March 2007
Volume XXXIII, Issue 3
AUDUBON SPEAKER SERIES
Nancy Tanner, wife of Dr. James T. Tanner
Sunday, March 11, 2007, 3 PM
Pike Family Nursery Auditorium
4020 Steve Reynolds Blvd., Norcross, GA 30093
J oin Atlanta Audubon on March 11 at 3 PM
for some living history as we introduce Nancy
Tanner, the wife of the late James T. Tanner,
who was given a fellowship in 1937 by the
National Audubon Society to study the Ivory-
billed Woodpecker and determine its needs in
order to save it from extinction. James Tanner
wrote the definitive book published by
Audubon in 1942, The Ivory-billed Woodpecker.
Dover republished it in 1966 and again in 2003.
The last confirmed sighting of the Ivory-billed
Woodpecker was in 1944, and Nancy Tanner is
the last living person to have seen five Ivory-
bills and studied them for two weeks in the
field. With the latest possible evidence of Ivory-
bills in Arkansas and Florida, there is hope that
Nancy will not be the final person to study
these magnificent birds.
Nancy will show her husband's close-up
pictures of the Ivory-bill and a DVD on which
you can see and hear the bird.
James Tanner received his PhD from Cornell
University and was a professor at the University
of Tennessee, where he started the first
graduate program in ecology in the country. He
Help Protect Jekyll Island
By Clark Rushing
As many of you know, the Jekyll Island
Authority (JIA) has recently begun plans to
redevelop one our state’s most beloved and
important coastal islands. Thanks to a law that
mandates 65 percent of the island must remain
undeveloped, Jekyll has served as "a state park
for the plain people of Georgia" for nearly 60
years, unlike its upscale neighbors such as
Hilton Head and St. Simons. More than one
ATLANTA AUDUBON SOCIETY
I N S I D E
President’s Perch ...........2
From the Exec Dir ..........3
was a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy in
World War II. He died in 1991.
Field Notes .....................4
Field Trips.......................5
Nancy and Jim have three children and seven Upcoming Events ...........5
grandchildren. Nancy graduated from Mount
Holyoke College and got her graduate degree 2007 Birdathon.................6
from Harvard University. After her children
Photo Contest ................7
were in high school, she returned to teaching in
the College of Education at the University of Green Day at the Zoo .....7
Tennessee. She and Jim traveled extensively in
Europe, South America, Kenya and Japan, and Migratory Bird Day.........8
both retired in 1979. Whooping Crane Alive! ..8
Directions to Pike Family Nurseries’
Kennesaw Mountain ......9
Support Center (map on back page)
Classifieds ...................10
Take I-85 north of Atlanta to Beaver Ruin
Road/GA 378 (Exit 102). If you are traveling
Merritt Island Tour.......11
northbound, turn right at the end of the ramp. If
you are traveling southbound, turn left at the Membership ................11
end of the exit ramp. Travel 1.1 miles to Steve
Reynolds Blvd. and turn left at the light. Pike
Family Nurseries’ Support Center will be up on
your right approximately .5 miles, at 4020 Steve
Reynolds Blvd. Park in the front of the building ATLANTA
and come to the main office entrance. Volun-
teers will guide you to Pike’s auditorium. AUDUBON SOCIETY
Box 29189
Atlanta, GA 30359
www.atlantaaudubon.org
AAS OFFICE
million visitors enjoy walking on deserted and Information Line
beaches, bird watching and hiking on this
beautiful island every year. In addition, the
island’s 4-H Center educates more than 10,000
770.913.0511
children annually. Moreover, the “65/35” rule
has allowed Jekyll to become one of the most
important ecological areas in the state, serving
GOS RARE BIRD ALERT
as prime nesting ground for many threatened
birds and sea turtles and providing vital
770.493.8862
continued on page 6
 Board of Directors
President’s Perch
2007 by Ellen Miller
Executive Director Catharine Kuchar
770.993.9579
Catharine.kuchar@atlantaaudubon.org
Officers
President Ellen Miller
404.355.8892
The Search for Ivory-Bills
ellen.miller@eclipsys.com
President-elect Vacant
As I write, it is winter -- the season for logistics of a national search. The evidence
Treasurer David Yon Ivory-billed Woodpecker searches. of the survival of Ivory-bills in Arkansas and
404.513.9806 Considering that Nancy Tanner, who is additional evidence in Florida convinced
yonkers13@comcast.net
Recording Secy Mark Jernigan probably the last living person to have seen this wide-ranging group that it made sense
404.298.8825
markajernigan@bellsouth.net and conclusively document Ivory-billed to cooperate on what some say is a long-
Corresponding Secy Barbara Tarpley Woodpeckers, is the Atlanta Audubon overdue systematic national effort in all the
404.687.0079
atlpiaf@aol.com Speaker Series featured speaker in March, I big forests of the Southeast to try to
Directors decided to find out the latest on the search conclusively determine the existence or
Conservation Clark Rushing
crushing05@gmail.com for those birds. non-existence of the Ivory-billed
404.373.8585
As I’m sure most of you know, a number of Woodpecker and to catalog appropriate
Education Marcia Klenbort
404.874.9826 experts, including some in the U.S. Fish and Ivory-bill habitat.
marcia.klenbort@comcast.net
Field Trips Dave Butler
Wildlife Service, believe that credible As part of this effort, the Cornell Lab of
404.580.3917 evidence of the continuing existence of Ornithology put together a mobile search
dabutler@co.dekalb.ga.us
Membership Art Hurt Ivory-billed Woodpeckers has been found in team made up of experts traveling to the
770.934.7660
artlisahurt@bellsouth.net
Arkansas. Because the evidence is not various on the ground search sites to assist
Communications completely conclusive, however, there are with advice, equipment and personnel. At
Georgann Schmalz some, David Allen Sibley for one, who the time of this writing, the mobile search
706.216.5012
georgannschmalz@alltel.net question the evidence and believe that the team had assisted a group in the Congaree
Publicity Denese Van Dyne birds seen may be the more common National Park in South Carolina and was in
404.406.9324
denesevandyne@yahoo.com Pileated Woodpecker. Florida with a group who reported possible
Special Events Nancy Hamilton
404.874.2338 I’m sure you also know that the decline of evidence of Ivory-bills in a scientific journal
nlhamilton@bellsouth.net
the Ivory-billed Woodpecker was caused in September.
Volunteers Vacant
At Large
mostly by habitat loss. Virtually all the old Speaking of the Florida search, have you
Past President growth forests of the Southeast were logged heard about it? A group of searchers who
Kelly Hopkins
404.622.1888 in the early part of this century, which like to call themselves “the Other Guys”
hopkins_kelly@bellsouth.net destroyed most of the habitat suitable for began searching for Ivory-billed
Jay Davis
404.624.4973 Ivory-bills. Woodpeckers along the Gulf Coast of
webtoad@earthlink.net Florida in the Choctawhatchee river basin
Lisa Hurt
But did you know that in addition to
770.934.7660 searches again taking place in the Cache in 2005. Within a short period of time, they
artlisahurt@bellsouth.net
and White Rivers areas of Arkansas this encountered what they believe was an
Victor Williams
Earthshare Representative winter, there are also searches going on in Ivory-billed Woodpecker. In addition they
770.423.1012
Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana have found a number of tree cavities that
72064.1017@compuserve.com
--- and Texas? In August of 2006, 60 are of a size to suggest Ivory-bills. The
Website
representatives of natural resources group also installed listening stations. When
Jim Flynn
webmaster@atlantaaudubon.org organizations, universities, and state and the recordings were analyzed, they
Wingbars Editor
Grace Trimble 404.351.0518 federal agencies met to discuss strategy and continued on page 10
gmtrimble@mindspring.com
Design & Layout
Copy Preparation 770.939.2002
copyprep@mindspring.com
Proofreading
Mim Eisenberg
mim@wordcraftservices.com
Newsletter deadline is the first of
the 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 Mission Statement:
hope you will join us. Opinions expressed are
those of the authors and do not necessarily
reflect policies of the Atlanta Audubon Society.
To promote the enjoyment and understanding of birds and to
conserve and restore the ecosystems that support them.

2 Atlanta Audubon Society

 From the Executive Director
by Catharine Brockman Kuchar
The “Nuisance Bird”
In my early exploration into the birding
world, I was quite surprised to come
across several texts exploring the many
problems associated with so-called
“nuisance birds.” How could birds be a
nuisance?, I asked myself.
Webster’s dictionary defines nuisance as
“one that is annoying, unpleasant or
obnoxious” (a.k.a. a pest). So just what
exactly are these bird culprits that could
be defined as annoying, unpleasant or
obnoxious? Here is a countdown of five
birds often cited as the top contenders:
#5 - Red-winged Blackbird
Whether it is fact or fiction, the
gregarious Red-winged Blackbird has a
reputation for its bad eating habits.
Southerners have long complained that
redwings pull up long-leaf pine seedlings
and eat the seeds. This is particularly
problematic for such a delicate and
endangered habitat. In addition, the
prevailing impression that redwings are
very injurious to the farmer's interests
continues. While there is some research
to counter this, the Red-winged
Blackbird is still considered to be a pest.
#4 - House Sparrow
Non-native species that are introduced to
an area by humans often get a bad rap.
The House Sparrow is no exception.
Imported from Europe, it has adapted
extremely well and is known to kill
bluebirds when competing for a nest
box. With many bluebirds disappearing
from much of their traditional range, the
last thing they need is competition from
the House Sparrow.
#3 - European Starling
The European Starling shares many
things in common with its counterpart,
the House Sparrow. Both were imported
from Europe, and both limit housing for
other, more “desirable” birds. It has had
a substantial impact on several native
species, including the Purple Martin
population. With its aggressive nature, it
March 2007
✔ olunteer
Opportunities
GET INVOLVED
IN ATLANTA
can easily destroy the martins’ eggs and AUDUBON
young and even kill the adults.
We invite you to volunteer
#2 - American Crow with these Atlanta Audubon
Despite its intelligence, the American programs.
Crow is not a particularly well-loved
bird. Writer Rosemary Drisdelle states Publicity
that “crows are renowned for getting into Help us get the word out
garbage, eating carrion and road kill, through local media about our
field trips and workshops.
destroying crops, killing livestock and Contact: Denese Van Dyne
being a noisy nuisance. A large group of 404.406.9324
crows can make quite a racket, and they Membership
tend to do this at unfortunate times, such Help with mailings to
as the predawn hours when most humans membership.
Contact: Art Hurt
would rather be asleep.” If that wasn’t 770.934.7660
enough, the American Crow is also
Events
considered by some to be a bad omen. Represent Audubon at special
The #1 Nuisance Bird - Brown- functions and displays.
headed Cowbird Contact: Nancy Hamilton
404.874.2338
The Brown-headed Cowbird is a
grasslands species that has recently Education
Volunteer for a variety of
expanded its range. These seemingly educational programs. We
innocent birds lay their eggs in other provide training workshops.
birds’ nests, and the hosts raise the Contact: Marcia Klenbort
404.874.9826
cowbird chick(s). The result is that the
unsuspecting caretakers often fail to Wildlife Sanctuary
Support the preservation of
raise their own young. Naturally, the greenspace in Atlanta.
biggest problem is for very rare species Contact: Jacqueline McRae
that already have difficulty breeding due jacqueline.mcrae@comcast.net
to habitat loss and other factors. The Conservation
Brown-headed Cowbird never builds its Become an Armchair Activist
and keep updated on legislative
own nest. action both locally and nationally.
When faced with these facts, it’s hard to Contact: Clark Rushing
404.373.8585
deny that these birds might be rather
annoying, unpleasant and, yes, even Office and Phone
Answer the AAS hotline and
obnoxious. However, I’d still rather assist visitors to our office at
believe that no bird is a nuisance. The the Dunwoody Nature Center
only nuisance bird that I can come up Contact: Ellen Miller
with is the one who won’t hold still for 404.355.8892
the camera! Now, that is the definition of Important Bird Areas Program
a nuisance bird! Help distribute information,
monitor input, network
throughout the state with
IBA participants.
Contact: Jim Wilson
770.602.1679
3
 December Field Notes
We had another good month of
birding in Atlanta and the
state. There were a number of
good birds, which allowed us to
post some fairly impressive totals
for the year. Some of the good
birds were Red-necked Grebes, a Western
Grebe, a couple of Calliope Hummingbirds,
a Broad-tailed Hummingbird and possible
Ash-throated Flycatcher and Bewick’s Wren.
The Atlanta area recorded 119 species
(average 113.5) to bring that year-to-date
list to 249 (average 243.5). The Georgia
area recorded 211 species (average 205.0)
to bring that year-to-date list to 332
(average 331.6). Based on these figures, it
has to be said that 2006 was a fairly
average year for birding in the state of
Georgia.
ATLANTA AREA
GEESE THROUGH FALCONS – Two GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen on a Bartow
County pond on 21 Dec. (BZ). Interestingly enough,
this is the same pond where two GREATER WHITE-
