Vice President, Jeff Bolsinger called the regular board meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with 24 people in attendance. No executive board meeting was held due to absence of officers. Members in attendance were Irene Mazzocchi, Catherine Martin, June Walker, Jeff Bolsinger, Rena Young, and David Prosser. Officers absent were Gerry Smith, Judi LeTendre and Jerry LeTendre. There was no treasurer's report.
Membership Chairwoman June Walker gave a report of 125 paid members. Jeff Bolsinger reminded members of the December 18 Christmas Bird Count and also that this was the last meeting for 2004.
Irene Mazzocchi introduced Kathryn Voss, whom the bird club sponsored to go to Camp Colby. Kathryn did an excellent job telling the club of her experiences at camp and what she learned, supporting her presentation with a computer demonstration.
June Walker announced that an interest in butterflies and dragonflies is becoming evident with various club members. June said members will be compiling a list of Jefferson County and Lewis County butterflies for use in the field. Some questions that came up were how long do butterflies survive, what plants attract butterflies to our gardens, what is number of species in Jefferson County? There apparently are two species of butterflies that occur at Chaumont Barrens that people travel here to see. They are the silvery blue and the Olympia marble. June also told of a recent trip by six bird club members to Mission, Texas to attend the Butterfly Festival.
David Prosser presented an interesting and informative program about his birding trip in May 2004 to Hawaii ( Maui, Kuaui, Oahu and Hawaii Islands). The video included excellent color photos of native and introduced bird species, their songs and guitar background misc. A short discussion followed.
The meeting adjourned at 8:57 p.m. and refreshments prepared by Marybeth Alcott followed.
Respectfully submitted,
Rena Young (filling in for secretary)
November 16, 2004
Gerry Smith called the executive board meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. with ten members in attendance: Irene Mazzocchi, Jeff Bolsinger, Rena Young, Catherine Martin, Jan Mallory, Gerry Smith, Dave Prosser, June Walker, Rich Barry and Judi LeTendre.
June Walker gave a membership report of 122 paid members for 2004. Dave Prosser gave a treasurer's report, with no outstanding bills. Gerry Smith announced that any member wishing to receive there bird club newsletter electronically can do so. He also stated that a paper copy mailing is also available. This will save on postage. Rich Barry asked if pictures can be sent to Julie Covey, the newsletter editor. Gerry Smith said they can. Gerry Smith asked if anyone is planning on going to the Federation Meeting the weekend of September 17 in Ithaca and stated there will be $75 to the delegate that attends to help with gas, lodging and registration.
Gerry Smith said the domain name for the bird club is "North Country Bird Club.org" and that the club will have to renew the website. He will discuss this with Stephen Litwhiler and reminded members that any submissions for the website should be forwarded to Steve as well.
Gerry Smith congratulated bird club member Dick Brouse on the nice clean-up the boy scouts conducted at the sanctuary.
The executive meeting ended at 7:28 p.m. The general membership meeting was called to order by Gerry Smith at 7:30 p.m. with 30 members in attendance.
The following announcements were made:
Jerry LeTendre stated that there were at least 3 pair of nesting red-headed woodpeckers in the Cape Vincent area this summer. Jeff Bolsinger said there were 3 pair at Fort Drum that he was aware of. Gerry Smith said he knew of red-headed woodpeckers in the Woodville and Wehle State Park areas as well. Bob Long said he has a Carolina wren in Morristown at this writing. Dick Brouse said that he observed an adult bald eagle near the Case Road in Chaumont, NY. Gerry Smith said that seeing bald eagles is getting to be a year-round experience in the North Country. He said you can see breeding bald eagles here from May thru October, Florida breeding eagles from May thru August/September and migrants from September thru April. Eve Sweatman told of the clay colored sparrows on her property leaving by July 28 this year and asked if this seemed early. Gerry Smith said not necessarily as this is variable from season-to-season. Irene Mazzocchi stated that there had been a pelican observation on Little Galloo Island this season. Irene also announced that there had been a bird die-off due to Botulism E and anyone observing dead birds should contact Irene at the NYSDEC in Watertown, (315) 785-2268.
