CWAS Newsletter March

Newsletter, March - April, 2006

Programs

Bald Eagles on the Hudson
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
7:00 PM at the Scarsdale Public Library
50 Olmstead Rd., Scarsdale

Speaker: Eric Lind

Our speaker, who is the director of the Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary, will present a slide show about the Bald Eagle, including information about its migratory habits and nesting biology. At 270 acres Constitution Marsh, which supports wintering Bald Eagles, is one of only five large tidal marshes on the Hudson River. Located on the east shore of the Hudson River Estuary in Putnam County, it has been recognized as an Important Bird Area by Audubon New York, a Bird Conservation Area by the State of New York and is designated as a Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat.

We invite you to soar with the Eagles and explore this ecological treasure on March 15th. Co-sponsored with Bronx River/Sound Shore Audubon. Program is suitable for older children.

Polar Bears of Churchill
Thursday, April 20, 2006
7:00PM in the Cafeteria
Church St. School
295 Church St., White Plains

Speaker: Pete Salmansohn

We invite you on an armchair adventure to visit the polar bears of Churchill, Manitoba and to learn why so many of them congregate near this town every fall. We will see photographs of mothers and cubs, ritualized play-fighting among males, and other scenes of sub-arctic life in this remote region of North America.

Pete spent three autumns working for an eco-tourism company acting as a guide aboard "tundra buggies," and educating tourists about the habits and behaviors of these imposing animals.

During the school year, Pete works as an educator at Constitution Marsh and during the summer in Maine for the Seabird Restoration Project. He is an expert on the Atlantic Puffin, the subject of a wonderful presentation he made to us last year.

This should be an exciting program-please join us.

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 914-310-7742. Trips which are led by Victor Ramos are bi-lingual in Spanish and English. You should bring a snack, even for a half day trip. It is most important to bring water, especially in the warm weather. Always wear sturdy shoes and dress in layers. A few loaner binoculars will be available. If you need loaner binoculars, please call us before the trip to reserve one of the few pairs we have. We encourage beginners to join in the fun of birding..

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, April 30, 2006, 8am, Marshlands Conservancy. Meet at Ed House. Spring migration walk in one of our favorite places. Walk should last 2-3 hours.

Saturday, May 13, 2006, 7am, Birdathon (rain date 5/20). Meet at Ed House for car-pooling to Forest Park in Queens and then to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. This will be an all-day trip so you should bring lunch and water.

Sunday, May 21st, 7:30 AM, Doodletown Rd., Bear Mountain State Park. Meet at Ed House for carpooling. This is another hotspot for migrating songbirds. We should see a variety of warblers, flycatchers, indigo buntings, orioles, and perhaps cuckoos. The trail is a bit steep and rocky at the beginning, so sturdy shoes are a good idea. Co-sponsored with Bronx River/Sound Shore Audubon.

Saturday, June 24th, 8AM, Butterflies at Ward Pound Ridge. Time and place of meeting in May newsletter. Leader: Mike Bochnik (237-9331). Co-sponsored with Hudson River Audubon, and Bronx River/Sound Shore Audubon.

The Courtyard Garden

I am happy to report that we have received a generous grant from Audubon New York to be supplemented by funds from the Church Street School PTA for establishing a pesticide free, native plant garden for wildlife. We are in the process of refining the garden design and choosing the native plants which will be most attractive to birds, butterflies and bees, with blooming periods during the spring, summer and fall. As of now, we will be tilling the soil some time in April with the actual planting to be done in mid-May. More precise dates will be available at the beginning of April. Obviously, we are going to need many volunteers so let us know how you can help. Contributions of labor, tools, plant materials, hoses, etc. are all most welcome. And for the long term, we will have to establish a committee to take care of the plants. Our aim is to make the garden relatively drought resistant with low maintenance plants. However, a minimum amount of work will have to be done to make sure the garden fulfills its promise over the years.

Student involvement will begin shortly, starting with a sun survey to be done by the older children. They will determine the location of the sun and the number of hours of sunlight in various parts of the garden during the day. This knowledge will allow us to plant the various perennials, trees and shrubs in the locations best suited to their light requirements. As we get further along in the project, the garden will serve as an outdoor classroom for all grades, studying subjects such as plants and animals in the environment, the properties of air and water, the life cycles of plants, animals, insects and butterflies, soil testing, and the different types of soils. In addition to the science curriculum, we expect the garden to be integrated with both the language arts and visual arts programs.

We have very high expectations for the Courtyard Garden and we are confident that with the financial support we have received and the good will and help of chapter members and PTA parents, we will achieve our objectives.

---jsa

Long Island Sound

Stewardship Initiative (LISSI)
On February 4th, the LISSI Committee met for the second time at Edith Read Sanctuary under the leadership of Jillian Liner from Audubon New York. Attending the meeting were representatives from Westchester County Department of Parks and Recreation, City of Rye, Purchase College, Friends of Read, FCWC, and Central Westchester Audubon.

The focus area for conservation action comprises the land just north of Read, Read, all of Marshlands, the historic district, and Hen Island. Within this area several conservation targets were identified: salt marsh habitat; beach habitat, including sandy beaches, cliffs and rocky mudflats; freshwater and brackish wetlands and water courses; the island complex at Read; wintering and breeding waterfowl; and, possibly, early successional shrub habitat. Among the flora species to be protected are: Spartina (in the salt marshes), deciduous forest trees such as the American Chestnut, and American Holly which can be found on the island complex of Read; and the Wild Pink, a listed species, also found on the island complex. Fauna species of concern include Common and Least terns, Osprey, Seaside sparrows, Eastern box turtle and Diamondback terrapin.

Threats to the conservation area were identified and ranked. One of the highest ranking threats was invasive species. We learned that the Asian shore crab has virtually replaced the local species; and most of us have observed how the porcelain berry shrub has spread throughout Read. These are but a few of the invasive species that are threatening our native habitats. Other high-ranking threats include incompatible recreation such as walking through sensitive habitat, disturbances to wildlife by boaters, careless fishing, future and existing development, and water pollution.

The next meeting on February 22nd will identify the strategies that address these high ranking threats and focus on those that impact multiple conservation targets, noting whether or not the indicated strategy is currently being implemented.

Our role at the meetings was mostly to listen and learn and bring to our members an awareness of some urgent environmental problems that affect us all. When strategies to alleviate these problems have been decided upon, we will bring them to you with the hope that you will join us in helping to preserve some of our most important natural resources.

---jsa

Hawk Penetrates Porch
Escapes Unscathed

We have a screened porch on one side of our house that is surrounded by evergreens and has no door to the outside. Since our bird feeder is near the porch, occasionally a small bird will hit the screen with a soft thump, not realizing the screen is even there. They just bounce off and don't seem to be hurt in the process . In the middle of January I happened to be in the dining room, facing the door to this porch when I heard a much louder thump against the screen, looked up and saw what I later realized was a Cooper's hawk fly by the door -- INSIDE THE PORCH. It landed for a few seconds but was spooked when my husband came to see what had made that loud thump. We both were concerned the bird had been injured and quickly went out onto the porch to find it. There was no bird, but we found two holes in the screen each about 6-7 inches in diameter--one where the bird entered and one where he left. They were one on top of the other. The only sign of the hawk was a few traces of feathers on the edges of the two holes. What a headache he must have had!

---Barbara Ferrari

Help Wanted

Scholarship Committee
CWAS needs a computer-savvy person to prepare and distribute scholarship applications and other correspondence related to our scholarship program. If desired, this person can also participate in the selection process-a fun job. Can be a Board position.

Birdathon Phonathon
Help us with our biggest fund-raiser of the year- it's easy. All we ask is that you set aside one or two hours of your time during April to phone between 10 and 15 members to ask for pledges. The more volunteers we have, the more members we can reach and the more money we can raise.

Conservation
Would you like to be active on the conservation front? We need an interested person to bring important conservation issues to our Board and membership. This is a Board position.

For all volunteer positions, please call 946-1780.

