Contents
Coming soon, as the North Country Bird Club enters the 21st century, your opportunity to save a tree. You will now be able to receive the UPLAND PLOVER by email if you desire (See Julie Covey's note in this issue) beginning with the January/February issue. While all may choose to continue getting the Plover in the mail, I encourage members who are on-line to join me and receive your newsletter in electronic form. This will stretch your membership dollars farther by reducing printing and postage costs while still providing a quality newsletter. In addition those receiving the electronic version will get it a bit sooner than printed copies. I hope you will try this method of 21st century communication.
Also, possibly coming soon to an area near you - 400 ft tall windmills. There are many plans afoot to convert our consistent, abundant wind resource to power generation. Among these plans are up to 200 windmills overlooking the St. Lawrence on scenic raptor rich Wolfe Island, Ontario. While we all agree that alternative energy sources to fossil fuels are needed, one rarely hears the alternative of energy conservation today in public discourse. Wind power is not without its problems, primarily impacts on birds and aesthetics. Wind projects must be carefully sited and considered, as some areas, such as northwestern Jefferson County, are not suitable for wind farms, while others, such as the fringes of Tug Hill may be. In addition, North Country host communities must make sure they are treated fairly by multinational energy companies and not as third world entities. Since our birds and we must live with such developments long-term, it is incumbent on us to assure rigorous and complete review on any project. If you hear of any wind power plans, immediately get involved in your towns review process by letting local government officials know of your concern. Also let me know about the project and I or others may become involved.
Gerry Smith - President
As you may have noted, Gerry Smith mentioned in his President's Column that you may be able to receive the Plover as an e-newsletter instead of the printed form. I will do this by sending out a version of the newsletter in MS Word format on the first of the Month when the newsletter is due to come out. This method of publication will be convenient and save resources (paper as well as money). If you would like to sign up please email me at javelin74@tbs.net or call me at 639-4604 so we can set it up. Thanks! Julie Covey
Palm WarblerI know it is several months into the future, but I just would like to give everyone who wishes to submit articles, sightings and announcements to be placed in the May/June edition of the Upland Plover a heads up. I will need all those contributions earlier than usual for that edition. My reason is that I am expecting my second child around the 20th of April and will probably not have the time at that point to edit the newsletter J. If you can, please submit all articles and announcements by March 31. Sightings may be submitted up until April 11. Thank you for your understanding! Julie Covey
The following is from a press release put out by The New York State Ornithological Association Inc. (NYSOA). Please take a look.
The New York State Ornithological Association Inc. (NYSOA) is not new. It has worked to protect birds, and support people interested in birds, for over 50 years as the Federation of New York State Bird Clubs. Many individuals from across the United States and Canada, as well as bird clubs around the state, are members.
If you join as an individual member, there are many benefits. Members receive two publications. The Kingbird is NYSOA's quarterly journal where New York State bird sightings are documented. NYSOA divides New York State into ten Regions for birding purposes. A regional editor receives bird observations for the four seasons of the year from the birders in their region and sends them to The Kingbird editor for publication. When you receive The Kingbird, you get information on bird populations, frequencies, locations, and rarities. There are also photographs and articles relating to specific species, behaviors, breeding, migration, and other subjects. There is also a quarterly newsletter, New York Birders that keeps members current on happenings such as conservation projects, field trips, and the annual publication of members' State and County lists.
NYSOA has an Annual Meeting one weekend every fall somewhere in New York State. There are many field trips to local birding spots led by local birders. A variety of exhibitors have paintings and merchandise for sale. On Saturday, the member club delegates meet to hear updates from the Officers and the Chairs of various committees. Elections are held. Issues important to our members are discussed and appropriate action is taken as needed. In the afternoon, there is a Papers Session with topics of interest to birders. Saturday evening's banquet includes awards presentations and a main speaker.
The most recent meeting was held in Ithaca in September, hosted by the Cayuga Bird Club. The next one will be-held in Albany hosted by Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club. This year's meeting began on Friday night with a buffet and tour of the new facilities at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. The Papers Session included a report of the effect of West Nile Virus on the crow population in New York, results of a habitat restoration project for Golden-winged Warblers, and a presentation that showed snow burrowing by Common Redpolls. At the Saturday banquet, the director of the Lab, John Fitzpatrick, gave a presentation: Birds Can Save the World: Revolutionary Opportunities for Citizen Science in the 21st Century.
NYSOA follows both state and federal legislation related to preserving birds and their habitats. We are well known to legislators and have a very strong working relationship with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Currently, one of NYSOA's major projects is coordinating New York's second Breeding Bird Atlas project. In 1998 NYSOA published Bull's Birds of New York State, which documents the status, range, migration, and history of each species found in the state. We also maintain and publish the Checklist of the Birds of New York State, which currently lists 460 species accepted by our Avian Records Committee as having occurred in the state.
Please consider joining the New York State Ornithological Association as an individual member. We need your support in documenting the ornithology of the state, encouraging interest in and appreciation of birds, and protecting birds and their habitats. For more information, contact Brenda Best, NYSOA Membership Chair, at P. 0. Box 95, Durhamville, NY 13054 or membership@nybirds.org.
Watertown Christmas Bird Count will be on Saturday, December 18, 2004. Anyone interested in participating, please contact David Prosser at 782-8078.