january 2008 wingbars newsletter atlanta audubon society
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/9/2019 January 2008 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
1/12
ATLANTAAUDUBON SOCI
Box 29189Atlanta, GA 303
www.atlantaaudubon
AAS OFFICEand Information
770.913.051
GOS RARE BIRD AL
770.493.886
January 2008
Volume XXXIV, Issue 1 ATLANTA AUDUBON SOCIETY
I N S I D
Presidents Perch..........
From the Exec Dir.........
Field Notes....................
Field Trips......................
Georgia IBA...................
AT&T Tech Grant ...........
Centennial Collection....Spotlight Dave Butler ...
Volunteer Opps..............
A Million Thanks............
Bird Songs Workshop ....
Shorebirds Workshop.....
Classifieds....................
GAs Protected Birds.....
Membership..................Youth Birding .................
UPCOMING SPEAKER SERIESPresentation on Saving the Hemlock TreesSunday, January 20 at 3 PM Pike Family Nurseries Corporate Support Center
Have you ever hiked or birded in the north Georgiamountains where Eastern Hemlock branches drapeover the trails and streams? Have you listened to orwatched Blackburnian Warblers foraging in thehemlock treetops? Perhaps you have fished in a coldmountain stream where hemlocks andrhododendrons are your companions. Then youneed to come to the enlightening program on whatis being done to eradicate the Hemlock Woolly
Adelgid HWA (Adelges tsugae), an insect that hasinfested hemlocks all along the eastern UnitedStates and is quickly decimating our forests. It isnow prevalent in north Georgia.
The adelgid is a small black insect that attaches tothe underside of hemlock twigs, where it remains
and feeds. As the insect develops, it secretes the characteristic white wax that gives the bug itsname. A mature infestation of adelgids looks like small cotton balls have been pasted to theunderside of the twigs. The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid attacks both the Eastern Hemlock (Tsugacanadensis) and Carolina Hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana) and is capable of severely weakeningand killing its host plants. Our hemlocks are a major component along streams. Losing thetrees to HWA could mean a rise in water temperature and potential harm to aquatic life,especially in trout streams.
A variety of management techniques, such as biological, chemical, cultural and silviculturalcontrol reduce the populations to less damaging levels. Unlike chemical control, biologicalcontrol is a long-term, permanent strategy to managing HWA throughout the infestation. One ofthe most promising biological control agents against HWA is a small, oval, sesame seed-sized,black lady beetle from Japan that is approximately 1/20 inch in length and is nicknamedSassie, which is short for Sasajiscymnus tsugae. Both the beetle adults and larva are highlymobile and feed on all HWA stages.
Sasajiscymnus lady beetle biological control agent on
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Beetle
Credit: GSMNP Resource Management Archives,
National Park Service, www.insectimages.org
Romancing the BirdsBy Art Hurt
Okay, lets see, five Mourning Warblers, 22 Canadas, Blackburnians,lots of Swainsons Thrushes, Yellow Warblers, a Cerulean Warbler, andBaltimore and Orchard Orioles what great fall migration birding! Red-eyed Vireos, two species of honeycreepers, Squirrel Cuckoos, fiveSilver-throated Tanagers wait a minute! Where were we? Some ofthese birds seem positively tropical. Yes, we were seeing fall migrationbirds, but also toucans, trogons, manakins and dozens of species ofcolorful tanagers and hummingbirds. Oh yeah, we were in Panama.
The Isthmus of Panama is a choke point for birds bound for SouthAmerica. It is a smorgasbord for these migratory flyers, as well ashome for several hundred tropical resident species, such as Lance-tailed Manakin, Olivaceous Flatbill, Bicolored Antbird, Tody Motmot,etc. It is a spectacular show for birders to savor and enjoy, and the Panamanians made it easy for us.
continued on Page 6
continued on Page 6
AAS Panama group, Fall 2007, from left to
right; Art Hurt, Lisa Hurt, Larry Stephens,
Rowena Stephens, Patti Davis, Libby Reid,
Ellen Miller and guide, Tino
Photo by Art Hurt
-
8/9/2019 January 2008 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
2/12
Welcome to Atlanta Audubon 2008, a new year ofbirding, and a new year of making a differencefor the sake of the birds we love. I hope you hada good year last year and saw lots of wonderfulbirds!
Its been a year since I wrote my first PresidentsPerch and suggested some ways you and I canmake a difference. So what did you do this pastyear to contribute to birds?
The beginning of each year is a good time toreflect on the previous year and make plans forthe year to come. Id like to challenge you tothink about your contribution to birds and theirsurvival in 2007 and resolve to do more in 2008.There are multitudes of ways in which you canhelp. Because birds really do matter! Here aresome specific actions you can take:
Buy a Duck Stamp. Officially called FederalMigratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stampsand administered by the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService, duck stamps have generated more than$700 million that has been used to protect 5.2million acres of wetland habitat. Duck stampscost $15, with ninety-eight cents of every dollargoing directly toward the purchase or lease ofwetland habitat. And, as an added bonus, yourduck stamp serves as your entrance pass tonational wildlife refuges for the current year.Called one of the most successful conservationprograms ever initiated, what could be a moreinexpensive, easy and effective way to help awide variety of birds?
Support Bird Related Organizations of YourChoice. Since you are receiving this newsletter,you have chosen to join and support theprograms of Atlanta Audubon Society. Thankyou! Atlanta Audubon, as well as otherorganizations, advocates for reasonable andresponsible laws and regulations affecting birdsand their habitats, takes great pride in educatingchildren and adults about birds, and supports on-the-ground conservation efforts. Your support isabsolutely vital in enabling AAS and otherorganizations to continue working for the
protection, understanding and enjoyment ofbirds.
Participate in Citizen Science Projects.
There are numerous opportunities to participatin citizen science projects that produce vitalinformation concerning birds, their habits,distribution and needs. Many of these projectsare coordinated and supported by Audubon, theCornell Laboratory of Ornithology, and/or stateand federal governments. A sampling of projectinclude Project Feeder Watch, The GreatBackyard Bird Count, Christmas Bird Counts,Breeding Bird Surveys, etc., etc., etc. You canparticipate in projects such as these alone orwith friends. What a great way to have fun, seesome birds, and add to the knowledge needed tprotect and understand the birds we all love.
