The Juniata Valley Audubon Society celebrated Earth Week with our annual Birding Classic, an exciting and inspiring event that brought together birders from across the region to support local bird conservation. Six enthusiastic teams took to the field in Blair County and surrounding areas, competing to spot as many bird species as possible within a 24-hour window.
Together, the teams tallied an impressive 111 species! The winning team, “The Wingnuts,” topped the charts with 96 species, including notable sightings of Sora, Virginia Rail, Greater Scaup, and the elusive Whip-poor-will—a true highlight of the day.
The day of birding concluded with a celebratory dinner at the U.S. Hotel Tavern in Hollidaysburg, where members gathered to share stories, tally final counts, and enjoy a delicious meal.
Half of the funds raised from this event will go directly toward local bird conservation projects supported by our chapter and the other half will go to the Penn State Altoona Sustainability Council.
We will gratefully accept cash donations at our next meeting on Tuesday, May 20th, 2025, at 7:00 PM.
Tally Dinner at U.S. Hotel Tavern: Clockwise, top right: Cassie, Alysha, & Addy Kachur; Denice Rodaniche; Justin Merry; Connor Schmitt; Mike & Laura Jackson; Myra & David Hess; Catie Farr, Earth Week Birding Classic Founder and Leader
We wrapped up another successful Earth Week Birding Classic with a warm and lively final tally dinner. This year, we welcomed two brand new teams to the competition. Congratulations to our category winners: The Wingnuts took home the Ruffed Grouse title with 96 species, BellHollow Buteos soared to the top of the Towhee category with 90 species, The Golden Eagles claimed victory in the Coot category with 81 species, and Bird is theWord led the Phoebe category with 14 species. Fundraising efforts are still underway, with all proceeds going to support local bird conservation and education. Thank you to everyone who participated and made this year’s Classic such a joyful celebration of birds and community!
We enjoyed a delicious roast turkey meal prepared by the Evangelical Lutheran Church on April 15, while chatting with friends about birds, conservation, and all things nature. The highlights of the evening:
JVAS Conservation Award to Claire Holzner for her tireless efforts to prevent construction of a Rutter’s Truck Stop adjacent to Old Crow Wetland near Huntingdon
President Michael Kensinger’s presentation to Claire:
It is my honor today to present the 2025 Juniata Valley Audubon Society Award to someone whose passion, persistence, and deep love for the natural world have made a lasting impact on our community and our environment.
Claire Holzner, your leadership in the protection of Old Crow Wetland has been nothing short of extraordinary. Through your work founding and guiding the Coalition to Save Old Crow, you gave a voice to the wetland, its wildlife, and to the people who care about preserving these wild spaces for future generations.
While we, as a group, were not successful in stopping the development of the Rutter’s gas station and truck stop adjacent to the wetland, your tireless efforts brought Old Crow into the public eye in a way that it never had been before. You organized, educated, advocated, and inspired. And that matters.
Because of you, hundreds more people now know the value of Old Crow Wetland—not just as a habitat for birds and other wildlife, but as a place of beauty, ecological importance, and peace. You turned a local issue into a regional conversation, and the ripples of your work will carry on well beyond this moment.
So today, with heartfelt gratitude, we present you with the 2025 JVAS Conservation Award, not only to thank you for your advocacy, but to recognize the resilience, determination, and hope you have given us all.
Even as bulldozers move forward, we will not turn away. We promise to continue visiting Old Crow Wetland—to walk its paths, to admire the herons, the warblers, the frogs, and the changing seasons. And we will remain vigilant. We will document what we see, we will continue to bear witness, and we will speak out when needed.
Claire, because of you, Old Crow is not forgotten. And it never will be. Thank you for your unwavering spirit. This fight has changed us—and we’re not done yet! Congratulations.
