Greater Wyoming Valley Audubon Society
Meetings and Activities
September 2007-August 2008
The Greater Wyoming Valley Audubon Society sponsors a variety of programs and activities throughout the year from September through August. For more information, click on the activity.
Our regular membership meetings are held on the third Monday of September, October, November, January, February, March, and April. All meetings will be held in the Dallas United Methodist Church, Church Street, Dallas, at 7:00 pm. Our meeting room is easily accessed by steps or ramp at the rear of the church. Everyone, members and nonmembers, young and old, is invited to attend.
Directions to Dallas United Methodist Church
From Route 415:
At the traffic light in the middle of Dallas, turn onto Church Street. Part way up the hill, you will see the church on your left. Enter the doorway in the back of the church.
Click on the program for a description.
October 15 Practical Solutions of Flood Protection
November 19 Fulfilling a Dream...visiting the Galapagos Islands in July 2006
NO MEMBERSHIP MEETING IN DECEMBER
January 21 Members' Night
February 18 Urbanization and Avian Communities
March 17 Hummingbirds of North America: Their Flight and Colors
Annual Banquet Wednesday, June 18 Camouflage and Mimicry
There are no regular membership meetings in May, June, July, and August.
Enjoy winter visitors outside your windows while you help their cause and ours. Order your winter's supply of birdseed, and pick it up on the specified date. Contact the GWVAS for ordering information.
First Birdseed Sale
Orders due by September 22, 2007
Pickup
Friday, October 5 from 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 6 from 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
and
Sunday, October 7 from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wild Birds Unlimited
Dallas Shopping Center
Click here for an Order Form
Wild Birds Unlimited, Dallas PA
Second Birdseed Sale: TBA
Wild Birds Unlimited
Dallas Shopping Center
Wild Birds Unlimited, Dallas PA
Anyone may join us for field trips. You may choose to drive your own car, or you may carpool. The length of some trips may depend upon the weather and the individual interests of the participants.
**Please note that all field trip dates, meeting places, and meeting times are subject to change. In addition, preregistration is required for all trips unless specified otherwise. If you are interested in a particular field trip, please Contact the GWVAS, at least two weeks in advance, and include the Field Trip Name/Date in the "Subject" section to ensure that the message will be read and forwarded to the trip leader.
Click on the Field Trip for information.
Fourth Sunday of Each Month: Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
Select Saturdays, Birding in Frances Slocum State Park
Saturday, September 15 Hawk Mountain
Saturday, October 20 Wilds and Wetlands of Bradford and Susquehanna Counties
Saturday, November 10 Birding in Frances Slocum State Park
Saturday, November 17 Local Waterfowl
Saturday, December 8 Birding in Frances Slocum State Park
Saturday, January 5 New Year's Hike in Nescopeck State Park
Saturday, January 19 Bald Eagles along New York's Upper Delaware River and Vicinity
Saturday, March 1 Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area
April ?? (Date and Time TBA) Spring Birding along Vosburg Road
Friday, May 2 Creatures of the Night
Saturday, May 10 North American Spring Migration Count
Saturday, June 7 Seven Tubs Nature Area
Saturday, June 28 Birding at Bruce Lake
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Saturday, May 10 North American Spring Migration Count
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Monthly Meeting Programs
Directions to Dallas United Methodist Church: At the traffic light in the middle of Dallas, turn onto Church Street. Part way up the hill, you will see the church on your left. Enter the doorway in the back of the church.
Wood Carving
Presenter: Tom Richie
Join professional woodcarver Tom Richie and learn about the craft of carving. Tom specializes in songbirds and waterfowl.
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Practical Solutions of Flood Protection
Presenter: Ed Zygmunt
Ed Zygmunt, field representative for Congressman Chris Carney, will discuss common sense solutions to reduce the threat of flooding in the region. Ed will explain how everyone from the federal government down to the individual property owner can work together to save private property.
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Fulfilling a Dream...visiting the Galapagos Islands in July 2006
Presenter: Joe DeMarco
Visiting the Galapagos Islands was a dream of Joe DeMarco, Chairman of the Board of Audubon Pennsylvania. See Joe's slides of this awesome trip and hear his accounting of one of the most secluded areas of the world.
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NO MEMBERSHIP MEETING
IN DECEMBER
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Members' Night
Have you caught an interesting bird or animal on film? Do you have a favorite poem about nature? Bring your poems, photos, short videos, slides, and anything else you would like to share with the group.
Oh, you have nothing to share tonight? Join us to see what others will bring to the evening.
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Urbanization and Avian Communities
Presenter: Dr. Jeffrey Stratford, Assistant Professor of Biology, Wilkes University
Dr. Stratford has devoted much research to the effect of urbanization on bird populations with an emphasis on Eastern Bluebirds. Join us to learn how our avian friends react when civilization encroaches on their habitat.
