Saturday, October 4

1:30 PM SANDHILL CRANE MOVEMENTS AND BEHAVIOR IN THE HIWASSEE REFUGE AREA, TENNESSEE
David Aborn, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga

Numbers of eastern Greater Sandhill Cranes staging and overwintering at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in eastern Tennessee have increased over the last 30-40 years. Today, as a result of crop planting for waterfowl, as many as 14,000 cranes can be found at the refuge between October and March. The increase in crane numbers has led to a large increase in birdwatchers coming to view the cranes, and has also increased the cranes' use of nearby agricultural and residential areas when conditions at the refuge become too crowded. In order to make proper management decisions, information is needed on the cranes' length of stay, migration patterns, and behavior at the refuge. I have been studying the cranes to achieve several goals. First, the behavioral and movement information gathered from crane observations can be used can aid management decisions by giving refuge personnel a better idea of what areas of the refuge are preferred, dietary preferences, carrying capacity, etc. By understanding the cranes' use of the refuge, human/crane conflicts could be avoided or alleviated by keeping the birds on the refuge as much as possible, or by facilitating their continued migration. Second, the information is important for determining whether the cranes' migration is being prematurely halted. Juvenile cranes learn the migration route from their parents, and if the adults are spending the entire winter at Hiwassee instead of continuing to Florida, then young cranes will be learning an incomplete migration route. When the young cranes raise chicks of their own, they will teach the new generation to stay the winter at Hiwassee, and so on. The result would be a new population of cranes that spends the winter well north of their usual range, and would continue to increase the crane population in east Tennessee. Last, the data will add to our knowledge of eastern populations of Sandhill Cranes, which are not as well known as the mid-continental and Rocky Mountain populations.

1:45 PM RARE WINTERING AND BREEDING GRASSLAND BIRDS AT FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY/TENNESSEE
Daniel Moss, Fort Campbell, KY; James J. Giocomo and David A. Buehler, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Fort Campbell has one of the most extensive remnant patches of native warm season grasslands remaining in the eastern U.S. The area, originally part of the "barrens" region, was chosen for its open landscape as an ideal location for airborne military training. Prescribed burning and military training have continued to keep fields open and provide excellent habitat for disturbance-dependent birds. Consequently, many species of rare and declining grassland and shrubland birds are using military training lands for breeding and wintering habitat. Bachman's, Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow's and Lark Sparrows, Rough-legged Hawk, Sedge Wren, and Short-eared Owl have all been documented on Fort Campbell. Bell's Vireo, Bobolink, and Upland Sandpiper use the grasslands during migration. An accidental White-tailed Kite appeared in one of the native grassland drop zones for 5 days in April 2003. Several species are nesting on Fort Campbell outside their known breeding range (Henslow's Sparrow, Northern Harrier, and Sedge Wren), which provides another indication of the uniqueness of the habitat. Research conducted by the University of Tennessee indicates Fort Campbell is a significant refuge for many grassland bird species leading to the designation of a globally Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy. The Department of Defense has teamed with Partners in Flight and is an important ally in the conservation of migratory and resident birds and their habitats.

2:00 PM BREEDING GRASSLAND BIRD POPULATION DYNAMICS AT FORT CAMPBELL MILITARY RESERVE, KENTUCKY/TENNESSEE.
James J. Giocomo and David A. Buehler, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Daniel Moss, Fort Campbell, KY

Fort Campbell Military Reserve, located on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee, has maintained an estimated 10,000 ha of native grasslands. Military exercises at Fort Campbell including airborne training, ground-based infantry, light-mechanized training, and various artillery range exercises that require open lands. Native
grasslands provide ideal conditions due to the durability, greater visibility, and can be effectively managed with the use of fire. Providing suitable conditions for training activities also coincidentally provide excellent conditions for grassland bird habitat. Between 1999 and 2003, we monitored nesting success of 114 Henslow's, 131 Grasshopper, 260 Field Sparrow, 192 Dickcissel and 76 Eastern Meadowlark nests. Minimum population estimates on the accessible areas of the base include ~150 pairs of Henslow's, ~150 pairs of Grasshopper, and >200 pairs of Field Sparrows, Dickcissels and Eastern Meadowlarks. Using basic yearly demographic information including nesting and hatching success, clutch size and number of broods per season, we modeled population trajectories to determine if our populations were source or sink populations. The factors that determine source/sink dynamics for these species will be discussed.

2:15 PM EFFECTIVENESS OF NATIVE GRASSLAND RESTORATION IN RESTORING GRASSLAND BIRD COMMUNITIES IN TENNESSEE
Scott Dykes, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Grassland bird populations have declined more than any other group of birds over the last 35 years, according to BBS data. In Tennessee, significant effort is underway to restore native grasslands through partnerships between Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, private landowners, and other state and federal agencies. While this partnership has planted tens of thousands of acres of native grasslands, the response by grassland birds remains largely unknown. Furthermore, the restoration has proceeded on an opportunistic basis, with emphasis on willing landowners, rather than conducting the restoration where wildlife benefits might be maximized. The objective of this project is to complement the ongoing restoration effort by evaluating the effectiveness of these restored grasslands for supporting viable grassland bird populations. Data provided will allow modification of the grassland restoration program, if necessary. Through this research we expect to increase the effectiveness of the restoration effort, thus ultimately increasing the viability of grassland bird populations in the region.

2:30 PM THE USE OF RECLAIMED SURFACE MINES BY GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS IN THE CUMBERLAND MOUNTAINS OF TENNESSEE
Lesley P. Bulluck, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

The loss of early succesional habitat has contributed to population declines in Golden-winged Warbler as well as other disturbance dependent species During the last half-century, extensive mining activity in the Cumberland Mountains of Tennessee has created an abundance of suitable breeding scrub-shrub habitat for the Golden-Winged Warbler. These patches of early-succesional habitat are located within a matrix of nearly 2 million acres of contiguous forest supporting numerous forest interior birds. The objectives of my doctoral research focusing on the Golden-winged Warbler are threefold: 1) to determine the spatial extent of the Golden-winged Warbler population in this region, map this distribution and compare characteristics of occupied and unoccupied surface mines in order to better manage for the persistence of this species; 2) to determine the breeding productivity (nest success), return rates, and genetic similarities/differences of the this population as compared to nearby populations of this species in the southeast; and 3) to determine the importance of reclaimed surface mines as post-breeding habitat for all species of breeding birds that inhabit the Cumberland Mountains.

2:45 PM Break

3:00 PM CENSUS DATA ON THE INTERIOR LEAST TERN (Sterna antillarum athalassos) IN THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY, 1985-2003
Ken Jones, Dyersburg State Community College, Dyersburg

This presentation will review the past and current population trends of the Least Tern as reflected in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' surveys which were started in 1985. Following a brief history of events that led to the Tern's being listed as endangered, census methods, Least Tern behavior (including courting, nesting, foraging, mobbing, etc.), habitat requirements, predation and other potential threats to the population will be discussed.

3:15 PM FALL BIRD BANDING AT WHIGG MEADOW, CHEROKEE NATIONAL FOREST, MONROE COUNTY, TENNESSEE
David F. Vogt, Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga

Bird banding activities have been conducted at Whigg Meadow Cherokee National Forest, Monroe Co., TN from 1998 through 2002. The study area is located on a clearing at 1495 meters elevation surrounded by mixed oak/beech forest. Nine, 12 meter mist nets have been operated during several days in September during each year for a total of 58 days and 3676 net hours. During the five-year period 3691 individuals of 60 species have been banded. The capture rates for the five-year period was 100.4 birds/100 net hours. Yearly capture rates have ranged from a low of 38 birds/100 net hours in 1998 to 225 birds/100 net hours in 2003. The most frequently banded species were: Tennessee Warbler (Vermivora peregrina) with 1365 banded (36% of all individuals banded), Slate-colored Junco (Junco hyemalis) 480 (13%), Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) 405 (11%), Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caeulescens) 220 (6%) and, Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magonia) 145 (3%).

3:30 PM AUTUMN BIRD BANDING ON ROAN MOUNTAIN,TENNESSEE/NORTH CAROLINA
Rick Knight, Johnson City, Tennessee

As a means of monitoring the fall migration, I have operated a small banding station at Carver's Gap on Roan Mountain for six out of the last eight years. An average of about 600 birds of 40 species have been captured and banded per autumn season as migrants pass through this high mountain gap. The most frequently captured species are Tennessee & Black-throated Blue warblers, Swainson's Thrush, and Dark-eyed Junco. Most of the birds caught are Neotropical migrants.

3:45 PM THE SIAN KA'AN BIRD MONITORING PROJECT: TENNESSEE EXPANDS ITS BIRD CONSERVATION EFFORTS TO MEXICO
Greg Wathen, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Nashville and David A. Buehler, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

In the fall of 2002, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency was awarded a grant under the auspices of the Neotropical Migratory Bird Act (NMBA) to achieve three primary objectives: 1) Restore and enhance 3,850 acres of grassland and scrub-shrub habitats for priority migratory birds in middle and western Tennessee on private lands; 2) Determine the landscape characteristics of private lands habitat projects necessary to benefit priority grassland/scrub-shrub birds, and; 3) Initiate a neotropical migratory bird monitoring program at the Reserva de la Biosfera Sian Ka'an, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The bird monitoring program in Mexico is the smallest part of this project, but has generated great energy and enthusiasm among the partners. In January 2003, the partnership was expanded to include the provincial government of Ontario, Canada, through a grant from the Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC). The partners met in Sian Ka'an in February 2003, to hold a workshop on bird monitoring, to discuss bird monitoring needs at Sian Ka'an, and how to establish a monitoring program at the Reserve. In October of this year, a training workshop on bird monitoring techniques will be held with Sian Ka'an staff, area guides, and other volunteers, to begin the process of establishing a formal bird monitoring program on the Reserve. This presentation will discuss the Sian Ka'an Bird Monitoring Project, and potential opportunities for Tennesseans to participate as volunteers in this program.