CB@ NEWSLETTER

for members of the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., ornithological society of the Carolinas

Volume 42

September/October 1 996

Backto the Beach

^THSO/v^

Number 5

It’s hack to the Beaufort area for 01
winter meeting, January 24-26, 1997.
However, this time it’s pronounced Bo
fert, as we will be birding around
Morehead City, NC. Our last meeting in
this area was the winter of 1991 . We
were also there the winters of 1989 and
1 980. In 1 99 1 , a total of 150 species
were identified, including Long-billed
Curlew and Common Black-headed,
Iceland and Glaucous Gulls. In 1989,
Red Phalaropes, Little Gull, Thayer’s
Gull and Eurasian Widgeon were seen.

Headquarters for the meeting will be
the Sheraton Resort located at 27 1 7 West
Fort Macon Road (NC 58), Atlantic
Beach. Rates for ocean view rooms are:
single-$39, double-$45, triple/quad-$55
plus a 9% tax. Rooms with king beds are
$10 higher. All rooms have a private
balcony, microwave, refrigerator, and
coffee maker. Tire Sheraton has an
indoor pool, restaurants, exercise room

and a fishing (birding) pier. Reservation
deadline is January 16, 1997. These
special rates cannot be guaranteed after
that date. For reservations, call the
Sheraton at (800) 624-8875. Be sure to
state that you are with CBC or use the
hotel reservation form in this newsletter.

On Friday night, John Fussell will
present a slice program on the local birds
and birding areas. He and Russ Tyndall
are planning the field trips, which may
included Cape Lookout, Bird Shoal and
Croatan National Forest. The

Nominating Committee Named

Members of the 1997 Carolina Bird
Club nominating committee are: Gail
Lankford, chairman, 3208 Plantation
Rd., Raleigh, NC 27609, (919) 833-7741;
John Huggins, 192 Hart Rd., Pisgah
Forest, NC 28768, (704) 877-3843; and
Irvin Pitts, Jr., 1 156 Old Orangeburg
Rd., Lexington, SC 29073,. (803) 957-
2060.

Offices to be filled for which the
incumbent is eligible for reelection
(name of incumbent shown in
parenthesis) are Secretary (Russ Tyndall),
Treasurer (Bert Fisher), and Member-at-

Large (SC) (Bob Maxwell). Offices to be
filled tor which the incumbent is not
eligible for reelection (incumbent shown
in parenthesis) are Vice-president (SC)
(Irving Pitts, Jr.), Member-at-large (ENC)
(Paula Wright) and Member-at-large
(WNC) (Judy Walker). Any member
wishing to volunteer to serve on the
executive committee or recommend a
nominee for one or more of these offices
should contact a member of the
nominating committee. Nominations will
be presented at the 1997 annual business
meeting at Clemson in April.

descriptions of specific trips and
preregistration for them will be included
in the next newsletter.

Fussell is the author of A Birder’s
Guide to Coastal North Carolina and
Finding Birds in Carteret County.

Having grown up in this area, he is an
expert on its birds and where to find
them.

The Saturday evening program will be
presented by Kelly Davis, the host of
Nature Break on the PBS program
Carolina Outdoor Journal. She lives in
Swan Quarter and was the wildlife
biologist at Mattamuskeet, Swan Quarter
and Cedar Island National Wildlife
Refuges from 1980 to 1994. She will
show a composite video from her Nature
Break series on wildlife and wild places
in North Carolina.

More details on the meeting will be
included in the NovemberTDecember
Newsletter. Please preregister by sending
the meeting registration form and your
payment to CBC headquarters. For
further information call Paula Wright
(919) 756-5139 or Gail Lankford (919)
833-7741.

INSIDE

l^ore Care and Feeding 2

Backyard Birding 3

Far Away Places 4

Special field Trip 5

New Members 8

More Care and Feeding of Young Birders

by Judy Walker

Once again it is time to ponder the
question of how you can encourage
youngsters in the art of bird watching.
Whether its a student, son or daughter,
grandchild or just the kid down the street,
here are a few more treasures with which
you can tantalize them.

