ORGANIZATION NEWS

CHANGES TO THE AUK–Two major changes will be taking place with the editorial process and production of The Auk. After five years of exemplary service, Spencer Sealy of the University of Manitoba is stepping down as Editor after he completes volume 126 with the October issue of 2009. His replacement, MICHAEL MURPHY of Portland State University, began receiving manuscripts for volume 127 on the 1st of June 2009. Mark Penrose and Richard Earles will continue as the Managing and Copy Editors, respectively. Murphy can be reached directly by phone or e-mail (PH: 503-725-8734, EM: auk_editor@pdx.edu).  The University of California Press took over as publishers of The Auk in 2009, and as of 1 Jun 2009 we will no longer use Rapid Review as the portal for submission of manuscripts. Starting on 1 Jun, Manuscript Central will become the new portal for submission of all manuscripts to The Auk, including regular research articles, solicited manuscripts, and letters to the Editor. An efficient review process requires that the Editor be able to draw upon a large army of able volunteers to serve as reviewers. We will transfer all existing reviewer profiles for The Auk from Rapid Review to Manuscript Central, but once we've made the transition, we encourage potential reviewers to visit The Auk's site on Manuscript Central (URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ucpress-auk) and either check and update their information, or add themselves as a potential reviewer.

THE AOU COMMITTEE ON NOMINATION OF FELLOWS AND ELECTIVE MEMBERS is beginning their work of preparing nominations for 2010.  Any AOU member who would like to put forward a name for consideration by the committee should contact the chair of the committee, TOWN PETERSON (EM: town@ku.edu), by 5 Oct 2009.

PRE-MEETING WORKSHOP ON INNOVATIVE TEACHING in Ornithology will be held Wednesday, 12 Aug, from 15:30-17:00, at AOU 2009 in Philadelphia. The AOU Student Affairs Committee, along with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Education Program, is offering this lively and useful professional development opportunity for students and faculty to discuss new ideas and best practices for teaching Ornithology and related courses. The schedule for the "Innovative Teaching in Ornithology" workshop includes brief presentations of creative teaching techniques by leading professors, followed by plenty of time for audience questions and panel discussion. Confirmed speakers include Dan Ardia of Franklin and Marshall College, Margaret Rubega of the University of Connecticut, Margaret Voss of Penn State Erie, and David Winkler of Cornell University. No need to pre-register, but you are welcome to direct questions or suggestions on resources for the workshop and follow-up website to DANIEL BARTON (EM: daniel.barton@umontana.edu) or MEGAN WHITMAN (EM: mlw57@cornell.edu). The location is tentatively scheduled for the Ben Franklin Room, Houston Hall; check the Workshops page of the meeting website for the latest information (URL: http://www.birdmeetings.org/aou2009/workshops.htm). Hope to see you there!

THE AOU RESEARCH AWARDS COMMITTEE is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2009 AOU Research Awards. The AOU received 128 applications.  A total of $60,000 was awarded to 30 students: 22 Ph.D. candidates and eight students seeking the Master’s degree. The Committee Chair first wishes to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the committee members, Raoul Boughton, Charles Brown, Brian Peer, Stephen Pruett-Jones, Scott Robinson, Beth Slikas, Charles Thompson, Gary Voelker, and Linda Whittingham. The following are the awardees for 2009: MEDHAVI AMBARDAR, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, "The effects of temperature and food abundance on breeding season length in single-brooded and double-brooded birds"; GUSTAVO A. BRAVO, Louisiana State University, "Phylogenetic analysis of phenotypic divergence in the antbirds (Thamnophilidae)"; COURTNEY COON, University of South Florida, "Are invasive House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) released from their natural pathogens?"; ALLISON COX, University of Missouri, "Natal dispersal of Red-bellied Woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus) in a fragmented landscape"; EMILY R. A. CRAMER, Cornell University, "The effects of energy on song structure in House Wrens"; RAYMOND M. DANNER, Virginia Tech, "Cross-seasonal natural and sexual selection in a short distance migrant"; HEATHER FARRINGTON, University of Cincinnati, "Extinction in the Galapagos: using ancient DNA to determine genetic structure in historic populations of Darwin's finches"; ANNA M. FORSMAN, Cornell University, "Immune-based maternal effects in relation to microbial diversity across the breeding range of the Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor); SAMANTHA FRANKS; Simon Fraser University, "Carry-over effects in a long-distance migratory shorebird: How do winter origin, foraging habitat, and age affect reproductive success?"; KRISTEN B. GORMAN, Simon Fraser University, "Divergent population response by Pygoscelis penguins to rapid climate warming: nutritional and physiological stress mechanisms"; DAVID HOF, University of Massachusetts, “Reliability and maintenance of aggressive signals in Parulid warblers"; JOANNA HUBBARD, University of Colorado, "Reading between the morphs: The genetic basis of continuous phenotypic variation"; SARA A. KAISER, Washington State University, "Adaptive significance of plasticity in hormone-mediated avian reproductive behaviors"; TESS KILLPACK, University of Wisconsin, Madison, "Ontogeny of immune function in altricial birds and its response to resource limitation"; JAY McENTEE, University of California, Berkeley, "Bird song and sky island speciation"; LOREN MERRILL, University of California, Santa Barbara, "Do female Brown-headed Cowbirds use vocal performance to assess male quality?"; HERNAN VAZQUEZ MIRANDA, University of Minnesota, "Timing the times: a multi-locus analysis of avian diversification in Baja California"; GREG MITCHELL, University of Guelph, "Factors that limit individual performance of migratory songbirds during autumn migration"; DANA L. MOSELEY, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, "Female preference development in the Swamp Sparrow”; DAWN O'NEAL, Indiana University, "Does immune function mediate differential migration in the Dark-eyed Junco?"; ELOISA HELENA REIS SARI, University of Missouri, St. Louis, "Colonization history and pathogens pressure in the Galapagos Flycatcher"; ALLISON SCHULTZ, San Diego State University, "The relative role of different color production mechanisms in the evolution of avian sexual dichromatism"; JACLYN SMOLINSKY, University of Southern Mississippi, "Factors influencing the migratory path of songbirds confronted with a large water body"; CALANDRA STANLEY, York University, "Tropical deforestation and the Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina): Exploring the consequences of winter habitat quality and determining migratory connectivity"; DAVID SWAN, University of Western Ontario, "Do cowbirds "farm" their hosts?"; ANGELA TRINGALI, University of Central Florida, "Alternative explanations for the evolution of ornamental traits: tests of multiple hypotheses in juvenile Florida Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens)"; MICHAEL E. UFFENBECK, University of Central Arkansas, "Determining age and assessing fitness of passerines using telomere restriction fragment analysis"; DANIEL WETZEL, University of Kentucky, "A genetic basis of individual variation in parental care in wild birds?"; MATTHEW WILKINS, University of Colorado, “Multimodal signaling and the evolution of reproductive isolation in two sympatric subspecies of the Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica"; STEPHANIE G. WRIGHT, Villanova University, "Individual responses to song playbacks in the Black-capped (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina (P. carolinensis) chickadee hybrid zone of southeastern Pennsylvania".

NOMINATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP CLASSES OF Fellow and Elective Member of the AOU are due 7 Oct 2009.  Fellows and Elective Members are encouraged to submit nominations of deserving colleagues.  Following its official charge to supplement nominations, the Committee on Nomination of Fellows and Elective Members will prepare only a few nominations, and thus timely submissions from members are imperative.  Nominations and full supporting information are to be supplied by the nominators.  Lists of current Fellows and Elective Members are available on the AOU website (URL: http://www.aou.org/membership/special.php3).  Nominators seeking to endorse a nominee must first obtain the instructions and forms for 2010, available on the AOU web site (URL: http://www.aou.org/nominations.php3) or from the Secretary, SARA R. MORRIS, Department of Biology, Canisius College, 2001 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14208  USA (PH: 716 888 2567, FX: 716-888-3157, EM: aousecretary@aou.org).  For ELECTIVE MEMBER nominations, the Secretary will compile and prepare ballot packets to be sent to current Fellows and Elective Members in November 2009.  Ballots must be returned by mail to the Secretariat by three weeks before the Stated Meeting (i.e., by 15 Jan 2010) and the names will be announced at the Business Meeting of Members in San Diego, CA.  For FELLOW nominations, the Secretary will compile and prepare packets to be sent to current Fellows in November 2009.  Voting will take place at the Fellows Meeting on 7 Feb 2010.

NOMINATIONS FOR AOU OFFICERS AND ELECTIVE COUNCILORS must be received by the Secretary four months before the Stated Meeting.  Thus, this year nominations are due 7 Oct 2009.  Officers to be elected will be President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and four Elective Councilors.  The election will occur by electronic and postal ballots prior to the meeting.  At the conclusion of the 128th Stated Meeting, Edward H. Burtt, Jr., will complete his term as President and John R. Faaborg will begin his first year as President.  The Bylaws of the AOU require that the Secretary and Treasurer be elected or re-elected annually.  The incumbent Secretary (Sara R. Morris) and the presumptive Treasurer (James Herkert) are willing to stand for re-election.  Of the total of twelve Elective Councilors, four are elected annually to serve terms of approximately three years, beginning at the close of the Stated Meeting.  Elective Councilors to be replaced at the conclusion of the 128th Stated Meeting in 2010 are Bonnie S. Bowen, Robert C. Fleischer, Geoffrey E. Hill, and Bridget J. M. Stutchbury.  Continuing to serve in 2010-2011 will be Elective Councilors, Mary Bomberger Brown, Janis L. Dickinson, Rebecca L. Holberton, Amanda D. Rodewald, and the four Council members elected in 2009.  The procedure for nominating AOU officers and Elective Councilors is outlined in the Bylaws (Art IV, Sec 2).  “Each Fellow and Elective Member shall be invited to nominate to the Secretary, persons for President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Elective Councilors.  These nominations shall be received by the Secretary four months before the Stated Meeting.  Nominations for all Officers and Elective Councilors must be accompanied by documented consent of the nominee.” Nominations may be submitted in writing, or electronically to the Secretary, SARA R. MORRIS, Department of Biology, Canisius College, 2001 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14208  USA (PH: 716-888-2567, FX: 716-888-3157, EM: aousecretary@aou.org).

