Lehigh Valley Audubon Society Community Events

Barbara Malt

Originally Published in July - September 2024 Quarterly Newsletter of The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

Lehigh Valley Audubon Society (LVAS) had a busy spring meeting the public and providing information about birds and conservation at community events! We were at Herbein’s Garden Center’s 50th anniversary celebration, Allentown’s Earth Day fair, and the Rodale Spring Organic Market and Plant Sale. We also had a table at our stationary bird count for the public at the Lehigh Parkway. Altogether, we talked to about 300 members of the Lehigh Valley community!

LVAS Information Table at Community Event

Allentown Public Library Children’s Program

Barbara Malt

Originally Published in April - June 2024 Quarterly Newsletter of The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

With spring in sight, LVAS gave a children’s program on migration at the Allentown Public Library on March 9. We talked about migration – including what is it, what birds and other animals migrate and why, and who goes how far. Then, we played bird bingo to practice our ID to welcome arriving migrants. Last, kids ran around finding bird pictures in the children’s room to fill out a scavenger hunt card and decode a message. They all took home a bird ID sheet and a bird tattoo.

LVAS Vice President, Barbara Malt, teaching about bird migration at Allentown Public Library, Spring 2024

Sixteen children and 9 adults attended. This was part of a library series on nature instituted by the Allentown Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) and organized by EAC intern and LVAS member, Felice Cragin. Funding for the internship was provided by Bird Town Pennsylvania.

Children playing Bird Bingo at Allentown Public Library from LVAS Newsletter April 2024

CBC4KIDS 2023

Barbara Malt

Originally Published in January - March 2024 Quarterly Newsletter of The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

Photo of CBC4Kids Participants 2023

Another CBC4Kids is in the books! We were lucky with the weather – the field count part of the activities took place after the night’s rain ended and before the high winds really kicked up . Our teams this year were the Gnarly Nuthatches, Ninja Crows, and Marauding Mallards . They spotted 355 birds, of 37 different species! Highlights included Bald Eagle, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and American Wigeon . As usual, we wrapped up with a tally and sharing favorite sightings, snacks, and a visit to the Muhlenberg bird museum . Kudos to the nine children and their family members who turned out despite somewhat dire weather predictions . And thank you to the LVAS volunteers who helped in the classroom and in the field – Mark Boyd, Felice Cragin, Dan Pokras, and Paul Sherrer . (Organized by Barbara Malt and Chad Schwartz with assistance from Peter Saenger)

GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT 2023

Originally Published in April - June 2023 Quarterly Newsletter of The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

Brandon Swayser and Sunny, the Barred Owl

Here at LVAS, we don’t just count birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count – we party! The Great Backyard Bird Count party is a joint project of Lehigh Valley Audubon Society (LVAS) and Wildlands Conservancy. We met at the Trexler Building at the Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary, where feeders were set-up in front of windows. Adults and children alike watched the feeders, practiced their bird ID, and counted the birds. They were enthralled by the chance to view education birds, Sunny the Barred Owl and Nittany the Red-tailed Hawk, up-close, with lots of good info and background stories on these two birds by Brandon Swayser. With cooperative weather, many participants also enjoyed the option to take a guided walk through the woods and along the creek to see what else could be found. Many cookies and pretzels were consumed, bird puzzles were done, and pine cone snowy owls were made.

Participants at Great Backyard Bird Count - Photo by Ello Soto

Twenty-three species were spotted altogether, with highlights including four Common Mergansers and a Red-tailed Hawk and Turkey Vultures circling overhead. A big thanks to our LVAS volunteers who helped with approximately 42 visitors: Jim Funk, Colette Cragin, Paul Sherrer, Janet Farley, Karen Campbell, Dan Pokras, and Betty Abrams. Special thanks to Wayne Frick for bringing his Chirpsounds technology to pipe bird vocalizations inside for learning sound ID.

Participants at Great Backyard Bird Count - Photo by Ello Soto

LVAS: 2014 Christmas Bird Counts

The 115th Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is rapidly approaching. Please read the National Audubon article below, giving some background on the Christmas Bird Count and, if you’re not already a regular participant, consider joining this important activity.

Important: A CBC Dinner will be held following the Allentown Bird Count on Dec. 20.

Following are the dates and contacts for the various area counts in the Lehigh Valley. If you are interested in participating, please contact your group leader from last year or the contacts listed below.

Saturday, 12/20 - Allentown CBC, compiler: Stephen Kloiber 610-863-3889

Sunday, 12/21 – Wild Creek/Little Gap CBC, compiler: Josh Nemeth 610-573-8577 or email at allroy1313@rcn.com

Saturday, 12/27 – Bethlehem/Easton/Hellertown CBC: compilers: Don and Elaine Mease 610-346-7754

Christmas Bird Count – From National Audubon Society From December 14 through January 5 tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas take part in an adventure that has become a family tradition among generations. Families and students, birders and scientists, armed with binoculars, bird guides and checklists go out on an annual mission - often before dawn. For over one hundred years, the desire to both make a difference and to experience the beauty of nature has driven dedicated people to leave the comfort of a warm house during the Holiday season. Each of the citizen scientists who annually braves snow, wind, or rain, to take part in the Christmas Bird Count makes an enormous contribution to conservation. Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this longest-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations - and to help guide conservation action. From feeder-watchers and field observers to count compilers and regional editors, everyone who takes part in the Christmas Bird Count does it for love of birds and the excitement of friendly competition -- and with the knowledge that their efforts are making a difference for science and bird conservation.