Next Birds & Brews - January 9, 2013

Just a quick posting to let you know our next Birds & Brews gathering will be Wednesday, January 9th, 2013. There will be no Birds & Brews for December.

Keep in mind the Annual Christmas Bird Count takes place December 14 - January 5th.  Please check out Michigan Audubon's web site to participate and find a count that's nearest you. http://www.michiganaudubon.org/research/surveys_forms_data/christmas_count/christmas_count.html

Happy Holiday and Happy Birding!

Birds & Brews Nov. 14th Event

Our next Birds & Brews is coming up fast!  I am excited to announce that we will be featuring Abigail Ertel and Brad Jensen from Huron Pines, a non-profit conservation organization based in Gaylord, Michigan.

Huron Pines was recently selected by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and US Fish and Wildlife Service to lead the new Kirtland's Warbler Initiative. They will be involved in conservation management in the Jack Pine forests of the region and will be helping to achieve the goal of seeing the Kirtland's Warbler successfully removed from the endangered species list.

Event Details:

• Wednesday, November 14th
• 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
• Place: Bailey's Pub, 22091 Michigan Ave., Dearborn 48124
• Our speakers will begin at 7:00 p.m.
• Topic: Kirtland's Warbler Initiative

RSVP's are required for this event:  shelleyupnorth @ gmail.com. 

Fun night at Birds & Brews!

September 12 was certainly memorable!  Robert Golda from Hiking Michigan came and spoke to our group at Bailey's Pub. He spoke about the great synergies with birding and hiking, gave some great places to visit and even gave away 2 hiking maps. We look forward to doing more things with Robert in the future! http://www.hikingmichigan.com/

Next we had Janet Hug from the Oakland Audubon Society.  She gave us updates on their Nuthatch Challenge to encourage young birders. It was wonderful to have her join us! http://www.oaklandaudubon.org/

After our speakers, we of course had a brew and talked about birds.  It's been wonderful to see new and old faces as our group continues to grow.  Our next Birds & Brews is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, November 14 at Bailey's Pub in Dearborn.  Come join us!

Sept. 12 - Birds & Brews Agenda!

Just a quick update for our upcoming Birds & Brews on Sept 12!  We will be featuring Robert Golda from Hiking Michigan at 6:30 p.m.  We believe hiking and birding go together!  Robert will be advising of upcoming events such as the birding walk at Hartwick Pines State Park as well as his favorite places to hike and some useful hiking tips.

About Birds & Brews:
Birds & Brews was formed to connect birders in Southeast Michigan and to promote the mission of the Michigan Audubon Society. Birds & Brews is for birders of all abilities. If you're interested in birds, then you're invited!

Our next Birds & Brews is Sept. 12 beginning at 6 p.m. at Bailey's Pub in Dearborn. 22091 Michigan Avenue.

If you have any questions or plan on joining us, please contact Shelley at shelleyupnorth@gmail.com

Happy Birding!

Birds & Brews - September 12!

"Nature never goes out of style." ~Author Unknown

Fall migration is underway and it's time for the next Birds & Brews! Come join us on Wednesday, Sept 12, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Bailey's Pub in Dearborn.

We are going to have a fun giveaway, possibly another surprise as well as the usual talking about birds while having a brew! RSVP's are appreciated: shelleyupnorth@gmail.com. Hope to see you there!

Birds & Brews - August Gathering

It was a sunny and warm day in Dearborn for this Birds & Brews gathering!  We had "Show & Tell" day with attendees bringing photographs of their favorite birds to share.  Still laughing over Anne's story about her friend seeing a "Shmoo" bird!  Looking forward to our next gathering on September 12.
Here are photos of tonight's group:

Wayne & Susan

Pat, David & Jackie

Wayne, Shelley & Susan

Paul, Wayne & Susan

Jackie, Rita & Anne

Pat & David

Birds & Brews - August 8th

Our next Birds & Brews gathering is coming up fast!  Please join us on August 8th at Bailey's Pub in Dearborn starting at 6:00 p.m.  We will be having a "Show & Tell" day! Please bring a photograph of your favorite bird to share. As always, we will be talking about birds and having a brew. To RSVP or ask any questions, please email me at shelleyupnorth at gmail dot com.  

