Update: January 2023
Coffee with the Birds – 2023/2024 Events
Enjoy a hot cup of coffee and some baked goodies as you watch the birds at the feeders and discuss various birding topics with a naturalist. Bring your bird questions, curiosities and stories, and don’t forget your favorite mug! There are 2 sessions of Feeder Watching to choose from (see schedule below) and a Birding Tidbits “bite-sized” presentation on topics ranging from local birding information and bird identification to natural history and stories of birding adventures. Don’t miss them as these short presentations are sure to be entertaining and informative.
*We plan to be both in-person and Livestream!
General CwB Schedule
9:30 – 10:20: In-Person & LIVESTREAM Feeder Watching Session
10:30 – 11:00: Birding Tidbits Presentation
11:10 – 12:00 Feeder Watching Session 2 – In-Person Only
*For each in-person session there will be about up to about 35 seats available in the Wildlife Den. Once the room is full, we ask that you use the overflow area in the Great Room. You’ll have a view of feeders at the window and a Naturalist will be available to assist.
Upcoming CwB Event Dates & Tidbit Topics
November 21, 2023 (Tuesday) – Photo Contest Mug Reveal Event! (7:00-8:30pm at the Nature Center at Hemlock Crossing County Park – Click photo contest link above for more information)
December 9, 2023 – Photo Contest Winner Stories
January, 2024 – Date/Topic TBD
February, 2024 – Date/Topic TBD
March, 2024 – Date/Topic TBD
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Archived Coffee with the Birds Events (2022-2023)
– 3/18/23 Coffee with the Birds Livestreamed Event
Birding Tidbit Presentation: Bird Profile – Cedar Waxwing
Get a full introduction to the identification, life history and other curiosities of this enigmatic bird which was also featured in the winning photo of the 2022 Photo Contest and on the 2023 Coffee with the Bird mug!
– 2/11/23 Coffee with the Birds Livestreamed Event
This month, since the in-person presentation will be dealing with a portion of the new Birding Alaska video, I decided to just use that video as the Tidbit. This link will go live on Saturday, 2/11/23 at 8am, so it will be available to watch after the livestream Feeder Watching session is over. I hope you enjoy!
– Birding Story: Birding Alaska with Curtis & Mike – Part 4: Denali Highway & Fairbanks
Click image or title above to watch the video
Now a week into their trip, Curtis & Mike make their way to explore the wild and remote Denali Highway before heading to Fairbanks with a lead on searching for an elusive Alaskan owl. Their efforts pay off in majorly epic ways on this stretch of the trip. Just how so? Watch to join the adventure!
For Parts 1-3, visit the Birding Alaska with Curtis & Mike Video Playlist
1-21-2023 Coffee with the Birds Livestreamed Event
Birding Tidbit – Bird ID: Using the Merlin Bird ID App
This month instead of reinventing the wheel with another video, I decided to choose several videos already available on this subject. If you want to learn more about how to use the Merlin Bird ID App, watch the videos below! Click the titles to take you to the link on the web, or watch right here embedded on this website by clicking the video image.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology Demonstration
Learn how to use Merlin’s features to help you identify the birds you see and hear. We’ll walk you through how to use Sound ID, Photo ID, and Merlin’s Explore features.
Badgerland Birding: How to use the Merlin Bird ID App (Photo/Call ID): A Beginner’s Guide
The Merlin Bird ID App can be a great tool if used properly, or a nightmare for eBird reviewers. Learn how to use all the features and how to use them properly in this video.
Merlin Bird ID app now identifies bird sounds
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s free Merlin Bird ID app can now identify bird sounds. Merlin can recognize the sounds of more than 400 species from the U.S. and Canada, with that number set to expand rapidly in future updates.
12-10-2022 Coffee with the Birds Livestreamed Event
If there are technical difficulties, check the @MIOttawa YouTube Page
Birding Tidbit – 2022 Mug Club Photo Contest – Winner’s Photo Stories
The 2022 Coffee with the Birds Mug Club Photo Contest had 95 entries! Unfortunately, we could only choose 5 winners, and only 1 Grand Prize winner to go on our 2023 Mug Club Member mug. To highlight the amazing winning photos, we’ve interviewed all 5 winners: Mike Bergeon, Chris Sprik, Lonny Garris, Carl Manning & June Kuiper. We asked them to give us a glimpse into the story behind their amazing photos. Enjoy!
2022 Photo Contest Winner & 2023 MUG REVEAL LIVESTREAMED EVENT
On 11/22/22 at 7pm we revealed the Photo Contest winner and 2023 Mug Club mug in person at the Nature Center and Livestreamed on YouTube. Thank you to everyone who joined in for the event and to those who entered the 2022 Photo Contest! We received 95 excellent entries and our panel of judges once again had a difficult job selecting the winners. Congratulations to the winners! You can view them HERE or by clicking the photo contest link above. You can order your 2023 Mug Club Membership and mug online for $25 HERE or by clicking the Mug Club Member logo above. Thank you for your support!
For more information on Coffee with the Birds and the Mug Club go to: https://news.miottawa.org/cwb/ or http://www.miottawa.org/birding
To see the video of all 95 entries watch the video below!
Enjoy this slideshow video of the record 95 entries for the 2022 Coffee with the Birds Mug Club Photo Contest. All photos were taken between 11/1/21 and 10/31/22 in Ottawa County, Michigan. The winner will be featured on the 2022 Mug Club Member mug! Click this link for more details on how you can get your own membership and mug! https://news.miottawa.org/cwb-mug-club/ Thank you to everyone who entered the 2022 Photo Contest! We received many excellent entries, and our panel of judges had a difficult job selecting the winners. However, a winner has been selected and the 2023 mugs have been ordered! You’ll have to read below to see when the winner will be revealed. In the meantime, enjoy this slide show video of all the entries put to music. For more information on birding and Ottawa County Parks, visit: https://www.miottawa.org/Parks/birdin…
Archived Coffee with the Birds Events (2021-2022)
A huge thanks to our Volunteer Rick Veldman, who make this event possible by handling all the tech work and equipment behind the scenes! You can find out more about Rick and his video businesses at the the links below:
Kestrel Imagery: Aerial Video and Photo Services
That Others May Know: Capturing the Wisdom of Parents and Grandparents in Video Format.
www.kestrelimagery.com www.thatothersmayknow.com
3/12/22 – Coffee with the Birds Event
Livestreamed Video (3/12/22 @9:30am)
Birding Tidbit – Bird Profile: Red-headed Woodpecker
Known for its flashy colors, animated behavior and “quirky” calls, the Red-headed Woodpecker is an entertaining and interesting bird. This video provides a brief overview of their natural history and its interesting, human-connected story of conservation and survival in the past and into the future. Watch to find out more about this unique woodpecker species!
02/12/2022 Coffee with the Birds Event
Livestreamed Video (2/12/22 @9:30am)
Birding Tidbit – Birding Story: Ptarmigan Again?
Have you ever experienced the rewarding feeling of finding a bird after spending a lot of time & effort to do so? Once this happens, it can sometimes seem like that bird starts popping up everywhere! Other times that bird vanishes again, leaving us to wonder if we’ll ever see it again. Follow birding friends Curtis & Mike on this tale of their experiences over the years looking for a special bird called a Ptarmigan.
01/15/2022 Coffee with the Birds Event
Livestreamed Video (Live 1/15/21 at 11:10 am)
Birding Tidbit: Winter Waterfowl Identification
In this video we’ll take a look at some of the waterfowl species unique to winter in Ottawa County and you’ll get some practical tips on how to identify them and when/where you can go to search for them.
Here are the links to the videos mentioned in this presentation:
The Goldeneye ID Challenge – Can you bag the Barrow’s?!
Virtual Bird Walk – Maplewood Park 3/26/2020
Long-tailed Duck up close diving and preening
Long-tailed Duck synchronized diving flock on Lake Michigan
12/11/21 Coffee with the Birds Event
Livestreamed Video (Live 12/11/21 at 9:30 am)
Birding Tidbit: The Stories Behind the Winning Photos
For this year’s Coffee with the Birds Mug Club Photo Contest, we thought it would be fun to hear the stories behind the the taking of the 5 winning photos. So we interviewed all 5 winners in order to share these stories with you. Each story is about 2 minutes long and the video concludes with the Grand Prize winner’s story. Enjoy!
2021 Mug Club Photo Contest Video
Enjoy this slideshow video of the 71 entries for the 2021 Coffee with the Birds Mug Club Photo Contest. All photos were taken between 11/1/20 and 10/31/21 in Ottawa County, Michigan. The winner will be featured on the 2022 Mug Club Member mug! Read below for more details on how you can get your own membership and mug!
Thank you to everyone who entered the 2021 Photo Contest! We received many excellent entries and our panel of judges had a difficult job selecting the winners. However, a winner has been selected and the 2022 mugs have been ordered!
2021 Photo Contest Winner & 2022 REVEAL EVENT!
Livestreamed Video (Live 11/23/21 at 7:00 pm)
This year we revealed the Photo Contest winners & 2022 mug LIVE, ONLINE, before the first CwB Event on December 11th.
Archived Programs from 2020/2021 Coffee with the Birds
3/6/21 Coffee with the Birds LIVESTREAM Event
Livestreamed Video (Live 11/23/21 at 9:30 am)
Birding Tidbit: Bird Profile – Tufted Titmouse
*click the image or link below
Bird Profile – Tufted Titmouse
For more information and informative links pertaining to the topics discussed, link to the Event Discussion Resources Website.
2/13/21 Coffee with the Birds LIVESTREAM Event
CwB Questions, Sightings & Stories Submissions
Notable birds seen during this event…
Downy & Hairy Woodpeckers TOGETHER! (29:48, 32:43)
American Robins (34:45)
Pileated Woodpecker pair! (1:06:25)
Topics discussed during this event include…
Winter Bluebirds & Robins (20:10)
Great Backyard Bird Count (40:50)
Barrow’s Goldeneye sighting and ID (56:20)
Bird Feeder Overview (1:31:45)
Spring Birding Programs (1:35:25)
Door Prize Drawing (1:38:35)
Birding Tidbit Presentation: Ovenbird, Teacher of the Woods
Join Naturalist Curtis Dykstra on a journey to discover the world of the Ovenbird through the lens of his personal experiences. Discover the human connections this bird has through culture, conservation and even personally through emotions, embedded in a long history of experiences in nature. Along the way you’ll discover what being a “Teacher of the Woods” truly means.
*During the CwB event we had some technical difficulty streaming the video of this presentation, so while it exists here @ 1:05:07 -interrupted by Pileated Woodpecker- resumes at 1:16:26, you can watch the presentation in better quality here, posted directly to YouTube. Note that this presentation is accessible on this shareable link only and is not available publicly.
For more information and informative links pertaining to the topics discussed, link to the Event Discussion Resources Website.
1/9/21 Coffee with the Birds Livestream Event
Due to technical difficulties, the event starts at 6:30 so you may choose to skip ahead to that point.
If you missed out, it’s not too late! Whenever it’s convenient for you, feel free to click to watch & enjoy the birds at the feeders and hear different bird topics discussed! Bird sighting highlights include (click time links to view) Red-bellied Woodpecker (4:08, 40:15), American Goldfinches (16:08), Dark-eyed Junco (19:40), Northern Cardinal (36:00), American Tree Sparrow (42:43). Bird discussion topics included an update on this winter’s finch irruption (19:05, 21:10), Great Horned Owl (28:43) & Bald Eagle (1:11:32) activity, feeding suet to birds (32:59) a rare Smew in Allegan (51:00) and more!
Birding Tidbit Presentation: Snowy Owl Identification
*click the image or link below
For more information and informative links pertaining to the topics discussed, link to the Event Discussion Resources Website.
12/5/20 Coffee with the Birds Livestream Event
Photo Contest, Mug Reveal, Local Bird Club Expo
If you haven’t watched the event yet, it’s not too late! Highlights include (click time links to view) the photo contest & mug reveal (17:18), 3 species of woodpeckers (29:00 – 36:00) & “Cassiar” Junco sighting (37:50 and 41:02)
Birding Tidbit Presentation: Local Bird Club Expo Videos
For more information and informative links pertaining to the topics discussed, link to the Event Discussion Resources Website.
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Ottawa County Birding information Page
For more bird-related information and links to resources visit the Ottawa County Birding Information Page