Since the founding of our club in 1890, the first meeting of every year has been the “Members’ Meeting.” The meeting will feature the Annual Election of Officers and Council members, election of Fellows and Honorary Members, reports by the Treasurer and by the Trustees, and other matters of interest. Bert Filemyr will do a …
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Join Dr. Jason Weckstein for a tour of the legendary Ornithology Department. Jason will take us on a tour and show us specimens from the collection that are not available to the public. The Academy maintains an ornithological collection of nearly 200,000 study skins and 15,000 tissue samples. Of great historical importance, specimens in the …
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Over the years See Life's trips have turned up a number of pelagic discoveries including rarities, high counts, identification tips, habitat requirements, and behavioral traits. This program explores a range of these discoveries in the Mid-Atlantic pelagic region. Examples include rarities like Western Gull and Fea's petrel. Birds like Band-rumped Storm-Petrels, once considered to be …
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Matthew Halley, editor of the DVOC's Cassinia publication, has been studying the behavior and evolution of nightingale-thrushes (genus Catharus) since 2011, and they are now the focus of his PhD dissertation at Drexel University and the Academy of Natural Sciences. Catharus is best known for its champion migrants — Swainson's Thrush, Gray-cheeked Thrush, and the …
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Presentation on the biology of bluebirds and the habitat necessary for attracting them and conserving them. Betsy Nutt is a member of the speakers’ bureau of the Bluebird Society of Pennsylvania and is Penn State Master Gardener volunteer. Many generations of Betsy’s family have been involved with bird study and conservation. Her eldest son is …
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Don Jones' program was inspired by publication of Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds of Eastern North America by Nathan Pieplow last year. It is divided into two parts: (1) a brief history of bird sound recording and four DVOC recordists-George Reynard, Ed Manners, Paul Driver, and myself (2) a tutorial on some of the …
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They are coming our way so let's get ready! It's been a whole year since our friends from the south passed through the Delaware Valley on their way to breeding grounds to the north. In this refresher session, Ian Gardner will remind us how to make the most of the migration with tips on locating migrating …
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This program highlights Martin’s fifth trip to Ecuador, where he visited the Northwest Choco region, the Esmeraldas and eastern slopes of the Andes near Quito. The trip was the brainchild of Martin and his long-time friend John Shipley who contracted Roger Ahlman, Swedish-born, free-lance bird guide living in Quito to put together all the details. …
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Piping plovers are one of the most intensely managed and monitored bird species in North America, in part due to federal listing of the species under the ESA  in 1986 and subsequent recovery efforts since that time. Much is known about their breeding behavior and population trends as a result of management done on the …
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We are mesmerized by the sight of birds in flight and this has sparked Mankind’s quest to fly. How did birds gain such fluid movement? How do they become air-born, stay aloft, and land safely? What adaptations allow birds to specialize in speed, hovering and slow flight? How did the ingredients for flight evolve, allowing …
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Our own Judy Stepenaski will discuss the interesting behaviors and history of the Peregrine Falcons that nest each year in the steeple at St. John the Baptist church in Manayunk. Judy will provide stories and insight with special comments from other DVOC members. A field trip out to the site is planned for Sunday June …
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We all may have our own definitions about what constitutes a birding Holy Grail. For many eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey bird watchers, one particular Holy Grail may be the original first edition Set No. 1 of Witmer Stone’s masterpiece, Bird Studies at Old Cape May. On Dec. 15, 1937, Stone hosted in his home …
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Carrie Barron and Amanda Beisch of Mill Grove will provide a fascinating introduction to the artist/naturalist, John James Audubon. We will take a journey through his life beginning with his childhood in France and continuing through his adventures in America. Through this experience, you will get a deeper understanding of how he became one of …
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Holly Merker will provide an overview of hawk migration - why, when, and how they migrate. She will also provide tips on hawk ID and share best hawk watching spots in our area to get the best views.  Be prepared to engage in a fun quiz too! Several Hawk Watch field trips will be scheduled …
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Panelists provide information and tips on planning a big birding trip. We will discuss everything from choosing a location and date, to whether you should hire a tour company or go on your own, what to pack, and planning for the most birds or culture and in-country tips for a successful trip. We will take …
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Birding north of our area during the winter presents some challenges. Thus most birders think of heading south in the winter, but there are many rewards to those who choose to head north. Species that summer in the far, far north often come down to southern Canada for the winter months and winter is the …
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Speakers: Kevin Karlson and Pete Dunne will provide a visually stunning program reflects the mood and content of a new book (Birds of Prey) by Pete Dunne and Kevin Karlson (April 2017, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers). The show starts with a video introduction by Pete, and then Pete’s recorded words explain the concept of the …
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President George Armistead will conduct a refresher session on identifying gulls that winter in our area. A closer look at aging & identifying a family that forever confounds. Larids are tough but high reward. Rarer species are fun to seek, while the usual suspects can thwart our best efforts. We’ll break down gulls (Big & small) …
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Join us for the annual Members' Photo Night. Each year, members submit photos is several categories - Birds, Fauna, Flora, Scenery, Birders and new this year, bird photos taken within the DVOC area. Hosted by Linda Widdop, the show promises to visually stunning and result in prizes awarded in each category. Judges use criteria listed …
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