Dr. James B. McClintock is the Endowed University Professor of Polar and Marine Biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz (1978) and his doctoral degree from the University of South Florida (1984).

In 1987, after completing a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fel-lowship at the University of California at Santa Cruz, he joined the faculty of the Department of Biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He became a Full Professor at UAB in 1997 and has also served as Dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (1999-2003) and as Interim Dean of the Graduate School (2003-2005).

Dr. McClintock’s research has been funded continuously over the past 25 years by the National Science Foundation and focuses on aspects of marine invertebrate nutrition, reproduction, and primarily, Antarctic marine chemical ecol-ogy. Over the past decade his research has also encompassed studies of the impacts of rapid climate change and ocean acidification on Antarctic marine algae and invertebrates.

He has published over 220 scientific publications, edited and written books, been invited to make numerous scientific and popular science presentations, and his research has been featured in a variety of public media outlets including the NPR Diane Rehm Show, NPR’s “On Point” with Tom Ashbrook, Na-tional Geographic Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, Discover Magazine, Scientific American Magazine, CNN, the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and The Weather Channel.

He has served on National Academy of Sciences workshops on Climate Change and Polar Ecosystems. He recently returned from his fourteenth research expedition to Antarctica. Over the past two decades, he and his research collaborators have become among the world’s authorities on Antarctic marine chemical ecol-ogy and drug discovery. They have also developed an award win-

ning interactive educational outreach web site (www.antarctica.uab.edu). His expertise on the ecological impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on marine life of the Antarctic Peninsula has garnered numerous invited lectures and he writes in the popular literature on this timely topic.

His book Lost Antarctica: Adventures in a Disappearing Land (Palgrave/MacMil-lan) was released in September 2012 and has garnered considerable national and international praise (www.lostantarctica.com). In June 2013, a video short based on his book was produced and released by the E. O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation that featured narration by Harrison Ford.

He has been the recipient of numerous awards and distinctions including the UAB Ellen Gregg Ingalls Award for Excellence in Teaching and the UAB Caroline P. and Charles W. Ireland Prize for Outstanding Scholarship. In 2001 he was selected as the winner of the Wright A. Gardner Award for the most outstanding scientist in the state of Alabama and he was selected in 2012 to serve on the Advisory Board of the E. O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation.

He is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 1998 the United States Board on Geographic Names designated the geographic feature “McClintock Point” in honor of his contributions to Antarctic science.

The Annual Banquet takes place on Thursday, December 5 at The Club. Please, see page 6 for more information and for making your reservations. We welcome non-members to attend!

From Plankton to PenguinsThe Impacts of Climate Change along the Antarctic PeninsulaPresentation by Dr. James McClintock at the 2013 Annual Banquet on December 5

Volume LXVI, Number 3

Flicker FlashesPublished byThe Birmingham Audubon Society

For conservation and greater knowledge of birds, their habitat, and natural history

November/December 2013

Photos by James McClintock

2

Lady Winter casts her own special spell on Alabama’s bird life. Many neotropical migrants have departed for warmer climes, but in their place are several species of sparrows and finches. Equally conspicuous by their presence are a variety of waterfowl,

and their sheer numbers can overwhelm even the most ardent birder. Paul Franklin’s program promises to help you rise to the challenge by offering many helpful tips on identifying waterfowl and where to search for them. Paul is a past-president of Bir-mingham Audubon and teaches classes on birding and photogra-phy at the Audubon Mountain Workshop. Be sure to bring your binoculars for a bird walk after the program.

Be sure to come early and enjoy some refreshments and conversation in the Observation Room at the Alabama Wildlife Center, then, when it is time for the program, we will proceed to the auditorium for the presentation.

Information on January’s seminar:

An Introduction to Birds of PreySunday, January 12th, 1:00 & 3:00 p.m. - Becky Collier,

Coosa River Science School (Alabama Wildlife Center)

Audubon Teaches NatureAlabama’s Winter Birds: Waterfowl

Sunday, November 10, 2013 – 2:00 P.M.Paul Franklin, Guest Speaker - Alabama Wildlife Center Auditorium

The last of the fall migrants will have moved south by the time you read this newsletter, and a whole host of winter visi-tors will have taken their place in your yards and feeders. As of late September, kinglets and dark-eyed juncos have already arrived. Winter is right around the corner, and that means it is time for the annual Birmingham Audubon field trip to Wheeler NWR, near Decatur in North Alabama. Plan to join us on Sat-urday, November 23 to view thousands of snow geese, ducks, ducks and more ducks, perhaps a few sandhill cranes, various hawk species and whatever decides to surprise us!

