Our December meeting will be our annual holiday gathering featuring fellowship, refreshments, and games/activities.
This meeting will be a great opportunity for everyone to start getting excited about the upcoming CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT season!
Please join Bob Sargent for his presentation: Ecology and Conservation of Bald Eagles in Georgia
Bob will speak about the ecology and conservation of bald eagles in the U.S. and specifically in Georgia. He will talk about how and why the species came perilously close to extinction in the Lower 48, how that crisis was reversed, the recent avian influenza outbreak, and the status of eagles in Georgia today.
Bob Sargent badgered his major professor into letting him take an ornithology class while doing his master’s research (a deer study). That class changed his life, as he has been consumed by a passion for learning about and conserving feathered creatures ever since. He studied the ecology of migratory songbirds for his Ph.D. (UGA), and then worked 20 years as the natural resources manager of Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia. Bob was an adjunct teacher at three universities and served as president of the Georgia Ornithological Society. In 2015, he was hired by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources as program manager of the Wildlife Conservation Section office in Forsyth. He leads a team of biologists and technicians, participates in songbird and shorebird surveys, teaches an ornithology camp for teenagers, and is the agency’s lead for the conservation of raptors, especially bald eagles and peregrine falcons.
Please join Richard Hall, who is joining via Zoom, for his presentation: Creating Bird-Friendly Backyards
Watching birds in our backyards brings us cheer and a sense of connection to nature, and as the human footprint on the landscape increases, our backyards may become vital habitats for declining species. This talk will provide lessons learned from a decade of converting a small heavily-invaded, in-town yard into a pocket nature reserve, highlight native plants and other landscape features that attract wildlife, and showcase the surprising diversity of birds that have shown up since.
Born in England, Hall developed a lifelong fascination with birds from a young age. His enthusiasm for the natural world led him to pursue a career in Ecology. He has been on the faculty of the Odum School of Ecology and the Dept. of Infectious Diseases at UGA since 2009, where his research focuses on changing patterns of animal movement and wildlife diseases. He also serves on the board of Oconee Rivers Audubon Society.
eBird for Beginners and Experts with Yve Morrell
Whether you have been using eBird for years or are not sure about how the platform works, the June OAS public meeting is for you. Yve Morrell, from St. Simons, will be our presenter. She is an eBird reviewer for the counties south of Chatham and will dive into why one should post their sightings on eBird plus what to focus on for rare bird verifications.
Additionally, being intimately aware of all the data available on eBird, Yve will show us how to access the information, how to use it when you are in unfamiliar or familiar places to locate birds, and how that data contributes to the overall understanding regarding the status of bird species.
Yve, who did a Big Year in 2017 ending up with 813 birds in the U.S. and Canada, has travelled world wide, and has such an enthusiasm for all birds from the rare to the well known. Usually she is out and about catching glimpses of those feathered buddies.
If you have questions about eBird before the meeting or want a topic discussed, send your queries to OAS via the help line, ogeecheeaudubon.help@gmail.com , beforehand. Be sure to bring your laptops or tablets to the meeting so Yve can walk you through any frustrations you may be having
Speaker: Kimberly Hayes; Wildlife Refuge Manager for the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex
Please join us for a presentation that will highlight the work that is being accomplished and the upcoming re-opening of the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive at the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge.
Details of the Hurricane Irma Rehabilitation Project:
In September 2017, Hurricane Irma brought wide-spread damage to the Georgia and South Carolina coasts including the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. The objective of the refuge is to provide high-quality habitat for wintering waterfowl and other wetland-dependent migratory birds. The 3,000-acre impoundment system managed by the Savannah NWR is the primary means of providing this high-quality habitat and was severely damaged. The storm surge brought by Irma breached several levees and damaged the integrity of many miles of levees critical to the management of the impoundment system.
The Savannah NWR received funding to not only repair the breached levees but also create more resilience to the existing system through rehabilitation of the levees, which includes rebuilding berms, slopes, and the tops. Additionally, rice trunks located on the perimeter levee were replaced to provide better water control. The refuge contracted with Ducks Unlimited to provide engineering and oversight of the rehabilitation project, which started in 2021.
NOTE: There has been a date change for this program. It will now be Tuesday February 28.
Are you wondering about how to help the birds that migrate along our amazing coast? Come to Ogeechee Audubon's meeting this Tuesday, February 28th at 7PM. Adam Betuel and Lauren Clontz, from Georgia Audubon, have an informative, in person presentation about Lights Out Georgia and Project Safe Flight. These programs span the important migratory time periods of March 15 - May 31 and August 15th - November 15th. Learn about what steps an average citizen can take and then spread the word about what you can do to help these birds as they travel.
All are welcome, not just members. So join us at First Presbyterian Church at 520 Washington Ave. See you there!
Also: you will be able to pick up your T-shirt if you ordered one at the December meeting.
Our December meeting will be our annual holiday gathering featuring fellowship, refreshments, and games/activities.
This meeting will be a great opportunity for everyone to start getting excited about the upcoming CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT season!
Amy Schuler of Coastal Wildscapes will be talking about the importance of native gardens for pollinators and birds.
Amy loves spending time in nature, photographing, hiking, biking, and exploring with her two beautiful daughters and husband. She is particularly fascinated with the flora and fauna of our coastal environment and our human impact on it. Amy moved to Georgia from Ohio ten years ago with her husband and two girls and has been enjoying it ever since! She currently teaches Biology, Environmental Science, Physical Science, and Anatomy & Physiology courses as a full time faculty member for Point University. Amy also works part time as the Education & Outreach Coordinator for Coastal WildScapes, a non profit environmental organization dedicated to actively preserving and restoring the highly significant biodiversity of Southeastern coastal ecosystems one native plant at a time!
Dr. Paul Bartell will be examining the physiological and neurobiological changes that allow for nocturnal migration to occur in songbirds.
Dr. Bartell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Science at The Pennsylvania State University. Research in his lab focuses on the ways in which biological clocks in birds are regulated and how they, in turn, organize the behaviors and life history strategies we have all come to know and love.
Dr. Bartell will be joining us at our physical meeting via Zoom.
Public Meeting - Building Connections for Shorebird Protection: How Education and Outreach Can Protect Georgia's Shorebirds
Speaker: Abby Sterling
Join us as we learn about the incredible habitats that shorebirds from across the hemisphere depend on, right in our own backyards! The Georgia Coast is a home or stopping point for over 300,000 shorebirds every year, and in order to protect the places they need, raising awareness and building partnerships is a critical step.
Manomet's Georgia Bight Shorebird Conservation Initiative seeks to do just that, through highlighting Wildlife Beach Zones, connecting with ecotour groups, and building partnerships with the boating community. Learn more about these programs, the shorebirds that they are benefiting, and ways that you can get involved!
Please join us for our Annual Meeting where the Nominating Committee will present the slate for the elections of officers at this time. A brief update on the status of Ogeechee Audubon will be presented.
In addition, a proposal for an amendment to Article I, Section 1 (Membership) of the ByLaws will be proposed. The addition to this section is as follows: Ogeechee Audubon Society celebrates the diversity of our membership, much like we celebrate the wonderful and rich variety of birds, each having a unique shape, size and color. All are welcome at Ogeechee Audubon Society regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation. Ogeechee Audubon Society commits to fostering and building a culture of welcome and inclusion, where all are bound together by a mutual love of birds, nature and each other.
The amendment must be voted on and be accepted by a majority of members in good standing present at the meeting.
Our Guest Speaker: Our Guest Speaker: Melanie Furr, Director of Education for Georgia Audubon and caregiver for the world’s only ambassador hummingbird, Sibley, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Sibley was a victim of a window collision that rendered him flightless. Sibley was nursed back to health by Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Effort (AWARE) and Melanie Furr. Melanie will join us virtually to share unique insights into the lives of these tiny, but miraculous birds.
Public Meeting - More than just a backyard bird: unlocking the mysteries of American Robin migration
Speaker: Emily Williams
The American Robin (Turdus migratorius) may be the early bird that catches the worm, the archetypal backyard bird, and all that jazz - but it turns out there's still a lot to learn from this common bird. Beyond the facts that robins seem to be doing perfectly fine (they are increasing across much of their range), may be one of the most widely distributed songbirds on the North American continent, and they seem to be expanding their range, both northward and southward - robins are also an enigma when it comes to their migratory behavior. In turns out this “resident” or “short-distance migrant” is misunderstood and underestimated. To learn more about their migration and what robins can teach us, Georgetown University PhD student Emily Williams is embarking upon a multi-year, multi-state project to set the record straight about this overlooked bird.
