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Lancaster County Bird Club |
Lancaster, PennsylvaniaFounded December 8, 1937to secure the cultivation of public sentiment in the
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"CALL NOTES"
JANUARY - MARCH 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008 - Club meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster. We start out the new calendar year with outstanding naturalist and author, Scott Weidensaul. His presentation is based on his new book, "Of a Feather," which traces the history of bird study in America. This whirlwind history shows how ornithology and birding grew from eccentric hobbies into something so completely in today's mainstream that today birding is now (almost) cool!
Saturday-Sunday, January 12-13, 2008 - Enjoy two days of winter birding in the Delmarva Peninsula area with leader Fred Zimmerman (Landisville 892-3046). Three options are available for this trip--first is to travel to the Anchorage Motel on your own on Friday night and begin birding early Saturday morning; second option is to join the group at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday morning at the Cape Henlopen State Park Visitors' Center. The third option is to join the group on Sunday at 9:00 a.m. at Prime Hook NWR Visitors' Center. You can bird Saturday and come home or stay Saturday night at the Anchorage Motel. If you need details as to the location of the motel or the meeting places, give Fred a call. There's always an interesting assortment of birds along the Delmarva Coast in winter.
Saturday, February 16, 2008 - A trip to the New Jersey shore to birding spots north of Atlantic City. Leader Gary Shirk (Lancaster 291-2172 or e-mail glshirk [AT] verizon [DOT] net) takes the group to Shark River Inlet, Manasquan River and Inlet, and the Barnegat Lighthouse area in New Jersey. Meet at 5:30 a.m. at the Reading Interchange of the PA Turnpike.
Friday, February 22, 2008 - NOTE: THIS IS THE 4TH (FOURTH) FRIDAY! Club meeting at the Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, at 7:30 p.m. Noted naturalist and TV personality Jack Hubley will present tonight's program. Entitled, "Critters Beyond Your Back Door," it will feature some of the critters you might commonly encounter in your own neighborhood, possibly your own backyard! Jack will include some live specimens in his presentation. Bring the children or grandchildren along!
Saturday, March 1, 2008 - This late winter trip to Middle Creek WMA is led by Bruce Carl (Akron 859-4179 or e-mail carls [AT] dejazzd [DOT] com) and Fred Habegger (859-2521). Emphasis will be on waterfowl. First option is to meet at 6:00 a.m. at Stop #1 to see the flocks of birds disperse from the lake at dawn. The second option is to join the group at 7:30 a.m., also at Stop #1.
Sunday, March 16, 2008 - This evening field trip is led by Randy Miller (Manheim 664-3778). Meet at 5:00 p.m. at the junction of Route 117 and Pinch Road in Mt. Gretna in Lebanon County. Primary target is to observe the courtship ritual of the American Woodcock.
Friday, March 21. 2008 - NOTE: THIS IS THE THIRD FRIDAY! Club meeting at the Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, at 7:30 p.m. You might want to come early tonight--it's the first night of the Members' Book Sale. Any member who wants to sell any bird books or nature-related books can do so tonight. There will be tables available along the side. You will be responsible for all phases of the sale--setting up, establishing prices, collecting the money, etc. Club President Ann Bodling will present the program tonight. Her topic will be "Planting for Pennsylvania Native Wildlife with Pennsylvania Native Plants." Valuable information will be provided on what native plants can be utilized in attracting and providing proper habitat for our native wildlife.
Saturday, March 29, 2008 - Birding along the Susquehanna River will be led by Jonathan Heller (Lancaster 940-6067 or e-mail jonathan [DOT] heller [AT] comcast [DOT] net). Meet at 7:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the John Wright Restaurant along the Susquehanna River in Wrightsville. This date usually coincides with the spring migration of Bonaparte's Gulls along the river. This provides a good opportunity to see Little Gull and maybe even Black-headed Gull, which can sometimes be found in among the "Bonies"!
Jay & Shirley George were included in John McGonigle's Sunday News article on October 2007 about raptor migration at Cape May, New Jersey. The writer was there at the same time as the Georges. He wrote, "Jay is a well-respected amateur naturalist with an especially strong knowledge of raptors, wildflowers, and native plants." Cape May State Park is one of the nation's best places to watch southbound migrating raptors so it's no wonder that the Georges made the scene.
And the Georges did not stay put in the United States for long after their New Jersey visit. In November they spent three weeks on the south island of New Zealand. Among other things they enjoyed seeing Yellow-eyed Penquins on their nests and the many seabirds around their boat off Kaikoura. These included one (southern) Royal, 17 (Gibson's) Wandering, and 2 (Antipodean) Royal Albatrosses along with 2 Brown-browed, 10 New Zealand White-capped, and 47 Salvin's Mollymawks. Many, many other birds were in the area also.
Only one Kea was spotted and it was trying to remove the rubberized cover from the back of a pick-up truck! Motuara Island in Marlborough Sound was an eye-opener. On this small island the introduced predators have been eliminated and native birdlife now flourishes. The difference between the continuous chorus of sounds here and near quiet of most wooded areas they visited was astonishing. This island and several others nearby are being used as refuges and breeding grounds for several New Zealand rarities. The lack of predators allowed rapid repopulation by native birds. Of course there were the beautiful beaches and a snow-covered Mount Cook and the sheep-filled emerald pastures, all pictures to be remembered.
Finally, there was the mystery bird, very high overhead! Was it really what Jay thought it was? No confirmations, just silence, then, "I never saw anything like that here." (If the mystery bird is identified from Jay's photos, readers will be informed.)
Kristan McKinne was "In the Spotlight" of the Sunday News on November 18, 2007. Kristan, daughter of Mike & Linda McKinne, has been the marketing and communications coordinator for the Lancaster County Conservancy since July. She credits her parents as being the people she most admires because of their passion for the environment. She cites Rachel Carson as an historical person she admires. Her photo was included in the write-up; there's no question she's a McKinne. Kirstan earned a Masters Degree in Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston in South Carolina.
As Kristan is still in the beginning of her life's work, Barbara & Peter Hunsberger have transitioned into a "lively and energetic" retirement as reported in this fall's Donor Profile in the Review--Millersville University Magazine. Both have been retired for several years--Barbara from Millersville University where she was the acquisition librarian and Peter from Armstrong World Industries where he was a technical specialist. Since they've retired, they have traveled the world with Peter capturing much of it on film. When not on the road, they actively support and enjoy the arts of theater, music, painting, etc. Like any good traveler, they appreciate the opportunities right in their own backyard. For the Hunsbergers that literally means their gardens as well as our beautiful county.
| I N M E M O R I A M |
| PHOEBE M. MELLINGER |
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Phoebe Mellinger, wife of Carl Mellinger, passed away on December 5, 2007, after a lengthy illness involving a blood disorder. Besides a career as a housewife and mother of six children, Phoebe also worked for the Lancaster General Hospital for 29 years. She was a member of the Lancaster County Bird Club for 22 years and enjoyed going on many of the Club's field trips. She also did volunteer work in the Department of Ornithology at North Museum. An avid gardener, she particularly enjoyed her flower gardens. Phoebe will be remembered by many for her ever-present smile, her upbeat and positive personality, and her overall friendliness to all with whom she came in contact. She will be greatly missed by her many friends. Our sincerest sympathy is extended to Carl and the family. |
Hi Birding Buddies,
I'm helping with a Bird Club made up of about twenty 6th graders at Hand Middle School in Lancaster City. We bird in the 8-acre woods that is behind the school; when the weather is bad, we do classroom activities. Various supplies as listed below are needed.
