Tippecanoe Audubon Society

Annual Dinner & Special Program

This year’s program will feature Dr. James Farlow, Professor of Geology at Indiana University - Purdue University, Fort Wayne (IPFW). In 1996, employees of the Pipe Creek Jr. quarry near Swayzee, IN made a startling discovery. They had uncovered a diverse array of fossils from the Pliocene era, dating back five million years. Fossils of plants and animals had accumulated in sediments of an ancient pond. The fossil assemblage includes numerous small vertebrates as well as cats, canids, bears, peccaries, camels, and rhinoceroses. IPFW, in collaboration with the Indiana State Museum, began research on this fabulous discovery in 1998. Dr. Farlow is one of the two researchers that has spearheaded research at the site.
The menu includes your choice of Chicken Piccata or Herb Roasted Eye-of-round, Roasted sweet potatoes, Green beans with tomatoes and onions and New York style cheesecake. Cost is $18 per person. To make a reservation, contact Dave Hicks at djhicks (at) manchester.edu or 260-982-2471 before December 9th.
Dr. Farlow’s talk will begin after dinner and is free and open to the public.

This is our 36th year participating in the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count. Teams of 2 or 3 people will be assigned to designated areas in our count circle (a 15 mile diameter circle centered on Oswego, IN). Birders of all skill levels participate and are welcome. Bring binoculars and dress warmly. We will meet at 7:00 am at the Bob Evans Restaurant in Warsaw where participants will receive information packages with maps and data forms. Count teams will then head to their areas and counting may continue until sunset (5:30 pm). However, counting until dusk is not required. If you live in the count circle you may choose to count birds at your home feeder. Participants are required to pay a $5 fee to help publish the results.
The count will conclude with a compiling party and dinner, starting at 6 pm, at the home of Dave Hicks and Deb Hustin, 721 Wayne St., North Manchester, IN. Bring a dish to share if you’d like. To join the count, contact Dave Hicks at 260-982-2471 or -5309 or by e-mail to
djhicks (at) manchester.edu.