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Transcript of December 2007 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
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8/9/2019 December 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
December 2007
Volume XXXIII, Issue 12 ATLANTA AUDUBON SOCIETY
I N S I D
Presidents Perch..........
From the Exec Dir.........
Field Notes....................
Field Trips......................
Woodruff Park...............
Merritt Island Refuge ...
Scholarships .................Hemlock War.................
Spotlight Barbara Tarple
Volunteer Opps..............
A Million Thanks............
08 Photography Contest
Classifieds....................
GAs Protected Birds.....
Membership..................Christmas Gifts .............
From Loganville to Palmetto and a lot of points between
Metro Atlanta kids are: Learning About Birds
By Marcia Klenbort, LAB coach
It all started with master birders.
In the fall of 2002, the Atlanta Audubon Societyoffered its first Master Birder class. Sixteen peoplesigned up to take it; Marilyn Harris and JoHunsinger and I were three of them. GeorgannSchmalz challenged an eight-member team ofMaster Birder graduates to take what we hadlearned and create a Junior Birder Camp to betaught at the Dunwoody Nature Center. We had a
strong group of volunteers who could translatesome of what we learned in the Master Birder classinto fun learning activities for children.
By June of 2003, we had met Kelly Hopkins, a freshMaster Birder. Kelly thought we could write a grantto the United Way for a great idea to support andstrengthen community somewhere in the metroarea. We did that. Our $800 grant bought supplies forthe fascinating after-school experiences we had withsecond, third and fourth graders at M. Agnes Jones
Elementary School near the Morehouse College campus in Atlanta.
Now, four years later, with a grant from the Department of Natural Resources Watchable
Wildlife fund to purchase materials for the dozen activities included in large plastic bins, wehave evolved the program according to the successes teachers and leaders have achieved, andnoted what they most want and need. The bins now come with ready-made materials thanks totireless AAS members who cut, pasted, laminated, strung name cards, counted out owl pellets,made dozens of Match the Pairs bird cards and outfitted the stuff for every activitydescribed in the 70-page leaders notebook.
Marilyn Harris, with the program from the beginning, notes, After that first year, we decidedthat Learning About Birds would work best if the teachers were actively involved, so that they
L to R: Marge Igyarto, AAS 2008 Chair, Education;
Marilyn Harris, AAS Learning About Birds coach; Anna
Conrad, Trinity School; Sheri Pisaturo, Home School
group, Gwinnett Co.; Kathleen Bancroft, assistant to
Melody Swierski, Tritt Elementary, Cobb Co.; Mary Nevil,
Knollwood Elementary, DeKalb Co.; Sheila Appling,
Centennial Place Elementary, Atlanta Public Schools;
Marsha Francis, Margaret Fain Elementary, Atlanta Public
Schools; Mary Nevins, Cochran Mill Nature Center,
Fulton Co.
Food, Fun and Great Gift Opportunities:Its all there at the Holiday BanquetFriday, December 7, 20076 PM wine and beer (cash bar) 7 PM dinner
Silent auction throughout the evening
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta
The place to be Saturday, December 7, is the annual Atlanta Audubon Holiday Banquet. This funand highly anticipated event is also Atlanta Audubons annual meeting and the introduction of newand continuing board members.
The food will be great, as always. Avalon Caterers will serve up a varied menu of organic produceand entrees for both vegetarians and carnivores. Shade-grown coffee will be served.
continued on Page 6
continued on Page 6
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Its that time of year again; time to review the
past year and give thanks for all the great things
in our lives.
When I started thinking about what I am
thankful for this year, one of the blessings in my
life that stuck out for me is birding. What a
wonderful hobby! What did I do before birding?
Now, I know that some of us become a bit, or
maybe a lot, obsessed with this hobby and it
becomes more like a passionand I know that
passions can cause issues with non-birding
friends, family, significant others, jobs, et
cetera., etc. But as we all know, there are much
worse obsessions, and in my mind, if you are
going to be obsessed, birding is basically the
perfect obsession. It gets you outdoors, almost
forces you to get at least some exercise, is
intellectually challenging and fun, can be
competitive or not, spectacularly beautiful at
times, can be done anywhere, at almost any
time and is infinitely interesting. And what
great people you meet. When I am birding all
my problems (except, of course, What bird is
that?) go away.
I am also thankful for the books, CDs, iPods,
listservs, trips, guides, classes, optics, lodges,
conventions, festivals and on and on that caterto birders and help to make the whole
experience more comfortable and rewarding.
All of these products and services, of course,
exist because there are so many people
involved in birding, somewhere around 20
million people, the last I heard. And all of these
products and services provide a number of jobs
here and around the world and contribute to a
healthy economy.
And most especially I am thankful for the birds
Without them where would we be? I have a
hard time seeing myself making a hobby out of
much else. Im afraid of snakes, and mammalsare great, but many of them are only active at
night, when Im usually asleep. In fact, I had
never had a hobby (obsession) until I started
birding. Birds come in a multitude of sizes,
shapes, colors and behaviors, and living where
we do, even some of our everyday birds chang
from season to season to make sure we never
get bored. And what about birds that show up
unexpectedly at places where they arent
supposed to show up? Most recently a Green-
breasted Mango Hummingbird, which normally
lives in Mexico and South America, has beenseen in Dublin, Georgia. Wow!! How could you
ever get tired of this hobby? There are
somewhere around 10,000 species of birds
world wide, which I figure gives me plenty to
last my lifetime since Im on about number 550
currently.
Of course, if youve been reading my Perches
this year, you know where I am headed. If you
are as thankful for birds and birding as I am,
think about what you can do to help the birds,
and please take some action.
Oh, and one other opportunity I am thankful fo
this year: 2008 is an election year. This gives us
an opportunity to vote for birds interests at th
polls. There are a lot of us. We can make a
difference.
Happy Holidays and good birding!
Board of Directors2007
Executive Director Catharine Kuchar770.993.9579
President Ellen Miller404.355.8892
President-elect Vacant
Treasurer David Yon404.513.9806
Recording Secy Mark Jernigan
Corresponding Secy Barbara Tarpley404.687.0079
DirectorsConservation Vacant
Education Marcia Klenbort404.874.9826
Field Trips Dave Butler404.580.3917
Membership Art Hurt770.934.7660
CommunicationsGeorgann Schmalz706.216.5012
Publicity Denese Van Dyne404.406.9324
Special Events Nancy Hamilton404.874.2338
Volunteers Vacant
At LargePast PresidentKelly Hopkins404.622.1888
Jay Davis404.624.4973
Lisa Hurt770.934.7660
Victor WilliamsEarthshare Representative
---
WebsiteJim Flynn
Wingbars EditorGrace Trimble 404.351.0518
Design & Layout
Copy Preparation [email protected]
ProofreadingMim Eisenberg
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
Thanksgiving and Birds
2 Atlanta Audubon Soci
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Georgias Colonial Coast Birding Festival,
based out of Jekyll Island, provided
participants with many fun and educationalopportunities over a long weekend. Among
them, I was thrilled to take part in one of the
bird-banding station activities. It was
wonderful to see so many birds up close and
to have the opportunity to release them. But
there was a growing concern over the Jekyll
Island State Park Authoritys (JIA)
redevelopment plans for the island.
I know many of you worked with us to help
stop development of the critically important
south end, but the latest plans could also
create big problems for local wildlife andimpact the islands ecology, beauty and
character. JIA and its partner-developer
Linger Longer Communities new 64-acre
proposed town square center will feature 437
condos and time-share units, three hotels
totaling 725 rooms, 102,000 square feet of
retail space and a new convention center
75,800 square feet in size. This will
necessitate the re-routing of Beachview Drive
to the interior of the park west of the town
square center and partially through the
maritime forest.The proposed area is bordered on the north
by the Great Dunes golf course and extends
south along the ocean to the border of the
Days Inn tract and is bordered on the west
by the Historic District.
Opponents of the proposal, including the
Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island (IPJI), say
that, among other problems such as
affordability issues, sea turtle breeding could
be greatly impacted, along with some bird
nesting sites. The IPJI states on its Web site,The town square center (TSC) is simply too
big. Initially, when the concept of a TSC was
first raised by the JIA some two years ago,
the idea was to rebuild the convention
center, perhaps add a convention hotel, and
enhance the current retail center. There was
also some talk of including a modest number
of condos. How this original concept mutated
into a 60+-acre villagereplete with 430+
pricey condos/time-shares is anybodys
guess. What is certain, however, is that
Jekyll's visitors clearly have spoken outagainst a center of this size, and hardly any
of them (113 out of 5,700+) want to see
hundreds of condos line the park's
beachfront land and change the entire
ambiance of the parks core.
For those of us who enjoy the natural beauty
of Jekyll Island, there is much cause to be
concerned. The proposed project is a major
initiative that will greatly reshape the look
and feel of the island, and will impact birds
and other wildlife that depend on it.
It is important for all Georgians to geteducated and get involved in the important
issue. Take the time to check out the
proposal in more detail to make up your own
mind and see how you can get involved. Visit
the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Islands Web
site at www.savejekyllisland.org. Youll find
plenty of information to help you become
better informed about this project.
From the Executive Directorbby Catharine Brockman Kuchar
Development Concerns on Jekyll Island
are NOT Over
December 2007
Election of Officers and Board of DirectorsThe membership of Atlanta Audubon Society will vote on the ballot of candidates for officers and board directors at the Holiday Banquet on
December 7. If you are interested in serving on the board or would like to nominate someone, please contact Kelly Hopkins([email protected]). As per AAS by laws, we accept nominations from the floor at the banquet provided you have that personspermission.
POSITION/ TERM NAMEOfficersPresident2008 Ellen MillerPresident Elect2008 Allyson ReadTreasurer2008-2009 Deanna HelieRecording Secretary2008-2009 Mark Jernigan
POSITION/ TERM NAMECorresponding Secretary2008-2009 Barbara TarpleyPast-President (ex officio)2008 n/aDirectorsCommunications2008-2009 Barbara TarpleyPublicity2008 Denese Van Dyne
POSITION/ TERM NAMEVolunteers2008 Nancy HamiltonConservation2008 Kelly HopkinsEducation2008-2009 Marge IgyartoMembership2008-2009 Darlene Moore
POSITION/ TERM NAMField Activities2008 Dave ButleSpecial Events2008-2009 VacanAt LargeAt Large: EarthShare& Speakers Bureau2008-2009 Victor WilliamAt Large2008-2009 Jay Dav
In Memoriam
We are gratefu
to the
International
Affairs Office o
the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife
Service for thei
gift to AtlantaAudubon Societ
in memory of
Mr. Franklin
Martin.
