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Self-proclaimed bird nerds travel to coastal Georgia
Feb 3, 2003 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
Phil Titus, science department chair, and Laura Murray, biology instructor, plus two expert birdwatchers from Athens, Ga. and a teacher from Cumming, Ga. joined instructor Owen Kinney and his Georgia Natural History class for their annual trek to coastal Georgia to see as many coastal bird species as possible. The group stayed in a beach house on Jekyll Island from Friday evening to Monday morning, Jan. 17-20, rising at 6:45 every morning, packing lunches, and heading out into the field with binoculars and spotting scopes.
They visited beaches and tidal wetlands on Jekyll, St. Simon’s, and Andrew’s islands. They also visited freshwater wetlands in waterfowl management areas along the Altamaha and Savannah rivers. “This is our biggest trip but we have several other trips to local locations that are also aimed at bird watching,” Kinney said.
Prior to the trip, students were able to identify 72 birds and put their new knowledge to work spotting birds in the field. The itinerary was rigorous and the weather was blustery. Temperatures were in the 30s most of the time and the wind was relentless. The group stayed in the field until dusk. “I feel like an official bird nerd. Going on the trip really helped me get a better understanding of their habitats,” Courtney Williams, senior, said.
Students competed with each other using a bird checklist with points assigned to each bird. Most birds were worth one point and a few of the more unusual species were worth three points. At the end of the trip their point totals were a test grade. Most ended up seeing 90 or more species, including a few very unusual species—Least Bittern, Bald Eagles, and American Avocets, for example.
“My first dip into the bird nerd subculture was exceptionally entertaining. I loved it,” Jeffrey Connelly, senior, said. “I saw four bald eagles, two adults and two juveniles. They were just soaring. It was amazing.”
Senior Juli Mull said, “Now, when I go outside, I try to figure out what kind of birds I see; before they all looked the same. The trip definitely helped.”
They visited beaches and tidal wetlands on Jekyll, St. Simon’s, and Andrew’s islands. They also visited freshwater wetlands in waterfowl management areas along the Altamaha and Savannah rivers. “This is our biggest trip but we have several other trips to local locations that are also aimed at bird watching,” Kinney said.
Prior to the trip, students were able to identify 72 birds and put their new knowledge to work spotting birds in the field. The itinerary was rigorous and the weather was blustery. Temperatures were in the 30s most of the time and the wind was relentless. The group stayed in the field until dusk. “I feel like an official bird nerd. Going on the trip really helped me get a better understanding of their habitats,” Courtney Williams, senior, said.
Students competed with each other using a bird checklist with points assigned to each bird. Most birds were worth one point and a few of the more unusual species were worth three points. At the end of the trip their point totals were a test grade. Most ended up seeing 90 or more species, including a few very unusual species—Least Bittern, Bald Eagles, and American Avocets, for example.
“My first dip into the bird nerd subculture was exceptionally entertaining. I loved it,” Jeffrey Connelly, senior, said. “I saw four bald eagles, two adults and two juveniles. They were just soaring. It was amazing.”
Senior Juli Mull said, “Now, when I go outside, I try to figure out what kind of birds I see; before they all looked the same. The trip definitely helped.”