Birdathon 2006

As I walked in my neighborhood on an unusually balmy and spring-like day in January I saw a flock of robins and was reminded that our most exciting field trip of the year, the Birdathon, will take place in just a few months. On May 13th (rain date, May 20th) our Birdathon team-and all are welcome to join, from beginner to advanced-will try to spot as many bird species as possible at Forest Park and Jamaica Bay, with some early birders doing the 5:30 am roundup at Read Sanctuary. This field trip, taken at the height of spring migration, usually yields at least 100 species, among which are those warblers in spring plumage we are all eager to spot.

The challenge of Birdathon is not only to maximize the number of species seen, but equally important, to raise as much money as possible to fund the camp scholarships and other educational programs we provide to the community. To that end, we ask that you use the coupon below to pledge either a flat dollar amount or an amount per species seen. As in past years, our Birdathon Chairman, Herb Ruskin, has generously agreed to match, up to $175, the highest pledge received by May 13th. Thanks to the generosity of many of our members, last year we raised a record amount-over $3,000. We would like a repeat of that performance in 2006, so please mail in your tax deductible pledge today. And if you can, join us on May 13th-we guarantee a great day of birding.

Any questions, call Herb Ruskin at 949-4429 or Jeanne Alpert at 946-1780.

TEAR HERE AND MAIL YOUR PLEDGE TODAY
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CENTRAL WESTCHESTER AUDUBON BIRDATHON PLEDGE CARD

___I am happy to pledge $______per species in support of your Birdathon

___My tax deductible gift of $________________is enclosed, payable to
CENTRAL WESTCHESTER AUDUBON

___I've enclosed a matching form. My employer matches my contribution.

Your Name: ___________________________________

Address: ______________________________________

City: __________________ State: _____ Zip: ________

Phone: _______________________________________

Mail to: CWAS TEAM, P.O. Box 359, White Plains, NY 10602

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR BIRDATHON

EVERY DOLLAR YOU GIVE WILL HELP SUPPORT THE CWAS SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND THE ACTIVITIES OF NEW YORK STATE FIELD OFFICE OF NATIONAL AUDUBON

