<html><head><style type='text/css'>p { margin: 0; }</style></head><body><div style='font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000'><span></span>Don't miss this exciting, "birdy" trip!! Register today. <br><br>Give Back to Birds — Field Trip and Workday <br><br>Hennepin & Hopper Lakes <br>Hennepin, Illinois <br>October 30, 2010 <br>9:15am - 10:30am: Bird Walk <br>10:30am: Snack <br>10:45am - 12:45pm: Workday <br>12:45pm: Brown Bag Lunch <br><br>Exciting Birds—Great People—Rewarding Work—Beautiful Landscapes <br><br>The Bird Conservation Network is sponsoring its fifth Give Back to the <br>Birds—Field Trip/Workday at Hennepin and Hopper Lakes, an Illinois Important <br>Bird Area, located in Hennepin near the bend of the <br>Illinois River — about a 2-2½ hour drive from the Chicago area. Partners at this <br>unique habitat restoration project on this site have turned off the drainage <br>pumps to return floodplain farmland to wetland. <br><br>We will learn about the project from a site ecologist, and enjoy the wide array <br>of waterfowl and other wetland birds (a spotting scope would be helpful.) <br><br>After the morning bird walk, we will enjoy a complimentary snack before we begin <br>to collect seeds in the prairie. These seeds will be spread in other grasslands <br>at the site at a later date, to create a good turf to fight invasives that <br>degrade habitat. As our regular participants have often said, collecting seeds <br>is very enjoyable and rewarding work. <br><br>This Saturday trip/workday will take place rain or shine. People of all ages <br>will be able to find a way to help. Dress in layers, with sturdy shoes.Bring a <br>sack lunch if you would like to picnic after the workday. Goodies for dessert <br>will be provided! <br><br>BCN would like to know how many to plan for. Please RSVP to Joan Bruchman at <br>pjbruchman@... or 847-687-3108. Also let Joan know if you would like to be <br>part of a carpool. <br><br>Directions to Hennepin and Hopper Lakes: <br>I-80 west to I-39 south. Take I -39 south to Route 71 exit; head west. Take <br>Route 71 west to Route 26; turn left towards Hennepin. Go approximately 2.5 <br>miles south. Turn right onto Hennepin Farms Road (paved road before the road <br>swings up the hill.) Pass the first house on the right, then turn right onto a <br>sand road. Follow sand road approximately 300 ft. to parking lot and Nolan <br>Observation Tower. <br><br>Give Back to Birds is a series of "work and birding" trips sponsored by the Bird <br>Conservation Network. The purposes: Fellowship and camaraderie among our bird <br>conservation and birding communities. Helping out some sites that have <br>conservation needs. And seeing some great birds and beautiful places! <br><br></div></body></html>