Registration for GOS Member(s) @ $30.00 per person (Note: Spouse/immediate family may register at the member rate
Your name will come from your Paypal Acct. If you are registering more than yourself, please indicate those names, separated by a comma in the box to the right. Your mobile phone # will help us reach you for last minute changes in field trips due to weather. (FILL OUT fields before clicking "add to cart") Registration does not include keynote, but banquet does. If you are NOT going to the banquet but want to see the keynote, please pay for that below.
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Your name will come from your Paypal Acct. If you are registering more than yourself, please indicate those names, separated by a comma in the box to the right. Your mobile phone # will help us reach you for last minute changes in field trips due to weather. (FILL OUT fields before clicking "add to cart")
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Reservation(s) for banquet @ $39.00 per person
(banquet price includes keynote speaker)
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GOS Member - Registration(s) for Keynote Speaker only (no banquet) @ $10.00 per person
You do not need to register for this if you are paying for the banquet.
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Non-GOS Member - Registration(s) for Keynote Speaker only (no banquet) @ $20.00 per person
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If it is after December 30, 2016, add $10 late fee
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Note: All departure/return times are to/from Hotel Tybee, unless otherwise noted.
For all Friday field trips: meet your Field Trip Leader at the birding location at the designated start time.
For all Monday field trips: there will be no escorted return trips to Hotel Tybee
For your personal comfort, safety, and enjoyment, always bring your binoculars, spotting scope, sturdy walking shoes, layers of clothing, rain gear, insect repellent, sun screen, water, and a lunch or snacks on all field trips. Be advised that many field trip destinations do not have bathroom facilities, so plan accordingly.
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WAIVER: You must select this item and add it to your cart.
RELEASE
GOS requires registration for participation in the meeting and field trips, and also requires all registrants to acknowledge the following release. If the participant is a minor, a parent or legal guardian must acknowledge this release.
Each registrant named, both adult and minor, desires to participate in the field trips and other activities at this meeting of the Georgia Ornithological Society (GOS). Therefore, each registrant knowingly and voluntarily grants to the GOS and its officers, committee members, and any other persons engaged in activities in connection with this meeting, a full release from any claim, liability, or cost of any nature on account of personal illness or bodily injury, loss of life, or loss or damage to property directly or indirectly arising out of the registrant’s participation in this meeting.
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Friday January 13, 2017
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FORT STEWART
Leader: Larry Carlile.
Start time: 6:30 AM. Return: 12:30 PM.
Limit: 15 people in 5 SUV-type vehicles with good clearance.
Cost: $0.01
Meet Fort Stewart Wildlife Biologist Larry Carlile at the Love’s Truck Stop in Richmond Hill (SW corner of I-95 Exit 90, GPS coordinates 31.961, -81.331). You’ll leave Love’s promptly at 6:30 AM and travel to a Fort Stewart Red-Cockaded Woodpecker cluster as the woodpecker family group exits their cavities at sunrise. After viewing the Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, we’ll explore longleaf pine forests and visit bottomland hardwoods associated with the Canoochee River. Trip rigor: Moderate with some walking over uneven ground.
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CORPS OF ENGINEERS DISPOSAL SITE, JASPER COUNTY, SC
Leaders: Steve Calver and Mary Richards.
Start time: 8:00 AM. Return: 1:30 PM.
Limit: 20 people in 5 SUV-type vehicles with good clearance.
Cost: $0.01
Meet Steve and Mary at the gate to the disposal site (GPS coordinates 32.103, -81.084) at 8:00 AM for a rare chance to bird this restricted area. The site is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge disposal facility. Habitats include grassy levees, mudflats, and impoundments. This area holds ducks, shorebirds, waders, sparrows, and raptors. Expect to sign a couple of waivers at the site. Trip rigor: Moderate with a good deal of walking.
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SAVANNAH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, JASPER COUNTY, SC
Leader: Nathan Farnau.
Start time: 10:00 AM. Return: 3:00 PM.
Limit: 20 people.
Cost: $0.01
Meet Nathan at the beginning of the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive (GPS coordinates 32.166, -81.115), which travels along levees tops and affords great views of impoundments within the refuge. Savannah NWR is a premier spot for wintering waterfowl, waders, rails, raptors, and sparrows. Trip rigor: Easy.
