0>L urn CJi3 NOV 2 9 2005 ■i'SRARlik. CBC Newsletter Lynne Mattocks Lucas for members of the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., ornithological society of the Carolinas Volume 51 December 2005 Number 6 Virginia Beach is for Bird Lovers February 3-5, 2006 By John Ennis and Kim Horstman Join us in Virginia Beach and on the lower Eastern Shore for our 2006 winter meeting. It includes trips to the islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT), Back Bay NWR, Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR, First Landing State Park, Kiptopeke State Park, Princess Anne WMA, Mackay NWR, and more. Headquarters will be the Ramada Plaza Resort Oceanfront at Oceanfront and 57th Street (1-800-365- 3032, www.ramadaplazavabeach.com). Oceanfront rooms are $68 and regular rooms are $60; both have a mini refrigerator and microwave. The cutoff date for reservations is January 2; however, they will honor rates based on availability thereafter. Please tell Ramada reservations you are associated with the CBC. Registration for the meeting begins Thursday night, February 2, from 6-9 pm at the Ramada. The Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum will host an open house for the CBC on Thursday night from 7-9 pm. A decoy carver will be on hand for demonstrations and light refreshments will be served. The museum is at 12th & Atlantic Avenue, three miles from our hotel. Additional parking is available at the Raven Restaurant. There are a number of good restaurants, including the Raven, in the immediate area. Our featured speaker for the Friday evening meeting at the Ramada will be Brian Patteson, reviewing the awesome 2005 pelagic birding year. The Friday night meeting begins at 7:30 pm. Our featured speakers for the Saturday evening meeting will be Judy Fieth and Michael Male, of Blue Earth Films (birdfilms.com). “A Year in the Desert” will show the filming, at Bitter Lake NWR in New Mexico, of a bird-filled film for the refuge’s new visitor center. Their talk will be based on highlights from three seasons of filming at the refuge, where the Chihuahuan Desert meets the short grass prairie. The Saturday night meeting will begin at 7 pm with a review of our observations and compilation of the final birding checklist, followed at 7:30 by the program. Sites to visit on your own includes the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, 717 General Booth Boulevard. This site is on the birding trail and is included as a CBC trip; however, the group rate of $8.50 is good all day Friday for CBC members. If you are interested in the unique opportunity to bird the CBBT, be sure to pre-register as soon as possible. The pre-registration form may be found on the CBC website. Also, commit early for the pelagic trips. Our friends in the Virginia Beach Audubon Society and Back Bay Bird Club have assisted with trip planning. Executive Committee members John Ennis and Kim Horstman are serving as CBC meeting coordinators. Virginia Beach is not as far as you might think: 3% hours from Raleigh, 6 from Charlotte, 6V2 from Columbia, and 7 from Asheville and Charleston. Definitely worth the trip! Additional information for most sites may be found on the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail website at: http:// www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/vbwt/index.asp (click on the Coastal link). You can monitor the Virginia birding listserver for up-to-date sightings at: http:// birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/VABD.html. Birding at Patriot’s Point (photo on left) where a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Rufous Hummingbird were sighted during the fall meeting in Charleston, SC. One hundred forty-two birders attended the meeting and tallied a total of 178 species of birds, including Roseate Spoonbill and Reddish Egret at Bull’s Island, plus 24 species of shorebirds, 18 species of warblers, and a Golden Eagle. Members enjoying an evening program (photo on right). Photos by Dan Chambers Kenya's Sokoke Forest By Dave Osborne Back in 1989, seventeen intrepid New England birders (including myself) from the Brookline Bird Club in Brookline, MA and the Forbush Bird Club in Worcester, MA embarked on a three week photographic and birding safari to Kenya in Africa. It turned out to be the trip of a lifetime for me, filled with superlatives such as 525 new life birds, a quarter of a million Lesser Flamingos, along with a couple of thousand Greaters on Lake Nakuru, mile after endless mile of migrating wildebeests making their annual trek from the Masai Mara in Kenya to the Serengeti Plains in Tanzania, and a pride of lions making a zebra kill one evening. Our guide for the trip was Terry Stephenson, a Kenyan- born Brit (one of the best birders I have ever met) who has since co-authored a new field guide for the area, entitled The Birds of East Africa. One episode, late in the trip stands out. Our three vans had driven across Kenya and we were at the east coast of Africa on the Indian Ocean, north of Mombasa in the small seaport of Malindi. We were very near the Sokoke Forest at this point and our guide Terry suggested we make a try to see the Sokoke Scops Owl. This is a very small owl about the size of our Elf Owl and very rare, as the Sokoke Forest is the only place on the planet that it is found. We all agreed. Arrangements were made to hire a young lad named David who worked for the Kenyan Forestry Service. He had an uncanny ability to “call in” this particular owl so that visiting birders could see it. We picked David up one evening at dusk and drove down a dirt road into the Sokoke Forest. The forest began with hardwood trees, then in a mile or two, heavy underbrush was seen. Further along it became a Tarzan-like jungle of vines, creepers and ferns - the stuff that we see in our imaginations when we hear the phrase “impenetrable jungle.” The process for finding the owl was for David to walk up and down the road, call the owl, and listen for replies. To our untrained ears, the replies sounded as if they were miles away in the jungle. Finally, David stopped and said to Terry, “We go in here.” Seventeen voices, in chorus, said, “What do you mean, we go IN? Can’t it come OUT?” When it was explained to us that the bird would never come out into an open area like the road, we agreed to go in. Here is the picture. An African night, ten miles deep into a jungle, is blacker then you can ever imagine. David led carrying a flashlight that was OFF so as not to frighten the bird, and we all followed in a Conga line with one hand on the shoulder of the person in front. We were cautioned not to turn on flashlights and not to make any noise. When we were 30 or 40 yards into the jungle the line stopped. David turned on his flashlight which was pointed straight up and there in the middle of the beam sat the owl! It was like the greatest magic trick ever seen. The owl was transfixed in the beam of light and we were all able to move up, one person at a time, stand next to David and get excellent views of the bird sitting four or five feet above our heads. We then re- formed our Conga line and returned back to the road with high fives all around. The denouement of this story came a couple of months later when I was home, reading an article in the Audubon magazine about the Sokoke Forest. The author ends his narrative by telling us the Sokoke Forest is home to seven of the deadliest snakes in the world. Three species of Cobra, Green Mamba, Black Mamba, Gaboon Viper and the NIGHT DEATH ADDER. YIKES! !!! ! Ignorance IS REALLY bliss. Sharing Your Passion: Audubon North Carolina's Adopt an Important Bird Area Program By Curtis Smalling, Mountain Biologist, Audubon NC Our passion for the birds, whether as a birder, backyard birdwatcher, scientist, or environmentalist can be a powerful tool for bird conservation in North Carolina. Audubon North Carolina has launched its Adopt an IBA (Important Bird Area) program and already birders across the state are making a difference in working for bird conservation. And you too can get involved! ! Last year, Audubon North Carolina published its first version of North Carolina’s Important Bird Areas. This document is the culmination of over six years of work by Audubon staff and volunteers on the technical review committee to select from the many sites nominated. In all, ninety-two sites have been listed as IBA’s across the state. These key sites for bird populations, cover over four million acres of important habitats for birds. These include breeding sites like Battery Island (a globally significant site for White Ibis), wintering areas like Lake Mattamuskeet, and important migration corridors like Doughton Park and Bullhead Mountain. Sites are included in the Important Bird Areas program based on scientific criteria adopted by Bird Life International and the National Audubon Society along with Audubon North Carolina. A technical review committee assesses what we know about nominated sites in an effort to evaluate the populations of priority species in those areas. Much of Audubon North Carolina’s work is focused on getting better data on these population levels in our named potential IBA’s. And the Adopt an IBA program is a great way for you to help in these efforts. By keeping track of what you see and maybe even volunteering to conduct quantitative counts in an