Bailey's Pub is located at 22091 Michigan Ave., Dearborn, MI 48124.

*Birds & Brews was formed to connect birders in Southeast Michigan. We are a social group for birders of all abilities. We enjoy birding and a good brew! If you're interested in birds, then you're invited!

Birds & Brews - June 13th Recap

 We had great weather for our June 13th outing to the Rouge River Bird Observatory! Not too hot and not too cool.  A group of 14 met on the U of M Dearborn campus to take a bird walk led by Julie Craves, supervisor of avian research and contributing editor to BirdWatching magazine. (Her credential list goes on forever! We were extremely lucky to have her lead us!)

 The trails are easy to walk at the Rouge River Bird Observatory.  The first bird we saw was the Blue Heron flying overhead.

 Other birds seen included the Baltimore Oriole, Red-eyed Vireo, Downy Woodpecker, Cedar Waxwings, and much more!

 We saw a lovely Canadian Geese family feeding out in the field.

 Me and Julie!

Afterwards, the Birds & Brews group headed over to Bailey's Pub for a brew and good conversation.  A good time was had by all! Looking forward to the next Birds & Brews!

Birds & Brews Dates

Please mark your calendars for the following Birds & Brews events! All gatherings are at Bailey's Pub in Dearborn unless otherwise noted.

• Wed., June 13th - 6:30 - 9:00 pm.  Bird Walk at Rouge River Bird Observatory at 6:30. Gathering at Bailey's Pub immediately after.  RSVP's required for this event.  shelleyupnorth@gmail.com
• Wed. - July 11th - No Birds & Brews. Vacation month! 
• Wed., Aug. 8 - 6:00 - 9:00 pm.  Show & Tell day at Birds & Brews.  Please bring a photograph of your favorite bird to share.  
• Wed., Sept. 12 - 6:00 - 9:00 pm.  *Possible bird documentary may be shown. Stay tuned for details!

Rouge River Bird Tour Spots are open!

Our next Birds & Brews event is Wednesday, June 13th. We are first going to meet at the Rouge River Bird Observatory at 6:15 p.m. for a short guided bird walk led by Julie Craves. We now have more spots open for the bird tour. If you are interested, please contact me immediately at shelleyupnorth@gmail.com . RSVP's are required. After the bird walk, we will head to Bailey's Pub for a brew. We have the lounge area reserved for our group from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00. Come join us to talk about birds and have a brew!

June 13th Event Update

For our June 13th Birds & Brews event, our tour at Rouge River Observatory has now reached its' limit. However, you can still be added to our waiting list. Can't make the tour? Then join us at Bailey's Pub! We'll be heading to Bailey's afterwards to have a brew and discuss birds. Bailey's Pub located at 22091 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn. We have the lounge area reserved from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Please email me to RSVP, for details or to ask questions: shelleyupnorth at gmail.com. Happy Birding!

Rouge River Bird Observatory Tour

We have an exciting event planned for our next Birds & Brews on June 13th! Julie Craves will be leading a short bird walk at the Rouge River Bird Observatory in Dearborn. Julie is the head of avian research of U of M Dearborn, a contributing editor to Bird Watching magazine as well as a publisher of books and research. We will be meeting at 6:15 p.m. and commencing on our walk at 6:30 p.m. Afterwards we will head to Bailey's Pub for a brew! RSVP's are mandatory for this event so please email me at shelleyupnorth@gmail.com to attend or ask any questions. We look forward to seeing you!

Birds and Brews gear is now available! Check it out! www.zazzle.com/birdsandbrews

A warbler & a brew!

