Conococheague Audubon Society

PO Box 20, Fayetteville, PA 17222

ConAudubon@outlook.com

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Conococheague Audubon

Birds

Information about recent bird sighting, behavior, news

June 2025 from the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on Posted in Birds, Conservation, Monthly Message

Our activities for this season are almost complete. MANY THANKS to all who made them possible – our officers Lisa, Donna, Debbie, and Terri; our directors Anne, Dave, Jim, John, Larry, and Sharon; committee chairs Janet, Dave, Lynn, Dorian, Terri, John, Ruth, Lisa, Jane, Josh, Anne, and Sue; and our field trip leaders Bill, Bob, Debbie, Jim, Eric, Rhetta, Larry, Larry, Sharon, and Donna. Life would be dull without Conococheague Audubon, and our chapter would be in a pickle without your help.

We had a great Beginning Birders’ Workshop on Saturday, June 7 at Caledonia State Park. In spite of the light rain, the 6 adults and 3 children improved their binocular skills, saw/heard 35 species of birds, enjoyed refreshments, and passed the bird quiz with flying colors.

Volunteer opportunities:

  • Ruth Barton is stepping down as Hospitality Chair. The main duty is setting up a table in the back of our meeting room to welcome newcomers. Please contact Val Barnes (717-352-4397) to volunteer.
  • John Greer is stepping down as Conservation Chair. The main duties are to stay on top of conservation issues and keep our membership informed. It’s also terrific, but not mandatory, if you write a short article for each Naturally newsletter. Please contact Val Barnes (717-352-4397) to volunteer.
  • Help Bob Mulvihill find Loggerhead Shrikes in our area sometime this month; tentative dates are the week of June 16. Bob plans to walk in areas that look promising, after getting permission from landowners. If you have good property for Shrikes, or are willing to go out with Bob to look for them, please contact Bob directly at 412-522-5729.
  • Coordinate with the Pennsylvania Audubon Council on behalf of Conococheague Audubon about the Bird Habitat Recognition project. Please contact Val Barnes (717-352-4397) to volunteer.
  • Bluebird Trail monitors. Contact Lynn or Dorian Runt.
  • Garden care. Contact Josh Donaldson.
  • North Square Farmers Market, Chambersburg, PA on June 28, 2025 from 8:00 – 12:00. Contact Terri Kochert (263-3692) to help

Check the calendar for possible late-breaking additional updates and details about our activities..

Please bring family and friends to our events – we welcome new faces! Everything is open to everyone and is free.

Good birding!

March 2025 from the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on Posted in Birds, Conservation, Monthly MessageTagged ,

It’s above 30 degrees. Can spring be far away?!

Eastern Bluebirds take advantage of nest boxes and our Bluebird Trail team is in charge of organizing volunteers to monitor at least two nest box trails – one on Penn National Golf Course and one at Caledonia State Park. You are invited to attend the opening presentation for the 2025 bluebird season on Saturday, March 8, at 9:30 AM in the Penn National Clubhouse, 3720 Clubhouse Drive, Fayetteville, PA. The keynote address will be presented by JOAN WATROBA from the Bluebird Society of Pennsylvania. Please contact one of the organizers to register for the event: Lynn & Dorian Runt 717-352-4995 or adamsmail@centurylink.net; John Fry 301-503-3646 or johnefryjr@yahoo.com; Ruth Barton 301-367-6968 or ruthbarton46@gmail.com.

An application for the $500 scholarship that Conococheague Audubon is offering this year is available on the Chambersburg Area Education Foundation website. Applications are due March 21, 2025. Qualified applicants include those CASD students who intend to pursue post-secondary studies in environmental conservation, ornithology, wildlife management, or a related field. We look forward to seeing applications. Please tell CASD seniors about the opportunity!

Buttonwood Nature Center near Waynesboro has invited us to set up a display table at their Earth Day event on April 26. The event will take place from 11-4 at Pine Hill Recreation Area. We seek volunteers; and we need to decide soon whether or not we have enough interest to say yes. Please contact Terri Kochert (terri.kochert81@gmail.com  or 717-263-3692) ASAP if you are interested.

Field trip: Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area is mostly closed due to geese having been infected with Avian Influenza. The March 1 field trip is CANCELLED.

The last Nature Film of the season is Frogs: The Thin Green Line. Join us on Thursday, March 6 at 7 PM at Chambersburg Area Middle School South.

Budget requests for the June 1, 2025 – May 31, 2026 season are due to Donna Hocker ( dlhocker@yahoo.com ) by March 1.

A reminder that the April 14 annual business meeting will feature elections and reports from the year as well as a program, Radio-tracking Passerines in Early Successional Habitat, by Grace Muench.  Plan to participate!

Volunteer needs:

  • Conservation Chair John Greer reminds us our highway clean-up day is March 8, 2025.  This is part of PENNDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program. We have “adopted” 2 miles of PA-997 from I-81 west to Main Street, Scotland. It is easy walking on wide shoulders. Supplies are provided–including “grabbers” generously donated by Waste Connections so as to save our backs. We will meet at 9 a.m. at the Scotland Park & Ride, I-81 exit 20.  Even if you are unable to pick up trash, we need a driver to shuttle supplies, and we need a pickup truck to carry filled bags.  Please join us to help beautify PA! Action: Contact John to volunteer.
  • Bluebird Trail – see earlier paragraph above.
  • Greencastle-Antrim Middle School Trout Release, May 15. Val Barnes and Terri Kochert are volunteering to help out.  Action: Additional volunteers? Contact Terri.
  • On April 26, 2025 Buttonwood is requesting CAS to have a display table to celebrate Earth Day. Action: Volunteers will be needed from 11 AM – 4 PM.  Contact Terri.
  • June 14, 2025 Appalachian Trail Festival, Red Run Park, Waynesboro, PA from 9:00 – 3:00. Action: Volunteers? Contact Terri.
  • June 28, 2025 North Square Farmers Market, Chambersburg, PA from 8:00 – 12:00. (Just one time this summer.) Action: Volunteers? Contact Terri.
  • Beginning Birders’ Workshop on June 7 at Caledonia. Planning meetings at 6 PM before the March and April General Meetings. Contact Janet to volunteer.

January 2025 from the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on Posted in Birds, Monthly MessageTagged ,

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.

November 2024 from the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on Posted in Birds, Monthly Message, News, ZoomTagged , , , ,

We certainly had a gloriously sunny October! November is here and, hopefully, we’ll get some rain. Keep your eyes peeled for waterfowl, late migrants, and winter visitors. A Hermit Thrush has been popping by my yard, drinking from the birdbath and eating berries from the Burning Bush.

At our next regular meeting at 7 PM on Monday, November 11, we’ll announce the winners of this year’s youth contests. Then, member Becky Loncosky will present a program on “Breeding Bird Surveys in our National Parks: Catoctin’s Top Ten”. As usual, the meeting will be held at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church, (off Route 997, near Scotland exit off I-81) 2695 Luther Dr, Chambersburg, PA 17202. You may also participate via Zoom.

We didn’t have space in the recent Naturally for Terri’s article about the first free nature film of the season, so you can find it here. Please come join us at CAMS South, 1151 East McKinley St, Chambersburg, on Thursday, November 14 at 7 PM for ”Islands of Wonder – Madagascar.” It sounds like a fascinating place!

From our friends at the Conococheague Institute, we bring you this announcement: Saturday, November 9th, 12:00pm to 8:00pm, 30th Anniversary: Bonfire Night. 12995 Bain Rd, Mercersburg, PA 17236.

Learn about the history of the event with Guy Fawkes, engage in Tavern song and dance, games and festivities, archery, wildlife, food and drink, all culminating in an evening Bonfire program at 7pm. There will be craft vendors and food trucks available throughout the day, a special children’s entertainment performance by Ray Owens, a birds of prey presentation by Miller’s Wildlife and much more! Matthew Wedd at Conococheague Institute shares that the falconer will be doing his presentation at 4 pm, and he’ll have a great horned owl with him.

Check this website for updates and maps to all locations.

If you haven’t already, please consider donating to Conococheague Audubon to keep things rolling. Mail your donation to CAS at PO Box 20, Fayetteville, PA 17222. Good birding!

  Valerie Barnes, President

October 2024 from the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on Posted in Birds, Monthly Message, OutreachTagged , ,

We needed rain, and we got it. We’re ready for a little sunshine now, please. Our thoughts are with those who really got hit by Hurricane Helene; we were lucky. Fall migrants are still passing through. A Swainson’s Thrush stopped by to eat Burning Bush berries in my back yard. I look forward to seeing one or two every fall.

This year the Big Sit is scheduled for the weekend of Saturday, October 12, 2024 starting at 12 a.m. midnight and closing Sunday, October 13, at 11:59 p.m. You may bird anywhere. But, all observations must be made from within a circle no more than 17 feet (5.2 meters) in diameter. To participate, register your circle and report your observations via eBird. Learn more by visiting the Big Sit website: https://www.thebigsit.org/. It’s fun to spend several hours sitting in a birdy place, visiting with your co-birders and noshing on snacks.

We’ve signed up to host a display table at Tayamentasachta Environmental Center’s Apple Festival on Saturday, October 12 from 9 – 3. Please contact Terri Kochert  at terri.kochert81@gmail.com or 717-264-3692 to help.

Entries for our Youth Contests are due at the October 14 general meeting. Entries for the “Best Bird Photo of the Year” and “Longest Bird Species List of the Year” contests will be accepted for two age groups: 5 to 15 and 16 to 18. Winners for the cash prizes will be announced at our November 11 meeting. Please arrive a few minutes early for the October meeting so you can submit your entries to Terri Kochert. At the meeting we’ll hear from Andy Markel about Adrenaline Birding; Big Day/Big Months/Big Years. As usual, the meeting will be held at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church at 7 PM.

Five members led 90 seventh-graders from Greencastle-Antrim Middle School on bird walks September 19 at Tayamentasachta. The highlight of the day was a very cooperative Great Horned Owl. Nine members worked to clean up a stretch of Route 997 on September 28. Thanks to all our volunteers! If you would like to help at some future event, please contact Terri Kochert.

If you haven’t already, please consider donating to Conococheague Audubon to keep things rolling. Mail your donation to CAS at PO Box 20, Fayetteville, PA 17222. Good birding!

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