2014-2015 Officers

President Joshua Hodge

Vice-President Kelly O’Neal

Secretary Larry Basden

Treasurer Lin Harper

Committees

Newsletter Larry Basden

Field Trips Diane Lafferty

Education Diane Lafferty

Conservation Joshua Hodge Hospitality Emily Nelson

Membership Kelly O’Neal

Historian Linda Basden

September 4—Why Do Birds Sing? - Presented by Dr. Adam Rohnke

Bird vocalizations can vary from very simple calls like the honk of the Canada Goose to the complex song of the Wood Thrush. There are many biological and environmental reasons for these differences in song and call complexity among different bird species. Dr. Adam Rohnke, Extension Wildlife Associate, MSU Extension Service, will discuss these reasons including mechanics, the purpose of song, types of songs and calls, dialects and much more. (This is an encore of a very popular program from March 2013.)

October 2—Stress: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly—Presented by Matt Duckworth

Matt Duckworth, a Masters student at USM, will discuss his findings working with Northern Cardinals at Lake Thoreau. As a bonus, Dr. Jodi Jawor of USM will have a brief update on the Junco research that she shared with us last year.

September/October Meetings —Joshua Hodge

Pine Woods Audubon Society

Volume 2014/2015 September/October 2014

The Pine Warbler

Pine Woods Audubon Society is a chapter of National Audubon Society, Inc.

Sept. 5-7—Strawberry Plains Hummingbird Festival held at Strawberry Plains Audubon Center (Holly Springs, MS). Hours are 9am-5pm each day. Admission charge—$15 for adults, $10 for seniors (65 and above). For more information Hummingbird Festival

Sept. 13—Fall Birds at Fulmer’s Farmstead. Meet at Midtown Market. Leaving from Midtown Market at 8:45am. Eat lunch there.

Oct. 4—Lake Thoreau Environmental Center for fall birds. Meet at Midtown Market. Leave Midtown at 9am. Walk around Lake Thoreau and eat lunch at October Fest at Lutheran Church.

Oct. 11—National Big Sit Bird Count. Meet at sewage lagoons gate (bring along lawn chair, water, and food). Alternate date is Oct. 12.

Oct. 17-19—Fall Migration at Dauphin Island. Make your own reservations for this trip (Gulf Breeze Motel—251-861-7344 or 800-286-0296; DI Campground—251-861-3607 or 251-861-2742). Even if you can’t make the weekend, consider a drive to DI for Saturday. You won’t be disappointed.

These, as well as other events, are included in the calendar pages included with the e-mail version of the newsletter. This can also be seen (and downloaded) at the PWAS website.

September/October Field Tr ips & Events —Diane Lafferty

Meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month (September through May) in the Education Building at the Hattiesburg Zoo. Refresh-ments at 6:30 pm. Meetings begin at 7:00 pm and are open to the public.

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President’s Message—Joshua Hodge

Dear Pine Woods Audubon Members,

Another program year is upon us, and I expect it to be a great one. Thank you for allowing me to serve another term as President. I hope to serve you well. As always, I welcome, expect, and need your input and help for making our group as entertaining and useful as possible.

Thank you to Ronnie Blackwell for doing a great job as President last term. Thank you to the returning officers and Board members: Lin Harper, Larry Basden, and Diane Lafferty. An organization such as ours cannot continue without the tireless efforts of volunteers such as you. You do a wonderful job with every task you take on. And thank you to Kelly O’Neal for agreeing to serve as Vice-President. Please join me in welcoming Kelly to the Board. Kelly is a new member who will bring a fresh perspective. He is chairing the Membership Committee and has already “hit the ground running”, welcoming new members and inviting visitors to our meetings.

By popular demand, our May program will be a “Show and Tell” session. It’s not too early to think about a photo, artifact, or story that you would like to share with the group. Please let me know if you have anything you would like to share, and I will pencil you in.

Joshua Hodge

Local Chapter Support—Reminder

The beginning of the meeting year also marks the time for renewing local Chapter dues. As you know, we have a number of Chapter members who are also members of the National Audubon Society. Part of the national dues return to the Chapter to offset our expenses. However, it is not a requirement to be a National Audubon Society member to participate in Chapter activities. It is easy to become a local Chapter member if you do not wish to join the national organization. We suggest a donation of $20 per family to support our local Chapter activities. Feel free to support the local Chapter even if you are also a national member. It is important to note that we do not “check-up” on anyone wishing to join us for meetings or any of our activities to see if you are a member or not. You are welcome at all times. We feel that adults only need a gentle reminder of our honor system support system at the beginning of our yearly activities. If you wish to add your support for the year, just see Lin Harper (Chapter Treasurer) at a meeting or send her your contribution at the Chapter return address shown on Page 4.

It’s Duck Stamp Time

June 27 was the first date for purchasing this year’s Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (aka the Duck Stamp). The stamp covers the entrance fee (if one is collected) at any National Wildlife Refuge for the period July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015. Not a hunter you say. Well, even non-hunters can purchase the stamp and know that the proceeds are an important migratory wildfowl conservation effort.

Since 1934, the Duck Stamp has generated more than $800 million which has been used to purchase or lease over 6 million acres of waterfowl/wetland habitat for National Wildlife Refuges. Ninety-eight cents of every dollar of the $15 cost goes to land pro-tection. Some of the most diverse and wildlife-rich refuges in the nation, many of which are birding destinations, have been acquired with the Stamp funds.

You can purchase a stamp at a refuge fee station or office, most post offices, from ref-uge Friends groups and over the web. So, let’s help to make sure that we will have great birding destinations available all across the country by purchasing a Duck Stamp.

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Welcome, New Members!—Kelly O’Neal

Here are the new members who have joined since the last issue of The Pine Warbler. If you know any of these people, please take a few minutes to welcome them, to tell them about PWAS, and to invite them to join us at a meeting, field trip, or other activity.

James Harrell—Hattiesburg

Deloris Marshall—Hattiesburg

Barbara Morton—Laurel

Vanessa Brown—Ellisville

Becky Montague—Hattiesburg

Alice McCollum—Hattiesburg

Marilyn Bullman—Laurel

Jane Stringer—Foxworth

Fal l Migrat ion at Dauphin I s land

The two field trips to Dauphin Island (spring and fall migration) are highlights of the year for many of us. They are the chance to see MANY species that do not spend time in our area. While the spring migration tends to be the more concentrat-ed with the always present potential for a “fall out” event, the fall migration has much to offer also. In fact, with regard to warbler species it is the most challenging. There is a reason you hear some say “Oh those confusing fall warblers.”

In the fall many of the warblers passing through are often less colorful than they are in the spring when they are on the way to their breeding grounds. After all, in the spring there are only so many days available to get to the breeding grounds, claim a territory, woo a partner, and set up housekeeping. They really need to already be in their best plumage because the action starts as soon as they arrive. But in the fall the frantic activities have waned and now all they are trying to do is get back to the area where they will be able to maintain themselves until the next breeding season. The plumage has been well worn and often molted into the drabber look to enable keeping a low profile for safety. The newly hatched are also in their drab winter outfits.

The Dauphin Island fall migration is our big event for the beginning of our meeting season just as the spring migration is our big event for the end of our meeting season. Please consider joining us as we prowl the island looking for as many species as possible. Spending time in the “bowl” shooting the breeze and keeping a sharp eye out for birds is an enjoyable way to spend time. There is always good food, good friends, and good birds.

Here are a few pictures of birds seen during fall migration at Dauphin Island.

Pine Woods Audubon Society 544 West 4th Street Hattiesburg, MS 39401

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It seems that the summer butterfly count field trips went well. I didn’t hear anything about overheating during the counts (always a concern for this time of year).

If you subscribe to Missbird or are a member of the Mississippi Birding page on Facebook, you already know that shorebird migration has begun. Currently there are Wood Storks being seen and photographed at St. Catherine Creek NWR (near Sibley in Adams County). A mix of White-faced and Glossy Ibis have also been seen and photographed there. Sandpipers, including Spotted adults and hatch year birds, are being seen and photographed at Charlie Capps WMA (in Bolivar County near Rosedale). Lark Sparrows and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers have been seen in Desoto County. There are likely spots closer to home where we might also find some of these migrants. It might just be time to visit sod farms and any locations where mudflats might exist as a stopping over place for shorebirds. The Okatoma Resort and RV Park, on Okatoma River Road just off Lux Road in Covington County, has had Wood Stork sightings in recent years. They don’t stay there long so frequent monitoring is needed to see them.

If you have any bird sightings or field trip summaries to report, be sure to drop a note to the editor for inclusion in the next Pine Warbler.

Bird S ight ings & Field Tr ips

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 PWAS Mtg.

Zoo Education Ctr. 6:30 pm

5 Hummingbird

Festival Strawberry Plains Audubon Center (Holly Springs) 9am—5pm

6 Hummingbird

Festival Strawberry Plains Audubon Center (Holly Springs) 9am—5pm

7 Hummingbird

Festival Strawberry Plains Audubon Center (Holly Springs) 9am—5pm

8 9 Keg & Barrel

5:30 pm

10 11 12 13Fulmer’s

Farmstead Field Trip

14 15 16 17 18 19MOS Mtg.

Greenwood, MS

20MOS Mtg.

Greenwood, MS Honey Island NABA Count

21MOS Mtg.

Greenwood, MS

22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30

September 2014

PWAS Calendar