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ATLANTA AREA
GEESE THROUGH SHOREBIRDS A SNOW (BLUE)GOOSE was an interesting find near Perimeter Mallon 14 Sept. (LC). Rare for the Atlanta area was aMISSISSIPPI KITE in the Cartersville area on 3 Sept.(JSe,CL). Good hawk sightings from KennesawMountain National Battlefield Park (KMT) in CobbCounty were 22 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS on 16 Sept.,
a single PEREGRINE FALCON on 14 Sept. and twoPEREGRINES on 29 Sept. (BZ, GB et al.). Sod farms inBartow County proved to have the best of shorebirdsightings for the month. Among the highlights weretwo WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS on 7 Sept. (BZ), aBAIRDS SANDPIPER on 8 Sept. (K&RB), three STILTSANDPIPERS on 25 Sept. (BZ) and small numbers ofBUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS starting on 1 Sept.(SB) and continuing at least until 11 Sept. (PH,BH).The peak count of 17 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERSwas reported on 8 Sept. by K&RB et al. AnotherBAIRDS SANDPIPER was seen there on 11 Sept. byPH and BH. An AMERICAN WOODCOCK was a rarereport from the E.L. Huie Land Application Facility(ELHLAF) in Clayton County on 3 Sept. (TMc).
DOVES THROUGH THRUSHES Another rare find forthe Atlanta area was a COMMON GROUND-DOVEseen in Spalding County on 1 Sept. by EB. The onlyreport of a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was one at KMTon 13 Sept. (BZ, GB et al.). A number of observersreported a few COMMON NIGHTHAWKS, but the peakcount was 82 at the Chattahoochee Nature Center on1 Sept. (SZ). A single OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER wasreported from the Chattahoochee River NationalRecreation Area (CRNRA) on 22 Sept. by KB et al.Reports of single YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERScame from KMT on 8 Sept. (BZ, GB et al.) andSpalding County on 22 Sept. (EB). Sightings of the
rarer vireos included a WARBLING VIREO at theCRNRA on 23 Sept. (PH), one PHILADELPHIA VIREO atthe CRNRA also on 23 Sept. (PH), threePHILADELPHIA VIREOS in Forsyth County on 25 Sept.(GM) and two PHILADELPHIA VIREOS at the ELHLAFon 30 Sept. (CL). The peak count of RED-EYED
VIREOS was 13 at KMT on 13 Sept. (BZ,GB et al.).
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES staged a rather majorinvasion with as many as 10 separate reports,starting with the first one on 9 Sept. at KMT (BZ, GBet al.). Three MARSH WRENS were a good reportcoming from the CRNRA on 19 Sept. (KB). The peakcount of SWAINSONS THRUSHES was 24 at KMT on26 Sept. (BZ, GB et al.). Numbers of the otherthrushes were about normal for the month.
WARBLERS THROUGH ORIOLES Most areasreported rather small numbers of migrants during themonth, but there were a few rather decent counts tomention. The peak count of TENNESSEE WARBLERSwas 41 at KMT on 12 Sept. (BZ, GB et al.). SingleNASHVILLE WARBLERS were reported from KMT on12 Sept. (BZ, GB et al.), again from KMT on 22 Sept.
(BZ, GB et al.) and at Henderson Park in DeKalbCounty on 29 Sept. (K&RB). Peak counts of somewarbler species at KMT included 12 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS on 10 Sept., 14 MAGNOLIAWARBLERS on 30 Sept., and 12 BLACKBURNIANWARBLERS on 12 Sept. (BZ, GB et al.). Peak countsfrom the ELHLAF included 14 MAGNOLIA WARBLERSon 30 Sept. and 35 PALM WARBLERS also on 30Sept. (CL). Back at KMT as many as eight CERULEANWARBLERS were reported on 10 Sept. (BZ, GB et al.).The peak count of SCARLET TANAGERS was at KMTwith 18 on 13 Sept. (BZ, GB et al.). A rarely seenLARK SPARROW was reported from Spalding Countyon 1 Sept. (EB). The peak count of BALTIMOREORIOLES was 11 at KMT on 8 Sept. (BZ, GB et al.).
GEORGIA AREA
DUCKS THROUGH RAILS Several observers reportedsmall numbers of BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKSfrom the Altamaha Waterfowl Management Area(AWMA) near Darien. The peak count was 20 on 14Sept. (JF, EH). An AMERICAN BITTERN was an earlyand rather unusual find at the Marshallville sod farmarea on 1 Sept. (BB). GW had an excellent count of43 ROSEATE SPOONBILLS in the Brunswick area on 3Sept. A CINNAMON TEAL was quite an odd report forGordon County on 26 Sept. (MM). Unfortunately, thebird could not be relocated. JSe and CL had a verygood count of 55 OSPREYS from St. CatherinesIsland on 15 Sept. Rather early was a NORTHERN
HARRIER in Butts County on 1 Sept. (PB). Unusual fornorthwest Georgia were two SORAS in Murray Countyon 17 Sept. (MM).
AVOCETS THROUGH TERNS The sighting of fourAMERICAN AVOCETS at Carters Lake on 27 Sept.was very rare for an inland location (CK). Two
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER were seen in BurkeCounty on 16 Sept. (JF, EH). BZ and KB had a reallyexcellent shorebird day at the Marshallville sod farmarea on 3 Sept. Some of their totals included 45GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 135 LESSER YELLOWLEGS,300 unidentified YELLOWLEGS, 11 UPLANDSANDPIPERS, 75 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 250 PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS, six BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS,three LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and a WILSONPHALAROPE that had been discovered there on 1Sept. by BB. MM had some shorebird goodies innorthwest Georgia at Carters Lake, with threeSEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, three WESTERNSANDPIPERS, two BAIRDS SANDPIPERS and three
SANDERLINGS on 4 Sept. JF and EH reported a rainland RUDDY TURNSTONE on 16 Sept. in BurkeCounty. Along the coast, JSe and CL had a very gocount of 449 RED KNOTS on St. Catherines Island16 Sept. Several observers mentioned BLACK TERat some of the larger lakes, but the peak count ofcame from West Point Lake on 8 Sept.
