for members of the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., ornithological society of the Carolinas Volume 44 May/June 1998 Number 3 Raptor Book Authors to Speak at Fall Meeting A soaring dot, high in the sky reveals little to many birders. In fact, even just spotting raptors is sometimes a chore. Help is on the way at our Hawk Watch Weekend! Mark your calendars now for the weekend of Sept. 25-27, for the fall Carolina Bird Club meeting in Elkin, NC, where we'll have the opportunity to both see and hear about the migrating birds of prey that pass through the North Carolina mountains. "How to Spot Hawks and Eagles" will be the theme of the upcoming fall meeting. Our speakers for Friday evening will be Clay and Patricia Sutton, authors of a book by the same title. The Suttons also have published a similar title, How to Spot an Owl, which will be their topic for the Saturday evening program. Field trips for the weekend will cover a variety of habitats, but the focus will be on places where we can spot migrating hawks. Several trips will be to good sites along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Other excursions will go into the highlands of nearby Virginia, and to reliable spots in North Carolina such as Pilot Mountain. Janies Coman. Ill and other members of the newly organized Blue Ridge Birders will be assisting in planning and leading field trips. If there is enough interest, some birders also will be able to look for migrants while canoeing the New River. Canoe rentals are available on a first-come basis for those without a boat. Contact Dennis Burnette at 336-299-4342 (voice), 336- . 294-9697 (fax), or bumetted@aol.com by e-mail to get on the canoe trip list. Canoeing may not be the best way to spot a hawk, but there will be plenty of other opportunities see and learn about raptors during the weekend. One of our speakers for Friday night. Clay Sutton, is an expert on raptor identification. Clay is a naturalist and the co-author of Hawks in Flight , The Field Identification of North American Migrant Raptors and the National Audubon Society Pocket Guide, North American Birds of Prey. Clay's wife, Patricia Sutton, co-authored both How to Spot Hawks and Eagles and How to Spot an Owl with Clay. Also an expert on raptors, Pat is an accomplished naturalist, writer, and currently the Education Coordinator for the Cape May Bird Observatory, famed for its hawk migration studies. Pat and Clay will talk about spotting owls on Saturday evening after the hawk- watching field trips. If the conditions are right, participants may take an owling excursion at the end of the evening program. Headquarters for the Hawk Watch Weekend will be the Holiday Inn near Elkin in Jonesville just off 1-77. For reservations, call 910-835-6000. Be sure to mention the Carolina Bird Club meeting to get our special rate of $49.00 (plus 6% tax). The rate is available for Thursday through Saturday nights. Future Meeting Dates Winter 1999: Nags Head, NC January 29-31 Spring 1999: Charlotte, NC April 23-25 Fail 1999: Charleston, SC September 24-26 Winter 2000: Beaufort, SC January 28-30 INSIDE !!!!!! Spring Meeting a Tryon Property 3 Backyard Bird in g 4 Financial Report ' 8 Summer Field Trip 6 New Members 8 A Variety of Mountain Birds and Weather Heavy rains, sleet and snow, mixed in with a little sunshine, did not dampen the efforts of 254 registered participants at the spring meeting in Asheville, NC, and it was the second largest registration in CBC history. A total of 167 bird species were recorded during the 37 field trips that featured at least one leader and host on each outing. Among those birds seen were American Golden Plover, Warbling Vireo, Western Sandpiper, Caspian Tern, Peregrine Falcon, Common Loon, Yellow- throated Vireo, Short-billed Dowitcher, Upland Sandpiper, Blackpoll, Cerulean, Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warblers and American Bittern. Simon Thompson gave an outstanding program on target birds of western North Carolina. The Northern Saw-whet Owl was the "featured" bird of the weekend as Tim Milling, graduate student at Appalachian State University led trips to the Devil's Courthouse area of the Parkway. High winds and rain did keep some of the late-night birders from hearing the call, but Thursday night's group had one come extremely close. Saw-whet specialist Dr. Matthew Rowe from ASU presented a thrilling talk with slides on the owl's history, habitat, distribution and future here in the southern Appalachians. The audience was also treated to close-up looks at three live Saw- whets. These birds have been rehabilitated from injuries and are unable to return to their natural habitat. They are part of a special educational program for school children, and it was an opportunity for most of us to get our first look at a live bird from the mountains of North Carolina. Socials were hosted by the Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society of Asheville and shade grown coffee from Counter