FRONTED GEESE were found last year. A rather
amazing count of 48 WILD TURKEYS was made on
the Marietta Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on 17 Dec.
(BZ et al.). A RED-NECKED GREBE was seen at
Lake Spivey on 23 Dec. by HG, but unfortunately
the bird could not be relocated. An EARED GREBE
was a good find at Sweetwater Creek State Park on
10 Dec. (HG). Good birds at the E. L. Huie Land
Application Facility (ELHLAF) in Clayton County
were an AMERICAN BITTERN on 20 Dec. and a
GREAT EGRET from 29 Dec. through 31 Dec. (CL).
Always exciting was a PEREGRINE FALCON seen on
the Marietta CBC on 17 Dec. (BZ et al.).
RAILS THROUGH TERNS – During the month, CL
had KING RAILS, SORAS and COMMON
MOORHENS at the ELHLAF. There were six reports
of SANDHILL CRANES, with almost all the reports
coming on 10 Dec. (m.ob.). The peak count was
1,500 over Atlanta on 10 Dec. by SE. Rare for the
wintertime was a SPOTTED SANDPIPER seen at the
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area on 1
Dec. by DH. CL had a couple of good observations
at the ELHLAF, with 15 LEAST SANDPIPERS on 29
Dec. and a BONAPARTE’S GULL on 22 Dec. A
FORSTER’S TERN was a good find at the
Sweetwater Creek State Park on 10 Dec. (HG).
HUMMINGBIRDS THROUGH SPARROWS – A
CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD was reported from the
4 Atlanta Audubon Society
by Terry Moorez
Decatur area on 5 Dec. (PW). A female BROAD-
TAILED HUMMINGBIRD was banded in the
Mableton area on 19 Dec. by RT. Very rare for the
Marietta CBC area was a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE on
17 Dec. (TD et al.). A very late or over-wintering
TENNESSEE WARBLER was seen at the ELHLAF
Wetlands Center on 22 Dec. (CL). Another rare bird
on the 17 Dec. Marietta CBC was a LINCOLN’S
SPARROW (fide BZ).
GEORGIA AREA
GEESE THROUGH DUCKS – Two GREATER WHITE-
FRONTED GEESE were seen in the Warner Robins
area on 7 Dec. (BF). A ROSS’S GOOSE was
reported from the West Point Dam (WPD) on 1 Dec.
by WC. Two British birders reported to CL that they
had seen a EURASIAN WIGEON at Jekyll Island on
2 Dec. Unfortunately, no other observers were able
to see the bird. EB had an excellent count of 75
REDHEADS at WPD on 3 Dec. At the Bear Creek
Reservoir in Jackson County, MF had two WHITE-
WINGED SCOTERS and one BLACK SCOTER on 1
Dec. Another inland BLACK SCOTER was seen on
the Dalton CBC on 16 Dec. (SP, JG, MM). At Jekyll
Island on 2 Dec., JSe had 1500 BLACK SCOTERS,
12 SURF SCOTERS and five WHITE-WINGED
SCOTERS. Ten COMMON GOLDENEYES were seen
at the WPD on 3 Dec. (EB), and a single bird was
seen in Jasper County on 10 Dec. (EM).
LOONS THROUGH GREBES – Rare inland RED-
THROATED LOONS were seen at the WPD on 1
Dec. (WC) and at the Walter F. George Dam on 2
Dec. (JF, EH). EB and MB had a very impressive
count of at least 100 RED-THROATED LOONS at
Tybee Island on 17 Dec. A PACIFIC LOON was
reported from Tybee Island on 15 Dec. for one of
the few records for the state (fide JF). Generally,
PIED-BILLED GREBES are found either as individual
birds or as small groups, so a count of 85 in the
Lake Park area on 8 Dec. was quite interesting
(MF). A RED-NECKED GREBE was seen at Lake
Seminole on 6 Dec. and again on 27 Dec. by EB. EB
and DM had 20+ EARED GREBES at Lake Juliette
on 4 Dec. EB had a single EARED GREBE at Lake
Seminole on 6 Dec. and again on 27 Dec. A
WESTERN GREBE was found at Lake Walter F.
George on 6 Dec. and was seen at least through 27
Dec. (EB). This is one of the very few records of
this species in Georgia.
PELICANS THROUGH GULLS – JF and EH had at
least 100 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS at Bagby
State Park on 2 Dec. Elsewhere, 20 were seen at
Brunswick on 17 Dec. (EB, MB), and three were at
Lake Walter F. George on 27 Dec. (EB). Four
ROSEATE SPOONBILLS were late at Jekyll Island on
19 Dec. (fide LT). Two BLACK RAILS were reported
from the Altamaha Waterfowl Management Area
(AWMA) near Darien on 17 Dec. by EB and MB.
There were only a couple of sightings of SANDHILL
CRANES, with the peak count of 75 coming on 10
Dec. in Taylor County (BM). Interesting shorebird
sightings included a WILLET at Lake Juliette on 4
Dec. (EB, DM), four LEAST SANDPIPERS on the
Dalton CBC on 16 Dec. (SP, JG, MM) and two
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS on the Macon CBC
on 16 Dec. (TMc). EB and MB had single
POMARINE and PARASITIC JAEGERS at Gould’s
Inlet on 17 Dec. and 52 LESSER BLACK-BACKED
GULLS at Tybee Island the same day.
DOVES THROUGH FLYCATCHERS – Single WHITE-
WINGED DOVES were seen on Jekyll Island on 2
Dec. (MC) and in Savannah on 7 Dec. (SW). A
calling LONG-EARED OWL was reported from
Rabun County on 20 Dec. by EB and DM. A SHORT-
EARED OWL was seen in Sumter County on 11
Dec. by CR. A NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL was
heard in Rabun County on 20 Dec. by EB and DM.
In the Savannah area, a CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD
was reported on 17 Dec. by SC. Single WESTERN
KINGBIRDS were reported from Jekyll Island on 2
Dec. (fide JSe) and the AWMA on 17 Dec. (EB, MB).
An extremely rare ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER
was reported from Baker County on 16 Dec. by AA.
Unfortunately, the bird could not be relocated.
NUTHATCHES THROUGH BLACKBIRDS – Three
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES were a good find on
the Chattahoochee CBC on 18 Dec. (JSp). Another
extremely rare bird was a BEWICK’S WREN seen in
Baker County on 13 Dec. by AA. Unfortunately, this
bird also could not be relocated. JF and EH had a
couple of good sightings, with a BLACK-AND-
WHITE WARBLER in Terrell County on 2 Dec. and
22 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS in Sumter
County on 2 Dec. EB and MB found a PAINTED
BUNTING on Jekyll Island on 17 Dec. In the
Valdosta area, RC had two BALTIMORE ORIOLES
on 28 Dec. A very rare sighting was an adult male
BULLOCK’S ORIOLE in Bulloch County on 27 Dec.
by JP. Good numbers of RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were
reported with 1,000 in the Augusta area on 9 Dec.
(EM) and 372 in the Macon area on 16 Dec. (TMc).
CONTRIBUTORS – Alan Ashley, Eric Beohm,
Michael Beohm, Patrick Brisse, Steve Calver, Walt
Chambers, Bob Churi, Marjorie Clark, Rita Collins,
Mark Davis, Terri Davis, Steve Ehly, Jim Flynn,
Bryan Fobbus, Mark Freeman, Hugh Garrett, Jim
Greenway, David Hedeen, Earl Horn, Carol Lambert,
Ed Maiorello, Trey McCuen, Max Medley, Ellen
Miller, Ben Moore, Darlene Moore, Peggy and Terry
Moore, Charlie Muise, Sandy Pangle, John Parrish,
Parrie Pinyan, Clive Rainey, Jeff Sewell, Joshua
Spence, Paul Sykes, Lydia Thompson, Rusty Trump,
Steve Wagner, Pat White, Victor Williams, and Bob
Zaremba.
 Field Trips Wildlife
Compiled by by Dave Butler
Sanctuaries
Rock Creek Park (Dawson County) Saturday, March 24, Lisa Hurt
Saturday, March 10, Georgann Schmalz Saturday, March 31, Lisa Hurt
Saturday, March 17, Georgann Schmalz Meet at 8 AM
Meet at 8 AM Birding Focus: Migrants, residents
Birding Focus: Migrants, residents Directions: From I-285 N or S: Take Highway 78,
Directions: Take GA 400 north to Dawson Stone Mt. Freeway exit, west toward Decatur.
Forest Rd. Turn left (west) on Dawson Forest Rd. Highway 78 passes North DeKalb Mall and
Turn right (north) on Hwy 9. Pass the middle continues up hill past Banner Ford. At
school, cross over the flood plain and take a left intersection of Highway 78, North Decatur Rd.
into Rock Creek Park at sign. and Medlock Rd., take right on Medlock Rd.
Follow Medlock Rd. 1/4 mile to Medlock
Big Creek Greenway (Fulton County) Elementary School; go right on Wood Trail Lane.
Sunday, March 11, Georgann Schmalz Go through one stop sign; travel another 200
Sunday, March 18, Georgann Schmalz yards to Preserve entrance.
Meet at 8 AM From I-75/I-85 N or S: From I-85 north or south
Birding Focus: Migrants, residents take North Druid Hills exit, east toward Decatur.
Directions: Take Georgia 400 north to Exit 8, After approx. 3 miles, go right on Highway. 78 (at
Mansell Rd./Alpharetta exit. After exiting, turn North DeKalb Mall). Follow directions as above. Believe it or not, late this
right onto Mansell Rd. At the first traffic light, March hummingbirds
turn left onto North Point Parkway (P F Chang’s E.L. Huie Water Treatment Facility
on corner and Smokey Bones BBQ on the other). (Clayton County) might show up in your
Continue on North Point Pkwy. through three or Saturday, March 31, Dale Hardee yard, so it will be time to
four lights, staying in the right hand lane. Look Meet at 8 AM make sure the nectar
for the (small) Big Creek Greenway sign at the Birding Focus: Waterfowl, migrants feeders are out and ready
entrance on the right, just past the car wash. Directions: Take I-75 south beyond I-285 to US
Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve 19/41 (Tara Blvd., exit 235); drive south for 8.2 for the new arrivals. The
(DeKalb County) miles to Freeman Rd. and turn left. The offices males arrive first, followed
are on the right. This trip is sponsored by the by the females, who see
Upcoming Bird Walks at the Clayton County Water Authority.
Chattahoochee Nature Center which males have the best
Saturday, April 14 Saturday, May 5 habitat for their nesting
8 - 10 AM, Ages 8 & up, Field trips are open to the public and
free (unless otherwise noted).
sites. Nectar can be made
General Admission/Members FREE
Join Chattahoochee Nature Center wildlife volunteer and We welcome everyone from advanced by dissolving one part
Master Birder, Stacy Zarpentine, for a morning bird walk to birders to beginners! sugar with four parts
discover feathered friends around the grounds.
water, with no food
coloring added -- the red
Don’t forget to fill out and return the 2007 Atlanta Audubon on the container is enough
Society Member Survey included with your February 2007 edition of
Wingbars. You can also go on-line at www.atlantaaudubon.org to attract the hummers.
to fill out the form. Remember that everyone who fills out the survey will Throw out the nectar
be entered to win a $50 gift certificate from Pike Family Nurseries!
To be included in the drawing, be sure to fill out your survey and when it becomes cloudy
return it by Friday, March 16, 2007. and put fresh nectar in it.
Use small containers
unless you really have a
Events Further Afield lot of hummers in your
yard. Separate two or
Event Dates Location Contact more containers by 30
Advancing Sustainable Prosperity feet or more to keep
(Ceres Conference) April 25-26 Boston www.ceres.org aggressive males from
Verde Valley Birding and taking over more than one
Nature Festival April 26-29 Cottonwood, AZ info@birdyverde.org feeder.

South Florida: Gateway to

Tropical America April 28-May 5 Miami sandiegoaudobon.org
North Alabama Birding Festival May 4-6 Decatur, AL www.decaturcvb.org

March 2007 5
 2007 Birdathon Needs You!
Mark your calendars now for Birdathon 2007, which will take place
between April 21, 2007, and May 6, 2007.
Birdathon is one of Atlanta Audubon’s annual fundraisers. Everyone can participate in this competitive birding
event that will raise money this year for all of our education programs (Master Birder Program, Audubon
Adventures, Nature Camps, Learning About Birds, etc.) and our conservation initiatives such as the Important
Bird Area (IBA) program. It's fun, and we need everyone’s help to meet our goal of $10,000.
On March 25, Atlanta Audubon will host a pre-Birdathon cookout at Georgann Schmalz’s house in Dawsonville,
along with an early field trip to Dawson Forest, to recognize and thank those who participated in Birdathon in
2006 and previous Birdathons and to gear up for Birdathon 2007. Everyone who has participated in Birdathons in
the past or plans to participate this year is invited. We’ll ask some of our top performers to share tips and
strategies. Please let us know if you plan to attend so we can determine food needs by e-mailing Ellen Miller at
ellen.miller@eclipsys.com. Ellen will answer any questions you may have and provide directions to Georgann’s.
You can participate in one of two ways:
1. Sign up as a “Birdathoner” and collect sponsors for birding an hour, a morning or up to 24 consecutive hours.
2. Sponsor a participating Birdathoner and make a “per species” pledge or a set donation to Atlanta Audubon
Society.
What does a Birdathoner do?
1. Collect “per species” or set pledges from parents, neighbors, friends, co-workers and others and keep a record
on the sponsor sign-up sheet included in this issue of Wingbars.
2. Go birding for up to 24 consecutive hours sometime during April 21 - May 6. You can bird alone, with a team,
or with one of Atlanta Audubon’s planned field trips. You can bird anywhere, e.g., in your backyard, around
the metro Atlanta area or even out of the state or out of the country. You can bird and count species as long
as you want, up to 24 consecutive hours.
3. Report back to those anxious sponsors, tell them what great birds you saw, thank them for their support and
collect all of their checks (made payable to Atlanta Audubon Society).

Help Protect Jekyll Island

continued from page 1.

foraging grounds for thousands of migratory
Where to write: birds during their annual trips between the
Arctic and the tropics.
Bill Donohue,
However, visitation to the park has dropped in
Executive Director recent years. Because of declining revenues
Jekyll Island Authority from the existing development, JIA has hired a
100 James Road private real estate firm to develop a master plan
Jekyll Island, GA for the island that focuses on “identifying the
31527 means by which revenues can be enhanced
within the parameters of the 35/65 rule.” This
Governor Sonny master plan, available at the JIA Web site, has
Perdue been put together with little input from the
203 State Capital “plain people of Georgia” and contains
Atlanta, GA 30334 recommendations that will put the island’s
fragile ecology at risk, such as placing
Clark Rushing
beachfront homes along undeveloped portions
135 Glenn Circle
of South Beach and replacing current
Decatur, GA 30030
beachfront motels with high-rise hotels and
condos.
In the coming year, JIA expects several private
development firms to submit major proposals
for the island. So far, interested developers
have stated they have big plans, ensuring that
the island will “match the Cloisters at Sea
Island.” Proposed plans include hundreds of
beachfront homes and condos, a member’s-only
golf club, a gated community and moving the
current 4-H Center to make room for “high-end
luxury redevelopment.”
While there is little doubt that some
redevelopment on Jekyll is needed, opening the
island to this type of private development will
only result in the destruction of one of the East
Coast’s last pristine barrier islands. This
destruction would be a huge loss not only to
the plants and animals that rely on Jekyll but to
all the “plain people” of Georgia for whom the
island was intended.
If you would like to make your voice heard in
fight to protect Jekyll, please write a letter
expressing why the protection of Jekyll Island
is important to you. Letters should be sent to
the Bill Donohue, executive director of the
Jekyll Island Authority, Governor Sonny Perdue
and your state representatives. In addition,
please send a blind copy to conservation
director Clark Rushing for Atlanta Audubon’s
records. Thanks for your dedication and help in
preserving this jewel of the Georgia coast.

6 Atlanta Audubon Society

 Atlanta Audubon Society
2007 Annual Photography Contest
Got Milk? by Julie Hodder (2006 Grand Prize Winner)
Check out the AAS Web site for all the
Submission Details and Rules at:
www.atlantaaudubon.org
Key Dates:
Entries must be taken either in Calendar Year
2006 or in the period in 2007 up to March 16,
2007, the deadline for submission. All entries will
be displayed at the April AAS Speaker Series event on
Sunday the 15th. Ribbons and great prizes will be
awarded at the meeting. Participants don’t have to be
present to win. All entries will be judged prior to the
April AAS Speaker Series event.
Atlanta Audubon at the Zoo
Think Green Day on
Saturday, March 17,
from 10 AM until 3 PM
Join Zoo Atlanta again this year for its second annual Think
Green Day on Saturday, March 17, from 10 AM until 3 PM.
The event highlights the zoo's conservation efforts and
recycling programs with displays and activities on how to
be more "green." The Atlanta Audubon Shade-Grown
Coffee Committee will participate with a display on
sustainable coffee and migratory birds. For more
information, go to zooatlanta.org.
March 2007
The Deadline for Entries is Approaching Fast!
Check Out This Year’s Great Prizes:
First Prize—Birds: Stokes Talon 8 x 42 Binoculars,
retail value $179.99 (Sponsored by Eagle Optics) and two free
registrations to the 2008 Space Coast Birding Festival in Fla.
First Prize—Animals: REI Stratocruiser 27” Wheeled
Luggage Pack, retail value $230.00 (Sponsored by REI)
First Prize—Habitat: Smith & Hawken’s amazing
life-size pair of cranes rendered in steel with hand-hammered
detail, retail value $189.00 (Sponsored by Smith & Hawken)
Grand Prize: Two-night stay at the Marriott Residence Inn
Cape Canaveral Cocoa Beach, Florida plus Space Coast
Outdoor Adventure Package for 2 (dinner at Dixie Crossroad
Seafood Restaurant, Airboat Tour, Kayak Tour, AND Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex passes). Also includes the
opportunity to have your photograph printed on the AAS
official picture postcard for 2007!
Best in Show: Two-night stay at the Courtyard by Marriott in
Cocoa Beach, Florida, includes breakfast for two! Enjoy the
Florida sun with this great prize!
Criteria for judging include:
Originality ł Overall impact ł Composition ł Technique ł Presentation
Entries will be judged by category which include:
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)
Habitats (flora and fauna in their natural environments, landscapes, or panoramas)
We are proud to announce that Mr. Charles Needle, well-known professional
photographer, will be our judge for the event!
Sponsored by
Q: Where
seiceptheir
s tahW :Q
territories overlap,the
denorhted yltnecer
Golden-fronted
sa nreT citcrA eht
Woodpecker has been
eht htiw drib eht
known to interbreed with
?nospecies?
what itargim tsegnol
See page 8 for answer
rewsna eht rof ___ egap eeS
7
 Birds in the Park!
Celebrating International Migratory Bird Day
Come one, come all! Kids, families,
singles, couples. It’s free. It’s fun.
Celebrate International Migratory
Bird Day Sunday, May 6, in Piedmont
Park.
In partnership with the Piedmont
Park Conservancy, the Atlanta
Audubon Society will put on an
International Migratory Bird Day
(IMBD) event in Piedmont Park on
May 6, 2007, from 8 AM until 3 PM.
The free event for families, youth
and adults celebrates the incredible
and timely journey of migratory
birds between their winter home in
Mexico and Central and South
America to their summer home in
North America. The day’s activities
are for all ages and include bird
walks in the 185-acre park,
interactive stations (including Meet
Atlanta’s Birds!), all you need to
know about binoculars, how to
create a bird habitat in your
backyard, learn bird sounds and
songs through a special iPod
experience, arts and crafts,
migration games, get to know
visiting live birds of prey and build
your birding skills. More than a
dozen activity stations will invite you
to participate.
Come early for the bird walks.
They’ll start at 8 AM and again at
8:30 AM. Come if you are an
advanced birder, a backyard birder
or a no-count birder. Bring your
binoculars or borrow ours.
During the day, Atlanta Audubon
Master Birders and other naturalists
will lead talks and interactive
sessions on conservation, birding
basics, habitats, backyard birding,
migration, climate change and more
-- in a variety of formats to appeal to
various age groups. You can break
for lunch at one of several eateries
right near by.
IMBD, created in 1993 by the
Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center
and the Cornell Laboratory of
Ornithology, is now under the
direction of the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation and U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, and is
celebrated in May in Canada, the
United States, Mexico and Central
America.

Endangered Juvenile Whooping Crane

Discovered Alive in Florida
The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership Partnership. “While we are still recovering
(WCEP) recently announced that one of the from the initial shock of the loss of so many
18 juvenile cranes presumed lost in the other young birds, this latest development
storms that hit central Florida on February demonstrates the resilience of this particular
1-2 has been found. crane, and our partnership will bounce back
as well.”
Project biologists with the International
Crane Foundation picked up the radio signal Seventeen juvenile whooping cranes died as
of crane 15-06 on Saturday afternoon near a result of the storms that swept through
the pen site at the Chassahowitzka National central Florida during the evening and early
Wildlife Refuge, where the other birds morning of February 1 and 2.
perished in the storm. They lost the signal
WCEP is still determining the cause of death
briefly before picking it up again, tracking
of the 17 whooping cranes what were part of
the young bird to an area in Citrus County,
the ultralight-led “Class of 2006” and arrived
some miles away from the pen site. The
at the Chassahowitzka NWR in mid January.
juvenile crane was observed from the air in
good remote habitat with two Sandhill
Cranes. Number 15-06 is in the same area
with three whooping cranes from the Class
of 2005.
During the last leg of the ultralight-led
migration last fall, crane 15-06 dropped out
Answer: but was found nearby two days later and
Answer: Sooty
Red-bellied
Shearwater
brought to the pen site with his flock mates.
Woodpecker
“Finding 15-06 alive represents a ray of light
during an otherwise dark time for Whooping
Crane recovery,” said John Christian, co-
chair of the Whooping Crane Eastern

8 Atlanta Audubon Society

 Birding on Kennesaw Mountain
By Giff Beaton, Catharine Brockman Kuchar and Dan Vickers
Most members of Atlanta Audubon have
probably birded at Kennesaw Mountain
(KMT) at one time or another. Those
who haven’t probably know at least that
the birding is great out there. The
number of migrant passerines is so good
that we have been conducting a long-
term migration study for the last 15
years at KMT, possibly the most
complete migratory database in the
inland South. Numerous rarities have
shown up during that time, and if that
wasn’t enough, it’s one of the best
places to see a Cerulean Warbler
anywhere.
Now that I have your attention, change
is in the air at Kennesaw. Use of the
park, particularly the Mountain Road, is
increasing steadily, but the park
continues to face a shrinking budget.
The park is currently reviewing traffic
on the Mountain Road, and federal road
safety engineers have told the park that
the road cannot continue to operate as it
is now because of serious safety
concerns. They are deciding how to best
handle the various constituencies that
use it, from pedestrians to bicyclists to
cars. The increased traffic of all kinds
has also strained the limited resources
at the park.
What can we do to try to make sure
park officials hear the concerns of
birders and see us as responsible
and cooperative users of this great
site, you ask? Take these four simple
actions:
1. Stop by the KMT Visitor Center if
you are at the park, and mention that
you are birding and tell the staff
that’s why you came. We think
mentioning that you are there to
walk up and down the mountain via
the Mountain Road may also be
helpful.
2. The University of Georgia will be
conducting surveys of users on the
Mountain Road. If you are asked,
please answer the representative’s
March 2007
questionnaire. It will be important to
get birders’ opinions included in the
survey findings.
3. Drop a note or an e-mail to Dan
Brown, the superintendent, in
support of continuing pedestrian
access on the Mountain Road, but
please be courteous. We want to
promote goodwill, not antagonize
anyone by protesting too strongly.
Sending him a note now will put you
on a contact list for the upcoming
changes, and you will then be
notified when the various proposed
alternatives are published. At that
time, it will be crucial to comment
on the alternatives that would allow
road birding to continue. Here is his
contact info:
Daniel R. Brown
Superintendent
National Park Service
Kennesaw Mountain National
Battlefield Park
905 Kennesaw Mountain Drive
Kennesaw, GA 30152
daniel_r_brown@nps.gov
4. Please be mindful of the posted rules
about using the road. Please don’t
walk up the middle of the road. Stick
to the edges to stay out of the way of
cars and bikes. Stay to the left on the
way up and to the right on the way
down. This works out well for us
because the best viewing is usually
down the hill anyway, and helps you
avoid “warbler neck.” If you are
there with a large group of birders,
please stretch your group out a bit so
you aren’t blocking the road.
Basically, just be nice like birders
usually are, and promote a positive
image of our community among all
the others users of the park.
Thanks for your help, and hopefully we
can keep watching warblers from the
road for many years to come.
9
 CLASSIFIEDS
Rates for business card size ads are $20/month or $45/quarter. Ads must be consistent
with the conservation and birding mission and agenda of Atlanta Audubon Society.
You may also design your own ad. Call for pricing.

Panama! Send ads and payment to:

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

October 3-11, 2007 When You

When You Come Black Oil
To The
To TheMountains
Mountains Sunflower
Visit the best bird store
Canopy Tower and in North Georgia! 20lb Bag $7.00 always
We have fresh Cole’s with Audubon Membership Card
the Canopy Lodge seed and a HUGE
array of squirrel-proof Proud Supporters of Environmentally
feeders, Bushnell optics,
hard to find hardware, Conscious Organizations in our Local
great books (including
$1640 per person ABA Guides), stained Community.
glass, unique gifts & the
double occupancy best candles you’ve Wild Bird Centers
ever smelled!
Cumming –– 2825 S. Vickery St. 678-456-6900
($200 single supplement).
Dunwoody—2472 Jett Ferry Rd 770-396-3353
Price includes 8 nights lodging, Johns Creek—3630 Peachtree Pky 770-813-9476
birding guides, transfers and Under the big maples in downtown Blue Ridge
611 E. Main St. • Blue Ridge, GA 30513 WWW.Wildbird.com
most meals. (706) 258-BIRD (2473) • blueridgebirdseed.com

Group size is limited to 10.

CANINE SHOWCASE
For additional information and & WILD BIRD INC.
to be put on the list for a 1874 Piedmont Ave. Suite 101-A
Atlanta, Georgia 30324
space, contact: 404•875•0611
We’ve moved to a bigger and better location.
ellen.miller@eclipsys.com We are located in Piedmont Pointe next to Einstein Bagels on
Piedmont Road. We are expanding our already great selection
of bird supplies to include:

• Swift Binoculars
• Droll Yankee Feeders
• Coveside Houses
• Garden & Yard Art

President’s Perch
continued from page 2

contained 99 double-knocks that seem to match descriptions of Ivory-bill Woodpecker

raps and 210 calls that share similarities with Ivory-bill calls recorded in the 1930s.
So who knows, by the time this article comes out maybe absolute and irrefutable
evidence will have been found that the Ivory-billed Woodpecker really has survived.
Wouldn’t that be exciting?
Thanks as always for your support of the birds!
For more information on the Florida Ivory-bill project, visit the following Web site:
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/science_math/cosam/departments/biology/faculty/w
ebpages/hill/ivorybill/.

