President’s Message - Wayne A. Shifflett
For many birders this is the time of the year to get excited about our serious hobby - 'birdwatching.' The annual migration of birds will be flooding our trees and shrubs on their northern trips to the breeding grounds or individual territories. There is no better time to enjoy the outdoors. For many ardent birders, however, this is the time to take up their annual pilgrimages to see some resident birds that do not migrate but put on 'spectacular' displays in their local areas. One of the most notable and today the most endangered is the Attwater's Prairie Chicken. Historically this species of Greater Prairie Chickens was found all along the Texas Coastal Plain until modern agriculture and urban development put pressure on their native tall Coastal Prairie ecosystem. Today there are no more native Attwater's but they may be found in limited numbers and observed on the Attwater Prairie Chicken Refuge about 50 miles east of Houston near the town of Eagle Lake. When I was the Manager (1976-85) we had 250 birds on the Refuge and the State population was about 1500. Within a few years the State population disappeared. Biologists still cannot explain the sudden disappearance. The largest population was found on a large Texas oil/cattle Ranch and it appeared that the habitat was being well managed. The Fish and Wildlife Service maintains a captive breeding population and with the assistance of Public and Private entities, some Prairie Chickens are released annually onto the Refuge. However the 'booming' sound of that spectacular bird is no longer considered a traditional sound that birdwatchers can hear along the Texas Gulf Coast. The Virginia Bobwhite Quail seems to be following the same fate of the Attwater's Prairie Chicken. I can still remember when spring meant the familiar sound of 'Bobwhite' along most rural roads. This unique sound of Spring is for the most part gone here in the Shenandoah Valley and not likely to ever return.
Treasurer's Report - Steve White
The RBC savings account now stands at $11,191.85 with the transfer approved by the Executive Committee at its March 15, 2007 meeting of $4,000 from our checking account. As also approved by the Executive Committee, annual contribution checks in the amount of $300 each have been mailed to the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, the Nature Conservancy, the Valley. Conservation Council, Environmental Studies Research Program at Airlie Center, and the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory.
Bird Club Book Club - Maureen Gallagher-McLeod
The BCBC will meet on Tuesday, May 1, at 6:00 PM at the home of Elizabeth Ihle. After sharing a dinner we will discuss the book Bird-Witched by Marjorie Valentine Adams. A future meeting is planned for June 21 with a discussion of The Bedside Book of Birds by Graeme Gibson. Anyone interested in the club can contact Maureen at famcleod@earthlink.net or call 896-9541.