Chenango Bird Club celebrates 25 years

CHENANGO COUNTY – For the past 25 years, Chenango County’s bird lovers have been meeting to hear speakers discuss bird and nature-related topics, to go on bird watching field trips and to promote and support environmental conservation and the proper maintenance of bird habitats.

The Chenango Bird Club was started in 1983, and according to the group’s editor, and one of the founding members, Donald Windsor, “the impetus was the beginning of the New York State Breeding Bird Atlas.” From 1980 to 1985, the first New York State Breeding Bird Atlas project was completed. The project divided the state into ten regions, each divided into multiple blocks, and teams of volunteers were responsible for traveling through the blocks assigned to them and identifying the birds in that area. Volunteers assigned to Chenango County and the surrounding area formed together to create the Chenango Bird Club.

“Our first meeting, we had a packed room,” Windsor said, explaining that the club maintains a membership of approximately 50 people from year to year.

Club President Charlene LaFever explained the club’s activities throughout the year. The bird club meets at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month. Their regular meetings, generally showcase a speaker who discusses issues pertaining to birding and nature. Nationally known birding figure Rick Wright was the guest speaker at the club’s April meeting. Wright, the former editor of “Winging It” and the managing director of “WINGS News” (wingsbirds.com), is a new member of the Chenango Bird Club. A native of Nebraska, Wright currently splits his time between Tucson and Hamilton. This month, he spoke about the history of birding, and how the pass time grew in relation to world events.