GRAND TRAVERSE AUDUBON CLUB
September 2018
BIRD NOTES
Hello everyone,
With today’s cooler temperatures, it is a reminder that Autumn is fast approaching and with that the beginning of our fall meeting schedule.
This year, our October Annual meeting and dinner will be held at the Fellowship Hall at Bethlehem Lutheran Church: address, 1050 Peninsula Drive, Traverse City. Paul Rossi will be our presenter and China Fair will be the caterer.
The October meeting is also when the proposed officers for 2019 are elected. We are urgently seeking club members who would be interested in serving on the board. Please contact Ed Moehle, Chairman of the Nominating Committee.
I and the Board are looking forward to seeing all of you and hearing about your many summer adventures.
Happy Birding
Shirley Mesch, President
Holiday Woodlands Preserve
On August 9 several Audubon members toured the Holiday Woodlands Preserve, located on Five Mile Road about a mile south of Holiday Road. We heard a summary of the dramatic purchase of the land when a dozen East Bay residents joined to purchase the 80 acres of woods, wetlands, meadows, creeks and sand dunes. We are exploring how the GTAC might help Holiday Woodlands by providing a census. If you are interested in helping, contact Ed Moehle. You can learn more about the Preserve at www.holidaywoodlandspreserve.com.
Grand Traverse Audubon Club
Executive Board Meeting
7/26/18
Minutes
Present: Barb Graf, Ed Kaminski, John Mesch, Shirley Mesch, Ed Moehle, David Stringer
Absent: Carol Towar, Stephany Podolan
President Shirley Mesch called meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Items to be discussed included:
Proposed up-dating of Club’s by-laws
Annual dinner meeting in October
Nominating Committee
Board Members for 2019
2019 Schedule
Any and all suggestions
The Board reviewed the current by-laws. Barb will type and send recommended revisions to the Board for proofreading. Upon completion David will send hard copies to all members, hopefully by mid-August, to be voted on at the September regular meeting.
Shirley reported that she has researched China Fair for catering the October Dinner meeting. It is very promising that they can provide a varied menu at a reasonable cost. Ed Kaminski will prepare an annual membership renewal form and a dinner reservation form, hopefully to be mailed to all members with the by-laws revision in mid-August.
Ed Moehle volunteered to be the Board representative on the Nominating Committee. The Executive Board will assist Ed in recruiting two additional Nominating Committee members, as well as encourage members to assume leadership roles.
Ed Moehle reported on the Holiday Woodlands Preserve. They have raised sufficient funds to establish the natural area. Ed & Carolyn have walked the area. GTAC can be of assistance by taking bird census of the area and possibly by helping to provide a bench. Ed will continue to meet with their representatives; and GTAC members will be asked if any are interested in doing a census.
The meeting ended with a discussion and several suggestions for programs and field trips for 2019.
The next Board meeting is tentatively set for Thursday, August 23 at 6:00 p.m. at the library. Shirley will email verification. We will finalize October Dinner meeting arrangements, touch base with the nominating Committee progress, and work on the 2019 program and field trip schedule.
Adjourned 8:15 p.m.
Grand Traverse Audubon Club
Proposed By-laws
August 2018
I. Name of Club
The name of this club shall be Grand Traverse Audubon Club.
II. Objectives
The objectives of the Grand Traverse Audubon Club (GTAC) are the welfare and preservation of the bird life and other fauna, the flora, the resources and the beauty of our environment, especially in the Grand Traverse area. We would consider cooperating with any individual, organization, or governmental unit that shares these objectives.
III. Affiliation
The Grand Traverse Audubon Club is a chapter of the Michigan Audubon Society. As such, it is also affiliated with the National Audubon Society.
IV. Membership
Membership in the Grand Traverse Audubon Club shall be extended to any individual or family that has paid the Club dues as established by these by-laws. While all members are encouraged to join the National Audubon Society and/or the Michigan Audubon Society, membership is not a pre-requisite to membership in the Grand Traverse Audubon Club.
V. Organization
A. Executive Board Activities of the Club shall be administered by an Executive Board composed of the following officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Newsletter Editor. In addition to the above officers, the immediate Past President, the elected Club representative to the Michigan Audubon Society and one elected representative from the general membership shall be voting members of the Executive Board.
B. Terms of Office Officers shall be elected for one year terms, beginning January 1. There shall be no limitation on the number of terms any individual may serve in any one office.