Wanted: Birding materials for school Bird Club in which about twenty 6th graders at Hand Middle School in Lancaster are participating. I am their club volunteer and would appreciate any old calendars, magazines, books, etc., for teaching aids. The children go birding in the 8 acres of woods behind the school on South Ann Street. If you have any old binoculars that could be borrowed or donated, these would be appreciated. I would arrange for pick-up. For those who may want to loan binoculars, please know that the children are always supervised by me and at least one other teacher. You may call me at Lancaster 393-2546, or reach me by e-mail at bettinahef [AT] msn [DOT] com. Thank you.
Five years ago, those of us who worked at the Hidden Valley Saw-whet Owl Research Station met a shy, red-haired Franklin & Marshall College student named Ariel White. Ariel was working on a research project at our station. After graduation, she entered a Master's Program at William and Mary and continued to band saw-whets and songbirds. Her Master's thesis project involved the study of Belted Kingfishers.
Ariel is now in the Peace Corps, stationed on the Island of Cebu in the Philippines. She is running an educational campaign in the local schools and hopes to be able to give the schools binoculars and bird ID guides. If you have binoculars to contribute or wish to give a donation so Ariel can purchase bird books, please bring them to our next meeting.
She also requested easy crochet patterns for Christmas ornaments. Yarn is expensive over there, so she'll use string to teach the children.
Any questions may be addressed to Karen R. Light, 186 Old State Road, Jonestown, PA 17038-8500 or by calling (717) 865-2818. Thanks for your help!
Current membership is 344, 17 less than this time last year.
Welcome to our new members! If you don't know many Club members, please join us on a field trip, which is a good way to get acquainted, not only with Club members, but also with good birding areas. I believe you will find our members both friendly and helpful to beginning birders.
Tributes received since October 1, 2007, include:
The Board of Directors extends their thank you to these members for their generosity.
Our guest speaker at the September meeting, Dr. Daniel Klem of Muhlenberg College, made the New York Times just a couple of weeks after his presentation to us about bird mortality as related to commercial and residential glass. The news item was about how a United States Postal Service site on Manhattan's West Side has significantly decreased its negative impact on migrating birds by blackening many of its decorative glass panels with vinyl film. Dr. Klem was cited as an expert on the subject. Most of the birds that were killed prior to the changes were those coming our way for the winter--Dark-eyed Juncos, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and White-throated Sparrows. Prior to the fix, the panels reflected the trees in a nearby park which caused the birds to think they found a safe place to feed and rest. Dr. Klem stated that migratory birds are often lured into Man�hattan by the city's lights and, after arriving, have a difficult time finding respite which makes them susceptible to being confused by window reflections. The Postal Service worked with the city's Audubon Society to solve the problem. The Society's Project Safe Flight is currently monitoring other city buildings with prospects for saving more birds.
The 11th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count, led by Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology, will be held during President's weekend this year--February 15-18, 2008. It can be fun to see how many different kinds of birds can be seen and counted right in your own backyard or neighborhood park. Just last year, Great Backyard Bird Count participants made history, breaking records for the number of birds reported, and the number of checklists. Participants sent in 81,203 checklists tallying 11,082,387 birds of 613 species throughout the United States and Canada.
For more information on how to participate, visit the website www.birdcount.org or contact Pat Leonard, Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Phone - (607) 254-2137or e-mail pel27 [AT] cornell [DOT] edu.
Editor's Note: Please report your sightings to Barbara Hunsberger, 984 Woodridge Boulevard, Lancaster, PA 17601. She prefers to have reports sent to her e-mail address: phunsberger [AT] comcast [DOT] net, but will accept mail or phone reports (Lancaster 393-4091). Remember, our focus is not just on rare or uncommon birds, but also on more common species that appear in unusual numbers, out-of-season, or exhibiting behaviour that would be of interest to our members. Your help is needed in making this column a way of recording the county's birdlife. If you send a report to the Pennsylvania Bird Serve List or make a verbal report at a Club meeting, please send that report to Barb also. Thanks for your help!
