Volume LXII, Number 2 October 2009

Audubon Teaches Nature An Introduction to the Spiders of Alabama

Presented by Dr. Mike Howell, Samford University Sunday, October 18, 2009, 2:00 p.m.

The Wildlife Center at Oak Mountain State Park

It’s time once again to unveil our exciting line-up of pro-grams for the Audubon Teaches Nature seminar series! Our programs feature both topics new to the series and some returning seasonal favorites, but they all show-case Alabama’s rich and varied wildlife diversity. This year we are expanding to 7 seminars in the series, which is exciting because it allows us to visit the Oak Mountain Interpretive Center and experience firsthand the new exhibits being built there. Four of the seminars will be held in this state of the art facility that also serves as a field school for Samford University. Each ATN Sunday we will gather in the beautiful and spacious Observation Room at the Alabama Wildlife Center, with its large windows allowing splendid views of the forested slopes of Oak Mountain and the bird feeders – which are always a beehive of feeding activ-ity! Additionally, one of the education birds is usually available for some close observation and a chance to ask its handler questions about the bird. We’ll have punch and cookies ready too, so come early to enjoy the views and the conversation! When it’s time for the seminar we’ll adjourn to the auditoriums for the presen-tation. Dr. Mike Howell, co-author (with Ron Jenkins) of the book Spiders of the Eastern United States, will inaugu-rate the series with a presentation on the spiders of Ala-bama. Mike will introduce us to the common spiders found in this region, helping us to understand their field marks, habitat preferences and other characteristics of each species. After the program he will escort us into the field to demonstrate firsthand how to locate and identify spiders commonly found in Alabama wood-lands. This will be a fascinating, educational and excit-ing program for the whole family; bring your children for sure!

The remainder of the schedule: November 15 Paul Franklin, Nature Photography ~ Capturing Birds and Critters in Photo-

graphs* January 17 Sandra Allinson, Curt Cearly, Ashley Rozelle-Gault, Birds on Parade ~ Close Encounters with Alabama’s Birds of Prey* February 21 David Frings, Caves and Cave Life ~ All

about Alabama’s Underground Wonders March 28 Greg Harber , Return of the Spring Mi-

grants ~ Catching the Yucatan Express* April 11 David Frings, The Confederate Daisy in

Alabama May 23 Mike Hardig, Swamp Life at Ebenezer

* Seminars to be held at the Alabama Wildlife Center;

all others at the adjacent Oak Mountain Interpretive Center.

Come early for fellowship and refreshments

in the Observation Room at The Center!

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July 28 through August 26, 2009

Cedar Waxwings have recently been discovered nesting on Chandler Mountain, St. Clair County, thanks to Bob Sar-gent, Fred Moore, (while training new banders), and the lucky “hosts” Bill and Jody Gilliland. This is one of a very few breeding records in Alabama for this handsome bird. The Gillilands’ yard was also swarming with migrating humming-birds. A Roseate Spoonbill was seen 19 August congregating with Wood Storks at the Forever Wild Cattle Ranch, Hale County by the property manager Bill Mason. According to Eric Soerhen, Department of Conservation, it remained for several days. Eric reports that this bird’s dispersal pattern is of special interest to spoonbill researchers.

Other sightings were:

7/28 American White Pelican (2); Colbert County (HK,JF,MS).

8/2 Common Nighthawk; Southside Birmingham (GH).

8/3 Anhinga; Alabama River, near Autaugaville (HK,RK,JK).

8/4 Common Ground-Dove (2); Shelby County (HK,SH,MS).

8/19 Black-crowned Night-Heron (9); Logan Martin Dam (GJ,DJ).

8/24 Northern Waterthrush; Leeds, a very welcome guest for several days (GC).

8/25 Eastern Wood-Pewee; Acadian and Great Crested Flycatchers; Warblers- Cerulean, Black-and-white, and Hooded; Scarlet Tanager; Baltimore Oriole; Botanical Gardens (GJ).

8/26 Sandpipers- Spotted, Pectoral, and Western; Wilson’s Snipe; St. Clair County (HW,AC).

Contributors:

Please submit sightings for October FF at least five days before the October 1st deadline to: Ann Miller, 520 Yorkshire Drive, Birmingham, Al. 35209

Alice Christenson George Cusick Jean Folsom Bill and Jody Gilliland Greg Harber Sue Hutchison Greg and Debi Jackson Helen Kittinger Rick and Jo Kittinger Bill Mason Fred Moore Bob Sargent Maureen Shaffer Eric Soehren Harriett Wright

Correction: Harriett Wright’s name was omitted from last month’s list of contributors to SoSo. We apologize for this error.

