Welcome to the Tiadaghton Audubon Society web site. We hope you will find this web site to be useful and interesting. Our chapter was founded in 1906 with 23 members, making it the oldest chapter in the state. The Tiadaghton name was selected in 1953, and in 1972 the chapter was officially chartered. We welcome your comments or suggestions. Please feel free to contact us here by email, or if you prefer, our mailing address is Tiadaghton Audubon Society, PO Box 605, Wellsboro Pa, 16901.
Bulletin Board
There will be no Tiadaghton Audubon Society meetings until this coming September. In August we will have a planning meeting to discuss upcoming programs. If you have any recommendations for programs or activities, please let us know.
June Bird Sightings. Many birders have been out working to complete owned and unowned blocks for the PA Breeding Bird Atlas project, and they have seen some interesting things. A pair of courting black vultures were seen in the Anna S. Mine area south of Wellsboro on June 3 (The area is DCNR property and is open to the public, but access is gated to automobiles); this is a possible first for Tioga County.
Also seen in the abandoned mine area were a couple of pairs of grasshopper sparrows and savannah sparrows. Almost everyone has noticed the unsually high tent-caterpillar population this year, and accordingly there have been more than the usual number of reports about a couple of their main enemies -- black-billed and yellow-billed cuckoos. A variety warblers can still be seen at higher elevations where there are still good numbers of hemlock trees, including blackburnian, black-throated blue, black-throated green, and hooded warblers as well as American redstarts and ovenbirds. Any birds seen at this time of year are most likely locally breeding species. A lot of birds have already fledged and are starting second broods, including eastern bluebirds, house finches, song sparrows, chipping sparrows, indigo buntings, etc. Many of the young birds are easily confused with the adults of other species, so look closely and check your field guides. And finally, Bob Ross reports that many sora and Virginia rails "are vocalizing and showing off their babies" at the Muck.
Pennsylvania now has its own "portal to ebird, appropriately entitled Pennsylvania eBird. In addition to providing access to eBird's regular features, this special page provides articles about birds and birding specifically in Pennsylvania. Contributors include PA Audubon, Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology, and the PA Game Commission.
Time is running out for the PA Breeding Bird Atlas project. Although most blocks in Tioga County have at least some birds reported, there is still much work to be done to get an accurate picture of the situation in our area. Are you one of the estimated 2.7 million bird watchers in Pennsylvania? If you are, we need your help! The 2nd Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas is the most extensive survey of the state’s nesting birds ever attempted. Begun in 2004, the five-year 2nd PBBA is in its final year in 2008. But…it's not too late for you to help! Young or old, casual “backyard” bird watcher, intermediate birdwatcher, or avid birder, just beginning or with a lifetime of experience — everyone is welcomed and encouraged to take part in the 2nd Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas. Accomplishing the 2nd PBBA means putting as many of Pennsylvania’s thousands of nesting birds on the map as possible. We need the help of volunteers all across the state to reach our goal! Please click on the PBBA link below!
Revised Photo Gallery. Our photo gallery section has been completely revised with thumbnails and larger photographs. Please take a look. If you have a wildlife photograph you would like to share, please consider submitting it. We only ask that it be taken in Tioga or Potter County and be of reasonably good quality. More megapixels (higher resolution) are better so the photo can be cropped and sharpened and contrast adjusted if necessary.
Meetings
Meetings are held September through May on the third Wednesday of each month at the Gmeiner Art and Cultural Center on 134 Main Street next to the Green Free Library in Wellsboro. A board meeting takes place at 6:30, and the general meeting is at 7:30; all are welcome.
(Updated 18 June 2008.)
Photo policy: Photos taken by the webmaster (Gary Tyson) and unattributed photos may be used for non-commercial purposes without permission; however, please credit the photographer and TAS. Please contact us before using photos taken by other persons. In most cases, permission for further use will be given.
Thanks to Wayne C. Sierer for the new raven logo.