Category: Meeting Minutes

At 6:03 pm President Barbara Saunders called the meeting of the Society to order. Vice-President Lydia Thomas introduced Rick Cech, whose talk entitled “Understanding New World Butterflies via New Taxonomy” described recent advances in ordering butterfly families and their evolutionary relationships. There are approximately 18,000 species of butterfly, many of which are extremely difficult to tell apart by visual inspection, as for example within the skipper and blue families. Even with the advent of DNA sequence analysis, such relationships have been difficult to determine owing to the limited and patchy amount of sequence data available. However, more recently, an international consortium has gathered and analyzed DNA sequences from 207 species representing 98% of the butterfly tribes and using data from 352 genetic loci. This data set gives a much more comprehensive picture of the relationships and evolutionary origins of the various families and has made the taxonomy much clearer and coherent. Rick presented the results of this analysis as an evolutionary wheel rather than a simple tree and pointed out where the families diverged from one another in geological time. While the first lepidopteran fossils date back some 190 million years, before the origin of angiosperms and before the time of the mass extinction at the Jurassic Cretaceous boundary 65 million years ago, the DNA analysis suggests that butterflies evolved about 119 million years ago. Furthermore, there was considerable evolutionary radiation after the extinction event, with some lineages radiating much more than others. Turning to the drivers of evolutionary speciation, Rick emphasized the role of co-evolution of the plant species upon which butterflies depend, and the important role of plant toxins in this genetic arms race. He gave as an example the relationship between the passionflower vine and the heliconians that feed upon it. The caterpillars are immune to the toxin, and in fact use it as a defense against predators, but the plant in turn has developed egg mimicry to ward off females from laying eggs on a plant that already appears to have eggs on it. That toxins may drive evolution is supported by the fact that within the pierid family, the whites, which feed on mustards and are thus exposed to plant toxins, show much more speciation than the sulfurs, which feed largely on peas and other legumes, which lack them. Turning to other drivers of evolution, Rick pointed out the roles of mimicry and camouflage, both of which are prominent features in several butterfly lineages. He also described efforts to discern the role of secondary sexual signals in sympatric speciation, that is speciation occurring among individuals in the same geographic location as opposed to allopatric speciation where individuals are evolving in separate locations. Data suggest that in sympatric speciation, secondary sexual characteristics, such as the presence of eye-spots, are more likely to arise than in populations undergoing allopatric speciation.  He ended his talk with a selection of images of the colorful diversity present in butterflies of the neotropics. 

At 7:33 pm President Saunders reconvened the meeting. Recording Secretary Hamish Young read the minutes of the October 9^th, 2018 meeting. They were approved as read. Council Member Marie-Claire Cunningham announced four new candidates for membership, Kaz Watanabe and Jane Chelius, both sponsored by Marie-Claire Cunningham, and John and Annie DiGennaro, both sponsored by Hamish Young. The nominations were approved unanimously. President Saunders then reminded the members that the Society needed to appoint new Field Trips organizers for the 2019-2020 season, and that the December 11^th meeting will be held at the Liederkranz Club, 6 E. 87^th St. She also reminded the members to pay their dues to Treasurer Ruth Hart and that donations for the Archival Cabinets would be gratefully received. Upcoming field trips are to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and to Rye Playland. 

After the business section of the meeting, President Saunders introduced Carl Safina, author, broadcaster and a MacArthur Genius awardee, whose talk was entitled “Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel.” Carl pointed out that although professionals studying animal behavior are warned against anthropomorphism, the idea that animals have consciousness and feel emotions similar to those in humans is gaining ground. We share the basic biology, from coelenterates to primates, of neuronal transmission, the brain has similar architecture in all mammals, and behavioral studies in mammals show instances of play, teaching, fear, and empathy. More recent studies using MRI show that the same brain areas to those in human subjects are active during similar behavioral activities – for example dogs and rats dream and the same areas of the brain are involved as in humans. Carl presented many instances of behaviors in such diverse species as killer whales, elephants, and dolphins in which the only rational explanation is that the animal concerned has a clear consciousness of what it is doing and feeling. Perhaps the most striking was a family group of elephants surrounding a relative that had been killed and behaving in a manner that could only be described as grieving. He noted that killer whales have been known to lead researchers to their home port during a dense fog, suggesting that not only do they feel empathy but also that they have compassion, the ability to feel someone else’s discomfort and to act upon this feeling and give help. Carl pointed out that while animal-human interactions are generally benign, human-animal interactions are too often harmful and destructive. Unchecked, our population numbers and activities are contributing to the precipitous reduction in animal populations worldwide.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:39 pm.

