Audubon Mid-Atlantic Chapter Chatter features PG Audubon's Wildlife Habitat Adviory Progarm!

The following article appeared in the August issue of Audubon Mid-Atlantic’s Chapter news email: 

Wildlife Habitat Advisors Take Flight with Prince Georges Audubon Society 

If you love birds, build habitat. It’s a simple enough sentiment. But, in our corner of the world, we often provide too little sustenance and shelter for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife.  Which provides an opportunity for engagement that Prince Georges Audubon Society (PGAS) has taken to heart. In collaboration with Patterson Park Audubon Center in Baltimore, PGAS has developed an exciting, new venture—the Audubon Wildlife Habitat Program.

The program builds on Plants for Birds, one of two Audubon programs under the Bird-Friendly Communities umbrella. Plants for Birds urges people to opt for native plants in their gardens, on their balconies, and anywhere else they can find space for a little green. Plants for Birds offers online resources, a native plant database, and recognition programs complete with a celebratory yard sign. The Audubon Wildlife Habitat Program builds on that by offering on-site, in-person consultations.

The beauty of this approach lies in connection. The sheer amount of information on wildlife gardening in general can be dizzying. The Audubon Wildlife Habitat Program pairs participants with a trained Habitat Advisor who is ready to help prioritize and problem-solve right on site, making the process practical and personal.  

A typical visit includes a walk-through of the property, focusing first on the participant’s aspirations and questions.  With individual goals and concerns as the focus, advisors discuss native plant options, as well as lawn reduction, invasive plant removal, garden structure, and water conservation. They offer ways to reduce threats from outdoor cats and window collisions, while sharing ideas to increase available water, food, and shelter resources.  Together, they identify a set of priorities and create a plan for moving forward. A follow-up report provides a touchpoint for reconnecting and advisors make themselves available for further assistance as needed, acknowledging that this kind of transformation takes time. 

This spring, ten habitat advisors attended the first training, and visited a grand total of 59 private and 2 public properties. PGAS and Patterson Park Audubon Center are excited to launch a second training series for about two dozen new volunteers in August and September in preparation for fall visits. 

For more information on the Audubon Wildlife Habitat Program, contact Kathy Shollenberger of PGAS.

Kevin Bennett and Menachem Goldstein Set new Prince George's County Big Day Record

123 sightings surpasses Dave Mozurkowicz, Fred Shaffer, and Rob Ostrowski’s 2009 120 sightings record.

Kevin Reports:

I’ve been birding Prince George’s County as much as I can since I moved to Greenbelt in 2018. It’s not a long time, but I felt a strong connection to the county that seemed underbirded in relation to its potential. Mostly I biked to Lake Artemesia, a five-minute ride from my apartment, but in 2020 I started to explore more widely. This year, tragically, I moved to Alexandria, but I haven’t been able to get over what still feels like my home county. So last month I decided I would attempt a big day in PG to get closure (and maybe also see some nice birds). I enlisted a fellow UMD grad student and expert birder Menachem Goldstein to help pass the unofficial PG big day record (“unofficial,” meaning it was the highest total Russ Ruffing had in his records—thanks, Russ!) of 120 species set by Dave Mozurkewich, Fred Shaffer, and Rob Ostrowski in 2009 and the same three plus Stan Arnold in 2010. A beatable number, but one that would require either getting lucky with a bunch of migrants or managing to find almost all of the breeders.

For the route, my plan was to start in the southern part of the county trying for owls and whip-poor-wills, then make our way north along the Patuxent getting breeders in the morning before snapping up specialized birds in the afternoon in the northern part of the county. I was counting on making up for lost morning migrants we might have had in a place like Lake Artemesia with getting all of the breeders while they were still singing. We didn’t have time to do much scouting, so we relied on eBird reports from previous years to find breeders (thanks to Jeff Shenot for atlasing in southern PG!). We stuck to ABA rules for big days, meaning rare bird alerts are off limits, but playback is OK. Ultimately, though, playback didn’t net us any species, which I guess is how it ought to be.

