuesday of the month, April-August, 4:30 pm-7:30 pm
Bring your friends and family down to the Center to celebrate the change of seasons in nature! Explore and enjoy the ponds, the wildlife, and the changes in our plants as we move from winter to spring and spring to summer. Ask a naturalist your essential questions about animals and plants. Borrow field guides, insect nets, and binoculars. Or get in a canoe and explore the ponds with the setting sun. Choose your own adventure and enjoy this special time outside with your friends and family.
Suggested donation is $10/canoe, and free for members
Advance registration is required. The link to register can be found here.
Nature Nuts Preschool Program: Every Tuesday 10 - 11 am
Nature exploration comes naturally, especially for kids! Children ages 1 to 4 (and an accompanying adult) join our teacher naturalists for guided outdoor play and learning about nature in Billings and beyond.
Suggested donation is $5/child or free for members
Advance registration is required. The link to register can be found here.
Weekend Wonders Family Program: 2nd Saturday of the month from 10:30 am-12 pm
This expert-led program is perfect for people of all ages! Every month features a nature theme, an outdoor adventure, and a hands-on learning experience from an expert in their field. Time to get some fresh air, learn something new, and have some fun in nature with your friends and family.
Suggested donation is $5/person or free for members.
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Adult Programs
Bird Stroll: 2nd Saturday of the month from 8:30 - 10 am
Enjoy a morning stroll by the river and learn about a few birds along the way.
Great for beginning birders! On this monthly birding adventure, we will cover some birding basics, learn some bird calls/songs for ID by ear, and work on our description skills to visually ID the species that we see. Come with your own gear or borrow some from us; we have binoculars and guidebooks available to check out. Rain, snow, or shine, we'll be out there birding. We hope to see you there!
Suggested donation $10/adults, $5/students, or free for members
Advance registration is requested. The link to register can be found here.
Spring Lecture Series: Bird Biology with David Lukas: April 19th, April 26th, May 3rd & May 10th, 2023 from 6 pm-7 pm
Join us for a virtual Spring Lecture Series on Bird Biology by naturalist David Lukas. David will cover Bird Bones & Skeletons, Bird Colors, Bird Songs, and Bird Nests in this illuminating virtual exploration into the life of birds. Learn more about your favorite living dinosaurs from a well-known speaker, writer, and naturalist who has led thousands of walks, talks, classes, workshops, and tours, including more than ten years of working as a prolific hiking guide and educator in Yosemite National Park. David has spent virtually every day of his life exploring the natural world— then merging personal observations and intensive scholarly research to craft astonishing stories and insights that he shares both in person and through his books, videos, and photographs. We are excited to have David Lukas as the bird expert for our Spring Lecture Series and we hope to see you all there!
$15/Session for Members
$20/Session for Non-Members
$50/All 4 Sessions for Members
$70/All 4 Sessions for Non-Members
Advanced registration is required. The link to register can be found here.
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Nest Watch-
Volunteer Opportunity
NestWatch is a nationwide program designed to monitor the status and trends in the reproductive biology of birds - when nesting occurs, the number of eggs laid and hatched, and how many hatchlings survive. This database is used to study the current condition of breeding bird populations and how they change over time. Your observations will be added to those of thousands of other NestWatchers in a growing database used by researchers to understand and study birds.
Last year a small group monitored 19 occupied nests at MAC. We found that checking one nest takes about 2 minutes, and all nests can be monitored in less than one hour.
We’re looking for volunteers who can visit one or more of our 29 nest boxes nests twice each week and monitor the progression from incubating eggs to fuzzy chicks to fully-fledged young. Nesting season begins in late spring and only lasts for about three weeks. Pick one. Pick 3. Share a nest with others, or pick 1 or more just for yourself. For more information, call or text Cassidy Dinkel at cassidy@mtaudubon.org / 406-294-5099.
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Carver, a vocational student from Billings Montana West High, volunteers here as part of his program at the school! He does some amazing work volunteering here at the center. We've moved logs across the property, kept some upkeep on some birdboxes, and birdfeeders, taken coordinates at different locations for our Nestwatch program, and on other days he even assisted me with other life skills classes that we work with at West High! Carver likes to walk around and listen to music, play video games, and even sit and have some nice chats on benches! He listens to some pretty good tunes. Carver is an awesome character, and has been an inspiration to work with! Thanks for all your help Carver here at The center! |
Youth Art Contest: How can you help our planet?
The Montana Audubon Center is partnering with The Children's Clinic of Billings, the Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate to sponsor the k-8 art contest for the Yellowstone Valley to raise awareness on climate change.
Join us as we imagine a world of clear skies and clean lands that we can all enjoy!
Awards and prizes for the top 10 in each age category - k-2, 3-5, 6-8 grades. Selected works will be displayed in virtual and physical art gallery exhibitions in May at the Billings Library, the Yellowstone Art Museum, and the Children's Clinic of Billings, then through the summer at the Audubon Center.
Submit your 8 X 11 artwork (no sculptures, please) at the Yellowstone Art Museum, the Montana Audubon Center, the Children's Clinic (downtown or west end), or digitally through this form by April 28.
When dropping off the artwork, please write on the back of the submission the child's name, phone number, email address (parents), age, and grade.
If you have any questions, email Lori Byron or Lily Simon: lori.byron@gmail.com or lily@mtaudubon.org
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Don't forget to renew your membership!
Summer camp registration opens March 13th for Center Family Members and March 20th to the public. Members also receive a 10% discount on the cost of camps and other programs! Renew or Sign up by March 8th to receive the 10% discount code for camps.
Member Benefits include:
Free entry to recurring programs
Free canoe use at Saturday Open Houses
Discounts on classes and programs
Early registration for select programs
Montana Audubon printed newsletter (2x/year)
Membership levels start at just $30/per year
For more details and to sign up to be a member, visit our website.
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Thank you!
We appreciate all those who share in our vision and our work - we truly couldn't do it without you and your support!
Thank you to the following individuals, organizations, and corporations that made contributions to our programs, including through membership in the month of March:
Alissa and William Hahn
Lisa Hedge
Hayley Kemmick
Steve McConnell
Rachell Garcia
Mark Poons
Kelli Schneider
Teresa Blaskovich
Katie Burkhalter
Megan Schweiger
Quinn Heesch
Catherine Young
Sarah Normandeau
Kristine Peterson
Jessica Renstrom
Amanda Wilcox
Ashley Butcher
Gillian Hunter
Jenna Murphy
Daysi Onstad
Mary Ann Skender
Theresa Butcher
Erin Keith
Micki Kuhlman
Kathryn Morehouse
Shena Wald
Rob Kelly
Amanda Mills
Lance Brady
Paige Hunter
Jessica McKee
Marian Green
Christi Jourdan
Jackson Newman
Stephanie Clifton
Audrey Cook
Kristi and Brandon Picchioni
Kathie Shandera
Patricia Notario
Jessica Pelatt
Brooke Taylor
Katherine and Michael Hildebrand
Cody Ross
Emily Peterson
Rita Harding
Jim Hartung
Nathan and Shari Vincent
Sofia Lowery
Mary Jo Michels
Jill Degn
Emily Mathiak
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Montana Audubon Center
406.294.5099
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