Calendar 2019-2020

Update as of April 30, 2020

The June 2020 bird club meeting h as been cancelled, and all bird walks and field trips have been cancelled until further notice because of the coronavirus situation. We will continue to monitor the situation and the bird club board will decide when to resume activities. Please check back here for updates.
Please do not bird with others if you feel unwell or know that you have been exposed to the virus. We are urging birders to take up solo, backyard birding for the duration of the virus crisis.
You may want to read this advice from National Audubon: https://www.audubon.org/news/birding-perfect-activity-while-practicing-social-distancing
Before you go birding, call or check the website for any place you plan to visit, to make sure they are open and to determine if any restrictions are in place.

All field trips and meetings are co-sponsored with our partner organization, Prince George’s Audubon Society.

D ownload calendar in printer-friendly format:
Calendar grid with event titles and times, September 2019 through August 2020

Thursday, September 5, 3 pm (Note start time is 3 pm September-March)
Bird Walk

Lake Artemesia Natural Area. Semi-monthly walk. Wheelchair-accessible. Meet at 3 pm at parking lot at intersection of Berwyn Rd. and Ballew Ave. in Berwyn Heights. No reservations needed. Contact David Mozurkewich (mozurk@bellAtlantic.net) for more information.

Saturday, September 7, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Fran Uhler Natural Area. Monthly walk. Meet at 7:30 am at east end of Lemon’s Bridge Road, off Route 197 just north of Bowie State University. No reservations needed. Contact Bill Sefton (kiwisuits@msn.com) for more information.

Tuesday, September 10, 7:30 pm, doors open at 7 pm
Monthly Meeting and Speaker Program
College Park Airport Operations Building, 2nd Floor
1909 Corporal Frank Scott Dr.
College Park, MD 20740 (Directions)

Everything Monarch. Lisa and Chris Garrett will discuss their recent bucket-list trip to Michoacan, Mexico to visit the El Rosario Biosphere Reserve, the largest of the Monarch Butterfly overwintering roosts, with over 5 million butterflies this past winter. Gloomy reports of the monarch butterfly’s survival are in the news. Naturalist Lisa Bierer-Garrett and Park Ranger Christopher Garrett will put a positive spin on the news by describing how local folks can do their part to help monarchs and all butterfly species in their own neighborhood garden patch. Discover how planting your garden with milkweeds and other nectar rich plants help this colony survive. One person can make a difference! The presenters will have photos of birds and butterflies seen on the trip as well as some of the amazing archaeological sites they visited.

About the presenters: Lisa Bierer-Garrett is currently the Director of Eco-Tourism for the town of North Beach in Calvert County. Previously, she served as a Park Naturalist with MNCPPC, leading programs in the Prince George’s County Parks. She earned certification as a Maryland Master Naturalist at the American Chestnut Land Trust site. Lisa is an active butterfly and monarch researcher, participating in Monarch Butterfly tagging, annual butterfly counts, as well as bird counts, including Project Feeder Watch. Lisa is a long-time member of PGAS and serves on the PGAS Board of Directors. Chris Garrett is a Park Ranger with the MNCPPC parks in Prince George’s County. He is also a talented musician. Together, Chris and Lisa enjoy traveling and enjoying the wonders of the natural world.

Free and open to the public.

Thursday, September 19, 3 pm (Note start time is 3 pm September-March)
Bird Walk

Lake Artemesia Natural Area. Semi-monthly walk. Wheelchair-accessible. Meet at 3 pm at parking lot at intersection of Berwyn Rd. and Ballew Ave. in Berwyn Heights. No reservations needed. Contact David Mozurkewich (mozurk@bellAtlantic.net) for more information.

Saturday, September 21, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Governor Bridge Natural Area. Monthly walk. Meet at the Natural Area parking lot on the south side of Governor Bridge Rd., 1 mile east of Route 301. No reservations needed. For more information contact Bill Sefton at kiwisuits@msn.com.

