Northern Neck Audubon NewsThe Northern Neck of Virginia Chapter of the National Audubon Society

Volume 39 - No. 2! March/April 2012

Osprey photo by Paul Servis

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Inside This Issue

......................................President’s Message ! 2..........................In Memory of Frank Jewell ! 3

................Help Needed for the Wild Bunch! 3.............Virginia Audubon Council Report ! 3

..........................................Upcoming Events ! 4.....................................................Past Events ! 5

February 25 - Bird WalkHughlett Point & Dameron Marsh Led by Frank Schaff 804-462-0084

March 5 - 7:00 PMMeeting - Grace Church, Kilmarnock Speaker: William LynchFacts and Folklore about American Vultures

March 12 - Bird WalkHughlett Point & Dameron Marsh Led by Frank Schaff 804-462-0084

March 17 - Bird WalkHutchinson Tract, Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge Led by Frank Schaff 804-462-0084

April 2 - 7:00 PMMeeting - Grace Church, Kilmarnock Speaker: Marlene A. CondonThe Nature Friendly Garden

! P.O. Box 991, Kilmarnock, Virginia 22482! ! www.northernneckaudubon.org

NORTHERN NECK AUDUBON NEWS! MARCH/APRIL 2012 PAGE 2

In the January/February NNAS newsletter, I challenged you to see, identify and report the six species of woodpeckers of the Northern Neck. My lack of knowledge was quickly brought to my attention, however, that in fact there are seven species to be found. (I should have consulted the NNAS Bird Checklist!) The woodpecker I overlooked is the one I’ve never seen - but have seen evidence of - the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. It’s even fun to say this name! Along forested nature trails, especially with a stream or marshy area nearby, one can often see the lined-pattern of pockmarks this bird leaves behind. The bird is

President’s Message

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, (Sphyrapicus varius). Photograph by Dominic Sherony.

they may watch for the red colors of woodpeckers to locate a substitute for nectar - sap. There have been reports of hummingbirds with their beaks stuck together by sap.

So as the sap rises this spring, watch and listen for the rapping of woodpeckers and the welcome chatter and sounds of hummers.

Paula Boundy, Chapter President

after sap and also eats the tree’s cambium layer and the insects attracted to the sap. An interesting connection may exist between woodpeckers and hummingbirds. As hummingbirds migrate north,

Holes in a dying White birch, Jacques-Cartier National Park. Photograph by Simon Pierre

Barrette.Editor’s note: The other six woodpecker species are:Red-headed WoodpeckerRed-bellied WoodpeckerNorthern FlickerDowny WoodpeckerHairy WoodpeckerPileated Woodpecker

NORTHERN NECK AUDUBON NEWS! MARCH/APRIL 2012 PAGE 3

Frank Jewell, Past President of the Northern Neck Audubon Society, died January 17 after a tough battle with ALS. He outlasted the predictions of his physicians by some months, and this was just like Frank! He had a stubborn streak when he was fighting for something that he believed to be important.

As NNAS President, Frank worked as an advocate for the environment and for the protection of sensitive lands. He pushed back against the development of Fone's Cliffs and the development of Bluff Point. Frank continued to serve as NNAS President as long as his strength held up.

Love of nature was part of Frank's life up to last. He had the bird feeders placed closer to the windows so he could enjoy the birds from his chair. From his “perch” Frank could view his birds and the beauty of nature along the creek adjacent to his house. He enjoyed reading, nature, and good food (especially ice cream) as he fought ALS.

Frank’s wife, Sarah, and her family held a private funeral as Frank had requested. Memorials may be made to:

Northern Neck Audubon SocietyP.O. Box 991Kilmarnock, VA 22482

Hopkins Multidisciplinary ALS Clinicc/o Lora L. Clawson, MSN, CRNPJHOPC - 5th floor - Room 5070A 601 North Caroline StreetBaltimore, MD 21287

Riverside Hospice618 Hospital RoadTappahannock, VA 22560

Submitted by Paul Servis, NNAS

In Memory of Frank Jewell

On the inside of the back page of each NNAS newsletter (including this one), you can find a "business" card for wildlife rehabilitater Diana O'Connor. Now the rehabilitation refuge that Diana heads needs your help.

It is hard work feeding and caring for injured or orphaned birds and wildlife. Currently there are only two full time workers at the refuge, and they can use all kinds of help -- from actual hands-on rehabbing to clerical and housekeeping chores. If you think you would be interested, there is an informational meeting March 7th at Menokin, 4037 Menokin Rd., Warsaw, Virginia, at 10:30 A.M. Bring a bag lunch and allow time for a tour of the refuge after lunch. For further information please contact B e t h K e n d r i c k 8 0 4 - 4 3 6 - 8 0 1 3 , bakendrick1@verizon.net.

Help Needed for the Wild Bunch

Virginia Audubon Council

Meeting Report for October 11, 2011

There are six Audubon chapters in Virginia. Each chapter is asked to send a voting representative and an alternate to the three Virginia Audubon Council (VAC) meetings held each year. The last get together in 2011 was the October meeting, which was held at a lovely conference center on the James River.

The first order of business was to elect officers for 2012. Bruce Johnson, from the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, will be a dynamic President of VAC. Lewis Barnett, from the Richmond Chapter, will be Treasurer, and Mary Elfner, who spoke at the NNAS September meeting on the topic of Important Bird Areas (IBAs), will be Secretary. Our chapter was represented by long time Council Vice

NORTHERN NECK AUDUBON NEWS! MARCH/APRIL 2012 PAGE 4

President, Rick Skelton, and voting representative Margaret Gerdts, who have switched positions on the council. We would very much like more members from NNAS to join our group.

For a number of years, the primary work of the VAC has centered on Virginia’s IBAs: picking locations, enrolling them as part of the world-wide IBA plan, surveying them for bird life at various times of the year, etc. We may still add IBA areas in our state, but most of our discussions now have to do with what needs to be done at the IBAs that are close to chapters. Our chapter is not far from the Lower Rappahannock River IBA.

There are conflicts between plans to meet our national energy needs and the need to protect our environment. The Virginia Audubon Council is particularly concerned about plans being made to mine uranium in Virginia and the harm to bats as well as birds that wind turbines do, regardless of whether they are built on mountain tops or near shorelines.

If any of this sounds interesting, please make plans to join us at the next council meeting.

Respectfully submitted, Richard (Rick) Skelton

Virginia Audubon Council (continued)

March 5, 2012 Program Speaker: William Lynch

Facts and Folklore about American Vultures

Come hear about these familiar but often misunderstood birds. Bill Lynch received his B. A.

in Biology from Berea College and an M.S. in Biology from Eastern Kentucky University. The title of his Master’s thesis is “Nesting and Post-Nesting Behavior of the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) in Central Kentucky”. The beginning of Bill’s Turkey Vulture interest occurred during his undergraduate studies at Berea College. He often hiked Berea College’s Indian Fort Mountain, which is dominated by sandstone cliffs. It was during his explorations of the sandstone rock cliffs and rock outcrops that he originally came across Turkey Vultures. Although his observations were sporadic, he quickly became impressed by the large bird. Bill soon began a literature search for any piece of information he could find regarding Turkey Vultures. It became clear that information on the bird was spotty at best, at least up to 1975. So it was as a freshman that he decided he was going to study Turkey Vultures for his Master’s thesis research. His more recent research interest focuses on the communication and family dynamics of nesting vultures, and arthropods utilizing Black and Turkey Vulture nests.

During the past 17 years Bill has worked as a Wildlife Biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. His primary duty is assisting private landowners with habitat improvement for native plant and animal species. He also teaches part-time at Western Kentucky University. One of his hobbies is archery bow making.

Upcoming Events

NORTHERN NECK AUDUBON NEWS! MARCH/APRIL 2012 PAGE 5

April 2 NNAS ProgramSpeaker: Marlene A. Condon

The Nature Friendly Garden

Marlene A. Condon is a nature writer and photographer with a passion for creating wildlife habitat around homes. She served as a Virginia Field Editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and she has been published in numerous newspapers and magazines.

Marlene is the author and photographer of The Nature-friendly Garden: Creating a Backyard Haven for Plants, Wildlife, and People (Stackpole Books). Her yard has been certified as a backyard wildlife habitat by the Virginia

Upcoming Events (continued)

Past Events

INJURED BIRDS

Diana O’ Conner - 804-313-2240

INJURED ANIMALS

Nancy Johnston - 804-435-3040

Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the National Wildlife Federation. It has been showcased on public television stations WVPT in Harrisonburg and WCVE in Richmond, Virginia. She gives slide presentations from spring through fall in Shenandoah National Park.

studies at University of Virginia, presented a program that showed the various roles, appearances, and plot functions that have influenced the perception of birders (and, by extension, bird conservation) in U.S. culture. With a few exceptions, that perception has not been a positive one.

In the movie and television clips that Ned showed, birders were often seen as odd, misanthropic, and sometimes even murderous. Fortunately, in more recent movies such as The Big Year, birders are now becoming more attractive characters.

February 6 NNAS Program

Speaker: Dr. Edward (Ned) Brinkley

Miss Hathaway and Her Kind: Images of birders in U.S. popular culture

From the first days of cinema to the latest television sit-com, birders have been depicted on-screen. With extensive clips of media from 1930 through 2005 Dr. Ned Brinkley, formerly a professor of literature and film

Bird Walk Reports from Maryalyce JohnsonFrank Schaff led members of our Audubon Club on a delightful walk at Belle Isle State Park on January 28. We totaled 32 species as follows: American Crow, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal, Red-shouldered Hawk, Eastern Bluebird, Northern Mockingbird, Song Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Carolina Wren, Hermit Thrush, Bald Eagle, Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Tundra Swan, White-throated Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Tufted Titmouse, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Hooded Merganser, Blue Jay, Ring-billed Gull, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Horned Grebe, Turkey Vulture, Horned Lark, Field Sparrow, American Robin and a real special treat, an American Pipit.

Jim Wagner led our February 13 bird walk at Regent Point Marina. Eleven hearty souls braved the cold to go on the walk. Our total count was 34 Species as follows:Great Blue Heron, Hooded Merganser, Horned Grebe, Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, Northern Mockingbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, European Starling, Bald Eagle, Ring-billed Gull, House Finch, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Red-bellied Woodpecker, White-throated Sparrow, American Crow, Canada Goose, Belted Kingfisher, Ruddy Duck, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, American Goldfinch, Carolina Wren, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Loon, Tufted Titmouse, Turkey Vulture, Mallard, and Carolina Chickadee.

Application for Membership in NNAS - Chapter Code X50, 7XCH! Local Chapter Only Membership - $15.00 annually, renewable in June; includes local newsletter and directory.

! National & Local Membership - $20.00 introductory ($35.00 after), is above, plus glossy National Audubon Magazine.Make checks payable to “National Audubon Society”.

Name ____________________________________________________________! Phone -

Address ________________________________________________________! E-Mail

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"Officers

President! Paula BoundyV President! Ron FeldmanSecretary! Nancy GarveyTreasurer! Trudy QuintoPast Pres.! James Wagner

Birdhouse! Fred Witschey &! Ron FeldmanConservation! Rea HinchC. Easement! Paul ServisEducation! Jan Tyndall &! Paula BoundyPrograms! Bonnie WilsonBird Walks! Frank SchaffGrant Review! Ron Feldman

Gifts & Mem.! OpenHickory H’w! Glyn SurdamMembership! Jessica ServisNewsletter! Bonnie Wilson

Publicity! Margaret GerdtsHospitality! Open

Committee Chairs

Northern Neck Audubon Society Resources

Websitewww.northernneckaudubon.orgsuggestions to:bbwilson@kaballero.com

Directory - publ. every 18 mths

Newsletter - five issues annually submit ideas, articles etc. to:bbwilson@kaballero.com

Media

Northern Neck of Virginia Chapter!Non-Profit OrganizationOf the National Audubon Society!U.S. Postage PaidP.O. Box 991!Kilmarnock, VA 22482Kilmarnock, VA 22482-0991!Permit No. 36

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