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Hummingbirds of North America: Their Flight and Colors
Presenter: Dr. Allen Togut, GWVAS Vice President and Education Committee Chairman
Allen Togut has spent several summers in the southwestern United States observing and photographing a variety of hummingbirds. Join us for this informative, colorful, and fast-flying program.
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Wild Pennsylvania
Presenter: Michael Gadomski
Nature photographer Michael Gadomski recently completed a book entitled Wild Pennsylvania: A Celebration of Our State's Natural Beauty. Michael will share his multimedia presentation, which he has created in conjunction with publishing his book.
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NO MEMBERSHIP MEETING IN MAY
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**Annual Banquet**
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Holiday Inn, Kidder Street, Wilkes-Barre
Doors open at 6:00 pm.
Presenter: Rick Koval, North Branch Land Trust Naturalist
and
Regular Contributer to WNEP TV's Pennsylvania Outdoor Life
Program: Camouflage and Mimicry: What You See Isn't What You See
Price: $25/Person
Include your Name, Address, and Phone Number or Email Address for reservation confirmation.
Include the number of dinner reservations.
Also, indicate whether you need directions to the Holiday Inn.
Send check payable to GWVAS and Mail to:
GWVAS Annual Banquet
RR 1, Box 1682
Laceyville, PA 18623
Reservation Deadline: June 11, 2008
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There are no regular membership meetings in May, June, July, and August.
See you in the field!
Field Trips
**Please note that all field trip dates, meeting places, and meeting times are subject to change. In addition, preregistration is required for all trips unless specified otherwise. If you are interested in a particular field trip, please Contact the GWVAS, and include the Field Trip Name/Date in the "Subject" section to ensure that the message will be read and forwarded to the trip leader.
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
(Click on the title for a list of the species we've seen.)
Fourth Sunday of Each Month
(Preregistration is not required.)
Kirby Park Natural Area Parking Lot Beneath the Market Street Bridge on the Kingston Side of the River
8:00 am
Leader: Bob Wasilewski
Now in our tenth year of Sunday Morning bird walks in the Kirby Park Natural Area, we have tallied more than150 species since we began these monthly outings in January of 1998. We meet in Nesbitt Park, which is located on the upstream side of the Market Street Bridge on the Kingston side of the river. You can also park in the lot of the former Kings Department Store and Reilly's Classic Car Museum near the intersection of Market Street and Dawes Avenue, Kingston. Join us on the fourth Sunday at 8:00 am for these excursions into the wilds of the Kirby Park Natural Area in search of resident, wintering, and migrating birds.
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Birding at Frances Slocum State Park
Meet at the Environmental Education Center at 8:30 am. For further information, contact the Dallas Wild Birds Unlimited, or click on the link below.
Please note that more dates will be added in the New Year.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Saturday, September 1
Birding in Frances Slocum State Park
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Hawk Mountain
Leader: John Jakoby
Rt. 309 Park & Ride near the Blackman Plaza, Wilkes-Barre Township, 8:00 am
or
Penn State Hazelton Campus, left parking lot near highway, 8:30 am
Visit one of the premier raptor-viewing sites in the world. Binoculars are highly recommended, as are hiking shoes for the moderate to strenuous hike to the North Lookout. Bring water, snacks, lunch, and most importantly, a soft cushion for sitting on the rocks at the Lookout. Indoor facilities are available near the North Lookout and at the Visitor Center. Also, the Visitor Center houses a great gift and book store. Please note that Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association charges a fee for nonmembers of the Sanctuary to access the trails.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Sunday, September 23
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
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Explore the Houck Sanctuary
Leaders: Bob and Nancy Houck
Houck Sanctuary, 9:00 AM.
