THE WOODPECKER POST

NEWSLETTER OF THE
COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY
P.O. BOX 5923 COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA 29250
Winter, 2004

Joanne and Donald Wuori, Gary Carter,

Robert Kemmerlin, Lisel Shoffner, Casey Szocinski

A Medley of Our Favorite Bird Photographs

Dabbs Farm, Black River Swamp
This presentation will showcase favorite photographs of birds
Saturday, October 2
taken by six members of the Carolina’s Nature Photographer’s
Association.
Fall We will
outing and picnic withdemonstrate
Evelyn and Tommythe kinds
Dabbs.ofThe
equipment
Dabbs farm weisuse,
along the
and each share three special images to be followed by our Audu-
Black River and has a variety of habitats. It can be an excellent place to see migrating
bon early
warblers; Holiday meeting
October has beenmedley of images.
the peak of the fall warbler migration there in recent
years. Evelyn also maintains a large number of feeders. No bird banding is planned for
this day. The
The picnic and walks will
photographers be informal
include: Mr.and lowCarter,
Gary paced. aYou should bring your
professional
own food and chairs.
nature photographer
DIRECTIONS: From Columbiafrom Greensboro,
take US NC;then
378 to Sumter, andjog
serious amateurs
to the left to US 378
Mr. Robert Kemmerlin from Williston, SC; Miss Lisel
Bypass around the north side of Sumter. After 378 Bypass and 378 Shoffner
from Aiken, SC; Mr. Casey Szocinski from North Augusta, SC;
and Joanne and Donald Wuori from Columbia, SC.

We are looking forward to sharing our passion with you.

Holiday Party!
Our holiday party will be after the presentation. We will provide napkins,
plates, cups and drinks. Please bring finger foods and snacks to share!

Thursday, December 9, 7:30 PM

Suggs & Kelly Law Center

500 Taylor Street (Taylor at Huger Sts.)

ALL CAS PROGRAMS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

 Winter Field Trips!
For all field trips we suggest you bring binoculars, field guide, rain gear, water, food, and insect repellent (if you have them). Non-members and
novices are always welcome. The Columbia Audubon Society is a chapter of the National Audubon Society. The Columbia Audubon Society as-
sumes no responsibilities for injuries, personal or otherwise, that may occur while attending Society-sponsored events and will not be held liable
for any such injuries. Attend at your own risk. For more information, please call a Board Member whose numbers are listed on the last page.

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge Congaree Swamp and Columbia. In addition,
Saturday, December 11 @ 2:00 P.M. many Columbia birders participate in the Santee
National Wildlife Refuge and/or Lake Wateree
Now that it is no longer 100° in the shade, Christmas Counts. For this annual research pro-
come explore the wonders of the Longleaf Pine- ject we count individuals, not just species. The
Scrub Oak Sandhills ecosystem. These ancient Christmas Counts are the largest public research
stream deltas harbor plants and animals adapted projects (> 45,000 participants) in the world, and
to drought and heat and rich wetlands where anyone can participate!
clear springs emerge and brownwater streams
flow through. There are many small ponds which A $5 participation fee for each count is re-
attract waterfowl in the winter, and rare amphibi- quested to help cover the cost of compiling and
ans all year, such as the Pine Barrens Tree Frog, publishing the data. This is not Columbia Audu-
and rare plants such as pitcher plants. bon’s fee; we simply collect it and pass it on to
National Audubon, which uses it to cover the
This mature longleaf pine forest is home to costs. There is no fee for youth under 18 years.
about 100 family groups of endangered Red-
cockaded Woodpeckers. A late afternoon field Each count circle is divided into territories that
trip may increase our chances of finding these will be covered by an assigned party. Each party
wonderful birds as they head home to their roost will have at least one experienced birder who is
trees for the night. Robin Carter plans to scout familiar with the territory and who is willing to help
out the area to find the active roost trees before beginners identify birds. Most party assignments
the trip. will be made at the morning rendezvous on the
day of the count. Although the rendezvous times
Directions: The Carolina Sandhills NWR is 3.5 given are for 7 am, you should plan to arrive
miles north of McBee, SC, on US Hwy. 1 (north) somewhat earlier for a possible 7 am departure.
in Chesterfield County (60 miles NE of Colum-
bia). Meet at the Refuge Headquarters at 2:00 If you live in one of the count circles, you are
PM. welcome to participate as a feeder watcher at
your own home. Just keep track of the birds you
see at your feeders and send the list to Robin
Carter along with your name and phone number.
Christmas Counts There is no participation fee for feeder watchers.
If you are not sure whether or not you live in a
count circle, contact Robin to check.

Christmas Counts – Saturday, December 18, You should be able to register for one of these
and Sunday, December 19 counts (or any other) online at National Audu-
bon’s web page: http://www.audubon.org. Check
Christmas Bird Counts are held across the the CAS web page or the Carolina Bird Club
country during an annual count period of Decem- page for a list of other CBCs in the Carolinas.
ber 14 through January 5 each year. Columbia
Audubon sponsors two area Christmas counts -- (Continued on page 3)
 PLEASE READ AND RESPOND IMMEDIATELY
(Those who have done this already please ignore with my apology.)

To save money and to get the news out faster and more effectively, we are moving to-
ward paperless Newsletter delivery. Every Member who wants to continue receiving the
Woodpecker Post may continue to enjoy it in one of the following ways:

1. You may always download the most recent Newsletter or back issues from our Website:
www.columbiaaudubon.org
2. If you would like an e-mail reminder when a new Newsletter is published, please send
your e-mail address to stevecdennis@sc.rr.com and ask to be added to the reminder
list. I shall no longer attempt to attach the Newsletter to the reminders, but shall only
attach the Web link.
3. If you would like to continue receiving your Newsletter via postal mail, you
must cut this out and send your preferred name and mailing address (legibly written) to
Steve C. Dennis, 2505 Hardscrabble Road, Columbia, SC, 29223.

Member’s Name: ______________________________________________________

Street Address/ Apt. #: _________________________________________________

City/ State/ Zip Code: ___________________________________________________

(Continued from page 2)