Emily is a Florida native and grew up enjoying having Cape Canaveral “Playalinda” National Seashore and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge as her backyard. After receiving degrees at the University of Florida and Kansas State University, Emily decided she had enough of the heat and moved to Alaska, where she worked at Denali National Park and Preserve for four and a half years. She then transitioned from the smallest town she’s ever lived to the biggest, settling in the nation’s capitol to pursue her doctorate. While she doesn’t miss the temperatures or bugs, Emily still holds dear the birds and BBQ of the southeast, which have no match anywhere else.
Attendees must be fully vaccinated and remain masked for the duration of the meeting
Ogeechee Audubon will celebrate the Holidays with a relaxed time together sharing stories about birds!
The evening will be filled with hearing about your best bird story and then engaging is a game of bird bingo. There will be prizes.
Light refreshments will be served.
Please join us as we celebrate birds, birding and us - the birders!
Speaker Todd Schneider
A native of Wisconsin, Todd worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources from 1985-1993 as a Fisheries Technician and Fisheries Biologist. Since 1993, he has been a Wildlife Biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, Wildlife Conservation Section where he specializes in bird conservation issues. Todd will be talking about Henslow's sparrow conservation in Georgia, particularly efforts by the Wildlife Resources Division over the past dozen years. These efforts include surveys on Wildlife Management Areas to find and track populations, research to define habitat structure and needs, movement patterns and other life history features, diet analysis, and attempts to develop automated habitat searching and predictive models using remote sensing via satellite data and other high tech mechanisms
For Public Meetings at the First Presbyterian Church of Savannah
Attendees must be fully vaccinated and remain masked for the duration of the meeting.
Speaker Larry Carlile
Larry has been a Wildlife Biologist for the Department of Defense at Fort Stewart / Hunter Army Airfield for the past 27 years. Larry is Chief of the Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield Fish and Wildlife Branch and supervises a staff of 25 wildlife biologists, technicians, and contractors. He’s responsible for the management and monitoring of state and federally protected rare, threatened, and endangered species including; the smooth coneflower, bald eagle, wood stork, eastern indigo snake, frosted flatwoods salamander, and red-cockaded woodpeckers, as well as game species and sport fish within an active and dynamic military landscape. Larry's presentation will discuss the recovery of the Fort Stewart red-cockaded woodpecker population and management activities that support other rare species on the Installation.
For Public Meetings at the First Presbyterian Church of Savannah
Attendees must be fully vaccinated and remain masked for the duration of the meeting.
Speaker Stephanie Chewning with One Hundred Miles
Join us “in person,” as we explore our beautiful barrier islands on Georgia’s coast. Have you ever imagined how these islands were formed to begin with and how they benefit the plants and animals that live on them now? During this program we will we will learn more about the role of barrier islands on our coast, explore the forces that frequently change them, and travel back in time to how they were formed. Don’t miss this chance to learn more about the mysterious and powerful forces that shape the coast we love.
Please come and support our return to semi-normalcy and see your friends at OAS.
Reserve your spot by signing up at ogeecheeaudubon.help@gmail.com . Limit 25.
Come and learn how to make your coastal landscape a sanctuary for birds. Guest speaker Keren Giovengo, UGA EcoScapes Program Manager, will speak on the importance of native plants in attracting birds, the basics of planning and creating bird-friendly habitats, and how to create these landscapes in coastal Georgia. By establishing native landscapes, you will provide a key tool in increasing bird diversity, abundance, and their resilience to adapt and survive amid a changing climate.
Zoom link will be emailed prior to the meeting. If you are not a member and would like to participate please contact ogeecheeaudubon.help@gmail.com for details.
The Annual Meeting of Ogeechee Audubon Society will be held just prior to our program on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 7 pm via Zoom. No officers are due for election/re-election at this time since no one’s term has expired. A brief overview of the past year will be presented as well as the finances for fiscal year 2020-2021.
Whether at feeders, neighborhood parks, or flying overhead, birds share with us the developed landscape. Unfortunately, these altered habitats come with various threats, including lighting and reflective glass. During this presentation, Georgia Audubon conservation director Adam Betuel will outline the issue of bird-building collisions, why these collisions occur, and the steps you can take to learn more about this problem and make your space bird-safe.
