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December 2020 from the President

By casbirdsPosted on December 2, 2020March 3, 2021Posted in Monthly Message, Uncategorized

Hello fellow nature lovers!

It seems like déjà vu all over again! Here we are in “lockdown” mode again. I hope that you are all healthy. If you did get Covid-19, I hope you weathered it well.

I do have some sad news to share with you. On Oct. 16, 2020, we learned of the passing of long-time member Martha “Marty” Buckey, wife of George Buckey. We are saddened with her loss.

Marguerite Fries, CAS board director, informed me that Norlo Garden now has a cement plaque dedicated to Corinne Anderson next to the Hackberry tree planted in her honor by Josh Donaldson, CAS Garden chair. Corinne was one of the Master Gardner’s who helped plan and plant the Norlo Garden. Please see the attached photo of her plaque.

On a lighter note, there has been a bonanza of vagrants seen in our local area lately. In early Nov. Donna Hocker saw Evening Grosbeaks at her feeders. Gavin Anderson and Dave Ebbitt had a Golden Eagle up at the Mountain Look out off Tower Road. Kathy Lauver still has a Rufous Hummingbird outside her home. A Townsend’s Solitaire and a flock of Evening Grosbeaks (12-15) have been seen on a regular basis behind the headquarters at Caledonia State Park since about Nov. 17th. Val Barnes has one Common Redpoll and 100+ Pine Siskins at her feeders since Nov. 20th. Bill Oyler discovered a Lapland Longspur and a Snow bunting along Church Road near Pleasant Hall in mid-November. Many of us have been busy “flocking” to these sightings and taking photos of these “gems”. Truthfully, they have been “lifers” for many people in our area. These birds are mainly from Canada, the northern USA, or west of the Mississippi River.

Speaking of seeing birds, if you are interested in seeing Short-eared Owls, please sign up for our SEO field trip by Dec. 14 with Bob Kochert. Either sign up by sending Bob an email (bobterri81@comcast.net) or call 717-263-3692 with your contact information: name, email, phone number. He will get back to you about the afternoon he will lead the field trip to Gettysburg to see them. You will be required to travel in your own vehicle, wearing a mask upon exiting the vehicle.

We hope you plan to participate with the Christmas Bird Count on December 19. This year there will be changes due to the Covid-19 restrictions. We are encouraging you to go out either alone or with a family member. Record and report your findings directly to your Zone Captain, who will make a report to Val Barnes, our Christmas Bird Count chair. Please abide by the NAS guidelines of wearing a mask and social distancing. If you feel uncomfortable participating in the field, don’t. No shame, no complaints from any of us. Also, if watching and reporting the birds at your bird feeders, please contact Marguerite Fries (717-263-2934) with your report instead of contacting Joan Bowen. Please note that there will NOT be a CBC tally dinner this year, due to Covid-19 restrictions.

You are also invited to participate in the Newville area Christmas Bird Count on January 2, 2021 with Vern Gauthier as the chairperson. Call him at 717-385-9526 or email him of your interest in participating (verngauthier14@gmail.com ).

Regrettably, our excellent Nature Film series scheduled for January, March and April of 2021 are ALL canceled. CASD is not renting out their school district buildings until perhaps the fall of 2021.

Other news of interest: the January Covered Dish Dinner has been canceled due to Covid-19. Awards typically made at the January Dinner will be made during the December Zoom meeting. Yes, this December we will NOT have an in-person meeting at Norlo Park Community Center for our December 14 meeting. Instead, you can “tune in” via our Zoom link from the comfort of your own home. Also, our speaker for December will be Bob Keener with his Birds of Ecuador presentation (originally scheduled for October). (Dave Graff will be rescheduled for next season).

We ask you to please have your computers, smart phones, and tablets turned on and ready to go by 6:59 PM with the following information displayed on your “page”. You can click on the first Link, wait to be accepted, and then you should be able to see the screen. Since we are using the free Zoom for “40 minutes”, there will be a need to have a second meeting at 7:35. We will pause and switch over to the second link. This should give us plenty of time to finish our meeting by 8:10 or so. We hope you take advantage of this opportunity.

Please take note: I will send out a second notice with this same Zoom information on Saturday, Dec. 12, for your convenience. You won’t have to go back in your email history to locate it.

Conococheague Audubon December Mtg – Part 1

Time: Dec 14, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/7211203928?pwd=RXNwMjZpQVNvSHJGRld3cWZFQjJiZz09

Meeting ID: 721 120 3928

Passcode: cardinal20

—————-

Conococheague Audubon Mtg Part 2

Time: Dec 14, 2020 07:35 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/71862617448?pwd=SW9aLzI3MlRYTWYydkRNanhOK2cydz09

Meeting ID: 718 6261 7448

Passcode: K7zEjK

Though it seems as though I have written of many negative events, please read our next Naturally newsletter for information about our 2019-2020 passionate and gifted Youth Contests winners. Also, please go on-line to the Franklin County Visitors Bureau Visit Franklin County PA|Great Moments Along the Way (explorefranklincountypa.com) and check out the Festival of Trees. You may place your bid on the available trees and wreaths until Dec. 4 at 7 PM. All proceeds support the Cancer Society. CAS has a beautiful white wreath decorated by Val Barnes, Marguerite Fries, and Debby Hook. Check it out in-person or on-line by clicking on the above link and the Festival of Trees “button”. You must either email or call the bureau directly to place your bids. See their website for more information.
May you all have a Merry Christmas!

Terri Kochert

October 2020 from the President

By casbirdsPosted on October 5, 2020December 2, 2020Posted in Birds, Monthly Message, Uncategorized

Hello fellow nature lovers,

I trust that you are doing well. The shore birds have largely passed through the area. We have had reports of Stilt Sandpipers at the Greencastle Antrim Ponds, a Merlin, a Northern Harrier and of course, a Eurasian Collared Dove, at the Greencastle Reservoir. There have been sightings of Canada Warblers, Mourning, and even Connecticut, Warblers at the Heisey Orchard in Scotland area and along the Stillhouse Hollow Road. Flocks of various warblers, Chimney Swifts, vireos, and Common Night Hawks were located along the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail by Tom Dougherty. Please let me know if you still have any Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at your feeders. My husband, Bob, and I saw our last “hummer” at our feeders on Sunday. Sadly, they too are migrating on their long journey south to the Amazon region for the winter.

I have two bits of breaking news, though I will confirm in a later message to you all about the hopeful Zooming of our October 12 meeting. In my September letter I announced our breaking news about Conococheague Audubon having its own Facebook page. There are now 21 members. Dave Cooney has recently posted some great photos of a female Blue Grosbeak, a Palm Warbler along Portico Road, and an Eastern Phoebe. https://www.facebook.com/groups/647514482542153 (Copy and paste into your browser for viewing.)

Breaking News: Our intention is to make our Monday, October 12, 2020, 7PM general meeting with Bob Keener presenting his Birds of Ecuador available to those staying home, desiring to see it via Zoom. I will forward the Zoom link as we approach the date. The plan is to still meet at the Community Center as usual. The program will be available via Zoom for those who desire to see it that way. We intend to make the link available too via our website.

Don’t forget! The two coinciding Youth Contests exhibits are due October 12, 2020 at Norlo ParkCommunitycenter at 6:45 PM. We are inviting the young people to stay for our presentation on the Birds of Ecuador. Due on October 12: Best Bird Photos from Dec. 1, 2019 -Oct. 12, 2020 and/or your Longest Bird list from the same dates, Dec. 1, 2019-Oct. 12, 2020. Please visit our website for the details. http://www.ConococheagueAudubon.org (Copy and paste into your browser for viewing.)
Youth Contests Awards: Awards will be presented before our Nov. 9, 2020 general meeting: Chesapeake Bay: Saving a National Treasure.

Other dates of interest to our members:
Announcing: The Big Sit Day, Oct. 10, 11. You, a family member and/or friend, choose an area, a 17’ circle, to observe the birds within that area. Tally the species, numbers, etc. and hours spent on this project. Report this to eBird.org.
Announcing: Get Out and Count on eBird’s October Big Day On October 17, join birders across the globe by participating in October Big Day—a 24-hour opportunity to count and celebrate the birds both near you and around the world during migration. Visit eBird’s October Big Day page to learn more about this event and its role in the inaugural Global Bird Weekend. (To get to this link, you will have to highlight the link, right click on it, and click “Open Hyperlink.”)

For your viewing pleasure watch this short 1:05 video of “Three Hummingbirds Share One Feeder Port in west Texas” on September 3, 2020 during migration https://youtu.be/jUw2QM3qFDg (To get to this link, you will have to highlight the link, right click on it, and click “Open Hyperlink.”)

May you have some good birding days ahead. Look forward to my email about a future Zoom link to view our October 12, 2020 general meeting.

Terri Kochert

September 2020 from the President

By casbirdsPosted on September 3, 2020September 8, 2020Posted in Monthly MessageTagged birds

Hello fellow nature lovers,

It is difficult to believe we are quickly approaching the latter part of 2020, though for some of us, it has not been the kindest of years. Things have the “appearance” of getting “back to normal.” Children are “back to school”. The evenings arrive earlier; the days are shorter. We are also looking forward to the beginning of our 2020-2021 Season at Conococheague.

Breaking news: Conococheague Audubon now has its own Facebook page for those who participate in Facebook. This is for you to post your photos of birds, wildlife, and plants. Ifyou are not a member of CAS, you will have to “request” to join. Once the administrators approve, you may post your photos. This is NOT for advertising any of your events. To connect, go to “Conococheague Audubon” or the following address:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/647514482542153

Please take note of these important September events:

Sept. 5 FIELD TRIP at 7:30 AM to see the Fall Migrants. Meet at the Park and Ride, Scotland Exit 20, I-81 northbound. There will first be a half-mile walk in wet grass at Heisey Orchard. Come prepared with the proper footwear. Bill Oyler requests that participants drive their own vehicles and that they maintain social distancing upon exiting the vehicles. Wearing masks is required when closer than 6 feet. Please call Bill Oyler, 717-360-5191, in advance if you wish to attend. You will also need to sign your name upon arrival at the Park and Ride.
Sept. 14 our First MEETING. At 6:30 PM please stroll through the Norlo Park Garden for a self-tour. Upon entry into the Community Center, please wear a mask and seat yourselves six feet apart from others. Our speaker will be Brittany Clark of the Penn State Extension Office. Her topic is Icky Invasives; insects in our Forests, such as the Spotted Lanternfly.
Sept. 19 FIELD TRIP Meet at 9 AM at Big Lots, 184 Southgate Mall parking lot next to Washington Street for a stroll along the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail. Wearing masks is required, but we will take “mask breaks” during our journey for those who need to. Social distancing is required. Call Terri Kochert in advance of the event, 717-263-3692, of your intentions to participate. You will need to sign your name upon arrival at the trail.
Sept. 26 FIELD TRIP at 11 AM for Hawk Migration. Leave from Sunnyway Foods parking lot, 49 Warm Spring Road, Chambersburg, to go to the “Pulpit.” Beginning hawk watchers are welcome. Bring binoculars. Bring your masks. Please call Bob Carmack, 717-597-8631, in advance of the event of your intentions to participate. You will need to sign your name upon arrival at Sunnyway Foods.

*Please remember that Youth Contests’ entries: 5” X 7” bird photos and longest list of bird species for the year, Dec. 1, 2019-Oct. 12, 2020, are due Oct. 12, 2020 at our regular Monday night meeting.

Here is some good news on the Conservation front:

A federal court has rejected efforts to weaken the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In the past few years there was pushback from the federal government to undermine the decades old treaty protecting birds. This judge ruled it “illegal” to do so. The treaty stands as written.
Earlier this month, the President signed into law the Great American Outdoors Act, a historic bipartisan conservation law, which will provide parks, and public lands the protection and care they deserve, with permanent, mandatory funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund at no additional cost to taxpayers.
The Delaware River Watershed has recently been named, ”River of the Year.” There are plans to celebrate this recognition with virtual and safely in-person events. I will keep you posted of their planned events.

For those of you with children ‘back to school virtually,” perhaps you are looking for a “field trip.” I suggest you check out the “Pick Up Pennsylvania 2020” campaign from Sept. 1 – Nov. 30. Please see the attached flyer about this.

Friends, I hope to see you at one of our scheduled September events. Until then, please enjoy this eight- minute documentary video on the hatching and eventual fledging of two hummingbirds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU_pJ8PAWwQ&feature=emb_rel_end

Happy Birding!

Terri Kochert

Conservation Chair

By casbirdsPosted on September 3, 2020September 3, 2020Posted in How to Get Involved

Longtime Christmas Bird Count participant Jim Hardy has agreed to take on two roles in Conococheague Audubon: He will be an apprentice zone captain with Dale Gearhart in Zone 5 this year, planning to take over that role on his own in the future. Jim is also our new Conservation Chair. We appreciate his willingness to support the chapter in both of these important responsibilities!

July 2020 From the President

By casbirdsPosted on July 12, 2020July 14, 2020Posted in Monthly MessageTagged birds, flowers

Greetings fellow nature lovers,
I trust that now that Franklin County has gone “green” that you are getting out more frequently to enjoy all life has to offer. It feels so good to be able to get your hair cut again. I do not think I will ever again take my hairdresser’s “essential services” for granted! Like many of you, I am still waiting to have face to face encounters with my dentist and doctors. Hopefully, this too shall pass despite spikes of the coronavirus in neighboring states. I encourage you all to be careful and be safe.

Unfortunately, our nation has seen its share of upheaval and destruction this past month, scarring our beautiful Spring migration months. As a wildlife conservation group, the Conococheague Audubon Society, affirms that ALL lives matter no matter the color of one’s skin, ethnicity, or any other persuasion. Nature is for ALL to enjoy! I trust that we each acknowledge, greet, and smile at ALL fellow birders we encounter along the way. I personally have found bird watchers to be friendly, kind and most helpful when birding. It is part of our DNA to share our “newest” bird find with others. We want ALL to enjoy and preserve the beauty of this world. That is as it should be.

With June now behind us and the full brunt of hot weather ahead of us, there are less reports of birds being seen. I am grateful for the gloriously happy songs of the Indigo Buntings, Cardinals, and Goldfinches. When in the woods, I still hear the strong admonition of the Oven Bird and the ethereal trill of the Wood Thrush. A visit to the woods would be considered incomplete without hearing the Eastern Towhee reminding me “to drink your tea!”

Locally, there are still warblers being seen. There have been sightings of Magnolia and Kentucky warblers, a Blue Grosbeak, and Willow Flycatchers.
There are still Grasshopper Sparrows and Dickcissels being reported along local farm lanes.
There are still reports of our local population of Eurasian Collared Doves at the Greencastle Reservoir.
The Mountain Laurel is now beginning to fade. I do hope you all took the opportunity to drive through Michaux State forest to see it.

May you have a Happy Fourth of July, celebrating safely the freedom we Americans enjoy living here in the United States of America. Bob and I will be celebrating with our children’s families and our daughter’s mother-in-law, now a widow, who will be celebrating her arrival to the USA from Ukraine 71 years ago as a nine-year old girl on July 4. To her this is one of the most meaningful of the holidays we celebrate.

Good birding to you all!