Newsletter Volume 46 for members of the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., ornithological society of the Caroltnas ^A\iHkA/^ October/November 2000 Number 5 ^ * v\ . OCT 1 6 200*3 ) TlVjC^tcliCrS n^J.ibrari^ llyA'"'e °,sen Breeb in iicrfaCAroiin* On June first Eric Olsen spotted a pair of scissor-tailed flycatchers on his parent’s farm just south of Monroe, North Carolina. It took five more days before they were seen again. This time both Blayne and Anne Olsen saw them. The following morning Anne found the beginnings of a nest in a high-tension tower that sits near one of their pastures. This proved to be the beginning of much excitement among North Carolina birders as it was the first recorded nesting of scissor-tailed flycatchers in North Carolina. News of the scissor-tailed nesting spread fast thanks to the CarolinaBirds listserv and the rare bird alert. Blayne estimates that about 200 birders have visited the farm and have enjoyed seeing the birds catching insects, sitting on the nest, and finally feeding the young. Visitors have come from as far away as Richmond, Virginia and Atlanta, Georgia. There was even one gentleman from Texas, but he was visiting friends in Monroe. For many this was a ‘lifer’. For others it was a first for North Carolina. One young birder remarked that this was a good bird to have for a beginning birder. I think he has caught the birding fever for life. It sometimes took a lot of patience until the birds showed up. It was typical for them to hunt for insects over quite a distance. But when they did choose to scour the area for food, observers were treated to quite a wonderful sight as the birds swooped low over the fields. They were often seen sitting on the low fences or in the grove of chinaberry tre”es in the pasture. One of the more exciting displays was when the male decided to chase off various intruders. No bird was too big for the scissor-tail. He was observed at different times chasing off a black vulture, a turkey vulture, a red-tailed hawk, and a great egret. After he successfully chased off the black vulture, the male scissor-tail flew up in the air twisting and swooping in what can only be described as a ‘victory dance’. The first weekend of July the babies hatched, right on schedule and they fledged early morning July 15th. Since then everyone has been treated to the • parents trying to keep up with and feed three youngsters. The young look like their parents with the exception of having very short tails. During the first week they have been observed to be gaining in strength and their flying ability has definitely improved. Blayne and 1 enjoyed meeting birders who visited our farm as much as we enjoyed watching the scissor-tails. We wish we could have met everyone, but are happy to hear that you all enjoyed your visit. Thanks to everyone who has helped in keeping track of the birds. As of this writing, July 23rd, the birds are still here but getting harder to see as the young are more adventurous. We hope the birds return next year for a repeat performance. r Winter Meeting 2001 Meet Me m h\erehc*£> £\Xx\\ The Carolina Bird Club will return to Morehead City, NC for its Winter Meeting in 2001 - January 26, 27 and 28. Headquarters will be at the Sheraton Atlantic Beach Oceanfront Hotel [2717 W. Fort Macon Rd., PO. Box 3040, Atlantic Beach, NC 28512 Phone: (252) 240-1155 or 1 (800) 624-8875. Rates: Oceanview single/double @$59.0; Oceanview triples/quads @ $65.00; $10 charge for king beds. Room Tax: 9.00% All reservations must be guaranteed by credit card or advanced payment of first night's room and tax. 72 Hour Cancellation policy] Field trips are currently being planned and will be reported on in the next Newsletter. Special emphasis will be on finding wintering waterfowl. Those of you who attended the 1997 meeting will recall the close-up views we got of a Common Eider at the Morehead waterfront. Morehead trips also often reward us with one or more species of rare gulls. The variety of habitats available include pine savannah in the Croatan Forest as well as salt marshes and ocean beaches. For various reason, an off-shore trip for pelagic birds is not being scheduled, but there will be trips to Cape Lookout. You can expect good birding and good evening programs at the Morehead City Winter Meeting 2001 . Mark your calendars now for January 26-28 and watch for details in the next newsletter and on the Carolina Bird Club web site. -Bob Holmes 1 The Tree Warblers C&Wt Resist! By Ginger Travis Will Cook’s list of plants to attract birds (www.duke.edu/~cwcook) got me thinking happily about THE consistent warbler-magnet in my Orange County yard. Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum ) is an understory and edge tree in piedmont forests, and it’s buggy the year round, full of insect eggs, caterpillar tents and little green worms. Of the 25 warbler species I’ve seen in my yard (a clearing in the woods), most were foraging in sourwood, especially migrants - and the most memo- rable, on Sept. 16, 1998, was a male golden winged! are my top 10 reasons for loving sourwood: Graceful, arching form if grown in the open — everything about it neat, sometimes even quite elegant, including the leaves. A small grove would look great around a rock outcrop or boulder pile. Small to medium size — will never crush your house, car or you if it falls in a hurricane. Roots are not intensely competitive with your garden shrubs and flowers, in contrast to maple and dogwood. And its shade is light and airy, not dense. You could grow this tree on the edge of your garden as a transition to a wooded area. Might even make a nice tree near a townhouse. Has beautiful sprays of white flowers in early summer. Fall color outstanding — and leaves begin turning very early (the first one or two leaves go red in July). The very tough, non-splitting wood bends but almost never breaks. Old-timers used sourwood as tool handles and runners for stone-boats. Standing dead, dry sourwood makes good firewood. From sourwood nectar comes the most prized honey of all! Butterflies are attracted to sourwood flowers. Small animals find shelter in old, hollow sourwood trunks. Birds are crazy about sourwood. Hummingbirds pluck tiny spiders from it and sit on its twigs (and even nest in it, says Nancy Iha), kinglets and chickadees pick through the spent flower clusters in early winter; creepers and woodpeck- ers probe the bark, and vireos and warblers act like a sourwood tree is a three- star restaurant holding an all-you-can-eat night! In his book, Growing and Propagating Showy Native Woody Plants , Richard Bir says you can propagate sourwood from softwood cuttings. (Every birder with a garden should own a copy of this excellent book.) Sourwood is rarely if ever found in garden centers, but Sharon Funderburk says We-Du Nurseries has it: Route 5, Box 724, Marion, NC 28752-9338. Phone: (828) 738-8300. Web: www.we-du.com. And you can find a long list of native plant sources compiled by the North Carolina Botanical Garden at www.ncwlps.org/sources (web address courtesy of Tim Lewis, who has observed NC DOT employees planting sourwood along roadsides near Asheville). Everyone’s future should have sourwood in it - if not a warbler-filled tree, then at least a quart of honey! Ginger Travis, Orange Co., NC Here 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Binding the CBBT from page 3 Once permission is obtained to “make brief stops to view waterfowl” it is im- portant to follow a few rules. Turns on and off of the islands must be made via right turns only. Under no circum- stances may persons cross the metal guardrail surrounding the islands (even if the Harlequin Ducks snuggle up to a rock out of view, which they frequently do!). These and other rules are ex- plained in the letter of permission. Cur- rently the toll to cross the bridge each way is $10 per car. It is possible to enter .from one direction and not pay a toll in the opposite direction as long as you do not pass the tollbooth on the far side. You may want to check in advance of your trip to ensure the islands are open to visitation. Occasionally one or more islands are closed due to maintenance needs. Winter temperatures on the CBBT are often quite cold. The proximity to the cool oceanic water and lack of wind- breaks often makes the islands feel much colder than areas on the adjacent main- land. Layered winter gear is a must for anyone wishing to spend much time out- side of their car. Occasionally the winter brings warm, mild days but these are the exceptions. Weather on the mainland can be misleading. Recently my wife and I spent an afternoon on the bridge bundled in heavy down coats, hats, and gloves. A few hours later we were in jeans and a light jacket in Virginia Beach. Conversely summer birders should pack plenty of water and sun- screen, there is little shade on any of the islands, and beverages are only available at the store on island #1 .- Overall the CBBT offers spectacular vistas, close-up views of ocean-going vessels, beautiful sunsets and sunrises, and of course great birding. Hope to see you there! FYI: Flipsticks: I received'a lot of inquiries at the CBC meeting in Blowing Rock about my “flipstick.” For those not on a field trip with me, a flipstick is a walking stick with a seat that flips open so you can sit and rest after you’ve been birding awhile. It’s great for those with bad backs or knees! I called and confirmed that Wandering Tattler, a catalog company owned by birders in California, is still selling them. Currently, the flipsticks aren’t in their catalog, but after my comments on the interest I got over the weekend, they are planning to put it back in! Wandering Tattler’s number is 1-800- 231-9209. The flipstick costs $35 plus $6.50 for shipping and handling. You can order one in green or black. Enjoy and happy birding! Karen Bearden 2 Birding the CViesAf>CAke Bav| Bridge Tunnel While slightly outside of the Carolinas geographically, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) is a frequent des- tination for Carolina birders. Birders flock to the bridge during the winter for some of the best lariad viewing on the East Coast, and throughout the year for migrant passerines, occasional pelagic specialties and spectacular scenic views. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) is a 17.6 mile bridge-tunnel complex that connects Virginia’s Tide- water region to the Delmarva Peninsula. The bridge-tunnel crosses the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay at its meeting point with the Atlantic Ocean. The main at- traction to birds, and birders, are the is- lands that create entrances to the two mile-long tunnels. Each man-made is- land is approximately 10 acres in size, is surrounded by 1 .8 million tons of rock, and stands 30 feet above the water. The position of the complex at the mouth of the nutrient-rich Chesapeake Bay, as well as the lack of mammalian preda- tors, make each rocky island an attrac- tive place for many birds to rest and feed. Spring &■ Fall In addition to species typically seen along the eastern coastline during these seasons, the. CBBT can be a productive location for observing migrants, espe- cially in the fall when migrating passe- 'rines are funneled down Virginia’s Delmarva Peninsula to face a 1 7 mile water crossing before they can resume their southward migration. The four is- lands in the CBBT complex provide handy rest stops to many birds uncom- fortable with crossing large bodies of water. Passerines can often be seen hop- scotching from one island to the next as they cross the bay. The CBBT’s bird list includes a “Who’s Who” of eastern mi- grants; nearly all of the regularly occur- ring neo-tropical migrants in the. south- east have been seen on the islands at one time or another. Spring migration is of- ten not as pronounced, but may still be productive as migrants rush northward to occupy prime breeding territories Winter Many birders consider the CBBT to be a winter birding hotspot, and it could be argued that winter is the time when the CBBT really shows its stuff. Widely considered to be one of the prime spots on the East Coast to view gulls, the CBBT rivals such big names as Conwingo Dam and Hatteras point. Gulls come by the thousands to roost on the islands and search for sustenance in the rich estuarial waters flowing from the bay. Frequently one or more species of rare gull are present, and a good day in January can generate a list of gull spe- cies that includes Iceland, Glaucous, and Lesser Black-backed in addition to the scores of Herring, Great Black-backed Gulls, and Bonaparte’s Gulls, and the thousands of Ring-billed Gulls. Occa- sionally a super-rarity appears like the Black-tailed Gull or Yellow-legged Gull appears. A Black-tailed Gull has fre- quented the CBBT islands for the past several winters. As long as this bird continues to return, the CBBT may be the best place in the ABA area to study this species! In addition to the gulls, the CBBT is often a showcase for waterfowl. Sea ducks find the shoals created by the is- lands to be prime feeding grounds. Oldsquaw in crisp breeding plumage of- ten form large rafts in the channels be- tween the islands. The area is scoter- watchers dream-come-true as all three species are usually present. Surf and Black predominate, but White-winged are commonly seen. Rare ducks such as the Harlequin Duck and Common and King Eiders make fairly frequent winter appearances. Both species of scaup can be compared and contrasted at leisure. Winter also brings Purple Sandpipers to the rocks surrounding each island. Great Cormorants occupying prominent rocks. and gannets plunge-feeding in the Atlan- tic or the bay. Summer Summer is arguably the slow season on the CBBT. Many of the migrant pas- serines* sea ducks, and gulls from the other seasons are busy defending territo- ries and carrying out breeding activities hundreds of miles to the north. Most days bring more pleasure boats to the waters around the islands than birds. But the appearance of a tropical weather system off the eastern coast, especially one that passes close offshore, can bring pelagic species within sight of birders on the CBBT’s islands. Herald Petrel, Black-capped Petrel, Wilson’s Storm-Pe- trel and several species of shearwater have been seen from the complex after the passage of tropical storms and hurri- canes. Of course it should be noted that extreme