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