[DVOC] Weekly Digest - Number 09-44- 11/8/09

Sun Nov 8 11:39:17 PST 2009

The Delaware Valley Ornithological Club  (DVOC) Weekly Digest 

Annual Banquet - Thursday November 19th 

Now is the Time to Send in Your Reservation!
Reservations Close Monday November 16th - only 8 days from today!!!

Join fellow club members and guests for this always enjoyable event!

Complete information is at http://www.dvoc.org/Banquet/Banquet.htm 

The reservation form is available at
http://www.dvoc.org/Banquet/Banquet2009.pdf

This year's speaker is Rick Wright - formerly of ABA, and now the Executive
Director of Wings

His topic is: "The Most Beautiful of the Whole Beautiful Lot: Wood Warblers
of the American Southwest"

A Display at the Banquet
At the banquet on Thursday November 19th, the Witmer Stone Committee will
display the proposed signs that will be erected at the Cape May Point State
Park.  Members of the committee will be available to answer any questions.
They will gladly accept donations for this project.   Checks should be made
payable to DVOC and given to the DVOC Treasurer (Bert Filemyr).  For more
information about the project please go
http://www.dvoc.org/Committees/Stone/StoneCommittee.htm

Annual Banquet Member Photo Review - Again This Year! - Your Pictures Are
Needed!

Send your photos of DVOC members for our Annual Banquet! It was fun last
year, let's do it again!  

A member photo slide show will run continuously during cocktail hour before
dinner. Send photos of DVOC members taken this year.  Any photo of you or
other DVOC members taken while at a birding location this year (i.e. since
last year's banquet) is welcomed.  Did you take a birding trip with other
DVOC members?  Did someone take your picture as you birded your backyard?
Were you photographed while birding during a family vacation?  Are you a
distant or local DVOC member who just cannot get to this year's banquet?  We
want to see you represented too! Send a photo or two of yourself and/or
other DVOC members "in action." Pictures of people (at least one DVOC member
should be in each photo), not birds.  Simply send photos as an e-mail
attachment to  <mailto:membership at dvoc.org> membership at dvoc.org.  Include in
your message the location of the shot and who is depicted.  Come and enjoy
viewing the photos during the social hour prior to the start of dinner. The
more pictures, the more fun! 

Interesting Links

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8338000/8338728.stm -
submitted by Colin Campbell

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/science/05belton.html?_r=1
<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/science/05belton.html?_r=1&hpw> &hpw -
submitted by Martin Dellwo

A Disturbing Report

Colin Campbell passes on this message from Pavel S. Tomkovich, Dr.Sci.
Zoological Museum, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

"Alexei Dondua, my friend, who spent this summer season on Belyaka Spit,
northern Chukotka, which is one of the two areas known as key breeding sites
for the Spoon-billed Sandpiper.  It is the area where all my main studies of
this species were undertaken in 1986-1988 (ca. 50 males were breeding there)
and in 2002 (22-24 males).  During the whole bird breeding season of 2009 in
the very same area Alexei was able to find about 100 nests of waders and
ringed 202 chicks and adults, but DID NOT HAVE A SINGLE RECORD OF
Spoon-billed Sandpiper.  This means that one of the two largest local
breeding populations of this species is now extinct.  You may remember that
in another largest local population Vladimir Arkhipov and me revealed 12
males this summer (instead of ca. 70 in early 2000s). This shows how
critical in the current situation with this species.  I must say that I am
getting more and more pessimistic about future of this species, it is really
very close to the brink of extinction."

A Suggested Reading - submitted by Barbara Granger

"Wesley the Owl" by Stacey O'Brien (NY: Free Press, 2009)   Ms. O Brien is a
trained biologist who took on the responsibility of an injured 2 day old
barn owl and spent the next 19 years living in the same space with this
amazing bird.  Some DVOC members might want to read this book (a NY Times
best seller) as a qualitative research report on the depth observation of
lifelong behavior of a barn owl (which it indeed is), while others may just
want to read it for the emotional roller coaster of laughs and anticipations
of the next adventure.  Great read, with out-loud guffaws.  
(If have read a book and think club members would enjoy it, write a
paragraph about it and submit it to webmaster at dvoc.org )

Coordinator for Annual Meeting refreshments needed.

For years, Paul and Anita Guris have been most gracious in making
arrangements for the food and drinks for our Annual Meeting. They have
decided that it's time for someone else to take over. We are deeply grateful
for all they have done in this capacity over the years.

We are looking for a volunteer to coordinate this year's refreshments. The
date is Thursday, January 7th. Most of us are familiar with the kind of fare
we are talking about: beer, wine, crackers, snacks, carrots & celery, dips,
perhaps a hot item such as roast beef. Whoever agrees to do this would
certainly have the freedom to be creative. Of course, all expenses will be
reimbursed. If interested, contact Frank Windfelder or Art McMorris.

Upcoming Field Trips

November 14 (Saturday) - OKEHOCKING PRESERVE, CHESTER COUNTY, PA 

New in 2009 

This important green space is part of the Upper Ridley / Crum IBA. The
varied habitat, including meadows, woods, ponds and riparian area along
Ridley Creek, host myriad bird species. We will look for sparrows, raptors
and any early winter finches. 

Meet at the main parking lot on Rte 3 (West Chester Pike) at 8:00AM

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

Leader: Debbie Beer

November 27 (Friday) - HAWK MIGRATION at RACCOON RIDGE , NJ 

New in 2009 

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
AMC's Mohigan Lodge near Blairstown, NJ 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 me know in advance by email. 

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

Leader: Bob Horton 

November 28 (Saturday) - BRIGANTINE (FORSYTHE NWR), NJ 

Please meet at the refuge parking lot at 11:30AM.

We will explore Forsythe NWR for waterfowl mainly, but whatever else happens
to be around. This refuge is one of the best around for ducks, swans, geese,
sparrows, eagles, etc. and is a great place for beginning birders of any
age. Bring a scope if you have one - but I will have one that the group is
welcome to use, binoculars, field guides - again, I will have several for
group use, lunch, camera, etc.

We will end at Mott's Creek to the north of the refuge for (hopefully)
Short-eared Owls.

Be prepared to buy a hot drink and sit out on the observation platform for
45 minutes or so until past dusk.

Some birds to study for the trip would be most of the ducks except for
Scoters, Oldsquaw, Harlequin, and Eiders, Horned Grebes, Mute and Tundra
Swans, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Peregrine and Merlin, the sparrows such
as Savannah, Song, Swamp, White-throated, Seaside and Saltmarsh, and
Boat-tailed Grackle.

The trip is weather dependant with a weather day of Sunday, November 29.
Same timing.

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

Leader: Sandra Keller

Annual DVOC Slide Contest, December 3rd, 2009

Format: Digital only

Submission Deadline: Thursday, November 26th

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. Entries must be submitted in advance to Frank Windfelder. You can
submit a maximum of 5 shots in the Birds and Natural History Categories, and
a maximum of 3 shots in Scenery and Birders. A photo that has already been
submitted in the contest cannot be re-submitted. For each picture, please
supply the name and the location. Put these on a CD and either email them,
snail mail them, or hand them to Frank Windfelder at a DVOC meeting.

http://www.dvoc.org/Personnel/Windfelder.htm 

2010 Membership Directory

The new directory is being prepared for distribution at the 2010 Annual
Members Meeting. If your contact information has changed in the past year
please contact treasurer at dvoc.org 

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)

____________________________________________________________________________
________________________

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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