by Dottie Head, Director of Membership & Communications 
 
Atlanta Audubon Society has received a $25,800 grant to restore bird-friendly habitat at the Cascade Springs Nature Preserve in Southwest Atlanta. The project is funded through a 2019 Five Star and Urban Waters grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF).
 
Atlanta Audubon Society will work with seven partners to restore urban bird habitat by removing exotic, invasive plants and installing native, bird-friendly plants and conducting bird surveys in Cascade Springs Nature Preserve located in the Utoy Creek watershed in southwest Atlanta, Georgia. The results will be 12 acres of restored bottomland forest—a priority habitat in the Piedmont region—accompanied by a year's worth of bird population data, interpretive signage, and a series of educational programming with the local community. Partners include the Friends of Cascade Springs Nature Preserve, the City of Atlanta, Georgia Native Plant Society, Rock Spring Restorations, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, Greening Youth Foundation, and National Audubon Society.
 
“Atlanta Audubon Society will work with partners to help restore the native forest while also contributing to National Audubon Society’s “Plants for Birds” initiative,” says Adam Betuel, Atlanta Audubon director of conservation. “Restoration efforts will focus on providing improved habitat conditions for resident and migratory songbirds, including many species which have been identified on the State of the Birds Watch List in 2016 and or the Georgia State Wildlife Action Plan, such as Wood Thrush, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Prothonotary Warbler, Canada Warbler, and Cape May Warbler.”
 
Atlanta Audubon’s restoration goals will focus on freeing the intact native tree canopy and repressed native seed bed by removing invasive, exotic plants such as Chinese privet, English ivy, and Japanese chaff flower and installing bird-friendly native plants as appropriate to supplement the native seed bed and provide more immediate benefits to birds and wildlife. In addition, Atlanta Audubon will conduct  educational outreach and volunteer work days, including bird and plant walks and a local school program.
 
Major funding is provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s U.S Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, FedEx, Southern Company, Shell Oil Company, and BNSF Railway. The goal of this grant program is to develop community capacity to sustain local natural resources for future generations by providing modest financial assistance to diverse local partnerships for wetland, forest, riparian, and coastal habitat restoration, as well as stormwater management, outreach, and stewardship with a focus on water quality, watersheds, and the habitats they support. Forty-six projects totaling $1.7 million were awarded, leveraging $4.4 million in matching contributions from grantees, and generating a total impact of more than $6.1 million.
 
A full list of 2019 projects is available at https://www.nfwf.org/fivestar/Documents/2019grantslate.pdf
 
Atlanta Audubon Society is building places where birds and people thrive. We create birds -friendly communities through conservation, education, and community engagement.

by Georgia LaMar, volunteer sanctuary certifier
​
When did you decide to make your home an Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary? I started gardening for wildlife with native plants after hearing a speech by Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants. Once I fully understood how essential native plants are for birds and pollinators, I was so excited to get started with planting. Finding out that Audubon completely understood the importance of natives was just a gift! I hope to get the neighbors on board with the Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary sign.
 
How would you describe your style? My goal is to learn enough about native plants and to arrange them in a way that attracts and doesn't repel my neighbors. I want to win them over. My main goal is to spread the idea of planting natives by having a beautiful yard filled with natives. We need to educate others about the importance of what we're doing in our gardens. 
 
What is the one plant you can’t do without?  I love my frogfruit  (phyla nodiflora) It was so easy to grow and there are little bees and pollinators on it all summer long. It's a host plant, too! https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=phno2
 
What plant gives you the most bang for the buck?  I love the insects that come to my Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) the bees, damselflies, and beautiful wasps are amazing.
 
Do you have a favorite trick? I'm trying to learn which plants you can cut back and when.  I LOVE the tall elegance of our natives, but when they completely flop over that can be difficult. This year I cut my Canada goldenrod way back and by September it looked great—it wasn’t flopping at all. It was still tallish, which I like.  The general rule I've heard is to cut back before July 4th to make sure you don't interfere with blooming. Now I need to find out which of my other natives can handle being cut back early in the spring to prevent flopping later in the season. 
 
