Montana Audubon Center News
June 2023
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Greetings!
June is here! You know what that means, the beginning of the Summer season here at the Center! We are extremely excited to welcome back our summer camp programming and all the infant wildlife that have been welcomed into the world recently. Summer marks the end of an era for some, but it also means the start of new and exciting things for all! Some may be saying goodbye to structure and reinviting uncertainty into their lives. This allows us all to learn how to be explorers again. For our budding naturalists here at the Center, we are looking forward to showing you all that the natural world has to offer this season.
Yours in Conservation,
Lily Simon
BSWC Teacher Naturalist/ Communications Specialist
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ANTS Spring Updates
In the past two months, we have had over 60 different classes (mostly 4th graders) out at the center for our field trips. Each group had a blast canoeing on our pond with our muskrat and geese swimming around. They all had the chance to contribute to the center by pulling weeds and working on a special canoe planter project. The groups learned about erosion, rock types, pollinators, and so much more! The weather did not stop us from getting outside and enjoying our beautiful center.
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Welcome, Amanda!
The Montana Audubon Center is excited to welcome Amanda Martian back to the Center as the Assistant Summer Camp Coordinator! Amanda has been working for the Center for the past two years as a teacher naturalist for the ANTS programs and the homeschool science programs.
Amanda is currently a student at Montana State University- Billings and is working towards her Master's degree in Education Curriculum and Instruction. She is originally from the State of Washington and moved to Billings over two years ago to pursue her passion for teaching and to be closer to her extended family.
When Amanda isn't working or doing homework, she keeps busy with her two pet cats and her one dog. Those little critters take up the majority of her free time. When she isn't playing with them, she loves to fish, hike, cross-stitch, knit, and read.
We're glad to have you back Amanda!
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Calling All Campers!
We still have openings in our older summer camp age groups.
We have openings for the Challenge Accepted Day Camp (June 26-30), Outdoor Survival AM Camp (July 10-14), and Campfire Cookoff AM Camp (July 31- August 4) openings!
Registration for these programs closes the day the camp starts. There are still scholarships available as well.
More information about these camps and registration info can be found on our website.
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Fledge on, Students!
May is the month that our preschool and kindergarten fledglings fly from the nest. On their last day, the students build their nests out of sticks on top of the hill near our classroom buildings. Then in front of family and friends, they receive their long-awaited wings that will take them off to new and exciting adventures. Each student gets to pick their wing colors and the wings are thoughtfully made for each student to keep, by their teachers. It’s a bittersweet evening full of all sorts of emotions. Sadness, loss, and nostalgia as students and families who have been together with us for often several years are leaving the nest. Joy, pride, and excitement to see our students growing and learning and ready to take flight to new things. It is our hope that our students have learned confidence, resilience, self-reliance, and a love of learning and nature that will carry them through life. And that they will always call Montana Audubon Center or at least the great outdoors home.
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Upcoming Community Programs |
Family Programs
Evening Exploration: 1st Tuesday of the month, May - August, 4:30 pm-7:30pm
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 $10/canoe, Free for members
Nature Nuts Preschool Program: Every Tuesday 10 - 11 am
Nature exploration comes naturally, especially for kids! Children age 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 of $5/child
Free for members
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.
Bat Night Hike: Friday, June 23rd from 8:30p-10p
Dive into the mesmerizing world of bats! Join us for a fun night learning cool bat facts, then head out with special acoustic equipment to find them. Bring a flashlight and good walking shoes.
Suggested donation $5/person
Adult Programs
Bird Stroll: 2nd Saturday of the month from 8:30 - 10 am
Enjoy a morning stroll by the river and learn 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
Montana Master Naturalist: 5-Day Course, June 12th-16th, 2023 from 8:30 am-4:30 pm
This course is designed for adults who want to deepen their knowledge of the natural world. We'll explore everything from birds and insects to mammals and plant ID. You’ll hone your naturalist skills as we practice birding, journaling, making connections in nature, and the art of observation.
$390 for NonMembers
$350 for Members
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Land Steward Updates
In preparation for the upcoming Summer here at the Center, our land steward, Nora, is busy preparing the grounds for lots of exploration. We are getting the West End Gardens ready for planting. This includes weeding the area of Cheatgrass and other invasive plants, and spraying those invasives with Glyphosate in order to make room for native species!
Nora is also busy weeding the gardens around the rest o the Center. While doing this she is also trimming the existing gardens, restoring the irrigation systems throughout the property, working on the nest watch, and creating canoe planters! Thank you for the update Nora!
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To Be a Master Naturalist
What does it mean to be a Montana Master Naturalist?
To me, it's the encouragement that I need as an adult to stay curious about the natural world and further motivation to share the wonders of nature with others. The Montana Master Naturalist course has sharpened my observation skills, widened my natural history knowledge base, and taught me the importance of documenting what I see, hear, smell, and feel in nature.
This course further connected me to the natural world as well as connecting me to fellow nature nerds, creating an adult community to explore and ask questions. I think that we all could use more ways to experience, connect to and appreciate nature in this technologically driven world we live in.
I hope that you all will consider becoming a certified Montana Master Naturalist through our 5-day summer course coming up June 12th-June 16th, 2023. This course will focus on insects, spiders, birds, and mammals and mastering the art of observation through hands-on field trips and lectures from local experts.
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Follow us on our social media!
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Don't forget to renew your membership!
Members receive a 10% discount on the cost of Center programs! Renew or Sign up today to receive a discount code for future programming.
If you're not sure when your membership expires please reach out to Emily Chilcoat at [email protected].
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 May:
Brian Henderson
Nancy & Dale Detrick
Kris Decker
Morgan Harris
Amy Fourtune
Ashlee Zotovich
Julie Copps
Morgan Harris
Chris Weber
Patti Doble
Michael Hecker
Asjah Akerstrom
Kara Landry
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Montana Audubon Center
406.294.5099
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