caution should be used when at- tempting to bird any coastal location af- ter a tropical system. The bridge does close during high winds, so a call to the bridge authority can stem any disap- pointment due to closures. Logistics Logistically, birding the CBBT re- quires some advanced planning. Of the four CBBT islands only one, island #1, is open to the general public. This southernmost island lies only about a mile and a half from the Virginia Beach shoreline. This island contains a fishing pier, restaurant and gift shop. While few birds are normally present around #1, the restaurant and restrooms are conve- nient to birders spending time on the bridge. In fact, these are the only restrooms available on the structure, and exiting requires the payment of another toll to re-enter. The restaurant is open early for breakfast and can provide a well-earned cup of coffee after a chilly January morning of birding. Islands 2, 3 & 4 are accessible only by permit andi of course, these are the islands typically occupied by the most wanted birds! Fortunately access to birders is available by applying for a free letter of permis- sion from the bridge authority. The let- ter, good for a calendar year, is available by calling (757) 331-2960 during normal business hours, or writing to the CBBT at PO Box 111, Cape Charles, VA 23310-0111. Continued on page 2 3 The LASt Two Birbs by Keith Camburn For the last 21 years I have been try- ing to see all the North American breed- ing birds and last September out of Monterey, California, I finally, after nine tries, had excellent looks at three Craveri’s Murrelets. I then realized that there were only two more North Ameri- can breeding birds that I could chase: Gray-headed Chickadee and Whiskered Auklet. The Chickadee, a cavity nester, resides from northern Eurasia across into northern Alaska and Canada. Due to its limited breeding range and the difficulty of reaching that range it is a very difficult bird to see in North America. The Whiskered Auklet breeds on islands ranging from eastern Siberia to the Baby Islands, just east of Unalaska Island in the Aleutian chain. In November I decided to head to Alaska and attempt to see these last two birds. For some time I had been gather- ing information on the best way to see the Chickadee. Charlottean Heathy Walker had flown to Kelly Bar north of Kotzebue several years ago & found the bird immediately but landing conditions at that location have changed. Pilots are no longer flying birders to the area. On Brian Patteson’s overnight pe- lagic trip in July of 1999, 1 discussed finding the Chickadee with Arkansas birder Helen Parker who had been suc- cessful several years ago in finding the Chickadee near the mouth of the McKenzie River in Canada. Unfortu- nately, birders in recent years have vis- ited that location without success. Helen recommended I contact Bob Dittrick who runs Wilderness Birding Adventures. He had successfully guided birders in 1997, 1998, & 1999, to active Chickadee nests. In December I signed up for Bob’s June 9-13, 2000 trip. The Whiskered Auklet chase is less complicated as one ‘simply’ needs to catch a commercial flight to Dutch Har- bor (the official name is Unalaska.and the International Port of Dutch Harbor), secure a motel room, make reservations with a boat captain who takes birders out the 30 miles to the Baby Islands, and hope the weather will cooperate. On June 8th I rendezvoused with old birding friend Mike Mulligan from Alberta at the Fairbanks airport. That morning we met up with other Chicka- dee hopefuls Dr. Craig Roberts, Dave Trochlell, and Dave Quady. That after- noon we met up with Bob Dittrick, his assistant Tim Schantz, and additional Chickadee hopefuls. Bill Howard, Chris Schillig, and Will Walker, Bob carefully examined our backpacking equipment to determine if we had proper clothing to ensure our comfort and safety on our five-day backpacking trip. In the spring Bob had sent us a “mandatory” equip- ment list and he needed to verify that we had followed AFF of his recommenda- tions. At that meeting each of us was given an additional 14 pounds of “group” equipment (e.g., food, cooking utensils, etc.) to carry. On June 9th the eight of us joined Bob and Tim at the airport to climb aboard a 10-passenger Cessna Caravan for our one-hour and forty-five minute flight to Arctic Village within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. After flying over the White Mountains and the spectacular Yukon River, we landed on a gravel air- strip at Arctic Village which is a native Athabascan settlement whose “terminal” consists of a 30-year-old, abandoned AirStream trailer. Our bush pilot Don was ready and waiting for. Bob, Mike, and I took the first 45 -minute shuttle in . his 4-person Cessna. We flew up a spectacular river valley on the south side of the Brooks Range, went over a pass, and continued down into the Canning River drainage. Words can not describe the physical magnifi- cence of this region of our country as seen from a small airplane. As we ap- proached our destination, a high tundra bluff above the Marsh Fork of the Can- ning River, Don flew low over the tun- dra and stated that he was looking to see if Grizzly Bears had dug any holes in the “runway.” I had not yet seen any “run- way” but soon realized Don was going to land “directly” on the tundra. That was a new experience forme as I have always flown on airplanes, big and small, which landed on runways. It took several hours for Don to make the four shuttles required between Arctic Village and the Marsh Fork to deliver all 10 of us and our gear to the river. Then as Don flew back up the river valley and out of sight for the next five days, the 10 of us stood there, surrounded by snow- capped mountains and singing American Tree Sparrows, facing the daunting task of crossing an ice-filled, one-half mile wide river. I knew that I was not in Gastonia anymore. Bob then gave us a lecture on Grizzly Bears and tundra bathroom etiquette. Both he and Tim had guns but we were told up front they would only shoot the bear if it made body contact which was not a very comforting thought. At our camp we would have plastic bags which contained toilet paper, matches, and a small trowel. When we had to “go” we were instructed to walk into the tundra (very flat, with no trees to “hide” be- hind: Get the picture?), dig a hole, “go”, burn the toilet paper, and refill the hole using the trowel. Now does not that sound like fun? Spring was late in the Brooks Range and Bob had warned us that our river crossing could be exciting. Since the Chickadee nesting area was on the other side of the river all of us gladly followed Bob onto the ice. Crossing river proved to be both a little daunting and scary. Our crossing conditions included walk- ing: 1) on solid ice; 2) through beautiful and unique forms of slush and ice crys- tals; 3) through shallow “riverlets” run- ning on top of the ice; and 4) through shallow or not-so-shallow icy water, running over rocks and gravel. The wa- ter was so cold that after wading in it for just 20 feet my legs stung and ached with a pain I had never before experi- enced. To increase stability we got into groups of three and firmly grasp the top of the other two backpacks, lower our rears to lower our collective center of gravity, and carefully and slowly move across as a hopefully more stable unit. Another hazard we faced while crossing were the variously sized, moving ‘river burgs’, which left more than one of us with bloody & aching shins. It took two hours for the group to traverse the river. The only casualty was Dave Quady’s camera which was briefly submerged when he slipped into the icy water. On the morning of June 10th we left camp with packs full of water, lunch, and rain gear and headed over a pass which lead into an adjacent river valley where Bob had found four active nests in the summer of 1999. After a two-hour hike Bob located one of the 1999 nesting cavities. We all quietly assembled in Continued on Page 5 4 Last Two Birds from page 4. front of the cavity and tried to patiently wait for our life bird to emerge. After 10, 15, and 20 minutes, with no Chickadee, I was naturally getting nervous as al- though this was a wonderful trip in beautiful country, I still needed to see the Chickadee so my stomach could unknot. When Bob determined the cav- ity was not active, all sorts of terrible thoughts starting going through my head. Bob then led us a short distance to a second cavity which was also active in 1999. Just before we reached the cavity I heard Bob say something I could not un- derstand but I saw people rapidly mov- ing in his direction. Yes, there in front of us was a Gray- headed Chickadee at a new cavity site. We gleefully watched and cameras clicked as the male brought food to the female who was sitting on eggs. Periodi- cally she would emerge from the cavity for a few minutes to forage for herself. Although this is not a dramatic or color- ful bird it is truly elegant with its subtle shades of white, gray, and black. Evi- dently these Chickadees can survive the harsh winter by both roosting in cavities on extremely cold nights in a state of semi- hibernation and by storing food throughout the year in crevices. We returned to camp tired but elated after our successful seven-mile hike. Have I mentioned that it was nearly 80 F and there was not an insect in sight? Not only were we not wearing our warm clothes or using insect repellant, but shorts and t-shirts would have been more appropriate. Morning temperatures ranged from 48 to 55 F. Bob kept telling us the weather was uncharacteristically ' warm but mosquitoes in this area do not generally get bad until July. We returned to camp and spent a sec- ond night on our tundra bluff. We spent the next two days hiking up the river valley to our take-out location while en- joying Dali Sheep and Grizzly Bear “signs” but no bears. We walked through one area of car-sized boulders, where Grizzlies had worn a zig-zag path as they walked through this boulder field evidently using the boulders as scratch posts. And yes, we had to cross the river once again, but we crossed on a long di- agonal and the water had dropped sig- nificantly since our arrival. As we hiked up the.river we were in constant sight of displaying Wandering Tattlers. We reached the take-out location early on our fourth day so we had plenty of time to explore the surrounding moun- tains and rest from carrying our 45+ pound backpacks. On June 1 3th Don re- turned with his Cessna and it took three trips for him to return all eight of us back to Arctic Village. Bob and Tim stayed behind as they starting an 1 1-day raft trip down the Canning River the next day. When we returned to Arctic Village the weather had deteriorated and when our 10-passenger Piper Navajo ar- rived from Fairbanks the pilot threw a baggy full of ‘stuff’ onto the ground. Evidently the flight up to Arctic Village had been a “little” rough. Upon arriving back in Fairbanks, Mike and I met Ron Cicerello from Ken- tucky for the drive back to Anchorage and the second leg of our trip. On June 17th the three of us boarded an Alaska Airlines flight to Dutch Harbor. Our two-hour flight took us over beautiful mountains, glaciers, and coastal areas and the approaching sight of Unalaska Island was awe inspiring as its snow- capped mountains plunge directly into the sea. Immediately upon getting settled in our room, I called Captain John Lucking of Far West Outfitters who owns the 32- foot Suzanne Marie. I had made reserva- tions back in January for his six-hour Whiskered Auklet trip to the Baby Is- lands. John informed me that he had been out in the Bering Sea that morning halibut fishing and had experienced 15- foot seas and we would have to wait for the ocean conditions to improve. When I had initially planned this trip birders had recommended staying a minimum of four nights in Unalaska be- cause of the unpredictable ocean condi- tions. We certainly followed that advice and were ready and willing to wait out the weather. We spent the rest of the day as well as the next two days driving the few roads and taking hikes up into the mountains. Common birds on the island . include Snow Bunting, Pigeon Guillemot, Bank Swallow, Lapland Longspur, Black Oystercatcher, Savan- nah Sparrow, Black-legged Kittiwake, Glaucous-winged Gull, Common Raven, Bald Eagle, and the large Aleutian sub- species of the Gray-headed Rosy-Finch. Since the weather did not improve on our 2nd or 3rd day on the island and I was getting nervous. On the evening of the 3rd day I called John and he thought we would be able to get out the next morning and we should be at his boat by 9:00 AM. We packed up our gear and checked out of Carl’s in hopes of being able to fly back to Anchorage after our Auklet trip on a late afternoon flight. We arrived at the boat dock early and were very concerned with the strong winds whipping through the harbor but once we entered open water the ocean was calm. John commented on the ex- cellent ocean conditions considering the last few days. We all felt lucky as other birders had been on the island during our stay and had to leave without seeing the Auklet. Once we neared the Baby Is- lands, after a 90-minute trip, we started seeing flocks of small, dark birds flying in close formation near the surface of the water. John informed us that they were flocks of Whiskered Auklets. In short time he positioned the Suzanne Marie in the rip currents where the Auklets feed and we had them “popping” up within 15 feet of the boat. John slowly moved the boat between and around the six Baby islands and we were surrounded by thousands of Tufted Puffins and Whis- kered Auklets. Seeing thousands of Auklets feeding near the boat was truly a thrill. Additional birds seen were North- ern Fulmar, Red-faced Cormorant, An- cient Murrelets, Horned Puffin, and Common Eider. Upon returning to the dock we headed to the airport and managed to get stand- by seats on a 5:00 PM flight back to An- chorage. After seeing the Whiskered Auklets my emotions oscillated between happiness, joy, relief, and even sadness. During 21 years of birding I had birded in 49 states, driven more than one car into the ground, visited some of the most spectacular areas in the U.S., visited one too many landfills, and birded with some very unique and sometimes strange people. Now I need to focus on seeing some really ‘difficult’ birds like the Ber- muda Petrel. Keith Cambum Gastonia, North Carolina camburn @ charlotte. infi .net 5 C«M*d1mA Birfc Club Treasurer’s Report The Carolina Bird Club received $28,543 in operating income in the year 1999. That included dues, meeting fees, t-shirt and cap sales, miscellaneous in- come and $1,500 from General Endow- ment income to pay expenses for life members. In the same year, the club's operating expenses totaled $32,197. These expen- ditures included costs of publications, administration, meetings, the Rare Bird Alert, insurance, $1,186 for new club decals, maintenance of the club's land nearTryon, N.C., and $1,070 for legal fees, closing costs and an appraisal asso- ciated with the sale of the land. The im- balance of $3,654 between operating in- come and operating expenses was de- ducted from accumulated endowment in- come. Membership dues were increasedfor the year 2000 to bring the club's expenses and income into balance. As of 12/31/99, the club's three en- dowments stood as. follows: General Endowment, $34,668.45 in principal, $4,018.67 in accumulated income. The endowment is the reposi- tory for life-membership dues and half of a yearly gift of 10 percent of the roy- alties from sales of the book. Birds of the Carolinas, by Eloise F. Potter, James. E. Parnell and Robert P. Teulings. The principal may not be spent; income may be spent at the executive committee's discretion. The General Endowment is held in Vanguard money-market and GNMA funds. Income last year totaled $2,126.67. Haymaker Endowment (now in- cluding proceeds from the property sale), $ 1 5 1 ,204.25 in principal, $20,974.82 in accumulated income. The endowment is the result of a bequest by Richard E. Haymaker in honor of his mother, Emma Vogelgesang Haymaker. The Haymaker Endowment is invested in Vanguard 500 Index, GNMA and money-market funds. Income last year totaled $3,856.92. Expenditures totaled $2,256 (for decals and expenses associ- ated with sale of the property). Birds of the Carolinas Endow- ment, $8,330.51 in principal, $13,366.38 in accumulated income. This endowment receives the other half of the annual gift of 1 0% of the royalties of Birds of the Carolinas. The principal may not be spent. Income may be used for scholarships for students in the Caro- linas studying ornithology. Income last year totaled $1,267. The club granted its first scholarship for $350 to Kate A. Miskell of East Carolina University for research on nighttime orientation of singing male Northern Mockingbirds in relation to bright ambient light sources. Submitted by Patricia Earnhardt Tyndall, Treasurer Len Pardue, President ¥&]] /Winter Ventures Ventures is a local birding group that runs trips both within the Carolinas and further afield. The following Ventures outings this fall and winter still have a few vacancies: October 7: Caesar’s Head Hawk migration and workshop October 11-18: Belize: Chan Chich Rainforest Lodge Dec. 7-10: Chesapeake Bay, VA - winter gulls & ducks with Brad Carlson Jan. 17-24: Jamaica - Island endemics with Roger McNeill For more information contact the Ventures office at PO Box 1095, Skyland, NC 28776 or e-mail at Travel@birdventures.com Membership Application and Order Form Please print clearly Name: s ± [List individual member first then any associate members] Address: i : City: 1 ST Zip Telephone No.: ( ) ( ) Email: Home Business □ New □ Renewal Send Materials Indicated Below □ Individual & non-profits [ $ 2 0 J CBC Cloth arm patch $2.00 □ Associate (w/individual member) [$5] CBC Decals (vinyl stick-on) □ Student [$15] $2.00 ea. In quanty $1.75 □ Sustaining & Business [$25] Checklists 10/$ 1.75 □ Patron [$50 up] 25/$5.00 50/$9.00 □ Life (4 installments of $100) [$400] 75/$ 1 2.75 100/$ 16.00 Make check payable to Carolina Bird Club, Inc. and mail to 1 1 W. Jones St. Raleigh, NC 2760 6 Announcements ! Announcements^. Extra Chats Giveaway Are you missing a few volumes of The Chat ? Would you like to own an index to Volumes 1-25 or 26-50? How about Eloise Potter’s Brief History of the Carolina Bird Club, replete with photos, covering the first 50 years of the CBC and published as Volume 50, Number 3? The CBC has a number of extra copies of The Chat which it needs to dispose of. No complete sets are available, but there are many miscellaneous volumes dating back to the 1940's. If you’d like to order one or more, here’s how. - Enclose a check made out to the CBC to cover postage. Each index ( 1 -25 and 26-50) may be ordered separately, as may the Brief History. Postage is $1.00 for each index, and $1.25 for the History. The postage for all other volumes is $4 each. . - Quantities are limited, and if some or all of the volume(s) you request are no longer available, the CBC will reimburse you accordingly. - Send your written request and your check (made out to the CBC) to CBC President Len Pardue, 16 The Circle, Asheville NC 28801. All requests must be received by November 1 5 of this year. Donations beyond the cost of postage will be gratefully accepted to cover other administrative costs. Please indicate on your request what amount of your check should be considered a donation. (In the case that the volume[s] you request is/are not available, this amount will not be refunded.) Questions may be directed to Len Pardue at 828-254-7618. Nom mating Com m ittee A ppoin ted The Executive Committee of the Carolina Bird Club has appointed Clyde Smith of Raleigh, NC, as chair of the Nominating Committee that will choose a slate of officers for next spring's CBC election. Clyde recently retired after 22 years as editor of the CBC Newsletter. Charlotte Goedsche of Asheville, N.C., and Donna Bailey ofWinnsboro, S.C., were appointed as members of the committee. Charlotte is completing her three-year term as vice president for Western N.C., and Donna is in her first year as vice president for South Carolina. The committee will nominate persons for the following offices: President, Secretary, and Treasurer (one-year terms). ‘ Western N.C. vice president (three-year term) Members at large from Eastern N.C., Western N.C. and S.C. (two-year terms). Incumbents are eligible for re-election as treasurer and S.C. member at large. Incumbents in the other offices are ineligible for re-election. Terms of board mem- bers are staggered to help ensure continuity on the Executive Committee. The nominating committee welcomes your suggestions. Here is how to reach Clyde: 2615 Wells Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27608; telephone 919/781-2637; email — smith82534@aol.com. The CBC Executive Committee oversees the club's finances and publications, and plans meetings and field trips. It meets at each of the CBC seasonal meetings and holds a one-day retreat each summer. Address Changes Carolina Bird Club Officers Prcsit>ent Len Pardue, Asheville, NC 16 The Circle, Asheville, NC 28801 828-254-7618; elj.eep@mindspring.com Vice Prcsifccnts John Wright, Greenville, NC Charlotte Goedsche, Asheville, NC Donna Bailey, Winnsboro, SC SccrctArvj Kathleen O’Grady, Irmo, SC Treasurer Patricia Tyndall, Wake Forest, NC NC Mcmbcrs-At-lArge Bob Holmes, New Bern, NC JoAnn Martin, Ellenboro, NC Dwayne Martin, Claremont, NC Susan Campbell, Whispering Pines, NC SC Mcmbers-At-lArge Carroll Richard, Hampton, SC Gary Sowell, Hopkins, SC ImmeSiAte PASt President Bert Fisher, Durham, NC Efcitor of The ChM Bob Wood, Columbia, SC Editor of CBC 'Newsletter Judy Walker, Charlotte, NC BcAfcqwArtcrs SccrctArvn Tullie Johnson The 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 Newslet- ter, Judy Walker, 7639 Farm Gate Dr., Charlotte, NC 28215, jwalker@email.uncc.edu Submission deadline is the 10th of January, March, May, July, September, and November. CBC Members may now submit changes of mailing address, phone number, or e- mail address at the CBC Web Site via an on-line form. The form is located in the Member Services Section of the web site [www.carolinabirdclub.org]. Members are required to enter their Account Number for the form to be successfully processed. (The account number is the number in the upper right corner of each member’s newsletter.) Members submitting account changes via the web site will receive an email from the Headquarters Secretary once the change has been processed. Ques- tions can be directed to Russ Tyndall at webmaster@carolinabirdclub.org. Submit membership applications and change of address to: CBC Headquarters Secretary 1 1 W. Jones St. Raleigh, NC 28601-1029 CBC Newsletter is printed on 100 % recycled paper with 60% post-consumer content. 7 Carolina Bird Club, Inc. .11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601-1029 Nonprofit Organization U.S. Post Office Raleigh, NC Permit No. 1654 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES III 1 39 088 0 273 2! i5^ 3000 E 0 142 S M I T H S 0 N I A N !.... T B P A R T F S NHB 25-MRC 154 W A S H I N G T 0 N D C 2 0 5 6 0 Ratc Birt> Alert: 704-332-BIRD Wet? Site: www.carolinabirdclub.org WELCOME MEW MEMBERS Christopher L. Baldwin Charlotte, NC Allen Brooks Beaufort, NC John Buettner Garner, NC John Dole Garner, NC Jeanne Crockett Jacksonville, NC Sandra Jordan Waxhaw, NC A I Deceased Juanita Krebs Matthews, NC N J 3 — J What’s inside? What’s Coming V/p? Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1 Christmas Bird Counts Dec. 16, 2000 - Jan. 7, 2001 Winter Meeting 1 Winter Meeting — Morehead City, NC Jan. 26-27, 2001 The Warbler Tree 2 Spring Mtg. - Sandhills, NC May 4-6, 2001 Birding the CBBT 3 Two Last Birds 4 Don’t Forget CBC Treasurer’s Report 6 Sign vp for Project Feeder Watch CBC Announcements 7 http://birdsource.comell.edu/pfw/index.html it J)