The annual meeting was in-person only and took place at the Discovery Center
Call to Order: President Barb Bassett
Call to Order: 7:09 PM
Attendees:
In person: 31
Barb opened the evening with a brief speech, welcoming everyone and thanking club members for a wonderful six years of service as an Officer. She encouraged everyone to become more involved with the club, to get out there and have fun, and spoke about how birding is a gateway to nature that can bring joy to your life. She emphasized the importance of doing what you want to do and birding in the way that feels right for you. She also expressed her gratitude to everyone for allowing her to serve as president for the past two years.
Committee Reports
Membership – Navin Sasikumar for Rebecca Reicherter
33 new members
17 from Philadelphia, 13 in PA, 3 in DE, NJ, MD
Women new members decreased this year by -12pts vs. 2024
Field Trips – Linda Widdop
If you wish to lead a field trip, contact Linda: linda@techimpact.org
Upcoming field trips:
| DATE | TIME | TRIP | LEADER |
| January 10 | 1:00pm -2:30pm | Winter Gulls at Glen Foerd | Holger Pflicke |
| January 17 | 7:300am – 6:00pm | Parque Natural Metropolitano – Panama City and Surroundings – Panama | Tanya Burnett |
| February 7 | 11:30am – 1:00pm | Winter Gulls at Glen Foerd | Holger Pflicke |
| March 7 | 7:300am – 6:00pm | Winter Gulls at Glen Foerd | Holger Pflicke |
Conservation – Perri Strawn and Rob Karchnyak
Perri Strawn – Perri asked any members who live in Philadelphia County to “Speak up for Birds” with a printout that explained how to provide input to the Philadelphia Comprehensive Plan on behalf of birds.
Rob Karchnyak – Rob mentioned that he was able to get a one-on-one meeting with City Council about designating Philadelphia as a “Bird City”. The meeting is planned for February 17th and offers a great opportunity to engage with public officials.
Billings – Art McMorris
Send checklists to Art for the 2025 Billings Year by January 31st.
The DVOC member with the most birds in the Delaware Valley region will win. For efficiency, you can just let Art know your number of species and you only need to submit the full checklist if the number is greater than the current largest number.
Cassinia – Holger Pflicke
No report.
Election of Officers and Council – Art McMorris
Officers (for 1-year terms):
President: Navin Sasikumar
Vice President: Patrick McGill
Secretary: Peter Hamner
Treasurer: Martin Dellwo
Councilors-at-Large (for 3-year terms):
Katrina Clark
Stephanie Egger
Nominees were announced at each December meeting. There were no nominees from the floor. All nominees were elected unanimously by acclamation.
Navin delivered his first speech as newly elected president, expressing heartfelt gratitude to past president Barb Bassett for her leadership and dedication, and thanking everyone in the club for being not just colleagues, but a true family. He shared an uplifting vision for the club’s future—one where it continues to be a welcoming home for all. Looking ahead, he emphasized the importance of actively inviting younger members to become part of the club’s future and fostering a culture of mentorship rather than gatekeeping. Navin spoke passionately about creating an inclusive community where everyone feels valued and supported, regardless of their skin color, background, or level of experience as a birder, and where curiosity, learning, and shared joy in nature bring people together.
Election of Fellows and Honorary Members – Navin Sasikumar and Bert Filemyr
Fellows:
Al Guarente
Doug Wechsler
Jason Hall
Leigh Altadonna
Lisa Kiziuk
Ted Floyd
Honorary Member:
John J.Harding
All nominees were elected unanimously by acclamation.
Programs – Patrick McGill
The next meeting will be on January 22 – UPenn Wildlife Futures Program – Sabrina Greening and Brock Geary
Evening Program
The evening ended with a spirited talk by Bert Filemyr on the early history of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 PM.