Joint TOS/VSO 2012 Annual Meeting, Johnson City, Tennessee, May 18–20, 2012. Hosted by the Bristol Bird Club.
Throughout the weekend there will be birding field trips and the chance to enjoy the beautiful Southern Blue Ridge in high mountain woodland, wild cranberry bog environments, lake, river, and stream habitats. Hike and bird along the Appalachian Trail in a cloudland, that reaches peaks near 6,286 feet of elevation. Additionally, the meeting will have paper presentations and a poster session and speakers on both Friday and Saturday evening. Several vendors have indicated their intention to provide displays, including Buteo Books and ABA Sales. The event will also afford opportunities to meet, socialize and bird with new friends from Virginia and Tennessee.
Banquet
On Saturday evening there will be a banquet buffet featuring a talk by Dr. Fred Alsop III, well known birder, ornithologist for over 45 years, and Professor of Biology at East Tennessee State University. Dr. Alsop has published over 100 articles and notes on birds in scientific journals and authored more than fifteen bird books and field guides, including the Smithsonian Handbook: Birds of North America. The cost for the buffet and program will be $25.00 per person
Lodging
Rooms at the Holiday Inn are $85 plus tax (one to four occupants). Reservation can be made by calling 423 282- 4611 and mentioning the state-wide birding convention. The block of reserved rooms will be held until three weeks before the meeting. The Holiday Inn has a full restaurant and begins serving breakfast (not included in the price of the room) at 6:30 AM. The Holiday Inn is located at 101 West Springbrook Drive, just off N. Roan St. Traveling either north or south on I-81, take exit to I-26 east. From I- 26 take exit 20. Go north on N. Roan and turn left at the stoplight at N. Roan and Springbrook. Other nearby motels in the area include: Ramada Inn, 2606 N Roan St., Phone: 423 282-4011; Best Western of Johnson City, 2406 N Roan St., Phone: 423 282-2161; Doubletree Hotel, 211 Mockingbird Lane, Phone: 423 929-2000; Red Roof Inns, 210 Broyles Drive, Phone: 423 282-6841; and Super 8 Motel, 108 Wesley St., Phone: 423 282-8818.
For More Information
Visit the Bristol Bird Club Website at www.bristolbirdclub.org or The Tennessee Ornithological Society.
Regarding registration:
Janice Martin, Club Treasurer 423 573-1829, janice_AT_bristolbirdclub.org.
Johnson City Holiday Inn website
Other information:
Dave Worley 276 971-7244, dave_AT_bristolbirdclub.org or Wallace Coffey 423 360-2532, wallace_AT_bristolbirdclub.
org.
Download the registration form here »
2012 Annual Meeting Field Trips
Field trips will feature high altitude locations—Roan Mountain, Unaka Mountain and Shady Valley—with great opportunities to view warblers and other birds that breed in these locales. Field trips on Saturday and Sunday will assemble and leave from the Holiday Inn at 7:00 AM and end around noon. There are no extra fees to participate in the field trips. Participants should bring snacks and water. Opportunities for trips to Roan Mountain include driving up State 143 (paved road) with stops along the way with spectacular views and opportunities to see Canada and other warblers, Veery, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Least Flycatcher. At Carver’s Gap (elevation 5512 ft.) Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, and Pine Siskin are possible and, with luck, Red Crossbills. Northern Saw-whet Owl nests at the gap. Additional birding is available with more hiking effort by following the Appalachian Trail from Carver’s Gap to higher altitudes. Vesper Sparrows and Common Ravens may be seen. In other Roan Mountain locales Golden-winged Warbler, Yellowbreasted Chat, Black-billed Cuckoo and other higher altitude breeders may be seen by hiking.
A forest service road goes along the Wilderness Area on Unaka Mountain for about 12 miles. Local birders traverse this route using various vehicles including passenger cars with reasonable clearance. Ruffed Grouse, warblers, including Magnolia, tanagers, buntings and towhees breed in this area and Red Crossbills are a possibility. The area is birded by driving to selected turnouts, stopping and viewing. Some hiking down side trails may be included. The Shady Valley area offers birding in unique higher altitude bogs and in woodland habitat. Some walking is done along trails in the bogs, where Virginia Rails, Soras, sparrows and Marsh Wrens, may be seen. Swainson’s Warblers will be on territories in the gorge. By driving and stopping along State Hwy 133, warblers and flycatchers may be found nesting in the woods along the picturesque Beaverdam Creek. For serious hikers, from Shady Valley, contact may be made with the Appalachian Trail. Hiking the Trail brings one into habitat of breeding warblers, including Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, Canada and numerous others.