Note: You can follow Leslie’s journey on Facebook @pollinatorfriendlylandscapes.

To learn more about certifying your yard as an Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, please visit our website. 

by Dottie Head, Director of Membership & Communications
 
Atlanta Audubon has awarded a Habitat Restoration Fund Grant to the Little Creek Farm Conservancy for habitat restoration work at the Little Creek Horse Farm and Park, in DeKalb County. As part of the grant, Atlanta Audubon will work with the Conservancy to restore a creek bank and create a bird- and wildlife-friendly habitat in an under-utilized meadow area along the South Fork of Peachtree Creek in the north-central portion of the park. The Atlanta Audubon Habitat Restoration Grant is made possible through the generosity of a private donor.
 
Located at 2057 Lawrenceville Highway in Decatur, the Little Creek Horse Farm and Park is a 40-acre site that encompasses an equestrian facility and greenspace for local residents to enjoy. The South Fork of Peachtree Creek traverses the property from its east to the west borders.  The property was designated as a DeKalb County park in 2004 and is one of the last remaining horse stables inside the Atlanta perimeter.
 
The Little Creek Farm Conservancy, formed in 2007, partners with DeKalb County to provide stewardship of the park and to offer educational, environmental, and recreational outreach programs and events for the public. DeKalb County Parks and Recreation offers operational support, maintains facilities, and provides land upkeep. They are also responsible for animal care.  
 
As part of the grant, Atlanta Audubon will remove invasive plants along the creek bank and meadow and install site-appropriate, native plants. Atlanta Audubon and Little Creek Farm Conservancy will also explore other opportunities enabled by the habitat restoration project like bird species abundance monitoring, community outreach programs, and Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Certification.

“Atlanta Audubon is eager to work with the Little Creek Farm Conservancy to restore the creek bank and create a bird-friendly garden in the meadow area that is filled with native plants that are good for birds and other wildlife,” says Adam Betuel, Atlanta Audubon director of conservation.
 
“Little Creek Farm Conservancy is deeply grateful to the Atlanta Audubon Society for this opportunity to restore an underutilized park area with native plants suitable to support a broad diversity of wildlife,” says Project Lead, Bobbi Woolwine, Little Creek Farm Conservancy. “This sanctuary is a gift for the community to enjoy and learn about nature. Adam and I are already planning Atlanta Audubon guided bird walks.”
 
Established in 2018, the Atlanta Audubon Habitat Restoration Grant aims to increase high quality habitat for birds while also increasing community partnerships and educational outreach.  Past projects include Henderson Park, in Tucker, and Candler Park Conservancy for work at Candler Park. To learn more about applying for the Atlanta Audubon Habitat Restoration Fund Grant, visit www.atlantaaudubon.org/habitat-restoration-fund. 

By Melanie Furr, Director of Education
 
September marked one year since Sibley came into my care as an Atlanta Audubon education ambassador, a few months after our very first ambassador, Shep, joined the flock. Although I had always aspired to create a live bird ambassador program when I joined the organization almost six years ago, I never imagined I would become the (world’s only?) caregiver for non-flighted Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in education. Although Shep’s time with us was too short, getting an intimate look at Sibley’s life during the course of the past year—and sharing him with others through education programs—has been a joy and a privilege.
 
Caring for a non-releasable hummingbird is a little different than caring for hawks, owls, and other wild birds typically used in education programs that can generally be left alone. Although he is self-feeding, I never leave Sibley unattended for more than a few hours to ensure that he always has access to his feeders. (Thank goodness for family and friends that help with bird-sitting.) With legs that are too short for walking, hummingbirds that can’t fly have very limited mobility, but Sibley manages quite well. He can sidestep along his perches, and he flutter-hops to get from one perch to another. Because he spends all his time on his feet, he has a variety of perches of different widths and textures to minimize potential foot problems. Silicone bracelets, which offer some cushion, are a favorite. He divides most of his time between two large terrariums situated in sunny windows at my home and at the Atlanta Audubon office, where he can watch the birds and enjoy the view. He has a smaller carrier for riding in the car, which I strap behind the seatbelt on the booster seat I have fashioned so that he can look out the windows. Between our regular commute and driving to programs and meetings, Sibley really gets around town, and he definitely recognizes our regular routes. He perks up whenever we approach my neighborhood or the office, which shouldn’t be too surprising for a bird that is able to navigate across open ocean during migration.
 
