Outreach – Page 5 – Conococheague Audubon

March 2022 From the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on March 2, 2022March 4, 2022Posted in Birds, Conservation, Monthly Message, Outreach, Zoom

Hello Fellow Nature Lovers,

There are many Conococheague Audubon events coming up in the near future. So, let’s get right to it.

March 5, Saturday FIELD TRIP. 6:30 AM Middle Creek WMA, Lancaster County auto tour for WATERFOWL. Meet at the Park & Ride, Scotland, Exit 20, I-81 northbound. Bring scopes, binoculars, and lunch. Contact Eric and Rhetta Martin, 717–597-8675.

March 8, Tuesday FIELD TRIP NEW DATE. This is a deviation from the Activities List. It’s supposed to rain Monday, March 7, in the afternoon, evening. On Tuesday, March 8, it’s to rain in the AM, but be cloudy in the afternoon. 5:45 PM Tentative outing for WOODCOCKS at Heisey Road orchard. Meet at the Park & Ride, Scotland, Exit 20, I-81 northbound. Bring flashlights. Contact Bob Kochert, 717-263-3692.

March 14, Monday MEETING/HYBRID. 7:00 PM Forest-Bird Restoration by Ron Rohrbaugh, Director, Conservation Science and Forest Programs, Audubon Mid-Atlantic . Arranged by Terri Kochert. The speaker will give the presentation from a remote location via Zoom. Come to St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church or view from home.

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

Meeting ID: 721 120 3928 Passcode: cardinal20

I am excited to report that we are resuming the showing of our FREE nature films, beginning 7:30 PM, Thursday, March 24, 2022 at Living Faith Chapel, 8770 Possum Hollow Road, Shippensburg, PA. Film is: Last Stand of the Great Bear. (National Geographic) Great Bear rainforest of British Columbia. Brown, black, “spirit” bears, wolves, and salmon fishing. Doors will open at 7:00 PM. There will be free door prizes too.

Election News: The April election of CAS officers and directors will take place between March 14 and our April 11, 2022 meeting. I will be sending you the ballot via an extra email this month for the express purpose of voting for the listed nominees. Though voting will take place at the Annual Business meeting, April 11, 2022, CAS will also accept voting by proxy, by email, or other electronic means if you are not able to physically attend our meeting. Thus, you may vote early via email or by phone. We’ll appreciate receiving your vote as early as possible. There is a quota of votes needed to validate the election. Please vote immediately when you receive the ballot

Magee Marsh May Field Trip Date Change: Although May seems to be distant from today’s date, I need to bring another schedule change to your attention. In our CAS Activities List we have advertised a trip to Magee Marsh May 2-4. This will need to be changed. Though the Biggest Week in Birding WILL take place this year (after two years of cancellations due to Covid), it is scheduled for May 6-15, 2022. CAS has its final 2021-2022 season meeting on May 9, 2022. So, the CAS Magee Marsh trip will be scheduled for Monday, May 16-Wednesday May 18, 2022. More information about this trip will follow next month.

Calling All Photographers: If you enjoy taking photographs, please send your best bird photos to National Audubon for be selected for their best bird photos.

CAS needs your help: I am putting out a plea for anyone interested in helping for an Earth Day Outreach on Saturday, April 23, 2022 from 10 AM to 2 PM in downtown Chambersburg. Contact me as soon as you can to offer your assistance.

Everglades Info: With Dave Graff’s excellent Florida exposé of the beauty and fragility of the Everglades, I thought I would include a few articles from Audubon Florida about some of the Florida projects to revive the Everglades and the species found there.

“Wandering Spoonbills Tell Us What We Need to Protect the Everglades,” by Chad Witko. Jerry Lorenz of Audubon Florida tracked this species to shed light on how the iconic “River of Grass” is changing, for better or worse.

“12,000-acre Everglades Restoration Project Complete,” by Kelly Cox. The C-44 canal was first dredged in 1923 to divert flood water from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie estuary. It has taken decades and millions of dollars of funds to restore the C-44 area.

Good birding to you all as the weather breaks and Spring arrives!

Terri Kochert

Festival of Lights Wreath

By casbirdsPosted on November 30, 2021November 30, 2021Posted in Outreach

Wreath on display at “Festival of Trees”

Conococheague Audubon will again participate in Franklin County Visitors Bureau’s “Festival of Trees,” a holiday decorating contest that benefits local cancer care centers. Beneficiary in this third annual event is Cumberland Valley Breast Care Alliance.

Dozens of themed trees and wreaths will be on display from Nov. 20 to Dec. 3 in the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center, 15 S. Main St., Chambersburg. Admission is free.

