Meetings & Programs

Jason Weckstein

Jason Weckstein, Associate Curator of Ornithology at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and Associate Professor in the Department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science, Drexel University will talk about iconic specimens from the Academy of Natural Sciences Ornithology Collection. The Academy of Natural Sciences Ornithology collection is approximately the 6th largest bird collection in the world and is the 2nd largest University based bird collection in the world. The collection is worldwide in scope and houses a large proportion of the described bird species in the world. Jason will touch on some of his favorite specimens in the collection including endangered, extinct, and little known species from around the world.

Jason Weckstein obtained his BS in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan (1993), his MS in Zoology from the University of Minnesota (1997), and his Ph.D. in Zoology from Louisiana State University (2003). For his dissertation, he reconstructed the coevolutionary history and host-parasite associations between toucans and their ectoparasites using DNA sequences. After the Ph.D. he continued studying birds and parasites as a postdoctoral fellow at the Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, where he stayed on as a staff scientist until joining the Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Sciences faculty and Academy of Natural Sciences in 2014 as an Associate Professor/Associate Curator.

Weckstein is a fellow of the American Ornithological Society and has authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications and delivered over 50 presentations at universities and both national and international scientific meetings. He has over 20 years of experience working in natural history museums and has conducted research on birds and their parasites in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Ghana, Malawi, Nicaragua, Brazil, and Mexico. In addition to teaching, training, and research, Jason's additional interests at the Academy of Natural Sciences include collections building, curation, and public outreach.

Weckstein’s research focuses on three main areas: 1) avian comparative biology and evolutionary history, 2) biodiversity of birds and their parasites, and 3) coevolutionary history of birds and their parasites. He utilizes field collected bird and associated parasite specimens and analyzes their DNA sequence data to reconstruct their ecology and evolutionary history.

Note: This meeting will be held in person at the meeting house and via Zoom. Zoom signon will start at 7:15 to enable the meeting to begin at 7:30.

Constance Sidles

Crows are among the smartest of all birds. They can recognize human faces, pass knowledge along to new generations, work together to protect each other, set up sentries to watch for danger, even use tools. Indeed, all members of the crow family (called corvids) are intelligent, including ravens, jays, and magpies. If you'd like to learn more about these geniuses of the avian world, join master birder and author Constance Sidles as she takes you into the secret world of crows.

Constance Sidles is a master birder and long-time member of Birds Connect Seattle (formerly Seattle Audubon Society), where she served on the board and is chair of the Publications Committee. She currently serves on the Conservation Committee. Connie is on the faculty of the University of Washington as an instructor in continuing education programs. She also teaches classes for various Audubon societies across the country. Connie is an author with more than 600 published articles and is founder and president of Constancy Press. She has written four books about nature focusing on her favorite “backyard” Montlake Fill, (formally called Union Bay Natural Area) on the University of Washington campus.

Note: This meeting will be held in person at the meeting house and via Zoom. Zoom signon will start at 7:15 to enable the meeting to begin at 7:30.

Robert S. Mulvihill

The National Aviary in Pittsburgh Does Bird Conservation Around the World. Formally designated as the “National” Aviary by an act of Congress signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1993, the National Aviary was first established as a local Conservatory-Aviary in 1952. For more than 70 years the facility has pursued its mission to “Inspire respect for nature through an appreciation of birds.” In addition to serving as a popular recreation and education destination, the National Aviary pursues important bird conservation work around the world. Ornithologist, Bob Mulvihill, will give us a look behind the scenes at some of the National Aviary’s ground-breaking contributions to bird conservation efforts, from Louisiana to the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, South Africa, Guam, and right back here in Pennsylvania, too.

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Note: This meeting will be held in person at the meeting house and via Zoom. Zoom signon will start at 7:15 to enable the meeting to begin at 7:30.

Club Member John Mercer

John is back to tell us about another one of his trips, this time to Belize with the Hawk Watch Association of North America. It had participants from all over the country, and besides hawk watching they did a lot of regular birding finding 230 species of birds. They also had some interesting cultural experiences.

Note: This meeting will be held in person at the meeting house and via Zoom. Zoom signon will start at 7:15 to enable the meeting to begin at 7:30.

Jeff Kenney and Angela Romanczuk

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Jeff Kenney has lived in Chester County for most of his life. Having been introduced to birding as a child by his father Mike, Jeff’s passion for birds and nature was mostly dormant until being rekindled in 2020. Now an avid (and moderately obsessive) state and county lister, Jeff’s favorite place to bird in Chester County is the Crow's Nest Preserve/State Game Lands 43 complex in Elverson. Jeff currently resides in Phoenixville with his two dogs, Vita and Grits, and is a founding board member of In Color Birding Club, as well as a Force of Nature volunteer with Natural Lands.
 

Angela Romanczuk has lived in multiple Pennsylvania counties, but has spent most of her adult life in Montgomery and Chester counties. While Angela has always loved being outdoors, it wasn’t until 2020 that she was introduced to birding. She now enjoys exploring under-birded areas all over Pennsylvania and is forever on the lookout for the American Woodcock. Angela’s favorite local places to bird are Crow’s Nest Preserve in Chester County, Congo Open Space in Montgomery County and her backyard. She is a founding board member of In Color Birding Club and a Force of Nature volunteer with Natural Lands.

Note: This meeting will be held in person at the meeting house and via Zoom. Zoom signon will start at 7:15 to enable the meeting to begin at 7:30.

Presenter TBD

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Info about Presenter TBD

Note: This meeting will be held in person at the meeting house and via Zoom. Zoom signon will start at 7:15 to enable the meeting to begin at 7:30.

Presenter TBD

Program Description TBD

Info about Presenter TBD

Note: This meeting will be held in person at the meeting house and via Zoom. Zoom signon will start at 7:15 to enable the meeting to begin at 7:30.

Robert Galardo

If tropical birds and butterflies fascinate you, then you’ll be sure to enjoy this virtual presentation. It will be an up-close and personal look at these colorful denizens of Honduras. To date, more than 800 species of birds and over 1,300 butterflies have been found there. This little known Central American country still receives little attention, but Robert will take you on a picture-filled journey on what he, and other colleagues, have been doing there for the past 30 years. After nearly two decades of field work, Robert published two lengthy volumes on the birds of Honduras (in English and Spanish). He and his partner, Olivia, then set out to start working on the country’s butterflies; a field of fauna that was virtually unknown. After seven years of field work, they finally finished the first edition of the Guide to the Butterflies of Honduras. Join Robert on this enlightening presentation and get to know the beautiful country he calls ‘home’.

Robert is originally from California. His passion for all things natural lead him to get a degree in Natural Resources Planning and Interpretation from Humboldt State University in his home state. Immediately after graduating, he joined the Peace Corps and served as a volunteer in Honduras from 1993-1996. He remained in that country and has been there ever since. He and Olivia reside at Emerald Valley, an international butterfly center, home to 755 species of butterflies and 200 birds.

Note: This meeting will be held in person at the meeting house and via Zoom. Zoom signon will start at 7:15 to enable the meeting to begin at 7:30.

Amy Davis

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Info about Presenter TBD

Note: This meeting will be held in person at the meeting house and via Zoom. Zoom signon will start at 7:15 to enable the meeting to begin at 7:30.

Coordinated by TBD. Here is the info for photos:

1. Maximum 50 photos per participating member
(depending on the number of people that want to show pictures, I may need to make a selection and pair the numbers down a bit.  I think the absolute maximum number of photos should not exceed 300.  E.g. if 7 people send 50 photos each, I will take out 7 photos per submission to bring it down to 301).

2. The photos need to be in JPEG format

3. Each file name should include the name of the bird.  If you want to also show on the slides the location where the photos were taken, please include the name of the location also in the file name, or include a Word document with the cross reference of location to the file name.  I will then make sure that the location is shown on the slides.

4. The photos should preferably be sent to TBD via websites such as DROPBOX or WETRANSFER.  These services are free if you don't exceed2 Gb for the 50 photos combined.

5. TBD's email address is
TBD

6. Please make sure to get your photos to TBD by May 15th at the very latest.  Earlier submissions are encouraged

7. If you want to give the photos to TBD on a memory stick or a CD, get in touch with him via phone (cell: 484-706-1999) or via email to discuss day, time and location to hand over the memory stick or the CD, or you can mail it to his home address at 511 Annadale Drive, Berwyn, PA 19312

 
NOTE: This meeting will be held in person at the meeting house and via Zoom. Zoom signon will start at 7:15 to enable the meeting to begin at 7:30.