THE WOODPECKER POST

NEWSLETTER OF THE
COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY
P.O. BOX 5923 COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA 29250
December, 2005

Christmas Bird Counts

Saturday, December 17, and Sunday, December 18

Christmas Bird Counts are held across the country during an annual count
period of December 14 through January 5 each year. Columbia Audubon
sponsors two area Christmas counts -- Congaree Swamp and Columbia. In
addition, many Columbia birders participate in the Santee National Wildlife
Refuge and/or Lake Wateree Christmas Counts. For this annual research
project we count individuals, not just species. The Christmas Counts are the
largest public research projects (> 45,000 participants) in the world, and anyone
can participate!

A $5 participation fee for each count is requested to help cover the cost of
compiling and publishing the data. This is not Columbia Audubon’s fee; we
simply collect it and pass it on to National Audubon, which uses it to cover the
costs. There is no fee for youth under 18 years.
Each count circle is divided into territories that will be covered by an assigned
party. Each party will have at least one experienced birder who is familiar with
the territory and who is willing to help beginners identify birds. Most party
assignments will be made at the morning rendezvous on the day of the count.
Although the rendezvous times given are for 7 AM, you should plan to arrive
somewhat earlier for a possible 7 AM departure.
If you live in one of the count circles, you are welcome to participate as a
feeder watcher at your own home. Just keep track of the birds you see at your
feeders and send the list to Robin Carter along with your name and phone
number. There is no participation fee for feeder watchers. If you are not sure
whether or not you live in a count circle, contact Robin to check.
You should be able to register for one of these counts (or any other) online at
National Audubon’s web page: http://www.audubon.org. Check the CAS web
page or the Carolina Bird Club page for a list of other CBCs in the Carolinas.

For all field trips we suggest you bring binoculars, field guide, rain gear, water, food, and insect repellent (if you have them).
Non-members and novices are always welcome. The Columbia Audubon Society is a chapter of the National Audubon So-
ciety. The Columbia Audubon Society assumes no responsibilities for injuries, personal or otherwise, that may occur while
attending Society-sponsored events and will not be held liable for any such injuries. Attend at your own risk. For more infor-
mation, please call a Board Member whose numbers are listed on the last page.
Columbia Christmas Bird Count
Saturday, December 17 @ 7:00 AM More Counts can be found at the
Carolina Bird Club’s Website:
The Columbia Count Circle covers http://www.carolinabirdclub.org/
urban and urbanizing areas of the
Columbia Metropolitan area. It includes
much of the southern part of Columbia, Here are some more local favorites:
including Fort Jackson, and the upper part
of lower Richland; it also includes a small Santee National Wildlife Refuge Christmas
piece of Lexington County near the river. Bird Count
Data from this count over the years reflect Saturday, December 31
the impact of urbanization on bird
populations. This count includes not only the refuge but
also the state park, Santee, and the
Meet Steve C. Dennis at the Williams neighboring countryside. This count typically
Bryce Stadium parking lot on Bluff Road at has the highest species list for an inland
7:00 AM. You may join us in the morning count in South Carolina.
and help for a few hours, or stay all day if
you like. No experience is necessary! Lex Glover is the compiler. Participants
need to contact Lex Glover at 803-438-9855
Congaree Swamp Christmas Bird or bglvr@clemson.edu
Count
Sunday, December 18 @ 7:00 AM Lake Wateree Christmas Bird Count
Tuesday, January 3 @ 7:00 AM
In addition to almost all of the
The Lake Wateree count is a relatively
Congaree National Park, this count circle
new count. It includes much of Lake Wateree
includes extensive farmlands and small (including the state park), the former gold
towns in both Richland and Calhoun mine site, and extensive hunt club lands.
Counties. CNP data and non-CNP data This count provides an opportunity to count in
are kept separate so that population the piedmont for sandhills and coastal plain
trends can be better tracked. CNP is an dwellers.
important area for many wintering birds
and usually has one of the highest counts Donna Slyce is the compiler. Please
in the country of Ruby-crowned Kinglets. contact her for more information at
Let’s go for Number 1 for those Kinglets! 803-951-7122 or dslyce@alltel.net.
“I have to try and get the most miserable
Meet Steve C. Dennis at the after- weather I can find for my count. If it snows, I
hours parking area (go into the Park plan to hold the Lake Wateree CBC the next
entrance road off Old Bluff Road and turn day.” – Donna Slyce.
left at the stop sign) at 7:00 AM.
 JOIN OUR INTERNET DISCUSSION GROUP

Check out Columbia Audubon's new MSN group at

http://groups.msn.com/ColumbiaAudubon.

