The Tennessee warbler : newsletter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society

Newsletter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society

August, 2000 Editor, Theresa Graham

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

I hope everyone enjoyed the Spring Meeting as much as my wife and I did. I know that it was a special
occasion (50th Birthday!) for the Bristol Bird Club, and they should all be very proud of the outstanding job
that they did.

Looking forward, the fall meeting in Chattanooga should provide some interesting birding opportunities,
with possibilities ranging from hawk watching on Soddy Mountain to marsh birding at the Brainerd Levee to
butterfly watching with Bill Haley! I’m looking forward to it, and so should you.

We have some important positions to fill in the coming months. Presently, the Finance Committee is defunct.
We would like to reconstitute this committee in order to help our excellent but overworked treasurer, David
Trently, with various investment decisions and other issues relating to our finances. If you are interested, or
know anyone who might be, please contact Ron Hoff of the Knoxville chapter, who is chairing the Nominating
Committee.

After several years of hard work and dedication, Dev Joslin has decided to step down as editor of the
Migrant effective next spring, although he will be available to assist with the transition. This may well be the
most important position inTOS, because the Migrants our legacy for birders and researchers for years to
come. The Nominating Committee will be looking for a successor. I strongly encourage you all to contact
Ron or myself if you are interested or if you have recommendations for the committee. Additionally, Dev has
prepared a detailed description of the skills and time commitments involved, and I will be happy to provide
that information to anyone interested, and I will forward it to Chuck Nicholson to include on the web site.

Speaking of the web site, if you haven’t seen it yet, you should check it out at www.tnbirds.org . Special
thanks to Chuck Nicholson, our next president, for a job well done in making arrangements for the design
and implementation. In some respects, it’s still a work in progress, and your ideas and contributions are
always welcome.

That’s all I have for now. I look forward to seeing many of you in Chattanooga this fall.

Chris Sloan

chris.sloan@home.com
Nashville, TN

The Tennessee Warbler

August, 2000

Page 2

TOS FALL MEETING
OCTOBER 6-8

CHATTANOOGA , TENNESSEE

JOIN US FOR A FUN FALL WEEKEND
BIRDINGAND EXPLORING THE BEAUTIFUL CHATTANOOGA AREA!

Field Trips:

V Brainerd Levee for shorebirds and more

V Cravens House for confusing fall warblers

V Flat Top Mountain for hawk migration

V More to be announced
Optional Tour of the Tennessee Aquarium:

V We plan to offer a behind-the-scenes tour!

Paper Session followed by Business Meeting beginning at 7:30 on Saturday
Registration Friday night 7:00-9:00 at the Ramada Inn (registration fee of $3 per person)

Headquarters — Ramada Inn at 1-75 at Highway 41 in East Ridge, Tennessee. (Take 1-75 South, exit 1 East Ridge*)
This is the exit just prior to entering Georgia.

A block of rooms is being held at the rate of $39.00 for single or double rooms. This rate is available for registrations
made by September 22, 2000. Afterward, the regular price of $54.00 will apply. In order to obtain this special rate,
you must call the local hotel directly at (423) 894-6110; it cannot be obtained through the 1-800 #.

Be aware that we have had several bouts of Interstate construction which may still be ongoing in October. There are
several alternate routes off the interstate if traffic is a problem. It might be worth consulting a map just in case.

Advance Registration: To help us in planning, please RSYP to Anita Gaddy if you plan to attend. Mail the attached to
her at: P.O. Box 9613, Chattanooga, Tenn. 37412 ($3 registration fee collected on site. Please Do Not Mail). Or,
contact her via e-mail at ddg@vol.com or phone (706) 937-3842.

Name Number of participants

Address

Phone e-mail

The Tennessee Warbler

August, 2000

Page 3

KOS/TOS SUMMER BIRDING WEEKEND

REPORT FROM THE FIELD

The KOS/TOS Summer Birding Weekend took place on June 23-25, in western Kentucky.
Seventeen birders from Tennessee, Kentucky and one visiting from Massachusetts
spent at least part of the weekend birding around the Peabody Wildlife Management
Area near Central City, KY, and Mammoth Cave National Park. Mark Bennett of the
Kentucky Ornithological Society did a great job in leading us in birding around Peabody
WMA.

