november 2007 wingbars newsletter atlanta audubon society

8/9/2019 November 2007 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society

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ATLANTAAUDUBON SOCI

Box 29189Atlanta, GA 303

www.atlantaaudubon

AAS OFFICEand Information

770.913.051

GOS RARE BIRD AL

770.493.886

November 2007

Volume XXXIII, Issue 11 ATLANTA AUDUBON SOCIETY

I N S I D

Presidents Perch..........

From the Exec Dir.........

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

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

Merritt Island Refuge ...

Volunteer Corner ..........

Freedom Park ...............Spotlight Mark Jernigan

Youth Bird Education....

A Million Thanks...........

Fernbank Forest ...........

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

Books of Interest..........

GAs Protected Birds.....

Membership..................Sparrows Workshop .....

Come One, Come All!Atlanta Audubon Holiday BanquetDecember 7, 2007

6 PM wine and beer (cash bar) 7 PM scrumptious dinnerSilent auction throughout the evening

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta

The cuisine will be great. Ask anyone who came last year. You can make theauction a success. Please donate goods or services such as birding stuff,art with a nature flair, weekend getaways, landscape design for birding,wonderful bird books, etc. Your treasure may be the perfect gift for a fellowbirder. Come with checkbook in hand and prepare to have fun.

To register, contact the Audubon office at 770.913.0511. Send your check for$25 per person to Sally Davis, 3904 Ashford Lake Ct., Atlanta, GA 30319today to reserve your space. To volunteer to help with the banquet or todonate something for the silent auction, contact Sally Hodges [email protected].

Election of Officers for 2008-2009

Report of the Nominating Committeeby Kelly Hopkins

The nominating committee is honored to present the ballot of candidates for Atlanta Audubon Societys officersand board of directors for the 2008-2009 term. Several current board members have extended their terms byone year, and a few have offered to take on new board roles. Please join me in recognizing all of our currentboard members and thanking them for their contributions over the years.

I would like to especially recognize the board members who will be stepping down at the end of the year: ArtHurt, Lisa Hurt, Marcia Klenbort, Georgann Schmalz and David Yon. Each has made a significant personalinvestment in Atlanta Audubon Society and will leave a tremendous legacy. I am honored to have served on theboard with all of them.

We are excited that several new candidates are included on the ballot. Volunteers are the currency of strongnonprofit organizations. If you are interested in serving on the board or you would like to nominate someone,please contact Kelly Hopkins ([email protected]). We are still looking for a co-chair for the educationcommittee.

The membership will vote on the ballot of candidates at the Holiday Banquet December 7.

Position / Term Name

Officers

President 2008 ..................................................Ellen Miller

President Elect 2008 .................................... ..Allyson Read

Treasurer 2008-2009.................... ..................Deanna Helie

Recording Secretary 2008-2009 ..................Mark Jernigan

Corresponding Secretary 2008-2009..........Barbara Tarpley

Past-President (ex officio) 2008......................................n/a

Directors

Communications 2008-2009......................Barbara Tarpley

Publicity 2008 ........................................Denese Van Dyne

Volunteers 2008........... ...............................Nancy Hamilton

Position / Term Name

Conservation 2008 ........................................Kelly Hopkins

Co-Chairs Education: Adult & Youth

2008-2009 ..................................................Marge Igyarto

Vacant

Membership 2008-2009 ..............................Darlene Moore

Field Activities 2008 ..........................................Dave Butler

Special Events 2008-2009 ........................................Vacant

At Large

At Large: EarthShare

& Speakers Bureau 2008-2009 ....................Victor Williams

At Large 2008-2009 ..........................................Jay Davis


2/12

This morning I saw a Wild Turkey at our place

in Jasper County. I heard a ruckus, and when I

looked out I realized the ruckus was being

created by one of our regular Wild Turkeyvisitors. There is an army of turkeys in the area,

with a few foraging around our yard regularly.

This morning the turkey appeared to be heading

for some millet which, in spite of the drought,

had come up where I scatter seeds for winter

sparrows. Our dog was lying close by the millet,

which highly offended the turkey as it could not

get to the millet without having a close

encounter of the dog kind; hence the ruckus.

At the time Europeans came to this country,

there were between 7 and 10 million turkeys,

with that number dwindling to 30,000 in the

early 1900s. Today, in sharp contrast to what

has happened with many of our bird species,

there are approximately 7 million Wild Turkeys

with numbers continuing to increase.

How did that happen?

From what I read, there were some efforts at

restoration and conservation of Wild Turkeys in

the 1950s, but the real success came with the

formation of the National Wild Turkey

Federation in 1973. At that time, there were

approximately 1.3 million turkeys. So, insomething over 30 years and in spite of human

expansion, pollution, habitat destruction and

hunting, the number of turkeys has increased

almost sixfold. Currently, the Wild Turkey

Federation has 584,000 members and has raised

$238 million for conservation, restoration and

habitat enhancement. Wow! Now I know that

the Wild Turkey Federation also promotes and

is made up of hunters, but by any measure I

know of they are an extremely effective

conservation organization, which leads me to

my point.

