The champions of a Lights Out Program vary by city,
according to Karen Cotton of the American Bird Conservancy.
In some cases, the business community
wants to benefit from the cost savings of reduced
overnight energy use that a Lights out program would
bring. In other cases, municipal governments champion
the program to benefit from the energy and cost
savings, and to reduce the carbon footprint of the city
while saving birds. In Baltimore, concerned citizens
want to stop the death of many songbirds in their city,
raise awareness on the issue of Bird collisions, and
help Baltimore become "Cleaner and Greener". Toronto's
FLAP (Fatal Light Awareness Program) also
began after one concerned individual with a lot of tenacity
decided to do something to stop the senseless
death of thousands of migratory birds as they passed
through his home town. To date, Toronto, Chicago,
New York, and Boston are the major North American
cities that have Lights Out Programs. However, more
are in the works.
Baltimore's program is growing as more individuals
learn about the program and decide to monitor the
streets of Baltimore. The program will be a subcommittee
of the BBC's Conservation Committee. The
number of individuals monitoring buildings has grown
from 3 folks doing it on their own to 15 volunteers
monitoring the streets of Baltimore, working on brochures,
and signing up to transport birds in need
to nearby rehabilitators. Monitors have found not
only the opportunity to collect data on migratory bird
deaths in Baltimore, but also see beautiful sunrises
over the Baltimore Harbor and urban wildlife sightings
such as Caspian Terns and a beautiful Sphinx
Moth under a security light by the Baltimore Convention
Center, and a monarch butterfly that also
seemed to be attracted to the lights on one of the
convention center's glass walls. The monarch was
taken to the patch of butterfly weed at the Baltimore
Aquarium.
Observers monitoring between August 19 and September
4 at minimum twice per week (Usually 4 times
per week) have found:
In addition to monitoring buildings, Lights Out Baltimore
volunteers have attended Baltimore City Sustainability
Commission meetings to raise awareness
on the hazards glass buildings and light pollution raise
for birds. After our first meeting, one of the participants
in the "Built Environment" committee stated
that she attended a meeting at an office building in
Baltimore County and in the span of 1.5 hours three
birds hit the window there! Case and point this is a
big problem and we are getting the word out. The
participant stated that had we not attended the prior
public input meeting on sustainability in the Built Environment,
she wouldn't have had this issue on her
radar as a potential problem. In talking with building
security guards and construction workers downtown
on our monitoring walks, there's definitely a problem.
A few quotes from those we've spoke to: "It is really
bad after they wash the windows", "I find birds all
the time", this one is a bit of a paraphrase but this is
the gist: "The really bad time is spring when all the
sudden all these birds with really long beaks hit the
windows". (We showed him a picture of an American
Woodcock and he confirmed that's what he was
seeing).
Bird specimens found will be donated to either Salisbury
University or the Bird Collection at the Smithsonian
Museum of Natural History. We are especially
delighted to have found willing institutions to take the
specimens since this reduces the number of birds
collected from the wild for research purposes. Live
birds that have injuries will be taken to local licensed
Wildlife Rehabilitators in the area. Special thanks go
out to rehabilitator Kathy Woods, who will be giving
a mini-session on how to transport injured birds to a
rehabilitator and minimize stress and eliminate risk
of further injury.
Thanks to our volunteers for their help with Lights Out Baltimore,
and for taking an active role in stopping unnecessary
bird deaths in Baltimore!
Aug 26 - Cromwell Valley Park - Not much going on a
first day. Few saw a Broad-winged Hawk flyby. 5 warblers:
Blue-winged (seen by one observer, Magnolia,
redstart, Ovenbird and C Yellowthroat. Evereyone enjoys
seeing both orioles species. 49 species. 7 participants.
Leader: no show
Sep 2 - Cromwell Valley Park - Very good day for
passerines. 9 warblers: Chestnut-sided, Magnolia,
Black-throated Green, Pine, Black-and-white, redstart,
Ovenbird, C Yellowthroat amnd Hooded. Good look
at Philadedphia Vireo, also White-eyed, Warbling and
Red-eyed nearby. Few of us saw a Olive-sided Flycatcher
in a short time near bridge toward Sherwood
Farm. 52 species. 9 participants. Leader: Kevin Graff
(filling in for someone)
Sep 9 - Cromwell Valley Park - The highlights of our
field trip to Cromwell Valley Park were 7 species of
warbers, CHESTNUT-SIDED, MAGNOLIA, BLACKTHROATED
GREEN, PINE REDSTART, COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT and HOODED WARBLER. In addition,
three ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS were
seen well by all. We also had two birds appear that we
hadn't seen for a while, Shirley and Raymond Geddes.
It was an enjoyable morning birding with friends. 51
species. 11 participants. Leader: Debbie Terry
Sep 10 - Greenmount Cemetery - No reports from leader
but the group had 2 Peregrine Falcons, wood-pewee,
acadian and willow flycatchers, 5 Great Crested Flycatchers and 4 Baltimore Orioles. 21 species. 3 participants.
Leader: Joy Wheeler.