This is a virtual meeting via Zoom.
An email will be sent to each member via MailChimp prior to this meeting with the link for the Zoom Program. Not a member, click here to request the information.
If you don’t have Zoom or need a brief tutorial click here.
This is a virtual meeting via Zoom.
Place – Zoom Meeting
Topic: Holiday Celebration of Birds with Games and Fun
An email will be sent to each member via MailChimp on December 7th with the link for the Zoom Program.
I hope to “see” you there! We should have fun!
This is a Zoom Meeting:
This is a repeat of the presentation we did at the Savannah-Ogeechee Canal in September. We want to be able to offer this program to more folks. You can participate from the comfort and protection of your own home.
An email will be sent to each member via Mail Chimp on October 12th with the link for the Zoom Program.
I hope to “see” you there!
Please open to read details of this meeting and out to participate.
Ogeechee Audubon Board has decided to continue in Flockdown, therefore we will not have our public meeting in June.
Our April meeting is the time designated in the By Laws for our Annual Meeting and the election of officers. We are postponing the Annual Meeting until the next meeting of the membership which is to be determined based on the timeline dictated by the virus.
Our By Laws do not specifically address a pandemic situation so we believe since our activities are suspended, at the first opportunity when we can safely reconvene we will have the Annual meeting and hold the elections. In the meantime, the present officers will continue to serve.
Speaker: Heather Merbs, Director of Oatland Island Wildlife Center
Oatland Island Wildlife Center was established in 1974 as a unit of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System to provide environmental education and outdoor learning for local school children. The 175 acre facility includes a two mile nature trail that leads visitors through forest, salt marsh, and pond habitats …
Please Join Ogeechee Audubon Society for our Annual Holiday Party!
Light refreshments will be provided.
Diana Churchill will lead us in a warm-up for the Christmas Bird Count and a friendly competition to test our birding skills will follow! A special surprise is planned as well!
Bring a guest who wants to become an OAS member!
Speaker: Jake Henry is new to the Savannah area, working as the Field Manager for the Savannah Tree Foundation since August of 2018. In this position, Jake focuses on coordinating tree planting and volunteer events, as well as maintaining trees after planting. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences from Cornell University, and his Masters in Forestry from Mississippi State University. Jake’s experience with non-profit conservation organizations has helped shape how he not only conserves natural resources, but engages the community. Most recently, Jake also became an ISA Certified Arborist.
OAS Public Meeting:
First, Isaiah Scott, who was awarded a scholarship supported jointly by Georgia Ornithological Society and Ogeechee Audubon Society, will present his experiences this summer at the birding camp for teens at Audubon’s Hog Island in Maine.
The second part of our September meeting will be a brief instruction on eBird – the Basics. We will cover how to use eBird and Merlin ID apps. Bring your smart phones and please download the apps prior to the meeting. We will practice using these apps. This presentation is for novices to learn these apps.
Speaker: Phyllis Limbacher Tildes
Phyllis Limbacher Tildes is an award-winning author and illustrator of two dozen picture books for children, infants to about eight years old. Her passion for nature and wildlife is reflected in many of her titles. Phyllis will be showing the steps of creating the art for her children’s books and talking about the research, writing and path to publication as well.
Speaker: Abby Sterling will discuss how the Georgia Coast provides critical habitat to many species of shorebirds that are experiencing significant population declines. Learn more as Abby highlights incredible stories and the conservation efforts underway to protect them.
Abby works as a shorebird biologist with Manomet’s Georgia Bight Shorebird Conservation Initiative. Manomet is a non-profit based in Massachusetts that uses science and partnerships to address conservation challenges throughout the hemisphere. Abby Sterling earned her doctorate from the University of Georgia, where she studied how habitat and landscape features influence beach nesting shorebirds and chick survival.
In this program Russ will give us an introduction to noise pollution, and its harmful impact on humans and wildlife. Human quality of life has diminished and we have been subconsciously conditioned to tolerate noise as a part of everyday life without realizing its impacts on our health and hearing. Ecosystems and wildlife diversity in urban and suburban environments have been altered as noise averse species have declined leaving only those which can still tolerate and communicate in spite of the noise pollution.
