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

A Good Day for the CWAS Birdathon Team

After worrying all week about whether our Birdathon would be rained out on Saturday, May 10, our luck held. Not only didn''t it rain, we found a respectable 107 species. (You can find all of them on the enclosed list.) Our early morning contingent started at 5:30 a.m. at Silver Lake and Read Sanctuary. The whole team then left about 7:00 a.m. for Forest Park. Although the famous Water Hole was filled, it was very cool and quiet. The warblers were sleeping in. We waited almost an hour and then the birds started arriving. Still no sunshine, but we had some very good looks at many warblers, especially Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue and Chestnut-sided warblers.

About 11:30 we arrived at Jamaica Bay for a lunch and rest break. And there in a field next to the picnic area we saw one of the best birds of the day -a Bobolink. We''ve never seen a Bobolink on our Birdathon before, and our records go back to at least 1987.

After lunch we headed out to the West Pond. The Ospreys are in residence again at the platform along the path. There was one bird in the nest and another on the ground when we arrived. We birded our way around one-third of the West Pond path and there we found a very puzzling bird. After much discussion amongst ourselves we identified it as a King Eider. Boy, was it off course! However, it seemed perfectly happy in the flotilla of Ruddy Ducks and we hope it will find it''s way north to it''s breeding area.

We finally left Jamaica Bay about 4:00 p.m., tired but happy. A couple of team members still had enough energy to stop by other birding spots, and found, among other birds, the Bluebird, a Marsh Wren, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron and Spotted Sandpiper.

All in all, it was a long but wonderful day to be out looking for birds! The sun really didn''t shine much, but it was just windy enough to keep the gnats at bay and not enough to bother our telescopes too much.

We thank our birders for their persistence and we appreciate their birding expertise. And all of you deserve particular thanks for your financial support. Your generosity will help fund our scholarship program and provide summer fun for many deserving students.

Bats Without A Belfry
Thursday, October 16, 2003
7:30 PM in the Cafeteria
Church St. School
295 Church St., White Plains

Speaker: Joe Ferrari

Bats make up about one-fourth of all mammals world-wide. However, when the general public thinks of them, it's mostly either as Halloween goblins or as vampires. There's a great deal more to these gentle, ecologically important and endangered animals than that.

Dr. Merlin Tuttle, one of the world's leading authorities on these little furry creatures, has said, "Bats are feared only to the extent that they are misunderstood." Joe Ferrari, a member of Bat Conservation International, has had an interest in bats since childhood. We invite you to share, in a slide presentation, some of his understanding and, he hopes, appreciation for some fascinating members of the animal kingdom.

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. Although appreciation of nature transcends all languages, if requested, our trip leader, Victor Ramos, 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 Route 127 - North St. in White Plains. From the Hutchinson River Parkway, North or South, take the Harrison/White Plains exit (Rte 127) North St. and follow the signs to White Plains (North). Homeside Ln. is located approximately a 1/4 - 1/2 mile on the left. The Education House is on the lefthand side of Homeside Lane. Parking is available in designated areas.

Sunday, September 14th, Marshlands Conservancy in Rye. Meet at Education House at 8AM for carpooling. Join us for a fall migration bird walk of about 2 hours. Bring binoculars if you have them.

Sunday, October 12th, Butler Sanctuary in Mt. Kisco. This park is one of the best locations in Westchester for observing the fall Hawk Migration. Meet at Education House at 9PM to carpool to Butler, about a 30-minute ride. After a short, but fairly steep 10-minute walk we will gain the hawk-watching platform which has stadium seats where we can sit in comfort and gaze upward to observe several species of hawks as they fly over. Bring binoculars.

A New Audubon Membership Option

Become a Chapter Only Member

As some of you may know, over the last two years National Audubon has reduced our dues share (the portion of your dues that comes to CWAS) by fifty percent, with the possibility that there will be a further reduction after the 2003-2004 fiscal year. We need to make up those funds in order at least to keep our community activities: camp scholarships, Audubon Adventures for the classrooms, and our evening programs at the level they are today.

One way to make up the loss of funds from National is for new and renewing members to become "Chapter Only" members. That means that 100% of your dues will be used to support the community activities of CWAS instead of just a small portion (less than $5.00). If you choose the "Chapter Only" option you will not receive AUDUBON magazine, but will continue to receive Central Westchester Audubon News which informs you of programs and field trips and keeps you up to date on our activities. National Audubon considers Chapter Only members as part of its total membership.

Chapter Only membership dues will be $20 for one year whether for individual, family, student or senior. Central Westchester Audubon is a registered nonprofit (501(c)3) organization and dues and donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

We are required to share the names of our Chapter Only members with National Audubon which will be permitted to solicit you for donations three times a year but not to sell your name to outside organizations through list rentals. You may opt out of receiving National's solicitations by checking off the appropriate box on the membership application form below.

If you wish to continue receiving the quarterly AUDUBON magazine, then you should respond to National's renewal notices. Doing so will not affect your membership in CWAS.

If you have any questions or concerns about membership, or if you wish to know when your current membership in National Audubon expires, please call Jeanne Alpert at 914-946-1780

Support CWAS

Become a Chapter Only Member

Annual Dues are $20 for individual/family, student or senior, new membership or renewal. Please make your check payable to Central Westchester Audubon Society and mail to:

CWAS, P.O. Box 359, White Plains, NY 10602

Name_________________________________________________________________________________

Address_______________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip__________________________________________________________________________

Tel._______________________________________

E-mail_____________________________________

Chapter Only membership lists are shared with the National Audubon Society. Please check here if you do not wish to receive their promotional materials.______

CHAPTER ONLY MEMBERS WILL RECEIVE THE CWAS NEWSLETTER BUT NOT AUDUBON MAGAZINE

Household Chemical Cleanup Days

Playland Park, Rye
Friday, October 31, 1-3PM
Saturday, November 1, 9AM-3PM

County Recycling Center in Yonkers
(Opposite Home Depot and Stew Leonard's, exit 6A off I-87)
Saturday, October 4, 9AM-3PM

Bring your unused and/or unwanted chemicals in their original or labeled containers. Close all bags and bottles tightly and place them in a sturdy box in the trunk of your car. Only residential chemicals are acceptable.

Pre-registration is required for 60 pounds or more of solid material or 25 gallons or more of liquids. There is no fee. No paint will be accepted.

For more information and/or pre-registration, call Household Chemical Info-Line: (914) 813-5425.

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