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

RAPTOR WORKSHOP: Accredited through University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – Two 4-day workshops entitled "Introduction to Raptor Field Techniques" will be held in Stevens Point, WI by Eugene Jacobs of the Linwood Springs Research Station and Loren Ayers of the Wis. Dept. of Natural Resources.  Session #1: 1-4 Sep 2009, and session #2: 12-15 Oct 2009.  Receive first hand experience working with live raptors, capturing, handling, banding techniques, broadcast call surveys, tree climbing and rappelling, blood sampling and more.  Cost is $425 and space is limited, so register early.  For more information and a registration form visit (URL: http://www.RaptorResearch.com).

NEWS FROM THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COUNCIL

Provided by DAVID E. BLOCKSTEIN, Chair (EM: oc@cnie.org), and ELLEN PAUL, Executive Director (EM: ellen.paul@verizon.net), the Ornithological Council. Major funding for the Ornithological Council is provided by its eleven member societies: American Ornithologists' Union, Association of Field Ornithologists, CIPAMEX, Cooper Ornithological Society, Neotropical Ornithological Society, Pacific Seabird Group, Raptor Research Foundation, Society of Canadian Ornithologists, Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds, Waterbird Society, and Wilson Ornithological Society. We also appreciate the support of individual ornithologists; contributions can be made when you renew your membership in any of the OSNA societies (on paper or online at http://www.osnabirds.org/). Those who are not members of one of the six societies that send a membership renewal notice through OSNA (American Ornithologists' Union, Association of Field Ornithologists, Cooper Ornithological Society, Raptor Research Foundation, Waterbird Society, and Wilson Ornithological Society), can contribute directly through PayPal (URL: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_sxclick&hosted_button_id=750884) using your free PayPal account or a credit card or by check (payable to the Ornithological Council and mailed to 8722 Preston Place, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA). Thank you for helping the Ornithological Council in its efforts to keep the world safe for ornithology!

STATE PERMITS - It took some time, but the OC is pleased to announce that the state permit information is finally complete and posted on BIRDNET at http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/permit/stateindex.html. For now, we focused on the bird permits but we plan to circle back and post information about permits needed to work on state lands (state parks, wildlife management areas, forests, nature reserves). This site is intended to be "one-stop shopping" for state permits, so we have included the application forms, the regulations, contact information, lists of state-listed threatened and endangered species, and contact information for each state. The most important thing for ornithologists to know is that contrary to popular belief, almost all states require state permits for banding. Many states use the term "scientific collecting permit" but in fact they require a permit for all manner of research activities, including various means of capture, marking, and release, as well as the sampling of blood, feathers, and other tissue. Do not assume that you do not need a permit simply because the permit is titled "scientific collecting permit." Assume that you need a permit despite the title, read the regulation, policy, or permit documents to be sure, and check with the state permitting office if in doubt.

UPDATE ON BANDING PERMITS: Following a discussion with the U.S. Bird Banding Lab about the need for permits for field assistants who handle birds (e.g., remove birds from nets, carry birds to banders, release birds) the Ornithological Council consulted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Divisions of Migratory Bird Management and Law Enforcement). After investigation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that because "50 CFR 13.25(d) states that "Except as otherwise stated on the face of the permit, any person who is under the direct control of the permittee, or who is employed by or under contract to the permittee for purposes authorized by the permit, may carry out the activity authorized by the permit ...that a volunteer or assistant working with a permitted individual need not get his or her own permit." Generally, the rule is that Master Banders should apply for permits for "subpermittees if they require assistants to work independently (out of direct supervision)." The Ornithological Council encourages those who band birds to review the North American Bander's Manual (URL: http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/manual/manual.htm) and/or contact the Banding Lab should there be a question about the need for a permit in any particular case. As is the case with any communication pertaining to a permit, it is always a good idea to keep a written record.

THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Division of Migratory Bird Management and the U.S. Bird Banding Lab are considering changes to the regulations pertaining to bird banding and marking. Any proposed changes will be published in the Federal Register for comment. The Ornithological Council will distribute the Federal Register notice through Ornith-L, OCNET, and BirdBand-L and encourages ornithologists and banders to share their views with these agencies and with the Ornithological Council.

SUCCESSFUL PERMIT STRATEGIES: Banding permits are good for a maximum of three years. When you apply for a new permit, or apply to renew a permit, request any special authorizations (e.g., auxiliary markers) that you reasonably think you might be using during that time. Doing so will save you - and the BBL - the time and effort needed to modify an existing permit. For renewals, don't wait until the last minute. Get your renewal applications filed as early as possible. The regulation requires that you submit the renewal application no less than 30 days prior to expiration, but  that isn't realistic. Generally, the OC recommends that all new and renewal applications for any kind of permit be submitted at least 90 days in advance of the date needed/expiration date. What happens if your permit is not renewed before the expiration date? Don't panic. The regulations provide that as long as you submitted at least 30 days in advance of the expiration date, and meet the other conditions, you can continue the activities allowed under the permit, even though it has expired.

