Volume 54 October

Newsletter

ISSN No. 0162-7120

Inc., ornithological society of the Carolinas

2008 Numbers

Set Ready for the Winter 2009 Seasonal Meeting in Williamston N C !

Lena Gallitano

Hear ye! Hear ye! Williamston, North Carolina will be the headquarters for the 2009 winter CBC meeting scheduled for January 30th to February 1st. Mark your calendars now for a weekend of birding and dis- covery along the North Carolina Birding Trail (NCBT) in this historic and beautiful part of eastern North Carolina’s coastal plain.

Refuges, state parks, and quaint, less-known birding sites will allow participants to explore rivers, streams, lakes, marshes, woodlands, and farm fields. We will pay special attention to the NCBT sites in this region. The variety of habitats should provide a panorama of wintering and resident birds, including the often spec- tacular congregations of waterfowl at Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and the possibility of bay ducks at Goose Creek State Park. Smaller sites such as Momingstar Nature Refuge and Cashie Wetlands Walk offer the potential for winter discoveries previ- ously unreported. While the Pocosin Lakes wildfire of this past summer garnered much media attention, we are pleased to report that the Pungo Unit of the refuge where field trips will be scheduled was not signifi- cantly affected.

For the adventurous, a winter paddle along one of the river trails might be the weekend’s highlight, or maybe it will be a boat trip on the Roanoke River to explore the maze of swamps and wetlands. We are very ex- cited to offer a trip to the fascinating Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park & Eco-Center where you can take a

tour of the world’s waterfowl without leaving the Carolinas!

Historic sites abound in the region, and non-birding spouses and partners will have a special invitation from the towns of Plymouth, Edenton and Williamston to participate in planned, guided outings. Destinations will include the beautiful reconstruction of the historic Roanoke River Lighthouse and Maritime Museum in Plymouth and a tour of historic Edenton. In Martin County, the Historic Hope Plantation, St. James Place Southern Folk Art Museum and other hidden treasures will interest non-birders.

After exciting days of winter birding, the fun is just beginning. Friday and Saturday evening programs of- fer a chance to meet and greet new and old friends from across the Carolinas and enjoy presentations on bird-related topics facilitated by knowledgeable speakers. We look forward to learning more about the often elusive Swainson’s Warbler, a neo-tropical mi- grant and nesting bird of the region, as well as a fasci- nating look at the ecology of the Roanoke River. Martin County will host a Friday evening dessert re- ception at Moratoc Park along the river where a Barred Owl might just provide an evening serenade.

So, come one, come all, spread the word and bring a birding or non-birding friend to explore the North Carolina Birding Trail at our winter 2009 meeting in Williamston.

CBC Newsletter (USPS# 023-534), October 2008, Volume 54, Number 5. Published bimonthly by Carolina Bird Club, Inc., 353 Montabello, Bloomingdale, IL 60108-1037. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CBC Newsletter , Carolina Bird Club, Inc., 6325 Falls of the Neuse Road. STE 9 PMB 1 50, Raleigh, NC 27615

What's In a Name? The Answers!

Make Plans Now for Wings Over Water 2008!

Robert C. Gallagher quips: “Change is inevitable - ex- cept from a vending machine.” This is certainly the case with common names for American birds (the change part anyway. I’m not sure most know how to operate a vending machine — though I did see a video where a pair of sparrows learned to use an automatic door opener at a big box store, but that is a story for later). A beginning birder might be excited to tell an old-timer about a beautiful Wood Stork they saw, only to have the elder mumble something about a “Wood Ibis” and how much better things were when a name was a name and gas was thirty-five cents a gallon.

