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