[DVOC] Weekly Digest - Number 09-16 - 4/19/09

Sun Apr 19 13:35:38 PDT 2009

The Delaware Valley Ornithological Club  (DVOC) Weekly Digest 

DVOC Hats - Available by Mail

The popular and stylish DVOC ball caps are now available not only at the
meetings. They are available by mail! At the meetings they are $17, by mail
they are $17 plus $3 to cover mailing costs. One size fits all and they are
available in green, blue, or tan. E-mail treasurer at dvoc.com for further
information. Get yours while they last!

Upcoming Field Trips  

April 25 (Saturday) - BOMBAY HOOK NWR PHOTOGRAPHY FIELD TRIP

New in 2009

This field trip will focus on photographing early breeders, overwintering
birds and early migrants at Bombay Hook NWR. All data accumulated will be
entered in the Delaware Breeding Bird Atlas project, but we'll focus a lot
of time on photographing the refuge and its wildlife. We won't necessarily
look for any specific species, but will try to find wildlife engaged in
interesting behaviors at distances that will allow us to compose some good
photographs. Whether you're new to photography or a pro, you're welcome on
this trip. I will be shooting almost exclusively with a Digital SLR and
300mm lens. Digiscopers and more traditional photographers are both welcome,
and we'll do our best to find some subjects for everyone. If interested,
contact Steve Kacir and let him know whether you'll be digiscoping or just
using a camera. Some information about your lens will also help in planning
our approach to this trip. In case of foul weather the trip will be
rescheduled. The trip will run all day, but we'll probably break for a hot
lunch.

(This DVOC trip is free to members and non-members.) 

Field Trip meeting place: Refuge Headquarters Parking Lot

Meeting Time: 7:30am

Leader: Steve Kacir

May 1-3 (Friday-Sunday) - BIRDING SOUTHERN DELAWARE and into MARYLAND 

This weekend trip starts at Bombay Hook NWR on Friday morning and works
south to Trap Pond State Park where you can camp or you can motel nearby.
Saturday we bird Nanticoke WMA and areas around Seaford before returning to
Trap Pond. Sunday, we bird the Cypress Swamps in DE and MD, then head north
to the bayside areas. Interspersed throughout is a gourmet tour trying local
delicacies such as crab, scrapple and muskrat. Yummy. Full details on a
flyer nearer the time. Please contact Colin to sign up. Alternatively
contact Bob Horton for questions or to be added to the list of attendees.

(This DVOC trip is free to members and non-members.) 

Leader: Colin Campbell 

May 2 (Saturday) - TURKEY POINT for NIGHTBIRDS and RAILS, NJ 

New in 2009

Many of the details about this trip have yet to be finalized. Our objective
is to do some night birding and listen to calling rails and other marsh
birds that are primarily active at night. The tentative itinerary is to meet
at Turkey Point in the early evening and listen for rails, with the
objective of hearing Yellow Rail. Other target birds include Black Rail,
Sora, King Rail and Clapper Rail. This is a change of venue from previous
years' trips to the C&D Canal in Delaware. Details for the trip will be
finalized well in advance of the May 2 scheduled date. In case of bad
weather that would make listening for rails difficult, the trip will be
rescheduled. Please make all efforts to contact Steve Kacir if you plan on
attending.

(This DVOC trip is free to members and non-members.) 

Field Trip meeting place: TBA

Meeting Time: TBA

Leader: Steve Kacir

May 3 (Sunday) - FORT WASHINGTON STATE PARK, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA

Fort Washington State Park (FWSP) is an excellent place for spring
migration. We have tallied up to twenty-eight species in prior spring
migration periods. For this trip we will meet at the Hawk Watch platform at
Militia Hill at 8AM. 

Directions to FWSP:
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/fortwashington.aspx#directions 

(This DVOC trip is free to members and non-members.) 

Leaders: Bill and Naomi Murphy

2008 Conservation/World Series of Birding Fundraising

DVOC is pleased to support the "Willistown Conservation Trust Bird Banding
Station in Rushton Preserve" as our 2009 Conservation project.  The proceeds
from our World Series of Birding team fundraising will be donated to WCT for
this project.  See our Conservation section for more details, and send in
your pledge form now.  Our winning DVOC team Nikon/Lagerhead Shrikes has
begun preparing for the big event, and we appreciate your support!

