Overview and ActivitiesQuick LookNext Field Trip: 7:30 am Tuesday 6th October, Evergreen Cemetery Next Meeting: 7 pm Monday, 19th October, Small Mammals in Gettysburg NMP |
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MeetingsUnless indicated otherwise, all SMAS Programs are held at the Adams County Agricultural Resource Center, 670 Old Harrisburg Road, Gettysburg, PA at 7:30 pm (social time starting at 7 pm). A room number for the SMAS meeting will be posted on the front lobby entry inner door. Field TripsFIELD TRIPS - Field trips will be planned on an annual basis and a tentative list will be sent in late December to those on our email list. Details for day trips will be announced in the monthly email blasts, and details for overnight trips will be announced a few months in advance. Also, information can be found on this website. Each monthly email will list a contact person and a meeting place and time for the upcoming events. If you are not on our email list, you can contact Mike Bertram at the2nomads@gmail.com or call 717-809-3911 (please leave a voicemail) if you have questions or need other details. Field trip cancellations will be announced by email as soon as possible and also on this website. Local Bird Sightings in 2025The Adams County list for 2025 had 3 species that are not regularly seen: Common Gallinule, Little Blue Heron, and Alder Flycatcher. The South Adams Grasslands Important Bird Area (IBA) had 5 species that are not not regularly observed: Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Common Gallinule, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Cerulean Warbler, and Clay-colored Sparrow. The regularly seen Bonaparte's Gull was missing. The South Mountain IBA list was missing 9 species that are normally observed: Long-tailed Duck, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Kestrel, Bonaparte's Gull, Horned Lark, American Pipit, Prairie Warbler, and Rusty Blackbird. There were no observations of new species on any of the lists. Meetings and other ActivitiesField Trip: 7:30 am, Tuesday 6th October, Evergreen Cemetery We will meet at 7:30 AM in the Soldiers’ National Cemetery free parking lot on Cyclorama Drive accessed from Taneytown Road (Rt 134) across from the Gettysburg National Cemetery. We will walk as a group to the Evergreen Cemetery from there. Leader: Cy Deitz. (717-273-0297)
Field Trip: 8 am, Saturday 10th October, Slyder Farm We will meet at 8:00 AM in the picnic area on the right side of South Confederate Avenue. Hiking boots and bug repellent are recommended. Cy Deitz will lead the walk. (Questions, call 717-253-0297).
Directions from Gettysburg: Emmitsburg Road south to South Confederate Avenue. Turn left onto South Confederate Avenue just before the entrance to the Eisenhower Farm. Parking will be in the picnic area on your right. Cy Deitz will lead the walk. Leader: Cy Deitz. Meeting: 7:00 pm Monday, October 19th, Gettysburg’s Bucket List: Least Shrew and other small mammals from the battlefield. Field Trip: 8 am, Saturday 24th October, Oakside Park, BiglervilleMeet at the parking area by the park entrance on route 394, 1 mile north of Biglerville. Leader: Mike Bertram. Questions? Call 717-809-3911
Meeting: 7:00 pm Monday, November 16th, Brazil’s Atlantic Rainforest, presented by Linette Mansberger. Field Trip: 8 am, Saturday 5th December, Duck Drive Details to follow. Field Trip: Christmas Bird Count, Saturday 19th Decemberber Contact Evan Vaeth (877-764-7382) if you are interested in participating. The South Mountain Audubon Society aims are to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity focusing on Adams County, PA. Click here to join National Audubon and the South Mountain Audubon Society (based on your zip code). If you want to join the South Mountain Audubon Society but not National Audubon then sign up at the next event you attend. The annual membership is $15. The Society can be contacted in the following ways: email: the2nomads@gmail.com Educational InitiativesEach year, South Mountain Audubon chooses a school to be the recipient of new library books chosen by the school’s librarian, approved by our board, and funded with members’ donations to our education budget. Recently the Alloway Creek Elementary School in the Littlestown Area School District received their donation. Pictured below is the school’s librarian, Linda Fink, with the new collection.
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Glatfelter Tree FarmOn Saturday, 16th May, SMAS members birded the Glatfelter Tree Farm; 42 species were observed.
Blue-winged Warbler
Yellow Chat Photos by Linette Mansberger Strawberry HillOn Friday, 29th May, a SMAS group walked around part od Strawberry Hill. 42 species were observed. Cerelean Warblers were heard, but not seen.
American Redstart
female Indigo Bunting Photos by Cy Deitz Oakside Park, BiglervilleOn Saturday, 20th June, a SMAS group walked around the boundary of Oakside Park. 36 species were observed.
Mallard (Domestic)
Northern House Wren
Red-headed Woodpecker Photos by Linette Mansberger Vincent DiFilippo Nature PreserveOn the 25th June South Mountain Audubon visited the Vincent DiFilippo Nature Preserve in Mechanicsburg. 46 species were observed
Northern Rough-winged Swallows feeding young
Eastern Kingbird Photos by Don Uvick Big SpringOn the 22nd August SMAS walked the road in the Big Spring area, observing 39 species.
Coopers Hawk
Osprey Photos by Linette Mansberger |