Respectfully submitted by
Hamish Young, Recording Secretary

President Barbara Saunders called the meeting to order at 6:01 pm. Vice-President Lydia Thomas then introduced the evening’s first speaker Patrick Baglee whose talk entitled “A Birding Miscellany” included film and sketches of birds in a diversity of locations and habitats, ranging from the southern Rio Grande Valley in Texas, to the island of Kauai and several places in California. Patrick pointed out that, for him, film was preferable to still photography in that it captures the behavior and the sounds of the birds, a point borne out by his presentation.  He showed clips of the Common Pauraque, a bird with remarkable camouflage, a beautiful Altamira Oriole, and a co-operative Aplomado Falcon, all filmed in Texas. In Kauai, he filmed the Bristle-thighed Curlew, with its bristles prominently displayed and later in the talk the Hawaian Short-eared Owl. California clips documented a very rare appearance of a Ross’s Gull, several thousand miles from its normal home, and distant views of Sooty Shearwaters feeding near Monterey Bay, their closest shore location during their figure of eight migration pattern around the Pacific. One extraordinary shot was of a single Northern Gannet, an Atlantic species, among a large population of Common Murres on Devil’s Slide Rock off the California coast. Perhaps the most entertaining part of the talk concerned Patrick’s attempts to film the extremely secretive, but vocal, Black Rail in a marsh in the south of San Francisco Bay. After many tries, Patrick captured a black shape scuttling through the frame, confirmation not only that what is heard can also be seen, but also that patience pays off.

At 7:30 pm, President Saunders reconvened the meeting and asked Recording Secretary Hamish Young to read the Minutes of the September 11^th meeting. They were approved as read. In the absence of Secretary Peltomaa, Council Member Marie-Claire Cunningham announced the names of two new applicants for Society membership, Kate McMullan and Bobbie Leigh, both sponsored by Claude Bloch. They were approved for membership unanimously. President Saunders then proposed Mary Jane Kaplan to fill the remainder of the term of Council Member James Muchmore, who has resigned. This appointment was approved unanimously by the membership. The President reported that the Homecoming on September 27^th, represented the 140th Anniversary of the Society’s founding and the 50^th of the Great Gull Island project, and that it had helped to raise $450 for the Archival cabinets. She also reminded the members that dues for the 2018-2019 season should be sent to Treasurer Ruth Hart, and of upcoming field trips, in particular the Starr Saphir Memorial walk led by Lenore Swenson.  Finally, President Saunders alerted the members to look out for an invasive species the Spotted Lanternfly, which has been spotted recently in Manhattan, and is potentially devastating to fruit trees in the state.

President Saunders then introduced the evening’s second speaker, Joan Collins, whose talk was entitled “Current and Projected Effects of Climate Change on Boreal Habitats and Birds of the Adirondacks”. She pointed out that boreal forests are characterized by the presence of various spruce species, balsam fir, birches and aspens and are usually boggy wet environments. They are home to countless neotropical migrants and a variety of resident avian and mammalian species. She outlined the dramatic increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide since the beginning of the industrial revolution and the consequences for temperature increase. The renowned climate scientist James Hanson has predicted that current levels of carbon dioxide will lead eventually to a 9-degree Celsius rise in mean annual temperature. The effects of temperature increase are already being felt in the Adirondacks, with much lower amounts of snowpack, later freezing and earlier melting of the lakes and ponds, and a consequent asynchrony between events triggered by temperature and those triggered by daylight length. As an example, snowshoe hares whose coats turn from summer brown to winter white according to day length are now white when the ground is still bare, exposing them to increased predation. Much of the talk concentrated on the changes as they affect Bicknell’s Thrush, an iconic species of the high peaks. They nest in the balsam fir zone, which ranges from 3000 to 4000 feet. The zone moves up 500 feet for every 1-degree Celsius increase in annual mean temperature and this implies that the thrush will eventually be extirpated from its breeding grounds in the Adirondacks. Its place may be taken by Swainson’s Thrush, which favors more temperate forests, whose area is increasing as the boreal forest recedes. Joan went on to point out that many of the boreal species such as Canada Jay, Black-backed Woodpecker and Boreal Chickadee are also in sharp decline. The take home message is that climate change is already having significant and mostly deleterious effects on the fauna and flora of the Adirondacks. 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:57 pm.

