It's a year for the colorful feeder birds on a gray day, for the mystical snowy owl that has irrupted into Upstate New York, and for the raptors that have recovered from DDT exposure to soar above the Chemung River. I am excited that National Audubon Society, National Geographic Society, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology have teamed up on behalf of the birds. As novelist and birdwatcher Jonathan Franzen observed, birds "are our last, best connection to a natural world that is otherwise receding."

Year of the Bird launched on New Year's Day. As you fulfill your annual New Year's resolutions, tweak them to include nature and consider supporting nature with a membership in the Chemung Valley Audubon Society and National Audubon Society. Our local Audubon group is active in education and habitat restoration, and because it is a National Audubon chapter, it contributes to a wide-ranging impact on national and international issues. Check out this website for updates about Year of the Bird activities, background on environmental issues, and beautiful photos and articles.

I hope that many of you increase your enjoyment of nature and become more knowledgeable about environmental issues. And, I hope that you share your experiences and knowledge with others. When we take action and talk about those actions, we have a huge impact. Our birds and our environment need each of us.

Mary Anne Perks
Member | Chemung Valley Audubon Society

This is an excerpt from the full article printed in SG, and is used with permission of the author and edited for use on our web page. Please visit our Year of the Bird section to read the full article and find more information about activities and actions you can do to make this the best year ever!

More Info

If you've ever had the pleasure of exploring our Northrup Hill or Gleason Sanctuaries, you may know that the Chemung Valley Audubon Society has a cabin in the Gleason Audubon Wildlife Santuary in Caton, NY, that has been used by the club for events over the years. The Ondura roof, installed over thirty years ago, was deteriorating, thereby allowing water to enter and damage the interior structure.

Recognizing the seriousness of this problem, the CVAS Board of Directors hired RJ Construction of Woodhull, NY, to re-roof the cabin with a 40-year-warranty metal roof. A green roof color was selected to blend in with the forest environment of the sanctuary. The roofing work was initiated on Wednesday, March 28, 2018, and completed on Saturday, March 31, 2018.

Once the old roofing material was removed, an inspection of the main structure found it to be in excellent condition. As part of the new roof, translucent panels were placed strategically in the roof, allowing sunlight to penetrate into the cabin and brighten up the room. The construction went very well, and CVAS members are very pleased with the work. It looks great!

The Board of Directors recognized that this project requires a substantial outlay of funds, but agreed the work is needed to protect the club's asset. The club would gratefully accept any donation to help assist with the funding of this project.

Visit our Gleason Sanctuary page to see the photo album highlighting the progression of work on the roof project. For the next phase of cabin improvements, club members will volunteer their time to repair the water-damaged interior sections of the cabin. Once completed, hopefully by this summer, the Audubon Chapter members can again utilize this facility and events can be planned.

Do stop up to Gleason for a nice spring walk on our trails and see the nice new green roof on our cabin!

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