Three Rivers Birding Club Southwestern Pennsylvania

Bimonthly Membership Meeting
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
7:30 PM -- 9:30 PM
Zoom Meeting Originating in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Ninety computers were logged on to 3RBC's February membership meeting with several shared by more than one person. In total, approximately one-hundred-twelve individuals viewed the meeting, which featured popular author Scott Weidensaul who spoke about his book on bird migration: A World on the Wing; The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds.

President Mike Fialkovich called the meeting to order at approximately 7:30 pm. He and other club officers and members made the following announcements and reports.

• Mike announced that Audubon of Western Pennsylvania is offering a new eco-tour, a trip to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone, on June 14-19, 2025. Mike noted that the trip will explore the birds, scenery, and natural history of Wyoming. Unlike many birding trips that travel to several different destinations, the Jackson Lake Lodge will serve as the home-base for the entire trip. No changing hotels! The trip is timed for when wildflowers are blooming, birds are singing, and newborn wildlife abounds. This tour offers you the flexibility to choose how much birding you do. Optional excursions will be offered throughout the day with opportunities to view the park's birds and wildlife. These hikes will be planned according to recent sightings and trail conditions. Participants will also spend a day in Yellowstone! Visit aswp.org for more details.


• President Fialkovich also updated the members on his Dead of Winter outing, which had to be rescheduled due to bad weather. The rescheduled event took place in Frick Park on February 1, 2025, and 15 hardy souls participated. Mike reported that the trails were a bit icy, and even though it was cold, the skies were blue and sunny. The participants were rewarded with many excellent sightings, among them a Red-tailed Hawk, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and, a special treat, one of the park's two resident Barred Owls!


• Peregrine editor, Bob Mulvihill provided a sneak peek at some of the nest issue's upcoming articles. He reported that the next Peregrine will detail more than a dozen spring outings. In addition, the issue will contain a summary of the recent Christmas Bird Count findings. Long-time club member Sam Sinderson's report on his trip to Borneo is sure to entertain, and Bob is working with Paul Hess on an article about spring warblers, especially those who visit backyard trees. The article will list some trees and/or shrubs that can be added to a yard to attract warblers. Bob also reminded the members that anyone who has an idea for an article should contact him. He noted that he is always looking for good photos as well.


• Treasurer Tom Moeller reported that the club has 348 memberships, translating into well over 450 individuals. Nine individuals fulfilled their New Year's resolutions and joined the club in January! Some membership renewals are still outstanding, but there is hope they will renew soon. Finally, he also extended his thanks to new members who have chosen to join us, and to our loyal ongoing members for their continued support and generosity.


• Webmaster Tom Moeller reported that, thanks to Steve Thomas, the club history for 2024 is now on the website. Tom also noted that the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area has closed many of its trails in an effort to contain the spread of Avian Flu, and an announcement to this effect is also on the site, with a link to further details about the closure. Finally, Tom noted that the evening's program by Scott Weidensaul will be recorded, but, at Scott's request, the video recording will only appear on our site for one month, after which it will be removed.


• Outings Director Steve Thomas reminded us that the Backyard Bird Count will take place February 14-17. He urged members to participate. He announced that the following Spring outings will take place:
  
  
  • February 21, 2025 – Beginning Birders, Sewickley Heights Borough Park
  • March 16, 2025 – Pymatuning Area
  • March 19 and 26, 2025 – Woodcock Walks
  • April 5, 2025 – Yellow Creek
  • April 9, 2025 – Woodcock Walk
  • April 25, 2025 – Warblers at Sewickley Heights Borough Park
  • April 26, 2025 – Boys Home Park, South Fayette Township
  • May 2, 2025 – North Park
  • May 9, 2025 – Warblers at Sewickley Heights Borough Park
  • May 10, 2025 – Deer Lakes Park
  • May 11, 2025 – Harrison Hills Park
  • May 16, 2025 – Beginning Birders, Sewickley Heights Borough Park
  • June 1, 2025 – 3RBC's Annual Picnic, Harrison Hills Park
  
  Outing participants must follow club guidelines. Social distancing, not sharing equipment, and wearing a mask are no longer required, unless an individual chooses otherwise. Each outing leader may set additional restrictions and requirements: some leaders require pre-registration, and numbers of participants may be limited. Each leader may discontinue the outing at any time if conditions warrant such an action. Attendees should also note that pets are not permitted on 3RBC outings. Please see the full outing listing on the website for all prerequisites that may apply! As always, check the club's website and Facebook page for details, directions, and possible last minute changes or cancellations.


• President Mike Fialkovich gave his recap of highlights of recent bird sightings: Large flocks of Common Mergansers and Canvasbacks at the Braddock Boat Ramp; Red-breasted Mergansers at Duck Hollow and the Braddock Boat Ramp; late fall Killdeer at South Park and Hampton Township Park; Wilson's Snipe at Imperial; a large mixed flock of 37 Black and 68 Turkey Vultures at a cemetery in North Versailles; Eastern Phoebe at Imperial; Ruby-crowned Kinglet in Etna; Gray Catbird at Beechwood Farms, Wingfield Pines, North Park and Frick Park; Brown Thrasher at North Park; flock of American Pipits at Aspinwall Community Park; yellow variant House Finch at a feeder in Indiana Township; a flock of 17 Purple Finches at feeder in Indiana Township; 70 American Goldfinches at Allison Park; Eastern Towhees and Field Sparrows have been reported in the area; Fox Sparrow at Beechwood Farms; 105 Dark-eyed Juncos at the Lynches' Feeding Station in Pine Township; large flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds at the feeders in Frick Park; Common Grackles in Squirrel Hill, Frick Park, and Pine Township; Brown-headed Cowbirds in Frick Park, Indiana Township; and Pine Township; a very late Nashville Warbler in Highland Park; a very late Common Yellowthroat at Peters Creek; Ross's Goose in Findlay Township and North Park; Brant at Duck Hollow; Tundra Swans reported flying over Etna; Long-tailed Ducks on the North Shore, Oakmont, Duck Hollow, Natrona Heights, and the Highland Park Bridge; Iceland Gull flying over Penn Hills; Glaucous Gull at the Point; Lesser Black-backed Gulls at the Point; Northern Saw-whet Owl heard calling in West Deer Township; Red-headed Woodpecker at North Park; Marsh Wren at Wingfield Pines and Duck Hollow; Snow Bunting in West Deer Township; Pine Siskin at North Park, Allison Park, and Hartwood Acres; hybrid Eastern/Spotted Towhee at Beechwood Farms; and Rusty Blackbirds at Wingfield Pines, West Deer Township, and North Park.


