PROGRAM SCHEDULE

2011 - 2012 Season

2011

September 14

Adrian Binns
Tales with Tails: The Lighter Side of Birding

Mis-worded signs, semi-naked people and curious predicaments are just a few of the things encountered while birding around the globe. This light-hearted presentation features plenty of laughs, tall tales, and wildlife images too! Join the always entertaining Adrian while he shares observations and stories laced with a sometimes-twisted, but always generous, sense of humor--essential when it comes to leading worldwide birding tours.

October 12

George Armistead
pOrnithology: The Birds and the Birds and the Bees

When not working on bird book projects, George Armistead spends his free time photographing birds and birding his favorite haunts along the coast between Cape May, NJ, and Cape Hatteras, NC. Tonight he offers a look at unusual reproductive strategies in birds and associated unusual behaviors, with copious innuendo and anthropomorphism to keep the concepts in perspective.

November 9

Emily Thomas
The Effect of Oil and Gas Development on Songbird Abundance in the Eastern USA

Previous studies on the effects of forest fragmentation on songbirds show that resident and generalist species tend to benefit or adapt while forest-dwelling Neotropical migrants are often displaced; however, those studies were in areas where the landscape matrix was no longer forested. The development of shallow oil and gas resources causes a different kind of forest fragmentation due to the construction of well pads, access roads, and pipelines. Yet, in these areas, the overall landscape remains forested.

December 14

Darryl Speicher
Owls of Pennsylvania

Owls are uniquely adapted to life as nocturnal predators. Darryl Speicher, of the Pocono Avian Research Center, will present a program that discusses their lives, explains how to identify them and offers suggestions on where to go looking for them.

2012

January 11

Lauren and Sheryl Johnson
Ornithology for Olympiads

Birders are great at identifying species, but there is so much more to birds than what meets the eye. Test your knowledge of all things avian (biology, anatomy, ecology, behavior etc.) in an interactive quiz format.
As a member of the Harriton High School team, Lauren won the gold medal in Ornithology at the PA State Science Olympiad Competition in May 2011. Sheryl and Lauren have prepared this exam to be informative and fun. Don’t worry: no grades will be assigned.

February x

Stephen Rannels
Pennsylvania Spring

Steve Rannels's "Pennsylvania Spring" is a journey through parts of Penn's Woods that starts with the first signs of spring, the Northward movement of waterfowl, through sequential changes in plant, animal and insect life. It is a calendar of a naturalist's love for spring. "The program will include samples from my personal library of accumulated photographs, videos and sound recordings. Be prepared to get the 'fever'!"

March 14

Jack Hubley
Man and Raptor

Some 4,000 years ago man began partnering with birds of prey to put meat on the table. The ancient craft of falconry survives to this day, with some 4,200 licensed falconers in the United States. Falconry is the most heavily regulated field sport in the country. The aspiring falconer must pass a written test, build facilities to federal specifications and serve a 2-year apprenticeship under a licensed master or general-class falconer. Because of the commitment involved, falconry is more a lifestyle than a hobby. You'll gain some insight into why falconers go to such lengths to practice this ancient hunting craft when Jack Hubley joins us for our March meeting.

April 12

Kevin Loughlin
TBD

Program.

May 9

Dan Kunkle
Superfund to Super Habitat

The Kittatinny Ridge in the vicinity of Lehigh Gap near Allentown, PA, well known for its importance to migrant hawks and other wildlife, was devastated by air pollution from zinc smelters in the first half of the 20th century. Vegetative cover on about 3,000 acres was lost, approximately 2.5 feet of topsoil eroded from the slopes of the ridge, and a barren landscape of rock and metal contaminated mineral soil was left behind. The area was declared a Superfund Site in 1983.
Dan Kunkle, the Executive Director of the Lehigh Gap Nature Center, will describe how this moonscape was converted back into a living, thriving ecosystem.

June 13

Annual Picnic at Ridley Creek State Park

Ridley Creek State Park, Area #8

| Home | Field Trips | Contacts |