Lancaster County Bird Club
	Lancaster, Pennsylvania
	Founded December 8, 1937
	to secure the cultivation of public sentiment in the preservation of our native bird life.

"CALL NOTES"
APRIL - JUNE 2004

Saturday, April 10,2004- A trip to Schuylkill County, led by Bruce Carl (Akron 859-4179 or e-mail carls@dejazzd.com. Note: Bruce's new e-mail address is effective April 6^th.), looking for early spring migrants. In the past, this was a very successful trip concentrating in the Landingville Dam and Marsh area. Meet at 6:00 a.m. at the Lancaster Shopping Center in the vicinity of the A.C. Moore store, just south of Route 30, between Routes 272 and 501.

Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - A midweek trip to Safe Harbor Park for birding and also Shenk's Ferry Preserve for wildflowers. Leader Shirley Bubb (Lancaster 569-7155). Meet at 7:30 a.m. at Kendig Square Shopping Center near Taco Bell.

Friday, April 16,2004 - Regular Club meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster. NOTE: This is the third Friday of the month. Club members Jane Schreffler and Jay George will share their experiences from a trip to the Baja Peninsula in the slide program, "Whale Tails and Whale Tales�See Baja by Sea." Student member Andrew O'Dell will also give a report on his award-winning Saw-whet Owl Project. SPECIAL NOTE: This is the Annual Meeting of the Club, at which time election of officers and directors will take place.

Sunday, April 26, 2004 - A new location for a Club trip�White Clay Creek State Park, Delaware. Leader Bruce Carl (Akron 859-4179 or e-mail carls@dejazzd.com). Meet at 6:00 a.m. at the A.C. Moore store in the Lancaster Shopping Center, just south of Route 30, between Routes 272 and 501.

Saturday, May 1,2004 - Sally and Darryl Lownsberry (Millersville 872-2102) serve as leaders on this trip to the Ted Parker Natural Area. Meet there at 7:30 a.m. The area is located south of Quarryville; take Wesley Road off of Route 372.

Saturday, May 8, 2004 - Lancaster County Warbler Walks and the North American Migration Count (NAMC). Three locations for the Warbler Walks, all beginning at 7:00 a.m. with the leaders and designated meeting sites are as follows:

NOTE: The NAMC is being combined with the Warbler Walks and will be done in other areas of the county. Call Bruce Carl if interested in doing an area for the NAMC.

Wednesday, May 12,2004 - Another midweek trip to a new area for a Club trip�Landis Woods Park. Leaders Jane & Leon Schreffler (Lancaster 569-0789 or e-mail jsschreffler@juno.com). Meeting time is 5:30 p.m. at the Boettcher House parking lot. Enter from Route 501, either from Hillside Lane (between Brook Lawn Farm Market and Neffsville Mennonite Church) or from Meadow Lane (just north of Neffsville Mennonite Church).

Friday, May 14, 2004 - Picnic meeting at Middle Creek WMA. Meet at 4:00 p.m. at the Visitors' Center Parking Lot for some early birding. Meet at 6:00 p.m. for a "bring your own picnic lunch" at the Sunfish Pond picnic area. (In case of rain, we'll be in the Visitors' Center.) After a short business meeting, more birding will follow until dusk.

Saturday, May 15, 2004 - Riverside Birding at Conewago Falls. This half-day trip will provide new members with a chance to join more experienced birders on a leisurely exploration of the riparian woodlands, wet thickets, and wooded swamps along the Susquehanna River at Conewago Falls. We'll walk some on the local trails. A spotting scope will be available to scan the river, rapids, and York Haven Dam, where Osprey have nested since 2000. Wood Ducks with some young and more than 60 other species were seen on this trip last year. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Pennsylvania Fish Commission's Falmouth Access Area parking lot off Route 441, north of Bainbridge. Leader: Larry Coble (Elizabethtown 367-5083).

Sunday, May 16, 2004 - A trip to Safe Harbor Park and Safe Harbor Dam Observation Site. Meet leaders Sally and Darryl Lownsberry (Millersville 872-2102) at 7 :00 a.m. at Safe Harbor Park (Warehouse Road area, just across the bridge).

Wednesday, June 2, 2004 (Rain date - June 3) - Another new trip destination for the Club this year. Leader Jay George (Manheim 665-5632) will take us to Blue Marsh and nearby areas in Berks County with primary focus on field birds. Meet at 6:45 a.m. just inside the Wal-Mart parking lot along Route 322, just west of the Ephrata exit from Route 222 on the east side of Ephrata.

Saturday, June 5, 2004 - Meet leader Randy Miller (Manheim 664-3778) at 7:00 a.m. along Route 934, just north of 1-81 near the Indiantown Gap Military Cemetery. A trip to Stony Creek Valley and State Game Land 211, hoping to observe or hear Whip-poor-wills and some breeding birds of the valley.

Club officers and directors for 2004-05 will be elected at the Annual Meeting on Friday, April 16, 2004. The Nominating Committee will be presenting the following slate of candidates at the meeting:

The following tribute has been received since January 1, 2004:

A very important ornithological project was begun this year in Pennsylvania with the start of the second Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas. The first Atlas, twenty years ago, resulted in the publication of the most comprehensive report ever assembled showing the distribution of all breeding species in the state. It is time to revise this information. This is a five-year program, running until 2008.

As individuals and as a bird club, we have a chance to contribute to this conservation tool. I encourage all club members to get involved in this project which helps to identify habitat needs and leads to plans for conserving critical areas.

At the March club meeting, it was pointed out that Lancaster County is split into four different areas:

• The northwest section, roughly running from Lancaster west along Route 999 to Washington Boro, north along the river and north to Dauphin and Lebanon counties, west of Route 501. Coordinator is Club member Randy Miller (Manheim 665-5632).

• The northeast section, running roughly from Lancaster east of Route 501 and north of Route 30 to Lebanon, Berks, and Chester counties. Coordinator is Steve Fordyce (610-682-1743 or e-mail spfordyce@fast.net).

• The southeast section, roughly from Lancaster south of Route 30 and east of Route 272 to Maryland and Chester County. Coordinator is Doris McGovern (610-565-8484 or e-mail mcgovern@masca.museum.upenn.edu).

• The southwest section, roughly running south of Route 999 from Lancaster to Washington Boro and south along the river to Drumore and west of Route 272 south of Lancaster to the river. Coordinator for this section is Karen Lippy (e-mail brdbrain@superpa.net).

Steve & Susan Fordyce and Karen Lippy will be present at the April meeting to solicit volunteers for their areas. If you are willing to participate in this project, please contact the appropriate coordinator for your area as soon as possible, since the breeding season has already begun for some species.

Please see Randy Miller's message which follows.

I want to also acknowledge an additional contribution received since January 1, 2004, with his dues payment. Thanks to James B. McMullin for his additional support of Club activities.

In the previous newsletter where I listed those who gave an additional contribution over and beyond their dues in support of the Club's activities, or in honor or memory of a special friend or person, I did not mention those who joined the Club as sustaining members. A special "thank you" to those members who paid an additional fee for this category of membership.

The second Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas is getting underway. It will run from 2004 to 2008. This time, the DeLorme Pennsylvania Atlas and Gazetteer will be broken down into 57 regions (or pages). Each region will contain approximately 84 atlas blocks. I have taken up the duties of Regional Coordinator for page 79.

Atlassing is free-style bird watching within a prescribed area with an emphasis on the nesting season only. Three categories of breeding behavior typically are recognized in breeding bird atlases: possible, probable, and confirmed.

As of early February 2004, Bob Mulvihill, the Pennsylvania Coordinator, was working on the last details. I will be looking for volunteers for this avian study.

More information will be forthcoming.

The owner of the land, Norfolk-Southern, has announced its intention of turning over the land, as per an earlier agreement, to the seven governmental units in which this trail would be located. This could happen in the near future and would most likely end any chance of this becoming a trail. All seven governmental units must approve of it before a trail could become a reality. Those seven units are as follows: the townships of Bart, Conestoga, Eden, Martic, Providence, and Sadsbury plus the Borough of Quarryville.

