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The Chat

Quarterly Bulletin of Carolina Bird Club, Inc.
The Ornithological Society of the Carolinas

No. 1

The Chat

(USPS 101-020)

Vol. 45 WINTER 1981

Published by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc.

Editor Eloise F. Potter, Route 3, Box 114 AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

General Field Notes David S. Lee, Department Editor

Julian R. Harrison, Associate Editor

Briefs for the Files Harry E. LeGrand Jr., Department of Zoology

Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29631

CBC Roundtable Louis C. Fink, Apt. 6, Bldg. L, Tau Valley Estates,

Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801

Backyard Birding Gail T. Whitehurst, 1505 Brooks Avenue,

Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Bird Count Editor John O. Fussell III, P.O. Box 520,

Morehead City, N.C. 28557

Art and Photography John Henry Dick and Jack Derm id

THE CHAT is published quarterly by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., with headquarters at Shuford Memorial Sanctuary,
P.O. Box 1220, Tryon, N.C. 28782. Second class postage paid at Tryon. N.C. 28782.

Subscription price $10.00 per year.

PAGE CHARGES: Authors who have funds available for page charges are requested to remit same at the rate of $40.00
per page. CBC Headquarters will provide statements required for your business records.

CONTENTS

Spring Bird Count — 1980. John O. Fussell III 1

Backyard Birding 7

CBC Roundtable 11

General Field Notes

First Record of Black-tailed God wit

from North Carolina. Michael Tove and David Hughes 13

Effects of Cool Weather on Nestling Behavior and Development

in the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Eloise F. Potter 15

Winter Records of the Grasshopper Sparrow in the North

Carolina Sandhills. J.H. Carter III and Marion Jones 16

Briefs for the Files 19

Book Reviews 25

OUR COVER— In January 1980 a Black-tailed Godwit
brought birders from all over the country to Bodie Island,
N.C., in search of the rare wanderer from Eurasia. Michael
Tove prepared the cover drawing of this bird and, along with
David Hughes, wrote a field note about the occurrence.
The Tufted Titmouse on page 9 is by John W. Taylor,
courtesy of N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. John
Henry Dick contributed the White-throated Sparrow on
page 24.

SPRING BIRD COUNT— 1980

JOHN O. FUSSELL III

Participation in the 1980 Spring Count was down from recent counts. The number
of areas censused, 22, was the lowest in several years, as was the number of field
observers (451) and field -hours (1403.6). Unfortunately, only one mountain area census
and three South Carolina censuses were received. One new area was covered, Cape
Lookout, where there was an inshore movement of pelagic species rarely or never
reported on previous counts.

Predictably, the total number of individuals (105,873) was down from recent
censuses, the percentage decrease roughly equal to the percentage decrease in coverage.
The composite species total, 246 (plus two hybrids), was also down (257 in 1978, 256 in
1979), but most individual counts had higher species totals than in 1979. Highest coastal
and inland totals were at Wilmington and Raleigh, with 170 and 148 species, respec-
tively.

In general, count days were partly cloudy to clear, were warm with light winds, and
had no rain. This was especially true of the 12 counts held on 3 and 4 May. There was
little frontal activity during the count period and no major frontal activity just before or
during the individual counts. Thus, viewing conditions were generally very pleasant, but
several compilers cited the absence of waves of migrants. Only one count, Cape
Lookout, had a significant amount of rain, but in this rare instance, the rain was more of
a help than a hindrance (see compilers’ comments).

One positive aspect of the 1980 count was the large number of rare species that were
found; in fact, almost all counts had at least one extraordinary species: Perhaps the most
outstanding rarities were the Alder and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers at Raleigh and the
count period Ruff and Bewick’s Wrens at Morehead City and New Hope River. For
details on these and numerous other noteworthy species, see the compilers’ comments.

Some of the population trends I’ve mentioned on earlier censuses were apparent
again this year. Only 32 Glossy Ibises were reported, the fewest since the species’ early
“boom days.” Likewise, only 28 (lowest ever?) Loggerhead Shrikes were tallied. Will
this species soon be a “boldface bird”? A survey of past counts suggests that this year’s
count of 3 Horned Larks also reflects a steady decline. Only 2 Ground Doves were
reported, but since this species is regularly reported from only two areas, it’s hard to
draw conclusions. The 7 Long-billed Marsh Wrens at the three coastal localities
(more— 9 — were found inland!) may reflect mortality of the species in North Carolina
from the snow storm in early March. Winter finches were down this year: 105 Evening
Grosbeaks, 34 Purple Finches, and no Pine Siskins. One lone Red-breasted Nuthatch
was found.

Of the species that were up in numbers this year, I noticed three that, trend-wise,
stood out. The 109 Sandwich Terns are, by far, a record count. House Wrens (182)
appear to be increasing after a population dip. And then there is the House Finch. For
the past 5 years, this species has, on the average, doubled its count numbers of the
previous year, and 1980 was no exception — 40 in 1979, 92 in 1980. Will it happen again
next year? Another question for compilers: Are these count birds breeding birds or
tardy winter residents?

Once again, due to CBC’s economic situation, there can only be a one-page table of
selected species. I have included all raptorial species, all species considered endangered
and threatened in North and South Carolina (of North Carolina threatened list, only
those that are threatened statewide), and the winter finches.

Compilers are to be commended for tabulation of this year’s count. Almost all indi-
vidual totals were added correctly. For several counts, compilers are not to be
commended for supplying supporting details about rarities. Unfortunately, I had to

Winter 1981

1

TABLE 1. Selected species from the 1980 Spring Bird Count in the Carolinas.

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delete a few very rare species that were not even mentioned as being unusual. There were
some rare species I did not delete, that, although details were supplied, the details did
not sufficiently rule out similar species. Again this year, it appeared that some
compilers, perhaps not wanting to make enemies, passed the buck. To these compilers,
I’ll repeat an earlier suggestion: Make an extremely conservative list of species to be
expected in your area on count day, supply it to count participants, and explain that any
additions to the list must be thoroughly documented. This puts the burden of proof on
the observer, where it belongs, and takes the burden of “disproof’ off the compiler.
Please note again: details supporting a rarity such as “seen by John Doe in a tree,” “seen
closely,” “characteristic song was heard,” and “all diagnostic characters were noted,”
say virtually nothing.

Thanks to Harry LeGrand for his comments on some troubling rarities.

COMPILERS’ COMMENTS

COAST

CAPE LOOKOUT, N.C. (center: 4.5 miles NE of Cape Lookout Lighthouse).

18 May. Only areas covered were Cape Lookout, east end of Shackleford Banks,
and Back Sound. Some of the islands in Back Sound were covered briefly or scanned
from a long distance. During rain squalls from 1 100 to 1300, both observers (Compiler,
Bob Lewis) witnessed, from the shelter of abandoned WWII fortifications on the west
beach of the Cape, many pelagic birds moving southeastward over the surf: 3 Sooty
Shearwaters, 50 Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, 2 Northern Phalaropes, and 5 Parasitic
Jaegers. This nearshore movement stopped abruptly when the squalls ended and skies
began to clear. (For 3 days prior to count, winds had blown steadily from an easterly
direction.) Another 8 Wilson’s Storm-Petrels were present in Cape Lookout bight
throughout the day. The total number of Gannets, 27, is noteworthy for the date. A
grand total of 14(!) species of land birds were tallied. — JOHN O. FUSSELL III, 1412
Shepard Street, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.

MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (center: 0.7 mile NW of Crab Point in Newport River).

27 April. Windy weather hurt species total, but probably contributed to the
presence of 179 Gannets and the Po marine Jaeger. Bob Hader watched the jaeger off
Bogue Banks; several Ring-billed Gulls were nearby for size comparison. The 3 Hooded
Mergansers (several observers) were slightly late. Uncommon migrants, all males, were
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Compiler), Scarlet Tanager (Mike Alford, Laura
Walters), and count period Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Laura Walters) on 26 April. A
Ruff (tentatively identified as an immature Reeve) was found by the compiler at Brant
Island 29 April. It remained until at least 5 May and was seen by numerous observers.
[Because this species is rare in the Carolinas and because there is so much individual
variation within the species, I’ll list several prominent field marks and characters of this
individual: associated with Lesser Yellowlegs and other species in shallow pool habitat;
was very close to Lesser Yellowlegs in body size (thus identification as a Reeve); had
erect posture; had bright orange legs and black, apparently slightly decurved bill; back
and upper wing surface were brown with a noticeably scaly appearance; brown wash of
breast contrasted greatly with very light belly. When the bird flushed, it never permitted
a satisfactory look at the tail pattern. — JF] — JOHN O. FUSSELL III, 1412 Shepard
Street, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.

