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December 2, 2004 Minutes
Minutes of the DVOC
December 2, 2004
Adrian Binns surmounted the problem of a non-functional microphone, and called the meeting to order precisely at 7:30. Sub-freezing temperatures were immediately reported in Hell. 63 members and 4 guests attended.
The minutes of November 4 were approved as ammended. Apparently Jane Henderson and Lynn Jackson are not considered to be interchangeable.
Committee Reports
Membership Committee: Anita Guris announced 4 new members; Andy Bernick, Barbara
Heibsch, Jeff Hawk, and William Keim ... this despite the fact that they had
attended meetings and saw what this club is actually like.
Conservation: No report.
Larus: Jane Henderson reported that the new issue of Larus was now available on DVOC's web site. People were encouraged to opt to receive Larus only in electronic format to control costs and the work of the mailing.
Cassinia: No report.
Publications: No report.
Field Trips: The following field trip reports were made:
- Frank Windfelder reported on the November 6 Bake Oven Knob trip, in a manner
that only Frank is capable of. Highlights were 2 Golden Eagles and an adult
Goshawk. Two more Golden Eagles were seen after Frank abandoned his own field
trip early.
- Adrian Binns reported that the November 6 Saw-whet Owl banding trip was a
success, with 3 owls being banded. The first apparently was nearly rotisseried
by the flash of cameras. The operation's final total was 528 owls for the season.
- Hank Hox reported on the November 28 trip to Roosevelt Park led by Keith Russell.
Grebes, wigeons, and other waterfowl were the highlights, with the lowlights
being oiled birds from the recent tanker disaster.
The following upcoming trips were announced:
- Fri, December 31 pelagic Christmas Bird Count with Paul Guris
- Sun, January 9 trip to Dix WMA in Cumberland County, NJ led by Paul Guris
- January 15-17 trip to Montauk with Erica Brendell and Chris Walters
- Sun, January 23 trip to Barnegat with Adrian Binns
Nominating Committee: Colin Campbell announced the slate of
officers for 2005, to be voted on at the January 6 Annual Meeting. And the nominations
are...
- for Best Semi-In-Absentia President, Adrian Binns
- for Best Techno-Phobic Vice President, Chris Walters
- for Best Irreverent Secretary, Paul Guris
- for Most World Vacationed Treasurer, Naomi Murphy
- Anita Guris and Lynn Jackson will be leaving Council ... running all the way
- Jeff Holt and Mike Lyman will be joining as new Councilors
Additional nominations were solicited, perhaps out of desperation when he realized
the current crop of clowns he was offering up for another year, but none were
made.
Programs: Chris Walters announced the following upcoming programs:
- December 16, Pat Sutton will present "How to Find Owls".
- January 6 is the club's Annual Meeting. Snacks and beverages will be provided.
Paul Guris will once again provide the beverages, a long-term position that
is the only reason he was made a DVOC Fellow.
- January 20, our own Adrian Binns will present “Bharatpur: India’s
Bird Paradise and Crown Jewel of Asia”.
Archives: No report.
Announcements
• Don Jones: Bill Tucker is organizing a trip to Peru for June 27 to July
23. The cost is $3,400 plus airfare, and they just 3 people are needed to be
able to run it. See Don for more information.
• Adrian Binns: Bidder #36 from the auction still must pay for and pick
up their books.
• Adrian Binns: Keith Russell says that the Philadelphia Mid-winter Census
is very much up in the air, as his schedule is very busy. He is looking for
volunteers to help run it this year.
• Jane Henderson: Steve Malinson, a long time member of the club who joined
in 1965, recently passed away.
• Chris Walters: The new pre-meeting dinner location is City Garden at
18th & JFK Parkway. He stated that they had an excellent liquor menu and
large portions, but failed to clarify if the portions referred to liquor or
food.
• Chris Walters: A scarf was left at the banquet, and we have a few copies
of "Song of the Blue Ocean" still available for sale. If the scarf
remains unclaimed long enough, it too will become available for sale.
• Doris McGovern: The Julian K. Potter award for outstanding contribution
to field ornithology was awarded at the banquet to Adrian Binns and Martin Selzer
for their work improving the club's field trip schedule. Adrian and Martin have
declined the award, stating that they felt that this was part of their duties
as active club members.
• Barbara Hiebsch: It appears that the oil spill in the Delaware River
may be closer to 500,000 gallons. Help finding oiled birds for Tri-State Bird
Rescue was requested. An "on the spot" vote was taken by Council,
which approved the donation of $500 to Tri-State. A "pass the hat"
was also done which raised an additional $403.
• Hart Rufe: Birds were nearly absent on their recent trip to the eastern
part of Florida, due to the hurricanes. They went 8 days before finding a Mourning
Dove. There were no cormorants, few pelicans, and few egrets.
• Paul Guris: The December 4 Belmar pelagic is full. The December 11 Lewes
pelagic has 8 spaces left. Reservations are being taken for the December 31
pelagic CBC out of Belmar.
• Adrian Binns: A big "thank you" to Bernice and Joe Copeland,
Chris Walters, and Terry Simon for their work on this year's highly successful
annual banquet.
Local Notes
• Kate Somerville: A Red-tailed Hawk was seen today eating a pigeon right
near Reading Terminal, chowing down at street level right next to people.
• Doris McGovern: On Thanksgiving, Al Guarante found an immature Black
Skimmer near Tinicum.
• Steve Kerr: 7 Red-headed Woodpeckers were in Batsto in the Pine Barrens.
• Paul Guris: 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are at his feeders in Green
Lane, PA.
• Nikolas Haass: There is a 2nd hand report of a Rufous Hummingbird in
downtown Philadelphia.
• Colin Campbell: 2 Rufous Hummingbirds are in Lewes, DE.
• Butch Pierce: An adult Black-headed Gull is in Tullytown.
• Jeff Holt: A juvenile Brant was found November 6 & 7 at Red Bank
Battlefield.
• Matt Sharp: Cherry Island Landfill in Delaware held 4 Iceland Gulls,
25+ Lesser Black-backeds, and the escaped Red-billed Gull.
Ornithological Studies
Matt Sharp presented a fascinating and overwhelming overview of the new Canada
vs. Cackling Goose split. The separation of these two seems doable at the extremes,
but the identification of Lesser Canada Goose (B. c. parvipes) and Taverner's
Cackling Goose (B. h. taverneri ) appears to be impossible.
Program
December 2, Michael Male and Judy Feith presented “Time with Birds: Filming
Birds Over 15 Years”. Michael and Judy filmed the Watching Warblers and
Watching Sparrows videos, as well as contributing to other works, and shared
many of their adventures with us. The opening video of the nesting Prairie Warblers,
the Colima Warbler footage, and the amazing footage of the Reddish Egrets in
action were just some of the highlights of this excellent program.
The meeting adjourned at 9:55.
Respectfully submitted,
Paul A. Guris, Secretary