March Events

 Storm Chasing and Birding Adventures by Isaac Polanski

"Birds and weather share an important relationship with each other.  Weather influences migration routes and fallouts, brings in vagrants, and impacts habitat from year to year.  This program will review my Michigan big years of 2023 and 2024 as well as my storm chasing adventures of the same years.  The relationship between birds and the weather will be discussed and how the weather has helped me find multiple rare birds." 

Isaac Polanski has been a birder since winter 2021.  He has been a storm chaser since 2015.  He has seen over 140 tornadoes across the United States.  Both 2023 and 2024 he had over 315 bird species in Michigan.  He is a graduate of Central Michigan University with a degree in Integrated Sciences for Secondary Education.  He works for the City of Royal Oak in the Water Maintenance Department. 

February Events

 February Field Trip

The February 15, 2025 field trip to Pere Marquette Park and the 

Muskegon Channel was canceled due to the bad weather forecast.

February 18 Program

Natural Features of Ottawa County

Bill Martinus, Botanist

    In tonight’s program Bill will discuss:

    1 - What a Natural Features Inventory is, and the process and methods of creating an NFI.

    2- Which Natural Features occur in Ottawa County Parks:

        Flora and fauna of special concern,

        Threatened and endangered species,

        Habitats, unique features, etc.

    3- Data, interpretation, and practical uses of NFI information to Ottawa County Parks, the community, and science.

    William Martinus and his wife Shirley have lived in western Ottawa County for over 50 years, wandering through natural areas (especially Ottawa County’s parks) recording plants and birds.  After teaching for thirty years, Bill’s focus narrowed to conducting inventories of what specifically occurs within the 7,400 acres of Ottawa County’s Parks and 50+ properties.

    His official inventories over 20 years include those completed in Upper Macatawa, Stearns Creek, North Ottawa Dunes, Ottawa Sands, Rosy Mound, Port Sheldon Natural Area, Hiawatha Forest, Crockery Creek, Eastmanville Bayou, Grand Ravines, and Grose parks.

    In the process he has documented with specimens to the University of Michigan Herbarium, over 450 plant species new to Ottawa County, and nearly 30 entirely new to the State of Michigan, as well as a native slug species new to the state!

    Tuesday, February 18, 2025, Loutit District Library, 407 Columbus Ave., Grand Haven.  Visiting time: 6:00-6:30 p.m.  Program: 6:30-8:00 p.m.