FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Fred Alsop to Speak at Park's Wildlife Weekend

["Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Smithsonian bird book author
to speak at Steele Creek Park Wildlife Weekend opening night 

Bristol, TN -- A prominent author of North American bird books will headline 
Wildlife Weekend at Steele Creek Park in Bristol,  Sept. 22-23.

Dr. Fred Alsop, author of the Smithsonian Birds of North America, will present 
a free talk to the public Friday at 8 p.m. in the park's lodge.  His talk, 
Appalachian Bird Adventures, will include color slides taken throughout these 
mountains and will feature many of North America's most beautiful species.

"His intimate knowledge and bird research positioned him to author the most 
comprehensive series of field guides to North American birds ever,"  said 
Jeremy Stout, park nature center manager.  "He is recognized as one of the most 
accomplished wildlife photographers in America."

The Friday evening lecture will be the first of two days of naturalist events 
which include bird hikes, bird banding, nature hikes and Saturday afternoon 
talks by area authorities, college faculty and government wildlife biologists.  

All events are free.  Programs will be held in the main room of the Steele 
Creek Park Lodge.

An owl prowl is set for 9 p.m. following Alsop's presentation.  The easy walk 
to hear and see the park's wild owls has been a popular flashlight event for 
all ages.

"This weekend is an annual sponsored by our membership," said President Becky 
Wilkerson of the Friends of Steele Creek Nature Center and Park. "We are 
excited and we hope to have room for everyone."

The Bristol Bird Club will sponsor Alsop's program and Saturday morning bird 
banding.

A bird hike begins at 8 a.m. Saturday followed by a U.S. Fish & Wildlife 
Service bird banding demonstration at 9 a.m.  A nature hike gets underway at 11 
a.m. 

"Conservation Efforts in Central Africa," will highlight an afternoon of 
talented speakers.  Ayres Christ will speak at 4 p.m. about is experiences 
studying gorillas in Africa.

Other Saturday presentations include "Butterfly Beauties" by Nancy Barrigar at 
noon,  a herpetological talk by Vince Cobb of Middle Tennessee State University 
at 1 p.m. and "The Natural History of Steele Creek Park" by Wallace Coffey at 2 
p.m.   Tennessee Valley Authority naturalist and researcher Allan Trently of 
Norris, TN will speak on "Woody Plants of Steele Creek Park" starting at 4 p.m.

For more information about Wildlife Weekend, contact the park's Nature Center 
(423) 989-5616 between 11 a.m. and  4 p.m. or the Birstol Tennessee Department 
of Leisure Services (423) 764-4023.