Greetings To All,

The River Region Bird Club, in cooperation with The Hummer/Bird Study Group
and The Alabama WildBird Conservation Association, is sponsoring a “Bird Banding
Workshop”. These are the details:

Location: The Conservation Lake Hunting Camp near Greenville, Alabama.

Schedule:

9:00 AM - 12 Noon - Bird Banding Workshop.
12 Noon - 1:00 PM - Lunch (bring your own).
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Bird Walks led by experienced field trip leaders.

Directions: Exit I65 at exit 128 (Highway 10) and proceed west toward Pineapple.
Travel app. 2.3 miles to County Road 183 (AKA: High Road) and turn right.
Continue
a short distance to Conservation Road and turn right. Travel to the end of the
pavement on Conservation Road and turn right on to the gated pasture road. The
gate will be opened at 8:45 AM. Follow the pasture road to the hunting camp
house and lake. As you approach the old wooden barn keep to the right and go
down the hill. This is a one lane road. Proceed slowly and carefully.

If it is raining or threatening rain on the 18th the workshop will be cancelled.
  If the weather conditions are such that you are uncertain about cancellation
you can call (334) 437-2900 for information. You can also call this number if
you have any problems finding Conservation Lake. This is a cell phone number
and the person carrying the phone will be at Conservation Lake. Please do not
call the number before 7 AM.

There are restrooms and kitchen facilities available at the Conservation Lake
Camp House.

Birders often call sparrows “little brown jobs”. This name is actually not a
fitting description for many members of the sparrow family. A few species of
sparrows are regular visitors at bird feeders but most are secretive and spend
the better part of their lives in thickets, grassy fields and other places that
make them difficult to observe. The fleeting glimpses they afford us are indeed
quite often a flash of brown but when they surprise us with a close look it
is quickly apparent that they are not “little brown jobs”. In fact they wear
coats of many colors including rich browns, shades of tan, black, white and
yellow. Many are even outstanding singers, changing their winter squeaks and
peeps to spring songs that rival those of the “thrushes” the champion singers
of the bird world.

On February 18th you will have the opportunity to see sparrows (and other
species)
closer than you ever imagined. You may even get to hold a sparrow in your hand.


The Bird Banding Workshop will be conducted by Master Bird Bander Fred Bassett.
Fred will be assisted by Jayne Rushin.

Fred Bassett lives in Montgomery, is a graduate of the US Air Force Academy,
and a retired fighter pilot. He is a member of the Hummer/Bird Study Group,
the organization that operates the Fort Morgan Bird Banding Station in April
and October each year. HBSG also conducts banding research projects and presents
workshops across the country. Fred will be presenting a “Hummingbird Program
  at Auburn University in Montgomery on February 25 at 10:30 AM.  The program
will be presented in room 112 in Goodwyn Hall on the AUM campus.

During the winter Fred travels throughout the Southeast banding and collecting
research data on wintering hummingbirds.  His dedication to this task has added
a wealth of information to our knowledge of the occurrence and distribution
of winter hummingbirds in Alabama. Until about 1985 it was assumed that there
were only two species of hummers that occurred in Alabama in the winter. We
now know there are nine. The most recent addition to the list was a Costa’s
Hummingbird which Fred identified and banded in Montgomery this winter. This
was the first documented occurrence of this species in Alabama and probably
the first east of the Mississippi River.

Jayne Rushin lives in Auburn and is an attorney. Jayne has traveled widely in
the study and pursuit of birds and is an active member of several birding and
bird research organizations in Alabama. She is experienced in the procedures
and practices of bird banding and a member of the HBSG team of trained
volunteers
who assist in operating the Fort Morgan Banding Station and other HBSG banding
projects. Jayne is also a talented artist. Her specialty is artworks created
from various metals.

Hope to see you at Conservation Lake on February 18.

Charles Kennedy
President - Alabama WildBird Conservation Association

Greetings Again,

This is the first message sent to you by the

ALABAMA WILDBIRD CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

Our Yahoo Groups name is awca. You can visit
our group Home Page where you can read all
messages that have been sent and make
changes to your membership such as how you
receive your messages. The Home Page is..

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awca/

If you have any difficulty with receiving
messages or anything else let me know and
I will fix it pronto.

Now I would like to address the fact that
we are not running field trips anymore.
The good news is that there are an number
of groups in Alabama who are. You can visit
bamabirds.com and find out who they are.
Take a look at this page...

http://www.bamabirds.com/field.htm

If you know of other groups that should be
added to this page let me know.

I would like to especially call your attention
to the new kid in town. Tommy Pratt has founded
The River Region Bird Club and they are doing
exciting things in the Montgomery area.

You can find out all about it and get connected
at the RRBC website. The Home Page is found at..

http://www.bamabirds.com/rrbc/index.htm

Gee folks I’m about cross-eyed from staring at
this computer all day. I want to tell you about
a couple of project activities on the horizon
but that can wait until next week.

Best wishes,
Charles Kennedy

Good Afternoon,

This is the last message you will receive from
the South Alabama Birding Association!

Wow that was rather abrupt and unexpected.

Let me phrase it another way....

SABA is not going out of business but the
name is being changed. As of today we are...

The Alabama Wildbird Conservation Association.

Let me say quickly before any of you grammarians
or professors jump on me that I know wildbird is
2 words. I wanted the acronym to be AWCA so I
took a bit of poetic license with the name.

Over the next few days I will send you more info
concerning the name change and other things I
feel you will be interested in.

The messages will come from AWAC and the Yahoo
Group name will be different as will the address.
You will not need to do anything to keep your
subscription to the newsletter however.

The SABA Website is now the AWCA Website and the
look is quite different but the Home Page address is
still the same....

http://www.bamabirds.com/

I hope you will visit soon. There is quite a lot
of new information on the site. Be sure to take
a look at the projects section to see what we
have been doing and will continue to do.

You have probably noticed that we haven’t been
running field trips lately. I have some very
good news in that respect which I will share
with you in the next few days.

I am a bit melancholy about the change. A very
small group of birder’s joined with me in 1994
to form SABA and we have had some good times
and done some good work.

Since we launched the SABA Website in 1997 more
than 3000 people from across the nation and
around the world have registered a membership
with us. Currently almost 500 of those subscribe
to the newsletter, which is probably the largest
email birding group in Alabama.

Stay tuned and roll up your sleeves. I’m going
to be asking you to go to work for the birds!

Best wishes,
Charles Kennedy
President
Alabama Wildbird Conservation Association

Good Afternoon to All,

Last week a question was tossed around a bit by several
national media agencies concerning what happens to
seabirds during hurricanes. National Public Radio became
interested in the question and in the process of doing a
bit
of internet research came across an article on the South
Alabama Birding Association website titled "Chasing
Hurricane Birds". They gave me a call since my name was
on the article and asked if I would agree to be
interviewed.
I indicated that I would and on Friday went to the Troy
University Public Radio studio on the university campus
in Troy.  I was connected to the NPR studio in Washington
DC by satellite and NPR host/announcer Liane Hansen and
I discussed hurricanes and birds for about 30 minutes. The
editors took some of what I said and some of what she
said and produced a 4 minute interview which aired on
NPR's Weekend Edition this morning (October 30).

The interview for the most part turned out to be a rather
folksy
account of my experience with hurricane driven birds during
and
after hurricane Opal in 1995.

If you should happen to have any interest in hearing the
interview
you can play it on the NPR website. The page address for
the
audio clip is...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=498
1863

You will need Windows Media Player or Real Player to be
able to play the clip.

If you would like to read the article that led to the
interview
it can be found at...

http://www.bamabirds.com/articles/hurricane.htm

Regards and Best Wishes,

Charles Kennedy
South Alabama Birding Association
Greenville, Alabama

Greetings To All,

Let's go birding!

When? Saturday, February 19
Where? Eufaula Wildlife Refuge
What Time? 8:00 AM
Where Do We Meet? Parking Lot At Lakepoint Lodge
How Long Will The Trip Last: Till 3 or 4 PM
Who Will Be The Trip Leaders? Charles Kennedy & Tommy Pratt

We will visit the Alabama section of the refuge in the
morning and after a lunch break go to the Georgia side
of the river.

To learn more about Eufaula Refuge visit the online
birding guide on the SABA Website. Look in the
Barbour County section. There is also an illustrated
article featuring a trip to Eufaula on the website.
The online birding guide and field trip page can be
accessed from the site index/contents page.

SABA Website Homepage: www.bamabirds.com

Hope to see you on the 19th.

Best wishes,
Charles Kennedy
South Alabama Birding Association

Greetings To All,

On April 3 (this coming Saturday) the Alabama
State Lands Division will present............

BIRDING AT BLAKELEY
A Spring Open Woods and Bird Awareness Program

The event will be held at the new Wehle Nature
Center at Historic Blakeley State Park. Blakeley
State Park is located in Baldwin County on highway
225 north of Spanish Fort.

There is no admission charge for this event nor
for entrance to the park.

The events and schedule for the day include....

7:00 - 8:30 AM - Coffee and refreshments on veranda

All day - Displays, Exhibits, Videos

8:30 - 9:30 AM - Guided Nature Walk

9:30 - 10:00 AM - Displays & Exhibits

10:00 - 10:45 AM - Alabama Birds - Making the Connection
Charles Kennedy, South Alabama Birding Association

10:45 - 11:00 AM - Coastal Birding Festival
John Borom, Mobile Bay Audubon Society

11:00 - 11:30 AM - Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries
Greg Harber, President Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries

11:30 - 12:00 Noon - Special Skills of Raptors
Marianne Worley, Roy Crowe
Auburn University raptor Rehabilitation Center

12:00 - 1:00 PM - Lunch - Exhibits and Displays
Food vendors will be available.

1:00 - 1:45 PM - Success at Gaillard Island
Roger Clay, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries

1:45 - 2:30 PM - The Audubon Factor
John Borom, Mobile Bay Audubon Society

2:30 - 3:00 PM - Birding at Bon Secour Refuge
Jereme Phillips, Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

3:00 - 4:00 PM - Guided Nature Walk

4:15 PM - Birding Basics (video)

4:30 - 5:00 PM - Guided Nature Walk at Riverfront
.................................................
I am looking forward to Saturday.
Hope to see you there!

Charles Kennedy
President - South Alabama Birding Association

Good Morning,

There are a number of events on the horizon. Most are
on the Alabama Coast but I can't think of many places
I'd rather be during Fall migration.
-------------------------------------------------------
October 7 - Tuesday Evening - 7 PM
Place - Mobile Public Library - 555 Gerlot RD - Mobile

The subject will be hummingbirds. Fred Bassett will
discuss the Ruby-throated Hummer and hummer species
that winter in Alabama. Fred's talk will be illustrated
with outstanding slides from his nationwide hummer
banding adventures.
-------------------------------------------------------
October 4 - 18:  HBSG Bird Banding - Fort Morgan

Visitors are welcome at the HBSG banding station.
If you haven't visited Bob Sargent and the HBSG
crew at Fort Morgan you really should! It's a treat.
-------------------------------------------------------
October 10 - 12: AOS Meeting - Dauphin Island

Visit the AOS website for complete details.
-------------------------------------------------------
October 16 - November 15: Birding Classes

The city of Prattville is offering a series of 6 birding
classes that begins on October 16 and ends on November
15 with a field trip to Eufaula Wildlife Refuge.

Many aspects of birding and backyard bird watching
will be discussed.

A few of the topics and the presenters include...

An Introduction to Birding - Charles Kennedy
Enjoying Bluebirds More - Tommy Pratt
All About Hummingbirds - Fred Bassett
Creating A Bird Garden - Jayne Rushin
Identifying Birds - Shawn Reed

There is a nominal fee which covers admission to all
6 classes and transportation to Eufaula.

It will be worth it!
(we will send more details soon)
-------------------------------------------------------
Best wishes and good birding.
Charles Kennedy
-------------------------------------------------------
South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's Birding Connection
1040 Fort Dale Road - Greenville, Alabama 36037
Membership is Free!
Email us at: saba@...
Call us at:  (334)382-2680  or  1 800 382-2696
Visit us on the web at http://www.bamabirds.com
-----------------------------------------------------

Greetings To All,

The Oscar-nominated documentary "Winged Migration" has
been showing at the Capri Theater in Montgomery since
August 8 and will continue through this Thursday.

Reports from those who have seen the film indicate
that it's well worth the trip.

There is one showing per evening. Show time is 7:30 PM.

Ticket prices are...

$6.50 non-members
$4.50 members
$2.00 child (Under 12)

Additional details including directions to the theater
can be found on the Capri Theater Website..

http://www.capritheatre.org/

Several SABA members will be attending the Thursday
evening showing. Perhaps you would like to join us.

And if you would like to make it "Dinner and a Movie"
some of us will probably be at Sinclair's just a few
doors down from the Capri, say about 6 or so.


Best wishes,
Charles Kennedy
-----------------------------------------------------
South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's Birding Connection
1040 Fort Dale Road - Greenville, Alabama 36037
Membership is Free!
Email us at: saba@...
Call us at:  (334)382-2680  or  1 800 382-2696
Visit us on the web at http://www.bamabirds.com
-----------------------------------------------------

L.A. BirdNews - Summer 2003
A Publication of the South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's "Birding Connection".
Charles Kennedy - Editor

L.A. BirdNews is never sent unsolicited. If you have
received this issue by mistake or were subscribed
without your knowledge, or against your will, follow
the instructions at the end to cancel your subscription.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE

1. SABA News - New Project Started in Montgomery
2. Coming Events - Let's go see a bird movie!!!
3. SABA Website Updates - Find Out What's New
4. What's In A Name? - The Super Birds Quiz
5. Words From The Wise - Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
S.A.B.A. NEWS

The Montgomery Arboretum is a well kept secret. The
Arboretum is app. 30 acres on Hunter Loop Road in west
Montgomery and is owned by the Montgomery County Public
School system. It is not open to the public but is used
by the school system for environmental education classes.

A new SABA project is well underway at the Arboretum. We
are assisting the Arboretum staff in designing and imple-
menting a comprehensive nest box management program for
the property. In addition we will be working with the
school system on units in the curriculum devoted to
bird study. We look forward to conducting several Project
BirdTeach Events at the Arboretum during the school term.

The Arboretum has been selected as a recipient of a
SABA Birdhouse Grant. We will install, at SABA expense,
the following nest boxes and facilities....

5 SABA Bluebird houses
5 SABA Chickadee/Titmouse/Nuthatch houses
2 SABA Great Crested Flycatcher houses
1 SABA Screech Owl house
1 SABA Barred Owl house
1 Great Horned Owl nesting platform
1 SABA Wood Duck house
1 Trail Sign
2 Demonstration nest boxes with nest and eggs

Pamphlets from the SABA "BirdFacts" series and other
nest box management publications will be included in
the grant.

Thanks to Tommy Pratt for getting this project underway
and working many hours building and installing houses.
Without folks like TP we wouldn't be able to accomplish
much. We also owe a salute to the Arboretum Director
Bill Sansom. He has shown much enthusiasm and support.
Gordon Hight, our good friend from Georgia, has once
again come through like the champion he is. Gordon
we appreciate all you do for our projects.

The work is not done by a long shot. Installing a
50 pound Barred Owl house 20 feet up in a tree is a
daunting task. We will also need a dedicated Corp of
volunteers for the Project BirdTeach Events. If you
would like to get involved let us hear from you.

Later in the year we will have a Grand Opening for the
birdhouse trail at the Arboretum. We will be counting
on a good turnout of SABA members.

Stay tuned!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMING EVENTS

August 8 - 14, 2003
Winged Migration - Capri Theater, Montgomery

"Jacques Perrin's Oscar-nominated "Winged Migration" is
awesome to regard". - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times.

Read the full review at.......
http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/2003/05/0502
05.html

Visit the "Winged Migration" website at...
http://www.sonyclassics.com/wingedmigration/home.html

We are considering a SABA group outing to see this movie.
If you would like to go reply with a date that will be good
for you and if there is enough interest we will set a date
and send a notice. We will include show times and ticket
info in the message. It's most too hot to go birding so
let's go see a bird movie!
For more "Coming Events" visit:
http://www.bamabirds.com/coming.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SABA WEBSITE UPDATES

Florala State Park added to the Online Birding Guide.
http://www.bamabirds.com/birdfind/covington.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT'S IN A NAME?

The Super Birds Quiz

How many birds do you suppose are on the North American
Checklist that have a rather grandiose common name, or
have a name that indicates bigger or better than. There
are at 22 that come to mind. Perhaps the following clues
will prompt answers. When you give up or get bored scroll
below "Words from the Wise" for the answers.

1. 1 Super Bird named after a sailing ship.
2. 9 Super Birds with something "Great" about them.
3. 9 Super Birds that are even "Greater".
4. 2 Super Birds that share something with Elvis.
5. The least of the Super Birds (1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Need to brush up on your birdsongs. You can find CD's and
software in the SABA/Withoutbricks Nature Store. Visit
soon at: http://www.bamabirds.com/sabasales/salesindex.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORDS FROM THE WISE

Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature

"There is nothing in which the birds differ more from
man than the way in which they can build and yet leave
a landscape as it was before." - Robert Lynd

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. 1 Super Bird named after a sailing ship.

Magnificent Frigatebird

2. 9 Super Birds with something "Great" about them.

Great Cormorant
Great Egret
Great Crested Flycatcher
Great-tailed Grackle
Great Black-backed Gull
Great Blue Heron
Great Knot
Great Gray Owl
Great Skua

3. 9 Super Birds that are even "Greater".

Greater Flamingo
Greater White-fronted Goose
Greater Sage Grouse
Greater Peewee
Greater Prairie-Chicken
Greater Roadrunner
Greater Scaup
Greater Shearwater
Greater Yellowlegs

4. 2 Super Birds that share something with Elvis.

King Eider
King Rail

5. The least of the Super Birds (1)

Magnificent Hummingbird
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The South Alabama Birding Association is a non-profit
organization founded in 1994 to promote bird conservation
and preservation of bird habitat, and to foster a greater
understanding of birds through education, publication,
and recreational birding activities.

Financial support for SABA Conservation & Education
Projects is derived from contributions, and the sale of
high quality bird houses, feeders, and selected birding
and nature books.

Your purchases will help a Barn Owl have a better life,
a bluebird have a new home and a young person learn
about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you miss a copy of L.A. BirdNews?
You can read back issues on the SABA Website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Alabama Birding Association
1040 Fort Dale Road
Greenville, Alabama 36037
Office: (334) 382-2680    Toll Free: 1 800 382-2696
Email: saba@...
Home Page: http://www.bamabirds.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdNews, and L.A. BirdAlert are distributed
by the South Alabama Birding Association.

If you were subscribed without your knowledge, have
received this issue by mistake, or do not wish to
receive future issues for any other reason, follow the
instructions below to cancel your subscription

Good Afternoon,

A couple of weeks ago a group of birders spent the
weekend at Eufaula Wildlife Refuge. Their reports
on the visit were so enthusiastic that I had serious
regrets about not joining them. I replied to the
invitation with something about it being too cold.
Silly me!

So they decided to go back and invited me again. I
won't be so foolish this time.

Perhaps you would like to go too!

If so meet us at the Lakepoint Resort Lodge parking
lot at 8:30 AM on Saturday, February 15. We will make
a day of it. We will have access to the closed areas
of the refuge and will visit locations in Alabama and
Georgia. We will visit Alabama locations in the morning
and go to the Georgia side in the afternoon. A lunch
break at Sam's Barbecue is a tradition we will probably
stick with on this trip.

I have inserted Jayne Rushin's report below in case
you aren't sure the trip will be worth the effort.

If you have not been to Eufaula before visit the SABA
site and take a look at birding opportunities available.
Look in the Barber County section of the birding guide.
The guide includes directions to the Lodge and all the
other great birding spots in the area.

This is Jayne's report.
------------------------------------------------------
Eufaula was a wonderland of birds. We were overwhelmed
by the number of birds --sheer volume--that is. The
compound has been planted more extensively than we've
ever seen before. Fields of grain are now flooded with
water, creating an amazing combination of food and cover.

There was a sparrow on every stalk of grain. Ducks by
the million, millions! An extraordinary number of Golden-
crowned Kinglets, displaying spectacular color over and
over again.

A Ross's goose that was so near one could perceive its
gentle demeanor.

A throng of Cardinals and Pine Warblers, pecking in a
sandy road bed, with backlight making the cardinals
wings translucent.

A Screech-Owl ensconced in a Wood Duck box, peeking out
to face the warming afternoon sun. A Great Horned Owl
silhouetted against a late afternoon blood-red sky. The
same Great Horned silhouetted against a late afternoon
blood-red sky devouring its prey. Two courting Barred
Owls that responded immediately to a taped call. Their
throaty conversation in the fading light of day made
one feel an intruder in the woods.

A long close look at a Bald Eagle as it sat in a
commanding posture on a low mound.

A flock of elegant Sandhill Cranes at sunset, in a
formation which conservatively numbered more than a
hundred.

Two evenings with gigantic glowing moons that made
the heart hurt. The stars were rather magnificent too.
And so much more!

Jayne Rushin
Auburn, Alabama
--------------------------------------------------------
Hope to see many of you in Eufaula.
Beginners are welcome!

Best wishes,
Charles Kennedy
-----------------------------------------------------
South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's Birding Connection
1040 Fort Dale Road - Greenville, Alabama 36037
Membership is Free!
Email us at: saba@...
Call us at:  (334)382-2680  or  1 800 382-2696
Visit us on the web at http://www.bamabirds.com
-----------------------------------------------------

Good Afternoon,

On December 31, 2002 Gifford Garner found the SABA Website.
He sent SABA a message via the online contact form that
basically said...

Dear SABA,

I have a hummingbird at my house and just wanted to let
somebody know about it.

We customarily forward these messages to Fred Bassett.
We did and on January 1, 2003 Fred found Alabama's second
Broad-billed Hummer at the Garner home in Ozark.

Happy New Year Fred and the Garners too.

Fred described the bird like this...
The bird has dull colored upper parts and a dingy grey
throat and belly. The red, decurved bill is distinctive.
The only discernable difference in this bird and
illustrations
in Sibley and National Geographic field guides is that the
white eye stripe is less apparent on this bird.

The Garners will welcome visitors to see their special
bird.
You may call them at 334-774-5267. Their home is located at
223 Eufaula Street in Ozark. Go one block south of the
intersection of Broad Street (Hwy 27) and Union Ave (Hwy
123)
in the center of town to find Eufaula Street. Please try
to call ahead, but you may go see the bird if they do not
answer.
The single feeder is located on the right side of the house

behind the carport.

