STATE COLLEGE BIRD CLUB
25 April 2007
The State College Bird Club met at the State College Borough Building on 25 April 2007. Thirty-nine members and guests attended; Greg Grove presided.
Business
Deborah Grove read the March meeting minutes, which were approved. Dorothy Bordner read the checklist. Attendees reported 124 species within a 25 mile radius of Old Main since the March meeting. Species of note included Red-necked Grebe, Northern Goshawk, and Swainson’s Hawk.
New officers were elected:
Deborah Grove – President
Susan Braun – Vice-President for Field Trips
Ro Fuller – Vice-President for Programs
Dorothy Bordner – Treasurer
Nan Butkovich – Secretary
Upcoming activities:
Other announcements:
Presentation
Douglas Gross, Endangered Species Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, spoke on the “Recovery of Endangered Birds in Pennsylvania.” He started with an overview of threatened species, including causes for Bald Eagle declines. In order to restore a species to a healthy state, a four-step process is needed: address the cause of the decline, assure that appropriate habitat is available, restore the population, and monitor the recovery. In the case of Bald Eagles, the growth of the nesting population in Pennsylvania is estimated at about 15% per year. However, there are continuing threats: poisons, shooting, habitat loss, and other human interference. Many other species are also cause for concern; for example, over 50% of Pennsylvania wetlands have been lost, and many endangered or threatened species are wetland birds.
Recorded by
Nan Butkovich, Secretary