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ST. CATHERINES ISLAND
Leaders: Rachel and Steve Holzman.
Assemble at the dock at 7:45 AM. Return: 4:00 PM.
Limit: 8 participants.
Cost: $60.00 ($50.00 from each fare will be transferred to the SCI Foundation).
The St. Catherines Island Foundation owns the island and operates it for charitable, scientific, literary, and educational purposes. The Foundation aims to promote conservation of natural resources, the preservation of historic sites, and to expand human knowledge in the fields of ecology, botany, zoology, natural history, archaeology, and other scientific and educational disciplines. Wildlife abounds due to miles of unspoiled beaches, dense maritime forest, and interior wetlands. You'll tour most habitats on the island including beach, pine flatwoods, maritime forest, and salt marsh. Trip rigor: Moderate, with quite a bit of walking.
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Saturday January 14, 2017
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FORT PULASKI NATIONAL MONUMENT / TYBEE ISLAND
Leader: Malcolm Hodges.
Depart: 7:30 AM. Return: 1:30 PM.
Limit: 20 people. Cost: $7.00/person entry fee (unless you have an annual pass).
Also prepare to pay Tybee Island parking meters. Join Malcolm at historic Fort Pulaski, a 5400-acre National Monument situated on the Savannah River. Fort Pulaski is a great place to find scoters, ducks, and shorebirds, and the occasional brown creeper. You’ll hit the causeway at high tide to survey for Nelson’s and Saltmarsh sparrows. After Fort Pulaski, you’ll visit Tybee Island for gulls, terns, and purple sandpiper. Trip rigor: Moderate with quite a bit of walking.
(Bring $7 for entry fee on day of trip)
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HARRIS NECK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Leader: Larry Carlile.
Depart 7:30 AM. Return: 1:30 PM.
Limit: 20 people.
Cost: $0.01
Meet Chris at the Harris Neck NWR gate (GPS coordinates 31.625, -81.289) at 9:00 AM. Harris Neck’s 2,762 acres consists of saltwater marsh, grassland, and mixed deciduous woods. Because of this great variety of habitats, many different species of birds are attracted to the refuge throughout the year. Large concentrations of ducks gather in the marshland and freshwater pools. Over 15 miles of paved roads and trails provide easy access to the many different habitats. Chosen for its accessibility and bird diversity, Harris Neck is one of 18 sites forming the Colonial Coast Birding Trail, inaugurated in 2000. Some portions of the refuge may be closed due to current logging activities. Trip rigor: Easy.
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LITTLE TYBEE ISLAND BOAT TRIP
Leaders: Captain Rene Heidt and Bob Sargent.
Depart: 7:45 AM. Return: 12:30 PM.
Minimum attendees: 4 people. Maximum attendees: 12 people.
Cost: $65.00
Join Captain Rene and Dr. Bob on a high tide boat tour of marshes and in-shore waters on the way to Little Tybee Island, an uninhabited State Natural Heritage Preserve barrier island, accessible only by boat. Little Tybee hosts lots of wintering shorebirds, gulls, and terns. You should also see marsh sparrows, loons, gannets, grebes, and ducks. Trip rigor: Moderate, but be prepared for wet weather and rough water. Note: The boat will depart at 8:00 AM from the Back River Fishing Pier (GPS coordinates 31.992, -80.853). This will be a beach landing.
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PELAGIC TRIP – NEAR SHORE (10-20 MILES OUT)
Leaders: Patrick Maurice and Dan Vickers.
Depart: 6:30 AM. Return: 3:30 PM.
Minimum/Maximum attendees: 14 people.
Cost: $160 (includes tip for mate).
Join Patrick and Dan as you target species like Manx Shearwater, scoters, loons, gulls, and terns. Weather conditions will determine how far out the Captain will go. If the trip is cancelled due to weather or lack of attendance, your money will be refunded. THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP DAYS. If you cancel and don’t find someone to take your seat, you will forfeit your payment. The boat will depart from the Lazaretto Creek Marina @ 7:00 AM. Trip rigor: Challenging - be prepared for rough water.
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SAVANNAH NATIONAL WILDLIFE, SOLOMON TRACT, CHATHAM COUNTY, GA
Leader: Nathan Farnau.