Volunteer Your Time.Atlanta Audubon, as weas other bird related organizations, has volunteeneeds in every area. You can do anything fromproviding office support, to developing andconducting educational programs for children, tleading bird walks, to organizing events, to beina political advocate, to participating inconservation efforts, and on and on. This is anarea where anyone and everyone can make adifference using your special talents, skills andexperience while donating as much or as little oyour time as you want. What a deal!
Make Your Yard Bird Friendly. Plant trees anshrubs that provide food and shelter to birds, anuse feeders and water features wisely and safelyto attract birds. Remember Atlanta Audubon hapeople who can offer advice through the WildlifSanctuary Program. Contact Jacqueline McRae,[email protected] for moreinformation.
To our new members,Welcome! To ourmembers of years past, I say Thank You for allthat you have done and continue to do and toeach of you I wish you a Happy and ProsperousNew Year and Good Birding.
Lets make 08 great!
Board of Directors2008
Executive Director Catharine Kuchar770.993.9579
President Ellen Miller404.355.8892
President-elect Allyson Read404.510.8281
[email protected] Deanna Helie
Recording Secy Mark Jernigan404.298.8825
Corresponding Secy Barbara Tarpley404.687.0079
DirectorsConservation Kelly Hopkins
Education Marge Igyarto678.398.0569
Field Trips Dave Butler404.580.3917
Membership Darlene Moore404.633.9361
CommunicationsBarbara Tarpley404.687.0079
Publicity Denese Van Dyne404.406.9324
Volunteers Nancy Hamilton404.874.2338
At Large
Jay Davis404.624.4973
Victor WilliamsEarthshare Representative
---
WebsiteJim Flynn
Wingbars EditorMary Ann Hindes 770.497.0664
Design & LayoutCopy Preparation 770.939.2002
Proofreading
Newsletter deadline is the first ofthe month for material to be
published the following month.Please submit articles as MS-Word to
[email protected] attachments, if possible.
Wingbars is the monthly newsletter of Atlanta
Audubon Society. We feature news, upcoming
events, meetings, field trips and projects. We
hope you will join us. Opinions expressed are
those of the authors and do not necessarily
eflect policies of the Atlanta Audubon Society.Mission Statement:
To promote the enjoyment and understanding of birds and to
conserve and restore the ecosystems that support them.
Presidents Perchby Ellen Miller
A New Year for Making a Difference
2 Atlanta Audubon Soci
-
8/9/2019 January 2008 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
3/12
It has been an incredibly busy time here for
the Atlanta Audubon Society as we work to
expand our education and conservationefforts throughout the region. We are very
much looking forward to 2008. Some of what
we are doing includes offering new and
exciting educational opportunities for both
young people and adults. On the
conservation front, we continue to broaden
our scope, including adding new on-the-
ground conservation projects in various
areas around metro Atlanta. These are the
things you will be reading about throughout
2008.
On the administrative side of theorganization and behind the scenes, we are
updating and changing some of the ways we
are doing things. As youll read about in the
article on the grant from AT&T, we are
creating online giving, setting up a system to
take credit cards and bringing in a new Web-
based data management system.
One big decision that was made this past fall
was to change our membership plan for the
organization. This new plan came out of the
question we asked ourselves over and over
again, How can we be the best possiblestewards of the donations that we receive
from our members and from other
contributors? When we thought about this
question, we realized that we needed to work
to enhance our efficiency and build
membership capacity. We were spending a
lot of time on the administration of our
membership program. Each month we were
sending reminders and dues notices, sending
thank you notes, updating the database, and
so on. It was taking a lot of time that could
be better spent on programs and services.
So, beginning in 2008, we will change over
from a year-round system of membership
renewals to an annualized system of
member renewals based on the calendar
year. This means that everyones membership
will expire at the same timeat the end of
December each year. The goal of this process
will be to reduce administrative work, take
better advantage of bulk mail rates, improve
our membership renewal rates, and increase
annual membership revenue. By converting
to this system, we will save a tremendousamount of time and administrative expenses,
and everyone will be on the same
membership expiration cycle. We believe it is
the responsible thing to do to be good
steward of your donations. We will work
toward moving everyone onto this new
system over the next several months. Some
of you have already heard from us about this
method of record keeping and have already
been integrated into the new system.
If at any time you have a concern about your
membership (whether it be about this newsystem, your information, etc.), we are
always available to answer your questions
and to update your information. As always,
we are here to serve you and to live up to our
mission to promote the enjoyment and
understanding of birds and to conserve and
restore the ecosystems that support them.
From the Executive Directorby Catharine Brockman Kuchar
New Changes on the Horizon
at Atlanta Audubon in 2008
January 2008 3
BackyardWildlife
Sanctuari
2008 Backyard Wild
Sanctuary Tour S
Selections
Do you know of a prop
around the metro Atlant
that you think is especia
done? One that provides
and other wildlife with s
food, water and nesting s
so, let us know. We are
early stages of selectin
sites for the 2008 Wil
Sanctuary Tour and w
appreciate our memb
recommendations. Pleas
your ideas to
jacqueline.mcrae@comc
Atlanta Audubon on theAnimal Hour radio show
On Tuesday, January 8, from 2 to 3 PM,you can hear The Animal Hour on AM1620. Atlanta Audubon Society is thefeatured guest, and Georgann Schmalz
and Catharine Kuchar will talkabout birds with host, Susie Aga.
Dont miss it.
Q:WhatspeciesrecentlydethronedtheArcticTernas
thebirdwiththelongestmigration?
Seepage___fortheanswerSee page 10 for answer
Q: What is thepreferred nesting treeof the Wood Stork?cottonwood, cypress,palm or sycamore?
