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| For those of us who are tied to home, family and ork here is an opportunity to vicariously travel to an exotic place. Relive with Ron and Anne Clark a birding adventure of a lifetime – the jungles of Peru. Float up the Tambopata River; learn what a moray really is; visit the Maras salt mines and the floating islands of Lake Titicaca. And of course experience Machu Picchu the ancient Inca ‘village’ built in 1400’s and uncovered in the 1920s. Critter encounters include capybara, the world’s largest rodent at 100 pounds, dusky titi and red howler monkeys, leaf-cutter ants, and piranhas. Of course there will also be birds – Andean condor, giant hummingbirds, penguins caracaras and much more. Ron will most certainly regale us with fasci- nating true stories of their daring adventures. |
| So join your fellow travelers for this virtual field trip to South America on Thursday, May 6th at 7:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall of the Seventh Day Adventist Church (920 Sharon Amity). Snacks begin around 7:15 PM. Don’t worry, no one will be checking your passport! |
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Thursday,
May 6, 2010 |
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| In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, setting aside a 3 acre island to protect wading birds from the relentless pressure of plume hunters. The designation of this first federal bird reservation was the culmination of legislative efforts of, among others, the National Association of Audubon Societies to protect non-game birds. Over the past century the National Wildlife Refuge system has grown and evolved to protect and improve more than 150,000,000 acres in 534 refuges in 50 states. We are fortunate to have the Pee Dee NWR as our good friend and neighbor. |
| On April 1st J.D. Bricken, manager of the 8,400 acre Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge, will educate us on the history of the refuge and the growth and evolution of their mission to meet the “big six” public use objectives. He will inform us on some of management practices he and his staff use to maintain and improve the fields, forests, and wetlands that account for the diversity of species that winter, summer, and breed within the refuge boundaries. He will answer your questions on refuge strategies specific to supporting species such as the wood thrush and prothonotary warbler whose populations face continuing loss of quality habitat. Time permitting, Will Stuart will take you on a short photographic tour of the refuge to point out a half-dozen of his favorite birding “hotspots” and to spotlight a few surprise visitors from the past year. |
| So paddle on over to the Sharon 7th Day Adventist Church fellowship hall on Thursday, April 1 (we’re not fooling around!). Refreshments start at 7:15 PM and program at 7:35 PM. |
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Thursday,
April 1, 2010 |
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| Birds have evolved just about every imaginable mating system and reproductive strategy to get their genes into the next generation. At our next meeting Dr. Rob Beirregaard will first discuss the mechanics, then the salacious details, which include: singles bars, romantic dancing and dining, males cheating on females, females cheating on males, group sex, bondage, rough sex, homosexuality, and child abandonment. On the other hand, to keep the karma balanced a bit, we will even discuss Immaculate Conception! |
| Don't miss this illustrated lecture that will answer all those questions you've always wanted to ask about bird sex but never had an ornithologist to ask! Join the 'action' Thursday, March 4th in the Fellowship Hall of the Sharon Seventh Day Adventist Church (920 Sharon Amity). Refreshments start around 7:15 PM with program getting started at 7:35 PM. |
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Thursday,
March 4, 2010 |
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| As the New Year begins we all tend to take a few minutes to review the past year. For nature lovers that means reliving the year's outdoor adventures. Why not take this opportunity to not only reminesce about them but also share your experiences with others? |
| That's what happens at the January meeting. It's like the old kindergarten 'Show & Tell', except for adults it's more like 'Brag & Tell'. It doesn't matter, bring your pictures in print or on CD to share with everyone. If your a budding digital video producer, bring those as well. We'll figure out how to project them. Some of us don't get to travel as much as others so this provides us an opportuntiy to travel vicariously through your experiences. |
| This meeting is also our annual POT LUCK dinner which means we meet at 6:30 PM and you can bring your leftovers from you New Year's bashes. Please also bring a place setting for each person coming. The club will provide coffee & other beverages. |
| So don't forget to bring your pictures, videos, food and friends to the Sharon Seventh Day Adventist Church Fellowship Hall at 6:30 PM for Dinner (the program will start around 7:30 PM) on Thursday, January 7, 2010 for food, fun and fellowship. [Directions] |
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Thursday,
January 7, 2010 |
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| With Christmas right around the corner everyone is scrambling for gift ideas for that bird watching friend or spouse. Or perhaps you are trying to provide some hints to friends and spouse of what you would really appreciate. Well our December meeting is exactly what you need. It will be a showcase of stuff!! Stuff that every bird watcher dreams of owning –books, binoculars, scopes, Bird Jams, CDs, videos and who knows what else. We’ll have a couple of ‘experts’ around to discuss your options. |
| There will be a quick intro to what to look for in optics but the rest of the meeting will be pretty free flowing with opportunities to check out equipment and talk to folks who have experience with it. No one will be trying to sell you anything. This is strictly a time to glean information from more experienced colleagues. |
| With this said we really need your help to make this a success. Please bring your stuff as well. After all you might have a pair of binoculars or great hat that someone else would be interested in checking out. You may have questions about the best way to use your equipment or it’s features that others can answer. It is amazing what you can learn from fellow birders. One thing we won’t be talking about though is backyard equipment and supplies. We’ll save that for another meeting. |
| So gather up your gear and head on over to the Sharon Seventh Day Adventist Church (920 Sharon Amity) on Thursday, December 3rd. We begin flocking around 7:15 PM for food and drink. (Bring your own cup to help save trees.) The meeting starts at 7:35 PM. See you there with all your stuff! |
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Thursday
December 3, 2009 |
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| Those of you who are MAS-L have probably seen the name Jennifer Gordon. But most have never met her or really understand what she does to help our local avian community stay healthy. Well, at the November you have the opportunity meet Jennifer and her about her passion to help our feathered friends. As director of the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue she will present information on what to do and who to call when you find injured or orphaned birds. She will discuss local wildlife rehabilitation efforts for birds and present some interesting case studies in birds. |
| Jennifer is a state and federally licensed wildlife rehabilitator. She is the director of Carolina Waterfowl Rescue, which takes in over 1000 birds each year. She has previously volunteered for several other wildlife groups including the Carolina Raptor Center. |
| Jennifer is a board member for a wildlife sanctuary and has also served as a board member for Wildlife Rehabilitators of the Carolinas (WRNC) the state wildlife rehabilitation organization for the last 5 years. She is also the founder of a national group that coordinates rescues and transport for injured waterfowl, finds permanent homes for non-releasable wild waterfowl, provides adoption assistance for domestic waterfowl. It also provides educational information about waterfowl health, care and husbandry. The group has recently established it first overseas chapter. |
| Jennifer also has a certificate for nonprofit management from Duke University and is currently pursuing a degree as a veterinary technician. |
| So flock on over to the fellowship hall of the Sharon 7th Day Adventist Church (920 Sharon Amity) on Thursday, November 5th. Refreshments usually appear around 7:10 PM and the meeting begins at 7:30 PM. |
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| Most people flock to the beach during the hot months to cool off. The beaches are crowded with bodies trying to get a tan, but not many birds. But as the most of the of the human bodies migrant home and back to work and school routines, they are being replaces by some feathered bodies. And that’s why birders tend to shy awary from the beach in the ‘high’ season and prefer the cooler, less congested season to visit our sandy shores. |
| Birds that spent summer months in the land of the midnight sun are now returning to our sandy beaches for some R&R. Known generically as shorebirds, these birds have beautiful breeding plumages but by the time they returne to the Carolinas they have shed the warm browns and deep reds of courtship for the stublities of grey and white. This is what makes identifying them challenging to novice and advanced birders alike. At this month’s meeting Taylor Piephoff will us help meet this birding challenge by sharing his expertise on identifying these fascinating birds. Hopefully but the end of the night you will know the difference between a plover and sandpiper and a tern. |
| So before you head off the beach for some R&R this fall, join us on Thursday, October 1st at 7:30 PM in the fellowship hall of the Sharon Seventh Day Adventist Church (920 Sharon Amity) for an informative evening. |
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Thursday
October 1, 2009 |
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| Although temperatures may still be in the 90s and is summer to us, for neotropic migrants it’s already fall and time to move south. Shorebirds have been on the move for over a month but the smaller birds like the warblersare just beginning their long journey to South and Central America. It’s those warblers that cause both excitement and despair for birders, especially the quick change artists like the Chestnut- sided Warbler. They look completely different in the fall then they did when they came through in the spring. But help is on the way. Ron Clark will help us sort through the confusing warblers and their juvenile/non-breeding plumages that will be rummaging through the trees in over the next few weeks at our September meeting. |
| So migrate over to the fellowship hall of the Sharon Seventh Day Adventist Church (920 Sharon Amity) at 7:30 on Thursday, September 10th for the first meeting of the fall. |
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Thursday
September 10, 2009 |
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