Happy New Year To All,
Charles Kennedy
South Alabama Birding Association
Greenville, Alabama

Good Afternoon,

David Dortch and family, along with The Hummer Guy
Fred Bassett, caught a hummer a few days ago.

David has posted a humorous and interesting article
about this escapade on the FieldNotes Page. There
is even a picture of David with a hummer in hand.

Read all about it at…

http://www.bamabirds.com/fieldnotes.htm

South Alabama Birding Association
-----------------------------------------------------
Lower Alabama's Birding Connection
1040 Fort Dale Road - Greenville, Alabama 36037
Membership is Free!
Email us at: saba@...
Call us at:  (334)382-2680  or  1 800 382-2696
Visit us on the web at: http://www.bamabirds.com
-----------------------------------------------------

A Special Announcement from?

The South Alabama Birding Association

On Friday December 6, 2002 National Public Radio will
air a program which focuses on bird collisions with
communication towers. The program will be a segment of
"Morning Edition" NPR's morning news show. If there is
a major news development overnight the segment may be
postponed.

Three Alabama birders were interviewed for the program.

Charles Kennedy and Fred Bassett were interviewed in
Greenville on November 27. NPR reporter Melanie Peeples
accompanied Charles and Fred on a bird walk about the
yard and gardens of the Kennedy property. Peeples was
referred to Kennedy by the American Bird Conservancy,
a Washington DC based organization devoted to bird
conservation. Over the past year Kennedy has written
a series of declarations on behalf of ABC expressing
his concerns about the proposed installation of new
towers on the Alabama Gulf Coast.

Dwight Cooley, a biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife
Service and Manager of the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge in
Decatur, Alabama was also interviewed for the program.
Cooley participated in a project some years ago which
undertook to determine the dangers presented to flying
birds by tall towers. His specific task was to collect,
count and identify dead birds at the base of a television
tower in Huntsville, Alabama.

Morning Edition can be heard on Alabama Public Radio
and Southeastern Public Radio. NPR will post an audio
clip of the entire Morning Edition show on the NPR website
by the end of the day on December 6. On December 7 the
clip will be moved to the program archives where it
will be available indefinitely. Visit NPR on the web at..

http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/

South Alabama Birding Association
-----------------------------------------------------
Lower Alabama's Birding Connection
1040 Fort Dale Road - Greenville, Alabama 36037
Membership is Free!
Email us at: saba@...
Call us at:  (334)382-2680  or  1 800 382-2696
Visit us on the web at: http://www.bamabirds.com

Greetings To All,

Have you noticed! You haven't heard much from the
Lower Alabama Bird Headquarters lately. How long has
it been? Back in August I suppose.

August 14th was when yours truly, the SABA chief cook
and bottle washer, took on a third full-time job. Now
I am a full-time college instructor as well as full-
time traveling salesman and birdwatcher. This will be
the case until July of 2003.

Things will be getting back on track shortly though.
Help is on the way!

Keeping the SABA Website up to date takes a lot of
time. David Dortch has agreed to help with this task.

His first undertaking will be to get the bird name
contest up and running again. Most of the messages
I have received about the silence on this end of the
line concerned the contest. We hope to have a new
contest online soon. Maybe in time for you to win a
birdhouse for Christmas.

David is also going to help keep the Coming Events
Calendar up to date. If you know of birding events
let us know about them. Speaking of which?

Christmas Bird Counts start soon. You can decide
which Alabama or Northwest Florida count you want to
join by visiting the CBC page on the website. It's at

http://www.bamabirds.com/cbc.htm

And while you are online you may want to look at
another recent addition to the site. The Turtle Point
Environmental Science Center in Flomaton, Alabama is
a neat place. You are invited to visit for birding.
Complete details and a site guide are in the Escambia
County section of our Birding Guide. Take a look at..

http://www.bamabirds.com/birdfind/esambia.htm

SABA will be assisting the Turtle Point Staff in
designing and implementing a nest box management
program for the Turtle Point property. The nest boxes
will be donated by SABA. The project will get underway
during December, 2002. The initial phase will be to
install owl houses. Placing a 50 lb. birdhouse 20 feet
up in a tree is a real adventure. We'll keep you
posted so you can come join the fun.

Fred Bassett, the "Hummer Guy"  is constructing a
website called "Hounds Hummers". When it is done it
will be your one-stop source for hummingbird info.
The first pages will be online soon. SABA has donated
a home on the web for "Hounds Hummers". Stay tuned.

We get a lot of requests to post information to the
Sabamembers list. Many are not relevant for our neck
of the woods, but here are a couple that I thought you
might be interested in.
------------------------------------------------------
The first is from Kimberly Hawkins.

My name is Kimberly Turner Hawkins. I work with the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Lake Eufaula as a Park
Ranger. Our office is interested in starting a bird
count survey, this winter, and would like to know if
SABA members would be interested in conducting a bird
count along the river?  We can give them access to
various spots (outside the hunting areas) along the
river reach as they feel needed. Our Corps project
covers from Columbus, GA south to Columbia, AL, along
the waterway. Alabama counties covered within our area
are: Barbour, Henry, Houston and Russell. Georgia
counties covered are: Muscogee, Chattahoochee,
Stewart, Quitman, Clay, and Early. If you would be
interested in this project, please feel free to contact
me or my supervisor, Sara Jernigan.
by phone: 229-768-2516
or by email: Kimberly.T.Hawkins@...

And this from Julie Brashears

I coordinate the Great Florida Birding Trail program
and we are currently accepting nominations for birding
sites in the Florida Panhandle. Since neither birds nor
birders recognize political boundaries, I am confident
some of your membership birds northern Florida with some
regularity. I am particularly concerned with making sure
inland parts of the Panhandle are well represented, and
I am tapping as many resources as I can to accomplish
this task.

I'd be very grateful if you could please help spread
the word that the nomination process for the Panhandle
is now open; any suggestions for sites would be very
much appreciated. Because this process won't be revisited
until 2008 for this region, I'd like to be as comprehensive
as possible in our search for quality birding sites now.

I encourage anyone who is interested to visit our website,
http://www.floridabirdingtrail.com
for more information about our birding trail's development.

We have developed a form to use for nominating sites.
Please contact me for details.

Thanks so much for your assistance!

Julie Brashears
Birding Trail Coordinator
FL Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 S. Meridian St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600
850/922.0664
JULIE.BRASHEARS@...

-----------------------------------------------------------
In January, 2003 we will return to the usual format for
L. A. BirdNews. Can't promise that it will be a monthly
but we'll get it out as often as possible.

Anybody want to become the SABA Newsletter Editor?!!!!

Happy Holidays and Good Birding!

Charles Kennedy
South Alabama Birding Association
-----------------------------------------------------
South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's Birding Connection
1040 Fort Dale Road - Greenville, Alabama 36037
Membership is Free!
Email us at: saba@...
Call us at:  (334)382-2680  or  1 800 382-2696
Visit us on the web at: http://www.bamabirds.com

Greetings to All,

Thanks to the many of you who sent entries in the
Mystery Bird Contest. So many in fact that I decided
to send a general reply instead of the customary
individual responses.

Quite a few of you were able to see the marks of
a warbler. Several of you were able to pin the
correct name on the bird.

Lucy Duncan from Gulf Breeze, Florida was the
quickest with the clicker.

I asked Lucy to send a brief note concerning what
she saw in the bird that said Swainson's Warbler.

Lucy wrote....
-----------------------------------------------------
The bill size and shape say Swainson's Warbler.
Thinking that warblers have small thin bills, it's
easy to forget that this warbler has such a large
one, but even so, it isn't pointed enough for an
icterid, nor is it deep enough at the base. The
face pattern and color of the crown also indicates
Swainson's. I was a bit put off by what appeared to
be a crown stripe, leading me astray momentarily
toward an immature Worm-eating Warbler. However, I
couldn't justify the face pattern and crown color
with the Worm-eater, so that threw me back into the
Swainson's ball field. Upon second look at the "crown
stripe" and crown color, I noted the shag of feathers
slightly displaced from the crown somewhat like a
Groucho Marx out-of-control eyebrow. That's when I
thought that the bird had been aged by looking at the
ossification of the skull while being banded (hence
the head shot). Typically, the crown feathers are wet
and parted to see the skull through the overlying
skin. One other factor that made me think immediately
of Swainson's Warbler: following the line of the
culmen to the crown, you have a rather flat-headed
look. The head and crown do not form a "dome" rising
from the proximal end of the bill.
-----------------------------------------------------
If you failed to notice that there was not a "dome"
rising from the proximal end of the bill don't despair.

It may be in a few minutes, tomorrow, or next week when
the next mystery bird lands on the contest page, but it
will happen. And who knows? It may be a Cardinal!

Best wishes,

Charles Kennedy
South Alabama Birding Association
-----------------------------------------------------
South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's Birding Connection
1040 Fort Dale Road - Greenville, Alabama 36037
Email us at: saba@...
Call us at:  (334)382-2680  or  1 800 382-2696
Visit us on the web at: http://www.bamabirds.com
-----------------------------------------------------

L.A. BirdNews - July, 2002
A Publication of the South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's "Birding Connection".
Charles Kennedy - Editor

L.A. BirdNews is never sent unsolicited. If you have
received this issue by mistake or were subscribed
without your knowledge, or against your will, follow
the instructions at the end to cancel your subscription.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE

1. Coming Events - Field Trips and Other Events
2. SABA Website Updates - Find Out What's New
3. What's In A Name? What is a "cowbird" anyway?
4. Words From The Wise - Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SABA Made Birdhouses are still the best. New items have
been added. Visit the SABA Birdhouse Store today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMING EVENTS

August & September, 2002
Fall Migration Commences - Shorebirds are already moving.

Perhaps a SABA Field Trip is a good idea. Details later.

For more "Coming Events" visit:
http://www.bamabirds.com/coming.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SABA WEBSITE UPDATES

Name That Bird Contest

A new bird name contest was started on July 18th. So far
it has not been won. The puzzlemaster didn't think this
one was all that hard. Just goes to show that the PM
doesn't know everything. There have been many guesses,
all wrong so far. In light of this don't waste "your"
guess on a Meadowlark, Oriole or Blackbird.

Check it out at..........
http://www.bamabirds.com/contest.htm

Visit the FieldNotes Page at.........
http://www.bamabirds.com/fieldnotes.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT'S IN A NAME?

What is a "Cowbird" anyway?

I know what a cowbird is and I'm sure most of you do.
It's a small brown (female) or brown and black (male)
bird that frequents cowlots and pastures. The female
lays her eggs in the nest of another species.

Now if any of you would like to make a wager!

I'm willing to bet a weeks pay that if we walked down
a typical street in a typical town in South Alabama and
queried passersby concerning the appearance of a cowbird
the majority would say that it is white and about the
size of a small chicken. Wanna bet?

What is a "Cowbird" anyway?

The small Brown-headed Cowbird can be found throughout
Alabama the entire year.

The chicken sized white cowbird, AKA Cattle Egret, is
with us all year but is much more numerous in summer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Need to brush up on your birdsongs. You can find CD's and
software in the SABA/Withoutbricks Nature Store. Visit
soon at: http://www.bamabirds.com/sabasales/salesindex.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORDS FROM THE WISE -  Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature

How beautiful is the rain!
After the dust and the heat,
In the broad and fiery street,
In the narrow lane,
How beautiful is the rain!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow- from "Rain in Summer", 1846.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The South Alabama Birding Association is a non-profit
organization founded in 1994 to promote bird conservation
and preservation of bird habitat, and to foster a greater
understanding of birds through education, publication,
and recreational birding activities.

Financial support for SABA Conservation & Education
Projects is derived from contributions, and the sale of
high quality bird houses, feeders, and selected birding
and nature books.

Your purchases will help a Barn Owl have a better life,
a bluebird have a new home and a young person learn
about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you miss a copy of L.A. BirdNews?
You can read back issues on the SABA Website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Alabama Birding Association
1040 Fort Dale Road
Greenville, Alabama 36037
Office: (334) 382-2680    Toll Free: 1 800 382-2696
Email: saba@...
Home Page: http://www.bamabirds.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdNews, and L.A. BirdAlert are distributed
by the South Alabama Birding Association.

If you were subscribed without your knowledge, have
received this issue by mistake, or do not wish to
receive future issues for any other reason, follow the
instructions below to cancel your subscription
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

L.A. BirdNews - June, 2002
A Publication of the South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's "Birding Connection".
Charles Kennedy - Editor

L.A. BirdNews is never sent unsolicited. If you have
received this issue by mistake or were subscribed
without your knowledge, or against your will, follow
the instructions at the end to cancel your subscription.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE

1. SABA News
2. Coming Events - Field Trips and Other Events
3. SABA Website Updates - Find Out What's New
4. What's In A Name? A King Without A Crown!
5. Words From The Wise - Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
S.A.B.A. NEWS

Project BirdSpeak

Would you like to have a bird program for your club? SABA
can fill the bill. If your organization has not had us do
a program, a good start would be to book....

Alabama Birds: Making The Connection

This program, presented by Charles Kennedy, covers the
basics of birds and bird watching in Alabama.

Other programs available are....

Glittering Garments of the Rainbow: All about Hummingbirds
Enjoying Bluebirds More
Creating A Bird Garden

You can also be of service to SABA and our conservation
projects by helping us contact organizations that might
be interested in a presentation.

Garden club program committees usually arrange their
programs for the year during the summer months. If you
know a contact person for a club in your community send
their address and we will mail them a brochure about the
programs available.

We do not charge a fee for the programs but many of the
clubs will make a contribution to the SABA Projects Fund.

Every little bit donated is used to help a bluebird have
a new home, A Barn Owl have a better life and a student
learn more about birds and conservation of our natural
resources.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-
Have you visited the SABA Nature store lately?
http://www.bamabirds.com/sabasales/salesindex.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMING EVENTS

July 15, 2002 - Project BirdSpeak Presentation
Butler County Treasure Forest Association

July 18, 2002 - Project BirdSpeak Presentation
Crenshaw County Treasure Forest Association

Alabama Breeding Bird Atlas Project

The "safe dates" for many species continue through July
and some even into August. Have you joined the Atlas
project yet? It's not too late!!

Coming events are published on the SABA Website at...
http://www.bamabirds.com/coming.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SABA WEBSITE UPDATES

Have you heard about "Hounds Hummers"? Probably not.

Fred Bassett (fhound@...) is developing a website
devoted to hummingbirds, especially hummers in Alabama.

"Hounds Hummers" will be online soon and I think you are
going to like it. Look for it in the bamabirds network.
(bamabirds.com is the internet domain owned by SABA)

How would you like to have your website become a part
of the bamabirds network? We will be happy to provide
you with a free home page. Your web address would be...

http://www.bamabirds.com/yourname

Contact Charles Kennedy for more information.
send mail to: saba@...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Most of the "king" birds are kings without a crown.

The Eastern Kingbird has a red crown but it is invisible
most of the time. Likewise the Gray Kingbird.

If the Eastern Kingbird's crown doesn't declare him
"Your Royal Highness", his behavior does. Kings tend to
be dominating and aggressive (in the movies anyway). The
"Bee Martin" is a bully king of the highest order. If he
weighed 100 pounds no critter on the earth would be safe.
Who needs a crown?

One of the "little kings" doesn't show his crown either.
The only way you will see the crown on a Ruby-crowned
Kinglet is to get him exited. The Golden-crowned Kinglet,
on the other hand, is a proper king; crown always in place.

The Kingfisher doesn't wear a crown, just a belt. His
fishing prowess earns him the title.

The Belted Kingfisher is Alabama's resident King. You
will find him holding court along rivers and on farm
ponds across the state throughout the year.

Eastern and Gray Kingbirds are Summer Kings. The Eastern
is common throughout Alabama and the Gray uncommon on
the coast.

Occasionally kings from faraway places pay a visit. The
Western Kingbird stops by the coast almost every fall and
the Tropical/Couch's Kingbird comes along about every
100 years or so. When he shows up we all run to bow before
his throne.

The "little kings" rule the Alabama woodlands in winter.

So, what do you think of a king who is nonchalant about
the way he wears his crown or worse yet doesn't even have
one?

Huckleberry Finn put it this way...

Dukes will be Dukes and Kings will be Kings and you have
to make allowances.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Need to brush up on your Kingbirds. You can find books and
software in the SABA/Withoutbricks Nature Store. Visit
soon at: http://www.bamabirds.com/sabasales/salesindex.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORDS FROM THE WISE

  Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature

  "Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find
   reserves of strength that will endure as long as
   life lasts."    Rachel Carson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The South Alabama Birding Association is a non-profit
organization founded in 1994 to promote bird conservation
and preservation of bird habitat, and to foster a greater
understanding of birds through education, publication,
and recreational birding activities.

Financial support for SABA Conservation & Education
Projects is derived from contributions, and the sale of
high quality bird houses, feeders, and selected birding
and nature books.

Your purchases will help a Barn Owl have a better life,
a bluebird have a new home and a young person learn
about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you miss a copy of L.A. BirdNews?
You can read back issues on the SABA Website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Alabama Birding Association
1040 Fort Dale Road
Greenville, Alabama 36037
Office: (334) 382-2680    Toll Free: 1 800 382-2696
Email: saba@...
Home Page: http://www.bamabirds.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdNews, and L.A. BirdAlert are distributed
by the South Alabama Birding Association.

If you were subscribed without your knowledge, have
received this issue by mistake, or do not wish to
receive future issues for any other reason, follow the
instructions below to cancel your subscription
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

L.A. BirdNews - May, 2002
A Publication of the South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's "Birding Connection".
Charles Kennedy - Editor

L.A. BirdNews is never sent unsolicited. If you have
received this issue by mistake or were subscribed
without your knowledge, or against your will, follow
the instructions at the end to cancel your subscription.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE

1. SABA News
2. Coming Events - Field Trips and Other Events
3. SABA Website Updates - Find Out What's New
4. What's In A Name? - The bird that spake "nevermore".
5. Words From The Wise - Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
S.A.B.A. NEWS

Have you signed on for the Alabama Breeding Bird Atlas
Project yet. Many of you have and it is appreciated. The
breeding season is in full strut and now is the time to
be out and about looking for breeding evidence. It's
certainly not too late to sign up for the project. In
fact the project runs for the next 5 years. There is
still another month or more to go in this year.

You can survey your yard, your neighborhood or your home
town or county. send me an email message for info and
I'll let you know how to get started.

On a purely selfish note let me add that yours truly
has signed on as coordinator for Atlas Region 7. This is
in southwest Alabama and some of it is pretty remote.
If you live in Choctaw or Washington County or have
contacts in these two counties I can use some help.
I would also appreciate hearing from any of you who
can make a day trip to this part of the state.

This is a good cause and is actually fun. Sign up today!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Need a birdhouse. Bluebirds nest through July. You can
support SABA projects with a purchase. We are offering
4 top quality bluebird houses for $30.00 and SABA pays
the shipping. Nice Father's day gift don't you think.
To place your order visit...
http://www.bamabirds.com/sabasales/salesindex.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMING EVENTS

Coming In June

1 - 30 Breeding Bird Atlasing

8th - Birmingham Audubon - Brushy Lake Picnic & Count

Also coming in June - July - August

Hot, humid Alabama Summer.

Slows us and the birds down a bit.

If you know of a field trip or other summer birding event
in Alabama or NW FL let us know about it.
For more "Coming Events" visit:
http://www.bamabirds.com/coming.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SABA WEBSITE UPDATES

Name That Bird Contest

S.P. McCool from Crawfordville, FL happened upon a nice
male Northern Parula perched on the contest page a few
days ago and won a birdhouse.

When will the next mystery bird land on the contest page?

It may be a few minutes from now, tomorrow, or next week.
it will happen. Check often at....
http://www.bamabirds.com/contest.htm

The FieldNotes Page is updated as reports are received.
See what's happening from the boondocks to the backyard.

Visit the FieldNotes Page at.........
http://www.bamabirds.com/fieldnotes.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT'S IN A NAME?

He's ravenous, he's ravening he's always misbehavening.

Uh oh, for a minute there I thought I was writing a song.

Ol' Edgar A. Poe is the one who had the talking Raven.
Could have been that he was talking about the Raven
nevermore speaking again in Alabama. One has not been
seen in the Heart of Dixie for over 80 years.

Until last week when...

A visiting birder from Georgia found one in Cherokee
County just a bit south of Weiss Lake. Nobody has been
able to spot him again but after the rare birds that have
shown up in the Bama this year who knows?

If you get over that way ride around a bit and listen for
the "nevermore".

Actually you should listen for the cry of the Raven
which, according to the bird name experts, is why the bird
is called a Raven. Well now, I don't know about that! I've
heard a few ravens in my day and about all they did was
croak.

Well anyway listen for a big black bird croaking, saying
"Raven", "Raven", or saying "Nevermore". If you hear any
of this call Steve McConnell. (Bama's Rare Bird Fanatic)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Need to brush up on your birdsongs. You can find CD's and
software in the SABA/Withoutbricks Nature Store. You may
even find one with a raven croaking "nevermore" on it.

Visit soon at...
http://www.bamabirds.com/sabasales/salesindex.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORDS FROM THE WISE

  Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature

  "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
   Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine
   flows into trees. The winds will blow their
   freshness into you, and the storms their energy,
   while cares will drop off like falling leaves."

   John Muir
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The South Alabama Birding Association is a non-profit
organization founded in 1994 to promote bird conservation
and preservation of bird habitat, and to foster a greater
understanding of birds through education, publication,
and recreational birding activities.

Financial support for SABA Conservation & Education
Projects is derived from contributions, and the sale of
high quality bird houses, feeders, and selected birding
and nature books.

Your purchases will help a Barn Owl have a better life,
a bluebird have a new home and a young person learn
about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you miss a copy of L.A. BirdNews?
You can read back issues on the SABA Website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Alabama Birding Association
1040 Fort Dale Road
Greenville, Alabama 36037
Office: (334) 382-2680    Toll Free: 1 800 382-2696
Email: saba@...
Home Page: http://www.bamabirds.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdNews, and L.A. BirdAlert are distributed
by the South Alabama Birding Association.