We started at 3:30am sharp on Sunday morning (5/9) on the entrance road to Cedarville SF listening for whips. There was no moon, but it was a partly clear night so conditions could have been worse. No whips, but a Barred Owl called once to start us off. Next up was the power line cut on Aquasco Farm Rd, where once again, whip-poor-wills were not calling, and as with all of my previous attempts in the county, I missed this species. Rails were similarly quiet in the marshes at Aquasco, but a Solitary Sandpiper in our headlights was a nice driving tick, Barred Owls called like crazy from every corner, and a Barn Owl screaming from out in the marsh eliminated the need to try to see one later in a nest box. As we were leaving, we stopped with open windows to listen to a chat singing in the dark. Menachem called out Great Horned Owl. I strained to listen. Then yep, there it was. We left Aquasco at 5:15am with 13 species and headed for Milltown Landing.

Great Horned Owls were hooting as we arrived, and birds were starting to sing from the forest and tall fields. We walked through the mix of habitats counting birds mostly by song: Acadian Flycatcher, pewee, Wood Thrush in the woods, Prairie Warbler, Field Sparrow, Indigo Bunting on the edges. At the dock on Black Swamp Creek, a family of five river otters rolled around and played, oblivious to our presence. Beyond them, a Least Bittern grunted. I heard it, Menachem didn’t—a “dirty” bird, at least for the moment. Menachem called out our one and only Yellow-billed Cuckoo of the day from down at the river boat launch, and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird showed off its U-shaped display flight as we walked back toward the car. A Magnolia Warbler sang as we departed, and we headed up to Jackson’s Landing with 56 species.

Jackson’s gave us our best migrant haul of the morning: Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Bay-breasted, Cape May, Chestnut-sided, Blackpoll, Black-throated Blue Warblers, plus breeders Prothonotary, Yellow Warbler, and Louisiana Waterthrush. A Purple Martin at the boat launch saved us a later stop. Yellow-throated Warblers were cooperative next to Croom Airport, and a Hooded Warbler sang from near the Selby’s Landing boat launch. It was a few minutes before the Critical Area Driving Tour would open, so we made a quick run up to Mount Calvert for Laughing Gull and Marsh Wren plus a few others, then returned and headed down the CADT towards Merkle.

A few Greater Yellowlegs and a Spotted Sandpiper were our only shorebirds from the observation tower, but a singing Yellow-throated Vireo was species 100 at 10:15am. A harrier over the marsh was a nice surprise. In the fields and edges at Merkle we added Grasshopper and Savannah Sparrow, plus Northern Waterthrush and Cliff Swallow, saving a long detour later. Finally, we stopped at the wetland on Fenno Rd for a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers I’d found there last year. We added Green Heron and Belted Kingfisher for good measure. To finish up the morning, we tried without success for the Virginia Rail I’d found at Cheltenham Wetlands Park two weeks earlier, but a Sharp-shinned Hawk overhead made the detour worthwhile.

For the second half of the day, we headed up north. Ring-billed Gulls were at Bladensburg Waterfront Park as expected, and so were the nesting Yellow-crowned Night-Herons over the street in University Park. The fields at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center did not produce the Dickcissel I’d found there the previous day, but Bobolink, meadowlarks, and kestrels were all in place. Menachem called out a Merlin, and sure enough, the small streaky falcon came right over our heads, flying north at a Merlin’s typical pace, made a half-hearted pass at a flyby cowbird, and was quickly out of sight. In the woods along Beaver Dam Rd, we finally saw a White-breasted Nuthatch, heard a quiet Swainson’s Thrush, and tracked down a rolling song deep in the woods—a Kentucky Warbler, in the exact same spot it was singing last summer, was species 120.

Next, we drove along the Patuxent south tract entrance road hoping for Worm-eating Warbler, but came up empty, so we headed up to Laurel Lake, where Black-crowned Night-Herons have been hanging out for a while. One bird was right in its place, and we were at 121. The last spot of the planned route was the fields at Konterra Dr. We opted to try parking on the side of the I-95 entrance ramp from Rt 200 for maximum visibility (a $0.40 privilege), which paid off with a raven, another flock of Bobolink, and another Greater Yellowlegs. The Rough-legged Hawk, sadly, was a no-show. To finish off the north part of the county, we made a quick run to my old stomping ground at Lake Artemesia and added Warbling Vireo for species 123.

Our last stop was back at Mount Calvert for sunset. We didn’t get the hoped-for Forster’s Terns, rails, or nighthawks, but small groups of Spotted Sandpipers put on a show. As the daylight faded and light rain started falling, Menachem heard a Least Bittern calling from the marsh, a “dirty” bird no longer, and we ended the day having both gotten all the birds, for a final species total of 123.

I’m proud of our total, especially since it beats—by one species—my personal big day record from a solo East Texas count I did a few years ago. We might have ended up with a higher number if we had put more effort into migrants early, but there wasn’t too much to complain about in the end. Worst misses included Forster’s Tern, Worm-eating Warbler, and (sigh) House Wren. In the end, if it is a record, it’s a beatable one. Hopefully someone tries next year. Maybe I will again! Birding Prince George’s County, especially its lesser-visited southern corners, is always a joy.

Dept. of Interior to Revoke Regulation misinterpreting MBTA!

Interior Department Takes Steps to Revoke Final Rule on Migratory Bird Treaty Act Incidental Take

WASHINGTON – May 6, 2021 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a proposed rule to revoke the January 7, 2021, final regulation that limited the scope of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). Significant concerns about the interpretation of the MBTA have been raised by the public, legal challenges in court and from the international treaty partners.

This proposed rule provides the public with notice of the Service’s intent to revoke the January 7 rule’s interpretation of the MBTA and return to implementing the MBTA as prohibiting incidental take and applying enforcement discretion, consistent with judicial precedent.

“The Migratory Bird Treaty Act is a bedrock environmental law that is critical to protecting migratory birds and restoring declining bird populations,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “Today’s actions will serve to better align Interior with its mission and ensure that our decisions are guided by the best-available science.”

“Migratory bird conservation is an integral part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s mission,” said Service Principal Deputy Director Martha Williams. “We have heard from our partners, the public, Tribes, states and numerous other stakeholders from across the country that it is imperative the previous administration’s rollback of the MBTA be reviewed to ensure continued progress toward commonsense standards that protect migratory birds.”

On January 7, the Service published a final rule defining the scope of the MBTA as it applies to conduct resulting in the injury or death of migratory birds protected by the MBTA. This rule made significant changes to the scope of the MBTA to exclude incidental take of migratory birds, with an effective date of February 8.

The Service extended the effective date until March 8 and opened a public comment period. Rather than extending the effective date again, the agency believes the most transparent and efficient path forward is instead to immediately propose to revoke the rule.

The Service requests public comments on issues of fact, law and policy raised by the MBTA rule published on January 7. Public comments must be received or postmarked on or before June 7, 2021. The notice will be available at www.regulations.gov, Docket Number: FWS-HQ-MB-2018-0090, and will include details on how to submit your comments.

The agency will not accept email or faxes. If you provided comments in response to the February 9, 2021, notice to extend the effective date, you do not need to resubmit those comments. All comments will be considered.

On March 8, 2021, Interior rescinded the 2017 Solicitor’s Opinion M-37050 on the MBTA that had overturned decades of bipartisan and international consensus. The reasoning and basis behind that M-Opinion were soundly rejected in federal court. The Endangered Species Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, as well as state laws and regulations, are not affected by the Solicitor’s Opinion M-37050 or the January 7 final regulation.

All the documents related to the rulemaking process and further information are available at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s regulations page.

This item is 5/6/21 news release from Dept. of Interior

Audubon Acting CEO Elizabeth Gray's Introductory Letter

On 4/20/2021 Audubon’s prospective acting CEO sent chapter leaders the following letter:

Dear Audubon Chapter Leaders, 

I am writing to share the news that the National Audubon Society’s board of directors has announced that David Yarnold will step down as CEO, effective May 14. 