FLYCATCHERS THROUGH NUTHATCHES SingleOLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS were reported from BCanoe on 1 Sept. (TH) and from Dawson Forest onSept. (YB). Single YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERSwere seen in the Dawson Forest on 20 Sept. (JF) in Heard County on 29 Sept. (JF, EH). An ALDERFLYCATCHER was seen and heard at the AWMA onSept. (JF, EH) and again on 16 Sept. (DV, BL). Ther
were four separate reports of PHILADELPHIA VIREfrom 13 through 28 Sept., with the peak count ofcoming on 28 Sept. at Carters Lake (TH). BZ had good count of 40 HORNED LARKS at Marshallville 3 Sept., and DF had 41 at Super Sod near Perry o29 Sept. As with the Atlanta area, RED-BREASTEDNUTHATCHES invaded northern Georgia with at le10 separate reports starting on 12 Sept. (JSp).
WARBLERS THROUGH COWBIRDS SingleNASHVILLE WARBLERS were seen in Athens on 1Sept. (EM), near Culloden on 15 Sept. (NK) and in Dawson Forest on 15 Sept. (GS, YB, TH). Rare for fall sighting was a SWAINSONS WARBLER in FannCounty on 22 Sept. (NS). A female WILSONSWARBLER was a good find at the Standing Boy Won 15 Sept. (WC). A BACHMANS SPARROW was ainteresting find near Thomasville during mid-mon(NK). Good counts of BOBOLINKS were 60-70 in BCounty on 1 Sept. and 725 at the AWMA on 14 Se(JF, EH). A SHINY COWBIRD made a brief appearain the Brunswick area on or about 24 Sept. (fide L
CONTRIBUTORS Natalie Bailey, Steve Barlow, GiBeaton, Eric Beohm, Betty Belanger, Bill BirkheadKen and Rachel Blankenship, Yvonne Bombardier,Richard Bondi, Bill Boyd, Patrick Brisse, WaltChambers, Bob Churi, Leslie Curran, Vickie DeLoaJim Flynn, Dot Freeman, Greg Gilbert, Bruce HalleTheresa Hartz, David Hedeen, David Hollie, Earl HoPierre Howard, Cheryl Kanes, Nathan Klaus, Carol
Lambert, Bill Lotz, , Ed Marioriello, Grant McCrearJim McDermott,Trey Mccuen, Mark McShane, MaMedley, Al Mercer, Darlene Moore, Peggy and TerrMoore, Mary Ellen Myers, GeorGeorgiann SchmalzNedra Sekera, Jeff Sewell, Joshua Spence, LoisStacey, Ann Stewart, Stanley Tate, Deanna Taylor,
Vickers, Gene Wilkinson, Bob and Deb Zaremba, aStacy Zarpentine.
Have an interesting bird to report? Contact TerryMoore at [email protected].
September Field Notes by Terry Moorez
The hot, dry conditions continued
to plague the state during the
entire month. Luckily, there are
a number of sod farms in Georgia
that could continue to water theircrops. This has allowed birders to
see a decent shorebird migration.The
passerine migration was about average, but
there were a few good numbers of migrants at
some hotspots like Carters Lake, Kennesaw
Mountain and a new location, Henderson Park
in DeKalb County
The Atlanta area came in with 159 species,
just slightly less than the average of 161.6.
That brings the year-to-date total to 239 which
is a little better than the average of 234.8.The
Georgia area responded with 224 species
(average 219.8) to bring that year-to-date total
to 328 (average 320.6).
4 Atlanta Audubon Soci
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Field TripsCompiled by Dave Butler
December 2007
Piedmont Park (Fulton County)
Saturday, December 1,Marcia KlenbortMeet at 8 AM the Piedmont Park ConservancyCommunity RoomDirections: The Piedmont Park ConservancyCommunity Room is located at the corner ofPiedmont Ave. and 12th St. From south of the city,ake the I-75/85 connector north to the Pine St. Exit
(Exit 249B). Go straight on Pine, crossingPeachtree St. Turn left on Piedmont Ave. Travelabout one mile to 12th St. From northwest ofdowntown, take I-75 south to the 16th St. Exit (Exit250). Go straight, crossing 14th St. Follow the signso 10th St. Turn left on 10th. Travel about a half
mile to Piedmont. Turn left on Piedmont to 12th St.
From northeast of downtown, take I-85 south to
the 17th St. Exit (Exit 84). Continue straight,crossing 14th St. Follow directions above.
Dawson Forest WMA Atlanta Tract(Dawson County)Saturday, December 8Georgann SchmalzMeet at 8 AM inside the gate at the wetlands.Directions: Drive approximately 35 miles from theI-285/GA 400 interchange to Dawson Forest Rd.Turn left (west) on Dawson Forest Rd. Drive fourmiles, crossing over GA Hwy. 9 and continuing twomiles into the WMA. Meet inside the gate at thewetlands.
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.
Who Has The Highest Score in Woodruff Park?
Ovenbirds. Twenty of Them!By John Beard
The morning light was still low when Marcia Klenbort, education director of the Atlanta Audubon Society, arrived at
he Arts Center MARTA Station at 7:30 on a Monday morning in October. When she ascended the long escalator at
he Peachtree Center Station in downtown, bright sun reflected off the windows of the old Candler Building.