In an earlier edition of the Newsletter a list of not-so- current names for North American birds was printed. How many did you recognize? The answers are shown below with the current English name following the now-obsolete name:

Marlin Hawk — Merlin

Crested Bittern — Yellow Crowned Night Heron Crying-bird — Limpkin Spanish Curlew — White Ibis Black-masked Cuckoo — Mangrove Cuckoo Trilling Nighthawk — Lesser Nighthawk Mexican Woodpecker- Arizona Woodpecker Olive-backed Kingbird — Tropical Kingbird Canada Jay — Grey Jay

Morellet Seedeater — White-collared Seedeater Pinewoods Sparrow — Bachman’s Sparrow Pitiayumi Warbler — Tropical Parula White-necked Raven — Chihuahuan Raven Clark’s Crow — Clark’s Nutcracker Black Cap Flycatcher — Eastern Phoebe

The Carolina Bird Club is a proud co-sponsor of the 12th annual Wings Over Water Festival, “a Celebra- tion of Wildlife & Wildlands in Eastern North Caro- lina”. This year’s event runs from November 4th to November 9th and features a variety of bird and wild- life related field trips, seminars, and fellowship oppor- tunities. While events take place all along the Outer Banks and adjacent Coastal Plain, the center of activi- ties for this year’s festival will again be the Roanoke Island Festival Park where the Friday evening keynote speech is scheduled to feature birder and author Pete Dunne.

Mr. Dunne is the vice-president of the New Jersey Audubon Society, director of the Cape May Bird Ob- servatory, and the author of many volumes on or about birding including: Pete Dunne ’s Essential Field Guide Companion; The Feather Quest, A North American Birder ’s Year; Small-Headed Flycatcher. Seen Yester- day. He Didn ’t Leave His Name ; and The Art of Pish- ing. Mr. Dunne’s comedic relief combined with spot- on information on finding and identifying birds makes him not only a wonderful writer, but an entertaining speaker as well. In addition to his keynote speech, Dunne will lead a two-part workshop on the “art of pishing” with the second portion being an “in the field” opportunity to practice new skills. A limited number of participants will be able to enjoy a small- group birding experience led by Dunne on Saturday the 8th. To avoid disappointment, sign up early for this rare opportunity!

Featuring more than sixty events from birding trips to Cape Hatteras Point and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, to tours of an historic lighthouse, to paddling trips, to art exhibits, to a wolf howling. Wings Over Water promises excitement, entertainment, and oppor- tunities to explore the nature of eastern North Caro- lina. Winter waterfowl and passerines will have ar- rived, and early November is an excellent time to search for rare Western strays.

To find out more, including the full listing of events, fees, and schedules, “migrate” to www.wingsoverwater.org or call (252) 441-8144.

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Carolina Christmas Bird Count Information

It’s not too early to begin making plans to participate in one or more Christmas Bird Counts in the Carolinas. To help you get started, the dates and contact persons for some of the many opportunities in North and South Carolina are listed below. Christmas Bird Counts are an excellent chance to join fellow birders of all experi- ence levels, and allow you to participate in a tradition that dates back to 1900! The 2008-2009 season marks the 109th edition of the now-famous count that was started by ornithologist Frank Chapman as a conservation- related alternative to the traditional “side hunt” where participants would compete to see who could shoot the most quarry in a given day. Chapman devised a “competition” where folks would try to see how many living birds could be counted on Christmas Day. Now spanning several weeks from early December to early Janu- ary, more than 50,000 observers participate in Christmas Bird Counts each year. The resulting body of data contributes to one of the largest and longest lasting “citizen science” projects in the world.

At the time of publication dates and contact persons for the counts below had been confirmed. Updates, hope- fully to include information on many more of the counts scheduled in North and South Carolina, can be found on the web at the Carolina Bird Club site: www.carolinabirdclub.org Note that most counts require partici- pants to pay a nominal fee charged by the National Audubon Society for record keeping and administrative tasks related to the counts.