Over the course of the last few months, the board and David mutually agreed that now is the time for Audubon to find new leadership to create our next strategic plan and to address many of the culture issues that have come to light. 

We have a talented and highly committed staff, strong chapter leaders and volunteers, passionate members and donors, and a grassroots network that is second to none—the Board believes it is critical that we have the right plan and leadership to fulfill our mission and live up to our values for the long-term.

David has accomplished much for our organization over the past nearly eleven years, recentering our work on bird conservation, recognizing the full power of our chapter and volunteer network, improving fundraising, and building our membership.

As a result of this transition, I will step into the role of interim CEO while a search for a successor is conducted, which will consider both internal and external candidates. 

I will be working closely with Jamaal Nelson, our new Chief Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Officer to continue our equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives.

We thank you for all the work that you do for Audubon and greatly appreciate your support. 

If you have any questions about this leadership change, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.  

Warmly, Elizabeth

—
Elizabeth Gray, Ph.D.
President and Chief Conservation Officer

gray-e@audubon.org

Yarnold leaving as Audubon’s CEO 5/14/21, Elizabeth Gray temporary Replacement

David Yarnold stepping down as Audubon CEO, Elizabeth Gray temporary CEO effective 5/14/2021

Audubon Chapter leaders received this message today, 4/20/2021:

Dear Audubon Leader, 

The board of the National Audubon Society is announcing today something that hasn’t happened at Audubon in more than a decade: a CEO transition. By mutual agreement, David Yarnold will be stepping down as CEO as of May 14 and Elizabeth Gray will be stepping in as Interim CEO at that time. We, the board, want to extend our deep thanks to David for nearly eleven years of energy and passion leading Audubon to a new level of relevance and importance. David will be available to the board and Elizabeth through June 30, 2021 to ensure a smooth transition. 

Elizabeth Gray is a remarkable conservation leader whom David brought on as President with the board’s full support in January. We are delighted to be able to draw on her deep experience and expertise in this moment to fill the role of Interim CEO.  She has demonstrated strong capacity for strategic thinking, leadership, management, and fundraising. 

I wanted to offer some personal thoughts, as well. I’ve known Audubon for almost two decades, first through the Audubon Washington Board and then building Seward Park Audubon Center. In my seven years on the national board, I’ve seen tremendous commitment, growth and vision from so many of you. And I’m excited and optimistic about where we’re headed.

The board has appointed a CEO search committee which, with assistance of an external search firm, will consider both internal and external candidates.

We want also to acknowledge and thank the many staff who came forward to express their views in recent months. This valuable input will contribute to a more inclusive culture at Audubon as we move forward. Elizabeth will work closely with Jamaal Nelson, our new Chief Equity Diversity and Inclusion Officer to continue the equity, diversion, inclusion and belonging work which is a critical priority for the board.

Please refer any media inquiries you may receive to Lisa Hardaway, VP, Communications, 973-902-9298 

Thank you for everything you do for Audubon. 
 
Regards, 
Maggie 

—
Maggie Walker
Chair, National Audubon Society Board of Directors

Skimmer Island Restoration and Long Term Maintenance

David Curson, Audubon Mid-Atlantic’s Director of Conservation, will be meeting with the Secretary of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources to discuss the restoration and maintenance of Skimmer Island. Here is his letter to the Secretary.

Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio,

Department of Natural Resources,

580 Taylor Avenue,

Annapolis, MD 21401

By e-mail

Dear Secretary Haddaway-Riccio,

I am writing to you to request action by Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in

support of rebuilding and maintaining Skimmer Island, a historically important island for

colonial waterbirds in Isle of Wight Bay at Ocean City, using sand dredged from the Ocean City

inlet by US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

In recent decades Skimmer Island, managed by DNR as part of the Sinepuxent Bay Wildlife

Management Area, has been one of the most important islands in the Maryland Coastal Bays for

colonial waterbirds, including three species, Black Skimmer, Royal Tern, and Common Tern,

that are now listed as endangered under the Maryland Endangered Species Act (COMAR

03.08.03). These rare and declining species require undisturbed beach habitat in order to nest and

raise young successfully. Skimmer Island declined in size through the 2000s due to erosion, and,

in response, DNR created a private-state partnership which rebuilt the island through sand

nourishment from 2011 to 2104.

Skimmer Island has not been nourished with sand since 2014 and has quickly eroded away. The

last remnant of sand above the high tide line finally disappeared in Fall 2020. For the past three

years no skimmers or terns have been able to successfully nest on the island. As detailed in

Audubon’s Maryland Coastal Bays Colonial Waterbird and Island Report 2019 (see attached),

many other islands in the Coastal Bays are suffering a similar fate, and islands are not naturally

reforming in new locations as they once did from sand deposition. As a result, colonial waterbird

populations are rapidly declining throughout the Coastal Bays, and Black Skimmer and Royal

Tern are on the point of being extirpated as breeding species from Maryland. The situation is

urgent.

Other conservation priorities, in addition to birds, would benefit from the rebuilding of Skimmer

Island. In recent decades the island has been an important horseshoe crab spawning area,

supporting 60% of the Coastal Bays’ breeding population of horseshoe crabs.

This year an opportunity exists to resume the process of nourishing Skimmer Island with dredged

sand in order to return it to its former status as Maryland’s preeminent nesting site for Black

Skimmers and Royal Terns. USACE is currently completing a study of options for the maintenance dredging of the Ocean City inlet and the use of the dredged sand it will yield. We

understand that USACE is seeking a sponsor for the placement of sand on Skimmer Island,

which would meet one of the stated objectives of restoring the Coastal Bays ecosystem in its

1998 Ocean City Water Resources Study. Sand placement on Skimmer Island would also help

DNR realize its obligation to manage populations of endangered colonial waterbirds, and to keep

these species from requiring Federal Endangered Species listing.

We understand that the maintenance and management of Skimmer Island as a nesting site for

endangered terns and skimmers is an ongoing process, requiring a long-term commitment across

future dredging cycles. The island, like most other islands in the Coastal Bays, will continue to

erode, and the only way to ensure that Black Skimmers and Royal Terns remain an essential part

of Maryland’s avian biodiversity is to establish an inter-agency arrangement that integrates

island maintenance with USACE dredging operations.

Audubon would fully support DNR acting as sponsor for the placement of dredged sand on

Skimmer Island at the next opportunity, and this conservation action would be extremely popular

with our network of 35,500 members in Maryland, who care deeply about our state’s wildlife

and the natural areas on which it depends. Beyond the membership of our own organization, it is

estimated that 20% of Maryland’s population consider themselves birdwatchers. Wildlife

watchers in Maryland spend more than $483 million annually on equipment and travel-related

expenses. The Sinepuxent Bay Wildlife Management Area is a tremendous draw because the

birds that nest along Maryland’s Atlantic coast are not common in other regions of our State. To

Ocean City’s 8 million annual vacationers, skimmers’ and terns’ buoyant flight, loud calls, and

dramatic fishing behavior are the avian icons of Ocean City summers.

In 2009, we hosted an event in Ocean City to dedicate the Maryland Coastal Bays as an

Important Bird Area, on account of the colonial waterbird populations the ecosystem supports.

We are proud of the excellent job that DNR does in protecting and managing Maryland’s

wildlife and other natural resources, and urge DNR to partner with USACE in sponsoring the

placement of dredged sand on Skimmer Island this year and through future dredging cycles. We

believe it is critically important that such an arrangement comes about, and would be happy to

meet with you and staff from the Army Corps’ Baltimore District to discuss how we can advance

this important bird conservation action.

Sincerely,

David Curson, Ph.D

Director of Bird Conservation (Maryland)

Cc: Suzanne Biemiller, Executive Director, Audubon Mid-Atlantic

Virginia Prohibits "Incidental Take" of our birds

Steve Holmer, Vice President of Policy of the American Bird Conservancy reports: “After hearing from hundreds of bird advocates like you, Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources approved a groundbreaking regulation this week that will help protect migratory birds. 

The approved regulation aims to reduce loss of migratory birds from “incidental take” ― the unintended but predictable killing of birds by industrial activities. It would provide clarity on the circumstances under which incidental take is allowed, requiring the use of established best practices to reduce impacts.

The new system will be the first of its kind in the country, and will provide a much-needed model for other states to follow. It’s a straightforward, commonsense approach that works for industry and birds alike.

Implementation will begin on July 1st of this year, marking a milestone for migratory bird protection. We (the American Bird Conservancy) applaud the Commonwealth for leading the way on this incredibly important issue.

Patuxent Research Center Merges with Leetown Science Center

The U.S. Geological Survey recently announced completion of the merger between the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC) and Leetown Science Center (LSC). The combined center’s name is the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC).

The PWRC and LSC each had a rich history of contributing to the conservation and management of the nation’s fish and wildlife resources dating back to the 1930s. The EESC will continue the world-class science that was conducted at the LSC and PWRC by combining expertise on fish and wildlife, population dynamics, ecological patterns and processes, animal health diagnostics, and quantitative methods and decision science into a single center.  

“While the missions and names of PWRC and LSC have changed over time, their identities were based on the quality of their science and scientists,” said Tom O’Connell, center director of the EESC. “This will not change under the EESC name. In fact, I know the hard work and dedication of EESC staff will continue building on the rich history of the predecessor centers.” 

The EESC is now the largest of USGS’s 15 ecosystem science centers. The vision of the EESC is to be recognized as a world leader in fish, wildlife and associated ecosystem science through scientific excellence and responsiveness to society’s needs. Through its comprehensive scientific expertise, the EESC is well-positioned to address increasingly complex ecosystem-level management challenges natural resource managers are facing to conserve, manage, and restore fish and wildlife. 

The driving force behind merging the centers was to achieve scientific excellence and financial sustainability. The reorganization of the two centers into the EESC enables more funding to go toward the center’s scientific research as well as partner development activities by significantly reducing management and administrative costs. Increased partner engagement is a priority of EESC to ensure the center’s science investments are aligned with the highest priorities of partners responsible for the conservation and management of our nation’s fish and wildlife resources for generations of today and tomorrow.  

“Strong partnerships are an essential ingredient to the success of a USGS science center,” said O’Connell. “Our team’s commitment to understanding and being responsive to the science needs of partners will contribute to the EESC’s overall financial viability and scientific excellence.” 

Most EESC team members are located in the Eastern U.S. at the center’s three owned facilities, retaining their existing duty stations, with additional team members co-located at other partner offices or labs. Recognizing the value employees and partners placed on preserving a part of the center’s history, the EESC’s three site locations will be referred to as the Eastern Ecological Science Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, Maryland; Leetown Research Laboratory in Kearneysville, West Virginia; and S.O. Conte Research Laboratory in Turners Falls, Massachusetts. 

For questions and/or additional information, please contact Tom O’Connell, Center Director, EESC at toconnell@usgs.gov or 304-620-3759, or Andrea Ostroff, Deputy Center Director at aostroff@usgs.gov or 703-338-2544. 

Biden Administration to rescind misinterpretation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act

From National Audubon: – The Department of the Interior announced today (March 8, 2021) that it will rescind the “M-Opinion” and legal directive implemented by the Trump administration which a federal court struck down last year. The administration also announced that while the final rule gutting critical MBTA protections goes into effect today, it will soon announce a new rulemaking process that could reinstate and strengthen those important provisions of the law.

The change by the Trump administration centered on the enforcement of “incidental take.” It attempted to limit the MBTA’s protection only to activities that purposefully kill birds, exempting all industrial hazards from enforcement. Any “incidental” death—no matter how inevitable, avoidable or devastating to birds—became immune from enforcement under the law. If this change had been in place in 2010, BP would have faced no consequences under the MBTA for the more than one million birds killed in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

“Today’s announcement sends an important signal that the administration will move to reinstate protections for migratory birds,” said Sarah Greenberger, senior vice president for conservation policy, National Audubon Society. “The moves announced by the Department of the Interior create a critical opportunity to strengthen the century-old law for the future. “We hope to see the administration use this new rulemaking process to add a reasonable permitting process to manage incidental take,” said Greenberger. “A permitting program is a common-sense approach to clarifying these longstanding protections and providing the certainty industry wants.”

“While it is disappointing that the Trump administration moved to finalize this unlawful rule, we’re confident that the Biden administration’s actions and the several other efforts underway will bring these protections back,” said Greenberger. “Birds are telling us they are in trouble and we are running out of time to act.”

The National Audubon Society and several other conservation organizations filed a federal lawsuit in January in the Southern District of New York challenging the Trump administration’s final rule and we will continue to pursue that challenge in an effort to void the illegal final rule. In August of 2020, in response to a previous lawsuit filed by Audubon, other organizations, and states, the Southern District ruled that the administration’s 2017 Solicitor’s Opinion did not align with the intent and language of the 100-year-old law, and overturned the policy.

“This lawsuit is necessary to challenge a plainly illegal policy and pursuing it could help shorten the amount of time the final rule is in place,” said Greenberger. “We also hope to see Congress pass the Migratory Bird Protection Act to clarify these longstanding protections and authorize this common-sense approach.”

The Migratory Bird Protection Act was passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee in the 116th Congress and had a bipartisan group of more than 90 co-sponsors. The bill would secure protections for birds and direct the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to develop a permitting process for “incidental take” through which relevant businesses would implement best management practices and document compliance, further driving innovation in how to best prevent bird deaths. It would need to be reintroduced in this Congress in order to be considered again.

Audubon Maryland-D.C. Merges with Audubon Pennsylvania

The National Audubon Society has merged Audubon Pennsylvania and Audubon Maryland-DC into a new entity called Audubon Mid-Atlantic.  Its executive director is Suzanne Biemiller, who will also hold the title of vice-president at the National Audubon Society.  Ms Biemiller commenced her services February 15, 2021.

Suzanne brings two decades of experience in the philanthropic, non-profit, and government sectors to Audubon. She founded the policy-focused consulting firm Highland Strategies and had a notable tenure in former Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter’s administration as First Deputy Chief of Staff for the City of Philadelphia. Among her many notable achievements, she helped spearhead the creation of and wrote Greenworks Philadelphia, which united the city’s sustainability work and became the catalyst for Philadelphia’s innovative sustainability efforts. She also served as senior program officer at The Pew Charitable Trusts, where she developed, advanced and oversaw local and national civic initiatives, including the Philadelphia Research and Policy Initiative and the restoration and renewal of the Fairmount Water Works and the National Park Service’s Benjamin Franklin Museum.

In the coming weeks, she will take on the task of uniting a robust grassroots network of 26 local chapters and more than 150,000 members as advocates for Mid-Atlantic birds. Audubon Mid-Atlantic will continue to champion community-based initiatives, partnerships, and Bird-friendly Community programs in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, D.C., including at Audubon’s nature centers like The Discovery Center in Philadelphia and the Patterson Park Audubon Center in Baltimore. After the integration of these entities, National Audubon anticipates consolidating other state and local chapters in Audubon Mid-Atlantic.

This merger has already been beneficial to Prince George’s Audubon Society.  Mid-Atlantic has assigned Amy Sobel as a chapter coordinator.  Thanks to her efforts our chapter has been able to coordinate its activities with other chapters, and shared best practices information with other chapters.  Prince George’s Audubon Society Looks forward to continuing its relationship with the region.  As of the posting of this notice, no decision has been made as to its representation on the Mid-Atlantic board of directors.