WILMINGTON, N.C. (center: Monkey Junction).

26 April. Most unusual observation was of a Least Flycatcher, found by Greg
Massey at Orton Plantation. Its song was compared to that of Acadian Flycatchers that

Winter 1981

3

were singing in an adjacent bottomland area. Somewhat unusual migrants were 2
Scarlet Tanagers and 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks; both species were seen by several
observers. [Unfortunately there were no details supporting the Blackburnian Warbler.
— JF]— KITTE KOSH, 188 Lake Forest Parkway, Wilmington, N.C. 28401.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (center: 14 miles NE of Mount Pleasant and 0.5 mile E of US 1 7).

4 May. Caper’s and Deewee’s Islands and the mudflats, marshes, and tidal creeks of
Seewee Bay were not covered this year. Willow Flycatcher was observed closely at Fair-
lawn Plantation by David Chamberlain and Dennis Forsythe. Bird was singing “fitz-
bew” song; its lower mandible was noted to be light yellow. — JULIAN HARRISON,
Biology Department, College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. 29401.

COASTAL PLAIN

BEAUFORT COUNTY, N.C. (center: entrance of Upper Goose Creek into Pamlico
River).

4 May. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Compiler), although new to count, is
regular at this season. Slightly late were Marsh Hawk, American Kestrel, Hermit
Thrush, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet; the Hermit Thrush was carefully identified. Most
unusual was a singing Dickcissel (Connie, Emily, and James Albera). It was approached
to within 25 feet, and the black bib and yellow breast were seen well. — GERALDINE
COX, P.O. Box 162, Washington, N.C. 27889.

DILLON COUNTY, S.C. (center: Dillon).

1 May. The locally unusual American Bittern was observed by the compiler. —
JOHN H. WILSON, Box 535, E)illon, S.C. 29536.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.C. (Note: Center has been moved to a point on 1-95
that is approximately 1 mile N of 1-95 Middle Road overpass.)

4 May. Rare were the count period Short-billed Marsh Wrens (2), and very rare
was the count period Nashville Warbler, all found by the compiler. The marsh wrens
were seen 9 May; the streaked crown, lack of eye stripe, and short tail were observed at
close range in marsh habitat. The Nashville Warbler was found 30 April; gray head,
white eye ring, and yellow throat were seen closely. The compiler also saw 2 Semi-
palmated Plovers 5^ May.— PHILIP J. CRUTCHFIELD, 901 Montclair Road,
Fayetteville, N.C. 28304.

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. (center: 1 mile NE of Skyline).

3 May. Two Canada Geese (Dick Repasky) over Whispering Pines were late.
Notable finds at Lake Surf were a Snow Goose and 4 Caspian Terns, all seen by Tom
Howard. The adult Snow Goose (white morph) had been present for several months.
Howard also found a male Bay-breasted Warbler, a first spring record for the area. —
J.H. CARTER III, P.O. Box 891, Southern Pines, N.C. 28387.

PIEDMONT

RALEIGH, N.C. (center: Norfolk and Southern RR crossing on Lake Wheeler Road).

3 May. Most warblers were scarce except for Black-throated Blues, Cape Mays,
and Blue-wingeds. Several unusual species were turned up, the rarest being Yellow-
bellied Flycatcher, Alder Flycatcher, and Warbling Vireo. Eric, Jack, and Ron Johnson
noted the “fee-bee-o” song of the Alder Flycatcher and compared it to Acadian
Flycatchers in the same area; this is only the second local record. The same observers

4

The Chat

also found the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher in an edge area of young pines and rose vines;
identification was based on song and yellow throat. [Ron Johnson is from Wisconsin
and is familiar with the northern Empidonaces. — JF] Warbling Vireo (Mary Weber)
was singing and identification was based primarily on the song. Many somewhat
unusual water birds were found: 2 Double-crested Cormorants (Merrill Lynch), Little
Blue Heron (Compiler, Ken Knapp, Clyde Smith), 2 Red -breasted Mergansers (Lynch
et al.), King Rail (Wayne and Fran Irvin et al.), 2 Bonaparte’s Gulls (Lynch et al.),
Forster’s Tern (Lynch et al.), and 2 Caspian Terns (Compiler). — R.J. HADER, 3313
Cheswick Drive, Raleigh, N.C. 27609.

