for members of the Carolina

Volume 40

Bird Club, Inc., ornithological society of the Carolinas

March/April 1994 Number 2

Kanuga To The Spring Meeting?

The Kanuga Conference Center, near
Hendersonville, will be the headquarters,
and the Transylvania County Bird Club
will be the host for the spring meeting of
the Carolina Bird Club May 20-22, 1994.
The Center is situated on 1 ,400 acres of
wixxlland surrounding a 30 acre lake at an
elevation of 2,500 feet. A network of
trails provides excellent on-site birding.

Registration will begin at 3:00 p.m.
'May 20 in the lobby of the Conference
Center. However, advance registration,
which includes Kanuga accommodations
i reservation, is strongly recommended.

On Friday evening, WNC birder
i extraordinaire and FENCE nature director,
i 'Simon Thompson, will present a
program on kxal birding.

I Our Saturday evening speaker will lx*
the renowned "low-rent birder" Pete
Dunne. Pete was director of the C ape
May Bird Observatory from 1978-87. and
is currently the director of Natural History
Information for the New Jersey Audubon
I Sixiety. He has written several Ixxiks
about birding, and is co-author of the
.guide Hawks in Flight. His newest b<x>k,
I : More Tales of a Low-Rent Birder will be
published s<x>n, and there will lx* a book
signing session on Saturday evening.

Pete will also give an informal 45 minute
irogram called "Exploring Optics" at 8: 15
I i.m. on Saturday morning.

The Center offers two types of
accommodations from which to choose.
The Kanuga Lake Inn contains hotel style
rooms with two rooms sharing a bath.
Guest cottages are more rustic, and contain
a living room, porch, 2-6 bedrooms,
shared bathrooms, refrigerator, and hot
plate. There is space on the registration
form to indicate your roommate preference
for the cottages, which can house up to ten
people. All rooms are double occupancy.
Single occupancy rixims are avaiable for
an extra charge. No |xts allowed.

The cost of the weekend is $ 1 25 per
person, which covers double ixcupancy
hxlging and ah meals from Friday dinner
(6:30 p.m) through Sunday lunch. The
price includes tax and gratuities. Box
lunches will lx provided for those who
order them on the registration form. Early
breakfast buffet will lx served, ami hot
coffee and tea are always available just
outside the dining nx»m. Hot lunches and
dinners are family style. Those not
staying at Kanuga may join the group for
dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. The
total cost for both meals will lx $21.95,
which includes tax and gratuity. Please
note that Kanuga does not accept credit
cards, but personal checks are welcome.
Registration deadline is April 25.

Registration for the field trips, which are
described on the Field Trip Registration

Fence Receives Grant

The Polk County Community
' foundation has awarded a $5,3(X) grant to
I fENCE in support of its new Bird Study
Center. The grant will be used for a
1 easibility study and program support tor
' 1994. The feasibility study will explore
he possibilities of use of the 100-acre

Carolina Bird Club sanctuary in Tryon as
a permanent site for the Center. The 1994
FENCE bird study program, under the
direction of Simon Thompson, will
include an introductory workshop tor
Ixgmning birders and several day trips to
study shore birds and migratory birds.

insert, may be made in advance or upon
arrival. Advance registration allows better
planning for smaller groups and improves
your chances of getting on the trips of
your choice. Friday field trips begin at
1:00 p.m. and will meet in the lobby of
the Conference Center. Although check-
in is guaranteed for 4:00 p.m.; you may
be able to get into your room earlier. Ask
at the desk.

The Kanuga Conference Center is most
easily reached from 1-26. Take exit 18B
to US 64 West into Hendersonville. Turn
left on Hwy. 25 South (Church Street)
and drive nine blocks. Turn right on
Kanuga Street, and continue four miles to
the Conference Center sign. Turn right,
drive 1 .3 miles to Kanuga Entrance Park;
take another right and prixeed to the main
parking area. If you have questions,
contact Susan Mitchell at (704) 884-4749,
Becky Huggins at (704) 877-3843. or
Tom Joyce at (704) 885-2152.

INSIDE

Traveling Birdwatcher

2

Backyard Birding

3

Volunteers Needed

4

Special Field Trips

5

Hotline Highlights

6

New Members

8

i

The Traveling Birdwatcher

In Search of Bobby Booby, The Blue-footed Booby

by Dennis Forsythe

Ever since I heard about the Blue-footed
Booby at Granite Shoals, Texas, last June,
Donna and I have been trymg to find a
way to get to Texas and see this bird.
Finally, we were able to get away on Jan.
4, 1994, when we flew from Charleston,
SC to Houston, TX, rented a car and raced
west towards Austin an Granite Shoals.

Along the way we stopped at Attwater
Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge.
Our target was the Masked Ducks which
had been seen there earlier. Unfortunately,
we did not see this bird, but were able to
see American Bittern and Fulvous
Whistling-Duck. Next we stopped at
Bastrop State Park and picked up some
eastern species for our Texas list including
Carolina Chickadee and Red-bellied
Woodpecker. We arrived in Marble Falls
to late to look for the booby.

At the crack of dawn the next day, we
drove from Marble Falls to Granite Shoals
following the directions from my good

friend Dick Payne of Sam Houston State
University. We found the location with
no difficulty because there was a big sign
in the yard saying "Blue-footed Booby in
back yard. Sign guest book on table.
Please do not disturb the bird or the
people." And there it was as big as life
sitting on a diving board in the back yard
on Lake LB J! The bird was magnificent.
This was a world life bird for both of us.
After watching the bird for some time and
signing the guest book, we looked for
other birds in the area. We picked up Blue
Jay and Verdin for our Texas list and
Donna added Harris' Sparrow to her life
list.

On Jan. 6 we made the long drive from
Marble Shoals through San Antonio (too
bad this was the wrong time of year for
Black-capped Vireo and Golden-cheeked
Warbler) to Kingsville, the home of the
King Ranch. There on a small ranch
pond, we saw our next target bird— five

Masked Ducks! We were both surprised at
how small they were in comparison to
Ruddy Ducks. On Jan. 6 and 7 we spent
time driving up and down Highway 77
below Kingsville and were lucky enough
to see large numbers of White-tailed
Hawks and a life bird for Donna, both a
light morph and a dark morph Ferruginous
Hawk.

The rest of the trip (Jan. 8-10) was Spent
in the lower Rio Grande Valley at the
usual spots (Laguna Atascosa NWR, Santa
Ana NWR, Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park
and Falcon Dam) where we saw a variety
of the usual south Texas specialities, but
missed the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl at
Falcon Dam. We returned home on Jan.

1 0 via Houston after stopping at Aransas
NWR to see the Whooping Cranes. We
had a great trip. I saw two life birds and
Donna had four. Our trip total was about
160+ species. We are looking forward to a
return to south Texas in the future.

Didn't It Rain, Children?

After several years of clear skies and
mild weather for Carolina Bird Club
winter meetings, our luck finally ran out!
Lex Glover had planned one of the most
extensive lists of field trips ever seen for a
CBC meeting; and the temperature was
mild for January, but oh, didn't it rain?
Several who arrived for the Friday
morning field trips ended up in a
laundromat drying their clothes until the
rain let up briefly Friday afternoon. It
rained all day Saturday and Sunday, but
brave and hardy field trip leaders sailed
ahead. Special thanks are due to Roger
McNeill, Taylor Piephoff, Steve
Compton, Tom Hankins, Robin
Carter, Herb Hendrickson, Roger
Smith, Dennis Forsythe, Nell
Moore, Peter Range, Tonya
Spires, Peter Worthington, Julie
Finlayson, Steve Patterson, John
Wright, Simon Thompson, Ned

Shuler, Teddy Shuler and Lex
Glover.

When CBC president Lex Glover stood
up to welcome those gathered for the
Friday evening meeting of the Club at
Litchfield Beach, SC, he almost choked.
The tiered seats of the Tara I theater were
filled with the largest gathering ever for a
seasonal meeting. There were 259
registered for the weekend at one of the
prime birding locations in the Carolinas.
Prior to a review of the field trip schedule,
Harry I^eGrand, Vice-President (ENC),
and Herb Henrickson, Editor of The
Chat , discussed the importance of
publishing rare bird observations; and
Derb Carter reported on the 1993 CBC
special field trip to La Selva Lodge in
Ecuador.

