KCA birders at Nelson Lake/Dick Young Forest Preserve. Photo courtesy Ken Schneider

Next meeting: Wednesday, February 8^th, 7:00 PM: Meeting @ Hickory Knolls Discovery Center, St. Charles.  Doug Taron, the curator of Biology and Vice President of research and conservation at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago, will share photos and his knowledge of the butterflies that you might find in your back yard. (Provided that your back yard is in the Chicagoland area.) In addition, the meeting will offer refreshments, chapter news updates, the latest bird sightings, and interesting conversation with like-minded folks. If you have questions about this event, please call Bob Andrini at 630.584.8386. Hickory Knolls Discovery Center is located at the intersection of Campton Hills and Peck roads in St. Charles, with entrances off both roads. The building is at the far west end of the parking lot. (Map)

Next outing: Saturday, February 11^th, 8 AM @ SEBA Park, South Elgin. Jane McMillan leads birders on this hike from South Elgin south to Jon Duerr Forest Preserve - and back. A distance of about 3 miles total, an easy walk on the bikepath along the west bank of the Fox River. Meet in the parking lot of SEBA Park, 2 blocks south of State Street (the river crossing in South Elgin) and 1 block east of Route 31 (LaFox Street). For more information about this walk, please call Jane at 630.373.6704. (Map)