Weather was hot, but clouds kept the sun from beating down on us too much, and a pleasant breeze helped cool
us a bit more.

We were successful at finding all of our target species, most of which were found on Friday evening, taking the
pressure off of Saturday’s birding. Some were life birds for a few lucky birders!

At Peabody, we had great looks at a Willow Flycatcher, Bell’s Vireo, Prothonotary Warbler, Grasshopper & Flenslow’s
Sparrows, Dickcissel, and Blue Grosbeak. We heard at least two Whip-poor-will’s. A couple people even saw an
American Woodcock. Northern Flarriers were almost always soaring over the brushy fields. Ring-necked Ducks,
seen by Chris Sloan and Kevin Calhoon on Sunday, were probably the most unexpected birds of the weekend.

On Sunday, 6 birders headed for Mammoth Cave where we had wonderful looks at an Acadian Flycatcher, Kentucky
and Worm-eating Warblers. We heard a Cerulean Warbler and 2 Eastern Screech-Owls. We were able to watch
the Acadian Flycatcher while standing near the entrance to the cave. Cold air blowing out of the cave’s entrance
gave us a welcome chill in the afternoon heat.

Total species of birds found was between 95 and 100. Pretty good for a hot summer’s weekend!

David Trently

f \

Newsletter Addendum

I made a serious blunder in my President’s Message in the last TOS newsletter (The Tennessee Warbler).

In discussing the Eagle Lake project, I thanked Memphis TOS, but forgot to thank Keith McKnight, Jeff
Wilson, and Melinda Welton. Keith, who is a conservation specialist for Ducks Unlimited, has handled
most of the legwork in assembling the management plan. Jeff also contributed to the plan, and he and
Melinda did much of the work in setting up our relationship with TWRA.

I was trying to focus on chapter involvement in the message, but in doing so I got sloppy (what happens
when you write these things at midnight two days after they’re due) and inadvertently slighted the people
most responsible for our success. Certainly, MTOS’s involvement will be crucial to the project, but there
wouldn’t BE a project without the above-named individuals.

This was in inexcusable omission, and I apologize to Keith, Jeff, and Melinda. Thanks, guys, for the work
you’ve done, and please forgive me for my oversight.

V

Chris Sloan

chris.sloan@home.com
Nashville, TN

s

The Tennessee Warbler

August, 2000

Page 4

TOS MEETING A GREAT SUCCESS

By Wallace Coffey

Those of you who turned out for the Tennessee Ornithological Society Annual Spring Meeting at Bristol in Washington
County, Virginia know what a memorable weekend that will always be in the hearts of Bristol Bird Club members.

More than 115 birders from as far away as Georgia and Memphis came to enjoy our hospitality, our beautiful
mountains, and the songs of a New Dawn.

The club faithful who organized the event gathered under warm and sunny skies in the back parking lot of the
Holiday Inn at 2 p.m. Sunday, just soaking it all up and hugging and thanking one another for a weekend that was
as perfect as perfect can be.

It was a safe weekend for all. The Holiday Inn and Convention Center worked “like dogs” to see that all went well.
There were no problems! Janice Martin had everyone fine-tuned and every aspect of a well-organized meeting
went like clockwork. Janice was wonderful when she stood before a packed dining room to welcome all to join us
in celebrating the BBC’s 50th Anniversary. She was beautiful in her blue-and-white outfit and the flowers made her
glow among the candles and all the color. From Bert Hale’s bowls to his blessing; it was wonderful. All the rest who
pitched in to manage details in every possible way were super. What else can you say about perfection?

During the TOS field trip to Whitetop Mountain and other areas, we found Northern Bobwhite, Barred Owl, Least
Flycatchers, Common Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creeper, Winter Wrens,
Yellow-throated Vireo, Warbling Vireos, Magnolia Warblers, Blackburnian Warblers, Kentucky Warbler, Scarlet
Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Orchard Orioles, and Baltimore Orioles.