“Go Native!” is the theme of CAS’ wreath and swag set. In addition to holiday trimmings, we have decorated ours with tiny imitation seed packets that picture native perennial flowers that benefit birds in our area.

When you visit, you may place a bid on any of the displayed greens. Silent auction bids can be placed in person; by phone at 866-646-8060; or by emailing fcvbfestivaloftrees@gmail.com.

To vote on your favorite (or favorites), purchase ballots at four for $1. You may cast as many votes as you wish.

Voting and bidding will end at 7 p.m. Dec. 3. Winners will be announced that evening. For hours, more details, and updated bidding amounts, visit www.explorefranklincountypa.com.

August 2021 from the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on August 5, 2021August 19, 2021Posted in Birds, Monthly Message, OutreachTagged birds, flowers

Hello Fellow Nature Lovers,

As of today, we have 6 short weeks until we assume our new 2021-2022 season of general meetings and other events. I have some very IMPORTANT news for you today. Please read this carefully. Soon you will receive our new Activities List. With that, you will notice a BIG CHANGE! We will be conducting our general meetings, September – May at a new venue. We will now be meeting at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall. The church is located adjacent to Luther Ridge in Scotland, PA. The full address is 2695 Luther Drive, Chambersburg, PA 17202. We will place signs at the entrance and in the building directing you to the correct room. When September rolls around, please make sure you come to St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church and NOT to Norlo Park Community Center. The room is good sized with plenty of tables and chairs. There is a kitchenette attached too for our January Covered Dish dinner. The church is located off I-81 Scotland Exit #20. Bear east towards Fayetteville on the Black Gap Road. Turn right onto Luther Drive. The church is immediately to the right. There’s ample parking. We hope to see you there!

Due to an emergency family health issue, our CAS Vice President had to step down. Thus, I need a new VP to replace Jessica. Please keep Jessica and her family in your prayers. If interested, please call me at 717-263-3692.

You’ll recall that I sent out a notice to take down your bird feeders July 2, 2021 due to a mysterious eye and neurological disease affecting common grackles, blue jays, European starlings, American robins, cardinals, finches and other birds. To date no one knows anything about the cause of this disease. There’s some speculation that it has to do with the arrival of the 17-year cicadas. Tests are being done, but no firm findings have been determined. Lest you think this is only a local phenomenon, there have been cases of many songbirds dying in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland. To date I have seen nothing about returning to feed the birds at this time. It is hoped that by refraining from feeding the birds, it will cause birds to “social distance” and lessen the chance of infection. For more on this, please read the following article from the National Audubon Society: scientists-still-searching-pathogen-behind-easts-songbird-epidemic

UPDATE AS OF 13 August: The PA Game Commission has lifted the restriction on feeding birds. See the PGC announcement.

As you know this is the migration season for shore birds. Our local area has seen its share of rarities. The new birding “hotspot” seems to be the Greencastle Antrim Ponds west of the Sheetz store. Birds seen in July are American Avocets, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Least Sandpipers, Black Duck, Osprey, Little Blue Heron, White-winged Dove, Kentucky Warbler, and Dickcissel. In the Newville area two Roseate Spoonbills have been seen.

Another reminder to you that for your fall perennial planting you may want to plant Native Plants, which help birds and other pollinators. Also, remember too that as you continue to modify your yards to create a more bird-friendly habitat, Mid-Atlantic Audubon (now merged from PA Audubon and Maryland-DC Audubon) has an application on line to answer questions about your garden. If you pay $25, you will receive a beautiful metal sign to display in your yard. To get a sign for yourself, you will need to go online to pa.audubon.org to find the application. The application is straight forward and not complicated. You will need to print off the application, fill it out, and send in your $25 to pa.audubon.org

I hope to see you all in September at our new location, St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church, or perhaps I’ll see you at the North Square Farmers Market on August 28, 2021 between 8 AM and 12 PM. For your viewing pleasure I’ve provided a link below to see some comical birds moving to music in a seven-and-a-half-minute long video.

Try Not To Laugh | 19 Funny Birds Videos Of The Week | The Pet Collective – Bing video

Enjoy!

Terri Kochert

July 2021 from the President

By casbirdsPosted on July 2, 2021July 2, 2021Posted in Birds, Monthly Message, Outreach

Hello Fellow Nature Lovers,

As we approach our most important national holiday in three more days on July 4, I want to encourage each of us to be thankful for the wonderful freedoms that we have in this country. I continue to believe that this is the greatest nation in the world. That is why we have so many clamoring and dying to come here. For 245 years we have been offering our inhabitants freedom of speech, freedom to worship, freedom to bear arms, freedom to travel, and freedom to work hard to provide for our individual families. We are a nation of high ideals and opportunities. We must remember that this is not so in many other nations of the world. I know. I have traveled to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Mexico, and Central America. I have seen the oppression and poverty conditions. Trust me, there is NO other nation like the USA. It’s no wonder that the news of our good fortune travels extensively around the world? I passionately believe that our nation has been blessed because of its godly foundation, i.e., our beloved believing founding Fathers. So, please take a moment and thank our Creator for the fact that we “get to” call this nation our home. I didn’t say the USA is perfect. Of course not, we are a nation comprised of flawed human beings. Be that as it may, I’m grateful that I live here and am proud to call this my home.

Speaking of home, CAS is again in search of a Vice President. Please keep Jessica, her husband Garry, and family in your prayers for improved health for Garry.

Thus, I am in need of a Vice President to serve through April 30, 2022 and then presiding as President from May 1, 2022 -April 30, 2024. If interested, please contact Terri through ConAudubon@outlook.com.

I do have some news about the Breeding Bird Blitz to share with you. Bob Keener, the Captain of Blue Mountain Avian Seekers team from the CAS area, reported that his team saw a total of 90 different species in one day. He says his team recorded nine target special interest Wood Thrushes in their travels around Franklin County. Vern Gauthier, director of this year’s first annual four-day Breeding Bird Blitz for Conservation (B4C), reported that there were 22 different Blitz teams comprised of 89 people who covered 30 counties in Pennsylvania. You can see the contest highlights/winning teams by pasting the following link into your browser. https://www.breedingbirdblitz.org/post/results

There were two targeted special interest species: the Wood Thrush and the Northern Harrier. As Bob Keener confirmed above, Wood Thrush were seen, but Vern says not one Northern Harrier was spotted during the four-day Blitz. Vern reported, too, that B4C doubled their anticipated goal of $5,000! So, that is $10,000 that will be evenly distributed to Hawk Mountain, Manada Conservancy, and Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. Thank you all who supported our team and contributed to these wonderful conservancies, which are doing much to preserve our feathered friends and other wildlife.

Local bird sightings have slowed down considerably. The Kentucky Warbler is still being heard and seen in the same Buchanan State Forest where it was originally found in May (as of June 22). There was a Least Flycatcher on the Penn State Mont Alto Campus, and a Eurasian Collared Dove in Greencastle. On June 30^th Bill Oyler saw and heard a female Summer Tanager along Red Rock Road! Bob and I have a persevering House Wren who finally attracted a mate to our backyard wren box. We can’t wait to see the fledglings. We do so enjoy our Jenny Wren’s beautiful song.

Please continue to report your bird sightings on eBird.org. It is your way of contributing to Citizen Science, helping keep track of where the birds are on any given day of the year. eBird.org is a world-wide “bank” of bird information. Please feel free to check it out.

On Saturday, June 26, 2021, a few volunteers from CAS had a display table set up at the North Square Farmers Market in Chambersburg. It was thrilling to once again be out and among people, sharing our love of birds and nature with the public, giving them helpful brochures promoting native plant gardens to attract birds and pollinators. We engaged a total of 37 visitors including 19 children. The children were excited to color bird pictures and receive a brightly colored bird sticker. We will be there again on July 24, August 28, September 25, and October 23, 2021. Please come help out, visit, and/or send your family our way on those days.

Again, please do not forget to sign up for our new fall field trip to Cape May, NJ, September 22-24, 2021. Mark your calendars now for the three-day outing. Call Sue Greer for the hotel information, as you will have to make your own reservations. It’s not too early to reserve your spot on this outing.

Sept. 22-24, Wed.-Fri. FIELD TRIP

Trip to Cape May, NJ, for FALL MIGRANTS: WARBLERS, RAPTORS, and SEABIRDS. Bring scopes and binoculars. For information, call Sue Greer at 443-255-9559 or email her at sgreer412@gmail.com. Sign-up deadline is Sept. 15.

For your viewing pleasure, please consider watching the live cam of an Atlantic Puffin on the nest in Maine. You may have to copy and paste the following link into your browser to view. https://explore.org/livecams/puffins/puffin-burrow-cam?emci=588e7d5a-b7d2-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&emdi=ed823fe8-c2d2-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&ceid=4271689

For some information on backyard birds and their sounds, watch the following 42-minute video below. You may have to copy the link and paste it into your browser to view. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEXX6Oyuj4k

Happy Fourth of July! Good birding to all!

Terri Kochert