A dozen birders from Northeast Tennessee traveled to Chattanooga Friday to attend the three-day state meeting of the Tennessee Ornithological Society. The group included Rick Knight, Don Holt, Rob Biller, Janet Coffey, Tom McNeil, Nora Schubert, Michele Sparks, Larry McDaniel, Lisa Tyler, Bill Grigsby, Carolyn Coffey and Wallace Coffey. Jo Anne Routledge and Larry Routledge from the Greeneville TOS Chapter also attended. Leadership of TOS and members of the Chattanooga TOS Chapter hosted BBC members to a pre-meeting dinner before the opening night activities. Birders from across the state were fascinated with Rick Knight's new book about the birds of Northeast Tennessee. Rick was busy between sessions selling copies and autographing books for birders. In the photo at left, Rick sits with Virginia Reynolds of Memphis, former President of TOS, as a birder awaits his signed copy. In route, some of the group toured the National Park Service's Saralands Visitor Center and talked with staff about the facility to get ideas and tips for the new Steele Creek Nature Center expansion coming next years. The group also visited the excellent and beautiful Ijams Nature Center at Knoxville. Talked with staff and made photos for ideas. It was helpful to get a look at the older but heavily-used Chattanooga Nature Center where the TOS Fall Meeting was held. Especially the grounds and the meeting room (used by TOS for all activities) were suggestive of good uses. Let's go birding . . . Wallace Coffey Bristol, TN