Monthly Message – Page 12 – Conococheague Audubon

April 2021 from the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on April 6, 2021April 6, 2021Posted in Monthly Message, Zoom

Dear Fellow nature lovers,

Spring is definitely here! We now have light till after 7:30 PM. Crocuses and forsythias are in bloom too. My daffodils and hyacinth are in bloom. My tulips are pushing through the ground. Some trees are budding, getting ready to push through the first leaves of the season. The birds are chasing after each other in earnest, searching to mate and produce a brood of chicks. I believe each of us is ready for this season of rebirth of the earth and of the soul.

Things are already in swing too at CAS. We are now close to having our 2021-2022 budget set. We’re looking forward to our remaining two season’s meetings and especially to the new meetings this next September. We’re looking forward to an exciting new season with new topics and introducing some new field trips too. (We’re hoping to be able to present our nature films to you too!)

Again, all our scheduled nature films for this 2020-2021 season have been canceled due to CASD 2020-2021 Covid -19 rental restrictions. We were to have one on April 8, but alas, perhaps next season…

Here is our April schedule and early May events.

April 12, 2021, Monday, general meeting at 7 PM. This will again be a Zoom only meeting. See the link below. The topic is: Open Forum: Field Guide and App Comparison, moderated by Val Barnes. Included during this meeting we will conduct our annual business meeting and elections.

In order to do this in a proper and timely fashion, please see the ballot. Please respond ASAP as to your approval of our two candidates, John and Sue Greer, to serve as our new three-year term directors. Fill out your ballot today and return it ASAP. We need your approval. We thank and honor Conway Bushey and Marguerite Fries for their three years of service as directors.

Topic: CAS April 12 Business & Field Guides & Apps Meeting

Time: Apr 12, 2021 06:55 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7211203928?pwd=RXNwMjZpQVNvSHJGRld3cWZFQjJiZz09

Meeting ID: 721 120 3928

Passcode: cardinal20

April 17, 2021, Saturday at 9:30 AM. Anyone who would like to work in the native garden at Norlo Park, bring your garden tools, and gloves. Any questions: please call Josh Donaldson, 717-264-6920.
May 1, Saturday at 6:30 AM. Horse Valley for SPRING MIGRANTS. Meet at North Point Center, US 11 north of Chambersburg. Bring scopes, binoculars, CB’s and lunch. Valerie Barnes, 717-352-4397; or Donna Hocker, 717-401-0604.
May 1, Saturday at 9:30 AM. Workday at Norlo Park native garden. Bring garden tools and gloves. Josh Donaldson, 717-264-6920.
May 6, Thursday at 6:30 AM. Path Valley for SPRING MIGRANTS. Leave from Keeners home, 5707 Heisey Road. Bring scopes, binoculars, CB’s and lunch. Bob Keener, 717-532-9723 or 717-658-8765.
May 7, Friday at 6 PM. Meet at Lehman property for SPRING MIGRANTS. Meet at 750 Tallow Hill Road, Chambersburg, PA, to walk around a pond, meadows, and woods. Larry Lehman, 717-263-7203.

I want to include two more items of interest. First, the Pennsylvania Society of Ornithology (PSO) is conducting a Breeding Bird Blitz contest (B4C), with competing teams, vying for contributions towards three important conservancies: Hawk Mountain, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and Manada Conservancy. I am proud to announce that CAS has a competing team! The name of the team is Blue Mountain Avian Seekers. The team members are Bob Keener, Dan Keener and son, Sammy (14), and Jefferson Shank (15). So, if you would like to contribute towards their team (ultimately towards the work of the three named conservancies), please contact Donate/Teams | Breedingbirdblitz and donate on behalf of Blue Mountain Avian Seekers. I think this could be a fun thing to do! Plus, the conservancies and birds are the winners!

Secondly, our Conservation chair, Jim Hardy, has read an interesting article that he requested that I pass on to you. Therefore, please find the Penn State article from Feb. 18, 2021 concerning research done on the effects of the noise of gas pipeline compressors on nesting songbirds. I think you will enjoy it.

On Monday, March 29, Scott Weidensaul was interviewed on WITF. Listen to this fascinating interview.

Also, for your viewing pleasure I found a short (6:39 minutes) video produced by Cornell Lab of Ornithology in 2012. It’s called Birding Warblers. This should whet your appetite for the coming spring warbler migration. They show a lot of the colorful warblers and you’ll hear many of their songs/calls. Birding Warblers – YouTube

I wish you all a Happy Easter and a productive birding time this spring!

Terri Kochert

UPDATED March 2021 from the President

By casbirdsPosted on March 3, 2021March 5, 2021Posted in Birds, Monthly Message, Uncategorized

Hello fellow nature lovers,

Today is a “ducky” day in two different ways. First, we are getting drenched with rain. I believe nearly all the snow will be gone soon. We also will be seeing some warmer temperatures this week to come. It appears that spring is on its way!

Secondly, as the Brits use the word “ducky,” they mean that whatever they’re referring to is wonderful. Thus, I have some “ducky news” to share with you. I now have a competent, capable, vibrant Vice President. Her name is Jessica Ferguson. She’s very handy with the computer, knowing where to find information. She’s full of ideas and helpful too. She is a budding photographer and an intense neophyte birder, desiring to learn everything she can about birds. She and her husband have four children and they’ve been in the area for fifteen years. Working for Waste Connections, Scotland, PA, Jessica plans to take college classes this fall, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science through American Public University in West Virginia. I am so thrilled to have her as my vice president! Welcome, Jessica!

There are several things to bring to your attention concerning near future CAS events.

Don’t forget to sign up if interested in this Saturday’s March 6, 2021 auto tour to Middle Creek WMA, Lancaster County to see Snow Geese and other waterfowl. Contact Eric and Rhetta Martin at 717-597-8675. Meet at the Park & Ride, Scotland, Exit 20, I-81 northbound at 6:30 AM. Bring scopes, binoculars, CBs, and lunch.

March 8, 2021, Monday, at 7 PM a Zoom meeting: Homeland Security: Native Trees Are a Bird’s Refuge with Scott Willard. Please follow the following Zoom instructions. We will not be meeting in person.
To participate in our Zoom presentation, you need to download “Zoom” onto your computer, tablet, or cell phone. Once you have it downloaded, save this email and/or flag it until Mar. 8, 2021. I will also send out a Zoom reminder with the Zoom link on Sunday, March 7, making it more easily accessible. On Monday, March 8, at about 6:50 PM, turn on your computer, open the email, press the link, and you will be invited in by our tech guru, Val Barnes closer to 7 PM. You may choose to be connected via “video” where we will see your face, or you can connect via “audio only”. If you choose audio, you/we will see your name, but not your face. You will be able to see and hear the presentation without being seen. Once you have been invited, I ask you to kindly “mute” yourself until the end when John will entertain questions. At that time, you will need to “unmute” yourself before speaking. Too many unmuted voices at the same time create echoes and sound distortion. So, please, mute yourselves until you have a question to ask. I thank you in advance. For your information, there will be NO interruption this time. Here is our Zoom link:

Conococheague Audubon is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Conococheague Audubon’s Zoom Meeting

Time: Mar 8, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7211203928?pwd=RXNwMjZpQVNvSHJGRld3cWZFQjJiZz09

Meeting ID: 721 120 3928

Passcode: cardinal20

March 9, 2021 Tuesday. Join us for our annual field trip to see the Woodcocks at Heisey Orchard Road. Meet at the Park & Ride, Scotland, Exit 20, I-81 northbound at this new new time: 6:00 PM. Bring flashlights and binoculars. Notify Bob Kochert 717-263-3692.
Remember that we will be holding our annual business meeting and elections on Monday, April 12 at 7 PM. Prepare to vote for two new directors nominated to serve a three-year term: John and Sure Greer. You may vote during the meeting or in advance via email by sending a message to our email account.
For your viewing pleasure, check out the following link for live webcams of Bald Eagles and other birds.

Hoping to see some of you on upcoming field trips,

Terri

February 2021 From the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on February 1, 2021February 22, 2021Posted in Birds, Monthly Message, Zoom

Hello fellow nature lovers,

I hope you are warm and cozy, enjoying this beautiful snow. With the second month of 2021 upon us I do have some good news to share with you. The Short-eared Owls did indeed make their long-awaited appearance along Bigham Road, just off Pumping Station Road in the Gettysburg area. Bob and I took eight different people to see them. Bob and I were there three times seeing the owls. While we saw only two at dusk the first time, the second time we were rewarded with quite a show of six SEOs early, around 4:15 PM. The third visit we saw four of them also around 4:20 PM. That was quite a chilly visit! Our visits were January 14, 16, and 18.

I also want to introduce you to our own CAS Feb. 8, 2021 meeting at 7 PM via Zoom. Our speaker for the evening is John Greer, presenting his Birds of the Far North: an Icelandic Adventure. Again, to participate in our Zoom presentation, you need to download “Zoom” onto your computer, tablet, or cell phone. You do not have to establish a Zoom account to watch our programs. Once you have Zoom installed, save the monthly email or access this post on Feb. 8, 2021. If you save the email you might want to set a reminder on it so that your email program reminds you. On that date, at about 6:50, open the email, press the link, and you will be admitted by our tech guru, Val Barnes close to 7 PM. You may choose to be connected via “video” where we will see your face, or you can connect via “audio only”. If you choose audio, you/we will see your name, but not your face. You will be able to see and hear the presentation without being seen. Once you have been invited, I ask you to kindly “mute” yourself until the end when John will entertain questions. At that time, you will need to “unmute” yourself before speaking. Too many unmuted voices at the same time create echoes and sound distortion. So, please, mute yourselves until you have a question to ask. I thank you in advance. For your information, there will be NO interruption this time in the presentation as we had last month.

Here is information for our Zoom link: Topic: CAS Feb. 8, 2021 Birds of the North by John Greer. Time: Feb 8, 2021; connect a little before 7 PM. Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7211203928?pwd=RXNwMjZpQVNvSHJGRld3cWZFQjJiZz09

Meeting ID: 721 120 3928; Passcode: cardinal20. Note: you won’t need this information if you click on the link.

Speaking of owls, I would like to share with you that Gettysburg College through Professor Ryan Kerney will be zooming a presentation by Jonathan Slaght, PHD about fish owls from Russia on Wednesday on February 10, 2021 at 5 PM. Jon spent four years studying these birds from 2006-2010. He has written a book about his experience called Owls of the Eastern Ice. The complete title of his presentation on Feb. 10 is Owls of the Eastern Ice: Negotiating Blizzards and Eccentrics in Pursuit of a Conservation Degree. Since you already have Zoom downloaded onto your computer now, press the following Zoom link at 5 PM:

https://gettysburg.zoom.us/j/98422749544 The meeting ID is 9842274+544.

Get ready and excited for the Great Backyard Bird Count on Feb. 12-15, 2021! You have four days to record how many birds of each species you see within 15-minute intervals. You can report as often as you’d like during the four days. Then, you should report your responses using e-bird. There’s a lot of information about this great birding event on this link: Great Backyard Bird Count Once you get onto that site, there is a short video about this event on the first page, plus other kinds of information.

Thus, here are all the February events:

Feb. 8, 2021 at 7 PM. Zoom meeting with John Greer presenting his Birds of the Far North: an Icelandic Adventure
Feb. 10, 2021 at 5 PM. Jon Slaght, PhD presents his Owls of the Eastern Ice: Negotiating Blizzards and Eccentrics in Pursuit of a Conservation Degree
Feb. 19, 20, 21, 2021. CANCELLED overnight auto trip to Blackwater NWR, Maryland for waterfowl has been cancelled.
March 6 field trip to Middle Creek WMA, led by Eric & Rhetta Martin. We meet at 6:30 AM at the Park & Ride, Scotland, Exit 20, I-81 northbound. Bring scopes, CBs, and lunch. Contact Eric and Rhetta if you intend to go (717-597-8675).