| Sept. 1 - | 1 Ruff and 1 Little Blue Heron on the Conejohela Flats - Tom Amico |
| Sept. 1 - | 1 Little Blue Heron at the Octorara IBA - Tom Raub |
| Sept. 1 - | 1 Blackburnian Warbler, 1 Canada Warbler, 1 American Redstart, 1 Scarlet Tanager, 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak - Pumping Station Road - Glenn Shaffer |
| Sept. 2 - | 1 Olive-sided Flycatcher, 1 Baltimore Oriole - Safe Harbor - Glenn Shaffer |
| Sept. 2 - | 1 Great-crested Flycatcher, 1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, 1 Philadelphia Vireo, -Old rail bed at Turkey Hill Conservancy Site; 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch - at feeder at his home in Manheim Twp. - Glenn Shaffer |
| Sept. 2 - | Among 12 species of shorebirds on the Conejohela Flats were 1 Golden Plover, 12 Semipalmated Plover, 1 juv. Baird's Sandpiper, 1 White-rumped Sandpiper, 12 Pectoral Sandpiper, 1 juv. Short-billed Dowitcher, 2 Pied-billed Grebe, 1 Little Blue Heron, 11 (2 adult/9 immature) Bald Eagle, 1 Merlin, 1 American Coot, 3 Caspian Tern, and 1 Forster's Tern - Cameron Root |
| Sept. 3 - | 2 Chestnut-sided Warbler, 1 Magnolia Warbler, 2 Blackburnian Warbler, 1 Blue-headed Vireo - Chickies Rock area along trail on east side of Route 441 - Glenn Shaffer |
| Sept. 11 - | 1 molting Scarlet Tanager, 1 Veery, 1 Hermit Thrush, 2 Red-eyed Vireo, 2 Black-throated Green Warbler, 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and many Gray Catbird -- Highlights of the Wednesday morning birding group at Pumping Station Road - Chuck Chalfant |
| Sept. 12 - | 30 Double-crested Cormorant, 27 Blue-winged Teal, 14 Gread Blue Heron, 16 Great Egret, 200 Ring-billed Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, 3 Caspian Tern, 50 Least Sandpiper, 7 Green Heron, 6 Bald Eagle, 5 Osprey - Brunner Island, Haldeman Island, and the grassy Bainbridge Islands - Andrew McGann |
| Sept. 12 - | 46 Double-crested Cormorant, 2 Northern Shoveler, 215 Ring-billed Gull, 9 Great Blue Heron, 6 Great Egret, 3 Green Heron, 1 Black Tern, 12 Caspian Tern, 3 Bald Eagle, 3 Osprey, 1 American Golden-plover, 8 Killdeer, 14 Least Sandpiper, 70 Fish Crow, 10 Bank Swallow - Conejohela Flats - Andrew McGann |
| Sept. 13 - | 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 3 Black-throated Green Warbler, 1 Nashville Warbler, 1 Caspian Tern, 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet, 1 Warbling Vireo - Safe Harbor and north to Columbia - Glenn Shaffer |
| Sept. 14 - | 2 (male & female) Black-throated Blue Warbler, 1 Nashville Warbler, 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler, 1 Black-throated Green Warbler, 2 Magnolia Warbler, 1 Mourning Warbler - Chickies Rock area along trail on east side of Route 441 - Glenn Shaffer |
| Sept. 14 - | 1 juv. Black-bellied Plover, 18 Pectoral Sandpiper, 3 Stilt Sandpiper, 32 Pied-billed Grebe, 1 juv. Little Blue Heron, 4 Northern Pintail, 2 American Wigeon, 10 Northern Shoveler, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Marsh Wren, 3 Yellow Warbler - Cameron Rutt |
| Sept. 15 - | 1 pair Merlin - Pumping Station Road - Elaine & Chuck Chalfant |
| Sept. 16 - | 100 Great Egret, 20 Great Blue Heron, 3 American Kestrel, 1 Cooper's Hawk, 1 Osprey, 4 Bald Eagle - From the Face Rock Overlook above Holtwood Dam - Tom Amico |
| Sept. 16 - | 1 Swainson's Thrush - 984 Woodridge Boulevard, Lancaster - Barbara Hunsberger |
| Sept. 17 - | 3 Magnolia, 4 Black-throated Green, 1 Black & White, and 1 Connecticut Warblers, 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Speedwell Forge County Park - Glenn Shaffer |
