April 2025
Meeting Minutes

Cayuga Bird Club Monthly Meeting Minutes

Monday, 4/14/25, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Auditorium 

Attendance: 90, an all time high. Cindy Sims, CLO custodian, rolled in folding chairs to seat the overflow crowd. Stephanie announced Cindy is soon retiring & she was cheered by all. 

READING OF THE LIST

7:20 - Good evening, everyone. While we are all settling in, I would like to call upon 35-year club member, author and award-winning photographer, Marie Read, to start us out tonight with this month’s Reading of the List.

CALL TO ORDER

7:30 – Thank you, Marie!

I’d like to now Call tonight’s business meeting to order
and welcome both members and guests. 

Is there anyone here tonight for whom this is your first meeting? Five people raised their hands & were welcomed. No time for introductions.  Please come back and hope you find something of interest to you in tonight's meeting.

Last month’s meeting minutes had no objections & were approved as written. 

COOKIES!

Tonight’s cookie thank you goes out to a 27-year club member and past field trip leader, Ann Mitchell! The cookie sign-up sheet is on the table in the back; if you enjoy baking and are interested in sharing your tasty treats, please sign up on your way out tonight for the final remaining regular club meeting in May, or the first club meeting in September after we return from our usual summer break.

NEXT MEETING

Our next club meeting is our last regular meeting of the season, Monday May 12th here at the Lab Visitor Center auditorium. Our speaker will be Tina Morris who made her life's ambition--rescuing endangered birds of prey--into a reality, earning her graduate degree in ornithology and wildlife biology from Cornell University, where she helped develop the first techniques for releasing introduced Bald Eagles. In the fall of 1975, on the eve of the US bicentennial, The Peregrine Fund at Cornell, led by Tom Cade, was selected to reintroduce Bald Eagles into New York State in the hope that the species could eventually repopulate eastern North America.  Tina, supported by Peregrine biologists, was handed an assignment to rehabilitate a population that had also been devastated by the effects of DDT. Her field research ultimately became the instruction manual for eagle restoration programs in other eastern states.

Her presentation will also be accompanied by a book signing prior to the business meeting. Wild Birds Unlimited will be open at 6:45 and will have her book available for purchase. (Fair warning! I will shuffle Reading of the List to the end of the business meeting, and just in case I can’t talk fast enough and we run out of time, we might need to leave it off the agenda.)  

UPCOMING CBC FIELD TRIPS

But till then, there will be plenty of birdiness to keep us happy!

Looking at the feast of field trips coming up:

First, 4/20 we have Steve Kress leading a trip around the lake to look for migrating waterfowl and other early migrants coming through. Meet to carpool at Stewart Park’s east end (turn right once across the railway tracks) Dress for the weather and bring water and snacks.

The following weekend, 4/26, Ken Haas will be happy and proud to offer an easy-walking field trip at his home where trails meander thru 10 acres of mixed deciduous and coniferous young forest with some dense undergrowth, a swampy area and some shrubby areas, a half acre pond, and several backyard feeders that attract a wide variety of birds. After the trip, Ken plans to go and get himself a second breakfast at the Falls Tavern in Trumansburg and invites anyone to come along!

To round out our regular April field trips, 4/27 Chris will lead a bird walk on the Dryden Rail Trail, starting from the Freeville Village Hall. The Dryden Rail Trail passes through residential, rural, and protected natural lands, as well as through the villages of Dryden and Freeville. Historically part of the Lehigh Railroad system, the trail welcomes pedestrians, bicycles, horseback riders, and, of course, birders, to enjoy the scenic natural settings along this quiet green corridor. 

May will also be chock full of field trips!

5/3 Dan Toronto and Leah Dodd will lead our first May field trip to a variety of habitats in and around Danby. This will likely include a scan of Jennings Pond, stops along Michigan Hollow Rd., a good listen at the Hillview Swamp, and, for those that might be interested, a walk up Steam Mill Rd.  Locations will vary based on recent sightings.