Much of the success of the Wild Turkey

Federation comes from its focus on working

with any agency, group, or individual who wan

to revive turkey populations. It seems to me

that those of us interested in bird conservation

generally can take a lesson from this attitude.

While I dont have an interest in hunting, I do

have an interest in turkey populations. So an

organization like the Wild Turkey Federation is

on my list of groups I want to cooperate with

and support. Have you heard the saying, The

enemy of my enemy is my friend? Other group

that I see as good guys include Ducks

Unlimited and Quail Unlimited. With wetlands

for ducks, open habitat for quail and forests fo

turkeys, think of all the additional species that

benefit from the actions of these groups.

To be as effective and successful as possible,

we birders must partner with a wide variety of

organizations and individuals with whom we

may not agree on all items but who want to

reverse the decline of bird species. This is how

the power of numbers can be leveraged to

achieve real strides in influencing policy makeand raising money for bird and habitat

conservation to ensure that the birds we love t

see are visible for generations to come.

Thank you. And I hope you get to see a Wild

Turkey soon

Board of Directors2007

Executive Director Catharine Kuchar770.993.9579

[email protected]

President Ellen Miller404.355.8892

[email protected]

President-elect Vacant

Treasurer David Yon404.513.9806

[email protected]

Recording Secy Mark Jernigan

[email protected]

Corresponding Secy Barbara Tarpley404.687.0079

[email protected]

DirectorsConservation Vacant

Education Marcia Klenbort404.874.9826

[email protected]

Field Trips Dave Butler404.580.3917

[email protected]

Membership Art Hurt770.934.7660

[email protected]

CommunicationsGeorgann Schmalz706.216.5012

[email protected]

Publicity Denese Van Dyne404.406.9324

[email protected]

Special Events Nancy Hamilton404.874.2338

[email protected]

Volunteers Vacant

At LargePast PresidentKelly Hopkins404.622.1888

[email protected]

Jay Davis404.624.4973

[email protected]

Lisa Hurt770.934.7660

[email protected]

Victor WilliamsEarthshare Representative

[email protected]

---

WebsiteJim Flynn

[email protected]

Wingbars EditorGrace Trimble 404.351.0518

[email protected]

Design & Layout

Copy Preparation [email protected]

ProofreadingMim Eisenberg

[email protected]

Newsletter deadline is the first ofthe month for material to be

published the following month.Please submit articles as MS-Word to

gmtrimble @mindspring.com.Email 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

Wild Turkeys and Lessons Learned

2 Atlanta Audubon Soci


3/12

olunteerOpportunitiGET INVOLVEIN ATLANTAAUDUBON

We invite you to volunteerwith these Atlanta Audubonprograms.

PublicityHelp us get the word out throlocal media about our field trand workshops.Contact: Denese Van Dyne404.406.9324

MembershipHelp with mailings tomembership.Contact: Art Hurt

770.934.7660

EventsRepresent Audubon at speciafunctions and displays.Contact: Nancy Hamilton404.874.2338

EducationVolunteer for a variety ofeducational programs. Weprovide training workshops.Contact: Marcia Klenbort404.874.9826

Wildlife Sanctuary

Support the preservation ofgreenspace in Atlanta.Contact: Jacqueline McRae

jacqueline.mcrae@comcast.

It is an important time in the history of

Atlanta Audubon Society. As we look to

expand our efforts, we are holding our first-ever fundraising appeal to support our

conservation work. It is an exciting time.

Since its first days, Atlanta Audubon has

been committed to conservation. Our efforts

have included a variety of important

programs and activities always focused on

the organizations mission to promote the

enjoyment and understanding of birds and to

conserve and restore the ecosystems that

support them. As we look to the future, we

believe it is important to find a way to make

the greatest impact for their protection.

To do this, we have developed a new guiding

focus: Creating, Promoting and

Preserving Bird-Friendly Habitat. This

new guiding focus will mean that we are

committed to bird-friendly habitat by:

1) creating and enhancing green space and

the role individuals can play in this process;

2) promoting the importance of habitat

protection and educating the public that

birds matter; and

3) preserving and protecting bird-friendlyhabitat from uncontrolled growth and over-

development.

This will happen through a variety of

programs and work throughout the region.

Some of the work we currently do in

conservation includes the Backyard WildlifeSanctuary Certification program and annual

tour, Georgias Important Bird Area (IBA)

Program, Armchair Activists, Shade-Grown

Coffee campaigns, Birds Matter pamphlet

and on-the-ground conservation. With such

low overhead and administrative costs, we

are able to maximize each dollars

effectiveness in making a difference in these

important conservation areas. Our work will

continue to expand these and other

important conservation programs.

In October, you should have received aspecial mailing from Atlanta Audubon

Society. In it you will find a more detailed

account of our new guiding focus and what

exactly this means for the conservation of

the birds that we love. We need your

financial support to continue our work and

to expand our conservation efforts in our

new focus creating, promoting and

preserving bird-friendly habitat.

It is our hope that all Atlanta Audubon

Society members will contribute at some

level. Every dollar counts during thisimportant appeal. Help us make a difference

for tomorrow and beyond.

From the Executive Directorbby Catharine Brockman Kuchar

Kicking Off Our Fall Appeal Program:

We Need You!