Not flying hasn’t slowed Sibley’s appetite. Like other hummingbirds, he has a naturally high metabolism and eats close to three times his body weight daily (at four grams, he weighs just a little more than a penny). He has distinct taste preferences, too. His primary diet is a nectar made from a powder (imported from Germany) that is fortified with protein, vitamins, and minerals to provide the nutrition he needs since he can’t catch insects. Each morning, I also grind up non-flighted fruit flies and mix them with his nectar for added protein. (People ask why I don’t offer fruit flies or other small insects for him to catch in his enclosure, but hummingbirds don’t glean insects with their beaks. Instead they have a surprisingly wide gape for gulping down insects in flight.) Sibley prefers the plain nectar to his “bug juice,” but he doesn’t drink either as greedily as he guzzles down the sugar water that I give him at bedtime each night. His crop, the muscular sac near the throat that temporarily stores food, bulges like a water balloon after he takes his fill. I wondered about this behavior, as Shep never seemed to fill his crop like Sibley, and did some research into hummingbird crops. Interestingly, studies with Anna’s Hummingbirds showed that because larger meals increase body mass, and therefore flight cost, birds that are territory owners tend to optimize food intake, feeding for shorter periods and filling their crops less full. Individuals without territories that may be chased away at any time, however, minimize potentially risky intrusions by ingesting as much nectar as possible when they get a chance to feed. Silly Sibley, slow down--you have free refills and no competition!
 
Meeting Sibley’s daily needs to keep him healthy is just a small part of his care requirements. Equally important is providing enrichment to keep him stimulated and active. When the weather is nice, Sibley spends time in an enclosure on my screened porch, where he can enjoy the breeze and the bird sounds. I also take him on walks (carrying him on a small tray), provide fresh native flowers for him to taste, and add color to his enclosure with fresh greenery. When I can find them, I catch small spiders from their webs, usually with a pencil, and dangle them in front of Sibley for him to eat. Sibley has learned what’s coming when he sees the pencil and perks up excitedly, ready to wolf down his snack. One of his favorite activities is taking a bath, which he accomplishes by wiggling on leaves misted with water. (You can see Sibley catching spiders and taking baths on social media using hashtag #survivorsibley.) Providing enrichment is more challenging in winter, when the garden is dormant and the temperatures are too cold to go outside. I’ll continue to add new perches and greenery to keep him stimulated, and we’ll probably make more use of the swing that I have fashioned for his enclosure. “Sibley’s room” (my office) will have an extra space heater to make sure he stays toasty, and we’ll crank it up during baths to keep him comfortable. I’ll place a heating pad under half of his terrarium for extra warmth at night. Fortunately, winters in Georgia don’t last too long.
 
Aside from having an up-close look at a hummingbird’s life, what has been most rewarding about caring for Sibley has been developing a relationship of trust with him and having the opportunity to share him with others. Sibley knows and responds to my voice, and readily steps into my hand or hops onto a perch when I need to move him, though I don’t handle him unnecessarily. (Although he trusts me completely, he is still a wild bird and doesn’t enjoy being touched.) He knows our routines but is comfortable in new surroundings as well. Once nervous around crowds, he is now completely at ease around people, even preening in front of an audience. And he does draw and audience! Whether we are stopped by passersby as we are walking into the Atlanta Audubon office, speaking at a garden club or school, or attending a festival with hundreds of visitors, Sibley never fails to make an impression. And while people are admiring him, I have the opportunity to talk to them about why they shouldn’t use pesticides or buy nectar with red food dye or why they should turn off unnecessary lighting at night and add native plants to their yards, as well as other ways to protect birds. Seeing this tiny, but mighty individual is both educational and inspiring, and I am grateful for opportunity to be inspired by him daily. 