Members can post bird sightings, field trips, conservation issues and more. There’s
even a board for essays and poetry. You can also post your bird and nature
photography. It’s a place for us to develop a community of nature lovers in the South
Carolina midlands. You don’t have to be a member of Columbia Audubon to join, so
please consider sending the link to your nature-loving friends.

Our hope is that eventually this will help our local Audubon chapter grow. Also, it’s
a great way to remind each other of upcoming events and excursions and to
strategize together about environmental issues.

If you have questions, please call Sara Damewood at 730-4987 or e-mail her at
saraofsc@yahoo.com.

Looking ahead...

Be sure to reserve the evening of April 8.

Columbia Audubon WINGED SocietyMIGRATION
is working with returns to Nickelodeon !
Friends of Congaree Swamp to have a
program
The Nickabout
bringsthe
backIvory-Billed
this breathtakingWoodpecker
favorite as a holiday treat for our patrons! This acclaimed film is a
(IBWO).
love letter to birdwatchers, flying enthusiasts, roller-coaster fans, and anyone who has ever stood still and
watched a hawk sail
The featured in the clouds.
speaker will beDirector
Bobby Jacques Perrin’s WINGED MIGRATION looks on the world with
Harrison,
an
one of those whose sighting of the IBWO inall 7 continents, as he and a crew of over 450
eagle’s eye and lifts us soaring over 40 countries in
(including 17 pilots and 14 cinematographers) spent 3 years following the journey of hundreds of birds, some
Arkansas so electrified the world when it was
migrating over 10,000 miles. Filmed from remote control gliders, ultra-light aircraft and hot air balloons, the
reported
cast includesearlier this
flocks of year.ducks,
pelicans, We geese,
will have other albatrosses, turtledoves, swans, robins, macaws,
bald eagles,
speakers,
and a reception,
Perrin himself and related items you
as the Narrator.
can purchase.
France. 2002. English narration. Rated G (for all audiences). 89 minutes.

DECEMBER
.Details 26-30
will be FRIDAYin– aTUESDAY
provided future newsletter.
Show times nightly at 7:00 & 9:00 (+ 3:00 matinees Saturday & Sunday)
http://audubon.org/bird/ivory/differences.php
This will be a program not to miss!
 National Audubon Society
Directors & Chairs 2006 Chapter Membership Application
Volunteers are always welcome!!
Yes, I’d like to join.
Please enroll me as a member of the National Audubon
President: Dan Tufford 782-6848
Vice-President: Available! Society and of my local chapter. Please send AUDUBON
Secretary: Marcia Watkins magazine and my membership card to the address below.
Treasurer: Marcia Watkins 779-7570 My check for $20 (introductory rate) is enclosed.
marcia.watkins@earthlink.net name__________________________________________
Conservation: T. Parkin Hunter t.hunter@scbar.org address________________________________________
Programs: Available! city___________________________________________
Field Trips: Caroline Eastman 782-8820 Please make checks payable to the National Audubon Society
ceastman@sc.rr.com Send this application and your check to:
Membership: Available! National Audubon Society
Education: Paula Feldman 787-5818 Chapter Membership Data Center
Publicity: Sara Damewood P.O. Box 51001 Boulder, CO 80322-1001
Newsletter: Steve C. Dennis 788-1854 ---------------------------LOCAL CHAPTER------------------------
stevecdennis@sc.rr.com Columbia Audubon Society U52
Webmaster: T. Parkin Hunter t.hunter@scbar.org P.O. Box 5923 Local Chapter Code
CAS WEBSITE: Columbia, SC 29250 7XCHA
www.columbiaaudubon.org
(or use the link from www.audubon.org)
Discussion Group:
http://groups.msn.com/ColumbiaAudubon Great Backyard Bird Count
Feb 17-20, 2006
LOOKING FORWARD
This nationwide activity
Carolina Bird Club Winter Meeting in involves observing and counting
Virginia Beach and on the lower Eastern winter birds from the comfort of
Shore, February 3 - 5, 2006. your own home. Counts may also
take place in local neighborhoods,
See the CBC web site for details: parks, schools, businesses, etc.
http://www.carolinabirdclub.org.
More details at
http://www.birdsource.com/gbbc.

SOUTH CAROLINIANS COMMITTED TO CONSERVATION

Columbia, S.C.
PERMIT No. 1371
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA 29250
P-A-I-D
P.O. BOX 5923
U.S. Postage
Non-Profit Org. COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY