The Muskegon County Nature Club: January 2026

Sunday, January 4, 2026

January 2026 Events

January 17, 2026

"Wastewater" Field Trip

Ric Pedler

At 9:00 Saturday morning, January 17, 2026, meet our group just inside the Maple Island Road entrance to the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center (1/10 of a mile north of White Road). We will bird the property by car, stopping often to step out of our vehicles, so please dress for the weather.

Hopefully we will find such winter bird species as Snow Bunting, Lapland Longspur, Rough-legged Hawk, Snowy Owl and Golden Eagle, plus many of the usual suspects.

A walkie-talkie tuned to Channel 11, Subchannel 0, can be helpful but is not necessary. The trip will end around noon. Hope to see you there.

January 20, 2026

A Fledgling Guide to Birding

Cindy Dobrez

Loutit Library, Grand Haven

Social Time: 6:00-6:15 p.m. Program: 6:15-8:00 p.m.

Cindy will present tips for beginning birders.

2025-2026 EVENTS

Programs are in conjunction with the Owashtanog Islands Audubon Society. Social Time: 6:00-6:15, Program: 6:15-8:00, at the Loutit Library in Grand Haven. See schedule below. We hold three business meetings each season (September, January and May) with time and place details posted on this page. The public is welcome at all meetings and field trips. If you decide to keep attending, please join our club. Dues are $20.00 per year and include our monthly newsletter.

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Sept. 20 Field Trip

Hoffmaster State Park

Sept. 23 Meeting

Before the Program

Sept. 23 Program

Birding Slovakia & Central Europe

Curtis Dykstra

Oct. 11 Field Trip

Black Lake Park

Oct. 21 Program

Protecting Endangered Raptors - Caleb Putnam

Nov. 15 Field Trip

Ottawa Sands Park

Nov. 18 Program

Birding Montana - Ken Cook

Christmas Bird Count

City of Muskegon

December 20, 2025

Christmas Bird Count

MCRRC (Wastewater)

December 17, 2025

Jan. 17 Field Trip

Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center

Jan. 20 Program:

Fledging Guide to Birding - Cindy Dobrez

Winter Meeting:

Date, Time and Location

To Be Announced

Feb. 17 Program

Rails at Different Scales - Daniel Goldberg

Feb. 21 Field Trip

Pere Marquette Park

and Muskegon Channel

Mar. 17 Program

Chimney Swifts - Chad Machinski

Mar. 21 Field Trip

Dune Harbor Park

Apr. 18 Field Trip

Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve

Apr. 21 Program

To Be Determined

May 16 Field Trip

Big Day Count

May 21 Meeting

Potluck Picnic

June 20 Field Trip

Black Lake Park

July 18 Field Trip

Lost Lake & Muskegon State Park

Aug. 15 Field Trip

Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center

MUSKEGON COUNTY NATURE CLUB

In the late 1930's Muskegon High School biology teacher Anne Verne Fuller took her students on birding hikes. With the encouragement of the school librarian and renowned local naturalist Margaret Drake Elliott, those hikes continued after school. Thus began the Muskegon County Nature Club.

Originally the club met at the Muskegon County Museum located in the Vanderlaan School; later in the old jail building. Through many years and many people it evolved into today's official Muskegon chapter of Michigan Aubuon.

We would enjoy meeting you in person sometime, so please come to one of our meetings or field trips. If you decide to keep attending, please join the club. Dues are $20.00 per year. Benefits include our friendship and the monthly club newsletter.

2024-2025 OFFICERS:

- Beth Miller

President

Greg Swanson

Vice-President

- Greg DeWeerd

Treasurer

- Ric Pedler

Secretary

Citizen Science and Reports

Various members of our club have been involved in CITIZEN-SCIENCE PROJECTS such as:

Shorebird Surveys (MANOMET Center for Conservation Sciences)

Marsh Monitoring (Bird Life International, Bird Studies Canada)

North American Migration Count

(National Audubon Society)

Christmas Bird Counts

(National Audubon Society)

Hawk-watching (Hawk Migration Association of North America).

Bluebird Box Maintenance

and Monitoring

(Muskegon County Wastewater

Management System)

For past reports and data, email the address above.

Notice of Terms and Conditions

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