Immediate request for volunteer….Area Leader for January 1st Christmas Bird Count
We need your help!! Are you interested in being the Area Leader for the Donelson/ Pennington Bend and the Metro Center Route for the January 1st, 2025 NTOS Christmas Bird Count?? We could sure use your help!! For more information or to volunteer, please call Tarcila Fox - 615-405-8625!
IMMEDIATE ACTION ALERT
On Thursday, October 3, 2024 the Tennessee State Legislature will meet to consider changes in how the State protects our wetlands - reviving an issue that sparked intensive debate earlier this year when the Bill was first introduced to roll back environmental oversight over nearly half a million acres of the State’s fragile ecosystems. West TN Representative Kevin Vaughn (R-95) is the lead sponsor for proposed legislation. Tennessee has about 780,000 acres of wetlands. Vaughn’s legislations focuses mainly on ‘isolated wetland’ with NO surface connection to a river or lake. Nearly half of TN’s wetlands fall into the category. But as we know EVERYTHING is CONNECTED no matter what a map reveals. Draining these wetlands and building on them is a slippery slope. The Tennessee Department of Conservation released a 183-page reporting outlining 18 recommendations…they are a ‘slight’ improvement from the original January proposal but still fall short
September 21st Field Trip results…
Eighteen participants took part in the NTOS field trip to Shelby Bottoms in Nashville last Saturday: starting in Phase 3 of the bottoms, we enjoyed a leisurely stroll along the paved path, abiding the ebbs and flows of bird activity that is so often the case during fall migration. We encountered three widely spaced mixed songbird flocks that demanded most of our attention, but which were strung together by a smattering of birds along the entire length of our walk. Highlights included brief views of a flyover Merlin, a Barred Owl perched directly over the trail (oblivious to the joggers and cyclists passing directly beneath it), and 9 species of warbler. We encountered 51 species in all during this part of the trip. We then made the short drive to Cornelia Fort to check out the now sizeable wetland at the former airport property. The cacophony of Killdeer was continuous, as
Field Trip on Saturday, September 14th…
Saturday, September 14th – Shelby Bottoms (Phase 3 and Cornelia Fort)* As fall migration heats up, we plan to check out one of the best spots in Nashville for weary migrants to rest and refuel. We’ll meet at the Forrest Green Trailhead, otherwise known as the entrance to Phase 3. We will bird the paved path through the successional woodlands that run along the Cumberland River down to the Pedestrian bridge and back (about 2 miles). Once back at the parking lot, we’ll make the short drive over to Cornelia Fort Airpark and bird the grassy meadows and ponds of the area. Depending on the mowing schedule, the grass at Cornelia Fort can be tall, so bug spray and boots are recommended for that portion of the walk (I usually change shoes when arriving at Cornelia Fort). We’ll get started at 6:30am to take advantage of the cooler morning temps and
It’s Lumper and Splitter’s favorite time of year…the annual update to checklists and taxa…
Check out the annual upate to checklists, tax and name changes...brought to you by Michael Retter of the American Bird Association. https://www.aba.org/aos-supplement-2024/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR21wuYzKxQ6DE9cDWkJR_ajdI_jhJ7KurjcLYig2nxiNi7NZrIzwi3MlqQ_aem_4ZgrwcgFCMUfjXCXc0JEuQ
TOS State Meeting – Sept. 27th to 29th – hosted by Memphis Chapter
The Memphis Chapter invites you to the 2024 TOS Fall meeting to be held September 27 – 29 in Millington. Friday night registration and social will be held at the Holiday Inn Express, 5090 Copper Creek Boulevard, from 5 to 8 PM. The Saturday afternoon Board of Director’s Meeting will be held at 2 PM in the recreation lodge at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, 910 Riddick Road, Millington. A paper session will be held following the BOD meeting. A block of rooms is being held at the Holiday Inn Express, with a rate of $129.00 plus tax, per night. Breakfast (0600 – 1000) is included. Call the Inn directly at (901) 872-3640 and mention TOS to make a reservation by August 30 to guarantee this rate. There are a number of other nearby hotels – Hampton Inn, Motel 6, Plantation Oaks Suites and Inn. We are planning field trips for Saturday and