Birds that have been seen in the vicinity: Ruddy Duck at Greencastle Reservoir; Common Redpoll, Short-eared Owls in Gettysburg; Snow Bunting, Horned Larks, and Lapland Longspur along Church Road near Pleasant Hall; and a Wilson’s Snipe along Rowe Run by Bill Oyler.

If interested in helping out with the 2021 PICK UP PENNSYLVANIA campaign March 1- May 31, 2021, please see the flyer with registration information/links.

Stay safe and healthy!

Terri

January 2021 From the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on January 3, 2021January 3, 2021Posted in Birds, Monthly Message

Hello fellow nature lovers,

It’s difficult to think that Christmas 2020 has come and gone. It may have been a difficult time for some of you. I am sure you are resilient in maintaining family relationships despite the Covid-19 restrictions, if only being able to do so virtually. I have no doubt that you are quite content to leave 2020 behind. We are all now hopeful for a more promising, life-filled 2021.

Some of you have signed up to see the Short-eared Owls typically seen on the Gettysburg Battlefield. Unfortunately, none have shown up yet. My husband, Bob and I were over in Gettysburg Dec. 28, 2020 and didn’t see any. We staked out last year’s location to no avail. We were not the only ones. There were four other people staking them out as well. There have been no Gettysburg sightings of SEOs posted on ebird.org.

Speaking of Short-eared Owls (SEOs), they have been seen at the Hopewell Township Park, near Shrewsbury, York County, on Dec. 29, 2020. That is a long one hour 40-minute trip to make with the end possibility of “getting skunked.” Bob and I saw SEOs about three years ago at that same park. We led a trip there because there were no SEOs being seen in Gettysburg. Our group saw no SEOs that particular evening. Thus, I will keep you posted if any SEOs are seen in Gettysburg.

The recent Christmas Bird Count (CBC) under the direction of Valerie Barnes was a success. According to Val’s report, there were 80 different species recorded by 55 observers. A total of 18, 492 birds were seen by these observers. There were some excellent birds recorded. As you may already know, the Rufous Hummingbird which has been showing up at Kathy Lauver’s since mid-October was still seen on Dec. 19, CBC count day. The Townsend’s Solitaire and seven Evening Grosbeaks are still being seen at Caledonia State Park. During the CBC the other following birds were seen: Peregrine Falcon, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Meadowlark, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, one lone Eastern Screech Owl, Merlin, 8 Snow Buntings, Eastern Towhee, Wilson’s Snipe, and Purple Finch. The following birds reached an all-time high count: Cooper’s Hawk (26), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (25), Common raven (15), Carolina Wren (157), Hermit Thrush (16), and Northern Cardinal (636). I am grateful to the Zone Captains and all the participants in this year’s CBC count. As usual, Val Barnes did a fantastic job of keeping all the numbers straight. She will have a detailed report in the March Naturally.

There will be NO January Covered Dish dinner this year due to the Covid restrictions.
Our Feb. 8, 2021 general meeting will be done via Zoom. John Greer will speak about Birds of the Far North: An Icelandic Adventure. This should be a “cool” presentation. Don’t miss it!
I will send the Zoom link in my ‘February at Conococheague’ letter.
I am sorry that you missed December’s meeting with Bob Keener and his Birds of Ecuador. It was replete with splendid photos and amusing anecdotes. Please don’t miss our February Zoom meeting.

For your viewing pleasure I have included this two-minute video put out by National Audubon Society.

Enjoy! May you all have a wonderful New Year!

“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to com, whispering ‘it will be happier’…”~ Alfred Lord Tennyson

Terri Kochert

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