2026 GOS Winter Meeting

The Georgia Ornithological Society’s Winter Meeting
February 13-16, 2026
Hotel Tybee, Tybee Island

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Meeting Hotel Details

Hotel Tybee

1401 Strand Ave.

Tybee Island, GA 31328

Call (912) 786-7777 for reservations

Use the group code “GOS2026” to receive discounted rates.

Rooms are not being held for our group, just the discounted rate. Please book as soon as your plans are confirmed to ensure room availability.

http://www.hoteltybee.com/ 

 

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SATURDAY NIGHT’S KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

 

" Urban Yards to Barrier Islands: Improving Habitat for Birds throughout Georgia "

 

Gabe Andrle

Director of Conservtion

Birds Georgia

 

Gabe Andrle serves as Director of Conservation at Birds Georgia overseeing a variety of efforts addressing the many threats birds face across our landscape. Having joined the organization in 2019 to manage the Wildlife Sanctuary Program and Plants for Birds efforts and most recently develop how the team directly addresses habitat loss at larger scales as Habitat Program Manager, Gabe has grown into a plant-loving naturalist who seeks to connect people and organizations to the solutions that can support birds for generations.

 

 

FRIDAY NIGHT’S PRESENTATION

 

"What does nest monitoring tell us about the role of climate change on range shifts in songbirds"

 

Urvi Gupta

Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources

University of Georgia

 

Urvi is a doctoral candidate at the University of Georgia. She studies the role of climate change on range shifts in songbirds in the southern Appalachians. Her work aims to better understand how climate impacts bottom-up and top-down processes in shaping the food-web interactions and songbird population dynamics. Before starting her PhD, Urvi studied Black Kites, a common raptor in India, to understand their relationship with people, and the role of ritual-feeding and waste management on their resource selection, movement and population dynamics.

 

 

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Friday, 13 February 2026

 

6:45 AM - First Field Trip Meet in the Field

 

5:30 to 6:30 PM - Dinner on Your Own

 

6:30 to 7:30 PM - Registration in the Garden Room and Flocking (w/cash bar)

 

7:30 to 8:30 PM - Speaker: Urvi Gupta

 

" TBA "

 

8:30 to 8:45 PM - Discussion of Saturday Field Trips

 

Saturday, 14 February 2026

 

Breakfast on Your Own

 

7:00 AM - First Field Trip Departs

 

5:30 to 6:45 PM - Flocking (w/cash bar in the Garden Room).

 

6:45 to 7:45 PM - President’s Address, Announcements, and Banquet Dinner

 

7:45 to 8:45 PM - Keynote Speaker: TBA

 

" TBA"

 

8:45 to 9:15 PM - Discussion of Sunday Field Trips and Species Countdown

 

Sunday, 15 February 2026

 

Breakfast on Your Own

 

7:30 AM - First Field Trip Departs

 

5:30 to 6:30 PM - Flocking (location TBD) and Discussion of Monday Field Trips

 

6:30 PM - Dinner on Your Own

 

Monday, 16 February 2026

 

Breakfast on Your Own

 

7:00 AM - First Field Trip Departs

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FIELD TRIP INFORMATION

Unless otherwise noted, all times are departure/return times to Hotel Tybee.

*For all Friday field trips, please meet your Field Trip Leader at the birding location at the designated start time.

*For all Monday field trips, there will be no return trips to the hotel.

*For your personal comfort, safety, and enjoyment, always bring your binoculars, spotting scope, sturdy walking shoes, layers of clothing, rain gear, insect repellent, sun screen, water, and a sack lunch or snacks on all field trips. Be advised that most trip destinations do not have bathroom facilities.

 

FRIDAY, 13 FEBRUARY 2026

 

FORT PULASKI NATIONAL MONUMENT

Leader: Pam Smith. Depart: 9:00 AM. Limit: 20 people. Cost: $10.00/person entry fee (unless you have an annual pass).

Join Pam at historic Fort Pulaski, a 5400-acre National Monument situated on the Savannah River. Meet at 9:30 AM at the Visitor Center/Fort parking lot. Fort Pulaski is a great place to find scoters, other ducks, shorebirds and the occasional brown creeper. Trip rigor: Moderate with quite a bit of walking.

 

FORT STEWART

Leader: Larry Carlile. Start time: 6:30 AM. Return: 12:30 PM. Limit: 15 people in 5 SUV-type vehicles with good clearance. Cost: $0.00

Meet Fort Stewart Wildlife Biologist Larry Carlile at the Love’s Truck Stop in Richmond Hill (SW corner of I-95 Exit 90) at 6:30 AM. You’ll leave Love’s promptly at 6:45 AM and travel to a Fort Stewart Red-cockaded Woodpecker cluster as the woodpecker family group exits their cavities at sunrise. We’ll explore longleaf pine forests and also visit bottomland hardwoods associated with the Canoochee River. Trip rigor: Moderate with some walking over uneven ground.

 

LITTLE TYBEE ISLAND BOAT TRIP

Leaders: Rene Heidt and James Fleullan. Depart 3:00 PM. Return 6:00 PM. Limit: minimum 4, maximum 12. Cost: $90.00

Join us on a boat tour of our saltmarshes and Little Tybee Island, a 6500 acre uninhabited State Natural Heritage Preserve barrier island accessible only by boat. Land on Little Tybee to scope out large mixed flocks of shorebirds. Little Tybee hosts lots of wintering shorebirds, gulls, and terns. You should also see sparrows, wrens, loons, gannets, grebes, ducks and pelicans. Trip rigor: Moderate, be prepared for any weather in an open boat. Note: The boat will depart at 3:00 PM from the Back River Fishing Pier (GPS coordinates 31.992, -80.853). This will be a beach landing. Please provide your email and you will be sent a set of instructions.

 

OFFSHORE BOAT TRIP

Leaders: Bob Zaremba and Kyle Sheffield. Depart 7:00 AM. Return 12:00 PM. Limit: 6 people. Cost: $150.00

We will depart the dock on Tybee Island for a 4-5 hour pelagic trip aboard Elizabeth II in search of winter pelagic birds. We will search for Northern Gannets, Red and Common Loons, Bonapartes Gulls, all three scoter species as well as the harder to find species like Razorbill, Parasitic and Pomarine Jaegers, Manx Shearwaters, Common Eiders and Red Phalaropes. In February of 2022, the first record of Atlantic Puffin was recorded aboard the Elizabeth II, so you never know what other rarities we might run into! We will venture between 15 and 20 miles offshore and Captain Kyle and Captain Bennett will do their very best to make sure everyone has a safe and exciting trip. Note: Be prepared for potentially rough seas, so seasick medication can be a good idea, as well as snack food and beverages. The Elizabeth II has a head onboard and is a very comfortable boat. Parking information and directions will be provided to participants before the trip.

 

SATURDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 2026

 

 

LITTLE TYBEE ISLAND BOAT TRIP

Leaders: Rene Heidt and Larry Carlile. Depart 3:00 PM. Return 6:00 PM. Limit: minimum 4, maximum 12. Cost: $90.00

Join us on a boat tour of our saltmarshes and Little Tybee Island, a 6500 acre uninhabited State Natural Heritage Preserve barrier island accessible only by boat. Land on Little Tybee to scope out large mixed flocks of shorebirds. Little Tybee hosts lots of wintering shorebirds, gulls, and terns. You should also see sparrows, wrens, loons, gannets, grebes, ducks and pelicans. Trip rigor: Moderate, be prepared for any weather in an open boat. Note: The boat will depart at 3:00 PM from the Back River Fishing Pier (GPS coordinates 31.992, -80.853). This will be a beach landing. Please provide your email and you will be sent a set of instructions.

 

OFFSHORE BOAT TRIP

Leaders: Bob Zaremba and Kyle Sheffield. Depart 7:00 AM. Return 12:00 PM. Limit: 6 people. Cost: $150.00

We will depart the dock on Tybee Island for a 4-5 hour pelagic trip aboard Elizabeth II in search of winter pelagic birds. We will search for Northern Gannets, Red and Common Loons, Bonapartes Gulls, all three scoter species as well as the harder to find species like Razorbill, Parasitic and Pomarine Jaegers, Manx Shearwaters, Common Eiders and Red Phalaropes.  In February of 2022, the first record of Atlantic Puffin was recorded aboard the Elizabeth II, so you never know what other rarities we might run into! We will venture between 15 and 20 miles offshore and  Captain Kyle and Captain Bennett will do their very best to make sure everyone has a safe and exciting trip. Note: Be prepared for potentially rough seas, so seasick medication can be a good idea, as well as snack food and beverages. The Elizabeth II has a head onboard and is a very comfortable boat. Parking information and directions will be provided to participants before the trip.

 

RICHMOND HILL WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY

Leader: Pam Smith. Depart: 7:00 AM. Limit: 20 people. Cost: $0.00

Meet Pam at the Richmond Hill Wastewater Treatment Facility at 8:00 AM. The publicly accessible wetlands bordering the Richmond Hill Wastewater Treatment Facility are now called Sterling Creek Park (Elbow Swamp Road, Richmond Hill, GA, 31324). Using Google maps, navigate to ‘Sterling Creek Park’, Richmond Hill. Meet in the parking lot at the end of the gravel driveway leading into the park (near the white restroom building). This is a great site for ducks, rails, wintering warblers, sparrows, wrens (including Sedge Wren) and raptors. Trip rigor: Moderate with quite a bit of walking.

