April 2009 Ecobon Newsletter Hilton Head Island Audubon Society

8/9/2019 April 2009 Ecobon Newsletter Hilton Head Island Audubon Society

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EcobonNewsletter of the Hilton Head Island Audubon Society

Audubon Refuge Keepers

APRIL PRogRAm by Charlotte WhiteTuesday, April 14, 2009, 7:30 p.m. at the Seabrook

Little Bwn Jbbies ~ The Spaws

For our April program, Diana Churchill will give a powerpoint presentation thelp us understand those confusing little brown jobbies sparrows. For oveeight years, Diana has been writing a twice a month column about birds for the Savannah Morning News Closeups. Read more about her work at the following we

site: http://web.me.com/dichurchbirds.

When I wrote to ask Diana questions about her interest in birds, her writtenresponse was as easy to read as her column. Here she writes: I got interested ibirds as a young girl. My folks always had bird feeders outside the window. W

did a lot of camping vacations and were always fascinated with wildlife. I took onmonth-long class in Ornithology at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL. After thatI sort of got away from birds until the early 1980s when I was living in NewtonMassachusetts. I discovered that the Brookline Bird Club led early morning sprinmigration walks at Mt. Auburn Cemetery every morning from mid-April until thend of May. I began listening to Birding by Ear tapes and going on as many eld

trips as possible. Most of what I've learned has been by being out in the eld with

people who know more than I do.

After living in Massachusetts for 17 years, Diana returned to her hometowof Savannah. There she has worked for Wild Birds Unlimited as a Bird FeedinSpecialist, and for Wilderness Southeast as Administrative Assistant and NaturalisGuide. She is active with Ogeechee Audubon, as well as helping with the ColoniaCoast Birding and Nature Festival and leading eld trips for Georgia Ornithologi

cal Society meetings.

To meet one of our Audubon Savannah neighbors, who not only knows a greadeal about birds but also writes about them and photographs them, come to thimeeting about sparrows on Tuesday, April 14, WITH A FRIEND, at 7:30 p.m. a

the Seabrook, 300 Woodhaven Drive, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

April 2009

No. 300

PRESIDEnT'S mESSAgE

By Bill Nicol

TheSouthCarolinaDepartmentof

NaturalResources(SCDNR)ischartered

toserveastheprincipaladvocateforand

stewardofSouthCarolinasnaturalre-

sources.Wehavevisitedseveraloftheir

managedareas(BearIsland,Donnelly,Victoria Bluff) on recent eld trips and

willvisitanother(Webb)inApril.The

currenteconomicdownturnhasimpacted

theirfundingfromthestateandrequires

themtomakedowithfewerresources.

AsAudubonmembersandsupportersof

theSCDNRmission,wecanhelpthem

intheirtimeofneedbybuyingahunt-

ing/shing license even though you may

be neither a hunter nor a sherman. The

fundscollectedfromthesaleoflicenses

arematchedbytheFederalGovernmentandallfundsgodirectlytoSCDNRto

support their work. Hunters and sh-

ermen provide a signicant portion of

SCDNR funds in each scal year used

tomaintain theWildlifeManagement

Areas.

Iwasborn andraised inWestern

Pennsylvaniaandmostofmyrelatives

were hunters and shermen. I never had

any interest in hunting or shing; how-

everIhavepurchasedaSClicensejust

tohelpmaintain these important areas

inourstate.Ifyouwanttohelp,goto

www.dnr.sc.govorcall803-734-3833

andapplyforalicense.Speciallicenses

areavailableforseniors.

Mark your calendar~Theannualend

ofthemeetingyearpicnicwillbeheld

onMay12th.Detailswillbeannounced

at theAprilmeetingand in thenext

Ecobon.

FIELD TRIPS by Kay Hodnett

AfteraninterestingvisittoaraptorrehabilitationfacilityinMarch,inAprilw

areheadingbacktothewildtolookforbirds.WewillvisitWebbWildlifeManage

mentAreaonApril26,aSunday(theonlydayoftheweekthistimeofyearwhen

Webbisclosedtoturkeyhunters).BarryLoweshasagreedtoleadthistrip.

Webbisoneofthepremierbirdingdestinationsinthearea,andAprilisthebes

timeofyeartogo.Weshouldsee,interalia,redcockadedwoodpeckersandpainted

buntings.Buttodosoweneedtoarriveearly.Thosewishingtocarpoolneedtobe

atMossCreekVillageintimefordepartureat7AMsharp.Ittakesaboutanhour

andahalftodrivetoWebb.IwillbringdrivingdirectionstotheAprilmeetingand

alsotoMossCreekVillage.

TosignupforthetripcallKayHodnettat342-7485oremailolivhod2@aol.com

(pleaseincludethewordAudubonorbirdinthesubjectline).


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HHI AudubonBd f Dcs:PresidentBill Nicol 671-4721

Vice PresidentKen Neitzke 705-3970

TreasurerKaren McGinty 681-8498Fran Baer 686-6348

Recording SecretarySteve White 837-4597Corresponding SecretarySherman Barker 342-6596

MembersatLargeHoward Costa 842-9447Jim Currie 681-8525Marianne Currie 681-8525Clem Dietze 837-2612Barry Lowes 671-3537Nan Lloyd 363-2092Betty Walter 842-7147Joan Wilson 837-2874

Cmm Csns: AdoptARefuge (Pinckney)Clem Dietze 837-2612

Karen McGinty 681-8498Audubon Newhall PreserveJoan Shulman 842-9246

Bird Walks/Field TripsKay Hodnett 342-7485

Bird House ConstructionJim Currie 681-8525

Bird Seed SaleEd Nash 681-5725

Christmas Bird CountBarry Lowes 671-3537

EducationMary Jane Major 342-5804

HistorianBetsy Pehrson 689-2243

Hospitality

Thea Luba 785-3214LegislationOPEN

MembershipThea Luba 785-3214

Newsletter CirculationMarianne Currie 681-8525

Newsletter EditorJoan Wilson 837-2874

ProgramsCharlotte White 837-4597

Publicity & Public RelationsClem Dietze 837-2612

Sales Table

OPEN 686-6406Shorebirds/ConservationHoward Costa 842-9447

Special ProjectsRichard Shulman 842-9246

Sun City RepresentativeKevin Cahill 705-3570

Wetlands/ConservationSally Krebs H: 757-2973 O: 341-4690

Website: www.hiltonheadaudubon.org

TheEcobon is a monthly publication (September through May) of

the Hilton Head Island Audubon Society. Subscription is a benet

of membership. Direct inquiries to P.O. Box 6185, Hilton Head

Island, South Carolina 29938 or call one of the above ofcers

or chairpersons.

Page2 April2009

GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

SCHOOL PROGRAM - 2009

We have completed our February School Program and we presented our birdingprogram to ve schools and about 500 students. A BIG THANK YOU to our volunteers who gave the presentation, they are Bill Nicol, Kay Grinnell, Angela AndersonJohn Edman, Joan and Richard Shulman, Mary Jane Major, Marianne Currie, KevinCahill, Jim Ennis and alternates, Jim Grove, Mark Hyner, Sherman Barker and PhylliCooper.

We would like to thank the teachers who assisted us and the schools.

Whale Banch Middle Schl - Lois Lewis program coordinator 6th grade teacherVick Bradley - LMC Specialist, Catia Gilbert 7th grade teacher, Mike Floyd 5th gradeteacher, Connie Singleton - Murphy Coach for Science/Math, Darky James LibraryAide.

Daskie Island - pre k through 5th grade Teacher - Brooke Rowes.

HHIBE - 3rd grade Teacher - Stephen Bouvier, Coordinator for 8 classes.

Hiltn Head Pep. - 5th grade Teacher - Nancy Biel.

McCacken - 6th grade Science students Teacher - Susan Dee.

~ THANK YOU, KENNY NEITZKE, V.P.If any members would like to join us for the 2010 February program watch for theNovember Ecobon.

A FEW STUDENT THANK YOU LETTERS

Dear Mr. Edmon, Thankyou for teaching us the sounds and information abou

certain birds. I really enjoyed the pictures of the different types of birds. That was

cool. I hope we will meet again some time soon. Sincerely, Rasheed Dais PS have a

wonderfultime and if yall discover a new type of bird please come back and tell us.j

Dear Mr. Ken Neitzke, Thank you for spending your time to come see us. You did

a good thing. My favortive birds that you talked about are Bluebird, mourning dove

woodstork, and a Blue Jay. My favoritive part was when we got to see the quails tha

was in the cage. Thanks you again for everything. I had a great time listening to you

Love, Leighanna Manowshi

Dear Mr. Ken Neitzke, I thank you fore coming to our school My favorite part of the

show was the bird slide show. A bird experience I had was their was a rat in the road

and a bid scooped it up. The reason birds are important because they help people who

go in coal mines. If their is a poison in the mine the bird will die rst, and the people

might run. Olumiwale Grant

SavannahNationalWildlifeRefugeVisitorCenterOpening

Theexactdatefortheopeninghasnotbeenannouncedasyet.Thebuildingisalmos

complete.Volunteersareneededforthevisitorcenter.Theplanistohavetwovisito

aidsatthemaindesk.Thisisagreatopportunitytovolunteerwithafriendplusbein

theknowforwhatisgoingonattherefuge.Trainingwillbegivenforthevolunteer

positions.IfyouareinterestedorhavequestionspleasecontactmeorPatMetzatthe

Savannah National Wildlife Complex ofces. Karen McGinty, 681-8498, kmpelican@

aol.com


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April2009 Page3

REcEnT AREA bIRD SIghTIngSby Jack Colcolough

E-MAIL Reminder

Have you sent your E-mail address in to Nan?

If not, please send it to Nan

at [email protected].

Spring has sprung and our spring migration is on! Early

migrants and summer birds are beginning to show up in ou

area; be looking for them during the next month. Our winter

birds and ducks have left or will soon be leaving.

Early migrants reported todate included: American Restart

Northern Parula, Yellow-throated Warbler and Blue-gray

Gnatcatcher. Early summer arrivals were: Green Heron

Rough-winged Swallow, Purple Martin, White-eyed Vireo

Gray Catbird and Common Yellowthroat.

Rare birds reported were: very rare Spotted Towhee, Snow

Goose, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Great White-fronted

Goose, Virginia & King Rails at Savannah NWR, Parasitic

Jaeger, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Reddish Egret at Fish

Haul Creek, Bachmans Sparrow and Red-cockaded Wood

pecker at Webb WMA and Fox Sparrow at Shelter Cove

Park.

Uncommon birds reported included: Baltimore OrioleBlue-headed Vireo, Winter & Sedge Wrens, Vesper Sparrow

Purple Finch, Peregrine Falcon, Canvasback, Rusty Black

birds, Wilsons Plover, White-breasted Nuthatch, Golden

crowned Kinglet, Orange-crowned Warbler and Loggerhead

Shrike.

The Bald Eagles nest on Indigo Runs Golden Bear Golf

Course has two large eaglets that are about ready to edge.

Other good nds reported recently were: Whimbrel, Gad

wall, Sora, Red-headed Woodpecker, Eurasian-collared Dove

and Dark-eyed Junco.

Thanks to all reporting their ndings: Barry Lowes, Kay

Hodnett, Fran/Denny Baer, Dottie Bass, Doris McCullough

Doris Stoner, Richard Shulman, Dianne Faucette, Dave Lovett

Carole Jorgensen, Peter Zachmann, Bev Schneider, Dennis

Forsythe, Sally Lesesne, Wayne Pope, et al plus several visi

tors.

To report a rare, uncommon or rst-of-the-year (FOTY)

or season bird sighting in our area, please e-mail jackcol

[email protected], call 689-3455 or send a blank e-mail to

[email protected] to join the birding group

and report your sighting.

noTES FRom ThE nEWhALL PRESERVEby Joan Shulman

As usual in the Spring, we will again have guided walks in the

Preserve. The walks help us fulll part of our educational mission

and raise some funds to maintain the Preserve. We offer walks in

the Spring and Fall when a variety of owers are blooming, the

weather is not too hot, and the insects are not too bothersome.

All of the walks are on Wednesdays at 10:00 A.M. They beginin the parking lot of the Preserve on Palmetto Bay Road. Adults

are charged $7.00 each. Children under 12 are free. For further

information, call me at 842-9246. All of the walks identify the

owers, plants, shrubs, and trees unique to the lowcountry, talk

about the history of the Preserve, and point out the special eco-

logical systems found there.

April 8, Native Plants and Unique Habitats on a Sea Island led

by Betty Treen, a Master Gardener and an experienced docent.

April 22, The Birth and Growth of a Sea Island led by Mary

Alice Walker, an amateur naturalist and experienced docent.

April 29, A Woodland Walk led by Joan Shulman, chair of the

Audubon Newhall Preserve Committee.

Please bring a friend or relative and join us on one of the

walks.

We need volunteers to monitor the trails in the Preserve in May,

June, July, August, and September. If you can help out or have

any questions, please call me at 842-9246. We would appreciate

your help.

nomInATIng commITTEE REPoRTby Clem Dietze

President Bill Nicol appointed Clem Dietze to chair the

nominating committee for Ofcers and Board Members

for 2009-2010.

The following candidates were nominated and will be

submitted to the membership at the April 2009 meeting

for approval.

President Bill Nicol

Vice President Ken NietzkeTreasurer Fran Baer

Recording Secretary Marianne Curry

Corresponding Secretary - Sherman Barker

Board Members at Large Howard Costa, Jim Currie,

Clem Dietze, Barry Lowes, Nan Lloyd, Joan Shulman,

Betty Walter, Joan Wilson.

Committee Chairs will be selected by the president with

the approval of the newly elected Board.


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Page4 April2009

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PLEASENOTE:Currentmembersareencouragedtousethismembershipformtosignupfriends,relatives,andneighborsasnewmembers. Our Chapter benets signicantly from a return of dues from National if our local form is used fornewmemberships

NatioNal auDuBoN SoCiety ChaptermEmbERShIP FoRm new 1 YR. - $20 2 YRS. - $30

nEW mEmbERS onLY Seir 1 YR. - $15 2 YRS. - $30

Juir 1 YR. - $15 2 YRS. - $30

Name ______________________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________________________

City ___________________________________________State__________ Zip ________________

Phone__________________________ Preferred First Name(s) ___________________________

Full Year Resident ______ Part Year Resident ______ I/We rst joined Audubon in _______________

Mail a check payable to NATIoNAL AuDuBoN SoCIETyNational Audubon Society, Chapter Membership Data Center, P.O. Box 51001, Boulder, CO 80322-1001

bIRD SEED SALE comPLETEDby Ed Nash

Our annual fund raiser this year

totalled $1250 including the bird

seed sales (Plan A) and the direct

donations (Plan B). This is about

15% lower than last year, so is a

good total for the current times. We

want to thank Virginia of Wild Birds

Unlimited for her continued support

(since 1995!) and to the many buyers and contributors as listed

below. Please note that Plan B, ie: direct donations, con

tinues all year, and we welcome the support of every member

and friend of Audubon to fully fund our middle school Audubon

Adventures educational program.

Thanks especially to:

Fran Baer, Sherman Barker, Vickie Bauman, Robert Black,

Laura Braun, John Brummitt, Ann Byron, Helen Cartmill, Rich

& Sharon Danyi, Nancy Dinkle, John Faucette, Joe Fromme,

Margaret Fullam, Bud Hauglum, Nancy Hayes, Wendy Hanson,

David Hicks, Kay Hodnett, Betty Inman, Sarah Jebo, Roger

Johnson, Eileen Joyce, Marcia Keller, Margie Kriney, May

Leong, Barry Lowes, Judy Lundin, Mary Jane Major, Richard

Many, Peggy Martin, Karen McGinty, Christian Mueller, Kelly

Murphy, Gail OKane, Bill Nicol, Betsy Pehrson, Richard Phil-

lips, Sandra Ploszaj, Sue Salmons, Allyn Schneider, Howard

Shoemaker, Carol Simmons, Doris Stoner, Marian Trennis,

Janet VanTright, Jerry Voight, Betty Walter, Miriam Water-house, Charlotte White, Jane Williamson, Martha Worthy, and

Ed Zensinger.

Taken from On the Move by Justin Nobel

Many mallards stopped migrating south along

the Mississippi Flyway several years ago. In a New

York City suburb, robins huddled in a crabapple tree

during a snowstorm. Whats happening to the birds?

Two new Audubon reports provide some answers

Examining the distribution of 305 North Americanspecies since 1966, a national report, Birds and Cli

mate Change, found that nearly 60 percent of spe-

cies ranges have shifted north signicantly, and tha

there is an undeniable link to climate change. Data

from the Christmas Bird Count allowed research-

ers to map shifts in ranges during the past 40 years

Over that same period, average January temperature

have risen more than 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit in the

continental United States. The report found that the

purple nch has moved north 433 miles, and the red-

breasted merganser, 317 miles - a trend repeated for

many woodland and wetland species. As inland area

warm, these birds are moving away from the coasts.

Climate is just one factor that affects bird move-

ment. Food supply is another. People are planting

ornamental fruit trees farther north. Feeders also

keep birds such as the Carolina wren from leaving

higher latitudes. Grassland species have suffered due

to nationwide declines in the pastures and hay elds

they prefer and are not wintering as far north. Somebirds can adapt to warming; others cant.


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Page6 Printedonrecycledpaper April2009

EcobonP.o.bx6185

hiltheadIslad,Sutcarlia29938

Title:Ecobon

IssueDate:April2009

Frequency:MonthlySept.-May

Organization:HiltonHeadIslandAudubonSociety

P.O.Box6185

HiltonHead,SouthCarolina29938

Issue#:300

nPrftoraizatiU.S.PoSTAgE

PAIDhiltheadIslad,Sc

Permit#39

APRIL ~ mAY 2009 caledar

APRIL

Weds. Apr. 8 Newhall Walkat the Preserve ............................ 10:00 am

Thurs. Apr. 9 Board Meetingat the Seabrook ......................... 2:00 pm

Tues. Apr. 14 Monthly Meetingat the Seabrook ..................... 7:30 pm


Sun. Apr. 26 field Tripto Webb Wildlife Area ......................... 7:00 am


mAY

Thurs. May 7 Board Meetingat the Seabrook ......................... 2:00 pm

Tues. May 12 Annual Picnic

b E Q U E S T S

If you wish to honor a family

member or friend with a memorial

gift, or remember the Audubon Ne-

whall Preserve or the Hilton Head

Island Audubon Society in your will,

your gift may be in the form of secu-

rities, cash, life insurance, real estate,

or other property.

Contact your own estate planner

or our Audubon Chapter at P.O. Box

6185, Hilton Head Island, South

Carolina 29938.

Sharing your estate with Audubon

not only reduces the taxes on your

estate but will help protect birds,

wildlife, and their habitat in the years

to come.

0

Monthly meetings of the Hilton Head Island Audubon Society are regularly scheduled

at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month, September through May, in the

Auditorium at the Seabrook, 300 Woodhaven Drive. Members and guests welcome!

April 2009 Ecobon Newsletter Hilton Head Island Audubon Society

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