Arriving at Woodruff Park before 8 AM, she spotted Cooper Holland, Woodruff Parks monitor and angel, and John
Beard, the best birder in Woodruff Park. I guess you could call me that, John said, since Im the only birderdown here.
The three had arranged the October 15 meeting to scope out the migrating birds that John, an Atlanta Audubon
member who works downtown, had found during his lunch hour. They were not disappointed.
Walking along Park Place, across the street from the Sun Trust Bank, with buses huffing behind them, they scanned
he crepe myrtle trees and the pachysandra ground cover below. First, Common Yellowthroats dominated the scene.
They darted up into the trees and back down to the ground. Then the Ovenbirds began to take over, striding along
he ground, digging for grubs. Cooper, a new birder, had just gotten used to her borrowed Audubon binoculars when
she observed, You can just point your binoculars anywhere and birds will come into view!
As the birding group walked along the sidewalk toward Edgewood Avenue, people on their way to work stopped
hem. One local asked, You must be from out of town, the way youre looking up at the tall buildings. When they
showed him the migrating warblers in the tops of the crepe myrtles, he was surprised and delighted. Another
woman, on her way to work at the Sun Trust Bank, noticed the birders and borrowed the binoculars to get a close-upview of an Ovenbird feeding at their feet. Oh, Id like my church youth group to see this! she marveled. Other birds
emerged: Northern Waterthrush, Gray Catbirds, a Northern Mockingbird, and a Tennessee Warbler.
The most spectacular sight, however, was yet to come. Whats that? asked Cooper, looking down the sidewalk to a
arge bird fanning its tail feathers. Probably pigeons mating, Marcia misinformed her. As they got closer, they saw
a young Coopers Hawk heartily devouring a breakfast pigeon.
A large crowd gathered around the birders as they observed the hawk. The birders circulated the Sibley field guide
and binoculars among the onlookers. Downtown ambassadors joined pedestrians. Obviously disturbed by the
attention, the Coopers Hawk moved his breakfast to a tree on Peachtree, still highly visible to passersby. Every
onlooker became a bird enthusiast, studying the Sibley pictures and gazing through binoculars. Ive never seen a
hawk feeding at such close range, admitted John, as he went off to find the Yellow-breasted Chat that he had
discovered last week but hadnt seen since Saturday.
Ch
This Webs
The National BiodiveParks (NBP) has rec
launched the NationSchoolyard BirdingChallenge. The evenpart of the NBP'sFledging BirdersProgram. The contebeen designed topromote awarenesslocal bird life for youthrough the use of ainteractive format.
The Challenge is a
monthly birding conopen to students in public and privateschools in the contigUnited States. Studeparticipants will wortogether to observe,identify and recordvarious species fountheir school groundmain objective is to more young peopleoutside and explorinnature through a birportal. For moreinformation, visitwww.fledgingbirderchallenge.html
For information on all Georgia Christmas Bird Counts for 2007-2008,please visit www.gos.org/cbc/108schedule.html for up-to-date listings.
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As reported last month, Atlanta Audubon Society will again sponsor a two-day/three-night trto Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Titusville, Florida, on January 18, 19 and 20, 200
Merritt Island has the distinction of being the home of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, thewildlife refuge and the Canaveral National Seashore.
The trip leaders will be Theresa Hartz and Lisa Hurt. The cost of the trip (NOT including fooor lodging) will be $155 for Friends of Atlanta Audubon members, $180 for assigned membe
and $200 for non-members. This trip is limited to 12 people.
For reservations or more information contact Lisa Hurt by phone (770.934.7660) or e-m
([email protected]). Your payment will confirm your reservation.
Bird Merritt Island
National Wildlife Refuge
with Atlanta Audubon
could use the activities in ways and at times convenient for them. And emphasis on teaching about birds would last loin the schools if our program attached to teachers who are passionate about birds and the environment.
Who are the learning about birds teachers and leaders in 2007?
They are two dozen classroom teachers and science lab leaders, parents and librarians in nine public schools and oneprivate school; environmental educators in five nature centers; and parents in a home school consortium. They are in city Atlanta, the city of Decatur and in Gwinnett, DeKalb, Fulton and Clayton counties. They teach the Atlanta AuduboSociety activities in before-school sessions, science classes and labs, and after school clubs.
Sheila Appling, science lab teacher at Centennial Place Elementary School, leads a club of students. They call themsethe Bird Brains and theyre quite proud of that name. When I hear a kindergartner point to a poster and tell a friend,Theres my favorite bird the Pileated Woodpecker, it makes my day!
At Parkside Elementary, school librarian Stephanie Gwinn got interested in the Atlanta Audubon Societys Learning AbBirds program for elementary age children. I had a lot of fun working on this with the kindergarten classes last year, I'd love to do it again. This year our school has a host of environmental projects going on, and the Learning About Bird
activities fit right in.Atlanta Audubon Society member Mary Nevils Brown Thrashers club at Knollwood Elementary has grown from thremembers to forty. Several members went to the Youth Birding Competition sponsored by the Georgia DNR at CharlieElliott last April. They are keen to go again in May 2008. Well do a citizen science project this school year, notes Mar
Birds Matter!
This year Learning About Birds teachers and leaders will make good use of the new AAS publication, Birds Matter! At November 3 training, Marsha Francis, teacher at Margaret Fain Elementary, said, This little document puts into wordpictures my purpose for teaching birds and about the ecology that supports birds. I want to provide students withexperiences in science that will trigger lifelong interests and out-of-school learning.