November 2007

Atlanta Audubon Society is looking for your support! Your contribution to Atlanta Audubon Society will reap dividends for years to come towards creating, promoting andpreserving bird-friendly habitat. Cut out this form and mail in your donation to Atlanta Audubon Society, 2007 Annual Fund to Protect Bird-Friendly Habitat,PO Box 29189, Atlanta, Georgia 30359

Yes! I would like to support Atlanta Audubon Society with a contribution.

Donation amount enclosed: $_________

Donors giving $50 or more receive a one-year Individual Supporting Membership in AAS.

Annual Fund Donor Categories:Bald Eagle ($1,000 or more)Great Blue Heron ($500-$900)Red-headed Woodpecker ($250-$499)Rose-breasted Grosbeak ($100-$249)White-throated Sparrow ($50-$99)Supporter ($1-$49)

I have made or am considering making a gift to Atlanta Audubon Society in my estate plans.

I do not wish to have my donation recognized in the newsletter, Wingbars.

We thank you for your generous support!

Check enclosed(Please make check payable to Atlanta Audubon Society)

Visa MasterCard

Credit Card #_____________________________________Exp. Date (MM/YY) __________________Signature ___________________________________Card Verification No.* ______*The Card Verification Number is printed on the signature area on the back of your card (the last thredigits only).

Mr. Ms. Mrs. Dr. Other ___________ Name ______________________________________________Address _____________________________________________City ________________________________________________State ________________________ Zip __________Phone ___________________________E-mail Address _____________________________________

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4/12

ATLANTA AREA

KITES THROUGH SHOREBIRDS It has become

evident over the past few years that both

MISSISSIPPI KITES and, to a lesser extent,

SWALLOW-TAILED KITES wander into the

Piedmont in late summer. This year was no

exception, as there were several reports this

month, with the most interesting being two

SWALLOW-TAILED KITES and 50 MISSISSIPPI

KITES in Spalding County on 10 Aug. (EB).

Several UPLAND SANDPIPERS were reported

from Spalding County on 17 Aug. for a rare

sighting by EB. Single STILT SANDPIPERS

were seen at the E.L. Huie Land Application

Facility (ELHLAF) in Clayton County on 27 Aug.

(EB) and in Bartow County on 29 Aug. (BZ),

and five birds were in Bartow County on 30

Aug. (KB). A BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was

a rare find at the ELHLAF on 27 Aug. (EB).

NIGHTHAWKS THROUGH WARBLERS A

number of observers reported low numbers of

COMMON NIGHTHAWKS during the month, but

the highest count reported was 255 at the

Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell on

31 Aug. (SZ, ZL). An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER

was an excellent sighting at Kennesaw

Mountain National Battlefield (KMT) on 28

Aug. (B&DZ et al.). The peak count of RED-

EYED VIREOS was 13 at KMT on 23 Aug. (BZ).

EB reported as many as 100 HORNED LARKS

in Spalding County on 17 Aug. Back at KMT,

one NASHVILLE WARBLER was seen on 24

Aug. (B&DZ), and seven CERULEAN WARBLERS

were spotted on 23 Aug. (BZ). Most of the

usual early migrant warblers were seen at

KMT during the month, but generally their

numbers were in the low single digits.

GEORGIA AREA

DUCKS THROUGH SHEARWATERS BLACK-

BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS continued their

presence along the Georgia coast, with at

least 14 in the Darien area on 25 Aug. (JSe). A

female RING-NECKED DUCK was a good find

in the Phinizy Swamp area near Augusta on

11 Aug. (LS). BBe and DF found three

COMMON LOONS on north Georgia lakes on

22 Aug., with two on Lake Nottley and one on

Lake Blue Ridge. On a pelagic trip out from

Tybee Island, BZ et al. recorded four BLACK-

CAPPED PETRELS, 14 CORYS SHEARWATERS,

two AUDUBON SHEARWATERS and one

GREATER SHEARWATER.

PELICANS THROUGH HARRIERS Three

BROWN PELICANS were an interesting find at

the Lake Walter F. George Dam (LWFGD) on 25

Aug. (EB, MB). In the Brunswick area, JSe

counted 27 ROSEATE SPOONBILLS on 25 Aug.

Both species of KITES were widely reported,

with the most interesting sightings being a

SWALLOW-TAILED KITE north of Macon on 3

Aug. (TI) and a MISSISSIPPI KITE in Gordon

County on 20 Aug. (DF, BBe, AS). An early

NORTHERN HARRIER was seen in Morgan

County on 29 Aug. by MMc.

SHOREBIRDS THROUGH TERNS Three

BLACK-NECKED STILTS (two adults and one

young) were seen at the Altamaha Waterfowl

Management Area near Darien on 25 Aug. by

JSe. Inland, EB and MB saw 3-4 WILLETS at

the LWFGD on 25 Aug. The peak count of

UPLAND SANDPIPERS at the Marshallville Sod

Farm was 28 on 4 Aug. (JSe, BL, DV, BZ).

Interesting sightings from the Carters Lake

area were a SANDERLING on 28 and 29 Aug.

(MMe, B&DZ) and as many as three BAIRDS

SANDPIPERS on 28 and 29 Aug. (MMe, B&DZ).

Two STILT SANDPIPERS were found at the

LWFGD on 25 Aug. (EB, MB). BUFF-BREASTED

SANDPIPERS were found at the Marshallville

Sod Farm with the peak count of eight com

on 24 Aug. (JSe). Along the coast, JSe had

three LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS and

three GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS at Tyb

Island on 25 Aug. On the previously mentio

pelagic trip, BZ et al. had 15 BRIDLED TERN13 SOOTY TERNS and 35 BLACK TERNS.

Inland, EB and MB had 56+ BLACK TERNS

LWFGD on 25 Aug.

DOVES THROUGH DICKCISSELS A COMMO

GROUND-DOVE was quite a rare find in

Murray County on 20 Aug. (DF, BBe, AS). Th

best count of COMMON NIGHTHAWKS was

in Gordon County on 29 Aug. (JSp). An adu

male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD appeared at a

Dawsonville feeder on 12 Aug. (GS). Anothe

good find was an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERthe Columbus area on 24 Aug. (WC). A male

DICKSISSEL was seen in Greene County on

April (JN et al.).

CONTRIBUTORS Giff Beaton, Betty Belang

Eric Beohm, Michael Beohm, Ken and Rach

Blankenship, Bill Boyd, Walt Chambes, Jim

Flynn, Dot Freeman, David Hedeen, Ty Ivey,

Carol Lambert, Zelia Lebeau, Bill Lotz, Joel

McNeal, Mark McShane, Max Medley, Darle

Moore, Peggy and Terry Moore, Michael

Parrish, Lynn Schlup, Georgann Schmalz, JSewell, Joshua Spence, Lois Stacey, Ann

Stewart, Dan Vickers, Bob and Deb Zaremb

and Stacy Zarpentine.

Have an interesting bird to report? Contact

Terry Moore at [email protected].

August Field Notes by Terry Moorez

The hot, dry conditions in Georgia

continued during the entire

month of August.This, coupled

with no strong fronts, led to a very

mediocre month bird-wise. Just aquick look at the months numbers

and youll get the feeling that it was difficult to

get out and scare up even a few species.

The Atlanta area recorded 131 species

(average 137.9), to bring the year-to-date total

to 232 (average 225.2). The Georgia area came

in at 191 species (average 201.8), to bring that

year-to-date total to 322 (average 314.2).


Q:Whatspecies

recentlydethronedtheArcticTernasthebirdwiththe

longestmigration?

Seepage___fortheanswerSee page 10 for answer

Q: Who said:Birding, after all, is

just a game. Goingbeyond that is what isimportant.


5/12

Field TripsCompiled by Dave Butler

November 2007

Piedmont Park (Fulton County)

Saturday, November 10,Marcia KlenbortMeet at 8 AMBirding Focus: Resident birdsDirections: The Piedmont ParkConservancy Community Room is locatedat the corner of Piedmont Ave. and 12thSt. From south of the city, take the I-75/85connector north to the Pine St. Exit (Exit249B). Go straight on Pine, crossingPeachtree St. Turn left on Piedmont Ave.Travel about one mile to 12th St. Fromnorthwest of downtown, take I-75 south tohe 16th St. Exit (Exit 250). Go straight,

crossing 14th St. Follow the signs to 10thSt. Turn left on 10th. Travel about a halfmile to Piedmont. Turn left on Piedmonto 12th St. From northeast of downtown,ake I-85 south to the 17th St. Exit (Exit

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

Bear Creek Reservoir(Jackson County)Friday, November 9,Darlene Moore and Cheryl KanesMeet at 10 AMBirding Focus: WaterfowlBear Creek Reservoir is located about 1.5

hours northeast of Atlanta. We will meet athe public fishing area off of GA 330 and

bird several locations around the reservoir.We hope to see some scoters. If you havea scope, please bring it.Directions: From Atlanta take I-85 Northo GA 316 East towards Athens. Go 30

miles and turn left on GA 211 towardsStatham. Follow GA 211, then turn rightonto GA 82 for 0.7 miles. It becomes GA330. Stay on GA 330 for approximately 4miles. The public fishing area is on theright. The GPS coordinates of this locationare as follows: 33.992645, -83.514794.

Enter them in Google Earth for detaileddirections and pictures. Map can be foundn DeLorme, p. 22, G-1. Please contact

Darlene at 404.274.7390 if you are lost orate.

Phinizy Swamp(Richmond County)Saturday, November 10,Bill LotzMeet at 8 AMBirding Focus: Waterfowl and songbirdsDirections: From Atlanta, take I-20 East

to Augusta. Take exit 196A, Bobby Jones

Expressway. Take Bobby JonesExpressway to Exit 10 (Doug BarnardParkway/Bush Field Airport). Turn right,toward airport. Travel just under one mileuntil you see the wastewater treatmentplant on your left. Turn left just past theplant onto Lock & Dam Rd. Travel justunder one-half mile until you see a smallhouse on the left. Just past the house, lookfor the Phinizy Swamp Nature Parkentrance sign on your left. Turn left anddrive 200 feet. The parking area is on theleft.

Brunch and Birds at LullwaterPark on Emory University Campus(DeKalb County)Wednesday, Nov 14,Darlene Moore and Cheryl KanesMeet at 11:30 AMBirding Focus: Songbirds, waterfowl onlakeLullwater Park is the greenspace areawhich surrounds the presidents house atEmory. We will meet at the park entrance,which faces Clifton Ranger District, nearthe intersection of Clifton Ranger Districtand Haygood Rd. Please feel free to dropby on your lunch break. If you miss us,

call Darlene at 404.274.7390, and we willtell you our current location. Parking oncampus can be challenging and usuallyrequires a fee if you are not a student oremployee of Emory. Please use the visitordecks and do not park illegally, as you riskbeing towed and/or ticketed. The closestparking deck is the Michael St. deck.Michael St. intersects with Clifton near theentrance to Lullwater Park.Directions: From I-285, take Exit 40, E.Ponce de Leon Ave., toward Clarkston.Turn right on E. Ponce de Leon. Go onemile. Turn right on N. Decatur Rd. Go 3

miles. Turn right on Haygood Dr. Turnright on Clifton Rd. Michael St. will be onthe left. The entrance to Lullwater Parkwill be on the right.From downtown Atlanta, take FreedomPkwy. toward the Carter Center. Continuepast the Carter Center to Moreland Ave.Turn left on Moreland Ave. Go 1.6 miles(Moreland becomes Briarcliff Rd.) Turnright on N. Decatur Rd. Pass throughroundabout. Turn left on Clifton Rd. Goapproximately one-half mile. Michael St.will be on the left. The entrance to

Lullwater Park will be on the right.

West Point Dam (Troup County)Friday, November 16,Darlene Moore and Cheryl KanMeet at 10 AM at the West Point DamVisitors Center, 550 ResourceManagement Dr., West Point, GA 31833706.645.2937.Birding Focus: Waterfowl and gullsDirections: From Atlanta take I-85 Souto Exit 2. Go west on GA Hwy. 18 for 1miles to the town of West Point. Turn ronto US 29/GA 14 for 3.3 miles toResource Management Dr. and turn lefThere is a large brown sign for West PoLake here. The Visitors Center is at 1.6miles on your right. Delorme Map Grid24, F-2. Please bring your spotting scopyou have one.

Chattahoochee River NationalRecreation Area, Cochran ShoalUnit (Fulton County)Thursday, November 29,Darlene Moore and Cheryl KanMeet at 9 AMBirding Focus: SparrowsDirections: Cochran Shoals is locatedthe west bank of the Chattahoochee, junorth of I-285 (about "10 oclock" on th

Perimeter).Directions: From I-285 eastbound: TakExit 22, Northside Dr., New Northside Powers Ferry Rd. Go to second trafficlight and go left onto New Northside DUse through lane to pick up InterstatNorth Pkwy. Unit will be 0.8 miles on thright after crossing the Chattahoochee.From I-285 westbound: Take Exit 22,Northside Dr., New Northside Dr., PowFerry Rd. Go right on New Northside DUse through lane to pick up InterstatNorth Pkwy. Unit will be 0.8 miles on thright after crossing the Chattahoochee.

Please wear shoes that can get wet andlong pants, as we will be walking throuhigh grasses in the sparrow field. Pleasbe sure to bring $3 for the parking fee(exact change, please).Please be certain to meet at the InterstNorth parking area, if you are at theColumns Dr. area, you are not in thecorrect spot and will not find us.

Field trips are open to the public and free (unless otherwise noted).We welcome everyone from beginners to advanced birders!

Please check the Audubon Website for other field trips not listed here.


6/126 Atlanta Audubon Soci

Atlanta Audubon Society will again sponsor a two-day/three-night trip to Merritt IslandNational Wildlife Refuge in Titusville, Florida, on January 18, 19 and 20, 2008. Located ea

of Titusville, Merritt Island has the distinction of being the home of NASA's Kennedy SpaCenter, a wildlife refuge and the Canaveral National Seashore.

Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge is the second largest refuge in Florida. It and its surroundiwaters offer a sanctuary for an abundance of plants and animals from both temperate an

tropical climate zones. Along its western edge is the Indian River Lagoon, North Americalongest and most biologically diverse estuary.

The refuge consists of 140,000 acres of salt marsh, freshwater impoundments, brackishestuaries, hardwood hammocks, pine flatwoods and scrub. Due to the diverse habitats,Merritt Island remains unsurpassed as a refuge for endangered wildlife. It supports more

threatened and endangered animals (21 species) than any other single refuge in thecontinental U.S., including the Florida manatee, bald eagle, wood stork, gopher tortoise a

eastern indigo snake. Combined with the Canaveral National Seashore, the refuge suppor

the world's largest population of Florida scrub jays.Offering varied birding opportunities, the refuge has recorded more than 310 species ofbirds. The field trips around the refuge will concentrate on wintering waterfowl and wadbirds. There will be opportunities to view other species such as rails, scrub jays and othe

wildlife.

The trip leaders will be Theresa Hartz and Lisa Hurt. The cost of the trip (NOT including foo

or lodging) will be $155 for Friends of Atlanta Audubon members, $180 for assigned membeand $200 for non-members. This trip is limited to 12 people.

There will be a pre-trip orientation meeting and a short workshop on Sunday, December 2,2007, at the Dunwoody Nature Center, 3-5 PM.

For reservations or more information contact Lisa Hurt by phone (770.934.7660) or e-m

([email protected]). Your payment will confirm your reservation.

Travel to Merritt Island National

Wildlife Refuge

with Atlanta Audubon

Volunteers are what make Atlanta Audubon Society such an amazing organization. We rely ovolunteers in virtually every area of the organization in order to be successful. We are alwa

looking for individuals who want to get involved. Check out some of our current volunteeropportunities below. Additional volunteer opportunities can be found on the Web site at

www.atlantaaudubon.org. We need you!

2008 Birds in the Park Coordinator Needed

Atlanta Audubon is seeking an enthusiastic volunteer to help us coordinate another successful Bi

in the Park in May of 2008, scheduled to coincide with International Migratory Bird Day. Because

event was planned and held last year, most of the work ahead of the event has been completed(including the various stations, supplies, etc.) We are looking for someone to work with the PiedmPark Conservancy in planning and conducting this great event. If interested, please contact Marci

Klenbort at [email protected].

Working Committee Members Needed

As you know, Atlanta Audubon Society is a member organization of Earth Share of Georgia (imagi

United Way, but for the environment). As a member organization, we work to support Earth Sharewhat they do. They have asked us to spread the word that they are looking for individuals who arinterested in helping serve on the working committee for their annual big Earth Day events

(Leadership Breakfast and Party in the Park). If you are interested in getting involved or havequestions, please contact Madeline Reamy of Earth Share at [email protected]

Volunteer Corner


7/12November 2007

As a volunteer for the Atlanta

Audubon Society, Mark

Jernigan has participated in

and hosted peel and sticks

for Wingbars, which involves

affixing address labels to the

newsletters, and has

coordinated an Adopt-A-

Mile litter control project in

eastern DeKalb County for the

society. He has been recording secretary on the

board since 1994, attending board meetings,preparing the minutes and maintaining

historical documents.

Mark has been birding since the late 1980s. He

calls himself more of a casual birder. He

doesnt usually keep track of how many he

sees but enjoys watching them for the fun of it.

He says its a good excuse to be outside and

learn something new. He adds, Birds can be

quite entertaining as well as

interesting to watch.

His favorite place to bird in

Georgia is Jekyll Island.

That is where he found a

Painted Bunting, the rarest

bird he has seen. You can

also find his favorite bird

there, the Brown Pelican.

Mark says, They are graceful as they skim

along above the water.

He shared a favorite memory of a trip to

Yellowstone National Park, of being among the

mud pots and watching a couple of Mountain

Bluebirds feeding on the ground. He called it a

grand view.

Mark lives in Clarkston and works in

regulatory compliance at a consumer goods

company.

Spotlighting... Mark Jernigan

ts been a long, hot summer at the Freedom Park Bird and Butterfly Garden. Weve planted only native

plants, but in this drought, even they, young as they are, still need water. We couldnt have kept things

going without the generous help of Jim Satcher, neighbor to the garden, who let us use his spigot in

hese arid times.

Most of our plants have made it through. Many, such as the arrowwood, AmericanBeautyberry and viburnum have berries on them now. The Golden Fleece

Goldenrod is blooming. The Joe Pye Weed, Purple Coneflowers and Black-eyed

Susans are running their course, with lots of seeds available. Many thanks go to

Dorothy Dabbs and Martha Treadwell, Atlanta Audubon members, who helped to

keep the garden watered and weeded. We did lose our Swamp Azalea and our

Cardinal Flowers to the drought, but all in all the garden did pretty well under the

circumstances.

More planting takes place in October. Phil Edwards, president of the DeKalb

Master Gardener Association, has lots of plants ready to go into the ground. As of

his writing, we are waiting for approval from the City of Atlanta Parks

Department to expand the garden to the next driveway. If we dont get that

approval, we will use the plants to fill in the present garden. We hope to have MaryLin Elementary School students involved in planting again, as well as volunteers

from Hands On Atlanta.

Fall is a great time to plant native plants. One of the best places to get native plants is at the Georgia

Perimeter College Botanical Garden at 3251 Panthersville Rd., in Decatur, 678.891.2668.

We can still use more volunteers at the garden, especially in later fall, when our new plants will need

watering fairly regularly.Please contact Carol Vanderschaaf at [email protected] or

404.373.0295.

Happenings at the Freedom ParkBird and Butterfly Garden

Dont forget

Birds ofAmerica

November 2 &

See October 20

Wingbars,for more

informatio


8/128 Atlanta Audubon Soci

Atlanta Audubon Society Members

Support Important

Youth Bird EducationAvid Wingbars readers learned last month about the Audubon-funded Barnsley scholarship to Hog

Island, Maine. Did you know that Atlanta Audubon also funds other youth education closer to home?

more than eight years, Birdathon funds have provided scholarships (Vernocy Scholarship) forBrookhaven Boys & Girls Club members to attend nature camps at Dunwoody Nature

Center. This summer 10 campers joined DNCs Junior Naturalist camp, held at Broo

Run park. Educators Melanie Sgrignoli and Jennifer Herrmann planned a week ful

fieldwork in the natural sciences, with liberal doses of fun. Some of the activities

included nature journaling, collection table work, creek day, forest blind projec

pit traps, migration map and crafts.

The 10 campers were David Duy Nguyen, Ariel Edmonds, Jazmine Gil, Salamaw

Moges, Donari Yahzid, Cornelia Torres-Hamlin, Eileen Gonzales, Afiya Evans,

Lizaremi Luna-Sousa and Donta Johnson.

Part of our mission is to conserve and restore the ecosystems that support birds. Bytraining these future citizens, voters and birdwatchers, Atlanta Audubon ensures that i

mission will thrive far beyond their week of Junior Naturalist camp. Dunwoody Nature Cente

greatly appreciates the financial support Atlanta Audubon provides, as well as the administrative help

Bobby Dunn, Brookhaven Boys & Girls Club Executive Director, and their able

driver/confidant/chaperone, Guy Maspin.

A Million Thanks!Atlanta Audubon Society is an amazing organization because of its volunteers. As always,we extend our unending gratitude to all of our volunteers but would like to send a special

thank you to the following individuals this month:

Rhett Smithplays a very important role in Atlanta Audubonsdatabase management work. We would like to send out a

special thank you to Rhett this month for helping us put

together our first fall appeal database list. It took Rhett a

lot of time to prepare the list and we are extremely

grateful.

It requires a lot of work to pull an issue of Wingbars

together each month. Proofreading is an important

part of that. We are lucky that volunteer,MimEisenberg, does such a terrific job. Mim carefully goes

over the newsletter every month to check for typos,

grammatical mistakes, etc. We are lucky to have Mims

expertise.

Each month after the printer pulls together our newsletter, we need to get labels on them

and organize the bulk mail. We are extremely lucky to always have a group of wonderful

people to help us out. We are especially grateful to Tom and Jane Blaisdell and hersister,Kathy. Virtually every month they come and help us out. We couldnt do it withoutthem.


9/12November 2007

At 65 acres, Fernbank Forest is one of Georgias smaller IBAs, but its impact is great. Locatedin the fastest growing metropolitan area in the country, it is an undisturbed, mixed hardwoodforest. Because it is also an urban, old-growth forest, it is an oasis of habitat for neotropicalmigratory and resident birds.

The importance of Fernbank Forest as habitat in a sea of change cannot be overstated.Imagine you are a Wood Thrush (a species of conservation concern at the continental level bythe National Audubon Society) just migrating in from Central America. You search for yourplace to land but have trouble locating your habitat because most of it has changed over thepast year. Forests have been replaced by subdivisions. Youre one of the lucky Wood Thrushes ifyou find Fernbank Forest so that you can rest and go about your life. According to David A.Sibley, major population declines for the Wood Thrush and Veery are attributed to loss ofhabitat on both wintering and breeding grounds, as well as loss of stopover habitats duringmigration (The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior, 2001).

Other species use this unique forest as well: Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated BlueWarbler, Worm-eating Warbler (another species of conservation concern at the continental

level), Hooded Warbler and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Because we cant all have a FernbankForest as our back yard, one thing you can do to help wild birds and wildlife in general in youryard is to consider landscaping for wildlife. Planting just a few trees in your landscape canserve as migratory stopover places in spring and fall for some species. In order to do this, learnabout native plant groundcovers, vines, shrubs and trees and implement a native plantlandscaping plan. You can learn more about this topic by visitinghttp://fsc.fernbank.edu/Birding/landscaping.html. Consider planting drought-resistant speciesin this time of severe watering restrictions.

According to the Fernbank Natural History Museum Web site, Visitors to Fernbank Forest cansee firsthand the primeval beauty of forestland as early explorers and southern NativeAmericans did hundreds of years ago. Trees, shrubs, wildflowers and ferns are labeled forvisitors. Animals such as squirrels, chipmunks, crows, woodpeckers, blue jays, box turtles and

snakes live undisturbed in their natural environment. Many species of protected migratorybirds also thrive within Fernbank Forest.

You can join the Fernbank Forest staff for organized family walks. Find out more by visitinghttp://www.fernbankmuseum.org/programs_events/family/index.aspx.

What are you waiting for? Step outside and take a walk at Fernbank Forest. And dont forgetyour binoculars. Keep a list of species seen and enter your bird list onto eBird(www.ebird.com), a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. We want a permanent record ofthe species seen on Georgia IBAs, and eBird is a great tool to do that. Good data helps us tocontinue to raise awareness and protect the 49 IBAs in Georgia that represent greater than 2million acres.

For more information about the Georgia IBA program and what you can do to help, contact Mary Elfner,Georgias IBA Coordinator, at [email protected].

Georgias Important Bird Areas:

Fernbank Forest

AAS field trip participants enjoy a

morning at Huie.

Photos by Cathy Harman

Fernbank Forest

Worm-eating Warbler

Wood Thrush


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 mission of Atlanta Audubon Society. Ads may be accepted via mail, preferably in .pdf format. Call 770.913.0511 if you have questions. Send payment tSally Davis, Wingbars Ads, Atlanta Audubon Society, P.O. Box 29189, Atlanta, GA 30359

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


en ou ome

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

EcuadorBirding in Paradise February 2008

Visit www.birdingadventuresinc.comfor more information

or email Georgann Schmalz [email protected]

JavaJoe Java Co.Shade Grown - Fair Trade Organic

Start your day with fresh roasted coffee

Choose from our international selection of

coffees and start enjoying a great cup of

coffee today! Decaf. coffee is Swiss Water.

Fresh RoastFresh CoffeeFair Price

www.javajoejavaco.com

Costa Rica Photo Tours

Mountains, volcanoes, cloud forest,waterfalls, lakes, rainforest, rivers, dry

forest, scenic valleys, the sea. Peopleand nature. By land and water. One ortwo weeks. Trips personally led by

Darcy Pino and Costarican crew.

Call 678-524-6302 ore-mail [email protected]

for more information.

www.darcysphotography.com

BOOKS OFINTEREST

Atlanta Audubon memberKatharine Crawford Robeyschildrens picture book,Hare and the Big Green

Lawn, has won anendorsement from theNational Wildlife FederationNWF). In May, NWF chose

her book as its book-of-the-month. Its now available onhe NWF Web site library.

n the story, Hare movesaway from the country to amall house with a big yard.

He doesnt like his big greenawn and wont tend it, inpite of what neighbors

Skunk, Bobcat and Ravenay. But Hare has a plan. He

hopes, hops and waits. His

neighbors love the result,or Hare has brought themall back to their own roots,as well as his. Hare hasgrown a meadow. At theend of the book there is ahort article on how to grow

your own meadow.Published by Rising MoonBooks/Northland Publishersand illustrated inwatercolors by LarryMacDougall, the book isavailable from Amazon.comand most bookstores.

Also published in 2006 is ananthology by MilkweedEditions that contains ahort story by Katharine

Crawford Robey, "Tiger ofhe Air." The story is about

a boy who finds a GreatHorned Owls great hornedowls nest in his great auntsyard. The book is called TheSouth Atlantic Coast and

Piedmont, a Literary FieldGuide. It is edited by SaraSt. Antione and is availableonline at Amazon.com androm the publisher directly.

Katharines story is set inAtlanta where she, too,ound a nest of Great

Horned Owlets.

Answer: Sooty

Shearwater

Answer:Roger Tory Peterson.


11/12November 2007

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:American Oystercatcher

The American

Oystercatcher(Haematopus

palliatus) is a

large, boldly

patternedshorebird thatreaches 40-44

cm (16-17 in.)n length, with an expected lifespan of 10-

20 years. Its dark brown back contrasts

with a black head and neck, red eye-ringand yellow iris to make it distinctive from

other shorebirds. As is common amongoystercatchers, American Oystercatchers

are sexually dimorphic, the female beingarger and heavier than the male.

This special bird inhabits coastal beaches.

The breeding range of the eastern race

extends from Massachusetts to southernFlorida and along the Gulf Coast fromFlorida to Mexico. This species nests on

all of Georgias undeveloped barrier

islands, although with varying success.Incubation requires 24-27 days, and bothsexes participate. Oystercatchers are

solitary nesters and defend nestingterritories, but the size of the territoryvaries with habitat characteristics.

An American Oystercatchers dietconsists of crabs, marine worms, oysters

and other mollusks. Notable behavioralcharacteristics of the American

Oystercatcher are frequent preening, atendency to walk rather than fly and deftforaging techniques. Adept at locating

open mussels and oysters, an American

Oystercatcher will quickly stab the bivaand separate the top and bottom halvesconsuming the soft contents.

The American Oystercatcher is conside

rare according to the state of Georgialisting and does not have federal status.rare bird in Georgia means that the

species may not be endangered orthreatened but should be protectedbecause of its scarcity. Egg collection,

predation of chicks and young, habitatloss and disturbance of nests by human

and domestic animals have traditionallybeen significant threats to the birds.

Source: Georgia Department of Natura

Resources, Protected Animals of Georg


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

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ChambleeDunwo

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Exit 30

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285

Upcoming

HolidayBanquetDecember 7,

2007

Sparrows Workshop

Are those little brown birds testing your birding skills? Identifying sparrows can be both

challenging and enjoyable. To improve your sparrow identification skills, join us for the

popular Sparrows Workshop. This two-part workshop consists of a classroom session on

Sunday, January 13, from 2 to 4:30 PM at the Dunwoody Nature Center and a field trip on

Saturday, January 19, at 8 AM at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield. Tim Keyes

will be the instructor for the classroom session as well as the field trip leader.

Tim is an excellent instructor and is a renowned wildlife interpretive specialist. He will

offer many valuable tips for identifying sparrows that are found in Georgia. In past

years, attendees have seen White-crowned Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow and other wintering birds during the field trip part

of the workshop.

The cost will be $35 for Friends of Atlanta Audubon (chapter only members), $60 for assigned members and $75 for

non-members.

A reservation is required for the workshop and can be made by contacting Wendy West by e-mail or phone:

[email protected] or 404.218.8141 (office number). Your check confirms your registration. The number

of participants will be limited.

november 2007 wingbars newsletter atlanta audubon society

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