| Sept. 17 - | Among five shorebird species were 3 American Golden-Plover, 13 Pectoral Sand�piper, and 3 Bald Eagle, 1 juv. Red-Shouldered Hawk, 1000 Tree, 1000 Bank, and 2 Cliff Swallows, 1 Yellow Warbler - Conejohela Flats - Drew Weber and Andrew McGann |
| Sept. 19 - | 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird, 2 Eastern Wood-Pewee, 2 Brown Thrasher, 1 Magnolia Warbler, 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler, 2 Black-throated Green Warbler, 1 Blackburnian Warbler, 1 American Redstart, 2 Common Yellowthroat, 1 Scarlet Tanager, 2 Red-breasted Grosbeak, 1 Indigo Bunting, 75+ Cedar Waxwing at Muddy Run Park -Highlights from the Wednesday morning birding group - Chuck Chalfant |
| Sept. 21 - | 1 Palm Wrbler - In yard in Gap - Pam Fisher |
| Sept. 26 - | 1 Great Horned Owl, 5 Chimney Swift, 1 Purple Martin, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 7 White-breasted Nuthatch, 3 House Wren, 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1 Swainson's Thrush, 60 Gray Catbird, 3 Brown Thrasher, 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler, 1 Black & White Warbler, 1 American Redstart, 1 Common Yellowthroat - Highlights of the Wednesday morning birding group at Landis Woods -- Chuck Chalfant |
| Sept. 29 - | 5 juv. American Golden-Plover, 2 juv. Sanderling, 25 Pectoral Sandpiper, 1 Wilson's Snipe, 22 Pied-billed Grebe, 12 Great Egret, 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron, 1 American Bittern, 20 Green-winged Teal, 2 Sora, 2 Peregrine Falcon - Conejohela Flats - Cameron Rutt |
| Oct. 1 - | Among 10 shorebird species were 3 Black-bellied Plover, 6 American Golden-Plover, 60 Pectoral Sandpiper, 3 Long-billed Dowitcher, 2 Wilson's Snipe, and 3 Osprey, 6 Bald Eagle, 6 Horned Lark, 1 Marsh Wren, 7 American Pipit, 15 Savannah Sparrow - Bainbridge Islands - Drew Weber and Andrew McGann |
| Oct. 3 - | 10 Great Blue Heron, 2 Wood Duck, 2 Common Merganser, 1 Osprey, 1 Eastern Screech Owl, 6 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 2 Blue-headed Vireo, 6 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 4 Magnolia Warbler, 40 Yellow-rumped Warbler, 8 Black-throated Green Warbler, 2 Common Yellowthroat, 3 Field Sparrow, 1 Swamp Sparrow, 20 White-throated Sparrov, 6 Indigo Bunting - Highlights of the Wednesday morning birding group at Speedwell Forge County Park - Chuck Chalfant |
| Oct. 11 - | 1 American Bittern, 6 Black-crowned Night Heron, 3 Osprey, 6 Bald Eagle, 1 Merlin, 1 Sora, 2 Black-bellied Plover, 15 American Golden Plover, 12 Least Sandpiper, 7 Dunlin, 4 Long-billed Dowitcher, 2 Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, 6 Rusty Blackbird - Bainbridge Islands - Deuane Hoffman |
| Oct. 17 - | 2 Bald Eagle, 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1 Red- breasted Nuthatch, 12 White-breasted Nuthatch, 3 Brown Creeper, 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, 6 White-throated Sparrow, 2 Dark-eyed Junco, 1 female Purple Finch - Highlights of the Wednesday morning birding group at the Bainbridge Canal Trail - Chuck Chalfant |
| Oct. 19 - | 1 juv. Black-bellied Plover, 135 Killdeer, 2 juv. Baird's Sandpiper, 1 Dunlin, 1 Bald Eagle, 24 Pied-billed Grebe, 130 American Coot, 1 Great Egret, 3 Bona�parte's Gull, 1 Common Tern, 16 Forster's Tern - Conejohela Flats - Bob Schutsky |
| Oct. 21 - | 1 Osprey, 1 Bald Eagle, 1 Northern Harrier, 9 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 2 Eastern Phoebe, 7 Horned Lark, 2 Tree Swallow, 2 Black-capped Chickadee, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 2 Brown Creeper, 1 Winter Wren, 3 Hermit Thrush, 3 Gray Catbird, 1 Brown Thrasher, 1 Cape May Warbler, 16 Yellow-rumped Warbler, 4 Palm Warbler. 4 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 5 Eastern Towhee, 22 Chipping Sparrow, 25 White-crowned Sparrow, 18 Purple Finch - Northern Lancaster County and Middle Creek WMA - Bruce Carl |
