January 2013 Meeting Minutes

-by Becky Hansen

Minutes for the Meeting of the Cayuga Bird Club on January 14, 2013

President Linda Orkin called the meeting to order at 7:30 and welcomed all. She thanked Jill Vaughn and Carolyn van Leer for providing refreshments. Cyndy and Richard Tkachuck will bring cookies next month, but Linda requested one more volunteer. Reporting on unusual bird sightings, Bob McGuire said he had one word....Gyrfalcon. He then recounted the story of finding the bird on the field trip he had led around the lake the previous day. Cyndy Tkachuck reported seeing Northern Shrike, Pine Grosbeak, and Bohemian Waxwing at the NYSOA gathering in Canton, NY. Upcoming events include:

• • 1/24 meeting of the conservation committee at the home of Candace Cornell

  • 2/4 Lab of Ornithology seminar lecture, “Singing the Blues”

  • 2/11 Cayuga Bird Club meeting with Irby Lovette speaking.

 Paul Anderson reported that Bob McGuire’s field trip was the only one since the last meeting. Two upcoming trips are:

• • 1/27 Bill Baker. 7:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

  • 2/10 Marty Schlabach. Short-eared owls. 3:00p.m.

Linda introduced Donna Scott as the chairperson of the steering committee for planning the hosting of the NYSOA meeting in September 2014. Donna said that Colleen Richards had reserved the Ramada Inn for the Saturday papers, keynote speech, and banquet. The committee is negotiating with the lab for a Friday night event and planning field trips for Saturday and Sunday. They will need volunteers.

The club’s 50th consecutive Christmas Bird Count occurred on January 1. About 125 people participated, and there were 14 feeder counts. Ninety-six species were recorded for the day and 101 for the count week, which includes the three days before and after. Kevin McGowan compiled the figures at the dinner following the count. Linda Orkin and Carol Schmidt did some precount advertising and had about 10 new people join in. Linda is planning a workshop at the Science Center next December to generate even more interest.

A new art show is hanging in the Fuertes Room of the lab featuring the work of people who work there, including Kevin McGowan’s photo entitled “Geisha Goose.”

Bob McGuire read the checklist of the birds of the Cayuga Basin.

Kevin McGowan emceed the annual members’ photos night presenting:

1) Bob McGuire, birds of Santa Barbara Island, California

2) Carl Steckler, birds enjoyed courtesy of the sharp eyes of wife Meg

3) Donna Scott, favorite birds from trips to Florida, Maine, Montezuma

4) Mary Berkelman, birds with odd names or appearances of southern Africa

5) Lee Ann van Leer, encountering the Longtailed (White-crested) Hornbill at the Bronx Zoo

6) Andre LaClair, beautiful portraits of local birds

7) Richard Tkachuck, birds from trips to Egypt and Costa Rica

8) Rick Lightbody, local birds including the very young

9) Ton Schat, hummingbirds of the Ecuadoran Andes

10) Suan Yong, birds from travels to South Africa, Newfoundland, and Malaysia

11) Paul Anderson, travel birds of California and Costa Rica

12) Kevin McGowan, interesting aspects of many birds including emotion in a Common Merganser

Respectfully submitted

Becky Hansen