Robert “Rollo” Meehan, president of the Wallenpaupack Bird Watchers Club, recently unveiled his new Paupack “Birdmobile.” 
Honorary bird club members Brian McAndrew and Bill Ciccotti discuss migratory shifts in pattern with Rollo, at left. 
Bob-O McDougal started to say how much money Rollo put into the “Birdmobile”, but Mister Meehan stopped him. “Quiet Bobby. Perrett doesn’t know how much this van cost us.”
By Bill Coccotti
Dunmore native, Robert, “Rollo” Meehan, president of the Wallenpaupack Bird Watching Club, recently unveiled his new fowl tracking van.
Rollo has created a masterful state-of-the-art bird locating and tracking mobile command center in his retooled van. It is complete with voice recognition sensors, located along top of the Birdmobile, for all North American songbirds. Computer screens can track location and pinpoint clusters. Advanced optical cameras then transfer those images to laptops and then Rob can send copies all over the world to other Ornithologists.
Senior secretary Bob “Bob-O” McDougal told us, “This cuts down recording time documentation and cancels migratory error by 78%.”
They have recently spotted the rare Antioquia Brush Finch. Quite an accomplishment. Bob-o explained, “We haven’t seen that species since 1970, when we were driving home late one weekend from Kirkwood.” Rollo agreed, “It’s like it flew out of a time portal or something.”
Bob-O added, “That night Rollo almost crashed the car on 81.” Rollo disagreed, “That’s because you pulled the wheel.” Bob-O became adamant, “No. It was Eddie who pulled the wheel. And if he didn’t, you would have rolled us off the road.” Rollo smiled at that fond memory. The boys made many trips to Kirkwood in the early 70s.
Later that night, Dunmore natives, Brian McAndrew and myself were honorarily inducted into the bird club. Rollo explained migratory paths of swallows in relation to the global warming climate changes in the Gulf Stream.
He confided, “Lake Genaro and around the Erdman, you see a lot of strange birds.”
Bill told Brian, “I have no idea what he’s talking about.” Brian replied, “The only bird I know is a roadrunner. I had one in high school.”
The ornithologists also discussed many of the feathered friends’ songs Mister McDougal had recorded.
Bob-O said how much he loves the Elf Owl’s warble. “By far that chirp is the very best,” adding, “I have one in my cooler. A stuffed example that is.”
Rollo rolled his eyes, “That’s a Ferruginous Pigmy Owl. Not an Elf Owl.” Rollo then played me both recordings. Truth be told, I couldn’t tell the difference.
One thing is for sure, the recorded sound on Rollo’s Bose 2.10 G sub-woofer sound system is truly operatic indeed. In fact, Rollo can imitate quite a few of those wobblers himself. Birdwatching is in his blood and it has now been carried to a whole new level. A bird in the hand, (or in Rollo’s words, “The Van”) is worth two in the bush.