Culture Coffee of Durham, NC, was served. Fred Houk, co-owner of Counter Culture gave a brief presentation Friday evening on the benefits for birds of shade grown coffee. The registration room featured a book sale with books provided by CBC member Peggy Lasher's Common Grounds. Crafts made by native Central American Indians were on sale - and educational displays were provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's Hiliary Vincent. Kathleen O’ Grady of Columbia, SC, was elected Secretary of CBC at the spring meeting in Asheville, NC. Others elected were President-Bert Fisher, Durham, NC; Vice-President WNC-Charlotte Goedsche, Asheville, NC; Treasurer-Len Par due, Asheville, NC; SC Member-at-Large-V an Atkins, Charleston, SC; ENC Member-at- Large-Lynne Barber, Raleigh, NC; WNC Member-at-Large-John Huggins, Pisgah Forest, NC New Records Committees Appointed The executive committee of the Carolina Bird Club has approved the appointment of new bird records committee chairmen by CBC president Bert Fisher. Chairman of the North Carolina records committee is Simon R. B. Thompson of Skyland, NC. Members of the committee recommended by the chairman and approved by the pre- sident and executive committee are: Harry LeGrand, Jr., Raleigh, NC; Ricky- Davis, Rocky Mount, NC; Mike Tove, Cary, NC; Sam Cooper, Wilmington, NC; Eric Dean, Goldsboro, NC; Roger McNeill, Kansas City, MO; Henry Link, Greensboro, NC; Susan Campbell, Whispering Pines, NC. The chairman of the South Carolina committee is Lex Glover, Lugoff, SC. Members are: Giff Beaton, Marietta, GA; Chris Marsh, Conway, SC; Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte, NC; Will Post, Charleston, SC; Simon Thompson, Skyland, NC; Peter Worthington, Simpsonville, SC. Dr. Matthew Rowe of Appalachian State University introduces a friend to CBC members at the spring meeting in Asheville, NC Use of Tryon Property Under Study The members of the Carolina Bird Club will be asked to determine the future of approximately 77 acres of land owned by the club near Tryon, NC. The club's executive committee unanimously decided at the spring meeting in Asheville to ask members to choose among several options to be defined by the board later this year. In a series of transactions beginning in 1965, the land was given to the club by Helen and Ralph Brown. While they placed no formal restrictions on the gift, Mrs. Brown expressed the wish that the land be maintained as a nature preserve in honor of her first husband, Robert Lee Shuford, Jr. The land is in two mostly wooded tracts, separated by NC 1514 on the edge of Columbus, NC. In the 1990s, FENCE, an equestrian and nature group based in Tryon, proposed a joint venture to develop a nature center on the property. A CBC committee studied the matter and recommended conditions on use of the land which were unacceptable to FENCE. Thecommittee also recommendedthat the land be held as an investment for the future financial needs of the Club, and the executive committee agreed. A 1994 appraisal valued the land at $185,000. On taking office as CBC president last year, Bert Fisher brought up the property's status for renewed consideration, and members of the executive committee visited the site last fall. Many of them at that time supported the idea of preserving the land as a sanctuary. Following Mrs. Brown's death early this year, her son, Robert Shuford, renewed her request that the land be preserved as a sanctuary, and a group of CBC members this spring petitioned the executive committee to meet with representatives of the Pacolef Area Conservancy to discuss CBC's giving to the trust a permanent conservation easement to protect the land from development. Under such an arrangement, CBC would retain ownership of and responsibility for the property. In response to the petition the executive committee voted not to sign a conservation easement with the Pacolet Area Conservancy at this time, but rather to develop options as planned and to put them before the membership for a decision. The committee developing options will be headed by Fisher and will include Van Atkins of Charleston, SC, Lynn Barber of Raleigh, NC, John Huggins of Pisgah Forest, NC, John Wright of Greenville, NC, Len Pardue of Asheville, NC, Simon Thompson of Skyland, NC, and Martha Frederick of Tryon, NC. Articles in the Newsletter will inform members about the choices and voting procedures. Asheville Huggins a committee of local birders created and maintained a Web site; planned, hosted and lead field trips; solicited door prizes; put together registration packets; organized book and crafts sales; and put together an outstanding program. Members were: Harry and Mary Sherwood. Susan Mitchell, Simon Thompson. Len and Esther Pardue. Larry Farer, Jack and Dorothy Hudson. Jo Ann Martin, Ellen and Ira Weigley, Peggy Franklin and Jim Craig. Local businesses contributing door prizes weie: A Day in the Country, BB Bams, Black Dome Mountain Sports, Briggs Garden Center, Common Ground Distributors, Community Mill, Compleat Naturalist, Diamond Brand Camping Center, Everything for the Birds, Feed- Seed Supply, FENCE, Fletcher Lawn and Garden, Fusco's Landscaping, Gallery Crafts, Goose Creek, Green Outdoors Nursery, Harris Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Jesse Israel Garden Center, Lowes, (continued on page 4) . . . more on Spring Meeting in What does it take to be a CBC leader? A CBC LEADER hatJ Just ask John Wright of Greenville, NC (L) and John Huggins of Asheville, NC (R). Although the spring meeting at Asheville had the largest spring meeting attendance ever and the second largest attendance of all meetings, it was probably also the best organized meeting of the Carolina Bird Club. Under the leadership of John and Becky May 8, 1998- Backyard birding is pretty lame this time because no one has shared any stories, sightings or anything else about birding in the backyard. And since we no longer live out in the country, our backyard is rather dull. We have had more birds than we thought we would because of the building going on around us, so we have been pleasantly surprised, however, we don't have the arrangement we had two years ago, so we can't sit out on the deck and study birds. We are rather lax in feeding the ones we do .have because we are leaving in two weeks to spend the summer working (24 hours/week) in a National Forest campground in northwestern Pennsylvania. Perhaps we'll have more time for bird watching. We did, though, have a few interesting birds. One morning in mid-March four Purple Finch males and one female were on the feeder in the front yard and stayed mbst of the day. That was a nice preview to the House Finches which I am sure will be around the neighborhood this summer. In the afternoon, a goldfinch who was starting to get his summer plumage joined the Purple Finches. A week later the first cowbird showed up and a goldfinch in almost complete summer colors arrived. Just down the road from us in someone else’s backyard lies a nice pond that had been inhabited by ten or twelve Buffleheads most of the winter. On March 30, when I went by at 7:00 a.m. on Backyard Birding with Frances J. Nelson my way to work, the ducks were there; when CJ drove by at 10:30 a.m., the ducks were gone, and we haven't seen them since. About the same time we realized that the juncos were gone,, too, or so we thoiught. We hadn't seen any for a few days, but on April 2, two stragglers were in a neighbor’s yard. Two days later a flock of Cedar Waxwings came through but didn't stay long. . On April 21 we began hearing a Red- eyed Vireo. Although we've never seen the bird, we are counting it anyway because we are sure about the song. CJ also saw a hummer that day, but we aren't putting the feeder out because of our trip. We got a taste of how we used to live when we visited Dean and Claudia Specimens for New Museum Exhibits The North Carolina State Museum of Natural Sciences hopes to acquire through a salvage procedure some of the specimens needed in creating the intended exhibits in the new museum now under construction in Raleigh. The following guidelines must be followed when acquiring these salvaged specimens ' (animals dead or mortally injured through no intentional action of the finder): 1) The Museum holds a permit authorizing the salvage of fauna under the jurisdiction of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. A non-staff person who finds a dead animal that might be salvageable should contact the Museum for further instructions. Dusty Wescott (919-733-7405, ext. 413) is the person at' the Museum in charge of handling these acquisitions. 2) The person donating the specimen should sign an accession form or receipt and should clearly document his/her name, address and phone number. Spring Meeting continued . . . Mountain Home Nursery, Raymond’s Garden Center, Reems Creek Valley Nursery, Southern States (Asheville and Naples), True Value Hardware, Valley Agri-Supply, Walker Hardware, Wild Birds Unlimited. Pelczar on April 25. They are CBC members, have our big dog and live about a mile from us at the flicker flies. That was a birder’s paradise. We saw our first Indigo Buntings of the year, heard, then saw, a Summer Tanager, watched goldfinches and hummers flit around the feeders and listened to a distant Ovenbird. The most surprising were White-throated Sparrows-more than a couple-almost in their full breeding plumage. They were gorgeous, but aren't they here a little late? The Pelczars told us they have a resident Pileated Woodpecker, but we missed him that day. But just being able to sit on the deck and watch birds at feeders was nostalgic and wonderful. The next day, our neighborhood Summer Tanager moved to our yard so that was a welcomed addition. Now we ■hear him "pitichucking” every morning first thing. However, our big day was May 6, when a Green Heron and several Chimney Swifts flew over the house and several Blue-gray Gnatcatchers moved into our trees. They made us think that our yard might not be so bad after all, but May 7 cinched it. We heard an Eastern Towhee and a Great Crested Flycatcher. Just to entice us a little more, today while I was busy working on my column, CJ hear a quail, an Indigo Bunting and a cuckoo, which his mother call a rain crow in Oklahoma. We may like it here in spite of the close quarters. We're leaving on the twentieth for Pennsylvania, but our mail will be forwarded. For now snail mail will have to suffice: 2061 Ferbow Street, Creedmoor, NC 27522 because we aren't sure e-mail will be available. Have a birdy summer. £Fr explaining the problem. Carolinaleps was created on 29 September 1997 and currently (1 May 98) has about 70 subscribers. Enjoy! . . . Jeff Pippen, listowner Membership Application and Order Form Name ; ■ Address ' ' ■ (If family membership, give name of each person included.) City. . State Zip Tel.. ( ) ( (home) E-mail address ~ ; ) (business) Enter/Renew Membership As Indicated: Individual ($15) _ Affiliate Club ($20) Family ($20) Contributing ($35) Student ($10) Patron ($50) Library /Institution ($15) Life ($250) Send Materials Indicated: CBC Cloth arm patch $2.00 ea. _ CBC Decals (vinyl stick-on) $2.00 ea., $1.75 ea. in quanity Checklists 10/$ 1.75, 25/S4.25, 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 Registration Form CBC Summer Field Trip Name(s) Address Citv State Zip Telephone ( ) (day) (-. ) (evening) Enclosed is my check in the amount of $ for participants in the Shorebirding at Bird Shoal field trip ($10.00 each). I have called the 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 Holiday Inn Reservation Form Carolina Bird Club Fall Meeting, September 25-37, 1998 Name • - - ; , - Address .City State Zip Telephone Number during day ( ) ■ Telephone during evening ( ) Please reserve room(s) for occupants. Arrival . Departure . My check for the first night’s lodging is enclosed. Room rate: $49.00 plus 6% tax (1-4 occupants) - Mail with deposit to Holiday Inn of Jonesville/EIkin, P.O. Box 66, Jonesville, NC 28642 or call (910) 835-6000 for reservations. Mention that you are requesting reservations for the Carolina Bird Club meeting. Name(s). Address. Registration Form CBC Fall Meeting, September 25-27, 1998 (list each name for name tags) City L State Zip. Telephone ( ) (dqy) ( ) (evening) Enclosed is my check in the amount of $ for member registrations at $6 each and nonmember registrations at $7 each. Registration at the meeting is $10 for members and $11 for nonmembers. Mail with check payable to Carolina Bird Club, Inc., PO Box 29555, Raleigh, NC 27626-0555 CBC Newsletter Published bimonthly by Carolina Bird Club, Inc. President: Bert Fisher, 61 4 Chapel Dr, Box 90572, Durham, NC 27708-0572, 91 9-681 -621 7 (W), 919-932-9870 (H), E-mail: bert.fisher@duke.edu Vice Presidents: Charlotte Goedsche, Asheville, NC Gail Lankford, Raleigh, NC Andrea Ceselski, Irmo, SC Sect: Kathleen O’Grady, Columbia, SC Treas: Len Pardue, Asheville, NC NC Members-at-large: John Huggins, Pisgah Forest, NC JoAnn Martin, Ellenboro, NC Lynn Barber, Raleigh, NC Bob Holmes, New Bern; NC SC Members-at-large: Van Atkins, Charleston, SC Bob Maxwell, Greenville, SC Immediate Past President: Teddy Shuler, Beech Island, SC Editor of The Chat: Bob Wood, Columbia, SC Editor of CBC Newsletter: Clyde Smith, 2615 Wells Ave, Raleigh, NC 27608, 919-781-2637, E-mail: Smith82534 @ aol.com Headquarters Sect: Tullie Johnson, PO Box 29555, Raleigh, NC 27626-0555 Welcome New Members == Michael & Missy Ayers Pfafftown, NC Russell P. Bradlaw Swannanoa, NC Laura & Steve Burrows Raleigh, NC Steve & Elizabeth Ellis Gastonia, NC Pamela L. Fandrich Savannah, GA Kaye Fenlon Central, SC James Gibbons New Bern, NC' Bill & Eileen Guptill Charleston, SC Eugene & Jean Howard Evans, GA Rod & Jane McClanahan Mars Hill, NC Doug & Sarah McCubbins Weaverville, NC Joyce & Randy McCurchy Winston-Salem, NC Joseph Austin Nielsen Staten Island, NY Steve & Elizabeth Smith Myrtle Beach, SC Deceased Annie W. Bristow Columbia, SC Least Tern Nesting Survey in SC During May the South Carolina Dept, of Natural Resources will be conducting a state wide survey and census of Least Tern nesting. Biologists are particularly interested in rooftop nesting sites which support a large proportion (75%) of the state’s nesting and are difficult to locate through traditional survey techniques. In the past, many important nesting sites have been located through tips from the birding community. If you see or hear Least Terns in the vicinity of a flat-roofed building (grocery store, K-Mart,. ect.) in SC, please contact Mark Dodd at (843) 546-3226 or by e-mail at mdodd@pop.scdnr.state.sc.us. Carolina Bird Club, Inc. OB© SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES 3 9088 01273 2780 P.O. Box 29555, Raleigh, NC 27626-0555 Nonprofit Organization U.S. Post Office Raleigh, NC Permit No. 1654 3000 E 0 142 SMITHSONIAN LIBRARIES NHB 25-MRC 154 WASHINGTON DC 20560 CBC Newsletter is printed on 100% recycled paper with 60% post-comsumer content