DURHAM, N.C. (center: 1 mile N and 1 mile E of US 501 bridge over Eno River).

27 April. The species total is a record for Durham, undoubtedly because it was one
of the latest of our counts (!). A good migration year helped. Most unusual find was the
singing Golden-winged Warbler, observed by Steve Graves and Charlie Saunders.
Common Loon (Ann Chester, Compiler, et al.) is locally noteworthy. — JOHN HORN,
Department of Botany, Duke University, Durham, N.C. 27706.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (center: intersection of Franklin and Columbia Streets in Chapel

Hill).

1 1 May. The late census date resulted in a relatively low individual total; migration
peak for most species was prior to count. Seven species of herons and bitterns were seen,
including Black-crowned Night-Heron (Norman Budnitz, Jim McConnell, etal.)and
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Steve Graves, Dan Kaplan). Two Semipalmated
Plovers (McConnell) were well described [. . . and well drawn. McConnell’s excellent
drawings, on this and the New Hope count, made verbal descriptions almost
redundant. — JF]. The 13.5 “owling hours” resulted in a total of 131 Whip-poor-wills.
Linda and Phil Drew and Bill and Margaret Wagner had a close, leisurely study of a
singing Wilson’s Warbler 9 May; they noted well the black cap, yellow forehead and
face, and solid yellow underparts. [Aren’t the 2 Brown Creepers a little late? — JF] —
BILL AND MARGARET WAGNER, Route 2, Falls of New Hope, Chapel Hill, N.C.
27514.

NEW HOPE RIVER, N.C. (center: the point where SR 1700 crosses New Hope River).

4 May. This is a record species total. Most unusual were the count day Whimbrel
(Bruce and Linda Lord) and count period Bewick’s Wrens (Barbara Roth). The
Whimbrel was described as being mottled brown, having a long decurved bill,
outstretched neck, and being about 1 5 inches long. [These details would seem to rule out
other species. On the other hand, especially considering the degree of rarity of the
Whimbrel away from the coast in North Carolina, they were very brief and raised many
questions. Was this bird flying over a wooded area at an altitude of only 20 feet? — JF]
Roth found the two Bewick’s Wrens 1 1 May; from 20 feet, she observed their white
underparts and white-spotted outer tail feathers. Jordan “Reservoir’s” mudflat and
marsh habitats continue to attract many wetland species: 3 Black-crowned Night-
Herons (Jim McConnell, Mike Schultz, Matt Spencer), 3 American Bitterns, 6
Semipalmated Plovers (Ken Knapp), 11 Ring-billed Gulls, 7 Long-billed Marsh Wrens
(several observers), 2 Short-billed Marsh Wrens (several observers), and 86 Swamp
Sparrows. Eleven species of shorebirds were seen count day, and four additional ones
were found during count period, including White-rumped Sandpiper, Dunlin, and
Western Sandpiper. Singing Nashville Warbler (Lance Peacock) was identified by
sound only; however, Peacock is familiar with its song. — ANGELO CAPPARELLA,
400 West Main Street, Carrboro, N.C. 27510.

Winter 1981

5

GREENSBORO, N.C. (center: transmitter tower of Radio Station WBIG).

3 May. Margaret Bushnell and Michelle Irvin observed the Lawrence’s Warbler
closely for several minutes, noting the presence of black throat, yellow underparts, and
wing bars. — DONALD ALLEN, 261 1 David Caldwell Drive, Greensboro, N.C. 27408.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (center: intersection of MO and Silas Creek Parkway).

