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
Attention bird lovers and conservation champions! The Earth Week Birding Classic 2025 is just around the corner, and we’d love for you to be part of this exciting, nature-filled challenge. Whether you’re an experienced birder or simply enjoy the thrill of spotting feathered friends in the wild, this event is a fantastic way to celebrate birds while supporting conservation efforts.
What’s the Birding Classic All About?
From April 11 to April 19, teams across central Pennsylvania will take on the challenge of identifying as many bird species as possible within a 24-hour period. With multiple team categories, there’s a place for everyone—from students and families to seasoned experts and those who prefer a relaxed “Big Sit” style count. And for the truly competitive, the Ruffed Grouse category crowns the team that tallies the most species overall!
Why Should You Join?
Beyond the fun and friendly competition, this event fosters a deeper appreciation for birds and their habitats. It’s a perfect opportunity to connect with fellow birders, sharpen your identification skills, and contribute valuable data to conservation efforts. Plus, teams can gather pledges to support bird conservation and education programs in central Pennsylvania.
How to Get Involved
Registration is free and open until April 9. The competition wraps up with a celebration at U.S. Hotel Tavern on April 19 at 5:30 PM, where we’ll announce the winners and swap stories from the field.
Whether you aim to break records or just enjoy a peaceful day with binoculars in hand, we welcome you to join us for this unforgettable birding adventure. Let’s celebrate Earth Week with the joy of birds—sign up today!
Our annual picnic, moved from the usual June date due to the heat, has been rescheduled for August 20 at Canoe Creek State Park Pavilion #2. It’s a covered dish with fried chicken provided by the chapter. Please RSVP BY Friday, August 16, so we have enough chicken for everyone. Email Catie at catiegk5059 [at] gmail [dot] com and her know what dish you will bring.
Regrettably, I am writing to inform you that tomorrow’s picnic has been cancelled due to the heat advisory issued for our area.
The safety and well-being of our members are our top priority, and extreme heat poses significant health risks, especially for outdoor activities. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures and humidity can lead to heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. These conditions can be severe and even life-threatening, especially for vulnerable individuals, including the elderly, young children, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. In light of this, we have made the decision to cancel the picnic to ensure everyone’s safety.
We will reschedule the event for a later date when the weather is more favorable. Thank you for your understanding, and please stay cool and hydrated during this heatwave! We will be in touch with a new date in due time.
Best regards,
Michael Kensinger
President, Juniata Valley Audubon Society
I am thrilled and honored to have been installed as the new President of the Juniata Valley Audubon Society. As a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation, I want you to know that I am motivated to lead our organization in making a positive impact in our community. Above all, I am excited to work with our dedicated members and volunteers to protect and preserve the natural beauty of our region for future generations. To do that, I also intend on bringing younger membership into the group to ensure JVAS longevity into the future.
As your President, I plan to increase our presence as an organization on social media to engage with a wider, more diverse community. I think regularly posting JVAS content online will attract a wider audience to our cause. By leveraging platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, we can share our mission, events, and conservation efforts with a broader (and at times, younger) audience. It is my belief that this will enable us to strengthen our group with a diverse, inclusive community of nature enthusiasts and conservationists.
I would like to also welcome my friends as newly elected Officers for JVAS.
As newly elected Vice President, we have Catie Farr – who is also our Hospitality Chair. Catie’s dedication to bringing delicious meals to our JVAS meetings extends beyond what is expected. I’ve had in-depth conversations about how much happiness that brings her, which speaks of her character. I know I, as well as many other members, appreciate all of her efforts and bringing top-notch meals to our meetings. Catie is also responsible for the fun and exciting Earth Week Birding Classic, which we are working on together, to ensure growth for 2025.
Our Treasurer, with 17 years of service to JVAS, is George Mahon. George is on my team for the Christmas Bird Count, and I always enjoy spending time with him. We are lucky to have such a kind, and trustworthy person managing the books for JVAS.