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Before joining the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service Eric spent 12 years as an endangered species biologist with the Department of Defense. During the last 6 years he has served as a private lands biologist with the USFWS in Birmingham. Eric is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and Georgia Southern University. His areas of interest/expertise include red-cockaded woodpeck-ers, habitat management and restoration, prescribed

fire as a wildlife management tool, seasonal habitat use of fishes (particularly imperiled darters), and manage-ment/protection of cave/karst resources. Eric is married to Jennifer. They have two children and they reside in Helena, AL.

Come Early for Refreshments and Conversation

Sessions Sanctuary Workday Saturday, October 31, 2009, 9:00 a.m.

Please join us for good work and good company at the Audubon Sessions Sanctuary Workday! The Sessions Sanctuary is underdeveloped property in Mountain Brook on Shades Creek that was donated to Birmingham Audubon as a bird sanctuary by the late Mr. & Mrs. Sessions. Please join us for the workday at the Sanctuary. Bring your gloves. We have work tools, but if you have a tool to cut back shrubbery, bring it. We will meet at the end of Forest Glen Drive, near the Sanctuary at 9:00 a.m.

To reach the sanctuary, proceed in a northeasterly direc-tion approximately 1.7 miles on Montevallo Road, away

from Mountain Brook Village (south of the Zoo). Turn right onto Montrose Road - there will be a traf-

fic light at this intersection. Drive ap-proximately 0.3 miles and bear right onto Old Leeds Road at St. Luke’s

Church (on left) for approximately 0.4 miles. Veer to the left onto the Forest Glen Drive and

proceed 0.7 miles to the end of the road. Forest Glen widens at the dead end ad-jacent to the creek, providing convenient park-

ing. Please do not block any driveways. For more information call John Swan, at 933-6469 or Ellen McLaughlin, at 595-0806; Co-Chairs, Sessions Sanctuary Property.

Want to support BAS and our Education mission while doing something special for your child or grandchild? Why not sponsor your child's classroom by purchasing a subscription to Audubon Adven-tures, our nationally acclaimed environmental education classroom program for students in grades 3 through 5! Each child in the class will receive his/her own copy of a newspaper, 4 times a year, as well as other learning materi-als that help students form positive attitudes about nature. This year's topic is "Action for Planet Earth", with issues on Water, Energy, Habitats, and Pennies for the Planet. Audubon Adventures teachers also receive a year mem-bership in the Birmingham Audubon Society. To learn more about the Audubon Adventures program, visit the National Audubon Society website at www.audubon.org/educate/aa. Also, visit our website www.birminghamaudubon.org and click on testimonials

under the Grants and Scholarships tab to see praises and thank-yous from Audubon Adventures teachers that we have sponsored.

No children or grandchildren???? Why not sponsor a classroom in the area that is not currently receiving Audubon Adventures? Indi-vidual kits are available for home-schooled children. To purchase the Audubon Adventures class-room program contact Jean Folsom: jkfolsom@gmail.com or call 823-4019.

Classroom subscriptions - $38.50 plus shipping Individual student kits - $19.00 plus shipping

Deadline to order is September 30, 2009

Calling all Grandparents and Parents

October Monthly Meeting Partners for Fish and Wildlife Programs

Presented by: Eric Spadgenske Thursday, October 15, 2009, 7:00 p.m.

Birmingham Zoo Auditorium

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October Field Trips

Tom Imhof Family Bird Walk Saturday, October 3, 2009, 7:30 a.m. The Birmingham Zoo

The October half-day field trip, held in memory of long-time BAS member and author of Alabama Birds, Tom Im-hof, will be a stroll along the perimeter road adjacent to the parking area of The Birmingham Zoo. And, since we will be at the zoo, this is an ideal occasion to bring your chil-dren and grandchildren! This outing is an excellent choice for beginners and those who like short trips since we will limit our walking to the woods surrounding the zoo. The fall parade of migrants will likely have a few treats in store for

us so plan now to attend with your young’uns. We will not be entering the Zoo proper as part of the field trip. Meeting plans: 7:30 a.m. at the Birmingham Zoo Audito-rium. Patty Pendleton, Zoo staff, will provide coffee, juice and donuts. For more information contact Jessica Germany: 205-595-0814 or jhgermany@bellsouth.net.