Lark Sparrow Best Bird at Bristol State Meeting

By Wallace Coffey

Without a doubt, the best bird seen on the TOS (Bristol) State Meeting field trips this spring was a Lark Sparrow
observed by the Saturday field party at Quarry Bog in Shady Valley, TN. The western bird, which nested in Sevier
and Jefferson counties in the 1 970s, appears as a transient in a wide variety of locales in the state. Garry Wallace
had a male near Elizabethton in Carter County 26 April 1 980. The 6 May 2000 record in Shady Valley was observed
by about 12 birders, several of whom have had extensive experience with the species.

At least three high-quality spotting scopes were used to observe the bird as it perched atop a fence post in strong
light. It was studied for several minutes thru Kowa EDA 60mm and Swarovski scopes. The group studied the bird
at about 300 feet distance and all got to use their field guides to get satisfactory comparisons with a book in hand
before the bird moved away from the perch.

A few of the those observing the bird were Betty Reid Campbell of Oak Ridge, Tony Headrick and Dawn Headrick
of Knoxville, Boyd Sharp of Knoxville, and Jo Anne Routledge and Larry Routledge of Greeneville.

Some birders who did not see the bird thought it could have been a Savannah Sparrow. Those who saw the Lark
Sparrow rejected that possibility. At the end of the field trip about a dozen persons held up their hands saying they
had seen the bird and had absolutely no problem with the identification as a Lark Sparrow. Dr. Charles R. Smith,
Jim Campbell and Wallace Coffey agreed the bird should be included in the official compilation of the state meeting
weekend count.

The Tennessee Warbler

August, 2000

Page 5

CHAPTER NEWS

New Chattanooga Chapter officers are:

President — Danny Gaddy

Vice President (Field Trips) — Judy Newsome

Vice President (Programs) — Bonnie Johnson

Treasurer — Janice Chadwell

Secretary — Anita Gaddy

Historian — Marty Paige

Statstician — Kevin Calhoon

Newsletter Editor — Bill Haley, Jr.

Our club continues to have good crowds for the
monthly programs including presentations on birding
in Antarctica (Dan Williams) and Peru (Jan Shaw),
research studies (Dr. David Haskell and Dr. David
Aborn), and birdbanding in Whigg Meadow (Dave
Vogt). Likewise, several people participated in a
variety of field trips including searches for warblers at
Cravens House, Baylor School, and Reflection Riding.
Trips to Hinch Mountain, Flat Top Mountain, and
Brainerd Levee also resulted in good birding. Another
field trip included a tour of the Sequatchie Valley
Environmental Institute and some good wildflowers.
Our club combined birding with a picnic at The Pot
House in the Tennessee River Gorge during the spring.
We participated in the International Migratory Bird
Count on May 1 3 with a compilation picnic at Audubon
Acres. Additionally, we have scheduled field trips
focusing on butterfly identification and gray bats. We
try to have something for everyone each month.

The Peregrine Falcons are no longer nesting at the
Chickamauga Dam but are still in the general area. It
is suspected that they have moved their nesting site
to a bluff just west of town. The various sightings of
Scissor-tailed flycatchers have created a lot of interest.

Club members have participated both jointly and
individually in a wide variety of conservation and
environmental actions. We are planning to assist in
the efforts of the International Crane Foundation to
train first Sandhill Cranes and then Whooping Cranes
to migrate from Wisconsin to Florida by way of the
Hiwassee Refuge near Birchwood. We expect the
first ultralight-led Sandhills to come through this
season. Crane Day 2001 is set for February 3-4 per
Ken Dubke.

Our relationship with TVA is generally positive; however,
a recent incident caused concern. Sixty plus Great
Blue Heron nests were removed from transmission
towers at the Chickamauga Dam and destroyed.
Unfortunately, this was done during nesting season
and resulted in the loss of eggs and chicks. We have
contacted TVA and believe that with improved
consultation, such incidents will be avoided in the
future. Fortunately, the entire city of Chattanooga was
designated a bird sanctuary several years ago and
as such enjoys enhanced protection under the city
Charter.

We are pleased to be hosting the TOS State Meeting
for the Fall of 2000. We plan to have a great time and
hope for excellent birding. Come join us!

The spring bird count conducted by the Lee & Lois
Herndon Chapter resulted in a total of 137 species
found on Saturday, April 29. Some of the best birds
included Lesser Scaup, Northern Harrier, Pectoral
Sandpiper, Philadelphia Vireo, Loggerhead Shrike,
Red-headed Woodpecker and 21 species of warblers.

