Lights Out / Migration Alerts

Birdcast’s website provides migration alerts when large quantities of birds are forecast to migrate over our region. April 13th, a CHAS member shared one of these alerts with management of a 20-story building in downtown Norfolk. Building management agreed to have their janitors turn off lights that night – to help 146 million birds migrate safely. The following week, Birdcast sent another alert - of 180 million more birds expected to migrate. That was also shared with management of the 20-story building downtown, and the lights were turned off again! Tenants in this office building heard about this, and they too turned off their lights at home! And, another CHAS member shared this with Norfolk’s City Manager. The City Manager said he would share this with building managers – to save birds and electrical costs.

Here are two websites you may like to peruse for further information: https://birdcast.info/     and    https://www.audubon.org/lights-out-program

Ospreys are again in trouble.  Your help is needed.

A recent study undertaken by the William & Mary Center for Conservation Biology found that “the osprey population within the main stem of Chesapeake Bay has an alarming productivity rate of 0.47 young per active nest. This rate is below the rate during osprey population crashes during the DDT era. The potential localized depletion of menhaden from industrial fishing plays a major role in the reproductive performance of ospreys. They mostly eat fish and are inextricably linked to menhaden availability.”

The CCB requests the public’s help in continuing the monitoring of nests to compile more data regarding the potential link of depleted menhaden stocks and reduced Osprey reproductive performance via the OspreyWatch project.  See an explanatory video here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=KUhko2hGNQw&feature=share

If you’d like to participate in this effort, go to the OspreyWatch website: https://www.osprey-watch.org/

Results of our recent CHAS membership survey

Suggestions were received about program ideas including learning sessions and information on environmental issues.  Most thought the length of the programs was about right and enjoyed the availability of the refreshments at the end of the meeting.

As to field trips many wanted to venture a little further afield but liked the availability of close, half-day trips.  There was interest in trying a couple of overnight or weekend trips each year.  A nice list of possible future trip locations was provided.  An overwhelming number of respondents thought that recruiting new, younger members should be a priority.  All the opinions offered will be reviewed in depth by the CHAS board and worked into the schedule of events for next year.