Minutes – October 7, 2021 Delaware Valley Ornithological Club

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 the Kirtland’s Warbler that was found in a small Baltimore Park, Swann Park, by Ramsay Koury, on October 4th. It was the first state record for Maryland. Several DVOC members successfully observed the bird: Bert Filemyr, Victoria Sindlinger, Tom Johnson, George Armistead, Patrick McGill, Nathaniel Sharp, Robin Irizarry and others.

Call to Order: President Linda Widdop

Call to Order: 7:30PM
Registrants: 60 (46 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 September 16, 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: Jessica Cone Coss and Christopher Coss (household membership), Leigh Ashbrook (re-instated membership), Eloise Pepersack (student membership), Maria Andreīn Pecheco, Kaitlyn Evans

New Applications: Robert Newlin, Troy Bynum, Alan Feldman

Banquet: Lauren Diamond

The banquet will be virtual again this year. Holly Merker will be the speaker and present Ornitherapy. You will need to register.

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)

Victoria Sindlinger: Philly lifer Yellow-billed Cuckoo at The Woodlands in West Philly on September 29th.

Robert Horton: Juvenile Ruff, Sept 5, Reeds Sod Farm, Monmouth County, Allentown, NJ. Mourning Warbler, Oct 2, Palmyra Cove, NJ.

Walt Nadolny: We did the Osprey Birding by Boat in Cape May today and had 62 species, including several Red Knots, a Spotted Sandpiper, and a Nelson’s Sparrow which was my World Lifer #878.

Patrick McGill: We had Nelson’s Sparrow last week in Philadelphia at Pennypack on the Delaware. Found by Liam Hart.

Debbie Beer: My yard in Springfield Delaware County was quite birdy today. Tennessee and Blackpoll Warblers. Swainson’s Thrush. Brown Creeper and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Barbara Bassett: Interesting to note, last Sunday observed multiple Cape May and Black-throated Green Warblers, along with Blackburnian, Black and White and Tennessee Warblers and both kinglets in an elm tree Mantua, Gloucester County like the “Magic Tree” in Schuhl’s yard in Cape May Point which was known for drawing many warblers. Pileated Woodpecker continues in Ceres Park, Gloucester county (which is rare). Early Ring-necked Duck in Big Timber Creek, Gloucester County since 10/4. 2 Swainson’s Thrush and late Wood Thrush, Eastern Screech Owl, my yard, Clarksboro, NJ.

Luc Jacobs: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in my yard, Berwyn, Chester County. Eurasian Wigeon in Cape May on 10/2. Lots of Northern Flickers at Higbee Beach on 10/2, at least 15 in 2 hours.

Bonnie and Phil Witmer: In our yard in Chester County, PA: Black-throated Blue Warblers, Magnolia Warbler, Northern Flickers, Swainson Thrushes (pair). At Garrett Williamson Park: Canada Goose (one, why I do not know?), Mourning Doves, Chimney Swifts, Black Vultures, Turkey Vultures, Cooper’s Hawks, Bald Eagle, 4 Broad-winged Hawks, 2 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker, 3 Northern Flickers, 12 Blue Jays, American Crow, 7 Carolina Wrens, 11 European Starlings, 8 Grey Catbirds, 20 American Robins, 5 Cedar Waxwings, 5 House Sparrows, 2 House Finches, 5 Chipping Sparrows, 1 Song Sparrow, 5 Eastern Towhees, 1 Magnolia Warbler, 2 Black-throated Blue Warblers.

Karyl Weber: Heinz toward dusk yesterday saw a wide array of warblers plus a Little Blue Heron, a Peregrine Falcon, 6 Common Nighthawks (considered uncommon by eBird), plus the 2 rather beautiful Scaly-breasted Munias which are presumed to be escaped pets, but they were foraging very proficiently. They were right alongside the dike trail (Impoundment side) at the north end just where it rounds the first curve after you enter.

Announcements

Linda Widdop: Announcement for those who are interested in gardening for birds: The 2021 Conservation Forum will be a Live Zoom webinar, Monday, October 25, from 9 a.m. until noon and is open to the public. Registration is easy! Register online here or on the Garden Club of Virginia website at gcvirginia.org. The fee is $15 and students are admitted free. Barb Bassett also noted that the information for the conservation forum is also on Facebook.

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.

The other award is the Julian Potter Award, given to one or more DVOC members who have made an outstanding contribution to field ornithology.

Award descriptions here: https://dvoc.org/about/awards/

The Big Sit at Heinz will occur on 10/10. Due to construction, it will not be located on the tower. Instead the count will occur on the dike road just past the horseshoe.