Our September meeting program is “Potholes, Prairies, and Bad Lands”, presented by Mike Mandracchia, who will regale us with tales and photos from his recent trip to North Dakota. Mike has been birding his entire life, starting with pigeons that his family raised while he was growing up. His love of nature grew, leading him towards degrees in Biology and Ecology, and then working for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for 35 years, before retiring int 2018. He has been leading Birding Trips locally for about 30 years, and currently volunteers as an Associate Naturalist leading trips for New Jersey Audubon.

Mike passion for birding has led him to travel to 45 States, parts of Canada, Mexico, and to multiple countries on 5 other Continents. His most recent trip was to North Dakota, just this past June.

Why would you want to go to North Dakota in early June to Bird? There are 3 simple reasons: 1) the POTHOLES of North Dakota are a well-known breeding area for many of the ducks that only over winter here in New Jersey; and 2) its PRAIRIE is home to many of the sparrows and other species that we here on the East Coast may get as an occasional rarity, and 3) its BAD LANDS are the eastern end of the range for many of our West Coast species. So come and enjoy a brief taste of what North Dakota has to offer.