The summer bird count conducted by the chapter on
Saturday, June 24, resulted in a total of 109 species,
including White Ibis, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Alder
Flycatcher and Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Northern
Bobwhite and Wild Turkey. A big miss was Ruffed
Grouse.

The chapter will hold its annual summer picnic on
Thursday, July 13. Meetings will resume on the first
Tuesday in September at 7 p.m. in the lower level of
the science building at Milligan College.

The chapter’s officers for 2000 are: President, Bryan
K. Stevens; Vice President, Reece Jamerson;
Secretary, Charles Moore; Treasurer, Gilbert Derouen;
Statistician, Rick Knight; and Historian, Frank Ward.

The chapter does not hold meetings in July and
August. Meetings will resume Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. on
the lower level of the science building at Milligan
College.

Bryan Stevens

The Tennessee Warbler

August, 2000

Page 6

CHAPTER. NEWS

On June 3, approximately 30 members and guests of
the Greeneville Chapter met at the home of member
Velda Moore to share a potluck feast and honor their
host for establishing a bird sanctuary. Over a period
of several years, Ms. Moore has transformed her
property by planting dozens of varieties of flowers,
shrubs, and trees and adding various feeding stations,
nesting facilities, and water features. The result is an
area that is attractive to numerous permanent and
summer residents and that offers important stopover
habitat for transient species.

Spring migration seemed to peak early in Greene
County and then taper off suddenly, with the first week
of May bringing an explosion of species that were
mostly gone by the middle of the month. Notable spring
observations in the county included an American
Bittern on April 22 and in a different location from late
April into early May, 1-5 Great Egrets from late April
until mid-May, a Snowy Egret in mid-May, a Ruddy
Turnstone in a flock of 112 Short-billed Dowitchers on
May 1 3, a juvenile American Woodcock on May 21 , a
Forster’s Tern on April 10, a Gray-cheeked Thrush
from May 1 3 until the last week of the month, Warbling
Vireos through the end of May (probably breeding in
two locations in the eastern part of the county), two
Swainson’s Warblers on May 5, good numbers of
Rusty Blackbirds until the end of March, and Savannah
Sparrows throughout the period (probably breeding in
at least one location).

The chapter has scheduled a trip to Rankin Bottoms
(good shorebird spot at the head of Douglas Lake in
Cocke County) for Sunday, August 27. The annual
fall count is set for Saturday, September 16, the fall
date for the North American Migration Count. Contact
Don Miller (423-639-41 00, raincrow@xtn.net 1 or Jim
Holt (423-639-0525, jholt@areene.xtn.net ) for more
information.

Don Miller

0

The Memphis Chapter greeted the new millennium
with the same enthusiasm and commitment as the
day it became a chapter in 1 929. Over the years the
chapter has supported the birds of prey rehabilitation
program at the Memphis Zoo with volunteer services
and monetary support. Garden clubs, Boy Scouts
and Girl Scouts, schools, and church and civic
organizations benefited from chapter programs on
birds and habitat. The chapter has been very involved
in local issues affecting habitat preservation through
political action network organizations. Several
members serve on local boards of conservation
groups. The Memphis Chapter has been asked to
provide data for government agencies as input for
local planning and funding.

Several members completed eleven breeding bird
surveys, eight point counts, two roadside surveys, and
four frog counts during the month of June. One TOS
member donated twenty nest boxes to the Wolf River
WMA bringing the total to 60 boxes in the last two
years. Over 500 nesting boxes have been made and
donated to WMA’s and NWR’s in the last few years.
Four teachers, who are also local chapter members,
implemented bird study curriculums at their schools.
Five deceased members donated their books, journals
and tapes to be placed in schools and libraries. A
member teaches Adult continuing education classes
through the University of Memphis and the University
of Mississippi Desoto Center.

The cooperative partnership between the Memphis
Chapter and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources
Agency has proven to be valuable to a broader public
than either group could possibly reach alone. The
agency uses our data in managing the Wolf River
WMA for both game and non-game species. TWRA
often invites the chapter to investigate and report
consequences of management practices. Through
this collaboration, management planning has become
proactive and certainly more effective in the restoration
and protection of Tennessee birds.

On a sad note, Bill Fowler, a member since 1 978 and
a former chapter president, died recently. He was one
of Ben Coffey’s boys and was very helpful to both
Ben and Lula in their later years.

Martha Waldron
Virginia Reynolds

The Tennessee Warbler

August, 2000

Page 7

CHAPTER NEWS

Nashville Chapter - The Nashville Spring Count was
held on May 1 3, with a total of 1 45 species accounted
for. This is the second lowest total in the last 1 0 years,
maybe due to the second Saturday of May falling so
late in the year this year. Some of the highlights were
5 Common Loons, 1 Pied-billed Grebe, 1 Snowy Egret,
and 1 Common Tern at Old Hickory Lake, 1 Green-
winged Teal at Cheatham County, 10 shorebird
species including 19 Dunlin in breeding plumage, 1
Black-billed Cuckoo, all woodpeckers including 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at Radnor Lake, 3 Willow
Flycatchers, all swallows, 2 Sedge Wrens and 1
Marsh Wren at Shelby Bottoms, all thrushes except
Hermit, 613 Cedar Waxwings (which included 475 at
Shelby), all vireos except Blue-headed, 27 warbler
species, 4 Blue Grosbeaks, 284 Indigo Buntings, 30
Dickcissels at Cheatham County, and 27 Orchard
Orioles but no Baltimores. It was a great day to be
out, and everybody had a fun time.

On October 28, the Nashville Chapter and Warner
Parks will be cosponsoring the excellent hummingbird
program given by experts Bob and Martha Sargent of
Trussville, Alabama. This will be held at the beautiful,
new Nature Center at the Warner Parks in Nashville
at 10:30 AM. We would like to encourage anybody
from the surrounding areas to come and experience
these fine speakers. The Sargents, who run the
Hummer/Bird Study Group, have been banding
thousands of hummingbirds in the last decade. Of
special interest at this time will be the topic of wintering
hummingbirds, which Nashville has been fortunate to
experience quite a bit of in the last few years. Please
come and support these fine people, and good friends
of ours.

NTOS Bird Conservation Award

This is the first year that a monetary award has been
given from our newly created NTOS Bird Conservation
Fund. The Fund was set up to award a minimum
annual gift of $500.00 to a project or organization that
is actively engaged in bird conservation on a local,
national, or international level. Sources of funding
come from individual contributions and NTOS financial
reserves, including interest from current financial

reserves. At the board meeting on April 25, 2000, our
directors and officers voted to award 3 deserving
organizations a total of $740.00 for this year. The
Tennessee Nature Conservancy will receive $300.00,
with a matching contribution coming from one of their
board members. The Gulf Coast Observatory will
receive $240.00 for their work in protecting valuable
land along the coast that is so important to our
neotropical migrants. And $200.00 will go to the
Tennessee Conservation League, especially targeted
for their Nature Link Weekend in the fall. This is a
program that provides for people that don’t normally
get out into nature a chance to experience what we
often take for granted. If you would like to be involved
in this program in the fall, talk to Susan Hollyday. As
an organization that appreciates the beauty and value
of the birds that breed and migrate through
Tennessee, NTOS can be proud that we’re actively
involved in their conservation. If you would like to make
a donation to the Fund, send it to our treasurer, Susan
Hollyday. And thank you to those who have already
done so.

The pair of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers that nested just
south of Nashville are back this year and nesting in a
tree just west of where they nested last year. This is
on Mack Hatcher Parkway just west of Franklin Rd. in
Williamson County. Three fledged last year, so we’ll
be watching again for developments.

Do not stand at my grave
and weep, I am not there,

I do not sleep When

you awaken in the
morning’s hush, I am the
swift uplifting rush of quiet
birds in circled flight.

Bill Fowler - Memphis Chapter, June, 2000

Richard Heintz - Memphis Chapter, June, 2000

The Tennessee Warbler

August, 2000

Page 8

CHAPTER NEWS recent actions of the Tennessee

BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

Officers of the Mayfield-Gray Chapter (Columbia
Chapter) are: President, Tommy Edwards; Vice-
President, George Mayfield; Secretary/Treasurer,
Phyllis Coble; Board Members, Allyn Lay and Bedford
Lochridge.

