Newsletter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society April, 2000 Editor, Theresa Graham PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE I have a lot of things to talk about, so let me begin by telling you how excited I am about the upcoming Spring Meeting. I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to meet with Wallace Coffey and Larry McDaniel, and they showed me the facilities and described some of the activities they, Janice Martin, and the rest of the Bristol Bird Club have planned. I won’t steal their thunder, but suffice to say that it will be a wonderful and unique event. This meeting will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the BBC, and I know that they are very excited about hosting it. I realize it’s a long trip for some of you, but I guarantee you that you will be in for a special treat. As you will see inside, TOS has been extremely active over the past few months in bird conservation issues, both on the state and the chapter levels. This is the sort of involvement we need to sustain over the coming years. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - we can make a difference with the resources we have available, and we’re well on our way. I’m particularly proud of the cooperative efforts currently underway with TWRA. That agency is turning a new leaf, and we’re glad to be a part of it. Our role and the roles of the various chapters are still being hashed out, but I expect to be contacting a number of you in person to discuss these issues in the next few months. In particular, I want to commend the Memphis TOS chapter for their endorsement and assistance with the Eagle Lake project. The years of data, wisdom, and experience of Martha Waldron, Carolyn Bullock, Virginia Reynolds, Susan McWhirter, and a host of others will be a critical and vital part of what we plan to do down there. As our management plans continue to evolve, I fully expect MTOS’s role to be of increasing importance to the success of that project, as Eagle Lake is right in their backyard. TOS is lucky to have such resources within its membership ranks. I will close by taking this opportunity to personally wish Bob Ford and his wife the best in their new adventure in northern Virginia. I spent a summer working for Bob as an intern for the Tennessee Conservation League, so I speak from experience when I tell you what an amazing birder, biologist, conservationist, and person he is. It’s a fantastic career opportunity for a very deserving man, and USFWS does not know how lucky they are. Bob, good luck from all of us! I hope to see you all at the Spring Meeting this May. In the meantime, good birding to you all (as if there’s any other kind!). Chris Sloan chris.sloan@home.com Nashville, TN The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 2 TOS SPUING MEETING MA Y 5-7, 2000 BRISTOL, TN-VA IT'S THE 50 th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BRISTOL BIRD CLUB - COME CELEBRATE WITH US! Field Trips In Tennessee, Field Trips In Virginia Bird High Elevation Mountains and Valleys, Mid-Level Lakeshores and Streams Reception With Cash Bar Friday Evening Buffet Dinner Saturday Evening With Outstanding Speaker TOS Business Meeting Saturday Afternoon Vendors of Birding Books and Equipment T-Shirts and Patches Historic Jonesborough, TN and Abingdon, VA Headquarters - Bristol Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Center, 1-81 Exit 7, just across the Virginia-Tennessee state line. All field trips begin here. A block of rooms at a rate of $59 are being held for registrants. Call (540) 466-4100 to reserve your rooms. To ensure your room at this price and in this block, reservations must be made by April 19, 2000. Registration Fee - $10 per person Buffet Dinner, Saturday Evening - $15.95 per person For dinner reservations and advance meeting registrations, complete the form below and send with your check (made payable to Bristol Bird Club) to Lorrie Shumate, Treasurer, 156 Meadowlark Lane, Shady Valley, TN 37688. Dinner reservations must be made bv Monday, May 1. 2000. For further information, contact Janice Martin at (540) 466-8678 or email redwing@tricon.net, or write to Janice Martin, 701 Euclid Avenue, Bristol, VA 24201 . Registration Form Name Address Telephone Email Registrant Meeting Registration Dinner Reservation Total @ $10.00 @ $15.95 Send with your check (made payable to Bristol Bird Club) to Lorrie Shumate, Treasurer, 156 Meadowlark Lane, Shady Valley, TN 37688. The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 3 Agenda Items for the 2000 Spring Meeting If you have proposals or items for discussion at the upcoming TOS Board Meeting during the Spring Meeting in Bristol, please call or email Chris Sloan at (615) 353-0811 or chris.sloan@home.com . I would also like to take this opportunity to give a little advance information on a couple of items to be discussed. The American Bird Conservancy, of which TOS is a member and a member of its Policy Council, is actively promoting a program called Cats Indoors!. The statistics on cat predation on wild birds are alarming, and there are also health and safety concerns for both the cats and people. During the board meeting, we will discuss whether TOS should formally endorse this program. If you would like to receive more information on Cats Indoors!, feel free to contact me. The second item on the agenda will be a discussion about a possible amendment to the Tennessee Bird Records Committee governing resolution. Presently, there is no requirement that members of the committee reside in Tennessee. However, several members have offered comments and concerns about this in recent months, and thus I feel it is ripe for formal discussion. There are two layers to the issue. First, should members be required to reside in Tennessee? Second, if yes, what constitutes “residing (or choose your word)” in Tennessee? Does it mean Tennessee is your residence year round? What if a member spends half the year in Tennessee and half in Arizona? I have my opinions, but I’m sure many will disagree. If you will not be attending the spring