We had a nice size crowd last night for Birds & Brews! Author William Rapai spoke about his book "The Kirtland's Warbler." It was an informative, interesting and at times funny presentation. Afterwards, there was a book signing and of course some brews were consumed. Here are some photos of our Birds & Brews attendees:

From 2012-04-11

April 11 Event - The Kirtland's Warbler

Birds & Brews presents

The Kirtland's Warbler
The Story of a Bird's Fight Against Extinction and the People Who Saved It

Author William Rapai


Book Signing & Presentation

Wednesday, April 11

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Bailey’s Pub & Grille - 22091 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn

RSVP: shelleyupnorth@gmail.com

About the author: William Rapai is president of Grosse Pointe Audubon Society and has traveled across North America and to Cuba, Iceland, and Thailand to view and research birds. He was an award-winning reporter and editor for the Grand Forks Herald, the Detroit Free Press, and the Boston Globe. This is his first book.

*Please note this book can be purchased at your local bookstores and online at www.amazon.com and www.press.umich.edu. Additionally, there will be books available for sale at the event.

A beautiful night with Birds & Brews!

I have to say, we couldn't have picked better weather to have Birds & Brews tonight! 71 degrees, all the windows open in the lounge area of Bailey's Pub and the fresh air flowed in. A lot of great things shared tonight - photos, video, events and must visit sanctuaries. I'm looking forward to our April 11th event with Bill Rapai speaking about his book "The Kirtland's Warbler." More details to follow in the coming weeks, so please stay tuned.

In the meantime, enjoy the photos of these smiling faces!

Birds & Brews Gathering - March 14th!

Birds & Brews Connecting birders in SE Michigan

Dear Southeast Michigan Birding Friends, We will be holding our next Birds & Brews gathering on Wednesday, March 14th at: Bailey's Pub & Grille 22091 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48124 Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Attendees will be responsible for their own food and drink. If you have any questions or require more information, please email me. or check out the Birds & Brews blog. Happy Birding! ~Shelley (Pssst! Birds & Brews is also on Facebook) What is Birds & Brews? Birds & Brews was inspired by an extraordinary birder by the name of Sharon a.k.a. Birdchick. (Check out her website:www.birdchick.com ) Our mission is to connect birders in Southeast Michigan and promote conservation efforts of Michigan Audubon. Birds & Brews is an informal gathering of birders of all abilities–if you’re interested in birds, you’re invited!

Upcoming Birds & Brews Events

Mark your calendars for our upcoming Birds & Brews events at Bailey's Pub in Dearborn!

*Wednesday, March 14th: 6-8 p.m.

*Wednesday, April 11th: 6-8 p.m. We are happy to announce that we will have author Bill Rapai speaking at 6:30 about his wonderful book "The Kirtland's Warbler: The Story of A Bird's Fight Against Extinction and the People Who Saved It."

If you'd like to join us, please contact me: shelleyupnorth at gmail dot com. Happy Birding!

Photos from Feb. 8 Birds & Brews Gathering!

It was a wonderful night at Bailey's Pub for our first Birds & Brews gathering! We had over 20 people there representing birders of all abilities. The beer tasted good and the fellowship was great. Looking forward to our March gathering!

Birds & Brews Gathering!

We will be holding our first Birds & Brews gathering on Wednesday, February 8th at:

Bailey's Pub & Grille
22091 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48124
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

I will have some nice giveaways courtesy of the Michigan Audubon Society. Attendees will be responsible for their own food and drink. If you have any questions or require more information, please contact me at shelleyupnorth at gmail dot com. RSVP's are appreciated! Happy Birding!

Inspiration for Birds & Brews

Birds & Brews was inspired by an extraordinary birder by the name of Sharon a.k.a. Birdchick. (Check out her website: www.birdchick.com ) Birdchick is a National Park Ranger in Minnesota, writes for several publications including WildBird Magazine, Birding Business and Outdoor News and also travels to nature festivals and events and give workshops on digiscoping, attracting birds, a tech guide to birding and beekeeping.

I read her blog often and enjoyed reading about her Birds & Beers group which she describes as "an informal gathering of birders of all abilities–if you’re interested in birds, you’re invited." Birdchick was generous enough to let me copy her idea - so a big hearty thank you to Birdchick!

So here come's the Michigan version. Our inaugural Birds & Brews event will be scheduled in February. Stay tuned!