USFWS VETERAN TO LEAD AGENCY - On 9 Jun 2009, President Obama nominated Sam Hamilton to be director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Hamilton, a career senior biologist and manager with the Service, currently is director of the agency's Southeast Region, The nomination requires Senate confirmation. Hamilton, who has been with the Service for 30 years, was appointed Southeast Regional Director in Atlanta, Georgia in 1997. As regional director, Hamilton has been responsible for the oversight and management of more than 350 federally listed threatened and endangered species and 128 national wildlife refuges. He has provided leadership and oversight to the department's restoration work in the Everglades, the largest ecosystem restoration project in the country, and oversaw recovery and restoration work following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which devastated coastal wetlands, wildlife refuges, and other wildlife habitat along the Gulf of Mexico. Hamilton's leadership fostered creative solutions and innovation that led to the establishment of a carbon sequestration program that has helped biologists in the Southeast restore roughly 80,000 acres of wildlife habitat. His emphasis on partnership bolstered the Service's fisheries program and helped establish the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership to restore vital aquatic habitats across the region. This partnership is a key piece of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. Prior to becoming regional director, Hamilton served as assistant regional director of the ecological services in Atlanta and the Service's Texas state administrator in Austin. Hamilton graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1977.

A NEW HOME FOR BANDING DATA - Although you are legally required to submit banding data to the U.S. Bird Banding Lab, you might also want to send it to the Avian Knowledge Network (AKN). Why? First, you can send everything, including the ancillary data that the BBL does not accept. Second, the AKN collects a wide variety of data that can then be analyzed using the powerful tools that AKN and its partners have developed. Your data can make a valuable contribution to our understanding of bird migration, habitat use, and much more. You have the ability to control access to your data, but still have the benefit of making it available to further scientific knowledge beyond your own research. Waterfowl management has been greatly improved through the use and analysis of combined datasets. You can help improve the scientific basis of bird conservation by submitting your data to the AKN. Working with the Landbird Monitoring Network of the Americas (LaMNA) is one easy way to send your banding data to the AKN. For more information about the Avian Knowledge Network, see URL: http://www.avianknowledge.net/content). For more information about LaMNA, see (URL: http://www.klamathbird.org/lamna/). The Ornithological Council encourages ornithologists to archive their data; if you need ideas about the various archives and options for various kinds of data, please contact us. We will soon have a webpage dedicated to data archiving options.

OC NEWS: Scott Johnson has joined the OC Board of Directors as the second representative of the Association of Field Ornithologists. Do you need to contact a representative of one of the member societies of the Ornithological Council? The roster is on BIRDNET: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/orncounc/ocreps.html

REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE

REQUEST FOR SHORT-EARED OWL FEATHERS: We are investigating Short-eared Owl movement patterns in North America and are asking for feathers for stable isotope analysis from anyone who may be conducting Short-eared Owl research, or who may experience incidental encounters through banding or road kills.  Based on inspection of museum specimens and consultation of several North American and European references, it appears that P1 is the first feather molted, and therefore would have the highest probability of recording the isotopic signature of the summer location.  Thus, a small sample of vane tissue (i.e., 1-2 cm2) from the lagging, proximal edge of P1 would be ideal, so as to limit impacts on flight.  If a molt limit is obvious, samples from all apparent generations would be valuable, as would photo documentation, as this may allow for the determination of up to three previous summer locations.  Samples from juveniles are particularly valuable to verify the Short-eared Owl isotopic signature against existing maps, and while P1 is again preferable, the age of the owl may dictate that a contour feather be collected instead.  If you are interested in providing feather samples for this study, please contact KRISTEN KEYES (EM: kristen@migrationresearch.org).

POSITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE

The Positions and Opportunities section is available only in the on-line edition. This information can be accessed from the Ornithological Newsletter Home Page <http://www.osnabirds.org/on>, or directly at <http://www.osnabirds.org/on/ornjobs.htm>. Submissions can be made any time, and are posted free of charge. Please send submissions to Ornithological Newsletter Editor, Cheryl Trine, (EM: ctrine@andrews.edu).

AN E-LIST SERVICE is available. Subscribers to this list will receive the same new announcements that appear on-line. E-list members often receive these announcements before they are posted on-line. To subscribe, send the following message to: <lyris@cornell.edu>, in the body of the message type: join Birdjobs-L “your name”. The subject line should be blank. Please use the “plain text only” e-mail format option, include your own name in the message, and put quotation marks around your name.

GRANTS AND AWARDS

FOR INFORMATION ON CONTINUING GRANTS PROGRAMS relevant to ornithological research, visit: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/grants/index.html

WESTERN BIRD BANDING ASSOCIATION (WBBA) offers two $1,000 grants for individuals and/or organizations engaged in projects in the New World using marked birds. Deadline is 31 Aug 2009. See (URL: http://www.westernbirdbanding.org/grants.html) for more details.

SEA DUCK JOINT VENTURE: SOLICITATION OF PROPOSALS for funding and/or endorsement, FY10 – The Sea Duck Joint Venture (SDJV) is a partnership-based conservation program under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan that promotes the conservation of sea ducks by providing greater knowledge for effective management.  Seed money for SDJV projects/studies is currently available through the USFWS.  We are seeking proposals from interested parties that advance our understanding of sea duck biology, ecology, and status.  Up to $162,000 is available for new projects in FY10.  The complete RFP, proposal format, evaluation criteria, and other information are posted on the web (URL: http://seaduckjv.org).  Proposals must be received by 28 Sep 2009.