Bankhead National Forest Saturday, October 24, 2009, 7:00 a.m. William B. Bankhead National Forest comprises 180,000 acres of mixed pine and hardwood forest, deep canyons and clear streams. The jewel of the forest is the Sipsey Wilderness, dear to the heart of BAS. This jewel, our desti-nation for the field trip, will be glowing scarlet and gold with the changing leaves and hopefully will be harboring some early winter visitors and very late migrants. We will also be observing the Forest's unique geology. Anne G. Miller, Chairman of the Birding Trails Committee, will be our co-leader and guide through the Forest. She is well-versed in the ecology and geology of the Sipsey Wilderness. Our gathering place is the parking lot at the Fieldstown Road Shopping Center in Gar-dendale, just off I-65N at exit #271 (Fieldstown Road). Turn right on to Fieldstown Road, another right onto Odum Road, and an immediate left into the shopping center. We will leave at 7:00 a.m. SHARP and caravan up I-65N north to Exit 308 (US-278) toward Double Springs. From thence we intersect with AL-33, then north to Cranal Road (CR-60) arriving at around 9:30 a.m. at the Sipsey River Picnic Area, gateway to the Sipsey Wilderness. Our caravan will reconvene at the Picnic Area for a rest break and a brief birding exploration along the trail that enters the wilderness here. This is one of the sites on the North

Alabama Birding Trail and in spring, a nesting area for the declining Cerulean Warbler. We will then go back to CR-33N and turn left onto North-west Road. This well-maintained gravel road will lead us through varied habitats as it traverses dry, wooded up-lands and descends into the valleys of Borden and Flanni-gan Creeks, part of the National Wild and Scenic River system. Northwest Road terminates at the edge of the wil-

derness, and we will proceed on foot, following the trail downhill ½ mile past spectacular cliffs and boulders of Pottsville sandstone, into the Ban-

gor Limestone outcroppings that line the banks of Hagood Creek. After exploring and birding along the creek, wilderness lov-ers may picnic here. Picnic tables and restroom facilities are available at the Sip-

sey River Picnic Area, for those who prefer the comforts of civilization.

Meeting plans: leave promptly at 7:00 a.m. from the Fieldstown Road Shopping Center. Bring a picnic lunch and plenty of fluids to drink. Dress appropriately for the weather. For more information contact Maureen Shaffer: 205-822-8728 or shanach@charter.net.

The Birmingham Audubon Society gratefully acknowledges the following gifts and memorial donations:

Gifts: Mrs. Allen Rushton

Memorial to AMW in memory of Lev Hazlegrove from Lela Ann Brewer Memorial to AMW in memory of Lev Hazlegrove from Edith Hunt

Memorial for Lev Hazlegrove from Gregory J. Harber Memorial for Betty R. Bashinsky from Elberta G. Reid

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Insect Migration Champion Birds are not the only animals that migrate for the winter. We have a champion insect in North America that can migrate over 3,000 miles. Can you guess which insect is The Champion? It’s the Monarch Butterfly, Danaus plexippus . This little insect flies great distances to reach its winter home in the Sierra Madre Mountains in the Mexican state of Michoacan. The average dis-tance traveled every day for the Monarch is between 50-100 miles BUT one butterfly traveled 265 miles in one day. (Butterflies from California and the surrounding states, overwin-ter in southern California.) Then in the spring, this little insect starts the journey back. The same Monarch that leaves its summer home and reaches Mexico, does not make it back to its home in the Spring. During the year-long travel cycle of living in Alabama, going to Mexico and returning to Alabama in the spring, it takes 5 generations to complete the one-year journey. A caterpillar is born in Alabama in the spring, how-ever, it is the great-great-granddaughter that returns to Alabama the following spring. Each butterfly lives only 2-6 weeks, except for the one that travels to Mexico, which lives over 5 months. When in Mexico, this butterfly stays very still for months, living off of the stored food in its abdomen. Day length and temperature determine when the Monarch Butterfly migrates to Mexico and back to Alabama. In Mexico the Mon-arch Butterfly is called Mariposa Monarca. Male and female monarchs have slightly different appearances. Each butterfly has four wings that are orange with black veins, and have a black border around its wings with white spots. The wings are covered in small scales. The female monarch has thicker black veins on its wings and the male has two black pouches or spots on the lower wings. The bright orange color warns predators that this insect is toxic. Male and female butterflies visit any flowers with nectar, but the female only lays eggs on Milkweed plants, Asclepias sp. This plant has a milky sap that is toxic. As the caterpillar feeds, the toxin is stored in the caterpillar’s body. When the caterpillar transforms into the butterfly, the toxins are stored in the abdo-men. While most predators avoid the Monarch, three predators in Mexico eat it: Black-backed Oriole, Black Headed Grosbeak, and Brown-eared Mouse. Each animal eats the Monarch differ-ently and by looking at the butterfly remains, you can tell who had eaten breakfast, lunch or dinner. If the abdomen is missing from the butterfly, the Black-headed grosbeak has eaten. If the abdomen seems to be “unzipped,” the Black-backed Oriole has eaten. The last diner, the Black-eared Mouse, will eat the body and leave only the wings. In an average year about 15% of the Monarch population dies due to these three animals. The eggs take anywhere from 3-15 days to hatch. Caterpillars are black, white, and yellow stripped. The caterpillar continues to grow, shedding its skin (molt) several times for about two

weeks. Then it will search for a place to hang upside down and shed its skin one last time to form the chrysalis. In two weeks the butterfly emerges. Peak Monarch migration time for Alabama is between mid-September to mid-October. Journey North is a website that tracks the migration of many animals. The Monarch is one of the few animals that you can post your migration sightings of the Monarch traveling south. When you spot a Monarch, go to their website http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/. If you have permission to go to YouTube, you can type in this

link and see a short video of Monarchs in the winter habitat area. Monarch Butterfly Sanc-tuary - Mexico

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2Qx93RChhQ&feature=related

It’s a butterfly fairyland in the spring when all the

Monarch Butterflies become active again. A great online resource is the Children’s Butterfly

Website - http://www.kidsbutterfly.org/

Unscramble the Monarch Words Unscramble the nine words. Then take the letters in the circle boxes and unscramble to answer this question: What do Mon-archs need in order to migrate?

Puzzlemaker - http://www.lessoncorner.com/ Monarch clipart from: http://karenswhimsy.com/butterfly-clipart.shtm

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We all have a powerful weapon when our environment is in peril. This weapon is our telephone, and it takes only a couple minutes to use. This year, please make a resolu-tion to call your legislator whenever an important envi-ronmental issue is at stake and let your views be known. When you call, be prepared to leave a one-or-two sen-tence message with the receptionist. If you don’t know the bill number, just state the issue. Remember, conven-tional wisdom says that if an elected official receives 10 telephone calls regarding a situation, he or she exclaims, “My phone is ringing off the hook!” Thus, your message can truly make a difference.

Capitol Switchboard (U.S. Senate & House) (202) 224-3121 Washington, D.C.

Alabama Legislature

Senate: (334) 242-7800 House: (334) 242-7600

Need the names of your state or congressional officials? Call the office of Jefferson County Voter Registration at 325-5550. Or search online:

www.legislature.state.al.us (You will need the 4-digit extension to your zip code, which you can get

by looking at an old piece of mail you’ve received.) or

www.votesmart.org

For local issues which arise between now and January 2010 (beginning of the next state legislative session), you must contact officials in their hometowns. Find their daytime numbers at:

www.legislature.state.al.us

After January 12th, once they are back in session, law-makers can normally be found in Montgomery on Tues-day, Wednesday and Thursday and in their hometowns on Monday and Friday. To write:

U.S. Congress

Senator/ Representative Smith U.S. Senate/ U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20510

State Legislature

Senator/ Representative Jones State Senate / State House of Representatives

11 S Union St. Montgomery, AL 36130

Calls That Make a Difference

Some Birmingham Audubon Society members recently visited Tara Wildlife Preserve near Vicksburg, MS. National Audubon's Mississippi River Ini-tiative was one of the subjects of interest. This Initiative was recently launched in an effort to reverse the decades of mismanagement that has severely damaged the River and surrounding ecosystems. This is a new vision for the River as a connected natural system. NAS has formulated four goals for the Ini-tiative: 1) Protect and enhance vulnerable and threat-ened bird species tied to specific habitats: bottomland

forests, emergent wetlands, grasslands, coastal and ur-ban areas; 2) Improve water quality; 3) Restore natural

hydrology and 4) Coordinate actions at a hemi-spheric, national, regional and local scale.

Please visit this website http://www.audubon.org/campaign/Mississippi/

newcourse.html for detailed information about this project.

Perhaps something of this nature could be initiated for the river systems of Alabama.

National Audubon's Mississippi River Initiative

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clip along dotted line

~ Membership Application ~ Birmingham Audubon Society/National Audubon Society

Yearly membership includes a quarterly subscription to Audubon magazine and 8 issues of Flicker Flashes, the Birmingham chapter newsletter.