The three County Commissioners have voiced their support for a trail and have announced they will attend the next monthly meetings of these townships and one borough to discuss the future of the trail. Trail supporters need to attend these meetings to give support to the Commissioners' position.

Since the Lancaster County Bird Club has been a longtime supporter of FAST, members who live in these areas are urged to attend the meetings. Also, since this would be a benefit to the entire county, anyone else who supports seeing this abandoned rail line developed into a trail is encouraged to attend.

According to the information received, the next scheduled meetings of the townships are as follows:

At the time of this printing, the date of the Quarryville Borough meeting is not known.

Current membership is 390, which is 28 less than this time last year.

A warm welcome to our new members, with an invitation for them to join us on field trips as a means of getting acquainted�both with fellow Club members and with the various good birding spots in our area. Hopefully many members will be able to attend the picnic meeting in May at Middle Creek WMA�an informal meeting of fun, fellowship and birding!

• New Members
  Gonzalez, Mariano, 329 Post Oak Road, Lancaster, PA 17603
  Heller, Mrs. Melissa, 716 Bentley Ridge Blvd., Lancaster, PA 17602
  Hopson-Shelton, Ms. Patricia, 329 Post Oak Road, Lancaster, PA 17603
  Nolt, Mr. & Mrs. Gary (Audrey), (Chadwick, Jessica, and Kimberly), 319 Conowingo Road, Quarryville, PA 17566
  
• Old Friends Returning Burman, Mr. & Mrs. Craig (Amy), (Leon and Luke), 5559 Strasburg Road, Gap, PA 17527

Editor's Note: Please report your sightings to Randy Miller, 607 Woodland Drive, Manheim, PA 17545 (Phone 664-3778). Your sightings can be reported to him by mail, phone, or at Club meetings. Our focus is not just on rare or uncommon birds, but also on more common species in unusual numbers, out-of-season, or exhibiting behavior that would be of interest to our members. Your help is needed in compiling this column!

In "A Family Legacy Preserved," an article in The Sunday News on December 28, 2003, the generosity of the Rannels family was featured. With their recent gift of ten acres to the Lancaster County Conservancy, Steve & Sharon Rannels have added to the Rannels-Kettle Run Nature Preserve which was established by the Rannels family in 1998. Now 91 acres, the public may access the Preserve from the Horseshoe Trail in Elizabeth Township or from State Game Land 156. Parking is available along Route 322 at the Conservancy's Upper Hopewell Forge Wildlife Sanctuary and at the State Game Land parking lot along Dead End Road. Our thanks to the Rannels family for sharing their legacy!

A student member from Wheaton, Maryland, Jordan Rutter, had quite a Big Year in 2003. As the 2003 Young Birder of the Year for the American Birding Association, her 2003 Big Year List totaled 401 species. Beginning with a Brown Pelican on January 1^st at Myrtle Beach and ending with a Rough-legged Hawk at Elliot Island, Maryland, on December 30^th, she had quite a year in spite of only deciding to do a Big Year in April. Some of the highlights of the year were seeing ten species of owls and hearing two more. Seeing a Spotted Owl and three Elf Owls and then hearing a Flammulated Owl in Rustler Park in Arizona were really special. She also was fortunate to have seen all six North American rails, including sighting of 11 Yellow Rails at Anahuac NWR in Texas. Jordan is the daughter of Keith & Pam (Badorf) Rutter, formerly of Ephrata.

It could be that a wild Pink-footed goose was sighted in Chester and Lancaster Counties in early 2004. The Pennsylvania Ornithological Records Committee (PORC) will be making the decision within the next 12 months. PORC secretary, Nick Pulcinella, as reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer article, "A Pink-footed Goose Loose from Greenland," on January 26, 2004, saw what he thinks is the real thing as opposed to an "escaped" bird. Nick has several positions in the world of birding. As of March 2003, he has been the editor of Pennsylvania Birds, the journal for the Pennsylvania Society of Ornithology. Look in future newsletters for the PORC decision on the goose. (See Birds on the Move article regarding the one in Lancaster County.)

