Conococheague Audubon Society

PO Box 20, Fayetteville, PA 17222

ConAudubon@outlook.com

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February 2024 from the Presiddent

By Valerie BarnesPosted on Posted in How to Get Involved, 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!

Scott Weidensaul for 11 December meeting!

By Valerie BarnesPosted on Posted in Birds, News, Zoom

The originally-planned presenter (Steve Huy) for our December 11 meeting is unavailable, but a colleague has volunteered to make the presentation. Instead of Steve, we will hear from SCOTT WEIDENSAUL about Project SNOWstorm. Scott Weidensaul is the author of more than two dozen books on natural history, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist “Living on the Wind” and his latest, the New York Times bestseller “A World on the Wing.” Weidensaul is a contributing editor for Audubon and writes for a variety of other publications, including BWD and Living Bird. He is a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society and an active field researcher, studying saw-whet owl migration for more than 25 years, as well as winter hummingbirds in the East, bird migration in Alaska, and the winter movements of snowy owls through Project SNOWstorm, which he co-founded. Scott will be presenting via Zoom. This is a rare treat!

December 2023 From the President

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

Colder nights have settled in and our winter visitors are here. Juncos flit around under the shrubs and feeders. Brown Creepers hug the tree trunks. Can our first snowfall be far off? 

If you haven’t already, do stop by the Festival of Trees at the Franklin County Visitors Center on the square in Chambersburg. Our white birch tree is really lovely, as are many other trees and wreaths. The Festival ends Saturday, December 2, so time is running out! 

The opening reception for the sale of Jim and Deb Wheeling’s collection of bird prints went well last Saturday. The collection will be available at Wallspace Gallery and Framing through January. You can view the collection online at Wallspace.com. The catalog is accessible from the homepage or under Exhibits | Current Exhibit. The shop is at 1769 Lincoln Way East, Chambersburg, PA 17202. Regular hours: Tues-Fri 10-4:30, Sat 10-2. Other times by appointment, 717-264-7210. The prices are really reasonable; at least 22 of the 140+ prints have already been sold. When I was there earlier this week, there were still some framed prints on the walls upstairs at the gallery. Remember that the proceeds are all being donated to Conococheague Audubon Society. 

Our regular meeting program at 7 PM on December 11 is Project Snowstorm, by Steve Huy. Project SNOWstorm uses innovative science to understand snowy owls. The program will be available in person at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church or via Zoom. 

Visit the calendar on this site to see other upcoming activities.

Thanks for your support for Conococheague Audubon and the birds! If you haven’t mailed in a donation yet, it’s never too late. Please make out your check to Conococheague Audubon and mail to CAS, PO Box 20, Fayetteville, PA 17222.  

Take care, stay warm, and good birding! 

April 2023 from the President

By casbirdsPosted on Posted in How to Get Involved, Monthly Message, Outreach, ZoomTagged

Our annual business meeting will take place at St Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church at 7 PM on Monday, April 10. First up will be The Birds and the Bees, presented by Tracy Snyder, Penn State Bee Monitoring program.

The rest of the meeting will involve elections for new directors, voting on proposed changes to our Constitution/By-Laws, and reports from officers and committees. For the elections and voting to be valid, we must have a quorum, so PLEASE VOTE! There are three ways you may vote: in person at the April 10 meeting, sending an email to mailto:ConAudubon@outlook.com, or by calling Valerie Barnes at 717-352-4397.

VOTING:

1.  Nominees for Director are Jim Hook, Linda Kaiser, and Cindy Thrasher. You may vote for all three or fewer. 

 Jim Hook: VOTE Yes or No

 Linda Kaiser: VOTE Yes or No

 Cindy Thrasher: VOTE Yes or No

2. Please see the file named ConstByLaws2023-03-13.pdf to review the proposed changes to our Constitution/By-Laws. Proposed changes are marked in red.

Article II: Most local-only members renew their membership in September, but some are on a different schedule. Insertion of “normally” in Section 6.b. acknowledges that.  VOTE on this proposed change: Yes or No

Article IV: Proposes that all officers (including President and Vice President) may be re-elected for multiple two-year terms. This gives us more flexibility going forward. VOTE on this proposed change: Yes or No

Article V: Adds language clarifying that officers and directors are immune from personal liability for actions taken on behalf of CAS. As mentioned last month, we have been reviewing our organization’s liability insurance coverage. These new clauses are proposed as a result of that review. We will be purchasing new liability insurance for officers and directors; these new clauses support the coverage provided by the insurance. VOTE on these proposed changes: Yes or No.

Officer and Committee Chairs: Please send a written report for this fiscal year to Valerie Barnes (barnesva4@comcast.net) and ConAudubon@outlook.com by April 3. Please report status, accomplishments, the number of people reached by your endeavors, expenditures, plans and requested funding for next year, and hours spent. Our current fiscal year runs from June 1, 2022 – May 31, 2023. If you need to update your report after April 3 (perhaps because not everything is finished yet for the fiscal year), just send a revised file to Val and the CAS email address. During the meeting on April 10, we’ll ask you to present the highlights.

It’s spring and thoughts turn to our gardens and yards, in addition to migrating birds. To see stellar photographs showing birds on native plants from National Audubon Society visit: These 12 birds are thriving with native plants  And, from Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Landscaping for Birds: 7 Important Plant Group

National Audubon announced that they are keeping the name “Audubon”. See more details regarding the decision by visiting https://www.audubon.org/news/open-letter-ceo-audubons-name

We have many Upcoming Activities scheduled this spring. As always, please let the field trip leader know in advance that you plan to attend. And check the Calendar on this website for updates.

