14 TH EAU) DUS ON BU eile 
lh pay beens Meeting 
There was concentration on two items—strip mining and its consequences, 
and the preservation and restoration of Illinois prairies—during the three- 
day, 76th Annual Meeting of /llinots Audubon Society, held May 18-20 
at Galesburg’s Holiday Inn. Host group was Knox County Audubon 
Bird Club. 
At Friday’s opening meeting, IAS Director Vernon Kleen offered his 
formal proposal to establish an Ormthological Atlas for the state. Then, 
the member slide show featured some incredible pictures of prairie 
flowers. 
Saturday’s proceedings were off to a beautiful start with the report 
from one of the field trips of watching a female Baltimore weave her nest. 
The annual business meeting of the Society proceeded with reports of 
committees, election of officers and the adoption of changes in the bylaws. 
At this session the annual press award was made to Tom Edwards of the 
Peoria Jowrnal Star and an excellent display of many of his stories and 
news releases was introduced. 
The Saturday afternoon program told the story of strip mining in 
Illinois—a story which hasn’t been pretty in the past. But, hope for 
legislation to brighten the picture was presented by Dr. George Ward 
of Knox College and State Representative A. T. McMasters. Then Ken 
Russell gave a graphic picture of Fish and Wildlife resources in Illinois. 
Closing this program Leo G. Windish told the story, with fine pictures, 
of the Giant Goose Restocking Program. 
The banquet, as usual, was delightful (and with live plant table 
decorations by Mrs. Doris Brown, president of the host club). Pictures 
of the prairies and an illuminating lecture about prairie restoration were 
presented by Dr. Peter Schramm. 
For the bird walks Sunday morning everything and everybody co- 
operated except the strip miners. It seems that one group of birders was 
to have gone to “Hell’s Half Acre,” an excellent birding spot. When they 
arrived they found the strip mine shovel had completely destroyed the 
area some time the previous week. Overall, though, birding was fair, with 
128 species reported. (The box lunch was one of the better ones.) Mrs. 
Alice Palmer, chairwoman, and the host club were thanked for a good 
meeting, good birding and a good weekend. 
—Alice Webster 
