june 2008 wingbars newsletter atlanta audubon society

8/9/2019 June 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

June 2008

Volume XXXIV, Issue 6 ATLANTA AUDUBON SOCIETY

I N S I D Presidents Perch..........

Youth Birding ................

GA Audubon Council .....

AAS Legacy Club..........

Field Notes....................

Field Trips......................

Restoring Bird Habitat...

Birdathon 2008 .............

Volunteer Opps..............

Spotlight Theresa Hartz.A Million Thanks............

Memoriam Don Cohrs...

Springs Awakening......

REI.................................

Memorial Fund..............

Conservation Book........

Douglas Cty WS Cleanup

2008 Sanctuary Tour....

Classifieds....................

GAs Protected Birds.....Membership..................

Speaker Series .............

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Parkand Georgia Important Bird Area

By Mary Elfner

Kennesaw Mountain is both a National BattlefieldPark (NBP) and a Georgia Important Bird Area (IBA).Giff Beaton, a member of the Atlanta AudubonSociety, nominated Kennesaw Mountain as a GeorgiaIBA on July 11, 2000, and the Georgia IBA TechnicalCommittee approved its official status shortlythereafter.

IBAs are critical for bird conservation in Georgia, theUnited States and the world. They are truly a currencyfor global bird conservation. The Important BirdAreas Program is a global effort to identify andconserve areas that are vital to birds and biodiversity.By working with Audubon chapters, landowners,public agencies, community groups and other non-

profit organizations, Audubon endeavors to interest and activate a broad network of supportersto ensure that all Important Bird Areas are properly managed and conserved.

Why is Kennesaw Mountain important to bird conservation? As stated on the nominationapplication, It has the highest average number of warbler species on the Georgia IBA prioritylist that can be found during the migratory seasons. Therefore, it appears to be a very

important area of Georgia for feeding migrants along their route north and south. The averagenumber of warbler species that pass through the Kennesaw Mountain forest during spring andfall migrations is 34 with a maximum number of 37. Some of the migrants are: Bay-breastedWarbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Canada Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler,Prairie Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Golden-crowned Kinglet and Summer Tanager.

I would like to focus on the Cerulean Warbler for two reasons. Cerulean Warblers are moreabundant at Kennesaw than anywhere else in the state during migration according to the 2000Kennesaw Mountain nomination for IBA status. Secondly, the Cerulean Warbler is listed in theInternational Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red Listcategory because its population is now estimated to have undergone a very rapid decline,owing to continuing habitat loss and fragmentation on its breeding grounds. KennesawMountain is very close to the southern edge of the Cerulean Warbler breeding range, which is

from Quebec and Ontario, west to Nebraska and south to northern Texas, Louisiana,Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. These facts make it evident that Kennesaw Mountain NBPand IBA is indeed an important area for bird conservation!

To learn more about the Cerulean Warbler, go to the Birdlife International site athttp://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html.

Thanks to all the people, particularly Giff Beaton, Chuck Saleeby, Deb and Bob Zaremba, PierreHoward, Bruce Dralle, along with Sterling Blanchard, Mark Davis and Roy and Andy Hester,who help monitor and raise awareness of this important IBA site. If you would like to learnmore about the Georgia IBA program, please visitwww.atlantaaudubon.org/aaswww/iba/iba.htm.

Cerulean WarblerPhotographer: Giff Beaton

Continued on page 9


2/12

I spent some time recently helping out at the

Third Annual Youth Birding Competition (YBC)

for which Atlanta Audubon Society, along with

The Environmental Resources Network

(T.E.R.N.) and the Georgia Ornithological Society

(GOS), was a sponsor. What a fun and inspiring

few hours!

If you do not know about this event, it is held

each year in the spring and is a Big Day

competition for kids. The goal is to see how

many species of birds a team of kids can

see/hear within a 24-hour period. Audubon

member and Master Birder instructor, Tim Keyes,

originated and coordinates the event and does a

fabulous job.

At the end of the Big Day all of the YBC teams

finished at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center for a

banquet and awards presentation. The kids

ranged in ages from 3 to 18, and there were four

age divisions: pre-elementary, elementary, middle

school and high school. For each team there

were adult mentors who worked with the kids to

help them learn to identify birds. This year the

team with the most species overall recorded 133

species of birds! Wow!! In addition to competing

for the most species seen/heard, some teams alsoraised money for conservation, and this year they

raised a whopping $3,600. Each participant

received a ribbon and an Annotated Checklist of

the Birds of Georgia, and the winners in each

division received prizes such as binoculars, bird

books and even scopes. Giff Beaton, who wrote

the bookBirding Georgia that outlines birding

hotspots in the state and whose group holds the

Big Day record for Georgia, helped hand out the

prizes to the winning teams. At the end of the

evening kids from small to large lined up to hav

Giff autograph their annotated checklists. Can

you imagine 12-year olds standing in line to hav

an annotated checklist of birds signed by

anyone? Giff might as well have been a rock sta

The only time I have seen something similar wa

when Nancy Tanner, the wife of Dr. James

Tanner of Ivory-billed Woodpecker fame, spoke

at an Atlanta Audubon Speaker Series event. On

that occasion a number of 20-something folks

drove 8 to 10 hours to hear her presentation and

afterwards stayed as long as possible talking

with her and having their picture taken withherthey were every bit as excited about seein

and hearing Nancy speak as some are about

seeing more traditional celebrities.

Often birding is thought of as appealing to the

more mature individual. On television birding

clearly portrayed as the province of geeks. (Of

course geeks are in vogue these days as most o

us have discovered that we badly need them.)

And from the excitement and interest in just

these two situations, it seems to me there are

plenty of bright, interested and excited youngpeople out there. These young birders are the

future of birding and of birds. So, lets do what

we can to encourage them and give them

opportunities to have fun with birding and see

what a cool, challenging, non-destructive and

wonderful avocation and/or vocation it truly is.

Thank you and good birding!

Board of Directors2008

Executive Director Catharine Kuchar770.993.9579

[email protected]

President Ellen Miller404.355.8892

[email protected]

President-elect Allyson Read404.510.8281

[email protected] Deanna Helie

[email protected]

Recording Secy Mark Jernigan404.298.8825

[email protected]

Corresponding Secy Barbara Tarpley404.687.0079

[email protected]

DirectorsConservation Kelly Hopkins

[email protected]

Education Marge Igyarto678.398.0569

[email protected]

Field Trips Dave Butler404.580.3917

[email protected]

Membership Darlene Moore404.633.9361

[email protected]

CommunicationsBarbara Tarpley404.687.0079

[email protected]

Publicity Vacant

Volunteers Nancy Hamilton404.874.2338

[email protected]

At Large

Jay Davis404.624.4973

[email protected] Williams

Earthshare Representative770.423.1012

[email protected]

WebsiteJim Flynn

[email protected]

Wingbars EditorMary Ann Hindes 770.497.0664

[email protected]

Design & LayoutCopy Preparation 770.939.2002

[email protected]

ProofreadingSteven Phenicie

770.849.0391

[email protected] deadline is the first of

the month for material to bepublished the following month.

Please submit articles as MS-Word [email protected].

Email attachments, if possible.

Wingbars is the official newsletter of Atlanta

Audubon Society and is published 11 times a

year. 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 reflect 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

Youth Birding Day

2 Atlanta Audubon Soci


3/12June 2008

AtlantaAudubon

SocieLegacyClub

Join us as a Charter Memof the AAS Legacy Club byincluding Atlanta AuduboSociety in your bequests.

Question: I havedecided to make aspecific bequest to

Atlanta AudubonSociety. How shouldbe included in my LaWill and Testament?Do I have to redraft entire Will?

Answer: The AASLegacy Club canprovide you with a

suggested codicil (oramendment) toproperly express youdesires and intentionin your Will. A codicia provision for makinan addition ormodification to anexisting Will withoutthe necessity ofredrafting it. You canalso later add a SeconCodicil or Third

Codicil, etc., if neede

For more informationcontact Art Hurt [email protected].

Did you know that the Atlanta AudubonSociety has a 183-acre conservation easementin Douglas County? This property was donated

to AAS by Geraldine Geltner in 1997 and hasbeautiful hardwoods, wetlands

and a lovely lake. It is criticalgreen space in a county that has

grown tremendously over theyears.

We need your help in removing

deer stands and cleaning uptrash that has accumulated on

the property. We will meet atSweetwater Creek State Park at8 AM on Saturday, July 12, and

carpool to the Geltner property.Please note there is a $3 parking fee at the

park. After the clean up, we will have a picnicat Sweetwater.

This is a great opportunity to get involved andconserve unique green space in metro Atlanta.

To register for the clean up, leave a message at

770.913.0511 with your name,telephone number, e-mailaddress, and the number in your

party who will participate. Oryou can register by sending an

e-mail to Sally Davis,[email protected].

Directions to Sweetwater

Creek State Park: From I-20west from Atlanta, take Exit 44

(Thornton Road), turn left andgo 1/4 mile. Turn right on Blairs

Bridge Road, go 2 miles and turnleft on Mount Vernon Road, go to the parkinglot of the nature trails and the Visitor-

Interpretive Center/Museum.

Clean Up Day

Join us at Atlanta Audubon Societys

Wildlife Sanctuary in Douglas CountyBy Kelly Hopkins

On Saturday, Sept. 6, you will be able to

experience five unique properties that weredesigned and cultivated to provide vital urban

habitats for birds and other wildlife. For thefirst time ever the AAS Backyard Wildlife

Sanctuary Tour will be in theSmyrna/Marietta/Kennesaw area. Begin the

day birding at Kennesaw Mountain NationalBattlefield Park and Georgia IBA and thenspend the rest of the day exploring these

distinct properties on the tour. You can enjoylunch in downtown Smyrna and take

advantage of a new feature this yearaspecial bonus experience. All ticket holders

for the tour will be given free admission to theSmith Gilbert Arboretum that day.

The 2008 Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Tour

will display and demonstrate how a propertycan be enhanced to include vital sources offood, water, shelter and nesting sites for birds

and wildlife that are being pressured by rapiddevelopment throughout our region.

Tickets are $12 in advance for Friends of

Atlanta Audubon and $15 if purchased the day

of the tour. New this

yearyou can purchaseyour tickets in advance

starting July 1 by callingour office at

770.913.0511. You canpay for your tickets

over the phone usingyour credit card, andwe will either e-mail

you a pdf ticket toprint and bring to the

event, or we willhold your ticket at

our new will callsite. Moreinformation about the tour

will be available soon on the Atlanta Audubonwebsite at www.atlantaaudubon.org.

We are very excited about this years Backyard

Wildlife Sanctuary Tour and hope you will joinus between the hours of 9 AM to 4 PM on this

very special day.

2008 Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Tour

Mark Your Calendars for Sept. 6


4/12

ATLANTA AREA

GEESE THROUGH GREBES Three GREATER

WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and a ROSSS GOOSE

were found in Bartow Co. on 16 March (KB) and

were seen again in the same location on 22

March (B&DZ,BL,DV). Five SNOW GEESE were

seen in Bartow Co. on 2 March by KB. Good

numbers of waterfowl were seen at the E.L. Huie

Land Application Facility (ELHLAF) in Clayton and

Henry Cos. during the period of 13-14 March.These included 220 GADWALL, 150 NORTHERN

SHOVELERS, 34 GREEN-WINGED TEAL and 120

RING-NECKED DUCKS (CL). An EARED GREBE

was a good find on Lake Lanier on 20 March

(MMc).

PELICANS THROUGH MOORHENS An unusual

observation was of four AMERICAN WHITE

PELICANS at Buford Dam on 3 March (GSk). An

AMERICAN BITTERN was found at the ELHLAF

from 18 through 31 March (CL, JS). A SNOWY

EGRET was a very rare find at the

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area(CRNRA) on 17 March (DH). Single YELLOW-

CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS were seen at

Constitution Lakes on 23 March (JC, et al.) and

at the CRNRA on 29 March (KB).At the

Chattahoochee Nature Center on 2 March, SZ

counted 172 TURKEY VULTURES and five BLACK

VULTURES and the same area yielded an

OSPREY and a BALD EAGLE on 15 and 16

March. At the ELHLAF on 30 March, JS and CL

found four or five VIRGINIA RAILS, 15 SORAS,

and 14 COMMON MOORHENS.

SANDHILL CRANES There were ten separate

reports of SANDHILL CRANES moving through

the area, all on 1 and 2 March. The total number

of birds reported was about 2300. On 1 March,

TH reported what appeared to be a WHOOPING

CRANE flying with SANDHILLS over North

Atlanta.

GULLS THROUGH ORIOLES An immature

LITTLE GULL was found on Lake Lanier on 4

March by JF. Unfortunately the bird did not

remain in the area for long as it was not seen

the next day by a number of birders who tried to

find it. The female CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD that

was previously reported from a Lilburn feeder

was still there at least as late as 26 March

(R&SK). An early YELLOW-THROATED VIREO was

reported from Panola Mountain on 18 March byTK. The number of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES

decreased during the month although a few

remained in the area until the end of the month

(m.ob.). Generally FOX SPARROWS are seen as

single birds or small flocks so a flock of 18 at

the Newmans Wetlands Center (part of the

ELHLAF) on 3 March was quite a surprise (CL). A

BALTIMORE ORIOLE was a good find in Northeast

Atlanta on 20 March (LH).

GEORGIA AREA

GEESE THROUGH BITTERNS A flock of 17

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE was found in

Murray Co. on 4 March by JSp.They were seen

at the same location as late as 11 March by TS

and RK. Eight other GREATER WHITE-FRONTED

GEESE were seen at the UGA Plant Science

Fields on 1 March (WG). A MUTE SWAN was

reported from the Carters Lake area on 6 March

(m.ob.). The status of this species in Georgia is

rather questionable, but does warrant some

documentation of the spread of this species into

the state. A WHITE-WINGED SCOTER was seen in

Jackson Co. on 6 and 11 March (MMc). A RED-

NECKED GREBE was a good sighting at Clark Hillon 8 March (JF, EH). Twenty-four AMERICAN

WHITE PELICANS were a good count at Sapelo

Island on 8 10 March (K&RB). Two others were

seen at the Andrews Island Causeway on 22

March (GK). Generally AMERICAN BITTERNS are

reported as either single birds or maybe two or

three at the most. CC reported seven at Grand

Prairie near Valdosta on 14 15 March.

KITES THROUGH GULLS Two SWALLOW-TAILED

KITES were reported from near Folkston on 15

March (fide JSe). An immature GOLDEN EAGL

was seen in Charlton Co. on 11 March (HH).A

total of seven reports of SANDHILL CRANES w

received, all from 1 2 March. The total num

of birds was about 2100 (m.ob.). JSp reporte

very high count of 266 BONAPARTES GULLS Carters Lake on 29 March.

SPARROWS THROUGH CROSSBILLS MF had

good count of 21 VESPER SPARROWS in Ocon

Co. on 29 March. A rare SAVANNAH (IPSWICH

SPARROW was seen on Jekyll Island on 16

March by MMc. Other good sparrow reports

were a LINCOLNS SPARROW in Bleckley Co.

1 March (JF, EH) and 11 WHITE-CROWNED

SPARROWS near Cobb in Sumter Co. on 29

March (JF, EH). An early ROSE-BREASTED

GROSBEAK was seen in the Athens area on 2

March by (JMc). The peak count of RUSTYBLACKBIRDS was the 700+ at the Sandy Cre

Nature Center in Athens on 2 March (JMc et a

A BALTIMORE ORIOLE was seen near Cullode

on 18 March (NK). Several high counts of

PURPLE FINCHES were reported with the peak

count of 85 coming from Washington Co. on 1

March (LS). There were a surprising number o

RED CROSSBILL reports. Since this is such a

rare bird in Georgia, I will list all the reports:

three in Union Co. on 4 5 March (BB), one i

Fannin Co. on 8 March (NS), one at the Piedm

NWR on 22 March (BS, JA), one in the Piedm

NWR on 26 March (PH, BH), two in the DawsoForest on 28 March (GS, JB, YB) and six in th

Dawson Forest on 29 March (GM).

CONTRIUTORS Dan Adrien, Jerry Amerson,

Betty Belanger, Ken and Rachel Blankenship,

Yvonne Bombardier, James Brooks, Jim Buck

Chip Campbell, Joy Carter, Nathan Farnau, Jim

Flynn, Mark Freeman, Jim Gilreath, Will Gravle

Johnnie Greene, Bruce Hallett, Theresa Hartz,

David Hodgson, Earl Horn, Pierre Howard,

Howard Hunt, Lisa Hurt, Gene Keferl, Tim Key

Robert Kimsey, Nathan Klaus, Rick and Sandy

Krause, Carol Lambert, Fred Land, Bill Lotz, HMassie, Patty McClean, Grant McCreary, Trey

McCuen, Joel McNeal, Mark McShane, Peggy

and Terry Moore, Charlie Muise, Bob Sargent,

Lynn Schlup, Georgann Schmalz, Nedra Seke

Jeff Sewell, Linda Shipley, Gerald Skelly, Jos

Spence, Tom Striker, Pat Sully, Dan Vickers, B

and Deb Zaremba, and Stacy Zarpentine.

Terry Moore, 13000 Bucksport Court, Roswel

GA 30075 [email protected]

March Field Notes by Terry Moorez

Although we had good numbers

in all four categories this

month, it still seemed a little

dull. The Green-breasted Mango

remained at its Dublin feeders sothat people who hadnt yet made

the pilgrimage to Dublin could still get a look at

such a wonderful visitor. Other than that, it was

pretty much normal with our winter species

slowly moving away and then a few normal

early migrants coming into the area.

The Atlanta area recorded 130 species

(average = 120.7) to bring the year-to-date

total to 151 (average = 138.6). The Georgia

area came in with 202 species (average =

198.6) to bring that year-to-date total to 239

(average = 236.6).



5/12

After receiving a report from eight internationally recognized institutions led by the Cornell Lab of

Ornithology, President Bush announced a series of actions aimed at conserving migratory bird habitatat an address held at the Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, Maryland on October 20, 2007.

The report, developed by the American Bird Conservatory, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Manomet

Center for Conservation Sciences, the National Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy, the NorthAmerican Bird Conservation Initiative, Partners in Flight, and PRBO Conservation Sciences, reached

he White House in January 2007 and is well written and well illustrated. Most recently, it was cited inhe Winter 2008 issue of theLiving Bird.

Below are the measures that were cited. The website from which these documents may beretrieved is www.birds.cornell.edu/publications/restoringbirds.html.

Restoring 200,000 acres of habitats for migratory birds on National Wildlife Refuges

and raising $3 billion in public and private funding to help restore wildlife habitats innational parks by 2009

Allocating $509 million to the USDA Farm Bill conservation programs that assist

landowners in preserving habitat for migratory birds in 2008

Working with the Mexican government and non-governmental organizations to restore

and protect five priority habitats in Mexico with $4 million committed in Fiscal Year2007

Adding three new Joint Ventures-Regional partnerships that use public and private

funding-to help conserve birds along the Rio Grande corridor, in the AppalachianMountains, and on the northern Great Plains

Requesting a State of the Birds report from the Secretary of the Interior to chartprogress and identify bird species that need additional protection by 2009

Field TripsCompiled by Dave Butler

June 2008

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 additional field trips and/or changes that may be scheduled.

Saturday, June 7,Matt Ward, Piedmont Parks most frequentbirderPiedmont Park (City of Atlanta)Meet at 8 AM in the parking lot behind Quattros at 12thSt. and Piedmont

Birding focus: Migrants, residents

Directions: These directions may vary. Check update

on the AAS website. From south of Atlanta, take the I-75/85 connector north to the Pine St. Exit (Exit 249B).

Go straight on Pine St. and cross Peachtree St. Turn left

on Piedmont Ave. Travel about one mile to 12th St.From northwest of Atlanta, take I-75 south to the 16th

St. Exit (Exit 250). Go straight, crossing 14th St. Followthe signs to 10th St. Turn left on 10th. Travel about a half mile to Piedmont. Turn left on Piedmont to

12th St. Due to street closings, including Exits to 10th and 14th Streets from I-75 S.,

consider exiting at Northside Drive. From northeast of downtown, take I-85 south to the 17th St.

Exit (Exit 84). Continue straight, crossing 14th St. Follow directions above.

Sketch by Anne McCallum

Birdathon 20

We want to thank everyon

participated in this yea

Birdathon and ask that y

submit your Birdathon

checklists and contributio

soon as possible. We wa

collect the monies by Jun

If you have any questio

please contact Allyson Re

[email protected]

atty McLean with AAS April field trip at Mercer Wetlandshotographer: Cathy Harman

Q:Whatspecies

recentlydethronedtheArcticTernas

thebirdwiththelongestmigration?

Seepage___fortheanswer See page 10 for answer

Q: A Veery is a membeof what family:

Finch, Thrush, Swift

or Warbler?

Restoring Migratory Bird HabitatBy Carl Tyler


6/126 Atlanta Audubon Soci

A Million Thanks!Atlanta Audubon Society is an amazing organization

because of its volunteers! As always, we extend ourunending gratitude to ALL of our volunteers, butwould like to send a special thank you to thefollowing individuals this month:

Working with the Piedmont Park Conservancy,SueSturges, head coordinator, brought the 2008 Birds inthe Park celebration to life on May 10, International

Migratory Bird Day. Sue oversaw the planning of thisyears event, helping to create yet another successful

program.Brenda and Dwayne Sexton took total responsibility for having

the AAS exhibit at the WaterFest in Rome, Georgia. The WaterFest is an information event ofthe Cossa River Basin Initiative and over 1,000 people attended, including many childrenand young people. Many thanks to Brenda and Dwayne for spreading the word about AAS atthis event and teaching participants about birds.

Getting ready for the big Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Tour in the fall is a lot of work. We arelucky to have so many volunteers that assist our volunteer tour coordinator, JacquelineMcRae, in making it possible. Besides sending out a million thanks to Jacqueline for herongoing efforts, we would also like to thank Gary Wehnerfor his work in helping to locate

many of the sites for this years upcoming tour in the Smyrna/Marietta/Kennesaw area.

Theresa Hartz has been volunteering withAAS since the early 1990s. During that time

she served as the Education Director.Currently she helps organize north Georgia

field trips and is co-leader with Lisa Hurt forthe annual Merritt Island field trips and this

years Warbler Weekend field trip.

Theresa got into birding in the mid 1980s,

and feeding the birds is what interested her.The first winter she fed them, she had a

flock of about 50 birdsa mix of PurpleFinches and Pine Siskens. She then heard onthe radio about an Atlanta Audubon Society

field trip at Fernbank. She went, saw aBlack-throated Blue Warbler and was totally

hooked.She doesnt have a favorite bird, but loves

the warblers. To her delight, three Bay-breasted Warblers once visited her birdbath

and a Cerulean Warbler took a bath in awater puddle on her driveway after a hard

April rain. Theresa lives in Big Canoeand her favorite place to birdis in the north Georgia

mountainsafter all, there are warblersnearby!

Theresa said that the All Womens BirdingBust has been great fun. She elaborated,Even with all the planning that goes into it,there are always surprises that come along.

The camaraderie is terrific. She spoke of amost entertaining tripthe Great Chicken

Trip with GeorgannSchmalz. We traversed

all around Colorado inearly April visitingPrairie Chicken and

Grouse Leks. Theexperience of sitting

and freezing as dawnarrives, while watching

the males display andvie for the femalesattention, is

indescribable.Fantastic!

Theresa is a registerednurse and works in

obstetrics.

Spotlighting... Theresa HartzBy Wendy M.Weathers

Volunteer Corner Volunteer Corner Voluntee

Corner Volunteer Corner Volunteer Corner Voluntee

Theresa Hartz in PeruPhotographer: Unknown

olunteerOpportunities

Compiled by Carol Hassell

Butterfly Festival, DunwoodyNature Center, Saturday,June 28Four volunteers are needed for twoshifts9 AM to 12 PM and 12 PMo 2:30 PM. The display, handouts,

etc., are provided. Please contactNancy Hamilton [email protected] if youcan represent AAS at this event.

Spend time in the FreedomPark Bird and Butterfly GardenVolunteers are needed to helpweed and water the garden, aswell as help with spring planting.Volunteers are asked to commit towo hours per month. Contact

Carol Vanderschaaf [email protected].

Audubon Adventures

CoordinatorCoordinator needed to contactmetro area teachers to solicitequests for National Audubon

Society-created quarterlynewsletters designed for use inelementary classrooms, and then

ollow up on how the materials arebeing used. All supplies andnstructions are provided. ContactMarcia Klenbort, 404.874.9826 [email protected]

Ticket and Sales Manager forhe 2008 Backyard Wildlife

Sanctuary Tour.This volunteer opportunity involvescontacting nature and gardencenters to sell tickets in advanceof the Sept. 6 tour. Additionally, themanager will create the tickets;make money boxes for the

backyard sites on the tour; counthe receipts from the tour andanalyze the sales and attendancedata. The volunteer will be workingclosely with the Backyard WildlifeSanctuary Tour team. Pleasecontact Nancy Hamilton [email protected].

Please check the AAS Website for moreexciting volunteer opportunities.


7/12June 2008

t is with great sadness that we once again tell you of the loss of one of our valued friends

n the birding world. Don Cohrs passed away April 26, not very long after Frank

McCamey and Joe Greenberg. As many of you know, Don and Doris were active members

f Atlanta Audubon during the 1970s and 1980s. After relocating to Darien they operated

he Jekyll Island Banding Station for 20 years. More information about Dons interesting

ife is included in the following obituary that the family published in the Darien

newspaper. Our sincere sympathies to Doris and the family.

- John Swiderski

Donald George Cohrs, 81, of Darien passed away at 7:40 AM Saturday, April 26, 2008, at home

with his wife by his side. May 2 would have marked their having been together for 37 years.

Don was born on June 7, 1926, to Elsie and Irvin Cohrs of Chicago. His father died in 1928 of

as poisoning from World War I. Elsie took her two sons to live with her sister Martha.

Martha and her husband, Henry Kropp, helped to raise the boys as their own sons. Don

erved during World War II in the U. S. Army from 19441946, seeing duty in the Philippines

nd Japan. After the war, he attended the University of Illinois.

He lived in many cities in the midwest, moved to Atlanta in 1969, and then to Darien in 1989.He designed his passive solar home in Carneghan and completed most of the construction on

his own. After having worked as a salesman for many years, he started his own business, The

House Menders, a remodeling company that he ran for more than 20 years, first in Atlanta

nd then in Darien. He retired about 10 years ago.

Don enjoyed his many volunteer projects including the School Friends program, Red Cross

lood drives, Habitat for Humanity and the Friends of Sapelo. Dons favorite pastime was

irding. In 1978 along with his Atlanta friend Terry Moore, Don and Doris began the Jekyll

sland Banding Station, where they banded migratory songbirds each autumn for over 20

years before turning the station over to its present directors.

Don is survived by his wife, Doris Ramsey Cohrs, his son, Larry Cohrs (Iris) of Villa Rica, GA

nd his daughter, Amy Vassey (Bobby) of Peachtree City, GA. Other survivors are his three

randchildren, Stuart Vassey, Elizabeth Vassey and Nathan Vassey.

No services are planned. Here is a quote from a letter Don wrote to his children several years

go: Rather than a memorial service, I would really prefer that you take a long walk in the

woods, keeping your eyes and ears open. The wonders of nature are awesome. Memorial

ontributions may be made in his honor to the McIntosh County Chapter of Habitat for

Humanity, P. O. Box 2058, Darien, GA 31305, The Altamaha Riverkeeper, Georgia

Ornithological Society or to your favorite charity.

In Memoriam

I thought of

friends who ne

take walks i

Oklahoma fo

there was noth

to see.

I was amazed agrieved at the

blindness. I lon

to open their e

to the wonde

around them,

persuade peopl

love and cher

nature.

Margaret Mor

Nice (1883197

ornithologist

researcher

Nancy Hamilton making bird feeders with children at Mother Earth Day event.

Photographer: Dunwoody Nature Center Staff


8/128 Atlanta Audubon Soci

Every year the earth provides us with endlessopportunities to witness the miracle of lifefirsthand in our own backyards. Beginning inFebruary and continuing through October, it iswildlife baby season. Like it or not, we are allnatures landlords with a responsibility to providesafe and adequate housing for our tenants.

These tenants are hundreds of species of wildlifethat have learned to adapt to the urbanenvironment that we humans have forced on them.Birds nest virtually anywhere that offers protectionfrom the elements; rabbits scratch out nests inevery part of the yard; raccoons and squirrels takeup residence in our attics, opossums in thebasement and compost pile, deer in the pasture,foxes in the culvert and bats under the shingles. Itis an invasion from all sides and we can suffer andfight them or relish their presence and learn fromthem. With just a little preparation we can enjoythe wonders of Mother Nature without thefrustrations of property damage or the

heartbreaking realization that we have caused thedeath of a helpless creature through someunintentional mistake of property maintenance. Ingeneral, these creatures only need a two to six-week time-share of our property and then they willbe happy to leave on their own.

Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Effort (AWARE), awildlife center, is located at Arabia Mountain inLithonia, just 20 minutes from downtown Atlanta.It is a 501(c) 3, non-profit, all-volunteerorganization committed to the preservation andrestoration of wildlife and its habitat througheducation and wildlife rehabilitation. The majority

of wild animals received at wildlife centers arebirds, but AWARE rescues and rehabilitates allnative species of wildlife and returns them to thewild.

The wildlife center is in the process of buildingadditional flight enclosures that will provide

facilities currently unavailable in the metro Atlanarea. These enclosures are expensive to build,costing just over $1,000 each. Consequently

AWARE is seeking donations to cover the cost oftwo at this time. Volunteers are also needed to hwith the construction, so if you are interested inhelping with this project either monetarily or wit

the fruits of your labor, contact Michael Ellis at678.418.1111 or go to their website atwww.awareone.org for more information.

This worthwhile cause is being supported throu

this general appeal to our members and was

brought to the attention of the Atlanta Audubon

Societys Board by Pam Higginbotham because

birds matter!

Springs Awakening

By Michael Ellis

Atlanta Audubon Society hopes to secure matching fundfor its Georgia Important Bird Areas Program, and wewould like to be nominated to submit a grant proposal to

REI. According to REIs parameters for seeking a grant,REI employees work, play and volunteer in thecommunities in which we do business. Because of theseclose ties, we call on our employees to nominate non-

profit organizations for REI grants. As a result, we do noaccept unsolicited grant requests and proposals. Uponreceiving nominations from employees, we invitenominated organizations to submit proposals forfunding. So, if you work for REI or know someone whoworks for REI who would be interested in nominating

Atlanta Audubon Society for a REI grant, please askthem to contact Catharine Kuchar, executive director, [email protected] or call770.913.0511.

Do You or Anyone You Know Work for REI?

JosephGreenberg

Memorial Fund

Atlanta Audubon

Society has

stablished a JosephGreenberg Memorial

Fund for Education.

Contributions in

Joes memory may

be made payable to

Atlanta Audubon

Society. Please

mention that the

contribution is for

the Joseph

Greenberg Memorial

Fund for Education.

Joe Greenberg

Photo by Doug Greenberg

Songbird Enclosure Schematic


9/12June 2008

Book

of Interest:

Birders Conservation

Handbook: 100 North

American Birds at Ris

by Jeffrey Wells,

Princeton University

Press, 2007

This most important w

is written specifically

help birders and

researchers understa

the threats while

providing actions to

protect birds and thehabitats. Chapters inc

each birds status,

distribution (with map

and ecology, along w

information on the sta

North American bird

populations, major

conservation issues,

initiatives now underw

to improve the health

our birds.

You have already read about this years Youth Birding Competition in Ellen Millers Perch article. The

event was a success by any measure. We had more participants (120), more teams (27), and saw more

birds (winning total species 133) than in previous years. Most important, it was obvious how much

fun these kids had spending a day outside birding. I am confident, as I have been told by many

parents, that this event generates long term enthusiasm for birds in many of the participants. Several

have already mentioned that they are planning for next year (April 25-26, 2009).

Thanks so much to everyone who helped make this event possible-the parents and mentors who

spent time teaching the teams about birds and birding, the many volunteers and to TERN, GOS andAAS for their support.

For more details, go to the posting on GABO http://listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html or to

http://www.eeingeorgia.org.

Youth Birding CompetitionBy Tim Keyes

Prior to the Youth Birding Competition at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center on May 3, representatives

from all eight Audubon chapters in Georgia (Albany Audubon Society, Atlanta Audubon Society,

Augusta-Aiken Audubon Society, Coastal Audubon Society, Columbus Audubon Society, Oconee

Rivers Audubon Society, Ogeechee Audubon Society, Ocmulgee Audubon Society) met to collaborate

and share best practices. Ellen Miller, Catharine Kuchar, Mary Elfner and I represented AAS.

Lynn Tennefoss, Vice President State Programs and Chapter Services at National Audubon Society

(NAS) facilitated the session. Since NAS doesnt have a state office in Georgia, we wanted to convene

all the local chapters to talk about statewide issues of concern, such as development on Jekyll Island

and support for the Georgia Important Bird Areas (IBA) Program.

The session was powerful. We talked about how we wanted to invest collaborative grant funds that

NAS makes available to the state chapters. We shared some of the exciting programs that chapters

are doing. The other Georgia chapters were all very interested in our Master Birder Program. We

agreed to meet annually at the Youth Birding Competition, and we will continue to communicatethroughout the year.

Special thanks to Mary Elfner for organizing and taking minutes at the meeting.

Georgia Audubon CouncilBy Kelly Hopkins

To help support the Georgia IBA program, you can make your check payable to AAS, Georgia IBAand send to P. O. Box 29189, Atlanta, GA 30359.

Please note that Atlanta Audubons 2008 Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Tour is taking place near

this very special area of Georgia, so plan to visit the Kennesaw Mountain NBP and IBA this fall

while taking the Sanctuary Tour on Sept. 6!

Kennesaw Mountain NBP and Georgia IBAContinued from page 1

Brown Thrashers Team from DecaturPhotographer: Linda May

Thunderbirders Team from Watkinsville with Giff BeatonPhotographer: Linda May


10/12

CLASSIFIEDS

Rates for 2.5 x 2.5 ads are $20/month or $45/quarter. Ads must be consistent with the conservation and birding mission of

Atlanta Audubon Society. Ads may be accepted via e-mail, preferably in .pdf format. Call 770.913.0511 if you have questions.

Send payment to Wingbars Ads, Atlanta Audubon Society, P.O. Box 29189, Atlanta, GA 30359.

Send ads via e-mail to Catharine Kuchar at [email protected].


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

Answer: Sooty

Shearwater

Answer:Thrush

Wearelookingforav

olunteerwith

experienceinproduci

ngcollateral

material(brochuresa

ndother

publications)tohelpu

screateasmall

brochureforAtlantaA

udubonSocietys

LegacyClub.Theproj

ectshouldbe

bothfunandrewardin

g.Thecompen-

sationwillbeAASgr

atitude,afeeling

ofaccomplishmentandkn

owingyou

havehelpedussuccessfullykickoff

thisimportantprogram

.Thetimeframe

ofthisprojectwillmo

stlikelybe

betweenJune1andA

ug.31.

Ifinterested,pleasec

ontact

CatharineB.Kuchar

at

Catharine.Kuchar@a

tlantaaudubon.org.

GraphicDesignerfor

NewBrochure

Would You RatherNot

Receive a Hard Copy of

Wingbars?

If you would like to opt out of

receiving a hard copy ofWingbarseach month via snail mail, please

send us a message at

[email protected]

and we will take care of it.

At the beginning of each month, the

most recent issue ofWingbars is

available in pdf format on the website

at www.atlantaaudubon.org.


11/12June 2008

Wingbarsis mailed only to Friends of Atlanta Audubon. All new National Audubon Society

members receive an introductory copy and can continue to receive this newsletter by becoming aFriends of Atlanta Audubon member. Enrollment as a Friend of Atlanta Audubon does not include

membership in the National Audubon Society. Thus, you will notreceiveAudubonmagazine.

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.

Join Atlanta Audubon Society

BENEFITSOF

MEMBERSHIP 11 issues

(July/Augustcombined) of

WingbarsNewsletter

Friends discounton classes, tripsand special even

Use of the AASlibrary

Agreattaxdeduction!

Getting to Know Georgias Protected Birds: Common Raven

The Common Raven (Corvus corax) is theargest member of the crow family with aength of 54.668.5 cm (21.527 in) and a

wingspan of 117-142 cm (46-56 in). Thisotally glossy black bird is much larger and

heavier than the American Crow and canurther be distinguished from the latter by itsonger wings and its long, wedge-shaped orounded tail. In addition the Common Raven

has longer, thicker and shaggier feathers on

he throat and chin and a longer heavier

Roman nose bill. The flight of the CommonRaven is more hawk-like than crow-like forit alternates flapping and gliding. TheCommon Raven can hover like an AmericanKestrel and is capable of diving from greatheights and performing aerial acrobaticssuch as tumbling and rolling. The call hasbeen described as a loud and deep gutturalcroaking or a low, drawn-out croak.

Common Ravens reside in a wide variety ofhabitats, but are found primarily alongseacoasts and in mountainous areas. InGeorgia, they are most often encountered inthe vicinity of rocky and remote cliffs in theBlue Ridge Mountains in the northeastern

part of the state.

The diet of the Common Raven includescarrion, garbage, small mammals, berries,nuts, insects, frogs, tadpoles, crayfish, youngbirds, eggs and many other food items. Inthe southern Appalachian Mountains, nestsare usually built on rocky cliff ledges, on thesides of well-shaped cliffs or in rock

crevices; they are rarely built in the tops or

crotches of trees. Five or more green-graylight green eggs with black or brownblotches are laid early March to late Apriland are incubated by the female for 18-20days.

A University of Georgia survey in 1981recorded only nine Common Ravens inGeorgia, two on Brasstown Bald and seveon Rabun Bald. They may never have beeabundant in Georgia, and habitat loss coueasily extirpate the species here since the

prefer to inhabit the wildest and mostrugged high elevation mountain country onortheastern Georgia.

Common Ravens are considered rareaccording to the state status and are notlisted at the federal level. A rare bird is aspecies that may not be endangered orthreatened, but which should be protectebecause of its scarcity.

Source: Georgia Department of Natura

Resources, Protected Animals of Georgia

J Make check payable to:Atlanta Audubon SocietyMembership DirectorP.O. Box 29189, Atlanta, GA 30359

J Please charge my credit card:

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It is Atlanta Audubon Societys policy not to share or sell our mailing list. Your privacy is of the utmost importance to us.

Now Available!

You can now renew yourmembership online. Just vis

our Web site atwww.atlantaaudubon.org

and go to the membership pag

join via the Web. We are excito be able to offer this new

service to you!


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

OFFICEat Dunwoody Nature Cen

5343 Roberts Drive

Dunwoody, GA 30338

770.913.0511Send all mail for

AAS to:PO Box 29189

Atlanta, GA 3035

400DunwoodyVillage

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Mt.Vern

on Hwy.

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LOCATION

UPCOMING

June Speaker

Series

Atlanta Audubon Society is an independent, non-profit

501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax

deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

UPCOMING SPEAKER SERIES

Wade Tract PreserveSunday, June 22, 3 PM

Island Ford

Jim Cox, ornithologist with Tall Timbers Research Station, will discuss the history othe Wade Tract Preserve, a rare old-growth longleaf forest. He will describe some of

the unique lessons learned about Bachmans Sparrow, Brown-headed Nuthatches anRed-cockaded Woodpeckers.

Jims pamphlet on Bird Watching Basics An Introduction For Beginning Bird Watchis a favorite of many who teach and instill the wonders of birding in others. For moinformation, go to http://www.floridaconservation.org/Viewing/articles/bwbintro.htm

This AAS event will be held at the Island Ford Park Headquarters and Visitor ContaStation of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. For directions, see thmap below or go to www.nps.gov/chat/planyourvisit/islandford.htm

june 2008 wingbars newsletter atlanta audubon society

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