Volunteers Meeting 7 Nov 2017

I) The volunteers meeting was held at 9:00 AM at Mercy Clinic Community room. Forty Five (45) members were in attendance, which represents about 90% of our volunteers. Thanks for coming.

Alan Akey, Kathy Allen, Jerry Argetsinger, Marilyn Beveridge, John Bozarth, Jerry Butler, Laura Claggett, Bill Davis, Carolyn Dickson, Carmen Greenup, Randy Hamm, Joanne Hubbert, Jim & Gwen Janssen, Earl Lehman, Jodi Lombardo, Ray Matkowski, Ruth Matkowski, Al Melton, Patrice Murphy, Charlie Murray, Ken Ness, Nancy Ortman, Glenna Pickens, Harrison Ramey, Shari Reed, Ron Rear, Buzz & Larry Schoenhard, Steve Skaggs, Jim Sours, Lorna Sterrett, Bill & Rose Theiss, Linda Tucker, Grace Turley, Katy VanNote, Deb & Dirk Webber, Jim Wojahn, Brian & Susan Woodruff, Myrlene Zimmerman, Kathy Zumbro, and Leon Wehmeyer.

II) Leon Wehmeyer presided over the meeting, with help from Jim & Gwen Janssen (refreshments), Nancy Ortman & Lorna Sterrett, (check-in), Buzz Schoenhard (seating) and Laura Claggett (computer). The meeting covered 2017 fledging counts, box numbers, service awards, and miscellaneous items. This was followed by a table discussion on common problem areas.

III) 2017 Fledging count. 2017 was another good year for Bluebird fledglings for the Bella Vista Bluebird Society, although the numbers were below what they would have been except for the flooding early in the first nesting. Here are the numbers.

Eastern Bluebirds 1,587

Tree Swallows 464

Carolina Chickadee 179

House Wren 20

Tufted Titmice 0

Our total Bluebird fledge number is 45,893 since 1980.

We also had call-ins for 201 bluebirds from the volunteers’ home boxes, and call-ins for 602 Bbuebirds from BV neighborhood boxes. The total bluebirds for our trails, volunteer home boxes, and neighborhood call-ins is 2390, which is 137 more than 2016, so overall it was a good year.

IV) Location & Number of Boxes

We now have 496 boxes on 17 trails. This is 46 more than in 2016, and helped to make up for some of the flood losses. Biggest growths in box numbers were as follows:

Dogwood Hills – added 17 boxes, from 36 to 53

Brittany – added 4 boxes, from 17 to 21

Branchwood – added 8 boxes, from 16 to 24

Lake Bella Vista – added 5 boxes, from 5 to 10 (twinned all 5)

St. Bernard Church – added 10 Boxes (First Year)

V) Trail Happenings

Bonnie Martineck reported a Carolina Wren in one of her boxes. Generally we get House Wrens but not Carolinas. There is an exception to every rule.

MON (Mom on nest). If you have MON more than 1 week, shew her off the nest. In other words, week 1 OK, let her be. Week 2, run her off. We need to know what is going on in the nest.

As you monitor at seasons end, remove the dirty nests and dispose of them. Do not leave a dirty nest (ant & blowfly attractors) for the winter since some birds use the boxes for roosting during cold weather.

VI) Service Awards

Awards are given for 2 & 5 years of service and for each additional 5 years of service, i.e. 2,5,10,15,20,25, etc. This years recipients:

2 Years Jerry Argetsinger, John Bozarth, Laura Claggett, Randy Hamm, Patrice Murphy, Harrison Ramey, Maureen Seymour, Troy Shaffer, Jim Sours, Michael Syverson, Bill & Rose Theiss, Deb Webber, Brian & Susan Woodruff, & Mrylene Zimmerman.

5 Years Craig & Carlyn Ferguson

Congratulations & thanks from the BVBBS for your years of service.

