Volume LIX, Number 1 September 2006 P R E S I D E N T ’ S M E S S A G E Shirley Farrell, Pres i d e n t Summer birding trips are few times rare bird species around the rently carrying the strain, I worry and far between. I just came in from state. that people may kill migratory birds a joint excursion of the Birmingham Birmingham Audubon Society out of fear. I have listed two web- Audubon Society and the River needs your help!! Each year we have sites that carry updated information Region Bird Club (a chapter of the th r ee bird counts. Here’s your about Avian Flu. You can go to the AOS) to the Prattville area to see chance to be a citizen scientist and Center for Disease Control - kites. The sun stayed tucked behind help provide information for scien- ht t p : / / w w w. c d c . g o v / f l u / a v i a n / g e the clouds to make the morning tists to use about the bird species n-info/facts.htm or to The Cornell bearable as we stood in a hay field and numbers in our area. Counts are Lab of Ornithology - on a late July day. What a spectacu- a great way to learn birds by sight ht t p : / / w w w. b i rd s . c o r n e l l . e d u / b i r d- lar sight to see over 30 Swallow- and song but I will warn you, we flu for updates. Ac c o r ding to the tailed Kites perform aerial maneu- move quickly to get through the ter- Cornell Lab of Ornithology “To date, vers over the fields as they caught ritory before the day ends. Mostly, the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus and ate June Bugs on the wing. this birding is by car with little to has not been found in birds or These birds were gorging them- moderate walking. It is much easier people in North America. Even in selves to prep a r e for their long than one of our birding trips. Mark ar eas where the virus has been migration. Remind me why we your calendars to join us on found, there have been no docu- don’t have more birding trips dur- Sa t u rd a y , September 30, 2006, for the mented reports of humans contract- ing the summer? Fall Bird Count; Saturda y , December ing the virus from wild birds, except I can’t wait for the new year of 23, 2006, for the Christmas Bird for an unconfirmed report that BAS to begin. We have great speak- Count; and Saturda y , April 28, 2007, patients in Azerbaijan may have ers coming to the meetings and lots for the Spring Bird Count. After a become ill after defeathering swans. of birding trips planned. Continuing day of counting birds, we gather at a In most cases, humans have the new “tradition,” we will have home to share snacks and compile become infected after close contact two birding trips a month. Our our species totals. For more informa- with diseased poultry, products, or twice-a-month birding trips were tion check out the calendar in this contaminated surfaces, i.e., close well attended last year. The first issue or call Greg Harber at 251- contact with large amounts of virus field trip of the month, generally the 21 3 3 . shed by infected birds. This is very first Saturday of the month, is a local This summer several teachers di ff e r ent from how bird watchers half-day birding trip in or arou n d have told me that their principals and biologists interact with birds . ” Birmingham. You would be sur- will not let them feed birds at school Please help get the message out prised to see how many diffe re n t an y m o r e due to the “threat” of to others. It is safe to continue feed- avian neighbors we have in the city Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Vir us or ing and watching birds without con- limits. The second field trip is Bi r d Flu epidemic. My fear is that tracting the disease. ar ound the third weekend of the the average citizen will turn their I look forward to see all of you at month and takes us one to two back on nature and the birds due to a field trip or meeting this year! hours away from Birmingham to see this threat. While there are no wild the diffe r ent, unusual, and some- bi r ds in North America that are cur- SoSo For the Record Sightings May 8 through July 30, 2006 By this time last year hurricanes had already stirred up some exciting (displaced) birds. This year a drought is the top news. However, intense atlasing has stimulated summertime birding. A full report will, no doubt, be given la t e r , but one interesting discovery was the extended range of Tree Swallows. They were found nesting at Logan Martin Lake 4 June (PF) and at two locations near Ashville 18 June (GH,PR,JG). Tree Swallows were also observed feeding young at Indian Lake Estates 27 June (HHK birding class). The Sargents report rec o r d numbers of hummers at their forty feeders. The 29 July BAS field trip led by Tommy Pratt and Greg Harber to the Prattville/Autaugaville area prod u c e d Mississippi (24) and Swallow-tailed (34) Kites. A nice surprise was a 1st year Painted Bunting. Obviously, a br eeding sign for that locality. Other birds sighted were: 5/8 Mississippi Kite; Eurasian Collared-Dove (4) 7/19 Sandpipers- Spotted, Least (20), and Pectoral; “at my feeder, first year”; Rose-breasted Lake Purdy (HW,A C , J G ) . Grosbeak (6); Montevallo (MB). 7/30 Magnolia and Canada Warblers (early?) Clay 5/27 Brown Pelican (6)!!; Lake Logan Martin (JI). (B S , M S ) . 6/3 Eurasian Collared-Dove; Riverchase Parkway Contributors: (P F ) . Tom Blankenship, Mac Braid, Alice Christenson, Paul Franklin, Jessica Germany, Greg Harber, Mary Hines, 6/4 Cedar Waxwing (5); Warblers- Yel l o w , Catherine Hodges, John Imhof, Helen Kittinger, Rick Blue-winged, and Swainson’s; Pell City (PF). Ki t t i n g e r , Tommy Pratt, Elouise Raffe r t t y , Pelham Rowan, Bob and Martha Sargent, Harriett Wri g h t . 6/27 House Wre n ; Roebuck (CH,HHK). Please submit sightings for October FF at least five days 7/4 White Ibis, imm (2); Marion Fish Hatchery; be f o r e September 1st deadline to Ann Miller, 520 Mississippi Kites (5); Lakeland Farms Yor k s h i r e Drive, Birmingham, Al. 35209. (H H K , R J K , T B ) . 7/ 1 1 White Ibis (25+); Wood Storks (10); Fosters, (HHK birding class). Fall classes at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. To register by phone, call the BBG Education Department at 414-3950. Individual or Family Class Individual or Family Class Name That Bird: Basic Bird I.D. The Marvelous Monarchs Four Tuesdays (plus numerous weekend field trips) Sa t u r d a y , September 9, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26 ~ 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Instructor: Larry Quick, Executive Director, Aldridge Gardens Instructor: Greg Harber, Director, Audubon Mountain Wor k s h o p $12 Members/$24 Non-Members President of Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries Children free with paid adult $64 Members/$128 Non-Members The migration of Monarch butterflies is one of nature’s most Limited to 25 astounding feats. Each year hundreds of millions of these delicate yet Are you interested in the birds around you? Interested enough to determined insects travel from as far away as Canada to spend the win- learn more about them, such as how to identify the dozens and dozens ter outside Mexico City in fir trees high on a volcanic mountain range. of species present in the South? Join Greg Harber, past president of For months they gather en masse waiting for spring to begin their jour- Birmingham Audubon Society, as we cover topics such as choosing and neys home. Larry Quick recently experienced this intriguing natural phe- using the best binoculars for birding and selecting the best field guide nomenon in person and will share his photos and Monarch experiences. (bird book). Then we’ll use lectures and field trips to help you learn to Each participating family will receive a butterfly egg or caterpillar along recognize birds by their field marks and GIS. (You have to sign up to find with its appropriate host plant. out what these terms mean.) In this season of changing beauty, what could be better than a little “serious fun?” Learn some ornithology, meet new people, see new places, and learn lots about the birds around you. continued on page 11 SE P T E M B E R MO N T H LY ME E T I N G David Frings, Dire c t o r Oak Mountain State Park Interpretive Center T h u r s d a y, September 21, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. Birmingham Zoo Auditorium Alabama native David M. Frings is the dire c t o r and was elected mayor of the City of A l a b a s t e r. He of the Oak Mountain Interpretive Center (OMIC). is now serving his second term in office.