I’m very excited about our newly elected Secretary Conner Schmitt. Conner is young, enthusiastic, and a new member to JVAS as of this year. Conner has stepped up to bat to fill in for field trips and is eager to help whenever needed. Having him officiated as Secretary is exciting, because I know he is reliable, and passionate about birding and bird conservation. Most recently Conner has joined me in the Louisiana Waterthrush Survey which we do to help Moshannon Creek Watershed Association to gain eligibility for various grants to fight acid mine drainage in this waterway. This survey requires a 4 AM rise, almost 80 minutes drive (round trip) and four miles of hiking to survey birds. And yet, Conner shows up on time, with a smile, ready to work.
Red-winged BlackbirdAs your Field Trip Chair, I have recognized that some of our members may have physical limitations that prevent them from attending field trips or hikes. When leading field trips, it always saddens me to hear someone can’t participate despite wanting to enjoy nature. So, one of my goals is to remedy this situation so that people do not feel left out. And so, to ensure inclusivity, I plan to create videos and photo essays that will showcase our events, conservation efforts, local wildlife appearances, and share them online with members who want to be outdoors but cannot be. By bringing a summary of these events to your computer screen, everyone can experience and appreciate our wild Pennsylvania, regardless of physical abilities. As the new Publicity Chair, I have already begun this process on our Facebook page. If you enjoy simply reading about JVAS, and the outdoor experiences in our area, you can simply go to: facebook.com/juniatavalleyaudubon. If you do not have a Facebook account, I do not believe you will be able to interact with the posts, but you should be able to scroll down our page and enjoy local photos, writing, events, and perhaps learn a thing or two along the way. I try to post new content daily, so feel free to enjoy it while enjoying your coffee or tea.
Once we begin making videos, we will upload them to YouTube, and they can simply be emailed to members and posted to the website for you all to view. In this scenario, there is no need to leave the comfort of your home to enjoy a bit of nature.
The future is bright for the Juniata Valley Audubon Society. In conclusion, I’d like to say this new position as President is not one I take lightly. My dedication to birds, wildlife, and their habitats will remain unwavering for the duration of my tenure for this amazing group. I look forward to building on the strong foundation our previous Presidents, board members, and long-time members have created as we move forward into this next phase.
May the road rise to meet our every step in this next chapter together.
We would like to thank everyone who attended the 2024 JVAS Banquet on April 16th. Thank you to Hospitality Chair and new Vice President Catie Farr, as well as Laura and Mike Jackson for the work they put into organizing this event. We would also like to thank everyone who donated an item to our raffle. We ended up raising $525, which is much more than in previous years. There was a myriad of unique items to bid on, including original artworks, crafts, games, foods, and even a bird-themed Lego set!
Amber Weiwel, organizer of the Third Pennsylvania Bird Atlas, was our banquet speaker. Amber presented ways in which we could all get involved with the next PA Breeding Bird Atlas and spoke a bit about a new Winter Bird Atlas that would be coming soon. Attendees were shown imagery and given instructions on the process involved with making accurate decisions on bird breeding behaviors and when to record them. Additionally, we were able to view range variations in a species such as the Carolina Wren, and how Pennsylvania’s ground-breaking atlas has reflected the spread of Carolina Wrens since the first atlas in the late 80’s.
Angie Spagnoli, JVAS Conservation Awardee (left) accepts her Conservation Certificate from out-going JVAS President Mark Bonta and Conservation Chair Laura Jackson (right).
As per tradition, we give a JVAS Conservation Award to a deserving person, decided on by our board. This year’s awardee was Angie Spagnoli, who was nominated due to her tireless efforts to protect wetland habitats and the wildlife that call them home. While birds are an interest of Angie, her passion for amphibians, vernal pools, native wetland fauna and the like have earned her a reputation in our local community. She educates, inspires, and includes volunteers from a variety of backgrounds to get involved with hands-on activities such as tree plantings and invasive plant removal. Such activities do well to inspire new generations of conservationists and offer new perspectives for older generations who have not taken part in such activities before. It is important to note that such efforts are far from glamorous, but special people like Angie are willing to lead the charge.
