Conococheague Audubon Society

PO Box 20, Fayetteville, PA 17222

ConAudubon@outlook.com

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Conococheague Audubon

Outreach

Opportunity, often NOT on our published calendar of activities, to connect with the public.

August 2024 from the President

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

Shorebird migration seems to be underway. Recently folks have seen a Baird’s Sandpiper at the farm pond along White Church Road. Subscribe to eBird alerts to be notified about Franklin (or other) County rarities so you know what’s in the area.

Terri Kochert reports that a woman who sets up at the Chambersburg Farmers’ Market makes tote bags from birdseed bags. What a cool idea! You might want to make your own or give your bags to her to use.

John Greer reminds us to save the date for the PA Adopt-A-Highway clean up scheduled for Saturday, September 28 at 9 AM. Supplies will be provided. Sign up with John: 443-255-8871, jngreer@aol.com

According to an article about “Bird Olympics” in the Washington Post, on a race of birds flying horizontally, the Mallard would win, with a speed of about 103 mph. While we often think of the Peregrine Falcon’s fast dive (at about 242 mph), it’s the Mallard that flies fastest horizontally. Who knew?! In terms of flying quietly, the Barn Owl is hard to beat. And an Ostrich could outrun any human in the 100 m dash – finishing in just 6.04 seconds. Birds are pretty amazing!

If you haven’t already received it, keep an eye out in your snail mail for our annual fundraising letter and the 2024-2025 Activities List. We depend on and appreciate your financial support. Good birding!

May 2024 from the President

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

Spring has sprung, the trees and many flowers have bloomed, the hummers and many other residents are back. Migration is underway; we’re happy!

Pennsylvania’s Third Bird Atlas (PBA3), a project of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, is a community science project documenting the distribution and abundance of the birds of Pennsylvania. The project launched on January 1, 2024 and will run through early 2029. Be sure to come to our May 13 meeting to hear all about this project and how you can participate, from Vern Gauthier.

Thanks to all who voted in our elections in April. All candidates were elected and amendments to our By-Laws were approved. Many thanks to outgoing directors John Greer, Sue Greer, and Linda Kaiser. Welcome to new directors John Carter, Larry Williams, and Sharon Williams. All officers were re-elected for another term, and committee chairs agreed to serve for another season. THANK YOU so much!

Budget planning for June 1, 2024 – May 31, 2025 is complete. Thanks to all who contributed to the effort.

Conservation Chair John Greer reports that on April 24, 2024, President Biden signed into law the Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Enhancements Act. This bill reauthorizes the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, which the American Bird Conservancy reports is a successful federal grants program funding migratory bird research and habitat restoration throughout the Western Hemisphere supporting a remarkable 717 projects in 43 countries, with 400 migratory bird species benefiting from the funding. 

Volunteer opportunities: . Unless stated otherwise, please contact Terri Kochert (717-263-3692 or terri.kochert81@gmail.com ) to sign up as a volunteer.

  • Monitor Bluebird Trail boxes. Contact Dorian/Lynn Runt, adamsmail@centurylink.net or 717-352-4995.  Volunteers needed. For more info: Lynn & Dorian Runt (717-352-4995) or Ruth Barton (301-367-6968).
  • Clean up and help maintain the native plants garden at Norlo Park. Contact Josh Donaldson, jd425@embarqmail.com or 717-264-6920. Needed starting in spring.
  • Seventh grade students at Greencastle-Antrim Middle School participate in Pa’s Trout in the Classroom program and will be releasing fingerlings at Caledonia State Park on Thursday, May 16, 2024.  Students will be in 10 groups (about 25 students per group) and will rotate to different stations every 20 minutes; 9 – 1:15 pm. 
  • Master Gardener’s Plant Sale. Saturday, May 18 from 9-1. We will have a display table regarding native plants.
  • Appalachian Trail Festival at Red Run Park, Waynesboro, PA, Saturday, June 8. We will have a display table.
  • Farmers’ Market in downtown Chambersburg. Dates are June 29; July 27; August 31; and September 28. We will have a display table.

With spring, our activities kick into full gear. Please note the date change for Bill Oyler’s trip. Please contact the trip leader in advance to let him/her know you plan to attend. Note the Beginning Birders’ Workshop is on June 1; bring your friends, family, and neighbors!

News from the Region, March 26, 2024

By Valerie BarnesPosted on Posted in News, Outreach

The Institute (formerly called Renfrew Institute for Cultural & Environmental Studies) is planning many events this spring. Visit their website to view the Event Calendar.

Appalachian Audubon is sponsoring a PA Young Birders group to offer youth in the area more opportunities for birding and learning about birds. Visit their website to learn more about scheduled events.

Outreach Events not on CAS Activities List

We could use volunteers to help at these events. Please contact Terri Kochert if you are interested and available. At most of these, we will set up a table and display information, brochures, and activities for children.

