Overview and ActivitiesQuick LookNext Meeting: Monday 27th January - Movie night |
|
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 (profile - courtesy of The Gettysburg Times) 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. Monday 27th January, Movie - Bird of Prey. With fewer than 800 Philippine Eagles remaining on Earth, Bird of Prey follows a small but devoted group of people who are determined to save these magnificent birds from extinction. It’s a remarkable story and a moving film—one that I hope you will enjoy and share with your family and friends. Saturday 1st February, Bird walk starting at Ayres Avenue, Gettysburg NMP. 9 am start. Saturday 15th February, Great Backyard Bird Count at the old Country Club grounds, Gettysburg NMP. Start at 9 am. Thursday 5th March, Trip to Middle Creek. Car pool from Gettysburg at 7:30 am. Saturday 14th March, Woodcocks at the Siefken residence Monday 16th March, Presentation on Mexico - Monarchs and Birds by Laura Jackson Saturday 21st March, Bird walk at Renfrew Museum and Park, Waynesboro, starting at 7:30 am. Car pool from Gettysburg at 6:45 am. Saturday 4th April, Annual Lunch at Hickory Bridge Wednesday - Thursday, 15th - 16th April, Visit to Mt. Cuba Center, Hockessin, Delaware, near Wilmington. Saturday 25th April, Bird walk at Oakside Park, Biglerville. Start at 8 am. Saturday 2nd May, Global Big Day - Morgan Run, MD. Details to follow. Friday 8th - Sunday 10th May Festival of Birds at Presque Isle. See Presque Isle Audubon. Saturday 9th May, International Migratory Bird Day - Spangler’s Spring, Gettysburg NMHP. Meet at 7:30am. Thursday 14th May, Bird walk, Michaux State Forest. Details to follow. Monday 18th May, Society Meeting. Thursday 21st May, Bird walk, Adams County Grasslands. Details to follow. Friday 29th May, Bird walk, Strawberry Hill. Start at 8 am Saturday 13th June, Bird walk, State Gamelands, Heidlersburg. Start at 7:30 am. Monday 15th June, Society Meeting. Saturday 27th June, Bird walk at Oakside Park, Biglerville. Start at 8 am. Wednesday/Thursday 15 - 16 July, Birding at Canoe Creek State Park, near Altoona. Saturday 25th July, Bird walk at Willoughby Run, Gettysburg. Start at 7:30 am. Monday 3rd August, Annual Picnic (tentative date) Saturday 19th September, birding at the Hawk Watch, Rocky Ridge State Park, near York. Start at 10 am. Car pool from Gettysburg 8:30 am. Monday 21st September, Society Meeting, Presentation on Birds and the Mayans by Rob Fergus. Friday 25th September, Bird walk at Water Street, Fairfield. Start at 8 am. Saturday 10th October , Big Sit (weather permitting) Thursday - Saturday 15 - 17 October , trip to Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey Monday 19th October, Society Meeting. Thursday 5th October, Birding at Chestnut Grove Natural Area. Leave Gettysburg at 7:30 am. Monday 16th November, Society Meeting. Saturday 21st November, Bird walk at Oakside Park, Biglerville. Start at 8 am. Thursday 3rd December, Watch Bald Eagles (and Photographers) at the Conowingo Dam. Leave Gettysburg at 7:30 am. Saturday 19th November, Christmas Bird Count. 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 planned on an annual basis and a tentative list will be sent in late December to those on our email list. Details for day trips will be announced in the monthly email blasts, and details for overnight trips will be announced a few months in advance. Also, information can be found on this website. Each monthly email will list a contact person and a meeting place and time for the upcoming events. If you are not on our email list, you can contact Mike Bertram at mike@the2nomads.org or call 717-809-3911 (please leave a voicemail) if you have questions or need other details. Field trip cancellations will be announced by email as soon as possible and also on this website. Duck DriveOn the 11th November we visited Long Arm Reservoir and Codorous State Park on a Duck Drive, 22 species were observed.
ChincoteagueNine members visited the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding areas on Thanksgiving weekend. Those who visited for two days saw about 50 species and those who stayed longer saw about 90 species. Some highlights were Marbled Godwits, Red-throated Loon, American Oystercatcher, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Tundra Swans.
Christmas Bird CountOn the 14th December the Society ran its 38th consecutive Christmas Bird Count (and National Audubon’s 120th count). The weather was not good but we had a total of 73 species, which is well within the range for good weather, and 5759 birds were counted (a little lower than the normal range). The count numbers are dominated by Starlings, Mourning Doves, and Canada Geese.
Local Bird Sightings in 2019There were a number of new and rare species recorded in the area in 2019, although they have been previously recorded in adjacent areas:
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. |
Kristi Allen will talk about the Pennsylvania Plant Conservation Network and other DCNR initiatives.
