At 6:06 pm Vice-President Barbara Saunders opened the meeting.
Vice-President Saunders introduced Bernd Brunner who presented on “Birdmania: A Remarkable Passion for Birds.” Mr. Brunner began his presentation by asking, is there a common denominator for people interested in birds? He then quoted a New York birdwatcher, who said, “There are two kinds of birdwatchers, those who know they are and those who have not yet realized they are.” He then read several stories about many different kinds of bird lovers, from Francois Le Valliant to Heimo Mikkola, a self-professed “Owloholic.”
At 7:17 pm AMNH Collections Manager Paul Sweet provided a brief update on the recently spotted and recently deceased Corn Crake that was found on Long Island. Mr. Sweet stated that while the Corn Crake is now a very rare bird it is not unheard of in North America and seven sighting records exist in New York. All but one were found on Long Island and five out of seven records were reported between the 1st and 5th of November. The majority of the records dated to the 19thcentury, with one former record in 1963. He then presented four specimens, including the most recently found bird, for review by the audience.
At 7:36 pm President Andrew Rubenfeld called the regular meeting of the society to order.
Recording Secretary Thomas read the minutes of the October 10, 2017 meeting and they were approved as read.
Secretary Lydia Thomas then announced three new candidates for membership: Jane Ellison, sponsored by Richard Lieberman; Ana Garcia, sponsored by Ken Chaya; and Adelia Honeywood Harrison, sponsored by Tom Stephenson. The candidates were approved by unanimous vote of the membership.
President Rubenfeld reminded society members to pay their dues. He also reminded the audience that the Annual Dinner is in March in addition to the election of officers and council members. He asked interested parties to see an officer or council members if they were interested in joining the ranks. He concluded by informing the audience that updated information and material are available on the society website.
At 7:41 pm President Rubenfeld introduced John Connors, a Long Island native who currently manages the Chimney Swift Research Project with Audubon and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, who presented on, “Chimney Swifts and People: Past, Present and Future.” Mr. Connors began his presentation with a story of a group of schoolchildren who sent him 73 questions after they witness a flock of chimney swifts emerge from a school chimney. He then explained the distinct anatomical features of swifts, which included feet with limited function, wings designed for strong, steady flapping flight and the fact that swifts eat, drink, bathe and gather nesting material – all while flying. Citing the first found chimney swift nest in 1682, Mr. Connors also explained how these birds adapted from roosting in hollow trees to chimneys, how that enabled them to survive the clearing of many forests, but has ultimately lead to their recent decline, as more and more people cap their chimneys. He concluded his presentation with information on how to help chimney swift populations recover.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 pm.
Respectfully submitted by
Rochelle Thomas, Recording Secretary