* * * Ice Cream Social meeting on Monday, September 19th.
>
> It is time, once again, to resume our regular schedule of monthly
> meetings of the Handlan Chapter of the Brooks Bird Club. Each September
> we kick things off with an informal gathering at Coonskin Park in
> Charleston. We'll have ice cream, brownies and a few other treats for
> refreshments and we can catch up on event s from the summer.
>
> Since it is now getting dark earlier, this gathering will begin at
> 6:00 PM on Monday evening. We meet in the picnic shelters at the end of
> the Woodland Loop in the upper area at Coonskin Park. After entering
> the park, take the first road to the right to go to the upper level.
> Follow this road until you get to the Woodland Loop and keep going until
> you see us gathered at a shelter off to the right.
>
>
> * * * Birds of Prey program - Blennerhassett Island
>
> On Saturday, September 17, 2011, Three Rivers Avian Center will present
> a program entitled "Wings Of Wonder: West Virginia Birds of Prey" at
> Blennerhassett Island State Park. The program features live birds of
> prey including owls, hawks, a peregrine falcon and a young bald eagle
> and it will begin at 1:30 PM.
>
> For more information, follow this link:
> http://www.wv.gov/news/Pages/BlennerhassettIslandhostsBirdsofPreyprogramSeptember17.aspx
>
> or contact Pam Salisbury at 304-420-4800
>
>
> * * * Dinosaur Feathers?
>
> Researchers have combed through existing collections of fossil amber
> and discovered many examples of feathers and protofeathers dating from
> the Late Cretaceous period. This discovery supports the theory that
> bird feathers evolved from reptiles in the dinosaur era, with finds of
> wispy scales and proto-feathers showing different stages of evolutionary
> development.
>
> http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/09/dinosaur-feathers-found-in-amber-reinforce-evolution-theories/245094/
>
> Red-breasted sauropod, anyone? Great Banded Theropod, perhaps?
>
>
> * * * It is Dues Time
>
> Our intrepid Treasurer, Connie Bergmark, asks to remind everyone that,
> with the fall season, so begins a new dues year. Please get your dues
> in to Connie soon so that we continue to offer programs and materials to
> support birding in our area. Thank you.