NOVEMBER MONTHLY PROGRAM

Army Ants, Antbirds, and other Ant Followers

Doug Wechsler

7:30 PM, Friday, November 21, 2022

Upper Dublin Public Library 520 Virginia Drive Fort Washington, PA 19034

Several species of birds and many types of invertebrates are inextricably tied to army ants in the neotropics. Doug Wechsler will show some of these fantastic associations and their importance to the forest ecosystem.

2022 Annual Luncheon

Sunday, December 4, 2022: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

North Hills Country Club, 99 Station Avenue, North Hills, PA 19038

The Wyncote Audubon Society is hosting its’ first Annual Luncheon after over three decades of sponsoring our annual gathering as an evening dinner event. The luncheon is a wonderful opportunity for members and friends to come together in a social setting, hear a program presented by an outstanding speaker, and celebrate the work of outstanding people who have made meaningful contributions to conservation.

The keynote program is “Louis Agassiz Fuertes – A Celebration of Birds” presented by Robert McCracken Peck. Judy Stepenaskie will be honored with the presentation of the Edward Hicks Parry Award and Stephen Maciejewski will be honored with the presentation of the John Dornan Conservation Award.

FIELD TRIPS

Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge (aka: Brigantine)

9:00 AM, Saturday, November 12, 2022

Leigh Altadonna will meet participants at the Visitors Center Parking Lot. Our trip will begin with some birding by foot on the trails behind the Visitors Center. We will then take to our cars to bird the refuge for waterfowl, raptors and other fall migrants with frequent stops around the eight-mile loop. Bring spotting

scopes if you have them. Bring your lunch! We will stop to eat along the circuit or back near the Visitors Center depending on our progress.

We will offer an optional afternoon field trip extension to Brigantine Island depending on the weather and the birds. There are a few stops on the island that offer opportunities for costal birding and other birds around the inlet.

ABINGTON BIRD TOWN WALK

Tuesday, November 15, 2022, 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Lorimer Park from the Moredon Road Parking Lot

Join Jennifer Sherwood, Chair of Abington Bird Town for this monthly bird walk at Lorimer Park. We will walk portions of the Pennypack Trail and trails in Lorimer Park, an official Audubon IBA (Important Bird Area). We hope to see a few lingering late fall migrants, our returning winter birds and some of our year

round residents. These walks are being sponsored by the Abington Bird Town, and the Abington Environmental Advisory Council, and supported by the Wyncote Audubon Society. Directions: Meet at the Moredon Parking Lot at 183 Moredon Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006.

CHELTENHAM BIRD TOWN WALK

Saturday November 19, 2022, 8:00 AM

Tookany Creek Park

Join Judith Gratz in her series of monthly bird walks to explore some of the birding opportunities in Cheltenham Bird Town. Come help us find late fall migrant stragglers, our returning winter birds and other birds in the park along the Tookany Creek. The Cheltenham Township Bird Town, Sustainable Cheltenham, the Tookany/Tacony Watershed Partnership, and the Wyncote Audubon Society are supporting these walks – Meet at the Central Avenue Parking Lot near the end of the park.

UPPER DUBLIN BIRD TOWN WALK

November 19, 2022, 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM

Twining Valley Park

Join Nilesh Shah to search for birds at Twining Valley Park. Come see what birds frequent the habitats created at the park. These walks are being sponsored by the Upper Dublin Bird Town, Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation, and supported by the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club, and the Wyncote Audubon Society. Directions: Meet in the parking area of Twining Valley Park located at 1400 Twining Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090.

AUDUBON ADVENTURES!

Wyncote Audubon has been looking forward to this school year and the opportunity to reengage elementary school students and schools through the Audubon Adventures program. The Audubon Adventures materials are targeted for grades 3 to 5 but we have used them effectively with students as early as grade 2 and with grade 6 as well. Wyncote Audubon provides teachers with resources for their students through a wide range of topics related to nature and the environment.

Wyncote Audubon also provides an opportunity for our volunteers to deliver lessons for participation in the Great Backyard Bird Count, the most widely participated Community Science event over the last two decades. We also provide information and lessons on how students can help reduce bird mortality that results from collisions with glass. These efforts can be applied at the school or at the places students live.

We encourage our members and friends to disseminate this opportunity to teachers with whom they think would be interested in this program. We look forward to resuming our Audubon Adventures program after a near three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

BIRD SAFE PHILLY

Keep in Touch Through Facebook and Instagram

Bird Safe Philly is now represented on Facebook and Instagram! Please Like, Follow, and Share the content to help spread the word about bird collisions in the greater Philadelphia/southeastern Pennsylvania region.

See what Bird Safe Philly is doing to document and mitigate for collisions. Please share through your own personal social media network as well as the organization page that you participate.

• Bird Safe Philly (@birdsafephilly) • Instagram photos and videos
• Bird Safe Philly | Facebook

Please direct any questions to birdsafephilly@gmail.com

Volunteer for Our Audubon Adventures Educational Outreach Team

Wyncote Audubon is gearing up to get back to visiting schools and working with our “Audubon Adventures Clubs” in Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties. We are returning after a hiatus of nearly three years due to the COVID pandemic. Wyncote Audubon sponsors subscriptions to any teacher (grades 3 through 6) who would like a subscription to a package of Audubon Adventures topics. Our Wyncote Audubon volunteers work in teams to visit schools for special programs in 2022/2023. The two educational initiatives are:

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) where we prepare and encourage students, families and schools to get involved with this international "community science” program sponsored by Cornell, Audubon and Birds Canada. The GBBC takes place each year over Presidents’ Weekend. Our volunteer teams begin working with schools in December and January on winter bird identification, schoolyard bird walks, and how to participate in the GBBC.

Preventing Bird Collision with Glass is the focus of a special edition of Audubon Adventures that recently was developed. Wyncote Audubon will seek to work with Bird Safe Philly to have students take simple action to mitigate bird collisions with windows at their homes, schools, and other buildings in their communities. We will train volunteers to help do outreach to students, teachers and schools.

Express your interest in volunteering for either, or both, of these programs to: wyncoteaudubonsociety@gmail.com.

Wyncote Audubon Society | wyncoteaudubonsociety@gmail.com | wyncoteaudubon.org

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