We have many Volunteer Opportunities coming up. Please help represent Conococheague Audubon at these community outreach events.

  • Monitor Bluebird Trail boxes. Contact Dorian/Lynn Runt, adamsmail@centurylink.net or 717-352-4995.
  • Clean up and help maintain the native plants garden at Norlo Park. Contact Josh Donaldson, jd425@embarqmail.com or 717-264-6920.
  • Be at our table during the Conococheague Institute’s  Get to Know Nature: Learning then Conserving event planned for Saturday, April 15, 2023 during some portion of the time span 10am to 4pm. Contact Terri Kochert, bobterri81@comcast.net or 717-263-3692.
  • We are looking for help at a new Bird Day event being planned by the Franklin County Visitors Bureau for 4 and 5 May. Contact Terri Kochert, bobterri81@comcast.net or 717-263-3692.
  • Monitor birds on Michaux State Forest, Contact John Greer, jngreer@aol.com or 443-255-8871 or Sue Greer, Sgreer412@gmail.com or 443-255-9559.
  • Plant trees at the new Furnace Run Park in Southampton Township ~April 14-16. Contact Ron George, writinron@comcast.net or 717-446-4183.
  • Beginning Birders’ Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, June 3 at Caledonia. Volunteers needed! Planning sessions will occur at 6:15 PM prior to our April 10 and May 8 regular meetings at St Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church. Contact Dave Cooney Jr. at (717) 264-2116 or slant1cm@yahoo.com, or Janet Tice at (717) 372-0379 or jwtice1@comcast.net.
  • Coming on 4th Saturdays this summer, June – September: display table at Chambersburg Farmers’ Market. Details TBD. Contact Terri Kochert, bobterri81@comcast.net or 717-263-3692.

We are planning next season’s activities on April 11. See the calendar event for Zoom information. If you have an idea for a program or a new field trip, please participate in the meeting. All field trip leaders should participate to set the date for your trip.

It’s not too late to sign up for the field trip to Magee Marsh in Ohio, May 15-17. Contact Terri Kochert, bobterri81@comcast.net or 717-263-3692

Good birding!

Valerie Barnes, President

October 2022 from the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on Posted in Birds, How to Get Involved, Monthly Message, ZoomTagged , ,

Dear Conococheague Auduboners and friends –  

It certainly feels like fall, with cooler days and nights. Some of our fall/winter visitors are checking in, with Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pine Siskin, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak each making an appearance at my house in the past few weeks.  

This month we are focused on a project with Michaux State Forest. The foresters are working to restore habitat at a few locations where a patch of forest was cleared several years ago. Come listen to PA Department of Forestry’s Mike Wright describe the project at our 7 PM October 10 general meeting at St. Luke Evangelical Church. Then join John and Sue Greer on a couple of field trips to visit the sites and learn how you can help monitor birds there. 

Our 2021-2022 Youth Contests end on October 10. Participants, please submit your bird photos and lists of birds observed to Terri Kochert just before our general meeting starts. 

If you are interested in recording the birds you observe on a Christmas Bird Count, please contact Valerie Barnes (BarnesVa4@comcast.net or 717-352-4397) for the December 17 Chambersburg area count and/or Vern Gauthier (verngauthier14@gmail.com or 717-385-9526) for the December 14 Buchanan Trail CBC in Franklin/Fulton Counties.  

The Big Sit, originated by the New Haven Bird Club, kicks off Saturday, October 8, 2022 at 12 a.m. midnight and closes Sunday, October 9, at 11:59 p.m. Designate a 17-foot circle and observe everything you can from inside that area. Report your results via eBird. Visit www.thebigsit.org to learn more. 

We continue to look for someone to handle Publicity for our activities. Please contact Valerie Barnes to volunteer. 

The winter finch forecast is available at https://finchnetwork.org/winter-finch-forecast-2022. There’s nothing too exciting forecast, but we should watch for Redpolls, Red and White-winged Crossbills, Pine and Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, and Purple Finch. 

Upcoming activities include: 

  • Oct. 10, Monday   MEETING. 6:45 PM Youth Contest Bird Photos & Lists due.  7:00 PM Bird Monitoring Project in Michaux State Forest,  Mike Wright, Bureau of Forestry. The presenter will come to us from a remote location via Zoom. Arranged by Sue and John Greer. 
  • Oct. 22, Saturday   FIELD TRIP. 8:00 AM “Introduction to Bird Monitoring Project in the Michaux, Part 1.”  Meet at Mont Alto State Park parking lot on Rt 233 (across from pavilion).  Bring binoculars, snack, and sturdy walking shoes.  Expect an easy approx. 3-mile walk.  John Greer, 443-255-8871, jngreer@aol.com. 
  • Oct. 29, Saturday   FIELD TRIP. 8:00 AM “Introduction to Bird Monitoring Project in the Michaux, Part 2.”  Meet at Mont Alto State Park parking lot on Rt 233 (across from pavilion).  Bring binoculars, snack, and sturdy walking shoes.  Expect an easy approx. 4-mile walk.  John Greer, 443-255-8871, jngreer@aol.com. 
  • Nov. 5, Saturday   FIELD TRIP. 8:00 AM for FALL MIGRATION at The Conococheague Institute.  Meet at the Visitor Center, 12995 Bain Rd, Mercersburg.  Bring Binoculars.  Larry and Sharon Williams, 717-655-7414. 

Check the calendar event on our website for updates. 

Thanks to all who have made a donation to keep Conococheague Audubon alive. It’s never too late to mail a check to CAS at PO Box 20, Fayetteville, PA 17222. May you enjoy fall and see lots of good birds, 

  Valerie Barnes, President 

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