Join the Audubon for birding education and field trips

The following are events and programs for the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

JANUARY 5: MONTHLY MEETING: Astronomy buffs of all ages will be entertained and educated at the next meeting of the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society. Be amazed at the massive size of the solar system by walking it out to scale. Learn constellations, hear intriguing stories, and search for distant planets. The program will be presented by Alan Knothe, who has taught astronomy at the Hayden Planetarium, Okaloosa-Walton College, the Emerald Coast Science Center, and other outdoor science centers around the country. Bring a flashlight, dress appropriately for the weather, and be prepared to walk about one mile. Binoculars are helpful, but not necessary.

The meeting will be based in Room 140, Building D (Collegiate High School Bldg.) at the Niceville campus of Northwest Florida State College. Please note that this is a new meeting location. Refreshments, socializing, and announcements begin at 6:30 p.m., with the program starting at 7 p.m. The meeting is free and open to anyone with an interest in birds an nature. Call Walt Spence at 850-582-7064 for more information.

JANUARY 28: BIRD WALK: Alan Knothe will lead a bird walk to the Baldwin County, Alabama Sod Farms. This is an extremely prolific birding spot, and is one of the few places in this region where scissor-tailed flycatchers may be seen. Meet at 6:30 a.m. at the Twin Cities Sports Complex at the intersection of Hwy 85N and College Road, Niceville. Call Alan at 850-200-6279 for more information.