The Carolina Bird Club, is planning an exciting and fun-filled event when Wilmington, North Carolina hosts the 2008 edition of the fall meeting the weekend of October 3–5, 2008. The event is co-sponsored by Cape Fear Audubon and the Lower Cape Fear Bird Club.

Spanning a variety of habitats throughout the coastal plain of southeastern North Carolina, field trips are planned to excellent birding spots including Ft. Fisher, Carolina Beach State Park, Bald Head Island, Sunset Beach, Southport, Ft. Caswell, Oak Island, Airlie Gardens, Wrightsville Beach, Greenfield Lake, Holly Shelter W.M.A. and Poplar Grove Plantation. Early October should be a great time to search for fall passerine migrants (including a variety of warblers), sparrows, migrating and arriving wintering shorebirds and waterfowl, and specialty birds of southeastern North Carolina including Wood Stork and Red-cockaded Woodpecker. A well-timed early fall cool front could make for some very interesting and exciting birding at local “migrant traps”. In addition to the more traditional birding trips, the planning committee arranged for a boat trip up the Black River (a fun and different way to experience the Lower Cape Fear River's bird life) and a pair of guided flat-water kayak trips.

After full days of birding on Friday and Saturday, the fun is just beginning. Evening programs at the host hotel provide an opportunity to mix and mingle with fellow CBCers from across the area as well as learn more about the nature of the Carolinas, especially southeastern North Carolina. Our Friday night speaker will be Jeff Pippen of the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. Jeff does research in plant physiology and ecology and teaches natural history. His butterfly photos have been published in a number of field guides and magazines. Jeff's presentation “Coastal Wings and Things: Butterflying Southeastern North Carolina” will include nature's best from butterflies and other insects, to wildflowers, reptiles, and birds that may be encountered on area field trips. Dr. James F. Parnell is our Saturday night speaker. Dr. Parnell will present an overview of fall migration in southeastern North Carolina. James is professor emeritus at UNC-W and co-author of books on birds, mammals, and fishes of the Carolinas. Dr. Parnell taught in the Biology Department at UNCW and conducted research on coastal birds from the late 1960s into the 1990s. Jeff and James are excellent wildlife photographers, which will make their presentations very special. The Friday evening meeting will be preceded by a social hour beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The headquarters for the fall meeting will be at the Holiday Inn, 5032 Market Street, Wilmington, NC (please note there are other Holiday Inn properties in the Wilmington area, be sure you reserve the Market Street location). The phone number is 1-800-833-4721. Be sure to mention the Carolina Bird Club meeting in order to receive the special rate of $79 plus 13.75% tax. The rate includes a hot breakfast beginning at six o'clock each morning and is good for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Make your reservations no later than September 2 in order to receive the special meeting rate. Other motels in the area include Comfort Suites, Days Inn, Quality Inn, Ramada, Wingate and Sleep Inn. Note that Riverfest will be held the same weekend as our meeting. Accommodations may fill faster than usual, so don't delay in making your reservations.

Following a recent tradition, we are planning a group buffet dinner at the Holiday Inn for Saturday evening at six o'clock featuring sliced seasonal fresh fruit, “Grand Trio” salad with choice of 2 dressings, bowtie pasta salad, one meat entrée (either traditional London Broil with Bordelaise sauce or Mahi Mahi - island style with lemon butter), new potatoes or rice, seasonal vegetables, rolls and butter, chef's dessert assortment, coffee, and iced tea. The cost of the meal will be $24.50 (including tax and gratuity) and is payable with your meeting registration. The deadline for preregistration for the buffet is September 26. For special needs contact Ed Toone at (910) 686-5035. There is a line on the registration form to indicate how many seats you wish to reserve at the dinner. For those choosing to eat on their own, the Market Street location offers easy access to a variety of restaurants, both elegant and casual.

See you in Wilmington!