• Program Director Carol McCullough informed the members that the club's April 2, 2025, meeting will be hybrid - both in-person at Beechwood Farms Auditorium and on Zoom. The meeting will feature Amber Wiewel, the Bird Atlas Coordinator for the Third Pennsylvania Bird Atlas. She will tell us all about the five-year program documenting all breeding and wintering species across Pennsylvania. Amber's topic will be "Pennsylvania's Third Bird Atlas - Celebrating the First Year!" She will give a short, general intro to the Atlas, including the very basics of participating, and then spend the rest of the time recapping the first year (Breeding and Winter).

Carol next introduced the evening's speaker, Scott Weidensaul. Scott, originally from Pennsylvania but now living in New England, is a naturalist and author, born in 1959. He is a recognized authority on ornithology and has written more than 30 books about birds and other aspects of natural history. His book Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere With Migratory Birds was a finalist for the 2000 Pulitzer Prize in general nonfiction. Scott is a 3RBC favorite, with this being his third presentation before the club.
Scott, a passionate bird migration researcher, shared his journey and experiences in the field. He discussed his early fascination with bird migration, which led to his book Living on the Wind and his more recent work, A World on the Wing. Scott emphasized the importance of understanding the challenges faced by migratory birds, such as habitat loss and climate change, and highlighted the need for conservation efforts to protect grassland habitats. He also expressed optimism about the future of migratory birds, citing advancements in technology and data collection, as well as the progress made in preserving wetland habitats.

He next discussed the incredible migratory feats of birds, noting as an example the Semipalmated Sandpiper, which undertakes a 3,300-mile nonstop flight from the northeastern coast of North America to the northeastern coast of South America. He compared this to human athletes, specifically Tour de France cyclists, highlighting the birds' superior endurance and ability to operate at higher metabolic rates for extended periods without food, water, or rest. Scott also touched on the birds' navigational abilities, including their use of the earth's magnetic field and the night sky for orientation. He explained the concept of quantum entanglement, which has been conjectured as helping birds to see the earth's magnetic field and maintain their north-south axis, even if the poles flip. However, the east-west aspect of their magnetic orientation remains a mystery.

Following this, Scott told the members about the extraordinary migration patterns of birds, particularly the Alpine Swift and the Common Swift. He highlighted that these birds spend months in continuous flight, with the Common Swift flying for 10 months straight. Scott also discussed the importance of stopover sites for migratory birds, particularly the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, which is crucial for millions of shorebirds. He noted that the Yellow Sea, between China and the Korean peninsula, is the linchpin for this flyway. However, Scott pointed out that the mudflats in the Yellow Sea have been significantly destroyed due to human activities. Despite this, he shared a positive development - the Chinese government declared a near-complete ban on further coastal destruction on the Yellow Sea and nominated dozens of important shorebird sites for UNESCO World Heritage Program protection.

The challenges faced by migratory birds are many, particularly due to climate change. Scott noted that many bird species are arriving earlier in the spring and leaving later in the fall, but long-distance neotropical migrants are not keeping pace with the changing climate. Scott also called out the Doppler weather radar system as a powerful tool for understanding migration. He recommended that all birders take special note of the collaborative project BirdCast. He emphasized the importance of eBird, the world's largest wildlife observational database, in providing detailed insights into bird populations and their changes over time. Scott concluded by mentioning the use of tracking technology to further understand bird migration.

Urban light pollution is of particular concern for migrating birds. Scott discussed the challenges faced by migratory birds, particularly in the fall, due to urban light pollution and artificial light at night. He highlighted the importance of urban green spaces for bird conservation and encouraged the management of these spaces for both human recreation and birds. Scott also talked about Project SNOWstorm, which has tagged about 120 Snowy Owls in 17 states and provinces, and the Motus wildlife tracking system, which has tracked many thousands of animals, including birds. He emphasized the need to avoid using anticoagulant rodenticides around homes as they pose a significant threat to neighborhood raptors.

Lastly, Scott shared a story about the Amur Falcons gathering in Nagaland, India, to feed on termites before their long migration across the Indian Ocean to Southern Africa. The Amur Falcon migration in Nagaland, India, is one of the largest gatherings of raptors on the planet. Villagers there were previously killing around 140,000 falcons annually, but after being informed by conservationists that tourists would be willing to pay for viewing these birds, they stopped the practice. The community now earns more from bird tourism than they did from falcon trapping. Scott also mentioned the challenges faced by the community during the pandemic and the growing domestic tourism market for falcon viewing. He concluded by emphasizing the importance of conservation efforts for the future of these birds and the challenges faced due to the lack of infrastructure and the region's political climate. He mentioned the difficulties in accessing the area and the need for better roads for conservation efforts.

After reiterating the need for continued work on habitat protection and research, Scott took several questions from the audience. President Fialkovich thanked Scott for his work, thanked the members, and adjourned the meeting.

— prepared by Frank Moone on February 9, 2025