Archive for January, 2025

Our Chesapeake Bay Ospreys and wildlife need your help immediately! Please take one minute to show your support for ending over-harvesting of menhaden in the Chesapeake.

Commercial menhaden fishing by the foreign company Omega Protein inside the Chesapeake Bay is threatening the primary food source for Ospreys, dolphins and other Bay wildlife.

Southern Maryland Audubon, along with other area conservation groups and sport fishers, support a rule now under consideration by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to end or reduce commercial menhaden fishing inside the Chesapeake Bay. Virginia is currently the only state that allows commercial menhaden fishing inside the bay.

But Omega Protein apparently has organized an effort to flood the commission website with negative responses on the proposed changes.

 
Help counter their actions NOW! Please take one minute and register your support for this petition by going to 

https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewPetition.cfm?petitionId=426

·        Click on the flashing “In Progress”

·        Fill in the online form with a short sentence which reads “I support the petition and request regulation of menhaden to protect the Bay.“

Please hurry! Public comment closes on Feb. 3.

Let’s flood the petition with support from you and your organizations’ membership and end over-harvesting of Atlantic menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay.

“WINTER BIRDS AND TUNDRA SPECIALISTS AT PAX RIVER AIRFIELD”

Saturday, Feb. 8 – 8:00 a.m. – noon
Patuxent River Naval Air Station, St. Mary’s County

21866 Cedar Point, Bldg. 2189, NAS Patuxent River, MD 20670. Gate #2

Leader: DEAN NEWMAN.

We are fortunate to have access to sections of the navy base fronting on the confluence of the Patuxent River and the Chesapeake Bay, which hosts airfields that provide tundra-like habitat. Previous trips have turned up winter birds such as Snow Bunting, Lapland Longspurs, Short-eared Owls, Horned Larks, Savannah Sparrows, Wilson’s Snipe, and Peregrine Falcon. Preregistration is required by February 1 and open to U.S. citizens only per US Navy requirement. Must bring photo I.D. Meet at pass office parking lot, Gate #2. We will be escorted and traveling together in a van; participant size is limited to 12. No restrooms. RSVP Dean Newman at deannewman03@gmail.com

February 15 – SATURDAY – 9:00 a.m. – noon.

Jefferson Patterson Park, Calvert County

10515 Mackall Rd, St Leonard, MD 20685

“WINTER WATERFOWL TRIP”

Leader: TYLER BELL

Open fields, edge habitat, and wooded areas offer a variety of both resident and winter bird species. Additionally, the river frontage provides close views of waterfowl including Horned Grebe, Long-tailed Duck, Ruddy Ducks, both scaup, Common Goldeneye, and lots more! Call or email Tyler for directions to the meeting spot. Flat with occasional hills and largely paved. No fee. Restrooms available. Maximum of 12 participants. RSVP at Tyler Bell at 301-862-4623 or jtylerbell@yahoo.com

February 15 – SATURDAY – 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

FIELD TRIP

Port Tobacco River Park, Charles County

7740 Chapel Point Rd, Port Tobacco, MD 20677

“GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT”

Leader: Lynne Wheeler

Learn how you can participate in one of the year’s largest citizen science projects. Meeting at the Port Tobacco River Park pavilion, you will be instructed on how to compile checklists for the Great Backyard Bird Count, and count birds with us at the pavilion area. Join us anytime, and learn all about counting birds and why we do it! Easy unpaved terrain. No fee. Restrooms available. All welcome. No RSVP required, just show up! Questions contact Lynne at somdaudubon@yahoo.com or text 301-751-8097.

For this year’s camp dates and more information on the application process, click here.

• Mountains to Sea Birding for Teens: For teens aged 14-17
• Field Ornithology: For other adults (18+) with an interest in bird watching, environmental or nature studies

The scholarships cover tuition, room, and board. Scholarship recipients can apply for a stipend to help offset travel costs. For details about each camp, go to the Audubon Hog Island website at https://hogisland.audubon.org/programs

CAMP PROGRAMS OFFERED

Birders Field Ornithology, for adults (18+) June 15 – June 20

Teens Mountains to Sea Birding for Teens(ages 14-17)June 29 – July 4

Applicants must be residents of Southern Maryland. To apply please send a one page letter explaining:

How will you benefit from the Hog Island opportunity?

How will you use the experience and knowledge to benefit others in Southern Maryland and support the SMAS mission?

Your signed letter must include: Mailing Address

Email Address

Phone Number

Age for teen applicants

One or more signed letters of recommendation describing your interests, abilities, and how the experience will benefit either your organization or the SMAS mission.

Please also submit a recent photograph of applicant.

Scholarship recipients must submit a written article for our Osprey newsletter about their experience by August 5, 2025, and possibly a brief presentation at one of the Monthly Meeting Programs for 2025 – 2026.

Please send applications to:

Annette Cook

Scholarship & Education Committee Chair Southern Maryland Audubon Society acook.somdaudubon@gmail.com

(Photo by 2024 scholarship recipient Pam Brumbley)

Coming this Wednesday, Jan. 15 @6:30 p.m.! Charles County Community Climate Action Plan Interactive Webinar 

Please join an interactive webinar designed to provide information and gather ideas for Charles County’s Climate Action Plan.

During this 1.5-hour meeting you will have the opportunity to learn more about climate change inventories and forecasts, as well as participate in open discussion related to Climate Action Plan strategies.

Register here. Please note that this meeting will be recorded.

Southern Maryland Audubon’s Molly Pinkas offers background here: 

Charles County is in the early stages of developing a Climate Action Plan (CAP)! The Office of Climate Resilience and Sustainability has spearheaded the effort based on the recognition that there is a critical and urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect our natural environment, and safeguard our communities against the effects of climate change. The Climate Action Plan will serve as an important roadmap to help Charles County achieve these goals.

The current phase of the CAP process involves obtaining stakeholder feedback and conducting public outreach on CAP goals and strategies. Which is where YOU can get involved!

The Charles County Government is currently conducting community outreach and hosting webinars to help inform the Climate Action Plan contents and priorities. If you are interested in participating in the Climate Action Plan process, there are a few simple steps that you can take now to get involved. Two surveys are currently active on the Charles County Engage page related to public outreach scheduling and soliciting general input on climate action planning priorities. Both surveys should take no more than a few minutes of your time to complete: Charles County Climate Action Planning

In addition to the surveys, a recording of the first public webinar (held on November 13, 2024) is available to view on the Charles County website and provides an overview of climate change basics, an introduction to the CAP and planning process, and reinforces the desire for community engagement: Climate Action Plan

Upcoming webinars will be held in early 2025 regarding the below topics. Make sure to join the Climate Action Mailing List to be notified of these future meetings!

·        January 15, 2025: Where are we Heading? Inventories, Forecasts, and Initial Strategy Discussion

·        February 26, 2025: Deep Dive on Mitigation and Resilience Strategies 

·        March 26, 2025: Climate Action Plan Strategy Analysis Results

This is a great opportunity to show support for the Climate Action Plan and to advocate for goals and strategies that will protect the environment for our feathered friends.