Vol 53, 2001 - Northern State University

..~PRESIDENT'S PAGEI had such a blast at last spring'sSDOU spring meeting in Martin,South Dakota, that I pleaded withRobb Schenck to allow me to writethis issue's President's Page. Muchto my surprise, he acquiesced to myrequest. Our meetings are really avery special aspect of the South DakotaOrnithologists' Union, yetsometimes I don't think we "strut ourstuff' sufficiently to attract potentialrecruits to our organization.I tend to be a solitary birder. Yet,during the Martin meeting, birdingwith a group certainly did haveadvantages. I doubt I would havefound the gorgeous Cassin'sKingbird discovered by Jay Carlisleand others, a hillside away. Norwould I have seen Eric Liknes' male Bay-breasted Warbler, one of only ahandful seen west of the Missouri River. Perhaps more importantly, I would nothave enjoyed the fellowship, identification tips, and tales told to me by my compamons.About the only problem with the spring meeting is that sometimes beginningbirders feel somewhat left out, if all the SDOU regulars are reveling in theirfellowship and running this way and that, identifying feathered creatures that theneophyte can hardly glimpse. I am not sure I have the definitive answer to thisthis problem, except to say that an SDOU meeting is no place to be shy. Jumpinto the action, ask for help--none of us intends to be imperious, and we allwelcome new birders and ideas for improvement. Addison Ball, relatively new toSDOU, made the marvelous suggestion of supplying all field trip vehicles withportable radios. Now even the last car in line will know what to look for, or, atleast, that the line of cars is in the process of coming to a screeching stop.Fall meetings, with their focus on paper sessions, have historically been a littlemore intimidating for the general birder. This trepidation is a mistake. Howare birds reacting to last year's Black Hills fires? Do migrants across our statedepend equally on Missouri River woodlands and farm windbreaks? What sizegrassland is required to maintain our breeding grassland birds? All of thesequestions and many more have been explored during fall meetings. Recently,with the advent of fall birding trips, as well as meeting sessions, fall meetingsSOUTHDAKOTABIRDNOTES53(3):43SEPTEMBER2001