If you are interested in scheduling a program with Ambassador Bird Sibley, please visit our website. 

by Dottie Head, Director of Membership & Communications

Atlanta Audubon Society has officially recognized Hummingbird Haven at Southgate Farm, in Meriwether County, as an Atlanta Audubon Certified Wildlife Sanctuary. The 41-acre tract contains a mixture of pasture, fields, and woods along with improved garden areas containing a variety of native and pollinator-friendly plants. Hummingbird Haven at Southgate Farm is the first Meriwether County property certified as an Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary.
 
The Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Program encourages both private and public properties to enhance their land for birds and other wildlife by installing native plants and providing food, water, and shelter for birds and other wildlife.
 
Hummingbird Haven is part of Southgate Farm, owned by Roslyn and Bill Johnson. Roslyn is a Master Gardener in Coweta County and Bill recently completed the Master Naturalist Certification, making them well qualified to transform their acreage into a certified wildlife habitat.
 
The 41-acre Southgate Farm is one of several parcels of the original, much larger Fuller Farm that was subdivided and sold nearly two decades ago. For the past 17 years, the Johnsons have used the property to breed, raise, and sell horses for the Olympic equestrian sport of Eventing. When not tending the horses, Roslyn and Bill have been fueling their gardening/naturalists passion by creating a large pollinator garden, or a “Hummingbird Haven” as they refer to it, featuring a variety of native plant species, including rudbekia, milkweed, American beautyberry, cardinal flower, and many others.
 
“The combination of fields, woods, creeks, and blue hole springs are just a small part of what makes this place special,” says Roslyn Johnson. “While some development is inevitable, our rural lands, water, and wildlife are precious and deserve our support. My husband, Bill, and I decided to do our small part to help preserve this beautiful land.”
 
“Atlanta Audubon is thrilled to work with Roslyn and Bill Johnson to add Hummingbird Haven at Southgate Farm to our network of more than 550 certified wildlife habitats in Atlanta and north Georgia. This is our first Atlanta Audubon-certified Wildlife Sanctuary in Meriwether County, but we hope it won’t be our last,” says Gabe Andrle, habitat conservation program coordinator for Atlanta Audubon.
 
For more information on certifying a property as an Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, visit www.atlantaaudubon.org/wildlife-sanctuary-certification.

 
Atlanta Audubon Society is building places where birds and people thrive. We create birds -friendly communities through conservation, education, and advocacy. 

by Kiana Leveritte, Greening Youth Foundation Intern, and Gabe Andrle, Conservation Program Coordinator

When did you know that working in the environmental science field was a career for you?
 
As early as I can remember, I have been fascinated by nature. I spent many hours reading books, watching TV shows, and most importantly spending time outside. Whether it was catching frogs or playing sports, the outdoors was the place to be. The idea of having a career in the environmental field was affirmed while I was a teen volunteer at Chicago Zoological Society’s Brookfield Zoo. This program brought together a large cohort of my peers who all shared a love for nature. It not only allowed us to grow our passion and knowledge with regard to the natural world, but it connected us with professionals in the field who showed us that many career options were available. This experience led me to major in environmental sciences in college, which prepared me for the future.
 
What made you want to work for Atlanta Audubon?
 
My current position at Atlanta Audubon is the perfect blend of my past professional experiences. It was realizing this that drove me to apply for the position. Since I was a senior in college, I have had a part-time position as an interpretive ranger at Fernbank Museum of Natural History. This position is a mix of environmental education, habitat restoration, and forest management. My most recent full-time position was as a bird keeper at Zoo Atlanta, focused on animal husbandry and conservation. As Conservation Program Coordinator at Atlanta Audubon, I get to take my bird-conservation experience and mix it with my habitat-conservation experience in managing our Wildlife Sanctuary Certification Program and our Plants for Birds program.
 