In spite of the rain, 163 species were
seen on the field trips Friday and Saturday.
A nesting pair of Bald Eagles and an

American White Pelican at Huntington
Beach State Park and a group of Thick-
billed Murres with a Black Guillemot in
the ocean off Litchfield Inn were
highlights. Red-cockaded Woodpeckers
were seen during the day and were also the
subject of a program Saturday evening
given by Craig Watson, US Fish and
Wildlife Service biologist. He outlined
the recovery efforts involving both
artificial nest boxes and the creating of
nesting cavities in suitable trees left after
huricane damage to the Francis Marion
National Forest.

Many thanks to all executive committee
members who gave able assistance to Lex
Glover with the meeting and to Libba and
John Watson for again handling the
registration table. Anyone who attended
the meeting and did not turn in a survey
form should mail the completed form to
Lex Glover, PO Box 117, Lugoff, SC

March 9, 1994— Evening Grosbeaks,

Pine Siskins, Purple Finches and letters
from other backyard birders: what a
wonderful winter we've had! The
grosbeaks have been daily visitors since
January 2 (one morning we had 23). We
saw the first Pine Siskins in four years on
Jan. 23 when Clyde Smith brought 12
people out to do a little birding. The
I group was from Cherish the Earth, Inc., a
group dedicated to environmental
education. Would you believe it? The
birds actually cooperated. We saw 22
species in two hours. The 23rd, a Turkey
Vulture, flew over just after the cars
disappeared down the driveway.

We heard the "peent" of woodcocks Jan.
14, about three weeks later than last year.
In another week we began to hear the
wing flutter. We don't hear it as
frequently as we did last year, but maybe
the unusually harsh winter is holding
I them back.

Wood Ducks, a female and two males,
landed on the pond Mar. 5, swam around,
inspected the nesting box, and Uxik off.
They've been back every day since then,
and yesterday they finally swam up to the
bank where we put cracked com for our
Muscovy Duck, "Morkus Aurelius."

The other exciting winter news is the
letters from other backyard birders. The
first was from Judy and Reece
Mitchell of Hendersonville, NC. They
saw 30 Evening Grosbeaks around their
dogwood trees. The grosbeaks were eating
the berries. They would remove the
fleshy part of the berries and eat the seeds.
When the grosbeaks left, "the ground
under the trees was covered with the pulpy
outer par of the berries. This was quickly
consumed by other birds— towhees,
juncoes and robins." One day they had
Cedar Waxwings and Evening Grosbeaks
in the dogwood trees. That must have
been something to see.

Speaking of Cedar Waxwings, Betty
Mcllwain of Brevard, NC, sent a
clipping from Birder's World reporting the
sighting of waxwings with orange, rather
than yellow, tipped tails. The colors vary
between burnt orange and the normal rich
yellow. Ms. Mcllwain had some in her
area. If you see any, report them to
Kenneth C. Parkes or D. Scott Wood,
Carnegie Museum of Natural History,
Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

John Culverwell of Waynesville,
NC, must have been feeling guilty about

Backyard Birding

with Frances J. Nelson

not writing because he sent a list of birds
that come to his feeders in the spring.

He's surprised at the number because his
feeders are in a "very small open space
among oak trees overlooking Waynesville
at 2600 feet." He has gotten his
neighbors interested in birds and says that
the birds now live "high on the hog with
every sort of gourmet food and artistic
feeder imaginable."

Phyllis Martin of Conover, NC, and
her husband hoped to go birding New
Year's day, but the weather was
unaxiperative, so they put out seed and let
the birds come to them— 1 3 species. The
Martins also saw a "good-sized flock" of
American Pipits in their neighborhood.
Their letter arrived in late January, and
they were hoping to see Pine Siskins,
Redpoll, and Evening Grosbeaks before
the winter is over.

Moving on to central North Carolina,
Charles Jewson of Southern Pines
apologized that lie could not report any
unusual birds at his feeder. He had his
regular visitors— three White-crowned
Sparrows. He's proof that what is
"regular" to some may lx? "unusual" to
others. CJ and 1 have never seen White-
crowned Sparrows. Mr. Jewson uses
mainly black oil sunflower seeds, but he
sometimes crushes up some of them and
also puts out left-over popcorn.