| Oct. 27 - | 2 Black-bellied Plover, 1 Semipalmated Plover, 1 Ruddy Turnstone, 292 Dunlin, 2 Wilson's Snipe, 95 Pied-billed Grebe, 1 juv. Brant, 748 American Coot, 14 Bonaparte's Gull, 3 Laughing Gull, 2 Common Tern, 1 Forster's Tern - Conejohela Flats - Cameron Rutt |
| Nov. 4 - | 1 Black-bellied Plover, 2 Killdeer, 1 Dunlin, 1 Long-billed Dowitcher, 9 Common Loon, 26 Wood Duck, 184 Gadwall, 11 Northern Pintail, 43 American Wigeon, 11 Northern Shoveler, 1 Blue-winged Teal, 122 Green-winged Teal, 38 Ring-necked Duck, 2 Lesser Scaup, 17 Bufflehead, 11 Ruddy Duck, 700+ American Coot, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Snow Bunting - Conejohela Flats - Cameron Rutt |
| Nov. 5 - | 1 Common Redpoll (flyover) and 200+ Brant (flyover) - Lancaster County Park - Drew Weber |
| Nov. 7 - | Sub-adult male Rufous Hummingbird which was first seen at a feeder in northern Lancaster County on November 1 and banded by Wayne Laubscher on November 9. Immature female Rufous Hummingbird, first seen November 16th and banded by Scott Weidensaul on November 18, at the same feeder as the sub-adult male. These birds continued to be seen into late December - Bruce Carl and Jan & Pat Witmer |
| Nov. 7 - | 4 "Wild" Turkeys in various backyards in the center of Ephrata which were continued to be seen into late December - m.ob. |
| Nov. 8 - | 150+ American Pipits - Near Muddy Run - Tom Amico |
| Nov. 9 - | 19 Bald Eagle (3 adult, 16 imm.) 8 Pine Siskin, 1 Common Loon, 1 Goldeneye, 2 Horned Grebe, 1 Hooded Merganser - Muddy Run area - Tom Amico |
| Nov. 11 - | 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 984 Woodridge Boulevard, Lancaster - Barbara Hunsberger |
| Nov. 13 - | 3 Pine Siskin, 20+ American Goldfinch, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 2 female Purple Finch - At feeders in Gap - Chuck Chalfant |
| Nov. 14 - | 30 American Black Duck, 50 Horned Lark, 5 Golden-crowned Kinglet, 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 5 Savannah Sparrow, 15 White-throated Sparrow, 15 Dark-eyed Junco, 1 Red-winged Blackbird, 1 Purple Finch - Highlights of the Wednesday morning birding group at the Octoraro Lake area - Chuck Chalfant |
| Nov. 14 - | 1 Cattle Egret (flyover) - East of Stasburg - Tom Raub |
| Nov. 22 - | 1 Merlin - Near their home in Peach Bottom - Nancy & Bob Schutsky |
| Nov. 24 - | 100+ Black Vulture, 1 imm. Golden Eagle - Face Rock Overlook - Scott Gregg |
If you have any questions regarding items in the newsletter, Club
meetings/programs, or field trips, please feel free to contact a
member of the Board of Directors. For your convenience, their names
and phone numbers are listed below:
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Friday, October 12, 2007 - The featured program at the Club meeting was "My Search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker" presented by Jeff Gordon of Lewes, Delaware. Jeff was a member of Cornell's first volunteer group to go in search of the Ivory-billed, following the release of the initial suspicions to the public. A very interesting program which included the short video that served as the basis for the belief on the part of many that the Ivory-billed is still surviving. Subsequent events have led to quite a controversy as to the actual existence of this species. Hope remains high, but in the absence of any more evidence being found, a considerable amount of skepticism as to its existence prevails.
