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| winter 2008 meeting. . . |
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The past six weeks have been an especially rewarding and busy time within GOS, but most of the birds are still basking in the tropics, so why not get some of the business behind us before they return? It hasn’t been all work, of course, as we spent an enjoyable four-day weekend meeting and birding in Bainbridge in January. It’s about time we ventured to that corner of the state, as our records indicate that we have never held a meeting in that city. The Cliff Notes version of the Bainbridge experience: The birding was good (see the species list in this newsletter), our local hosts and field trip guides were fabulous, the speakers (three of them!) were outstanding, the weather was obscene at times, and the hotel provided more adventure than some of us could stand. Prior to the meeting, several GOS members joined Mike Harris and other Georgia DNR staff at Silver Lake north of Lake Seminole to witness a longleaf forest paradise. You see, DNR contacted us last fall to ask if we would be interested in partnering with them in an effort to purchase 3,900 acres of pristine longleaf pine forest adjacent to the Lake Seminole WMA. The property in question supports 18 Red-cockaded Woodpecker groups, a population of the state-threatened Gopher Tortoise, an active Bald Eagle nest, and many other species of concern. It’s extraordinarily diverse old-growth habitat, so protecting it was a high priority for conservationists in Georgia. During the tour we had the opportunity to watch two eagles and a flock of Sandhill Cranes cruising over Silver Lake, walked through a grove of towering longleaf pines, and ended the day with our binoculars glued to a feeding RCW as the sun dropped below the horizon. The tour culminated with the presentation of a check from GOS to DNR in the amount of $100,000. We’re proud that GOS was able to play a role in the preservation of such an invaluable forest, which will be managed to promote biodiversity, to enhance the survival of rare species, and for the enjoyment of the public, including birders. Friday night’s program featured two UGA student speakers, both of whom had been recipients of grants or scholarships from GOS. DeeAnne Meliopoulos, our secretary, carried the audience along with her as she relived her birding trip to the Ecuador highlands last September. Then Nico Dauphine dazzled the audience with stunning pictures of birds she captured during her field research in Peru. Much later that night those of us who were staying at the conference hotel, especially in the rooms near the lobby, learned, much to our annoyance, that the hotel was “the place” for young folks in the Bainbridge area to flock, to strut, and to bellow. Not surprisingly, many of us were more red-eyed than usual Saturday morning, and what a Saturday morning! The weather on Friday had been just fine for the birders who convened at the Bradley Unit of Eufaula WMA before traveling to Bainbridge, but on Saturday we awoke to an Arctic monsoon. I know that seems like an oxymoron, but you had to be there to believe it. The temperature never got above the mid-forties, and the rain blew sideways in sheets by mid-day. Late that morning I was struggling to make sense of ducks drifting in and out of the fog that settled over the western side of Lake Seminole, and when I glanced back at our intrepid group of birders, it struck me that each of us looked like a walking duck blind – enveloped in earth-colored rain slickers, shivering with each wind gust. Saturday night kicked off with a social, followed by the presentation of the Earle Greene Award to Jeannie Wright (see the story in this newsletter). Then, in keeping with the weekend’s tropical birding program theme, we were treated to a picturesque and funny program by Dr. Lynn Fowler about her work leading birding tours in the Galapagos Islands. Instead of ending the evening with the usual species countdown, we postponed that event until the planned “flocking” scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Either the local revelers found some other place to rock on Saturday night or we were too tired to notice their repeat uproar, because the night seemed to pass without incident. Our fortune took a positive turn with the arrival of Sunday morning, as the monsoon had departed, but unfortunately, the Arctic conditions persisted. I was with the group that visited Lake Walter F. George that day, and was astonished by what we saw below and on the dam: more than 40 Great Blue Herons, nearly 100 Double-crested Cormorants, and both pelican species. Overhead soared three rambunctious immature Bald Eagles, grappling with each other in the frigid gusts, and below flew a flock of Least Sandpipers and a lone Palm Warbler, flitting in and out of cubbyholes in the dam superstructure, trying to find shelter. Back at the hotel late Sunday afternoon we found that our first attempt at “flocking” was a mixed success, as no one had slides or any other materials to present! Nevertheless, about 30 of us enjoyed snacks and conversation, swapping survival tales about the weekend, and then most of us got together again to enjoy dinner at a restaurant a block from the hotel. Monday morning was sunny and much warmer, and the gang split up to enjoy two last field trips before heading back to our respective “grindstones.” My sincere thanks and admiration go out to the people who made this meeting possible, especially Bill Lotz, Dan Vickers, Jeannie Wright, Steve Holzman, Condit Lotz, and the many field trip leaders. Sure, the weather was fearful at times, but everyone I spoke to that weekend agreed that birding in ugly weather is still better than a great day at the office. I look forward to seeing you in the field. Submitted by Bob Sargent
Steve Holzman, Compiler The following table contains a
combined list of the species
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3/2008