What do you look forward to working at Atlanta Audubon?
 
I look forward to finding creative ways to build places where birds and people thrive. I love problem solving and I love connecting people with nature. Whether it is brainstorming ideas for new programs or helping someone find the best way to build wildlife habitat in their backyard, I enjoy building a strong and welcoming, environmentally-minded community.
 
What have been some of your favorite projects to work on so far?
 
I am just starting, but I am incredibly excited to be working on our Wildlife Sanctuary Program. This program allows me to connect with people in the community and empower them to be stewards in urban conservation. This program has so much potential for growth not only within our organization, but with every individual who participates in it.
 
What are some of your favorite places to go birding in Atlanta and its metro area?
 
I am really bad at picking favorites. I enjoy birding wherever I can. I think that is one of my favorite things about birding: you can do it anywhere, and you never know what you will see or learn. I enjoy going to places I have never been before, to see new birds, new people and a new part of the city. I also deeply value birding close to home because I can connect with my community and neighborhood.
 
Do you have a favorite plant? Why or why not?
 
Not sure, but if I had to pick, perhaps it would be American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis). As a young boy, I used to collect fallen limbs from sycamore trees and use them in my temporary terrariums where I would keep frogs and toads. I loved the distinct and unique shapes of the branches and variety within the bark. These large trees have a wide range and always stick out to me. They are a great shade tree and attract plenty of birds.
 
Do you have a favorite bird. Why or why not?
 
I can never pick a favorite when it comes to animals. My answer will probably always change as I am constantly learning more about them and seeing them in new and unique ways. Some of my current favorites are all woodpeckers, Green Jays, Carolina Chickadees, and King Vultures.
 
Do you have any advice for prospective wildlife sanctuary owners, or those that are just now dipping their feet into environmental stewardship and conservation?
 
Three great pieces of advice are 1) spend more time outside observing the natural world around you—nothing beats time spent in the field. 2) never stop learning—seek new information, new perspectives, and new resources. 3) be positive—making the most out of the opportunities you have, no matter the circumstances, is something to be proud of.

by Adam Betuel, Director of Conservation

Bird. Owl. Duck. Tree. Bush. Grass. Bug. Rock. These words represent about 15 to 20 percent of the vocabulary of my 20-month-old daughter, Cora. For anyone who knows me, this is hardly a surprise. My life, mind, and home are all littered with things feathered and nature related. Cora is going to have to work hard to avoid things outdoorsy should she decide not to go that route. Even her middle name, Teal, is from a bird. Poor child.
               
​All jokes aside, I value nature and family and how we as a unit engage with nature. While we (mainly I) try to not overwhelm Cora with her father’s obsession, we want nothing more than for her to have an understanding and appreciation of our planet and its ecosystems. With this in mind, we strive to get outside, to explore, to bring nature into our home and lives, and to grow as a family while enjoying the natural world.
               
Living in an apartment complex, we currently do not have an Atlanta Audubon Sanctuary in which to enjoy nature. Nonetheless, that does not stop us from providing resources for birds, enjoying the plant life present, and being in awe of the organisms that visit our space. Swinging from our shepherd’s hook that I (probably illegally) have clamped to our second-story balcony, hummingbird feeders and suet blocks attract our feathered friends. This summer a favorite family activity was enjoying  the twilight hours outside as our Ruby-throats came to feast before heading to bed. A perched hummingbird would bring a look of pure amazement and joy to Cora’s face, only to be topped by a raucous squirrel spinning from our other feeders.
               
Another family tradition while walking our dog around our complex is to point out the plant life to Cora. She is an amazingly quick study, and it melts my heart when she accurately points to a tree or a patch of grass. Recently we have literally been taking the time to smell the roses (and any other landscaped flower). Cora looks at us with such pride each time she inhales will all her might. Rubbing rough bark, smooth rocks, and crunchy magnolia leaves are things we always make time to do. Ants, butterflies, and all other things creepy-crawly bring movement to our study of things still. Cora’s interests are broad and seem to match those of a true ecologist. I will wait for a later date to tell her why all the privet, nandina, and English ivy across our complex are actually not as great as they seem.
               