VII) Boxes & Website

Visit the website at bvbluebirds.com frequently to keep abreast of BVBBS activities.

We have set up a “Nest Box Committee” to expand our ability to build & install boxes. The committee includes Jim Janssen, Ken Ness, Grace Turley, & Leon Wehmeyer.

VIII) Volunteers

We are losing 4 volunteers:

Trail bosses, Dave Backer (Highlands), Paul Grissom (Kingswood), and Alycyn Culbertson (Dogwood Hills). In addition, trail boss, Joe Bowen (Scotsdale) has stepped aside from TB but will continue to monitor at Scotsdale.

Monitors, Alycyn Culbertson (Dogwood Hills) and Doug/Marilyn Adamson (18 years at Dogwood Hills).

We are adding 5 volunteers:

Trail bosses, Earl Lehman (Highlands), Jim Wojahn (Kingswood) and Steve Skaggs. Steve will replace Ray Matkowski at BV Country Club, and Ray will move to Dogwood Hills. Charlie Murray, monitor at St. Bernard, will also do trail boss duties in 2018.

Monitors, Ruth Matkowski (Dogwood Hills) and Bruce Price (Dogwood Hills).

IX) Open Office

Laura Claggett introduced “Open Office”, a free download (openoffice.org), that will interchange with Excel, Word & Power Point. It is for monitors who do not use Excel or Word, which is costly software. She will expand on this at the next membership meeting.

X) Partnerships

BVBBS has three organizations that we consider “Partners.”

The Bluebird Shed. BVBBS has partnered with Butch & Sarah Tetzlaff to sell our bluebird boxes. Our website directs you to them for purchase of boxes, poles, and PVC guards at our cost. They will also sell installation in neighborhood yards, and we will do the installation. There is no profit for them, just an opportunity to help conserve bluebirds & other cavity nesters. For BVBBS members there is a 10% discount for anything in the store. They are located at 648 W. Lancashire (near Duffers). You will be pleased when you shop there.

Embroidery Design. We do not have an official partnership with ED. Our connection is the service they gave us in designing our logo at no cost. I recently bought 12 hats from them to use as awards for two years of service, and a hat with the logo on the front cost us only $8 each. You can get our Logo, or any embroidery design, if you have something you would like on a shirt, jacket, hat, etc. at a very reasonable price. They are located at 1710 Acorn in Rogers. Take exit 86 from I-49 and head east to Dixieland. Turn left on Dixieland and take the first right into the business strip.

NABS (North American Bluebird Society). BVBBS is an associate of NABS. They provide us with lots of information on helping to conserve bluebirds & other cavity nesters. Individual membership is encouraged and comes at a reasonable cost. They provided us with recent issues of Bluebird, their quarterly magazine for members. Many at the meeting got a copy, but I have several copies left over for those who did not make the meeting. Just call Leon.

XI) Problems Discussion

The last portion of the meeting was open discussions at tables set up to put all volunteers from a trail together, for instance all Country Club monitors & trail bosses were at Table 1.

The first topic was to pair up monitors who could fill in for one another for vacations, etc. The purpose here is to be sure your trail is monitored every 7 days even if you cannot do it yourself.

Hopefully all those in attendance found a partner. For those not there, contact the monitor that handles the trail nearest you and give them a call. Their name & number are in the roster I e-mailed earlier Wednesday. Go to pages 4-6 to find your course or short trail to see who the closest person might be.

The second topic was dead birds or missing birds and why they died. We are developing a procedure for the use of diatomaceous earth for treating nests to prevent ants, blowflies, etc.

Lastly, how may boxes need to be replace was discussed. The trail bosses will follow through on that.

SUBMITTED BY

LEON WEHMEYER, PRESIDENT BVBBS

11-9-17

I) The membership meeting was held at 9:00 AM at Mercy Clinic Community room. Forty Five (45) members were in attendance, which represents about 90% of our volunteers. Thanks for coming.