3 May. The 22 Common Loons and 9 Double-crested Cormorants were observed
by Harry and Ramona Snavely at Salem Lake 27 April. Kevin Hintsa found a
Brewster’s Warbler along Silas Creek on 28 and 30 April and 1 May, and observed all
field marks from as close as 15 feet. — RAMONA R. SNAVELY, 1 15 Plymouth Avenue,
Winston-Salem, N.C. 27104.

STANLY COUNTY, N.C. (center: in Morrow Mountain State Park).

17 May. — TONI B. PHILLIPS. Morrow Mountain State Park, Route 2, Box 204,
Albemarle, N.C. 28001.

IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. (center: South Yadkin River Bridge on Chipley Ford
Road).

3 May. A wave of Yellow-rumped Warblers was noted. The total of 300 is especially
high considering the relatively low number of observers. — SAMUEL A. CATHEY,
P.O. Box 671, Statesville, N.C. 28677.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (center: intersection of South Boulevard and Woodlawn Road).

3 May. Great Egret was studied by Ed Reed et al. Least Flycatcher (Randy Cross)
was singing. Jack Hamilton studied the Golden-winged Warbler closely. — W.A.
BROKAW, 3611 Quail Ridge Lane, Matthews, N.C. 28105.

GREENVILLE, S.C. (center: intersection of highways 291 and 29).

29 April— ROSA LEE HARDIN, Star Route Box 60, Cleveland, S.C. 29635.

PILOT MOUNTAIN STATE PARK, N.C. (center: intersection of US 52 and Perch
Road).

10 May. [I’m delighted to say, especially since the count date was late, that the 5
Rusty Blackbirds, seen by Jim Mattocks, were convincingly described. I tend to be
skeptical of many late reports of this species. I also appreciate the description of the
Red-breasted Nuthatch, since the species was so rare this past winter. — JF] —
E. WAYNE IRVIN, 3600 Penny Court, Raleigh, N.C. 27606.

ELKIN-RONDA, N.C. (center: intersection of US 21 and US 21 -A, 3 miles N of Elkin).
10 May.— JERRY TYSINGER, 128 Bon Air Drive, Elkin, N.C. 28621.

CALDWELL COUNTY, N.C. (center: Lenoir).

3 May.— HELEN E. MYERS, 310 Beall N.W., Lenoir, N.C. 28645.

MOUNTAINS

BREVARD, N.C. (center: 5 miles SE of Brevard at Rich Mountain Lookout Tower).

3 May. Cattle Egret (Lynn Hiller, Ed and Ruth Hathaway) was in pasture with
cattle. Several observers found the Sora at a golf-course pond and approached it closely
enough to see the yellow bill and other field marks. Patrick Bohan studied the 2
Swainson’s Warblers closely for several minutes. — WALTER C. HOLLAND JR., 290
Maple Street, Brevard, N.C. 28712.

6

The Chat

Sfodmf

with Gail T. Whitehurst

Backyard Birders! We are eagerly awaiting news from you. The winter season of
1980-81 was a good one for the northern finches in the Raleigh area. Did you have an
unusually large number of Evening Grosbeaks, Purple Finches, and Pine Siskins at
your feeders? How about Red Crossbills? Perhaps you had an unusual visitor — a linger-
ing summer resident or transient which found your backyard so inviting that he stayed
with you a period of time.

What interesting or amusing behavior did you observe at the feeders or birdbaths?
For instance, we have a hanging feeder made from a coconut shell. Filled with a mixture
of cornmeal, suet, and peanut butter, it was intended for Northern Orioles (they need
something more substantial than Kool-Ade or sugar water). Not only do a pair of
orioles come to this feeder, but also numerous small birds (chickadees, titmice,
nuthatches, and wrens) and a Red-bellied Woodpecker and a Common Flicker. It is
fantastic, and a bit comic, how these larger birds manage to cling to the feeder as they
wrap themselves around it. This is the one time when one can see clearly the red belly of
the woodpecker.

Sauna— Scandinavian Style

One sub-freezing morning, we poured boiling water in the birdbath, to melt the ice.
Shortly thereafter, we observed several Pine Siskins sitting on the rim and apparently
bathing in the hot steam that arose as they were going through elaborate grooming
rituals.