THE DENNIS RAVELING SCHOLARSHIP for Waterfowl Research is awarded annually to a student(s) with a desire to pursue a career in waterfowl or wetlands ecology.  Awards are based on the candidate's resolve, high academic achievement, and project merit.  Candidates must be pursuing an advanced university degree in Wildlife, Zoology, Botany, Ecology, or other pertinent biological science. Applicants should submit a ONE page proposal summary description on an original research or management project. Applicants should be prepared to submit a detailed project proposal if requested. The Scholarship is intended to provide field experience and training in the tools, methods, and concepts of waterfowl and wetlands research and management. A committee composed of previous students and professional colleagues of Dennis Raveling will select the winning candidates. Two Awards will be given this year: 1st Place will be $1,000 paid in quarterly installments, and 2nd Place will be $500 paid in quarterly installments. Applicants should submit a resume and a brief (one page) study proposal or statement explaining the course of study for which they need support, and include a letter from a faculty member indicating willingness to sponsor the candidate and detailing any requirements (e.g., provision for a final report or thesis) for receiving university credit. Names and phone numbers of two references are also required (include at least one University instructor and/or previous employment supervisor). All materials should be submitted by 31 Oct 2009.  The complete package should include a one page, single-spaced Proposal Summary; Resume; Statement of Interest; Letter of Support from faculty member; and Names and phone numbers of two references.  All entries should be single-sided (no staples, PLEASE). Mail or email to: California Waterfowl Association, ATTN: Nicole Chavez, 4630 Northgate Blvd., Suite 150 Sacramento, CA 95834 (EM: nicole_chavez@calwaterfowl.org).

PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE

THE DOUBLE ELEPHANT FOLIO, THE STORY OF AUDUBON’S BIRDS OF AMERICA by Waldemar H. Fries.  Zenaida Publishing, Inc. 523 pages plus 41 pages of photographs, clothbound with dustjacket, 7 x 10 inches, ISBN: 0-9770829-0-3. Long before a set of The Birds of America would sell at auction for almost nine million dollars in 2000, Waldemar Fries spent 16 years traveling the globe in an effort to find and describe every intact copy of Audubon's magnificent creation. Fries’ efforts resulted in a comprehensive reference on Audubon’s great work. Often called “the Bible of Audubon scholars”, The Double Elephant Folio, has been republished after more than 30 years. This limited edition of only 1000 copies describes the creation of the Birds of America from 1826-1838, beginning with John James Audubon’s search for an engraver in London and culminating with the completion of the “Great Work.” Perhaps, most importantly, The Double Elephant Folio describes the history of each set of the Birds of America, including sets that were broken up, destroyed, or disappeared. Included in the new edition is an appendix updating the status and location of all sets of the Birds of America currently known to exist.  During July and August, we are offering The Double Elephant Folio to ornithologists at a reduced price of only $59.50, 30% off our regular price of $84.95.  We offer a money-back guarantee, if not completely satisfied. To order, members should send a check or money order for $59.50 plus $4.00 shipping ($63.50 total) to Zenaida Publishing, Inc., 25 Station Road, Amherst, MA 01002. Massachusetts residents should add 5% sales tax (or $2.98) for a total of $66.48. Because this is a special offer, please put code ORN809 on the memo line of your check when ordering.  Questions about the book? Just send us an e-mail (EM: fordeboids@verizon.net).

THE PIGEONEERS, written, directed and produced by Al Croseri--A feature documentary film starring Colonel Clifford A. Poutre, Chief Pigeoneer, U. S. Army Signal Corps Pigeon Service.  Filmed on location in Greensboro, North Carolina.  122 minutes duration.  The Pigeoneers is an homage to the bravery of homing pigeons who saved thousands of lives in combat in the Great World Wars. Their achievements embodied the attributes of service, endurance, loyalty and supreme courage. Here, their memory is evoked by Colonel Clifford A. Poutre, Chief Pigeoneer, U. S. Army Signal Corps Pigeon Service, 1936-1943.  Acknowledged the world's outstanding military pigeon expert, Poutre is credited with having streamlined the U. S. Army homing pigeon training and services to keep pace with the latest developments in army aviation.  For more information visit (URL: http://pigeonsincombat.com/thepigeoneerswebpage.html).

SONGBIRD DEMOGRAPHY: Demographic structure, survival rates, and population dynamics of songbirds with particular reference to the birds of the eastern Baltic, Payevski, V. 2009. Coronet Books Inc.  165x235, numerous tables, b/w graphs, bibliography, bird-name and subject index, color plates, in English. Hdb, 260 pp. ISBN: 978-954-642-470-9. Price: EUR 60.00.  You can order online, or view cover, table of contents, and sample pages at (URL: http://pensoft.net/newreleases/14418.htm), or  send order to (EM: fordeboids@verizon.net,  FX: +359-2-8704282).

CEDAR KEY. BIRDING IN PARADISE: Finding Birds Then and Now.  David W. Johnston. 2009. Illus. 100 p. Bookends Press, Gainesville, FL.  This publication Includes accounts of 18th century explorers, their birds (Ivory-billed Woodpeckers, Carolina Parakeets) and contemporary sites for locating the region's diversity and abundance of its fabulous bird life.  Order from the author (EM: fordeboids@verizon.net), $19.95 + $3.00 S&H.

