PVBC Meeting Minutes: March 5, 2025
By PVBC Secretary Tracey Hopper
Club Vice President, Callan Bentley, opened the meeting promptly at 7:00 p.m., on Zoom with 31 people in attendance.
President’s Introductory Comments – Welcome & Announcements
Callan welcomed everyone and invited members to share recent bird sightings with the group. Members talked about seeing Tree Swallows, Osprey, Bald Eagles, Red-breasted Nuthatch and 14 Great Blue Herons at the rookery at Ivy Creek Natural Area. Four Bald Eagles were also seen in the vicinity of the rookery, and it is suspected that the Eagles might be predating there.
Callan also invited members to consider volunteering to serve on the PVBC Board. The Board currently is seeking a volunteer to become the Membership Chair on the Board for the 2025-26 fiscal year. However, any members who are interested in serving in different positions on the Board are welcome to inquire.
Callan introduced the Volunteer Sign-up Google form to members and urged members to complete the form to let the Board know how each member might like to volunteer. Here is the link to the Volunteer Sign-up Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdBUYANBkdMHNjA2eDkNuj7DJzuoYOlEuCyEkypsm_5owHG6w/viewform
Membership Update
Membership Chair, Scott Connuck, reported that PVBC currently has 195 active members as compared to 192 active members at this time last year. Please email Scott at [email protected], if you are not sure if it is time for you renew your membership.
Upcoming Field Trips and Events
Field Trip Chair, Alex Brubaker, reported on the following upcoming field trips:
Panorama Farm and Natural Burial Field Trip, on Saturday, March 22nd, at 8:00 a.m. Meet at the info kiosk at 3550 Reas Ford Lane, Earlysville, VA. Please consider carpooling.
A Walk with Kenn Kaufman at Ivy Creek Natural Area, on Sunday, March 23rd, at 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Meet in the main parking lot at 1780 Earlysville Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903. Kenn is in town to speak about his new book, The Birds that Audubon Missed, at the Virginia Festival of the Book. Kenn will be speaking about his book on Sunday, March 23rd, at 1:00 p.m., at James Monroe’s Highland.
First Saturday Bird Walk at Ivy Creek Natural Area, on Saturday, April 5th, at 7:30 a.m. Meet in the main parking lot at 1780 Earlysville Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903.
Quarry Gardens, on Sunday, April 13, at 8:00 a.m. The Quarry Gardens’ address is 1643 Salem Road, Schuyler, VA. Please carpool if you can.
Alex is working on planning additional field trips and will be reporting on these soon. Stay tuned!
Featured Presentation
Programs Chair, Joanna Vondrasek, introduced our speaker, Sarah Karpanty, Ph.D., who is a professor at Virginia Tech in its Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation. Dr. Karpanty presented about Hampton Roads Seabird Restoration efforts and her excellent informative presentation was recorded.
The meeting was adjourned and the next Club meeting announced.
The Club meets next on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., at the Ivy Creek Natural Area Education Building, in person. Our very own Callan Bentley and Cory Swift will present an intermediate eBird workshop at this meeting.
