September 1999
up from the egg: confessions of a nuthatch avoider
Bird watchers top my honors list.
I aimed to be one, but missed
Since I'm both myopic and astigmatic,
My aim turned out to be erratic,
And I, bespectacled and binocular,
Exposed myself to comment jocular.
We don't need too much birdlore, do we,
To tell a flamingo from a towhee;
Yet I cannot, and never will,
Unless the silly birds stand still.
And there's no enlightenment in a tour
Of ornithological literature.
Is yon strange creature a common chickadee,
Or a migrant alouette from Picardy?
You rush to consult your Nature guide
And inspect the gallery inside,
But a bird in the open never looks
Like its picture in the birdie books--
Or if it once did, it has changed its plumage,
And plunges you back into ignorant gloomage.
That is why I sit here growing old by inches,
Watching the clock instead of finches,
But sometimes visualize in my gin
The Audubon that I audubin.
Ogden Nash
NEXT MEETING:
Friday September 10, 1999 at the Unitarian Meeting House on Spring Hill Road. The speaker and topic of the meeting was not available at the time this was being printed. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm, with refreshments from 7:00. If you are able to refreshments to this month's meeting, please contact Bob Pirrie at 429-8784 to let him know.The first order of business at the meeting will be to elect officers for the upcoming year. The slate of officers that will be presented by the Nominating Committee is:
President . ..Bruce Carver
Vice-president and Program Chair Rebecca Goettel
Secretary Steve Morytko
Treasurer Carol Phillips
Field Trips ..Larry Marcus
Newsletter ..if anyone is willing to do this job, please
call Bruce Carver or Sam Higgins
Web Page ..Steve Morytko
FIELD TRIPS: There will be a trip to Lighthouse Point in New Haven to observe the hawk migration on XXXXXXXXXX . Meet at XXXXXX at the Audrey Beck Building on Route 275 in Storrs. The Beck Building is the Town Hall in Storrs, and is located at the corner of Routes 195 and 275. Meet at the south parking lot, off Route 275. The trip will look for the hawks that migrate through here, sometimes in large numbers, and then will go on to Hammonasset State Park in Madison. This will be a whole day trip. Call Larry Marcus at 429-7195 for more details.
These are the trips that are traditionally held throughout the year. There will be more specific details as the dates approach. If there is a location you would like to have a trip, let Larry know and he might be able to arrange something.
October ..a local trip in the Mansfield area to see sparrows and other migrating birds
November ..Plum Island to see wintering ducks and other sea birds
December ..NOS Christmas Count and the Trailwood Christmas Count
January .. a trip along the Connecticut River to find wintering Bald Eagles
February .Cape Ann, Massachusetts, where it is possible to find pelagic birds
March .Sachuest Point in Rhode Island to see the largest wintering population of
Harlequin Ducks in New England.
April local trip to find returning migrants
May .weekly trips to lots of places to see whatever has returned
May Count
June Breeding Bird Count
These are subject to change and more can be added. All trips are open to everyone and all skill levels are encouraged to attend. Trips are a great way for new members to get acquainted and learn new birds. It is suggested to call the trip leader to let them know you are interested in attending, in case there are any changes that have to be made, due to weather or other circumstances.
Ornithologists Plan Meeting
A bird watching society has been formed in the town of Mansfield which will accommodate both male and female bird lovers. The bird watchers who call themselves the Natchaug Ornithological Society, include both faculty and students.
According to Mrs. Walter Meigs, vice president in charge of public relations, the club is interested primarily in bird life of northeastern Connecticut. The club will conduct study sessions and field trips throughout the year.
Study sessions will consist of reports by members and talks by specialists in ornithology and related fields.
Field trips will be both of the long and short variety. "The only bird club is Storrs prior to recent formation of the Natchaug group was affiliated with the Storrs Woman's Club." Of course this made it difficult for the many men around Storrs who wanted to join a bird watching society, states Mrs. Meigs.
Those interested
This article appeared in the Daily Campus and the The Hartford Times on Thursday, September 27, 1956. The first bird walk was scheduled for September 30th. According to the bylaws which were accepted in May of 1959, the aim of the organization was to "subscribe to an active program if bird study and conservation." The objectives of NOS is for "the stimulation of interest in native birds, the collection and preservation of ornithological data, the conservation of wildliffe and natural beauty in Connecticut, and cooperation with other organizations whoch are striving for the wise use of all natural resources."
There were four officers of the club and two "administrators", including a Curator and a Sanctuary Manager, who over saw "the sanctuary and planned for its development." There were also six committees - Executive, Nominating, Program, Field Trips, Conservation, and a Library Committee. At that time dues were $2.00 for adults, $1.00 for college students, $.50 for juniors and maximum per family was $3.00.