Sunday, October 14, 2007 - There were 22 participants on this trip to Memorial Lake State Park and Second Mountain Hawk Watch. Leader Rosemary Spreha reported 55 species of birds were identified on this beautiful fall day. Highlights included good looks through a spotting scope of Purple Finches, Eastern Towhee, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawks, and three adult Bald Eagles (flying together).
Saturday, October 27, 2007 - The scheduled trip to Waggoner's Gap Hawk Watch was postponed by leader Jan Witmer to Saturday, November 3, due to weather conditions and forecast. Eight Club members were present on November 3rd and a total of 317 birds were recorded. This included 11 species with the most notable sightings being Bald Eagle, Northern Goshawk, and Golden Eagle. Golden Eagles were observed only by those who stayed on the lookout after 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 3, 2007 - A successful night at the Saw-whet Owl Banding Station at Hidden Valley Golf Course in Schuylkill County was experienced by the 15 people on this field trip. Participants on the trip were given the full explanation of the banding process from seeing the mist nets, to watching all the steps of how the bander processes a bird that's been caught in the nets, to the final release of the bird. While this group was there, they observed eight Saw-whet Owls going through this process.
Friday, November 9, 2007 - Club members were entertained with lots of pictures of owls during tonight's featured program. The program, "Gray Ghosts of North," presented by Wayne Laubscher of Clinton County, highlighted those northern owls which most avid birders want to see--the Great Gray, the Boreal, the Hawk Owl, and the Snowy Owl. He also included the Saw-whet Owl. Information was provided about their irruptive behavior. A short portion at the end of this program featured winter birding in Algonquin Provincial Park with slides of the common species one can find in the park at that time.
Friday-Sunday, November 16-18, 2007 - The annual fall trip to Chincoteague, Virginia, was led by Gary Shirk. Birding locations visited by the ten trip participants included Bombay Hook NWR, Cape Henlopen State Park, Chincoteague NWR, Shad Landing State Park, the Ocean City jetty, Indian River Inlet, and Silver Lake in Rehobeth Beach. Friday's high winds made it difficult to find any active birds, but the weather cooperated the next two days and resulted in 108 species being identified. Most notable sightings included Brown-headed Nuthatch, lots of Red-Breasted Nuthatches, Peregrine Falcon, Common Eider, Oyster-catcher, Purple Sandpiper, and lots of Bald Eagles. Other items of interest were the observation of the Chincoteague ponies and Sitka Deer.
Friday, December 14, 2007 - As cold weather set in for the winter and thoughts turned towards getting away to warmer climates, the December program, "Tropical Birding 101," seemed appropriate. Program presenter, Kevin Loughlin, took the audience through the basics of birding in tropical habitats. Starting with the birding basics of studying the field guides, listening to bird songs, familiarizing probable ranges, to being prepared with proper clothing and equipment, we were ready for a tropical birding experience. The remainder of the program was a presentation of beautiful slides depicting some of the birds to be found in the various habitats found in the tropics. Belize, Costa Rica, and Panama were the tropical areas used as a resource for illustrating the sensational birding to be found there.
The results of the three Christmas Bird Counts will be published in the Annual Research Issue of "Call Notes."
Created for the Internet on ... 17 May 2008