PERSONAL EXCHANGES

FOR SALE:  Wide array of old and specialty bird books.  Includes water birds, waterfowl, raptors, grouse, woodpeckers, migrants, regional accounts, and more. Will sell at 50% or less of lowest amazon.com used prices.  Request list and prices at (EM: bcthompson@zianet.com).  Offer for all will be considered.  Buyer pays shipping.

OPTICS FOR SALE Leica 8 x 42 BN, brand new, never used, in original box, model #40017 $950 plus postage.  Nikon D70 digital camera with a Nikon 70 300 mm zoom lens with a skylight filter (both in excellent condition) in original boxes with manuals, two memory cards (512MB and 1 G), 3 rechargeable batteries, and battery charger $500 plus postage.  Contact (EM: daphnedgemmill@verizon.net).

MEETINGS

A 'permanent' meeting list is maintained on BIRDNET that focuses mainly on meetings of the Societies that are members of the OC, showing the planned sites and dates of ornithological meetings as far into the future as possible.

LOOKING FOR THE WEB SITE of an ornithological meeting or conference? Visit http://www.birdmeetings.org (scheduled to be ready December 1) to find links and to post a link to your meeting.

* in this section indicates new or revised entry

*THE 8TH BIENNIAL HUMMINGBIRD RESEARCH GROUP CONFERENCE will be held in Peaceful Valley, Colorado, from 29 Jul - 2 Aug. 2009.  The event includes presentations of research papers, banding workshops, demonstrations of traps, tools and techniques, an evening banquet, and a field trip in Rocky Mountain National Park.  A research banding project which utilizes the resources of several bander teams working concurrently at localized sites will also be conducted.  Information about the conference can be found online at: (URL: http://www.trochilids.com/colorado/2009humconference.html).  For further information contact STEVE BAROUCHES, Organizational Chair (EM: bouricii@earthlink.net); FRED ENGLEMAN, Scientific Presentations Chair, (EM: fcengleman@earthlink.net); or JOANNA CHAN, Registrations and Research Banding Project Chair, (EM: joanna.chan@colorado.edu).

ANNUAL WILDLIFE DISEASE ASSOCIATION (WDA) meeting at the Semiahmoo Resort and Spa in Blaine, Washington from 2 - 7 Aug 2009.  The theme for the conference this year is “Wildlife Health from Land to Sea: Impacts of a Changing World.”  For more information, please visit our conference website (URL: http://www.wildlifedisease.org/Conference_2009.html).  The mission of the WDA is to acquire, disseminate, and apply knowledge regarding health and disease of wild animals in relation to their biology, conservation, and ecology including interactions with humans and domestic animals. To learn more about our organization, visit (URL: http://www.wildlifedisease.org/). 

THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION will hold its 127th Stated Meeting in Philadelphia, 12-15 Aug 2009. The meeting, co-hosted by Villanova University and the University of Pennsylvania, will take place on the UPenn campus. Dr. Robert Curry, Villanova University, is the Chair of the Committee on Local Arrangements; Dr. David White, UPenn, is the Local Host. The conference will feature three days of contributed scientific papers, posters, invited speakers, and symposia; evening events hosted by the Philadelphia Zoo and the Academy of Natural Sciences; special activities for students; and field trips before and after the conference, showcasing especially the peak of Delaware Bay shorebird migration. Accommodations at UPenn will include suite-style dormitory rooms and hotels adjacent to campus. The meeting’s location will provide easy access to the many historical and cultural attractions of Philadelphia—the “birthplace of American ornithology.” For additional information, visit the conference web site (URL: http://www.birdmeetings.org/aou2009/).

WESTERN BIRD BANDING ASSOCIATION, 2009 annual meeting at  the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, Milpitas, California, 28-30 Aug 2009. The meeting will have exciting demonstrations and workshops of banding, data management, and analysis of banding data. For additional information, please visit the WBBA website (URL: http://www.westernbirdbanding.org/next-meetings.html), or contact C.J. RALPH (PH: 707 825-2992).

34TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF WESTERN FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS, 10 - 13 Sep 2009, Boise, Idaho.  Under the auspices of our local host, the Idaho Bird Observatory, the meeting will take place at Oxford Suites of Boise (1426 S. Entertainment Ave, Boise, ID. 83709, (PH: 208-322-8000).  It will feature contributed scientific papers, expert identification panels, half- and full-day field trips, field skills workshops, social events, and our annual membership meeting and banquet. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Craig Benkman (whose recently described South Hills Crossbill Loxia sinesciuris we hope to see!). Detailed information is posted under Conference and Spring 2009 Newsletter at the WFO website (URL: http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org).

RRF 2009 ANNUAL CONFERENCE–SCOTLAND. For the first time in the society's history, the annual conference (2009) will be held outside of the Americas, to reflect the global interests of the membership. This historic six-day event will be held in Pitlochry, Scotland from 29 Sep - 4 Oct 2009, hosted by the Scottish Raptor Study Group. Social events include an exclusive evening party at a magnificent Scottish castle and there are 11 field trip options to some of the country's premiere wildlife sites, including the Isle of Mull and Speyside/Cairngorm Mountains. Numbers are limited to 300 delegates so early booking is advisable. Tickets are selling fast and, to date, delegates from 23 countries have already registered. Please visit the conference website (URL: http://www.rrfconferencescotland2009.org/) to find out how you can register.

*33rd ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WATERBIRD SOCIETY, 4-7 Nov 2009 –first Call for Abstracts and Early Registration for the conference to be held at Cape May, New Jersey, hosted by the New Jersey Audubon Society. This is the first time the meeting has been held on the northeast coast since 2000 and we are expecting a large turnout of long-time members and students. Contact the Local Organizing Committee, co-chaired by DAVID MIZRAHI (EM: david.mizrahi@njaudubon.org) and NELLIE TSIPOURA (EM: nellie.tsipoura@njaudubon.org), regarding local area questions and the Chair of the Scientific Program, CHIP WESELOH (EM: chip.weseloh@ec.gc.ca), regarding Scientific Program questions.  The following symposium sessions have been proposed: 1. Citizen Science Projects led by Nellie Tsipoura, 2. Status and Ecology of Snowy Egrets and Great Egrets, co-led by John Brzorad (EM: brzoradj@lrc.edu) and Alan Maccarone (EM: AlanM@friends.edu), 3. Waterbirds as Indicators of Environmental Health, led by David Evers (EM: david.evers@briloon.org), 4. Waterbirds and Offshore Wind Turbines, led by Christina Kisiel (EM: info@5thsticehousewaco.com), 5. At Sea Research and Conservation of NW Atlantic Marine Birds, led by Melanie  Steinkamp (EM: Melanie_Steinkamp@fws.gov),  6. The Endangered Semipalmated Sandpiper: Assessing Dramatic Declines in a Once Common Migrant Shorebird, co-led by Cheri Trevor-Gratto (EM: Cheri.Trevor-Gratto@ec.gc.ca) and David Mizrahi (EM: david.mizrahi@njaudubon.org), 7. Status and Recent Research on Wood Storks in the Americas, co-led by Billy Brooks (EM: Billy_Brooks@fws.gov) and Peter Frederick (EM: pfred@ufl.edu), 8. Cormorants: Biology, Ecology, and Conflicts of Double-crested Cormorants with Humans, co-led by Chris Somers (EM: Chris.Somers@uregina.ca) and Tommy King  (EM: Tommy.King@aphis.usda.gov),  9. The Winter Ecology of Waterbirds, co-led by Susan Elbin (EM: selbin@nycaudubon.org) and Tommy King, 10. Ecology and Conservation of Great Lakes and Inland Nesting Common Terns in North America, co-led by Jennifer Arnold (EM: jma25@psu.edu), Stephen Oswald (EM: sao10@psu.edu) and Patricia Szczys (EM: szczysp@easternct.edu), and 11. Diseases of Waterbirds, led by Justin Brown (EM: jubrown1@uga.edu).   There will also be several sessions of oral presentation and posters under more general subjects headings. As is being done at this year's AOU meeting, our poster session will be comprised of two types of posters: those reporting completed works/studies and those reporting on proposed or in progress studies. We, too, are taking this approach to give students a greater opportunity to receive input on their work before going into the field or before the work is completed. All posters will be on display for at least two days. For instructions on submitting Abstracts and Registration, please see our Society web page (URL: http://www.waterbirds.org) or visit the New Jersey Audubon Society webpage (URL: http://njaudubon.org/Research/CitizenScience/waterbird/Index.html). Details on accommodation will also be available at these sites.  An array of exciting field trips is planned for the Cape May area. There will be both pre- and post- meeting field trip opportunities, so plan on spending a couple extra days in the area. Details will be available on the web pages.  The Society would like to make a sincere invitation to European ornithologists to consider attending this meeting. The major New York area airports (JFK and LaGuardia airports in New York City; and airports at Newark, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) are conveniently accessed from Europe and the Cape May venue is within easy driving distance from those airports or from the regional airport at Atlantic City, New Jersey. A symposium on waterbird species common to North America and Europe might be an interesting one to pursue.

*CALL FOR PAPERS: THE INLAND BIRD BANDING ASSOCIATION is currently accepting abstracts for papers and posters to be presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting hosted by the World Bird Sanctuary in St. Louis, MO,  6-8 Nov 2009. The meeting will include several field trips and workshops of banding and managing banding data.  Presentations can reflect original research, summarize existing information, or address the use of banding as a tool in avian research and monitoring.  It is best if abstracts identify study objectives, describe study methods and data analysis, discuss the significance of the research, and propose future research directions.  Please submit abstracts electronically by 1 Oct 2009 to LINDA TOSSING (EM: ltossing@aol.com), specifying paper or poster.  For additional information about the 2009 meeting, please visit the Inland Bird Banding Association  website (URL: http://IBBAinfo.org), or contact Linda Tossing (PH: 314-849-4260).

JOINT MEETING OF THE COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY, THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION, and THE SOCIETY OF CANADIAN ORNITHOLOGISTS will take place 7-11 Feb 2010 in San Diego, California.  The meeting will be held at the Town and Country Resort and Convention Center, conveniently located near many San Diego attractions and birding sites.  Local Hosts for the meeting are Dr. Barbara E. Kus and Dr. Kevin J. Burns, and chair of the Scientific Program Committee is Dr. John T. Rotenberry.  The conference will feature four days of contributed scientific papers, posters, invited speakers, symposia, and special activities for students.  In addition, field trips are planned that take advantage of the abundant and diverse bird life of San Diego.  A call for papers will be issued in Aug 2009.  For additional information about the conference, visit the conference web site (URL: http://www.birdmeetings.org). 

37TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP, 17-20 Feb 2010, Long Beach, California. For information contact JENNIFER BOYCE, NOAA Restoration Center, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4470, Long Beach, CA 90802 (PH: 562-980-4086; EM: Jennifer.Boyce@noaa.gov) or NINA KARNOVSKY, 175 W. Sixth Street, Claremont, CA 91711 (PH: 909-607-9794; EM: nina.karnovsky@pomona.edu). For information on the scientific program contact TOM GOOD, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112 (PH: 206-860-3469; EM: Tom.Good@noaa.gov).

*THE 2010 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY will be held 20-23 May 2010, in Geneva, NY, hosted by, and held at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.  Dormitory rooms and an optional meal plan will be available at low cost; additional accommodations will be available at the Geneva Lakefront Ramada.  The local host, MARK DEUTSCHLANDER, may be reached at the Department of Biology, 300 Pulteney St., Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY 14456 (PH: 315-781-3921; EM: deutschlande@hws.edu).

25TH  INTERNATIONAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS 2010 Call for Symposia Proposals (22-28 Aug 2010) Campos do Jordão, Brazil.  The Scientific Program Committee has been formed and a web page is in place (http://www.i-o-c.org or http://www.ib.usp.br/25ioc). We hope that you will circle these dates on your calendar and plan to attend! For further information, please contact PROF. DR. CRISTINA YUMI MIYAKI, Secretary-General of the 25th IOC (EM: ioc2010@ib.usp.br).

NEWS OF MEMBERS

VOLUME 3 OF THE CANADIAN ATLAS OF BIRD BANDING, Raptors and Waterbirds, 1921-1995, June 2009, 202 pages, is dedicated to "DR. C. STUART HOUSTON, who not only has banded more than 140,000 birds of 209 species in Saskatchewan over the past 67 years, but has published extensively on his findings and has served as a trainer, mentor, and inspiration to an astonishingly large proportion of Canada's bird banders." Houston's photo, at a Ferruginous Hawk nest, by Pat Bulman, is one of three color photos on the cover. The other photo is by Jared Clarke of Regina.

IAN ROWLEY, died on 29 May 2009 after an illness of several months apparently related to a heart condition.  He has been a member of the AOU since 1962 (elected an Honorary Fellow in 1979), a member of the WOS since 1980, and of the COS since 1960, as well as the editor of the Emu from 1990-2000 and recipient of the first D. L. Serenity Medal awarded by the RAHU in 1991.   Ian, who worked for many years with the CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology in Western Australia, conducted classic work on the behavioral ecology of Australian birds, much of it with his wife Eleanor. His extensive publications include three books along with ground breaking studies of cooperative breeding of the Superb Fairy-wren and the White-winged Chough. He also made long term studies of Australian corvids and two cockatoos, the Galah and Major Mitchell's Cockatoo.

THE FLOCK - SPECIAL SECTION

To correct your address in the membership database please send the new information to the OSNA Business Office, 5400 Bosque Blvd., Suite 680, Waco, TX 76710 (EM: business@osnabirds.org, PH: 254-399-9636, FX: 254-776-3767) or change it yourself online (URL: http://www.osnabirds.org). To alert your colleagues of new address information contact the Ornithological Newsletter Editor, CHERYL L. TRINE (address below).

THE MOST RECENT NUMBERS of the Society journals and the month of mailing are: Auk, 2009, Vol. 126, #2 (May); Condor, 2009, Vol. 111, #2 (Jun);  J. Field Ornith., 2009, Vol. 80, #2 (Jun); Raptor Res., 2009, Vol. 43, #2 (Jun); Waterbirds, 2009, Vol. 32, #2 (Jul); Wilson J. Ornith., 2009, Vol. 121, #2 (Jun). Numbers follow at about 3-month intervals.  If you are missing an issue, please contact OSNA.  New members receive the first issue of the volume year.  Please check your address label to confirm membership information and address.

THE NEXT NEWSLETTER will be issued in October.  Items you wish to have included must reach the Editor, CHERYL L. TRINE, 3889 E. Valley View, Berrien Springs, MI 49103 (PH: 269-471-7886; EM: ctrine AT andrews.edu), by 1 Sep 2009. Submission by email (in the body of the email message--not an attached file) or on diskette (PC format: WordPerfect or ASCII) with hard copy; e-mail preferred.  Items sent to the OSNA office may not reach the Editor in time.  Items with deadline dates should be submitted at least four months in advance of that date to allow time for response.

The Ornithological Newsletter (ISSN 0274-564X) is published bimonthly by the Ornithological Societies of North America (OSNA) in electronic and paper forms. Membership dues in any OSNA Society include $3.50 for the cost of publication. Separate subscriptions are not available. For application to membership, write the OSNA office, 5400 Bosque Blvd., Suite 680, Waco, TX 76710.

Questions, comments and notices can be sent to Cheryl L. Trine, Ornithological Newsletter Editor at ctrine@andrews.edu

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