STATE COLLEGE BIRD CLUB

15 November 2006

The State College Bird Club met at Schlow Library on 15 November 2006.  Twenty-eight members and guests attended; Jim Dunn presided. 

Business

Nan Butkovich read the October meeting minutes, which were approved.  Dorothy Bordner read the Treasurer’s report and checklist.  Attendees reported 96 species within a 25 mile radius of Old Main since 25 October 2006.  Species of note included Sandhill Crane.

Upcoming field trips include Big Valley in January and the annual Manure Chase in February.

A call was made for volunteers to help with the Christmas Bird Counts.  Area counts include The State College on 17 December, Huntington on 17 December, Raystown on 23 December, and the Bald Eagle count will be held on 1 January.  The date wasn’t known for the Phillipsburg count.

Nick Bolgiano announced the new checklist for our “home turf”.  The Club has funding available for printing 1000 copies.

Presentation

“Birding in the Charleston, SC, Area” was the topic of the presentation by Fran MacEachren and George Young.  MacEachren discussed birding at Magnolia Plantation Audubon Swamp, the Francis Marion National Forest, and the Francis Beidler Audubon Preserve, with particular emphasis on the Red-cockaded Woodpecker, which suffered tremendous losses as a result of Hurricane Hugo: 87% of active nesting trees in the Francis Marion NF were destroyed, and 63% of the total population in the area were killed.  It is now estimated that there are 340 family groups remaining, with one nesting pair per group.  Young’s portion of the presentation focused on the habitats present at several birding sites in the area, including ACE Basin NWR, Edisto Beach St. Pk, Hunting Island St. Pk., Donnoly WMA, and Bear Island WMA.

Recorded by

Nan Butkovich, Secretary