Posting for Steve Pretl.

The Montgomery Bird Club will meet this Wednesday night, January 20.  As usual, refreshments begin at 7:30, and the meeting starts at 8:00.

We have a really interesting presentation lined up for the meeting.  Don Messersmith will speak on "Bïrding in a Changing China".  In 1982, Don went with a British group of birders to China on the first ever organized birding tour.  This pioneering tour was followed the next year by his taking the first American birding tour group to China and 
this was followed over a period of 25 years by tours to many parts of China, 14 in all until 2007.

During this exciting time vast changes occurred throughout China.  Travel facilities improved in a remarkable way, bird field guides were published, new birding areas opened up, local Chinese took up birding as a hobby, bird clubs were formed in a number of cities, bird banding became widespread and birders from all over the world discovered the 
great diversity of the Chinese avifauna.  Don will talk about these changes and illustrate them with slides from his birding tours. 

Don't miss this exciting presentation.  Meetings are held at the Potomac Presbyterian Church, 10301 River Road (1/4 mile past Falls Road in Potomac). All are welcome.

Anna Urciolo
Rockville, MD