Next, 5/4 Anna Bartel has graciously invited the Cayuga Bird Club to a birding field trip on her property on South Hill, off Coddington Road. The 72 acre property includes an upland wetland, mixed deciduous forest, a small meadow, and about 17 acres of hemlock-chestnut oak-cucumber magnolia. There are not many trails, so be prepared for some moderately rough terrain (stepping over windfalls, wettish conditions) with some steep sections in the hemlock forest. Ticks have not yet been an issue this year (our turkey populations are up!), but precautions, of course, are recommended.  Space is limited for this trip, so contact Suan by May 2nd to register!

On May 10th, meet Laura Stenzler at Collegetown Bagels parking lot in East Hill plaza, at the corner of Ellis Hollow Road and Pine Tree Road in Ithaca.  From there the group will caravan to Shindagin Hollow State Forest for warblers and other birds during this peak period of migration and breeding.   There will be a1-2 mile walk while birding along Shindagin Hollow Road, ending around 11 or 11:30 am. Wear good walking shoes (may be muddy), bring a hat, bug spray, water, and a snack.

The next day, 5/11, take part in something special and a bit different by being a part of the bird club’s FLLT Grassland Bird Survey as it enters its second season. Survey data will help the Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) with habitat management decisions for steeply declining NE US populations of grassland bird species. Learn about the survey protocol, see what it’s like to observe and count grassland birds, and consider volunteering to help conduct surveys through the breeding season into early August.  The first hour will involve walking through possibly damp unmowed brush, so dress appropriately. If you prefer to only stay on mowed trails, there are five survey points you can cover - join us around 8am, where we will only follow marked and mowed trails.

We have a non-weekend trip on Thursday May 15th. Please join Scott Sutcliffe and other friends for an early-morning bird and wildflower walk on his 100-acre farm in Trumansburg. His farm is a haven for birds with a couple of miles of foot-friendly trails along a mature forest stretch of Taughannock Creek, through Woodcock fields, and ending in a Bobolink meadow. The group will first meet and bird from his barn (which has an impressive barn list of 60+ species), then amble along the trails, all of which are relatively tick free. Park in the side field, marked with a peace flag—you can’t miss it, then amble up to the barn. Scott is looking forward to birding and visiting with you.

5/17 we will have our annual Greensprings Cemetery and Arnot Forest trip!  Greensprings has excellent habitat for migratory birds at this time of year, including field birds such as Bobolinks and Field Sparrows. We'll also go into the Arnot Forest, which has many thrushes, warblers, vireos, and other returning songbirds at this time of year. Bring a snack and something to drink and dress for the weather. Waterproof boots may be helpful. Space is limited, so please contact Suan to reserve your spot.

Then we have a few more local CBC outing opportunities.

Youth Birders can look forward to a trip to Myers Park this weekend.  

The rest of their summer program should be available by the May meeting.

We continue to have our weekend beginner bird walks.  Whether you consider yourself a beginner birder, are curious what leading a beginner bird walk is like, or just enjoy the company, please join us any Saturday or Sunday, now at 8:30 since sunrise is now a bit earlier!

And a shout-out to Shelley Page for her most excellent survey suggestion to have weekly, weekday, leaderless birding meet-ups. These started at the beginning of April, and from what I have heard and read, these have been quite enjoyable, spending an hour and a half birding, followed by an optional breakfast at a local eatery afterwards.  For details on upcoming locations, keep your eye on our club Calendar, Facebook or Instagram… Instagram?

PUBLICITY UPDATE: NEW CLUB CHANNEL

Yes, Instagram. One of the things I have learned to appreciate about our club is that we value our traditions, while we seek ways to improve and get the word out about the club. Tonight I would like to call upon our club’s acting Publicity Committee chair, Monica Adelman, to give us an update on our new Instagram account and how she envisions us using it.

Monica joyfully introduced herself as a millennial & asked for a show of hands of any other millennials in the crowd. One hand was raised! She thanked Jody for encouraging her to be further involved in CBC and welcomes our input regarding the use of Instagram, Facebook and possibly the Discord app. She envisions using the talents of CBC photographers and videographers on the Instagram site; please forward Monica your videos & photos to share. Another idea is to feature Cayuga Bird Club members as a way for us to get to know one another.

CONSERVATION ACTION COMMITTEE

The Cayuga Bird Club’s Conservation Action Committee has a knowledgeable and engaged group who are looking at some broader ways for people to participate in conservation of bird habitat!  Jody announced monthly workdays, the next being April 26 from 9 to 12pm.  Also, consider fostering a native plant over the summer. Further details will be shared via the List-serve.

