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