Volume 48 February/AAarch 2002 Number 1 Nothin ’ could be finer Black Mountain in the Spring Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly is the site of the CBC Spring Meeting, May 3-5, 2002. The Assembly, founded in 1906 as a student conference center, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located just off 1-40 near Black Mountain, about 1 5 miles east of Asheville. This location provides easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as good birding locations away from the Parkway, such as Curtis Creek, Chimney Rock Park, Jackson Park, and Mt. Mitchell. The Assembly is situated on 1200 acres of beautiful woodlands full of rhododendron and wildflowers. Easy nature trails and difficult hiking trails throughout the park lead to mountain streams, wooded ridges, and spectacular views. Springtime in the mountains is warbler time, and the field trips will go to a number of diverse habitats, which should produce a large number of warblers, as well as many other species. The Parkway and other birding hotspots in Buncombe and the surrounding counties will give opportunities for finding lowland, mid and high elevation birds, including an excellent variety of migratory and returning songbirds. Lowland species include Kentucky Warbler and both Louisiana and Northern Waterthrushes. Agricultural areas in Henderson County should produce migrating shorebirds and Grasshopper, Field and other sparrows, along with such field birds as Northern Bobwhite, Blue Grosbeak, and Yellow- breasted Chat. Jackson Park, also in Henderson County, is well known for its variety of migrating warblers, including the elusive Connecticut. Willow Flycatcher is a regular along the creek. Chimney Rock Park and Curtis Creek are two of the best places to see Swainson’s Warbler, as well as a great selection of other species. Trips along the Parkway at middle elevations will target such species as Brown Creeper, Acadian Flycatcher, and Peregrine Falcon. A trip to Mt. Mitchell may produce Red Crossbill and Pine Siskin, as well as other high elevation birds, such as Winter Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Alder Flycatcher. For those not wishing to go far afield, birding on the Assembly ground trails through rhododendron thickets and hardwood forests is good for warblers, thrushes, and vireos. These trails also offer a variety of spring wildflowers. Field trips for wildflowers and butterflies will also be offered, some in conjunction with birding trips. The NC Arboretum is a wonderful place for birds, blossoms, and butterflies, as are the Botanical Gardens at UNC- Asheville. Early sign-up for field trips is strongly advised, as those to the most popular spots fill up quickly. A list of the field trips is included in this newsletter starting on page 3. Continued on page 2 Field Trips to Ponder Early May weather in the North Carolina mountains is unpredictable, so come prepared for anything — rain, wind, and cold temperatures, especially at higher elevations. Of course, the weather could be bright, sunny, and warm. You never know! If you are staying at the Assembly you will have a bag lunch for Saturday’s all-day field trips, and you may order one from the Assembly for Friday, or bring your own. Most trips will not go to places where you can get food and many do not have bathroom facilities. There will not be any field trips scheduled for Thursday, but the Parkway is only 10 miles to the west, and the Assembly grounds have many trails you might wish to explore on your own. Directions to the Parkway and maps of the trails on the grounds will be available in the lobby of Blue Ridge Center. Additional trips may be added should registration numbers require it. For complete descriptions of Field Trips go to page 3. Continued from page I Non-birding spouses and friends have many options for shopping and sight-seeing. The charming town of Black Mountain has a wide variety of antique shops, galleries, and specialty shops. Nearby Montreat College is home to a fresco of the Prodigal Son by North Carolina artist Ben Long and the Ten Thousand Villages Shop, which sells handmade crafts from all over the world and aids the artisans that crafted them. Nearby are Hendersonville and Asheville, with their antique shops, outlet stores, and such attractions as Biltmore House, the Folk Art Center, and the Western North Carolina Nature Center. Our program on Friday evening will be presented by Jean Holt, who now resides in Montreat. She is the retired chair of the Biology Dept, of Presbyterian College in South Carolina and will discuss a 50-year study of the effect of development on neotropical migrants in the Highlands, NC area. Following her presentation, details about Saturday’s field trips will be announced. On Saturday evening, we are fortunate to have Dr. Jerome Jackson, of Florida Gulf Coast University, with Binding the "Mighty" Roanoke River Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuse Field Trip Bertie and Martin Counties, NC The Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge is part of an intensive land conservation effort to protect the bottomland forests found throughout the Roanoke River floodplain. Considered to be the largest, intact, least disturbed bottomland forest in the mid-Atlantic Region by the NC Natural Heritage Program, the coastal plain reach provides breeding habitat for over 30 species of neotropical migrants. On this field trip we will depart on boats from the Hamilton boat ramp, cruise up and down the river looking for Mississippi Kite, Bald Eagle, Cerulean Warbler, Summer and Scarlet Tanagers, and dodge Prothonotary Warblers darting from bank to bank. There will also be plenty of opportunity to explore the floodplain habitats seeking out Swainson’s and Kentucky Warblers, Yellow-throated, Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireos, Wood Thrush, etc. Since the tail end of the migration season will be upon us anything is possible i.e. Canada Warbler, Veery, Blackpoll Warbler are just some of many possible sightings. We will meet at the Hamilton boat ramp at 7:00 AM. The boat ramp is off HWY 125 in Hamilton, NC. Bring food and water. Coolers with ice will be provided in each boat. Dress appropriately. Knee boots may be necessary. Contact the trip leader for information on water conditions before the trip. Lifejackets must be used and will be provided. When: Saturday, May 1 8 Leaders: John Wright, 252-756-5139 Jean Richter, Refuge Wildlife Biologist, 252-794-3808 or Jean Richter@fws.gov Cost: $10.00 Limit: 12 people How TO Register: First contact Jean Richter to make sure there is room on the trip. Then fill out the form on page 7 and mail it and the registration fee to Carolina Bird Club, 1 1 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601-1029. Make checks payable to Carolina Bird Club. us who will discuss the natural history of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers, and add fuel to the debate about their continued existence in Cuba, and maybe even the southeastern US. Our accommodations at the Blue Ridge Assembly are in two hotel-style buildings, each room with two double beds and private bath. The rate per room per night is $71, which includes the Assembly conference fee. For persons not staying on campus, there is a $10 commuter/conference fee. CBC has contracted with the Assembly (per their requirement) to take three meals on the campus. These are a bag lunch for Saturday’s field trips; Saturday dinner, and Sunday breakfast. The total cost for these three meals is $24.00 per person. Meals are served buffet style in the dining hall. Vegetarian meals will be available. Black Mountain has several bed and breakfasts and inns, and there are several motels along 1-40 east of Asheville. Black Mountain has a good selection for dining, including German, Italian, Greek and other ethnic restaurants, as well as BBQ, steak, seafood, and fast food restaurants. Asheville, with an eclectic selection of dining options, is nearby. Directions to the Assembly: Traveling on 1-40, take Exit 64 (Black Mountain/Montreat/ Highway 9) and turn south on Highway 9. Proceed 0.5 miles and bear right on Blue Ridge Road. Travel 0.9 miles and turn left at the small Blue Ridge Assembly sign. Follow the entrance road to the main parking lot on the left. Registration is in the Blue Ridge Center building, just down the hill from the parking lot. Black Mountain Spring Meeting Field Trip Descriptions Trip No. 1 (half-day Friday mornins) Crassy Gardens The Blue Ridge Parkway from Craven Gap, just north of the Folk Art Center, to Bull Gap is one of the most reliable areas for the much sought-after Cerulean Warbler. Of course, we will stop at overlooks along the way for other warblers, such as Hooded, Kentucky, and Ovenbird and other species including Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Blue- headed Vireo. Round trip: Approx. 