Sept 16 - Cromwell Valley Park - A real "birdy" day
- flocks of robins and goldfinches, kettles of Broadwinged
Hawks and other species on the move. Good
to see some warblers, a beautiful Magnolia plus Blackthroated
Green and Chestnut-sided. Don Burggraf had
a Lincoln's Sparrow, but try as we might, no one else
saw it. But later few of us saw the bird after trip was
over. The highlight would be the hawks going over,
so exciting and a kestrel flying about. 60 species. 15
participants. Leader: Ruth Culbertson.
Sep 23 - Cromwell Valley Park - There were several
interesting species for this group. Several people were
impressed with the Palm Warblers, the male Rose
breasted Grosbeak, and the Snow Geese and Great
Egret, both in flight. 60 species. 7 participants. Leader:
Dot Gustafson
Some of the day's birding highlights are as follows.
Two parties saw a Hooded Warbler in breeding plumage.
Another birder saw and heard a Common Raven
and two Savannah Sparrows. Birders on Hart-Miller
were treated to views of many not often seen birds
such as a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a Baird's and several
White-rumped Sandpipers and 9 American Golden
Plovers. Birding along Powells Run Road, a birder
expressed his amazement to see,"one huge, incredible
"kettle" of 140 Black Vultures."
Participants:
BBC-CC members were buoyed by the success
that conservationists (ourselves included) had
last year protecting the Blackwater National
Wildlife Refuge (BNWR) from mega-development.
Invigorated, we took on another monster
task this year by joining the fight to stop
the building of wind turbines on public land
in Western Maryland. As birders, our major
objection was the likelihood that mountain top
turbines would cause serious habitat segmentation
in critical forests and damage birds
during migration (see Chip Notes Apr-May,
2008). We emailed birders encouraging them
to register their opinion on the website established
by the Department of Natural Resources
(DNR). Seven BBC and MOS members
attended the DNR hearing in Annapolis, and
several of us spoke. Due to the overwhelming
public outcry, Governor O'Malley denied
the building permits.
Statewide we also participated in promoting
other conservation activities. The Maryland
Legislature had four key environmental issues
that were wholly or partially funded
this year. These targeted reduction of global
warming emissions and energy consumption,
cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay, and providing
the Critical Area Commission with tools to
enforce laws governing buffer zones around
the Bay. In support of these efforts, the BBC
authorized the MCC to include our signature
on a Chesapeake Bay Foundation letter urging
the funding of Bay clean up. Based on
personal experience with its efficacy, Carol
Schreter wrote a letter to the Governor and
Public Service Commission promoting comprehensive
Home Energy Audits as a way to help
consumers identify ways to conserve electricity.
And in support of letters sent to Governor
O'Malley by the MOS and Friends of the Red
Knot, the BBC also sent a letter urging him to
ban the harvest of Horseshoe Crabs to save
this shorebird.
At the county level, BBC-CC members attended
several Town Hall Meetings on Climate
Change and appointed a member to represent
BBC on the Baltimore County Climate Coalition.
The BBC signed a coalition letter (19
organizations) urging the Baltimore County
Executive to issue a Climate Action Plan to
curb County government emissions of CO2.
City-wide, the BBC-CC supports Baltimore's
Mayor Sheila Dixon in numerous conservation
efforts. The Mayor established the Urban Tree
Canopy Program and recently appointed a City
Director of Sustainability. BBC wrote a letter
in support of this program. We also coordinated
with Baltimore City's Department of Recreation
and Parks by moving the spring and fall
Swift Watches to the Conservatory at Druid
Hill Park, as well as encouraging the BBC to
add two field tours in the Park. Through letters
and phone calls, we are trying to educate
Rec and Parks on the importance of using a
bird-friendly glass in constructing the new
"green" Visitor Center at Cylburn Arboretum.
On a national issue, we voiced our concern
about the environmental damage that will be
caused by the construction of the Texas Border
Wall, as described in our article for Chip
Notes (Dec/Jan 2008). The BBC sent letters
to Maryland's U.S. Congressmen and Senators
regarding its impact on wildlife and ecotourism.
In addition, the BBC and MOS signed
onto a No Texas Border Wall letter sent by the
Audubon Society.
The BBC-CC continued many ongoing efforts,
including promoting the purchasing of shadegrown
coffee and eradication of English Ivy.
All these combined effort resulted in several
Chip Notes articles and publications in the
Urbanite, City Paper, Roland Park Country
School's Kaleidoscope. We also provided materials
to the Timonium Wild Bird Center and
the State Highway Administration's for distribution
on Earth Day.
With so much to do, the Conservation Committee
needed new members. We recruited
Paula Schugam, Dixie Mullineaux and Joan
Hellman to join our current five members.
Aug 31 -- A number of warbles moving through:
Chestnut-sided (imm). Canada, Nashville,
Black& White, an Am Redstart landed briefly on
the deck looking out of place.
Sept 23 -- In the wooded streets behind our
house, Wildwood Lane and Roxbury Lane, a
large flock (I hazard a guess of at least twenty
or more) of mostly immature male and female
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks cavorted about in
the trees and flitted across the streets landing
in the vegetation on the street margins. There
were also a large number of Catbirds feeding
on wild grapes.
Sept 24 -- the woods were quiet today save
for a few Catbirds and one Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
on Wildwood, who gave good looks and
its clear high call note. The Hummingbird activity
at our three feeders has been non-stop all
month, often with 3-6 of the little mites buzzing
angrily around. Some of them are quite
chubby with one unable to bend to the feeding
hole while perched so having to fly when feeding,
then perching after.
Oct 2 -- A forlorn young Phoebe gave our suet
feeder a close look, circling the feeder a few
times then landing on the rail to intently watch
the other birds feeding on the peanut block I
have in there. It finaly flew off.
Oct 7 -- Occasional hummers still coming
through. One looked suspiciously selasphorian
today so I set up the scope and camera in
the livingroom. My wife is very indulgent. Of
course the bird never reappeared.
Oct 10 -- Imm. male Ruby-throat fed briefly
then flew close to the six door-sized windows
that look out onto the deck, hovered there and
then slowly flew sideways the whole length of
the windows while peering in before flying off.
It was the last hummer we had.
To Baltimore Bird Club Home Page
Lights Out Volunteers Find Baltimore Rarity: Clapper Rail
Early Tuesday morning, September
9th, Baltimore Lights Out volunteers found a bird
which took them some time to identify. When they did
Wendy Olsson posted this email to MDOsprey:"Volunteers
Joann Pettinacchio, Judy Harding, and I found a
Clapper Rail and a Common Yellowthroat downtown
this a.m."
To which Bob RIngler responded
by email:
"Wendy,
When asked about the significance
of such a find Bob emailed back:
A Clapper Rail would be an extraordinarily rare bird in
Baltimore. The specimen should be saved or at least
photographed."
"Clapper Rail is a bird of salt water marsh thus is
rare this far north in the bay where the water is more
brackish. Frank Kirkwood reported three shot on the
Patapsco Marsh on May 17, 1893. I have also heard
that sometime during the 1960s or 1970s one was
found on a window ledge of a downtown building in
fall. Someone said it was reported in The Sun but I
have nothing specific. Keith Costley saw a large rail
that may have been a Clapper in the harbor a couple
years ago."
The Clapper Rail body is being
given to the Smithsonian.Back to Table of Contents
Lights Out Baltimore Update
by Wendy Olsson
Photo: Wendy Olsson
Monitors have four principal buildings that they record
data on but also have other buildings on which they
also report data if time permits. Monitoring currently is
concentrated in the Western part of the Inner Harbor,
but if resources permit it would also be useful to monitor
areas in Harbor East due to the amount of development
going on in the area, including a high-rise and
more on the way. Monitors record what they find, and
in addition, if they do not find anything at a principal
building.
If you have questions about Lights Out Baltimore,
or would like to volunteer (even if you're not an
early riser, our volunteers are invaluable for administration
and publicity!), please email
Wendy at
Bryce Butler Joanne Pettinicchio
Carol Schreter Judy Harding
Dan Lebbin Julie Tomita
Dave Curson Kathy Woods
Dixie Mullineaux Kevin Graff
Keith Eric Costley Erin Allen
Jayson Stover Marci Treece
Joan Cwi Wanda Stefan Back to Table of Contents
Field Trip Reports
Compiled by Kevin Graff
Back to Table of Contents
The 2008 Baltimore Fall Count
by Debby Terry
Jeanne Bowman, Danny Bystrak, Keith Costley, Kevin
Graff, George Jett, Elise Kreiss, Paul Kreiss, Brad
Lanning, Dan Lebbin, Mark Linardi, Mikey Lutmerding,
Jim Meyers, Dan McDonald, Georgia McDonald, Paul
Noell, Jim Peters, Ben Poscover Jr., Steve Sanford,
Nico Sarbanes, Gene Scarpulla, Debbie Terry, Joe
Turner, Marcia Watson, Peter Webb, Eileen Wise.
Back to Table of Contents
BBC Conservation Committee Annual Report 2007-2008: Times They Are A 'Changing...
by Joan Cwi
Back to Table of Contents
Bald Eagle 17
Osprey 68
Norther Harrier 20
Sharp-shinned Hawk 160
Coopers Hawk 12
Broad-winged Hawk 6,130
American Kestrel 61
Merlin 2 Back to Table of Contents
Editor's Note: Folks, we are still needing more
of your anecdotes, observations, suggestions,
even questions. When you see something that
strikes you please jot it down in an email to either
me () or Kevin
(). If you're feeding
birds, who's been showing up, or as in the
two pieces below, who's just been flying over?
If you have had migrants, even if it's not up to
Steve's Cape May Warbler, it's not too late to
send them in by November 10 for the next issue.This
newsletter needs you.
Back Yard Birding and Beyond
Kevin Graff
Steve Sanford
Bryce Butler
Back to Table of Contents
Baltimore Bird Club (BBC) Treasurer's Report ending September, 2008: Highlights
by Dick Krejci, BBC Treasurer
Back to Table of Contents