If you're wondering who brought the sound of a squeaky rubber ducky into the woods, it's this little guy (or gal): the brown-headed nuthatch. Several species of nuthatch call Georgia home, but the …

If you're wondering who brought the sound of a squeaky rubber ducky into the woods, it's this little guy (or gal): the brown-headed nuthatch. Several species of nuthatch call Georgia home, but the brown-headed variety has a gray back and body, a white throat and—you guessed it—a brown head. The Brown-headed Nuthatch prefers to live in open pine woods and is less common in mixed pine and deciduous forests. It eats insects and seeds, which it forages from tree trunks and branches. Social distancing would be unpleasant for them, too, as these social birds tend to travel together and sing in groups. They rarely migrate and are common year-round in the Southeast, so keep an ear out for that unforgettable squeaky-toy sound the next time you're in a pine stand!

Spelled like "beam," rhymes with "trim," bream make for excellent fishing! Bluegill, redear and redbreast sunfish are all bream. These colorful names identify some equally colorful fish, though pat…

Spelled like "beam," rhymes with "trim," bream make for excellent fishing! Bluegill, redear and redbreast sunfish are all bream. These colorful names identify some equally colorful fish, though patterns vary across populations. Bluegills have blue or purple faces, dark banding and a red-orange belly. Redear sunfish are also known as "shellcrackers" because they crack open and eat snails and other mollusks. They have faint lines down their bodies, along with the namesake bright red edge of their gill covers. Redbreast sunfish have bright red bellies, and sometimes they sport a noticable red edge to their fins. These species, among others, are considered "panfish" since they grow big enough to eat but not bigger than a frying pan. WRD's Fishing Forecasts have information on how to target bream by waterbody. In recent weeks, anglers have reported success with wax worms, pink worms, small grubs with spinners, red wigglers and glow worms.

Keynote Address by Greg Schwipps, DePauw University

Summary Notes by Heidi Ferguson, Georgia DNR

Mention “storytelling” and my ears perk up. Add “narrative” and now we’re on my home turf. W…

Keynote Address by Greg Schwipps, DePauw University

Summary Notes by Heidi Ferguson, Georgia DNR

Mention “storytelling” and my ears perk up. Add “narrative” and now we’re on my home turf. Which is why I was eager to sign up to write an article on the ACI 2017 keynote address, “But What Is Storytelling? Understanding Narrative and Learning How to Use It.”

Scholarship recipients like me sign up to write articles on one or more conference presentations. As soon as the signup sheet moved on to the next person, I started to question my decision. With a major in English and a personal obsession with the written word (little did the kids in the schoolyard know, “You read the dictionary or something?” wasn’t so much an insult as an objective fact), I started to picture a 10,000-foot-view summary of rising and falling action, an obligatory – and vague – mention of conflict, a side order of “Your character has to want something,” and maybe even some Hero’s Journey if there was room. (Our intrepid Hunter answers the Call to Adventure under the mentorship of a grizzled, telepathic brown trout, a spunky Labradoodle huntin’ dawg by his side).

When Greg Schwipps, an English professor at DePauw University, took the podium, he started with why he was qualified to explain story to a room full of conservationists. The keynote address hinged on the power of the personal narrative essay, starting with the big fish tale that led to him co-authoring Fishing for Dummies, Second Edition. Next, he read “Shark Fishing with My Uncle” (which has nothing and yet everything to do with sharks, fishing and uncles) and concluded with the story of a student looking for a publisher for their personal essay on mountain biking.

Along the way, Greg outlined 14 “Points of Light,” including why narrative should have an immediate, short-term goal. How you should have a vision, but be open to what you discover along the way. The importance of finding the few people who can model your short-term goal, and if you can’t find an existing model, how to teach someone and create one. And how to tell the story of an individual or small group to appeal to the masses.

What he really did was lead by example...