The Pine Warbler

March 2009

Volume XXXIV, Issue 7

President's Message by John Wright

Ah, viva l' amore, this is the month of love. It is odd that the shortest month of the year is chosen. Strangely in latin February or Februum means purification. Could this have led to the preparation of love or getting ready for the spring? According to Greek legend, this was the time of the year when Zeus married Hera, another romantic link to the month.

Many of the birds we watch have lifelong attachments with their mates. Lovebirds are synonymous with such a commitment (or at least for a considerable amount of their life spans, but lets not dwell on that!). This bird is also one of the smallest parrots of its taxa. I not sure exactly why love comes is such small packages, but maybe because love is so simple and pure, it can come in the smallest of packages.

So why do I bring up this brief romantic history? Well, I found it interesting that we have this month's outing at the Rayborns’ on Valentine’s Day: the Great Backyard Bird Count. Birding is a major love of our organization and its members. This count, and others like it, helps us better understand seasonal patterns of the birds we love. What better way to share our love for the outdoors, birds and environment than to share it with fellow members?

Let us also remember that: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Our love for the outdoors continues to grow the more we learn. I hope that everyone finds new ways to share the actives you love with those people you love.

March Program Intro by Chuck Gramling

Pine Woods Audubon invites members and the public to the Thursday March 5 program at 7:00 PM by Sheri Glowinski Matamoros on the Economic Impacts of Birding. Sheri is a graduate student in USM Department of Biological Sciences doing research on the subject. I know that some of us locals participated in the surveys done on Dauphin Island last October. Come join us and find out things about us bird watchers and our impacts. How about the great speakers we get from USM! In January Dr. Davis spoke about Lake Thoreau; in February, Dr. Jawor spoke about Northern Cardinals; now Doctorate Student Sheri Matamoros will speak on her works. USM and their facility and staff are a more than great reference we have that is know world wide for expertise in any knowledge relating to birds.

Pine Woods Audubon meets at the Education Building, Hattiesburg Zoo at Kamper Park. Meetings are free to the public and members, and refreshments are served. Come join us!

Bird Quiz by Larry Smith

Answer to February Bird Quiz
The sandpiper that nests in trees IN NORTH AMERICA is the Solitary Sandpiper. Nesting occurs in Canada from late May through June. Interestingly, the bird usually lays its eggs in the nests of other birds, Robin and Rusty Blackbird nests being among the favorites. Solitary is on the MS checklist, but is seen here only in migration. Certain very curious birders discovered that the Green Sandpiper, a European-Asian bird that winters in Africa, also uses other birds’ nests in trees. The two birds are close relatives and are in the same genus, Tringa.. Just goes to show what you can find out with a few strokes of your computer keys. Both of the above birds pop up if you Google “tree nesting sandpiper.” Of course, very, very shrewd birders may have caught on to the very, very subtle clue in the quiz question: “What single SOLITARY sandpiper nests in trees?”

Since time did not allow for discussion of the quiz at the chapter meeting, I have decided to award the prize for the right answer to myself.

Bird Quiz for March
Which of the nine owls on the Checklist of Birds of Mississippi is not a “typical” owl, and what about it is not typical?

Treasurer's Report

As of 11/18/08, Pine Woods Audubon Society has the following assets:

    Checking:    $5,210.47
    Savings:    $1,446.01
    Total:        $6,656.48
    Encumbered:    $3,807.00
    Spendable:    $2,849.48

Monthly Budget: Approximately $220/month
Annual Chapter Memberships paid to date: 32 @ $20/ea.

Audubon Adventures Classrooms Paid Out: 11
Money Raised for Audubon Adventures Classrooms: 9

February Field Trip Report by Ronnie Blackwell

This February Pine Woods Audubon had only one official field trip, and what a trip it was! Our annual Window Watch party—part of the Great Backyard Bird Count—was hosted by Grayson and Jane Rayborn at their spectacular house sur-rounded by woods at Lake Serene. The food was grand, the company scintillating, and I think that there were even a few birds counted. We hope Diane will have a tally for the chapter for us at the March meeting!

We supplemented our official field trip with several impromp-tu Birding Committee fieldtrips to scout for Rusty Blackbirds, to monitor our Hattiesburg Bald Eagles, and to gaze at our most honored guest of the winter, a brilliant male Vermillion Flycatcher. We didn’t always find lots of birds, but we sure enjoyed trying.

Although I’m writing this on Feb. 22, I can predict that we ended February with a joint field trip with the Mississippi Coast Audubon Chapter at Ashe Lake and Nursery on February 28. I bet that we had a good time!

Calendar of Events

March 5, 2009 (Thursday): Pine Woods Audubon Society Board Meeting, 6:15 p.m. in Hattiesburg Zoo Education Center. The Public is invited to attend. Contact any Board Member or officer for more information or to add something to the Agenda.

March 5, 2009 (Thursday): Pine Woods Audubon Society Chapter Meeting, 7 p.m. in Hattiesburg Zoo Education Center. PROGRAM: The Economic Impact of Birding (Sheri Glowinski Matamoros). Contact Program Chair Chuck Gramling (601-408-0499) for information.

March 10, 2009 (Tuesday): Pine Woods Audubon Society Birding Committee Meeting, 5:30 p.m. at the Keg & Barrel Restaurant. Contact Ron Blackwell (601-545-2437) for information.

March 14: Joint Field Trip with Gulf Coast Audubon to 12 Oaks & Shearwater Pottery property in Ocean Springs. Details of the trip will be announced at the March Chapter Meeting. Contact Ron Blackwell (601-545-2437) for information.

March 22, 2009: Deadline for items for April Pine Warbler to newsletter editor by email (lin.harper@usm.edu), by phone (601-545-2437), or by fax (Attn: Lin @ 601-266-6541).

April 2: April Board Meeting & Program.
April 24-25-26: Dauphin Island, AL, Spring Migration Field Trip.