On behalf of Dr. Jed Burtt, please join the DCBC meeting tomorrow evening Monday Nov. 26 (social 7pm, meeting starts at 7:30pm). Ohio Wesleyan University Science Center in room 163 and parking is available in the parking lot beside the Science Center or in the Selby Field lot on Henry Rd. across the street from the Science Center. As always there will be refreshments, a specimen quiz, news of local birds, and a program. Members and guests welcome! Delaware County Bird Club Newsletter Vol. 22 No. 7 Delaware County Bird Club Newsletter November 2007 In search of the Quetzal The Resplendent Quetzal with its emerald green back and crest, scarlet breast, and long white and black barred tail feathers symbolizes the mists and mystery of the cloud forests of Central America. It was the sacred bird of the Mayas. To cause the death of a quetzal was a crime punishable by death of the miscreant. Yet the Mayan chiefs and priests wore robes of feathers plucked from nesting quetzals by "professional" feather collectors. This is only one of many legends that have come down to us through the mists of time and the cloud forests. Join Michael Packer of Columbus Audubon on November 26, for a photographic journey in search of native Costa Rican birds and winter migrants from Ohio. In 10 days, he and his colleagues traveled both coasts and 11,000 feet from sea level to the paramo of the Talamancas to log over 300 unique species of tropical birds and over 100 species of jungle creatures. UPCOMING EVENTS Date Topic/speaker Nov 26 In search of the Quetzal Dec 10 Goals (Hopes?) for Christmas Count 2007 (Note the date of this meeting!) This will be our 20th Christmas Bird Count. Join us on December 10 for a visit by the spirits of Christmas Counts Past and Future. In how many counts have you participated? In what year did you join the Delaware count? Do you participate in other counts? If so, how many? What is your favorite memory of the counts? Please send your answers to these questions or to questions I have not thought of to Jed Burtt ( [log in to unmask] or Department of Zoology, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH 43015-2390 or call 740-368-3886). I will compile our collective recollections for an anniversary retrospective of the Delaware Reservoir Christmas Bird Count. If you have never participated in the Delaware Christmas Bird Count, consider doing so this year. When better to start than in a year of celebration? Contact Jed Burtt (740-368-3886) to reserve a place among those who traditionally spend a cold, often wet Sunday near Christmas roaming the north-central portion of Delaware County to count all the birds we can find. Look for further information in the next Newsletter. But plan now for: Dec 16, 2007 20th Delaware Reservoir Christmas Bird Count As you think ahead to 2008 (Can it be!) reserve the following dates on your Calendar for our monthly meetings: January 28 February 25 March 24 Tom Sheley, Birding Trails in Texas, April 28 Charlie Bombaci, Prothonotary Warbler update for the Hoover Nature Preserve In addition our first field trip will be to Lake Erie along the Cleveland waterfront on 20 January 2008. Join us a day of wintering ducks and gulls, but plan to dress warmly. Winter on the Wilds Al Parker For those now facing the reality of winter and wondering what to do, wonder no longer. The list of upcoming activities at The WILDS follows and is posted on the new WILDS website. Dec 1 Wildcats 10:00-16:00 Dec 8 Forest Exploration Day 10:00-16:00 Dec 15 Wild, Winter Tour 10:00-16:00 Jan 5 Raptor Field ID Day 10:00-16:00 Jan 12 Eagle Survey Day 08:00-14:00 Feb 9 Raptor Field ID Day 10:00-16:00 Feb 23 to be announced Mar 8 Prairie Exploration Day 10:00-16:00 Mar 22 Cabin Fever Tour 10:00-16:00 BIRDING BY EAR WEEKEND May 30-June 1, 2008 Put this one on your calendar!!! There will be: Some Great Birding Speakers Focus on Warbler ID Off-site trips to other nearby bird hotspots Fun and learning with other birders DON'T FORGET TO SIGN YOUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS UP FOR WILDECAMP SUMMER CAMPS ON THE WILDS! For information or reservations contact The WILDS ([log in to unmask] or 740-638-5030 x 2286). OSPREY? Jim Martin Friday, 26 October, the satellite transmitter of our male osprey stopped transmitting. Dick Tuttle was the person who called it to my attention after he visited the ODNR website. In response to his worried, but hopeful email, Jim Martin responded: "I recall when the telemetry was placed on the male Osprey's back (June 2005) asking Dave Sherman what the life-span of the device was. He said that it was about three years. With that in mind, there is a possibility that the "suspenders" that hold the transmitter on has simply rotted and fallen off in the jungles of the Amazon and TM is just fine. A bit of wishful thinking but still a possibility. I remain hopeful." We all remain hopeful and will be watching the north end of Alum Creek next March for his return. Functions of Colored Feathers On Monday evening the 22nd Lauren Smith described her recent work on the antibacterial properties of brightly colored parrot feathers. Apparently the scarlet feathers of Scarlet Macaws are not only a brilliant signal, but are also resistant to bacterial degradation. Blue, green and black also resist degradation by bacteria and fungi. Yellow is not as good at resisting destruction, but is better than white. Lauren then speculated on the distribution of differently colored parrots, but hopes to be able to visit their habitats to check on the presence of bacterial and fungi that degrade feathers and the presence of parrots. This could take her to habitats in Central and South America, Australia, and Africa. Tough field work, but somebody has to do it. Inquiring minds want to know. Jack Stenger provided the second talk in a double bill. He is looking at the positioning of pale signal patches on the wings, body and particularly the tail. How do birds position these feathers to provide for effective signals and protect the pale, easily worn feathers? Jack (and Jed) hope to determine what caused the damage we observe in worn tail feathers. Was it caused by bacteria, lice, abrasion by airborne particles, friction with other feathers, or by collision with a twig or some largish object? How does the effectiveness of the signal change as the pale feathers become worn away. Jack lead an interesting discussion of possibilities, but the research is only beginning. Stay tuned. ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]