Take Action for Birds by Friday, Jan. 23!!

LVAS Environmental/Conservation Note:

We begin the new year with a few glimmers of hope for birds, the environment and us. By taking a couple of simple actions, each of us can make those glimmers a little bit brighter: 

 Take Action for Birds by Friday, Jan. 23!!

1) Oppose -- no later than Friday, Jan. 23 -- a federal plan to vastly expand off-shore oil drilling, including in the high Arctic. More than 200 bird species nest in the Arctic; oil spills and habitat disruption from oil rigs are only two of the ways this plan could prove devastating for birds. You can voice your opposition using forms from Earthjustice or the Center for Biological Diversity. As always, be sure to personalize your comment by changing some of the words or adding your own thoughts. 

If, like me, you sometimes feel your comments will fall on proverbial "deaf ears," take heart: These comments don't just tell the government how you feel; they also help build a case that environmental litigators will use to try to stop the most destructive Trump administration policies in the courts. 

2) Oppose the Senate version of the SPEED Act, a measure that would gut the National Environmental Policy Act, fast-tracking drilling / mining and other potentially destructive projects by eliminating environmental and judicial review and cutting the public out of the decision-making process. Unfortunately, Lehigh Valley Congressman Ryan Mackenzie voted for the SPEED Act To try to make sure it doesn't become law, use this American Bird Conservancy link to contact your Senators.

3) Closer to home, urge your Pennsylvania lawmakers to make our state the first in the nation to ban the highly toxic herbicide Paraquat, which is deadly to birds. A House bill to ban Paraquat -- HB 1135 -- has already been introduced, and a version with bipartisan support is being prepared in the Senate. For more information and to contact your lawmakers, click here. 

Now, for a little good news: The U.S. House and Senate passed a 2026 limited spending package that mostly continues current funding levels for several agencies important to birds -- the Department of Interior, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. While far from perfect -- the bill cuts climate research and does nothing to solve chronic agency under-funding, for example -- it is a significant improvement over Trump's request for drastic cuts in environmental programs. 

All of our federal lawmakers voted for this funding bill. When Rep. Mackenzie voted yea, however, it included almost 150 anti-environment riders -- all thankfully removed by the Senate. If you feel motivated to thank Mackenzie for his vote on the bill, be sure to also mention that you were grateful the Senate dumped all the riders, and that you were disappointed in his support of the SPEED Act.  

Thanks, on behalf of the birds!

-- Liz Brensinger, Conservation Chair

Call for "early bird" volunteers!

Do you live or work in Allentown and Have a few extra minutes in the morning?

Care about saving birds from glass collisions?

If so, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society (LVAS) has the perfect short-term volunteer opportunity for you! 

First, a little background: In the U.S. alone, a mind-boggling billion birds a year are estimated to die from flying into glass. (Did you know that LVAS' own Peter Saenger is one of the researchers who came up with that sobering statistic?) Birds are unable to see glass, and many of the features that make buildings attractive to us -- for example, glass facades, plant-filled atria, or beautiful natural landscaping reflected in glass windows or walls -- make buildings especially dangerous for birds.

Bird Victims of Window Collisions

Downtown Allentown already has a number of predominantly glass buildings, and several new glass-facade buildings are planned. To help LVAS better help the birds, we'd like to understand more about the toll the existing glass buildings may be taking on birds, especially during migration.

That's where you (might) come in. We're looking for a few volunteers to conduct a survey starting the last week in August or first week in September and running through mid-October. It would involve spending a few minutes on some early mornings (pre-8 a.m.) checking around several predominantly glass buildings in the downtown for evidence of bird strikes, including dead birds. LVAS would coordinate the effort, provide whatever support may be needed, and let you know what to do if you find an injured bird.    

Please contact us by posting a comment or through our website at: https://www.lvaudubon.org/contact , if you're able to help or would like more information.

Thanks in advance for standing up (or getting up early) for the birds! 

Read more on our website about Bird-Window Collisions.

Conserving Purple Martins and Studying Natal Dispersal

The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, The Acopian Center for Ornithology at Muhlenberg College, and Northampton County Parks and Recreation have worked hard to bring Purple Martins back to the Lehigh Valley over the past few years in places like Lake Minsi. With these colonies now boasting large numbers of breeding martins, the question arises: where will the newly hatched Purple Martin chicks nest? Some will return to the colony where they were born, if there are empty nesting gourds. Many of these birds, once they return to the Lehigh Valley for their first breeding season, will have to find somewhere else to nest. Where will these martins go?

This phenomenon is called natal dispersal. It is the permanent relocation of a Purple Martin during the breeding season, and it is an important part of how the birds find new nesting colonies. Natal dispersal remains a mystery for martin enthusiasts and researchers alike, and we’re trying to answer this question.

In conjunction with the University of Delaware and the Purple Martin Conservation Association, we are studying how far and frequently Purple Martins disperse from their breeding site. This information will be critical in the establishment of new colonies.

Purple Martin chicks are being color banded in the Lehigh Valley to track this natal dispersal. Each martin chick gets a color band that ties it to the colony where it hatched. Then, we can “resight” this bird in the field the next year, and see how far the bird has dispersed, based on where that bird is re-found. More banding from our collaborators is starting in southeastern and northwestern Pennsylvania. All of the martins across the state are color banded with a unique combination of colors, so we’ll know exactly where each banded bird we find originated.

Because Purple Martins can disperse so widely, we need your help looking for dispersed birds! Whether you have Purple Martins nesting on your property or in a local park, you can participate in this research project by looking for small, colored bands on the legs of Purple Martins. If you see a color banded bird at your colony, please let us know! First, record what color band or bands you see, the relative position of each band, and which leg the bands were on. If you have a camera, take some pictures! The easiest way to submit your sightings is with this web form: https://bit.ly/PA_Martin_Study. If you have pictures of a color banded bird at your colony, you can send them to Will Krohn, the graduate student at the University of Delaware helping conduct this research, at wkrohn@udel.edu. If you can’t complete the online form, you can also call Will at 484-702-1276.

Read more about recent LVAS Purple Martin towers.

Support our conservation efforts in the Lehigh Valley by becoming a member of our chapter, volunteering with us &/or donating.

Glue Traps Kill Birds! Use Circle Traps to Control Spotted Lanternflies More Effectively.

Goldfinch trapped on a sticky trap wrapped around a tree trunk, under the chicken wire that failed to protect bycatch from the trap intended for Spotted Lanternflies (SLFs) - photo from Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation

Even with wire and mesh coverings, glue traps (sticky bands) intended for Spotted Lanternflies (SLFs) remain dangerous, and unintended bycatch, like the Goldfinch in this photo, still occurs.

Wildlife Rehabilitators receive victims trapped on protected glue tape/ sticky band traps. Insects are still captured and birds will crawl in for a meal. Also, mesh can fall off or be pulled off by a squirrel on the trunk.

Need more convincing? View the Glue Victims Gallery.

Fortunately, scientists have learned that Circle Traps are more effective at trapping SLFs than sticky tape.

And you can buy circle traps or read Penn State Extension’s directions on how to make Spotted Lanternfly Circle Traps.

Spread the word about the dangers of glue traps and the benefits of circle traps using our social media kit.

Engage with Lehigh Valley Audubon Society to Help Preserve Birds and Habitat!
Become a member, volunteer &/or donor.

Engage in 2nd Season of 5 Year PA Bird Atlas 3

The Pennsylvania Bird Atlas needs volunteers and is hiring Seasonal Research Technicians

We hope that some of you helped to gather data for Season 1 of the 3rd Pennsylvania Bird Atlas (PBA3) and that more of you will help with the 2nd Season of this 5-year-long survey that will end February 2029.

Pennsylvania birders of all ages and skill levels began working together in early 2024 to map the breeding and status of bird species in the state. Read An Atlaser’s Guide to Season Two to plan your participation this year.

This project is supported by the PA Game Commission (PGC), headquartered at Hawk Mountain, and facilitated by Cornell Lab’s eBird online tools. The PGC initiated this project to update the information they need to prioritize conservation actions and to protect the birds of Pennsylvania.

Read the PA Bird Atlas 3 Volunteer Handbook to learn more about how to participate.

Findings will guide conservation for years to come.

In addition to volunteers, Pennsylvania Bird Atlas is hiring a team of seasonal point count technicians to conduct surveys throughout Pennsylvania during the summer of 2025.

Read all the job details and how to apply here.

April 18, 2025 is the Deadline to Apply to be a Paid Seasonal Research Technician for Pennsylvania Bird Atlas, but applications will be reviewed upon receipt.

Employment Dates: May 19 – mid July 2025

Preference will be given to applicants with previous point count experience and eBird experience. Prior birding experience need not be through a paid position, but ability to identify birds of Pennsylvania by sight and sound required.

CALL TO ACTION!

As bird lovers, we understand that a healthy environment is essential to the well-being of not just birds, but of all species, including humans. Unfortunately, recent federal actions will have direct negative impacts on birds and the lands we share with them. These include regulatory rollbacks that will be destructive to public lands by allowing more pollution and harmful extractive activities, mass firings of federal employees who have critical roles in maintaining the health of our public lands, withholding of grant funds to clean up or protect the environment, and discontinuation of programs to limit the effects of climate change.

The health of nature transcends politics, affecting every single one of us. And the U.S. has long had a strong bipartisan consensus in support of conservation.

We encourage everyone reading this message to step up now to defend the birds you love and the environment that sustains us.

How?

As a start, call your member of Congress (in the Lehigh Valley, that’s Ryan Mackenzie, (202) 225-6411) and your two Senators (in PA, that’s John Fetterman, (202) 224-4254 and Dave McCormick, 202-224-6324). Ask them (or their voicemail ) to preserve – not cut! – funding for programs that protect the environment, support clean energy, and maintain our National Parks, National Forests, National Wildlife Refuges and other key bird habitats.

THE HOUSE IS EXPECTED TO VOTE ON A BUDGET RESOLUTION THIS WEEK (Feb. 24-28), SO CALLS TO RYAN MACKENZIE SHOULD BE MADE ASAP!

You might also consider:
• Signing up for Audubon’s Action Network, at https://www.audubon.org/takeaction
• Visiting the advocacy page of the League of Conservation Voters, at https://www.lcv.org/get-involved/#take-action-online
• Calling your lawmakers on a regular basis. Other topics might include: asking that personnel fired from agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Park Service be reinstated; opposing the undermining of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Endangered Species Act; and opposing expanded drilling and mining on public lands, including species-rich habitats such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Lastly, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society is considering creating a Rapid-Response team – bird/nature lovers interested in being contacted about time-sensitive environmental and bird-conservation-related issues, with suggested scripts for contacting lawmakers.

If you would be interested in participating – or have any questions or suggestions -- please send an email to conservation@lvaudubon.org.

If you’re not a member of our Community Chapter of Audubon, please join and/or volunteer to help with our ongoing Lehigh Valley preservation, advocacy, and education efforts.