There are still openings for the CBC Holbrook Peru Birding trip this summer. Plans are underway for a CBC Holbrook trip to Ecuador & the Galapagos the summer of 2026.

HELP WANTED

The club is engaged in a very wide variety of activities to support our club purpose, seeking help from people with a very wide variety of skills and interests.

For tonight’s Help Wanted Suan Yong is looking for participation in two different groups:

First is for people reasonably familiar with target grassland bird species – Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, Savannah Sparrow, and Swamp Sparrow – who would be interested in attending training sessions in late April/early May, in order to join the team of grassland birders for local breeding season surveys.  

Second is for folks to assist with the various and changing technical needs of the club.  For example, each meeting requires a certain amount of setup work, with laptops, phones, the projection and sound systems and so on.

NYSOA 2025

As you surely must know by now, our 2025 NYSOA conference approach-eth.  Diane Morton encouraged members to register by June 30 as the fee will be increased by $15 on 7/1. 

PROJECT PROPOSAL

As you may have seen in the newsletter, we have a new project proposal arising from work to support the Conservation Action Committee’s 2025 goals.  I would like to call club vice president, Kevin Murphy, to lead tonight’s project proposal.

Club Vice President Kevin Murphy introduced a funding request made by the Club's Community Action Committee. Specifically, the Club is seeking $2,500 in funding to support and fund its plans for continued improvement of bird habitat at Lighthouse Woods Point in Ithaca by removing invasive plants and planting bird-friendly native species. The funding would be used to purchase fencing, plants, and related supplies. There was limited discussion and no questions from Club members. A motion was made by Colleen Richards and seconded by Ann Mitchell. The proposal was unanimously adopted by the Club members.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

Let’s do a quick glimpse at Birds of a Feather and look into a couple other fun activities that are going on right now or coming up.

If you are in the Newfield area this month or have not had the opportunity to see our own Ken Haas’  bird photography, swing by the Newfield Public Library for the “meet the artist” event on the 19th or just drop in to see his exhibit thru 5/1.

Reminder of an event in June for which the club is looking for volunteers to do 10–15-minute informal talks on topics related to birds and rivers, and how they are dependent on each other. The talks are to take place at an outdoor pavilion on the banks of the Chemung River and be for the general public. Volunteers could also be present to talk about the Cayuga Bird Club and share information about the club’s programs. For further information please contact Peggy Hurley at drmargarethurley@gmail.com.

A reminder that the second edition of The Cayuga Bird Club Guide to Birding in the Cayuga Lake basin is available at CLO’s Wild Birds Unlimited, Agway, MAC, and MWRC.

Steve Kress announced a free, open to the public evening of music inspired by birds, myth, and nature at Ithaca College. Event is Friday, 5/2 with a 6pm pre-concert talk by Steve in the Hockett Family Recital Hall. The concert will be at 7pm in the adjacent Ford Hall, featuring Ithaca College’s Contemporary Chamber Ensemble & Treble Choir performing a musical celebration of the Arctic Tern, an adept but now threatened survivor in a rapidly changing world.

TONIGHT’S PRESENTATION

Tonight’s speaker is an award-winning author, poet and naturalist, having written over two dozen works of nonfiction

and poetry, including The New York Times bestsellers The Zookeeper's Wife, A Natural History of the Senses, and The Human Age.  For decades, her works have appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The American Scholar, Smithsonian, National Geographic, and many other journals and in 2016, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

This evening, we will join Diane for an evening exploring two of her research projects spanning the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Through her photos and story-telling, we will accompany her on her extraordinary journey from the breeding grounds of the Short-tailed Albatross on a remote Japanese island, where these magnificent seabirds are recovering from near-extinction, to the nursery waters of Patagonia where southern right whale mothers pause with their calves on their way to the rich feeding grounds of Antarctica.

So without further delay, please join me in warmly welcoming Diane Ackerman as she presents Wings and Waves – Adventures with Albatrosses and Whales from Japan to Patagonia.

After Q&A and thunderous applause,the  meeting ended at 8:46pm.