For now, due to concerns of COVID-19 virtual meetings will continue rather than return to the Academy of Natural Sciences.
Zoom Meeting: Instructions for meeting registration were announced on website and weekly digest.
7:00 PM The Pre-Meeting discussed recent bird sightings and travel information available on Facebook. World Girl Birders often offer good travel/guide suggestions for just about any destination. Another Facebook Group that might be useful for travel is: Birding Travel. The DVOC has both a main site and a group. You must request to join the group: Delaware Valley Ornithological Club [main site] and DVOC Group.
Call to Order: President Linda Widdop
Call to Order: 7:30PM
Registrants: 61 (38 signed on for the meeting, some with more than one person per device)
Linda welcomed all to the meeting and introduced the officers.
Minutes from the last regular meeting on October 7, 2021 were approved.
Linda announced that DVOC is one of the founding members of Lights Out Philly along the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Audubon Mid-Atlantic, National Audubon Society, Valley Forge Audubon Society, and Wyncote Audubon Society. She thanked Chris Walters for his help with the partnership paperwork. Lights Out Philly runs from August 15 – November 15 and April 1 – May 31 from midnight to 6am. So far the monitoring program is going well. Additional volunteers are always welcome.
Committee Reports:
Membership Committee: Bonnie Witmer
New Members: Robert Newlin, Troy Bynum, Alan Feldman
New Applications: No new applicants.
Banquet: Linda Widdop for Lauren Diamond
The banquet will be virtual again this year. Holly Merker will be the speaker and present Ornitherapy. The banquet is open to members and non-members but you need to register. Information is on the website and Facebook: DVOC Banquet Information.
Billings – Art McMorris
Go birding! See https://dvoc.org/about/committees/billings/ for more information.
Field Trips: Linda Widdop
There are many Field Trips to choose from. Look for new trips added to the schedule on our website: DVOC Field Trips. Read about the completed field trips.
Participants must follow all the COVID-19 Guidelines as posted on the website and must sign a participant release to attend the field trip.
Local Notes (from the chat)
Luc Jacobs: Scaly-breasted Munias last week at Heinz
Robert Horton: Small flock of White-crowned Sparrows at Assunpink WMA, NJ. Usually they are there each winter.
Debbie Beer: The Big Sit at Heinz Refuge was held on Sunday, October 10 – a wonderful day with 69 species and more than 60 people stopping by throughout the day. Common Gallinule was a new Big Sit species, bringing the 12-year cumulative total to 131 species.
Luc Jacobs: Two Northern Harriers at Valley Forge National Park.
Martin Dellwo: Rittenhouse Square had a Connecticut Warbler recently, second record with the first record only about 2 wks previous. Also a Marsh Wren, first and only other record was in the spring of this year.
Gabriel Galson: Great Cormorant at Pennypack on the Delaware on October 10th.
Barb Bassett: Eurasian Widgeon continues on Lighthouse Pond, Cape May Point. Huge vulture flights at Cape May Point the last 2 days. There were several kettles of 100+. Two Roseate Spoonbills graced Cape May Point briefly on October 18th. On October 21st a Rough-legged Hawk was seen in Cape May Point. On October 21st, an Anhinga was spotted at the Beanery (Rea Farm) in West Cape May.
Debbie Beer: This morning at my yard in Springfield Delaware County, 4 Eastern Towhees, Chipping and Swamp Sparrows.
Elizabeth Cesarini: The Little Sit was cool, too, the following weekend at Bartram’s Garden after the awesome Big Sit. Philly Queer Birders, Feminist Bird Club of Philly, and In Color Birding Club, as well as a representative birding with disabilities had about 50-60 birders over 3 hours last Sunday morning October 17.
Announcements
Lynn Roman: Announcement for the Friends of Heinz Refuge Annual Members meeting and Election… partially virtual this year (again)! Part 1 is Wednesday Nov 10th on Zoom at 6:30pm; Part 2 is Saturday Nov 13th 10:30am-12:30pm with Lamar Gore and Walt Nadolny leading a lovely walk for members! (RSVP needed as space is limited).
Debbie Beer: This week is Birdability Week. Check-out www.birdability.org. Celebrating and advancing accessible, inclusive birding for all.
Anne Bekker: It’s time to consider nominees for the Rosalie Edge Conservation Award, given to “one or more non-DVOC members, not necessarily a part of the birding community, in recognition of work done that has made a significant contribution to conservation of the environment.” This will be given at our virtual banquet this November. Please send your nominations, with a brief write-up, to Anne Bekker at conservation@dvoc.org by Friday, Oct. 22.
Gregg Gorton: Witmer Stone nominees (for ornithological writing by a member)– please send to Gregg Gorton at HomoAves@gmail.com.
For the Julian Potter Award, given to one or more DVOC members who have made an outstanding contribution to Field Ornithology, send nominations to Rob Bierregaard at: rbierreg@gmail,com.
Award descriptions here: https://dvoc.org/about/awards/
Programs: Gregg Gorton
The speaker for the next program on November 4th will be Ardith Bondi.
A Tale of Many Penguins
More information at https://dvoc.org/wp/activities/meetings/ for this and other upcoming meetings.
Evening Program
Reflections on Managing a Wildlife Refuge in Pennsylvania
Lamar gave a very interesting presentation about the Heinz National Wildlife Refuge. He has been at the Refuge for 7 years now and has focused on habitat restoration and public engagement. He answered many questions from the group.
Adjournment
After the presentation and questions, the meeting was adjourned at 9:12pm.