Bob Long gave an update on the New York State Breeding Bird Atlas. He asked that atlas participants get their data sheets in to him as soon as possible. Bob said at the Federation Meeting he will be asking for an extension of one year to finish up the atlas.
Dave Prosser announced there will be a field trip to Cornell, Sapsucker Woods on Saturday, September 11, 2004. Participants should meet in Watertown Walmart parking lot at 7:00 a.m. and could bring a lunch, but there are also places to stop for lunch.
Gerry Smith stated that the closest facility to look at study skins is Rice Creek Field Station. They have an excellent collection of songbirds; fall warblers. Gerry suggests calling ahead of visits and talk with Diane Jackson. The College of Environmental Science and Forestry also has study skins, but is less accessible.
Jerry LeTendre mentioned that when members do their taxes to keep in mind that Return a Gift to Wildlife provides funding for the Breeding Bird Atlas Project.
Program Chairman, Jerry LeTendre gave a binocular presentation with members trying out various name brand binoculars. These binoculars ranged from reasonably priced to very expensive enabling people to see the difference in quality viewing.
The next meeting will be the Chicken & Biscuit Dinner/Butterfly Talk, Wednesday, October 20, 2004 at the Rutland Congregational Church at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Wednesday, November 10, 2004 meeting at Stone Presbyterian Church.
The meeting came to an end at 8:40 p.m. and refreshments were provided by Ray and Corky Marlowe. November meeting refreshments will be provided by new member Mary Beth Alcott from Clayton. Welcome Mary Beth!
Respectfully submitted,
Judi LeTendre
September 10, 2004
Gerry Smith called the executive board meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Members in attendance were Irene Mazzocchi, Catherine Martin, June Walker, Kathy Luther, Jeff Bolsinger, Jerry LeTendre, Rena Young, Rich Barry, Gerry Smith and Judi LeTendre. The treasurer's report was dispensed with due to absence of Treasurer David Prosser. Membership Chairman June Walker gave a report of 107 paid members.
Subjects covered were approval to continue paying for the bird club website through August of this year at the rate of $22/month. Jeff Bolsinger suggested adding a weekly rare bird report on the site. Jeff also stated that Steve Litwhiler had asked for old newsletters on a CD and it may take a while for Carol Cady to provide this as some of the newsletters were on an old computer. Irene Mazzocchi stated she would check with Steve Litwhiler to see if updating bird sightings once a week were possible and get back to the club with his response.
Discussion followed on the boy scouts volunteering to cut down damaged trees at the Blake Sanctuary. Gerry Smith stated he needed to talk to the person heading up this project for the boy scouts as he is concerned about liability. Gerry said it is a very dangerous situation. Rich Barry asked which trail is involved and it is the Pine Trail and very little on the Maple Trail.
The next item was the need of a new newsletter editor. Gerry Smith stated there are two options available; either hire someone to do it or do away with it. Gerry suggested Julie Covey as she has good computer skills and is reasonably priced. Gerry also suggested for the calendar year 2005 that those people that want the plover sent to them by e-mail should receive it that way. Gerry Smith also stated that the current bird club bylaws are archaic and insufficient for this day and age and need serious overhaul. June Walker stated that funds that were collected for the sanctuary should be spent on the sanctuary. Gerry Smith volunteered to redo the bylaws.
Catherine Martin stated she will put an announcement in the church bulletin that newcomers are welcome to attend bird club meetings. June Walker suggested that the young lady the bird club sends to Camp Colby have her picture in the Watertown Daily Times. Jerry LeTendre asked if the bird club is paying for the hot dogs/hamburgers for the annual picnic in July.
Gerry Smith called the regular membership meeting to order at 7:40 p.m. with 24 members in attendance. Announcements were made that any input for the new bird club website should be sent to Steve Litwhiler. Also announced was the need for a new newsletter editor in case anyone was interested.
Discussion on migrant songbirds arriving. Gerry Smith stated that at Derby Hill Hawk Watch 100,000 yellow rumped warblers and 2,500 Baltimore orioles were counted in one day. On one day they counted 21 bald eagles. Weather conditions created a major flight and songbirds were dropping in yards everywhere. Eve Sweatman announced that clay-colored sparrows are back on her property in Chaumont. Dick Brouse stated he had dozens of white-crowned sparrows at his house in Watertown. Gerry Smith stated that yellow-billed cuckoos usually arrive a little later; possibly mid to late May.
