The TOS will hold a winter gathering and birding weekend on January 23-25 at Decatur, Alabama, with most birding trips focused on Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. Following is a tentative agenda:

Friday, January 23 - For those who arrive early, the refuge Visitor Center and Observation Building will be open until 5:00 pm - should be good viewing of ducks, Sandhill Cranes and geese from about 3:00 pm on.

Saturday, January 24 - Two potential field trips - one to Limestone Bay/White Springs on the refuge for waterfowl, cranes and whatever else that may show up and one to NW Alabama - TVA dams and Key Cave NWR for gulls, grassland birds, etc. The refuge trip could finish up by mid-afternoon but the trip to TVA dams would be a bit longer because of the distance involved.

Sunday, January 25 - birding on your on or a short refuge trip to look for anything of interest from the Saturday trip.

For information on birding the area, see:
The North Alabama Birding Trail website
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge website

The base of operations for the weekend will be the Comfort Inn of Priceville. 3239 Mallard Way Decatur/ Priceville AL (256) 355-1037. It is close to the Refuge Visitor Center. Ask for group rate ($69. + taxes) WE WILL MEET AT COMFORT INN PARKING LOT at 8AM CST Sat., and rendezvous there again at 6PM to go to supper, compilation. etc.

Another lodging option is Holiday Inn & Suites along the river. 1101 6th Av. NE Decatur AL, (256) 355-3150. Ask for TOS group rate ($77. + taxes).

For more information on accommodations and restaurants in the Decatur area, see http://www.decaturcvb.org/.

For more on arrangements, contact:
Richard Connors, TOS President, Nashville TN (615) 832-0521 home/office, (615) 330-7142 cell
Jan Shaw NTOS field trip leader (615) 331-2231