I heard from two eastern North
Carolinians, both from New Bern. Jane
Shrout says that they have had "a
bonanza of birds this winter" at their
feeders. "Brown-headed Cowbirds arrive in
droves, but they aren't half as bad as the
pigeons!" The pigeons are driving them
batty and seem to be the most persistent
and annoying birds the Shrouts know of.

Rather than writing, Joan Harley,
who lives just outside New Bern, called
me. We had a delightful conversation
about the New' Bern Bird Club which has
80+ members. Ms. Harley said that
several members had driven to nearby
Alliance to Larry Caraway's home to see a
Snow Bunting. New Beni also has a

resident Bald Eagle, and last year the
Harleys had a dozen Northern Orioles.

This winter she has been feeding what is
probably a Rufous Hummingbird and 50
Evening Grosbeaks.

I also heard from three South Carolina
members. Carroll Richard of
Hampton, SC, had an adult male Painted
Bunting at his feeders Jan. 21-27, unusual
at this time of year.

Cornelia Chapin of Hilton Head,

SC, and her husband, Charles, saw two
American Pipits walking along the uncut
edge of the golf course within 15 feet of
their house. The birds were easily visible
without binoculars. The pipits "have
been sighted on our island four years ago
near the airport but never in a yard." The
Chapins also have had 15 immature White
Ibis feeding on the golf course every day
all winter.

My regular SC correspondent, Dave
Abraham, did not disappoint me this
winter; although I was concerned when I
had not heard from him in several months.
He sent two post cards with wonderful
original cartoons that show Mr.

Abraham's talent and winsome sense of
humor. He also identified a mysterious,
bright green-yellow warbler. He found the
photographs I had sent him of our Pine
Warbler and realized that was what he was
seeing. The next day , he had three of
them drinking out of his homemade heated
watering pan (aluminum frying pan and a
drop light). A Yellow -rumped Warbler
arrived at the end of January and took up
its regular position at the marvel, meal,
he refers to the warbler, as well as gold
finches, as "homecomers." I understand.
The Wood Ducks we saw Mar. 5 must be
the same ones who come by every year
but 1 guess the only way to be positive is
to get someone to band them for us. Or
better yet, CJ retires April 1— maybe he
can work on getting a banding license.

Mr. Abraham has also had Red-winged
Blackbirds, 15 at a time, in his heated bird
bath, he said that they were really pretty
with their flashing red stripes. He has
also had a junco figure out how to get
marvel meal, but once it tried when a Red-
bellied Wcxxlpecker was feasting. The
wotxlpeeker attacked the junco, and the
junco flew off, minus a few feathers.

Keep the cards, letters and phone calls
coming: l (XX) Dogwood Hill Lane, Wake
Forest, NC 275H7, or (919) 52X-2X27.

Volunteers Needed for NC Breeding

Bird Survey- -1994

The 1994 Breeding Bird Survey in North
Carolina needs volunteers to fill some
vacant routes. There are many vacant
routes in the central and western piedmont
(see map--# 1-6). This year we have seven
new routes in the Nantahala and Pisgah
national forests. Most of these routes will
be run by U.S. Forest Service staff, and
only one route (# 7) is open "for the
taking."

As a reminder, the BBS is a continent-
wide survey of breeding birds that is
coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and that has been in operation
since the mid-1960's. It is the best
database for determining continent-wide
changes in breeding bird populations.
Easch route is run on a single morning,
generally between late May and mid-June.
A route begins one-half hour before
sunrise and lasts about four hours, with
the observer counting birds seen and heard
for three minutes at 50 stops at one-half
mile intervals along a set route.

If you feel confident that you can
identify all of the breeding birds in a
certain part of the state, especially by song
and call, please let me know which
route(s) you would be interested in

covering. Contact me by phone or mail:
Harry LeGrand, NC Natural Heritage
Program, PO Box 27687, Raleigh, NC
2711, tel 919-733-7701 (work), 919-832-
3202 (home).

Celebrate International Migratory Bird Day 1994

Saturday, May 14,
1994 has been
designated as the
second International
Migratory Bird Day

(IMBD). In Central and South America,
the day will be celebrated on April 9.
IMBD is being recognized by hundreds of
organizations and thousands of individuals
who are raising public awareness about

migratory birds and recent declines in their
populations.

Concerned individuals and organizations
are encouraged to host and coordinate
events in their communities. An
organizer's packet is available for $5 ppd.
from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159
Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY
14850.

One of the events taking place on IMBD

which has been endorsed by the Carolina
Bird Club is the North American
Migration Day Count. Participants try to
take a snapshot of bird migration on one
day. If you would like to organize or
participate in a count, contact Robin M.
Carter, count coordinator for the
Carolinas, 4165 E. Buchanan Drive,
Columbia, SC 29206, tel. (803) 782-
8820.

Nominating Committee Report

Nominating Committee chairman, Len Pardue, and members Teddy Shuler and Simon
Thompson will present the following slate of nominees at the annual business meeting
of the Carolina Bird Club on May 21, 1994, at Kanuga Conference Center:

President: Lex Glover*, Lugoff, SC Treas: Robert Wood*, Columbia, SC

Secretary: Len Pardue*, Durham, NC
Vice-Pres. (SC): Irvin Pitts, Jr., Lexington, SC
Mem bers-at- Large: (ENC) Dr. C.L. (Buddy) Garrett, Emerald Isle, NC
(WNC) Jennifer Wren, Brevard, NC; (SC) Donna Forsythe, Charleston, SC

The president, treasurer and secretary are elected to one-year terms, members-at-large to
three-year terms and vice-presidents to three-year terms. * denotes an incumbent.

Lost/Found

Found in the parking lot of the
Litchfield Inn, one small sized, black
Optisoc, thoroughly soaked. Same
has been dried, rehabilitated, and is
currently nesting with my two
Optisocs. Owner may claim by
contacting: Buddy Garrett, 104
Court land Dr., Jacksonville, NC
28546, tel. (910) 455-0420.

CBC Spring & Summer Field Trips

Henslow's Sparrow/Spring Migrants, Pitt County, NC April 30, 1994

Leaders: John Wright & Russ Tyndall Limit: 15 Participants Cost: $10

Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the McDonald's
Restaurant on Greenville Blvd. (US 264
Alt. Bypass) across from the Ramada &
Hilton Inns and adjacent to Wal-Mart.

We will proceed to the eastern edge of
Pitt County where a good variety of
warblers and other woodland birds can be
found along Chicod Creek. Although not
promised, Swainson's and Worm-eating
Warblers have often been found here in
spring. Later in the morning we will visit
the Voice of America transmitting site
nearby. This very large open area is home
to a large breeding population of
Henslow's Sparrows. Some forty singing
males were encountered here last spring on

a census of the area. This is certainly the
best spot in the Carolinas, perhaps one of
the best spots in the country, to see this
declining grassland sparrow with the odd
little "tslick" song.

By lunch time we will be heading to a
local commercial catfish farming
operation, which in the last two or three
years has had a nearly resident population
of from one to six Bald Eagles. This is
also a good spot for swallows and
migrating waterbirds.

Those who wish to make a full day of it
may want to continue on for some
waterbirding during the afternoon at a few
spots along the Pamlico River east of

Washington, NC. We plan to finish up at
the marshes near Leachville on Hwy. 264
before dusk to listen for Black Rail. Bring
your boots. We may get a chance to see
one!

Motels on Greenville Boulevard include
Comfort Inn (919) 756-2792, Ramada Inn
(919) 355-8300, and Hilton Inn (919) 355-
5000.

Registration: Contact John Wright
(919) 756-5139 evenings to reserve space
and for additional information. Mail
registration form with fee to CBC
Headquarters.

Blue Ridge Parkway June 5, 1994

Leader: Simon Thompson Limit: 15 Participants Cost: $10

Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Folk Art
Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway near
Asheville. From there we will carpool
south on the Parkway stopping at Mt.
Pisgah, Graveyard Fields, Devils
Courthouse, Richland Balsam, Balsam
Mountains and other overlooks in search
of the specialities of the area. Canadian
Zone birds such as Red Crossbill,
Blackburnian Warbler and Black -capped

Chickadee are possibilities.

We will plan to stop for lunch along the
way so bring a picmc lunch and
something to drink.

Directions: from 1-40 take Exit 55 to
US 70W following signs to Blue Ridge
Parkway. The Folk Art Center is one-half
mile north at Milepost 382.

Nearby accomodations accessible from
Exit 55 are Best Inns of America. (704)

298-4000, Econo Lodge Biltmore East,
(704) 298-5519, Days Inn-East (704) 298-
5140. and Holiday Inn-East (704) 298-
5611.

Registration: Contact Simon
Thompson at (704) 859-6049 evenings to
reserve space. Mail registration form with
fee to CBC headquarters.

Field Trip Report

Why is the weather always so inclement
for our CBC sponsored field trips? is what
I was thinking as Donna and l drove down
Highway 17 S in the [ire-dawn darkness
through light snow flumes and high winds
to meet our seven other participants at the
Hardeeville McDonalds on Jan. 15. After
a brief orientation, we headed for the
Savannah NWR where we watcher! large
numbers of Ring-necked and other ducks
in the deep water impoundments on the
north side of the refuge. The highlight
was a good view of an adult Bald Eagle.

Next we drove around the Laurel Hill
Wildlife Drive, stopping to scan for birds
along the way. The cold temperature and

Savannah NWR &
Corps of Engineers
Spoil Site

by Dennis Forsythe

the high winds reduced the numliers of
birds we saw. but we had gtnxl looks at a
number of puddle ducks and wading birds,
including Glossy Ibis. We also had
excellent looks at an Orange-crowned
Warbler along the cistern trail in the first
oak hammock on the wildlife drive.

After breaking for lunch, we spent the

afternoon at the Corps of Engineers Spoil
Site, where we were joined by Pat and
John Metze. Pat works for the Savannah
Coastal Refuge System. US Fish and
Wildlife Service. We failed to relocate the
flock of Snow Geese they had seen earlier
in the day, but we did see a good variety
of ducks and shorebirds. The best among
the.se were the Ruddy Ducks and a flock of
60+ American Avocets. The avocets were
life birds for several people, and the Ruddy-
Duck was a milestone bird for Bob
Maxwell (his 200th SC state bird). The
total for the day was 80-*- species, and I
think we all had an enjoyable trip despite
the weather.

In The Field

with Simon R. B. Thompson

"If this is Tuesday,

With all due apologies to the originator
of this phrase, but traveling does not have
to be this way. With the modem
convenience of travel we can now jet to
once-remote parts of the globe. Places
that were once sepia-tinted photos in old
travel books are now advertised with lull
colour brochures and Continental
breakfasts. Within hours we can be half
way around the world in lands with
different time zones, cultures and birds.
Birds! What a splendid excuse for
traveling! Even in remote airports with
obligatory delays it is possible to find a
few birds. Maybe to even go as far as
identifying those martins that are nesting
in the airport roof.

This brings me to another problem.

( Caution : sightings reported on the RBA
are not necessarily verified. Publication in
the newsletter does not substitute for
review by the appropriate Birds Records
Committee and publication in The Chat.)

January-February, 1994

The winter of 193-94 has produced an
astounding number of rarities by species
and sheer numbers. January and February
continued the trend with the big story
being the Alcids encountered along the
coast of both Carolinas. Razorbill counts
reached four digits and Dovekie counts
three digits according to several reports
from the Outer Banks. In South Carolina
, Thick-billed Murres were seen at several
spots as well as Razorbill and Dovekie.
Accompanying the Alcids were record
counts of Red-necked Grebes (hundreds)
and Little Gulls (dozens). Pacific Loons

it must be Belgium."

Picture yourself flying east across the wide
Atlantic Ocean bound for Europe. You
have left behind the familiar robins and
meadowlarks of the United States. The
next stop is London with a 12 hour
layover. Maybe you should rest in an
airport hotel, do some duty free shopping
or even explore in search of.. .birds! A
walk in the local park brings cooler air,
unfamiliar plantings and Song Sparrows
under the nearest shrub. But just wait a
minute. This is Europe and those cannot
be Song Sparrows. The nearest
individuals are other three thousand miles
away on the Atlantic Seaboard. It’s time
to take a closer look. As this is a London
Park they must be House Sparrows, not
even closely related to their American

Hotline Highlights

by Taylor Plephoff

also were reported about a half dozen times
by ocean-watching birders.

Waterfowl reports from inland locations
included two Ross' Geese at Chapel Hill
and were examined by many birders. As
usual there were a few sightings of
Common Eider and Harlequin Duck along
the North Carolina coast.

Rare gull reports were of California,
Thayer's, Glaucous, Iceland and Common
Black -headed in North Carolina and Little
Gulls and Lesser Black -backed Gulls in
South Carolina.

"cousins." The robins are smaller here,
and the blackbirds are like robins, crows
are still recognizable as crows, but those
Ring-necked Duck look-alikes are Tufted
Ducks and the Pied Wagtails seem to act a
little like the waterthrushes back home. It
takes only a short time to adjust, and after
an hour things begin to slip into place.

The plane leaves shortly, and it is time
to check in again. Fly for another eight
hours and three thousand miles later the
robins and blackbirds of Europe are gone.
The Pied Wagtails are still here, but the
plumage is bolder and the song is totally
unfamiliar. The crows have white collars
and the starlings— well, they don't even
paint them this colour back home. It is
now Tuesday and this must be Nairobi,
the bustling capital of Kenya, land of big
game, exotic tribes and birds. The brain
still sees miniature robins and brightly-
coloured chickadees, but that was Monday.
It is time for that rest now. Sleep them
all off and wake refreshed again on
Wednesday. You have two weeks of
serious birding to savour and enjoy. Just
think that in two weeks time you will be
seeing Fiscal Shrikes on the wires on the
way to work, Marabou Storks at the mall
and maybe even a Secretary Bird in the
back garden. Unfortunately the illusion
soon wears off and reality brings you
down to earth again with a familiar, yet
comfortable, crash.

Nineteen Sandhill cranes were in a field
in Seneca, SC, and one was a flyover near
Charlotte.

A Band-tailed Pigeon appeared at a water
source in Charlotte. Other feeder birds
included Western Tanager at Wilmington,
Common Redpoll near Columbia, White-
winged Crossbill at Chapel Hill and
Evening Grosbeaks everywhere. An
additional report of Common Redpoll was
received from inland SC in the upstate.

The sod farms at Orangeburg, SC, again
received good coverage with over 100
Lapland Longspurs and a Sprague's Pipit
reported several times. •

CBC Rare Bird Alert
(704) 332-BIRD

Membership Application and Order Form

Name

Address

tCity State.

Enter/Renew Membership As Indicated

Individual ($12) Life ($200)

Family ($15) Patron ($50)

Student ($6)

Affiliate Club ($ 15)

Library /Institution ($15)

Zip Tel. ( ) ( )

(home) (business)

Send Materials Indicated

CBC Cloth arm patch $1.50 ea., $1.25 ea. in quantity

CBC Decals (vinyl stick-on) $1.50 ea., $1.25 ea. in quantity

Daily Checklists 10/$ 1.00, 25/$ 1.25, 50/$2.50, 75/$3.75

100/$5.00

Make check payable to Carolina Bird Club, Inc. and mail to PO Box 29555, Raleigh, NC 27626-0555

Registration Form

CBC Special Field Trips

"Name(s)_

Address

(list each participant)
City

State Zip

Enclosed is my check in the amount of $ for the following field trips: Blue Ridge Parkway, June 5, 1994 ($10)

Henslow's Sparrow/Spring Migrants, April 30, 1994 ($10). I have called the appropriate trip leader to ensure that space is

available.

Mail with check to Carolina Bird Club, Inc., PO Box 29555, Raleigh, NC 27626-0555

Registration & Reservation Form

CBC Spring Meeting, May 20-22, 1994

Name(s).

Address

(list each name for name tags)
City

State Zip

Enclosed is my check in the amount of $ for member registrations at $4 each, nonmember registrations at

$5 each, and deposits for Kanuga accommodations at $15 each. Registration at meeting will be $5 for members and $6 for

nonmembers. The total cost of the weekend will be $125 per person which includes double occupancy lodging and all meals from
Friday dinner through Sunday lunch. Taxes and gratuities are included. The balance of $ 1 10 per person will be due upon arrival at
Kanuga. No credit cards accepted. Personal checks or cash only. The $15 deposit is not refundable after April 25, 1994.

Lodging

Please indicate preference (register early for 1 st choice):

Kanuga Inn (2 double beds, shared bath) Guest Cottages (mostly smgle beds in 2-6 bedrooms w/up to 3 bathrooms)

I prefer single occupancy ($24 extra). 1 would like to share accommodations with

Meals

Dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings are the only meals available to those not lodging at Kanuga. The total cost for both meals
i (single option not available) is $2 1 .95 including tax and granuty (payable on arrival at Kanuga). Friday dinner is at 6:30 p.m. and
Saturday at 6:00 p.m. Number of people not lodging at Kanuga for dinner Friday & Saturday .

Box lunches at no additional charge will lie available to Kanuga guests going on all-day trips or leaving before lunch on Sunday.

| ! Number of box lunches required for Saturday . Number of box lunches required for Sunday .

* • “

There will lie a buffet breakfast on both Saturday and Sunday mornings. Please indicate your time preferences so that you can lie

served more efficiently. List number of people by the time desired: Saturday: 6:45 7:00 7:30 7:45 8:00_

Sunday: 7:15 7:30 7:45 8:00

Mail with check to Carolina Bird Club, Inc., PO Box 29555, Raleigh. NC 27626-0555

Welcome New Members

Carol Dean Bacik
Buxton, NC

Lucie Baldwin
Pawley's Island, SC

Kay Bergey
Winston-Salem, NC

Susan Ladd Brown
Fayetteville, NC

Cape Hatteras Bird Club

Frisco, NC

Robert & Mary Chase
Durham, NC

Pat Clark
Simpsonville, SC

Kent E. Davis, Jr.
Roanoke, VA

Dorothy Ellerbe
Pawley's Island, SC

Joyce Ellis
Wake Forest, NC

Rob Van Epps
Charlotte, NC

Ron & Hazel Erikson

Asheville, NC

Elizabeth Evans
Southern Pines, NC

Julie Finlayson

Conway, SC

Daniel & Sheila Frisk
Southern Pines, NC

Tommy Fulcher
Raleigh, NC

Emilie Gardner
Arden, NC

Rachel Harden
Chapel Hill, NC

Ken & Carol Harrell

Greenville, NC

Mary C. Henderson
Asheville, NC

Pat Hudspeth

Gastonia, NC

Gerrie L. Human
Clemson, SC

Barbara M. King
Raleigh, NC

Susie Lake
Charlotte, NC

John T. McBride
Baton Rouge, LA

R. J. McCormac III

Columbia, SC

Linda McDermon
Rural Hall, NC

Donald P. McGowan

Clemson, SC

Joan Morgan
Surfside Beach, SC

Robert & Mary Morris
Morganton, NC

Tom Mowbray
Lewisville, NC

Toby Newton
Efland,.NC

Helen O'Brien
Raleigh, NC

Kathleen M. O'Grady
Columbia, SC

David Page

Concord, NC

Johnny T. Parks
Ringgold, GA

Jean N. Phillips
Chapel Hill, NC

Robert A. Sargent
Athens, GA

John Snow
Hemingway, SC

Bill & Kaye Stoffel
Pinehurst, NC

Marilue Taylor
Simpsonville, SC

Nancy Truitt
Raleigh, NC

Craig & Susan Watson
Moncks Comer, SC

Marilyn Westphal

Hendersonville, NC

Stephanie Zuk &

Tim Ness
Raleigh, NC

CBC Newsletter is published bimonthly by Carolina Bird Club, Inc., the ornithological society of the Carolinas, with
headquarters at Raleigh, NC. CBC is a nonprofit corporation, founded in 1937, with membership open to anyone interested in
birds, natural history and conservation. Members are encouraged to submit items of interest to CBC Newsletter, Clyde Smith,
Editor, 2615 Wells Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27608. Submission deadline is the 10th of January, March, May, July, September,
and November.

CAROLINA BIRD CLUB, INC.

CB@

Nonprofit Organization
U.S. Post Office
Raleigh, NC
Permit No. 1654

P.O. BOX 29555, RALEIGH, NC 27626-0555