Bird-themed books and a Charley Harper mobile are a few ways we bring nature inside with our family. Though we try to limit Cora’s screen time, she has been known to scream out “Bird!” at least a handful of times during each episode of Jason Ward’s “Birds of North America." Though far from native, Cora’s best friends include our indoor cats, dog, and a turtle. We have always been animal people, but now that we see how Cora enjoys, values, and learns from our pets, we appreciate their presence in our family even more. Our home is a place full of nature in a multitude of forms, and we love it that way. We only hope that this level of immersion will permeate our little one and meld with outdoor experiences.

With our daughter still being so young, most of our interactions and lessons revolving around plants and wildlife occur near our home. However, the Betuels are also lovers of adventure and time in the field. Even my non-birding spouse loves to take in new landscapes and will even become enthralled by a new bird on occasion. This past February, the three of us set off for road trip across the Yucatan. The tacos and beaches were nothing to scoff at, but the real stars of the show were the unique plant life, jumbo lizards, and the colorful birds. A highlight for all of us was a boat trip up the Ria Celestun Biosphere Reserve that yielded at least 1,000 American Flamingos. “Mingo” became a new favorite word of Cora’s and now her room is dotted with pink bird art and a long-legged stuffed animal.

Just a few weeks after Cora entered this world, we took a family birding outing at Clyde Shepard, and we have not looked back. We bird together, explore as a family, and, thanks to Cora, make sure to slow down and open our eyes to the wonders around us. We do not have a sanctuary yet, but we make the time to find ecological value wherever we can and to get out to those wild and bird-friendly places. Enjoying nature as a family is something my wife and I have been thoughtful and intentional about for the betterment of our daughter. However, while she has enjoyed every second of it, our focus has undoubtedly improved us more than her. With phones down, hands held, and eyes open, we as parents and partners are growing and continuing to connect. The past year and half has been the best time of my life and brought me more purpose than I could have imagined. And, while I may have a little less time to chase rare birds my connection to nature has never been stronger.

By Georgia LaMar, Atlanta Audubon Volunteer Sanctuary Certifier
 
When did you decide to make your home an Audubon sanctuary?
Two years ago, I bought my house with the vision of creating a wildlife-friendly, mostly native front yard. When I moved in, the front yard was all turf. With an incredible input of time and labor, I removed the turf and transformed my yard into a pollinator meadow and edible landscape. I have received many compliments from neighbors and passers-by. People love that I am creating a beautiful and valuable landscape, and they see it as a desirable change.  However, some neighbors are still uneasy about the somewhat wild look of my yard, so I decided to make it official and become a certified wildlife sanctuary to lend credence to the status of my yard as a haven for wildlife, pollinators, and native plants. Now, I am pushing to amend the Tucker City Code to be more supportive of certified wildlife sanctuaries.
 
How would you describe your style?
My style is not easy to pin down. Here are some key words—edible, native, diverse, functional, intentional.
 
What is the one plant you can’t do without?
One of my favorite plants is the persimmon. Our native persimmon fruit is not available in stores, so it's a special treat to have this native tree in my yard. I also love that the persimmon bears fruit in the fall, past the time that most other plants are already done fruiting. The fruits are remarkably sweet and delicious and wildlife love them, too!
 
What plant gives you the most bang for the buck?
Blueberries! They're cheap, native, they have delicious fruit, and beautiful fall color.
 
Do you have a favorite trick?
I love picking up the free mulch from the DeKalb County landfill. It's made from yard trimmings that get picked up by the city, so sometimes you find bits of garbage that need to be picked out, but its worth it. Adding organic matter to the landscape is particularly important when you have degraded soil, so I love topping beds and surrounding trees with nutrient-laden mulch.

To learn how to have your yard certified as an Atlanta Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, please visit our Wildlife Sanctuary page.