During the upcoming seasons of flu, COVID-19, and RSV, we encourage you to be safe. We urge you to check on an event’s status via the Calendar on this site before you attend.
Attention all young people between the ages of 5 and 18: Conococheague Audubon Society is conducting two different contests designed with you in mind. This is your chance to win a cash prize! Both our “Longest Bird List of the Year” and “Best Bird Photo of the Year” contests involve your love of nature and your keen observation skills. The contests will be judged in two different age groups – ages 5 to 15 and ages 16 to 18.
Details about the current contests can be found here.
Winners of the 2022-2023 contests can be found here.
Conococheague Audubon Society is pleased to offer scholarship support for educational activities in keeping with our mission: promoting the conservation of wildlife and the environment by appreciating, studying, and observing nature. Please see the Scholarships page for information about how to apply.
- January 2025 from the President
Happy New Year! May 2025 be full of friends, family, and good birds.
Here are some highlights from the Chambersburg Christmas Bird Count conducted on December 14, 2024. 71 observers in the field recorded 20,345 individual birds, up from 2023. Two zones reported a Peregrine Falcon, seen only on 7 prior counts. White-winged Crossbills were found in Caledonia State Park on count day and the following day, but haven’t been reported since. A Palm Warbler was observed for only the third time on this CBC. Only a few feeder watchers saw Red-breasted Nuthatch; no one in the field saw one. We had (slightly) record highs of Bald Eagle (10), Common Raven (25), and Hermit Thrush (21). Only 3 waterfowl species were seen (Canada Goose, Mallard, and American Wigeon) and the numbers of Geese and Mallards were below normal. When all the data are compiled, look for the details on our website under the Observation Records page. Right now, you will see a placeholder; when the actual results are available, they’ll be posted there.
Many thanks to the George P. and Martha B. Buckey Fund, a charitable fund of the Franklin County Community Foundation, a regional foundation of the Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC) for an unexpected grant to CAS last month. The gift will help us in our mission to promote conservation of wildlife.
Thanks, too, to Jim and Deb Wheeling. Attendees at our December 2024 meeting enjoyed and admired several of the fine art bird prints that Jim and Deb contributed to CAS. Some folks put cash in a donation bucket and took home a print.
We hope to see you at our annual covered dish dinner and members’ photo show on January 13 at 6 PM at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church. Members typically contribute one dinner item and/or a dessert. Coffee, tea, and pots/jugs of water will be provided. Bring your own table setting, including a napkin, flatware, plate, bowl, and mug/cup. Let’s try to avoid plastic and disposable items! If you have a few photos you wish to share, please bring them on a USB thumb drive. Bring a friend; all are welcome!
A reminder: Our next free nature film, Woodpeckers: the Hole Story, will be shown on Thursday, January 30 at Chambersburg Area Middle School South starting at 7 PM. Door prizes will be awarded after the film.
Calendar of Events
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Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
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First Saturday Bird Walks 8:00 am First Saturday Bird Walks Nov 2 @ 8:00 am – 10:00 am SOAR (Studying Ornithology Around the Region) walks, 8:00 AM first and third Saturdays; various locations in Franklin County. Larry and Sharon Williams, 717-655-7414; see Buttonwood Nature Center, 717-762-0373 for schedule. | ||||||
Gen Mtg, Nov: Youth Contests; Breeding Bird Surveys in our National Parks: Catoctin’s Top Ten 7:00 pm Gen Mtg, Nov: Youth Contests; Breeding Bird Surveys in our National Parks: Catoctin’s Top Ten Nov 11 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Topic 1: Youth Contest Winners announced tonight. Topic 2: Breeding Bird Surveys in our National Parks: Catoctin’s Top Ten Presented by: Member Becky Loncosky Arranged by: Lisa Coombs Available in-person or via Zoom Location:[...] | Nature Film: Islands of Wonder: Madagascar (CAMS) 7:00 pm Nature Film: Islands of Wonder: Madagascar (CAMS) Nov 14 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Nature Film: Islands of Wonder: Madagascar, PBS. The oldest island on Earth, Madagascar has been isolated longer than any other place in the world. Life here has had time to evolve in unusual ways, resulting[...] | Third Saturday Bird Walks 8:00 am Third Saturday Bird Walks Nov 16 @ 8:00 am – 10:00 am SOAR (Studying Ornithology Around the Region) walks, 8:00 AM first and third Saturdays; various locations in Franklin County. Larry and Sharon Williams, 717-655-7414; see Buttonwood Nature Center, 717-762-0373 for schedule. | ||||
Joint Executive Committee / Board of Directors Meeting, November 6:30 pm Joint Executive Committee / Board of Directors Meeting, November Nov 18 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm Joint Executive Committee and Board of Directors Meeting Committee/project chairs also invited. Others welcome. In-person or via Zoom Leader: Valerie Barnes, president Zoom info: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7211203928?pwd=RXNwMjZpQVNvSHJGRld3cWZFQjJiZz09&omn=89459519789 Meeting ID: 721 120 3928 Passcode: cardinal20 | ||||||
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ABOUT US
Conococheague Audubon Society
The mission of the National Audubon Society is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.
Conococheague Audubon is a chapter of the National Audubon Society based in Fayetteville in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The group started in 1961 as the Conococheague Naturalists. Through programs, field trips, nature films, displays, and a newsletter, we promote conservation of wildlife and the natural environment with a focus on appreciating, studying, and observing birds.
We are a family-friendly organization. The membership includes over 400 people residing primarily in Franklin, Cumberland, and Fulton Counties.
Conococheague Audubon meets monthly September through May on the second Monday at 7:00 PM at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2695 Luther Drive, Chambersburg, PA 17202. At a pot luck supper in January, held at 6:00 PM at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church, members share stories, photographs, fellowship, and home-made food.
Please make a difference in our local community by being good stewards of the earth in your daily lives. Share our passion for conservation, birding, and the natural world by coming to our meetings and films, going on field trips, helping with projects, and participating in bird counts. Our experienced birders love to teach beginners. Read Audubon Magazine and our Naturally newsletter to stay abreast of national, international, and local environmental issues. You and your family can enjoy educational opportunities at Audubon’s Nature Centers and Sanctuaries across the country. Take peaceful walks and learn the wonders of nature.
We welcome new members! Anyone who joins the National Audubon Society from our area automatically becomes a member of our chapter. Similarly, anyone who joins the local chapter can also join the national organization. To join, please go online to the National Audubon site or click here to go the Join or Renew page or contact our current membership chair, Lisa Coombs.
In 2016 the CAS leaders updated the chapter’s 10-year plan to help guide our future actions and strengthen the organization. To volunteer, please contact our current president, Valerie Barnes. To make a tax-deductible contribution, please mail your check payable to CAS.
What we do
Conococheague Audubon Society meets the second Monday each month, September through May, at 7 PM at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church
Program topics focus on birds, wildlife and conservation. All are welcome.
Nature films, produced by PBS are shown each year at Chambersburg Area Middle School South.
CAS leads many free field trips throughout the year.