IBA or potential IBA, you can help Audubon North Carolina build one of the best IBA programs in the nation - one based on science with accurate and defensible data to focus our conservation efforts. And already over 1 5 of those IB As have volunteers at work. But even if you don’t feel like or enjoy the hard science of counting birds, we need your help! ! With over 4 million acres and 92 existing sites, Audubon staff need your eyes, ears, and expertise at work in each of our IBA’s. You know your favorite birding spot better than anyone else, and your knowledge and expertise can help us with conservation efforts. Making the connection between simply birding in an area and adopting it and working for conservation includes assessing the primary threats to a site. Some IBA’s are well protected by public ownership, easements, etc., while others need more protection. Even some areas that seem to be protected may be threatened by outside forces (think acid rain in the mountains). The IBA program for Audubon North Carolina does not stop with the identification and designation of key sites. In fact that is just the beginning. After designation, Audubon staff will write a bird conservation plan for each IBA. These plans include a current status assessment and ways to secure the future of the priority species in that IBA. You can help by providing staff assistance with threats to your IBA, potential partners to address those threats or promote conservation, and other partners to assist the IBA (local media, etc.). Your local knowledge and involvement will push that process forward much faster and more effectively than the efforts of staff alone. So how can you get involved? Log on to the Audubon North Carolina website at www.ncaudubon.org and look for an IBA near you or one that you would like to know better. Some of our adoptees are looking to branch out and see new areas, so be creative! And you can work in more than one, especially if your Audubon chapter or bird club decides to get involved. After thinking about an area (or for more information) contact Audubon staffer Curtis Smalling (csmalling@audubon.org or 828-265- 0198) to discuss the details and get started. And that involvement can be as much or as little as you like. If you already conduct a weekly walk in an IBA and just want to start sending your weekly list for that IBA, that is great! Or if your club or organization wants to conduct point counts in a potential IBA, that is great as well. We will provide the forms, training, and whatever else you need to get started. The important thing is to share your passion (and your data)! ! By working together for birds and their habitats statewide, we can insure that our favorite places keep healthy populations of the birds that make those places special. And your passion, expertise, and knowledge can make a difference in fulfilling that goal. Get involved, contact Curtis or Audubon North Carolina today! ! Close Encounters of the Kiwi Kind By Gail Lankford Stewart Island, New Zealand: It’s 9 pm on November 1 1, 2004 and 15 people from various countries are gathered at the main dock in Oban, Stewart Island’s only town. We have been lucky enough to get a call only hours earlier from Phillip Smith, owner and guide of Bravo Adventure Cruises, letting us know that we are off the waiting list and on for tonight’s trip. The evening is partly cloudy, the sea is calm, and it is not very cold. The large fishing boat is guided out of the harbor by many small rocky islands (where we had seen many Brown (Southern) Skuas and New Zealand White-capped Albatrosses earlier). On the way out there is enough light for us to strain our eyes looking for the common (Little) Blue Penguins in the water. We chat with two girls from Australia and a young man from England about their travels in the country thus far. Everyone is hopeful and friendly. Phillip puts the boat on automatic pilot and sets out hot tea and cookies. We dock about 30 minutes later and he tells us about the bird we all hope to see. He has a quiet, straightforward manner and clearly loves these rare creatures. He has the only license to take groups to this remote beach, and works full time to protect them from predators. Stewart Island is New Zealand’s newest national park, and the third largest island in New Zealand. It is a short ferry ride from the southernmost point of South Island. It also has the largest population of Brown Kiwis in the country, and its subspecies, the Stewart Island Brown Kiwi, is also the largest in size. Kiwis are successful here because this island has no stoats, ferrets, opossums, or wild dogs, although there are rats and wild cats. Kiwis have seven inch long beaks