WHITE IBIS ROOKERY FUNDRAISER
Saturday May 4
3:00 PM - dusk

Betty and Robert Jinright have been dear friends of Betty Komarek and Birdsong for many years. They are offering us a marvelous opportunity to visit a White Ibis rookery on their family farm and watch hundreds of White Ibis come in from the surrounding countryside to roost at dusk. Last year these birds started roosting and nesting here, in this former cypress pond and pinewoods that have been flooded because of beaver dams on the neighboring property. It is now an excellent wading bird roosting site. (Wilson Baker conservatively estimated 1100 birds arrived one night last year.)

We will meet at Granddaddy’s Restaurant parking lot at 2128 Smith Avenue in Thomasville, GA 31792 at 3:00 PM and carpool to the Jinright’s Boston farm. They will take us out through the woods on a hayride to a viewing site by the rookery, where we will have a glass of wine or other refreshments while we wait for the birds to arrive. Dress for the weather; we will be out in the open. Bring binoculars, spotting scopes, cameras and bug spray. We will be out until dusk. After watching the birds settle in, we will return to Thomasville and those who wish to have dinner together may eat at Granddaddy’s or elsewhere.

We thank Betty and Robert and their family for another unique opportunity to visit their property to see this magnificent spectacle and raise much appreciated funds for Birdsong. Bring binoculars, spotting scopes and insect repellent.

Cost: $25 per person. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Please call 1(800)953-2473 or you may email us at birdsong@birdsongnaturecenter.org to reserve a space by noon on Thursday, May 3rd.

LEON SINKS BIRDING HIKE
Saturday, May 11
8:00 AM– Noonish

Marvin Collins, Birdsong Board member and expert birder, will lead a birding hike to the extraordinary Leon Sinks Geological Area. This site is recognized internationally for its karst topography and wet and dry sinkholes. It is one of the most extensive underwater cave areas in the world and connects to Wakulla Springs. The hiking trails are moderate to somewhat difficult, but lead through fascinating terrain, from gum swamp to upland hardwood hammocks and longleaf pine sandhills and from one beautiful sinkhole to another. These varied habitats make for excellent birding. The site also features boardwalks and observation decks for great views of the many sinks.

Meet Marvin at Leon Sinks Geological Area for this excellent birding experience at 8:00AM. From Tallahassee, travel four miles south on Route 319 from its intersection with SR61 in town. See www.floridahikes.com/leon-sinks for more information. There are restrooms at the parking area. Dress for the weather, bring binoculars, water and sun protection. Don’t forget the bug spray!

$4 Friends, $8 nonmembers, children half-price. RESERVATIONS, PLEASE. Call or email by noon on Friday, May 10th; 1(800)953-2473, or birdsong@birdsongnaturecenter.org. The site also charges an admissions fee.

MOTHER’S DAY NATURE WALK
Sunday, May 12
2 - 4PM

Celebrate Mother’s Day in beautiful natural surroundings on a leisurely discovery walk with Beth Grant. Beth can remember the first time she herself went for a Mother’s Day walk here at Birdsong with her young son Brian 25 years ago! She writes “One of my first memories at Birdsong was in 1988 when my then 13 year old son did the Mother’s Day walk with me. It was a wonderful present!”

It is a great time of year for nesting birds, wildflowers and the refreshing green of spring. Enjoy the trails and then visit the Butterfly Garden and Bird Window.

$4 Friends, $8 nonmembers, children half-price.

BUTTERFLY GARDEN WORK DAY
Thursdays, May 2 and June7
9:30AM to Noon

Please join our Butterfly Garden volunteers on the first Thursday of the month to tend our beautiful Butterfly Garden! Bring gardening gloves, knee pads, clippers, and lunch if you wish to stay afterwards. For more information call Donna Legare at (850)386-1148 or Birdsong at (229)377-4408.

BLUEBIRD TRAIL MONITORING
May 4 and 18; June 1, 15 and 29
8:30AM (summer starting time)

Our Bluebird Trail team checks nest boxes every other Saturday. Join these veteran Bluebird volunteers for a fascinating morning in the field and learn all about Bluebirds! The job of visiting the 43 boxes, counting eggs and fledglings, recording observations, and cleaning/repairing boxes is a very valuable service to the Bluebirds and to Birdsong. Bring a friend and help the Bluebird! Call for more information (229)377-4408

BEGINNING BIRDING
Saturday, June 1
9:30AM - Noon

Join Nancy Ann Thomas for an introduction to the enjoyable activity of bird watching. Meet at the Bird Window for some up-close bird viewing, learn how to adjust your binoculars and use a field guide, then go out in the field on a birding hike for some guided practice. This class is ideal for adults and mature children. You will get plenty of personal help to get started on what we are sure will be a life-long love of birding.

RESERVATIONS, PLEASE. Class space is limited to eight people. Please call or email by Friday, May 31st at noon. Bring binoculars, sun protection, and bug spray. You are welcome to bring a picnic and stay for the day!

$4 Friends, $8 nonmembers, children half-price.

BIRDSONG HISTORY: THE DICKEY PLANTATION ERA
Saturday, June 8
10:00AM – Noon

Birdsong Nature Center has had a long and rich history, featuring many interesting people and a legacy of excellent land use and care. Over the past year, Board member Betty Ashler, with assistance from Kathleen Scott, has undertaken a major project and examined and sorted the archival collections of papers found and saved by Betty and Ed Komarek, Birdsong’s founders. Betty has actively reviewed all these papers, especially those relating to the early years of ownership by the Dickey family. She has discovered many fascinating personal letters and other family writings, put together a detailed family tree, and made connections with many living relatives as well as doing research at numerous historical societies and facilities in the state of Georgia.

Betty has created a marvelous power point presentation about Birdsong’s Dickey Plantation era, which she will share at this program. Selected Dickey letters and poems will be on display. After the presentation we will show you some of the historic features of the house. The Dickeys made numerous changes to the building through four generations of their family’s presence at Birdsong. If you are interested in local history, or just interested in Birdsong, you will find this to be an intriguing and enlightening program. We thank Betty for her extensive work on this in-depth project, a work in progress.

RESERVATIONS, PLEASE. Class space is limited to fifteen people. Please call or email by Friday, June 7th, at noon.

$4 Friends, $8 nonmembers, children half-price.

ROOKERY WATCH
Wednesdays, May 1 and June 5
9:30AM

Executive Director Kathleen Brady will escort you to a viewing area near the Listening Place so you can ob-serve the activities of the Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, and Anhingas that are nesting in Big Bay Swamp. Last year at this time we had nesting Wood Storks here; to date, they have visited but have not started building any nests. There is an abundance of nests to observe, so far twenty have been counted, and there is plenty of on-going courtship and pair interaction to watch. Many birds are sitting on eggs. In recent history we have never had this many nests in Big Bay Swamp. Betty Komarek spoke of a huge rookery in the early 1940’s, but this is all new to us. We hope you will come and see!

Bring binoculars, spotting scopes, insect repellant, a lawn chair, and cameras with a telephoto lens. Stay as long as you like.

WOODSTORK II - Four Hours of Beaks and Music!
A Midsummer Musical Event
Saturday, June 22
5:00 - 9:00 PM

This fundraising benefit for Birdsong is still in the planning stages, so we do not yet know our complete musical line-up, but it will be quite entertaining and enjoyable! We all had such a good time last year, in spite of the brief rainstorm, that we want to gather again. We do not know if there will be Wood Storks nesting in the Swamp, but we do know there is a big rookery this year and plenty of wonderful wading bird activity, so let’s have a party. Details will be emailed and mailed later – if you want an email, please make sure we have your email address.

PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE AGAIN SOON FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.