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CarolinaBirds for Sunday, May 7, 2006
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Subject: Nice warblers on the Roanoke R.
From: "Alan Meijer" <ameijer(AT)beaufortco.com>
Date: 7 May 2006 10:08am
Had the fortunate experience of having to do some ag research on fields that
border the Roanoke River north of Williamston, NC. While I waited for the
farmer to complete the field work with his equipment, I had only to wait for
2 hours next to the riparian area between river and field. The sounds of
warblers and vireos beckoned.......and I FINALLY got two warbler species I
have not seen since moving to NC from Canada. A beautiful male
BLACK-THROATED BLUE and a male AMERICAN REDSTART (with many other imm.males
and females). WHITE-EYED VIREOS are plentiful. LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH,
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, SUMMER TANAGER, PARULAS ETC...
A few weeks earlier, a COMMON LOON flew over at the same spot. heading due
North I believe!
Now, a few other warblers I'm missing in NC include the Blackburnian
Chestnut-sided, and Canada.
Alan Meijer
ameijer(AT)beaufortco.com
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: HuntingtonBSP
From: "Cherrie Sneed" <sneedwd(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 7 May 2006 2:07pm
I visited HBSP on May 6, and ran into some of the Birdathon Members. I'm
anxious to hear their results.
Here is a tid-bit of info. I wanted to pass along.
Across the street from the Education Center is a Nature Trail and just
inside the woods the trail turns left and runs into the overflow parking.
Yesterday there were 10 or more Painted Buntings in there flying all around
and harassing each other. I noted females singing for the first time. It
was much easier to see the Painted Buntings there than at the Education
Center.
While over there I began to hear two familiar calls and located both
Magnolia and Black-throated Blue Warblers. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo called,
but I didn't locate it. That is the same spot that I saw a cuckoo last year.
An immature Indigo Bunting popped up as well.
Finally, I followed that nature trail into the campground and got chuckle at
one of the campsites. Beside the camper they had put out their own feeder
and Painted Buntings were in the hanging platform feeder eating their own
little private dinner.
Cherrie
Cherrie Sneed
5634 Church Flats Rd.
Meggett, SC
St. Paul's Parish
Southern Charleston County
sneedwd(AT)earthlink.net
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Subject: Mystery Meal of the Month Contest
From: "John Ennis" <swampwolf(AT)thebusinessbirder.com>
Date: 7 May 2006 2:51pm
About 3 weeks ago, I posted the first...and probably the last...'Mystery
Meal-of-the-Month' Photo.
To refresh your memory, go to: http://thebusinessbirder.com/WarblerMeal.pdf
These pictures were taken at Rice Creek Bridge in Brunswick County.
I promised the winner an autographed photo and a Moonpie...err, the photo is
of the warbler, autographed by me...
There were 4 winners. As you can tell, I grade on the curve. I was very
soft hearted to include "wiggly things"...the respondent had had the flu all
week...
(1) "one of those wriggly things that rain down off the river birch trees
this time of the year"
(2) "a large geometer caterpillar (inchworm)"
(3) "Tipulidae larva"
(4) ??? I accidentally deleted it
You guys know who you are so please forward $20 for shipping and handling
and I will forward the prizes.
Just kidding...sent me your address and I will send the prizes without
charge...
John Ennis
Leland, NC
910-371-9729
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Murrell's Inlet & HBSP 05/06
From: "Jason Giovannone" <buteo2808(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 7 May 2006 5:18pm
The wife and I spent the weekend in Horry County, but we did manage a few
hours birding in Georgetown County on Saturday 05/06. We started out eating
lunch on Murrell's Inlet & then headed over to Huntington Beach State Park
from 1 to 6.
Sandpiper pond was pretty dead, but I did get a look at a Least Bittern and
a couple of American Coots still hanging around. I headed over to the Ed
Center, and yet again I walked away from the park with no Common Ground
Dove. The partially re-constructed boardwalk gave nice looks at
Semipalmated, Solitary & Spotted Sandpipers. I was also surprised to find a
lingering Bonaparte's Gull that was not in breeding plumage yet. Along the
causeway, I found a pair of Blue-wings and a lone Ring-neck on the
freshwater side. Also was treated to 5 Black-necked Stilts and a handful of
Least Sandpipers. I ended up walking to the jetty, even though I said I
wasn't going to. I was rewarded when I got there, becasue the nesting area
was full of shorebirds, including what looked to be a nesting pair of
Wilson's Plover. I also had a great look at a Whimbrel, a pair of Bobolinks,
a handful of Long-billed Dowithchers, and some lingering Savannah Sparrows
on the walk through dunes. On the walk back three Red-breasted Mergs were
seen heading north over the ocean. We went and checked out the Oyster
Recycling area, but the only bird of note was a Common Nighthawk peenting
around out of sight.
I can never complain anytime I've ever been to the park, but it appears that
I needed to walk the sandpiper pond trail to get some more warblers. Good
Birding!
Jason Giovannone
Columbia, SC
Birds seen only on Murrell's Inlet are noted with a MI.
Full List
Blue-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Red-breasted Merganser
Northern Gannet
Brown Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Least Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Green Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Cooper's Hawk - MI
Red-tailed Hawk - MI
Common Moorhen
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Wilson's Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
American Oystercatcher
Black-necked Stilt
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Willet
Spotted Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Sanderling
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Least Tern
Eurasian Collared-Dove - MI
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Common Nighthawk
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker - MI
Great Crested Flycatcher
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Fish Crow
Purple Martin - MI
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin - MI
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling - MI
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Parula
Pine Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Summer Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Painted Bunting
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
House Finch
House Sparrow - MI
_________________________________________________________________
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Subject: Dick Cross VA & Brickhouse Rd Butner, NC
From: miaim(AT)mebtel.net
Date: 7 May 2006 5:32pm
Highlights of yesterday's foray just barely over the VA line into the Dick
Cross/Elm Hill wildlife area near the Kerr Dam included:
Common Loon (2)
Hooded Merganser (1 F)
CUCKOO** (see notes)
E. Kingbird (several)
PRAIRIE WARBLER (numerous!)
possible SWAINSON's WARBLER *** (maybe)
Common Yellowthroat
Summer Tanager
Indigo Bunting
E. Meadowlark
Orchard Oriole (several)
** The cuckoo was seen on the road to the Elm Hill house within the Dick Cross
Wildlife area. We got good looks at this bird, but it was backlit. The bill
appeared to be solid dark, but, again, it was backlit. The tail gave a very
strong barred appearance, not a mottled appearance. YB would make the most
sense by range. BB would fit what we think we saw. We saw no rufous color, but
a strong sense of just dark & white. (But, again, the lighting wasn't great
for color determination.) We're not able to say with any authority which is
was, though we realize YB would make more sense.
*** Bob, who's a much better audio birder than I, thought he'd heard a
Swainson's earlier on the trail by the freshwater marsh. Shortly after he
left, Pam and I saw a bird that we both thought was a Swainson's eating a
caterpillar at about 6ft off the ground in a shrub, on the road to the Elm
Hill house. After pouring over the books, I really can't rule out Red-Eyed
Vireo, although my memory really favors the Swainson's. The bird we saw, never
issued a sound. This was a fairly brief look, but my very first impression was
the the beak was very pointy.
******************
This morning, in a dreary, drizzly, wet, 4hr foray at the Brickhouse Rd. Wild
Life area of the Butner Game lands, I had a theory that birding in the rain
could well be very productive, confirmed. Highlights of the 56 species seen
include:
E. Kingbird
YELLOW WARBLER (great look)
CHESTNUT SIDED WARBLER !!! (brilliant breeding plumage male)
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Am. Redstart
Common Yellowthroat (numerous)
YB Chat (several)
Indigo Bunting (almost as numerous as WT sparrows!)
Orchard Oriole (numerous)
BALTIMORE ORIOLE (brilliant male on top of pine for great looks)
Mike Swaim
Mebane, NC
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Subject: Cape May Warbler, but no Black-crowned Night Heron
From: John Lindfors <jwl127(AT)netzero.com>
Date: 7 May 2006 7:28pm
I had surgery on Wednesday and have been recovering nicely. This has
limited my birding severely. I see our daily Red-bellied Woodpecker
gorging on our peanut suet mix to take back to the babies (?)
Nuthatches, seem to be, and our house finches teenagers are taking full
advantage too. By now, when they fuss to have a parent pick some of the
grub out of the wire basket, the parents ignore them. I can sympathize
having had three (wonderful) boys.
Today, at 5:00 PM my wife said she heard a high pitched song, a warbler
in the driveway. So we looked to no immediate results. But Ron Selvey
and Wayne Forsythe have finally got it through my thick skull that maybe
you should give the birds a second or two. IT PAID OFF! I saw a male
Cape May Warbler THREE times, great looks (chestnut-patch on auriculars,
large white patch on wing, fine lines on the flanks which are yellow,
yellow supercilium and other parts of the head). We've lived here for 3
years and have averaged a warbler a year on our actual property. (YRWA,
PAWA, and now a beautiful CAPE MAY!).
I am looking forward to getting back to Jackson Park at the back of the
long line of visiting birders in pursuit of a glimpse at Connecticut or
Mourning Warblers.
Regards,
John Lindfors
0
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Subject: Carolina RBA May 7 Update
From: PiephoffT(AT)aol.com
Date: 7 May 2006 7:40pm
hotline: Carolina Rare Bird Alert
date: May 7, 2006
number: 704-332-2473
to report: 704-332-2473 or 704-532-6336 or PiephoffT(AT)aol.com
coverage: North and South Carolina
compiler: Taylor Piephoff for the Carolina Bird Club
Hello, this is a May 5 update of the Carolina Rare Bird Alert featuring
birding news from North and South Carolina sponsored by the Carolina Bird Club.
Highlights on this report include:
REEVE
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS
STILT SANDPIPER
WILSON'S PHALAROPE
AMERICAN AVOCET
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN
WARBLING VIREOS
MISSISSIPPI KITE
Coastal South Carolina has been a hotspot for migrating shorebirds recently.
The best find was a REEVE at the Santee Coastal Reserve in northern
Charleston County on April 29. Other interesting birds at the reserve on that
date
were 2 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS and over 60 STILT SANDPIPERS.
On April 30, twenty seven species of shorebirds were found at South Island in
Georgetown County including AMERICAN AVOCET, WILSON'S PLOVER, WHITE-RUMPED
SANDPIPER, RED KNOT, and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. A WILSON'S PHALAROPE was present
at this same location on April 23.
An AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was seen in Randolph County, NC at the Asheboro Zoo
following a thunderstorm on April 17. The bird did not linger at the ponds
at the zoo.
A MISSISSIPPI KITE was in Carteret County, NC near the community of Core
Creek on May 5.
Up to three WARBLING VIREOS are in an ash grove in Cabarrus County, NC near
Concord, NC. From I-85 north of Charlotte take the Concord Mills exit and head
towards the mall. Across Concord Mills Blvd. from the mall look for a
conspicuous Jared's Jeweler's store. Simply park at the store and walk behind
it.
The vireos are in the ash trees right there.
Thanks this week to Nathan Dias, John Fussell, Stan Alford, and Jimmy Dodson
for their calls and reports.
Taylor Piephoff
Charlotte, NC
PiephoffT(AT)aol.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: King Rail
From: "Harry Sell" <sellbirding(AT)ec.rr.com>
Date: 7 May 2006 8:04pm
Hi All,
I recently took a couple of photos of a Rail. This bird was found at the
Battleship Memorial near Wilmington, NC. It sounded like a King Rail
calling. After looking at the photos I feel the need of input from more
experienced birders. The cheeks are too gray, more like a Clapper, but the
flanks and my judgment of the size would make it a King Rail. I believe they
hybridize, so that may be what I have photographed. Opinions appreciated.
(This time only 3 photos)
http://www.pbase.com/sellbirding
Harry D Sell
Boiling Spring Lakes, NC
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Subject: CBC special field trip to central South Carolina
From: "Robin Carter" <rcarter(AT)sc.rr.com>
Date: 7 May 2006 8:14pm
Hi C-Birders,
I have just returned from guiding the Carolina Bird Club special field trip
to Congaree National Park and nearby areas. We had a great time and saw or
heard about 95 species of birds, without going to a marsh or lake. We stayed
in Sumter, SC, which is fairly close to Congaree National Park and very
close to the other main destinations for the weekend, Manchester State
Forest and Longleaf Pine Heritage Preserve. The weather was good on
Saturday, but this morning (Sunday) we had a period of hard rain, which
disrupted the trip.
We left Sumter at 5:30 AM (ouch!) Saturday morning, in order to be at a
Red-cockaded Woodpecker cluster in Manchester State Forest at dawn. We were
rewarded by great looks at a Red-cockaded Woodpecker for about 10 minutes as
it flew from tree to tree near its roost tree. Later we went down to the
floodplain of the Wateree River (the Beidler Tract of Manchester State
Forest). Here a Swainson's Warbler responded to our recording playback by
perching in the open for about 3 minutes, singing all the while. It was one
of the best looks that I have ever had at a Swainson's Warbler.
After walking on an old hunt club road into the floodplain for a while we
went to the agricultural area near Wedgefield, where Lloyd Moon discovered
the July congregation of Swallow-tailed Kites a few years ago. We saw no
kites there, but did encounter several hundred Bobolinks. We spent some time
trying to get a look at one of the local Painted Buntings, but only heard
them at Wedgefield.
From the Wedgefield area we went to an agricultural area near Eastover in
Richland County. Here we got glimpses of a pair of Painted Buntings, and we
got excellent looks at about 7 Mississippi Kites as they kited over some
grain fields.
We then drove to nearby Congaree National Park for a picnic lunch and a
short hike into the floodplain after lunch. We got a good look at a migrant
Ovenbird, but were unable to get more than a glimpse of a singing Kentucky
Warbler. The Prothonotary Warblers at Congaree were very impressive.
From the main part of Congaree National Park we drove over to the US 601
bridge over the Congaree River, where we were able to admire the Barn and
Cliff Swallows that are nesting under the bridge. Then we returned to
Sumter.
A small group of hard-core birders accompanied me on an evening trip to
Manchester State Forest, where we searched for Chuck-will's-widows on the
back roads. We did not see any goatsucker on the roads, but we heard 28
Chuck-will's-widows and 4 Whip-poor-wills calling, some very close to the
road.
This morning (Sunday morning), despite the threat of hard rain, we left
Sumter at 7:30 AM. First we explored the agricultural lands along Bethany
Road, just south of the village of Mayesville. We saw a couple of Loggerhead
Shrikes and got glimpses of Horned Larks over the corn fields. We got great
telescope views of Grasshopper Sparrows on the roadsides, and also found
another large flock of Bobolinks.
As the rain was beginning we drove up to Lynchburg Savanna Heritage Preserve
in nearby Lee County. Since there was some lightning, and since the rain
looked like it might keep up all day I declared the field trip over. Some of
us stayed around, and in about a half hour the rain let up. The few
participants that remained came with me over to Longleaf Pine Heritage
Preserve, which is five miles from Lynchburg Savanna Heritage Preserve. We
were able to take advantage of an hour-long break in the rain and hiked in
to the savanna at Longleaf Pine HP. We saw lots of birds, including a pair
of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers that appeared to be attending a nest and a good
look at a Bachman's Sparrow. The best bird was a migrant Willow Flycatcher,
which we heard calling ("fitz-bew") and which we studied for several
minutes. We were able to get back to the cars before the skies opened up
again.