Dr. Andrew Mack, Conservation Biologist and Ornithologist who studied cassowaries in Papua New Guinea for many years, gave a thought-provoking and fascinating account of, “Ornithology Over Fifty Years: A Retrospection and Lessons for the Future”
Dr. Mack emphasized that the “old way of doing science,” i.e., collecting and preserving specimens in museums is not in favor now, but is providing invaluable sources of DNA for molecular genetic studies.
He also pointed out that long-held perceptions are often hard to debunk, since there is resistance in the scientific community to change. One example was his research on fleshy fruit. A hypothesis long held by scientists was that flowering plants developed fleshy fruit to make them more attractive to fruit-eaters since those animals would disperse the seeds. But what if fleshy fruit actually evolved to deter animals from eating the seeds, thus preventing seed loss? His research findings on this topic were rejected by several mainstream institutions…resistance to change…but finally published in the Indian Academy of Sciences.
We raised $467.00! Many thanks to the artists who contributed original creations and other donors who contributed items – and to the generous bidders who took those items home with them!
Mark your calendar for next year’s Spring Banquet: Tuesday, April 21, 2026
JVAS is having a sticker design contest and we want you to submit your best effort that resembles the mission of our amazing Audubon chapter!
Contest Deadline: Entries must be received no later than December 31, 2022.
Subject Matter: Read and understand all the contest rules before creating a design. The design must be the artist’s original creation and shall not be copied or duplicated.
Design must be the same size and shape as circle below (4 in. x 4 in.).
MUST USE: JVAS.ORG within the design.
All colors must be flat and solid, with no shading, blending or halftones.
Do not use a signature.
Entries may be submitted in one of two ways:
Send in via regular mail. The completed contest entry form must be included, and design sent to: Juniata Valley Audubon Society — PO Box 1031 — Altoona, PA 16603
Save design file electronically (PNG or JPG). Electronic signatures are accepted on the entry form. Attach both the design file and the contest entry form to an email and send to: [email protected]
The JVAS Board has decided that we want all of our members to stay safe during these Covid-19 uncertain times. Because we care about your health and safety, and because we want our members to feel connected, we are offering virtual meetings this fall via Zoom.
Before joining a Zoom meeting on a computer or mobile device, you can download the FREE Zoom app from the Download Center (https://zoom.us/download). Otherwise, you will be prompted to download and install Zoom when you click a join link.
You can also join a test meeting (https://zoom.us/test) to familiarize yourself with Zoom.
JVAS Fall General Meetings via Zoom:
When: Tuesday Sept. 15, 2020 at 7pm
When: Tuesday Oct. 20, 2020 at 7 pm
When: Tuesday Nov. 17, 2020 at 7pm
When: Tuesday Dec. 22, 2020 at 7 pm
Due to concerns over the Coronavirus, the JVAS Board has decided to cancel the Tuesday, March 17 chapter meeting.
As of now, the April 21 banquet is still scheduled, but we will assess the situation in late March and send out an update in early April confirming or canceling the banquet.
Please do not send any more banquet reservations until we send out the update in early April. I will refund payments to those who have already paid if we do cancel the banquet.
Also, please note that the Bedford conference scheduled for Saturday, “Managing forests and Wildlife in a Changing World,” has been postponed, according to the WOSA website.
While renewable energy projects are an important step away from fossil fuel consumption and have great potential to mitigate climate change impacts by reducing carbon, they must be sited properly. In Pennsylvania, the best wind resources are at higher elevations, so wind turbines are most often sited on forested mountains instead of degraded lands. Joseph Kiesecker, Lead Scientist for The Nature Conservancy, points out in his book, “Energy Sprawl Solutions,” that it is possible to balance energy needs and conservation, but we need careful planning, or we could trade one crisis for another: “land-use change and conflict.” His research shows that wind projects should be built on degraded lands, instead of forested mountains, in order to protect critical wildlife and their habitats.
Such is the case for Dunning/Evitt’s Mountain, a forested ridge in Bedford County that contains core forest habitat for several species of conservation need. CPV Kettle Wind, LLC is in the early permitting stages of an industrial wind turbine project proposed for the top of Dunning/Evitt’s Mountain. The turbines would be constructed just south of Rt. 869 and could extend for over 5 miles along the top of the mountain in East St. Clair, South Woodbury, and Bedford Townships. Dunning/Evitt’s Mountain is quite narrow in areas, so a cut and fill construction project would most likely involve:
a. removal of trees on the top of the mountain
b. blasting of bedrock to create rubble
c. bulldozing and compacting the rubble to create a shelf wide enough to support wind turbine pads and roads
d. deep sedimentation ponds below each wind turbine to control stormwater runoff – these ponds would be filled with permeable soil obtained off-site to slow runoff
e. trenches between turbines for electric cables
f. a swath of trees removed down the mountain so an above-ground transmission line can be run from on top of the mountain to the substation along Black Bear Lane Continue reading “Environmental Concerns and Potential Impacts of a Proposed Wind Project on Dunning/Evitt’s Mountain in Bedford County”→
The JVAS Blair County Christmas Bird Count (CBC), centered at Culp in Sinking Valley, will be held on Saturday, December 15, 2018 with a Tally Dinner to be held at Schraff’s Restaurant starting at 5:00 PM. The meal will be family-style and will include baked chicken, roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, mixed veggies, salad, dinner roll, and dessert: all for just $16.55, which includes tax and tip.
All are invited to attend – even if you aren’t a counter. Schraff’s is located at 421 Grandview Rd., Altoona, PA 16601. Directions: Take Juniata Gap Road toward Penn State Altoona campus, but turn Right onto East Wopsononock Ave. before reaching the campus. Continue straight through Ivyside and Broadway intersections, where it becomes Grandview Road. Drive past Gwin Road on the Left, then turn Left at the Schraff’s sign into Pennview Suites. Schraff’s is at the far back right corner of the complex. Call Catie Farr if you need help with directions: 570-651-3839.
map showing the location of Schraff’s
Send your check for $16.55 payable to Laura Jackson no later than Monday, Dec. 3. Mail payment to Laura Jackson 8621 Black Valley Road, Everett, PA 15537.
We hope you will be a counter this year. Participation is free, but you must count within the established circle [PDF], which is located within 7.5 miles of Culp. If you live inside the circle, you could count birds at your feeder and on your property.
Counters will be assigned a section of the circle, so counts don’t overlap. Register by calling or emailing Laura Jackson: 814-652-9268 or [email protected]. You will receive a map, a species checklist, and pointers on any hotspots that might be in your part of the circle. Please try to contact Laura by December 10.
There are 3 other Christmas Bird Counts in our area that also need participants:
Huntingdon County CBC is centered at Donation, Pa.
Contact compiler Deb Grove: 814-643-3295 or [email protected]
Bedford County CBC is centered at Manns Choice, Pa.Contact compilers Mike & Laura Jackson: 814-652-9268 or [email protected]
We lost one of our longtime members recently. Sadly, Charlie Hoyer passed away on September 13, 2018. Charlie was a member of National Audubon since 1968 and an active advocate for our chapter, Juniata Valley Audubon Society, for many years. He served as the newspaper editor for ten years, as well as chapter president and membership chair. He also served as a board member for Pennsylvania Audubon.
Charlie and his wife, Marge, also hosted many wonderful dinners on Christmas Bird Count day. They also enjoyed feeding the birds, so Charlie volunteered as one of the feeder watchers for Count Day.
The beautiful floral centerpieces that decorated the tables at our Spring Banquet were often donated by the Hoyers. I often think of Charlie and Marge when I see Martha Washington geraniums.
Charlie was willing to take time to correct grammar, typos, and formatting for JVAS publications. We will miss his expertise and commitment to not only our chapter, but to conservation.
Dave Bonta (L), JVAS President at the time, presented Charlie Hoyer (R) with a special Service Award in April 2013.
Juniata Valley Audubon Society has partnered with Lenca Farms to bring you the highest quality shade-grown coffee direct from Honduras. The coffee farmers retain the forest canopy above the small coffee trees and use organic practices so the farms support many species of native birds, as well as wintering Neotropical migrants. Research by Cornell University shows that this type of coffee farm provides important habitat and food for many birds.
Lenca Farms Coffee is a medium roast with flavors of chocolate and cardamom. Because it is high elevation, it is low in caffeine. You will find the coffee to be very rich and smooth.
Lenca Farms is small group of coffee farmers in the high mountainous region of Marcala, in southwest Honduras. The farmers produce shade-grown coffee using organic practices, thus producing specialty coffee of the highest quality. Many species of Neotropical songbirds spend part of the winter in these shade coffee farms, as JVAS members have been able to verify for themselves.
Juniata Valley Audubon Society members documented Neotropical migrants, including Golden-winged Warblers, at Lenca Farms in January, 2016.
One of the farmers, Emilio Garcia, is a fourth generation coffee grower who started importing the Lenca Farms coffee into the US in 2013. Lenca Farms offers direct trade with US roasters and guarantees that their specialty-grade coffee comes “From Our Farms to Your Door.” Since the coffee harvest is from January to March, the green coffee is brought to the US in early summer, ensuring high-quality fresh coffee.
Emilio Garcia (L) and Jeff Myers (R) with a bag of green coffee direct from Honduras.
About the Roasters
Emilio Garcia is a partner with Jeff Myers, who started Abednego Coffee Roasters in 2008 in Chambersburg with the purpose that “we would make the world a better place.” Emilio Garcia and Jeff Myers offer the highest quality coffee that is air roasted in small batches, ensuring our customers get freshly roasted coffee. They support sustainable coffee production through direct trade from small coffee growers. They also donate supplies and food to schools in Honduras, since they know that learning empowers children to rise above poverty.
The drab plumage of this Magnolia Warbler, wintering in Honduras, is offset by the flashy tail. (photo by Laura Jackson)
Honduras is an important wintering habitat for Golden-winged Warblers. (photo by Mike Jackson at Bald Eagle State Park in PA.)
Submitted to the Army Corps of Engineers by Laura Jackson, Vice President, on behalf of the Juniata Valley Audubon Society.
Map of the Lake Raystown area from the Huntingdon County Natural Heritage Inventory
To Whom it May Concern:
Please accept this letter as a formal comment submitted by the Juniata Valley Audubon Society, a chapter of the National Audubon Society, with over 300 members residing in Blair, Bedford, Huntingdon, Mifflin, and Centre Counties in central Pennsylvania. We appreciate the opportunity to provide comments to be considered in the development of the Raystown Lake Master Plan Revision.
Juniata Valley Audubon Society (JVAS) recognizes the diverse recreational resources offered by the Raystown Lake, its economic development potential, the importance of the flood control, and its clean hydropower. More importantly, however, we value the significant amount of relatively undisturbed habitat: approximately 18,000 acres (84%) of the Raystown Lake Project is forested. Since Terrace Mountain provides a forested backdrop to much of the eastern lake shore, we know that sustainable forest management is key to maintaining not only the viewscape, but the quality of water in Raystown Lake. We commend the US Army Corps of Engineers on their work to maintain this important habitat, so vital to maintaining clean water and healthy fish and wildlife.
Furthermore, we applaud the Corps’ efforts to establish a Bat Conservation Area on Terrace Mountain in the Hawn’s Bridge Peninsula area to maintain roosting and foraging habitat for northern long-eared bats and Indiana bats, as well as other forest dwelling bat species. JVAS supports managing these areas to mimic old growth conditions, which will create better habitat for roosting bats.
Another type of habitat quite different from the forested expanses are the rare shale barrens that occur in the Raystown Lake Project Area. We understand that the shale barren communities in Bedford and Huntingdon counties are one of the most unusual, and also most endangered, ecosystems in Pennsylvania. They are few in number and small in acreage, but contain endemic plant species found only in this habitat. The eleven shale barrens in the Raystown Lake Project are each significantly important since they vary in geographical and environmental features, as well as types of flora and fauna. We appreciate the Corps’ dedication to protecting them by designating them as “Natural Areas,” which will be preserved in their natural state.
We ask that the Corps continue to protect the shale barrens as designated Natural Areas by placing total restriction of any development in the area, and protecting the steep slopes and fragile environment of the barrens areas from disturbance, except for scientific investigation. Especially important is the restriction of foot travel on the slope and prohibition of watercraft docking at the base of the cliffs.
We are concerned, however, that the 9-acre shale barrens on the Hawn’s Bridge Peninsula is under threat from future development. In the 1994 Master Plan, the Corps pledged complete protection and did not agree to any development on the Hawn’s Bridge Peninsula. We know that the current Master Plan update is considering changing the use of this area. In keeping with the Corp’s pledge to protect one of Pennsylvania’s rarest and most endangered habitats, we would like to emphasize that this complete protection will only occur if the entire Hawn’s Bridge Peninsula is protected from development. The 1994 master plan emphasized protection of the eastern shore, which includes the Hawn’s Bridge Peninsula. We feel the eastern shore and Terrace Mountain should remain protected.
The Shale Barrens are also designated as part of the Raystown Biological Diversity Area (BDA), a Natural Heritage Area documented by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in the Huntingdon County Natural Heritage Inventory. Within the strata of BDAs, Huntingdon County recognizes Hawn’s Bridge Peninsula to be the highest ranking: an “Exceptional Biological Diversity Area.” See map at end of letter.
Our request to protect Hawn’s Bridge Peninsula from development is supported by many local residents, including the Coalition to Protect Hawn’s Peninsula. It is important to note that our request to protect Hawn’s Bridge Peninsula is also aligned with the Huntingdon County Comprehensive Plan, 2007 Supplement. Sadly, the businesses and organizations that are promoting development of Hawn’s Bridge Peninsula are at odds with the Comprehensive Plan.
Although it is not regulatory, the Comprehensive Plan is an important guiding document for Huntingdon County as it contains, “A Vision for the 21st Century.” The Elements of the Vision include, “protection of farmland, forest land, natural resources, and the environment,” while emphasizing new development “in and around existing boroughs and villages.” It further emphasizes developing “greenways along rivers and ridges.”
This vision is further detailed in this excerpt, ” The vast majority of land in the County will remain in productive private rural land uses such as agriculture, forestry, and recreation. A system of “Greenways” will be established along mountain ridges, streams, and rivers to protect water quality, to provide habitat for wildlife, to enhance recreational opportunities, and to protect scenic beauty. ”
One policy supported in this Vision does include, “the development of a year-round, full-service resort at Raystown Lake.” However, we ask that such development should not be along mountain ridges such as Terrace Mountain, or impact rare habitats like shale barrens. Such a resort at Raystown Lake should be on Army Corps property where development already occurs, not in an exceptional Biological Diversity Area like Hawn’s Bridge Peninsula.
In conclusion, Juniata Valley Audubon Society supports the protection of the eastern shore of Raystown Lake, specifically the endangered shale barrens which include the one located on Hawn’s Bridge Peninsula. We request that Hawn’s Bridge Peninsula be reclassified as an Environmentally Sensitive Area and that Terrace Mountain remain as a Low Density Recreation Area in the new Master Plan.
The JVAS Blair County Christmas Bird Count (CBC), centered at Culp in Sinking Valley, will be held on Saturday, December 15, 2018 with a Tally Dinner to be held at Schraff’s Restaurant starting at 5:00 PM. The meal will be family-style and will include baked chicken, roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, mixed veggies, salad, dinner roll, and dessert: all for just $16.55, which includes tax and tip.
