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04 Apr-Biknox VOLUME 27 • NUMBER 3 APR 2004 through the biKNOXularsbiKNOXulars Newsletter of the Knoxville Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society ‘Whooping Crane Migration in the Eastern Flyway’ is the topic of April 7 program TOS member Vickie (Taylor) Henderson know the Operation Migration pilots and crew mem- presents "Whooping Crane Migration in bers. This past fall, Henderson was in charge of K the Eastern Flyway" on Wednesday, making sure the Whooping Crane pen at April 7 at 7 p.m. Henderson actively Hiwassee Refuge was clear of trash and volunteers for Operation Migration, the was prepared for the Whoopers’ arrival. organization overseeing the reintroduc- Operation Migration has benefited tion of the Whooping Crane Migration from Henderson’s other talents as well. from Wisconsin to Florida. She created the artwork for their new Henderson’s interest was piqued hat. She has created a child’s coloring when she first learned about Operation book for the Whooping Crane Migration and the cranes passing Conservation. though "our back yard," Hiwassee Henderson has also participated Refuge (Meigs County). Since then she in the more mundane, but equally has been present at Hiwassee for all of important, tasks of handing out the ultra-light trained migrations. - (Continued on page 2) During the stopovers she has gotten to ✍ MARK YOUR CALENDAR Friday, April 2 - Sunday, April 4 Southern Illinois and St. Louis. See page 1. April field trips. Thursday, April 15, 22 and 29•8 AM Friday, April 2 - Sunday, April 4 Sharps Ridge, Knox County. See page 1. Southern Illinois and St. Louis. Saturday, April 17•7 AM Leader: David Trently: [email protected]; 974-8664 (w); Oak Ridge Reservation's North 531-1473 (h). Target Birds will include Greater Prairie Chicken Boundary Trail Greenway. See page 2. and Eurasian Tree Sparrow. For details on this trip please call David Trently. Sunday, April 18•8 AM Williams Creek, Knoxville. See page 2. Thursday, April 15, 22, and 29•8 AM Sharps Ridge, Knox County. Saturday, April 24•8 AM Leader: Tony Headrick: 687-9956. Meet at the ranger’s house PUBLIC FIELD TRIP to Sharps Ridge. See page 2. at 7:30 a.m. The walk will be along the road in Sharps Ridge Sunday, April 25•All day Memorial Park. Spring migrants are the objects of this field trip. Orioles, grosbeaks warblers and other spring migrants Knox County Spring Bird Count. See page 7. are expected. (Continued on page 2) “Oh, the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west.” - Toll slowly. Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861) PAGE 2 Whooping crane program - (Continued from page 1) information and collecting donations at wildlife art festivals. She has also given slide presentations about the Whooping Crane Project at other venues. Joseph Duff and Bill Lishman founded Operation Migration in 1998 with the mission to help endangered bird species by introducing them to safe migratory routes. On their first adventure using ultra-light aircraft they lead 18 Canada Geese in migration from Ontario to Virginia. Between 1995 and 2000, Operation Migration studied Sandhill Cranes, the non-endangered relatives of Whooping Cranes. Part of that study included teaching/leading the Sandhill Cranes on a migratory route from Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, Wisconsin to Crystal River, Florida, including a stopover at Hiwassee Refuge. In 2001 Operation Migration successfully led the first flock of six Whooping Cranes on the same route. To learn more about Operation Migration and how you can become involved check out their website: http://www.operationmigration.org/ On April 7, Henderson’s "Whooping Crane Migration in the Eastern Flyway" presentation will describe the historic range and decline of the Whooping Cranes, give an overview of historic efforts to help the species recov- er and take the audience step by step through the migration project which begins prior to the egg hatching. See you there, in Room 117 of the UT Vet School (on Joe Johnson Drive just off Neyland Dr.) at 7 p.m. - Tracey Muise, program coordinator ✍ MARK YOUR CALENDAR stretch of urban forest and varying habitats all April field trips (Continued from page 1) along the beautiful Williams Creek. The distance is approximately 1.5 miles each way. Depending on Saturday, April 17•7 AM weather, some areas may be moist or muddy. Oak Ridge Reservation's North Boundary Trail Greenway Leader: Dev Joslin: (865) 482-7591, [email protected] Saturday, April 24•8 AM We will meet at 7:00 a.m. in the back of the Walmart PUBLIC FIELD TRIP to Sharps Ridge parking lot (near Panera's) in downtown Oak Ridge Leaders will include Harold Howell: (865) 828-6302, (on Illinois Ave, the main road into Oak Ridge coming Dr. Dean Edwards: 560-9701 and Tony Headrick: in on the Pellissippi parkway). 687-9956. All other KTOS members are urged to This several mile loop passes over and along Bear attend. The more birders we have listening, the more and East Fork Poplar Creeks crossing mature forest, birds we will see and that may translate into new riparian, shrub-scrub, wetland and second-growth recruits for our hobby. forest habitats. Twenty-two of 32 Ridge and Valley Meet at the overlook at 8:00 a.m. The walk will be “species of conservation concern" are known to breed along the road in Sharps Ridge Memorial Park. Spring here, as well as seven species on Partner's in Flight's migrants are the objects of this field trip. Orioles, National Watch List. By this date, Kentucky, Prairie and grosbeaks, warblers and other spring migrants are Yellow-throated Warblers should have returned along expected. The general public will be invited. with Acadian Flycatchers, Summer Tanagers, Yellow- -Best regards, Harold Howell, field trip coordinator billed Cuckoos, Wood Thrushes and Yellow-breasted Chats. Other very likely species are Blue-winged ✍ MARK YOUR CALENDAR Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo, Red-headed Woodpecker, Wild Turkey and Bob-white Banding at Seven Islands on Saturday, April 3 Quail. Possible are Louisiana Waterthrush, Cerulean Warbler and many migrant species passing through. We will be meeting in the Seven Islands parking lot at 7 a.m. and usually finish around noon. Sunday, April 18•8 AM We are doing some flush-line banding which means Williams Creek, Knoxville we walk in a line through the thick grass and sticks in Leader: Mark Campen: (865) 523-3800 or the field toward a line of mist nets to flush birds into [email protected]/ Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the large park- the nets. We usually set up about 40 meters of nets so ing lot at the UT Agriculture Campus, on the corner of sometimes we catch a lot of birds. We are trying to see Neyland Drive and Center Avenue, for car pooling to what the species distribution is in the fields during the Birdsong Street off Riverside Drive. We will go from non-breeding season. field habitat to the (surprisingly) moderately wooded Anyone interested in helping out contact Jim golf course (under construction) to a heavily wooded Giocomo (865) 974-8749. - Submitted by Jim Giocomo P AGE 3 CLUB HISTORY 1924-2004 ✍ MARK YOUR CALENDAR KTOS to celebrate 80th Birthday June 2 at Ijams -By Lyn Bales ho would have guessed that when a group of The party will be held in the Visitors Center large birders got together in South Knoxville in 1924 Multi-purpose Room and Back Terrace. We plan to W to form a club that it would have endured. walk down to the Ijams Homesite to take a group But it did; and it’s still going strong. photo of all KTOS members that are present (see It’s our octogenarial birthday, so let’s have below). We’d also like to have a Silent Auction a party! Our traditional June potluck picnic with a portion of the proceeds going to the will be held again at Ijams Nature Center new raptor enclosure at Ijams (see below). on Wednesday, June 2, but this one will If you know any former members or be a little different. We’ll be celebrating anyone that might like to become a our 80th birthday at the site where it member please invite them to attend. all started. As is tradition, everyone should bring According to J.B. Owen,* the first a covered dish to share. We also hear “official organizational meeting, with there will be a birthday cake. Plans are the first officers elected and minutes still a bit tentative but the following kept, was on January 13, 1924. The timetable should be close. group chose to be known as the East 5:30 PM - Begin early to have time to Tennessee Ornithological Society, a socialize, do some birding at Ijams and name they were to keep for 18 years.” take a leisurely stroll to the Homesite. There were ten charter members and H.P. Ijams was elected president. 7 PM - (Weather permitting) Assemble We’ll be celebrating our 80th at as a group at Ijams Homesite for a Ijams in June so that we’ll have plenty photo of all KTOS members present. of daylight to enjoy the park plus we 7:30ish - Reassemble at Visitor Center have a few special activities planned. for food and a short business meeting. Tentative KTOS Birthday Party Activities Group Photo We’d like to recreate (in the same location) the group photo to the left taken in 1940. Silent Auction We hope to have a silent auction to raise money for the planned new raptor enclosure at Ijams. But, in order to do that we need donations of auctionable items.
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