Central Westchester Audubon Society
	Elmsford, Greenburgh, Harrison, Purchase, Rye, Rye Brook, Port Chester and White Plains
	P.O. Box 359, White Plains, NY 10602 email: cwas@centralwestchesteraudubon.org

Programs

Westchester Wild Life - Close Encounters With Our Natural Neighbors
Thursday, January 15, 2004
8:00 PM in the Gym
Church St. School
295 Church St., White Plains

Speaker: Peter daSilva

An amazing variety of wildlife manages to flourish in both the man made and the still natural environments around us. Board member, Peter da Silva, will present a portfolio of images that he has captured while stalking wildlife in the metropolitan area. Join us for a fun evening of discovery.

Speaker: Joseph Squillante

Professional photographer Joseph Squillante has been making images of his beloved Hudson River for more than 25 years. He captures the essence of the river''s natural beauty and its people in his images. The slide show travels the Hudson''s length. Witness the exciting capture of a three-year-old Bald Eagle and the banding of a Peregrine Falcon. Hike up Mount Marcy in the Adirondacks to Lake Tear of the Clouds, the source of the Hudson. Follow the parade of tall ships in New York Harbor from aboard the sloop Clearwater. Meet shad fishermen, apple farmers, river pilots, ice boaters, sleigh riders, and whitewater racers.

Please join us for this outstanding program which is free and open to the public.

*Directions to Port Chester Library from White Plains side of the Hutchinson River Parkway: 1. I-287 East to Exit 10, Purchase St.; 2. Bear left under I-287 onto Westchester Ave.; 3. Westchester Ave. 1.5 miles to Haseco Ave. on left. Look for Library Sign; 4. Left on Haseco Ave.. The library parking lot and front door are on the right.

Schedule of Field Trips

Following is a listing of upcoming field trips. Unless otherwise indicated, all trips will start at Education House, 5 Homeside Lane in White Plains. Car pooling will be available. If you have questions call Jeanne Alpert at 914-946-1780 or Victor Ramos at 235-3088. Although appreciation of nature transcends all languages, if requested, our trip leader, Victor, can provide Spanish translations. We strongly encourage beginning birders to take advantage of our field trips which are free and open to all. A few loaner binoculars will be available.

In general, for all of our trips you should dress in layers and bring water.

Directions to Education House. Homeside Lane is located off North St. in White Plains. Going south on Mamaroneck Avenue from downtown White Plains, make a left turn on Ridgeway. Go down Ridgeway to the traffic light (firehouse on the left) and turn right on to North Street. Homeside Lane is the third right and Education House is the first building on the left. Parking is available in the circular driveway..

Sunday, January 18, 9AM, Greenwich Point. Meet at Education House to carpool to the site. January at Greenwich Point often provides us with some very interesting sightings. While there are no guarantees we have seen Common Loons, and once a Barred Owl. There is usually a good variety of wintering land birds as well as water fowl. Bring binoculars (some loaners will be available) and dress warmly. We should be back in White Plains about 1PM.

Saturday, February 7, 8:30AM, Croton Point Park Meet at Hank Weber's Wild Bird Center store at 400 Central Park Avenue, Scarsdale (across from Home Depot) 713-0630. We will depart from there to Croton Point Park in search of Bald Eagles. This spot is a favorite place for wintering Bald Eagles so the probability of finding them is fairly high. Dress warmly for this morning walk.

Sunday, February 22, 2:00PM, Marshlands Conservancy. Co-sponsored with Westchester County Dept. of Parks and Recreation. Join Alison Beall, curator of Marshlands, and Victor Ramos, our trip leader for a bi-lingual winter bird walk. Meet at Marshlands. Bring binoculars, if you have them.

Bird Feeder Notes from Sapsucker Woods
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Feeder Maintenance
Clean your feeders about once every two weeks, more often during times of heavy use. Scrub them with soap and water, then dip them into a solution of one part bleach and nine parts water. Rinse well and allow them to dry thoroughly before refilling them with birdseed. Another important maintenance activity is to periodically rake up birdseed hulls beneath your feeders. Decomposing hulls may harbor bacteria that could spread bird diseases to your feathered guests and may kill your lawn or flowers.

Provide Water
Birds need water not only to drink, but also to bathe in - clean feathers provide the best insulation. A dependable supply of fresh water will even attract to your yard birds that wouldn't ordinarily come to your feeders. A shallow, easy-to-clean birdbath is best - an upside-down garbage can lid or large frying pan will work fine. An immersion style water heater will keep your birdbath unfrozen in the winter. Clean your birdbath often and keep it filled with fresh water.

That Perfect Day
The sun is shining
And not a cloud in the sky
It is cold and hot at the same time
With the breeze and the sun competing.
An Osprey and a Red-tailed Hawk soar overhead,
Their wings and tail spread wide across the sky.
Over the school three Blue Jays fly,
Flapping their wings that seem to cut right through the air.
Over the forest four goldfinches fly through the air
Like they are on an invisible roller coaster
On the east side of the school
The berries on the trees are ripe,
Waiting for the arrival of the Cedar Waxwings
And the big feast.
Up above I see the sun trying its hardest
To break free of the thick layer of clouds.
By Benjamin Van Doren, Age 9

Audubon & Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Announce the 7th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count
February 13-16 2004

All ages and skill levels welcome
Help scientists define the status of winter birds
Join backyard birders from Nome to Key West
Become a Citizen Scientist
Spread the word
Great joint project for parents with their kids.
Participate by Visiting http://www.birdsource.org
Audubon Contact: citizenscience@audubon.org
Cornell Contact: cornellbirds@cornell.edu

CWAS Offers Camp Scholarships

CWAS will again offer camp scholarships to elementary school students who reside in the communities served by our chapter. Children entering grades 2 through 6 by September 2004 are eligible for 1-week scholarships this coming summer to the Westchester County Ecology Camps at Marshlands Conservancy in Rye, Cranberry Lake in North White Plains, or the Audubon Adventures Summer Programs for Children at the Audubon Center in Greenwich.

Around mid-January we will be mailing applications to the principals of the schools in the communities we serve for distribution to teachers in the appropriate grades. If you wish your child to apply for a scholarship, ask your child's teacher or principal. In addition applications will be available at the children's section of your local library and at the Marshlands and Cranberry Lake Nature Centers. You may also call Bob Canfield (949-6322) or Ann and Jack O'Brien (835-2178), who are in charge of the scholarship program, for information.

Summer Camp Reports
From Our Scholarship Winners

Dear the Audubon Society,
I think that the Audubon thing at Cranberry Lake was GREAT. My favorite activity was going to the quarry. We saw a million chipmunks and 1 dead bird. We also saw birds that were alive like, green heron, blue heron and goldfinches. I really liked my counselors Kevin and Joe. I had a great time. I really appreciated the scholarship.
From your friend,
Catherine Krug

Dear Cranberry Lake,
My favorite activity was going to the quarrys. I saw snakes, frogs, chipmunks and daddy long legs. I also liked going ponding and hiking. I had a wonderful time there.
Sincerely,
Anthony Pirro IV

And from Anthony's Mom

Dear Central Westchester Audubon Society,
Thank you for giving my son Anthony the opportunity to experience nature in a fun way. He spoke very excitedly about his newest discoveries at the pond and about not being scared of a Daddy Long Legs. He shared with us information on the quarry that we did not know. It was fascinating to experience it through his eyes.
Respectfully,
Mrs. Marisol Pirro

Did You Know That:

The Blue Jay is the official bird of Westchester County. The smallest member of the crow family, the Jay is a sentinel of the woods, sounding the alarm at the intrusion of predators and humans in the area. Though the Jay looks blue there is no blue pigment in its feathers. The next time you see a Jay feather on the ground, rotate it in the sun and your will find that it turns grey-brown except at one angle. The blue color is structural only.

Still Need Bird Seed?

We have a re-order on Bird Seed. The prices are the same. The last day to re-order is January 15th and the pickup days are Wednesday, Jan. 21st through Sunday, Jan. 25th. Orders will be taken at the Jan. 15th open meeting.

See Bird Seed for prices.

These delicious pecans will be on sale for $8.00 per pound at our meeting in January, or you can order in advance for local delivery by filling out and mailing this coupon.

NAME ____________________________________________TEL#______________________________

ADDRESS _____________________________________________________________________________

NO.LBS _____________ x $8.00=AM'T DUE _______________________

Please mail your check, payable to CWAS, to P.O. Box 359, White Plains, NY 10602, Attn: Pecans
If you have any questions, please call Beth DaSilva at 949-5249

copyright © 2004 Central Westchester Audubon Society
email questions or comments to webmaster@centralwestchesteraudubon.org