Whatever your interests are, whether you are four or twice forty, there is something for you as a club member: learning the song of the bluebird, finding a tiny orchid you never saw before, seeing one of your slides shown at a club meeting or one of your nature stories in print. Best of all, finding new friends with whom to share your experiences.
- Monthly Meetings: The club meets at 7:00 pm at the Vestal Library at 320 Vestal Parkway East in Vestal, NY on the fourth Wednesday of the month from September through June (except the second Wednesday in November and December, and for the October annual dinner).
- The Gnatcatcher: The club’s monthly newsletter lists upcoming events and items of interest, including monthly bird statistics
- Family Field Trips: Nature hikes suitable for all ages are held occasionally.
- Bird Song Classes: On Saturday mornings in May the public is invited to join members on outings to study birds by sight and song.
- Christmas Bird Count: The club joins others throughout the US in the National Audubon Society’s census of birds in each area during the Christmas season.
- New York State Ornithological Association: The club is a member of NYSOA. Our bird reports are included in NYSOA’s quarterly publication, The Kingbird.
- Waterfowl Census: Members participate in the January waterfowl count, a joint effort of the New York State Ornithological Association and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to assess population levels.
- North American Bluebird Society: We cooperate with the Society by encouraging the building of bluebird houses to establish bluebird trails. Some members are active in the Society.
- Bird Banding: Public bandouts are occasionally held by club members licensed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
- Advice and Assistance: The club provides expertise in leading field trips, developing nature trails and exhibits, and supplying nature information through talks and slide programs.
Some Naturalists’ Club Accomplishments
Publications:
- The Gnatchatcher , our monthly newsletter.
- Trees of Broome County, written and illustrated by club members.
- Four Seasons Afield by Claude Howard illustrated with photographs and drawings by club members.
- Broome Birds and Byways by Marie Petuh which describes the flora and fauna of nearby natural areas.
Projects:
- Otselic Bog: The club purchased three acres along this quaking bog to assure its preservation.
- Breeding Bird Atlas Project: Club members have completed the local New York Atlas Project and have assisted Pennsylvania.
- Apalachin Marsh Nature Preserve: Members of the club were instrumental in saving this fifty-acre waterfowl habitat.
- Wetlands Survey: In 1974 and the mid-1980’s members collected data for the evaluation of Broome County wetlands for the Environmental Management Council and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
- Local Park Studies: Club members have helped make check lists of the flora of Cole, Greenwood, and Jones Parks and the birds of Chenango Valley State Park.
- Eldorado Beach: Over $8,000 was raised through club efforts for the preservation of this Nature Conservancy sanctuary on Lake Ontario.
- IBM Glen: Club members assisted The Friends of Glenn to help preserve this area. The club donated $1000 to the Waterman Conservation Center to help manage the IBM Glen.