If you were subscribed without your knowledge, have
received this issue by mistake, or do not wish to
receive future issues for any other reason, follow the
instructions below to cancel your subscription
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

L.A. BirdNews - April, 2002
A Publication of the South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's "Birding Connection".
Charles Kennedy - Editor

L.A. BirdNews is never sent unsolicited. If you have
received this issue by mistake or were subscribed
without your knowledge, or against your will, follow
the instructions at the end to cancel your subscription.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE

1. SABA News - Alabama Bird Atlas Project
2. Coming Events - Field Trips and Other Events
3. SABA Website Updates - Help!!!!
4. What's In A Name? The Captain's Bird
5. Words From The Wise - Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
S.A.B.A. NEWS

Alabama Breeding Bird Atlas Project

The Alabama Ornithological Society in association with
the Alabama DCNR has launched a 5 year project devoted
to collecting data on all species of birds that breed in
Alabama. Other organizations, including SABA, have joined
the project as Partners.

The project is statewide in scope. The State is divided
into 9 Regions. Each region is divided into counties.
Each county is divided into small sections called "quads"
and each quad is divided into even smaller sections
called blocks. A block is roughly 3.5 miles square. If
you live in Alabama your house is in one of these blocks.

You can help!

There are several levels of participation in the project.
You can report the birds you see during nesting season in
your home block or you can survey several blocks in your
area. If you travel about the state you can send reports
of the birds you see in your travels.

This is a project that almost anybody who has an interest
in birds can participate in. You don't have to be a bird
expert to collect valuable information. Information about
the Mockingbirds, Cardinals and Bluebirds that nest in
your yard is as important as that concerning the hard to
find species.

The complete project details are available from Region
Coordinators and will be available on a website in the
near future.

If you would like to join the project or contact a Region
Coordinator for more info send an email message to
saba@... and type "Atlas Info" in the subject
line. Include your name, city and county in the message.
A reply containing enough info to get you started will
be sent. May and June are the months that the majority
of the bird records need to be collected.

From the backyard to the boondocks - We are looking for
breeding birds in Alabama. Join the Atlas Project today!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A new computer program devoted strictly to Alabama Birds
is available from Thayer Software. Much information on
the birds that are found regularly in Alabama is just
a click away on your own computer. Excellent photos of
each species and their song is included. This program
will be a big help to participants in the Atlas Project.

Price? Only $24.95 - Check it out on the SABA Home Page.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMING EVENTS FOR MAY 2002

May 4  - Birmingham Audubon Spring Count
May 11 - Migration Count
May 18 - CBA Field Trip - Upper Delta
May 18 - Pensacola Audubon Field Trip - Escambia Swamp
Visit the websites of the organizations above to learn
more about the trips. You will find links to these and
many other birding sites in the SABA Birding Directory

http://www.bamabirds.com/links/birdlinks.htm

For more "Coming Events" visit:
http://www.bamabirds.com/coming.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SABA WEBSITE UPDATES

Help! We need several assistant webmasters to help manage
the SABA Website. The tech stuff isn't much different
from using a word processor. If you would like to know
more about how you can help call or send email.

Name That Bird Contest

How about that "Swoon" that landed on the contest page
on April 1. There were 215 guesses before Kelley Gregory
got it right.

And if you didn't read the "Rest of the Story" about the
discovery of this remarkable species visit...

http://www.bamabirds.com/articles/swoon.htm

When will the next mystery bird land on the SABA Website?

It may be a few minutes from now, tomorrow, or next week.
it will happen. Check often at....
http://www.bamabirds.com/contest.htm

The FieldNotes Page is updated as reports are received.
See what's happening from the boondocks to the backyard.

Visit the FieldNotes Page at.........
http://www.bamabirds.com/fieldnotes.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT'S IN A NAME?

The Captain's Bird

In 1804 two U.S. Army Captains began an expedition. Their
goal was to cross the country. They made it. When the
expedition reached Kamiah, Idaho on August 22, 1805 the
Captain named William Clark discovered a new bird species.
The other Captain was named Lewis. Perhaps you have heard
the names before. As is often the case with a newly-found
species the bird was named for its finder.

The bird was named Clark's Nutcracker. Perhaps you have
heard the name before.

Well now, in case you are not totally in the Alabama bird
loop, let me tell you that a Clark's Nutcracker was found
about 10 days ago atop Cheaha Mountain. He's probably
still there. Better hurry if you want to see him though.
First State Record Birds sometimes leave rather abruptly.

Odd thing about the name. Nutcrackers don't crack nuts.
They swallow them whole. The preferred food is the nut of
the pinon pine although other seeds will be eaten. Pinon
Pines are not really very common on Cheaha. Guess that
proves the theory that other seeds will be eaten.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why do we have a SABA Nature Store? Good question? Maybe
it's to help a Barn Owl have a better life, a Bluebird
have a new home or a young person learn more about birds
and conservation. Yep, it's the way we raise money to
support our projects. We don't charge a membership fee,
we hardly ever get a direct contribution, so..........

When you are thinking about buying a new bird book, new
binocs or most anything else related to birds think about
the SABA Nature Store and go shopping at.........
http://www.bamabirds.com/sabasales/salesindex.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORDS FROM THE WISE

  Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature

  "April hath put a spirit of youth in everything."

   William Shakespeare
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The South Alabama Birding Association is a non-profit
organization founded in 1994 to promote bird conservation
and preservation of bird habitat, and to foster a greater
understanding of birds through education, publication,
and recreational birding activities.

Financial support for SABA Conservation & Education
Projects is derived from contributions, and the sale of
high quality bird houses, feeders, and selected birding
and nature books.

Your purchases will help a Barn Owl have a better life,
a bluebird have a new home and a young person learn
about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you miss a copy of L.A. BirdNews?
You can read back issues on the SABA Website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Alabama Birding Association
1040 Fort Dale Road
Greenville, Alabama 36037
Office: (334) 382-2680    Toll Free: 1 800 382-2696
Email: saba@...
Home Page: http://www.bamabirds.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdNews, and L.A. BirdAlert are distributed
by the South Alabama Birding Association.

If you were subscribed without your knowledge, have
received this issue by mistake, or do not wish to
receive future issues for any other reason, follow the
instructions below to cancel your subscription
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greetings to All,

About and hour ago I found out that Kelley
Gregory from Enterprise, Alabama has a view
of the bird world that is as warped as mine.

I am not sure how long she studied the photo
but at some point it became obvious to her
that a cross between a loon and a swan is a...

SWOON

To be more precise the rear end is a Tundra Swan
and the head is a Common Loon. I am sure that
most of you know that cross breeding is more common
among waterfowl than in other bird families.

The events leading up to my discovery today are
as outrageous as the bird I found.

You can read the rest of the story at...

http://www.bamabirds.com/articles/swoon.htm

How many times in this life can you expect to find..

"A Bird That Will Make You Swoon"

Not many!

Charles Kennedy

Happy April Fool's Day To All,

The never-before-seen bird that I discovered
In Lower Alabama earlier today has piqued the
interest of quite a few of you.

Thanks to all of who second guessed the
name I chose for this unusual critter.

So far nobody has viewed the bird in the same
way I did. I guess you had to be there.

Maybe I should give you a couple of clues, but
first let me share with you what it's not.

The rear end of the bird is not a goose. Too
bad for Shirley Wayland and David Dortch who
suggested that it might be a...

Looney Goose

Closer, but still a little off was the suggestion
by Stephen Bru that it was a....

Loony Tuny (cross between a loon and a Tundra Swan)

We may have at least one Loon-Pecked husband among
us considering that Ira Kupferberg suggested...

Domestic Loon - Husbandis Americanis

A few other wild guesses were...

Ring-necked goon - Bob Rowand
Yellow-billed Looney Swan - Joe Benedict
Tuxedo Duck - Richard Griffin
Ring-necked Gooslard - Cynthia Russell
Red-Eyed Ringed Neck Mallard Swan - Riki Hyde
Looney Fowl - Joan C. Heidelberg
Common Whistling Loon - Mark Bailey

The names submitted by Jim Williams, Randy Moore
and Jeff Stratford were so close that I dare not
include them lest I give it away.

So here are the clues.

1. The bird is obviously a hybrid.
2. I'm not a professional bird scientist. Don't make
it more complicated than it is.
3. The name is one word.

Guess and guess again.

Charles Kennedy

Good Morning Friends and Fellow Bird Lovers,

Will wonders never cease?

You will recall that on April 1, 2000 I discovered
the first Wigeon Pigeon ever seen. On April 1, 2001
another world record bird came my way. You remember
the Great Horned Toad-Owl I'm sure.

Needless to say I was dumbstruck early this morning
to stumble upon another species which is apparently
heretofore unknown. I have been searching the literature
for several hours now and find no reference to a bird
species that even remotely resembles what I saw this
morning. And I will hasten to say that this one is 100%
avian. Praise the Lord all that Horny Toad business has
been laid to rest.

In keeping with the customary ornithological tradition
I have exercised my prerogative to give the bird its
common name.

Rather than just blurt it out all over the internet
I thought it might be fun to have a contest.

Yes indeedy, I did get a picture!

Take a look at the picture on the Bird Contest Page

http://www.bamabirds.com/contest.htm

If you are the first to guess the name I picked I'll
send you a birdhouse.

The rules are suspended for this contest. You can
send as many guesses as you like.

I will announce the bird name and the winner at
8 PM CST tonight by Email and on the contest page.
(Unless nobody guesses it by 8 PM)

I am also writing more details about the discovery
of the species and will direct you to the web page
when I announce the bird name and winner.

Best wishes from your fearful leader!

The luckiest birder on the planet.

Charles Kennedy

L.A. BirdNews - March, 2002
A Publication of the South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's "Birding Connection".
Charles Kennedy - Editor

L.A. BirdNews is never sent unsolicited. If you have
received this issue by mistake or were subscribed
without your knowledge, or against your will, follow
the instructions at the end to cancel your subscription.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE

1. SABA News
2. Coming Events - Field Trips and Other Events
3. SABA Website Updates - Find Out What's New
4. What's In A Name? The "Cross" Bird
5. Words From The Wise - Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
S.A.B.A. NEWS

Project BirdTeach

The date: Friday - March 22, 2002
The place: The Red School House on Dauphin Island
The time: 8:30 AM - 11 AM
The occasion: SABA Project BirdTeach Presentation.

Your help is needed! We will be installing bird houses
on the school campus, talking to students about birds
and taking bird walks around the campus.

Nearly all of our BirdTeach events have been held in the
central part of the state. The primary reason for this
I suppose is that Montgomery, Prattville, Greenville,
etc. are close to where most of our regular BirdTeachers
live. Well, we're off the deep end now. We are going to
be birdteaching about as low as you can go in Lower Alabama.

Mobile and Baldwin County SABA Members here's your chance.
Why don't you take a half day off from work or whatever
other obligations you may have and join us.

You'll enjoy it!

Let me know if you can be there so I can make you a name
badge for the event. And by the way, you can bet that we
will check out the Shell Mounds for early migrants when
the birdteaching is done!

Attention Montgomery Area SABA Members!

On April 25 and 26 SABA will be participating in the Earth
Day Safari at the Montgomery Zoo. You can help. The 2001
Earth Day Safari was a one day event and was attended by
5000 students and their teachers. The 2002 Safari has been
expanded to 2 days. Expected attendance 10,000.

We will need enough help to staff a booth for both days.
We will also make a 45 minute classroom presentation on
both days. Stay tuned for additional details.

The next SABA Project BirdSpeak Presentations...

April 27, 2001 - Wehle Nature Center - Bird Awareness Day
May 8, 2002 - Troy, Alabama - Troy DAR Chapter.

You can help us arrange speaking events. Contact
Garden Clubs and other organizations in your home town
and tell them about our programs. We speak cheap.
The price is: $00.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Need new binoculars? Go shopping at Eagle Optics and
make a contribution to the SABA Projects Fund. Just
click the Eagle Optics banner on the SABA Home Page.

And remember your purchases will help a Bluebird have
a new home, a Barn Owl have a better life and a young
person learn more about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMING EVENTS

March 23, 2002
Birmingham Audubon Field Trip - Perry County (Marion)
More information at http://www.birminghamaudubon.org/

Anytime Between...
12:01 AM, Friday, April 12 and 12:00 PM, Saturday, April 20
Coastal Birding Trail Opening Day Celebration Big Day Event
The rest of the story is at: http://www.coastalbirding.org/

April 13 - Fundraiser for Mobile Delta Canoe Trail
Visit the coming events page for details on this event.

April 19 - 21
AOS 50th Anniversary Celebration - Dauphin Island

April 27 - Bird Awareness Day - Wehle Nature Center
Annual event sponsored by the DCNR. Complete details will
be posted when available.

For more "Coming Events" visit:
http://www.bamabirds.com/coming.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SABA WEBSITE UPDATES

Name That Bird Contest

The latest buzz among birders in Lower Alabama is that
a new species has been spotted. Yes it seems that the
SABA Prez is about to make ornithological history, again!
If this proves true 2002 will be the third consecutive
year that a new species has been discovered in the early
Spring. In 2000 the Wigeon Pigeon came along and last year
we were awed by the discovery of a Great Horned Toad-Owl.
The Prez is keeping an almost daily vigil, camera in hand,
in a swamp in west Butler County. It seems that success is
imminent. Better check the contest page around April 1.

When will the next mystery bird land on the SABA Website?

It may be a few minutes from now, tomorrow, or next week.
it will happen. Check often at....
http://www.bamabirds.com/contest.htm

The FieldNotes Page is updated as reports are received.
See what's happening from the boondocks to the backyard.

Visit the FieldNotes Page at.........
http://www.bamabirds.com/fieldnotes.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT'S IN A NAME?

The "Cross" Bird

Red Crossbill, the reason for the name is rather obvious.
The bill is crossed and except for brown wings and tail
it is red.

Did you know that the Red Crossbill acquired its crossed
beak in an effort to remove the nails that held Christ to
the cross; and in so doing the bird became so splattered
with blood that its plumage became ever after hued with
red. That's the way it was told around Europe a few
hundred years ago.

Now if you're not real big on religious symbolism or
fanciful notions you might prefer to go along with the
idea that the crossed bill was acquired as and aid to
extracting seeds from pine cones.

Looking for a Red Crossbill in Alabama? Try the Talladega
National Forest (Talladega Division) about 15 miles north
of Heflin. Walk along the Pinhoti Trail and listen for the
call notes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Need to brush up on your birdsongs. You can find CD's and
software in the SABA/Withoutbricks Nature Store. Visit
soon at: http://www.bamabirds.com/sabasales/salesindex.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORDS FROM THE WISE

  Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature

  "For if one link in nature's chain might be lost,
   another might be lost, until the whole of things
   will vanish by piecemeal."

   Thomas Jefferson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The South Alabama Birding Association is a non-profit
organization founded in 1994 to promote bird conservation
and preservation of bird habitat, and to foster a greater
understanding of birds through education, publication,
and recreational birding activities.

Financial support for SABA Conservation & Education
Projects is derived from contributions, and the sale of
high quality bird houses, feeders, and selected birding
and nature books.

Your purchases will help a Barn Owl have a better life,
a bluebird have a new home and a young person learn
about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you miss a copy of L.A. BirdNews?
You can read back issues on the SABA Website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Alabama Birding Association
1040 Fort Dale Road
Greenville, Alabama 36037
Office: (334) 382-2680    Toll Free: 1 800 382-2696
Email: saba@...
Home Page: http://www.bamabirds.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdNews, and L.A. BirdAlert are distributed
by the South Alabama Birding Association.

If you were subscribed without your knowledge, have
received this issue by mistake, or do not wish to
receive future issues for any other reason, follow the
instructions below to cancel your subscription

Good morning SABA Members,

On Sunday morning March 17, 2002 Larry Gardella
located a male Ruff at the Woerner Sod Farm in
Lowndes County Alabama.

Larry described the bird as a well marked male
Ruff with a white head. He added that he looked
like a very large Ruddy Turnstone.

Even if shorebirds are not your specialty you
should be able to readily identify a well marked
male Ruff such as this one.

To reach the location where the Ruff was seen this
morning enter the east gate of the sod farm. Take
the road that passes to the right of the office
building and continue to the back of the farm toward
the tree line. You will see a long pool of water.
Search in this area.

If you need additional directions for reaching the
sod farm visit the Lowndes County section of the
birding guide on the SABA Website. The address for
this page is:

http://www.bamabirds.com/birdfind/lowndes.htm

Good Ruff hunting to all.

Charles Kennedy

L.A. BirdNews - February, 2002
A Publication of the South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's "Birding Connection".
Charles Kennedy - Editor

L.A. BirdNews is never sent unsolicited. If you have
received this issue by mistake or were subscribed
without your knowledge, or against your will, follow
the instructions at the end to cancel your subscription.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE

1. SABA News
2. Coming Events - Field Trips and Other Events
3. SABA Website Updates - Find Out What's New
4. What's In A Name? - Birds With Critter Names - Part 2
5. Words From The Wise - Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
S.A.B.A. NEWS

SABA has a new web address.

Have you ever tried to tell somebody how to find the SABA
Home Page. I have, many times, and it ain't easy. When I
say it's at....

http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/index.html

I usually get a look that says "you must be kidding". Those
days are gone. The SABA Home Page is now found at.....

http://www.bamabirds.com

Now that's a lot easier don't you think! Actually the
website is still parked right where it has always been.
So, if you have pages on the site bookmarked you don't have
to change anything. But you can change the way you tell your
friends how to find the SABA Home Page. Just tell 'em to
take a look at bamabirds.com.

Attention Montgomery SABA Members!

On April 25 and 26 SABA will be participating in the Earth
Day Safari at the Montgomery Zoo. You can help. We'll let
you know more soon.

Attention Mobile County SABA Members!

The Project BirdTeach Presentation at the Dauphin Island
school is likely to be scheduled for a day in March. You
can help. We'll let you know more soon.

The next SABA Project BirdSpeak Presentation...

Troy Alabama - May 8, 2002. Troy DAR Chapter.

You can help us arrange speaking events. Contact
Garden Clubs and other organizations in your home town
and tell them about our programs. We speak cheap.
The price is: $00.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Best Birdhouses in the Bird Business are made in the
SABA Workshop in Greenville, Alabama.

Bluebirds are looking for homes. Are you ready?

These Bluebird Specials are available now.

1 High quality SABA Bluebird House  $12.00 (shipping free)
2 High quality SABA Bluebird Houses $20.00 (shipping free)
4 High quality SABA Bluebird Houses $30.00 (shipping free)

Visit the SABA Website for ordering information.

And remember your purchases will help a Bluebird have
a new home, a Barn Owl have a better life and a young
person learn more about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMING EVENTS

March 23, 2002
Birmingham Audubon Field Trip - Perry County (Marion)
More information at http://www.birminghamaudubon.org/

Anytime Between...
12:01 AM, Friday, April 12 and 12:00 PM, Saturday, April 20
Coastal Birding Trail Opening Day Celebration Big Day Event
The rest of the story is at: http://www.coastalbirding.org/

April 19 - 21
AOS 50th Anniversary Celebration - Dauphin Island

For more "Coming Events" visit:
http://www.bamabirds.com/coming.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SABA WEBSITE UPDATES

Name That Bird Contest

Chris Price from Jemison, Alabama won the most recent
contest by identifying an Eastern Towhee. Well now!
The puzzle master can pick something beside a peep
sandpiper or empidonax flycatcher.

When will the next mystery bird land on the SABA Website?

It may be a few minutes from now, tomorrow, or next week.
it will happen. Check often at....
http://www.bamabirds.com/contest.htm

The FieldNotes Page is updated as reports are received.
See what's happening from the boondocks to the backyard.

Visit the FieldNotes Page at.........
http://www.bamabirds.com/fieldnotes.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Birds With Critter Names - Part 2

Did I ever get my comeuppance!

I looked through the National Geo Index at least 20 times
before I made up the "birds with critter names list".
(L.A. BirdNews, January 2002) I was determined not to miss
any. Did I? Yeah! A bunch.

Clay Taylor obviously reads field guide indexes more than
I do. Or maybe he's got "eyes like a hawk" which would make
sense. Clay is a sales rep for Swarovski Optics.

Well Ol' Clay was kind enough to send me a list of the ones
I missed.

I can't believe I missed these....

3 "Cow"birds - Brown-headed, Bronzed, Shiny
2 "Oyster"catchers - American, Black
and of course the Eurasian "Bull"finch.

You will recall that I postulated that humans are
critters so all the bird names that include a type of
human ("Pygmy" Nuthatch) or make reference to a human
life style ("Hermit" Thrush) were on my list. Or so
I thought. Clay is a better judge of human nature than I.

I included the Kingfishers because of the fish. Well now,
they are also "King"fishers. So are...

"King"lets, "King" Rail, "King" Eider, all the "King"birds,
and while were focusing on dignitaries let's don't forget
the Orange "Bishop".

Then there's the highly religious Northern "Cardinal",
the comedic "Harlequin" Duck, the devilish "Lucifer"
Hummingbird (the Devil may not be human but he is most
definitely a critter), and the politically incorrect
Old"squaw". A "widow" (Chuck-will's) and an "Eskimo"
(Curlew) complete the list.

So as I sit here considering all this it occurs to
me that "Americans" are critters......

There is not going to be a Part 3. If anybody finds any
other critters amongst the birds I don't want to know
about it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looking for a bird with a critter name or one of the other
app. 400 species of birds that have been seen in Alabama?

"A Birder's Guide To Alabama" can help!

To learn more visit the SABA Home page and click the cover.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORDS FROM THE WISE

  Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature

  "It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds"

   Aesop - from the fable "The Jay and the Peacock"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The South Alabama Birding Association is a non-profit
organization founded in 1994 to promote bird conservation
and preservation of bird habitat, and to foster a greater
understanding of birds through education, publication,
and recreational birding activities.

Financial support for SABA Conservation & Education
Projects is derived from contributions, and the sale of
high quality bird houses, feeders, and selected birding
and nature books.

Your purchases will help a Barn Owl have a better life,
a bluebird have a new home and a young person learn
about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you miss a copy of L.A. BirdNews?
You can read back issues on the SABA Website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Alabama Birding Association
1040 Fort Dale Road
Greenville, Alabama 36037
Office: (334) 382-2680    Toll Free: 1 800 382-2696
Email: saba@...
Home Page: http://www.bamabirds.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdNews, and L.A. BirdAlert are distributed
by the South Alabama Birding Association.

If you were subscribed without your knowledge, have
received this issue by mistake, or do not wish to
receive future issues for any other reason, follow the
instructions below to cancel your subscription
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

L.A. BirdNews - January, 2002
A Publication of the South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's "Birding Connection".
Charles Kennedy - Editor

L.A. BirdNews is never sent unsolicited. If you have
received this issue by mistake or were subscribed
without your knowledge, or against your will, follow
the instructions at the end to cancel your subscription.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE

1. SABA News
2. Coming Events - Field Trips and Other Events
3. SABA Website Updates - Find Out What's New
4. What's In A Name? - A Goofy Bird Name Quiz
5. Words From The Wise - Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
S.A.B.A. NEWS

Project BirdTeach

We will be finalizing plans for the BirdTeach event at
the Little Red Schoolhouse on Dauphin Island soon. This
event will probably be held in March or April. I'm
counting on help from SABA Members in Mobile and
on the Island.

Something New From The State of Alabama

         "Alabama Birding Trails"

This is a slick, well illustrated brochure published
by the Alabama Department of Tourism. It includes
information about the best birding spots in Alabama
and promotes Alabama as a major birding destination.
The Flicker from the SABA Site "Alabama State Bird"
page was used as one of the illustrations. We were
fortunate to be invited to consult with Russell Nolen,
the brochure designer, on locations and birding info.
In return SABA was given a nice plug in the brochure.

The brochure will be available at Alabama rest stops
and distributed in other ways including free copies
sent by mail. The Department of Tourism has been kind
enough to provide us with 600 copies which will be
distributed to participants in SABA field Trips and
at Project BirdSpeak presentations.

And speaking of Brochures....

Do you know about the SABA BirdFacts brochures...

These are illustrated pamphlets that we offer free to
those who attend Project BirdSpeak Presentations. These
are print versions of some of the articles on the SABA
Website. Titles currently available are...

The Alabama State Bird
Barn Owl Questions and Answers
Creating A Perfect Bird Garden
A Guide To Birdhouses
The Eastern Bluebird: A Management Guide
Hummingbirds: Glittering Garments of the Rainbow
Feeding Wild Birds
A Guide To Field Guides
A Guide To Binoculars and Scopes
Plow It Up And Wait: Management for Birds on Farms etc.

We have given away thousands of these.

These brochures are formatted in Microsoft Publisher.
If you do any bird speaking we can send the files by
email and you can print copies to give away. You will
need to have Publisher on your computer. Let me know
if you want to give it a try and I'll tell you how
to proceed.

The next SABA Project BirdSpeak Presentation...

May 8 - Troy Alabama - May 8, 2002. Troy DAR Chapter.

You can help us arrange speaking events. Contact
Garden Clubs and other organizations in your home town
and tell them about our programs. We speak cheap.
The price is: $00.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Best Birdhouses in the Bird Business are made in the
SABA Workshop in Greenville, Alabama.

The warm weather has the Bluebirds looking for homes.

These Bluebird Specials are available now.

1 High quality SABA Bluebird House  $12.00 (shipping free)
2 High quality SABA Bluebird Houses $20.00 (shipping free)
4 High quality SABA Bluebird Houses $30.00 (shipping free)

Visit the SABA Website for ordering information.

And remember your purchases will help a Bluebird have
a new home, a Barn Owl have a better life and a young
person learn more about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMING EVENTS

Coming Soon....
SABA Field Trip - Eufala Wildlife Refuge
Saturday - February 9, 2002

This will be a day trip. We will meet in the parking
lot of Lake Point Lodge at 7:30 AM. We will check out
the Alabama section of the refuge in the morning and
visit the Georgia side in the afternoon if it seems like
a good thing to do.

And as usual we will eat lunch at Sam's Barbecue.

And as usual we will have a good time!

Visit the SABA "Coming Events" page and calendar at:
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/coming.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SABA WEBSITE UPDATES

Name That Bird Contest

When will the next mystery bird land on the SABA Website?

It may be a few minutes from now, tomorrow, or next week.
it will happen. Check often at.................
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/contest.htm

The FieldNotes Page is updated as reports are received.
See what's happening from the boondocks to the backyard.

Visit the FieldNotes Page at.........
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/fieldnotes.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT'S IN A NAME?

A Goofy Bird Name Quiz (The quiz is goofy, not the birds)

The other day I was reading through the index of one of
the field guides to North American birds. I do that a lot.
Well now, the fearful leader of a birding organization
has got to be well informed enough to impress the hot shot
birders at meetings and field trips. So I look through the
field guide indexes and memorize a few exotic sounding bird
names. When I am around some of the big birders I drop a
comment about a Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet or a
Rose-throated Becard. Makes me sound like a real expert.

Well on one of these index reading binges I began to notice
that there are a lot of bird names that contain the name of
non-avian critters. There are mammals, amphibians, reptiles,
crustaceans, fish, insects and even a few creepy-crawlies
tucked away in bird names. So I closed the book and started
to see how many I could name. Then I opened up the book and
looked for the ones I couldn't think of. I came up with 50.

How many do you think you can conjure up out of the blue.
Give it a try and then open up the National Geo and see
how many more you can find. After you've given it your
best shot scroll down below the Nature Quote to take a
look at the ones I came up with.

Some are obvious. Others have the critter name as only part
of the bird name. Here's an example.

"Fly"catcher. There are 21 of them. Too many to list.
So there, I've given away over 40% of the answers

There are a few that will require a cock-eyed view to
figure out. I guess that makes me a cock-eyed birdwatcher.

If you find any that I missed I want to know about it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looking for a bird with a critter name or one of the other
app. 400 species of birds that have been seen in Alabama?

"A Birder's Guide To Alabama" can help!

To learn more visit the SABA Home page and click the cover.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORDS FROM THE WISE

  Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature

  A thought for January...

  There is nothing handsomer than a snowflake and a dewdrop.
  I may say that the maker of the world exhausts his skill
  with each snowflake and dewdrop that he sends down.

  Henry David Thoreau - January 6, 1858
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Birds with critters in their names.

1- 21. "Fly"catchers (freebies)
22. "Rhinoceros" Auklet
23. "Fish" Crow
24. "Cattle" Egret
25 - 28. "Gnat"catchers
Black-tailed - Black-capped - Blue-gray - California
29. "Barnacle" Goose
30. Kill"deer"
31 - 33. King"fish"ers
Belted - Green - Ringed
34. "Snail" Kite
35 - 38. Sap"suckers" (come on, it's a fish)
Red-breasted - Red-naped - Williamson's - Y. Bellied
39. "Manx" Shearwater (a cat with no tail)
40. "Loggerhead" Shrike (a big-headed turtle)
41. "Fox" Sparrow
42. "Grasshopper" Sparrow
43. "Worm"-eating Warbler

And here's the cock-eyed ones....

44 & 45. "Hermit" - there's a thrush and a warbler.

    My wife and daughters are always telling me that all
    I want to do is go live in the woods and watch birds
    like some old hermit. Now I just reckon I'm a mammal

46 - 48 "Pygmy" - there are 2 owls and 1 nuthatch.

     Pigmies are rather small mammal people critters.

49. Purple "Martin"

     Now I admit this one's a stretch. I know it's actually
     "Marten". I think a Marten is some sort of weasel.

50. "Elf" Owl

     Now everybody knows that an Elf is a creepy-crawly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The South Alabama Birding Association is a non-profit
organization founded in 1994 to promote bird conservation
and preservation of bird habitat, and to foster a greater
understanding of birds through education, publication,
and recreational birding activities.

Financial support for SABA Conservation & Education
Projects is derived from contributions, and the sale of
high quality bird houses, feeders, and selected birding
and nature books.

Your purchases will help a Barn Owl have a better life,
a bluebird have a new home and a young person learn
about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you miss a copy of L.A. BirdNews?
You can read back issues on the SABA Website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Alabama Birding Association
1040 Fort Dale Road
Greenville, Alabama 36037
Office: (334) 382-2680    Toll Free: 1 800 382-2696
Email: saba@...
Home Page: http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdNews, and L.A. BirdAlert are distributed
by the South Alabama Birding Association.

If you were subscribed without your knowledge, have
received this issue by mistake, or do not wish to
receive future issues for any other reason, follow the
instructions below to cancel your subscription
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

L.A. BirdAlert - Broad-billed Hummingbird
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdAlert is never sent unsolicited. If you
have received this issue by mistake or were subscribed
without your knowledge, or against your will, follow
the instructions at the end to unsubscribe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An adult male Broad-billed Hummingbird, a first state
record, was banded January 7th by Fred Bassett. The bird
is at the home of Mr Russell Coker in Mobile.

The address is:

259 West Mount Island Drive
Mobile, Alabama, 36606
Phone-251-473-5697

There are 3 feeders on the front side of the house. The
bird can be viewed from the front. It is important that
you call before visiting. There is limited street parking,
so doubling up with friends could be useful.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdNews Digest, L.A. Field Notes, and L.A. BirdAlert
are distributed by the South Alabama Birding Association.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Alabama Birding Association
1040 Fort Dale Road
Greenville, Alabama 36037
Office: (334) 382-2680    Toll Free: 1 800 382-2696
Email: saba@...
Home Page: http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

L.A. BirdNews - December, 2001
A Publication of the South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's "Birding Connection".
Charles Kennedy - Editor

L.A. BirdNews is never sent unsolicited. If you have
received this issue by mistake or were subscribed
without your knowledge, or against your will, follow
the instructions at the end to cancel your subscription.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE

1. SABA News
2. Coming Events - Field Trips and Other Events
3. SABA Website Updates - Find Out What's New
4. What's In A Name? - A Ducky Bird Name Quiz
5. Words From The Wise - Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
S.A.B.A. NEWS

Project BirdTeach

The next SABA Project BirdTeach presentation will be at
the Little Red Schoolhouse on Dauphin Island. The date
and details will be published soon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Best Birdhouses in the Bird Business are made in the
SABA Workshop in Greenville, Alabama. To learn more about
SABA Birdhouses and other SABA products visit the SABA
Nature Store soon. And remember your purchases will help
a Bluebird have a new home, a Barn Owl have a better life
and young person learn more about birds and conservation
of our natural resources.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMING EVENTS

Coming Soon....
AOS Winter Meeting - Gulf Shores - January 25 - 27

SABA Field Trip - Eufala Wildlife Refuge - February
Date and Details to be arranged and published on the
SABA Website and in the January issue of L.A. BirdNews.

Visit the SABA "Coming Events" page and calendar at:
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/coming.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SABA WEBSITE UPDATES

Name That Bird Contest

When will the next mystery bird land on the SABA Website?

It may be a few minutes from now, tomorrow, or next week.
it will happen. Check often at.................
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/contest.htm

New Article: "The Birds That Sang At Christmas"

Got a birdwatcher in the family? Here's the perfect
gift for Christmas, birthday, Father's/Mother's day
or any other special occasion.

If you have been bird watching for a few months or years
you have probably already gotten this one.

To find out all you need to know visit.............
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/articles/christmas.htm

The FieldNotes Page is updated as reports are received.
See what's happening from the boondocks to the backyard.

Visit the FieldNotes Page at.........
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/fieldnotes.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Duck season is upon us. So how about a ducky quiz.

Duck hunters have been observing ducks for a lot longer
than us duck watchers. I talk to duck hunters to find out
what ducks are in the neighborhood. If I ask......

   "have you fellows seen any Hooded Mergansers?"

I usually get a "huh?" or a blank stare. So I've learned
to talk the talk. When I want hunters tell me where the
Hooded Mergansers are I have to ask......

   "ya'll seen any sawbills".

See if you can talk the talk on these 10 ducky names.
I'll be surprised if anybody gets them all correct. Why?
A couple of these might make sense to a duck hunter but
not to me.

Type the real name beside the name the hunters use.
Check your answers with those just below the Nature Quote.

1. Greenhead -
2. Chickcock -
3. Picket-tail -
4. Baldpate -
5. Scooper -
6. Squealer -
7. Horse Duck -
8. Bluebill -
9. Fiddler Duck
10. Butterball -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looking for a Fiddler Duck or one of the other 29 species
of ducks that have been seen in Alabama?

"A Birder's Guide To Alabama" can help!

To learn more visit the SABA Home page and click the cover.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORDS FROM THE WISE

  Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature

   I am the eagle, I live in high country
   In rocky cathedrals that reach to the sky;
   I am the hawk and there's blood on my feathers,
   But time is still turning they soon will be dry.
   And all those who see me and all who believe in me
   Share in the freedom I feel when I fly.
   Come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops,
   Sail o'er the canyons and up to the stars,
   And reach for the heavens and hope for the future
   And all that we can be and not what we are.

   John Denver - "The Eagle And The Hawk".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ducky Quiz Answers.

1. Greenhead - Mallard
2. Chickcock - Gadwall
3. Picket-tail - Pintail
4. Baldpate - American Wigeon
5. Scooper - Northern Shoveler
6. Squealer - Wood Duck
7. Horse Duck - Canvasback
8. Bluebill - Greater or Lesser Scaup
9. Fiddler Duck - Common Goldeneye
10. Butterball - Bufflehead
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The South Alabama Birding Association is a non-profit
organization founded in 1994 to promote bird conservation
and preservation of bird habitat, and to foster a greater
understanding of birds through education, publication,
and recreational birding activities.

Financial support for SABA Conservation & Education
Projects is derived from contributions, and the sale of
high quality bird houses, feeders, and selected birding
and nature books.

Your purchases will help a Barn Owl have a better life,
a bluebird have a new home and a young person learn
about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you miss a copy of L.A. BirdNews?
You can read back issues on the SABA Website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Alabama Birding Association
1040 Fort Dale Road
Greenville, Alabama 36037
Office: (334) 382-2680    Toll Free: 1 800 382-2696
Email: saba@...
Home Page: http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdNews, and L.A. BirdAlert are distributed
by the South Alabama Birding Association.

If you were subscribed without your knowledge, have
received this issue by mistake, or do not wish to
receive future issues for any other reason, follow the
instructions below to cancel your subscription
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

L.A. BirdNews - November, 2001
A Publication of the South Alabama Birding Association
Lower Alabama's "Birding Connection".
Charles Kennedy - Editor

L.A. BirdNews is never sent unsolicited. If you have
received this issue by mistake or were subscribed
without your knowledge, or against your will, follow
the instructions at the end to cancel your subscription.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE

1. SABA News
2. Coming Events - Field Trips and Other Events
3. SABA Website Updates - Find Out What's New
4. What's In A Name? - PILL-eated or PILE-eated?
5. Words From The Wise - Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
S.A.B.A. NEWS

Project BirdSpeak - The next presentation.....

December 3 - Rhododendron Society: Auburn Alabama

L. A. Bluebird Trail

Most of the 2001 nesting season data has been collected.

Sumter County is the first county to reach the goal
of 100 houses. Congratulations to Mary Louise Simms
and the Sumter County Bluebird Team.

The 2001 nesting season report will be published soon.

Visit the L.A. Bluebird Trail on the web at...........
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/bluebird/index.htm

On the LA Bluebird Trail we are...

"From The Backyard To The Boondocks" helping bluebirds
one house at a time!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please Read This Short Commercial...
(or just keep on scrolling)

The Best Birdhouses in the Bird Business are made in the
SABA Workshop in Greenville, Alabama. To learn more about
SABA Birdhouses and other SABA products visit the SABA
Nature Store soon. And remember your purchases will help
a Bluebird have a new home, a Barn Owl have a better life
and young person learn more about birds and conservation
of our natural resources.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMING EVENTS

Coming Soon....

Field Trip - Saturday & Sunday - December 8 & 9

Sponsored by.....

Francis M. Weston Audubon (Pensacola)

Destinations...

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and Wakulla Springs (FL)

Peggy Baker will lead a weekend birding trip to a
wonderful winter birding spot. Expect to see many species
of waterfowl and wading birds along with some special
treats like Bald Eagles. The pace of the trip will be
moderate. Plan to be in the field at daybreak both mornings
and bird until Sunday noon.

Rooms are currently available at Posey's Motel in Panacea
for $40.28 per night for one or two people with a $6
charge for each additional person. If you are interested
in staying with the group, call Posey's at 850-984-0180
soon to make your reservations.

Please call......

Morris Clark,(850) 968-5498, or
Peggy Baker, (850) 934-3242,

for more information and to let them know to be
expecting you.
-----------------------------
2001 Christmas Bird Counts - December & January
Dates and locations will be published soon.

AOS Winter Meeting - Gulf Shores - January 25 - 27

Visit the SABA "Coming Events" page and calendar at:
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/coming.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SABA WEBSITE UPDATES

Name That Bird Contest

A mystery bird has been perched on the contest page for
several days. Guesses have been sent but as of now
nobody has come away a winner. Hurry, you may win a
SABA Birdhouse!

It may be a few minutes from now, tomorrow, or next week
when the next mystery bird lands on the contest page, but
it will happen. Check often at.................
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/contest.htm

New Article: "Winter Jewels"

"What to our wondering eyes did appear? I don't think
we would have been more pleased or excited if there had
been 8 tiny reindeer in the stocking".

To discover what was in the stocking visit.............
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/articles/jewels.htm

The FieldNotes Page is updated As reports are received.
See what's happening from the boondocks to the backyard.

Visit the FieldNotes Page at.........
http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/fieldnotes.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT'S IN A NAME?

On the recent SABA field trip one of the trippers let it
be known that he wanted to see a Pileated Woodpecker. We
heard one call almost immediately after the announcement,
but try as we may we could never see the rascal.

As the search continued some of us were saying PILL-eated
and some were saying PILE-eated. It was inevitable that
sooner or later somebody would ask which was the correct
way to pronounce the bird's name.

There is a lot of confusion about this and several
opinions. But before we get to the confusing part
let's take a look at a possible reason for "Pileated".

A "pileus" was a cone-shaped felt cap worn by ancient
Romans during festivals. They also gave one to liberated
slaves to symbolize freedom. Similar hats called liberty
caps were worn by Patriots during the American Revolution.
Therefore, a person wearing a pileus is "pileatus" in
Latin or in modern English "pileated". The scientific name
that Linnaeus chose for the species is "Dryocopus pileatus".
The dramatic crest on this impressive woodpecker must
have reminded him of a Roman wearing a pileus.

Now then how do you say it?

Linnaeus would probably have said PILL-eated. (PILL-eatus)
The Latin he knew was undoubtedly Classical Latin, the real
old kind. There is no "long I" sound in Classical Latin.
The I sound is like the ee's in pee or the I in pig. If
you are a true believer in Classical Latin don't ever say
PILE-eated. If you do the ghost of Linnaeus will come and
take your pileus away from you.

On the other hand.....

There is another kind of Latin that's more modern than
Classical Latin. It's called "Biological Latin". This
is the Latin modern day taxonomists use when they are
sitting around figuring out ways to mess up the North
American Bird Checklist.

Guess what? In Biological Latin a long I is OK!. So is
a short I. Now ain't that a mess!

So you say PILE-eated and I'll say PILL-eated and...

If you can't make up your mind you can do as my Grandfather
did and call it a "Lord God". You know, as in...

             "Lord God, what a woodpecker!".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looking for a Pileated Woodpecker or one of the other 400+
species of birds recorded in Alabama?

"A Birder's Guide To Alabama" can help!

To learn more visit the SABA Home page and click the cover.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WORDS FROM THE WISE

  Quotes Inspired by Mother Nature

   Wherever I have been, I have never failed to experience
   a powerful thrill over the discovery of this magnificent
   bird, with its long scarlet crest, its conspicuous black
   and white markings, and its wild cries which echo through
   the forest.

   John Birchard May (Referring to a Pileated Woodpecker)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The South Alabama Birding Association is a non-profit
organization founded in 1994 to promote bird conservation
and preservation of bird habitat, and to foster a greater
understanding of birds through education, publication,
and recreational birding activities.

Financial support for SABA Conservation & Education
Projects is derived from contributions, and the sale of
high quality bird houses, feeders, and selected birding
and nature books.

Your purchases will help a Barn Owl have a better life,
a bluebird have a new home and a young person learn
about birds and conservation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you miss a copy of L.A. BirdNews?
You can read back issues on the SABA Website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Alabama Birding Association
1040 Fort Dale Road
Greenville, Alabama 36037
Office: (334) 382-2680    Toll Free: 1 800 382-2696
Email: saba@...
Home Page: http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdNews, and L.A. BirdAlert are distributed
by the South Alabama Birding Association.

If you were subscribed without your knowledge, have
received this issue by mistake, or do not wish to
receive future issues for any other reason, follow the
instructions below to cancel your subscription
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

L.A. BirdAlert - Chestnut-collared Longspur
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdAlert is never sent unsolicited. If you
have received this issue by mistake or were subscribed
without your knowledge, or against your will, follow
the instructions at the end to unsubscribe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Chestnut-collared Longspur has been located on a sod
farm in Baldwin County Alabama. This is apparently a
"First State Record" as this species is not listed on
the Alabama Field Card, or in "A Birder's Guide To Alabama"
or Tom Imhof's "Alabama Birds".

Lucy Duncan filed this report on behalf of Steve McConnell
and Bill Summerour who found the bird on November 16.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR was found today by Bill Summerour
and Steve McConnell in Baldwin County Alabama. It is in a field
with four SPRAGUE'S PIPITS reported several days ago. If you
go to the place, check in with the sod farm office during the
week. Weekends, just be polite as nobody is in the office!!
They know birders are coming.

The C-c Longspur is a molting male still almost all black
underneath, with some of the chestnut collar still visible.
From Hwy 59 headed south from Foley, turn west on county 12.
At the intersection of County 12 with Co. 65, check your mileage.
Continue 1.5 miles west on County 12. Turn right on a dirt road
into the sod field. Go until you see a yellow wood post and park
near there. There is a short grass field to the left of the post
as you face it from the dirt road. There are large green trees
(oaks?) north of the post. Somewhere around there is long grass
that is 12-18" long. The pipits and the longspur are in this
grass. The longspur has been very approachable.

Steve McConnell will be in the area until tomorrow and can
be reached at his cell phone number 256-227-2090.

Yee-haaa!!! Lucy Duncan Gulf Breeze FL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please report updates to saba@... for posting on
the FieldNotes Page on the SABA Website
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
L.A. BirdNews Digest, L.A. Field Notes, and L.A. BirdAlert
are distributed by the South Alabama Birding Association.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
South Alabama Birding Association
1040 Fort Dale Road
Greenville, Alabama 36037
Office: (334) 382-2680    Toll Free: 1 800 382-2696
Email: saba@...
Home Page: http://www.alaweb.com/~kenwood/saba/index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~