STATE COLLEGE BIRD CLUB

27 April 2005

            The April meeting of the State College Bird Club was held on April 27. President Jim Dunn presided. 22 members and guests met at the State College Borough Building at 7:15. The minutes of the February meeting were read by Deb Grove and approved by members Dorothy Bordner delivered the Treasurer's Report.

            Dorothy Bordner read the checklist: 140 species of birds  were seen between February 23 and April 26. Noted birds were dunlin at Fairbrook, white-winged scoter at Colyer, and whippoorwills at the Barrens.

            A slate of officers were presented and all incumbents were re-elected.

            On May 15 Clearwater Conservancy will host International Migratory Day at the Barrens. Guided Bird Tours will be available to the public as well as other family activities including building birdhouses and bird bingo.

            The PSO meeting will be held May 20-22 at Clarion.

            Mark McLaughlin reminded the group of the Birding Cup coming up on May 7.

            Nan Butkovich presented her Millbrook Marsh checklist.

            Norm Lathbury and Elizabeth Goreham presented information on Centre County Farmland Trust -- Saving Farms for Future Generations. Norm Lathbury is the Executive Director of the Farmland Trust. 28 farms have been preserved in Centre County. Conservation easements are set up which prevent land from ever being developed. They are donated and perpetual and can be an income tax deduction. Only the easement holder can extinguish it. Land trusts hold back urban sprawl and over 1000 acres a year are lost in Centre County.

Respectively Submitted by

Deborah Grove