Saturday, September 21, 9 am-12 noon
PGAS Migration Festival at Lake Artemesia

The Prince George’s Audubon Society in cooperation with MNCPPC will hold its 6th annual migration-themed birding festival on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at Lake Artemesia, from 9 am to 12 noon! There will be an early bird walk at 7:30 am for all skill levels, Spanish & English family nature walks at 10 am, live owls and a raptor talk at 11 am, children’s crafts, coloring mural,and a Monarch butterfly life cycle display. Lake Artemesia is at 8200 55th Avenue in Berwyn Heights near College Park. The Migration Celebration theme continues with the Flight Festival, 1-4 pm at the College Park Airport. For more information, contact Lisa Garrett at lgarrett@northbeachmd.org or download the event flier.

Sunday, September 22
Fall Bird Count

Annual county-wide census of resident and migrating birds. This census is part of a state-wide effort to count fall birds. Pick your own start and stop times. Contact the county compiler Fred Fallon at fwfallon@ymail.com to receive an assigned area and for more information.

Wednesday, September 25, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

South Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge. One of a series of walks to explore the seasonal variations in bird use of the habitats at South Tract. Be prepared to walk up to 2 miles. Wear sturdy shoes and bring a water bottle. Target species include migrating warblers, flycatchers, vireos, sparrows. Meet at 8:00 am in the parking lot of the National Wildlife Visitor Center off Powder Mill Rd.; bear left on entering the parking area and go all the way to the last section of the lot past the covered solar recharging station for electric vehicles. For directions, see https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Patuxent/visit/directions.html. For further information, contact the leader, Ken Cohen, at kvulture@aol.com.

Friday, September 27-Saturday, September 28
Doors open to the public at 9:00 AM each day
Partner Event: Annual Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest and Activities
National Wildlife Visitor Center at Patuxent Research Refuge – South Tract, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel, MD

Free and open to the public. Please join artists, conservationists, and outdoor enthusiasts for the Nation’s oldest and most prestigious wildlife art competition: the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Art Contest! Judging begins at 10:00 AM; public family friendly activities are scheduled throughout each day.

View stunning original paintings of waterfowl submitted by artists around the country as they compete for their place in history. The winning artwork chosen at this year’s contest will be featured on the 2020-2021 Duck Stamp. The cornerstone of one of the nation’s most successful conservation programs, the proceeds from sales of Duck Stamps go to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to support land acquisition for the National Wildlife Refuge System.

On Saturday, watch the contest and the announcement of the winner; explore wildlife habitats at Patuxent Research Refuge via walking and guided tram tours; learn about several species of wildlife up close; view decoy carving demonstrations and historic artifacts; and visit with our conservation partners. “Ding” Darling, the revered conservationist who designed the first Duck Stamp in 1934, will make a special appearance on Saturday. For more information contact Patuxent Research Refuge at 301-497-5763 or view the calendar of events at https://www.fws.gov/nwrs/threecolumn.aspx?id=6442456057.

Thursday, October 3, 3 pm
Bird Walk

Lake Artemesia Natural Area. Semi-monthly walk. Wheelchair-accessible. Meet at 3 pm at parking lot at intersection of Berwyn Rd. and Ballew Ave. in Berwyn Heights. No reservations needed. Contact David Mozurkewich (mozurk@bellAtlantic.net) for more information.

Saturday, October 5, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Tuesday, October 8, 7 am
Boat Trip

Morning pontoon boat trip on the Patuxent River at Jug Bay. Observe what migration has brought in and enjoy the beauty of blooming bur marigolds and other flowers throughout the marsh. Led by renowned Park Naturalist Gregory Kearns. Greg has much news to share about Sora Rails, and, since he and his research assistants will be working on the project at this time of year and checking traps, will likely have Sora or Virginia Rails in hand for banding and up-close viewing. We will look for other specialties of this freshwater wild rice marsh, and should also see teal and a variety of other ducks, with an eye out for raptors as well. Good light in the fall makes for great photography. Check in by 7 am in the parking lot, and take advantage of the bathroom facility. The boat will depart the dock promptly at 7:30 am from the boat launch area of Jackson’s Landing at Patuxent River Park, Croom, MD, for at least a 3-hour trip. Boat fee: $6/Prince George’s and Montgomery County residents; $8/all others. Please have ready the exact amount in cash. Limited to 20 participants. For reservations (required), contact Maureen Blades at mblades5@verizon.net or 301-262-5148. Open to members of the Prince George’s County Audubon Society and Patuxent Bird Club only, except as space may be available. Reservations accepted in order received with contact information included, please.

Tuesday, October 8, 7:30 pm, doors open at 7 pm
Monthly Meeting and Speaker Program
College Park Airport Operations Building, 2nd Floor
1909 Corporal Frank Scott Dr.
College Park, MD 20740 (Directions)

The United States Bird Banding Program, presented by Bruce Peterjohn. The Bird Banding Laboratory was established in 1920 to coordinate bird banding activities across the United States and its Territories. Bird banding has been widely practiced in the United States since the 1950s and has evolved into a program of approximately 1700 master banders and 5000 subpermittees who band more than one million birds annually. While bird banding was originally a practice where birds were marked with numbered metal bands to gain knowledge about the movement patterns of birds after banded birds were recovered and band numbers reported, in recent decades, technological advances have greatly expanded our ability to track bird movements. Satellite transmitters, geolocators, and other devices now allow for more detailed tracking of the movements of individual birds and provide remarkable insights into migratory behaviors that we never could have imagined. Because birds are good indicators of the health of the environment, the status and trends of bird populations are critical for identifying and understanding many ecological issues and for developing effective science, management and conservation practices. This presentation provides a history of the bird banding program in the United States and its contributions towards advancing the scientific understanding of bird migration and other aspects of avian ecology.

About the Presenter: Bruce Peterjohn moved to Maryland in 1991 to become coordinator for the Breeding Bird Survey for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. After serving in that position for nearly 8 years, he worked as a wildlife biologist on various bird population monitoring projects at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. In October 2008, he was appointed Chief of the U.S. Bird Banding Laboratory, and has been responsible for the U.S. banding program for the past 11 years. When not in his office, Bruce is an active hummingbird bander with an interest in the winter hummingbirds of the Mid-Atlantic region. Bruce earned a B.A. degree in Biology from the College of Wooster and a M.S. in Zoology from Southern Illinois University (Carbondale).

Free and open to the public.

Thursday, October 17, 3 pm
Bird Walk

Saturday, October 19, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Saturday, November 2, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Thursday, November 7, 3 pm
Bird Walk

Tuesday, November 12, 7:30 pm, doors open at 7 pm
Monthly Meeting and Speaker Program
College Park Airport Operations Building, 2nd Floor
1909 Corporal Frank Scott Dr.
College Park, MD 20740 (Directions)

Chasing a Desert Apparition: LeConte’s Thrasher, presented by Jay Sheppard. A Howard County Bird Club member, Jay will discuss some of the challenges and results of his study of this uncommon desert bird. This thrasher is a shy, poorly-known, and little-studied species found in the hottest and driest deserts of the American Southwest and northwestern Mexico. The bird rarely, if ever, drinks any water. Jay has spent years studying this enigmatic bird and gives the results of his study with some insight into its daily life. Some 350 thrashers were color-banded and followed around an 1800-acre tract in the San Joaquin Valley of California for several years. Extensive information was learned about the life history of this bird. His monograph, The Biology of a Desert Apparition: LeConte’s Thrasher (Toxostoma lecontei), was published last summer.

About the presenter: Jay is a retired biologist from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and lives in Laurel, Maryland. He worked for a number of years at the Bird Banding Laboratory, located at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge, and later in the endangered species program office in Washington, DC. He was born and raised in Ohio, went to Miami University, served 5 years as a Navy officer with the Pacific Fleet, and moved to Maryland in 1972 after graduate school at Long Beach State University. He has been watching and studying birds and nature since as long as he can remember.

Free and open to the public.

Saturday, November 16, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Thursday, November 21, 3 pm
Bird Walk

Lake Artemesia Natural Area. Semi-monthly walk. Wheelchair-accessible. Meet at 3 pm at parking lot at intersection of Berwyn Rd. and Ballew Ave. in Berwyn Heights. No reservations needed. Contact David Mozurkewich (mozurk@bellAtlantic.net) for more information.

