Meetings

Unless indicated otherwise, all SMAS Programs are held at the Adams County Agricultural Resource Center, 670 Old Harrisburg Road, Gettysburg, PA at 7:30 pm (social time starting at 7 pm). A room number for the SMAS meeting will be posted on the front lobby entry inner door.

Field Trips

FIELD TRIPS - Field trips will be planned on an annual basis and a tentative list will be sent in late December to those on our email list. Details for day trips will be announced in the monthly email blasts, and details for overnight trips will be announced a few months in advance. Also, information can be found on this website. Each monthly email will list a contact person and a meeting place and time for the upcoming events. If you are not on our email list, you can contact Mike Bertram at the2nomads@gmail.com or call 717-809-3911 (please leave a voicemail) if you have questions or need other details. Field trip cancellations will be announced by email as soon as possible and also on this website.

Local Bird Sightings in 2024

One new species was seen in Adams County in 2024, an American White Pelican. Other rare species observed included: Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Greater White-fronted Goose, Ross's Goose, Mississippi Kite, White-rumped Sandpiper, Log-billed Dowitcher. Species that were expected, but not found, were Bank Swallow and Dickcissel.

In the grasslands IBA (Important Bird Area), as well as many of the sightings mentioned under the Adams County list, there was a sighting of a rare Barn Owl in the IBA.

In the South Mountain IBA was the first sighting of a Trumpter Swan. Also there were sightings of probable escapees, Northern Bobwhite and Chukar.

Meetings and other Activities

Sunday, May 18, Field Trip State Game Lands #249 North - near Heidlersburg. We will meet at 7:30 AM in the second parking lot near the end of the gravel road.

DIRECTIONS: Turn onto Gamelands Road off of Route 234 just west of Heidlersburg.

Don Gilbert will lead the walk. Hiking boots and insect/tick repellent are recommended.

Monday, May 19, Meeting Charlie Gomer - Peacocks in the Garden. Charlie Gomer has been raising peafowl for over thirty years. During the past twenty years, he has raised various color mutations of the India Blue Peafowl. He lives adjacent to Little Round Top and currently has eighty peafowl. In addition to raising peafowl, there are large gardens of over 3000 different registered daylilies on the property.

The presentation will inform the audience of the beauty of the bird and share details about the many different colors, care, and life of a peafowl. Also included will be interesting garden pictures.

There will be 12 oz bags of ground or whole bean coffee grown in a bird friendly environment for purchase. $15/bag

Sunday, May 25, Field Trip 7:30 am, Strawberry Hill, near Fairfield We will meet in the large parking lot on the left at 1537 Mount Hope Road, Fairfield at 7:30 AM.

The terrain is uneven and could be wet. Hiking boots and insect/tick repellent are recommended. Tony Arnold will lead this walk.

DIRECTIONS: 116 West toward Fairfield from Gettysburg. Turn right onto Mount Hope Road (across from Bullfrog Road). Remain on Mount Hope Road for about 3 miles.

In case of inclement weather, any change or cancellation with be posted by Friday, May 23.

Saturday, May 31, Field Trip 8 am, Plum Run near New Oxford

SMAS has again been invited to do a spring bird walk by the owners of Cedar Woods Farm. Hiking boots are recommended and insect/tick repellent is suggested. The address is 141 Plum Run Road, New Oxford. We will meet at 8 AM. Please look for the sign directing you to the grassy parking area.

Directions: From New Oxford - From New Oxford, travel north from the traffic circle onto Carlisle Street/Oxford Road for about 4.5 miles. Turn right onto Plum Run Road. The entrance to Cedar Woods Farm will be on your right just beyond Tapeworm Road on your left

. From Gettysburg - Travel north on Route 15. Exit at Route 234 and turn right onto Route 234. Make an almost immediate right onto Oxford Road. After about 3.5 miles, turn left onto Plum Run Road. The entrance to Cedar Woods Farm will be on your right just beyond Tapeworm Road on your left. In case of inclement weather, this posting will be updated no later than Friday morning, May 30.

Questions??? - Reply to this email or text or call Linette at 717-495-8137

Saturday, June 14, Field Trip 7 am, Devil's Den and surrounding areas, GNMP

Monday, June 16, Meeting The Bug Man

Monday, September 15, Meeting Karen Kaslow - Watersheds

The South Mountain Audubon Society aims are to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity focusing on Adams County, PA.

The Society works towards those aims with meetings, birding trips, and conservation activities.

There are 2 Important Bird Areas locally:

• South Mountain
  
• South Adams County Grasslands

Click here to join National Audubon and the South Mountain Audubon Society. Please select U17 as the Chapter code from the drop down menu on the form.

If you want to join the South Mountain Audubon Society but not National Audubon then sign up at the next event you attend. The annual membership is $15.

The Society can be contacted in the following ways:

email: the2nomads@gmail.com

Tel.: 717-809-3911

Mail: SMAS, P.O. Box 3671, Gettysburg, PA 17325.

Educational Initiatives

South Mountain Audubon sponsors educational efforts on natural history in the local schools. This year it financed the purchase of books by the Bermudian Middle School.

Hashawha Environmental Center

On Saturday, the 19th April, SMAS members visited Hashawha Environmental Center. 46 species were observed.

Blue-headed Vireo

Northern Parula

Photos by Linette Mansberger and Evan Vaeth

Taneytown Road Area

On Friday, 25th April, a SMAS group walked around the trails in the area of Gettysburg Park HQ. 50 species were observed.

Eastern Kingbird

Catbird

Photos by Linette Mansberger

Oakside Park

On the 3rd of May South Mountain Audubon visited Oakside Park, outside Biglerville; 56 species were observed (link to eBird report). These sightings bring the total species observed at Oakside Park over the years to 102.

male Scarlet Tanager

female Scarlet Tanager

Photos by Linette Mansberger

State Game Lands #230

On the 4th May SMAS explored the State Gamelands #230, near Carlisle, observing 73 species.

Indigo Bunting

Magnolia Warbler

Photos by Evan Vaeth

Spangler's Spring, Gettysburg NMP

On Saturday, 10th May, International Migratory Bird Day, SMAS members took their annual walk around the Spangler's Spring area in Gettysburg NMP. 86 species were observed, which must be a record.

Blackburnian Warbler

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher on nest

Photos by Jamie Noble

Contact Mike Bertram at the2nomads@gmail.com with any corrections, questions, and/or comments concerning the web site.