Three Rivers Birding Club
Bi-monthly Membership Meeting
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
6:30 - 10:00 PM
Phipps Garden Center, Shady Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA
Fifty-nine members and newcomers gathered, discussed birding, and sampled the plentiful munchies.
President Jim Valimont called the meeting to order at 7:30, made the introductory announcements, and recognized seven first timers. Steve Thomas, filling in for Vice President Bob VanNewkirk, conducted the business meeting.
* Paul Hess made a special announcement that the American Ornithologists Union honored the late Dr. Kenneth Parkes, one of our former members, by naming the genus Parkesia after him. Dr. Parkes had long argued that the two waterthrush species and the Ovenbird should not be in the same genus. Now the waterthrushes are in their own genus, Parkesia.
* Tom Kuehl stated that Tom and Sally Dick, owners of the Allegheny Front Hawk Watch property, and the Save Our Allegheny Ridges organization are opposing the creation of a wind farm near the Allegheny Front. The wind farm would have major detrimental impacts on the hawks, bats, etc. People were asked to attend a meeting on August 12 with the Army Corps of Engineers concerning the project.
* Ian Haigh announced that Dr. Jeff Larkin would discuss Golden-winged Warblers at the next 3RBC meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 6.
* Steve said that there would be a shorebird outing at Shenango on the third or fourth weekend in August when the water level is best. Contact him for details. Check The Peregrine or www.3rbc.org for fall outings.
* Sue Solomon presided over the drawing of the door prizes.
Mike Fialkovich, Bird Reports Editor, first reported on two outings that he had led. The June Hunter’s Lane outing near Donegal produced good birds such as Alder Flycatcher and Golden-winged Warbler, but also a Black Bear. Pymatuning provided many nesting birds including an Eastern Kingbird’s nest with young. Local reports included Ruffed Grouse at Knob Hill Park, four Great Blue Herons fledging from one nest at Allegheny Cemetery, a new Peregrine Falcon nest at the Westinghouse Bridge, Peregrines at the Tarentum and McKees Rocks bridges, many shorebirds especially at the drained North Park Lake, Blue-headed Vireo, Black-and-white Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, American Redstart, Ovenbird, Purple Finch, Great Egret, Osprey, and Barred Owl. The group also discussed the failed attempt to raise Barn Owls at Moraine State Park and the increase of Common Mergansers in western Pennsylvania and in West Virginia.
With great pride and respect, Paul Hess introduced 3RBC member Geoff Malosh as the evening’s speaker. Paul stated that Geoff would lie in the mud or snow to get a shot. He’s a brilliant photographer, writer, and amateur ornithologist, and the fine editor of Pennsylvania Birds. Paul, as editor of The Peregrine, said he is fortunate to have Geoff as a contributing photographer.
Geoff said he was born and raised in Pittsburgh and started to bird at the age of 8. He became an avid photographer about six or seven years ago, and has birded and photographed in many areas. Geoff’s PowerPoint presentation “Alaska” was subtitled “11 days, 1312 miles, 71 species, 3128 photos.” He proceeded to dazzle, awe, and amaze the audience with his expert photography. People oohed and aahed as Arctic Terns and Long-tailed Jaegers hovered, and Red-necked Grebes tended to their young. His “postcard” shots captured the magnificence of Alaska’s scenery. Geoff’s self-deprecating style and humorous banter with the audience created a lively atmosphere. Several series of bird photos focused on individual species and could have conveyed a story even without Geoff’s entertaining narrative.
Geoff and his wife, Kristin, flew into Anchorage in June of 2009 and drove south to Potter Marsh where Geoff extensively photographed Arctic Terns, often as they were feeding their young. He said that the terns and other Alaskan birds are quite aggressive, probably because they can raise only one brood during the short breeding season. Birders risk being attacked if they get too close to the young birds or nests.
The Maloshes drove south on the Kenai Peninsula to Homer, famed for its many eagles. Although the weather is often overcast on the peninsula, Geoff stated that it is a microcosm of Alaska and people should visit it if they have only a short time to tour the state. An amazing shot of a Bald Eagle flying over Geoff while feasting on a crab demonstrated both Geoff’s “luck” and “skill.” A brief stop in Seward for a helicopter ride to a glacier allowed Geoff and his wife to enjoy dog sled rides. They took a ferry from Whittier across Prince William Sound to Valdez. Although many species have recovered during the twenty years since the infamous oil spill, some species, such as Harlequin Duck, still have not recovered.
Next they journeyed north on the Richardson Highway amid spectacular green tundra and ravenous mosquitoes but saw few birds. Geoff and his wife now reached the famous Denali Highway. Few people travel this mostly dirt road with its reputation for being dangerous, but Geoff considers it to be one of the most beautiful highways in North America and the highlight of their trip. They often stopped to admire and photograph both the scenery and the birds. Long-tailed Jaegers were frequent and spectacular, Whimbrels were very aggressive, and White-crowned Sparrows were common. A Lesser Yellowlegs posed combatively on a Black Spruce Tree in a boreal forest. Near Willow, Geoff shot crowd-pleasing photographs of a family of Red-necked Grebes.
Upon returning to Anchorage, the Maloshes traveled to Potter Marsh and photographed some of the same birds. The audience was amazed at the growth of young Mew Gulls and Arctic Terns during the ten days since the beginning of the trip. Geoff started his trip with the belief that the Long-tailed Jaeger would be his favorite bird, but in the end the Arctic Tern became the bird of the trip.
Geoff then answered questions from the audience and graciously accepted their praise.
Submitted by Pat and Sherron Lynch
Co-Secretaries of Three Rivers Birding Club