C. Vacancies Any vacancy that arises in the Executive Board shall be filled for the remainder of the year by decision of the Executive Board upon recommendation from the on-going Nominating Committee. Such appointment shall be subject to the approval of the general membership at the next regular meeting of the club.
D. Duties of Officers Duties of each office shall be assigned by the Executive Board. The general duties of each office shall include such responsibilities as are implied by the titles of offices. Each officer shall keep such records as may be necessary to provide adequate background and direction for his or her successor.
E. Executive Board Meetings A majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum at meetings of the Board. The meetings of the Executive Board shall be open to any member in good standing. The Board may participate in electronic or telephone discussion, and may use such devices for voting on issues and/or to achieve a quorum.
F. Committees The president shall appoint such additional committees as may be necessary.
VI. Meetings
A. Annual Dinner Meeting An Annual dinner meeting of the Club shall be held each October at which meeting officers for the next calendar year shall be elected.
B. Annual Business Meeting An Annual Business Meeting of the Club shall be held in January at the call of the Executive Board. The Treasurer of the preceding year shall submit a written financial report and a membership statement for the preceding year at the Annual Business Meeting.
C. Regular Program Meetings There shall be regular program meetings during the year with such additional meetings and field trips as may be scheduled by the Executive Board.
D. Quorum for General Membership Meetings For the purpose of transacting business at a regular or special meeting, fifteen (15) members shall constitute a quorum.
VII. Nominating Committee and Election
A. Election of Officers Club officers shall be elected at the Annual Dinner Meeting in October.
B. Nominating Committee The Executive Board shall appoint an on-going Nominating Committee of three (3) members at its first meeting after taking office in January, one of whom shall be a member of the Executive Board.
C. Nominations The Nominating Committee shall nominate one Candidate for each office and shall report such nominations to the Executive Board and members at the Annual Dinner Meeting. In selecting candidates the Committee shall have as an objective a reasonable degree of change among the Club’s officers. To that end the Committee shall encourage the candidacy of qualified individuals who have not previously served as Club officers.
D. Nominations from the Floor After the report of the Nominating Committee additional nominations may be made from the floor.
E. Requirement for Election A majority vote of members present shall be necessary for election of any officer.
VIII. Dues, Property and Funds
A. Establishment of Dues Club dues shall be recommended by the Executive Board and shall be approved by a simple majority vote of members present at the January Annual Business Meeting.
B. Walter Hastings Memorial Environmental Education Fund Donations and gifts to Grand Traverse Audubon Club will be placed in the Walter Hastings Memorial Environmental Education Fund. Disbursement of these funds will be at the discretion of the Board.
C. Assessments Assessments, other than dues, shall not be made against members unless specifically voted by the general membership after they have received prior written notice of any proposed assessment.
D. Misuse of Club Funds Club funds shall not be used for the personal profit of any of its members.
E. Dissolution of Club Should the Club fail, be dissolved or fail to elect officers for three (3) consecutive years, its cash on hand and any other assets shall become the property of the Michigan Audubon Society.
IX. Amendments
A. Amending Procedure These By-Laws may be changed in whole or in part or may be added to at any regular membership meeting provided that the entire membership is notified of the proposed changes in writing at least ten (10) days in advance of such a meeting. Amendments may be proposed by a majority vote of the Executive Board or by written petition of at least 25 percent of the general membership.
B. Requirement for Adoption To be adopted, amendments must be favored by a two-thirds majority of those voting, except for changes in dues, which requires only a simple majority.
X. Resolutions and Statements of Position (Amendment passed 12-21-00)
A. The Grand Traverse Audubon Club may from time to time issue statements of position or pass resolutions regarding conservation or environmental concerns. These may be sent to governmental authorities and/or other interested entities. At a general meeting, a resolution will be considered adopted if it is voted favorably by a majority of members in attendance.
B. There may be times when conservation or environmental issues present themselves and there is no general meeting scheduled before action is required. In these cases a majority of Executive Board members can approve a resolution or issue a statement of position for the Grand Traverse Audubon Club. Such position statements or resolutions shall be under the name of the Grand Traverse Audubon Club Executive Board.
Coming Attractions
September
27 – Regular Meeting – Speaker, Alice Van Zoeren on the “Great Lakes population of Piping Plover in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore,” including photos and videos by our speaker. 7:00 p.m. Boardman River Nature Center. Contact number 231-499-1318
October
20 – Annual meeting and dinner. Speaker: Paul Rossi – “Seasonal Bird Migration in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula” with focus on the season movements of birds throughout this area of varied habitats and weather patterns. It will cover from St. Ignace to De Tour and points inland, including Whitefish Point. 6:00, hors d’oeuvres, 6:30 dinner begins with a short business meeting at 7:00. Door prizes through-out the dinner. Speaker at 8:00 p.m. Location: The Fellowship Hall at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1050 Peninsula Drive, Traverse City (across from Bryan Park). Please call 231 499-1318 if you are in need of directions.
November
15 – Regular meeting – 7:00 p.m. Boardman River Nature Center. Details are being researched. Questions/Ideas call 231 499-1318.
December
13 – Regular Meeting – 7:00. It’s share your photos time and, possibly, a game of “Name that Bird” or “Hear that Bird.” Contact Joe Brooks, coordinator for this event, at (231) 883-7214.
12 – Leelanau Christmas Bird Count – Nate Crane – nmcrane@gmail.com
15 – Grand Traverse County Christmas Bird Count – Ed Moehle 231 947-8821
16 – Antrim County Christmas Bird Count – John Kreag – 231 264-8968 or 231 360-0943
January 2019
12 – Field Trip – Winter hike at Otter Creek with Tom Ford. Please contact Tom Ford at 231 409-9203.
24 – Regular Meeting, 7:00
South Carolina
by John Mesch
I love nature programs and I discovered a great one from South Carolina public TV, courtesy of my Amazon Firestick. The series is called “Expeditions” and is produced by Clemson University. I guess Clemson’s credentials go beyond their winning football program and extend to educating people. The programs are hosted by Patrick McMillan, PhD, a Clemson biology professor. Dr. McMillan does programs about flora and fauna at diverse locations around the United States. It is easy to see that his favorite fauna are birds. You never see him on screen without binoculars. My birding friends should find these programs very interesting. Kudos to Dr. McMillan and Clemson and the State of South Carolina for their efforts in promoting science education. Other Good nature programming I have found on the Firestick is from Austria, Australia, and Canada public TV.
Birdwatching for Beginners
by David Stringer
First of all, you don’t call it “birdwatching.” That’s something old people used to do. Old people doing it now call it “birding.” Even if you don’t like turning a simple noun into a hybrid called a “verbal noun,” birding is what those serious people with spotting scopes and checklists are doing.
Let’s keep it simple. On Saturday, after a couple of hours of moving rocks, dirt and weeds as we landscaped a path from our cottage to the lake in 98 degree heat, Kim and I went birding. (She was actually butterflying, and no, this did not involve competitive swimming.) Here are two things we saw.
Indigo Bunting
Blue Angel
Only one of them is a bird. The other is part of the Blue Angels team entertaining the National Cherry Festival crowd here in Traverse City. Here’s how to tell the difference:
- Sound: The airplane is much louder than the bird. Loudness may be a big part of the appeal of the Blue Angels, and I agree that the roar is impressive. The sound of the Indigo Bunting is a big part of its appeal, too, and it’s relatively loud for a bird, but not even close to a Blue Angel. My field guide describes the Indigo Bunting’s song thus: “Song a high, sharp urgent warble with most phrases repeated ti ti whee whee zeere zeere.” I don’t have a guide to Blue Angels, so the best I can do is “RRRROOOOOOAAAARRR!!!!”
- Markings: If it has numbers and letters on it, most likely it’s not a bird – unless it has been tagged so birders and researchers can track its movements.
- Color: Both are blue. Actually, only the male Indigo Buntings are blue – females are brownish. I’m not sure there are any female Blue Angels – it seems like a stereotypical male phenomenon, though times, as the poet says, they are a-changin’. In the Middle Ages, angels were thought to be gender neutral.
- Flight: Blue Angels fly much faster than Indigo Buntings, which also tend to flap their wings – unlike their airplane counterparts. Also – Indigo Buntings do not leave a visible vapor trail, though Starlings poop on my car from time to time.
Flock of Blue Angels with Vapor Trail
- Size: Airplanes are typically larger than birds – unless you count drones as airplanes. If drones confuse you, use the other criteria above.
· Range: Indigo Buntings are found east of the Rockies. Blue Angles are found all across the country, and they have a website where you can find their schedule. Indigo Buntings, being low-tech, don’t have a website. It’s unclear whether they Twitter.
· Diet: Indigo Buntings consume small seeds, berries, buds, and insects. Blue Angels consume jet fuel.
That’s about it. For our next lesson we will help you compare one bird with another. Here’s a preview of one of the birds: