FALL 2015
THE CORNERSTONE OF THE POCONOS
NOTICE: The Township Office will be closed on the following days: Columbus Day - Oct. 12th • Veteran’s Day - Nov. 11th • Thanksgiving - Nov. 26th & 27th
Birds At The Smith-Harken Community Garden In flight, described as “bull bat,” the birds have prominent white patches near the tips of their wings. Male birds voice piercing, repeatedly, then plunge toward the earth, breaking with booming non-vocal hoooom. These transients may stop to rest at the garden for a while but will continue to winter at sites further to the south. The migrants that stop at the garden to spend the winter are called winter residents. A vagrant in the vicinity of the garden is a bird that appears way from its normal range. A recent vagrant Northern Shrike, also known as “butcher bird” because it hangs its prey on hooks or barbs, appeared in winter on the hill above the garden.
If you enjoy bird watching, you stand in good company. The U.S. Forest Service 2011 survey estimated that 82 million of us, people in the United States are bird watchers - we who enjoy birds and take the time to look at them. A survey of the American Birding Association members, those who are our most avid and travel-minded birders, noted that 82 percent said that they feed birds in their yard for no other reason than the pleasure it brings. The Smith-Harken community garden offers birds what they need: food, water, shelter, and a place to rear their young. At the garden bird life changes through the year. To better understand why birds at the garden vary during the year requires an appreciation of their distribution. Some birds, called permanent residents, live at the garden year-round. During spring waves of migrants wing their way north and stop off to breed at the garden and are called summer residents.
Those migrants that stop at the garden for a while then wing their way north are called transients. During mid-August, area birds gather in flocks to being their fall migration. Notable among the mid-August are Common Nighthawks whose display is one of the marvels of summer evenings over Delaware Township.
What follows is a list and description of birds appearing at the Smith-Harken Garden this summer:
Eastern Bluebird: naturalist John Burroughs referred to it as: “The bird that carries the (Continued on Page 16)
IN THIS ISSUE DAILY LIVING
Delaware Twp. Trunk or Treat
Take Action Now to Keep Your Family
Emergency Management - Introduction and Insights
Board of Supervisors Meetings
11
Planning Commission Meetings
11
LEGISLATURE
Board of Auditors Meetings
11
News for Constituents from
Bulk Dump Disposal Dates
11
Connected During a Disaster
6
2
Abandonment of Vehicles Within the Township
4
A Message from the Tax Collector
4
New School Year Brings Students, School Buses Back to Roads
DAILY LIVING
5
Kids Korner & Information for Seniors — Page 12
10
Senator Lisa Baker
14
MEETINGS & EVENTS Harvest Fest at Akenac
10
PARKS & REC Engaging Your Strong Mind is Awesome
13
Praises for Akenac Lake
15
DIG DELAWARE
PARKS & REC
How the Community Garden Got It’s Name — Page 8
Fun at Akenac! — Page 18
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