vote – Conococheague Audubon

March 2026 from the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on March 2, 2026March 2, 2026Posted in Birds, Get Involved, Monthly MessageTagged birds, films, vote

Greetings Conococheague Auduboners and friends –

I think spring is coming after all. Saturday, February 28 was gorgeous and warm – what a treat! For me, best of all, a Pine Siskin popped in on Friday and was here yesterday as well. I hope you are seeing good birds in your yards, too.

Our last FREE nature film of this season will be shown at 7 PM, Thursday, March 5, at Chambersburg Area Middle School South (1151 E. McKinley St.). Come get tuned up for migration with “Watching Warblers”. Door prizes will be awarded following the film. Admission is free, but we happily accept donations at the door.

SOAR Bird Walks will take place on the first and third Saturdays (7 and 21 March).

Our next regular meeting takes place on March 9, Monday, at 7:00 PM. Gabriel Foley, executive director of the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership, will present “Results of Recent MD and DC Breeding Bird Atlas”. Our regular meetings occur at St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church (off Route 997, near Scotland exit off I-81) 2695 Luther Dr, Chambersburg, PA 17202. Please join us in person or via Zoom. We welcome everyone.

The first planning session for the Beginning Birders’ Workshop (June 6) will occur before this meeting, so come at 6:30 to participate.

We’re already starting to plan for our next season. Please submit budget requests covering June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027 to Donna Hocker no later than March 15, 2026.

Field trips coming up this month include:

March 7, Saturday. 8:00 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. Eric and Rhetta Martin, 717-597-8675.

March 19, Thursday. 7:15 PM Tentative outing for WOODCOCKS at Heisey Road orchard with Bob Keener. Head to 5207 Heisey Rd, Shippensburg but park 0.10 mile off of Stillhouse Hollow Rd. Bring flashlights. Bob Keener, 717-658-8765.

March 28, Saturday. CONSERVATION CLEAN-UP. Adopt-A-Highway clean-up on 2 miles of Route 997 (Black Gap Road) west from I-81. Pick up trash on section with wide shoulders, easy walking. Supplies provided. Meet at 9:00 AM at Scotland Park & Ride, I-81 exit 20. Sign up with Joe & Vanessa Miller, 717-377-6507 (Joe), millerhouse@embarqmail.com.

Please contact the leader in advance and check our website for any last-minute updates. We have a change for one trip in May: Bill Oyler’s field trip in the Fort McCord area has been shifted to May 30.

We continue to seek volunteers for these positions: Film Chair and Vice President. Please contact me to offer your services. Elections will take place at our April 13 meeting, so we really need a candidate for Vice President soon!

Thanks to all who have made a donation. If you would like to, please send your check to Conococheague Audubon Society, PO Box 20, Fayetteville, PA 17222. Good birding!

April 2025 from the President

By Valerie BarnesPosted on April 7, 2025April 7, 2025Posted in Conservation, Monthly Message, Outreach, ZoomTagged flowers, vote, Zoom

According to a recent press release from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,

“Shapiro Administration Launches Statewide Program to Replace Invasive Trees and Shrubs

Pennsylvanians can replace up to five invasive trees and shrubs with native species through the new statewide Pennsylvania Invasive Replace-ive Program— registration now open for May events”.https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/newsroom/shapiro-administration-launches-statewide-program-to-replace-inv.html

“The program aims to replace some of Pennsylvania’s most problematic invasive species, including:

Callery pear(opens in a new tab) (Bradford pear)
Tree-of-heaven(opens in a new tab)
Princess tree(opens in a new tab)
Norway maple(opens in a new tab)
Japanese barberry(opens in a new tab)
Burning bush(opens in a new tab)
Butterfly bush(opens in a new tab)
Other woody trees and shrubs listed here”

The April 14 annual business meeting will feature elections and reports from the year as well as a program, Radio-tracking Passerines in Early Successional Habitat, by Grace Muench. Plan to participate! We need at least 30 votes for the election to be valid, so if you haven’t voted yet, please do. Jeff Schmaltz and Mike Fagan are running to fill our two director openings. Leaders will be reporting status for the 2024 season, so plan to join us in person or participate via Zoom.

Volunteer needs:

Ruth Barton is stepping down as Hospitality Chair. The main duty is setting up a table in the back of our meeting room to welcome newcomers. Feel free to talk to Ruth about what else is involved. Please be hospitable!
John Greer is stepping down as Conservation Chair. The main duties are to stay on top of conservation issues and keep our membership informed. It’s also terrific, but not mandatory, if you write a short article for each Naturally newsletter. Who is willing to be our collective conscience about conservation?
To honor Rhetta Martin’s son Jason, join us for a work session at the Michaux District Forest Office, 10099 Lincoln Way East, Fayetteville, PA 17222 at 8:30 AM on Wednesday, May 7. We’ll be helping to plant native seeds and plugs around the office. Wear gardening garb and bring a trowel or shovel. You need to submit a volunteer form: DCNR Conservation Volunteers. Action: Contact Josh Donaldson to volunteer.
Greencastle-Antrim Middle School Trout Release day, with nature-related activities, at Caledonia State Park on Thursday, May 15. Last year the schedule had us arriving at 8:30 to set up and leaving by 1:30; we assume this year will be similar. Action: Contact Terri Kochert to volunteer.
Buttonwood asked CAS to set up a display table on April 26, 2025 to celebrate Earth Day at Pine Hill Recreation Area, 12684 Mentzer Gap Rd, Waynesboro, PA. Volunteers will be needed from 11 AM – 4 PM. Action: Contact Larry and Sharon Williams to volunteer.
June 14, 2025 Appalachian Trail Festival, Red Run Park, Waynesboro, PA from 9:00 – 3:00. Action: Contact Terri Kochert to volunteer.
June 28, 2025 North Square Farmers Market, Chambersburg, PA from 8:00 – 12:00. (Just one time this summer.) Action: Contact Terri Kochert to volunteer.
Beginning Birders’ Workshop on June 7 at Caledonia. Planning meeting at 6 PM before the April General Meetings. Action: Contact Janet Tice to volunteer.