[DVOC] Weekly Digest - Number 08-48 - 11/23/08

Sun Nov 23 13:00:57 PST 2008

The Delaware Valley Ornithological Club  (DVOC) Weekly Digest 

December 18th Meeting - Photo Contest 
Deadline for submissions is December 10th!

Well, fall is here and many of you have taken some great trips and shot some
wonderful photos. Will you win the DVOC slide contest? Prizes will be
awarded in four categories: Birds, Natural History (non-avian fauna and
flora), Scenery, and Birders (one year, former President Bob Sehl was shown
riding a camel).
Entries must be submitted in advance to Frank Windfelder. You can submit a
MAXIMUM of 5 shots in the categories of Birds and Natural History, but only
three in Scenery and Birders. Prizes will be awarded.

Put your pictures on a CD and either email them, snail mail them, or hand
them to Frank Windfelder at a DVOC meeting. 

Format: Digital only

Please name the contents of the photo and give the place where it was taken.

DVOC Annual Banquet

96 members and guests enjoy a fun evening at the November 20th annual
banquet. The club extends sincere thanks to Bernice and Joe Koplin for
organizing this gathering.

Congratulations to The Witmer Stone Award winners Pat and Clay Sutton and
The Julian K. Potter Award winner Steve Kacir. The Conservation Award will
be presented at the upcoming meeting.

(Witmer Stone was one of the founders of the DVOC and a leading member for
49 years. An obituary was published in the club's journal - Cassinia. This
past week it was posted on the DVOC website.)

Interesting Link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7738798.stm - submitted by Colin Campbell

Release of a New Book by Club Members
Club members Jeff Holt and Bert Filemyr are pleased to announce the
publication of their book - The Composite Prints of Audubon's Birds of
America. This book is the direct result of the March 2007 DVOC Field Trip to
Mill Grove, Audubon PA. 

In 1838, as John James Audubon's monumental creation, Birds of America, was
nearing completion, he requested that his engraver, Robert Havell, produce
13 extra, unique prints. Havell was instructed to combine images from two
separate plates into a single print, commonly known as a "Composite Plate".

Only two full sets, along with a handful of individual prints, of these rare
prints exist today and are rarely if ever seen by the public. 

In this book Jeff and Bert, for the first time anywhere, provide an analysis
as to how and why these plates were made, while providing illustrations
depicting all 13 of the Composite Plates.

Further information on this significant addition to the literature on John
James Audubon is available at
http://www.thefilemyrs.com/AudubonComposites/index.htm 

This book, produced in conjunction with the DVOC, is available at
www.Amazon.com. Search for "Audubon Composites".

In the November of 2009, Jeff and Bert will be presenting a program about
this topic at a club meeting.

The book is available for $12.99 on Amazon.com. Bert and Jeff will attempt
to bring copies to meetings. These copies will be available for $12.

Upcoming Field Trips  

November 28 (Friday) Hawk Migration at Raccoon Ridge, NJ

New in 2008 

Do you find yourself with nothing to do on the day after Thanksgiving? Want
to get out and burn off some of that turkey? Or pumpkin pie? Come join us at
Raccoon Ridge for a day of hawk watching. This late in the season usually
bring in Golden Eagles, Goshawks and other late migrants. We will meet at
the Blairstown Diner in Blairstown, NJ at 8:30 AM and proceed to the AMC's
Mohigan Lodge and hike along the Appalachian Trail for about two miles to
Raccoon Ridge. It will be COLD! Dress warmly with many layers. Bring lunch
and a pad to sit on. Meeting time is 8:30 AM. If you are going to attend,
please let Bob know in advance by email. He will try to arrange car pools. 

Leader: Bob Horton

The Blairstown Diner is marked on the Warren County Birding Page on the club
website.

Upcoming Meeting

Thursday December 4th 7:30 pm at the Academy of Natural Sciences

Program - Scott Weidensaul, "Of a Feather"

>From the moment Europeans arrived in North America, they were awestruck by a
continent awash with birds - great flocks of wild pigeons, woodlands alive
with brilliantly colored songbirds. Join naturalist and author Scott
Weidensaul as he traces the unpredictable history of bird study in America,
from frontier ornithologists (one of whom barely escaped pursuing Apaches
with a precious hawk egg hidden in his mouth) to society matrons who
organized the first effective conservation movement; from luminaries like
Alexander Wilson (a convicted blackmailer) and Audubon (an accomplished
liar) to modern geniuses like Roger Tory Peterson.

2009 DVOC Membership Directory

It is time to start preparing the 2009 directory and that means it is time
for members to ensure that their contact information is correct. An update
packet will be circulated at the next couple of meetings for attendees to
check their information. If you are unable to attend and your contact
information has changed in the past year, please send the changes to
treasurer at dvoc.org. The contact information in the directory includes name,
address, e-mail address, home phone, work/daytime phone, and cell phone.

Submit all changes by Friday December 19

Recent Website Enhancement

(11/21/08) 2008 Banquet Report

(11/21/08) Delaware Valley RBA

(11/20/08) Bill Creekmore Personal Page (new member)

(11/19/08) Witmer Stone's Obituary

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)

____________________________________________________________________________
________________________
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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