Date:         Tue, 29 May 2001 15:54:03 -0400
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Sally Rowe <sallyerowe@TOAD.NET>
Subject:      Re: [Fwd: An Important Message from Scott Weidensaul]
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

----- Original Message -----
From: Les Eastman <les@BIRDTREKS.COM>
To: <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 11:21 AM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] [Fwd: An Important Message from Scott Weidensaul]


> This seems to have a Maryland interest and also provides some more info
> on CCRT.
>
> Les Eastman
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: An Important Message from Scott Weidensaul
> Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 11:01:00 -0400
> From: "Carmen T. Santasania" <71634.41@COMPUSERVE.COM>
> Reply-To: "Carmen T. Santasania" <71634.41@COMPUSERVE.COM>
> To: PABIRDS@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG
>
> To PABIRDS and PA-Audubon list members,
>
>   As most of you are aware, the northern goshawk is listed as a
> "candidate
> rare" species of special concern in Pennsylvania, despite some increases
> in
> breeding populations over the past several decades. Unfortunately, it's
> a
> species about which we still know very little, particularly about where
> our
> goshawks go and how they live during the non-breeding season.
>
>   The past two years, many Pennsylvania birders assisted Dave Brinker of
> Maryland's Natural Heritage program with an expansion of an independent,
> on-going goshawk study he's been conducting in Maryland and West
> Virginia.
> Dave has been planning to affix two prototype solar-powered satellite
> transmitters to a pair of Pennsylvania goshawks, which would allow us to
> monitor their movements for several years --a tremendous boost to our
> knowledge of this species, especially during winter. Last year we failed
> to
> find an active nest, but this year we have several active sites, and
> Dave
> planned on catching a pair and placing the transmitters this coming
> weekend. (Dave focuses on nesting birds because then he knows the home
> range as a point of reference, plus they are much easier to catch when
> defending chicks.)
>
>   But there's an unforeseen problem. Originally, the $6,000 transmitters
> and the $3,00-4,000 in satellite time were being donated in full by the
> Center for Conservation & Research Technology (CCRT), a group from the
> University of Maryland that is famous for sat-trans work with peregrine
> falcons and other raptors, and which developed this new style of
> transmitter. However, due to funding cutbacks, CCRT has just informed
> Dave
> that while they can still donate the units, they can't pay for the
> satellite time.
>
>   So with just days to go, we're scrambling to find three or four
> thousand
> dollars, possibly from a variety of sources. State agency funds do not
> appear to be available, but at the suggestion of Carmen Santasania and
> Cindy Adams Dunn, I'm asking the bird clubs, Audubon chapters and other
> organizations or individuals in the state if they would be willing to
> help
> out.
>
>   All I need at this point is a commitment -- a pledge for part (or all)
> of
> the money; feel free to email me at sweidnsl@pottsville.infi.net with
> questions or a pledge. If we reach the minimum threshold, I'll ask the
> donors to send checks to Audubon Pa., which has agreed to act as a
> conduit.
> If we don't make it, I'll thank everyone for their time and trouble, the
> checkbooks stay closed, and we can all go back to birding.
>
>   I know, this sounds like a public television pledge drive, and for
> that I
> apologize. (We don't even offer cool tote bags or coffee mugs.) But I
> believe this is a valuable project with direct, important benefits to
> one
> of Pennsylvania's most stunning birds, and I'd hate to see the
> opportunity
> slip away.
>
>   Thanks in advance,
>
>   Scott Weidensaul
>
> =======================================================================
> To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com
> with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey
> =======================================================================
>

=======================================================================
To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com
with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey
=======================================================================
=========================================================================