Newsletter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society December, 200 1 Editor, Theresa Graham PRESIDENTS MESSAGE In the last few months, some events of great importance to Tennessee birdlife and to the Tennessee Ornithological Society have taken place. At first glance, these events may not seem too significant. Please bear with me as I describe them, and I think you’ll better understand the long-term ramifications. In late August, I represented TOS at the official dedication of the Yuchi Wildlife Refuge (a.k.a. Smith Bend). A large portion of the funds used in purchasing this area, adjacent to the Tennessee River a short distance downstream from Watts Bar Dam, were raised from private sources by the Foothills Land Conservancy. The TOS was the single largest contributor. This has gained us considerable recognition at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. On Friday, November 2, as a prelude to the TOS Fall Meeting and Symposium, the TWRA graciously hosted a luncheon and field trip at Yuchi. We discussed future plans for the refuge and saw a good variety of birds. I was very pleased that we had about 45 TOS members turn out for this special event. In August, I also represented TOS at a meeting with TWRA personnel including Director Gary Myers and ornithologist Troy Ettel, and local and National Audubon Society representatives. The topic of this meeting was restarting the Important Bird Areas program in Tennessee. We agreed to restart the program, and TWRA has since budgeted funds for it. At the just concluded Fall Meeting and Symposium, the Board of Directors approved a resolution supporting the IBA program. Watch for more information on the program, and start thinking about sites to nominate. Now some more on the Fall Meeting and Symposium. First, many thanks to the Knoxville Chapter for ably organizing the meeting. The organizers, and I, were pleasantly surprised at the high turnout of 1 00 registered attendees. All of the field trips found interesting and unusual birds. The final species list is not yet compiled, so watch for it on the TOS web site. Dave Buehler organized an informative and entertaining afternoon symposium. On Saturday evening, we all learned about birds and bird habitats in the Dominican Republic from a native son. The weather was mild and sunny. And, finally, the silent auction raised $1 ,100, which will be split between the Foothills Land Conservancy (for land acquisition) and the Knoxville Chapter’s J. B. Owen Memorial Fund. What more could we ask for from the Fall Meeting and Symposium? I hope to see all of you at the Winter Meeting at Pickwick Landing in early February. Chuck Nicholson, President The Tennessee Warbler December, 2001 Page 2 UPDATE: SPRING STATE MEETING The Memphis Chapter regrets to report that it may be impossible to have the Spring meeting at Reelfoot, as announced at the Fall meeting a few weeks ago. Since that time, Airpark Inn has been closed and will not reopen in the spring. At the same time, the motels and resorts in the area have restricted their reservations to three and four day “fishing packages”, at a cost of about $1 80 for each individual. Since all this has developed after the deadline for The Warbler you are now reading, we will have to notify you in some other way when new plans have been made for the Spring meeting. ANDERSON-TULLY TRACT FOR SALE MTOS SUPPORTS NATURE CONSERVANCY PURCHASE Approximately 11,500 acres of hardwood timberland along the Mississippi River in Lauderdale County and an additional 1,000 acres across the river in Arkansas is up for sale by the Anderson-Tully Company. This land, adjacent to Fort Pillow State Park and the Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge is located on the only unlevied section of the Mississippi River. The tract is the largest bottomland hardwood forest left in Tennessee and contains tremendous Cerulean Warbler habitat and research sites. It is included as a part of the migratory bird plan. For many years MTOS members have conducted breeding bird surveys, winter roadside surveys, and winter roadside hawk surveys on this property. The area is invaluable as habitat for migrating passerines, summer nesting species, and terrific habitat for the winter visitors. Mississippi Kite, Bald Eagle, and Anhinga nests have been observed there. The Tennessee Nature Conservancy has proposed to purchase the property to be managed cooperatively by the National Division of Forestry and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The price is $15 million, with $9 pledged from Federal funds and the remaining $6 million to be obtained through private contributions. “If this property ends up being sub-divided into smaller pieces and sold off, it will represent a tremendous loss to future generations of sportsmen and conservationists. Our kids will want to know why we didnT have the foresight to act when we had the chance,” said Scott Davis, state director of The Nature Conservancy^s Tennessee chapter. The Nature Conservancy