Birders, I was waiting for someone to comment on the Chattanooga get together Friday night and the displays and shows on Saturday at Birchwood. I guess I'll start. "An Evening for the Birds" on Friday was put together by the Chattanooga Chapter of TOS and TWRA, both deserve a round of applause for their efforts. The evening started with the largest assortment of desserts I've ever seen, laid out for all to sample and no one left with the munches. Fingers were being licked at every turn and corner, oohs and aahs resounded. The desserts were donated by local restaurants and they gave much more than the huge crowd could get around. Everyone retired to the auditorium on major sugar highs and we were taken into the world of Choogie Kingfisher, a traditional Cherokee story teller and master of the wooden flute. Our sprits were in the clouds as the last notes faded from his magical instrument and up into the high ceiling. We were then treated with an enlightening but hilariously funny program by Kenn Kaufman. Kenn sets the goals and occasionally moves them farther out with his renowned knowledge and keen insights to birds and birders. He stayed afterwards to sign the numerous copies of all his great books that people had toted around all evening in anticipation. He told me his newest book on Butterflies has just come in from the printers and will soon be available at a store near you. The information flowed and we learned with smiles spread across our sugar coated lips, satiated on both the physical and mental level. What an evening it was and one to be long remembered. The silent auction, I believe was a great success, although I got into a bidding war for a particularly beautiful painted gourd and ended up with the prize. I think they announced that some $7,500.00 was raised from the program and auction. A few other TOS Chapters recognized the importance of this fund raiser and kicked in to help sponsor the event. All that money going to a great cause and a fun evening to boot, it doesn't get much better. Thanks to all that made this great evening happen. The next day, we were treated to another musical encounter, at least to my ears, as we were greeted at the refuge by the Sandhill Cranes distinctive bubbling calls and we then went back to Birchwood School to get warm, eat and browse the many interesting booths and watch more programs. A salute to all that pulled this happening together and thanks for the memories, Good Birding!!! Jeff R. Wilson OL' COOT / TLBA Bartlett Tenn. =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 =========================================================