November 2015

The SISKIN
Newsletter of the Northern Virginia Bird Club
Vol. 60, No. 4
November 2015
Inside
Calendar of NVBC field trips, November-11, 2015 – February 7, 2016
Chincoteague winter trip
Highland County winter trip
2016 ASNV Winter Waterfowl Survey
2015 Treasurer’s Report
Upcoming Christmas Bird Counts in Northern Virginia
Birding in Southeastern Arizona
Insert – 2016 membership renewal notice

Youth Birding Scholarship Opportunity
The Northern Virginia Bird Club is sponsoring the Val Kitchens Memorial Young Birder Scholarship for 2016. We are seeking applicants, 13 to 17 years of age, to receive a financial grant of up to $500 to attend a Virginia Society of Ornithology (VSO) activity, a birding camp, a birding course or educational offering, or a similar activity. Applicants will be asked to submit a letter of application to the Board with a short biography (name, age, current involvement in birding if any), description of the planned activity and expressing why they would value this opportunity. Candidates will be asked to provide a reference from a member of NVBC, VSO, or from a birder familiar to the Club. The deadline for submitting applications is March 13, 2016.
Applications can be submitted as an attachment via email to the Club at nvabc@verizon.net or mail to Northern Virginia Bird Club, Attn: Scholarship, P.O. Box 5812, Arlington, VA 22205-0812. Interested parties may contact Jean Tatalias at 703-281-6099 or David Farner at 443-643-6141, email the Club at nvabc@verizon.net or contact other Officers and Directors listed at the Club Contacts list on the last page of the newsletter.
Examples of potential activities include (but are by no means limited to):
American Birding Association Summer Youth Camps: Information on the ABA Young Birder Events should be posted soon on the 2016 Camp Colorado and 2016 Camp Avocet.
Audubon’s Hog Island Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens: Designed for ages 14-17, this intensive 6-day, 5-night program on Hog Island allows enthusiastic young birders to work with some of the country’s best-known birders and ornithologists on field identification, bird ecology and conservation.
Cornell Lab or Ornithology’s Home Study Course in Bird Biology: Learn about bird behavior, migration, ecology, conservation, and many other subjects in your own home, at your own pace! This fun course was written at an introductory college level and includes all basic ornithology topics. It is suitable, however, for anyone with an inquiring mind and a serious interest in birds.
Club members, please spread the word and help a young birder learn about this scholarship!
— Jean Tatalias

NVBC GENERAL MEETING — WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 8 PM
Urban Birds: Do Tree Species Matter? How Native and Exotic Plants Affect Food Resources for Backyard Birds
Speaker: Desiree Narango
Although scientists have long recognized that the bird communities in urban areas are usually different from natural areas, surprising little research has been conducted to figure out why this occurs. Most urban ecology has focused on the remaining forest in or near urban areas even though suburban backyards also have the potential to provide suitable habitat for wildlife. Backyards have many different types of plants that may, or may not, be capable of providing important food items that promote local biodiversity.
Neighborhood Nestwatch is a program run by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center to study the effects of urbanization on birds. In 2013, the Nestwatch Food Web Project was initiated to investigate whether plants that are not native to the local ecosystem (i.e., exotic) support the same insect food resources for a common backyard bird: the Carolina Chickadee. In the summers of 2013-2015, the Food Web team with the help of over 150 volunteers, monitored backyard chickadee nest boxes in the Washington, DC area. Desiree will speak about some of the preliminary findings of this study as well as some of the ways you can participate in citizen science.
Desiree Narango is a Ph.D. student of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware and a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Her research interests focus on understanding how animals respond and adapt to a rapidly changing world. She has over ten years of experience studying wildlife. She’s also an active birder who really enjoys increasing her yard list and getting others excited about the natural world.
Early bird refreshments start at 7:30 PM. Any contributions of food or beverage will be most gratefully received. There will be a drawing for door prizes. Northern Virginia Bird Club pins will be available for members who would like to buy them ($5 each).
MEETING PLACE: St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 4000 Lorcom Lane, Arlington, 22207.

Presidential Peentings
We pursue our passion for birds in a variety of ways. Some are happy to watch the birds in their backyards or at their local parks. Others travel to build their bird lists or experience new adventures. Birders with especially high levels of commitment or perhaps what could more accurately be called obsession, sometimes embark on Big Years where they attempt to see as many birds as possible in a year. This could be at the county, state or national level. Some of the best known Big Years are those achieved in the ABA area which includes the US and Canada.
Now a birder named Noah Strycker has accomplished what may be the greatest feat in birding. He is doing a world Big Year and has recently broken the record for the most bird species seen in one year with a count of 4,342. He is not stopping though. His goal is to get to 5,000 and he had 4,565 as of September 30. You can follow Noah’s progress at his blog which is called “Birding Without Borders.”
— Larry Meade

Winter Chincoteague Trip
The Winter Chincoteague Weekend club trip is scheduled for February 5-7 (Friday to Sunday) co-led by Marc Ribaudo and myself. February is an excellent time to visit Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT) Islands. The Refuge is loaded with wintering waterfowl while the CBBT is famous for wintering sea ducks.
On last year’s trip, we saw a total of 97 species including 25 species of waterfowl. Highlight sightings were Ross’s Goose and Horned Larks at Chincoteague NWR, Red Knots at the Chincoteague City mudflats, and American Bitterns near Mariner’s Point. At the CBBT Islands, we found Common Eiders, Harlequin Ducks, Long-tailed Ducks, all three scoter species, Great Cormorants, Northern Gannets, Purple Sandpipers, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and best of all a Razorbill.
Plans for the weekend include birding the Chincoteague area Friday afternoon starting at 3:15 pm (optional) and Saturday starting at 7:30 am. Activities on Friday and Saturday include birding along Beach Road, Swan Cove and Tom’s Cove and around the Wildlife Loop. Time and tides permitting, we will also visit the Queen Sound Flats, the Chincoteague City mudflats and Mariner’s Point. We will also arrange a trip to the CBBT Islands on Sunday, weather permitting. The CBBT trip requires security forms in advance and an extra fee (about $10 per person). The trip concludes at noon on Sunday.
NVBC membership is required for this trip. To sign up for this trip, call or email Elton Morel at 703-553-4860 or eltonlmorel@verizon.net. The trip is limited to 24 people and usually fills up, so please contact Elton Morel first to ensure that space is available before making hotel reservations. When signing up, please indicate whether you are interested in Sunday morning’s CBBT Island trip and a Saturday evening group dinner. If the trip is full, your name can be put on a waiting list.
We have obtained a special rate of $75 per night on twenty rooms for Friday and Saturday nights at the Best Western Chincoteague Island Hotel on Maddox Boulevard. A two-night stay is usually required. Hotel reservations must be made by January 21 to get this special group rate. Participants should make your own reservations by calling 800-553-6117 and be sure to say you are with the Northern Virginia Bird Club. Check-in time is 3 pm on Friday, February 6, with 24-hour notice required for cancellation. Chincoteague NWR is a US fee area.
— Elton Morel

Highland County Winter Weekend
Our winter trip to Highland County will be held on the weekend of March 4-6 (Friday to Sunday). We will spend Friday night in Staunton and Saturday night in Highland County. The trip limit is 16 people. A complete description of the trip will be in the February 2016 edition of the Siskin. Marv Rubin will lead the trip. To sign up, call Elton Morel at 703-553-4860 or email at eltonlmorel@verizon.net. NVBC membership is required.
— Elton Morel

Audubon Society of Northern Virginia Winter Waterfowl Survey
On Saturday, February 6 and Sunday, February 7, birders of all skill levels will join up to count waterfowl in Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William counties, including the Potomac and Occoquan watersheds. Novice birders will be paired with expert bird enthusiasts. Larry Cartwright continues as the volunteer compiler for this year’s count. For more information and to join the team, email info@audubonva.org or call 703-438-6008.

Treasurer’s Report for Fiscal Year 2015
The Club has almost 360 family and individual memberships, with close to 500 members.


Income received


Dues for 2015
$3,806
Bird Watcher’s Digest & pins
373
Donations
682
Total Income
$4,861



Expenses


Organizational costs (PO box, bulk mailing, web hosting, state registration, VSO dues, etc.)
$748
Meeting expenses (hall rental, speaker honorariums, etc.)
1,023
Siskin printing and postage
1,984
Donations made by Club
100
Total expenses
$3,855
Net for 2015: $1,006
We entered 2015 projecting a slight deficit. The Club was fortunate in receiving higher revenues than expected. NVBC received donations of over $400 from generous members to whom we are very grateful. We also received $277 from the warblers class taught by Larry Meade in co-sponsorship with the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia. On the expense side, we were very close to projected amounts. The one exception is that we did not award a youth scholarship in 2015 due to process timing issues. The Board hopes to resume the scholarship award in 2016. The result of these items was a surplus of $1,006.
— Jean Tatalias, Treasurer

Christmas Bird Counts in Northern Virginia
Saturday, December 19, 2015: WASHINGTON D.C. Includes area of Virginia inside the Beltway along with Dyke Marsh. To participate, email compiler, Larry Cartwright: prowarbler@verizon.net or contact the Audubon Naturalist Society through Carol Hayes at carol.hayes@anshome.org or call 301-652-9188 extension 10.
Sunday, December 20, 2015: MANASSAS-BULL RUN To participate, contact Audubon Society of Northern Virginia by registering at their web site.
Sunday, December 20, 2015: SENECA MD/VA Count has five Virginia sectors, ranging from Great Falls Park to the eastern corner of Loudoun County. To participate, email compiler Jim Nelson at kingfishers2@verizon.net.
Sunday, December 20, 2015: THE PLAINS/AIRLIE To participate, email compilers, Todd Day at blkvulture@aol.com or Perri Rothemich at prothemich@gmail.com.
Sunday, December 27, 2015: NOKESVILLE For more information or to register, contact Kim Hosen at 703-499-4954 or khosen@pwconserve.org.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015: CENTRAL LOUDOUN Sign up at www.loudounwildlife.org or contact compiler, Joe Coleman: 540-554-2542 or joecoleman@rstarmail.com.
Saturday, January 2, 2016: CALMES NECK Parts of western Loudoun and eastern Clarke counties. The cutoff date to join up to participate is December 21. Contact compiler, Margaret Wester at margaretwester@hotmail.com.
Sunday, January 3, 2016: FORT BELVOIR Contact compiler, Kurt Gaskill at kurtcapt87@verizon.net or 703-768-2172.
Sunday, January 3, 2016: SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN Lucketts Sector is in northern Loudoun County. To participate contact sector leader, Gerco Hoogeweg: at drgerco@hotmail.com.
Sunday, January 3, 2016: WALKERTON Count area is primarily in Middle Peninsula. Contact by December 21. Contact compiler, Fred Atwood at fredatwood@yahoo.com.

Birding Southeastern Arizona
Why go birding in Arizona? Richard Cachor Taylor in his ABA’s A Birder’s Guide to Southeastern Arizona (2005), asserts that, “Southeastern Arizona is one of the most exciting regions for birding in North America. More than 400 species occur here annually, and 514 species have been recorded. That is more kinds of birds than any other land-bounded area of comparable size in the United States.” The varied geography provides the habitats to support the species diversity as you travel from the deserts, canyons to the forested mountains, i.e., the Sky Islands.
There are many ways to go birding in Southeastern Arizona: on your own using birding guide books, arranging for a personal birding guide, signing up for a trip with a birding company such as WINGS, VENT, or Borderland Tours, and participating in birding festivals. We signed up for the Tucson Bird and Wildlife Festival in part because Tucson has a variety of things to do including visiting museums and galleries and good restaurants. The Tucson Audubon Society sponsors the festival held this year August 12-16. It takes advantage of the summer monsoon season sometimes called the “second spring” with the rains bringing increased plant growth, insect activity and bird activity. The month of August finds the peak of hummingbird diversity.
The festival includes half- and full-day field trips led by expert birders. Trip leaders included Rick Taylor and Laurens Halsey (regional eBird reviewer). The field trips were limited to about 16 birders in two vans. The start time for field trips ranged from 5 to 5:30 am. The early start is important in August since daytime temperatures heat up quickly. We saw life birds every day.
Our first stop was at a grassland area at the south entrance of the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. Our first lifer was the Chihuahuan Raven, followed by great views of Botteri’s Sparrows and Lark Buntings. At Carr Canyon lower road we saw Black-throated Gray Warblers, Bridled Titmouse, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Anna’s Hummingbirds. Next were Olive Warbler, Grace’s Warbler, Painted Redstart, Yellow-eyed Junco, Acorn Woodpecker, and Buff-breasted Flycatcher. Near the Ramsey Vista we had great looks at Zone-tailed Hawk. We ended at the Ash Canyon B&B, famous for hummingbirds: Anna’s, Black-chinned, Broad-billed, Lucifer, Hybrid Lucifer/Costa’s, and Magnificent.
On Saturday, we joined the Borderland Specialties trip. At the Sonoita rest area, we saw Say’s Phoebe, Cassin’s and Western Kingbirds. Along Harshaw Canyon, we had great views of Pacific-Slope, Gray and three Sulfur-bellied Flycatchers; Acorn and Arizona Woodpeckers; Hutton’s Vireo; adult and spotted immature Eastern and Western Bluebirds; and an Elegant Trogon.

Club Announcements
Birdwatchers Discount: 10% Birder Discount to NVBC members at Birdwatchers Seed and Supply Company. Mention you are in the club at checkout. Address: 396 Maple Avenue East in Vienna.
Email Exchange: To receive email notices, join the NVBC eMail Exchange. Send an email to nvbc-exchange-subscribe@googlegroups.com.