More information is at http://www.dvoc.org/Misc/Donating.htm

The 2009 Pledge/Donation form is at
http://www.dvoc.org/WSB/WSB2009/2009WSB_PledgeForm.pdf 

Call for Larus Articles

Larus Editor Jason Loghry needs timely articles as he is putting together
the upcoming edition of our newsletter. If you have material, please contact
him at jasonloghry at gmail.com He is looking for columns, reports, bulletins,
stories, news, bios, Q&A, etc

Upcoming Meeting

Thursday May 7, 7:30 pm at the Academy of Natural Sciences

Chris Lotz, "Birding the Southern Third of Africa from Cape Town to Victoria
Falls and Namibia"

Chris will take us on a journey from the southern tip of Africa through
extremely diverse birding habitats across 7 very different countries. He
will show photos which give just a taste of some of the birds (plus other
wildlife and scenery) you will encounter as you travel through South Africa
and then northwards along the Namib Escarpment to the great Zambezi River,
the Okavango and beyond to lesser-known but spectacularly bird-rich areas.
Chris will give us an impression of what it's like to bird this incredible
part of the world.

Ornithological Study - Tree Swallow Attack - Frank Windfelder

Change in Dues Beginning in 2010

On 4/5/09 Council, after considerable debate and thought, decided to change
the cost of an annual membership and a life membership beginning in 2010.
Full information is at http://www.dvoc.org/Membership/Membership.htm

Current members are encouraged to start a three year life membership payment
plan before the end of 2009. You can become a life member at the old cost.

>From the April 16th Meeting 

http://www.andysmithphotography.com/ 

World Series of Birding Scouting

The club's team, the Lagerhead Shrikes, is looking for birders to help scout
for this year's event. If you can spend a couple of hours on May 6,7,8
(Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) checking some locations in New Jersey, we
would love to have you involved. Remember the more species the team
identifies, the more money is raised for the DVOC's Conservation Fund.
Contact Bert Filemyr for further information.

Interesting Link

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090402_jackdaw.htm - submitted by
Andy Urquhart

Recent Website Enhancements

(4/19/09) Riverwinds Field Trip Report

(4/19/09) Coastal Delaware Field Trip Report

(4/17/09) Glass: Reducing Bird Strikes Ornithological Study

(4/17/09) Minutes of the April 2, 2009 Meeting

(4/15/09) Delaware Valley RBA

(4/16/09) Cassinia XLIII 1958

Items Available for Purchase at DVOC Meetings

DVOC Hats - $17 each (or $20 by mail)

DVOC car window stickers - $1 each
"Birders Conservation Handbook: 100 North American Birds at Risk" by Dr.
Jeff Wells - only $25 (limited supply)

"Song of the Blue Ocean" by Dr. Carl Safina - signed by author - A $17 value
now only $12 (limited supply)

Information on the Birds of North America discount program is available at
http://www.dvoc.org/Membership/DVOC_BNA.htm 

Bert Filemyr and/or Jeff Holt will have copies of their book "The Composite
Prints of the Audubon's Birds of America" available at most meetings - $12
each

____________________________________________________________________________
________________________

DVOC is on Facebook. Check out
http://www.facebook.com/pages/DVOC-The-Delaware-Valley-Ornithological-Club/4
9975018421 

The DVOC has a discount program for Birds of North America Online. Check out
http://www.dvoc.org/Membership/DVOC_BNA.htm 

Report Your Sightings to the Delaware Valley RBA
The Delaware Valley RBA is posted on Thursday evenings at
<http://www.dvoc.org/RBA/Current/Active/Index.htm>
http://www.dvoc.org/RBA/Current/Active/Index.htm
It is also available at 215 240 7547
Report your sightings to  <mailto:rba at dvoc.com> rba at dvoc.com or 215 240 7547
The general guidelines of what to report are on the Delaware Valley Rare
Bird Alert Page -  <http://www.dvoc.org/RBA/Current/Active/Index.htm>
http://www.dvoc.org/RBA/Current/Active/Index.htm

Merchandise Available!
Both DVOC merchandise and Nikon/DVOC Lagerhead Shrikes merchandise are
available at our on-line store. 
 <http://www.cafepress.com/nikondvoc> http://www.cafepress.com/nikondvoc
 <http://www.cafepress.com/dvoc> http://www.cafepress.com/dvoc

Information on the Club and Club activities are at  <http://www.dvoc.org>
www.dvoc.org

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