November Meeting Minutes
Cayuga Bird Club
Ithaca, New York
Minutes - Membership Meeting
November 12, 2018
Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM by Diane Morton.
Cookies for the meeting were provided by Tracy McLellan and Monica Weimer.
No corrections were offered for the October meeting minutes. Members can read the meeting minutes on the club website, under about-us/club-business.
Diane introduced the new officers:
Diane Morton - President, Donna Scott - Vice President, Ken Kemphues - Treasurer, Poppy Singer - Recording Secretary, Colleen Richards - Corresponding Secretary, and Wes Blauvelt - Director
Recent Life members of the club were announced:
Gladys Birdsall, Marty and Mary Jean Schlabach, Kevin McGowan and Susan Danskin.
Guests and new members were introduced.
Field trips in the past month:
Ken Haas led a half-day trip on the West side of the lake in early October
Bob McGuire led a full-day trip up the east side of the lake on October 28
Bob McGuire talked about the owling trip that he and Suan Yong led on November 3, with more than 30 participants.
Wes Blauvelt led a Loon Watch at Taughannock State Park on November 10. 418 common loons were counted.
Upcoming field trips:
December 8: Up the lake with Diane Morton and Ken Kemphues
December 16: West side of the lake. for waterfowl and Short-eared Owls, led by Josh Snodgrass
Details can be found on the Cayuga Bird Club website.
Other announcements:
November 13, 7pm, Lansing Town Hall
Kevin McGowan will give a talk entitled: The Uncommon Crow: The Hidden Life of a Familiar Bird
New Business:
Richard Tkachuck has donated bird-related items to the club to sell as a fundraiser. Dane passed around a sign-up sheet for people to help organize the sale of these items, which may be by online auction.
Christmas Bird Count - January 1st
Area leaders have been found for each of the 9 areas. Paul Anderson will be the count compiler. All members are encouraged to participate in the Christmas Bird Count. Diane asked for a volunteer to answer phone calls 3:45 -6:00 pm on January 1 at the Lab of Ornithology from people who count birds at their feeders. Debbie Mahoney volunteered and will be assisted by Donna Scott.
Donna Scott is coordinating the January 1 compilation dinner, to be held in the lobby of the Johnson Visitor Center at 6:30 pm. Diane asked for volunteers to help Donna set up tables for the dinner and to put tables away after the count compilation. A sign up sheet was passed around for volunteers for those tasks.
Jody Enck reported that the Conservation Action committee will meet on November 26 to plan projects, including constructing nest boxes. More people are welcome to join this committee and to come to that meeting. Talk to Jody for more information.
Jody reported that a club trip to southern Costa Rica with Holbrook Travel is planned for early 2020. Contact Jody for more information.
Jody reported on his trip to Columbia from which he just returned.
Annual DEC winter raptor surveys begin in December, every other week on Thursdays in the Fingerlakes National Forest, based out of the ranger station in Hector.
Email: Christina.Hoh@DEC.NY.gov
Review of Birds of the Cayuga Lake Basin: Paul Anderson read the checklist. There were 101 species reported during the week prior to the meeting.
Guest Speaker: Dr. Adriaan Dokter was the featured speaker for the meeting. He is a migration ecologist with a background in physics, with an interest in animal movement and foraging ecology. His talk focused on Oystercatchers and Brent Geese on the mud flats of the Wadden Sea and area pastures.
Meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Poppy Singer