We had a great weekend, getting some good looks at a few specialty birds.
Robin Carter
Columbia, SC USA
mailto:rcarter(AT)sc.rr.com
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Subject: Pectoral & Least Sandpipers, Jordan Lake
From: Michael Schultz <ross.gull(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 7 May 2006 8:22pm
Hi birders:
Lois and I joined Tom Krakauer for the rain plagued Jordan Lake spring
count this morning. As often is the case, the hard work of birding in
really miserable
weather often produces good birds. In our case it was 3 Pectoral
Sandpipers at the settling ponds across the road from Ebenezer Point. The
birds were in the company of two Solitary Sandpipers for comparison, and
were identified by their more horizontal posture (when compared to
Solitary), their more barrel chested appearance, and the strong sharp line
between the upper breast and underparts. It was raining and heavily
overcast at the time of the observation, and the wet shivering birders were
looking through a Swarovsky AT80 scope.
Two Least Sandpipers were on the beach at Ebenezer Point. These small
richly brown peep with yellow legs were observed in the same conditions and
with the same equipment as the other shorebirds across the road.
Mike Schultz
Durham, NC
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Subject: Hilton Pond 04/22/06 (Crossvine)
From: BILL HILTON JR The Piedmont Naturalist <hilton(AT)hiltonpond.org>
Date: 7 May 2006 10:05pm
Ever wonder what spring hummingbirds eat in the wild before Trumpet
Creeper thickets start producing prolific nectar-laden blossoms? In
the Carolinas and beyond, a likely candidate is Trumpet Creeper's
overlooked little cousin, Crossvine.
The 22-30 April 2006 installment of "This Week at Hilton Pond"
discusses Crossvine and its environmental significance. To view photo
essay #313, please visit http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek060422.html
As always we include an account birds banded during the period,
although they were few.
Happy Nature Watching!
BILL
--
BILL HILTON JR., Executive Director
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History
1432 DeVinney Road, York, South Carolina 29745 USA
hilton(AT)hiltonpond.org, (803) 684-5852, eFax: (503) 218-0845
The mission of Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History is "to
conserve plants, animals, habitats, and other natural components of
the Piedmont Region of the eastern United States through observation,
scientific study, and education for students of all ages." Please
visit our web sites (courtesy of Comporium.net) at
http://www.hiltonpond.org and http://www.rubythroat.org ("Operation
RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project").
"Never trust a person too lazy to get up for sunrise or too busy to
watch the sunset." BHjr.
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Birdathon at HBSP on 5-6-06
From: "Jack" <ppaw(AT)sccoast.net>
Date: 7 May 2006 11:00pm
Hi C'birders,
Yesterday I participated in Waccamaw Audubon's "Birdathon". This year
the WAS birdathon was a combined effort of interested members covering
different parts of Huntington Beach S.P. I covered the Oyster shell
beach area solo, carriage path to the hollow with four members and the
North end with visiting birder John Voight from Emerald Isle, NC.
67 species for me as follows:
Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Green Heron
Blue-winged Teal
Lesser Scaup
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Common Moorhen
Am. Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Am Oystercatcher
Black-necked Stilt
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Spotted Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Royal Tern
Forster's Tern
Least Tern
Black Skimmer
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
E. Screech Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Great Crested Flycatcher
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Blue Jay
Carolina Chickadee
Tutfted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Gray Catbird
N. Mockingbird
E. Starling
Red-eyed Vireo
N. Parula
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black and White Warbler
N. Cardinal
Painted Bunting
Savannah Sparrow
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
Summer Tanager
Orchard Oriole
House Finch
A fun day
Jack Peachey
Conway, SC
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