Many interesting and educational programs were
enjoyed for the 1 999-2000 season. Bird sightings of
rarity were reported throughout the season around
the local areas of Monsanto, Williamsport Ponds, and
Arrow Lake. The hosting of the November Fall
meeting was very successful. The season ended in
June with the annual picnic.

In January a proposal was made to rename the
Columbia TOS Chapter after a birding enthusiast.
Written ballots were submitted and by majority vote
by the members, the Columbia TOS Chapter was
changed to the “Mayfield-Gray TOS Chapter.” Dr.
George Mayfield’s father was one of the original
founders of the state TOS. He grew up with a great
appreciation for birds and all aspects of nature. When
George moved to Columbia, there was not an active
birding group in this area. Therefore, he was very
instrumental and largely responsible in organizing the
Columbia TOS Chapter. He is a Past-President of
TOS and has written many articles for The Migrant
George has led and taught so many people in birding
and has led many field trips. George is our authority
on bird identification. He is certified and has a banding
permit from the US Government. Over the forty years
of birding, George has been supported by his lovely
wife Cleo.

Aramus guarauna, Limpkin

Observation: A single immature bird 27 July - 18

September, 1999, Hatchie River, Haywood Co., TN.

Documentation: photographs and written

documentation.

Vote: 6-0

Status: 2nd state record

Passerina amoena, Lazuli Bunting
Observation: A single female 4 May, 1996, the
Earth Complex, Shelby Co., TN
Documentation: written documentation

Vote: 6-0

Status: 1st state record (placed in Provisional
Category)

Conturnicops noveboracensis, Yellow Rail
Observation: A single bird 16 October, 1999 at
Britton Ford, Tennessee NWR, Henry Co., TN
Documentation: written documentation

Vote: 6-0

Status: Casual status on TN list

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus, Yellow-headed
Blackbird

Observation: An adult male 29 November, 1999 at
Lauderdale WMA, Lauderdale Co. TN
Documentation: written documentation

Vote: 6-0

Status: Casual status on TN list

Kevin Calhoon (Secretary TBRC)

Chattanooga, TN
423-875-0595

Dr. Dan Gray was a member of the original Old Blue
Grass Chapter of TOS. Dan’s father was a falconer
and a lover of birds. Dan grew up with an appreciation
of the outside. He was an authority on birds, flowers,
trees, plants and vines. He would gather wild
mushrooms to eat. Dan was a Past-President of
TOS. Dan and his wife Gaither hosted many annual
picnics and bird counts at their camp in the Hampshire
area.

Drs. George Mayfield and Dan Gray were well known
by the Tennessee birders. For all their contribution to
TOS, the present members wanted to recognize and
honor them with the Mayfield-Gray TOS Chapter. A
plaque was presented to George. Gaither Gray
accepted the plaque for her late husband.

OCTOBER 31 st DEADLINE

The deadline date for the December issue of
The Tennessee Warbler is October 31st.
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

August, 2000

Page 9

IF YOU CARA LOT ABOUT WILDLIFE...

The Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) passed a major hurdle on May 1 1 , when the full House approved
H.R. 701 315- 1 02. It would reallocate some of the existing royalties paid by oil companies for oil and gas leases
on the outer continental shelf. Wildlife and parks would be major beneficiaries, with $27.2 million per year pro-
jected for Tennessee. This includes $6.4 million for Tennessee’s wildlife, with major focus on nongame species.

The following is a Congressional timeline for CARA:

1 ) SENATE COMMITTEE MARKUP - On July 1 8-1 9, 2000, the 20-member Senate Energy and Natural Re-
sources (ENR) Committee will markup and vote on CARA (S. 2123)

2) SENATE FLOOR VOTE - Once CARA passes ENR, it will go to the Senate floor for a vote, which will
probably be after the August Recess July 29 -September 4, 2000.

3) CONFERENCE COMMITTEE - Once CARA passes the Senate, a CARA conference committee will have
to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of CARA and release one final version
back to House and Senate floors for a final vote.

4) FINAL HOUSE AND SENATE VOTE - Once a joint CARA bill is released from the conference committee,
the full House and Senate each vote one last time on CARA (this time there are no floor amendments).

