Three Rivers Birding Club Southwestern Pennsylvania

Bimonthly Membership Meeting
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
7:30 PM -- 9:30 PM
Virtual Zoom Platform from Pittsburgh, PA

Sixty-nine computers were logged on to 3RBC's April 2022 meeting, with several of those shared by more than one person. In total, at least 81 individuals viewed the club's eleventh virtual Zoom meeting, which featured experienced birder and naturalist Holly Merker, who presented "Ornitherapy: For Your Mind, Body, and Soul."

3RBC President Sheree Daugherty called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. She and other club officers and members made the following announcements and reports.

•   Sheree noted that the club now has its own Instagram account. 3RBC member, Malcolm Kurtz, offered to set up and maintain the new venture into social media. Malcolm spoke briefly and explained that Instagram is a great place to share nature photos, videos, even trip reports and news about upcoming outings, and he hopes it will help promote both the club and birding and help recruit new members. Malcolm did a quick screen-share and showed everyone what the new account looks like. If those with Instagram accounts follow our new account, they will get updates when new material is posted. 3RBC members who want to post a photo or video on the new outlet should email it to him at malcolmwkurtz@gmail.com. Thanks to Tom, a link to the new Instagram account is on the club's website. Thanks, Malcolm and Tom!

•   President Daugherty reminded all that the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology will have its annual meeting this year in September in Lancaster County at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area Visitor Center. The area is known for its good birding. Those who are interested should look at the PSO's website, pabirds.org, for more info. She added that the organization is gearing up for another Breeding Bird Blitz for conservation, whereby birders form teams, solicit donations, and the results of their findings are used to further bird conservation and science and fund worthy organizations. For more information, visit the Birding Blitz website.

•   Brooks Bird Club President-Elect Ryan Tomazin announced that the Brooks Bird Club's annual Foray is returning for 2022! This year's Foray will be based in Terra Alta, in nearby Preston County, just east of Morgantown, at Camp Galilee, adjacent to Terra Alta Lake. The Foray will run from Friday, June 3 through Saturday, June 11, 2022. This is a terrific event, offered at a very reasonable price, by one of the area's oldest and most venerable bird clubs. To learn more, go to the Brooks web site - brooksbirdclub.org - for information and to register. The online application form is now opened.

•   Sheree reminded everyone that the club is still in "pandemic mode," and will continue to meet via Zoom until is safe to gather together in person. She hoped the situation will improve soon, but, for safety's sake, virtual meetings will continue for the foreseeable future. She speculated that we might be able to meet in person in August. When we do meet in person, the meeting will most likely be held in Phipps Conservatory's Botany Hall in Oakland. She noted that Tom Moeller will send out an email containing details of the meeting. Alternatively, the club's website and Facebook page will also have meeting information.

•   Peregrine Editor Paul Hess highlighted the content of the upcoming May-June issue of The Peregrine.

He related that in her next President's Message, Sheree discusses the various kinds of birding. Fortunately, our favorite pastime is not a one-size-fits-all proposition; there are many ways to bird to fit many different lifestyles and interests.

Paul also noted that there has been an explosion of many rare gulls at Lake Wilhelm in Mercer County, photos of which will appear in the next issue, taken by several of the club's fine photographers.

Tom Moeller's Observations column will feature Part 3 of his Robin saga, which relates how a particular male Robin has returned to his yard for the second year in a row, and that this bird exhibits signs of actually recognizing Tom by sight and sound!. Make sure to read this fascinating behavioral study.

Since the club's long-time treasurer/webmaster, Tom Moeller, got called away from the meeting, Sheree delivered his treasurer and webmaster reports. She reported that memberships now total 329, with five new families who joined since our last meeting. This translates to more than 400 individuals who enjoy birding. The club continues to grow! And, to make renewing your membership even easier, the club now has a PayPal option on the "Join the Club" page of the website. Thanks to Tom for setting that up for the club! Tom asks those who are joining for the first time to print out and mail in the membership application so the club has your contact information, etc. As always, the club is very grateful for the continued support and generosity of its members. Thank you!

•   Outings Coordinator Steve Thomas announced that several outings are scheduled for the spring, as well as the club's annual picnic in June!

• Wednesday, April 13 — Woodcock Walk
• Saturday, April 23 — Raccoon Creek State Park
• Friday April 29 — Frick Park
• Friday, April 29 — Sewickley Heights Park
• Friday, May 6 — Sewickley Heights Park
• Saturday, May 7 — Chatham's Eden Hall Campus
• Saturday, May 14 — Deer Lakes Park
• Sunday, May 15 — State Game Lands 95, Glade Dam Lake
• Saturday, May 21 — Harrison Hills
• Saturday, June 11, 2022 — 3RBC Annual Picnic at Harrison Hills Park

Participants must follow CDC guidelines, including these: practice social distancing; do not share equipment; vaccines are recommended; wear a mask when appropriate. Each outing leader has set additional restrictions and requirements: most require pre-registration, and numbers of participants are limited to about 15. Finally, each leader may discontinue the outing at any time if conditions warrant such an action. Please see the full outing listing on the "Outings" page of the website for all restrictions and requirements that may apply! As always, check the club's Facebook page for details, directions, and possible last minute changes or cancellations.

•   3RBC Vice President Mike Fialkovich delivered the bird sightings report. Spring migrants have been in the area, including American Woodcock, Eastern Phoebe, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Fox Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, Osprey, and Yellow-throated Warbler have all been reported recently. American Wigeon at Findlay Township, Blawnox, Clinton, and Beechwood Farms; Great Egret at North Park, Duck Hollow, Harmar Township, and Bridgeville; Long-tailed Ducks at Duck Hollow; Greater Yellowlegs at Wingfield Pines; Turkey Vultures have been present all winter; Black Vultures at Fox Chapel, Indiana Township and Millvale; Ruby-crowned Kinglet in West Deer Township; Gray Catbird at South Park and Deer Lakes Park; American Pipit in Oakmont; American Goldfinches in large quantities in Natrona Heights and Collier Township; White-throated Sparrows in Natrona Heights; Eastern Meadowlark in West Deer Township; Northern Pintail at Wingfield Pines and Findlay Township; Northern Shoveler at North Park; Canvasback in the area; Red-necked Grebe on the Allegheny in Sharpsburg; Great Black-backed Gulls in the area; Lesser Black-backed Gulls at Emsworth Dam; Glaucous Gull; Merlin at Indiana Township, Schenley Park, Brunot's Island, and Pine Township; Snow Bunting in Findlay Township; Northern Bobwhite in the area; Rusty Blackbird in Schenley Park; Pectoral Sandpiper in Findlay Township; and Palm Warbler at Frick Park.

•   Program Director Carol McCullough noted that the club's next meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 6, 2022, at 7:00 PM and will feature Katie Fallon, who will present her program entitled "Saving the Cerulean Warbler," which continues the discussion begun in her 2011 book, Cerulean Blues: A Personal Search for a Vanishing Songbird. This bird is in serious decline and is the fastest-declining Neotropical migrant songbird, losing 3% of its population per year since 1966. Carol asked everyone to make sure and attend and hear Katie's update on the fate of this beautiful bird.

Mike Fialkovich next introduced the evening's speaker, Holly Merker. Mike related to everyone that he had met Holly ten years ago at a PSO meeting in Chester County. He worked with her on the PSO board and on the Pennsylvania Ornithological Records Committee. At the time Holly served as chair of the Education Committee on the PSO board, where she provided support for students who were interested in birds. She provided valuable services to the organization by extending outreach to all birders in the state, a long-time PSO priority. Holly took on added responsibility as chair of the Records Committee, a position she held for six years. At the time the committee was behind in reviewing records and in other areas. Thanks to Holly's hard work, the committee caught-up on its long-standing backlog of work. She made great strides in improving the organization's outreach efforts, making it a better resource for the state's birders. Mike told us that her book, Ornitherapy, is well-rated on Amazon, and that its subject will be the topic of her presentation, as well as how birding can be therapeutic and enhance any individual's well-being.

Holly began by telling everyone that she was honored to speak to us, and that she recognized many of the names and faces on the Zoom meeting.

She began by defining ornitherapy as "using birds as a guiding light towards a happier and healthier life." She posited the question, "We all love birds, but is there something in birdwatching beyond the enjoyment?" She believes there is. What's more, she claimed that ornitherapy helped to save her life, and it might do the same for others! She explained that we all need birds and nature for our well-being. She cited Hippocrates, who stated that nature itself is the best physician. Doctors these days do not usually proscribe birding or nature as an antidote or preventative treatment. By her work, she hopes that they will begin to consider doing exactly this.

She noted that during the pandemic, we were unable to meet our friends and loved ones in person, but we could - and did - invite the birds in. As many of us know, the birds made us feel comforted, and helped us feel joy again, even in the midst of dark times. She referred to such activities as "positive distractions," something that took our minds away from the unpleasantness.

Science supports the idea that being in nature has restorative effects, and birds are gateways into deeper connections with nature. Pre-pandemic surveys showed that 46 million individuals engage with birds in some fashion; indications are that this number has greatly increased as a result of the pandemic. Since birds are everywhere, we can see them easily; we are rewarded with benefits to our mind body and soul - this is ornitherapy.

Why does birding provide this benefit? One reason is that birds and birding distract us from the stresses of our busy lives. Birding gives us an opportunity to redirect and refocus our minds. This works because of the way our brains are wired. When we focus on phones, emails, texts, and the like, we use a particular analytical part of our brains. But when we go outside and bird, an entirely different part of our brains is engaged; thus, giving the analytic part a much needed rest. The result is that we feel recharged and escape repetitious negative thinking patterns.

Studies show that all this happens because birding lowers our body's level of cortisol, (another word for hydrocortisone) a hormone produced by our bodies when we are under stress. Long-term exposure to this hormone can have damaging effects on our bodies and negatively impact our immune systems and metabolism. Birding, then, is an effective way to counter these deleterious phenomena. Holly went on to explain that there are other beneficial natural chemicals present in the air in wooded and natural areas, and they contribute to both physical and mental well-being. In addition, it doesn't take long to reap benefits. Studies have shown that even twenty minutes of birding can begin to lower cortisol levels, so not only is it effective, it's fast!

The medical field is beginning to catch on in other countries. In Japan, the UK, and Canada doctors are literally prescribing nature as a drug-free, therapeutic tool to enhance health and reduce tension and stress. If birds and nature make us feel better, Holly encouraged us to share this information with our doctors and health care providers and help get the word out that people who live in eco-rich areas have less depression and other similar disorders. And, you don't have to know anything about birds for it to work; just being surrounded by birds and nature is enough.

Holly, who is a breast cancer survivor, is convinced that all the times she went birding while she was undergoing treatment for an aggressive breast cancer provided more than momentary relief. She believes that birding helped her overcome the disease.

In summary then, ornitherapy is a practice of mindful observation of birds which benefits our mind, body, and spirit. Birds offer gateways into deeper experiences with nature. Ornitherapy amplifies the well-being that nature offers. In practice, ornitherapy adds to "regular" birding the notions of judgement-free mindfulness and intentionality.

After her presentation, Holly took several questions from the attendees.

Sheree thanked Holly for her fascinating and intriguing presentation and reminded everyone to check out her recently published book, Ornitherapy: For Your Mind, Body and Soul. She wished everyone well, cautioned us to stay safe, and adjourned the meeting.

— prepared by Frank Moone on 4-20-2022