The return of Chuck Otte to the Kansas Wesleyan stage for the December Smoky Hill Audubon Society program is always a traditional passage of time. December is always a special month for the programs. They are frequently visited by Chuck Otte and nobody knows birds and bird identification like Chuck.

The organizations says they are fortunate to have him traveling down to Salina on December 15th to present the December program, “How to be a better birder”.

Otte has recently retired from the Geary County Extension Office/-State Research and Extension. He was responsible for programming and educational efforts in the areas of agriculture, horticulture, and natural resource management including wildlife damage control.

Holistic bird identification will be discussed.

• How does it look? Where is it? How is it behaving? What is it eating?
• What other birds is it traveling with?
• Is it vocalizing?
• Beaks – beaks – beaks
• Use every clue that you have available.

Otte is one of the organization’s most entertaining returning speakers. He grew up on a family farm in northwestern York County, Nebraska. They will not hold it a against him that he is, in reality, a Cornhusker!

Smoky Hill Audubon Society programs, including this one, are free and open to the public and take place in room 229 in the Peters Science Hall at Kansas Wesleyan University.  You may come early and meet the speaker at 7:00 with the program beginning at 7:30

Mark your Calendar, the Christmas Bird Count is set for December 17th. Everybody is welcome to participate.