50 miles Trip No. 2 (half-day Friday morning) Beaver Lake Sanctuary The sanctuary’s mix of woods, marsh, and lake views, plus nearby open areas often yields a good mix of birds. Warbling Vireo, both Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, Yellow Warbler, Red-shouldered Hawk, and Brown-headed Nuthatch all breed in the area and are frequently seen. The whole sanctuary is easily accessed by a raised board- walk. Round trip: Approx. 35 miles Trip No. 3 ‘ (half-day Friday morning) Chimney Rock Park Chimney Rock Park, a 1000 acre privately owned park (admission $10) has several trails through mixed hardwood forests and rhododendron thickets. It is a great place for Worm-eating, Swainson’s, and Cerulean Warblers, and other species, such as American Redstart, Wood Thrush, and if you are lucky, a soaring Peregrine Falcon. Round trip: Approx. 40 miles Trip No. 4 (all-day Friday) Curtis Creek to Mount Mitchell After finding the Swainson’s and other warblers as described in Trip No. 12, this trip will continue to the Parkway, and then to Mt. Mitchell in search of Red Crossbill, Winter Wren, Pine Siskin, and other high elevation birds. The trip will then return to the Parkway and head south to US 70, birding as time permits. Round trip: 90 miles Trip No. 5 (all-day Friday) Parkway South to Mount Pisgah 3 Heading south on the Parkway, this trip will also stop at overlooks for migrants, such as Canada, Black-throated Blue, and Chestnut-sided Warblers, as well as Scarlet Tanager. The area around the Pisgah Inn is good for finding Cedar Waxwing, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and perhaps a soaring Raven. Round trip: Approx. 74 miles Trip No. 6 (au day Friday) Fletcher Park/Lake Julian Fletcher Park is a wonderful small city park new on the birding circuit. While not much work has been done in the park, the potential is very good as the park lies in the French Broad River Valley. Several good birds have been reported here over the past year, including Philadelphia Vireo, Bay-breasted Warbler and Baltimore Oriole. After lunch, the trip will stop by Lake Julian, a Carolina Power and Light Reservoir. Lake Julian’s water is heated throughout the year which helps bring migrating water birds that are not common to our area. Even on the first weekend in May, there should be some ducks, geese, cormorants, terns, gulls, or coots still hanging around. The road through a nearby park on the other side of the lake is good for nuthatches, woodpeckers, vireos, and Pine and Yellow-throated Warblers. Round trip: Approx. 55 miles Trip No. 7, 22 (half-day Friday and Saturday afternoon) YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly Lower Trails— Wildflowers The Assembly grounds have several easy trails, each about 1/2 mile long that cover a variety of habitats through the woodlands, rhododendron thickets, around a small pond, and along streams. Wildflowers will be the major empha- sis, but we will also be alert for birds that may be migrating through. Trip No. 8 (half-day Friday afternoon) Bat Cave: Wildflowers and Birds The bridge that washed away during flooding several years ago, preventing access to this Nature Conservancy Reserve, has been rebuilt. The trails are full of spring wildflowers and migrating songbirds. The emphasis on this trip will be wildflowers, but we will not fail to take notice of singing warblers, such as Swainson’s, Black-throated Green and other species. Round trip; Approx. 40 miles (Since this is a Nature Conservancy Reserve, the number of participants is limited to 12 and there is a $10 per person fee.) Continued on page 4 (half-day Friday afternoon) Continued from page 3 Trip No. 9 Botanical Gardens at UNC-Asheville: Birds and Butterflies The garden’s 10 acres include wooded and open areas good for a variety of migrants and resident birds, a visitor center with restrooms, and a display garden for butterflies. Round trip: Approx. 35 miles Trip No. 10 (half-day Saturday morning) North Carolina Arboretum and Bent Creek The development of the Arboretum, part of Pisgah National Forest, has made it into one of the finest areas around Asheville for birds, wildflowers, and butterflies in the warmer months. Easy walking trails extend through many habitats, making it easy to observe Northern Parula, Acadian Flycatcher, and Louisiana Waterthrush. Round trip: Approx. 35 miles Trip No. 11, 20, 24 (half-days Saturday morning and afternoon and Sunday morning ) Jackson Park/Mud Creek With a wide range of habitats, Jackson Park is one of the finest passerine migration flyways in North Carolina. This is a good place to see an outstanding selection of spring migrants on almost every spring day. Birds found here include Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers, and less frequently, such hard-to-see Connecticut and Mourning Warblers. Mud Creek is near Jackson Park, and its habitat is similar. The Environmental and Conservation Organi- zation (ECO) of Hendersonville put in a nature trail that runs through part of the Mud Creek wetlands. This trail is very easy to walk and offers visitors easy access to the unique bottomland hardwood forest habitat. This major habitat, along with the adjacent swamp thickets and wet fields, reflects the connection to Jackson Park. Round trip: Approx. 65 miles. Trips No. 12, 23 (half-day Saturday and Sunday mornings) Curtis Creek Road This road passes through a beautiful cove forest of hemlock and rhododendron and slowly climbs higher into the mountains. It is the perfect setting for hearing and seeing Swainson’s Warbler, as well as other warblers, such as Worm-eating, Hooded, Ovenbird, Northern Parula, and Louisiana Waterthrush. Round trip: Approx. 36 miles (This road becomes a gravel road that leads to the Parkway. That is an all-day trip. No., 4.) Trip No. 13, 21 (half-day- Saturday morning and afternoon) SWANNANOA AREA Warren Wilson College, at Swannanoa, has a working farm and this trip will spend time looking for typical farm- land birds, including Yellow-breasted Chat, Northern Bobwhite, and Grasshopper Sparrow. The Swannanoa River flows through Charles Owens Park, a county park well-known to locals as a good birding spot. Both Orchard and Baltimore Orioles and Yellow-throated Vireo nest along the river. Round trip: Approx. 25 miles Trip No. 14 (half-day Saturday morning) Fletcher Park Fletcher Park is a wonderful small city park that is new on the birding circuit. While not much work has been done in the park, the potential is very good as the park lies in the French Broad River Valley. Several good birds have been reported here over the past year, including Philadelphia Vireo, Bay-breasted Warbler and Baltimore Oriole. Round trip: Approx. 40 miles Trip No. 15 (all day Saturday) Max Patch If you want to see Golden-winged Warblers, this is the trip for you. The first weekend in May is typically the peak time for finding these warblers, with as many as 20 breeding pairs in the area. Generally 15-20 other warbler species may be found, including Blackburnian and Chestnut-sided. Least Flycatcher can be plentiful along this road, along with Winter Wren, Veery, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak and other middle elevation species. Round trip: Approx. 100 miles (This a long trip with a lot of walking and no facilities after you get off the main highway — so come prepared!) Trip No. 16 (all day Saturday) blHINGHAM TO CraGGY SaRDENS This area of the Craggy Mountains is a haven for warblers and, at the upper end, high elevation breeding birds. Expect a wide variety of warblers along the various elevations (2500 to over 5000 feet) including numerous Black- throated Green, Blackburnian, Black-and-white, Black-throated Blue, Canada, and Chestnut-sided along with Continued on page 5 Continued from page 4 Northern Parula, plenty of Ovenbirds, and many others along the road up to the top. The upper elevations should produee singing Winter Wren, Brown Creeper, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Blue-headed Vireo, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and perhaps patrolling Ravens and drumming Ruffed Grouse. The trip will follow Dillingham Road to the end of the road in the morning and then come back down and follow Stony Fork Road up to Craggy Gardens and Balsam Gap in the afternoon. Round trip: Approx. 80 miles (This, too, is a long trip with a lot of walking and no facilities until you get to Craggy Gardens.) Trip No. 17 (all day Saturday) Mills River, Hooper Lane, and Lake Osceola In the Mills River vicinity both migrants and nesting birds can be found along brooks and in meadows and fields. Blue Grosbeak and Bobolink are possible along with warblers, vireos, and bluebirds. Hooper Lane, where shore- birds such as Least and Western Sandpipers, both yellowlegs. Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, and Semipalmated Plover frequent, is also a good place to look for late Upland Sandpiper and early Willow Fly- catcher. The presence of birds at Hooper Lane is strongly dependent on the condition of the fields and the weather. After visiting this agricultural area, we will stop by Lake Osceola to check up on any migrant waterbirds and swallows. Round trip: Approx. 82 miles Trip No. 18 (all day Saturday) Blue Ridge Parkway North to Mount Mitchell Mixed flocks of migrating birds at are seen frequently at overlooks, so this trip will take advantage of this fact to look for Blackburnian and Cerulean Warblers at Bull Creek, and Pine Siskin, Veery, Least Flycatcher and other high elevation birds around Craggy Gardens. At Mount Mitchell State Park, Red Crossbills are possible, along with Hermit Thrush, and Red-breasted Nuthatch. Round trip: Approx. 85 miles Trip No. 19 (half-day- Saturday afternoon) Bent Creek/Lake Powhatan Bent Creek is well known as a good place to see Baltimore Orioles in spring. Easy trails through lower elevation woods around Lake Powhatan should produce Northern Parula, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, White-eyed / \ Stecoah Gap Due to the distance involved, we have not planned a CBC field trip to Stecoah Gap. However, a special field trip has been organized to Stecoah Gap by Simon Thompson of Ventures, Inc. on Sunday 5 May. This will be an all-day trip to see an excellent selection of warblers in the far western NC Mountains. These should include Golden-winged, Cerulean, Kentucky, Ovenbird and many more. Registration is limited to 1 5 people and the cost will be $30 per person, which includes a delicious picnic lunch. Contact Simon at 828.253.4247 for further details. There are motels in Robbinsville If you wish to stay over. V / How to Spot a Birder! These words of wisdom came across the web a while back, and I thought some of you might get a chuckle from them. It will also help new members get an idea of what they might be in for... You really know you are a birder when - 1 Someone yells “Duck!” and you look up and ask “Where?!” 1 Your kids are named Wren and Phoebe. 1 You spend fifteen minutes preparing dinner for your family, and thirty minutes mixing and placing seed for your birds. 1 People stop and stare when you pish at the shrubbery at the local mall. 1 Your spouse says, “It’s either me or the birds,” and you have to think about it. 1 Clouds take on the shape of birds, and you can distinguish male from female, and adult from immature plumage. 1 You lose friends, and perhaps even your spouse, from fighting over the pronunciation of ‘pileated’. So how many of you qualify? REGISTRATION/ROOAA RESERVATION FORM Black Mountain Spring Meeting May 3-5, 2002 Name(s):. Address City: State: Zip: Telephone (Day):( ) (Evening) :( ) E-mail (optional): Fill out the portion that applies to you. □ I WILL NOT be staying at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly. Registration for members: $20.00 (pre-registration) $30.00 (at the meeting) Registration for nonmembers: $30.00 (pre-registration) $40.00 (at the meeting) This registration fee includes the Assembly commuter/conference fee. I have enclosed a check for member registrations and non-member registrations, for a total of . □ I WILL be staying at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly. My check for the following is enclosed: member reservations @$10 Total non-member registrations @ $20 Total three meals per person @ $24 Total accommodations @ $7 1 per room per night (Includes Assembly conference fee.) room(s) for nights Total Total amount enclosed for registration, meals, and accommodations: Total Please reserve room(s) for the following nights: Dates: Days: Field Trip Registration Form Black Mountain Spring Meeting Friday Field Trips — All Day May 3-5, 2002 Trip No. 17 Mills River/Hooper Lane/Lake Osceola Trip No.4 Curtis Creek to Mt. Mitchell Trip No. 1 8 Parkway North to Mt. Mitchell Trip No.5 Trip No. 6 Parkway South to Mt. Pisgah Fletcher Park / Lake Julian Saturday Field Trips — Morning Trip No. 10 NC Arboretum Friday Field Trips — Morning Trip No. 11 Jackson Park & Mud Creek Trip No.l Craggy Gardens Trip No. 12 Curtis Creek Road Trip No.2 Beaver Lake Trip No. 13 Swannanoa Area Trip No.3 Chimney Rock Park Trip No. 14 Fletcher Park / Lake Julian Friday Field Trips — Afternoon Saturday Field Trips — Afternoon Trip No.7 Assembly Trails — Wildflowers Trip No. 19 Bent Creek / Powhatan Trip No.8 Bat Cave Trip No.20 Jackson Park Trip No. 9 UNC-A Botanical Gardens Trip No.21 Swannanoa Area Trip No. 22 Assembly Trails-Wildflowers Saturday Field Trips — All Day Trip No. 1 5 Max Patch Trip No. 16 Dillingham to Craggy Gardens Sunday Field Trips Trip No. 23 Curtis Creek Road Trip No. 24 Jackson Park Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge Field Trip Registration Form Saturday, May 18, 2002 Name(s): Address: City: St: Zip: Telephone (Day): (Evening): Email: Enclosed is a check for $ for participants Mail to: Carolina Bird Club, 1 1 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601- 1029. Make checks payable to Carolina Bird Club. Ventures Update Space is available on the following Ventures excursion this coming spring: Rio Grande, Rockport & Hill Country, Texas: March 28 - April 6 Get an early start to spring with our Ventures tour to south Texas. Join CBC member, Simon Thompson as we explore all of the south Texas birding hotspots in search of Green Jays, Golden-cheeked Warblers and a host of other tropical species. Spaces are also available on: Costa Rica: March 2-17 Birding the Carolinas: April 11-21 Call the Ventures office for further information on this and many other offerings. You can call us at 828.253.4247 or check the web site out at www.birdventures.com Carolina Bird Club Officers President Von Atkins 2040 Church Creek Dr., Charleston, SC 29414 843-766-7000/729-0271 vatkins@awod.com Vice Presidents John Wright, Creenville, NC Dick Blee, Brevard, NC Donna Bailey, Winnsboro, SC Secretary Sue Pulsipher, Linden, NC Treasurer Patricia Tyndall, Wake Forest, NC NC Members-at-Large Sandy Cash, Durham, NC Charlotte Soedsche, Asheville, NC Dwayne Martin, Claremont, NC Susan Campbell, Whispering Pines, NC SC Members-at-Large Kathleen O'Grady, Irmo, SC Gary Sowell, Hopkins, SC Immediate Past President Len Pardue, Asheville, NC Editor of The Chat Bob Wood, Columbia, SC Editor CBC Newsletter Judy Walker, Charlotte, NC Headquarters Secretary Tullie Johnson JTie CBC Newsletter is published bimonthly by Carolina Bird Club, Inc., the ornithological society of the Carolinas. CBC is a nonprofit corporation headquartered in Raleigh, NC, Founded in 1937 the membership open to anyone interested in birds, natural history and conservation. Members are encouraged to submit items of interest to the CBC Newsletter editor: Judy Walker, 7639 Farm Gate Dr., Charlotte, NC 28215 birdwalker@mac.com Submission deadlines are the 10th of January, March, May, July, September and November. Submit membership applications and change of address to: CBC Headquarters Secretary 11 W. Jones St., Raleigh, NC 27601-1029 CBC Newsletter is printed on 100% recycled paper with 60% post-consumer content. V CBC Carolina Bird Club, Inc. 11 West Jones St. Raleigh, NC 27601-1029 Nonprofit Organization U. S. Post Office Raleigh, NC Permit No. 1654 Welcome New Members Matthew Blitch Charleston, SC Emmett & Louise Stafford Raleigh, NC Deceased Judith Fortney Durham, NC Pam & Allan Sterwart Kiawah Island, SC Jerry Young Fletcher, NC Victoria & Thomas Gerig Raleigh, NC Ed & Julia Toone Wilmington, NC Joyce Mack Pinehurst, NC Tracy Morman Jay & Isabel Zimmerman — Raleigh, NC Carbondale, IL Melody L. Morris Hampstead, NC What's Inside Life Membership Black Mountain Weekend 1 Stan Polanski Otto, NC Beula Scheffer Black Mountain Field Trips 3-5 East Lansing, MI Roanoke River Field Trip 2 Tom K. Scott Chapel Hill, NC Registration Forms 6-7 How to Spot a Birder 5 Rare Bird Alert: 704-332-BIRD Web Site: www.carolinabirdclub.org