with nostrils at the end, a plump pear-shaped body with a shaggy coat of feathers, and powerful legs with sharp claws. They can’t fly, and sleep in burrows during the day, coming out at night to search for insects and worms. They see well at night and have an excellent sense of smell. The female lays one to three eggs weighing 400 grams each, six times larger than one would expect for the adult’s size. Phillip tells us all these facts, and the rules we must follow on our search for them. We then climb up the iron ladder to the dock. He gives us each a flashlight, which we only point straight down. We silently walk single file through the “bush” (forest) with Phillip leading the way with a stronger flashlight that he sweeps from side to side as he looks and listens for the birds. Once we reach the sand, we turn off our flashlights and follow Phillip along this South Pacific beach. We hope to encounter a sleeping New Zealand Sea Lion, but don’t. Almost at end of the beach Phillip stops and gathers us around him with new instructions. He then shines his light ahead, illuminating a female Kiwi feeding on insects in a pile of seaweed. We stand in silence for about ten minutes watching her. Then Phillip leads us further down the beach before circling back. She is still feeding in the same spot, and we are glad we have not disturbed her. Phillip then leads us on a different path through the bush to another beach. We are lucky enough to be third and forth in line behind him. We hear rustling in the undergrowth next to the path and stop. He lets out a very loud whistle, mimicking the male Kiwi. A juvenile female appears on the path directly in front of him in his light. He keeps whistling, and she stretches her neck as she looks up and all around. It is comical looking. After about five minutes, she goes back into the undergrowth. As we continue to walk we hear more rustling, but see no other birds. After we reach the second beach, Phillip again tries to whistle up a Kiwi, but none are on this beach. We do hear a Morepork, a common owl throughout the country. Philip mimics it, but it does not come closer. Everyone is relieved and happy at our success, and we all talk about our two sightings on the trip back. We also look for the aurora australis, which put on a spectacular show for the previous night’s group, but we are not so lucky. We dock at Oban about 1 am, and then we walk up the steep hill to our cottage. Having started the day with a birding/fishing trip with Aurora Charters, followed by a personal island tour by Sam Sampson and “Billy the Bus”, then a water taxi ride out to Ulva Island (where the birds are protected by the Departmet of Conservation’s eradication of all predators) to search for lifers, we are now very tired! We are also very pleased with our good fortune to have had this close encounter of the Kiwi kind. Note: In our six weeks in New Zealand we had 105 species of birds, 31 of which were seabirds. 2005-2006 Christmas Bird Counts Take part in National Audubon’s 106th Christmas Bird Count this season. Counts run from December 14, 2005 through January 5, 2006. Counts with a TBA after the count name had not been announced by the time the newsletter went to press. You can also find the list of counts on the Carolina Bird Club website. Look through the list of counts below and join the fun! Wednesday, December 14, 2005 Highlands Plateau, NC Edwin Poole 828-526-2775 ka3wick@principia.edu Thursday, December 15, 2005 Winyah Bay, SC Lex Glover 803-438-9855 bglvr@clemson.edu New Bern, NC Bob Holmes 252-633-3003 Saturday, December 17, 2005 Augusta, GA Anne Waters 706-793-2788 birdannelady@earthlink.net Columbia, SC Robin Carter rcarter@sc.rr.com Greensboro, NC Herb Hendrickson 336-288-0271 HHendrickson@triad.rr.com Elizabeth Link 336-273-4672 baddogi@yahoo . com New River, NC Harrol Blevins 276-773-2025 kestrel@valink.com Raleigh, NC John Connors 919-755-0253 John.Connors@ncmail.net Raven Rock SP, NC Paul Hart 910-893-4888 Paul.Hart@ncmail.net Rocky Mount, NC Marshall Brooks 252-985-5245 mbrooks@cwc.edu Tryon, NC Simon Thompson 828-253-4247 simon@birdventures .com Wayne Co., NC Eric Dean 919-736-7264 wolfpackdeans@earthlink.net York/Rock Hill, SC Bill Hilton, Jr. 803-684-5852 hilton@hiltonpond.org Sunday, December 18, 2005 Alligator River NWR, NC Jeff Lewis 252-473-1086 jlewis_obx@yahoo.com Central Beaufort Co., NC Emily & Jim Albera 252-964-2192 emilya@email.beaufort.cc.nc.us John Register 252-946-1330 Congaree Swamp, SC Robin Carter rcarter@sc.rr.com Durham, NC Mike Shultz 919-490-6761 ross.gull@verizon.net Henderson Co., NC Wayne Forsythe 828-697-6628 wforsythe@mchsi.com McClellanville, SC Nathan Dias 843-607-0105 offshorebirder@yahoo.com Moorehead City, NC John Fussell 252-240-1046 jfuss@clis.com Pee Dee (Florence), SC David McLean 843-853-7084 dcmclean@gmail.com Calvin Clyde 843-669-7836 Roan Mountain, TN Rick Knight 423-282-5297 rknight@preferred . com Southern Lake Norman, NC Taylor Piephoff 704-532-6336 PiephoffT@aol.com Southern Pines, NC Susan Campbell 910-949-3207 susan@ncaves.com Monday, December 19, 2005 Pamlico Co., NC Liz Lathrop 252-249-2646 lizbirder@cconnect.net Tuesday, December 20, 2005 Mt. Jefferson, NC Peter Zwadyk 336-982-8062 pzwadyk@fastransit.net Saturday, December 24, 2005 Aiken, SC Calvin Zippier 803-642-2264 zipplerc@bellsouth.net (contact by 12/10) Monday, December 26, 2005 Chapel Hill, NC Will Cook 919-382-9134 cwcook@duke.edu Tuesday, December 27, 2005 Cape Hatteras, NC Patricia Moore 252-995-4777 topatneal@aol.com Wednesday, December 28, 2005 Bodie-Pea Island, NC Paul Sykes 706-769-9436 paul_sykes@usgs.gov Thursday, December 29, 2005 Balsam, NC Bob Olthoff Litchfield-Pawleys Island, SC Jack Peachy Lake Mattamuskeet, NC Allen Bryan Spartanburg, SC Lyle Campbell Friday, December, 30, 2005 Pettigrew SP, NC Sid Shearin Portsmouth Island, NC Peter Vankevich Saturday, December 31, 2005 Grandfather Mountain, NC Curtis Smalling Greenville, NC Dr. Veronica Pantelidis North Greenville, SC John Wright J.B. Hines Ocracoke Island, NC Peter Vankevich Santee NWR, SC Lex Glover Stone Mountain, NC Guy McGrane Wilmington, NC Sam Cooper Winston-Salem, NC Linda G. Davis Sunday, January 1, 2006 Charleston, SC Burton Moore Jordan Lake, NC Carol Williamson Kitty Hawk, NC Jeff Lewis Savannah, GA Dorothy Bambach Southport-Bald Head- Oak Island, NC Greg Massey Monday, January 2, 2006 Buncombe Co., NC Steve Semanchuk Cleveland Co., NC Jo Ann Martin Falls Lake, NC Brain Bockhahn Mount Rogers/Whitetop, VA Allen Boynton Tuesday, January 3, 2006 Lake Wateree, SC Donna Slyce Thursday, January 5, 2006 Kerr Lake, NC Brian Bockhahn Charlotte, NC, TBA Wayne Covington 828-627-2546 843-347-5810 804-740-8953 864-585-1228 robcar@asap-com.com ppaw@sccoast.net nshrike@comcast.net lcampbell@sucupstate.edu 252-797-4156 202-397-5593 Sid.Shearin@ncmail.net pvank@netacc . net 828-265-0198 252-758-7828 252-756-5139 864-706-8421 202-397-5593 803-438-9855 336-973-8343 910-799-3825 336-924-1751 csmalling@audubon.org pantelidisv@mail.ecu.edu johnswrighthsd@earthlink.net j bhines3@chesnet.net pvank@netacc.net bglvr@clemson.edu guymcgrane@wilkes.net dmcooper2@juno.com davisl@mindspring.com 843-853-1100 919-383-2364 252-473-1086 912-598-3764 bmoore@audubonart.com cncbrdr@yahoo . com j lewis_obx@yahoo . com dotbam@bellsouth.net 910-383-3639 gregrnassey_2@ya.hoo . com 828-645-9919 828-453-7400 919-676-1027 276-677-4121 hamhed@buncombe.rnain.nc.us jamloon@bellsouth.net brian.bockhahn@ncmail.net allenboynton@earthlink.net 803-951-7122 dslyce@earthlink.net 919-676-1027 brian.bockhahn@ncmail.net 704-362-1774 waynecovington@hotmail.com Wintering Hummingbirds Even though winter is right around the comer, don’t forget to keep your hummingbird feeders up. You just might be blessed with a special winter visitor like a Rufous, Ruby- throated, Anna’s, or maybe even the Carolina’s first Lucifer Hummingbird! To report sightings in North Carolina contact Susan Campbell at 910-949-3207 or susan@ncaves.com. For sightings in South Carolina contact Gary Phillips at 843-248-4595 or carolinensis@yahoo.com or Bill Hilton, Jr. at 803-684-5852 or hilton@hiltonpond.org. New Kaufman Guide Kenn Kaufman has reached out to Spanish speaking birders by recently publishing his Kaufman Field Guide of North America in Spanish. Guia de campo a las aves norteamericanas is a great opportunity to reach a new audience of birders and nature lovers and turn them on to the fun of birding! Lucifer Hummingbird by John Ennis Welcome New Members! Katie Foote Orangeburg, SC Barry Gentzler Aurora, OH Cynthia Grover Raleigh, NC Dan A. Hudson Cary, NC Linda E. Kolb Seneca, SC Tara Blake-Lee Haley Blake-Lee Talbott, TN John & Joan Little Raleigh, NC Carolyn McDermott Fred Shuker Star, NC Palm Key Institute Isabelle Lussier Yemassee, SC Mark A. Proctor Dalzell, SC Maria Rush Stella, NC Mary Schweitzer Rock Hill, SC Adam Smith Raleigh, NC CBC Bonus Field Trip to Burke’s Garden February 11, 2006 Join us as we travel to Burke’s Garden in the southwestern mountains of Virginia. Burke’s Garden is a high elevation “bowl”, in which cold air is trapped, therefore making it very attractive to bird species that normally winter further north. Species that we might expect to see include Rough-legged Hawk (both morphs), Golden Eagle, other various raptors, Black-capped Chickadee, woodpeckers, and wintering waterfowl. We will meet at the Holiday Inn Express in Elkin, NC at 8 am on February 1 1. If you need overnight lodging, hotels in the Elkin area include Holiday Inn Express, 336-835-6000; Days Inn, 800-695-8284; and Hampton Inn, 336-835-1994. Cost is $10 and limited to 15 birders. The inclement weather date is February 18. Be sure to dress warmly as it can be very cold at Burke’s Garden. We will stop at the country store to have lunch and warm ourselves by the pot-bellied stove. Contact leader Lori Martin (828-638-1193 or oriannkayaker@charter.net) before mailing your registration money. Virginia Beach Field Trip Schedule All trips depart from the Ramada except for the pelagic trips. You may want to bring drinks and snacks for the half-day trips and will need to bring lunch for all- day trips. Friday, February 3 All-day Trip #1 CBBT and Eastern Shore — 6:00 am Trip #2 Eastern Shore and CBBT — 6:00 am Trip #3 Pelagic Trip — TBA Half-day morning Trip #4 South Chesapeake — 6:15 am Trip #5 Back Bay — 6:45 am Trip #6 Seashore — 7:00 am Trip #7 Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center — 7:30 am Half-day afternoon Trip #8 South Chesapeake — 12:50 pm Trip #9 Lynnhaven Inlet — 1 :00 pm Trip #10 Princess Anne/Munden — 1:10 pm Trip #1 1 Seashore — 1 :20 pm Saturday, February 4 All-day Trip # 12 CBBT and Eastern Shore — 6:00 am Trip # 13 Eastern Shore and CBBT — 6:00 am Trip # 14 Pelagic Trip — TBA Half-day morning Trip #15 Great Dismal Swamp — 6:15 am Trip #16 Mackay Island — 6:30 am Trip #17 Back Bay — 6:45 am Trip #18 Craney Island — 7:00 am Half-day afternoon Trip #19 Great Dismal Swamp — 12:50 pm Trip #20 Mackay Island — 1 :00 pm Trip #21 Princess Anne/Munden — 1:10 pm Trip #22 Craney Island — 1:20 pm Sunday, February 5 Trip # 23 Weekend Hot Spots — TBA Note: Some trips may change depending on site conditions and bird sightings Rob Sewell Virginia Beach Field Trip Descriptions Trips 1, 12. CBBT and Eastern Shore (Photo ID required on CBBT). This trip includes birding the four islands of the CBBT in the morning and continuing northward in the afternoon to sites on the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail, including stops at Eastern Shore NWR, Kiptopeke State Park, and several Cape Charles sites. This trip should yield Brant, Harlequin and Long-tailed Ducks, all three species of scoters. King Eider, Great Cormorant, and possibly rare gulls such as Little Gull. Wildlife refuges and harbors north of the CBBT may yield additional prizes. Foraging flocks of kinglets, chickadees, woodpeckers, creepers, and nuthatches may be found in woodland habitats. Many species of wintering sparrows will be found in nearby fields. Marshland may yield Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sharp- tailed Sparrows, plus Sedge Wrens. Due to security policy, birding on the CBBT requires payment of additional fees and is governed by strict rules. Be sure to pre-register as early as possible by mailing the pre-registration form (on the CBC website) plus an additional, non-refundable fee of $25 (cost per participant for van, gas, CBBT toll, and CBBT security guard). Space is limited to approximately 45 birders. CBBT security policy requires each participant to complete and sign the form. Once pre-registered for one of the four vans, participants may not switch days or vans and refunds, substitutions, and additions cannot be accommodated. Breakfast is on your own; however, a quick breakfast will be available at the CBBT coffee shop on Island 1 (opens 7 am). Bring your own lunch and beverages. Trips 2, 13. Eastern Shore and CBBT (Photo ID required on CBBT). These trips are mirror images of trips 1 & 12. Birding will start at Cape Charles in early morning and move south to the CBBT for the afternoon. Pre-registration and other requirements are the same as above. Breakfast is on your own; however, we will stop at McDonald’s in Cape Charles. Bring your own lunch and beverages. Trips 3, 14. Pelagic Trips. Brian Patteson will offer pelagic trips out to the Norfolk Canyon, over 60 miles offshore, from Virginia Beach on Friday and Saturday. Sunday will serve as the weather date for both trips. Based on previous history, birds may include: Northern Fulmar, Iceland Gull, Black- legged Kittiwake, Dovekie, Razorbill, and Atlantic Puffin, plus, the possibility of a Great Skua. Details on departure location and time and breakfast locations will be announced later. Each trip is limited to 27 participants. The additional cost per participant is $125, with the possibility of a fuel adjustment to be added later if required due to fuel cost increases. Trips 4, 8. South Chesapeake. This trip features stops along the South Chesapeake loop of the birding trail, including