Enjoying the Outside from the Inside!

Saturday, July 11

10:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Red Oaks Nature Center

Red Oaks County Park, Madison Heights

Hello Bird Friends!

While Every Body Get Outside! is usually about getting outside, this month, we’re going to enjoy the out-of-doors from the air-conditioned indoors. Personally, I have a very hard time in the heat, compounded by medications that increase heat-sensitivity, so you will not find me outside for anything other than the most pressing tasks when the FeelsLike™ temp is over 90°, let alone 100º.

While we’re getting a minor reprieve from the egregious heat, it is still to warm for me, so we’re going to meet INSIDE the Red Oaks Nature Center at 10:00 AM on Saturday, July 11th and hang out in their main room that has educational displays and large windows that look into the park. There are bird feeders outside the windows that attract feathered friends for closer observation. The Parks Naturalist told me that birding has been quiet in the park, but he’ll l make sure to refresh the feeders for us, so we should expect to see the regular visitors such as house finches, downy, hairy, and red-bellied woodpeckers, ruby-throated hummingbirds, white-breasted nuthatches, and the occasional hawk.

Please note that there is limited seating in this room. I spoke with Nature Center staff and we should be able to get a few extra chairs from their classroom. We can prioritize seating for those who need it.

You are welcome to join us later than 10:00 and leave whenever you need.

Bring binoculars/optics if you have them. We will have a few pairs to loan out and the Nature Center has some available.

A couple of notes –

This is a public space. While we are very welcome and it is slower in the morning hours, we need to make sure that others are also able to access the exhibits and enjoy the room.

There will be a birthday party occurring in the classroom from 10:30 – 11:30. The kids may pass through on their way outside at 11 (weather permitting) and they will be moving to the main room at 11:30, hence our 11:15 end time.

If the weather suits you, you are, of course, welcome to hit the trails before our gathering or stay after.

Registration is not required, but we would appreciate folks letting us know if they are thinking about coming so we can have an idea of how many seats we might need. Please send a message to EveryBodyGetOutside@proton.me to let us know if you are able to join us! Include any questions you have and let us know if you have any access needs not addressed here and we will do our best to meet them.

Everyone who is about bird joy is welcome to bird with us! We celebrate the beauty and diversity of the natural world, including all our unique human bodies and expressions of humanity. Beginning birders are especially encouraged to come. This will be a welcoming space to ask questions, learn from each other, and share bird joy!

In the unlikely event that we would need to cancel this event, we will send out an email not later than 9:00 AM the morning of the outing and post the cancellation on the website.

PARKING

There are two parking lots at Red Oaks – the first is on Hales Street as you enter the park from 13 Mile Road. There is one reserved van accessible spot here. There is grass on either side of the trail that enters the park.

Continue past that area and you will make a left into the second parking area closer to the Nature Center. There is another reserved van-accessible parking space here. The Nature Center is by this second lot. Walk toward the Forest Trail and it is immediately on the right.

RESTROOMS & WATER

There is a wheelchair accessible port-a-potty in the parking lot closest to the Nature Center.

The Nature Center has two accessible gender neutral restrooms inside, as well as a water fountain with a water bottle filling station.

ACCESSIBILITY

The Nature Center is wheelchair accessible.

SAVE THE DATE!

Our next outings will be:

• Saturday, September 26
• Saturday, October 24th (during Birdability Week!)
• Saturday, November 14th
• Saturday, December 12th