Count	State	Date	Contact	Contact Phone	Contact E-mail Address
Congaree Swamp	SC	12/14/2008	John Grego	N/A	jrgrego@mindspring.com
Durham	NC	12/14/2008	Jeff Pippen	919-383-8040	jspippen@duke.edu
Lower Saluda	SC	12/16/2008	Jason Giovannone	803-608-3551	giovannonej@bellsouth.net
Highlands	NC	12/19/2008	Edwin Poole	828-526-2775	kaywick@principia.edu
Tryon/Polk County	NC	12/20/2008	Simon Thompson	828-253-4247	travel@birdventures.com
Greensboro	NC	12/20/2008	Elizabeth Link	336-273-4672	baddogi@yahoo.com
New River	NC	12/20/2008	Katherine Higgins	N/A	kathwrens@earthlink.net
Raleigh	NC	12/20/2008	John Connors	919-733-7450 x602	john.connors@ncmail.net
Gaston County	NC	12/20/2008	Steve Tracy	704-853-0654	stevepathl @aol.com
Southern Lake Nor- man	NC	12/21/2008	Taylor Piephoff	704-545-2314	piephofft@aol .com
Morehead City	NC	12/21/2008	John Fussell	252-240-1046	jfiiss@clis.com
Southern Pines	NC	12/21/2008	Susan Campbell	910-949-3207	susan@ncaves.com
North Greenville	SC	12/27/2008	J.B. Hines	864-461-8824	jbhines3@chesnet.net
Mecklenburg Cty	NC	12/27/2008	Dave Lovett	704-507-7677	birdsalot@webtv.net
Winston-Salem	NC	12/27/2008	Linda Gibson Davis	336-924-1751	davisl@mindspring.com
Alligator River NWR	NC	12/30/2008	Jeff Lewis	N/A	j lewis obx@yahoo.com
Cleveland Cty	NC	1/1/2009	Jo Ann Martin	828-453-7400	jamloon@bellsouth.net
Spartanburg	SC	1/2/2009	Lyle Campbell	864-585-1228	lcampbell@uscupstate.edu
Kerr Lake	VA	1/2/2009	Brian Bockhahn	919-528-1690	cbockhahn4@earthlink.net
Pee Dee NWR	NC	1/3/2009	Don Fink	704-983-3307	donfmk48@aol.com
Greenville	NC	1/4/2009	Dr. Veronica Pantelidis	252-758-7828	pantelidisv@ecu.edu
Jordan Lake	NC	1/4/2009	Carol Williamson	919-383-2364	cncbrdr@yahoo.com
Falls Lake	NC	1/5/2009	Brian Bockhahn	919-528-1690	cbockhahn4@earthlink.net

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The Other Side of the Rockies -2007

Steve Shultz

On July 24, 1847 Brigham Young looked across the Salt Lake Valley and declared “This is the right place. Drive on.” One hundred sixty years later, on the morning of May 26, 2007, birders from every comer of the Carolinas converged on Salt Lake City, Utah for a week of birding the intermountain west, hoping that they too would find that “this is the right place”. And “drive on” they did, covering 1,953 miles in the states of Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

Billed as a tour of the “other side of the Rockies”, the trip advertised visits to birding sites on the west slope of the Rocky Mountains and would be a “sister trip” to 2006’s adventure to the east slope of the famed spine of granites and shales that bisect the western half of the United States. Starting and ending in Salt Lake City, the trip would carve a grand circle through some of the most varied and beautiful terrain of the west slope, including locations in the Uinta Mountains of Utah, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in Wyoming, and famed wildlife refuges in Idaho and Montana.

Trip planner extraordinaire John Ennis engineered and led the trip, with baggage handling and chauffeuring assistance rendered by Steve Shultz. Twelve partici- pants, one ton of luggage, thousands of dollars of opti- cal equipment, and enough enthusiasm to float an ocean liner packed into two full sized SUVs. This is their story...

Birding tends to begin immediately on CBC trips, and in this case the binoculars were out as folks arrived at the hotel. Why? A pair of Great Homed Owls nested on the comice of the adjacent hostelry, and by late

May an adult and two chicks were easily seen lazing the afternoon away overlooking the parking lot. Once the majority of the partici- pants arrived, the cara- van was off to Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake. Among the thou- sands of waterfowl,

Chukar - Antelope Island

passerines, and other avian goodies, an all-white Eared Grebe, agreeable Chukars, a migrant Olive-sided Fly-

John navigates the Montana backroads

catcher, and three more Great Homed Owls thrilled. After dark the group proceeded to a canyon above the valley to look and listen for owls. The temperature drops quickly at night, and folks who did not bring a light coat opted to outfit themselves with plastic trash bags in hopes of keeping warm. Quite a sight for passing motorists I am sure. Steve called in a North- ern Saw-whet Owl, but the elusive Flammulated Owl proved, well... elusive.

The following marathon day included stops at Bear River Migratory Bird Area where Western Grebes per- formed their spectacular walking-on-water courtship displays, a trip into the Wasatch Mountains for high elevation birds, and a sunset drive through the sage flats of Idaho. The day culminated with an epicurean delight, a midnight dinner of crackers, nuts, and candy bars at an all night gas station along the interstate in Idaho. CBC’ers know how to make the most of a day!

After spending the night in Idaho Falls, the group vis- ited Camas NWR in Idaho (highlights included up- close looks at migrants at the banding station and a couple of moose) and Red Rock Lakes NWR in Mon- tana (Trumpeter Swans, Franklin’s Gulls, Sandhill Cranes). Late afternoon found the caravan winding

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The Other Side of the Rockies (continued)

(continued from page 4)

along the roads of Yellowstone National Park, breez- ing through the mist of hot springs and geysers, and arriving at Old Faithful Village in time for a viewing of the nation’s most famous spout of water and a well- deserved dinner. As dusk fell the silver moon rose above the Grand Tetons, home for the next three nights for our intrepid travelers.

The crown jewel of Grand Teton National Park, and an innkeeping highlight of the birding trip, Jackson Lake Lodge provided a base of operations for two days of birding in the shadow of the towering Tetons. Displaying Dusky Grouse, clouds of Calliope and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Barrow’s Goldeneye, moose, otters, marmots, empids, and other wildlife competed with the spectacular views for attention. A side trip to the top of the Bridger-Teton ski lift pro- vided spectacular scenery and a cooperative Hammond’s Flycatcher singing from atop a slender conifer.

Reluctantly leaving the beauty and splendour of the Grand Tetons, the caravan proceeded south through the sagebrush covered basins of western Wyoming. Roadside birding produced a Golden Eagle chick in a nest that was perched on a cliff high above and Prairie Falcons zooming in circles with Cliff Swallows, but not the hoped for Greater Sage Grouse.

Re-entering Utah at Flaming Gorge, the trip made camp in the rough and tumble oil and mining town of Vernal. After a pleasant dinner and pictures with the huge pink Fiberglass dinosaur at the entrance to town, participants went to bed with visions of birds seen and birds soon to be seen dancing in their heads.

Morning found the caravan at Dinosaur National Monument where authentic dinosaur bones can be seen still in the ground, and Plumbeous Vireos and Say’s Phoebes flitted about the cottonwoods along the Green River. After viewing Native American rock art and what John Ennis claims was the largest beaver in Utah, the group proceeded south and east to Ouray for a hope at Lewis’s Woodpecker. While the wood- pecker remained elusive, deftly avoiding all searchers, a good time was had by all as folks gamely tried to (and were generally successful at) avoiding the oil

trucks that flew by at high speed every minute or so.

After spending the night at the beautiful Inn at Stillwa- ter near Park City, the troops were ready to ascend the High Uinta mountains east of Salt Lake City for some high altitude birding. The Mirror Lake Scenic Byway leads to several alpine lakes nestled among the highest of the Uinta peaks, and here the group found enough in the way of boreal finches to please even the most jaded birder. Pine Grosbeaks quietly and elegantly went about the business of procuring breakfast while the somewhat more raucous Pine Siskins seemed to be everywhere. Once in a while a Red Crossbill would alight on a pine or spruce bough to partake of a cone or two. After visiting Lily, Teapot, and Mirror Lakes, the caravan descended from the lofty 10,687-foot crest and made a beeline for the tailrace below Jordanelle Reservoir where Lucy Quintilliano had a stake-out American Dipper that put on a great show.

Later it was back up to the highlands for birding around the Solitude/ Alta area. Highlights included Western Tanager, Spotted Sandpiper, and a very ac- commodating moose in the ski center parking lot. The night’s lodging was back at the hotel by the Salt Lake City airport where participants arrived a week ago.

The final morning of birding found those without early flights loading into one of the large SUVs for a trip to the Snowbird area and one last chance for the Black Rosy Finch that eluded everyone to date. The parking area produced a cooperative male MacGillivray’s Warbler, and while determining how to best get as high as possible to maximize chances of finding finches, the ski slope manager happened by to say “hi”. After explaining our situation, he graciously al- lowed John to drive the 4WD Suburban up the ski slope using the maintenance road. This allowed par- ticipants to enjoy a rare and unusual trip up the slopes of one of Utah’s more famous ski resorts. Alas, no finch was to be found. In the afternoon participants bid their farewells and boarded huge aluminum birds for the ride home.

The trip was over, but the memories of fun, fellow- ship, and great birding would continue on.

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2008 North Carolina Peregrine Falcon Nest Monitoring Results from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

Christine Kelly

This was a dynamic nesting season for Peregrine Fal- cons in western North Carolina, characterized by a number of apparent changes in nesting pairs and nest success. For a change, pairs in the northern counties fared better than pairs in the southern counties. Nota- bly, pairs at Big Lost Cove, Grandfather Mountain, and Moore’s Wall had successful nesting attempts for the first time since 2001, 2003, and 2001, respectively. Among southern nest sites, only Whiteside Mountain was successful. Looking Glass Rock experienced nest failure for the second year in a row. Panthertail Mountain is typically a highly productive site, how- ever the resident pair was in constant battle with a pair of Common Ravens. Ravens nested at Panthertail in the early years of the Peregrine Falcon reintroduction program, but Peregrines usurped the cliff from ravens in 1 993 and have nested there successfully 1 1 of the past 16 years. The Devil’s Courthouse nest failed for unknown reasons for the first time since falcons began nesting there in 1999. These failures significantly im- pacted what would have otherwise been a productive year for western North Carolina falcons, given the re- turned success at three northern sites.

Also of note this year was the presence of three mated second-year falcons holding down territories: a female at Grandfather Mountain, a female at White Rock Cliff, and a male at Chimney Rock. Age was esti- mated by plumage characteristics suggesting an in- complete prebasic molt, resulting in retention of some juvenal feathers. These three individuals appeared half-way between an adult and a fledgling in plumage with the following characteristics: head/nape- brownish gray; face- gray and white; back- gray; sec- ondaries and wing coverts- brown; primaries- gray; rump and tail- brown; belly- barring is heavier than adult and lighter than fledgling; skin around eyes and base of bill is gray, not yellow. None of the three were banded, so their origins remain unknown. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission does not band nestlings at this time, although some sur- rounding states do (Virginia, West Virginia). Of the three birds, only the second year female and her mate at Grandfather Mountain were successful in raising young. This was a considerable feat given the bird’s

age and inexperience com- bined with the site’s elevation (west-facing aspect, unpro- tected ledge, and some of the most severe weather in the mountain region). The other two second-year birds and their mates managed to hold down territories through nesting season, but were not successful in nesting. It is not extraordinary to witness failure of newly established young pair such as this, however it does inspire hope that the birds will try again next season. Typically, Peregrine Falcons reach sexual maturity at 3-4 years but may not imme- diately secure a mate or nest successfully. Prior to this, a second year male was observed harassing the previous resident female and her mate at Grandfather Mountain in spring 2007 (bird’s sex was based on its body size when seen flying near the resident male and female).

Results:

Southern mountains:

Whiteside Mountain (Jackson County) - 2 fledglings Looking Glass Rock (Transylvania County) - nest failure

Devil’s Courthouse (Transylvania County) - nest fail- ure

Chimney Rock (Rutherford County) - second year male on territory- nest failure Dunn’s Rock (Transylvania County) - probably vul- nerable to terrestrial predators- nest failure Panthertail Mountain (Transylvania County) - fighting with ravens all season- nest failure

Northern mountains:

White Rock Cliff (Madison County) - second year fe- male on territory- did not nest/nest failed Buzzard’s Roost (Haywood County, Pigeon River Gorge) - 3 nestlings

Shortoff Mountain (Burke County- south end of Lin- ville Gorge, east rim) - 4 nestlings NC Wall- (Burke County-toward north end of Linville Gorge, east rim) - 2 nestlings

Grandfather Mtn (Avery County) - second year female on territory- 2 nestlings

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Birding Kazakhstan

Simon Thompson

Kazakhstan. . . Europeans have been birding this for- mer Soviet Republic for the last 10 years. This past May we were the first U.S. based birding tour com- pany to go to this vast Central Asian country. So what was it like? We had snow-capped mountains stretch- ing across the sky above Almaty. We visited Astana, a monolithic new city with buildings and ideas seem- ingly larger than reality. There were grassy steppes that extended to the horizon filled with displaying larks and decaying concrete remnants from the Soviet era crumbling into the dust. Herds of horses stirred up clouds of dust, and grassy meadows were carpeted with purple and yellow spring wildflowers. Familiar, yet unfamiliar, birds introduced us to a unique blend of Eurasian species. All of these and many more gave us an insight into Kazakhstan, the 9th largest country in the world and surely the largest one that most of us knew so little about before our visit.

Rather than go through the days in a chronological manner, it’s probably better to just hit the highlights, such as visiting, on our first day, high elevation peony meadows filled with singing Grasshopper Warblers, Common Quail and Corncrake. Himalayan Griffon Vultures soared overhead and every wire seemed to hold a European Roller. Our hotel, in the old capital of Almaty, was a little austere, but the hot showers af- ter our return from the deserts were most welcome. Common Rosefinch, Greenish Warbler, and White- throated Dipper were singing loudly on the grounds as the spring nesting season began in earnest.

One of our first stops was the vast stretches of rocky eastern deserts towards the long western border with China. This surprised us with the quantity of birdlife living in such a seemingly inhospitable habitat. We had superb views of Pallas’s Sandgrouse scurrying like giant bugs across the rocky desert; we fell into the burrows of Great Gerbils and watched thousands of Rose-colored Starlings wheeling across the rocky mountainsides. The Asian Poplar or Turanga forests were an odd, relict stretch of animal-ravaged wood- land where we searched successfully for White- winged Woodpecker, Turkestan Tit, and Pale-backed Pigeon. Every pile of rocks and desert debris seemed to have its own pair of Isabelline Wheatears, and their familiar calls were an everyday sound in this dry habi-

tat. Water in the de- sert is very impor- tant, and so our lunch was usually taken quietly watch- ing the stream of birds coming in for their lunchtime drink. On the equally-dry Sogety Plains these in- cluded both Crimson-winged and Mongolian Finches, while in the Taukum Desert Temminck’s Stints, Black-bellied Sandgrouse and a host of pipits, larks and wagtails added their transient color to the birdlife.

At times, every scrubby bush and grove of trees seemed to hold a migrant resting after moving north the previous night. One day we must have hit a little push of migrants with many Barred and Upcher’s Warblers, Spotted Flycatchers, Bluethroat, and Red- backed Shrikes all crowded into any available scrap of habitat. A pair of Bam Swallows spent the night in our yurt, while a Sykes’s Warbler had to be rescued from another. We almost all had to be rescued from the daily pile of delicious chocolates that seemed to accompany every meal, and I for one, certainly en- joyed the fresh tomatoes and cucumbers that also seemed to be a daily fare. A displaying Houbara Bus- tard was distant but a real treat, and thankfully we did see them a lot closer. It took us two hours of search- ing the seemingly lifeless steppes to successfully find a splendid pair of the increasingly rare Caspian Plov- ers as well as several pairs of Greater Sand Plovers, along with their new and highly mobile chicks.

There were six of us on this new birding trip, includ- ing a couple from Iowa City, two of us from Ashe- ville, and one each from Anchorage and England, plus a driver, local guide and assistant. As I mentioned in the first part of this column, this intrepid team were among the first group of U.S. based birders on a bird- ing tour across Kazakhstan.

The fresh air in the Tien Shan Mountains was a wel- come break from the dry desert atmosphere, and the snowy mountains rang with the raucous calls of Hima- layan Snowcock, while Himalayan Rubythroat, Black- throated Accentor, and White-winged Grosbeak added their sound and color to the mountain scenery.

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Birding Kazakhstan (continued)

Looking for Guldenstadt’s Redstarts in the bizarre set- ting of the decaying cosmic research station was cer- tainly an otherworldly experience- similar I would guess to birding within the Bermuda Triangle! Hiking to some nearby cliffs was very fruitful, with Siberian Ibex adding some mammalian interest to the host of accentors, rosefmches, and a splendid male Wall- creeper that flashed its black and cherry red wings in front of our eyes. A pair of Red-fronted Rosefmches really tested our powers of identification, although maybe the lack of a good local fieldguide had some- thing to do with it! These high elevation birds are very rare below 3000 meters, and as a result were “lifers” for all of us, including Sergei, our local guide.

Most of us continued our journey on to the new capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, and Korgalzhyn Nature Pre- serve. Touted as one on the finest wetlands in Central Asia, we were certainly not disappointed with the numbers of either the species or the number of indi- viduals. Dalmatian Pelicans soared like white airships over the reed beds, and the lakes held a wide host of waterfowl including Whooper and Mute Swans, Northern Shoveler, Red-crested Pochard and a local specialty, the endangered White-headed Duck. Beau- tiful White-winged Black Terns fed over the marshes and we eventually did find the quite uncommon Black-winged Pratincole. A consortium of environ- mental groups is studying Sociable Plovers, with cer-

tain individuals being fitted with tiny radio transmitters to estab- lish where their winter- ing grounds lie. We were lucky to find several small flocks of these very attractive plovers, one female hav- ing 3 very tiny chicks. Blizzards of Yellow Wagtails were in every patch of wet grassland, and Black and White-winged Larks added some local interest to the clouds of Short-toed Larks and Skylarks that inhabited these short grass steppes.

The food was variable, often a little difficult for the vegetarian, but we managed to find an alternative in most situations (there was always chocolate!) with a bias on starches. Some soups, seasoned with fennel, were delicious and others had their share of “mystery meat” to investigate and struggle through. It’s always easy to pick on the little things on any tour, but overall it really was excellent. Our drivers were very good (if a bit “gazelle-like” from time to time), and both our guide and assistant added more than a lot to our tour.

Thanks to everyone for making our first trip to Ka- zakhstan so enjoyable! I have already made reserva- tions for May 2010, and I for one can’t wait to see rubythroats in the Tien Shans, pratincoles in Korgalz- hyn and bustards in the Taukum again in the future.

N.C. Falcons (continued)

Big Lost Cove (Avery County) - at least 1 fledgling Moore’s Wall (Stokes County - Hanging Rock State Park)- at least 1 fledgling

Summary

Total number of nesting pairs: 13 Total offspring: 15 Nest success: 53%

Productivity (# offspring/ pair): 1.15

*Nest success was determined when nestlings were at least 28 days old or older, per U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protocol. At some sites, they were observed after fledging; at other sites they had still not fledged (thus some referred to as nestlings and others as fledglings).

2008-2009 buck Stamp Now On Sale

The 2008-2009 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, more commonly known as the “Duck Stamp”, features a pair of Northern Pintails and is now available for purchase. Since 1934 pro- ceeds from Duck Stamps have raised more than $670 million and allowed for the purchase of over 5.2 mil- lion acres of waterfowl habitat in the United States. Many non-hunters purchase the beautiful stamps to contribute to conservation, for collection purposes, or for use as passes to National Wildlife Refuges that otherwise charge per-entry fees for the use of some facilities. The $15 stamps can be purchased at places selling hunting and fishing licenses, some post offices, and at www.usps.com, among other outlets.

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CBC Bonus Trips: A Chance to Bird With Old Friends and Make New Ones in Fun Places Around the Carolinas and Beyond!

The CBC is pleased to promote several bonus in and out of state field trips for 2008. Information on the out-of-state trip announced in the previous edition of the Newsletter is reproduced below. As always, con- tact the trip leaders for more information and to re- serve your place on the trip. These offerings fill up fast, so act soon to avoid disappointment!

Peru - November 30-December 9, 2008

Ventures is offering a special trip to Peru (Abancay, Cuzco & Machu-Picchu) for CBC members. This Peru tour is a perfect short trip for an introduction to some of Peru’s outstanding birds and scenic areas.

We start with coastal birding in the Lima area for species such as Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Vari- able Hawk, Croaking Ground-Dove, Oasis and Amazilia Hummingbirds and Peruvian Meadowlark.

A visit to the famous Inca ruins of Machu-Picchu pro- vides the opportunity to bird some very good subtropi- cal, temperate cloud forest, as well as looking for some of the rarest birds on earth in the Polylepis woodlands. Possibilities include Line-fronted Canas- tero, Ash-breasted Tit-tyrant (endemic), White-browed Tit-Spinetail (endemic). Tawny Tit-Spinetail, Giant Conebill, Stripe-headed Antpitta, and Andean Tapaculo. We’ll also take in the Apurimac endemics near Cuzco, an area not on regular Peru birding itiner- aries. Sightings may include Apurimac Brush Finch, "Ampay Tapaculo", Streak-backed and Rusty-fronted Canastero, and White-eared Puffbird.

On this trip we stay at comfortable country inns throughout and all are convenient to the best birding spots. The food is very good and the people very friendly. If you have never been to South America be- fore, this introductory tour to Peru will open your eyes to the beauty and diversity that is South America.

With the recent publication of the new Birds of Peru , this is now an excellent time to visit this incredibly di- verse country. Cost per person is $3,395 with single room supplement of $495. The cost includes: domes- tic flight back from Lima to Cuzco and return, trans- portation throughout, all accommodation, meals (except where specified), entrance fees and gratuities (except for leader/guide), trip information packet & bird checklist, and guide/leader service throughout.

Not included in the cost are: international flight to/ from Lima, airport departure tax, alcoholic beverages, any meals not specified in the itinerary, laundry, and other items of a personal nature.

Reservations and prepayment are required on all Ventures. A $300 deposit for the trip is required to reserve your spot. Please make your check payable to VENTURES, Inc. and send it to the address below. MasterCard and Visa are also accepted. This trip is limited to 10 participants. For more information, or to reserve your spot on this Ventures, Inc. trip, contact Simon Thompson at: Ventures, PO Box 1095, Skyland NC 28776. The phone is 828-253-4247. E-mail: travel@birdventures.com

Welcome New Members!

The Carolina Bird Club extends a very warm welcome to our newest mem- bers. We hope you enjoy the offerings of the CBC and en- joy great birding in the Carolinas and beyond!

Thomas and Mary Cestone Pinehurst, NC

Martha Cutler Todd, NC

Patricia Hooten Matthews, NC

Jillian Johnson Asheville, NC

Tim Larson Hickory, NC

Julie Levitt West Jefferson, NC

Andy Norris Anderson, SC

Sandra and Victor

Pillow

Apex, NC

Joan Pauley Concord, NC

Amber & Chris Rach

Raeford, NC

Rosemary Unger Don Sparrow Cary, NC

Lynne Mattocks Lucas

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Carolina Bird Club, Inc. 6325 Falls of the Neuse Road, STE 9 PMB 150, Raleigh, NC 27615

Periodicals Postage Paid at Bloomingdale, IL 60108 and additional mailing offices

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SMITHSONIAN LIBRARIES NHB 25-MRC 154 BOX 37012/SERIALS WASHINGTON DC 20013

Upcoming CBC Meetings

Williamston NC, Jan 30-Feb 1, 2009 Clemson, SC Spring 2009

CBC Board Members

President, Steve Patterson Lancaster, SC, 803-286-4998 SCBirder@aol.com Vice-Presidents Marion Clark, Lexington, SC David McCloy, Southern Pines, NC Taylor Piephoff , Charlotte, NC Secretary

Pru Williams, Hope Mills, NC

Treasurer

Carol Bowman, Southern Pines, NC

NC Members-at-Large

Lena Gallitano, Raleigh

Dwayne Martin, Hickory

Lucy Quintilliano, Charlotte

Ed Toone, Wilmington

SC Members-at-Large

Linda Kolb, Seneca

Dr. J. Drew Lanham, Clemson

Immediate Past President, Stephen Harris, Bloomingdale, IL Editor of The Chat, Kent Fiala, Hillsborough, NC Website Editor, Kent Fiala, Hillsborough, NC Editor of CBC Newsletter, Steven Shultz 4201 Sentimental Lane, Apex, NC 27539 919-779-2826, sshultz@nc.rr.com

Submission deadlines are due the 1st of January, March, May, July, September, and November.

Headquarters Secretary, Dana Harris, Bloomingdale, IL 630-453-8270, 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).

Membership dues of $20 include $4 for a subscription to CBC Newsletter and $5 for a subscription to The Chat. 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, 6325 Falls of the Neuse Road, STE 9 PMB 150, Raleigh, NC 27615. Copyright © 2008. Printed on 100 % recycled paper at Crass Roots Press.

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