We will have a slide presentation on the shorebirds and waterfowl that can been seen during the winter on the coast of Georgia.

Notes… Page Luttrell is arranging a trip to St. Andrews Island for the group going to Jekyll Island over the Martin Luther King weekend, January 13-15, 2001. According to the tide charts for that area and it appears that the best time (high tide) to visit St. Andrews will be around 1:00 pm on Sunday January 14. 
   There is a web page, http://www.avisys.net, that offers birding software information and you can download for free a bird index for the 3rd edition of the National Geographic Guide and also the new Sibley Guide. The index can be glued or taped to the inside jacket for easy reference.
 

David Galewski, our own knowledgeable and enthusiastic birder, presented our annual Christmas Bird Count preparatory talk. David first discussed the Woodpeckers (Downy, Hairy, Northern Flicker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Pileated, and Red-headed) and the two Kinglets (Ruby- and Golden-Crowned) using an audio accompaniment and slides. Next, David reviewed the markings used for identifying the eight sparrows (Chipping, Field, Savannah, Fox, Song, White-throated, Vesper, and Swamp) commonly seen in the Athens. The sparrows can be confusing and David did an excellent job in getting us all ready for the Christmas Count.
 
 

   On Thanksgiving, Maggie Nettles observed Common Loons on Lake Hartwell. Mark Freeman, Mary Case and Michael Bender sighting a flock of ~500 Cedar Waxwings behind the BiLo near the airport on 12/2. David Galewski, on 12/2, observed a Hooded Merganser at the UGA golf course pond across from the Botanical Garden and four 1st year Ring-billed Gulls in the Kroger parking lot on College Station Road. Templeton Hill saw a female Northern Harrier near the airport on 12/3 and a Hermit Thrush and Field Sparrow at his house on 11/24. Page Luttrell saw a pair of Cooper’s Hawks in the Vet School parking lot. In Watkinsville at the park, Carol Ludwig and her grandchildren observed a Red-tailed Hawk capture and eat a squirrel on 11/28. Marianne Happek observed a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in her backyard on the North Oconee River. Mark Freeman saw four Water Pipets and a Northern Harrier in Elbert County near Bowman.
 

President
          Elizabeth Little                                                                  795-5017
          E-mail: elittle@arches.uga.edu
Vice-President
          Mary Case                                                                        548-3848
Treasurer
          Tom Shelton                                                                    795-3959
Secretary
          Page Luttrell                                                                     788-2973

Conservation
          Marta Daniell                                                                   546-9808
          Carrie Straight
Education
          Maggie Nettles                                                               543-8823
Field Trips
          David Galewski                                                               543-1988
Hospitality
          Mary Case                                                                       548-3848
Membership
          Sarah Cliett                                                                      795-3927
Programs
          Gary Crider                                                                      543-8823
Publicity
          Deirdre Allen                                                                  769-4628
Yellowthroat Editor
          John Posey                                                                     769-1417

Articles, artwork, notices, and sighting reports welcomed.  The deadline for submissions is the 15th of each month.  All articles and artwork or copyrighted, and all rights are reserved by the authors. Opinions expressed in articles are those of the respective authors, and do not necessarily reflect the official views of Oconee Rivers Audubon Society.

Physical Description: - Male: Black above with bright orange patches on wings and base of outer tail feathers; black breast with white lower belly and undertail coverts.
Female and Immatures: Dull olive above, with yellow patches on wings and base of outer tail feathers; white breast, belly and undertail coverts. Birds are 4.5 to 5.5 inches long and have very active tail-spreading behavior.
Song: - quite variable; quality can be clear, strident, or buzzy. Some of its songs can sound similar to Yellow, Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, and Black-and-white warbler. Some renditions are see-see-see-see-seeoo and teetsa-teetsa-teetsa-tee.
Habitat: - Breeds in wet deciduous or mixed deciduous-coniferous forests; found near ponds, streams, and swamps.
Migrants: - Widespread in wooded and shrubby habitats, but prefers deciduous trees.
Distribution: - Breeds in eastern states such as Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama. Also in the eastern part of western states. Very rare in California. Winters in NW Mexico, Central America, Peru, Venezuela, and throughout the West Indies.
Interesting Facts: - The American Redstart has the most varied foraging repertoire of the wood warblers. It flycatches, hover-gleans, creeps along trees and branches like nuthatches, and even feeds on the ground. The Redstart tends to fight with the Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus). The empid normally wins, but the warbler shows more flexibility. The male Redstart does not get its bright black and orange plumage until its second breeding season and, therefore, it is not uncommon to see what may appear to be a female displaying to another female.