8 PE AU DU BIOLNS 3B UsE Gein 
6th, 7th, and 8th-graders stay at the Center in class groups for five-day 
sessions (24 hours a day). The youngsters experience a stimulating moti- 
vation and learn a practical approach to arithmetic, language arts, vocabu- 
lary building, music, reading and natural science, in contrast to the more 
theoretical approach given in most school classrooms. 
Karl Bartel gave us a most interesting talk, illustrated with slides, of 
his 16 years of banding sandpipers. (See article elsewhere in this issue.) 
Warren Keck was chairman of the second half of the afternoon program, 
and introduced Richard Hoger, who told of his and Mrs. Hoger’s experience 
in treating sick shorebirds brought to them, and their growing success in 
finding methods of treatment. They were able to save 25% of birds brought 
them in 1954, 38% in 1955, 85% in 1956, and 40% in 1958. Of 1,448 shore- 
birds treated in 7 years, the Hogers have averaged 33% cured. (In 1957 
there were no sick birds, and in 1959 and 1960 relatively few.) 
George Fell explained the background and present status of the Nature 
Preserves Bill, S.B. 465. (Hd. Note: This bill passed the General Assembly, 
but was vetoed by Governor Kerner.) 
Elton Fawks described his concern about the decrease in the Bald Eagle 
population. He has been instrumental in having the National Audubon So- 
ciety undertake a research program on eagles. His counts, taken chiefly 
along the Mississippi River, show that the ratio of immature to mature 
eagles has been dropping, from 17.5% in 1958-59 to 15.37% in 1959-60 to 
13.12% in 1960-61. This is a very complex problem, and much more must 
be learned. Following his talk, Mr. Fawks was crowned “Chief Bald Eagle” 
in recognition of his work. 
Following the evening banquet, President Downing thanked the North 
Central Illinois Ornithological Society and the Atwood Center for their hos- 
pitality. The I.A.S. Conservation Award for 1961 was presented to our hard- 
working conservation chairman, Raymond Mostek. Ray had the distinction 
of having been nominated for the honor by three of our affiliated clubs. For 
the evening program a splendid film, “The Four Seasons,” was shown by 
Mr. Edward Brigham of the Kingman Museum of Natural History, Battle 
Creek, Mich. A late evening field trip to study stars, night birds, and ani- 
mals was offered by Robert Weirick of the Atwood Center. 
One advantage of holding our annual meetings in different sections of 
the state is that visitors learn where the host group members go birding. 
At this meeting we had short field trips on Saturday around the Center, 
and on Sunday we were given a choice of two trips — the early risers 
leaving at 6:00 a.m. and a later group at 8:00 a.m. Our capable leaders 
were Lee Johnson and Richard Coxhead, president and vice-president of 
the North Central Illinois Ornithological Society. Rockford has a variety 
of excellent birding areas, and warblers were still going through in good 
numbers, so we enjoyed excellent field trips. A highlight of the trip was a 
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher on its nest. 
This was a most enjoyable, and I think profitable week-end, and we give 
our thanks to all who took part in the planning, the work, the programs, 
the field trips, and the good-fellowship of this meeting. 
6942 S. Jeffrey Ave., Chicago 49, Ill. 
fi fl fi 