"Linking People and Places, from Lancaster to Africa," an article in the Intelligencer Journal on January 12, 2004 featured Miriam Housman, along with her photo. Miriam is retired from teaching and from tour guiding with the Mennonite Information Center. While teaching in Africa, she expanded her appreciation of different cultures. Currently, Miriam speaks of her experiences with school and civic groups. She values connecting people to different cultures, as well as individuals to other individuals, based on what she knows is a common interest.

Have you been "Driven Nuts by Squirrels?" As of January 13, 2004, Leon Schreffler and Shirley Bubb haven't. These two members were cited in the Intelligencer Journal on this date for their ingenuity in keeping the squirrels from eating the food designed for the birds�Leon with his triple baffled/fortified suet feeder and wire-topped feeder box; Shirley with her "stove pipe" pole feeder. We wish you continued success with your fool-proofing. Member Robert Coley was cited as accepting compromise; after several unsuccessful attempts to trick squirrels, he has two feeders that are easily accessible to squirrels along with the feeders with baffles.

Andrew Odell, a home-schooled freshman, was honored in February 2004 for his achievements in the Creative Homeschool Support Services Science Fair in Middletown. Entitled "Capture Patterns of the Northern Saw-whet Owl," his project received "Best of Category" as well as "Best in Show" for the senior high division. Andrew, with the help of family and friends, including Scott Weidensaul, analyzed capture data from the Hidden Valley site in Schuylkill County from 2002 and 2003. Both Andrew and Scott have been guest speakers at our Club. Visitors to this site and others of the Northern Saw-whet Owl project are always welcomed.

Not able to get to the Amazon Rainforest? Not to worry. Just head southeast to the Delaware Museum of Natural History, just this side of Wilmington, Delaware. Bettina Heffner, itching for a taste of adventure, did so this winter. There were many birdrelated exhibits. "Hunters of the Sky," an exhibit about birds of prey, is featured through May 2, 2004. For more information, you may call 302-658-9111 or check out www.delmnh.org.

The Club has in storage copies of its newsletter and their predecessors dating from Vol. l/No. 1, which was published in March 1932. The cover sheet of the predecessor newsletter had the title, "The Upland Plover," and a sketch of the plover was included. Inside the cover, it has a header which states, "Published quarterly by T. G. Appel and W.S. Cramer, to encourage the study of birds in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania."

The LCBC Bulletin No.1 is from October 1943. It has our old traditional chickadee pair on the pine limb on the cover. (This was replaced with the American Kestrel from the Club's book cover some years ago.) Also on the cover is the line "Organized December 8, 1943."

A few early issues are a bit tattered and only two issues of "The Upland Plover" are in our possession. If anyone has any early issues they would like to donate to the Club or allow us to make copies, we would like to have issues dated earlier than 1960.

Editor's Note: Jay George, who retains the Club's archives, has begun reading old newsletters and will be submitting articles from them from time to time for publication. This is the first "item" he has selected. However, there are some discrepancies in dates. According to our records, the Club was officially organized December 8, 1937. Apparently, "The Upland Sandpiper" was a newsletter circulated among birders prior to the forming of the Lancaster County Bird Club. It's successor, entitled LCBC Bulletin No.1, has on its cover that the Club was organized December 8, 1943. Can anyone explain these discrepancies? If so, please contact me at 738-1855.

Notes from "The Upland Plover," March 1932, indicate that in 1931 W.S. Cramer and Miss D.E. Adams found on "People's Fish Ponds" in New Providence, on July 25th, both adult and young Least Bitterns at a nest. Three eggs were reported in the original clutch and the pair was apparently successful in rearing all of the young.

Also, T.G. Appel reported finding on two occasions in January--Purple Grackles.

Additionally, the bulletin notes Red-bellied Woodpeckers are uncommon winter residents just below the Maryland line, while in Lancaster County, the Red-bellied Woodpeckers are extremely rare. But reports cited by Beck indicate it as being "formerly perhaps more common, for Libhart reports it as a nesting species in 1869."

Friday, January 9, 2004 - A post-holiday season crowd of 160+ braved the cold weather to enjoy the program presented by Hank Kaestner. A retired spice buyer for McCormick, but still active as a consultant to spice companies, Mr. Kaestner gets to travel to many exotic places in the world. A bird lister with over 6,300 species on his world list, he also enjoys photographing the birds he sees. In his program, "A Birder's Odyssey--2003, 11 he shared with us a combination of both common and rare birds he encountered on his travels to Japan, Singapore, Madagascar, Brazil, Peru, Lesotho, and here in the United States at his vacation site in Vermont. The beautiful slides and commentary led to a very enjoyable evening.

Saturday, January 17, 2004 - Leader Fred Zimmerman had three participants on this winter trip to Cape Henlopen State Park, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal, Spring and Silver Lakes, and Indian River Inlet in Delaware. The group identified 64 species which included the following highlights: three female Common Eider, all three species of scoters, Red-throated Loon and Common Loon, Red-breasted Merganser, both Brown-headed and Red-breasted Nuthatches, Purple Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Great Cormorant, and Peregrine.

Friday, February 6,2004 - The regularly scheduled meeting was canceled due to threatening weather. The program presenter for this meeting, Steve Hoffman, has been rescheduled to give his program, "Advanced Raptor ID," at our September 2004 meeting.

Sunday, February 8, 2004 - This half-day trip was cancelled due to road and weather conditions.

Friday-Monday, February 13-16, 2004 - Thorn Kurtz and Nancy Clupper had eight very hardy birders on this trip to Canada. In spite of what they described as staggering cold (temperature of minus 17�), 41 species were identified. Best sightings were Barrow's Goldeneye, Bald Eagle, Glaucous Gull, Snowy Owl, Short-eared Owl, Northern Shrike, Common Raven, Bohemian Waxwing, Snow Bunting, Common Redpoll, and Evening Grosbeak.

Other items of interest included seeing Wild Turkeys at a feeder. The turkeys were jumping up and hitting the feeder to spill seed out onto the ground. They also observed a porcupine munching out on pine needles at a park near their hotel.

Saturday, February 21, 2004 - This year's coastal trip to New Jersey led by Gary Shirk had ten participants. On a cloudy day with mild temperatures and winds building up to 20 mph in the afternoon, the group observed 59 species. While visiting Point Pleasant, Manasquin Inlet, Shark River Inlet, and Barnegat Lighthouse, their sightings included large numbers of loons and Long-tailed Ducks. But the best sightings were "lifers" for many--Dovekie and Razorbill (both at less than fifty feet away) and Eurasian Wigeon. An unusual miss for this trip was Harlequin Duck, which usually can be seen at Barnegat Light.

Saturday, March 6,2004 - A total of 16 participants, led by Bruce Carl and Fred Habegger, braved light rain and fog on this mild day at Middle Creek WMA. Forty-eight species were identified, including 18 species of waterfowl. The highlight of the trip was seeing 150,000 Snow Geese taking flight when a Bald Eagle flew overhead.

Friday, March 12,2004 - The regular Club meeting featured Adrian Binns, a leader of birding tours. His program, "Britain' s Seabird Colonies," took us to the many locations in the British Isles famous for their seabird colonies. Accompanied by his great photography and interesting commentary, Adrian showed us how these 19 nesting species coexist in the tight quarters of these cliff-side locations. Pointing out the enormous numbers of seabirds and the reasons for their successful breeding here, he emphasized the importance of conserving these nesting sites. A very interesting and educational program was enjoyed by all in attendance.

Saturday, March 13, 2004 - Seven people were on the trip to Chester County led by Joe Meloney and assisted by Greer Sanders. On this, a very windy, partly cloudy, winter day, the group identified 45 species while visiting Struble Lake, Honey Brook Treatment Plant, Chambers Lake, and Marsh Creek State Park. Featured observations were GREAT looks at six Long-eared Owls only 40 feet away, close looks at Hooded Mergansers, and a total of 17 waterfowl species.

Sunday, March 14" 200.'1 - On this annual trip to look for displaying American Woodcocks, leader Larry Coble took the 11 participants to the Mount Gretna/Colebrook area. They managed to observe at least six Woodcocks, some of them landing very close to the participants. Other sightings among the total of 16 species identified were Pileated Woodpecker and Fox Sparrow.