The silent auction is always a hit and helps Atlanta Audubon fund its important work as an educatand advocate for environmental protection and stewardship. Items of interest this year include a
weekend getaway at a vacation cottage in Rabun County, a photography workshop for birds, pet sitand a landscape consult. Booklovers make be tempted by Lansdowne's Birds of the Forest.
So bring your checkbook or new this year, your credit card and join Atlanta Audubon for anevening of holiday fun.
Reservations for the banquet should be sent to Sally Davis at [email protected],by Friday, November 23.
Learning About Birdscontinued from page 1.
Holiday Banquetcontinued from page 1.
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8/9/2019 December 2007 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
7/12December 2007
For more than a decade, the Atlanta Audubon Society has
awarded two scholarships annually for one of National
Audubons renowned summer ecology camps. The Louisa
Echols Scholarship is awarded to an adult, and the
Edward Barnsley Scholarship is awarded to one youth.The scholarships cover both camp fees and airfare.
Louisa Echols Scholarship
The Louisa Echols scholarship enables the recipient to attend an
Audubon camp to enhance his or her knowledge of the environment and incorporate that knowledge
on the job. The scholarship recipient can select to attend an Audubon camp in either Hog Island,
Maine (Maine Audubon Society); Pine County, Minnesota (Audubon Center of the North Woods); or
Northwestern Wisconsin (Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary and Nature Center. The faculty of these
Audubon camps is composed of Audubon staff educators and naturalists who bring years of
experience and skill in environmental and outdoor learning.
To apply, applicant must:
Be a teacher or environmental educator in the metro Atlanta area involved with teaching youths
or adults science, natural history or environmental education in either a formal school setting or
a non-formal environmental education program;
Be available and willing to be interviewed by the Atlanta Audubon Scholarship Review
Committee;
Be willing to participate in three Atlanta Audubon Society activities during 2008; and
Be 18 years or older.
Edward Barnsley Scholarship
The goal of the Edward Barnsley Scholarship is to instill in the recipient a love, respect and a sense
of stewardship for the natural world. The scholarship recipient will attend an Audubon youth camp
program in Hog Island, Maine. Campers get to hike through cathedral-like spruce fir forests, search
for organisms in tide pools and learn about wildlife. The curriculum is wide ranging and includes
marine biology, forest geology, ornithology and pond life.Eligible Barnsley Schoolarship applicants will:
Be a student in the metro Atlanta area;
Be willing to participate in three Atlanta Audubon Society activities during 2008; and
Be between 10-15 years old
How to Apply
Application deadline for both scholarships is
February 15, 2008.
Scholarship covers airfare and the cost of camp only.
Mail completed applications to:
Barbara Giebelhaus
418 Bridlewood Circle
Decatur, GA 30030 Or email completed applications to
The application is on the Atlanta Audubon Society
Web site: www.atlantaaudubon.org.
For additional information, contact Barbara
Giebelhaus by phone at 404.378.2746 or e-mail
Apply Now for anAtlanta Audubon Scholarship
Join the
Hemlock War
Atlanta Audubon is organ
teams to combat the Hem
Wooly Adelgid in our belo
north Georgia forests. Th
deadly infestation has cu
reached many counties
including Rabun, Stephe
Towns, Habersham, Unio
White, Lumpkin, Floyd, F
Gilmer, Murray,Whitfield
Walker, Gordon and Chat
In cooperation with the U
Forest Service, beetle la
Young Harris College, an
advice from Patrick HoraProfessor Emeritus from
our beetle teams would
about the infestation and
current treatments that a
being used including inje
and beetles, explore a be
raising lab, visit a recove
forest in North Carolina,
finally, release b beetles
our adopted forests. We
then be asked to monito
forests for a decrease in
infestation and return ofhemlock vigor. The Fores
Service is currently relea
beetles in selected sites
infected areas of the nor
Georgia mountains. Our t
would be helping them f
next few years monitor a
they cannot get to. If you
interested in becoming a
member of a Hemlock Te
please contact either Kel
Hopkins at
hopkins_kelly@bellsouthGeorgann Schmalz at
georgannschmalz@alltel
Teams need to be forme
early January for beetle
in February.
Q:Whatspecies recentlydethronedtheArcticTernasthebirdwiththe
longestmigration?
Seepage___fortheanswerSee page 10 for answer
Q: Who wrote:"We cannot win this
battle to save speciesand environments withoutforging an emotionalbond between ourselvesand nature as well, forwe will not fight to savewhat we do not love."
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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 thefollowing individuals this month:
Atlanta Audubons holiday party is always a special event. This
years event is being overseen bySally Hodges, who is coordinatingthe many aspects involved in making the party a success. We are
extremely grateful to her for making this event possible.
Many thanks toKelly Hopkins and her committeefor pulling together the slate ofcandidates for officers and board of directors for the 2008-2009 term.
We are always grateful to our many field trip leaders. We are especially appreciative to
Darlene Moore and Cheryl Kanesfor conducting four wonderful field trips all aroundthe metro Atlanta area in November. Way to go, Darlene and Cheryl!
olunteerOpportunitiesVolunteers make Atlanta AudubonSociety such an amazing organization.We rely on volunteers in virtually everyarea of the organization in order to besuccessful. We are always looking forndividuals who want to get involved.Check out some of our currentvolunteer opportunities. If there is anyother way you would like to use youralents to serve Atlanta Audubon, we
would like to hear from you.Please contact Nancy Hamilton [email protected].
Atlanta Audubon Festival ManagerWe are looking for someone to help usorganize our involvement in festivals.This person would simply track theestival and events where we set up a
display or booth and let members know
about volunteer opportunities as festivaleaders and shift workers.f interested, please contact NancyHamilton at [email protected] more information.
Whos That Bird?Create a bird profileVolunteers are needed to create birdprofiles (Whos That Bird?) for birds ofparticular interest to the kids we serven our Learning About Birds program.
Volunteer tasks: Collect magazine orWeb photo pages and informationabout the birds habits, habitats andmigration patterns -- all sorts of birdacts. You choose the bird, or well help
you choose. Well give you guidelineson what you need to produce.
Contact Marcia Klenbort [email protected].
Audubon Adventures CoordinatorNational Audubon Society createsquarterly newsletters for use inelementary classrooms.An AtlantaAudubon volunteer solicits requestsrom metro area teachers and follows
up to see how the materials were used.This project needs a coordinator.Allsupplies and instructions are provided.Contact Marcia Klenbort [email protected] ifnterested.
Spend some time in the FreedomPark Bird and Butterfly GardenVolunteers are needed to help weed
and water the garden and to help withhe fall planting. Hours are flexible.Volunteers are asked to commit to twohours per month.Contact Carol Vanderschaaf [email protected].
Speaker Series ManagerTypically Atlanta Audubon organizesabout five speaker series programseach year.We are looking for someoneo help with the speaker series
programs in 2008 by working to helpus come up with ideas for speakersand to line them up.f interested,please contact Catharine Kuchar [email protected].
Barbara Tarpley has been volunteering with
Atlanta Audubon Society for 30 years. As
membership chair, she initiated the
organizations first database. She hasmanned tables at exhibits and activities and
participated in various Peel and Stick
activities for Wingbars. With the help of the
Shade-Grown Coffee Committee, of which
she is a member, she handled the
application for a $10,000 grant and ads in
three major magazines. She is currently the
corresponding secretary, retrieving mail
from Atlanta Audubons post office box and
handling general correspondence. Barbara
is an Atlanta Audubon board member and
will be director of communications in 2008.Her duties will include overseeing the
production of Wingbars each month and
reviewing the Web site for up-to-date
information.
Barbara began birding 35 years ago, when
her sister encouraged their mother to
participate in backyard birding when their
mother became less mobile. The best bird
Barbara has ever seen is the Magnificent
Hummingbird. Her favorite place to bird in
Georgia is Kennesaw Mountain.
When she was a wannabe birder, Barbarajoined a field trip at the Chattahoochee
River National Recreation Area led
by Atlanta Audubons
infamous Dick Parks. She asked Dick about
a Gambels Quail that had taken shelter
from the rain under the stems of a pot of
impatiens in her mothers flower garden.
For a few days she has watched him groomhimself in a bed of sand at the edge of their
woods. She said, Dick had heard these
sorts of tales before and gravely doubted its
authenticity. But Barbara had done her
research well and observed the bird for
hours. She, too, was perplexed. Her
question was the same now as yours may
be: A Gambels Quail in Stone Mountain,
Georgia? It turned out that a few miles
away was a game ranch, and this bird had
escaped.
Barbara is a trust associate with SunTrust
Banks Wealth and Investment
Managements Estate Group and lives in
Decatur.
Spotlighting... Barbara Tarpley
V o l u n t e e r C o r n e r V o l u n t e e r C o r n e r V o l u n t eCorner Volunteer Corner Volunteer Corner Voluntee
Barbara Tarpley is delighted to hold a bird
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A t l a n t a A u d u b o n S o c i e t y
2 0 0 8 A n n u a l P h o t o g r a p h y C o n t e s t
Get Ready, Aim...Shoot!
Pull out your best photographs now for the 2008 Atlanta Audubon Society PhotographyContest! Were looking for amazing images of birds, animals and habitat. Your winning photo-graphs could earn you prizes, recognition, ribbons and the coveted grand prize.
Criteria for judging include: Originality Overall impact Composition Technique Presentation Difficulty
Photographs will be judged in the following categories:Birds (no man-made elements, unless natural behavior, i.e. perching on a fence)Animals (all living creatures, other than birds; no man-made elements)Habitat (flora and fauna in their natural environments, landscapes or panoramas)
Additional prizes will be given for:N Georgia Youth (18 and under Georgia residents) in any category above. Encourage the
young people you know to participate!
N Judges Choice
N Humor (a new award in this years photo contest)
Prizes:Here are some of the fantastic prizes:
N First PrizeBirds: 10x42 Vortex Diamondback binoculars; retail value $209.99(sponsored by Eagle Optics)
N First PrizeAnimals: Day Hiking Package, including Shocklight Trekking Poles,Daypack with Hydration System and Daypack first aid kit; retail value $275.00 (sponsoredby REI)
N First PrizeHabitat: Smith & Hawkens life-size pair of cranes rendered in steelwith hand-hammered detail; retail value $189.00 (sponsored by Smith & Hawken)
N Youth: iFlyer Birdsong Scanning Wand; retail value $99.95 (sponsored by Wild BirdCenters)
N Humor: Backyard birdJam CD East; retail value $39.99 (sponsored by birdJam)N Judges Choice: TBDN Grand Prize: Two-night stay at the Marriott Residence Inn Cape Canaveral Cocoa
Beach, Florida plus Space Coast Outdoor Adventure Package for 2 (over $600 in value).Also includes the opportunity to have your photograph printed on the Atlanta Audubonofficial picture postcard for 2008!
Submission Details and Rules:N The format is all digital (JPEG format) like last year.
N File size per picture shall not exceed 3 megabytes (The 2006 winning picture was less than200,000 bytes in size).
N Contestants agree to allow pictures to be posted on AAS Web site and in Wingbars.
N Photographers who derive income from their pictures can participate as long as they do notderive a substantial portion of their income from this effort.
N Pets, domestic animals and animals in captivity are excluded.
N No image can be entered in more than one category.
N Fees and methods of payment will be available on-line.
N Up to 12 images are allowed per entrant.
N File naming and submission instructions will be available on-line.
N Judges decisions will be final.
KEY DATES
Entries must have beenphotographed sinceJanuary 1, 2007 andmust be received by
midnight on Feb. 25,2008.
All entries will be displayedat the March 16 SpeakerSeries event. Ribbons andgreat prizes will be awardedat the meeting. All entrieswill be judged prior to theMarch Speaker Series event.
Check Out the AtlantaAudubon Web Site Soon
for MoreInformation at
www.atlantaaudubon.org
Sponsored by
2008 Contest Judge
Our judge for this yearscompetition will be LarryWinslett, a naturephotographer who haschronicled the naturalworld in many parts ofNorth America, with anemphasis on the SouthernAppalachian Mountains.
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8/9/2019 December 2007 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
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CLASSIFIEDSRates for 2.5 x 2.5 ads are $20/month or $45/quarter. Ads must be consistent with the conservation and birding missio
of Atlanta Audubon Society. Ads may be accepted via e-mail, preferably in .pdf format. Call 770.913.0511 if you havequestions. Send payment to Sally Davis, Wingbars Ads, Atlanta Audubon Society, P.O. Box 29189, Atlanta, GA 30359.
Send ads via e-mail to Catharine Kuchar at [email protected].
10 Atlanta Audubon Soci
W en You Come
To The Mountains -Ask about the new Birders Guide to Fannin County!We feature Coles seed,squirrel-proof feedersthat truly are, houses,hummingbird stuff,great books, Audubonoptics, & hard to findhardware. Plus 100sof Ravensburger Puzzles,Music of the SpheresChimes & a hugeselection of educationaltoys andgames for kids!
Downtown Blue Ridge & Inside Mercier Orchards
611 E. Main St. Blue Ridge, GA 30513(706) 258-BIRD (2473) blueridgebirdseed.com
Bird Songs of GeorgiaCD now available.
Email Georgann Schmalz [email protected] or visit
www.birdingadventuresinc.com
JavaJoe Java Co.Shade Grown - Fair Trade Organic
Start your day with fresh roasted coffee
Choose from our international selection
coffees and start enjoying a great cup
coffee today! Decaf. coffee is Swiss Wa
Fresh RoastFresh CoffeeFair Pri
www.javajoejavaco.com
Costa Rica Photo Tou
Mountains, volcanoes, cloud fwaterfalls, lakes, rainforest, rivers
forest, scenic valleys, the sea. Pand nature. By land and water. O
two weeks. Trips personally leDarcy Pino and Costarican crew.
Call 678-524-6302 ore-mail darcy53@gmail
for more informati
www.darcysphotography.c
Answer: SootyShearwater
Answer:Stephen Jay Gould
Black Oil
Sunflower20lb Bag $8.00 always
with Audubon Membership Card
Proud Supporters of EnvironmentallyConscious Organizations in our Local
Community.
Wild Bird CentersCumming 2825 S. Vickery St. 678-456-6900
Dunwoody2472 Jett Ferry Rd 770-396-3353
Johns Creek3630 Peachtree Pky 770-813-9476
Peachtree City 1211 N. Peachtree Pkwy 770-631-2473
WWW.Wildbird.com
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8/9/2019 December 2007 Wingbars Newsletter Atlanta Audubon Society
11/12December 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:Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcons,
Falco peregrinus, areraptors that range in
length from 38 to 53 cm
(15 to 21 in) with long
pointed wings whichmay reach 112 cm(44 in) in span.
The tail is long and narrow, with adark subterminal band. Mature birds arelate gray on the back and have a light
breast with dark markings on the belly.Females are noticeably larger than males.
Peregrines are found throughout the U.S.,ncluding Alaska. The nest, or eyrie, is
normally located on a high, inaccessiblecliff ledge, where the young are safe from
predators. Adults hunt for food over the
urrounding countryside and may range
more than 83 km (50 mi) in a single day.
Peregrines have adapted to new habitatsprovided by cities, and many pairs nownest on city buildings and bridges and
forage in surrounding urban areas. They
are occasionally seen throughout Georgia,particularly on the coast during migrationand winter. Georgia is the southern limit
of the historic breeding range of thespecies.
A Peregrine Falcons diet consists of birdscaught on the wing, including pigeons,
shorebirds, various songbirds andoccasionally waterfowl.
Historically, an estimated 400 pairs ofperegrines nested in the eastern U.S.
Although shooting, egg collection and nestdisturbance were detrimental to thisspecies, it was primarily due to the effects
of DDT that the population declined un
there were no known peregrines nestinin the East by the late 1950s. Severalhundred peregrines have been released
numerous sites in the eastern U.S. since
1972, and the population has beenpartially restored.
The Peregrine Falcon has been downlis
to rare on the State of Georgia and onAugust 25, 1999 it was delisted and
removed from the Federal List ofEndangered and Threatened Wildlife.
Source: Georgia Department of Natura
Resources, Protected Animals of Georg
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