FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Historical Snippet - October 18, 2004

["Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>]

 BBC Snippet     





















     (left to right) Bill Grigsby, Brian K. Wheeler, Dave Worley, Chris 
O'Bryan, Wallace Coffey
               . . . . watching hawk migration together at Piney Mountain, Ky, 
fall of 2004. 

Members of the Bristol Bird Club were pleasantly surprised when word arrived
that the BBC was being approached by the Kentucky Ornithological Society 
to assist the state group with financial help for their fall meeting.  At the 
next 
meeting of BBC the request was quickly acted upon.


Brian Wheeler, of Firestone, CO, had an outstanding national 
reputation as an authority on hawks, raptor photographer, 
artist and field guide author. The KOS was pulling together a 
plan to invite him as their speaker for the society's September 
17-19, 2004 fall meeting at Pine Mountain State Park, Ky.  
KOS had  talked with Wheeler and found him available.  The 
sticker price was over their heads.

KOS had heard much about the BBC.  They had watched the Bristol club online
and heard and seen some of the projects and speakers the club had tackled, 
including
prominent birder and field guide author Kenn Kaufman.  The Kentucky group
believed BBC could lend a hand, would tackle something like this and become
a good and willing partner.

The request came to BBC on Oct 17, 2003 from Hap Chambers, the
president of KOS.  The Bluegrass birders where shopping BBC to cover some
$1,350 of expenses in getting Wheeler.   BBC didn't let that window sticker 
scare
them off.  There were many creative minds in the club and birders with vision
and courage.

Wheeler's involvement with the BBC would be priceless to the club.  He had been
in a three-year collaboration with noted raptor author, William S. Clark, from 
1983 to 
1986 to produce the highly acclaimed A Field Guide to Hawks of North America 
that was published in 1987. This book is in the prestigious Peterson Field 
Guide 
Series published by Houghton Mifflin.  Brian illustrated and co-authored the 
field 
guide. Hawks has become one of the best selling Peterson Field Guides. 


Wheeler had just published
his book with Princeton
University Press under the
title Raptors of Eastern 
North America--together 
with its companion volume, 
Raptors of Western North 
America--they are the best 
and most thorough guides 
to North American hawks, 
eagles, and other raptors 
ever published. Abundantly 
illustrated with hundreds of 
full-color high-quality 
photographs, they are essential 
books for birders.  Brian's 
photography had become an art 
form of its own.  He had established himself as a highly respected bird 
photographer, particularly of raptors. His photographs, including cover 
designs, 
are regularly published in numerous nationally published magazines and 
books--as well as his own books. 

Negotiations with the KOS continued for several days.  The leaders
of the Bristol Bird Club asked for several considerations.  Chief among those
were that the meeting would be fully billed in every way with the BBC as a the
co-sponsor of the entire fall meeting.  In additions, the Bristol birders wanted
full recognition on everything published, announced, printed or put on the KOS
materials, state journal, website and sent by e-mail.  KOS did not expect this
but was not concerned either.  BBC had also asked to have a special table
for our members in a visible and prominent place during Wheeler's presentation. 
 
BBC also asked that the KOS sell copies of BBC's recently published book --
Birds of the Virginia Cumberlands by Dr. Dick Peak of Wise.

BBC's membership passed a motion on Oct 21, 2003 to present that offer
to the Kentucky Ornithological Society.  The KOS board of directors received
the proposal and acted immediately.  They accepted all terms.  It was good
to go.

The Kentucky birders and KOS leadership were good as gold.  They kept their
agreement to the T.  In addition, Wallace Coffey was invited to introduce 
Brian Wheeler at the Saturday, 7 p.m. presentation -- Oct 18, 2004.

A good group of BBC members attended the KOS meeting.  Cabins were
rented and excitement was high.

Among the most enjoyable parts of the meeting was hawk watching with
Wheeler from a lookout point at Cumberland Gap National Historic Park.
It was delightful to have hours and hours getting to know one another, talking
about raptors and raptor identification.  Everyone had their books and got
autographs.  Brian was warm and cooperative for anything.  Dozens of
personal photos were staged.

BBC was fully acknowledge.  Some of the Bristol folks attended the KOS 
board of directors meeting and learned a few things about all that.   

It was another good milestone for BBC and its members.

from the archives of the Bristol Bird Club