Our bird seed sale order pickup has been postponed!
Due to a mishap with the shipment of bird seed from our suppler, we have been forced to reschedule the pickup date for our chapter’s annual bird seed sale. The pickup day for bird seed orders will now be on Saturday, October 26, 2019 at Pesche’s Greenhouse in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Pesche’s Greenhouse is located three miles west of Lake Geneva on Highway 50.
Chapter Meeting – October 22, 2019
The Making of an IBA – Richard Bong State Recreation Area
By Beth Goeppinger
Join naturalist Beth Goeppinger to discover how the history, uses, surveys and management of Richard Bong State Recreation Area have created a busy but bird-filled property and what was needed for it to become the State’s second dedicated Important Bird Area. Once designated to be a jet fighter base, Richard Bong State Recreation Area is named after Major Richard I. Bong, a Poplar, WI native who was America’s leading air ace during World War II. The air base was abandoned three days before concrete was to be poured for a 12,500-foot runway. Local citizens had the foresight to protect this open space for future generations. The property is a 4,515-acre (1,827 ha) unit of the state park system of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is located in the town of Brighton, in Kenosha County. This managed prairie contains 8.3 miles (13 km) of mountain bike trails. Other recreational activities include high power rocketry, swimming, dog sledding, falconry, ATV sports, land sailing, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, camping with amenities, and ultralight aviation. There is a wildlife preserve where great egrets, sandhill cranes, and great blue herons are known to nest. Richard Bong SRA is one of the centerpieces of the newly formed Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge.
Beth grew up in Minnesota and began her fascination with nature at an early age. She attended UW-Stevens Point and graduated with a degree in forestry recreation and environmental education. After working in the field a few years, she received a Masters in Science from Northern Illinois University in Outdoor Teacher Education. She worked for several years in Illinois as assistant director of an environmental education facility. She is has been the naturalist at Richard Bong State Recreation Area for 26 years. Her natural specialties are birds, bugs and botany, but she is still fascinated by it all, spending as much time outdoors as possible! This program is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Lions Field House (270 Elkhorn Road WI-67, Williams Bay, WI)
Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy – Nature Series
Chapter Field Trip – Horicon National Wildlife Refuge
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Join members of Lakeland Audubon on a field trip to Horicon Marsh (NWR). We will drive the auto route and stop at various points to view birds. The meeting time and place will be 8:00 a.m. at the Lions Field House (270 Elkhorn Road) in Williams Bay, WI. From there we will car pool to Horicon Marsh (N7725, Hwy. 28, Horicon, WI) and begin the auto tour after a short meeting to reorganize. The trip will take approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes (one way). Our return time will be in the evening.
Horicon Marsh is the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States. Located in southeast Wisconsin, Horicon Marsh has been formally recognized as a “Wetland of International Importance” by the Ramsar Convention of the United Nations. The marsh is now home to the Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center. The Wildlife Education Program has been conducted at the marsh since the mid-1980s. This program focuses on the abundant wildlife resources of the marsh, their ecology and applied management.
Bird Walks at Big Foot
Saturdays, throughout the year (9:00 – 11:00 AM)
Join us for a Bird Walk near the shores of beautiful Geneva Lake. We will follow the park’s trails while on the lookout for birds and other wildlife. We will meet in the main parking area just past the entrance station a little before 9:00 AM. A state park sticker ($28, $13 if age 65 or older) or daily pass ($8, $3 if age 65 or older) is required to enter Big Foot Beach State Park.
For more information regarding fees, please click on the following link: Wisconsin State Park Admission Fees
Contact: Kevin Dickey (262) 729-9702 or email
Location: Big Foot Beach State Park – N1550 S Lakeshore Dr, Lake Geneva, WI