Respectfully submitted by
Hamish Young, Recording Secretary  

At 6:04 pm President Barbara Saunders called the meeting of the Society to order. Vice-President Lydia Thomas introduced Doug Gochfeld and Sean Sime. Their talk entitled “Victory at Sea: Offshore in the Age of Big Data” outlined the history and current status of “pelagic” trips to record and research the occurrence of oceanic seabirds.  “Pelagic” applies to surface water oceanic life found at least twenty miles off the shoreline and not regularly sighted from the coast or inland. Pelagic trips began off the shoreline of Cape Hatteras, where the boundary of the continental shelf and the Gulf Stream make their closest contacts with the North American landmass. These trips can be accomplished easily in a day and many hitherto rarely seen birds are sighted routinely. Trips from Massachusetts to the edge of the continental shelf also started to record rare birds, such as white-faced storm petrels. The first trip from New York State, sponsored by the Linnaean Society, was highly successful, with one of the rare records of the yellow-billed albatross. Subsequent trips were not so successful as it was difficult to predict where to go in the vast area of the continental shelf.  This difficulty has been resolved with the advent of real time maps of surface water temperature and chlorophyll content, both available on the Internet courtesy of NOAA, the use of chum to attract seabirds with their acute sense of smell, and the beginning of overnight trips from Brooklyn, so that there is greater time, including night hours, at the edge of the continental shelf.  Trips can now be organized with much greater success, as destinations are targeted to specific surface locations. The data from these trips show the importance of “edge effects”, namely the clustering of birds, including rarities, at the edges of the continental shelf, and the distances some birds travel from their breeding grounds to feed. The speakers also emphasized the importance of digital photography in making definitive identification of similar species and the long-term benefits of uploading data to e-bird where information can be archived to reveal historic trends in bird populations and range.   

At 7:36 pm President Saunders reconvened the meeting. Recording Secretary Hamish Young read the minutes of the May 8^th, 2018 meeting. They were approved as read. Vice-President Thomas announced five new candidates for membership, Liz Slote and Laura Goggin sponsored by Anne Lazarus, Michela Nonis and Bob Moss, sponsored by Kathleen Matthews, and Cynthia Guile, sponsored by Gina Goldstein. The nominations were approved unanimously. President Saunders regretted to inform members of the deaths of two life members Mrs. Frederieke Taylor and Marc Weinberger. She also indicated that the Society must appoint an interim Secretary in the absence of Secretary Peltomaa and a new Council Member to fill the unexpired term of James Muchmore. New field trip organizers will be needed for the 2019-2020 year, as Anne Lazarus and Richard ZainEldeen will be relinquishing their positions. The President reminded members of the upcoming 50^th anniversary of the Great Gull Island project, of the Society’s Homecoming event on Thursday September 27^th, at which donations for the Society’s archival cabinets will be gratefully received, and of upcoming field trips. Conservation Committee chair Rochelle Thomas announced several beach clean-up events co-sponsored by the Linnaean Society. Web and Outreach Committee chair, Sherry Felix, announced that changes to any program can be viewed on the Society’s website and social media sites. 

After the business section of the meeting, President Saunders introduced Sean Graesser, whose talk was entitled “Following the Flock: An Account of Three Areas of Central America and the Migrants that call it their Winter Home.” Sean described his first encounters with tropical birds on a field trip as a high school student to Pipeline Road, Panama. They included an American Pigmy Kingfisher and a Royal Flycatcher with its spectacular crown displayed. After realizing that many migratory songbirds make Central America their winter home, he decided to investigate three areas of differing ecology in Costa Rica, two of which he described in detail. A coastal mangrove swamp on the Nicoya peninsula, has both passage migrants, predominantly in September through November, and resident migrants, which establish themselves in December. Banding data from 2011, with overall return rates for various species in the 20% to 28% range, have revealed that some migrants return for several years to exactly the same location. Also, contrary to expectations, some Swainson’s Thrushes overwinter in Nicoya, rather than proceeding to South America, and some Wood Thrushes occur on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. In the Rara Avis rain forest reserve, which hosts upwards of 400 different species, Sean has studied Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Golden-winged Warblers. He has been able to band the former and has documented the first return of a banded individual. The golden-wings come from the Appalachian population, not from the Great Lakes population, whose members winter in Venezuela and are suffering a drastic reduction in numbers because of habitat destruction. Sean ended his talk by emphasizing that the conservation of wintering grounds is of the greatest importance, and he is using social media and photography to spread this message to the general public.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 pm.

Respectfully submitted by
Hamish Young, Recording Secretary

At 6:01 pm President Barbara Saunders called the meeting of the Society to order. Vice-President Lydia Thomas then introduced Linnaean Society Council Member Ken Chaya, artist, graphic designer, travel writer and “compleat” naturalist. Ken is the creator of the map of all the trees of Central Park, “Central Park Entire.” In his talk entitled “Wild Green Heart” he described the origins of the map, the impetus for which came from Edward “Ned” Sibley Barnard. Its creation involved the plotting of all the trees in individual small areas bounded by paths and roads, and the addition of graphics showing rocky outcrops and architectural features.  On showing the completion of the Ramble section to Ned, he suggested that the map be extended to the whole park, a mammoth undertaking. Ken acknowledged Ned and Neil Calvanese of the Central Park Conservancy as being extremely helpful in teaching him how to identify trees, which heretofore he had regarded simply as sites for birds to land and to nest.  The initial version of the map was completed in 2010 and included approximately 20,000 individual trees. The map is now available as an app, and each tree is clickable for more information. Ken went on to point out that several species were unexpected, such as a European spindle tree, a winged elm and a pumpkin ash, both southern species, and a balsam fir at the south end of the Park for which no records existed in the Conservancy archives. He speculated that it had been planted after Christmas by persons unknown. Ken also said that the population of trees is continually changing owing to weather   conditions and removal by the Conservancy and that following one storm an oak was found to be over 200 years old, i.e. it predated the origins of the Park itself. In collaboration with Regina Alvarez of the Conservancy and Daniel Atha of the New York Botanical Garden, Ken also has been cataloguing the flowering plants in the Park. So far they have identified 428 wild species, among which they were disturbed to find a stand of Johnson grass near the Delacorte Theater. This is a very destructive invasive species and the stand had to be extirpated by the Conservancy. Ken then went on to show his photographs of several iconic bird species in the Park, among the more than 280 species that have been recorded. Turning to insects, Ken stated that although the total number of species is unknown, 17 of the 27 or 28 orders of insects found in North America have been recorded in the Park. He finished his talk by urging the audience to explore the Park and view it as a vibrant and dynamic urban ecosystem.

At 7:30 pm President Barbara Saunders reconvened the meeting to deal first with Society business. Recording Secretary Hamish Young read the minutes of the April 10^th, 2018 meeting, and they were approved as read, with a correction sent later via an e-mail from Past President Rubenfeld. Secretary Anders Peltomaa announced one new candidate for membership, Mike Freeman sponsored by Ken Chaya. The nomination was approved unanimously by the membership.President Saunders reminded the members about the Great Gull Island Birdathon, scheduled for the weekend of May 12^th-13^th, upcoming field trips, and the regular Central Park bird walk, led by Richard Lieberman. She also stated that Society buttons, patches and field cards were available at the front of the auditorium. President Saunders also asked the audience for any field notes, and Council Member Gabriel Willow mentioned that recently he had seen a glossy ibis flying across Central Park from east to west. 

After the business section of the meeting was concluded, President Saunders introduced Dr. Peter P. Marra, of the Migratory Bird Center of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. His talk, entitled “Studying Birds in the Context of the Annual Cycle: Carry-over Effects and Seasonal Interactions,” emphasized the necessity of studying bird populations throughout the annual cycle. Although all biological phenomena are profoundly affected by such cycles, until recently most studies of migratory birds had concentrated on one small part of the cycle, namely the breeding season. This arose not only from the academic calendar, when summers are free to perform fieldwork, but also from the difficult economics and logistics of studying birds throughout the cycle. New technologies have alleviated this somewhat, and he illustrated this by summarizing recent studies on Pacific loons. Embedded tracking devices have shown that those that breed on the North Slope of Alaska spend winter in the Far East, while those that breed on the west and south coasts travel to southern California and northern Mexico. This unexpected result suggests that the two groups may be genetically separate and warrants further analysis. The remainder of Dr. Marra’s talk concerned studies on American Redstarts. The study site in Jamaica consists of two contrasting environments, one a mangrove swamp that is wet throughout the winter and supports an abundant insect population and a secondary growth scrub that gradually dries out as the winter progresses. Birds from the latter area gain less weight, depart for the breeding grounds later, suffer a higher mortality and have significantly lower breeding success. This shows that conditions in the non-breeding period have profound effects on breeding success. Dr. Marra’s group also has analyzed the deuterium content of redstart feathers collected over many years. Because deuterium deposition is strictly correlated with latitude, the observed changes in deposition show that the overall breeding range has moved south over the past few decades. This correlates with a long-term drying trend in the Caribbean, a consequence of climate change, and suggests that deteriorating winter conditions may lead to later departures, and more southerly locations for the breeding grounds. Dr. Marra ended his talk by pointing out that for conservation efforts to be successful, it is necessary to understand the complete annual cycle and the effects of different environments and climatic conditions on the population dynamics of each species.           

The meeting was adjourned at 8:47 pm.

Respectfully submitted by
Hamish Young, Recording Secretary

At 6:07 pm President Barbara Saunders opened the meeting by thanking former President Andrew Rubenfeld for his services to the Society, and then introduced Vice-President Lydia Thomas.

Vice-President Thomas introduced Shaibal Mitra, Assistant Professor of Biology at CUNY Staten Island, who presented on “Bird Records in the Information Age: Implications for Data Quality.” Professor Mitra began his presentation by critiquing the methods and results that are captured in crowd-sourced data sets, specifically citing that the variance of estimates is greatly increased, and the independence of data is greatly reduced as people try to replicate each other’s efforts. He stated that the reliability of identifications of common birds has declined, and used a case study of Red-Breasted Merganser reports on Long Island to illustrate the point. He concluded by encouraging the audience to record data that accurately reflects your own habits and birding interests, and, based on probability, provided examples of when to make below species level identification on ebird. 

At 7:32 pm President Barbara Saunders called the regular meeting of the Society to order.  

In the absence of Recording Secretary Hamish Young, Conservation Committee Chair and Former Recording Secretary Rochelle Thomas read the minutes of the February 13, 2018 meeting, and they were approved as read. 

President Saunders thanked all of the members who attended the Annual Dinner in March. She also thanked the outgoing officers and council members for their service, including: Andrew Rubenfeld, Stephen Chang and Junko Suzuki. She announced the current officers: Lydia Thomas (Vice-President), Anders Peltomaa (Secretary), Ruth Hart (Treasurer), Hamish Young (Recording Secretary), Jon Hyman (Editor), and herself. 

President Saunders then announced that at the March Annual Dinner she had appointed a nominating committee composed of Alice Deutsch, Pat Levine and Megan Gavin. She then introduced Alice Deutsch who put forward the nominating committee’s proposed candidates for the Council: Marie-Claire Cunningham, Richard Fried, Kathleen Matthews, and Rochelle Thomas. The nominations were approved unanimously by the membership.

In the absence of Secretary Anders Peltomaa, Vice President Lydia Thomas announced seven new member applications, Brian Smith and Dale Dyer sponsored by Helen Hays, Paul Sweet, Abhijeet Sharma and Revathi Balasubramanian sponsored by Barbara Saunders, Rick Cook sponsored by Richard ZainEldeen, and MaryJane Boland sponsored by Rick Wright The nominations were approved unanimously by the membership.

President Saunders stated that the Great Gull Island Birdathon was scheduled for the weekend of May 12^th-13^th and encouraged the audience to participate or to consider sponsoring a participant. 

Conservation Committee Chair Rochelle Thomas announced a beach clean-up at Plumb Beach on April 28^th . The event will be hosted by NYC Audubon, Wild Bird Fund and The Linnaean Society. 

At 7:42 pm President Saunders introduced former Eisenmann Medal recipient, Alvaro Jaramillo who presented “Colombia – Birding and Conservation.” Mr. Jaramillo opened his presentation by explaining that in conjunction with the National Audubon Society he has been working on conservation through economic development in several regions of the country. He stated that Colombia is the richest country for birds, with over 1900 species, with new discoveries occurring regularly. He explained why the region is so rich in species, in that it has two different oceans, while the Andes are separated into three distinct chains. He said that if you were to create the top biodiversity situation in the world you would create Colombia. Mr. Jaramillo continued to speak about his conservation work in the country and informed the audience that the Colombian government has now developed an entire infrastructure to encourage birding tourism, something that may not have happened anywhere else in the New World. If even a small village can make money from tourism, the forests will likely stay intact and conservation will be enhanced. He ended by encouraging the audience to visit soon, as he predicts tourism to Colombia to increase rapidly 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:47 pm.

Respectfully submitted by
Rochelle Thomas, on behalf of Hamish Young, Recording Secretary

At 6:02 pm Vice-President Barbara Saunders opened the meeting.

Vice-President Saunders introduced Anita Sanchez who presented on “Carolus Linnaeus and the Naming of Everything.” Using photographs from her children’s book, “Karl, Get out of the Garden,” Ms. Sanchez explained how Linnaeus’s love of nature began in his childhood garden, and while his mother nagged him to become a lawyer, he followed his passion and became one of Sweden’s most famous sons. Ms. Sanchez described Linnaeus’s classification system, including the division of everything into two kingdoms – plant and animal – and the shocking effect of his descriptive language about plant parts. She also explained the seven classes he established, from Aves, his favorite, to Paradoxa, a class of animals that were either extraordinary to him or potentially imaginary. She concluded by saying that while his birthday is a national holiday in Sweden it should be celebrated more widely as his system allowed people from all over the globe to be able to effectively communicate about the natural world. 

At 7:30 pm President Andrew Rubenfeld called the regular meeting of the society to order.  

Recording Secretary Thomas read the minutes of the January 9, 2018 meeting and they were approved as read. 

Secretary Thomas announced three new member applications, Ms. Maureen Farrell and Mr. John Karwowski, both nominated by Rochelle Thomas and Mr. Robert Shapiro, nominated by Stephen Chang. The nominations were approved unanimously by the membership.

President Rubenfeld announced that new field cards were available for purchase and reminded the membership to pay their dues. He stated that new society buttons and the last of Sarah Elliott’s books were available on the stage. He encouraged members to bring books for donation at upcoming meetings. 

President Rubenfeld then reminded the audience about the upcoming Annual Dinner on March 13^th before reading the slate of officers who are up for election. The candidates included: Barbara Saunders for President, Lydia Thomas for Vice-President, Anders Peltomaa for Secretary, Ruth Hart for Treasurer, Hamish Young for Recording Secretary and Jon Hyman for Editor. He stated that nominations can come from the floor and should be sent to Secretary Thomas by the end of the month. He clarified that only members can submit nominations. 

At 7:36 pm President Rubenfeld introduced Bryan Watts, Research Professor at the College of William and Mary, who presented on, “Tracking Whimbrel: Moving Toward full life Cycle Conservation in a Migratory Shorebird.” Professor Watts began his presentation by illuminating the fact that shorebirds are some of the most migratory species on the planet. He then described the migration cycle of the Whimbrel, explaining their stop on the Delmarva peninsula to refuel on fiddler crabs, increasing their weight by 50% before flying for five days straight to the breeding grounds in the Arctic. He highlighted the struggle that Whimbrels face in the Canadian Maritimes due to a surge in blueberry farming and the fact that as the Arctic dries out the breeding zones have been shifting. He concluded his presentation with the story of one of the birds in his tracking program, Hope, who was featured in a book by a children’s author in St. Croix, stating that even though tracked birds show that Whimbrel populations are now 20% below sustainable levels, it is possible to shift mindsets and make policy and enforcement changes. 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:49 pm.

Respectfully submitted by
Rochelle Thomas, Recording Secretary

At 6:02 pm Vice-President Barbara Saunders opened the meeting.

Vice-President Saunders introduced Jacob Drucker who presented on “Understanding and Conserving Hawaii’s Avifauna.” Mr. Drucker began his presentation with an explanation on the process by which the Hawaiian Islands are formed, its huge array of endemic plants and the fact that once birds arrived on the islands they flourished. He stated that 338 bird species have been documented between 1778 and 2017, including fossil and established exotic species. He explained the reasons behind the decline of many species and the conservation measures that are being used to help stabilize avian populations. He concluded with information on one possible solution to the problem, gene modification in mosquitos.  

At 7:33 pm President Andrew Rubenfeld called the regular meeting of the society to order.  

Recording Secretary Thomas read the minutes of the December 12, 2017 meeting and they were approved as read. 

President Rubenfeld reminded members to pay their dues and also announced that the Annual Dinner invitations would soon be mailed. He stated that due to term limits, the Society will need a new Secretary and Recording Secretary. He said that anyone who is interested should contact him or Vice-President Saunders. He also announced that the new slate of officers would be presented at the next meeting. 

At 7:36 pm President Rubenfeld introduced Alan Messer, artist, committed conservationist and Past President of the society, who presented on, “A Birder’s Perspective on Global Warming with Notes on the Conservation of the Climate.” Mr. Messer opened his presentation by stating that, “bird watchers know stuff,” as they are in the field observing changes in the world. He explained the process of global warming, noting that, “CO2 is like the hamburger helper of the heavens.” He explained his first law of thermodynamics, saying, “heat goes where it ain’t” and ended with a short photo quiz of hard to identify gulls on Oregon beaches. 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:51 pm.

Respectfully submitted by
Rochelle Thomas, Recording Secretary

At 6:05 pm Vice-President Barbara Saunders opened the meeting.

Vice-President Saunders introduced Ted Levin who presented on “The Rise and Fall of the Timber Rattlesnake.” Mr. Levin began his presentation with an update on the status of timber rattlesnakes in the northeast, explaining that most rattlesnakes inhabit dry, prairie habitat but the timber rattlesnake moved into unoccupied territory east of the Mississippi and into the heart of deciduous forests. He then illuminated the fact that rattlesnakes are an entirely new world species, are extremely long lived and often do not breed until later in life. He concluded his presentation by proposing that due to the timber rattlesnakes diet of white footed mouse, it may be possible to encourage the public to protect them due their potential effect on the reduction of Lyme disease. 

At 7:34 pm President Andrew Rubenfeld called the regular meeting of the society to order.  

Recording Secretary Thomas read the minutes of the November 14, 2017 meeting and they were approved as read. 

Louise Fraza, registrar for Rick Wright’s field trip to Vancouver informed the audience of the trip dates – April 3-7, 2018, and the species of interest, including: Barrow’s Goldeneye, Golden-crowned Sparrow and Sandhill Crane. She encouraged anyone who is interested to contact her. 

At 7:41pm President Andrew Rubenfeld presented the Natural History Service Award to Andrew Baksh, for enabling the restoration of the West Pond at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. 

At 7:43 pm President Rubenfeld introduced George Archibald, who presented on, “My Life with Cranes.” Mr. Archibald began his presentation with videos of cranes and humans interpreting and honoring cranes through dance. He explained that there are fifteen species of cranes found on all continents except South America and Antarctica, and that their closest relative is the Limpkin. He stated that cranes are the tallest birds in the world that can fly, can swum and evolved early on in North America before spreading around the world. He then informed the audience of the story of the International Crane Foundation, how the organization was started in Baraboo, Wisconsin and how the organization’s mission is to help crane populations around the world. He concluded with his thoughts on the challenges with conservation and the need to get young people involved in conservation efforts.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:48 pm.

Respectfully submitted by
Rochelle Thomas, Recording Secretary

At 6:06 pm Vice-President Barbara Saunders opened the meeting.

Vice-President Saunders introduced Bernd Brunner who presented on “Birdmania: A Remarkable Passion for Birds.” Mr. Brunner began his presentation by asking, is there a common denominator for people interested in birds? He then quoted a New York birdwatcher, who said, “There are two kinds of birdwatchers, those who know they are and those who have not yet realized they are.” He then read several stories about many different kinds of bird lovers, from Francois Le Valliant to Heimo Mikkola, a self-professed “Owloholic.” 

At 7:17 pm AMNH Collections Manager Paul Sweet provided a brief update on the recently spotted and recently deceased Corn Crake that was found on Long Island. Mr. Sweet stated that while the Corn Crake is now a very rare bird it is not unheard of in North America and seven sighting records exist in New York. All but one were found on Long Island and five out of seven records were reported between the 1^st and 5^th of November. The majority of the records dated to the 19^thcentury, with one former record in 1963. He then presented four specimens, including the most recently found bird, for review by the audience.

At 7:36 pm President Andrew Rubenfeld called the regular meeting of the society to order.  

Recording Secretary Thomas read the minutes of the October 10, 2017 meeting and they were approved as read. 

Secretary Lydia Thomas then announced three new candidates for membership: Jane Ellison, sponsored by Richard Lieberman; Ana Garcia, sponsored by Ken Chaya; and Adelia Honeywood Harrison, sponsored by Tom Stephenson. The candidates were approved by unanimous vote of the membership.

President Rubenfeld reminded society members to pay their dues. He also reminded the audience that the Annual Dinner is in March in addition to the election of officers and council members. He asked interested parties to see an officer or council members if they were interested in joining the ranks. He concluded by informing the audience that updated information and material are available on the society website.

At 7:41 pm President Rubenfeld introduced John Connors, a Long Island native who currently manages the Chimney Swift Research Project with Audubon and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, who presented on, “Chimney Swifts and People: Past, Present and Future.” Mr. Connors began his presentation with a story of a group of schoolchildren who sent him 73 questions after they witness a flock of chimney swifts emerge from a school chimney. He then explained the distinct anatomical features of swifts, which included feet with limited function, wings designed for strong, steady flapping flight and the fact that swifts eat, drink, bathe and gather nesting material – all while flying. Citing the first found chimney swift nest in 1682, Mr. Connors also explained how these birds adapted from roosting in hollow trees to chimneys, how that enabled them to survive the clearing of many forests, but has ultimately lead to their recent decline, as more and more people cap their chimneys. He concluded his presentation with information on how to help chimney swift populations recover. 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 pm.

Respectfully submitted by
Rochelle Thomas, Recording Secretary

At 6:07 pm Vice-President Barbara Saunders opened the meeting.

Vice-President Saunders introduced Fred Baumgarten who presented on “Who’s Buried in Audubon’s Tomb: A Story of Birds, Art and Music, allegro con brio.” Mr. Baumgarten began his presentation with an overview of the life of John James Audubon, his financial ruin and economic redemption in Britain and the fact that he and his wife Lucy were very musical. Mr. Baungarten then provided an overview of the life of Anthony Philip Heinrich,  a composer whose life somewhat paralleled Audubon’s, in that he was an immigrant to America who when faced with hard times, fell back on his avocation and created a mythology about himself in order to make a living. He ended his presentation with a sample of Heinrich’s ten movement symphony about the passenger pigeon. 

At 7:33 pm President Andrew Rubenfeld called the regular meeting of the society to order.  

Recording Secretary Thomas read the minutes of the September 12, 2017 meeting and they were approved as read. 

Secretary Thomas then announced three new candidates for membership: Marie-Claire Cunningham, sponsored by Andrew Rubenfeld and Irene Payne; Ben King, sponsored by Stephen Chang; and Allan Welby, sponsored by Kathleen Matthews. The candidates were approved by unanimous vote of the membership.

President Rubenfeld then reminded members to pay their dues and to see Treasurer Chang if they have their dues ready. He also reminded the audience to exit via Central Park West at the conclusion of the program due to construction on the 77^thStreet entrance.

At 7:39 pm President Rubenfeld introduced Tom Stephenson, who presented on, “Why Do Birds Sing? How Do They Learn Their Songs? And How Can Birders Learn Them Too?” Mr. Stephenson began his presentation by explaining that some birds can only easily be found by their songs and discussed the various reasons why birds sing, which include finding a mate, maintaining territory and avoiding conflict. Mr. Stephenson also pointed out the fact that bird calls differ based on where a bird can be found, for instance a Cape May at the top of a tree sings higher, simpler notes while birds closer to the ground, such as a Tinamou, sing lower notes. He concluded his presentation by telling the audience that often it is hard to memorize songs because most people have bad techniques. He then illustrated a way to make a mental image for song memorization. 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:52 pm.

Respectfully submitted by
Rochelle Thomas, Recording Secretary