is asking for letters in support of this proposal. Based on the site’s uniqueness and incredible value as a natural area and bird habitat, the Memphis Chapter TOS has sent a letter supporting this proposal. Additional individual letters of support would be helpful and may be addressed to Mr. Scott Davis, State Director The Nature Conservancy of Tennessee 2021 South 21 St Avenue, Suite C400 Nashville, TN 37212 The Tennessee Warbler December, 2001 Page 3 WiDtCT KeetiDg ^^hmsry § - 10 , 2002 A block of rooms is being held in our name. For reservations, call the park at (731) 689-3135. More details to be announced on the TOS website. ABA COMMITTEE OFFERS FRS RADIO RECOMMENDATIONS A ten-member committee organized by the ABA has recommended channel 1 1 , subcode 22, as a continent- wide standard for communication by birders using Family Radio Service (FRS) radios in the field. These recommendations, while not binding, are likely to see wide acceptance by North American birders, who are encouraged to help ABA promote the adoption of a uniform standard. As simple, inexpensive FRS radios began to see increasing use by birders communicating in the field, it became apparent that the absence of a universal standard meant that traveling birders often didn’t know which settings to use in new areas, and birders in regions without a local standard often found their communications limited to members of their immediate party. As a continent-wide organization with the interests of recreational birders as its focus, the American Birding Association is well suited to address birding issues that transcend regional boundaries. The committee also formulated recommendations for appropriate use of these radios by birders. After reviewing how both birders and nonbirders use FRS radios, the committee recommended that communications on the default channel/subcode be limited to birding-specific matters. Other communications should be conducted after selecting a different setting, to keep the default channel as uncluttered as possible. Additional recommendations address issues such as radio courtesy, appropriate behavior if nonbirders are already using the default channel and subcode, and possible impacts that FRS radio use might have on birds or their environment. The full recommendations document can be viewed at: http://americanbi rdi no .org/resou rces/resf rs. htm . Several NTOS members recently returned from the Fall Meeting of the Alabama Ornithological Society on Dauphin Island reported the radios were extremely useful in keeping them in contact with each other and alerting each other to “good” birds. However, they found few others attendees had radios. This will undoubtedly change with time. The Tennessee Warbler December, 2001 Page 4 TWRA SEASON SETTING PROCEDURES: HOW CAN TOS CHAPTERS COMMENT ON ISSUES INVOLVING ACCESS AND MANAGEMENT OF TWRA LANDS? BY TROY ETTEL Several TOS members have asked about the appropriate procedures for obtaining access to TWRA owned and/ or managed lands in Tennessee. Sportsmen’s groups have always played a very active role in making recommendations and expressing opinions and concerns to the agency. In recent years, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has made a stronger commitment to providing wildlife viewing opportunities. The purpose of this article is to provide the necessary information to TOS chapters and members to allow their participation in season setting and the scheduling of hunts on management areas. With the exception of refuges, most TWRA properties are open for visitation during the majority of the year except during hunting seasons. During hunting seasons, special regulations typically apply. These regulations can be found in the TWRA Hunting/Trapping Guide, printed and updated annually, or by calling the appropriate TWRA Regional Office. During hunting seasons, WMA Big Game Hunts are scheduled on specific dates. During these hunts, most WMAs are closed to all other users, including small game hunters and birdwatchers. When scheduling hunting seasons and Big Game Hunts, TWRAs first priority is the welfare of the resource. The interests of user groups are also considered as an important, but secondary priority. It is the intention of TWRA to allow all individuals or groups with an interest in the resource to have input into the season setting process by providing a comment period. Hunting seasons and scheduled big game hunts are typically set following a 4-month process that begins with requests for public input and ends with the publication of the annual hunting guide. Public comments are sent to Regional Offices and the Wildlife Division in the Central Office in Nashville. These are then incorporated into a single document by the Wildlife Division and distributed to all Regional Offices. Regional personnel then submit final recommendations with documentation for any requested changes to the Wildlife Division. These recommendations are first based on consideration of biological data with secondary consideration given to public comments and requests. Regional personnel then meet in the Nashville Central Office with Wildlife Division personnel to review and consolidate all submitted recommendations into a single Agency document. Following a thorough review, all recommendations are drafted as Agency Proclamations and presented to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission for review and approval. Anyone wishing to have input into this process should submit their comments to the appropriate TWRA Regional Manager and send a copy to Mark Gudlin, Assistant Chief of Wildlife in the TWRA Central Office in Nashville by Sept. 20 of each year for comments or requests regarding spring turkey seasons and by March 15 for all other season requests. Topics of interest to TOS chapters might include requesting an open day during the statewide hunting seasons on a specific property so that a field trip might be scheduled or requesting access to an area that might be closed for hunting but where birdwatching would have minimal impact. Comments should be sent to the following addresses: Gary Cook, TWRA West Tennessee (Region I) 200 Lowell Thomas Drive Jackson, TN 38301 731-423-5725 Toll Free (In State) 1-800-372-3928 acook@mail.state.tn.us Steve Patrick, TWRA Middle Tennessee (Region II) Ellington Agricultural Center P.O. Box 41489 Nashville, TN 37204 615 -781-6622 Toll Free (In State) 1-800-624-7406 spatrick@mail.state.tn.us Clarence Coffey, TWRA Cumberland Plateau (Region III) 464 Industrial Blvd. Crossville, TN 38555 931-484-9571 Toll Free (In State) 1-800-262-6704 ccoffev@mail.state.tn.us Bob Ripley, TWRA East Tennessee (Region IV) 3030 Wildlife Way Morristown, TN 37814 423-587-7037 Toll Free (In State) 1-800-332-0900 briplev@mail.state.tn.us Mark Gudlin TWRA Wildlife Division P.O. Box 40747 Nashville, TN 37204 615-781-6610 maudlin@mail.state.tn.us The Tennessee Warbler December, 2001 Page 5 Dr. David Aborn to Receive TOS Conservation and Research Grant Dr. David Aborn has been awarded the 2001 Conservation and Research Grant for his research project, “Migration and Over-wintering Behavior of Sandhill Cranes in East Tennessee”. Below is a description of his project. Numbers of eastern Greater Sandhill Cranes staging and over-wintering at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in eastern Tennessee have been increasing over the last 30-40 years. As a result of crop planting for waterfowl, cranes at the refuge number from 1 ,000 to 12,000 at any given time between October and March. The increase in crane numbers has led to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) listing the birds as a species in need of management. In order to make proper management decisions, however, information needs to be gathered on the cranes’ length of stay, migration patterns, and behavior at the refuge. The large number of cranes increases the likelihood that cranes may be using or may start to use nearby agricultural areas if conditions at the refuge become too crowded or if food supplies decrease. Refuge personnel have reported some complaints from hunters on neighboring properties that say that cranes eat much of the grain they put out for waterfowl. Conflicts between humans and cranes could be avoided or alleviated by proper management at Hiwassee Refuge. Avoiding conflicts with humans is particularly important because Hiwassee Refuge will figure prominently in the planned flight of juvenal Whooping Cranes from Wisconsin to Florida in an attempt to reestablish a migratory population of that endangered species. Researchers plan to land an ultralight aircraft, behind which the cranes will be flying, at Hiwassee. An abundance of Sandhill Cranes utilizing agricultural areas may promote poaching, or provide justification for hunting of Sandhill Cranes. Either scenario would pose a hazard to Whooping Cranes. Information about the cranes is also important for determining whether the cranes’ migration is being prematurely halted. Juvenal cranes learn the migration route by following their parents, and if the adults are spending the entire winter in east Tennessee instead of continuing down to southern Georgia and Florida, then young cranes will be learning an incomplete migration route. When the young cranes raise chicks of their own, they will teach the new generation to stay the winter at Hiwassee, and so on. The result would be a new population of cranes that spends the winter well north of their usual range, and would continue to increase the crane population in east Tennessee. To help solve some of the problems I have just outlined, I, with the help of undergraduate and graduate students, propose to observe and radio-track Sandhill Cranes at Hiwassee Refuge to determine their length of stay, activity patterns, diet and foraging behavior, habitat use, and local movements. TOS Conservation and Research Grant The Tennessee Ornithological Society (TOS) makes this grant available via statewide competitive application for support of avian research projects that will directly or indirectly help to protect the birds of Tennessee, increase scientific knowledge, or educate others about the importance of Tennessee’s birds. An announcement of the grants is posted on the TOS web site ( www.tnbirds.ora ). All grant applications are reviewed and rated by a 7- person committee in accordance with the grant criteria. Melinda Welton Co-Chair, TOS Conservation and Research Fund Committee 5241 Old Harding Road Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 799-8095 E-mail: weltonmj@earthlink.net The Tennessee Warbler December, 2001 Page 6 Michele & Highlights from the Whooping Crane Celebration October 26, 2001 The Chattanooga Chapter, in partnership with TWRA, hosted a Whooping Crane Celebration at the Choo Choo on Friday, October 26th. The event was attended by over 230 people from Tennessee and beyond and raised over $8500. Special guest speaker, John Christian, Assistant Regional Director for Migratory Birds and State Programs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, educated the crowd on the Operation Migration Whooping Crane project from its inception through the latest news from the flight team. Proceeds from the evening were donated to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation and earmarked for corn to be planted to feed the Sandhill and Whooping Cranes while they are in Tennessee. Part of the proceeds will be used for education outreach. One idea is to erect a permanent kiosk at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge. “Hopefully, this was just the beginning. There are lots of opportunities to raise public awareness and funds for habitat enhancement for the birds we all love so much,” said Bonnie Johnson, club president. The Tennessee Warbler December, 2001 Page 7 10th Annual Cherokee Indian Heritage Sandhill Crane Viewing Days The dates of February 2-3, 2002 have been set for the 1 0th Annual Cherokee Indian Heritage & Sandhill Crane Viewing Days at Birchwood, Tennessee. The weekend’s program format will be similar to the popular schedule of the past. As usual, presentations will be in the Birchwood School with the PTA serving food in the cafeteria on Saturday only. Not only will the star attractions be the casual viewing of thousands of Sandhill Cranes that are present, but also the very strong possibility of sighting the recently introduced Whooping Cranes. The Whooping Cranes will probably stop someplace in the area as they return to their home area in Wisconsin. If they are around, we will know about it! Also, both Bald and Golden Eagles should be present in the area at this same time. For general information contact the Meigs County Tourism, P.O. Box 611 , Decatur, TN 37322 or phone (423) 334-5850. For specific program information call the Event Coordinator, Ken Dubke at (423) 499- 3584. REPORT OF THE TENNESSEE BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE RECORDS ACCEPTED Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus): Written documentation of a single bird seen from Chilhowee Lake in Blount county, on 10 February 2000 was accepted. This becomes the second Tennessee record, with this species already on the confirmed list. Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii): Written documentation from two observers of a single bird on Watauga, Carter county, on 30 November 1999 was accepted. This becomes the second Tennessee record, with this species already on the confirmed list. Variegated Flycatcher (Emphidonomus varius): Photographs and written documentation of a single bird near Reelfoot Lake, Obion county, on 13 May 1984 (Field Notes) was accepted. This becomes the first Tennessee record and was added to the confirmed list. Ross’s Goose (Chen rossii): Written documentation of a single bird seen at Britton Ford WMA, Henry county, on 18 March 2000 was accepted. This species is already on the confirmed list. RECORDS NOT ACCEPTED Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus): Written documentation of a single bird seen in Shelby county, on 25 April 1998 was not accepted (3-3) because of insufficient details to determine specific species. Green Violet-ear (Colibri thalassinus): Written documentation of a single bird seen in Oakland, Fayette county, on 10 October 1999 was not accepted (3-3) because of insufficient details to determine specific species. Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii): Written documentation of a single bird seen on Watauga Lake, Carter county, on 19 April 2000 was rejected (0-6) because of insufficient details to determine specific species. Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis): Written documentation of thirty-nine birds seen over Washout Lake, Lake county, on 23 November 1999 was rejected (0-6) because of insufficient details to determine specific species. The Tennessee Warbler December, 2001 Page 8 TOS CONSERVATION & RESEARCH FUNDING COMMITTEE DONATES BINOCULARS TO RESEARCH AND MONITORING IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC The Conservation and Research Funding Committee (CRFC) of TOS has voted to allocate $905 for the purchase of binoculars, valued at approximately $2500, for use in research and monitoring of birds in the Dominican Republic (DR). The award was in response to a proposal submitted to the CRFC by Dr. Steve Latta of the University of Missouri and Dr. Christopher C. Rimmer of the Vermont Institute of Natural Science. Drs. Latta and Rimmer, who have been studying the birds of the DR for years, requested the binoculars for use by Dominican biologists and trainees in two studies the two ornithologists are conducting. They are: (1 ) a national avian monitoring program, and (2) an associated three-year study of the demographics and breeding biology of resident birds in the Sierra de Bahoruco, Dominican Republic. At least 1 7 species of North American wood warblers winter in significant numbers in the country, including a large proportion of the world’s population of Black-throated Blue Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Palm Warbler, and Northern Parula. Bicknell’s Thrush winters almost exclusively in mountain forests of the Dominican Republic, indicating that its future survival hinges largely on the protection of wintering habitat in this country. Some of the donated binoculars will also be used by biologists and trainees in a new, locally-coordinated national monitoring effort that was established following a three-week training workshop in January of 2001 . Long- term monitoring sites have been established across an elevational gradient of habitat types at 1 4 sites across the country. Paid field workers and volunteers will assist with monitoring at each site. The number of monitoring sites will be expanded nationally as the capacity of Dominican biologists and volunteer birders increases, and as funds become available. In addition to North American warblers, Hispaniola supports more endemic bird species than any other Caribbean island except Jamaica. The island’s two nations, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, contain 14 range- restricted species considered near threatened or threatened with extinction. In addition, Hispaniola provides important habitat for 12 vulnerable bird species with wider. Neotropical distributions. The Sierra de Bahuroco study would use the donated high-quality binoculars to closely monitor nests of many of these species for three years to determine local reproductive success, estimate survival rates, site fidelity, population age structure, and reproductive success of known-identity individuals. These data are crucial to assess nesting productivity and habitat conditions as a basis for important management decisions. The binoculars donated by TOS to the DR include: 1 ) Three pairs of the Bausch & Lomb 1 0x42 “Hemisphere” binoculars donated @$25 each (valued at $1 25 each) and three pairs of used binoculars donated by TOS members for use in the national bird monitoring program 2) Five pairs of the Eagle Optic Rangers (waterproof, fog proof) @ $1 66 each (valued at $400 apiece, but obtained at a reduced price through “Optics for the Tropics,” a project of Southeastern Partners in Flight) for the study of demographics and breeding biology of birds in the Sierra de Bahoruco. TOS Becomes a Partner in Conservation with the Dominican Republic In events coincidental with the CFRC grant for binoculars to Drs. Latta and Rimmer, the TOS Board of Directors voted at the Fall Meeting to approve a Partnership between the Hispaniolan Ornithological Society (formerly the Annabelle Dod bird club) and the Tennessee Ornithological Society. The exact nature of this partnership has not been discussed in any detail, but both groups stand to learn a lot from each other. The “HOS” is a small and fairly new bird club, but they are very aggressively working on the conservation of birds in cooperation with various Caribbean and U.S. ornithologists and with other NGO’s in the country, including The Nature Conservancy and Muscoso Puello, a local organization. Besides the exchange of information between our two clubs, future involvement can include birding trips and volunteer opportunities on research projects. TOS has already led one birding trip (in 1999) to the DR, involving 12 club members. Two presentations were given at the meeting by residents of the Dominican Republic. Kelly Peltier presented information on community development efforts aimed at small farmers who grow bird-friendly shade-grown coffee. Eladio Fernandez, president of “HOS,” presented a slide show on both the local resident and North American migrant birds of Costa Rica. He also described the conservation efforts there, the many challenges, and the distribution of key bird habitats and preserves across the country. The Tennessee Warbler December, 2001 Page 9 Smithsonian Birds of North America By Dr. Fred J. Alsop, III DK Publishing and the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum and research complex, proudly present Birds of North America (October 2001 ; $60; hardcover), the beautiful new bind-up edition of DK’s popular field guides. Birds of North America: Eastern Region and Birds of North America: Western Region. Curated by the world famous Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, a division of the National Zoo, and written by distinguished ornithologist Fred J. Alsop, III, this handsome hardcover soars above the competition with its breadth of information and dynamic visual style. With more than 1 ,000 illustrations and full-page profiles for over 930 species. Birds of North America contains more information than any other birding guide on the market today - the only reference with species identification and complete life history for every species currently recorded in the U.S. and Canada. Each entry provides detailed information on species’ song, behavior, breeding, nesting, population, birdhouses, and conservation as well as flight patterns, nest identification, and similar birds. There are annotated photographs, range maps, and color tabs indicating length, wingspan, plumage, habitat, migration, and life expectancy - all designed to give quick access to invaluable information. Birds of North America also features a wealth of new information, including a section on silhouettes and classification, as well as an additional 25 pages of introductions to orders and families. The most authoritative, comprehensive, and beautifully illustrated resource available today. Birds of North America will delight both novice birder and ornithologist alike for many birding seasons to come. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Fred J. Alsop, III Ph.D. is an accomplished ornithologist and a professor of biological sciences at East Tennesse State University. He received his doctorate in zoology from the University of Tennessee, and specializes in the ecology, distribution, and life history of birds. An avid field biologist, birder, and photographer, Dr. Alsop has identified more than 3,200 species worldwide. Fred J. Alsop, I IT author of SniilhxijTiian Birds of North America Also available Birds of North America: Eastern Region Birds of North America: Western Region DK Publishing, Inc. Smithsonian Birds of North America By Dr. Fred J Alsop, III October 2001 Hardcover 0-7894-8001-8 www.dk.com The Tennessee Warbler December, 2001 Page 10 CHAPTER NEWS The Chattanooga Chapter has been very busy these past few months. We have had programs to meet the interests of all levels of birding. In August, Ken Dubke presented a program about the history of the Chattanooga Chapter of TOS. The Chattanooga Chapter was established in 1953. Club members celebrated the 48 years with a special cake. September has traditionally been the month for member slides, and this year was no exception. Several members brought slides to share. And believe it or not-not all of the slides were of birds. Some members had great candid shots of other members! In October, I (Bonnie Johnson) presented a program featuring a trip to the Dry Tortugas and South Florida. Several of the Chattanooga Chapter members went on the trip with the Tennessee Aquarium, led by Kevin Calhoon. Dave Vogt conducted his annual Whigg Meadow banding station in the Cherokee National Forest in September. There were several volunteers and visitors at the station this year. The Sequatchie County Barn Owls put on a fabulous show for club members this October. One Barn Owl flew from a silo, out over the crowd, and circled a couple of times before perching in a nearby tree. To top off the night-everyone enjoyed good food and fellowship while cooking out at Hayden Wilson’s house. Birds of interest around the area in September would include a Least Bittern found by David Aborn while leading his ornithology class on a field trip to the Amnicola Marsh. Betty Wampler thrilled a lot of birders when she located an American Golden Plover at the Brainard Levee. In October, Kevin Calhoon found two Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrows at the Brainard Levee. This sighting turned out to be a first county record. In the midst of all this fun stuff, the Whooping Crane Celebration Committee found time to meet and organize an event that will be remembered for years to come. I think the outcome of this event surpassed any of our expectations. I would like to say “Thanks” to everyone for their support! Bonnie Johnson Greeneville Chapter - Shorebird season in Greene County was literally a washout this year: record floods in early August followed by continual rain until the end of the month kept the county’s few shorebird areas under water. Oddly, though, the Greeneville chapter added a new species to the county list anyway. The good fortune occurred in late July, before the rains came, in the form of 10 Willets that touched down in western Greene County on July 29. July also brought a Mississippi Kite to Greeneville, much to the surprise of the handful of chapter members who were lucky enough to see it before it disappeared. The sighting occurred July 11 at the home of Jo Anne and Larry Routledge, longtime TOS members. Fall brought a number of noteworthy species to the county, the highlights being Golden-winged Warbler (Sep. 1), Cerulean Warbler (Sep. 2), Connecticut Warbler (Oct. 1-2), Lincoln’s Sparrow (Oct. 20-22), and Bobolink (Oct. 17). A small group of Barn Owls first observed at a cemetery in Tusculum in June continued to appear regularly until August 1 9. The chapter’s Christmas count is scheduled for Saturday, December 22. Visitors from other chapters are encouraged to help. For more info, contact Don Miller (423-639-4100; raincrow(a)xtn.net ) or Jim Holt (423-639-0525; jholt@xtn.net ). / \ FEBRUAR.Y 28TH DEADLINE The deadline date for the April issue of The Tennessee Warbler is February 28th. 