Oak Grove Lake Park, Chesapeake Arboretum, North Landing River Natural Area, and Northwest River Park. Oak Grove Lake makes up about half of the park and the remainder includes dense growth pines, maples, and tulip poplars. North Landing River contains 3,000+ acres of riverside marsh, swamp, and forest. A short trail winds through wet hardwood forests and swamps and culminates at tidal marshes on the scenic black-water river. The Arboretum consists of gardens and the farmhouse headquarters building, plus woodlands and mulched trails. Northwest River Park wildlife watching opportunities feature forests interspersed with wetlands, swampy ponds, and open lake edges. The Deer Island Trail is good for birding. Trips 5, 17. Back Bay. This trip includes Back Bay NWR, Little Island/Lotus Gardens Parks, and False Cape State Park. These sites are located on a barrier island, flanked by the ocean and the fresh water bay and contain beaches, dunes, woodland, wooded swamps, maritime forests, farm fields, and marsh. Nearly 300 species of birds have been observed here and, in winter, it is the only reliable site in Virginia for LeConte’s sparrow. The best LeConte’s site, however, is a 10- mile round trip hike for birding on your own. Trips 6, 11. Seashore (Photo ID required on Fort Story). First Landing State Park, Fort Story/Cape Henry, and other ocean and inlet sites are included on this trip. First Landing features beach, large dunes, upland forest, tidal marsh, cypress swamp, and a maritime forest community. Several miles of trails include a boardwalk through the cypress swamp. At Fort Story, boardwalks provide overlooks to Cape Henry Beach. The old and new Cape Henry Lighthouses are also on this site. The Cape Henry Lighthouse was the first public building authorized by the new federal government in 1789. Trip 7. Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. This site contains a museum, aquarium, and an interpreted wetland trail on the banks of Owls Creek. An elevated tower and several decks extend out over the water and marsh. A boardwalk meanders through woodlands. A staff member will conduct a before-hours bird walk and visit to their aviary. The remainder of the museum/center will open at 9 am. An admission fee of $8.50 per person is required if you choose to stay and view the other attractions. Rudee Inlet and other nearby sites may be visited if time permits. Trip 9. Lynnhaven Inlet. This trip visits an area near the Lesner Bridge that allows access to Lynnhaven Bay and Inlet. There is a trail past small lakes that usually have a nice variety of waders, waterfowl, and shorebirds, plus sparrows and raptors along the trail. Trips 10, 21. Princess Anne WMA/Munden Point Park. Princess Anne’s Whitehurst Tract is a patchwork of marshes, weedy and cultivated fields, narrow freshwater impoundments, and pine woodland. Because of the mixed character of the habitat, this area includes lots of woodland edge where birds are plentiful. Munden Point Park was formerly a famous waterfowl hunting site. It is now an excellent site for naturalists featuring low swampy woodlands, a creek, forests Continued on following page Continued from previous page of tall pine and sweet gum, and the borders of salt marshes. This trip should be great for raptors, sparrows, and waterfowl. Trips 15, 19. Great Dismal Swamp NWR. This Audubon IB A contains over 100,000 acres of forested wetlands and includes Lake Drummond, the home of thousands of waterfowl each winter. Wildlife activity abounds. Bear cubs are bom in late January through February. Great Homed Owls incubate eggs in late January and February. Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks begin to court and lay eggs. Wood Ducks pair up and search for nest cavities. We will bird the boardwalk area and a portion of the Washington Ditch trail and drive to Lake Drummond if the Railroad Ditch road is open. Trips 16, 20. Mackay Island NWR. This refuge is found in the northern portion of Currituck Sound and the southern portion of Back Bay on a peninsula which juts into the Sound. Habitats include freshwater and brackish marsh, upland and lowland pine/ hardwood forest, and cropland. Mackay is home to over 180 species of birds and is especially known for concentrations of over-wintering ducks, geese, swan, raptors, wading birds, and shorebirds. An active Wood Duck breeding population is present. The afternoon trip (#20) will return late to the hotel due to a planned viewing of a portion of the swan/ geese fly-in. The return, however, will be prior to that night’s meeting. Trips 18, 22. Craney Island. Craney Island is a man-made spoils site. It is divided into six sections that are filled with