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| spring 2008 meeting. . . |
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The quaint town of Clayton, in the mountains of north Georgia, hosted the 2008 GOS Spring meeting from May 16-18. Apparently the mountains agreed with many, as 97 GOS members registered for this event. Birding in the higher elevations gave “flat-land” birders the opportunity to see species not found elsewhere. The weather cooperated nicely as we searched for mountain species. The historic Old Clayton Inn served as our meeting headquarters, with registration held Friday afternoon. Nearby shops within walking distance offered unique shopping opportunities for nonbirding spouses or any others who were so inclined. The speaker for Friday evening was Kirk Stodola, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Georgia and recipient of the H. Branch Howe, Jr., Graduate Student Research Award. Kirk’s presentation was entitled “A Bird’s Eye View of Climate Change,” and included a delightful Power-Point presentation on his research into the ecology of Black-throated Blue Warblers in the Georgia mountains. After a delicious complimentary hot breakfast for those staying at the Old Clayton Inn, birders were off to their field trips beginning at 6:20 AM Saturday. The temperature was a cool 41°F as birders departed the hotel, making a jacket feel wonderful. Saturday’s field trips included Brasstown Bald, Sosebee Cove and Cooper’s Creek WMA, led by Ken Blankenship; Burrell’s Ford Road and Ellicott Rock Wilderness, led by Darlene Moore; Black Rock Mountain State Park and Warwoman Dell Recreation Area, led by Georgann Schmalz; the Blairsville Ingles and Ivy Log Gap Road (west to east), led by Dan Vickers; Ivy Log Gap Road and the Blairsville Ingles (east to west), led by Carol Lambert and Jeff Sewell; Rabun Bald and the Dillard Loop, led by Louis Schweizer; and Tallulah Gorge State Park, led by Bill Lotz. A poster session at 5:00 PM, a social hour at 6:00 PM, and a delicious banquet meal featuring prime rib preceded the main speaker Saturday night. GOS members were entertained that evening by author and adventurer Alan Tennant, whose book, On the Wing: To the End of the Earth with the Peregrine Falcon, documents his travels in a small airplane as he and the pilot followed a Peregrine Falcon on its migration journey from the Texas coast into Canada, and then later as they followed falcons into Central America. Alan’s use of a slide show and excerpts from his book kept the audience on the edge of their seats as he took us from one country to another, eloquently describing the successes and failures of the mission. After Alan’s presentation a species countdown was performed with the delightful assistance of Dot Freeman. One hundred seventeen bird species were observed during this weekend of birding. Sunday’s field trips also left at 6:20 AM from the hotel. Those field trips included “moveable feast” to Brasstown Bald and other sites, led by Dan Vickers; Smithgall Woods-Dukes Creek Conservation Area, led by Patty McLean; Black-Throated Blue Warbler banding, led by Kirk Stodola; Popcorn Overlook, Brasstown Bald and Sosebee Cove, led by Carol Lambert and Jeff Sewell; Ivy Log Gap Road, Gumlog Road and the Blairsville Ingles, led by Ken Blankenship; and Rabun Bald and Overflow Creek Road, led by Louis Schweizer. It was an honor and a privilege to be on a field trip Sunday that included Dick Parks, one of the original founding members of GOS. That’s one of the special reasons I personally enjoy the GOS meetings; it’s not just about seeing the birds. Enjoying the company of other birders, getting to know familiar faces better, and seeing old friends again is just as exciting as seeing the Willow Flycatcher at the Ingles parking lot in Blairsville. So if you are new to GOS, or are a long time member who hasn’t come to the spring or winter meetings, I encourage you to do so. Informative presenters, knowledgeable field trip leaders, great scenery, strong leadership, and just down-to earth good people are what you will encounter. Consider making plans now to join us for the winter meeting to be held on Tybee Island, January 16-19, 2009. You can expect a good time and lots of wintering birds. Submitted by Phil Hardy
Bill Lotz, Compiler The following table contains a
combined list of the species
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1/2009