ALL CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE

CWAS Home Page	Newsletter, March - April, 2006 Programs *Bald Eagles on the Hudson* Wednesday, March 15, 2006 7:00 PM at the Scarsdale Public Library 50 Olmstead Rd., Scarsdale Speaker: Eric Lind Our speaker, who is the director of the Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary, will present a slide show about the Bald Eagle, including information about its migratory habits and nesting biology. At 270 acres Constitution Marsh, which supports wintering Bald Eagles, is one of only five large tidal marshes on the Hudson River. Located on the east shore of the Hudson River Estuary in Putnam County, it has been recognized as an Important Bird Area by Audubon New York, a Bird Conservation Area by the State of New York and is designated as a Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat. We invite you to soar with the Eagles and explore this ecological treasure on March 15th. Co-sponsored with Bronx River/Sound Shore Audubon. Program is suitable for older children. *Polar Bears of Churchill* Thursday, April 20, 2006 7:00PM in the Cafeteria Church St. School 295 Church St., White Plains Speaker: Pete Salmansohn We invite you on an armchair adventure to visit the polar bears of Churchill, Manitoba and to learn why so many of them congregate near this town every fall. We will see photographs of mothers and cubs, ritualized play-fighting among males, and other scenes of sub-arctic life in this remote region of North America. Pete spent three autumns working for an eco-tourism company acting as a guide aboard "tundra buggies," and educating tourists about the habits and behaviors of these imposing animals. During the school year, Pete works as an educator at Constitution Marsh and during the summer in Maine for the Seabird Restoration Project. He is an expert on the Atlantic Puffin, the subject of a wonderful presentation he made to us last year. This should be an exciting program-please join us. 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 914-310-7742. Trips which are led by Victor Ramos are bi-lingual in Spanish and English. You should bring a snack, even for a half day trip. It is most important to bring water, especially in the warm weather. Always wear sturdy shoes and dress in layers. A few loaner binoculars will be available. If you need loaner binoculars, please call us before the trip to reserve one of the few pairs we have. We encourage beginners to join in the fun of birding.. 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, April 30, 2006, 8am, Marshlands Conservancy. Meet at Ed House. Spring migration walk in one of our favorite places. Walk should last 2-3 hours. Saturday, May 13, 2006, 7am, Birdathon (rain date 5/20). Meet at Ed House for car-pooling to Forest Park in Queens and then to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. This will be an all-day trip so you should bring lunch and water. Sunday, May 21st, 7:30 AM, Doodletown Rd., Bear Mountain State Park. Meet at Ed House for carpooling. This is another hotspot for migrating songbirds. We should see a variety of warblers, flycatchers, indigo buntings, orioles, and perhaps cuckoos. The trail is a bit steep and rocky at the beginning, so sturdy shoes are a good idea. Co-sponsored with Bronx River/Sound Shore Audubon. Saturday, June 24th, 8AM, Butterflies at Ward Pound Ridge. Time and place of meeting in May newsletter. Leader: Mike Bochnik (237-9331). Co-sponsored with Hudson River Audubon, and Bronx River/Sound Shore Audubon. The Courtyard Garden I am happy to report that we have received a generous grant from Audubon New York to be supplemented by funds from the Church Street School PTA for establishing a pesticide free, native plant garden for wildlife. We are in the process of refining the garden design and choosing the native plants which will be most attractive to birds, butterflies and bees, with blooming periods during the spring, summer and fall. As of now, we will be tilling the soil some time in April with the actual planting to be done in mid-May. More precise dates will be available at the beginning of April. Obviously, we are going to need many volunteers so let us know how you can help. Contributions of labor, tools, plant materials, hoses, etc. are all most welcome. And for the long term, we will have to establish a committee to take care of the plants. Our aim is to make the garden relatively drought resistant with low maintenance plants. However, a minimum amount of work will have to be done to make sure the garden fulfills its promise over the years. Student involvement will begin shortly, starting with a sun survey to be done by the older children. They will determine the location of the sun and the number of hours of sunlight in various parts of the garden during the day. This knowledge will allow us to plant the various perennials, trees and shrubs in the locations best suited to their light requirements. As we get further along in the project, the garden will serve as an outdoor classroom for all grades, studying subjects such as plants and animals in the environment, the properties of air and water, the life cycles of plants, animals, insects and butterflies, soil testing, and the different types of soils. In addition to the science curriculum, we expect the garden to be integrated with both the language arts and visual arts programs. We have very high expectations for the Courtyard Garden and we are confident that with the financial support we have received and the good will and help of chapter members and PTA parents, we will achieve our objectives. ---jsa Long Island Sound Stewardship Initiative (LISSI) On February 4th, the LISSI Committee met for the second time at Edith Read Sanctuary under the leadership of Jillian Liner from Audubon New York. Attending the meeting were representatives from Westchester County Department of Parks and Recreation, City of Rye, Purchase College, Friends of Read, FCWC, and Central Westchester Audubon. The focus area for conservation action comprises the land just north of Read, Read, all of Marshlands, the historic district, and Hen Island. Within this area several conservation targets were identified: salt marsh habitat; beach habitat, including sandy beaches, cliffs and rocky mudflats; freshwater and brackish wetlands and water courses; the island complex at Read; wintering and breeding waterfowl; and, possibly, early successional shrub habitat. Among the flora species to be protected are: Spartina (in the salt marshes), deciduous forest trees such as the American Chestnut, and American Holly which can be found on the island complex of Read; and the Wild Pink, a listed species, also found on the island complex. Fauna species of concern include Common and Least terns, Osprey, Seaside sparrows, Eastern box turtle and Diamondback terrapin. Threats to the conservation area were identified and ranked. One of the highest ranking threats was invasive species. We learned that the Asian shore crab has virtually replaced the local species; and most of us have observed how the porcelain berry shrub has spread throughout Read. These are but a few of the invasive species that are threatening our native habitats. Other high-ranking threats include incompatible recreation such as walking through sensitive habitat, disturbances to wildlife by boaters, careless fishing, future and existing development, and water pollution. The next meeting on February 22nd will identify the strategies that address these high ranking threats and focus on those that impact multiple conservation targets, noting whether or not the indicated strategy is currently being implemented. Our role at the meetings was mostly to listen and learn and bring to our members an awareness of some urgent environmental problems that affect us all. When strategies to alleviate these problems have been decided upon, we will bring them to you with the hope that you will join us in helping to preserve some of our most important natural resources. ---jsa Hawk Penetrates Porch Escapes Unscathed We have a screened porch on one side of our house that is surrounded by evergreens and has no door to the outside. Since our bird feeder is near the porch, occasionally a small bird will hit the screen with a soft thump, not realizing the screen is even there. They just bounce off and don't seem to be hurt in the process . In the middle of January I happened to be in the dining room, facing the door to this porch when I heard a much louder thump against the screen, looked up and saw what I later realized was a Cooper's hawk fly by the door -- INSIDE THE PORCH. It landed for a few seconds but was spooked when my husband came to see what had made that loud thump. We both were concerned the bird had been injured and quickly went out onto the porch to find it. There was no bird, but we found two holes in the screen each about 6-7 inches in diameter--one where the bird entered and one where he left. They were one on top of the other. The only sign of the hawk was a few traces of feathers on the edges of the two holes. What a headache he must have had! ---Barbara Ferrari Help Wanted Scholarship Committee CWAS needs a computer-savvy person to prepare and distribute scholarship applications and other correspondence related to our scholarship program. If desired, this person can also participate in the selection process-a fun job. Can be a Board position. Birdathon Phonathon Help us with our biggest fund-raiser of the year- it's easy. All we ask is that you set aside one or two hours of your time during April to phone between 10 and 15 members to ask for pledges. The more volunteers we have, the more members we can reach and the more money we can raise. Conservation Would you like to be active on the conservation front? We need an interested person to bring important conservation issues to our Board and membership. This is a Board position. For all volunteer positions, please call 946-1780. Birdathon 2006 As I walked in my neighborhood on an unusually balmy and spring-like day in January I saw a flock of robins and was reminded that our most exciting field trip of the year, the Birdathon, will take place in just a few months. On May 13th (rain date, May 20th) our Birdathon team-and all are welcome to join, from beginner to advanced-will try to spot as many bird species as possible at Forest Park and Jamaica Bay, with some early birders doing the 5:30 am roundup at Read Sanctuary. This field trip, taken at the height of spring migration, usually yields at least 100 species, among which are those warblers in spring plumage we are all eager to spot. The challenge of Birdathon is not only to maximize the number of species seen, but equally important, to raise as much money as possible to fund the camp scholarships and other educational programs we provide to the community. To that end, we ask that you use the coupon below to pledge either a flat dollar amount or an amount per species seen. As in past years, our Birdathon Chairman, Herb Ruskin, has generously agreed to match, up to $175, the highest pledge received by May 13th. Thanks to the generosity of many of our members, last year we raised a record amount-over $3,000. We would like a repeat of that performance in 2006, so please mail in your tax deductible pledge today. And if you can, join us on May 13th-we guarantee a great day of birding. Any questions, call Herb Ruskin at 949-4429 or Jeanne Alpert at 946-1780. TEAR HERE AND MAIL YOUR PLEDGE TODAY --------------------------------------------------------------------------- CENTRAL WESTCHESTER AUDUBON BIRDATHON PLEDGE CARD ___I am happy to pledge $______per species in support of your Birdathon ___My tax deductible gift of $________________is enclosed, payable to CENTRAL WESTCHESTER AUDUBON ___I've enclosed a matching form. My employer matches my contribution. Your Name: ___________________________________ Address: ______________________________________ City: __________________ State: _____ Zip: ________ Phone: _______________________________________ Mail to: CWAS TEAM, P.O. Box 359, White Plains, NY 10602 THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR BIRDATHON EVERY DOLLAR YOU GIVE WILL HELP SUPPORT THE CWAS SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND THE ACTIVITIES OF NEW YORK STATE FIELD OFFICE OF NATIONAL AUDUBON ALL CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE
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	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