Let’s start with the tiny feathered gems
which fascinate both young and old like.
Hummingbirds : Jewels in the Sky, by
Esther Quesada Tyrrell (Crown, 1992)
will delight the eye and enlighten the
mind. Packed with wonderful full color
photographs this book introduces the
reader to a variety of hummingbird
species as well as discusses their natural
histories in terms that a child can
understand. The picture of a Bee
Hummingbird sitting on a penny on the
tide page will catch a child’s attention.
And of course the much loved bits of
trivia scattered through the text will keep
them reading.

For those who are intrigued by the
more ‘savage’ side of wildlife Tiger with
Wings: The Great Horned Owl , by
Barbara Juster Esbensen (Orchard, 1991)
will catch their eye. Although the text
does describe the Great Homed Owl as “a
fierce hunter that is often compared to a
tiger” it goes on to tell the reader a lot of
other fascinating information. It explains
why the owl flies silently and talks about
its life cycle. The text is both poetic and
informative but what is truly outstanding
are die illustrations by Mary Barret

Brown. The.drawings are so life like you
are tempted to touch the page to feel the
softness of the owls feathers. Having
worked closely with Great Homed Owls I
tend to be critical of most illustrations.
These however capture the true essence
of the bird. Children will be fascinated by
this owl’s yellow eyes just like they are
when they meet one in person.

On a lighter note and for younger
child, Crinkleroot ’s Guide to Knowing
the Birds, by Jim Amosky (Bradbury
Press, 1992) is a fun beginner’s guide to
identifying birds. Crinkleroot is a lovable
old fellow who speaks directly to the
reader and invites him or her to go along
with him on a bird walk. As they wander
through die woods they learn about
binoculars, bird behavior, parts of the
bird, what some of them sound like and
much more. Jim Amosky is a naturalist
and wildlife artist who has a personal
fondness for birds. Although his
illustrations appear lighthearted and a
little whimsical they convey a lot of
information which kids can readily
understand.

Michael Foreman is one of my favorite
children’s illustrators. His paintings for
Peter ’s Place, by Sally Grindley evoke a
sense of place and movement seldom

seen in children’s nature stories. The
story is about Peter and his special place
where he goes to watch guillemots,
kittiwakes, eiders, terns and other
seabirds of the northeast coast. He loves
his beach but one night disaster strikes as
a storm tosses an oil tanker onto the rocks
near his cove. The rest of the story tells
of how Peter and his neighbors try to
save the oil laden creatures of the sea.

The story is bittersweet but is one
children will be able to understand and
enjoy.

Traveling to another land is always
fun. Following an unusual bird in a
foreign land is intriguing. But did you
know there is a bird in Africa which
might actually come to you and invites
you to follow it? April Pulley Sayre has
some very sound advice for you If You
Should Hear a Honey Guide (Houghton
Mifflin, 1995). If you take it you will
encounter a wild variety of African
wildlife but the reward will be well worth
it. Just don’t forget to thank your guide.

What child hasn’t dreamed of flying
like a bird? With this last book, the
young reader will be able to fulfill that
dream without any broken amis or legs.
Become a Bird and Fly! by Michael
Elsohn Ross is an exercise for the
imagination. When Michael Ross was a
naturalist at Yosemite National Park he
lead people on birdwatching walks.
Sometimes he would lead them to a high
perch where they could look down on the
meadows and forests. He would then ask
them to close their eyes while he helped
them imagine changing into birds. This
book came from those dreams of flying.
The prose and the illustrations by Peter
Pamall, are poetic and evocative. The
reader’s imagination will soar to new
heights with this unusual book.

All of these titles will fascinate readers
both young and old. Its not always
possible to take a child out on a field trip.
Through books, however, you can always
provide them with a personal field trip
which they can enjoy over and over.

After all isn’t that what we do when we
read our favorite bird books?

My heroes have always been
birders, and my first hero was a
woman who moved into our
neighborhood when I was nine. I'd
heard there was something magical
about her, and I went to see for
myself. When I arrived, she was in
the backyard, hanging clothes out on
the line. She talked to me as if she
had known me forever. Then she
said. Til Ire right back." She '
returned from the kitchen with her
apron filled with crumbs. "Watch
this," she whispered. She stepped
out into the middle of the large, open
yard, flanked by deep woods, and
started whistling a high, sweet tune.
Within seconds, dozens of birds
popped out of the woods and
surrounded her as she held out the
two comers of the apron and tossed
the cnimbs high into the air. I
thought surely this must be Snow
White, and I half expected rabbits
and deer to come nuzzle her. The
best part of all, though, except for the
lifetime love of birds she inspired in
me, was that her name was Mrs.
Thrasher.

June 22 brought a brief surprise —
a Blue-Winged Warbler and a
Swainson’s Warbler, plus a Summer
Tanager. Bird bickering had been on
the increase lately, and several times
cardinals flapped wings, locked
talons, and wrestled each other to the
ground. Red wagons full of green
tobacco rolled by, barely fazing the
birds, screeching above the sound of
the tractor engines. In the west yard
I stood still listening for birds for so
long that a Spotted Turtle crawled
out and rested his foot on mine.

Soon sensing I was more than just a
big rock, he turned to go. I went
back to the house and told Bob I’d
been holding hands with a turtle.

July 191 finally admitted to
myself that the bluebird eggs had
been abandoned, but I left them a bit
longer in case some miracle might
occur. Carolina Wrens, Indigo
Buntings, Brown Thrashers, Blue
Grosbeaks, Tufted Titmice, and
Carolina Chickadees visit daily, and
there's always a whole lot of

Backyard Birding

with Martha K. Brinson

"anking" going on from the White-
breasted Nuthatches in the sweet gums.

August 7 American Goldfinches
enjoyed my newest feeder (I now have
43) — an "upside down thistle feeder."
One bully remained perched upright
and waited for the others to swing
upside down. As soon as they did, he
beaked them right in the face or on the
rear end. He appeared to be having a
great time doing this.

August 10, after weeks of cloudy,
rainy days, the sun came out. My crop
of birdhouse gourds is ready to be
harvested. An extra handful of
hummers showed up, with at least five
in view at any time. A molting field
sparrow sang from the phone wire, his
tail bobbing each time he hit his high
trill note. Two large white birds in the
distance flew towards Jordan Lake but
dropped below the treeline before 1
could make them out. Pine Warblers
flitted through the crepe myrtles and
picked at the buds. The sun highlig-
hted their yellow feathers amid the hot
pink flower clusters and bright green
leaves.

But the best surprise of the summer
came with a sudden loud flapping of
wings and a piercing "skeow" so loud it
made me jump. Atop the pecan tree
was a Greenf -backed) Heron, much to
the terror of all the little yard birds who

hit the decks. I ran to get Bob. For 20
minutes the heron called out, extending
its neck each time, before a pair of
perturbed Blue Jays chased it away.
Folks, I was so thrilled, I could not
have been more excited if a Bald Eagle
had come up and rung my front
doorbell.

August 17 an Eastern Wood-Pewee
called as it had for several days.
Brown-headed Nuthatches boldly
finished my shoulder, waiting for me to
fill up the feeders.

On the first of September, 14 car-
dinals appeared at once on the back
patio, and I heard two Bob-whites
calling. *

Merrill Lynch of Apex, NC, wants
to have a little contest to see which
CBC member has the "birdiest" yard.
He suggests a few ground rules for
fairness: count only the birds heard
from your yard and seen in the air
space directly above your yard, “not
viewed in the distant horizon; consider
length of time compiling a yard list
(don't compare a 10-year list to a l-
year); consider size, habitat diversity,
and geographic location (disqualify
yourself if you have unfair advantage,
such as Buxton Woods on the Outer
Banks). Merrill reports 139 species on
2.3 acres in less than two years. He
hopes a full fall migration will help
him reach 200. So let us know if you
can take up Merrill's challenge.

When Judy IJalleron of Harbor
Island, SC, and George built their
house four years ago, they left dead
trees and snags for woodpeckers. In
May a pair of Red-belhed
Woodpeckers drilled a nest hole.
George circled the tree with flashing to
guard against raccoons. By May 17 the
Red-bellieds started taking turns at the
nest. On May 24 there were niuddy
tracks on the flashing, the front of the
nest had been tom away, and broken
eggs were on the ground. The birds
disappeared for a while then returned
and started a new nest hole in July.
George added another circle of flashing
above the first one. On July 19 a
Pileated appeared, only the third they'd
ever had. The Pileated worked its way
up to the Red-bellied's nest hole and
looked in. Judy imagined the fright of
the Red-bellied when it saw such a

(Continued on next page)

Far Away Places . . .