meeting, but wish to make comments on these two topics, feel free to send me your comments and I will enter them into the minutes and read them to the group for consideration. Chris Sloan www.tnbirds.org The TOS web site went back online on 6 December, 1999, with a new permanent home and a registered domain name, www.tnbirds.ora . Since then, the TOS web site has had over 1 00 hits per week. Much of the information that was previously on the web page has been kept and, where necessary, updated. New information has also been added. This new information includes summaries of Christmas Bird Counts held in the state, the official state bird list, recent actions of the Tennessee Bird Records Committee, tables of contents for recent issues of The Migrant, and the full text of The Tennessee Warbler. At the 1999 Fall TOS Meeting, the Board of Directors voted to fund a redesign of the web site. That redesign is currently underway, and will be rolled out this spring. Watch for a sleeker design, easier navigation, and more use of bird photos and drawings. Also watch for a greatly improved bird-finding section, with maps and species lists. The TOS web site is YOUR web site. Therefore, please let me know what you would like to see on it. Note that the information on some chapters is outdated, so please send me the information necessary to keep it current. I can also add listings of chapter’s upcoming field trips and programs, as well as post an online version of current chapter newsletters. See the online version of the Knoxville chapter’s “through the biKNOXulars.” Chuck Nicholson TOS Curator and Webmaster cpn@vic.com The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 4 TOS/KOS SUMMER BIRDING WEEKEND Western Kentucky June 23-25, 2000 In 1 995, the first TOS Summer Birding Weekend was held in Morgan and Anderson Counties, entirely in Tennessee. The next two years we were at Reelfoot Lake, with part of the birding reaching into Kentucky. The past two years we were in the eastern mountains where some of our birding was in North Carolina. This year we will leave the state completely as we join members of the Kentucky Ornithological Society insearch for birds in the western part of Kentucky. Some target species include Bell’s Vireo, Henslow’s and Grasshopper Sparrows. Currently, we can expect to be birding at the Peabody Wildlife Management Area most of Saturday. For Sunday birding options, we may split into groups to visit Land Between the Lakes or Mammoth Cave: pick the site that takes you closer to home. There will certainly be birding on Friday evening as well. To receive additional information as it becomes available, contact David Trently at: TOS; PO Box 1 0452; Knoxville, TN 37939-0452. Phone: 423-974-8664 (work); 423-531-1473 (home): dtrentlv@utk.edu LODGING: Convention Center Inn, 2011 West Everly Brothers Blvd., Central City, KY 42330, (270) 338-9797. Singles: $39, Doubles: $44, King: $42 - Rooms have not been set aside for us, but plenty were available. Central City is along the Western Kentucky Parkway, about halfway between the Green River and Pennyrile (Route 41) Parkways, in Muhlenberg County. HABITAT LOSS As a follow-up to the concern expressed by TOS members, at the Fall TOS meeting, to information about the alarming rate of clear-cutting that is currently taking place in Tennessee, I attended a meeting of The Friends of Forests last Saturday in Cookeville. This group is a coalition of conservation groups across Tennessee working on passing legislation to control the impacts of industrial forestry in the state. The groups include Save Our Cumberland Mountains, Sierra Club, Dogwood Alliance, Tennessee Environmental Council, Tennessee Conservation Voters, Tennessee Forest Defense Council, SouthWings and The Center. An initial step towards controlling the water pollution and habitat loss problems centers around identifying and punishing loggers who damage property and natural resources by using poor and sloppy practices. A bill drafted and sponsored by Tennessee Conservation Voters has been introduced this session to address this issue. Termed the “Bad Actor Bill” it includes the following provisions: 1 ) Preharvest notification for logging activity greater than 40 acres. This will allow the state to have a means of quantifying how much and where cutting is occurring across the state. Currently information has to be gathered from aerial photographs. 2) Removal of the exemption of silvicultural activities (logging) from the state water quality act, the law that protects our streams and rivers from pollution. Currently the damage done to streams caused by poor logging practices is exempted from this Act. 3) Give TDEC the authority to issue a Cease and Desist Order if a forester is found using practices that cause pollution to waters or streams. I expressed to the group that TOS was interested in this issue and to contact me or Roger Tankersley (Co-Chair of the Conservation and Research Funding Committee) when our assistance was needed in getting legislation passed. Melinda Welton, Co-Chairperson - TOS Conservation and Research Funding Committee The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 5 NORTH AMERICAN MIGRATION COUNT The North American Migration Count this year is on Saturday, May 1 3. This count is in co-operation with Partners- in-Flight on International Migratory Bird Day. We had a record turnout last year and hope to increase our state coverage again this year. Plan to help by picking out a favorite county and spending at least 4 hours covering as many different habitats as you can. Since the idea of the count is to census a county, we cannot publish incidental records in The Migrant. Upper east TN is still underrepresented. There was good coverage in Green County last year, but there are no results from north of there. Please send your results on a field card to me (282 Hackworth Ln., Clinton, TN 37716) or email your results to dollyron95@aol.com . Please include the names of all participants, hours and miles by foot, hours and miles by car, hours and miles owling, and feeder hours. These statistics are important for future analysis. This year we are also going to do a fall North American Migration Count. The date for the fall count will be September 16th. The same count areas (counties) and record keeping will apply. Above all, enjoy yourself and have a good time. Thanks for all your efforts. Ron Hoff \ Cerulean Warblers on Royal Blue WMA, Scott & Campbell Co. TOS is working with TWRA on the creation of a plan to manage Cerulean Warbler habitat on Royal Blue WMA. They are creating a computer model and map to predict high quality Cerulean habitat, and TOS volunteers will be needed to ground truth these areas during the breeding season from May through mid June. If you are interested in participating, contact: Roger Tankersley, Jr. - rdtanker@utk.edu (865) 673-0931 Hatchie River Cerulean Foray On May 21 st, the Memphis and Nashville Chapters will be joining forces to do a systematic search of areas along the Hatchie River for Cerulean Warblers. If you’d like to join the party, contact: Martha Waldron - waldronm@ten-nash.ten.k12.tn.us (901)761-0895 Melinda Welton - weltonmj@aol.com (615)799-8095 The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 6 Habitat Management Partnerships The Tennessee Ornithological Society has recently formed a partnership with Ducks Unlimited and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to create a Shorebird Management Plan for Eagle Lake Wildlife Management Area in Shelby Co. In addition to helping to develop the Shorebird Plan, TOS will monitor shorebirds and waterfowl use at Eagle Lake during spring and fall migration and will monitor water levels in the Units being managed for shorebirds and assist the Refuge Manager, when needed, to operate water control devices. A monitoring protocol will be developed by Ducks Unlimited. A meeting of TOS members interested in assisting in this project will be held in March or early April at the Eagle Lake WMA. The meeting date will be put out on TN-BIRDS (automated listserv on the Internet), the TOS web page, and a letter will be sent to Chapter Presidents. TOS is also working with TWRA officials to assist in implementing and monitoring a plan to protect significant tracts of Cerulean Warbler habitat in the Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area in east Tennessee. The Knoxville Chapter of TOS has recently requested of the TWRA that unused fish hatchery ponds at Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery be managed for maximum benefit to shorebirds during spring and fall migrations. In recent years the ponds have served as marginal to good habitat for shorebirds, but they have been allowed to completely dry out at times during peak migration. Bob Hatcher and Mike Smith (hatchery manager) have responded that TWRA will attempt to “promote usage of the hatchery ponds by shorebirds by slow pond drawdowns during spring (March through May) and fall (mid-July through October).” Doug Helmers’ book, Shorebird Management Manual, 1992 and Martha Waldron’s Seasonal Occurrences of Shelby County, TN Birds, will be used as guides for management. Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery is a designated Tennessee Wildlife Viewing area located on the Clinch River on the east side of Clinton, TN. These are exciting opportunities for TOS to join together with other outstanding conservation organizations to have an immediate, concrete and significant impact on Tennessee’s wildlife. I sincerely hope that we will have more opportunities for such partnerships in the future. Chris Sloan TOS Joins ABC Policy Council In early December, 1999, the TOS Executive Committee passed a written resolution to join the Policy Council of the American Bird Conservancy, of which we are already a member. The need for Executive Committee action was because the next meeting of the council was in mid-December. As a member of the council, we had the right to send two delegates to participate in the meeting. Melinda Welton, Co-Chair of our Conservation & Research Funding Committee, was prepared to (and did) attend the meeting. The Policy Council of the ABC is an alliance of 79 organizations sharing a common interest in the conservation of birds. The Council is composed of ornithologists, other scientists, policy specialists, educators, and general bird enthusiasts. The goals of the Policy Council are to: • Provide a forum for exchanging information and discussing critical and emerging bird conservation issues. • Provide guidance regarding policy issues to ABC and other organizations engaged in bird conservation. • Provide the best scientific advice available. • Stimulate a network of support for bird conservation policies through national, state, and local groups and their grassroots constituencies. As a Constituent Member, we can appoint 2 delegates to the Council, which meets at least 3 times a year, usually in Washington, DC. The cost of our membership would be $1 50 annually. This annual fee would be paid from the Conservation and Research Fund. At this time, our delegates would be responsible for making their own travel arrangements. The advantages to TOS becoming a member are both to increase TOS members’ awareness and participation in local, national and international bird conservation issues and also to increase the effectiveness of TOS in working on issues within Tennessee. More complete information about the American Bird Conservancy, the Policy Council and current Council priorities can be found at www.abcbirds.ora Chris Sloan The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 7 CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH FUND At the Spring and Fall TOS meetings the Board of Directors approved the provisions for the creation of the Conservation and Research Fund (CRF) to help the organization fulfill it’s mission to promote the protection and study of birds in Tennessee. An initial allocation of $5000 was made to the fund from TOS financial reserves. Additional funding will come from two sources: 1 ) Voluntary contributions made by TOS members when they join or renew their membership to the Society and 2) 40% of the