Thursday, December 5, 3 pm
Bird Walk

Saturday, December 7, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Tuesday, December 10, 7:30 pm, doors open at 7 pm
Monthly Meeting and Speaker Program
College Park Airport Operations Building, 2nd Floor
1909 Corporal Frank Scott Dr.
College Park, MD 20740 (Directions)

Annual Holiday Social and Movie Night. Join the Patuxent Bird Club and Prince George’s Audubon Society for popcorn and other refreshments to enjoy during our annual movie night. We have two films lined up. “Bluebird Man” (2014) is a half-hour documentary about bluebird conservation and citizen science. The film focuses on the efforts of 91-year-old Alfred Larson, who has been monitoring and maintaining over 300 nestboxes for bluebirds in Idaho for 35 years. The companion film, “The Making of ‘Bluebird Man’” (2016), features an interview with Al Larson, Idaho’s ‘Bluebird Man’ himself, and with Matthew Podolsky, who produced and co-directed the documentary about Larson’s efforts. The two discuss why they wanted to make the film, what they hope viewers will learn from it, and how the bluebird is faring in Idaho.

Free and open to the public.

Sunday, December 15
Jug Bay Christmas Bird Count

Volunteers are needed to census birds in a 15-mile diameter circle centered near Jug Bay, spanning from Upper Marlboro in the west to the Chesapeake Bay in the east. The circle covers parts of Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, and Calvert counties. Choose your own start and stop times, then come to a tally rally at the end of the day to share your data and socialize. Contact compiler Marcia Watson (marshwren50@comcast.net) to be put in touch with a sector leader to receive an area assignment.

Thursday, December 19, 3 pm
Bird Walk

Saturday, December 21, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Sunday, December 29, 8 am
Bird Walk

South Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge. One of a series of walks to explore the seasonal variations in bird use of the habitats at South Tract. Be prepared to walk up to 2 miles. Wear sturdy shoes and bring a water bottle. Target species include waterfowl plus sparrows and other wintering songbirds. Meet at 8:00 am in the parking lot of the National Wildlife Visitor Center off Powder Mill Rd.; bear left on entering the parking area and go all the way to the last section of the lot past the covered solar recharging station for electric vehicles. For directions, see https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Patuxent/visit/directions.html or see https://www.mdbirdingguide.com/Patuxent_Research_Refuge_South_Tract. For further information, contact the leader, Ken Cohen, at kvulture@aol.com.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Bowie Christmas Bird Count

Volunteers are needed to census birds in a 15-mile diameter circle in the vicinity of Bowie. Choose your own start and stop times, then come to a tally rally at the end of the day to share your data and socialize. Contact compiler David Mozurkewich (mozurk@bellAtlantic.net) to volunteer and to receive an assignment.

Thursday, January 2, 3 pm
Bird Walk

Lake Artemesia Natural Area. Semi-monthly walk. Wheelchair-accessible. Meet at 3 pm at parking lot, at intersection of Berwyn Rd. and Ballew Ave. in Berwyn Heights. No reservations needed. Contact David Mozurkewich (mozurk@bellAtlantic.net)for more information.

Saturday, January 4, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Tuesday, January 14, 7:30 pm, doors open at 7 pm
Monthly Meeting and Speaker Program
College Park Airport Operations Building, 2nd Floor
1909 Corporal Frank Scott Dr.
College Park, MD 20740 (Directions)

Telemetry Studies of Sora Rails on the Patuxent River, presented by Greg Kearns. Greg Kearns will discuss his recent work on Sora tagged with microchips that enable their migration routes to be tracked remotely via tracking station beacons on the Patuxent River and elsewhere in the United States. The research is part of an international consortium called Motus (Latin for movement). The newest MOTUS sensor station beacon in our area was recently installed at the Patuxent Research Refuge near the National Wildlife Visitor Center, thanks to a grant from the Maryland Ornithological Society, in cooperation with the Refuge, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and Friends of Patuxent. Greg has a fascinating story to tell about his years of research and fieldwork studying Sora and Wild Rice on the Patuxent River and throughout the Bay. His energy and enthusiasm will inspire you.

About the presenter: Greg Kearns is a Senior Park Naturalist for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC) at the Patuxent River Park in Prince George’s County. His work of more than 35 years in the Jug Bay Natural Area has had a major impact in the areas of habitat restoration and avian research. His intensive study of the relationship between Sora, Wild Rice, and Canada Geese led to a project to restore the Wild Rice marshes of Jug Bay, benefitting Sora as well as many other species. Another line of research has followed Sora on their annual migrations using a combination of trapping, banding, and now, remote telemetry. Apart from this, Greg has worked tirelessly as an educator, incorporating citizen science into his programs and advocating wetland conservation through presentations at schools, senior centers, and environmental organizations throughout the Chesapeake Bay Region. In 2017, Greg’s work was recognized with a Conservation and Restoration Award from the Environmental Law Institute’s National Wetland Awards Program. Greg was also named Conservationist of the Year by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in 2006 for his work on the restoration of the wild rice marshes in Jug Bay. (Biographical information in part courtesy of the Environmental Law Institute.)

Free and open to the public.

Thursday, January 16, 3 pm
Bird Walk

Saturday, January 18, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Saturday, February 1, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Thursday, February 6, 3 pm
Bird Walk

Tuesday, February 11, 7:30 pm, doors open at 7 pm
Monthly Meeting and Speaker Program
College Park Airport Operations Building, 2nd Floor
1909 Corporal Frank Scott Dr
College Park, MD 20740 (Directions)

The Federal Duck Stamp Program, presented by Suzanne Fellows. In 1934, Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling sketched out a pair of mallards landing on a marsh – probably never dreaming he was beginning one of the nation’s oldest and most effective conservation programs. The Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (aka the Duck Stamp) raises approximately $40 million dollars each year for habitat conservation. We will discuss the program’s history, the tradition of the art and contest which makes this program unique, and review the stamp’s conservation successes. Given time, we can have a discussion of where the Federal Duck Stamp could go in the future.

About the presenter: Suzanne Fellows serves as the Chief of the Federal Duck Stamp Program in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Headquarters’ Office. Prior to coming to the D.C. area, Suzanne worked as a wildlife field biologist addressing shorebird and waterbird issues. She has also worked on other bird and mammal species and habitat management projects in several western states and Canadian provinces; and with several different conservation partners including Joint Ventures, universities, National Audubon Society, National Park Service, and U. S. Geological Survey. Suzanne has a wildlife ecology degree from the University of North Dakota and a Master’s degree in wildlife management from Utah State University. In her spare time she volunteers for a local Girl Scout troop and enjoys traveling, birding, gardening, hunting, fishing, camping, stamp collecting, family visits, quilting, reading, cooking, and hanging out with her dog Sky.

Free and open to the public.

Saturday, February 15, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Thursday, February 20, 3 pm
Bird Walk

Thursday, March 5, 3 pm
Bird Walk

Saturday, March 7, 7:30 am
Bird Walk

Fran Uhler Natural Area. Monthly walk. Meet at 7:30 am at east end of Lemon’s Bridge Road, off Route 197 just north of Bowie State University. No reservations needed. The March 7 walk will feature the Spring Cleanup. Help pick up litter and trash to preserve the area’s natural beauty as we also enjoy birding!
Contact Bill Sefton (kiwisuits@msn.com).

Tuesday, March 10, 7:30 pm, doors open at 7 pm
Monthly Meeting and Speaker Program
College Park Airport Operations Building, 2nd Floor
1909 Corporal Frank Scott Dr
College Park, MD 20740 (Directions)

The Third Maryland & DC Breeding Bird Atlas Project, presented by Gabriel Foley. Breeding Bird Atlases are a great way for birders to explore new birding areas, learn more about the behavior of their local birds, and contribute directly to bird conservation! On January 1, 2020, Maryland and DC are beginning their 3rd Breeding Bird Atlas, or BBA3. BBA3 will be a survey of the birds breeding in Maryland and DC. It will rely on volunteer citizen scientists for its data collection. BBA3 will use the popular website eBird for data collection, so collecting data for BBA3 will be different from previous atlases. Gabriel Foley, Coordinator for BBA3, will be discussing what the Atlas is, how it is used to conserve birds and their habitats, and how you can get involved.

About the presenter: Gabriel Foley is an avid birder from the prairie province of Saskatchewan, Canada, located north of Montana and North Dakota. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of Regina, Saskatchewan. For his master’s thesis, also at the University of Regina, he researched nighthawk habitat use in Canada’s boreal forest. Gabriel has also published research on acoustic analysis and interactions between bats and nighthawks around the Washington Monument in D.C. Over the past decade, birds have taken him around the world. He studied White-browed Sparrow-Weaver nest-building behavior at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, as a visiting researcher. He has worked on research projects in Alaska, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Nunavut, coordinated Saskatchewan’s nightjar surveys, and hosted a weekly nature radio show, The Prairie Naturalist. Now, he is excited to be the Coordinator for the 3rd Maryland-DC Breeding Bird Atlas. You can connect with him on Twitter and Instagram at @birdnirdfoley and read more about BBA3 at https://ebird.org/atlasmddc/home.

Free and open to the public.

Cancelled – ~~Thursday, March 19, 3 pm~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Saturday, March 21, 7:30 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Governor Bridge Natural Area. Monthly walk. Meet at the Natural Area parking lot on the south side of Governor Bridge Rd., 1 mile east of Route 301. No reservations needed. The March 21 walk will feature the Spring Cleanup. Help pick up litter and trash to preserve the area’s natural beauty as we also enjoy birding! For more information contact Bill Sefton at kiwisuits@msn.com.

Cancelled – ~~Sunday, March 29, 8 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

North Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge. One of the prime birding areas in Anne Arundel County, the North Tract of Patuxent Research Refuge has ponds, streams, open fields, shrubby areas, and woods, as well as several pollinator gardens. We will travel by car to different areas of the refuge and will walk some of the trails. Meet at the Visitor Center at 8 AM. Half-day trip. For directions see https://birdersguidemddc.org/site/patuxent-research-refuge-north-tract/. Contact leader Debi Talbott ( dtalb74296@aol.com) for more information.

Cancelled – ~~Thursday, April 2, 6 pm (Note: start time is 6 pm April through August)~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Lake Artemesia Natural Area. Semi-monthly walk. Wheelchair-accessible. Meet at 6 pm at parking lot, at intersection of Berwyn Rd. and Ballew Ave. in Berwyn Heights. No reservations needed. Contact David Mozurkewich (mozurk@bellAtlantic.net) for more information.

Cancelled – ~~Saturday, April 4, 7:30 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Tuesday, April 14, 7:30 pm, doors open at 7 pm~~
~~Monthly Meeting and Speaker Program~~
~~College Park Airport Operations Building, 2nd Floor~~
~~1909 Corporal Frank Scott Dr~~
~~College Park, MD 20740 (Directions)~~

Birding Ecuador, presented by Jane and Fred Fallon. While further afield than Costa Rica or Panama as a neotropical birding destination, Ecuador is becoming increasingly popular with North American birders. One of South America’s smaller countries, it is nonetheless larger than the UK; about the size of Colorado. Within that area is a wide variety of habitat, a consequence of the Andes Mountains bisecting the country and creating distinct zones of high and low altitude, and wet and dry, forest – including a good chunk of Amazonian rainforest. As a result, the country’s species list is over 1,600 (of which 200 are migrants from North America), comparing favorably with such giants as Colombia and Venezuela. In this talk, examples of native species will be illustrated, with emphasis on the different families represented and their relation to habitat regions. Interspersed, we’ll cover living conditions, infrastructure, and tips on travel.

About the Presenters: Jane Fallon was raised in Northern Lower Michigan, in the resort town of Petoskey on the shores of Lake Michigan. She earned a BS at Michigan State University and an MS in Mathematics at The Ohio State University. After working in Chicago for a couple of years she moved to Maryland. She likes to be outside whether birding, botanizing, hiking, kayaking, or gardening. She retired from Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in 2013.

Fred’s educational background is in astronomy, optics, and statistics; with a bit of aeronomy and geophysics. He has a PhD in astronomy from U Fla.; has done research at U. of S. Fla, Goddard SFC, and NOAA. He is a native of this area, raised in Silver Spring (and Selby Bay near Edgewater during summers) where he started birding at age 14, and got really serious about 40 years ago after joining MOS and PGAS. In more recent years he has become active in bird conservation, once leading MD Partners in Flight Habitat Committee where he was proud to have helped write the ground-breaking manual “Habitat Management Guidelines for the Benefit of Land Birds in Maryland” in collaboration with great regional experts. While on a PGAS canoe trip Fred met future wife Jane. Since then they’ve birded together for over 30 years and been active in our Patuxent chapter. They’ve been happy taking a few excursions far afield such as this trip to Ecuador.

~~Free and open to the public.~~

Cancelled – ~~Thursday, April 16, 6 pm (Note: start time is 6 pm April through August)~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Saturday, April 18, 7:30 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Sunday, April 19, 8 am~~
~~Field Trip~~

Bluebells and Birds of Watkins Regional Park and Western Branch. Explore the woodland trails at Watkins Regional Park, looking for blooming bluebells and early spring migrant birds. Then carpool to nearby White House Road for a look at the fantastic bluebell swaths along the Western Branch of the Patuxent River. Meet at 8 am by the Nature Center in Watkins Regional Park. Contact the leader, Lisa Garrett at froglipp@gmail.com for more information.

Cancelled – ~~Sunday, April 26, 8 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Saturday, May 2, 7:30 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Thursday, May 7, 6 pm~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Saturday May 9 – Sunday May 10
May Count – Home-Based, Carbon-Free Event

The traditional May Count, organized by the Maryland Ornithological Society for the past 50 years, is something that many birders in our area look forward to, as a chance to get out and go birding with friends during one of the best times of the year. And it is a chance to contribute to science, by adding your sightings to the 50 years of observations of the passage of the wave of migrants through our area.
Although we can’t hold a traditional May Count this year, MOS invites you to a special weekend of birding, the C-Free May Count. During the weekend of May 9-10, get outside by sitting in your backyard, or by taking to your feet or bicycle, and go birding in the Carbon-free, COVID-free May Count. Go out and see the passage of the spring wave of warblers!

Click here for a printable checklist for the count. And share what you have seen with MOS and the birding community, on the MOS Facebook page or the MDBirding Google group. You can also submit your observations to MOS via eBird, email, or even telephone. Complete instructions can be found at C-Free May Count.pdf. There is but one rule for the C-Free May Count: Go Birding!

If you do join the C-Free May Count, remember that May 9^th is also Cornell Lab’s Global Big Day, so any eBird checklist submitted for that day will be included in the Big Day totals. And it is a prime time to contribute to the third Maryland-DC Breeding Bird Atlas, too, which has started collecting breeding bird observations just this year!

Celebrate the arrival of spring and the annual migration of the colorful warblers by going birding on the C-Free May Count!

Cancelled – ~~Sunday, May 10, 8 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Tuesday, May 12, 7:30 pm, doors open at 7 pm~~
~~Monthly Meeting and Speaker Program~~
~~College Park Airport Operations Building, 2nd Floor~~
~~1909 Corporal Frank Scott Dr~~
~~College Park, MD 20740 (Directions)~~

Habitat Restoration and Song Birds at Piney Branch in Rock Creek Park, presented by Steve Dryden. Steve Dryden will give an overview of the Rock Creek songbirds habitat restoration and outreach initiative that he founded in 2013. The initiative got its start with funding from the National Audubon Society’s “Together Green” program, combining conservation and education in the Piney Branch section of Rock Creek National Park. A common theme of all the Songbirds Project activities is that bird migration bonds the peoples of the Western Hemisphere in a common ecological future. The Songbirds Project has resulted in the planting of more than 500 trees and installation of hundreds of wildflower and grass plants. This year, the project expanded the wetland behind the Piney Branch parkway picnic pavilion by removing an asphalt slab that served as a basketball court before the area flooded. The 2,400 square foot space will be planted with both aquatic and upland species, with the assistance of students from the Sacred Heart Catholic School in nearby Mt. Pleasant. An earlier program was the “Songbird Journeys” exhibit, featuring film interviews with Latino residents about their recollections of birds in their home countries. Supported by the DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs and the DC Humanities Council, the one-room exhibit has “migrated” to schools, churches, and community venues around the city since its debut in 2016.

About the presenter: Steve Dryden is a 20-year veteran of environmental and historic preservation advocacy. Steve was media relations director of the Audubon Naturalist Society in Chevy Chase, a founding board member of the Rock Creek Conservancy, and is currently executive director of the Friends of Peirce Mill, which partnered with the National Park Service to re-open that historic landmark in Rock Creek National Park. He has taught environmental science as an adjunct faculty member at Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington DC, and appears regularly in other schools to give presentations on the Songbirds Project. Before moving into environmental work, Steve was a journalist specializing in trade and international economic policy.

~~Free and open to the public.~~

Cancelled – ~~Saturday, May 16, 7:30 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Governor Bridge Natural Area. Monthly walk. Meet at the Natural Area parking lot on the south side of Governor Bridge Rd., 1 mile east of Route 301. No reservations needed. The May 16 walk will feature the Spring Cleanup. Help pick up litter and trash to preserve the area’s natural beauty as we also enjoy birding! For more information contact Bill Sefton at kiwisuits@msn.com.

Cancelled – ~~Thursday, May 21, 6 pm~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Sunday, May 24, 7 am~~
~~Field Trip~~

Delaware Bayshore. Full day trip. Join leader Fred Fallon for our annual Memorial Day weekend shorebird hunt at the great refuges of the Delaware Bayshore. Migrating shorebirds are the main target species. We can also expect to see gulls, terns, some waterfowl, and waders. Exact route and stops will be determined by current bird reports and by tides. Bring lunch, snacks, drinks, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, scope, and money for tolls and possible dinner stop. Reservations required. Carpool will leave from the Bowie Park and Ride at 7 am. Please contact Fred Fallon at fwfallon@ymail.com no later than May 19 to reserve your spot, and for more information.

Cancelled – ~~Thursday, June 4, 6 pm~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Saturday, June 6, 7:30 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Tuesday, June 9, 7:30 pm, doors open at 7 pm~~
~~Monthly Meeting and Speaker Program~~
~~College Park Airport Operations Building, 2nd Floor~~
~~1909 Corporal Frank Scott Dr~~
~~College Park, MD 20740 (Directions)~~

Members’ Night. Join members of the Patuxent Bird Club and PGAS as they present a few of their favorite photos and give brief presentations about their birding adventures. Members who wish to present must contact Marcia Watson at marshwren50@comcast.net no later than June 4 so that she can organize the agenda.

Free and open to the public. Doors open at 7 pm for 7:30 pm meeting start time.

Cancelled – ~~Thursday, June 18, 6 pm~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Saturday, June 20, 7:30 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Thursday, July 2, 6 pm~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Saturday, July 4, 7:30 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Fran Uhler Natural Area. Monthly walk. Meet at 7:30 am at the east end of Lemon’s Bridge Road, off Route 197 just north of Bowie State University. No reservations needed. Contact Bill Sefton (mailto:mkiwisuits@msn.com).

Cancelled – ~~Thursday, July 16, 6 pm~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Saturday, July 18, 7:30 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Saturday, August 1, 7:30 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Fran Uhler Natural Area. Monthly walk. Meet at 7:30 am at the east end of Lemon’s Bridge Road, off Route 197 just north of Bowie State University. No reservations needed. Contact Bill Sefton (kiwisuits@msn.com).

Cancelled – ~~Thursday, August 6, 6 pm~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Saturday, August 15, 7:30 am~~
~~Bird Walk~~

Cancelled – ~~Thursday, August 20, 6 pm~~
~~Bird Walk~~

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