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: 7 viewers
In person: 12
Gregg Gorton moved to approve minutes of the last meeting and Nilesh Shah seconded the motion. The minutes were approved unanimously.
Committee Reports
Field Trips – Nilesh Shah for Linda Widdop
If you wish to lead a field trip, contact Linda: linda@techimpact.org
Upcoming field trips:
| DATE | TIME | TRIP | LEADER |
| Apr 19 | 9:30 – 11:30 | Schuylkill Center with the Andora Library | Holger Pflicke |
| Apr 22 | 3:00 – 5:30 | Birding for Wellness: Forest Bathing with Birds | Holly Merker |
| Apr 23 | 4:45 – 6:45 | Pennypack Park with NE Regional Library | Holger Pflicke |
| Apr 23 | 7:30 – 9:00 | Wednesday Spring Bird Walks at Lorimer Park & Fox Chase Farm | Linda Widdop |
| Apr 24 | 8:00 – 10:00 | Thursday Mornings at Wetherill Park (Montco) | Martin Selzer |
| Apr 24 | 7:00 – 8:30 | Independence Hall Spring Bird Walks | George Armistead |
| April 24 | 10:00 – 12:00 | Carpenter’s Woods | edge |
| April 24 | 5:00 – 7:00 PM | Morris Park | edge |
| Apr 26 | 9:30 – 11:30 | Malcom X Park with West Philly Regional Library | Holger Pflicke |
| Apr 26 | 8:00 – 10:00 | Bird Walk at Discovery Center | Ken Walsh |
| Apr 27 | 8:00 – 10:30 | West Fairmount Park | Holger Pflicke |
| Apr 30 | 7:30 – 9:00 | Wednesday Spring Bird Walks at Lorimer Park & Fox Chase Farm | Linda Widdop |
| May 1 | 7:30 – 10:00 | Thursday Mornings at Wetherill Park (Montco) | Martin Selzer |
| May 1 | 7:00 – 8:30 | Independence Hall Spring Bird Walks | George Armistead |
| May 7 | 7:30 – 9:00 | Wednesday Spring Bird Walks at Lorimer Park & Fox Chase Farm | Linda Widdop |
| May 8 | 7:30 – 10:00 | Thursday Mornings at Wetherill Park (Montco) | Martin Selzer |
| May 14 | 7:30 – 9:00 | Wednesday Spring Bird Walks at Lorimer Park & Fox Chase Farm | Linda Widdop |
| May 15 | 7:30 – 10:00 | Thursday Mornings at Wetherill Park (Montco) | Martin Selzer |
| May 21 | 7:30 – 9:00 | Wednesday Spring Bird Walks at Lorimer Park & Fox Chase Farm | Linda Widdop |
| May 22 | 7:30 – 10:00 | Thursday Mornings at Wetherill Park (Montco) | Martin Selzer |
| May 28 | 7:30 – 9:00 | Wednesday Spring Bird Walks at Lorimer Park & Fox Chase Farm | Linda Widdop |
| Jun 4 | 7:00 – 12:00 | Lakehurst Naval Air Station for Upland Sandpiper | Bob Horton |
Membership – Barb Bassett for Rebecca Reicherter
New members since the last meeting:
John Fimmano
Stacey Middleton
John Rateike
Conservation – Barb Bassett for Perri Strawn
Lots of activities are planned around the region for Earth Day.
Billings – Art McMorris
Go Birding!
Cassinia – Barb Bassett for Holger Pflicke
Holger is looking for short articles for the next issue. Submissions will be due in September.
Communications – Navin Sasikumar
No report.
Announcements
City Nature Challenge is scheduled for next week from Friday through Monday. Philadelphia and surrounding counties are involved, as always. Please join the Challenge and put your observations on iNaturalist. Navin will be posting a list of missing birds on Telegram from the second day onwards. There are some bird walks and Bio-blitzes scheduled as well.
JoAnne Woods, Supervisor at the Andorra Neighborhood Library spoke about an exhibit called “Go Birds” which will include artwork, books, maps and other materials related to Philadelphia. Migration, survival and conservation are some of the topics to be covered. Many events are planned including bird walks, some of which are being led by members of DVOC such as Tony Croasdale and Holger Pflicke.
Gloucester County Nature Club is doing its annual Bird Quest. Check out: https://birdquest.gcnatureclub.org/
Barb Bassett mentioned that she will be working with the PAWS Farm Education Center in Mount Laurel, NJ, to help them set up to attract more birds to the site. She invited members to contact her if they are interested in helping with the effort.
Local Notes
Luc Jacobs mentioned that a Anhinga was seen on the 16th of April at Haverford College.
Barb Bassett has already seen a Palm, a Pine and an early Black and White Warbler. She has also seen Forster’s, Caspian, Royal and Common Terns at the river. A Black-headed Gull has been seen at Big Timber Creek. She also saw 58 Greater Yellowlegs at Mantua Creek WMA in Gloucester County. Barb mentioned that American Bittern and Sora had been observed at the Heinz NWR.
Marty Dellwo reported seeing a Lark Bunting at Frederick Forsythe NWR today.
Programs – Navin Sasikumar
Next meeting: May 1st, 2025
Jazmine da Costa – “Stewarding Philadelphia’s rich network of public spaces for Habitat, Health and Joy
Evening Program
The evening program was presented by Erin Poole and Haley Phillips. Erin gave an introduction to the mission and activities of the Philadelphia Game Commission. The commission’s main mission is to manage and protect wildlife and habitats, promoting hunting and trapping, and protecting all kinds of wildlife, including plants. The current focus is on expanding education in Philadelphia. The commission’s local home is the John Heinz NWR. Erin and Haley support other environmental centers and parks with bird walks, lectures, etc. They are also reaching out to libraries and community centers.
Haley Phillips gave a brief overview of the statewide research that is underway at PGC. The focus is on both game and non-game species. Key programs are:
Songbird banding program that is tracking avian productivity and population decline
Middle Creek WMA is the center for this effort. It is also an education center where PGC welcomes members of the public to learn more about the programs.
American Kestrel Nest Box program
Duck Banding to improve management practices for Waterfowl
Goose Banding
Adjournment
After the presentation and some questions, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00pm.