Re: A Question for Our Southern Neighbors

Tyler Bell (bell@say.acnatsci.org)
Tue, 21 Oct 1997 12:41:34 -0700


MDOspreyers:

Jack, being a recent ex-president and Carol, being current
vice-president and membership director of the Southern MD Audubon
Society (SMAS) have posed valid points about why there is no southern
chapter of MOS. Recently, we constructed a phone tree for all active
twitchers within Calvert, St. Mary's and Charles Counties. There are
about two dozen people involved. That's it. When SMAS has field trips,
of which there are usually 18 yearly (this year we have 22), there is
the same core group of people who show up. If there were to be a
southern chapter of MOS, it would likely draw a lot of these people away
permanently and would ultimately lead to the demise of the field trip
component of SMAS. We're all loyal to SMAS despite the efforts of NAS to
drive members away with their wretched gloom and doom magazine.

As an aside, about half of the aforementiond group have been
communicating on this issue on the side and several of us are willing to
help with the '99 meeting in Solomons. There are lots of good birds in
southern MD with some real juicy ones within the last few years
(Barrow's Goldeneye at Pax River NAS the last 2 winters, Anhingas (lots
of them!) in Huntingtown, the recent Fork-tailed Flycatcher in Chaptico
and the Tufted Duck at Jefferson Patterson Park). The only problem is
that the area is underbirded. Come on down, y'all!

-- 
Good Birding!                  ...and all this science,
Tyler Bell                     I don't understand, It's
mailto:bell@say.acnatsci.org   just my job five days a week. 
California, MD                 Elton John (Rocket Man)

Jack C. Leighty/Susan J. Noble wrote:
> 
> Many of the birders in the three Southern Maryland counties are
> members of the Southern Maryland Audubon Society (SMAS).  The number
> seems to stay at about 800,with a fairly substantial loss of current
> members and gain in new members each year.
> 
>  As you may know, that chapter has a very extensive program of
> monthly lectures that rotate from location to location to provide
> better access to members in a rather large area.  From September
> through June there are weekend bird walks - largely within Southern
> Maryland, but occasionally in western Maryland, the Eastern Shore or
> Virginia.
> 
> Many of the more active birders are MOS members.  A good person to
> talk with about a birding program for the MOS meeting would be Jim
> Stasz, Whom you all must know (he lives in North Beach) and Bob
> Boxwell, current SMAS president.  It might be possible to arrange
> leadership for trips from the Solomons to the nearby naval airbase,
> and to Flag Ponds, Scientist Cliffs, and Point Lookout Parks.  Of
> course, the Calvert Marine Museum would be a very convenient and
> interesting visit for those who haven't been there.
> 
> I might be worthwhile to scan the MOS membership list for Southern
> Maryland members and invite them to offer their personal opinions
> about the feasibility of an MOS chapter, by mail or at a group
> meeting.
> 
> Jack Leighty