Marshall J. Iliff, eBird AKN Project Leader; Sharon “Birdchick” Stiteler; Dr. Stephen Kress. VP, Bird Conservation; Director, Seabird Restoration Program. COA 29th Annual Meeting, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup™. All Rights Reserved. Iphone image.
This years Connecticut Ornithological Association’s (COA) Annual Meeting 2013 was an overwhelming success! New President Tina Green reported that over 175 people attended this year. The 2012 Featured Speakers, were Dr. Stephen Kress, Sharon “Birdchick” Stiteler, and Marshall J. Iliff. So if you could not attend, here’s a recap of this wonderful conference.
Ken Elkins, COA outgoing President kicked off the event with a brief overview of the year’s success’s, followed by the elections of the officers and board members.
Audience at the COA 29th Annual Meeting 2013, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT. March 23, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup™. All Rights Reserved.
Marshall Iliff was the first speaker of the day. He focused on what can be learned about bird movements and more from the data pulled from eBird. Marshall is the Eastern eBirds Project leader under the direction of Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This exciting project is based on the compiled data from millions of field observations that comes together with new modeling techniques which show animated maps of bird migration, species-by species, season by season, at the continental scale. Scientists are pulling data already for papers and dissertations. For those fence sitters, there can be little doubt as to the general benefits of using eBird once you see one of the animated range maps. Recent improvements allow individual birders to keep all sorts of lists from life lists and backyard counts. It is safe, secure and won’t go away. If you care about birds, the data gathered and made available, will absolutely have positive effect on the conservation of birds.
Marshall J. Iliff, COA Feature Speaker, eBird AKN Project Leader; COA 29th Annual Meetin 2013, Middlesex Community College, Middletown CT. March 23, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup™. All Rights Reserved.
Here is one view of many from the Palm Warblers spring migration series. Note the distribution of Eastern and Western forms is eveident. The timing of the two forms shows an X migration pattern.
Palm Warbler Chart, Marshall J. Iliff, COA Featured Speaker; eBird AKN Project Leader; COA 29th Annual Meeting 2013, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT. March 23, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup™. All Rights Reserved.
Mable Osgood Wright Award.
l. to r. Dennis Varza, Recipient, Mabel Osgood Wright Award; Milan Bull, Senior Director of Science and conservation for CT Audubon Society; COA 29th Annual Meeting 2013, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT. March 23, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup™. All Rights Reserved.
*Betty Kleiner Award was awarded to Paul Carrier who was unable to attend.
COA Mini Grant Award.
l. to r. David Winston, President, Cove Island Wildlife Sanctuary; Michael Moccio, VP, Cove Island Wildlife Sanctuary; Recipients of a COA Mini Grant Award. Ken Elkins, COA Outgoing President. COA 29th Annual Meeting 2013, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT. March 23, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup™. All Rights Reserved.
* Tom Sayer was also a recipient of a COA Mini Grant Award who was unable to attend.
Connecticut Ornithological Association’s (COA) Marketplace booth.
l. to r. Tina Green, COA President; Renee Baade, COA Board Member. COA 29th Annual Meeting 2013, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT. March 23, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup™. All Rights Reserved.
COA Trade Show vendor, The Fat Robin.
Participants buying books and merchandise from Jim Zipp, Owner, The Fat Robin store. COA 29th Annual Meeting 2013, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT. March 23, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup™. All Rights Reserved.
Participants catching up at the Raffle Table.
l. to r. Patrick Comins, Director of Bird Conservation, National Audubon CT; Ben Oko, Glenn Williams, David Winston. COA 29th Annual Meeting 2013, Middlesex Community College, Middletown CT. March 23, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/ KymryGroup™. All Rights Reserved.
Sharon Stiteler “Birdchick” COA Feature Speaker, Today’s Office. She had many of us laughing our butts off as she told tales of birding from her “office.” Her ironic wit and dynamic style was a welcome interlude between large doses of applied ornithology.
Sharon Stiteler “Birdchick”, COA Feature Speaker, Today’s Office. COA 29th Annual Meeting 2013, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT. March 23, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup™. All Rights Reserved.
Dr. Stephen Kress, COA Feature Speaker, Restoring Endangered Seabirds: Lessons from Puffins and Terns. Many know the short version of the saving the Atlantic Puffin story. What was even more compelling were all the other stories that it spawned. Dr. Kress left us with the notion that our species can have a positive local effect on seabird populations and it is simply our moral duty to intervene considering our overwhelming impact on so much of the world.
Dr. Stephen W. Kress, COA, Featured Speaker; VP, Bird Conservation; Director, Seabird Restoration Program. COA 29th Annual Meeting 2013, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT. March 23, 2013. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup™. All Rights Reserved.
COA Raffle and Cake!
COA Celebration Cake. COA 29th Annual Meeting 2013, Middlesex Community College, Middletown, CT. ©Mardi Welch Dickinson/KymryGroup™. All Rights Reserved.
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So glad you could honor Dennis Varza. Received sad news that he passed away just after Christmas. From a friend from college days.
Hi Mardi,
I just wanted to let you know, with a sad heart, my brother Dennis Varza lost his battle with Cancer this afternoon. i have looking for more information about his birding career and cam across your blog. May I use your photo of him, receiving his award with Miley, in the slide show I am putting together foe his funeral?
Sincerely, Gail Varza Santelle
Dear Gail,
Thanks you for contacting me. My condolences to you and your family. I will be intouch with you shortly.
Mardi,
Great recap of a great day. It saddens me a little that I have to now wait an entire year before I get to enjoy this always incredibly well rounded meeting again.
Hey Jim, Many Thanks. This event was a really fun day and you all did a great job putting this annual event together. I know all to well the details and men & women power that goes into something like this. A positive note to end on till next year!