Experience the colorful fall foliage as well as migrating songbirds and raptors. Join us for a day in the beautiful outdoors of northeast PA.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Wilds and Wetlands of Bradford and Susquehanna Counties
Leader: Sandy Goodwin
Dallas United Methodist Church, Dallas, PA, 7:30 am
Take a scenic drive during the fall foliage season to Laceyville to visit several habitats on the Berger property. (Will we see a sandhill crane fly over as we did on our last visit?) Then, we'll travel to Rhetta to see the deer exclosure and the wetlands created on the Zygmunt's property.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Sunday, October 28
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
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Saw-whet Owl Banding
Leader: Sandy Goodwin
We will join Scott Weidensaul in Schuylkill County for an up-close and personal look at Pennsylvania's smallest owls as researchers remove the birds from mist nets, record pertinent information, and send them back on their way. A small donation to the Ned Smith Center is requested, and owls will be available for "adoption" for $30 each.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Saturday, November 10
Birding in Frances Slocum State park
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Local Waterfowl
Leader: Sandy Goodwin
Dallas United Methodist Church, 7:00 am
We will drive to some some local waterfowl hotspots to look for migrating ducks and geese. Bring binoculars, water, snacks, and/or lunch.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Sunday, November 25
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
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Saturday, December 8
Birding in Frances Slocum State Park
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Dallas Area (Luzerne County)
Saturday, December 15
Coordinator: Jim Hoyson
Bloomsburg Area
TBA
Contact Bob and Nancy Houck
Tunkhannock Area (Wyoming County)
Saturday, December 22
Coordinator: Rick Koval
Southeast Bradford County
Sunday, December 30
Coordinator:Trudy Gerlach
Help us count all of the bird species and individuals of each species that we can find in a 24-hour period within a 7.5 mile radius of a specific location. Join us in the early morning hours to tally owls, or meet us later to look for daytime birds. This annual international event is a great opportunity to see new bird species.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Sunday, December 23
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
New Year's Hike in Nescopeck State Park
Leader: John Jakoby
During this hectic time of the year, relax, unwind, and hike off some of those holiday goodies by spending an invigorating day in the beautiful outdoors.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Bald Eagles along New York's Upper Delaware River and Vicinity
Leader: Bob Wasilewski
Blackman Plaza Park & Ride, 7:00 am
Our annual trip to view wintering bald eagles on the Delaware River near Port Jervis, NY, has enabled us to experience these majestic birds in their natural habitat. You may elect to stay with us for the day, or to return home when you wish. The drive to the first eagle viewing area takes approximately two hours. Most viewing is done from your auto. Bring binoculars and a lunch. Primitive facilities are available, and a rest stop will be made on the interstate.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Sunday, January 27
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
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Sunday,February 24
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
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Snow Geese and Tundra Swans at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area
Leader: Allen Togut
Blackman Plaza Park & Ride, 7:00 am
Penn State Hazelton Campus, left parking lot near highway, 7:30 am
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, a Pennsylvania Game Commission waterfowl propagation area on the border of Lebanon and Lancaster Counties, is an important staging area for thousands of tundra swans and snow geese on their trek northward. Experience the sights and sounds of these magnificent birds, as well as raptors, songbirds, and other waterfowl species. We may even see nesting bald eagles! This wonderful wildlife area is only a two hour trip from the Wyoming Valley. Bring binoculars, a field guide, and lunch. Heated facilities are available at the Visitors' Center. Stay all day, or return at your leisure.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Sunday, March 23
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
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Spring Birding along Vosburg Road
Leader: Allen Togut
Take a leisurely walk off the beaten path in an area that is richly populated with birds. Spring migration should be starting, so we should see a good variety of species, including some warblers.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Sunday, April 27
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
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Creatures of the Night
Leader: Jim Hoyson
Dallas United Methodist Church, 8:30 **pm**
Give your eyes a rest and put your ears to work listening for spring peepers, owls, whip-poor-wills, woodcock, and other things that go bump, hoot, whistle, or squeak in the night.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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North American Spring Migration Count
Luzerne County Coordinator: Jim Shoemaker
Wyoming County Coordinator: Open
The North American Spring Migration Count is similar to the Christmas Bird Count, except that entire counties are covered. Jim Shoemaker is the coordinators for the Luzerne County count; the coordinator position for Wyoming County has not yet been filled. You may wish to bird by yourself, or to join a team. Our experienced birders are always eager to share their knowledge with those of us who aren't as accomplished in this area. All participants will be assigned a territory. Then, it's Happy Counting!!
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Sunday, May 25
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
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Seven Tubs Nature Area
Leader: Bob Wasilewski
Seven Tubs Parking Area off PA 115 near Bear Creek, 9:00 am
Hike the Audubon Trail at this beautiful Luzerne County Park. Find out how the area got its name, and see the handiwork of the last glacier to visit Northeast Pennsylvania. Wear hiking shoes, and bring binoculars, water, and a snack/lunch for the easy to moderate hike.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Sunday, June 22
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
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Birding at Bruce Lake
Leader: John Jakoby
PA 309 Park & Ride across from the Blackman Plaza K-Mart,
Wilkes-Barre Township, 8:30 am
Join us on a birding hike to the Bruce Lake Natural Area in Promised Land State Park. The hike is two miles to the Lake, three miles around, and two miles back to the trailhead. Hiking is easy, and a good pair of sneakers should suffice. The mountain laurel will be in bloom, and we may see twenty-five or more species of birds. Bring binoculars, water, lunch, and insect repellant. Expect this hike to be an all-day event.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Butterflies
Leader: Jim Hoyson
Meeting place and time TBA.
Jim Hoyson will help us to identify some common, and perhaps some not-too-common, butterflies at the Houck Farm in Nescopeck Township.
To register, or for more information, Contact the GWVAS.
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Sunday, July 27
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
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Sunday, August 24
Birding in the Kirby Park Natural Area
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Please note that other trips may be scheduled, so check back from time to time.
Hope you can join us in the field!