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Liz Brensinger, Conservation Chair, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, has been the “eyes and ears” of the Pennsylvania Audubon Council on the burgeoning issue of “AI Data Centers.” Her article on What You Need to Know, for Yourself and for the Birds was the lead article in the May edition of the DRUMMER. It profiled the major items of concern for birds and the environment and helped to focus chapters on the issues associated with the proliferation of proposed construction of these centers.
For birds, some of the worst effects are habitat loss; noise / vibration, which reduce reproduction rates and disrupt navigation; light pollution, which disorients migrating birds and increases the risk of collisions with buildings; and potential depletion of water sources such as streams and wetlands.
Liz has also used the Council’s “Advocacy Google Group” to provide updates. We have also done our best to share other information on our Pennsylvania Audubon Council Facebook. We shared a recent Facebook link to a webinar being sponsored by PennFuture. The link to that post and registration for that webinar is listed below.
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We also recently shared a link to the Pennsylvania Data Center Tracker that will provide regular updates on proposed AI Data Center projects throughout the Commonwealth. That link is provided below:
Pennsylvania Data Center Tracker
This is an issue that the Pennsylvania Audubon Council will continue to monitor and encourage chapter leaders on this issue to sign on to our “Advocacy Google Group” and to follow our Facebook page to see posts on this issue.
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James F. Fiorentino, President
Quittapahilla Audubon Society
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The leadership of the Pennsylvania Audubon Council offer our sympathies on the recent passing of Jim Fiorentino, the President of the Quittapahilla Audubon Society. Quittapahilla is the chapter that serves members in Lebanon County. Jim was a "hometown boy" who was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Jim graduated from Cedar Crest High School and Lebanon Valley College.
Jim was the long-time president of the Quittapahilla Audubon Society, a member of the Lancaster County Bird Club, a Scout Master, and volunteered his time at the senior center and along the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail. A passionate birdwatcher and nature enthusiast, Jim traveled near and far at a chance to capture rare sightings, often planning trips around the migration patterns and seasonal appearances of specific birds. Whether exploring local trails or venturing farther from home, he found great joy in observing and appreciating the natural world. Under Jim’s leadership and with the support of key board members, Quittapahilla enrolled in the Pennsylvania Audubon Council’s Bird Habitat Recognition Program in partnership with the Lebanon County Conservation District.
The link to Jim’s full obituary can be found here.
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3rd PENNSYLVANIA BIRD ATLAS PROJECT
Success of the Matching Gift Challenge
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Throughout the spring, the recurring issues of the DRUMMER included an appeal for donations to the Third Pennsylvania Bird Atlas Project through Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Many of our chapters and partner organizations responded with important contributions. We included a broader appeal from Laurie Goodrich in our April and May issues asking for additional support in response to an anonymous donor who pledged to match donations dollar for dollar. We are pleased to report that $3000 was raised through individual contributions as of the May 31st match deadline. The anonymous donor contributed the match of an additional $3000, for a total of $6000!
Laurie notes that "...these gifts, combined with the generous gifts from Audubon chapters in the last few months, have tipped us above our budget projections for the year so we are well situated for the field season in 2026. The point count team hired folks for statewide surveys. The volunteer point counters are hard at work on the effort to get wide reaching coverage. Amber is super busy as is Tom, the Atlas field coordinator. Thank you to all for help in promoting the Atlas gifts!"
The Atlas is a once-in-a-generation effort to document bird populations across the state and to guide conservation for years to come. As we approach the midpoint of the 3rd Pennsylvania Bird Atlas Project, donations are always welcome. Contributions support: field research and data collection; volunteer coordination and training, and conservation planning across the Commonwealth
The Pennsylvania Bird Atlas builds on a legacy that began in 1983 and it’s critical we maintain momentum of this five-year-long project. Contributions can be made using the link below:
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The Pennsylvania Audubon Council
The 2026 WALT POMEROY CONSERVATION AWARD
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We are pleased to announce that Heidi Shiver, President of Bird Town Pennsylvania will be honored as the recipient of the 2026 Walt Pomeroy Conservation Award. Three chapters responded to the call for nominations. Appalachian Audubon, Liberty Bird Alliance, and Presque Isle Audubon each independently nominated Heidi. All three cited her stellar leadership of Bird Town Pennsylvania and remarkable success of the Bird Town program under her leadership. It is a point of pride for Bird Town Pennsylvania to be the largest program in the American Bird Conservancy’s Bird City Network, now with over 108 municipalities designated as Bird Towns in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Executive Committee reinaugurated its conservation award in 2022 in honor of Walt Pomeroy, a great friend of Audubon. Heidi Shiver follows in the footsteps of previous award recipients that include Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary of DCNR; Dan Klem Jr., Acopian Center for Ornithology, Muhlenberg College; and Jim Bonner, Executive Director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (retired). An award ceremony will be scheduled to take place later this fall.