Wetlands are important habitats for many creatures, including the spotted salamander
In a world where many people are willing to talk about conservation, Angie ‘walks the walk’. Where many people will share newsbytes on social media, Angie is out there in the mud and in the dirt working to make our planet a better place. As a woman of science, she serves also as the only woman on the board of Directors of the Little Juniata River Association. An advocate for protecting wild spaces, Spagnoli has helped lead the charge in the Coalition to Save old Crow Wetland. Currently, Angie is leading the charge as the battle ensues against Rutter’s senseless development up against this vital Huntingdon habitat.
Angie’s work resonates through many conservation groups including The Little Juniata River Association, The Coalition to Save Old Crow Wetland, Friends of Tipton Wetlands, and more. Aside from her talents as a scientist and conservationist, Angie involves people of all backgrounds in her projects spreading awareness of native habitats and ecosystems, and why we must protect them. Congratulations Angie! And thank you for all you have done and will continue to do!
Of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania, Blair, at the core of our Audubon chapter’s area, is ranked 46 all-time in number of bird species recorded. We’ve logged 259 species so far, 38 above Sullivan County, Pennsylvania’s lowest, but 96 less than Lancaster County, number one in the state.
This year, I set out to see if it was possible to detect at least 200 species in a single hotspot – in this case, Plummer’s Hollow, at the northern end of Blair County. I used every means at my disposal, including a nocturnal flight call recorder, and managed to count 202 species (pending continuing flight call analysis that may swell the total). One of the things I learned was that knowing how to detect birds (I call it “intercepting” them) is a large part of what we think of as “species richness.” Location, habitat quality and diversity, and observer effort are also critically important, but it’s amazing how many species are missed just because someone isn’t in the right place at the right time. We probably missed Sandhill Crane, or Swallow-tailed Kite, or you-name-it this year because someone didn’t glance up at just the right moment in just the right location.
While I like to think that Plummer’s Hollow is special, I suspect that virtually every Pennsylvania natural area with varied habitat and a few hundred acres of woods and fields could turn up similar hotspot top-ten numbers on a yearly basis. The problem is how hard it is to detect some birds unless someone is onsite 24/7. I can’t imagine how many rarities escape notice on our many local ponds and lakes, or even muddy fields, for example. Often, waterfowl and waders land in the night, spend a few hours in the morning, and they’re off again. How many of these completely escape detection? How many of the rarities that non-birders see ever get noted or reported to birders?
WE ARE! (#20)
In 2023, Blair County cracked the top 20 in the state, in a five-way county tie of 223 species for the year. This is a substantially higher county rank than in the past and based on far less eBird checklists than the counties occupying one through 19. This 253-and-counting list is probably still dozens shy of the “true number” (total species present in the skies and/or on the ground at some point during the year) but is nevertheless a testament to the couple dozen casual and, well, fanatical birders who have focused more effort on Blair this year than ever before.
NIGHT WATCH
Blair added six species to its all-time list in 2023. They were the Painted Bunting on April 22, photographed at a feeder near the Juniata Valley Church, and five nocturnal migrants over Plummer’s Hollow: Common Gallinule (4/15); Whimbrel (5/22 and after); Ruddy Turnstone (5/27); Short-billed Dowitcher (7/1 and after); Upland Sandpiper (8/9). Now, there are naysayers who may doubt the importance of birds that fly over at night, but I think nocturnal migrants are equally as important as those that fly over during the day, such as raptors. Whether they land here or not, nest here or not—they are still within our territory. We don’t own them, for sure, but we are their stewards as long as they are here. And whether we know it or not, they—particularly the night-flying ones—face some pretty large obstacles. Take the tens of thousands of Swainson’s Thrushes, Gray-cheeked Thrushes, Hermit Thrushes, and Veeries that stream north in the spring and south in the fall. On certain September dawns, I sit in a field on top of Plummer’s Hollow, awash in the overlapping peeps of thousands of thrushes as they descend to the forests all around to rest and feed for the day. One day, it occurred to me that, minutes earlier, they may have had to thread the massive wind towers of Sandy Ridge, directly to the north, as they exited the Appalachian Plateau airspace and entered the Ridge and Valley Province. (Or, perhaps, they’ve learned to avoid those obstacles?) I’m happy that we’ve kept much of our part of their flyway free of obstacles, and also that we entice them and hundreds of other species with ample opportunities to spend a day, a week, or a season.
