2024 Elkhart Historical Society Wildflower Nature Walks

The Elkhart Historical Society is once again offering guided wildflower walks on Elkhart Hill, every Saturday in April starting April 6th. with two walks a day at 10a and 2p, at a cost of $15 per adult $10 per child. Reservations are required and should be made by calling 217 947 2238. An optional lunch can be reserved on the same form, at a total cost for adult of $25 and child $15. All tours leave from the Country Bumpkin at 103 Gov. Oglesby St. Elkhart, IL.

On the morning of Saturday April 27, the Historical Society was fortunate in getting Biology Professor Tony Rothering, from LLCC, to demonstrate the banding of both migratory and local songbirds during special tours at 730 a, 9a and 1030a. The 2p tour will feature both flowers and birds with the help of our amazing birders, Dr. Lara Borgerson, Joe Funk and Rhetta Jack.

Rothering is a federally permitted bander, who last year successfully recorded and released over 120 birds during his annual Elkhart Hill banding session. The event is done during the spring migration on Elkhart Hill because of its significance as an incredibly biodiverse “island” (oasis) to the birds. The hill’s forest measures approximately 600 acres of mature hardwoods, which is surrounded primarily by monocultures of corn and soybeans fields where very few hedge rows or groves of trees remain. For the many species of migrating warblers Elkhart Hill offers a much-needed rest and refueling stop, on their journey north to breeding grounds in the upper Midwest and Canada. We are hopeful that some of these travelers will be among those banded on Saturday April 27, you wont want to miss it. Rothering’s work helps to catalog the changes in migration patterns caused, in part by climate change and loss of habitat.

If you have a group of 10-20 you can arrange to have a private tour of the April wildflowers by calling 217 947 2238, and if scheduled on Wednesday-Friday lunch can be included. The cost is $15 per person and lunch can be included for $10 or be ordered off the menu.

Reservation forms can be downloaded from the website www.elkharthistoricalsociety.org.

Additionally, Spring is right around the corner, and among the spring events is a community Sunrise Easter Service on the hill at the Gillett Chapel Sunday March 31st, at 7a. All denominations are welcome.

For questions, please call 217.947.2238 or The Country Bumpkin 217.947.2200.