10 Atlanta Audubon Society

 Merritt Island Tour Nets Lifers
By Art Hurt
Two days is scarcely enough time to explore
all of the trails, pockets, nesting areas and
hammocks of Merritt Island, Florida, but our
band of birders took a big enough bite of it to
know that we want to return.
Merritt Island is a 140,000-acre National
Wildlife Refuge. About half of it consists of
coastal dune, scrub oak, pine forest and pine
and oak hammock. In the remaining half, you
will find brackish estuaries, marshes and
impoundments, ideal for wintering waterfowl.
There are wading bird rookeries, 10 active
bald eagle nests, many osprey nests and an
estimated 2,500 Florida scrub jays. For those
in search of wintering ducks and other
waterfowl, it is a treasure trove.
Fifteen Atlanta Audubon Society birders,
including leaders Lisa Hurt and Theresa Hartz,
enjoyed the short-sleeve weather in January,
concentrating on the good close looks that
many species presented. Images of
flocks of White Pelicans and Roseate
Spoonbills in magnificent flyovers,
and of the pelicans busily feeding and
the spoonbills perching and preening
in the Florida sun, will linger with us
all.
Some notables sightings included
Bald Eagle, American Bittern,
Limpkin, Crested Caracara,
Loggerhead Shrike, Roseate Spoonbill, Tri-
colored Heron, Northern Pintail, American
Wigeon, White Pelican, Blue-winged and
Green-winged Teal and of course, the Florida
Scrub Jay. River otters and manatee
represented mammal sightings. The two-day
total was 89 species, but several participants
added others while birding en route to and
from Merritt Island. Many members of the
group added birds to their life lists.

Join the Atlanta Audubon Society

Wingbars is mailed only to Friends of Atlanta Audubon. All new National Audubon Society
members receive an introductory copy and can continue to receive this newsletter by becoming a
Friends of Atlanta Audubon member.
BENEFITS OF
If you are not a Friend of AAS, please take this opportunity to fill out and return the form below.
MEMBERSHIP
Atlanta Audubon Society Membership Director, P.O. Box 29189, Atlanta, GA 30359.
You can also join online: www.atlantaaudubon.org. ✔ 12 issues of
Enrollment as a Friend of Atlanta Audubon does not include membership in the National Wingbars
Audubon Society. Thus you will not receive Audubon magazine.
Newsletter

Friends of Atlanta Audubon Society ✔ Friends discounts

Make check payable to: on classes, trips
Atlanta Audubon Society
Basic Membership and special

Individual .......................................$25
Membership Director
Family ............................................$35 events
P.O. Box 29189, Atlanta, GA 30359
Student ..........................................$15
✔ Use of the AAS

Renewal
New Membership
Contributing Membership..........................$50
library

Supporting Membership..........................$100
Name_____________________________________

Donor Membership..................................$250 ✔A great tax
Address ___________________________________ Receive an official deduction!
Atlanta Audubon T-shirt
City___________________________ State _____
Patron Membership .................................$500
Receive a T-shirt and signed Thanks to all
Zip Code _____________ copy of Birds of Atlanta of you for your

Benefactor Membership........................$1,000 support and
E-mail ____________________________________ Receive all of the above plus a signed framed enthusiasm.
print of Charles Harper’s “Missing Migrants”
Phone ____________________________________

Please do not share this information with any other organization

Do not acknowledge my gift in Wingbars

March 2007 11
 Birds Matter. . .in the Backyard
Invasive Plants and the Birds
By Connie Gray, President, Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council and
Birds Matter Special Projects Coordinator, Trees Atlanta
There is no question that many birds enjoy the fruit produced by non-native plants that are invasive in natural areas. In fact,
many of these plants were widely planted at least in part to provide food and habitat for wildlife – autumn olive, multiflora rose
and bush honeysuckles, for instance. Equally evident is that birds are major contributors to the spread of these plants, and that
invasive exotic plants are degrading natural areas at an ever-increasing rate. For those of us who are concerned about
preserving what we can of our natural world, this can appear to pose a dilemma: Do we feed the birds or eliminate invasive
plants?
It is important that we remember that our native birds co-evolved over many thousands of years with the plants that are native
to this area. We may never know how many important interrelationships there are between our native flora and fauna. Clearly
our birds did just fine before we introduced Chinese privet, Japanese honeysuckle and oriental bittersweet!
There is a wealth of native plants that produce fruit appealing to many birds – viburnums, hawthorns and blueberries, to name a
few. These plants are less abundant than they once were due to increased development and degradation of the remaining
environment, much of that the result of invasive species. A healthy, diverse, natural floodplain should contain a variety of fruit-
producing plant species such as swamphaw, silky dogwood and chokeberry. Most floodplains in the Atlanta area are now wall-to-
wall Chinese privet that is thriving at the expense of the native plants. Yes, the birds eat privet’s fruit, but they are forced to eat
a very limited diet.
We can best benefit our bird populations in the long run by removing invasive plants from our yards and replacing them with
appropriate native species. You can find out more about invasive plants at www.gaeppc.org and about native plants at
www.gnps.org.

Nort
Ple h ri dge R o ad
asa Ro
nt
Hil
ATLANTA
be

lR
rts

I85 oad
Rd
.

rive

Upcoming: SpaC
ldin
gD Spalding
D ri
ve
AUDUBON OFFICE
Rober

ha
Ste mb
lee
ve
sR t

Re
Du
nw
at
d.

Birdathon yn
od

old
yR

Hw y.
sB rn on
Dunwoody Nature
d.

M t. Ve
lvd
Peach tree R
400
Tilly

Dunwoody
y.
Village
Center
April 21-May 6
Ch
Hw
M

n am
ill R

no ble
V er d.
Ashford Du

d.
eD
Peachtree Du

5343 Roberts Drive

.

un
Mt

wo
od
yR
d.
nwoody Rd.

Dunwoody, GA 30338
Til

N.

see page 6
ly M

Sh
Pike Family
P e a c h t r ee R d

all
nwo

ow
ill R

f
ody Rd.

Nursery
ord

770.913.0511
d.

Cotillion
Beave •Exit 30
Rd

Rd.
r Ruin Auditorium
.

285
.

Road •Exit 30

NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
Atlanta Audubon Society PAID
Box 29189 • Atlanta, GA 30359
Atlanta, GA
Permit #917

Wingbars is printed on recycled paper