Three Rivers Birding Club Southwestern Pennsylvania

Bimonthly Membership Meeting
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
7:30 PM -- 9:30 PM
Hybrid Meeting Originating from Beechwood Farms in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Thirty-seven members were in attendance in-person at 3RBC's June membership meeting, held in the auditorium of Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania's Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve. In addition to those attending in-person, eighteen computers were logged on to the meeting via Zoom, with some shared by more than one person. In total, more than 55 individuals attended the meeting.

QUICK RECAP

The Three Rivers Bird Club held its August meeting, in which President Mike Fialkovich announced nominations for new board members. Editor Bob Mulvihill discussed the upcoming issue of The Peregrine and requested photos of Joe Grom (Joseph A. Grom, naturalist). Treasurer Tom Moeller presented the proposed budget for 2026-2027, which was approved. He also provided a treasury report and webmaster update, noting the club's financial health and the shift towards digital newsletters. Outings Director Steve Thomas outlined the upcoming fall birding outings and the 25th anniversary picnic at Boyce Mayview Park. A bird report highlighted notable sightings in the region, including Upland Sandpipers and Blue Grosbeaks. Program Director Carol McCullough introduced the evening's speaker, Frank Izaguirre, who gave a presentation on his experiences as the editor of Birding magazine and as the ABA's social media manager, discussing the behind-the-scenes work and differences between the two roles. Frank answered questions about feedback, AI-generated content, and his transition from editor to his current marketing role. The conversation ended with thanks to the club's volunteers and members.

NEXT STEPS

Bob Mulvihill

• Request and collect photos of Joe Grom from club members for the upcoming issue of The Peregrine.

Collaboration

• All Club Members: Nominate candidates for the board through September for the October election, by contacting Kraig Cawley, Joe Valimont, or Dave Brooke. See the 3RBC website for details.


• All Club Members: Submit material (birding trip accounts, ID tips, anecdotes, photos with captions) to Bob Mulvihill for The Peregrine via 3rbc.peregrine@gmail.com.


• All Club Members: Attend the 25th Anniversary picnic at Boyce-Mayview on September 26th, with two walks starting at 9 AM and the picnic at 12 PM.


• All Club Members: Participate in the upcoming fall outings as listed on the website and social media.


• All Club Members: Consider attending the October meeting to elect the Board of Directors and hear the speaker Brian Shema on Chimney Swifts.

MEETING SUMMARY

Officer Announcements

• President Mike Fialkovich announced that nominations for the Board of Directors are being accepted through September for the October election.


• The Peregrine Editor Bob Mulvihill discussed the next issue of The Peregrine and requested members to submit articles, photos, and personal birding experiences.


• Treasurer Tom Moeller presented the proposed budget for 2026-27, highlighting changes in expenses such as printing costs, guest speakers, and insurance. The proposed budget showed total expected revenue of $11,000 with expected expenditures of $7,245, resulting in a surplus of $3,755. The proposed budget was approved by the meeting attendees. His Treasurer report indicated 337 current memberships with 425 total members, and a shift toward more digital downloads with 53% paper copies versus 47% digital copies of The Peregrine.
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• Outings Director Steve Thomas outlined upcoming fall outings from August through November, including a 25th Anniversary Picnic on September 26 at Boyce-Mayview Park starting at 9 AM with a choice of two walks and a 12 PM picnic.
Upcoming outings and events include:


• September 5 – Harrison Hills Park
• September 11 – Sewickley Heights Borough Park
• September 12 – Deer Lakes Park
• September 18 – Hartwood Acres
• September 26 – 3RBC Annual Picnic at Boyce-Mayview Park
• September 27 – Frick Park
• October 3 – Linda's Farm
• October 10 – Gilfillan Park
• November 7 – Yellow Creek State Park
• November 14 – Peters Lake
• November 21 – Panhandle Trail Midway/Bulgar


• Mike's Birding Report covered various sightings, including out-of-season birds, breeding success stories, and significant discoveries such as Upland Sandpipers nesting in Imperial and Merlins breeding in multiple areas. He also shared updates on a Painted Bunting at Frick Park.


• Program Director Carol McCullough announced that Brian Shema will be the speaker at the next meeting in October. She introduced the evening's speaker, Frank Izaguirre, who discussed his experience as the marketing and communications manager of the American Birding Association and provided insights into the editing process of Birding magazine, including the balance of themes, content types, and considerations around diversity and representation.

Proofs, Posts, and Peents: An Inside Look at Being a Bird Magazine Editor and Social Media Manager Summary:

Frank opened with the importance of diversity in magazine contributors, including racial, ethnic, gender, age, and geographic representation across the ABA area. He explained that as an editor, he rarely was the expert on topics and instead worked with premier experts in various fields, while maintaining responsibility for factual accuracy. Frank also emphasized the need to define a clear niche for the magazine, particularly for Birding, which should focus on birding rather than scientific or conservation topics that might be better suited for other publications.

Frank discussed the complex dynamics of working with designers, explaining that while editors oversee magazine content decisions, designers often require significant input and can take on substantial revision work. He described the management aspects of coordinating with associate editors and column editors, emphasizing the need for foresight in planning and ensuring contributors are available when needed. Frank also explained the varying payment structures for contributors, noting that while some newer writers appreciate modest honorariums of a few hundred dollars, established professionals often prefer exposure and audience reach over financial compensation.

Frank detailed the essential aspects of being a bird magazine editor, emphasizing the importance of meeting the edit close deadline when all content is uploaded to the designer. He highlighted that the biggest mistake to avoid is misidentifying birds, as the membership holds editors accountable for accuracy. Frank also explained the hierarchy of errors, noting that while typos and style consistency are important, bird identifications take priority, and managing relationships with contributors is crucial. He mentioned that some content, such as featured photos and captions, may be ghostwritten by the editor, and he addressed strategies for handling poorly written articles, preferring to maintain positive relationships rather than requesting rewrites.

Frank continued with his approach to editing articles for the magazine, emphasizing the importance of balancing content quality and managing time under deadlines. He shared strategies for organizing articles, including placing strong features early in the magazine and using shorter articles to maintain reader engagement. Frank also addressed challenges related to birding ethics, sharing instances where he had to make difficult decisions about content that potentially violated ethical guidelines, and highlighted the importance of accountability and learning from mistakes.

Frank compared the differences between editing a magazine and managing social media, highlighting that social media requires daily posting and engagement, which is incompatible with the longer-term planning needed for magazine editing. He explained that short-form videos perform significantly better on platforms like TikTok, with some videos reaching over 100,000 views, and he noted that following TikTok trends helps create content appealing to younger generations while still resonating with older audiences. Frank also mentioned that managing multiple social media accounts across different platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and Blue Sky, requires constant attention to audience engagement and response times.

Frank concluded with his transition from academia to social media management at ABA, explaining how he aims to raise social media accounts to six or seven figures in followers while maintaining a humorous tone that appeals to younger birders. He described the challenges of constant content creation and the need for high-quality photos and videos, noting that unlike the magazine, which has a budget, social media content is produced without dedicated funding. Frank outlined ABA's various programs, including the American Birding Podcast, Young Birder Program, and Bird of the Year initiative, and addressed questions about feedback metrics for both social media and the magazine, explaining that while social media receives more direct feedback, magazine feedback is often negative when readers do respond.

After questions, President Fialkovich thanked Frank for his presentation and adjourned the meeting.

— Zoom Meeting Summary, edited by Dan Mendenhall on September 3, 2026