FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Pinewoods Bird Festival--Florida/Hiwassee cranes

[Dthomp2669@xxxxxxx]

Hello Tennessee Birders,

This message came from Jim Cox yesterday on one of the Florida bird lines, 
and I thought I would share it since I know there are quite a number of people 
here in Tennessee who still need these birds as lifers.  Also, this sounds like 
a rare opportunity which will take place at one of our not-too-far away 
places.  If you have never seen a red-cockaded or a Bachman's, it will be 
especially worth the trip.  When I was growing up as a young birder in Florida, 
Bachman's sparrows were known as pinewoods sparrows and were thick as thieves 
around 
every pine thicket with some palmettos and wire grass.  The red-cockaded was a 
bit scarce even in the mid 40's when I started birding.  I did find several 
nesting families on a tract over near the old attraction of Sanlando Springs 
where I could take any visiting birders for their red-cockaded thrill.  Of 
course, Sanlando Springs is now privately owned and part of a gated community, 
and 
the piney woods just up the road from it is covered with retiree's mobile 
homes.  At any rate, here's the information for those interested.

By the way, I missed hearing anything at all about Crane Day this year.  When 
was it?  Now that I finally have a newer car, I had planned to try to drive 
down for a day, at least.  Although I have seen plenty of cranes, I have never 
had the joy of being where there was a mass concentration.  Are they still 
down there?  Just exactly where is Hiwassee, anyway?  Is there a way to get to 
it 
from Nashville without having to deal with I-24 or Chattanooga, like maybe 
some back roads on which one can still do reasonably good time?

Dee Thompson
Nashville, TN
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If you've ever wanted to help band hummingbirds, Bachman's sparrows, and 
red-cockaded woodpeckers all in a single day, here's your chance...

The 2nd Annual Pinewoods Bird Festival features these and many other 
wonderful birding activities on Saturday, April 3rd, 2004.  Field trips 
highlight the 
wonderful old-growth pine forests of the Red Hills region of north Florida and 
south Georgia and include

Visits to ancient, 300-year-old longleaf forests led by Todd Engstrom (Nature 
Conservancy),
Bachman's sparrow and red-cockaded woodpecker banding trips led by Jim Cox 
(Tall Timbers Research Station),
Snake and herp surveys led by National Geographic star Bruce Means (Coastal 
Plains Institute)
Hummingbird banding by Terry Johnson (Georgia DNR)
And free bird boxes for evey kid under 12

The festival takes place at historic Pebble Hill Plantation, just 8 miles 
north of the Florida line near Thomasville, GA.  To learn more, visit the 
festival's web site at

www.pinewoodsbirdfestival.com

Many field trips require pre-registration.  The pre-registration form can be 
found at...

http://www.pinewoodsbirdfestival.com/pbf2004_tours.pdf

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