Overview and ActivitiesQuick LookNext Meeting: Saturday 27th April - Annual Lunch at Hickory Bridge Farm |
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MeetingsUnless indicated otherwise, all SMAS Programs are held at the Adams County Agricultural Resource Center, 670 Old Harrisburg Road, Gettysburg, PA at 7:30 pm (refreshments at 7 pm). A room number for the SMAS meeting will be posted on the front lobby entry inner door. Bonnie Portzline is happy to give her presentation ‘Birds with a Gettysburg address’ to interested parties. The presentation is based on her wonderful photographs of local birds. Saturday 6th April Annual York Audubon Society Banquet at East Berlin Area Community Center, 405 North Avenue, East Berlin, PA 17316. Come early for silent auction, raffle and 50/50. Dinner served at 6:00 P.M. Afterwards, professional photography instructor Sean Quintilian presents: “The Egret and the Water Droplets; the Photographic Journey of Sean Quintilian.” He has gathered images from all over North America for 30 years, honing his skills as a nature photographer. He will take us on a journey of learning and mistakes to capture the perfect image. Cost: $24 per person. (The dinner will be just $20 for those who reserve by March 28.) Make checks payable to York Audubon Society. Mail to Barb Fisher, 81 Old Westminster Road, Hanover, PA 17331. Reservation deadline: April 1, 2019. Barb’s phone # is 717-632-4926. Monday 8th April Conococheague Audubon Society meeting - 7:00 PM. Spring Warbler Tune-up Saturday 13th April Bird Walk at Oakside Park, Biglerville. Meet at the parking lot off route 394; time: 8 am. Any questions - contact Mike at 717-809-3911 or SMAS@southmountainaudubon.org Thursday 18th April Bird Walk in Michaux State Forest; exact location tbd. Meet at the Mike & Kathy’s house; time: 8 am. Any questions - contact Mike at 717-809-3911 or SMAS@southmountainaudubon.org Thursday 25th April York Audubon Society field trip - Join Carolyn Mathur near the Lake Redman boardwalk on Ironstone Hill Road for “The Big Sit”. It’s similar to a tailgate party for birders as we tally bird species while snacking. We sit in a circle facing outward toward the water, the woodland and the wetland,. Starts at 7 A.M. Bring binoculars, a chair and snacks. Arrive when you want. Stay as long as you want. Leader: Carolyn Mathur 717-309-7899. Friday 26th April Bird Walk at Old Country Club, Gettysburg 8 am, meet at parking area off route 30, west of Gettysburg. Any questions - contact Linette at 717-495-8137. Saturday 27th April Annual Luncheon, noon, at Hickory Bridge Farm Restaurant, Orrtanna. Details to follow. Thursday 2nd May York Audubon Society field trip - Warbler watch at Rocky Ridge County Park to look for these migrating feathered jewels. Leader: Alice Frick 717-843-6675. Bring binoculars, chair and field guide. Meet at 7:30 A.M. at the first parking lot. Saturday 4th May Global Big Day - Harrisburg. Details to follow. Saturday 11th May International Migratory Bird Day, Spangler’s Spring, Gettysburg NHP. Details to follow. May 8 - 11 YORK AUDUBON SOCIETY & NATURESTABLER EXPLORATIONS, LLC hosts a trip to Magee Marsh and Ohio’s Northwestern Shore. See flyer for details. May 10 - 12 Presque Isle Audubon hosts a Festival of the Birds at Presque Isle. See Presque Isle Audubon website for details. Monday 13th May York Audubon Society meeting - join educator, naturalist and photographer Tony “Doc” Schoch for a presentation about the other winged beauties titled “Damsels and Dragons—Flies, that is!” Learn about their anatomy, life cycle, identification as well as tips on photographing these amazing creatures. Luther Memorial Church, Time: 7:00 P.M. Thursday 16th May YORK AUDUBON SOCIETY & NATURESTABLER EXPLORATIONS, LLC hosts a trip to Central Park. See flyer for details. Friday 17th May Bird Walk in Michaux State Forest; exact location tbd. Meet at the Mike & Kathy’s house; time: 8 am. Any questions - contact Mike at 717-809-3911 or SMAS@southmountainaudubon.org Monday 20th May, Mark Kocher - Birds of Prey. Mark has been assisting Mitzi Eaton with the rehabilitation of birds of prey for over 25 years. In addition to talking about the rehabilitation process, he will bring some live animals and discuss the differences between raptors and other birds. While Mark is a volunteer, South Mountain Audubon will accept donations that evening to be given to Mitzi Eaton's raptor rehabilitation program that is located in York County. Friday 14th - Monday 17th June Breeding Bird Blitz. See Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology Monday 17th June, Marci Mowery, President of the Pennysylvania Parks and Forests Foundation - hiking and kayaking in the State Parks. Monday 5th August, Annual Picnic - Kathy & Mike’s house. Details to follow. Monday 21st October, Dr. Alex Trillo, Assistant Professor of Biology at Gettysburg College will speak about amphibians. Details to come. Citizen Scientists Wanted!
The Pennsylvania Amphibian & Reptile Survey is looking for interested citizen scientists to participate in their survey in this area. Willingness to record and report amphibian and reptile observations is needed. The 2 websites listed below provide more information on the project, the opportunity to sign up, and links to help with identification of herps: PARS and Pennsylvania Herp Identification For more additional information contact the Adams County coordinator Sue Muller. Her email address is: adams@paherpsurvey.org The South Mountain Audubon Society aims are to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity focusing on Adams County, PA. The Society works towards those aims with meetings, birding trips, and conservation activities. There are 2 Important Bird Areas locally: Click here to join National Audubon and the South Mountain Audubon Society. Please select U17 as the Chapter code from the drop down menu on the form. If you only want to join the South Mountain Audubon Society only then sign up at the next event you attend. The annual membership is $15. The Society can be contacted in the following ways: email: SMAS@southmountainaudubon.org |
Field TripsFIELD TRIPS - Field trips will be announced in
the quarterly newsletters (when possible) and on this website. Each field trip
will list a contact person and a meeting place. Please be sure to notify
the listed contact person of your planned attendance so that you can be
alerted to any changes in the schedule or meeting place. Bird Arrivals and DeparturesThe friendly competition of documenting the dates of bird arrivals and depatures in Adams County in 2018 has finished. The winners were: Cy Dietz (summer resident arrivals), Bonnie Portzline (pass-thru migrants), Linette Mansberger (summer resident departures); and Kathy King (winter resident arrivals). Feedback is requested on the concept and a web page which documents the dates. The competitoion will be run again in 2019. Local Bird Sightings in 2017 and 20182017 and 2018 were very productive years for new and rare species being recorded in the area:
South Mountain Important Bird Area (covering parts of Adams, Franklin, and Cumberland Counties) Adams County (excluding sightings in the IBAs already noted) Further details including lists of all the bird sighted can be found on the Bird Lists page. See map for the definition of the IBA areas. Reynolds (Herbst) Woods, Gettysburg NMP
Great Backyard Bird CountOn the 16th February SMAS and Gettysburg Park organized a bird walk as part of the Great Backyard Bird Count. There were 45 participants and 30 species were observed.
Field trips to Oakside Park, BiglervilleThe monthly bird walks at Oakside Park, Biglerville continue (see left column). 31 species were observed in September including a number of additions to the Park bird list. |
Broad-winged Hawk