Irene Mazzocchi gave a brief talk about the NYS DEC Three Year Marsh Monitoring Program. The time frame of May 1 - May 10 was discussed as possibly being too early. Irene also told of the NYS DEC Statewide Black Tern Count to be held June 10-25. Data sheets were passed out to volunteers for the count. Irene stated that the count has been declining since 1989, possibly due to habitat and lake levels. She needs volunteers for Guffins Bay, Ives Street, Moon Lake, Point Vivian, Swan Bay and White Swamp.
Jeff Bolsinger announced that there would be a field trip this coming Saturday at a St. Lawrence County wetland 350 acre farm in Richville. The habitat was basically upland shrub and wetlands. The director of the wetland restoration program Tom Jasikoff is working with landowners to maintain habitat. Jeff stated there were nesting hooded mergansers, bitterns and black terns.
Discussion followed on field etiquette for bird watchers, including helping other bird watchers in a group find a bird, locating birds at a distance. Making sure optical equipment is in good condition is a must. The useful tool of using the clock; i.e., the bird is at 10:00 o'clock in the maple tree was suggested. If someone is leading a field trip, they should practice describing how to locate a bird. Bob Walker asked about the use of laser pointers.
Gerry Smith discussed the need to monitor grassland birds and asked that members observing the following species get the observation to him by e-mail at goshawk@gisco.net short-eared owl, northern harrier, sedge wren, upland sandpiper and Henslow's sparrow.
June Walker asked about the significant decline in purple martins. Gerry Smith stated that approximately three years ago there was a major die off of martins due to the use of a chemical called Paraquat.
The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m. and refreshments prepared by Rich and Jean Barry followed.
Respectfully submitted,
Judith LeTendre, Secretary
May 22, 2004
Gerry Smith called the executive board meeting to order at 7:12 p.m. with the following members in attendance: Irene Mazzocchi, Kathy Luther, Catherine Martin, June Walker, Gerry Smith, Jeff Bolsinger, David Prosser, Jerry and Judi LeTendre.
June Walker gave a membership report of 104 paid members. A reminder will be sent out to unpaid members before May of this year. Dave Prosser gave a treasurer's report with no outstanding payments and savings solvent. Dick Brouse was absent with a tooth pulled, thus the subject of the Blake Sanctuary cleanup was put on hold. However, Gerry Smith advised if something was not decided by the May 2004 meeting, a sign should be erected in early May that trails were closed due to safety.
Gerry Smith announced that Carol Cady will not be editor of the Plover after the next issue. It was suggested that a notice be put in the Plover that a new editor is needed. June Walker stated that the Plover is sent out 5 times a year. Gerry Smith stated he liked the idea of the Plover being on the computer so that those who wanted to could retrieve the Plover on line.
Jerry LeTendre said 6 new bluebird houses need to be purchased for the blue bird trail on Route 12 E at the price of $10 per box from Dave Hiedenreich. June Walker made a motion that the club purchase the boxes and Judi LeTendre seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Irene Mazzocchi announced that she will be conducting a statewide black tern count again this year June 10-25 and she is actively looking for volunteers.
Jerry LeTendre said the mute swans are back at Wilson Bay marsh. The executive board meeting ended at 7:30 p.m.
The general membership board meeting was called to order at 7:34 p.m. by Gerry Smith with 21 members in attendance (see attached sign in sheet). Due to time constraints with the power point projector, Gerry Smith gave a talk on grass land birds. He told of the critical grassland habitat needed for birds such as Henslows sparrows, upland sandpipers. They need maturing grassland. Horned larks, vesper sparrows, short-eared owls that nest in cornfields have declined.
Jefferson County has potential to support these species. Farmers cutting fields every year in June is hard for grassland birds. Corn and soybean fields not particularly good habitat. Bobolinks and savannah sparrows are in relatively good numbers in Jefferson County. However, they are affected by land use, how often fields are cut, etc. If fields are cut too late, it effects the mouse population, which in turn effects upland sandpipers, northern harriers, henslows sparrows and sedge wrens. These birds are area sensitive and need a broad big area to nest. Henslows sparrows need 100 acres and up. Bales left sitting field is not a good thing. Gerry tracked 6 kestrels in the Town of Cape Vincent over this past winter and thinks 5 expired after long cold spells.
Conserving grasslands in Northern New York is very important to grassland birds and farming practices are a threat. If anyone knows of swallow-wort, please report it early as it is a major threat to grassland birds. It takes over and strangles shrubs. Gerry also discussed wind power and its drawbacks for birds and bird collisions - habitat fragmentation a problem; in raptor areas windmills should not be allowed. In the North Country windmills are being pushed down our throats to provide power to areas far away from us.
Bob Long gave a New York State Breeding Bird Atlas update and said this is supposedly the last year coming up. However, blockbusters may be hired the following year to clean up - so to speak.
Gerry Smith announced that this coming weekend should be an excellent weekend to observe hawks and other birds at Derby Hill. Carol Kohinke stated she had observed great blue herons at Sulfur Springs near Watertown. Jerry LeTendre said he had pine siskins at his feeder and had also seen hooded mergansers, king fisher and eastern meadowlarks in the Cape Vincent/Three Mile Bay area this week. Kathy Luther had 5 fox sparrows in her yard.
Irene Mazzocchi told of the black tern count and will be needing volunteers for June 10-25. The members were informed of the plan to purchase 6 new bluebird houses.
Refreshments were provided by Marion Brouse.
The meeting adjourned at 9:04 p.m. The next meeting will be Wednesday, May 12, 2004.
Respectfully submitted,
Judi LeTendre
Secretary
4/15/04
Gerry Smith called the executive board meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. with eight members in attendance: Irene Mazzocchi, Kathy Luther, Rena Young, Catherine Martin, Jan Mallory, Gerry Smith, Dave Prosser and Judi LeTendre.
June Walker gave a membership report of 103 paid members for 2004; 35 missing. Gerry Smith brought up the need to change the archaic club bylaws. He also discussed the new bird club web page and urged members to get comments on the page to Steve Litwhiler. There was discussion on getting a Northern New York Rare Bird Alert on the page and how time consuming it might be to update it. It was announced that Jeff Bolsinger would like reports for the Kingbird. Gerry Smith announced that there had been upwards of 250 bohemian waxwings at Talcott Falls. Gerry also mentioned approx. 200 red-tailed hawks had gone through Derby Hill this past weekend.
Gerry Smith said that there had been significant opposition at the December meeting regarding the Tug Hill Easement of the Blake Sanctuary so it had been dropped. Gerry had walked the Red Pine Plantation a 50 to 60 year old red pine plantation that has significant storm damage and it is not safe. He said it requires professional work in the tops of the trees. Proposed signage be put up reading "Area Closed" or paying a professional logger to come in which could be very pricey. Dick Brouse announced it was all taken care of and the boy scouts will cut branches in May. Gerry Smith was not happy with boy scouts being on the sanctuary because of liability and said club should have signed releases from boy scout organization and parents of boy scouts.
Dave Prosser gave a Treasurer's Report. The club is sponsoring Katie Voss at Camp Colby this year.
June Walker also asked about the newsletter bird reports and mentioned a Brewer's Blackbird had been reported by Cerwonka. June felt a second person should have seen this unusual bird.
The need of a new Plover editor was brought up and the need to partner with community in conjunction with the Thompson Park Zoo and raise club profile. Gerry feels the club needs to take chances financially.
The executive meeting ended at 7:35 p.m. The general membership meeting was called to order by Gerry Smith at 7:40 p.m. with 20 members in attendance.
Bob Long gave an update on the Breeding Bird Atlas. Bob mentioned red crossbills and pine siskins and been seen carrying nesting material and food already. You can see young as early as May.
Jerry LeTendre gave a talk on his January 2004 trip to The Gambia in West Africa and showed pictures, passed around maps, bird lists, delasi (African money), etc.
The next meeting will be Wednesday, April 14, 2004.
The meeting came to an end at 8:40 p.m. and refreshments were provided by Marion Brouse.
Respectfully submitted,
Judi LeTendre
March 12, 2004