[birdky] Stork and Cork Mississippi River Birding Festival

July 24, 2005
 
Just thought some of you might be interested in this event at a very unique  
place. Witnessing and now hearing the huge roost is worth the trip but as you  
can see  there is more. Enjoy the wild delta and learn about its potentials  
and hope for its future.


Good  Birding!!!

Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett,  TN

 
 
Folks:

Tara Wildlife, a 17,000-acre wildldife preserve and  conference center in the
Mississippi River bottomlands near Vicksburg, is  making a significant effort
this year to expand the annual Stork and Cork  weekend. In partnership with
Audubon Mississippi, the Mississippi Museum of  Natural Science and others,
Tara is offering a range of birding, boat tours,  workshops, and other
activities during the weekend. Participants can stay  part or all of the
weekend, Aug. 26-28, or come Saturday or Sunday for a $5  entry fee each day.

See Tara's Stork and Cork page,  http://www.tarawildlife.com/stork.htm, for
details. Or call Audubon  Mississippi's Bird Conservation Office in
Vicksburg, 601-661-6189.

If  you are not staying at Tara, there are many places to stay in  Vicksburg,
along with shops, restaurants and other attractions in Vicksburg  (about 30
minutes away).

A few highlights:

-- The storks,  spoonbills and other waders have started arriving at Tara and
environs. I saw  a pair of black-bellied whistling ducks at Tara the other
day; they may be  breeding there now. After a suggestion from Don McKee, Tara
is now installing  a remote sound system at its large nighttime roost of
wading birds (up to  10,000 birds), so visitors can hear what such a
gathering of birds sounds  like in stereo, over an FM signal. The unit was
built by a remote-sensing  expert with the Corps of Engineers.

-- Experience the thrill of birding  in one of Tara new "topless" buses. Tara
purchased two old school buses, cut  the tops off and will use them for
birding and touring on the levees and in  the woods.

-- Take an interpreted boat ride on the Mississippi River,  from a beautiful
sandbar. Three or more trips will be offered each day on the  40-passenger
Sweet Olive. Learn about one of the great natural wonders of the  world.

-- Learn about gardening with native plants from Dr. Mark LaSalle  and
Kristin Lamberson of Audubon Mississippi while touring Tara's  new
native-plant gardens (designed by Mark and Kristin).

-- Learn  outdoor photography techniques from Vicksburg's Bill Stripling and
other  experts during workshops offered Saturday and Sunday.

-- Meet some neat  folks, including Frank Graham, field editor of Audubon
magazine; Dr. Greg  Butcher, Audubon's national bird conservation director;
Peter Stangel,  Southeast regional director of the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation; and  George Fenwick, president of the American Bird Conservancy.

-- Enjoy  vendors such as Wild Birds Unlimited of Jackson and Zeiss Optics.

Come  and help us make this event a successful part of Mississippi's efforts
to  promote nature tourism.

Tell a friend. See you there.


Bruce  Reid
Deputy State Director
Audubon Mississippi
1208 Washington  Street
Vicksburg MS 39183
601-661-6189
breid@xxxxxxxxxxx

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