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)748-9324 (fax) e-mail: 2graham@bellsouth.net J The Tennessee Warbler December, 2001 Page 11 CHAPTER NEWS Memphis Chapter members recorded 105 species during the fall migration count held on September 1 5. Highlights of the count were Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Warbler, Willow Flycatcher, and Rufous Hummingbird. There were 19 warbler species and 10 shorebird species. Members reported two Mourning Warblers. Unfortunately, both were found dead. Wood Storks were seen at Eagle Lake and in Dyer County. An Avocet was seen at Shelby Farms on October 21 . Regarding conservation issues, the chapter is supporting The Nature Conservancy’s plan for acquisition and management of the Anderson-Tully tract of bottomland hardwood forest. There is concern regarding a proposal to develop a horse trail in the Shelby Forest bottoms (in-depth article on page 2 of this newsletter). The chapter voted to donate money for the construction of Wood Duck nest boxes for the Chickasaw, Lower Hatchie, Lake Isom, and Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuges. Chapter Officers for 2001-2002 are: President, Bob llardi; Vice President, Dick Preston; Treasurer, Carolyn Bullock; Recording Secretary, Knox Martin; Curator, Rob Peeples; Local Directors, Jeanne Payne and Jim Ferguson; State Directors, Martha Waldron, Virginia Reynolds, Dick Preston, Susan McWhirter and Carolyn Bullock. Robert llardi Nashville Chapter - Money from NTOS’s Katherine A. Goodpasture Memorial Fund was used to fund a bird study skin preparation workshop at the Warner Park Nature Center September 18-20. The 3-day workshop was taught by Smoot Major, and 13 participants from 7 agencies completed the course and have agreed to prepare study skins for educational purposes for an organization/agency. These skins, which come from birds killed each year at towers, windows, and by cats and cars, are used regularly at Warner Park Nature Center for educating the over 10,000 school children who visit the center and with the over 250 public programs presented each year. The Nashville Fall Count, which takes in several counties, took place Saturday, September 29, and had a total of 117 species, a fairly low showing. There was also an unidentified Empidonax, and on Count Week there were 4 Sedge Wrens and 1 Peregrine Falcon. Besides 3 Common Loons, Pied-billed Grebes, and Double-crested Cormorants, there were no other migrant waterfowl. There was 1 Merlin seen, and the only gulls were 6 Ring-billed. Shorebirds were low with only Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, Pectoral Sandpiper, and Common Snipe. All the woodpeckers were seen including 6 Red-headed Woodpeckers and some Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. Thrushes were in very low numbers. Species staying around a bit late included Eastern Kingbird, Tree, Northern Rough- winged, Cliff, and Barn Swallows, 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and 3 Blue Grosbeaks. Winter arrivals included Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Savannah, Lincoln’s, Swamp, Song, and White-throated Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Junco. Loggerhead Shrikes were absent, but we had all of the vireos, with Shelby Park and Bottoms being host to all of them. Nineteen warblers were counted, including 1 Blackpoll. Public walks led by NTOS members at Radnor Lake on Wednesdays started September 1 2 and go through October 18. These are enjoyed by all and a good way to attract new members. Recent field trips have included the Kingston Steam Plant, Wood Duck banding in Cheatham WMA led by TWRA employees Randy Cromer and Polly Rooker, Shelby Park and Bottoms, and Cheatham County. Some excellent recent programs were Troy Ettel’s Historical Bird species of TN, Richard Connors’ Costa Rica trip, and Frank Fekel’s trip to Australia. The water level at Shelby Bottoms’ shorebird pond was dropped August 1 5 in hopes of luring more birds there during migration. Later, it was dropped a second time, and although there wasn’t a lot of shorebird activity, we are optimistic for next year when it will again be dropped in the spring. This was done with cooperation from the Parks and Recreation Department. Jan Shaw