farmlands and small towns in both Richland and
Columbia Christmas Bird Count Calhoun Counties. CNP data and non-CNP data
Saturday, December 18 @ 7:00 AM are kept separate so that population trends can
be better tracked. CNP is an important area for
The Columbia Count Circle covers urban and many wintering birds and usually has one of the
urbanizing areas WINGED
of the ColumbiaMIGRATION
Metropolitan returns
highest counts to Nickelodeon !
in the country of Ruby-crowned
Kinglets. Let’s go for Number 1 for those King-
area. It includes much of the southern part of
Columbia, including Fort Jackson, and the upper lets!
partThe Nick brings
of lower back itthis
Richland; breathtaking
also includes afavorite
small as a holidayMeet
treat for our patrons! This acclaimed film is a
at the after-hours
love letter
piece to birdwatchers,
of Lexington County flying
nearenthusiasts,
the river. roller-coaster
Data fans, and anyone who hasparking area
ever stood still(go
andinto
the Park entrance road off Old Bluff Road and
watched
from thisa count
hawk sail
overinthe
the years
clouds.reflect
Director
theJacques
impact Perrin’s WINGED MIGRATION looks on the world with
an eagle’s eye and lifts us soaring over 40 countries in turn
all 7 left at the as
continents, stop sign)
he and at 7:00
a crew AM.450
of over NOTE:
of urbanization on bird populations. There will be the
at least oneofafternoon
(including 17 pilots and 14 cinematographers) spent 3 years following journey hundreds ofparty
birds,partici-
some
pating in this count. Contact Caroline Eastman if
migrating over 10,000 miles. Filmed
Meet at the Williams Bryce Stadium parking from remote control gliders, ultra-light aircraft and hot air balloons, the
you would like to count only for the afternoon.
lot
caston Bluff Road
includes flocksatof7:00 AM. ducks,
pelicans, You may join
geese, useagles,
bald in albatrosses, turtledoves, swans, robins, macaws,
the
and morning and help
Perrin himself as thefor a few hours, or stay all
Narrator.
day if you
France. like.
2002. No experience
English is necessary!
narration. Rated Santee
G (for all audiences). National Wildlife Refuge Christmas
89 minutes.
Bird Count
Congaree Swamp Saturday, January 1
.DECEMBER 26-30 Christmas
FRIDAY – TUESDAYBird Count
Sunday, December This count includes not only the refuge but
Show times nightly at 19 @&7:00
7:00 9:00AM (+ 3:00 matinees Saturday & Sunday)
also the state park, Santee, and the neighboring
In addition to almost all of the Congaree Na-
(Continued on page 4)
tional Park, this count circle includes extensive
 National Audubon Society
Directors & Chairs 2004 Chapter Membership Application
Volunteers are always welcome!!
Yes, I’d like to join.
Please enroll me as a member of the National Audubon
President: Dan Tufford 782-6848
Vice-President: Available! Society and of my local chapter. Please send AUDUBON
Secretary: Marcia Watkins magazine and my membership card to the address below.
Treasurer: Marcia Watkins 779-7570 My check for $20 (introductory rate) is enclosed.
marcia.watkins@gte.net name__________________________________________
Conservation: Ron Newton 739-9190 address________________________________________
theronster@sc.rr.com city___________________________________________
Programs: Available! Please make checks payable to the National Audubon Society
Field Trips: Caroline Eastman 782-8820 Send this application and your check to:
ceastman@sc.rr.com National Audubon Society
Membership: Available! Chapter Membership Data Center
Education: Paula Feldman 787-5818 P.O. Box 51001 Boulder, CO 80322-1001
Publicity: Ross Taylor ---------------------------LOCAL CHAPTER------------------------
Newsletter: Steve C. Dennis 788-1854 Columbia Audubon Society U52
stevecdennis@sc.rr.com P.O. Box 5923 Local Chapter Code
Webmaster: T. Parkin Hunter hunt776@bellsouth.net Columbia, SC 29250 7XCHA

CAS WEBSITE:
www.columbiaaudubon.org
(or use the link from www.audubon.org)
NEW CAS Yahoo Chat Group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ColumbiaAudubon/
(Continued from page 3)
countryside. This count typically has the highest spe-
cies list for an inland count in South Carolina. Lex
Glover is the compiler. NOTE: Rather than meeting
in the morning to divide into groups, we are going to
organize groups, so they can go directly to their areas
the day of the count. Participants need to call Lex
Glover, so they will know where to go and where to
meet their leader.
Contact Lex at Work : 803-419-7747, Home: 803-
438-9855, or email: bglvr@clemson.edu.
SOUTH CAROLINIANS COMMITTED TO CONSERVATION
Lake Wateree Christmas Bird Count
Monday, January 3 @ 7:00 AM
The Lake Wateree count is a relatively new
count. It includes much of Lake Wateree (including
the state park), the former gold mine site, and exten-
sive hunt club lands. This count provides an oppor-
tunity to count in the piedmont for sandhills and
coastal plain dwellers.
Meet at 7:00 AM in the parking lot of the camp
store at the Lake Wateree SP (all the way back at
the end of the entrance road). Donna Slyce is the
compiler. “I have to try and get the most miserable
weather I can find for my count. If it snows, I plan to
hold the Lake Wateree CBC the next day.” – Donna
Slyce.
Contact Robin Carter (782-8820 or rcarter@sc.rr.
com) for further information about any of these
counts. Robin is compiler for the Columbia and Con-
garee Swamp counts.

Columbia, S.C.
PERMIT No. 1371
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA 29250
P-A-I-D
P.O. BOX 5923
U.S. Postage
Non-Profit Org. COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY