MAY 2000

NEXT MEETING: Friday May 5, 2000. The program this month will be a slide show of the Chesapeake Bay Area presented by Cliff Williams. Mr. Williams is a member of Hartford Audubon and a nature photographer. Steve Morytko volunteered to bring refreshments this month, but he has found that he is unable to attend the meeting so if someone is willing to bring refreshments, please contact Bruce at 456-1662 or 456-3121.

According to the operating by-laws of NOS, the election of officers for the following year is supposed to be at the May meeting. A partial slate to be voted upon is as follows:

President Bruce Carver

Vice-president Rebecca Goettel

Treasurer Carol Sutton

Secretary Steve Morytko

Newsletter Sarah Hume

FIELD TRIPS: At the time this is being written, Larry Marcus is contemplating a trip to Jamaica Bay NWR on Long Island on Saturday May 6. At this time, details are incomplete. If you are interested in this trip, contact Larry at 429-7195 for times and meeting location.

While is was cold and drizzling for the scheduled walk to watch the American Woodcock do his mating dance and only two people showed up, we did observe him doing his dance for a while before we left him in peace to "do his thing."

Bruce's local trip on Sunday was lucky enough to have - finally - good weather (though it was pretty windy) and 15 people showed up to search for the birds of spring. There were 65 species seen on the trip. Highlights include: Black and White, Yellow, Black-throated Green, Blue-winged, and Palm Warbler, Louisiana and Northern Waterthrush, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Pectoral, Solitary, and Spotted Sandpiper, Common Snipe, Brown Creeper, Savannah Sparrow, Common Raven, Winter Wren, Green-winged Teal, Blue-headed Vireo, Brown Creeper, and a Cooper's Hawk in an evergreen tree at the side of Mirror Lake. A very productive trip.

A message from Bob Pirrie: "I haven't received much response to this year's May Count Challenge, so I am going to suggest that we just do it like a regular May count. So, go out and have fun! May Count will be on May 20th. We will still award the Manter Cup for most birds seen, but don't worry about the pledge thing we did last year. If somebody wants to pick up this ball for next year and do the full-fledged program (challenging other clubs, raising money for Nature Conservancy, etc.) let me know. I'm afraid with my graduate studies I just don't have the time anymore. Good luck to all!"

National Keep Your Cat Indoors Day

National Migratory Bird Day

Chaplin Bird Count

Hartford Audubon Field Trip to Kent and

Bruce Carver's __0th Birthday

…………..there's certainly no reason to be bored or indoors on that day!!

The American Bird Conservancy is the sponsor of National Keep Your Cat Indoors Day. It is meant to coincide with Migratory Bird Day to attempt to educate cat owners that "cats, birds, and other wildlife benefit when cats are kept indoors." It is estimated that 2 million birds are killed per day by domestic cats. Cats that are kept indoors are not only not killing wildlife, they are safer themselves - they don't get hit by cars or attacked by dogs and other animals. For more information on this campaign, see their web site at www.abcbirds.org

The Chaplin Conservation Commission is sponsoring the second in a series of walks in various locations around Chaplin. Residents of Chaplin can count birds at their feeders and in addition there will be twelve walks in town. Meet at the town hall on Route 198 near Garrison Field at 6:30 am. Walks are scheduled to conclude at noon. Call Juan Sanchez at 455-0425 if you would like more information.

OTHER AREA EVENTS: Live Reptiles and Amphibians will be the next Family Days Event at the Museum of Natural History on May 6 and 7 from 1-5 pm. There will be live animal demonstrations, lectures, slide shows, and many other activities. The cost is $5 for adults, $2 for children at the door (free to museum members.) All events will be at the Gant/Physics Building on the UConn campus.

There are two walks to Litchfield County, both led by former NOS member, Dave Rosgen. One is May 7 and is going to White Memorial in Litchfield and one is May 13 to River Road in Kent to look for warblers. Rebecca Goettel is planning on going to both and is interested in carpooling there. If you would like to go on either of these trips, call Rebecca at 423-0803 for details of travel times.