This was a hybrid meeting, broadcast on Zoom. We had a speaker and a live audience in the BEES classroom and the meeting was broadcast on Zoom.
Call to Order: President Barb Bassett
Call to Order: 7:30 PM
Attendees: 18 on Zoom
In person: 14
Navin Sasikumar moved to approve minutes of the last meeting and Perri Strawn seconded the motion. The minutes were approved unanimously.
Committee Reports
Membership – Barb Bassett for Rebecca Reicherter
One new person joined, Jeanette Dumas
Field Trips – Linda Widdop
If you wish to lead a field trip, contact Linda: linda@techimpact.org
Upcoming field trips:
| DATE | TIME | TRIP | LEADER |
| Oct 18 | 7:30-9:30am | Silver Lake Nature Center – Bucks County | Linda Rowan |
Oct 18 | 9:30 – 11:30am | FDR Park with South Philly Library | Holger Pflicke |
| Oct 19 | 9:00 – 9:00am | Poquessing Creek Park | Holger Pflicke |
| Oct 22 | 9:30 – 11:00am | Wednesday Mornings at Lorimer Park & Fox Chase Farm | Linda Widdop |
| Oct 22 | 7:30 – 9:00am | Pennypack Park with NE Regional Library | Holger Pflicke |
| Oct 23 | 8:00 – 9:30am | Thursday Mornings at Wetherill Park (Montco) | Martin Selzer |
| Oct 25 | 8:30 – 10:30am | Silver Lake Nature Center – Bucks County | Linda Rowan |
| Oct 25 | 8:30 – 9:30am | Bird Walk at The Discovery Center | TBD |
| Oct 25 | 10:00 – 12:00pm | Glen Foerd with Torresdale Library | Holger Pflicke |
| Oct 26 | 7:30 – 9:00am | Robert A. Borski, Jr. Park | Holger Pflicke |
| Oct 29 | 8:00 – 9:30am | Wednesday Mornings at Lorimer Park & Fox Chase Farm | Linda Widdop |
| Oct 30 | 8:00 – 9:30am | Thursday Mornings at Wetherill Park (Montco) | Martin Selzer |
Conservation – Rob Karchnyak and Perri Strawn
Perri Strawn announced that the Conservation Committee brought forward a proposal to support bird rescue and rehabilitation at the Wildlife Clinic at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. Donors will be invited to pledge a certain amount for every bird the Clinic rescues for fall migration 2025. DVOC will match the funds up to $499.
Rob Karchnyak announced that there is a planned “Write for the Birds” event at the Discovery Center on October 28th
Billings – Art McMorris
Go Birding!
Cassinia – Holger Pflicke
No report.
Banquet – Navin Sasikumar for Lauren Diamond
Navin Sasikumar announced that the banquet will be on Friday November 14th with Jason Hall as speaker. Tickets are now available.
Announcements
Gregg Gorton announced the archives committee was in touch with Matt Halley who mentioned that Don Jones had left him a hard drive with material that they would like to include in the DVOC archive.
Navin Sasikumar announced the annual photo contest will be held on December 18th with submission deadline being November 29th
Constitution Committee Changes
Barb Bassett went over the proposed changes for the DVOC Constitution with meeting participants.
The floor was opened to questions for Art McMorris; there were no questions asked.
Barb announced there were enough members for a quorum, she then asked for a show of hands to approve the changes, then a show of hands if anyone disagreed. The vote was all in favor and the changes were approved.
Local Notes
Barb Bassett mentioned that a Say’s Phoebe has been in Cape May Point SP from October 8 through October 14
Linda Widdop noted 20 American Pipits was a highlight of the recent Big Sit at John Heinz NWR, she mentioned there was no water in the impoundment, making for a tough day of birding.
Manny Dominguez had a Clay-colored Sparrow at FDR Park.
Martin Dellwo had 10+ species of Warblers at Rittenhouse Square, also Brown Creeper and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, then after the change in weather they were all replaced by sparrows.
Programs
Next meeting: November 6, 2025
Speaker: Matthew Halley – Rediscovery and history of Alexander Wilson’s house in Philadelphia
December 4th meeting will be an in-person meeting only, Jason Weckstein will be giving a tour of the Academy’s collection.
Evening Program
Orni Studies – Christina Riehl (in-person) – Beyond the Family: Cooperation and Communication in a Social Bird
Christina Riehl gave an entertaining and highly informative talk on the breeding habits of the Greater Anis that she studies in her long-running field project in Panama.
Adjournment
After the presentation and some questions, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00pm.