-
8/9/2019 January 2008 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
4/12
ATLANTA AREA
VULTURES THROUGH KINGBIRDS SZ had two goodcounts of TURKEY VULTURES, with 375 on 28 Oct. atthe Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC) nearRoswell and 115 in Cobb Co. on 29 Oct. A very lateBLACK TERN was reported from Lake Acworth on19 Oct. by SP. Twenty-five SANDHILL CRANES wereseen at the CNC on 27 Oct. by KD and SZ. FiveCOMMON NIGHTHAWKS were still being seen atHenderson Park (HP) in DeKalb Co. on 7 Oct. (PMc).Single RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS were seen inLilburn on 1 Oct. (R&SK) and in the Buckhead areaon 22 Oct. by BL. A WESTERN KINGBIRD was a goodspot in Clayton Co. on 17 Oct. (CaL).
VIREOS THROUGH KINGLETS A WARBLING VIREOwas an excellent find at HP on 2 Oct. (HG). Therewere at least three sightings of PHILADELPHIAVIREOS, with single birds at HP on 6 Oct. (HG) andat the Chattahoochee River National RecreationArea (CRNRA) on 6 Oct. (AM) and on 12 Oct. (SS).Other than these sightings, VIREOS were ratherdifficult to find.The major flight of RED-BREASTEDNUTHATCHES continued, with more sightings than
can be listed separately. Needless to say, they seemto be everywhere. Just listen for a very nasalnuthatch call and you should be able to pish thebird into a rather close view. The CRNRA playedhost to a good number of wrens, with five SEDGEWRENS on 9 Oct. (BZ) and again on 15 Oct. (KBl)plus three MARSH WRENS also on 15 Oct. (KBl)being the most interesting counts. HG had a veryimpressive count of 55 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETSat HP on 21 Oct.
WARBLERS Normally most of our good counts ofWARBLERS come from Kennesaw Mountain, butthis year the best days seemed to be at HP. JF had25+ TENNESSEE WARBLERS there on 4 Oct. OneNASHVILLE WARBLER was at HP on 17 Oct. (HG),and single birds were seen at the CRNRA on 28 Oct.(TR) and 30 Oct. (DMo et al.). The best count of
MAGNOLIA WARBLERS was 12 at HP on 20 Oct.(HG). A possible MOURNING WARBLER was reportedfrom the CRNRA on 7 Oct. by AM. One WILSONSWARBLER was seen at HP from 4 Oct. through 25Oct. (m.ob.) but more than one bird could havebeen involved.At the CRNRA, BZ had two to threeWILSONS WARBLERS on 9 Oct.
SPARROWS THROUGH SISKINS All the followingSPARROW reports came from the Sparrow Fieldsat the CRNRA; a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW on 30Oct. (DMo et al.), a LARK SPARROW on 21 Oct. (fideLR), a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW on 30 Oct. (DMo etal.), a LECONTES SPARROW on 31 Oct. (ChL), and a
LINCOLNS SPARROW on 15 Oct. (KBl) and again on30 Oct. (DMo). The first PURPLE FINCHES were twoin Cherokee Co. on 31 Oct. (VD).The only PINESISKIN report came from North Fulton Co. on 31Oct. (AM).
GEORGIA AREA
DUCKS THROUGH SHOREBIRDS Evidence that thespecies continues to spread was a nice flock of 20BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS in theSavannah area on 3 Oct. (SW). SeventeenAMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were seen in theBrunswick area on 12 Oct. by JSe. An immatureWHITE IBIS was rather out of its normal range inGilmer Co. on 26 Oct. (TS, RK). TMc had a goodcount of 500 TURKEY VULTURES in the Macon areaon 27 Oct. Rather rare inland was a BLACK-BELLIEDPLOVER at West Point Dam on 19 Oct. (WC).
RAILS THROUGH SWIFTS JF had a good count ofseven VIRGINIA RAILS on the Floyd College campuson 5 Oct. Rather far from its normal range was aSANDHILL CRANE at the Phinizy Swamp in theAugusta area on 16 Oct. (LS). A first winterFRANKLINS GULL was a good find at Jekyll Island(JI) on 14 Oct. (CC) and perhaps the same bird on26 Oct. (PH). A WHITE-WINGED DOVE seen at MCshouse on JI on 26 Oct. continued the string ofsightings at this location over the past few years.
KBe reported a sizable flock of 1,500 CHIMNEYSWIFTS in the Athens area on 20 Oct.
GREEN-BREASTED MANGO Undoubtedly the birdof the month, if not the entire year, was animmature or female GREEN-BREASTED MANGO thatappeared at a Dublin feeder on 28 Oct. and wasbanded on 29 Oct. (fide EH). Although there areseveral (maybe 16) records of this species in southTexas, this is only the third outside that area (NorthCarolina and Wisconsin are the other two locations).Literally hundreds of birders came to view the bird,with some Canadian birders coming the greatest
distance. The bird was seen most regularly in thearly morning and then off and on during the resthe day. Excellent photos were taken of thisextremely rare visitor.
FLYCATCHERS THROUGH THRUSHES A lateYELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was seen at the
Standing Boy Wildlife Management Area on 14 O(WC). Other interesting FLYCATCHERS included aLEAST FLYCATCHER at Berry College on 5 Oct. (Ja female VERMILION FLYCATCHER at the EufaulaNWR on 21 Oct. (MM), and a WESTERN KINGBIREmmanuel Co. on 11 Oct. (fide JSe).There werefour separate reports of PHILADELPHIA VIREOS f6 Oct. through 14 Oct. (m.ob.). Generally COMMRAVENS are seen in small numbers in ourmountains, but RT had nine at Brasstown Bald oOct. CAVE SWALLOWS were reported from LittleSimons Island with two on 12 Oct. (JSe) and oneJekyll Island on 14 Oct. (fide JSe). RED-BREASTNUTHATCHES were reported from a number of
locations, showing that this years flight is one othe best weve ever had. WC had a decent pre-dawn THRUSH count at SBWMA on 7 Oct. with 1 VEERIES, 30 GRAY-CHEEKED, 200+ SWAINSONSand 20 WOOD THRUSHES.
WARBLERS THROUGH SISKINS One NASHVILLEWARBLER was seen at Arrowhead Lakes on 2 Oc(AS et al.). A MACGILLIVRAYS WARBLER wasbanded at Jekyll Island on 13 Oct. for a very rarerecord of that western species (fide AB). SingleWILSONS WARBLERS were reported from FloydCollege on 5 Oct. (JF) and from Jekyll Island on Oct. (AB).The Altamaha Waterfowl ManagementArea near Darien played host to CLAY-COLORED
SPARROWS, with one on 13 Oct. (fide LR) and twon 27 Oct. (PH). A LINCOLNS SPARROW was a gfind in Catoosa Co. on 28 Oct. (DH). There werenthat many reports of PINE SISKINS, but the largenumber was just three in the Rome area on 31 O(AS).
CONTRIBUTORS .Alan Ashley, Amy Barbe, SteveBarlow, Kelly Bettinger, Ken Blankenship, PatrickBrisse, Walt Chambers, Marjorie Clark, CameronCox, Vicki DeLoach, Kathryn Dudeck, Jim Flynn,Hugh Garrett, David Hollie, Earl Horn, Pierre HowRobert Kimsey, Rick and Sandy Krause, CarolLambert, Chris Lambrecht, Bill Lotz, Trey MccuenPatty McLean, Mark McShane, Jenny Michaels,
Darlene Moore, Peggy and Terry Moore, AdrienneMyles, Sandy Pangle, Tim Rose, Larry Russell, JeSewell, Steve Slayton, Lois Stacey, Ann Stewart,Tom Striker, Eran Tomer, Rusty Trump, SteveWagner, Bob and Deb Zaremba and StacyZarpentine.
Have an interesting bird to report? Contact TeMoore at [email protected].
October Field Notes by Terry Moorez
Except for one notable exception,
birding was rather dull during
the month as the weather
continued to be dry and hot with
little change. This meant that themigrants didnt bunch up very
much but rather just filtered through the state
in very small waves. The one notable exception
was the GREEN-BREASTED MANGO (a native of
Mexico and Central America primarily) that
appeared at a feeder in Dublin. For more
details, see the account below.
The Atlanta area recorded 147 species
(average = 152.4) to bring that year-to-date
list to 242 (average = 238.9). The Georgia area
had 244 species (average = 236.3) to bring
that year-to-date list to 331 (average = 324.4).
4 Atlanta Audubon Soci
-
8/9/2019 January 2008 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
5/12
Field TripsCompiled by Dave Butler
January 2008 5
Field trips are open to the public and free (unless otherwise noted).We welcome everyone from beginners to advanced birders!
Please check the Atlanta Audubon Website (www.atlantaaudubon.org)for the January field trips.
The Georgia Important Bird Areas:State, Continental or Global IBA?
By Mary Elfner, Georgia IBA Coordinator
The great state of Georgia, largest east of theMississippi River, has 49 IBAs to date, withpotentially many more to be nominated andrecognized. Currently, our 49 IBAs representmore than two million acres of prime birdhabitat. All of our sites are recognized as StateIBAs, meaning theyve been voted on andaccepted by the Georgia IBA technical committee
under state criteria.Three of our sites are now before the NationalIBA technical committee, hopefully to becomeGlobal IBAs: Little Tybee State Natural Area, theAltamaha River Delta and Cumberland Island.What sets these three sites apart from the rest?The right birds in the right numbers: High-priority species such as the Piping Plover ingroups of 30 or more individuals have triggeredthe consideration of these coastal IBAs forGlobal IBA status. The winter waterbird survey isthe annual count that helps us to have a good
data source for the barrier islands.As with many wildlife conservation programs,good data are key. Other sites in Georgiacertainly deserve Global, or perhaps Continental,IBA status. One of the species that triggerspotential Continental IBA status is the AmericanOystercatcher (60 or more individuals on a siteat one time). The only way well have a state IBA
elevated to continental or global status, however, is to have regular species counts and to have this data enterednto a known, accepted database. The Georgia IBA program collects data in one to two primary ways:submission to the IBA data coordinator, Judy Yuknavech, or to eBird (www.ebird.org). As we all know, datacollection is time-consuming. If you are interested in supporting the Georgia IBA program and our efforts toconserve birds and their habitat in Georgia, you may make a donation to Atlanta Audubon Society and designate
t for the IBA program by writing For the Georgia IBA program in the memo line.BirdLife International initiated the IBA concept in the 1980s, and now IBAs are active in nearly 170 countries andmore than 7,500 identified sites. As the U.S. Partner of BirdLife, Audubon has identified more than 2,100 IBAs inhe United States, covering some 220 million acres. The goal is 3,000 IBAs, approximately 15 percent of the
United States, or roughly 350 million acres. It is expected that out of the state-level IBAs, 1,500 sites,encompassing 10 percent or 250 million acres, will be significant at the continental level, and 800 sites will besignificant at the global level, or approximately 7 percent of the United States, some 160 million acres. To date,Audubon has recognized 98 IBAs as globally significant and five as continentally significant.
For more information about the Georgia Important Bird Areas program, contact Mary Elfner [email protected].
Ch
This Webs
Whether the subject iWood Storks or swampinks, right whales orsandhills, Georgia's vof nongame creaturesnatural habitats is thefocus of a new, free enewsletter that will ofa quick way to stayup-to-date on the worthe Nongame Conserv
Section of Georgia DNTo sign up, go tohttp://www.georgiawicom/content/displaynion.asp?TopCategory
Defor Barnsley & Ec
Scholarships iFebruary 15, 20
Scholarship coveup to $500 in airfare
the cost of camp
See December 2007Wingbars or e-mgiebel@bellsouth.
or go towww.atlantaaudubo
-
8/9/2019 January 2008 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
6/126 Atlanta Audubon Soci
Atlanta Audubon Society is proud to announce that it was awarded a grant through the AT&TFoundation and its Excelerator Competitive Technology Grants program. The grant will support addition of upgraded technology providing downloadable educational materials, as well as enablonline giving and registration and improving donor management and fundraising capabilities.
Through the grant, Atlanta Audubon will be putting into place new membership managementsoftware, which will allow us to do executive reporting with automatic generating of reports and
more streamlined capabilities to do mailings, etc. The grant has also helped us set up a system totake credit cards, which is now officially in place. In the coming months, we will also establish ameans to allow our members to join and make online donations. By mid-2008, with the help of thAT&T grant, we hope to provide online registration for events.
The grant was part of AT&Ts $9 million in technology grants awarded this fall to hundreds ofnonprofit organizations around the country. "Technology is making a huge difference in theefficiencies of nonprofits," said Laura Sanford, president of the AT&T Foundation. "With computInternet access and networking tools, nonprofits can broaden their outreach and educationaleffortsultimately affecting more lives in the community." Since its inception in 2002, the AT&TExcelerator competitive technology grant program has provided more than 2,500 technology gratotaling more than $47.8 million. We are grateful to AT&T for its support of our organization.
Atlanta Audubon Receives
Technology Grant from AT&T
In order to help control the devastation of our forests, Sassie beetles are being bred in beetle labs and released in infested of north Georgia. Such labs exist at Young Harris College, North Georgia College, the University of Georgia and ClemsonUniversity.
Can you donate a few hours to help release and monitor the beetles in the north Georgia forests? More information on AASHemlock teams that are being organized to monitor north Georgia forests can be found on our Website or by contacting KellHopkins at [email protected] or Georgann Schmalz at [email protected].
Or simply join us on Sunday, January 20, 2008, at 3 PM for our January Speaker Series, entitled "Saving the Hemlock Trees," aPike Family Nursery Corporate Service Center, 4020 Steve Reynolds Boulevard, Norcross, GA 30093. Take I-85 north of AtlanBeaver Ruin Road, GA 378 (Exit 102). If you are traveling northbound, turn right at the end of the ramp. If you are travelingsouthbound, turn left at the end of the ramp. Travel 1.1 miles to Steve Reynolds Boulevard and turn left at the traffic light. Pwill be on your right. Park in front of the building, enter the main entrance and meet in the auditorium.
If you cannot attend the meeting, please visit the Lumpkin Coalition Website athttp://www.lumpkincoalition.org/issues/hemlocks/adelgid.html
The AAS trip of seven birders, under the leadership of Ellen Miller, enjoyed an eight-day trip to Panama, divthe time between the beautiful and comfortable Canopy Lodge and the exciting and innovative Canopy Toweold military radar tower rising above the rainforest canopy, now converted to an extraordinary birders platfocomplete with sleeping and eating accommodations and experienced, skilled guides.
Panama has more than 970 species of birds, 12 of which are endemic, and 64 other species that are shared owith Costa Rica. It is also a wonderful place to view an overhead river of Broad-winged and Swainsons Hawktheir migration route.
With the guides assistance, we identified 192 species of birds plus a few exotic mammals, including theGeoffroys Saddle-back Tamarin, the White-nosed Coatimundi, Common Agouti, the Northern Tamandua(anteater), the Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth, and two species of monkeys, the Howler and the White-heaCapuchin. Reptiles included many lizards, one quite large Tiger Snake, and a smaller unidentified one.
After birding on trails near the Panama Canal, we were offered an interesting excursion as an option to theMiraflores Locks to watch enormous ships go through the raising and lowering process.
A special added attraction was shopping at a local Sunday market in El Valle de Anton close to the CanopyLodge, where we had to send out a scouting party to find one of our members who couldnt get enough of thewonderful Mola needlework.
Adding the delicious food and the wonderfully warm hospitality of the Panamanian people to this special wewe had to conclude that this was truly a five-star experience.
Plans are being made to repeat this trip in 2008. Watch Wingbars and the AAS Website for the announcemen
Saving the Hemlockscontinued from page 1.
Romancing the Birdscontinued from page 1.
2007 AT&T Intellectual Property.All rights reserved. AT&T, AT&T
logo and all other marks containedherein are trademarks of AT&T
Intellectural Property and/or AT&Taffiliated companies.
Three-toed Sloth slowly makes its
way around the treetops at theCanopy Tower.
Photo by Art Hurt
-
8/9/2019 January 2008 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
7/12January 2008 7
Atlanta Audubon Society and the Chattahoochee Nature Center teamed up with the Ann
Jackson Gallery in Roswell, Georgia, to celebrate Audubons Centennial Collection of the
Birds of America. The weekend-long fundraising event included a wine and cheese cocktail
reception Friday night, November 3, at the Ann Jackson Gallery. Many thanks to our Board
of Directors and members who attended the evenings festivities.
On Saturday, participants enjoyed hearing from Robert E. Hall, the man who is bringing the
works of John James Audubon to life. Earlier in the morning, Jay Davis conducted a birdwalk on the grounds of the Chattahoochee Nature Center, and participants from Saturdays events were
encouraged to visit the gallery Saturday afternoon and enjoy the beautiful prints on display.
Atlanta Audubon Society and the Chattahoochee Nature Center split the proceeds from the Friday night event, as well as a
percentage of the sales of Audubon prints from the weekend. Many thanks to Whole Foods for providing all of the food for
the event and to the Ann Jackson Gallery for hosting this special event.
Celebration of Audubons Centennial Collection Helps RaiseMoney for Atlanta Audubon
A t l a n t a A u d u b o n S o c i e t y2 0 0 8 A n n u a l P h o t o g r a p h y C o n t e s t
Get Ready, Aim...Shoot!
Check Out This Years Great Prizes:N First PrizeBirds: 10x42 Vortex Diamondback binoculars; retail value $209.99(sponsored by Eagle Optics)N First PrizeAnimals: Day Hiking Package, including Shocklight Trekking Poles, Daypack with Hydration
System and Daypack first aid kit; retail value $275.00 (sponsored by REI)
N First PrizeHabitat: Smith & Hawkens life-size pair of cranes rendered in steel with hand-hammered detail;retail value $189.00 (sponsored by Smith & Hawken)
N Youth: iFlyer Birdsong Scanning Wand; retail value $99.95 (sponsored by Wild Bird Centers)N Humor: Backyard birdJam CD East; retail value $39.99 (sponsored by birdJam)N Judges Choice: The Original Pajaro Field Bag waist pack with a copy of National Wildlife Federations
Field Guide to Birds of North America; total retail value $55.00 (sponsored by Pajaro)N Grand Prize: Two-night stay at the Marriott Residence Inn Cape Canaveral Cocoa Beach, Florida plus Space
Coast Outdoor Adventure Package for 2 (over $600 in value). Also includes the opportunity to have your photo-graph printed on the Atlanta Audubon official picture postcard for 2008!
Criteria for judging include: Originality Overall impact Composition Technique Presentation Difficulty
Photographs will be judged in the following categories:Birds (no man-made elements, unless natural behavior, i.e. perching on a fence); Animals (all living creatures, otherthan birds; no man-made elements); Habitat(flora and fauna in their natural environments, landscapes or panoramas);Georgia Youth (18 and under Georgia residents in any category above); Judges Choice and Humor.
Submission Details and Rules:N
Please visit Atlanta Audubons Web site for rules and more details: www.atlantaaudubon.org
KEY DATESEntries must have been photo-graphed since January 1, 2007and must be received by midnigon Feb. 25, 2008.
All entries will be displayed at thMarch 16 Speaker Series event.Ribbons and great prizes will beawarded at the meeting. All en-tries will be judged prior to the
March Speaker Series event.
Check Out the Atlanta AuduboWeb Site Soon for More
Information at
www.atlantaaudubon.org
Sponsored by
-
8/9/2019 January 2008 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
8/128 Atlanta Audubon Soci
A Million Thanks!Atlanta Audubon Society is an amazing organization because of its
volunteers. As always, we extend our gratitude to ALL of ourvolunteers, but would like to send a special thank you to thefollowing individuals this month:
A part of telling members about what is happening at AtlantaAudubon is through the use of photographs. We are grateful to Cathy
Harman, who has been serving as our official AAS photographer. Shehas taken some great pictures.
Don Scarbrough has been heading up ways to protect the AAS property inDouglas County. He takes great pride in the property and is organizing a group of localresidents to get involved. Don will also work with AAS on a special on-the-groundconservation project for the property in 2008. All of our members are welcome to help.
Marcia Klenbort has held numerous training sessions for teachers and leaders throughAtlanta Audubon Societys own Learning About Birds (LAB) program. Marcia workstirelessly to provide them with wonderful classroom activities that can teach young peopleabout birds.
olunteerOpportunitiesVolunteers make Atlanta AudubonSociety such an amazing organization.We rely on volunteers in virtually everyarea of the organization in order to besuccessful. We are always looking forndividuals who want to get involved.Check out some of our currentvolunteer opportunities. If there is anyother way you would like to use youralents to serve Atlanta Audubon, we
would like to hear from you. Pleasecontact Nancy Hamilton [email protected].
Bird Sketch Artist NeededWe are looking for someone willing tovolunteer his or her artistic talents by helpingus on occasion to produce sketches ofvarious Georgia birds. We would love to useyour sketches on brochures, in Wingbars, etc.
f you are interested, please contactCatharine B. Kuchar [email protected].
Atlanta Audubon Festival ManagerWe are looking for someone to help usorganize our involvement in festivals. Thisperson would simply track the festival andevents where we set up a display or boothand let members know about volunteeropportunities as festival leaders and shiftworkers. If interested, please contact NancyHamilton at [email protected] formore information.
Whos That Bird?Create a bird profileVolunteers are needed to create bird profilesWhos That Bird?) for birds of particularnterest to the kids we serve in our LearningAbout Birds program. Volunteer tasks: Collectmagazine or Web photo pages andnformation about the birds habits, habitatsand migration patternsall sorts of birdacts.You choose the bird, or well help you
choose. Well give you guidelines on whatyou need to produce the profiles. ContactMarcia Klenbort [email protected].
Audubon Adventures CoordinatorNational Audubon Society creates quarterlynewsletters for use in elementaryclassrooms. An Atlanta Audubon volunteersolicits requests from metro area teachersand follows up to see how the materialswere used. This project needs a coordinator.All supplies and instructions are provided.Contact Marcia Klenbort [email protected] if interested.Speaker Series ManagerTypically Atlanta Audubon organizes about
ive speaker series programs each year. Weare looking for someone to help with thespeaker series programs in 2008 by workingo help us come up with ideas for speakers
and to line them up. If interested, pleasecontact Catharine Kuchar [email protected].
Newsletter ProofreaderAfter more than a decade, our proofreader iseady to call it a day. If you have a great
command of English, including spelling andpunctuation, and if youre a stickler forconsistency and can spend a couple of hoursa month proofreading Wingbars, you wouldprovide an invaluable service to AtlantaAudubon if you volunteer to take over. Ifnterested, please contact Barbara C. Tarpleyat [email protected].
Dave Butler has been on the AAS Board for
two years and has a long history with AASas a member and as a collaborator on
habitat enhancement and field trips with theClyde Shepherd Nature Preserve (CSNP),
where he has served in the past aspresident. He has organized Peel and Stickmailings and manned tables at various
events at the Newman Wetlands Center andthe annual Wetlands and Watershed
Festivals. Currently he is field trip directorand schedules the trips by contacting
volunteer leaders and setting up theschedule with the Wingbars editor and Webmaster. Dave is always on the lookout for
new prospective leaders. He tells those shy
about leading trips that enthusiasm for thesubject is the key, not necessarilyknowledge of every bird you might see.
Dave has been birding for ten years. As achild his family always had feeders in the
back yard, and his father pointed out birdsto him. Dave grew up with a strong interest
in nature, but it took his involvement withCSNP and tagging along with JerryBrunner and Lisa Hurt to spark his interest
in birding as a recreational activity.
His favorite place to bird is CSNP, becausehe knows it so well and has had some greatbirding experiences there. It is close to his
home and always gives himsomething memorable. When
it was known as the South
Peachtree Creek Nature Preserve, there wasno creek trail. Dave would hike along the
edge of the pond before sunrise and sit backin the brush to watch the wildlife as the sun
rose. One morning, he heard a Great HornedOwl calling. He said, I set up in my usualspot along the waters edge to wait for first
light. Just at dawn, I caught a glimpse ofsomething overhead and looked up as the
owl flew over and landed in a tree not thirtyfeet away. We watched each other for about
ten minutes, and I still recall the intimacy ofthat contact with one of the most incrediblebirds on the planet.
Dave lives in Decatur and is trained as a
geologist. He has worked in the
environmental field for more than seventeenyears. He is currently employed with the
DeKalb County Greenspace Office,purchasing land for new parks.
Spotlighting... Dave Butler
V o l u n t e e r C o r n e r V o l u n t e e r C o r n e r V o l u n t eCorner Volunteer Corner Volunteer Corner Voluntee
Dave Butler and son, Evan
-
8/9/2019 January 2008 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
9/12January 2008 9
Having trouble recognizing all those bird calls and songs?
Cant tell a woodpeckers call from a Song Sparrow? Bird
songs can be one of the most important recognition tools for
birding. To improve your skills, join us for a new workshop,
Recognizing and Learning Georgias Bird Songs. This
advanced two-part workshop consists of a three-hour
classroom session on Saturday, February 23, from 9 AM to
noon at the Chattahoochee Nature Center and a field trip onSaturday, March 1, at 8 AM, also at the Chattahoochee
Nature Center property and boardwalk. Georgann Schmalz
will be the instructor for the classroom session and field
trip.
Georgann Schmalz is an outstanding instructor, who conducts
numerous workshops, programs and birding tours. She was the ornithologist
at Fernbank for more than 25 years and is also responsible for creating and overseeing
Atlanta Audubon Societys Master Birder program.
All participants will also receive a free copy of the new four-set CD series:
Bird Songs of Georgia: An Audio Guide to Recognizing and Learning Georgias Birds.
The cost will be $90 for Friends of Atlanta Audubon (chapter members only) and members ofthe Chattahoochee Nature Center, $100 for all others.
A reservation is required for the workshop and can be made by contacting Sally Davis at
770.913.0511. Your check or payment by credit card will confirm your registration.
Reservations not paid prior to 48 hours of the workshop will not be valid, and the opening
will be given to an individual on the waiting list. The number of participants is limited, so
sign up today. Reservations will open up on January 14 at 11 AM.
Recognizing and Learning
Georgias Bird Songs Workshop
Once again Atlanta Audubon Society is scheduling the Shorebird Workshop to coincide withthe spawning of horseshoe crabs. No, you dont have to go to Delaware Bay to see this
phenomenon because it also occurs here on our Georgia coast. Observe hundreds of
migrating shorebirds like Red Knots, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers,
Marbled Godwits, Ruddy Turnstones, etc., foraging voraciously on horseshoe crab eggs.
Add to this spectacle: shorebirds and wading birds in breeding plumage. Past
participants have described this trip as an experience of a lifetime.
Well, you can see all this if you participate in AAS 2008 Shorebird Workshop on May 24
and 25, 2008. The two-part workshop will have a class session taught by Georgann
Schmalz, AAS resident ornithologist, on Sunday, March 9, 35 PM at the Dunwoody
Nature Center, and weekend field trips led by Brad Winn, a wildlife biologist with DNR,
and Lydia Thompson, coastal birding expert and artist. There will be a full day of birding
(led by Brad) on Saturday, May 24, and a half day birding (led by Lydia) on Sunday May25. The weekend will include a Saturday boat trip into St. Catherines Sound (weather
permitting) and field trips to the South Beach on Jekyll Island and Goulds Inlet on St.
Simons Island.
Trip cost (excluding food and lodging): Friends of Atlanta Audubon $135; NAS-assigned
members $160; non-members $185. Payment confirms your registration.
Participants limited to 15.
To register or for more info,
contact Lisa Hurt at [email protected] or 770.934.7660.
2008 Shorebird Workshop
11th Annual Gre
Backyard Bird Co
Febuary 15-18, 2
To learn more ab
the results for t
2007 count and
see the GBBC on
photo gallery
featuring imagtaken from across
continent, vishttp://www.birdsource.org
St. Catherines Sound Boat Trip
-
8/9/2019 January 2008 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
10/12
CLASSIFIEDSRates for 2.5 x 2.5 ads are $20/month or $45/quarter. Ads must be consistent with the conservation and birding missio
of Atlanta Audubon Society. Ads may be accepted via e-mail, preferably in .pdf format. Call 770.913.0511 if you havequestions. Send payment to Sally Davis, Wingbars Ads, Atlanta Audubon Society, P.O. Box 29189, Atlanta, GA 30359.
Send ads via e-mail to Catharine Kuchar at [email protected].
10 Atlanta Audubon Soci
W en You Come
To The Mountains -Ask about the new Birders Guide to Fannin County!We feature Coles seed,squirrel-proof feedersthat truly are, houses,hummingbird stuff,great books, Audubonoptics, & hard to findhardware. Plus 100sof Ravensburger Puzzles,Music of the SpheresChimes & a hugeselection of educationaltoys andgames for kids!
Downtown Blue Ridge & Inside Mercier Orchards
611 E. Main St. Blue Ridge, GA 30513(706) 258-BIRD (2473) blueridgebirdseed.com
Bird Songs of GeorgiaCD now available.
Email Georgann Schmalz [email protected] or visit
www.birdingadventuresinc.com
Costa Rica Photo Tou
Mountains, volcanoes, cloud fwaterfalls, lakes, rainforest, rivers
forest, scenic valleys, the sea. Pand nature. By land and water. O
two weeks. Trips personally leDarcy Pino and Costarican crew.
Call 678-524-6302 ore-mail darcy53@gmail
for more informati
www.darcysphotography.c
Answer: SootyShearwater
Answer:Cypress
Black Oil
Sunflower20lb Bag $8.00 always
with Audubon Membership Card
Proud Supporters of Environmentally
Conscious Organizations in our Local
Community.
Wild Bird CentersCumming 2825 S. Vickery St. 678-456-6900
Dunwoody2472 Jett Ferry Rd 770-396-3353
Johns Creek3630 Peachtree Pky 770-813-9476
Peachtree City 1211 N. Peachtree Pkwy 770-631-2473
WWW.Wildbird.com
Must surrender coupon to receive offer. Valid at Pike retail stores only.Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. Offer does notapply to prior purchases, gift cards, event tickets or delivery charges.One coupon per customer and can be used only once. Cannot be sold,bartered or traded. Expires February 29th, 2008.
20%your next
purchase
off
Bring inthis coupon for
pikenursery.com
Atlanta Audubon Society Member Special
-
8/9/2019 January 2008 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
11/12January 2008 11
Wingbars is mailed only to Friends of Atlanta Audubon. All new National Audubon Societymembers receive an introductory copy and can continue to receive this newsletter by becoming a
Friends of Atlanta Audubon member.
f you are not a Friend of AAS, please take this opportunity to fill out and return the form below.
Atlanta Audubon Society Membership Director, P.O. Box 29189, Atlanta, GA 30359.
You can also join online: www.atlantaaudubon.org.Enrollment as a Friend of Atlanta Audubon does not include membership in the NationalAudubon Society. Thus you willnot receiveAudubon magazine.
Join the Atlanta Audubon Society
Make check payable to:
Atlanta Audubon Society
Membership Director
P.O. Box 29189, Atlanta, GA 30359
J Renewal J New Membership
Name _____________________________________
Address ___________________________________
City___________________________ State _____
Zip Code _____________
E-mail ____________________________________
Phone_____________________________________
J Basic MembershipJ Individual ...........................................$25J Family................................................$35J Student..............................................$15
J Contributing Membership ...............................$50
J Supporting Membership ...............................$100
J Donor Membership ......................................$250Receive an official
Atlanta Audubon T-shirt
J Patron Membership......................................$500Receive a T-shirt and signedcopy of Birds of Atlanta
J Benefactor Membership............................$1,000Receive all of the above plus a signed ..framedprint of Charles Harpers Missing Migrants
Friends of Atlanta Audubon Society
J Please do not share this information with any other organization
J Do not acknowledge my gift in Wingbars
BENEFITS
OF
MEMBERSHI
12 issues ofWingbarsNewsletter
Friends discounton classes, tripsand special even
Use of the AASlibrary
A great taxdeduction!
Thanks to allof you for your suppo
and enthusiasm.
Getting to Know Georgias Protected Birds:Least Tern
As Georgias smallest tern, the Least TernSterna antillarum) is about 23 cm (9 in) in
ength with a 50 cm (20 in) wingspread. Ithas white with pale gray feathers on theback and upper surfaces of the wings
except for a narrow black stripe along theeading edge of the upper wing feathers.
The Least Tern has a black cap with amall patch of white on the forehead.
Least Terns breed along the Atlantic Coast
of the U.S., from Massachusetts to Florida,along the Gulf Coast to Texas, along thePacific Coast of California and Mexico, in
the Bahamas and West Indies, and on the
coast of Venezuela. In Georgia, they arefound along the coast feeding on fish incoastal bays, sounds and near-shore
waters. The birds rapid, graceful flightand habit of hovering a few meters abovethe water before diving to the surface, or
striking for small fish are characteristics.Their diet consists of primarily small fish,
some crustaceans and insects.
Although this species historically nested
primarily on barrier island beaches, manycolonies are now located in man-made
habitats, including dredge-spoil islands
and flat gravel roofs of large buildings.
Use of these sites for nesting is believed
be a result of human disturbance onbeaches which were traditional nestingsites.
The Least Tern is considered rare
according to the State of Georgia listingand, while not listed in Georgia throughthe federal status, the bird is considered
endangered in the interior U.S. A rarbird in Georgia means that the species
may not be endangered or threatened, bshould be protected because of its
scarcity. Human disturbance at nestcolony sites remains the greatest threatthe Least Tern in Georgia.
Source: Georgia Department of Natur
Resources, Protected Animals of Georg
-
8/9/2019 January 2008 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
12/12
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S.POSTAGE
P A I D
Atlanta, GA
Permit #917
Atlanta Audubon SocietyBox 29189 Atlanta, GA 30359
Wingbarsis printed on recycled paper
ATLANTA
AUDUBON OFFIat Dunwoody Nature Cen
5343 Roberts Drive
Dunwoody, GA 30338
770.913.0511
Send all mail forAAS to:
PO Box 29189Atlanta, GA 303
400DunwoodyVillage
M
t.Ve
rnon H
wy.
Mt.Vern
on Hwy.
ChambleeDunwo
ody
Rd.
Chamblee
DunwoodyRd.N.Shallowfo
rdRd
.
Ash
ford
Dunwoody
Rd.
Pe
achtree
Dunw
ood
y
Rd
.
Spaldin
g Drive
SpaldingDrive
Rob
erts
Rd
.
RobertsR
d.
Till
y
MillRd
.
Tilly
Mill
Rd.
NorthridgeRoad
Peachtree
Rd.
PeachtreeRd.
Exit 30
Exit 30
CotillionRd
.
285
I85
PleasantHillRoad
SteveReynoldsBlvd
BeaverRuinRoad
Pike Family
NurseryAuditorium
Upcoming
Sunday
February 24
Water Conservation
3:00pmChattahoochee
River Natl Rec Area
Atlanta Audubon Society is an independent, non-profit
501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax
deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Are you sick of being the youngest member of the Atlanta Audubon chapter? Would you love to see the enthusiastic you
faces of birders under 40or even 20?
If so, mark your calendars for the third annual Youth Birding Competition, which will take place May 2-3, 2008. This 24-h
birding competition involves kids, ages 4 to 17. Last years competition had 100 young birders out in the field practicing
learning and competing in the event. Several teams documented more than 120 species in one day. The event was recent
highlighted in Georgia Public Broadcastings Citizen Science episode, giving young birders lots of camera time.This year we are including a bird art competition for the T-shirt design. Kids can enter any drawing or painting of a bird
native to Georgia for consideration. All entries will be on display at the banquet on May 3. In addition, the AAS 2008 pho
contest will feature a Georgia Youth category, open to all Georgia residents 18 years and under. The winning photograp
will be featured in the Youth Birding Competitions future publicity materials.
As in years past, Atlanta Audubon Society has taken an active role in planning and supporting the Youth Birding
Competition and will be donating prizes to some of the winning teams, as well as ribbons for all of the winning teams. W
are looking for experienced birders who would like to help mentor a fledgling team, which requires meeting with them
several times to help them build their birding skills. We also need volunteers to actually set up the banquet on May 3 at th
Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield, Georgia.
If you are interested in finding out more about this event, please contact Tim Keyes ([email protected]) or visit
Georgia Department of Natural Resources Website at www.georgiawildlife.com and select Nongame Animals and Plants.
Third Annual Youth Birding Competition
and Bird Art Contest
SPEAKER SERIESJanuary 20