To paraphrase the great Eddie Kendricks, KEEP ON BIRDIN’!
It is with a heavy heart that I acknowledge the deaths of hundreds of millions of my friends in 2023. I’m talking about the toll that buildings take on birds worldwide, each and every year.
This year, Chicago once again earned its moniker as the deadliest city for bird strikes. On the morning of October 5th, residents of the Windy City were awakened by the flight calls of millions of warblers and other migrants. Birders descended on the parks along Lake Michigan and recorded the amazing spectacle of hundreds of thousands of warblers threading their way through the wilderness of steel, glass, and concrete. For more details on what a fallout of this magnitude looks like, see Marky Mutchler’s account and videos on eBird.
While most of the birds were able to make it through, untold thousands did not, and accounts tell of their corpses littering the streets and sidewalks.
To quote Mutchler: “TURN YOUR LIGHTS OFF”
It can be hard to fathom the sheer magnitude of what is transpiring in the night sky above our communities. On certain nights, particularly in May, September, and October, tens of millions of birds are on the move. If they become bottled up by stagnant weather for a while, they may surge forward on the next north wind, as apparently happened in Chicago this year.
This dead warbler (fall plumage) is a tragedy that could have been prevented
if the homeowners had treated their kitchen storm door to prevent bird kills.
It’s not just the tall buildings that represent danger to birds. It’s also all the light we humans generate. And in the daytime, it’s also the reflective glass panes that turn so many central business districts into giant funhouse mirror landscapes.
By night or by day, our iconic skylines are their killing fields.
To a lesser extent, these risks all exist in rural central Pennsylvania, in every mirror-like pane, every light left on needlessly at night, every churning turbine (I’ll have more on this last bit in a future comment).
Editor’s Note: Buildings two or three stories high kill more birds than tall buildings. Your home could very well be a death-trap for birds. Even if birds hit your window and fly away, chances are the injury is fatal and birds will die soon after they hit the window.
What can you do? Add Acopian Bird Savers (aka Zen Curtains) or purchase Feather Friendly dots. You can make your own Acopian Bird Savers™ or buy a kit designed for your window:
Unfortunately, Centre Wildlife Care’s Robyn Graboski had to postpone her presentation to JVAS scheduled for Sept. 19. Robyn has promised us she will reschedule her visit sometime in the spring of 2024.
Instead, we will enjoy a presentation by JVAS President Mark Bonta called
Tyroner Travels the World – 12 Lessons Learned.
This interactive talk distills the endless ramblings of a Tyrone-based geographer into a series of lessons on the world. Each lesson is preceded by a series of slides, and the audience tries to guess what the lesson is, and where the pictured places are. Photos go as far back as grainy scanned slides from 1986, and range across six continents. At the end is a geography quiz just to keep you on your toes.
The in-person talk is at the Bellwood-Antis Public Library, as usual, with a free meal at 6:00 and the meeting to commence at 7:00–when we also go live on Zoom. To join by computer, use this link: https://psu.zoom.us/j/97418229426 (passcode: 123456). To join from the Zoom app on a smartphone, enter this meeting ID: 974 1822 9426 (passcode: 123456). To join by phone, call this number: +1 301 715 8592 (US Toll), enter the meeting ID followed by the pound sign.