Name: _________________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________

City: _____________________________ State: __________ Zip: _________

Phone: ( ) ______________________

Introductory Membership ~ $20.00 Membership Renewals ~ $20.00

Mail application and check to:

National Audubon Society P.O. Box 422250

Palm Coast, FL 32142-2250

Phone: 1-800-274-4201

Mail application and check to:

Birmingham Audubon Society P.O. Box 314

Birmingham, AL 35201

Phone: 205-714-8227

My check for $___________ is enclosed.

Please make all checks payable to: National Audubon Society

Birmingham Audubon Society C9ZA0000Z

Senior (62 & better) and student (full-time) memberships available for $15.00

New Education Director Hired

Birmingham Audubon Society is happy to announce the hiring of a new, part-time Education Director, Helena Uber-Wamble. Her appointment comes after the Education Committee, ably led by Louise Ayer Tommie, met and con-ducted interviews over the summer with many outstanding applicants. The Committee’s recommendation of Helena received unanimous approval by the Board of Directors of BAS. As BAS expands its focus on education, the new Di-rector will develop and oversee our birding activities and programs, with emphasis on use in schools and in environmental and education centers in Birming-ham. Helena comes to BAS with a background per-fectly suited to our organization’s needs. She is a skilled naturalist with degrees in Biology, English, and Education; an active hiker and traveler across Alabama and the United States; and a passionate birder, having birded Alaska, Canada, Costa Rica, and many places in between. She has 15 years’ experience in pre-senting programs that meet the State Educational Stan-dards. Most recently she has served as Environmental Educational Coordinator at Camp Sumatanga in Oneonta.

Helena is already on the job with enthusiasm and energy, contacting educational personnel at environmental and educational centers, becoming familiar with our existing programs that include “Birding Basics,” Birdie Business,” and “On the Wing,” as well as assisting Education Com-mittee Chair Ann Sweeney with our Mini-Grants for class-room teachers. An added part of her work will include

training volunteers to use these programs so that BAS can reach as many classrooms and groups

as possible. (Watch for her requests for volun-teers in future issues of Flicker Flashes!) She will soon have an Audubon email address, which will be printed in the next issue of Flicker

Flashes.

“Many people wonder about pronouncing my name,” says Helena. “I answer to ‘Helena,’

‘Helena,’ ‘Helana,’ and even ‘Lane.!’” She lives on a spacious lot in Oneonta with her husband Darren, six dogs, and several other animals. To quote her, “When there, I can usually be recognized wearing hiking boots and camouflage work pants.” Welcome to Birmingham Audubon, Helena. Alice Christenson

Please check your mailing label for your membership expiration date.

Printed on recycled paper

Birmingham Audubon Society A Chapter of the National Audubon Society P.O. Box 314 Birmingham, AL 35201 Business Office: 200 19th Street North Birmingham, AL 35203 (205) 714-8227 Email: Audubon@McWane.org

DATED MATERIAL Please deliver by September 30, 2009

Birmingham Audubon Society www.birminghamaudubon.org (205) 879-7709

Flicker Flashes is published eight times a year by the Birmingham Audubon Society. Editor: Greg Harber (205) 251-2133 Co-Ass’t Editor: Bianca J. Allen (205) 854-5233 Co-Ass’t Editor: Donna Shook (205) 664-2982

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 3794 Birmingham, AL

Copies of Flicker Flashes can be viewed and downloaded from the BAS web site: www.birminghamaudubon.org

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Flicker Flashes articles due, November/December issue BAS 1/2 day Field Trip, Tom Imhof Zoo Walk Alabama Ornithological Society meeting, Dauphin Island, AL Board Meeting, Birmingham Zoo Auditorium (BZA), 5:45 p.m. General Meeting, BZA, 7:00 p.m. Eric Spadgenske, Private Land Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service, “Partners for Fish and Wildlife Programs” Audubon Teaches Nature, The Wildlife Center, 2:00 p.m. BAS Field Trip, Bankhead National Forest Sessions Sanctuary Workday

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BAS 1/2 day Field Trip, Tapawingo Springs Audubon Teaches Nature, The Wildlife Center, 2:00 p.m. Board Meeting, Birmingham Zoo Auditorium (BZA), 5:45 p.m. General Meeting, BZA, 7:00 p.m. Andrew T. Coleman, UAB Dept. of Biology, “Ensuring the Survival of Diamondback Terrapins on the Gulf Coast of Alabama” BAS Field Trip, Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge