For order details, visit: https://doas.us/2024-bird-seed-sale/

Stock up for the winter months ahead! From now through October, the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society (DOAS) will be accepting orders for bird seed. Our annual bird seed sale will raise funds to support local programming in 2025.

This sale is open to the public—membership isn’t required to order!

Your order directly supports DOAS’s programs! Proceeds will go toward field trips, special events, the Franklin Mountain Hawkwatch, youth summer programs, and speaker fees for meetings.

DOAS is offering quality, locally sourced bird seed to keep your feeders full throughout the winter. Choose from a variety of seeds, including:

• Black oil sunflower seeds
• Multiple seed blends
• A special woodpecker blend
• Nyjer seeds
• Suet cakes
• And more!

Don’t miss out—and thank you for supporting DOAS!

DOAS is also taking orders for bird-friendly coffee—harvested from coffee plantations that are certified by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center to meet rigorous standards for a product that is organic, fair trade, and supports habitat biodiversity.

• ORDER DEADLINE: SUNDAY, October 27, by 5 p.m.
• PRODUCT PICKUP: SATURDAY, November 9, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• PICKUP LOCATION: VP Supply Corp., 69 Country Club Road, Oneonta, NY.

For order details, visit: https://doas.us/2024-bird-seed-sale/

Photo by GeorgeB2, Tufted Titmouse

As part of our 56th annual Charter Dinner, Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society is holding a Charter raffle! Tickets are on sale now through October 18. A “flock” of bird-themed Charter raffle items and door prizes will be presented at the Charter Dinner (click here for more info on the dinner).

Tickets for the Charter raffle (a bucket raffle) will also be available online and at the Open House at the DOAS Sanctuary on October 5. Charter raffle winners do not need to be present at the dinner. Learn more about our Charter raffle here: https://doas.us/2024-dinner-raffle/ .

(Image above: nature journal page from James Van Gelder)

An illustrated nature journal is a combination of art, nature and science. It combines writing with images as a means of recording observations and stimulating inquiry. On Saturday, September 14, 2024, artist and naturalist James Van Gelder will lead a Nature Journaling workshop hosted by the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society in Oneonta.

The workshop will introduce participants to this unique way to experience the natural world. During this program—geared for all levels of ability, from novice to artist—attendees will use illustration as a tool for exploration. 

Paper, water brushes, and pens will be provided. All that is needed is interest. Students will be exposed to the materials and techniques especially useful for journaling, as well as books and other references.

Location & Requirements
The workshop will be held at Hartwick College’s Pine Lake Environmental Campus, Lakeside Classroom, located at 1894 Charlotte Creek Road, Oneonta, NY 13820. The workshop will run from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, September 14, 2024.

The workshop is limited to 15 maximum attendees. Suggested for ages 14 and up. Registration is required for $25 per person. Attendees can register below.

About the Presenter
James Van Gelder is an artist and naturalist and has been keeping a journal regularly since 2006. He lives in Warwick, NY and is currently active with the Orange County Audubon Society as a field trip leader, educator, and board member.

Please note, our previously scheduled September 11 presentation has been cancelled.

Otsego County Conservation Association (OCCA) will sponsor a visit to the Franklin Mt. Hawkwatch on Sunday, September 15 at 9:30 a.m. This time period coincides with the peak movement of Broad-winged Hawks, a species that can travel in flocks of up to a hundred birds under the right conditions.

Trip participants can carpool from the Price Chopper parking lot in Emmons for the 15 minute drive to the hawk watch. The lookout is a 10-minute uphill walk through a field from parking. An accessible toilet is available at the site. An extra layer of clothing is suggested, along with binoculars if possible. Participants who want to go directly to the site can find directions to the Audubon Sanctuary at Franklin Mountain Hawkwatch – Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society (doas.us). For information on the trip, contact Andy Mason, (607) 267-8491, AndyMason@earthling.net.

“A Closer Look” is a showcase of photos designed to provide views of nature’s wildlife that escape the naked eye. Photographer Rick Bunting explores aspects of both the design and behavior of a wide variety of insects, mammals, amphibians, and birds through both the macro and telephoto lenses.

Join the Delaware Otsego Audubon Society (DOAS) for this program on Friday, September 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Elm Park United Methodist Church, 401 Chestnut Street, Oneonta, NY 13820 or remotely on Zoom.

This program is free of charge and available to the public. 

For those who wish to attend the presentation on Zoom, pre-registration is required at https://tinyurl.com/4mk2ve44 .

Images above by Rick Bunting.

For order details, visit: https://doas.us/2024-bird-seed-sale/

Stock up for the winter months ahead! From now through October, the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society (DOAS) will be accepting orders for bird seed. Our annual bird seed sale will raise funds to support local programming in 2025.

This sale is open to the public—membership isn’t required to order!

Your order directly supports DOAS’s programs! Proceeds will go toward field trips, special events, the Franklin Mountain Hawkwatch, youth summer programs, and speaker fees for meetings.

DOAS is offering quality, locally sourced bird seed to keep your feeders full throughout the winter. Choose from a variety of seeds, including:

• Black oil sunflower seeds
• Multiple seed blends
• A special woodpecker blend
• Nyjer seeds
• Suet cakes
• And more!

Don’t miss out—and thank you for supporting DOAS!

DOAS is also taking orders for bird-friendly coffee—harvested from coffee plantations that are certified by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center to meet rigorous standards for a product that is organic, fair trade, and supports habitat biodiversity.

• ORDER DEADLINE: SUNDAY, October 27, by 5 p.m.
• PRODUCT PICKUP: SATURDAY, November 9, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• PICKUP LOCATION: VP Supply Corp., 69 Country Club Road, Oneonta, NY.

For order details, visit: https://doas.us/2024-bird-seed-sale/

Photo by GeorgeB2, Tufted Titmouse

As part of our 56th annual Charter Dinner, Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society is holding a Charter raffle! Tickets are on sale now through October 18. A “flock” of bird-themed Charter raffle items and door prizes will be presented at the Charter Dinner (click here for more info on the dinner).

Tickets for the Charter raffle (a bucket raffle) will also be available online and at the Open House at the DOAS Sanctuary on October 5. Charter raffle winners do not need to be present at the dinner. Learn more about our Charter raffle here: https://doas.us/2024-dinner-raffle/ .

The Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society (DOAS) will host an Open House at the Franklin Mountain Sanctuary and Hawkwatch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 5. 

The event is free and open to the public. The address of the Sanctuary is 52 Grange Hall Spur Road, Oneonta, NY 13820. Directions may be found here.

At 10 a.m., a Franklin Hawk Watch counter will conduct a workshop on how to identify flying raptors. 

At 11:00 a.m., there will be a trail walk through the sanctuary culminating at the Hawkwatch. 

At 12:30 p.m., DOAS will host Deb and John Saltis of Falcon Heart Rescue to see and learn about rescued birds. Falcon Heart Rescue is an organization that rehabilitates and cares for birds in need. Hawks, owls, and an eagle have appeared with them in the past, with ravens and crows most likely to join the event this year. More info about Falcon Heart Rescue can be found on their website: https://falconheartrescue.com/ 

A variety of complimentary snacks and drinks will be available throughout the day as well as raffle items for our annual charter dinner, which will be held on October 18. Bird-friendly coffee will also be available for sale.

Please join DOAS on October 5 for a family-friendly day of fun at the Sanctuary!

Photos above: View at the Sanctuary, photo by Matthew Bechtold, Bechtold Photography (left) and Deborah Saltis, founder of Falcon Heart Rescue with red-tailed hawk (right)

Mark your calendars for the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society’s 56th Annual Charter Dinner on Friday, October 18, 2024, at the Quality Inn on State Highway 23 in Oneonta. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a social hour, followed by a buffet dinner at 6:15 p.m. and the program at 7:30 p.m. A cash bar will be available.

Our keynote speaker will be the author Scott Harris, presenting remotely on his book RaptorQuest: Chasing America’s Raptors. Harris spent 17 months chasing 53 Raptors across 34 states—his version of a Raptor Big Year.

As in the past, a “flock” of bird-themed Charter raffle items and door prizes will be presented. Tickets for the Charter raffle (a bucket raffle) will also be available online and at the Open House at the DOAS Sanctuary on October 5. Charter raffle winners do not need to be present at the dinner. Learn more about our Charter raffle here: https://doas.us/2024-dinner-raffle/ .

Dinner Menu (The Hills Buffet)

• Cocktail hour snacks (popcorn, chips, and pretzels)
• Mixed green salad with choice of two dressings
• Roasted salmon and tomato with a chive cream sauce
• NY sirloin, sliced and served with wild mushrooms and caramelized shallots
• Eggplant parmesan
• Seasonal market vegetables
• Herb-roasted potatoes
• Assorted breads & rolls
• Chef’s dessert table with coffee & assorted hot teas

Dinner tickets cost $38 per person—or attend the program portion only at no charge. To register and pay for dinner tickets, please fill out the form on this page by October 12: https://doas.us/2024-charter-dinner/ .

Interested parties may attend the program only at no charge. Learn more and register for the program only here: https://doas.us/events/raptorquest-presentation-by-author-scott-harris/ .

On Friday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m., Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society will welcome keynote speaker Scott Harris via Zoom, who will present remotely on his book RaptorQuest: Chasing America’s Raptors. Harris spent 17 months chasing 53 Raptors across 34 states.

RaptorQuest is about his adventures, misadventures, successes, and failures. Harris details days thirty-six degrees below zero to ones over one hundred degrees, spotting a bird just in time or dealing with frustrating misses. His book is about the birds—of course—but it’s also about the people he met, the things he learned, and why he’s already working on his next adventure.

This program will be a part of our annual Charter Dinner, but anyone may attend the program free of charge. To attend the program only, please arrive at the Quality Inn in Oneonta at 7:15 p.m. or join on Zoom. To register for the program only via Zoom, please visit this link: https://tinyurl.com/463zapae .

For those interested in attending the Charter Dinner, please visit this page for more information and to purchase tickets: https://doas.us/2024-charter-dinner .

A Charter raffle is also available with a “flock” of bird-themed prizes. Tickets for the Charter raffle are available online and at the Open House at the DOAS Sanctuary on October 5. Charter raffle winners do not need to be present at the dinner. Learn more about our Charter raffle here: https://doas.us/2024-dinner-raffle/ .

About the Presenter 

Scott Harris and his wife Randi retired to South Carolina in March of 2020—something Scott will tell you was one of the best decisions they have made in their forty-four years of marriage. It was also when he first started birding—a hobby he never imagined himself participating in, but now can’t imagine living without.

They sold their long-time home and business, Mustang Marketing, a marketing/branding company they had owned for thirty-five years. They are blessed that both their children and their grandson are also in South Carolina. 

While in California, Scott had a syndicated newspaper column and two weekly radio shows. He and his son Justin also hosted a Los Angeles Dodgers weekly live radio show. Scott sat on dozens of boards over the years, including Boys & Girls Club, United Way, The Sheriff’s Foundation, Pepperdine University, Moorpark College, and California State University Northridge.

In the month before leaving Ventura County, Scott was honored as Man of the Year, with his company having won Business of the Year two years previously. His interests and hobbies include the largest collection of John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley in the world, playing harmonica in a blues band for five years, and writing (he has written almost fifty books in the past six years—though RaptorQuest is his first entrée into the world of birding).

To order, visit: https://doas.us/2024-bird-seed-sale/

For all who ordered bird seed, it will be available to pick up on Saturday, November 9 from 9–11:00 a.m.

• ORDER DEADLINE: SUNDAY, October 27, by 5 p.m.
• PRODUCT PICKUP: SATURDAY, November 9, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• PICKUP LOCATION: VP Supply Corp., 69 Country Club Road, Oneonta, NY.

Your order directly supports DOAS’s programs! Proceeds will go toward field trips, special events, the Franklin Mountain Hawkwatch, youth summer programs, and speaker fees for meetings. Thank you to all who support DOAS through this annual sale!

Photo by GeorgeB2, Cardinal

We’ve all heard amazing facts about bird migration—the long distances that birds travel, the ways that they navigate, and more. But have you ever wondered how we figured all of this out?

While working for the American Ornithological Society, Rebecca Heisman became fascinated with the varied and creative techniques that scientists have used to study bird migration, and this eventually became the basis for her book Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration. 

On Friday, November 15, Heisman will share some surprising stories from the history of bird migration research and discuss why understanding migration is so crucial for bird conservation.

Join us via Zoom for this 40-minute presentation on the history of bird migration research.

To register, please visit https://tinyurl.com/bdzkd5jc .

This program is free and open to the public.

About the Presenter

Rebecca Heisman is an award-winning science writer who lives in Walla Walla, Washington, and has worked with organizations including the Audubon Society, the American Bird Conservancy, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and the American Ornithological Society. Flight Paths is her first book.

(Above) Headshot photo credit: Kailee Meyer