[DVOC] Weekly Digest - Number 09-11 - 3/15/09

Sun Mar 15 12:34:21 PDT 2009

The Delaware Valley Ornithological Club  (DVOC) Weekly Digest 

Upcoming Meeting

This Thursday March 19th, 7:30 pm at the Academy of Natural Sciences

Kevin Karlson, "Shorebirds: A Different Approach to Field ID"

Kevin will cover a bit of the natural history of shorebirds and explain a
different, more complete approach to shorebird ID, as presented in his
best-selling book, "The Shorebird Guide". He will finish up with
cutting-edge information for separating such species as dowitchers, willets,
and peeps.

Ornithological Study - "Flight Identification: Wilson's Snipe vs. American
Woodcock" - Chris Walters

A Word of Caution

Local birder/photographer Howard B. Eskin is a great friend of the club.
Most recently he was the judge for the December 2008 Photo Contest. Last
Sunday he was by himself on the Barnegat Inlet jetty when he suffered a
harrowing fall. The full story is at
http://www.howardsview.com/Jetty/Jetty.html 

Howard did not sustain any permanent damages but there is a lesson here for
all of us to learn. Be careful!

DVOC Summer Meetings - request for presenters

If anyone has something they would like to present at one of our three
informal meetings this summer, please contact Frank Windfelder at
fwindfelder at yahoo.com  

The meetings are July 2nd and August 6th at Palmyra and September 3rd at
Tinicum.

1982 Meeting Picture

A picture of club members from a 1982 meeting has been posted on the website
at http://www.dvoc.org/History/History.htm#1982

If you can add any names to the list of members, e-mail
<mailto:webmaster at dvoc.org> webmaster at dvoc.org

Interesting Links

http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html - submitted by Rick Mellon

http://www.birdlady.com/ - submitted by Andy Urquhart

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/101028.html - submitted by Andy
Urquhart

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 

Club Member on the AT
Club member Win Shafer and his son are hiking the full length of the
Appalachian Trail this spring and summer. He invites club members to read
his blog at:

http://www.trailjournals.com/birdman 

Oregon Trip Opportunity

There is the availability of two spaces for full-time participants on an
Oregon Birding trip this June. Check this link for more information:

http://www.dvoc.org/Misc/2009/OregonTrip.htm 

Summer Intern Opportunity

Using Conservation funds from previous years, the DVOC will again fund a
summer intern in the Ornithology Department at the Academy of Natural
Sciences. The Club Intern will work on the spread wing collection. Over the
last five years Nate Rice has actively made detached spread wings from
(primarily) waterbirds from around the world (east coast US, Alaska and west
coast, Europe, Australia, northern South America) and it will be great to
scan and post digital images online (with all location and identification
data). This would be useful to birders everywhere, artists, and museum
scientists. There are a very few such "collections" online, but nothing and
nothing compares to the diversity in the collection at the Academy. If you
know of a high school or college student who might be interested in a summer
internship, have them contact Nate Rice at the Academy. rice at acns.org 

Upcoming Field Trips  

MARCH 21 (Saturday) - BOMBAY HOOK NWR Delaware Breeding Bird Atlas Field
Trip, DE

New in 2009

This field trip will focus on confirming early breeders and scouting for
breeding birds at Bombay Hook NWR. All data accumulated will be entered in
the Delaware Breeding Bird Atlas project, and some effort will be made to
confirm Horned Lark breeding on the refuge among other things. We'll also
have time to look for interesting lingering overwintering birds and early
migrants. Some target birds include: Cackling Goose, Eurasian Teal, Eurasian
Wigeon, Rusty Blackbird, early shorebirds, American Woodcock, Northern
Harrier and Bald Eagle. The trip will run all day, but we'll probably break
for a hot lunch. This trip will run rain or shine.

Field Trip meeting place: Refuge Headquarters Parking Lot

Meeting Time: 8:00am

Leader: Steve Kacir

MARCH 28 (Saturday) - FRANKIN PARKER PRESERVE, NJ, Pinelands birding

New in 2009

Franklin Parker Preserve is a relatively new reserve made up of old
cranberry bogs and pinelands. New Jersey Conservation Foundation's Emile De
Vito will meet us in Chatsworth and guide us through this preserve, we will
actually be able to drive through the reserve instead of the usual very long
hike one needs to do to explore this gem. Franklin Parker Preserve is a
really unique piece of habitat. This location came to be known in birding
circles for its late summer gull-billed terns and a northern shrike that
spent a few weeks there two winters ago. The reserve hosts tundra swans,
rough-legged hawks, harriers and bald eagles in the winter, some of which
will hopefully still be around. We may also be treated to pipit, Savanna
sparrows and merlin. You never know what will turn up in a spot like this. 

We will meet at the Chatsworth Firehouse (corner of 563 and 532) at 9:00am
and carpool into the reserve. After we are done in Franklin Parker Preserve
we will try a reliable red-headed woodpecker location in the pinelands, or
even go to Tuckerton in time allows. 

Leader: Tony Croasdale

March 29 (Sunday) - SOUTHWEST NEW JERSEY (PEDRICKTOWN and MANNINGTON MARSH

For possible winter stragglers such as Ross' Goose, Eurasian Teal, Eurasian
Wigeon, Rusty, Brewer's and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and any early migrants
(Ruffs have previously been seen on this trip) as well as being a good time
of the year for Cackling Goose, Sandhill Crane, Winter Wren, American
Woodcock, Fox Sparrow, Bald Eagle, and any early shorebirds.

Meet at 6:15 AM at the Center Square Railroad tracks if going for Woodcock
and other early specialties, or at 7:30 AM at the causeway. See "directions
and map" 

Leader: Frank Windfelder

1948 Annual Meeting Picture (updated list of members)

Club member Ed Finkel has provided the club with a copy of a picture taken
at the 1948 Annual Members Meeting. 

View it at  <http://www.dvoc.org/Archives/1948AnnualMeeting.htm>
http://www.dvoc.org/Archives/1948AnnualMeeting.htm

We would like to put more names to faces. If you can help, e-mail
<mailto:webmaster at dvoc.org> webmaster at dvoc.org

Thanks!

Recent Website Enhancements

(3/13/09) Cassinia XXV 1922-24

(3/14/09) Zach Baer Personal Page (New Member)

(3/13/09) Cassinia XIX 1916

(3/11/09) Delaware Valley RBA

(3/10/09) Cassinia X 1906

(3/9/09) 1982 Meeting Picture (help needed identifying members)

Items Available for Purchase at DVOC Meetings

DVOC Hats - $17 each

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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