Christmas Greetings to all you Fellow Nature Lovers,
December is here; the end of the year is fast approaching! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are now gearing up for the joyous Christmas season.
The Franklin County Visitors Bureau is currently conducting their Festival of Trees with many decorated trees, wreaths, and swags by local businesses and organizations such as our very own Conococheague Audubon Society. Thanks to Val Barnes, Marguerite Fries, and Debby Hook, we have a “bird seed packet” wreath and swag available for bids at the Visitors Bureau. You place your vote for the “best” item by paying $1, which corresponds to four votes. Silent auction bids can be placed in person, via phone at 866-646-8060 or by emailing fcvbfestivaloftrees@gmail.com. Silent auction amounts will be displayed in the Visitors Center and online. Current bid amounts were updated daily at explorefranklincountypa.com. Final votes for favorites and final bids for the silent auction closed at 7 PM on December 3 with winners being announced the same night. All proceeds will benefit the Cumberland Valley Breast Care Alliance.
I need to bring to your attention that we are still in urgent need of a Vice President to serve the remainder of the term, from now until April 30, 2022. Then, the Vice President becomes President on May 1, 2022 and will serve until April 30, 2024. I am willing to train the new recruit. Also, CAS needs someone to serve as the Records Compiler, keeping track of all birds seen during our CAS field trips. Field trip leaders submit the final species list to Donna, and she then inserts the bird species onto an Excel worksheet. Donna Hocker has served in this capacity since 2009. She is willing to train her replacement. Please call Terri Kochert at 717-263-3692 or email me at conaudubon@outlook.com to let me know that you are interested in either available position. Thank you, Donna Hocker, for your many years of service in this role!
I am glad to announce that our two Youth Contests for the Longest Bird Species List and the Best Bird Photo will begin again December 1, 2021 and run through October 10, 2022 when the lists and bird photos will be submitted at our regular general meeting at St. Luke. Remember: there is a monetary prize ($50, $35, and $25) available to the first three winners in each of the two contests. So, get your list started now! Get those winter birds on your list, and then go for the spring migrants. Winter birds make great photos too!
These are the upcoming CAS events.
Dec. 13, Monday MEETING HYBRID: SPEAKER WILL BE PRESENT AT ST. LUKE, BUT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED VIA ZOOM
7:00 PM The Beauty and Fragility of the Everglades by Dave Graff, Floridian naturalist. Arranged by Terri Kochert.
Winter FIELD TRIP: Sign up by Dec. 14, for possible visit to Gettysburg Battlefield for SHORT-EARED OWLS (name, contact information). Bob Kochert, 717-263-3692, will advise as to sightings. Meet at Norlo Park Community Center.
Dec. 14, Tuesday NEW CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT (Buchanan Trail)
All day, Franklin/Fulton Counties. For information, Vern Gauthier, 717-385-9526 or verngauthier14@gmail.com
Dec. 18, Saturday CHAMBERSBURG AREA CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
All day, Chambersburg area. For information, call Valerie Barnes, 717-352-4397. There will be NO tally dinner this year.
Dec. 29, Wednesday YORK SPRINGS CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
All day, York Springs area. For information, Tim Johnson, 717-409-4805, tj359@sbcglobal.net
Jan. 1, 2022, Sat. NEWVILLE CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
All day, Newville area. For information, Vern Gauthier, 717-385 -9526 or verngauthier14@gmail.com
Sadly, with the uptick in COVID-19 cases, CAS has decided to cancel our first nature film, originally scheduled for January 20, 2022. We hope we will be able to resume showing the films later in 2022. We have also decided to cancel the annual covered dish dinner scheduled for January 10, 2022.
Though most migrants have passed through our area, we have some new winter visitors. Here are some of the good birds seen during the month of November: Common Golden-eyes, Red-breasted Merganser, Merlin, Eastern Phoebe (a slow-moving migrant), American Black Duck, Common Merganser, Gadwall, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Golden-crowned Kinglet and Red Crossbills (seen the week before Thanksgiving, a one-day sighting). That’s a nice list of ducks!
For you neophyte/beginning birders, I found an eleven-minute video that may interest you. It’s called Identify Your Common Backyard Birds (Central and Eastern USA).
I also found an interesting article you may enjoy. It’s from National Audubon from five days ago. It’s called, “Ask Kenn: What’s Up With Bird Color Morphs and Phases.”
I hope to see many of you via Zoom or in person on December 13. Perhaps it will feel more like the Florida weather as portrayed in Dave Graff’s presentation instead of the chilly temperatures we currently are experiencing. For those preferring to Zoom, here’s the link information:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7211203928?pwd=RXNwMjZpQVNvSHJGRld3cWZFQjJiZz09
Time: December 13, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 721 120 3928
Passcode: cardinal20
Continue to feed the birds, count them, report your findings to Marguerite Fries on Dec. 18 if you live inside the Chambersburg CBC circle, and enjoy watching them as they flit about.
Merry Christmas!
Terri Kochert