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PENNSYLVANIA AUDUBON COUNCIL
CHAPTER LEADERSHIP AWARD:
Recognition of Outstanding Individuals
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Alice Thurau, President of the Seneca Rocks Audubon Society, will be honored as the inaugural recipient of the Pennsylvania Audubon Council’s "Chapter Leadership Award!" This new award was established by the Council’s Board of Directors to provide recognition to the special individuals, nominated by their chapter for their record of outstanding service and leadership. The award will be presented in coordination with the recipient’s chapter.
The nomination noted that "Alice has been instrumental in setting up the Bird Friendly Habitat program and planting native gardens in Clarion and at the new Second Avenue Park. She is constantly looking for ways to draw in more people to the chapter, especially younger people. She is always at tabling events promoting Seneca Rocks Audubon as well as the Bird Friendly Habitat recognition program. She has worked to expand the chapter coverage to include Jefferson County in addition to Clarion and Forest Counties. She has made the website easy to navigate and more interesting. She has introduced a 'member at large' addition to the Leadership Team, thus allowing more input from members who may eventually take over some of the roles of LT members who are bowing out due to age and health."
Congratulations Alice!
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BIRD TOWN PENNSYLVANIA AND THE ABC BIRD CITY NETWORK:
A Feather Friendly Program for Bird Towns
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Bird Town Pennsylvania is proud to be a founding member of the American Bird Conservancy’s Bird City Network. The network is also associated with the Environment for the Americas. The Bird City Network includes Bird Cities and Bird Towns in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and a growing number of state programs in the United States including Maryland and soon, New Jersey. It is a point of pride for Bird Town Pennsylvania to be the largest program in the Network, now with 108 municipalities (as of today) designated as Bird Towns in Pennsylvania.
A special ABC Webinar took place on May 7, 2026. It featured a presentation by Paul Groleau, President of Feather Friendly. The presentation outlined a new program by Feather Friendly to provide incentives and discounts for Bird Towns to consider projects to retrofit windows with bird collision deterrent markers. Bird Towns are encouraged to identify buildings in their municipalities to be a model for window retrofit projects to reduce bird collisions with windows. An application is provided for Bird Town leaders to receive consideration for substantial support from Feather Friendly for bird collision deterrent film for their projects. Support includes a reduced rate for their product, and, in some cases, material provided at no cost to the Bird Town. There were several representatives from our Pennsylvania chapters and Bird Towns on the webinar. More information about this new program can be found at the link below:
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PENNSYLVANIA AUDUBON COUNCIL
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
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The Pennsylvania Audubon Council is an independently incorporated coalition supported by the nineteen independently incorporated Audubon Chapters in the Commonwealth. The Council Officers and Directors are dedicated to the work to support and strengthen chapters and to serve as collective voice for our advocacy for birds and their conservation. Our leaders include individuals who have been leaders in their respective chapters but still make time to help guide our Council on behalf of all chapters. We value the service of chapter leaders who are willing to share their time and talent to keep the Council a continuing source of support for this mission.
We are pleased to note that Leigh Altadonna, Jim Bonner, Laura Jackson, Jamie Miller, Susan Murawski, Zach Richards, Heidi Shiver, Peter Saenger, and Alice Thurau have agreed to continuing their service as Directors for either a one or two-year term. Paul Burroughs is an emeritus Director.
Special thanks and acknowledgement are due to departing Council leaders. John Carter, who served as our Council Secretary, has moved to Delaware. We can count on Sally Jeffords who will stay in touch and continue her interest and support for the Council’s ongoing projects and programs. Jeff Stratford is stepping off our Council Board as he prepares to assume the presidency of the Greater Wyoming Valley Audubon Society. We thank each of them for their past service to our chapters and the Council.
Special thanks are also due to Paul Burroughs, John Carter, and Sean Minnick, who agreed to serve on our Nominating Committee and accept recommendations and nominations from chapter leaders for leadership on the Council Board.
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WHO’S WHO IN YOUR CHAPTER?
Keep Us Apprised of Your Leadership Changes!
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Special thanks to those of you who have sent us the names and contact information of new board and/or committee members for additions to our DRUMMER mailing list. Some of our chapters operate on a fiscal year and conduct elections in May and June. Others operate on a calendar year and conduct elections in December or January. Please provide the names and email contacts for changes or updates of your officers and board members so that they can be added to the mailing list for the DRUMMER.
Send leadership updates to paauduboncouncil@gmail.com.
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PENNSYLVANIA AUDUBON COUNCIL FACEBOOK PAGE!
Share Your Chapter’s Highlights
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The Pennsylvania Audubon Council has a Facebook Page that is available for the public to view. Permission to post to the Council Facebook is restricted but we provide access to individuals from chapters to share chapter Facebook posts with the Council. We look to share their Facebook posts about upcoming chapter programs and events. We encourage posts that document chapter activities like field trips, community outreach, educational programs, and similar items. Chapter newsletter editors, webmasters, social media captains, officers, or others may request permission to post through our Facebook. Please take the time to request access! We want our Facebook to demonstrate the vibrancy and breadth of the work our chapters are doing!
Send Facebook access requests to paauduboncouncil@gmail.com.
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