TRAVEL PLANS: Our gathering place is the parking lot behind the Wells Fargo

Bank at the Fieldstown Road Shopping Center in Gardendale, just off Interstate-65 at exit #271 (665 Fieldstown Road, Garden-dale, AL, 35071). Turn right on to Fieldstown Road, then another right onto Odum Road, and an immediate left into the shopping center. We will leave at 7 a.m. and caravan up I-65 north towards Decatur to the Priceville exit (# 334), a drive of approximately 60 miles, and reconvene at the Hardee’s restaurant at 8:30 a.m.

After a rest break, we will announce further details. Dwight Cooley, refuge manager, will lead us through various sections of the refuge, such as White Springs Dike, Arrowhead Landing at Limestone Bay, Beaverdam Peninsula with its viewing platform, and the Buckeye Unit of the Refuge. One major bonus is that we will be able to travel to areas of the refuge that are behind gates that are normally locked and inaccessible to cars.

This will be an all-day trip, so bring a picnic lunch, drinks and snacks. Remember, weather this time of year can be un-predictable with rapid changes, so dressing in layers is advised. Have a full tank of gas. Bring your binoculars and spotting scopes. For those who wish, supper may be shared at a local restaurant at day’s end.

TRIP LEADER:Greg Harber, 251-2133.

November Field Trip Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge

Saturday, November 23, 2013 - 7 A.M.

Snow Geese - Thinkstock by Getty Images

Sandhill Crane - Thinkstock by Getty Images

3

The diamondback terrapin is a me-dium-sized turtle that inhabits brackish estuaries, salt marshes and tidal creeks from southern Texas to Massachusetts. In Alabama, it is found along the coast in Mobile and Baldwin counties. At one point in history, a turtle farm at Cedar Point Marsh, across from Dauphin Island, shipped approximately 12,000 turtles a year to fancy restaurants along the east coast to serve as the main ingredient in turtle soup. Now, for a variety of reasons, the turtle is difficult to find and its num-bers are at an all-time low.

As a part of our November program, Dr. Thane Wibbles will teach us about how to “head start” a turtle species, why that species’ numbers have significantly declined in Alabama, and what he, his lab group and collaborators are doing in an attempt to keep this iconic animal off the endangered species list.

Dr. Wibbles is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the Uni-versity of Alabama at Birmingham. His areas of research include the biology and conservation of turtles, specifi-cally the Kemp’s, Ridley and loggerhead sea turtles, along with the diamond-back terrapin. He also studies reptile reproductive physiology. In many reptiles, the temperature at which the

egg is incubated, not chromosomes, determines the sex of the animal. This is called temperature dependent sex determina-tion (TSD) and understanding this reproductive system has important implications for turtle conservation.

Fellowship and snack time begins at 6:30 p.m. Please come early for refreshments and conversation.

November Monthly ProgramDecline of the Diamondback Terrapin in Alabama

and Efforts to Restore It November 21, 2013 7:00 P.M.

Presented by Dr. Thane WibblesBirmingham Botanical Gardens, Hodges Room

Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park sits in a beau-tiful tree-lined valley with more than 1,500 acres in three counties, rich in history. Hillsides rich in iron ore and swiftly flowing Roupes Creek made this a perfect site for a successful iron making operation from 1830 to 1865. The park includes a working gristmill, the remains of the old furnaces and the Iron and Steel Museum among its many attractions.

The park is a site along Alabama’s Appalachian Highland Birding Trails. Resident birds that we hope to see include woodpeckers, pine warblers, brown-headed nuthatches. Win-ter visitors should be arriving so sparrows may be possible. Along the stream banks look for herons and belted kingfish-ers. Red-tailed, red-shouldered and Cooper’s hawks are per-manent residents. Great horned owls are known to nest here and barred owls are also residents of the park. The trails are along old road beds, so hiking, or walking will be easy.

There is a park entrance fee of $3.00 for adults and $2.00 for seniors and $1.00 for children. There is an additional fee for the museum, if you should choose to visit it.

TRAVEL PLANS: Meet at the McDonald’s Restaurant across from the Gal-

leria at 1731 Montgomery Hwy, Hoover, Al 35244. Arrive early enough to car pool and be ready to leave at 7 a.m. Leaving McDonalds we will enter Interstate 459 south and proceed to exit 1 at McCalla. Turn left onto Eastern Valley Road. Fol-low for approximately 7 miles. Turn left onto Tannehill State Park. Turn left onto Tannehill Road and proceed into the park. The park’s address is 12632 Con-federate Parkway, McCalla Al 35111.

This is a half day trip, but feel free to bring lunch, snacks and drinks as there are picnic tables on site. Please feel free to stay in the park as long as you like. Visit the park’s web site for more information: www.tannehill.org

Half Day Field Trip to Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park

November 2, 2013 - 7:00 A.M.

Diamondback Terrapin - Thinkstock by Getty Images

Great Horned Owl - Thinkstock by Getty Images

4

This year’s Birmingham Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) will be our 78th and all members and friends are invited to participate in this long-running count, to be held Saturday, December 21, 2013. The Birmingham Audubon CBC was begun in 1946, and thanks to the continued sup-port of our dedicated members and friends this wonderful Christmas tra-dition continues to this day. Consider making the Christmas Bird Count a part of your holiday tradition and join the fun on count day.

Accompanying this article you will find a copy of the map detailing the count circle and the various territories within the circle. I invite all of our mem-bers to consider participating in the count by choosing an area (you do not have to live within the territory or the count circle) and contacting the corre-sponding party leader to make arrange-ments to join the group. If you are not able or do not wish to participate, but have some unusual winter birds visiting your feeders that we should record for the count, please call us in advance. We especially would love to hear from you if you have some owls in your neighbor-hood or wintering hummingbirds!

Get your holidays off to a merry start by joining in this historic count. David George will handle compiling duties and Maureen Shaffer will host our compilation at her home located at 2216 Mountain Lake Terrace, Hoover AL 35226. Call Maureen at 205-822-8728 if you need directions. The compilation will begin at 5:00 p.m. and light refreshments will be provided.

Greg Harber Bird Counts Committee

The highlight of the morning on September 14 was a Bell’s vireo, a bird not often seen in Alabama, especially inland. This was at Ruffner Mountain Nature Pre-serve and the birders were Greg and Debi Jackson and Scot Duncan. They also had a good list of other migrants, to name a few, Philadelphia vireo; 13 warblers, including golden-winged, Nashville, northern parula, magnolia, blackburnian, and Canada; and summer and scarlet tanagers

It’s easy to understand why Ruffner Mountain has become a popular birding spot. Ken Wills best described it as “a beautifully preserved piece of God’s creation.”

Other Sightings:

9/6 Golden-winged Warbler; Helena (RK, JK).

9/14 American Golden Plover; Solitary Sandpiper; Buff-breasted Sandpiper; Coosa Valley Sod Farm, Wilsonville (KW).

9/23 Great Egret (after dark !) Flying over Railroad Park (GH).

9/25 Common Nighthawk (20); Shades Crest Road (In brilliant sunshine)(AGM).

Contributors: Scot Duncan Greg Harber Greg and Debi Jackson Rick and Jo Kittinger Anne G. Miller Ken Wills

Please send sightings for January Flicker Flashes at least five days before the December 1, 2013 deadline to Ann Miller, 520 Yorkshire Drive, Birmingham, Al. 35209 annmiller520@aol.com

78th Annual Birmingham

Audubon Christmas Bird Count

Saturday, December 21, 2013

SoSo for the RecordSightings September 6 through September 25, 2013

Common Nighthawk - Thinkstock by Getty Images

Check your mailing label for

information about your membership

expiration date.

Don’t let your membership to

Birmingham Audubon lapse!

A Membership form is on page 7

5

Count day, as well as the days leading up to it, was a gorgeous day with sunny clear skies, and a 5-15 mph southeasterly breeze. These favorable migration condi-tions may help to explain the relative lack of birds observed on the count. Temperatures ranged from 59 to 80 de-grees. Eighteen observers in 10 parties spent 83 hours in the field (48.5 on foot, 34.5 in car) with an additional 1.35 hours devoted to owling. They covered 645.2 miles by car and 20 miles on foot, tallying 115 species on count day, with 3 count week species. Not included in the final tally were three Mute Swans observed in a gated community in North Shelby County, undoubtedly placed there by choice of the residents. Special thanks to Dick Mills, our compilation host, and to all who spent time in the field.

Greg Harber, Compiler

Observers by party, leaders in boldface: Scot Duncan, Greg Harber, Jessica Germany, John Imhof, Jeremy Bearden, Cheryl Horncastle, Sallie Brice, Su-san Stone, Sharon Hudgins, Matt Hunter, Jessie Gris-wold, Greg Jackson, Dick Mills, Maureen Shaffer, Anne Miller, Pelham Rowan, Lisa Bailey, Jim Sherrill.

Canada Goose 323Wood Duck 22Mallard 27Wild Turkey 13Pied-billed Grebe 12Double-crested Cormorant 57Great Blue Heron 37Great Egret 76Snowy Egret 1Cattle Egret CWGreen Heron 3Black-crowned Night Heron 13Yellow-crowned Night Heron 1Black Vulture 6Turkey Vulture 80Osprey 2Bald Eagle 2Northern Harrier 3Sharp-shinned Hawk 1Cooper’s Hawk 6Red-shouldered Hawk 29Broad-winged Hawk 7Red-tailed Hawk 19American Kestrel 5Merlin 1Rail species 1Sora 3Killdeer 104

Greater Yellowlegs 1Rock Pigeon 53Eurasian Collared-Dove 4Mourning Dove 177Yellow-billed Cuckoo 3Eastern Screech-Owl 2Great Horned Owl 3Barred Owl 4Common Nighthawk 11Chimney Swift 53Ruby-throated Hummingbird 19Belted Kingfisher 8Red-headed Woodpecker 21Red-bellied Woodpecker 62Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1Downy Woodpecker 39Hairy Woodpecker 5Northern Flicker 19Pileated Woodpecker 13Eastern Wood-Pewee 21Empidonax Species 6Eastern Phoebe 90Great Crested Flycatcher 1Eastern Kingbird 1Loggerhead Shrike 3White-eyed Vireo 25Yellow-throated Vireo 6Philadelphia Vireo 4Red-eyed Vireo 11Blue Jay 226American Crow 413Fish Crow 12Tree Swallow 82Northern Rough-winged Swallow 24Carolina Chickadee 121Tufted Titmouse 94White-breasted Nuthatch 30Brown-headed Nuthatch 39Carolina Wren 108House Wren 2Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5Eastern Bluebird 104Veery CWGray-cheeked Thrush 3Swainson’s Thrush 3

Hermit Thrush 8Wood Thrush 6American Robin 17Gray Catbird 20Northern Mockingbird 153Brown Thrasher 78European Starling 308Golden-winged Warbler CWBlue-winged Warbler 1Black-and-white Warbler 4Tennessee Warbler 33Kentucky Warbler 1Common Yellowthroat 8Hooded Warbler 3American Redstart 43Northern Parula 3Magnolia Warbler 20Blackburnian Warbler 2Chestnut-sided Warbler 11Palm Warbler 2Pine Warbler 42Yellow-rumped Warbler 1Yellow-throated Warbler 1Prairie Warbler 1Black-throated Green Warbler 5Eastern Towhee 33Chipping Sparrow 17Field Sparrow 1Song Sparrow 1Dark-eyed Junco 1Summer Tanager 10Scarlet Tanager 4Northern Cardinal 164Rose-breasted Grosbeak 20Blue Grosbeak 4Indigo Bunting 43Red-winged Blackbird 13Eastern Meadowlark 6Common Grackle 9Brown-headed Cowbird 11House Finch 34Pine Siskin 2American Goldfinch 13House Sparrow 25

49th AnnualBirmingham Audubon Fall Count

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Beginner Bird Walk - Birmingham Botanical GardensVeteran’s Day, Monday, November 11, 2013 -Time: 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Do you want to learn more about birds, how to locate and identify them? Then join Birmingham Audubon for our Beginner Bird Walk at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2013. Our Beginner Bird Walks are designed to be shorter than our field trips with more emphasis on teaching, thus making it ideal for new bird watchers!

Birmingham Audubon members will be on hand to help you find, identify and learn more about birds. Binoculars and field guides will be available for the day for those who may need them. Members and non-members of all ages are wel-come, including children ages 5 and up.

Reservations are required as the number of participants is limited. For Reservations contact Education Manager, Helena Uber-Wamble at huberwamble@birminghamaudubon.org. Please include the names and number of persons in your party as well as the ages of any children attending in the email. Children must be accompanied by parent or designated adult. This program is free and open to the public.

Deadline for reservations: Friday, November 8, 2013.For questions contact Helena at 205-714-8228

6

Reservations required - We welcome non-members to attend!TO REGISTER AND PAY ONLINE: visit www.birminghamaudubon.orgYou may also register by completing and returning the form below.

Dinner is $42.00 per person. Reservations received after Monday Noon, December 2, are $47.00 per person.Menu, please indicate your choice(s) below:

Entree A - Artichoke, shiitake mushrooms and goat cheese stuffed chicken Breast wtih lemon butter sauce,smoked whipped potatoes and seasonal vegetables

Entree B - Grilled portabella mushrooms, roasted red peppers, zucchini, squash and spinach wrapped in puff pastry

Name: ___________________________________________________________ Phone _________________

Please make reservations for the following person(s):Name

Entree Choice

A (Meat) B (Vegetarian)

Make check payable for: Birmingham Audubon Society

Enclosed is a check for $__________________

Send check and form to:Cissy Bennett

1512 Edinburgh Way - Birmingham, AL 35243Phone: 205-969-0249

Adelie Penquin by James McClintock Thinkstock by Getty Images

From Plankton to Penguins The Impacts of Climate Change along

the Antarctic PeninsulaPresented by: Dr. James B. McClintock

Birmingham Auduboncordially invites you to attend its

67th Annual Holiday DinnerThursday, December 5, 2013at Six-o’clock in the Evening

Reception with a Cash Bar - 6:00 P.M.Dinner - 7:00 P.M.

The Club The Staterooms (downstairs)

1 Robert S. Smith Drive, Birmingham, AL 35209

7

-7-

Membership Application

Birmingham Audubon Society*

Please make check payable to: Birmingham Audubon Society

I want to opt-out receiving a printed copy of Flicker Flashes

Phone: (205) 714-8227

*2 EASY WAYS

1.

2.

Birmingham Audubon gratefully acknowledges the following gifts and memorial donations:

Bobbie Jean Bailey made a gift to the Annual Fund in memory of her husband, Russell Bailey.Stan Roth made a gift to the Annual Fund honoring Greg Harber.Thank you to each of our Annual Fund donors for your generosity and support of our programs.

8

2 Half-day Field Trip - Tannehill State Park 10 Audubon Teaches Nature - “Alabama’s Winter Birds: Waterfowl” - Paul Franklin 2 p.m. Alabama Wildlife Center

14 Birding Basics Class Community Education South, Avondale

21 Monthly Program “The Decline of the Diamondback Terrapin in Alabama” presented by Dr. Thane Wibbles 7 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Hodges Room

23 Full-day Field Trip - Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Decatur, Alabama

December 2013November 2013

5 Annual Banquet “Lost Antarctic: Adventures in a Disappearing Land” - Dr. James McClintock, The Club

13 Application deadline for Walter Coxe Research Grants

14 Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Christmas Bird Count

15 Cullman Christmas Bird Count

21 78th Annual Birmingham Audubon Christmas Bird Count

26 Guntersville Christmas Bird Count

Birmingham Audubon SocietyA Chapter of the National Audubon Society

Mailing Address:Birmingham Audubon Society200 19th Street NorthBirmingham, AL 35203-3117

Email: basoffice@birminghamaudubon.orgWeb Site: www.birminghamaudubon.org

Executive Director: 205-714-8227Education Manager: 205-714-8228

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPERNO BLEACH USED

Please check your mailing label for yourmembership expiration date.

Copies of Flicker Flashes can be viewed and downloaded from the Birmingham Audubon web site: www.birminghamaudubon.org

Flicker FlashesPublished byThe Birmingham Audubon Society

For conservation and greater knowledge of birds, their habitat, and natural history

Flicker Flashes is published eight times a year bythe Birmingham Audubon SocietyEditor: Ty Keith 205-602-8037Graphic Design: Michelle Blackwood

Consider gifting a membership to Birmingham Audubon this holiday season

www.birminghamaudubon.orgor 205-714-8227