Depart: 7:30 AM. Return: 1:30 PM.
Limit: 20 people.
Cost: $0.01
Nathan will lead you to the Chatham County portion of the Savannah NWR. This is a heavily wooded site with upland and bottomland hardwoods, a Ducks Unlimited impoundment, and a couple of open fields. Target species include rails, bitterns, sparrows, wintering warblers, and ducks. Trip rigor: Moderate, with a lot of walking.
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SKIDAWAY ISLAND HOTSPOTS
Leader: Russ Wigh.
Depart 7:15 AM. Return 12:00 PM,
Limit: 15 people,
Cost: $0.01
Explore The Landings, a gated community on Skidaway Island, with resident Russ Wigh. Locations include 2 marinas, numerous lagoons, salt marshes, and tidal creeks. Meet Russ at the BP Gas Station (GPS coordinates 31.939, -81.053) just outside of the main entrance of The Landings at 8:00 AM. Trip rigor: Easy.
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WASSAW ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Leaders: Mary Sweeny-Reeves and John Mark Simmons
Depart: 7:15 AM. Return: 5:00 PM.
Limit: 20 people. Cost: $45.00 (funds transferred to UGA MAREX).
Join UGA Marine Extension Service Educators for a trip to Wassaw Island. Mary Sweeney-Reeves of UGA MAREX, assisted by John Mark Simmons, will lead as you travel by boat through tidal creeks to Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge, one of Georgia’s barrier islands. Bottlenose dolphins, sea birds, and bald eagle nests may be seen along the way. Possible bird sightings include gannets, scoters, grebes, mergansers, and white pelicans. Prepare for an exploratory ¾-mile cross-island hike that offers study of the dynamic ecological, physical, and biological processes at work in this unique ecosystem. Beach combing provides marine specimens to explore. Trip is weather dependent. Boats depart from the UGA Marine Extension dock on Skidaway Island. Gather in the lobby of the UGA Marine Aquarium. Trip rigor: Moderate, with quite a bit of hiking over rough terrain, including a 34-ft. high dune and beach walking
trip is full
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Sunday January 15, 2017
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COASTAL GEORGIA BOTANICAL GARDENS
Leader: Stan Gray.
Depart: 7:30 AM. Return: 12:00 PM.
Limit: 20 people.
Cost: $0.01
Meet iris expert and excellent birder Stan Gray at the Botanical Gardens for a tour of ponds, canebrakes, and gardens on the outskirts of Savannah. Trip rigor: Easy.
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LITTLE TYBEE ISLAND BOAT TRIP
Leaders: Captain Rene Heidt and Bob Sargent.
Depart: 7:45 AM. Return: 3:30 PM.
Minimum attendees: 4 people. Maximum attendees: 12 people.
Cost: $65.00
Join Captain Rene and James on a high tide boat tour of marshes and in-shore waters on the way to Little Tybee Island, an uninhabited State Natural Heritage Preserve barrier island accessible only by boat. Little Tybee hosts lots of wintering shorebirds, gulls, and terns. You should also see marsh sparrows, loons, gannets, grebes and ducks. Trip rigor: Moderate, but be prepared for wet weather and rough water. Note: The boat will depart at 8:00 AM from the Back River Fishing Pier (GPS coordinates 31.992, -80.853). This will be a beach landing.
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PELAGIC TRIP – NEAR SHORE (10-20 MILES OUT)
Leader: Bill Lotz.
Depart: 6:30 AM. Return: 3:30 PM.
Minimum/Maximum attendees: 14 people.
Cost: $160 (includes tip for mate).
Join Bill as you target species like Manx Shearwater, scoters, loons, gulls, and terns. Weather conditions will determine how far out the captain will go. If the trip is cancelled due to weather or lack of attendance, your money will be refunded. THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP DAYS. If you cancel and don’t find someone to take your seat, you will forfeit your payment. The boat will depart from the Lazaretto Creek Marina @ 7:00 AM. Trip rigor: challenging - be prepared for rough water.
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SAPELO ISLAND
Leader: Malcolm Hodge.
Depart 6:15 AM. Return 6:30 PM.
Limit: 15 participants.
Cost: $27 (paid with your registration) plus a $5.00 ferry fee (paid at the dock).
Although this island is known to birders as the only Georgia location for the much sought after (and elusive) Plain Chachalaca, this 16,000 acre, 11-mile long island has a rich history and a diverse assemblage of birds within its pristine maritime forests, marshes, and beaches.
Trip rigor: Moderate, with quite a bit of walking.
Trip is full (sorry) |
SAVANNAH HOTSPOTS
Leader: Joel Ludlam.
Depart: 7:30 AM. Return: 1:30 PM.
Limit: 15 people,
Cost: $0.01
Join Savannah resident Joel Ludlam as you visit birding hotspots around Savannah. Possible destinations include Hutchinson Island, Lake Mayer, Chatham County Botanical Gardens, airport ponds, and Forsyth Park. Trip rigor: Easy.
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SAVANNAH NATIONAL WILDLIFE, SOLOMON TRACT, CHATHAM COUNTY, GA
Leader: Steve Wagner.
Depart: 7:30 AM. Return: 1:30 PM.
Limit: 20 people.
Cost: $0.01
Steve will lead you to the Chatham County portion of the Savannah NWR. This is a heavily wooded site with upland and bottomland hardwoods, a Ducks Unlimited impoundment, and a couple of open fields. Target species include rails, bitterns, sparrows, wintering warblers, and ducks. Trip rigor: Moderate, with a lot of walking.
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Monday January 16, 2017
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CHATHAM COUNTY WETLAND MITIGATION SITE
Leader: Stan Gray.
Depart: 7:30 AM. No return trip to hotel.
Limit: 20 people.
Cost: $0.01
Meet Stan at 8:30 AM at the gate (GPS coordinates 31.987, -81.286) of this relatively new county property with lakes, freshwater marshes, and bottomland hardwoods near the Ogeechee River. Rusty blackbirds are known to winter at this location along with ducks, grebes, and sparrows. Trip rigor: Moderate with some of walking.
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LITTLE TYBEE ISLAND BOAT TRIP
Leaders: Captain Rene Heidt and Larry Carlile.
Depart: 08:30 AM. No return trip to hotel.
Minimum attendees: 4 people. Maximum attendees: 12 people.
Cost: $65.00
Join Captain Rene and Larry on a high tide boat tour of marshes and in-shore waters on the way to Little Tybee Island, an uninhabited State Natural Heritage Preserve barrier island accessible only by boat. Little Tybee hosts lots of wintering shorebirds, gulls, and terns. You should also see marsh sparrows, loons, gannets, grebes and ducks. Trip rigor: Moderate, but be prepared for wet weather and rough water. Note: The boat will depart at 9:00 AM from the Back River Fishing Pier (GPS coordinates 31.992, -80.853). This will be a beach landing.
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RICHMOND HILL WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY
Leader: Bob Sargent.
Depart: 7:30 AM. No return trip to hotel.
Limit: 20 people.
Cost: $0.01
Dr. Bob will lead you from Hotel Tybee to Richmond Hill. This is a great sight for ducks, rails, wintering warblers, and sparrows. Trip rigor: Easy.
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TYBEE ISLAND HOTSPOTS
Leader: Diana Churchill.
Depart: 7:30 AM. No return trip to hotel.
Limit: 20 people.
Cost: $0.01, but be prepared to pay the Tybee Island parking meters.
Diana, a Tybee Island resident, will lead you to the best birding spots on Tybee Island. Expect to find shorebirds, gannets, ducks, and more. Trip rigor: Moderate, with quite a bit of walking on the beach.
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Release and Waiver (if you didn't click it up above)
WAIVER: You must select this item and add it to your cart.
RELEASE
GOS requires registration for participation in the meeting and field trips, and also requires all registrants to acknowledge the following release. If the participant is a minor, a parent or legal guardian must acknowledge this release.
Each registrant named, both adult and minor, desires to participate in the field trips and other activities at this meeting of the Georgia Ornithological Society (GOS). Therefore, each registrant knowingly and voluntarily grants to the GOS and its officers, committee members, and any other persons engaged in activities in connection with this meeting, a full release from any claim, liability, or cost of any nature on account of personal illness or bodily injury, loss of life, or loss or damage to property directly or indirectly arising out of the registrant’s participation in this meeting.
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