Midway Atoll

Join nearly two million seabirds at
Midway Atoll for the ultimate in marine
birding experiences. Oceanic Society
Expeditions announces the opening of
this unique National Wildlife Refuge and
new natural history tour destination
located 1250 miles northwest of the
Hawaiian Islands. For the first time since
World War II, a limited number of only
30 visitors at a time will be permitted on
Midway Atoll, a convenient, comfortable
and exceptional locale for ocean birding.

Home to the world's largest colony,
430,000 nesting pairs, of Laysan
Albatross, and the second largest colony
of the Black-footed Albatross, Midway
hosts 1 species of seabirds, including the
very rare and endangered Short-tailed
Albatross— a bird which, alone, makes a
trip to Midway worthwhile. Two of these
large and stunningly beautiful birds have
been visiting Midway regularly since the
1980s. The entire remaining population,
500 birds, risks the volcanic fires of
Torishima, a tiny Japanese island which
is all but inaccessible to birders.

Following a 3 1/2 hour flight from
Kauai, guest will enjoy comfortable
accommodations and the luxury of being
surrounded by birds which nest on lawns,
in ironwood trees, on dunes and even
abandoned airstrips from which World
War II aces sallied forth to turn the tide
of the war in one of history’s greatest sea
battles. On Midway, birding action is a
non-stop 24 hour event Since species
and activities do vary from month to
month, OSE and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service publish a Midway
Seabird Calendar to help you plan your
expedition.

Expert birders include Robert Pyle,
Breck Tyler and Stephen Bailey, Ph.D.
Robert Pyle is renowned for his work on
seabirds by his participation in numerous
Christmas Bird Counts, for his work with
the Pacific Project of Smithsonian
Institution and for his published articles
on Midway birds in ‘Elepaio and Our

Living Resources. As a biologist with
Point Reyes Bird observatory in
California, Peter Pyle has completed
extensive field research on seabirds from
the Farallon Islands to Midway Atoll and
has published over 100 articles and
technical papers on birding. Breck Tyler,
from the University of California at Santa
Cruz, is a professor and researcher on
seabirds and pinnipeds and is a projects
leader for wildlife hazard assessment for
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Lastly,
Stephen Bailey, Ph.D., museum director
and curator of the Pacific Grove Museum
of Natural History and adjunct professor
of biology, San Francisco State, has
taught ornithology and led pelagic
birding trips and research expeditions for
twenty years.

Midway ’s bird list, including 34
species of marine birds, totals 98 species
comprised of egrets, ducks, hawks,
shorebirds and songbirds, in addition to
seabirds. The majority are rare bonus
species which vary from year to year, but
prized life list additions may include the
much sought after Common Pochard
from Mongolia, the Gray-tailed Tatler or
the spectacular Steller’s Sea-Eagle, both
from Siberia. Other birds that can be
sighted on a regular basis are the Bonin
Petrel, the Gray-backed Tem and the
Bristle-thighed Curlew from Alaska.

As noted in the June 1996 issue of
Colonial Waterbirds, on Midway you
have a rare chance of hearing or possibly
spotting the Jouanm s Petrel, an
enigmatic species, occasionally seen in
flocks off Arabia but whose breeding
rounds are unknown. In 1993, a mating
call from an underground burrow was
determined to be coming from one of
these puzzling petrels, and is the first
ever record of an attempted nesting.

Abundant and approachable bird life
alone puts Midway in a league with the
Galapagos as a wildlife spectacle, but you
will also have the chance to spend time
observing the rare and endangered
Hawaiian Monk Seal, a resident herd of
Spinner Dolphins, threatened Green Sea

Turtles and a lagoon full of coral reef
fishes which are larger and tamer than
their Hawaiian relatives.

The 8-day birding expeditions will be
seasonally scheduled and cost $2,325 per
person and include round-trip airfare
from Kauai, meals, accommodations and
leadership. For more information on
Midway birding expeditions, contact
Oceanic Society Expeditions in San
Francisco, CA at (800) 326-7491 or (415)
441-1106.

Salton Sea

The first Annual Salton Sea
International Bird Festival will be held
during Presidents’ weekend, February 14-
17,] 997. You cun bin! the “hot spots”
around Salton StMj, Imperial Vallay
and N. Baja California, Mexico with
experienced and informed guides. See

over 100 species in an area that boasts of
five extensive coexisting bird habitats:
agriculture related habitats, Sonoran
Desert, shoreline and ocean (Salton Sea
& Sea of Cortez), Pacific flyway
(migratory birds) and marshes and lakes.

Several world renowned bird
specialists will educate participants
through workshops and slide
presentations on topics such as bird
identification creating backyard habitat,
migration and much more. Invited
speakers in Gene Cardiff, Clayton Fogle,
Bob McKernan, Herbert Williams, Bill
Clark, Kimball Garrett, Arnold Small,
Herbert Clarke, Kenn Kaufman, Phil
Unitt, Claude Edwards Guy McCaskie
and Dennis Wall. Fun and education
children’s activities will take place in a
tent decorated to create the diverse
Imperial Valley habitats. Booths of bird-
related products and exhibits are
conveniently located adjacent to the
conference hall. Registration cost of $45
includes field trips, seminars and
Saturday evening barbecue banquet
dinner with guest speaker.

For information, contact Brawley
Chamber of Commerce (619) 344-3160.

CBC Spring Field Trip

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl in South T exas March 1 5-1 7, 1 997

Leaders: Eric & Celia Dean Limit: 6 participants Cost: $285 + airfare

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl is very high
on the list of most wanted birds for many
North American listers. Late February
through March is an ideal time to find
this bird in south Texas as they are
actively courting and calling. The El
Canelo Ranch, just south of the famous
King Ranch, has an ongoing nest-box
program for these birds, and they are
usually easy to find. This will be a quick
trip mainly to see this species. We will
spend Saturday and Sunday evenings
looking for the owls.

The El Canelo is a 3200 acre working
ranch that also operates as a bed & brea-
kfast. Breakfast and dinner are prepared
by a gourmet cook. Three rooms are
available to accomodate six people. Each
room has two beds. You will experience

the rustic flavor of Texas ranch life in
style!

Plans are to arrive in Harlingen, TX
around noon Saturday. The afternoon
will be spent in and around Brownsville.
Dinner and owl hunt at the El Canelo that
evening. Sunday we will visit Bentsen-
Rio Grande Valley State Park and Santa
Ana NWR. That evening we will again
search for owls after dinner at the ranch.
Monday morning we will visit Laguna
Atascosa NWR before an early afternoon
departure.

Many of the Texas specialties
including White-tailed Hawk, Plain
Chachalaca, White-tipped Dove,

Common Pauraque, Buff-bellied
Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher, Golden-
fronted Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee,

Couch’s Kingbird, Green Jay, Olive
Sparrow and Altamira Oriole should also
be seen during the trip. In January ‘95
we found Hook-billed Kite, Groove-
billed Ani, Tropical Parula and Blue
Bunting.

Registration: To sign up, call Eric
or Celia Dean at (919) 736 7264. Mail
registration form with a deposit of $150
per person to CBC Headquarters after
space is confirmed. Balance due
February 15, 1997.

Cost includes two night’s lodging, all
meals, guide service on the ranch and all
ground transportation. Air transportation
is your responsibility, although we can
help with arrangements.

CBC Executive Committee Retreat

The Carolina Bird Club executive
committee met for its fall planning
retreat August 17, 1996, at Weymouth
Woods Nature Preserve, Southern Pines,
NC.

Bert Fisher reported that the newly
designed daily checklists had been
printed and would be used at the fall
meeting in Beaufort (quantity prices,
inflated primarily by mailing costs, for
the new checklist are shown on the order
form contained in the Newsletter). Judy
Walker distributed draft copies of the
membership directory which will be
printed and distributed as soon as pos-
sible.

An invitation was issued to the
American Birding Association to hold its
June, 2000, meeting in North Carolina,
probably Asheville. CBC’s primary
responsibility will be in obtaining field
trip leaders.

CBC meetings in 1997 were scheduled
in Morehead City, NC, January 24-26;
Clemson, SC, April 25-27; Wilmington,
NC, September 26-28. Meetings in 1998
are tentatively set for Litchfield, SC
(winter), Charlotte, NC (spring), and

Elkin, NC (fall).

With the approval of the executive
committee. President Teddy Shuler
appointed a nominating committee and
bird records committees for North and
South Carolina (see separate reports).

In other action, the committee endorsed
the efforts of the Naturaland Trust of
Greenville, SC, to protect, through a
conservation easement, 2,000 acres of
mountain property adjoining 19,000 acres
already protected by the Greenville Water
System.

An II! Wind . , .

If this Newsletter arrives unusually late
and seems a bit disjointed, blame it on
Hurricane Fran. Raleigh was right in her
path, and the Newsletter had no power
from 9/5 until 9/13 and as of 9/17 still has
no telephone. However, I suspect that
Fran blew in some unusual birds; so I
would welcome comments on your Fran
sightings and observations for the
November/December Newsletter
(deadline November 10). —Clyde Smith

Backyard Birding continued

large eye looking in the hole. When
the Pi Seated went behind the nest hole
and began drilling, Judy shooed it
away. But sadly, the next morning, the
Red-bellieds had abandoned the nest
again. Judy also had a White-winged
Dove from June 28 to July 3, and
George got some good pictures during
its brief stay.

jjj jjj ^ jjc jjij

Since I'm a new member, Beaufort
will be my first CBC meeting, and I am
very excited about going. I look
forward to seeing you there. Now if
you get a spare moment, drop me a line
about the birds in your backyard.

— Martha

4300 Green Level Road, Apex,

NC 27502 (9/6/96)

CBC Rare Bird Alert
(704) 332-BIRD

Notes

A Pat on the Back for
Bert

Bert Fisher, CBC Treasurer, has done
an outstanding job in revising the Carolina
Bird Club daily field check list. The result
is a very attractive, east to read format
with blue highlights. Changes from the
old format include larger type and three
check-off columns to accommodate a
three-day CBC weekend meeting.

The check list will also fit into one’s
shirt pocket and a #10 envelope. They
will be included in the registration packets
at future meetings and in new member
information packets.

Many thanks to Bert for his hard work!

(Bert notes that no one is perfect, so
members will have to write in Blue
Grosbeak : until the next printing of the
check list. )

Bird Records Committees
Appointed

Peter L. Worthington of Simpsonville,
has been reappointed chairman of the
South Carolina Bird Records Committee.
Serving with him will be Robin Carter,
Columbia, John Cely, Columbia, Demi is
M. Forsythe, Charleston, Sidney A.
Gauthreaux, Clemson, Lex Glover,

Lugoff, and Simon Thompson, Try on, NC. -

Harry LeGrande of Raleigh, has been
reappointed chairman of the North
Carolina Bird Records Committee.

Serving with him will be Derb Carter,
Raleigh, Sam Cooper, Wilmington, Ricky
Davis, Zebulon, John O. Fussell, III,
Morehead City, Simon Thompson, Tryon,

The Bird Records Committees set
criteria for acceptance of birds to the state

bird lists, review sightings and publish
their findings in The Chat.

T-Shlrt/Cap Logo Contest

(At the recent executive committee retreat,
Gail Lankford w>as assigned the task of
coming up with a new CBC T-shirt. Being
a creative and imaginative person, she lues
advanced the following idea.)

We had great success, with our first
CBC T-shirts, a colorful Yellow -breasted
Chat on a white shirt. Our president,
Teddy Shuler, has expressed a desire for a
CBC T-shirt in a bright color like purple,
or in several color choices. The chat
design we formerly used will only work
on a white background. So we need a new
design that will work on’ color
backgrounds. Also, how about a CBC cap
or visor?

If you have an idea for a design, draw it
to actual size on paper, color it with
crayon or ink, pin it on a cap or old plain
T-shirt (hopefully in a color that you feel
suits your design) at the actual place on
the front or back of the shirt you think it
should go and bring it to the winter
meeting at Atlantic Beach or mail it to
Gail Lankford at 3208 Plantation Road,
Raleigh, NC 27609. .

We will display your handiwork at the
meeting and let those in attendance vote
for the one they like best. If the winning
design can be successfully printed on a T-
shirt and /or cap, the winner will receive
several of the new T-shirts/caps free and
lots of praise and thanks in a future
newsletter.

All you creative members get busy!

Toll-Free Reporting of
Banded Birds

(The following information was taken from
the “ Back of the Book "feature written by
Vic Venter's in the September, 1996 issue
of Wildlife in North Carolina magazine.
The article is directed primarily to hunters
and / trust tlmt CBC members will
understand and take no offense.. .Editor)

“Reporting banded birds will now be
much easier, thanks to a new toll-free
reporting system.

“If you shoot, find or encounter a
banded bird anywhere in the United

States, Canada or most of the Caribbean,
you may now call 1-800-327-BAND. The
new reporting system is a joint project
between the National Biological Service’s
Bird Banding Laboratory, the Canadian
Wildlife Service’s Office of Migratory
Bird Management, and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service’s Office of Migratory
Bird Management.

“The toll-free number is expected to
improve dramatically reported findings of
banded birds. A 1995 test comparing
band reporting with and without the
telephone number showed a substantial
increase in reported bands when a
telephone number was available.

“Banding data is critical to the
management of many migratory bird
species, particularly hunted waterfowl
species. Biologist can estimate survival
rates, migration patterns and population
characteristics through analysis of band
returns. Both game and nongame birds
are banded by state and federal biologists,
as well as by private banders in North
America, with all information coming into
the national Bird Banding Laboratory for
analysis.

“This year some bands will have the 1-
800 number stamped on them. More than
100,000 mallards will carry the new band
this season, as well as some snow geese.
By the end of next year, the Office of
Migratory Bird Management plans to have
1 -800 bands for most waterfowl species,
as well as for larger nonhunted species
such as hawks, herons and other
waterbirds. Currently, surveys estimate
that only about one-third of banded-
mallards that hunters shoot are actually
reported.

“When a banded bird is shot or
encountered the actual band does not need
to lie returned. Instead, researchers need
the band number, when and where the
banded bird was encountered, and how the
bird was obtained. Hunters or citizens
who report banded birds receive a
certificate of appreciation that tells where
and when the bird was originally banded.
Of course, a band does not have to have a
1 -800 number on it to be reported via the
telephone.

“In addition', you can still report band
numbers by writing the Bird Banding
Laboratory, NBS -Inventory and
Monitoring, 12100 Beech Forest Road,
STE^1037, Laurel, MD 20708-4037.”

Membership Application and Order Form

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Checklists 10/$1.75, 25/$4.25, 50/$8.25, 75/$12, 100/$15

Make check payable to Carolina Bird Club, Inc. and mail to PO Box 2955, Raleigh, NC 27626-0555

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Registration Form

CBC Special Field Trips

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(dav) < ) (evening)

Enclosed is my check in the amount of $ . for the following field trips: South Texas ($150 deposit per

person). 1 have called the appropriate trip leader to ensure that space is available.

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

Sheraton Reservation Form
Carolina Bird Club
Winter Meeting, January 24-26, 1997

Name Address :

City State Zip Telephone No. ( )_

Please reserve single ($39) double ($45) triple/quad ($55) room. I desire a king size bed (add $10). My check

for the first night’s lodging plus 9% tax is enclosed. 1 will arrive ; and depart .

Mail with deposit to Sheraton Atlantic Beach Resort, PO Box 3040, Atlantic Beach, NC 28512 or call 1-800-624-8875,

Fax 919-240-1452

Name(s).

Address_

Registration Form

CBC Winter Meeting, January 24-26, 1997

(list each name for name tags)
City

State Zip

Enclosed is my check in the amount of $ tor member registrations at $6 each, nonmember registrations at

$7 each.

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

Jim & Phyllis Beasley

Steve & Freda Mitchell John D. Stanton

West Columbia, SC

Pendleton, SC

Columbia, NC

Roberta F Cox

Gail & James Outlaw

Steven L. Tracy

Durham, NC

Beaufort, SC

Gastonia, NC

Boh Ellis

Joan Beth Page

M/M Richard G. Tribble

Columbia, SC

Lake View, SC

Lexington, SC

Carol B. Ely

Nick Pulcinella

Phil & Sharon Turner

Fuquay-Varina, NC

Swarthmore, PA

Myrtle Beach, SC

Dave &Fhyl Hanna

Peter Range

Janet R. Virnelson

Columbus, NC

Hartsville, SC

Raleigh, NC

Julie Hoskins

Jamie IE Ross

Life Member

Charlotte, NC

Jacksonville, FL

D. Archibald McCallum

Don & Sue McCullough

Jane E. Ross

Sullivan’s Island, SC

Chapel Hill, NC

Decatur, GA

Chris McGrath

M/M Sebastian C. Sommer

Leicester, NC

Winston-Salem, NC

Doreen Miller

Philip B. Spivey

Franklin, NC

Athens, GA

CBC Newsletter is published bimonthly by Carolina Bird Club, Inc., the ornithological society of the Carolinas, with
headquarters at Raleigh, NC. CBC is a nonprobit 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.

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