"Sam" Higgins
Newsletter Editor
BREEDING BIRD COUNT JUNE 12 AND 13, 1999
GREAT BLUE HERON 8
GREEN HERON 1
CANADA GOOSE 59
WOOD DUCK 6
MALLARD 21
TURKEY VULTURE 7
OSPREY 1
NORTHERN HARRIER 1
COOPER'S HAWK 1
NORTHERN GOSHAWK 2
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK 5
RED-TAILED HAWK 9
buteo, species 2
RUFFED GROUSE 2
WILD TURKEY 21
KILLDEER 21
shorebird species 2
HERRING GULL 1
ROCK DOVE 40
MOURNING DOVE 65
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO 4
BARRED OWL 2
CHIMNEY SWIFT 38
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD 5
BELTED KINGFISHER 7
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER 20
DOWNY WOODPECKER 22
HAIRY WOODPECKER 7
NORTHERN FLICKER 28
PILEATED WOODPECKER 5
EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE 25
WILLOW FLYCATCHER 1
LEAST FLYCATCHER 3
EASTERN PHOEBE 31
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER 12
EASTERN KINGBIRD 21
TREE SWALLOW 58
N. ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW 24
BANK SWALLOW 12
BARN SWALLOW 78
BLUE JAY 44
AMERICAN CROW 101
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE 89
TUFTED TITMOUSE 81
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH 3
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH 26
CAROLINA WREN 18
HOUSE WREN 26
WINTER WREN 3
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER 23
EASTERN BLUEBIRD 54
VEERY 44
HERMIT THRUSH 4
WOOD THRUSH 32
AMERICAN ROBIN 134
GRAY CATBIRD 92
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD 22
BROWN THRASHER 1
CEDAR WAXWING 16
EUROPEAN STARLING 387
WHITE-EYED VIREO 1
BLUE-HEADED VIREO 2
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO 12
WARBLING VIREO 15
RED-EYED VIREO 52
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER 28
YELLOW WARBLER 85
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER 3
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER14
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER 1
PINE WARBLER 10
PRAIRIE WARBLER 4
CERULEAN WARBLER 1
BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER 21
AMERICAN REDSTART 21
WORM-EATING WARBLER 4
OVENBIRD 57
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH 8
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT 53
SCARLET TANAGER 22
NORTHERN CARDINAL 69
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK 9
INDIGO BUNTING 5
EASTERN TOWHEE 23
CHIPPING SPARROW 84
FIELD SPARROW 6
SAVANNAH SPARROW 13
SONG SPARROW 77
SWAMP SPARROW 2
BOBOLINK 9
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD 283
EASTERN MEADOWLARK 8
COMMON GRACKLE 174
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD 212
BALTIMORE ORIOLE 42
HOUSE FINCH 39
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH 119
HOUSE SPARROW 160
TOTAL SPECIES 96
TOTAL INDIVIDUALS 3626
MAY COUNT MAY 15, 1999
TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIES COUNTED
GREAT BLUE HERON
GREAT EGRET
LITTLE BLUE HERON
GREEN HERON
MUTE SWAN
SNOW GOOSE
CANADA GOOSE
WOOD DUCK
MALLARD
TURKEY VULTURE
OSPREY
NORTHERN HARRIER
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK
BROAD-WINGED HAWK
RED-TAILED HAWK
RING-NECKED PHEASANT
RUFFED GROUSE
WILD TURKEY
KILLDEER
SPOTTED SANDPIPER
AMERICAN WOODCOCK
ROCK DOVE
MOURNING DOVE
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO
EASTERN SCREECH OWL
BARRED OWL
CHIMNEY SWIFT
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD
BELTED KINGFISHER
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER
DOWNY WOODPECKER
HAIRY WOODPECKER
NORTHERN FLICKER
PILEATED WOODPECKER
EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE
LEAST FLYCATCHER
EASTERN PHOEBE
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER
EASTERN KINGBIRD
TREE SWALLOW
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW
BANK SWALLOW
BARN SWALLOW
BLUE JAY
AMERICAN CROW
COMMON RAVEN
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
TUFTED TITMOUSE
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH
BROWN CREEPER
CAROLINA WREN
HOUSE WREN
WINTER WREN
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER
EASTERN BLUEBIRD
VEERY
SWAINSON'S THRUSH
WOOD THRUSH
AMERICAN ROBIN
GRAY CATBIRD
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD
CEDAR WAXWING
EUROPEAN STARLING
BLUE-HEADED VIREO
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO
WARBLING VIREO
RED-EYED VIREO
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER
TENNESSEE WARBLER
YELLOW WARBLER
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER
PINE WARBLER
PRAIRIE WARBLER
BLACKPOLL WARBLER
BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER
AMERICAN REDSTART
WORM-EATING WARBLER
OVENBIRD
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
CANADA WARBLER
SCARLET TANAGER
NORTHERN CARDINAL
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK
INDIGO BUNTING
EASTERN TOWHEE
CHIPPING SPARROW
FIELD SPARROW
SAVANNAH SPARROW
SONG SPARROW
SWAMP SPARROW
BOBOLINK
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD
EASTERN MEADOWLARK
COMMON GRACKLE
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD
BALTIMORE ORIOLE
HOUSE FINCH
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH
HOUSE SPARROW
108 TOTAL SPECIES