[TN-Bird] Shorebird Workshop in Northwest Tennessee
- From: "Ken Leggett" <kcleggett@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 20:10:04 -0500
About 35 individuals participated in a Shorebird Workshop that was held August
27-29 in Dyersburg. Classroom sessions were at Dyersburg State Community
College and field work was held at some of the surrounding TWRA areas. While
most of those attending were TWRA personnel or personnel of USFW from the
West TN Refuge Complex, anyone interested was welcome to attend.
The Workshop was put together for TWRA by Joe Hopper from Nashville and used
plans for Black Bayou and White Lake Refuge as the teaching resource. It was
conducted by Doug Helmers from Chillicothe, MO, a noted expert on shorebird
management and ecology and author of the Shorebird Management Manual. Doug has
an MS from University of Missouri and since 1994 has been with National
Resources Conservation Service in research and wetland restoration.
It alternated between class room discussion at DSCC and field trips. Areas
covered included, Bogota and White Lake Refuge, in Dyer County and Black Bayou,
Phillippy Pits and the Ibis Hole in Lake County.
The course consisted of identification techniques for shorebirds, census and
survey methods for shorebirds, and management of shorebird habitat. These
lessons were integrated by Doug by the use of classroom and field training and
the use of TWRA personnel in explaining their objectives and techniques used in
their areas of responsibility.
In 1994, the TWRA began to implement shorebird management on their WMAs. At
the same time plans were being developed by Jim Johnson along with other TWRA
personnel for Black Bayou and White Lake refuge to design and build diverse
wetlands (vs. corn and water for ducks) on the grounds that they were more
stable, predictable, and dependable for waterfowl, and more in keeping with the
overall objectives of TWRA. One can see this diversity in the buffer strips of
trees and other native vegetation and the various management stages in these
units now.
Many experiments and trial and error attempts to accomplish the agency?s
waterfowl, shorebird and wading bird objectives have been done with varying
degrees of success. Carl Wirwa, at White Lake and now, to some extent at
Bogota, has had to struggle with invasive vegetation such as sesbania to
produce grasses and other low-growing vegetation more favorable for waterfowl
than shorebirds that fill the water with grass as it recedes. Paul Brown and
his personnel at Black Bayou have had to deal with the rapid growth of
cockleburs also.
While dealing with the vegetation problems, gauging the proper depth, timing
and drawdown to promote mud flats conducive to shorebird ?bugs? and keeping
favored native crops for waterfowl has been a constant balancing act.
In 1994 Doug held the first workshop on shorebirds as the developing plans were
beginning for Black Bayou and White Lake. So it was natural for Joe Hopper to
select him for this workshop. Techniques are improving every year and part of
the purpose of this workshop was to inform the people here about the latest
techniques and see how they applied in these units.
In teaching shorebird identification techniques Doug used a Key for Breeding or
Partial Breeding Plumage Shorebirds in the USA prepared by the Western
Hemisphere Shorebird Network at the Manomet Observatory. (These are the same
people that conduct these shorebird surveys that we participate in a few times
each year. Check it at www.manomet.org. ) Doug was with them from 1991-1994
and helped prepare this key.
I really enjoyed the entire workshop and learned a great deal both about
shorebird identification and the many issues involved in the management of
shorebirds. The thing that impressed me most about the seminar was the
knowledge, attitude and desire of the TWRA and USFW personnel to improve the
shore birding (and all birding) for this area in spite of the many objectives
they have to achieve in doing it.
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