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> June 2, 2011 Minutes
Minutes of the DVOC
June 2, 2011
President Frank Windfelder called the meeting to order at 7:32 PM. Twenty-four members and three guests were present.
The minutes of the May 19th meeting were approved as submitted.
Committees:
Membership:
Chair Connie Goldman announced that Council has approved George Wood’s
application and she welcomed George to the club.
Conservation:
Chair Phil Witmer announced that it is not too late to make a pledge to the
World Series of Birding. So far, we have raised over $3200, which will go towards
the publication of the Pennsylvania Second Breeding Bird Atlas.
Phil also told us that Gary Stoltz, Director of the John Heinz NWR reported
the Bird-safe glass has been installed at their center. This was made possible
by the 2010 DVOC Conservation Award.
Field Trips:
Chair Win Shafer conducted the trip reports and announcements:
Trip Reports:
Art McMorris reported on the May 21 trip to Ridley Creek State Park, PA. They
primarily birded the Bridal Trail and accumulated 46 species. These included
a Pileated Woodpecker, Blue-winged, Chestnut-sided and Hooded Warblers.
Trip Announcements:
June 3 – 5 Piney Tract, Clarion County, PA. This trip will visit the reclaimed
grasslands in this area, focusing on Henslow’s, Clay-colored, Grasshopper
and Savannah Sparrows, as well as other grassland birds. Leader is Rick Mellon.
June 10 – 12 Camp Susquehannock, NE PA. Bird the hotspots of Susquehanna
County and stay at Camp Susquehannock as a guest of Win Shafer, who is also
the leader.
June 18 – Wharton State Forest, NJ for Nighthawks. This is an evening
trip to search for Common Nighthawks, Whip-poor-wills and Chuck-will’s-widows.
Leader is Steve Kacir.
June 22 – Lakehurst Naval Air Station, NJ. We will be visiting a large
grassland area that is managed for Upland Sandpipers and other grassland birds.
Leader is Bob Horton.
Programs:
Vice President Art McMorris announced the upcoming programs.
Summer meetings will be at Palmyra Cove Nature Park, NJ on July 7 and August
4, and at John Heinz NWR, PA on September 1.
July 7, Phil Witmer will present “Protecting Area 1002: The Crown Jewel
of the Arctic Refuge” and Cody Pitz will present “My experiences
as a youth team member in the World Series of Birding”
August 4, Tom Bailey will challenge us with another one of his birding quizzes.
September 1,Vincent Nichnadowicz will present “The Best Mojito in Havana:
Tales of Birding Cuba”
July 9, the annual picnic will again be hosted by the Gurises at their home.
September 15, Eugene Potapov, “The Steller’s Sea Eagle in the wilderness:
a global warming sentinel?”
November 17, Annual Banquet featuring Kevin Karlson and Dale Rosselet. They
will present “The Birds of Cape May”.
Announcements:
Art McMorris shared with the members a photo sent by Paulo Boute showing Brazilian
students using the optics equipment donated by club members.
Paul Guris announced upcoming Pelagic Trips. On August 14 a trip will originate
in Lewes, DE for a 16 hour trip. He is also scheduling two cost-sharing trips
on smaller boats. The dates are August 19-20 and August 21-22.
On behalf of The Cobb Creek Park, PA, Tony Croasdale thanked the club members
for the donation of ten pairs of Nikon binoculars through the New Bins for New
Birders program.
Local Notes:
Chris Walters shared a photo of the Four Loons birding team. They finished third
in the World Series of Birding.
Paul Guris reported on the May 20th pelagic trip sponsored by NJ Audubon. Birds
seen included a Cory Shearwater, Great and Sooty Shearwaters, Wilson’s
and Leach’s Storm-Petrels, South Polar Skua and Arctic Terns.
Win Shafer reported on the results so far of the banding at Rushton Farms, Willistown,
PA. 40 species have been banded this year. Win also reported a Yellow-throated
Warbler singing near the Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, PA.
Vincent Nichnadowicz reported a Red-necked Phalarope at Prime Hook NWR, DE.
Phil Witmer reported a pair of Prothonotary Warblers at Peace Valley Park, PA.
Tony Croasdale reported Common Nighthawks in South Philadelphia. They can be
heard each evening. He also reported a Scarlet Tanager in his backyard on May
13 in South Philadelphia.
Jane Henderson reported a Kentucky Warbler in Fort Washington State Park, PA.
on May 27.
Bob Rufe noted that the Peregrine Falcons on the Brandywine Building in Wilmington,
DE were feeding 5 young. There is a webcam focused on the nest. It can be accessed
through dosbirds.org.
Frank Windfelder reported a singing Protonotary Warbler at the Taylor Refuge,
NJ on May 21. Frank has observed the following birds breeding or attempting
to breed at:
Northeast Airport: Eastern Meadowlark, Killdeer, American Kestrel
Spring Lane in the Schuylkill Valley: Bobolink
Houston Meadows in the Wissahickon Valley: Black-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-breasted
Chat, Eastern Bluebird.
Main Program:
Vice President Art McMorris introduced tonight’s speaker, Angus Wilson.
Angus presented “A Meeting of Wings: Seabirds of the Western North Atlantic”
Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Bob Horton, Secretary