Presentations

The following is a listing of the programs that we've developed and presented:

Please contact us to create a program tailored to meet your specific needs.

Here is a synopsis of each of our presentations:

AMAZING BIRDS

During this presentation, the audience will hear amazing facts, stories, and behaviors about birds. This program will give you a photographic look at birds as you have never seen them before. Pictures will allow the birds to come alive before your very eyes as you enter into their lives. (40 min.)

Killdeer	Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Red-winged Blackbird

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BIRDING THE GREAT NORTHWEST

Follow us on our trip to the northwest part of the U.S. to experience the last great frontier and its birds. Experience the Pribilof Islands in the middle of the Bering Sea and witness the nesting Puffins, Cormorants, Snowy Owl and other exotic species. Onward to the pristine wilderness of Denali National Park and its magnificent landscape. View the Ptarmigan, Jaeger, and assorted birdlife in this untouched habitat. View Grizzly Bears as they hunt for food in the same area we are trying to bird. (45 min.)

Long-tailed Jaeger	Parakeet Auklet	Red Phalarope

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BIRDING THE MIDWEST

This informative presentation focuses on birds that appear in the Fox River Valley and surrounding areas. You will see birds ‘up close and personal’ that are common as well as those that appear only briefly during migration. (45 min.)

Green Heron	Indigo Bunting	Wood Duck

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BIRDS – UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

This program features many birds that the audience will recognize. Many of the birds shown come to bird feeders and are seen on our rivers and ponds. Some great views of Bald Eagle, Owls, Herons, and Egrets will give the audience an increased appreciation of these and other birds. (25 min.)

Cooper's Hawk	Screech Owl	White-breasted Nuthatch

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COOL FACTS ABOUT BIRD BOOKS

Journey back in time to look at the history of our field guides that we so highly prize in our birding experience. Go back to the days when the only way to study birds was to shoot and stuff them. Then birding became a gentle pastime when birds were appreciated due to their industriousness and hated for their outright cruelty. We are now in the age of the citizen scientist and have developed an entirely new set of tools we use as we bird. This informative program will show drawings that were done in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s by such important birding personalities as Wilson, Audubon and many others. (45 min.)

Bald Eagle (plate)	Passenger Pigeon (plate)	Warblers (plate)

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EAGLES AND BIRDS OF PREY

This will be a study of the lives of bald eagles and many of the hawks and owls found in Illinois. As well as viewing images of these beautiful creatures, their voices will also be presented to help in identification. Enjoy the life histories of these birds and find out how they survive in the wild. After the initial presentation, a review of bird sounds will illustrate how easily participants can identify by ear the birds that have been covered. (45 min.)

Bald Eagle	Great Horned Owl	Great Gray Owl

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GAMBELL, ALASKA: BIRDING ON THE EDGE

Thirty-five miles from Siberia, on the island of St. Lawrence is where Gambell, Alaska Is found.  If you're a birder, this is the place to be to look for rare exotic species. Sit back and enjoy seeing Gambell in both spring and fall.  Walk the bone yards while keeping a look out for Yellow-browed  Warbler, Brambling, Lesser Sand Plover, Rustic Bunting  and other very special birds.  Gambell is truly an adventure in birding like no other place can provide. (45 min.)

Long-tailed Yaeger	Common Ringed Plover	Red-necked Stint

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LOOK! UP IN THE SKY - IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE, IT'S AN EAGLE!

Everyone loves to see America's national symbol, the Bald Eagle. Hear about the life history of this amazing bird. Discover interesting eagle facts about flight, feeding and behaviors and learn why these creatures come to the Fox River valley during the harsh winter. (30 min.)

Bald Eagles

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PASSENGER PIGEON: THE FLIGHT TO EXTINCTION

When you think of extinction, one bird that comes to mind is the Passenger Pigeon. As the 100th anniversary of the passage of the last Passenger Pigeon approaches, let’s look back and examine the demise of the entire species. A PowerPoint presentation will present facts, myths, and factors that joined together to cause the extinction of the birds that ‘blackened the sun from the sky” from sunrise to sunset. This presentation will be informational as well as entertaining. (45 min.)

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SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF SUMMER

Summer is a time for nature to grow and express itself.  Fields abound with colorful displays of flowers. Courtship and nesting have taken place so many birds are going about the business of feeding young.  Sit back as we present a program about prairies, woodlands and ponds at this special time of the year.  Enjoy not only the sights but also special summer sounds.  (45 min.)

Red-winged Blackbird	Red-headed Woodpecker		Northern Cardinal

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SPRING AT THE LAKE

Sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds that you would experience on a beautiful spring day at Nelson’s Lake, west of Batavia, Illinois. The lake provides the background for this presentation. Its many different habitats provide an opportunity for a great variety of flora and fauna. The bird calls and the appearance of flowers found only in spring will delight you. (50 min.)

Blue-winged Teal	Gray Catbird	Red-tailed Hawk

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SPRING WALK

This PowerPoint presentation will show images of native spring flowers and migrating birds in woodland, swamp, and prairie.  The migration of birds will be in full swing as the spring plants rise, bloom and produce flowers. Listen closely and you will hear songs of many migrating warblers and other birds.  The spring migration is a short event and one must be present to the continual changes that are taking place.  The presentation will last about 45 minutes, but leave you with images you may not soon forget.

Cape May Warbler	Prothonotary Warbler	Magnolia Warbler

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Winter Birds of Northern Illinois

What wonders await those who take the time to go out during our winters in search of bird life. Join the Andrinis as they give a pictorial presentation about many of the birds that are found in Northern Illinois during this time of year. View both permanent residents as well as winter visitors found in fields, streams and backyards. You will also learn about adaptations birds have developed to withstand the inclement conditions that they are subjected to. (45 min.)

Dark-eyed Junco	Snow Bunting	Snowy Owl

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