dredged material on a rotating basis; therefore, the sections have various amounts of water in them so a wide variety of waterfowl, along with many species of shorebirds may be seen. Waterfowl include sea, dabbling, and bay ducks. Large rafts of Ruddy Duck and Homed Grebe may be present. Rough-legged Hawk and Short-eared Owl may be found hunting rodents in the interior. Craney is the top spot in coastal Virginia for finding Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs. Much of the birding here is done from (or very near) the car, so little walking is required. Time permitting, this trip will also include Hoffler Creek WMA. Trip 23. Weekend Hot Spots. One or more Sunday trips will be planned on Saturday afternoon based on findings for the first two days. Trips may be planned as a destination along the route back to the Carolinas. Carolina Bird Club Registration Form Virginia Beach February 3-5, 2006 and Burke's Garden Bonus Field Trip Name(s) Address City State Zip Day Phone Evening phone Email Advance registration for the meeting is $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. Registration at the door costs $25 for everyone. CBBT/Eastem Shore trip cost is $25 and requires advance payment and completion of the pre-registration form that may be found on the CBC website. Registration for pelagic trips are $125 and the Burke’s Garden bonus trip costs $10. Both need to be paid in advance. Friday field trip choices # / Saturday field trip choices # /_ Sunday field trip choices # AM PM AM PM AM Enclosed is my check for member ($15) registration(s), nonmember ($20) registration(s), : CCBT/Eastem Shore ($25) registration s), pelagic trip ($125) registration(s), and Burke’s Garden bonus trip registration(s). My total is $ for the above registrations. Club policy requires all field trip participants to comply with the field trip leader’s assessment and requests concerning the physical ability of each participant to make or complete the trip. I release and discharge (and will not make a claim against) Carolina Bird Club for injury, death, or property damage arising from my participation at this meeting and Club field trips. This release of liability is entered into on behalf of all members of my family, including all minors, accompanying me. I certify that I am the parent or legal guardian of any such minors and that I am over 1 8 years of age. Signature Date Signature Date Make check payable to Carolina Bird Club and send to: CBC, 5009 Crown Point Lane, Wilmington, NC 28409. Carolina Bird Club , Inc. 5009 Crown Point Lane Wilmington, NC 28409-3298 Nonprofit Organization US Postage Paid Raleigh, NC Permit No. 1654 Upcoming CBC Weekends Asheville, NC April 28-30, 2006 Savannah, &A Fall 2006 illilliillliilllllliigiiiiliiiliiuiiiilliililiiiiliii till till ™.*™„*********„****,****««*„**AUT0„M1XED AADC 270 142 0 3000 5 SMITHSONIAN LIBRARIES 7 25 Mrc 154 Nhb PO Box 37012 Washington DC 20013-7012 CBC Board Members President, Stephen Harris, Wilmington, NC, 910-791-9034 srharris@mindspring.com Vice-Presidents John Cely, Columbia, SC John Ennis, Leland, NC Simon Thompson, Asheville, NC Secretary Kathleen O'Grady, Columbia, SC Treasurer Bruce Smithson, Wilmington, NC NC Members -at- Large Kim Horstman, New Bern Gail Lankford, Asheville Lori Martin, Maiden Ed Toone, Wilmington SC Members -at -Large Bob Ellis, Columbia Steve Patterson, Lancaster Immediate Past President, Bob Wood, Camden, SC Editor of The Chat, Kent Fiala, Hillsborough, NC Website Editor, Kent Fiala, Hillsborough, NC Editor of CBC Newsletter, Karen Bearden 1809 Lakepark Drive, Raleigh, NC 27612 919-844-9050, chickadeebirders@earthlink.net Submission deadlines are due the 1st of January, March, May, July, September, and November. Headquarters Secretary, Dana Harris, Wilmington, NC 910-791-9034, srharris@mindspring.com Rare Bird Alert: 704-332-BIRD CBC Website: www.carolinabirdclub.org The CBC Newsletters published bimonthly by Carolina Bird Club, Inc. Founded in 1937 the membership is open to anyone interested in birds, natural history, and conservation. Current dues are: Individual & non-profit, $20; Associate (in household with individual), $5; Student, $15; Patron, $50 and up; Sustaining & businesses, $25; Life, $400; Associate Life (in household with Life Member), $100 (both Life memberships can be paid in four annual installments). Cost for CBC bird checklists, including postage: 10@$2.50, 25@$6, 50@$11.75, 75@$17.75, and 100@$23.50. Submit application for membership, change of address, and payment for checklists to: CBC Headquarters Secretary, 5009 Crown Point Lane, Wilmington, NC 28409-3298. Copyright © 2005. Printed on 100 % recycled paper at Crass Roots Press.