 

SAVANNAH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, JASPER COUNTY, SC

Leader: Steve Wagner. Depart: 7:15 AM. Return: 2:00 PM. Limit: 20 people. Cost: $0.00

Meet Steve at 8:00 AM at the beginning of the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive (GPS 32.166, -81.115), which travels along levee tops and affords great views of impoundments within the refuge. Savannah NWR is a premier spot for wintering waterfowl, waders, rails, raptors, and sparrows. Trip rigor: Easy.

 

 

SUNDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2026

 

FIFE PLANTATION, JASPER COUNTY, SC

Leader: Steve Wagner. Depart: 7:15 AM. Return: 2:00 PM. Limit: 10 people. Cost: $0.00

Meet Steve at 8:00 AM at the parking area for the Tupelo Trail at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, across from the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive exit (GPS coordinates 32.173, -81.097). This private property is adjacent to the refuge and consists of a mix of woodlands, pastures, and flooded fields. Trip rigor: Moderate, with a lot of walking (up to 3 miles).

 

HARRIS NECK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Leader: Ed Maioriello.  Depart 7:30 AM.  Return: 1:30 PM.  Limit: 20 people.  Cost: $0.00 

Meet Ed at the Harris Neck NWR gate at 9:00 AM (GPS 31.625, -81.288).  Harris Neck’s 2,762 acres consists of saltwater marsh, grassland, and mixed deciduous woods. Because of this great variety of habitats, many different species of birds are attracted to the refuge throughout the year. Large concentrations of ducks gather in the marshland and freshwater pools. Over 15 miles of paved roads and trails provide easy access to the many different habitats. Chosen for its accessibility and bird diversity, Harris Neck is one of 18 sites forming the Colonial Coast Birding Trail, inaugurated in 2000.  Trip rigor: Easy. 

 

OGEECHEE BAR BOAT TRIP 

Leaders: Allie Hayser and Kyle Sheffield. Depart 7:00 AM. Return 11:00 AM. Limit: 6 people (12 or 18 possible with additional boats). Cost: $120.00

We will depart the dock on Tybee Island for a 3-4 hour trip aboard Elizabeth II to Ogeechee Bar. We will survey the mixed flocks of shorebirds at Ogeechee Bar and and look for gulls, terns, waterfowl, waders, etc. en route.  Note: Bring any snack food and beverages you may need. The Elizabeth II has a head onboard and is a very comfortable boat. Parking information and directions will be provided to participants before the trip.

 

TYBEE ISLAND HOTSPOTS

Leader: Deb Barreiro. Depart: 7:30 AM. No return trip to hotel. Limit: 20 people. Cost: $0.00, but be prepared to pay the Tybee Island parking meters.

Deb will lead you to the best birding spots on Tybee Island. Expect to find shorebirds (including purple sandpiper), gannets, ducks, and more. Trip rigor: Moderate, with quite a bit of walking on the beach.

 

MONDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2026

 

 

OFFSHORE BOAT TRIP

Leaders: Bob Zaremba Keith Sheffield. Depart 7:00 AM. Return 12:00 PM. Limit: 6 people. Cost: $150.00

We will depart the dock on Tybee Island for a 4-5 hour pelagic trip aboard Elizabeth II in search of winter pelagic birds. We will search for Northern Gannets, Red and Common Loons, Bonapartes Gulls, all three scoter species as well as the harder to find species like Razorbill, Parasitic and Pomarine Jaegers, Manx Shearwaters, Common Eiders and Red Phalaropes. In February of 2022, the first record of Atlantic Puffin was recorded aboard the Elizabeth II, so you never know what other rarities we might run into! We will venture between 15 and 20 miles offshore and Captain Kyle and Captain Bennett will do their very best to make sure everyone has a safe and exciting trip. Note: Be prepared for potentially rough seas, so seasick medication can be a good idea, as well as snack food and beverages. The Elizabeth II has a head onboard and is a very comfortable boat. Parking information and directions will be provided to participants before the trip.

 

SAVANNAH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, SOLOMON TRACT, CHATHAM COUNTY, GA

Leader: Mark Woodruff. Depart: 7:15 AM. Return: 1:30 PM. Limit: 20 people. Cost: $0.00

Meet Mark at the Solomon Tract at 8:00 AM (GPS 32.20, -81.17). This Chatham County portion of the Savannah NWR is a heavily wooded site with upland and bottomland hardwoods, a Ducks Unlimited impoundment, and a couple of open fields. Target species include rails, bitterns, sparrows, wintering warblers, and ducks. Trip rigor: Moderate, with a lot of walking (up to 4 miles).

 

SAVANNAH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, JASPER COUNTY, SC

Leader: Steve Wagner. Depart: 7:15 AM. Return: 2:00 PM. Limit: 20 people. Cost: $0.00

Meet Steve at 8:00 AM at the beginning of the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive (GPS 32.166, -81.115), which travels along levee tops and affords great views of impoundments within the refuge. Savannah NWR is a premier spot for wintering waterfowl, waders, rails, raptors, and sparrows. Trip rigor: Easy.