Mattabeseck Audubon Society: Welcome!

Our Mission: The Mattabeseck Audubon Society, a chapter of the National Audubon Society, is committed to environmental leadership and education for the benefit of the community and the earth's biodiversity.

deKoven House, 27 Washington Street, Middletown, Connecticut 06457

MAS Programs for Spring 2008
Mattabeseck Audubon will offer a series of lectures this spring stemming from our support of the Bio-Blitz held in Middletown in June of 2007. They will take place on the first Wednesday of March, April, and May at the DeKoven House in Middletown at 7:30. (See map.) Please join us for this informative and timely series.

April 2 (Wednesday 7:30 pm)
MOOSE and BLACK BEARS
We are pleased to have DEP’s furbearer biologist Paul Rego back to talk about the natural history and status of moose and black bears in CT.

May 7 (Wednesday 7:30 pm)
CONNECTICUT BUTTERFLIES
Dr. Jane O’Donnell from UCONN will join us to discuss the status of CT’s butterflies and include the work done on the recently completed and published “Connecticut Butterfly Atlas.”

September 13 (Saturday 5:15 p.m.)
SWALLOW CRUISE
MAS and Hartford Audubon will again sponsor a cruise on the CT River in search of the swallows in their fall migration. Join us for an evening cruise aboard the River Quest from the dock of the Connecticut River Museum in Essex to view the unique fall congregation of swallows before their journey south for the winter. Just before sunset, hundreds of swallows swarm together near Goose Island near the mouth of the Connecticut River. Suddenly, they swoop down and disappear into the marsh for the night. This is an event not to be missed.

We will cruise from 5:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The cost of the trip is $25 per person. We will share a potluck dinner. Bring your own beverage with or without alcohol. Space is limited to 47 participants. To reserve a spot, fill in the form and return with payment to the address on the form. Call 860-873-9304 for more information.

Announcement: MAS Annual Meeting 2008
Are you interested in the environment and protecting our little corner of it for future generations? Then join the board of Mattabeseck Audubon. We’ve helped preserve several parcels of land in important wetlands, as well as testify, intervene and collect data for land use applications.
Please call Mary Augustiny at 860-873-9612 if you’re interested.
MAS will hold its Annual Meeting on May 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the deKoven House at 27 Washington Street in Middletown. Election of new board members will be held.

A Message From The President
It’s been almost two years since our beloved David Titus left for the big birding event in the sky. Since then, Mattabeseck has been working on an appropriate memorial to our mentor and friend. David brought many people into the birding community, and we felt it only fitting that we do something to reflect his contagious interest in birds. “Identifying our Backyard Birds” will be available this spring to introduce children and novice birders to the art and science of bird identification—art with beautiful illustrations by David’s friend Mike DiGiorgio, science with info on the size and sex of common birds and the seasons for viewing. Many thanks to all those who made donations towards this effort.

Member's Corner:
Carlson Sanctuary
Alison Guinness, President
Just when we’d given up on a viewing area over water at the Carlson Sanctuary, a miracle occurred. Last fall, we got a phone call from Elijah Huge, a Wesleyan architecture professor. He was looking for an environmental project for his spring class this year. He was originally thinking about a bird blind, but we suggested a viewing platform at the Carlson Sanctuary. After visiting the sanctuary – when the water wasn’t too high – he decided that this was something his students could do. They are now in the middle of the project, having visited the sanctuary and making several proposals for location and possible design. By the end of the semester in May, we hope that all or part of the new viewing station will be in place. We are very grateful to Elijah and his class.

Upcoming Field Trips:
Wildflower Walk Giuffrida Park, Meriden, April 19 (Sat. 8 am)
Spring Birding and Wildflower Walk, Patrell Preserve, East Haddam, and Lyme, April 26 (Sat 8am)
David Titus Memorial Annual Warbler Walk, Field Rd., Cromwell, May 3 (Sat. 8am)
Portland Reservoir Field Trip, May 17 (Sat. 6:30 am)
Canoe Trip, Pecausett Pond, Portland, May 31 (Sat. 8am)
First Annual CT Water Trails Day, Mattabesset River, June 14 (Sat. 9 am)
Canoe Trip: Identify River Mussels, August 23 (Sat. 8am)

Field Trip Reports:
Eagle Trip Echo Farm
Salmon River Christmas Count (Preliminary)
David Titus Memorial Sparrow Crawl

Wingbeat Deadline for Next Issue
The deadline for items to be included in the Spring/Summer Issue is Saturday, June 28, 2008. We expect subscribers to receive their copies about Saturday, July 19. Please send items to Daniel Tinter, 61 Wildflower Lane, Middletown CT 06457, or email to <djtinter2@snet.net>

Board of Directors — Next Meeting
The Board of Directors will meet at 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at deKoven House, 27 Washington Street, Middletown.

David Titus Memorial Bird Card
The laminated David Titus Memorial Bird Card of 20 common feeder birds has gone to the printer at last. Renowned bird artist Mike DiGiorgio painted the images, and Wingbeat designer Pat Rasch has designed the card, with a photo of David and a description of David’s love of birding. The card will be distributed to teachers to promote bird education, as well as to anyone who would like a handy ID card. Please see President's Message above for image of the front side of the card and donor list.

If you find a baby bird...
If you find a baby bird or other animal, it's best to leave it alone. Chances are the parent is nearby and will take care of the baby when you leave the area. If not or you have some other wildlife problem, contact the CT Wildlife Rehabilitators Association at http://www.cwrawildlife.org/ where you can find a rehabilitator in your area or someone to address your problem.

Duck Stamps
We encourage everyone to buy Duck Stamps each fall. The funds the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the State of Connecticut receive from the sale of Duck Stamps goes directly to conservation of habitat that supports not only waterfowl but many other species of birds and other animals and indigenous plants. You may purchase Federal Duck Stamps at the Post Office, and State of Connecticut Duck Stamps at your local town hall.
Larry Cyrulik

Conservation News
Yellow lampmussels (Lampsilis cariosa) were once again identified in the sandy bottom of the upper reaches of the Connecticut River near South Windsor. This find establishes these mollusks, although still rare, as firm residents of Connecticut.

The drought that lingered since the end of July has left river flows precariously low in the Yellow lampmussel’s upper Connecticut domain. One ingenious method of survival is to bury oneself down into the moist sand and mud. Some species of mussel, such as the Eastern elliptio, have been found buried like stacks of cordwood as deep as two feet, with not a drop of river water flowing above them. Held in a sort of suspension, they await the return of normal river flows.

TheConnecticut River in Windsor, looking North to Bissell Bridge, and then South. The critter is a Yellow lampmussel, very rare in Conn.