By  Ray Pope

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 1 at 7a.m. to meet me at the Cedars of Lebanon State Park for our annual Elsie Quarterman Cedar Glade Festival. There will be talks and workshops on birds, and wild flowers that grow in the cedar glades all during the day and finishing up with one of my "OWL PROWLS" at about 7 p.m. or dark-30, whichever comes first. My first bird walk begins at 7 a.m. and I would love to see you there. Please bring binoculars and a bird book to help with identification of the many spring migrants that should be passing through to their breeding grounds far north of here. This will be my 33rd year to do this program at Cedars.

From 9 until 10:30 a.m. take a trip with my good friend and state geologist, Ron Zurawski, as we journey back several million years in time to locate creatures long gone except for their fossils.

By  Ray Pope

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 1 at 7a.m. to meet me at the Cedars of Lebanon State Park for our annual Elsie Quarterman Cedar Glade Festival. There will be talks and workshops on birds, and wild flowers that grow in the cedar glades all during the day and finishing up with one of my "OWL PROWLS" at about 7 p.m. or dark-30, whichever comes first. My first bird walk begins at 7 a.m. and I would love to see you there. Please bring binoculars and a bird book to help with identification of the many spring migrants that should be passing through to their breeding grounds far north of here. This will be my 33rd year to do this program at Cedars.

From 9 until 10:30 a.m. take a trip with my good friend and state geologist, Ron Zurawski, as we journey back several million years in time to locate creatures long gone except for their fossils. Ron will explain the hows, what, when, and where this wonderful state of Tennessee got its beginning in the geologic mix. I can't wait to see his family again.

Flowers and more wild flowers, more than you can shake a hiking stick at are in full bloom in the cedar glade just waiting to be discovered. Another great friend, Dr. Thomas Hemmerly will be out and about to give his expert opinion on the many flowers growing just under our feet. For more information you can contact Wayne (Buddy) Ingram at the office of the Cedars of Lebanon State Park at (615) 443-2769 or e-mail Buddy at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

I was checking on my little female Bluebird to see if she was sitting on the five eggs she has laid over the past seven days. I didn't get to open the box as she kind of peeked out the opening which answered the question in the first place. I would love for her to get comfortable seeing me around the nesting box so she doesn't get too excited and leave the nest. Maybe I will be able to place insects at the nest hole for her to eat like at the old house. Several years ago, while mowing the yard one path took me right by the Bluebird box where I could see the female looking back at me. I would catch a cricket or other insect and place the bug up to the hole where she would gently take it from me. I am in hopes that this can be repeated.

Just in case some of you are wondering, Hummingbirds are back here in Lebanon. There have been several reports sent to me which makes me a little jealous as I haven't seen my first one. I do have out feeders where they can be spotted from above. With all the rain this past Saturday many Hummer feeders may have the Hummer juice a bit diluted which will cause the Hummers to find another place for lunch. As cheap as sugar is there is no reason why you can't make your own instead of buying the ready mixes that most stores sell. The formula for home-made nectar is one part granulated sugar to four parts warm or hot water.

After mixing let the juice cool down as we would not want our little ones burning their tongues. I know I am always advocating making your own nectar without adding red food coloring, but the little ones can't process food coloring as well as you and I.

The biggest difference between a male and female Ruby-throated is the bright red throat patch which the females lack. Also young males have no throat patches, but will acquire the red throats in the next season. The tails are a dead giveaway as the males are notched like a Swallow's tail where the female is rounded with white tips. After mating the dead-beat dad Hummer takes off leaving the poor old female to do all the nest building and of course laying the eggs and then feeding all the little ones. Feeding might not be as easy as one might think, because the little ones can't receive the protein from nectar alone and must be fed a diet of insects. Now, where is papa when you need him most? He is kind of taking it easy, locating a nectar source where he will be constantly on guard to keep others away from his private stock including the females. What a hog. I'm sure most of you will notice this behavior at your own feeders.

Wanda Walker and yours truly took a drive out to the Cedars of Lebanon State Park last Friday afternoon to see what was lurking about in the campgrounds. The most plentiful species there was the Wood Thrush whose voice has a flute like quality to it. If you decide to come to the morning bird program this coming Saturday, I can almost guarantee you to hear them singing just beyond the edge of the woods. Please do make plans to attend and you will not regret it.

I would love to hear from you as to what's lurking about in your neighborhood or at your feeders. You can reach me C/O The Wilson Post or call me at 615-547-7371 or write me at 606 Fairview Ave, Lebanon, 37087 or e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .