Dear Friends and Fellow IOS Members,
At the beginning of the year, I wrote to you that Meadowlark publishing would be temporarily suspended due to the resignation of our chief editor, Sheryl DeVore, along with field notes editors, David Johnson and Steve Bailey. Sheryl, David, and Steve were longtime volunteers with the Illinois Ornithological Society (IOS) and we wouldn’t be where we are today without their leadership, dedication, and considerable efforts. If you were to open the very first issue of Meadowlark published in 1992, you would find Sheryl’s and David’s names inside. Over the next 25 years, each played a significant role in not only producing this magazine, but driving IOS forward. For this, we are eternally grateful. We thank them for their many years of service and will miss them greatly.
I also mentioned in that same letter that, if we’d like to see this journal continue, we needed to recruit and assemble a new staff of invigorated volunteers. To that end, the board and I searched for, identified, and brought on several fresh faces including Jill Anderson and Matt Hayes. Jill has been a long time supporter of the IOS grants program and has previously contributed articles to Meadowlark. We welcome her as the new fall field notes editor. Prior to joining IOS, Matt Hayes served as Wisconsin Society of Ornithology’s Research Committee Chair. We welcome Matt as the new breeding season field notes editor. Finally, we selected Eric Secker as our new chief editor. Eric brings a wealth of talent and experience to our staff as a designer in both print and digital media. We couldn’t be more excited to have all of them on board.
Our goal has always been to produce an engaging quarterly magazine, documenting the status of birds and birding in the state of Illinois while highlighting your seasonal field notes, photos, and original drawings, as well as technical papers on local avian studies. Over the past few years, the IOS Board and I realize that we have fallen woefully behind in our obligation to publish on time. To rectify the situation, our newly assembled staff have put together an aggressive plan to get caught up. Arriving soon is the first of several issues in support of that effort. In addition, we have completely redesigned Meadowlark’s look and feel. We think you’ll like what you see and read not only in the first issue, but future issues coming soon.
Now, more than ever, we need your support to continue not only Meadowlark, but also our many valuable programs – Illinois Young Birders, Research Grants, and our one of a kind field trips. Help us achieve our goals in bringing IOS all the way back. We want you as an active participating member. Why not renew your membership today?
Matthew Cvetas
IOS President
Greetings birders,
For those who don’t know me, my name is Eric Secker and I am the new chief editor and designer for Meadowlark magazine. I’m excited to announce that we are getting back on track and quickly working through back issues to get caught up to 2019. This week, the first catch-up double issue of Meadowlark will begin arriving in the mail to both current members and individuals with memberships that lapsed during the time there were delays in production. In addition to getting caught up, I’m very excited to share that future Meadowlark issues will be in full color with photos filling more to the edges of the pages and a new expanded size magazine format. I can’t wait to share the first few issues with you.
If you aren’t already a member of IOS or have let your membership lapse, now is an excellent time to join again so you don’t miss out on what’s to come. Also, I need your help through your contributions and the contributions of many other volunteers. Together, let’s make Meadowlark the Illinois birding journal for showcasing the sightings, stories, data, and research going on in the Illinois birding community. If you have questions, comments or feedback, or want to volunteer, please reach out to me. You can learn more on the Meadowlark Journal Info page.
Here’s to all the exciting things ahead!
Eric Secker
Chief Editor
IOS Meadowlark Magazine