5) PRESIDENT CLINTON SIGNS CARA INTO LAWN!

CARA is expected to be more of a challenge in the Senate than in the House. There are 45 of 50 Senators who are
current co-sponsors of CARA or similar OCS funding bills. Fifty-one votes would technically pass S. 2123. Dis-
ruptive filibusters and points of order could be countered with 60 and 67 votes, respectively.

You can help CARA in Tennessee if you:

— Thank Senator Bill Frist for his CARA co-sponsorship and confirm his continued support in expediting
the above CARA timeline.

— Encourage CARA support from Senator Fred Thompson.

— Thank Tennessee Congressmen for their prior and future CARA support including: Bob Clement, Harold
Ford, Bart Gordon, Bill Jenkins, and John Tanner.

Conclusions

CARA would provide needed 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 More Information and Updates About CARA, contact:

— Teaming with Wildlife@ web page at www.teamina.com

— Thomas Congressional directory at http://thomas.loc.gov/

— Bob Hatcher, TWRA Nongame Coordinator, PO. Box 40747, Nashville, TN 37204
Telephone 61 5-781 -661 9) or E-mail at bhatcher@mail.state.tn.us

The Tennessee Warbler

August, 2000

Page 10

CATS INDOORS!

Campaign for Safer Birds and Cats

The American Bird Conservancy has launched a citizen education and
action campaign to end the massive and unnecessary loss of birds and
other wildlife to predation by domestic cats. Scientists estimate that free-
roaming cats (owned, stray, and feral) kill hundreds of millions of birds
and possibly more than a billion small mammals in the U.S. each year.
Cats kill not only birds that frequent our backyards, such as the Eastern
Towhee, American Goldfinch, and Song Sparrow, but also Watch List species such as the Snowy Plover, Wood
Thrush, and Black-throated Blue Warbler, and endangered species such as the Least Tern and Piping Plover. Not
only are birds and other wildlife at risk, but cats who roam free often lead short and painful lives, living on average
less than 5 years, whereas indoor cats often live to 17 or more years of age.

At the Spring meeting in Bristol, TOS passed a resolution to support the Cats Indoors! Policies laid out by the
American Bird Conservancy include: 1 ) Encouraging responsible pet ownership by keeping cats indoors, spaying
or neutering, identification tags and where possible, licensing. 2) Supporting local cat control and protection plans
requiring owners to register their cats and prevent their roaming. 3) Humane removal of free-roaming cats from
areas important to wildlife

The American Bird Conservancy has prepared informative educational materials on the impact of cats on birds,
including documentation on cat predation, health hazards, and other dangers associated with free-roaming cats,
legislative solutions, and practical advice on how to convert an outdoor cat into a contented indoor pet. These
materials, prepared with the assistance of a technical advisory committee with representatives from the animal
welfare, conservation (including National Audubon Society), veterinary, and scientific communities, will be a valuable
asset to Audubon chapters, bird clubs, schools, and the general public.

This campaign promotes grassroots efforts to address this issue at state and local levels. Cats can’t be blamed
for killing wildlife. The responsibility lies with owners to ensure their cats are safely inside.

For more information, see: Cats and Wildlife A Conservation Dilemma at: http://wildlffe.wisc.edu/extension/
catflv3.htm . or contact: Cats Indoors! The Campaign for Safer Birds and Cats, American Bird Conservancy, 1250
24th Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20037, phone: (202) 778-9666, fax: (202) 778-9778, email:
abc@abcbirds.org

CATS INDOORS!

The Campaign tor Safer Biiuxs Cats

\

TOS CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH GRANTS

The guidelines, deadlines and application for the newly created TOS Conservation and Research Grants
will be posted on the TOS website as soon as they are completed. The scope of the projects to be considered
for funding need to “directly or indirectly help to protect the birds of Tennessee, increase scientific knowledge,
or educate others about the importance of Tennessee’s birds”. The Katherine Goodpasture Award has
been consolidated with these grants. Roger Tankersley and Melinda Welton Co-Chair the Conservation
and Research Committee.

V

y

The Tennessee Warbler

August, 2000

Page 11

FALL 2000 NORTH AMERICAN
MIGRATION COUNT

The NAMC has been running a fall count for several
years and this year Tennessee will follow suit.

The count will be on the third Saturday in September,
which will make it the 1 6th. The rules and data keeping
will be the exact same as the spring count. Each
county is a count area. Please keep track of hours
and miles on foot, hours and miles by car, hours
owling, feeder hours, and the names of all the
participants. Count data will be used to gauge how
successful this year’s breeding season was.

Please send your results to:

Ron Hoff, 282 Hackworth Ln., Clinton, TN. 37716 or
email them to me dollyron95@aol.com .

Thanks for your participation and have fun!

Ron Hoff
Clinton, TN

Spring NAMC Data Needed

North American Migration Count data reminder. If any-
one has not turned in their data from the NAMC on
May 1 3th this year, please do so as soon as possible.
I’ll be starting the compilation soon. Please send a
hard copy to:

Ron Hoff, 282 Hackworth Lane, Clinton, TN.

3771 6, or email them to me dollyron95@aol.com

Remember to include hours and miles by car, hours
and miles by foot, hours owling, feeder hours, weather
conditions, times of the count, and names of the ob-
servers.

Thanks for your help.

HABITAT MANAGEMENT
PARTNERSHIPS

The Eagle Lake Wildlife Management Area Shorebird
Management Plan was recently approved by
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Eagle Lake
is located in Shelby Co., adjacent to the Mississippi
River with excellent potential to be a major shorebird
stopover area. This plan was written as a cooperative
effort between TWRA, the Tennessee Ornithological
Society and Ducks Unlimited. TWRA has committed
to prepare two of the Units with the greatest potential
for shorebird use for this fall’s migration. Vegetation
will be controlled in these units and water pumped to
maintain levels optimum for shorebird feeding.
Several TOS members will be assisting TWRA in the
monitoring of shorebird and waterfowl use of the WMA.
Jeff Wilson and Melinda Welton are the TOS contacts
for this project.

TOS is also working with TWRA to identify the most
important Cerulean Warbler breeding areas on the
Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area in Campbell
and Scott Counties and Cheatham Wildlife
Management Area in Cheatham Co. Cerulean
Warblers are currently under consideration for official
listing as a Tennessee species Deemed in Need of
Management and Royal Blue harbors a significant
population of these birds. Maps predicting the high
quality breeding areas were generated by TWRA and
Chuck Nicholson and TOS members conducted
ground truthing of the maps this spring. Hundreds of
singing males were located on Royal Blue. This
information will be compared with the maps to see
how well the model predicted the quality Cerulean
habitat and will also be used by TWRA in future
management decisions on Royal Blue and Cheatham
WMA’s. Melinda Welton is the TOS contact for these
projects.

The Tennessee Warbler

August, 2000

Page 12

Guidelines for

The T ennessee Ornithological Society
Conservation and Research Grant

The Tennessee Ornithological Society invites applications for the TOS Conservation and Research Grant for
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. In 2000 there will be one Grant award of $500.

This award is open to anyone with a bird-related project, 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 form is available on the TOS Website,
www.TNBIRDS.org or the information can be incorporated in a letter. The information needed includes: 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 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 if the
work is 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 for judging applications will be:

— Clarity of proposal,

— Significance of problem addressed,

— 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 e-mailed to Roger Tankersley ; rdtanker@utk.edu or
mailed to him at: 2924 Jenkins St., Knoxville, TN 37921 ; Telephone (865) 673-0931 .

DEADLINES: The deadline for the TOS Conservation and Research Grant in 2000 is September 1 5th. Applicants
will be notified immediately following the Fall TOS meeting on October 7, 2000. Future deadlines and grant amounts
will be announced in the Fall Warbler and posted on the web site. A check for 75 percent of the budget costs will
be mailed to the grantee in October 2000.

The balance will be paid after the project leader sends a satisfactory progress report and itemized costs to the
Committee Co-Chair, Roger Tankersley. All grant awards will be announced in The Tennessee Warbler.

Conservation Committee Co-Chairs:

Melinda Welton weltonmj@aol.com (61 5) 799-8095
Roger Tankersley, rdtanker@utk.edu (865) 673-0931