Bergen County
Audubon Society
Bald Eagle over Oradell Reservoir
Photo by AL Barrera
BCAS SPRING BIRD COUNT // BIRD-A-THON
Please celebrate "National Birding
Day" on Saturday, May 10. We are asking members and friends to spend part
of this day enjoying the spring migration by watching birds in their local
area or in a nearby natural area. Chapter leaders will be available in many
places to help you in identifying birds, but you may also participate on
your own, or by forming your own group. Our goals are as follows:
1) Identify as many species as
possible in "Greater Bergen County" on that day, and to count HOW MANY birds
of each species are present.
2) Report your bird lists and total
number per species to David Hall, who will compile a master list of the
total species and number of birds identified.
3) The master list is the basis for
our "Bird-a-thon" fundraiser (see separate announcement on how to
participate). The more bird species that we identify, the more money BCAS
will raise for local conservation and education projects!
4) Have fun!! May 10th is THE
DAY, rain or shine.
We hope to have leaders covering
many areas, including Garret Mountain, DeKorte Park, Greenbrook Sanctuary,
Tenafly Nature Center, Ramapo Reservation, Allendale Celery Farm, Mehrhof
Pond, Overpeck Park, Flat Rock Brook Nature Center and MahWah Green Acres.
Due to security issues, we may have only limited access to Oradell Reservoir
property. We would be very happy if you join one of the above groups, or you
may chose your own favorite local bird spot and send back a list of what you
see. This is perhaps the most exciting time in the birding year, and we
encourage you to take part.
We will have signup sheets and
talley sheets at the BCAS meeting on April 16. Call David Hall (evenings)
at 973-226-7825 (email is
hall@aecom.yu.edu) to join a group or to volunteer to lead an area.
Beginning May 11, call or email to David to report your bird lists,
including the total number of birds per species. We are also ready to send
you a talley list by email.

The “Joys of Birding”
Birding for Beginners
The Bergen County Audubon Society presents a
course in the Joys of Bird Watching.
The Bergen County Audubon Society presents a
course in the Joys of Bird Watching.
The course will be held 5 Sunday Afternoons
at Local Nature Centers around Bergen County.
April 13 - DeKorte
April 20 - Mill Creek
May 4 - Teaneck Creek
May 18 - Celery Farm
June 1 -Tenafly Nature Center
The course is free to Bergen County Audubon
members or $20 to non-members which includes a one year membership.
Participants must be at least 12 years old.
12-15 year olds must be accompanied by an adult
For more information contact Don Torino
Phone #: 201-636-4022
E-mail: greatauk4@aol.com

Photo of bird watching class participating in beginners course (2006).
"Joys of Birdwatching"
See above for the class in the spring of 2008.
To Don Torino, Chair of Education
Committee --- From Edith Wallace, Participant in the 2007
birding course "Joys of Birding".
On behalf of the members of the 2007
Beginners Birding Class I wish to thank Don Torino, Chair of the Education
Committee, for getting us together for some good Sunday afternoon walks in
places nearby that some of us had never visited and we saw birds we would
not have found on our own. We also had some lessons on how to look and
listen for birds that will be of lasting value. And we thank our
leaders/teachers/guides Ken Witkowski, Dick Ensberg, Dave Hall, Harold
Feinberg and Don Torino for their patience with beginners and for giving up
their Sunday afternoons to help us learn.
Bergen County Audubon Society
applied/received $750 Grant from National Audubon Society for continued
support of courtyard project at Saddle Brook Middle/High School.

BCAS recently applied for, and
received, a $750 collaborative funding grant from National Audubon Society
for our continued support of the courtyard project at Saddle Brook
Middle/High School. This grant money enabled us to purchase numerous field
guides, binoculars, nesting boxes with mounting poles and a birdcam nesting
box which will enable the students to witness nesting box activity from
within their classrooms. On February 26th, these items were
presented to the school by BCAS Education Chair Don Torino, and Secretary
Beth Goldberg. Pictured with the BCAS members are James Sarto, Principal,
and teachers Gayle Dunlap and Kim Altamura who serve as advisors to the
environmental club.
Previously, BCAS efforts have
resulted in securing grant money for the purchase of nesting boxes for
Overpeck Preserve, tree identification guides for Flat Rock Brook and
Ridgefield Nature Preserve, and chimney swift towers for the Walkill NWR.
Bergen County
Audubon Society adopts Saddle Brook High/Middle School's "Environmental
Club" in a mentoring partnership----- on February 14, B.C.A.S. worked with
130 seventh grade science students on the Great Backyard Bird Count.
On February 14th, members
of Bergen County Audubon participated with the 7th grade science
classes at Saddle Brook High/Middle School to participate in the Great
Backyard Bird Count. As you may know, our chapter has “adopted” the Saddle
Brook school’s Environmental club in a mentoring partnership. This idea
grew out of the initial efforts of Education Chair Don Torino to coordinate
and plan a school courtyard landscaping and birdscaping project with the
school’s science teacher and environmental club advisor, Gayle Dunlap. What
started as open space, is now established as a natural bird friendly area
complete with native plantings, feeding stations, weather station, large
pond, heated greenhouse and benches and tables to enjoy the efforts of the
students at the school. Through Don’s efforts and that of the students and
advisors, the courtyard has now
has been certified by the
National Wildlife Federation as an official Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat.
In addition, the school recently received a $750
grant from our chapter to assist in continuing efforts to expand the
courtyard program.
On the day of the count (school was
closed Feb. 15-18), Don, accompanied by Ken Witkowski, Dave Hall, and Beth
Goldberg, worked with 130 7th grade science classes in
observation, identification, recording and sketching of the birds seen
throughout the day in the school courtyard. Mourning doves and juncos were
noted in greatest numbers, but the students also observed sparrows,
goldfinches, a ring billed gull and red tailed hawk among others. Armed
with binoculars and field guides, the students learned about the importance
of the GBBC and gained a better appreciation of the work of citizen
scientists, no matter how young.