annual net surplus revenue generated by the Society will be added to the fund (in 1 999 the amount will be approx. $4,000) The Conservation & Research Funding Committee will review proposals for projects that will directly or indirectly help to protect the birds of Tennessee, increase scientific knowledge, or educate others about the birds of Tennessee. The Committee members will consist of seven regular members appointed by the TOS President with at least two representing each grand division of the state. The members shall serve staggered three-year terms in classes of two or three. The Committee will have the authority to approve proposals of less than $1 ,000 throughout the year. Projects requesting $1,000 or more will be approved by the TOS Board of Directors at the next Spring or Fall TOS meeting. A call for proposals to the CRF will be sent semi- annually to all four-year colleges and universities in Tennessee, to the Nongame Division of TWRA, the Tennessee Conservation League, The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee, and to any other conservation organization with significant contacts within the state. TOS members are strongly encouraged to seek out and bring potential projects before the committee on their own initiative. An application form will be provided upon request. For more information, to submit an application, or to receive an application, contact Melinda Welton, weltonmj@aol.com (615) 799-8095 or Roger Tankersley, rdtanker@utk.edu (423) 632-1427, co- chairs of the newly formed committee. We look forward to lots of worthwhile and interesting projects. RECENT ACTIONS OF THE TENNESSEE BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE Calcarius mccownii, McCown’s Longspur Observation: A single bird 11/28/98 at Pace Point, Flenry Co., TN Documentation: written documentation from two observers. Vote: 5-1 Status: 1 st state record (placed in Provisional Category) Larus glaucoides, Iceland Gull Observation: A single 1 st winter bird, 3/7/98, on Kentucky Lake, Benton Co., TN Documentation: photographs and written documentation Vote: 6-0 Status: 2 nd state record Archilochus alexandri, Black-chinned Flummingbird Observation: A single adult female bird banded on 12/3/98 in Brentwood, Williamson Co.,TN Documentation: Photograph and written documentation. The bird was captured and banded. Vote: 6-0 Status: 3 rd state record Kevin Calhoon (Secretary TBRC) Chattanooga, TN 423-875-0595 NEW ALTERNATE APPOINTED TO TENNESSEE BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE Dollyann Myers has resigned as the alternate member of the Tennessee Bird Records Committee. I want to thank Dollyann for all her excellent work with this committee. Audrey Hoff has been appointed to take her place. The current regular members of the TBRC are Kevin Calhoon, Mark Greene, Paul Hertzel, Rick Knight, Dick Preston, Chris Sloan and Audrey Hoff as the alternate. N V The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 8 CHAPTER NEWS Current Officers of the Chattanooga Chapter are: President — Danny Gaddy Vice President (Field Trips) — Roi Shannon Vice President (Programs) — Bonnie Johnson Treasurer — Janice Chadwell Secretary — Anita Gaddy (Recently elected to serve remainder of term for Maria Blair) Historian — Carla Wiksell Statistician — Kevin Calhoon Newsletter Editor — Bill Haley, Jr. The annual Cherokee Indian Heritage and Sandhill Crane Viewing Days, held on February 5 and 6, was once again a huge success. An impressive turnout of visitors came to the Hiwassee Refuge to watch thousands of cranes. A Common Merganser and a Ross’s Goose increased the interest of the birders at the refuge. Many interesting programs were offered including “The Status of Migratory Populations of Sandhill and Whooping Cranes”, presented by George Archibald of the International Crane Foundation. Danny Gaddy Greeneville Chapter - Excitement erupted in Greene County early in winter when Danny Huffine of Jonesborough, TN (Washington County) reported a Harris’s Hawk in Greeneville on December 13. A Greeneville Chapter member spotted the bird again two days later, and several individuals searched for it (alas, unsuccessfully) over the next week or so. Of course it was probably an escaped falconer’s bird, but no jesses or bands were observed on either sighting, so the slim possibility remains that it was a wild hawk. Waterfowl numbers in the county generally seemed low this year in comparison with the past couple of winters, perhaps because of mild weather throughout most of the period. Nonetheless, all seven species of wintering dabbling ducks were reported, and five species of diving ducks were seen (Ring-necked Duck, Redhead, Canvasback, Hooded Merganser, and Ruddy Duck). Although Snow Geese have been regular visitors the last few years, only one report was logged this winter — two blue-phase birds and one white-phase bird on December 27. Other noteworthy reports included the sighting of a dark-morph Red-tailed Hawk on January 4 and February 26 (on opposite ends of the county) and the observation of American Woodcocks at two sites near Tusculum in late February. Purple Finches were regularly seen at a variety of sites, and a “Gambel’s” White-crowned Sparrow was observed on January 9. The chapter’s spring count is scheduled for Saturday, May 13, this year’s International Migratory Bird Day. As always, Greene County’s large size and diverse habitats offer the promise of good totals. Cherokee National Forest holdings, extensive wetlands at Wal- Mart Distribution Center, and several recently acquired TWRA lands present a variety of opportunities and birding challenges. Members of nearby chapters are invited to participate. If interested, contact Don Miller (423) 639-41 00; raincrow@xtn.net ) or Jim Holt (423) 639-0525; jholt@areene.xtn.net . Don Miller 0 The Knoxville Chapter has maintained a full slate of activities this winter with much more coming up for spring. We have begun meeting twice a month, once at our regular program meeting and a second time in a purely business/planning meeting designed to kick ideas around in a more detailed and less formal manner. Much of our discussion in the planning meetings has involved brainstorming ways to increase our visibility locally and options for generating more funds for conservation activities. Our field trip coordinator (Dan Mooney), who accepted the position on an undefined “interim” basis, has filled nearly every weekend with birding opportunities, so between business and birding (not to mention ordinary everyday work), we’ve been busy. The featured speaker at our November meeting was Randy Brown from the Foothills Land Conservancy. Randy spoke with us about Smith’s Bend, a 2,500 acre tract of land along the Tennessee River between The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 9 CHAPTER NEWS Knoxville - continued Knoxville and Chattanooga. The tract includes 1 ,000 acres of wetlands and has great potential for waterfowl, shorebirds, and cranes. Our members felt strongly enough about the value of conserving this area to make what I believe is our largest donation ever to a single project. The Knoxville Chapter donated $2000 to the Smith’s Bend campaign. We have begun discussions with TWRA encouraging management options that would promote habitat for shorebirds and grassland birds at the Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery in Clinton. TWRA has been receptive to our ideas, and we’ve compiled information on dates of occurrence and habitat requirements for a number of species that may use the area. An ongoing initiative with TVA involves the construction of Osprey nesting platforms. TVA provides the materials and direction; KTOS provides input on likely locations and extra manpower. We hope to erect at least one more platform on a bar in Fort Loudon Lake in March. The Important Bird Area (IBA) Program has largely been neglected in the Knoxville area, as well as many other parts of the state. We hope to begin identifying and nominating special sites in our area as IBA’s. To facilitate the process and reduce the effort for any one individual, we plan to take a workshop approach at planning meetings and see what we can accomplish. March will be our first attempt at this, and with any luck we’ll learn how to streamline the process and begin catching up with what we feel is a worthwhile program. Upcoming field trips in the Knoxville area include trips to the Three Bends Wildlife Refuge area of the Oak Ridge Reservation on 3/4 and again in early May (leaders Dev Joslin and Jim Evans), woodcock walks at Forks of the River 3/4 and 3/1 1 , Fort Loudon beaver ponds [Tellico area] (Wes James), and Cove Lake State Park (Nell Moore). Each Thursday morning in April Tony Headrick will lead walks at Sharp’s Ridge, and the more publicized public bird walk at Sharp’s Ridge will be on 4/29. The Knox County spring count is set for 4/30. Anyone interested in joining us should contact a local member to confirm trip dates and find out meeting times and places. On May 13th, the Knoxville Chapter will be celebrat- ing International Migratory Bird Day again with Ijams Nature Center. We will have an Owl Prowl, Habitat Gardening, games and activities for kids, and lots of Shade Grown Coffee! This is an excellent chance for TOS to increase visibility in the community and reach out to people interested in birding who may never have heard of TOS as well as spread the word on the needs of neotropical migrant birds. We’d like for members to come out and show their support. For more information, e-mail Christine Tankersley: cytanker@yahoo.com or call Ijams Nature Center: 577- 4717x80 KTOS officers: President - Chris Welsh; Vice- president - David Trently; Treasurer - Bob Steffy; Secretary - Daniel Moss. Directors: David Trently (2000), Dan Robbins (2000), Ron Hoff (2001), Dollyann Meyers (2001 ), and Chuck Nicholson (2001 ). Chris Welsh 0 ( \ JUNE 30 th DEADLINE The deadline date for the August issue of The Tennessee Warbler is June 30th. Please submit all articles, announcements, reports and items of interest by this deadline date. Submit Material To: Theresa Graham, Editor PO Box 366, Oakland TN 38060 (901) 465-4263 (home) (901)748-8000 (fax) e-mail: 2graham@bellsouth.net / The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 10 CHAPTER NEWS The Lee & Lois Herndon Chapter of TOS decorated a tree for the Winterfest Christmas Tree Exhibit at Sycamore Shoals State Park in Elizabethton. The annual exhibit features trees decorated by local civic organizations. The club’s members crafted many of their own bird-related ornaments for the tree. Everyone had a wonderful time decorating the tree, which was well-received by the public. The chapter hopes to make participation in the exhibit an annual event. In anticipation of a new millennium of birding, the chapter has set a goal of seeing 2,000 species of birds in 2000. A cumulative total of birds seen by any and all members of the chapter will be kept. Results will be published monthly in the chapter’s newsletter, The Kestrel. In addition, the chapter is holding a friendly competition to see who can see the most birds in 2000 within the counties that comprise the chapter. These counties are Carter, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington in Tennessee and Avery and Mitchell in North Carolina. Many notable birds have made appearances during the winter of 1999-2000. H.P. Langridge and Bryan Stevens observed a Yellow-billed Loon on Watauga Lake in Carter County on November 30, 1 999. Allen Trently and Anthony Whitted found White-winged Crossbills on Jan. 15 near Carver’s Gap on Roan Mountain. Many members also observed the state’s first Harlequin Duck, which was found by Audrey Hoff of Knoxville and James Brooks of Jonesborough on January 1 , 2000, at the Weir Dam in Sullivan County. Member and former chapter president Allen Trently graduated with his master’s degree in biology from East Tennessee State University in December of 1 999. He researched ravens for his thesis topic. The chapter’s members enjoyed conducting two Christmas Bird Counts in December, one for Elizabethton and another for Roan Mountain. The chapter will hold its annual banquet in March. The guest speaker will be Appalachian State University biology professor Matt Rowe. The date of Saturday, April 29, has been appointed for the chapter’s spring bird count. The chapter has also committed to lead its traditional bird walks during the Roan Mountain Spring Naturalists’ Rally during the first weekend of May. Current officers for the chapter are Bryan Stevens, President; Reece Jamerson, Vice President; Charles Moore, Secretary; Gilbert Derouen, Treasurer; Rick Knight, Statistician; and Frank Ward, Historian. For inquiries about the chapter, call Bryan Stevens at 423-725-2165 or Reece Jamerson at 423-928-4529. Bryan Stevens The Memphis Chapter of TOS is trying something new this year. We are scheduling “Special Hikes” for specific rare or unusual birds. We have had hikes to see Short-eared Owls, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, longspurs and have hikes scheduled in the near future to see American Woodcocks, Long-eared Owls and Sandhill Cranes. To date, members attending these special hikes have located and seen the target birds. Since the trips have been to good birding areas, many other species have been spotted. For example, all 8 species of woodpeckers that are normally found in the Southeast were seen on our trip to the Pine City Bird Sanctuary in Arkansas. The planting of the orchard in memory of Lula Coffey is going according to schedule. We plan to finish the planting next fall or winter. The club’s copies of “The Birds of North America” are on loan to the Memphis Zoo where those who are interested in consulting them can obtain free parking and admittance to the zoo by telling the gate attendant of their intentions. Our annual Potluck supper was held on March 15th with David Pitts as our speaker. Members and visitors learned about his research work on chickadees. Virginia Reynolds The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 11 CHAPTER. NEWS The Nashville Chapter Frank Fekel, who has been doing such a good job as Regional Season Editor for the Highland Rim and Basin area, has recently given up his post to Phillip Casteel. Thank you, Frank, for all your hard work on that job. Phillip, who has been helping Frank lately, will take over immediately. Please now send in your Middle Tennessee records to Phillip at 2722 Bobby Ave. Nashville, TN 37216 or tiaerwrblr@aol.com The Nashville Chapter has recently created the NTOS Bird Conservation Fund to make an annual monetary award to a project or organization that is actively engaged in bird conservation on a local, national, or international level. Sources of funding will come from individual contributions and NTOS financial reserves, including interest from current financial reserves. If you would like to make a nomination for the award, contact one of our elected officers before March 31 . The NTOS officers and state directors will review the nominations and announce the recipient at the local May meeting. Contributions can be sent to our new treasurer, Susan Hollyday, at 211 Wauford Dr. Nashville, TN 3721 1 . Susan has taken over for Ken Walkup, who asked to be replaced after an illness had left him unable to keep up with his treasury duties. Thank you, Ken, for your fine work and dedicated service since 1994. The Nashville area had 2 Christmas counts as usual this year. The Nashville count had 80 species with two new birds for the count: a Peregrine Falcon (probably one that has often been seen downtown) and an Eastern Wood-Pewee (seen and heard in the Bellevue area of town). The Lakes count had 90 species including 37 Sandhill Cranes at Shelby Bottoms and 3 Merlins. Our Spring count will be held on May 13. mm Jan Shaw Stephen M. Russell Chapter - The Bristol Bird Club is proud to be hosting the state meeting of the TOS this Spring. It is scheduled for May 5th through 7th. It will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Bristol Bird Club. It will be at the Holiday Inn at exit 7 off 1-81 in Bristol, VA. More information will be available soon. The BBC has a new editor for The Eagle , the club newsletter. Amanda Martin of Abingdon, VA, has done a wonderful job of getting out a quality newsletter for several months now. Wallace Coffey and John Shumate have recently published a new book, Bird Study in Shady Valley TN. It’s an excellent work covering the history of bird study in and around Shady Valley, followed by a thorough annotated checklist of all the birds ever recorded there. Rob Biller has updated The Bristol Bird Club Web Page. It is a great place to find current information on BBC happenings and birding in northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia. The web site address is: http://hometown.aol.com/z02/bbc.html Ron Carrico, Rob Biller and John Shumate found a Northern Saw-whet Owl during the Bristol Christmas Bird Count. Also during the count, Wallace Coffey, Andy Jones, Audrey Mayer, and Amanda Martin found an amazing 257 Hooded Mergansers on Middlebrook Lake. Birders from at least five states poured into the Bristol area to see the very rare Harlequin Duck which was found New Year’s Day by Audrey Hoff of Knoxville and James Brooks of Jonesborough. Tony Decker’s new book The Birds of Smyth County Virginia is a recent publication of the BBC. It can be purchased for $6 from the BBC. Ken and Cindy Hale were super hosts for the BBC Christmas Party. It included a fabulous fireworks show, lots of fun, and as always, great food. On December 22, 1 999, Wallace Coffey launched an automated listserv on the Internet to assist the birding needs of those who have special interest in birding, bird study, and conservation in Tennessee. It is Tennessee’s first such list and goes by the name TN- Bird. The board of directors of the Virginia Society of Ornithology recently elected Wallace Coffey to serve on the Virginia Avian Records Committee. Current BBC officers are President, Janice Martin; Vice President, Dave Worley; Secretary, Amanda Martin; Treasurer, Lorrie Shumate; Curator, Wallace Coffey; Statistician, Richard Lewis; and Newsletter Editor, Amanda Martin. Larry McDaniel The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 12 CARA Passes Major Milestone Time for Action!! I think all Tennessee Birders have been following the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) over the past year. In early 1999, both houses of Congress introduced the bipartisan act, which contains major funding for state wildlife programs and related recreation and education. The House bill (H.R. 701) was approved by the House Resources Commit- tee 37 - 12 on November 10, 1999. The companion Senate bill (S. 25) is the next step. This update is intended to bring us all up to speed on what exactly CARA plans to do, so that we can write informed letters persuading our leaders to back this important legislation. CARA may be the most influential and important conservation legislation in our lifetimes, and it is important that we keep up to date. Below is a breakdown of the bill which passed the House Resources Committee; CARA uses existing funds from Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas royalties which will be reallocated from the general federal treasury. Summary of HR 701, as Amended, November 10, 1999: Title I: Coastal impact assistance for coastal states $1 Billion per year to coastal states, $0 for Tennessee Title II: Parks and recreation on federal and state lands $900 million per year for federal and state parks; $9.8 million for Tennessee Title III: State wildlife programs $350 mill ion per year to State Wildlife Agencies; $6.4 million for Tennessee Title IV: Urban Park and Recreation Recovery $125 million per year; $2.9 million for Tennessee Title V: Historic Preservation Fund $100 milli on per year; $2.0 mill ion for Tennessee Title VI: Federal and Indian Lands Restoration $200 million per year; $0.8 million for Tennessee Title VII: Conservation Easements & Species Recovery $ 1 5 0 million per year; $1.8 million for Tennessee Why is Title III Funding of CARA Needed in Tennessee? Almost 90 percent of Tennessee’s wildlife is nongame or rare, including most of the migrant and resident birds of concern to TOS members. However, due to lack of dedicated funding, they receive only about 2 percent of the agency’s budget, and much of this is due to the generosity of Tennessee’s sportsmen. Federal funds have previously not been equitably distributed by species. Since the beginning of Federal Aid in the U.S. in the 1930’s, nationwide Federal funds have totaled: $3.4 million per game species $42,000 per Endangered species $11 per nongame species The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 13 What Are Some Proposed Title III Nongame Wildlife Projects in Tennessee? TWRA proposes to continue and expand partnership programs to stretch dollars to their maximum utility. These funds will be matched with those of other agencies, programs, and organizations for optimum accomplishment of mutual goals. • Land purchase, conservation easements, etc. While building up the resource, we would gradually and responsibly further expand a wide variety of other nongame projects. • Form partnerships for conservation and management of greenway s and other riparian habitats. • Integrate shorebirds and wading bird management with waterfowl management. • Research causes of declines of frogs & salamanders ; take corrective actions before it is too late. • Research status, distribution and threats to alligator snapping turtles. • Expand law enforcement concerning illegal sales of herps and other wildlife. • Form partnerships for installation of osprey and kestrel nest structures, and • Complete & implement plans for management of songbirds. Likely Recreational and Educational Proposals Under Title III: • Establish more partnerships with state and local parks for wildlife viewing. • Form state and local partnerships for recreational and educational use of parks, nature centers, greenways, riparian corridors, etc. • Develop an inter-agency “Mississippi River Wildlife Viewing Trail” at existing and potential “hot spots” from Reelfoot Lake to below Memphis. • Enhance wildlife viewing and interpretive programs on other wildlife viewing areas across Tennessee. • Contribute literature, audio- visuals, and teacher guides for use in school curriculums. Now is the Time for Action: Write your Representatives H.R. 701 and S. 25, if passed, would provide dedicated and reliable funding and allow states to repeat the success stories of game species for other fish and wildlife, including our vanishing songbirds and other declining wildlife. For these bills to pass, they need the support of every Tennessee Congressman and Senator. Already, Senator Frist and Congressmen Clement, Duncan, Ford, Gordon, Jenkins, and Tanner have shown their support by co-sponsoring the bills. They deserve our thanks, and a word of encouragement to show that we are still interested. Other representatives need more encourage- ment: Senator Thompson and Congressmen Bryant, Hilleary, and Wamp are not currently co-sponsors. I would encourage all members to write and explain why this legislation is good for Tennessee, using examples from the above CARA update. Unless we make our voice heard, our message will be lost; there are already several private-rights groups who actively oppose CARA, and we need to show that many informed citizens are behind the legislation. Here are the addresses: The Honorable Fred Thompson United States Senator 523 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Ed Bryant United States Representative 408 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515-4207 The Honorable Zach Wamp United States Representative 423 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515-4203 The Honorable Van Hilleary United States Representative 114 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515-4204 For More Information About CARA, contact: Teaming with Wildlife www.teaming.com Thomas Congressional http://thomas.loc.gov/ Committee On Resource http://www.house.gov/resources/ocs/ Information provided by Bob Hatcher, TWRA with additions by Roger Tankersley (rdtankersley@utk.edu) The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 14 GUIDELINES FOR THE KATHERINE GOODPASTURE MEMORIAL GRANT The Tennessee Ornithological Society invites applications for the fourth annual “Dr. Katherine Goodpasture Memo- rial Grant for Studies in Avian Field Biology”. The grant for 2000 will be $500. This award is open to anyone with a bird-related field project in Tennessee, including students, professionals, and individual workers. The project can already be underway if the grant would adequately enhance it. Interested applicants should submit a project proposal of up to approximately three pages. An application is available from Bob Hatcher (see below), or it can be incorporated in a letter. Information should include: name, address, telephone, E-mail address (if any) of applicant, topic, problem to be addressed, objectives, expected results and significance, project location, beginning and ending dates, estimated field time, estimated total cost of project, funds available from other sources, how the grant is to be used to either fully or partially fund a project, experience of applicant in field, willingness of applicant for sharing results at a statewide TOS meeting, and is the work under the guidance of a mentor or independent? A letter of recommendation should also be sent from a mentor or an associate in bird studies. Up to $30 of the stipend may be applied toward costs for attending a scientific meeting deemed appropriate for advancement of the fieldwork project. Criteria forjudging applications will be: Clarity of proposal, Significance of problem addressed, Enhanced scientific knowledge of avian biology, Adequacy of project design, Adequacy of experience/training, Adequacy of professional guidance, Financial Need, Chance for achieving objectives, Potential benefit to the species/resource, Potential for advancing career/studies, and Potential for Sharing Results at a future statewide TOS meeting. The application and letter of recommendation should be sent to Bob Hatcher, P.O. Box 40747, Nashville, TN 37204 (Telephone 615-781-6619; E-mail: bhatcher@mail.state.tn.us). The deadline for receipt of applications is March 31, 2000. A TOS committee will judge the winner according the above criteria by approximately April 15. The winner and other candidates will be then be immediately notified. A check for 75 percent of the budget costs (up to $375) will be announced and presented at the May statewide spring meeting of TOS, or if the winner prefers, the check can be mailed. The balance (up to $125) will be paid after the project leader sends a satisfactory progress report and itemized costs to the Committee Chairman. The winner will be announced in The Tennessee Warbler. The 1999 Katherine Goodpasture Grant was won by Roger Tankersley, who is a graduate student at UTK studying “Stopover Habitat and the Geography of Migration - Needs of Forest-Obligate Neotropical Birds Crossing the S.E. U.S.”. Bob Hatcher, Committee Chairman The Tennessee Warbler April, 2000 Page 15 TOS Committee Updates TENNESSEE BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE Mark Greene has been appointed to serve as a replacement member to complete the term of a member who resigned last fall. Audrey Hoff has been appointed to serve as an alternate member of the committee. CONSERVATION & RESEARCH FUNDING COMMITTEE Melinda Welton, Bob Hatcher, Martha Waldron, Roger Tankersley, Dev Joslin, and Dr. David Haskell have been appointed to serve on this committee. At some point in the near future, adjustments will be made to their respective terms to provide for staggered terms. We are still seeking a seventh member to this committee. NOMINATING COMMITTEE Ron Hoff is chairing this committee, and his fellow committee members are Wallace Coffey, Jan Shaw, and Virginia Reynolds. If you are interested in serving as a TOS officer, please contact Ron, 282 Hackworth Ln., Clinton, TN 37716: dollvron95@aol.com . The committee has already selected an outstanding nominee to serve as our next President, but you’ll have to wait... Chris Sloan A new feature begins in this issue. Recently deceased TOS members will be observed in this column. Selma Lewis - Memphis Chapter, March, 2000 Dorothy Preston - Memphis Chapter, January 2000 (wife of Don, mother of Dick). BOB FORD ACCEPTS USFWS POSITION Former TOS President Bob Ford has accepted a position with the US Fish & Wildlife Service in Arlington, Virginia. He will be serving as a senior level biologist in the Waterfowl and Wetlands Office, which oversees the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Bob will be working to integrate other bird species and elements of wildlife diversity into this plan. TOS would like to congratulate Bob on this wonderful career opportunity. Bob is a valued friend and dedicated member of this state’s conservationcommunity. 1 am pleased to announce that Bob fully intends to remain involved in TOS, and he has offered his assistance on any priority projects as needed. Bob, TOS wishes you the best in your new job and your new home. SPRING BIRD BANDING AT FORT MORGAN, ALABAMA APRIL 1 - 15 The Hummer/Bird Study Group is holding their annual spring bird banding session at Fort Morgan Bird Banding Station. Fort Morgan, Alabama is located about 20 miles due west of the city of Gulf Shores. The station is operational each spring and fall. Dedicated volunteers capture and band hummingbirds and other neotropical migrants at this location, which is the first landfall and the departure point for thousands of migrating birds. You do not have to be a member to join our bird banding. While there is a small fee to enter the Fort Morgan property, the banding is free and open to the general public. It can be hot and at times the mosquitoes can pose a slight inconvenience, but it is worth the effort to come and see these inbound neotropical migrants in their splendid breeding plumage. Visitors should consider bringing a chair, a hat, a camera or camcorder and lots of film. It can be one awesome place to see tons of birds. For more information regarding this event, contact Bob Sargent, founder of The Hummer / Bird Study Group, at (205) 681-2888 or by e-mail, RubyThroat@aol.com