April 13, Saturday                   Outreach Event – Volunteer!

10 AM – 4 PM. Conococheague Institute Get to Know Nature event. Prepare for Earth Day 2024 and learn how to love and understand the natural world, Many activities. Visit www.cimlg.org to learn more about the CI event.

May 16, Thursday                    Outreach Event- Volunteer!

9 AM – 1:15 PM. PA Trout in the Classroom event for seventh grade students at Greencastle-Antrim Middle School. Caledonia State Park. Seventh grade students at Greencastle-Antrim Middle School will be releasing fingerlings Along with releasing fish into the stream, the coordinator would like to have science-related presentations for the students to participate in throughout the day.  Students would be in 10 groups (about 25 students per group) and would rotate to different stations every 20 minutes. Terri Kochert is planning what we will do.

May 18, Saturday           Outreach Event – Volunteer!

9 AM – 1 PM. Master Gardener’s Plant Sale. CAS will have a display table.

February 2024 from the Presiddent

By Valerie BarnesPosted on Posted in Monthly Message, Outreach, Zoom

I want to know how January disappeared so fast! It seems as if every month evaporates before I get my arms around it. In January we had some really cold days and at least 3 rounds of snow. Will we get more this month? Sigh…

Please note that our next (February 12) meeting about phone apps is Zoom only. We will NOT meet in person at St Luke. To join, either use the link below or visit the calendar event to find the link,

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

Meeting ID: 721 120 3928

Passcode: cardinal20

The 27th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) takes place from Friday, February 16, through Monday, February 19, 2024. Read about the event, if you like, and submit checklists of birds seen at your favorite location(s) anywhere each day, using eBird. Any checklist submitted in the GBBC time window will count; no need to pre-register.

We are already starting to get requests to help out at local community events. Please consider volunteering for these:

  • Seventh grade students at Greencastle-Antrim Middle School participate in Pa’s Trout in the Classroom program and will be releasing fingerlings at Caledonia State Park on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Along with releasing fish into the stream, the coordinator would like to have science-related presentations for the students to participate in throughout the day.  Students would be in 10 groups (about 25 students per group) and would rotate to different stations every 20 minutes.  Students will arrive at the park around 9 and will be departing around 1:15 pm.  Would you be interested in presenting an environmentally based lesson for the students?  
  • Conococheague Institute is planning a Get to Know Nature event on Saturday, April 13. We hope to have some of these activities there: Information on planting native plants to attract pollinators and birds, avoiding bird/window collisions, bird identification, bird feeding, bird-related craft projects, nature scavenger walk, bird watching walk. The more volunteers, the more we will be able to do! Would you like to help at our table?
  • Other opportunities will arise soon. So, let us know what you want to do and when you might be available!

If you plan to go on the Martin’s trip to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge February 16-18, please contact Eric and Rhetta ASAP (717-597-8675) to learn about making motel reservations.

Treasurer Donna Hocker asks that Committee Chairs submit budget requests for the June 1, 2024 – May 31, 2025 season to her ASAP, if you haven’t already provided them. If anyone else has ideas about potential expenses or income for the upcoming season, please contact a committee chair, director, or officer as soon as possible.

Elections are scheduled for our Annual Business Meeting on April 8. We have 3 new folks who are stepping up to be directors: John Carter, Larry Williams, and Sharon Williams. This is wonderful news and we thank John, Larry, and Sharon as well as the nominating committee (Terri Kochert, John Greer, and Sue Greer). More on elections next time…

It’s always a good time to make a donation to Conococheague Audubon Society and mail it to PO Box 20, Fayetteville, PA 17222. Anyone interested in joining our leadership team? Please contact conaudubon@outlook.com and tell us what you would like to do.

Check back often to see what’s been added or changed. Good birding!

August 2023 From the President

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

We’ve been so lucky that summer in our area has been remarkably mild compared with much of the rest of the country and world. Fingers crossed that our good fortune continues!

Film Chair Terri Kochert has selected three PBS titles for showing at CAMS South in November, January, and March. Our August annual fundraising appeal will provide the details. We’re nearly ready to print the Activities List for the 2023-2024 season; it will be included with the fundraising letter. We’ll also be updating this website to reflect the schedule of events.

Terri and other volunteers set up a display table at the Chambersburg Farmers’ Market on the last Saturdays of June and July, with plans for doing the same in August and September. Contact Terri to volunteer and help attract new members.

The garden tour event was so successful that Josh Donaldson and the Garden Gang are already planning for next summer. Stop by to admire the garden anytime.

Migration is starting. You can subscribe to alerts in eBird to learn about unusual sightings. Bill Oyler will lead our first Fall Migration field trip on September 2.

May you have a wonderful end of summer. Thanks for your support for Conococheague Audubon and the birds!

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