Unusual Winter Visitor

Our thanks to Helen E. Myers of Lenoir, N.C., for telling us about a male Rose-
breasted Grosbeak that spent the winter season of 1979-80 at her feeders. She relates:
“On December 10 a male Rose-breast came to a feeder in my yard. It’s feathers
were rumpled. It was ravenous. It sat in the feeder and ate sunflower seed for
thirty minutes, before it was frightened away by a pigeon. I did not see it again

for some time On January 9 I spotted him at a feeder. Almost every day

from then until April 12 he fed at one of my feeders or half a block away at my
sister’s, Mary May. When I saw him on January 9 he had improved. His
feathers were well groomed. It was really great to have this unusual visitor.”

More on Bathing Under a Hose

On October 5, 1980, as I was watering shrubbery in my yard, I noticed a male Red-
breasted Nuthatch perched about 8 feet away in a small poplar tree. I stooped down and
remained as still as possible. Shortly, he flew to the ground within 2 feet of me and into

Winter 1981

7

the spray from the hose. He had a lengthy shower then flew back to the perch in the
poplar and proceeded to fluff and preen. This is the only experience I have had with a
wild bird in the act of bathing from a hand-held hose. — ADAIR TEDARDS, Route 4,
Box 157, Easley, S.C. 29640

The Tufted Titmouse

“Peter, Peter, Peter,” comes the bold, loud call of the small, gray bird. A little
farther away, another bird answers the call, saying “Peter” four times. I have heard this
call from earliest childhood spent in the mountains of North Carolina. I hear it daily
around my home in Raleigh and have heard it on visits to the coast. What is the name of
the bird that calls so frequently in woodland and suburb, field and forest across the
Carolinas? He is that lively and, seemingly intelligent, little mouse-gray bird with large
black eyes, a crest, a white belly, and patches of burnt orange on his flanks or the sides,
known to all of us as the Tufted Titmouse. He is a member of a large family of little
birds, including our Carolina Chickadee, which are known in England as “tits.” Many
birders think this family contains the smartest of all our perching birds, and my experi-
ences and observations of them would make me tend to agree.

The titmouse is quite common everywhere and a familiar bird at feeding stations
where he comes for suet and sunflower seeds. Closer observation and even a personal
acquaintance with a titmouse has revealed to me some delightful traits of personality,
which I should like to share with others. That little crest of his is usually quite erect, but
when the bird is very angry or frightened, it lies flat across his head, making his large,
round eyes appear even larger. His feet and toes are blue-gray in color — those of first-
year birds, quite blue. He is an acrobat, equally as agile and at home swinging upside-
down as upright. He can perch on the side of a tree — head up, head down, or sideways.
He is perpetual motion all day long.

Some years ago, the two pairs of titmice that came to my feeders decided to join the
growing group of semi-tame birds that had come to accept me, my binoculars and, more
specifically, my handouts of birdfood. Quite by accident, I noticed that they were flying
down to snatch the shelled-out peanuts we had been tossing out to entice a young
squirrel near. In no time at all, all four titmice came to expect a peanut or two every time
they found me outside. At first they would fly to the nearest perch and, holding the
peanut in one foot, wham it to pieces with their beaks and eat the broken bits. Soon they
demanded more, which they took away and hid — in an old pine cone, a crack or crevice
in the bark of a tree, in the leaves or a clump of grass on the ground. As they became less
fearful, they would hide their nuts around the house — on window ledges, under shingles
on the roof, anywhere they could find a niche large enough to stash the nut. Once, one
hid a nut in a large hole in a stump, but the nut still showed. Another titmouse, catching
sight of it, went to the nut and pounded it out of sight. The colder the day, the more nuts
the little birds will take and the faster they find hiding places. They will find some of
these nuts again in the course of wanderings over the trees and yard, but most will be
found by other small birds and, more likely, by squirrels, chipmunks, and mice, whose
keen sense of smell will locate the food.

Now all birds are nervous and always on the alert for danger, but some are more so
than others. The titmouse, when appearing all absorbed in eating, drinking, or hiding
food, is keeping his eyes and ears open at all times. His little head is turning every second
and those big eyes are searching everywhere — the ground below, the sky above, the trees
and shrubs around him. He can be gone in a flash. He has a great deal of curiosity, just
has to know what is going on in the world about him and is first on the scene if a cat or
strange bird appears. Once he recognizes the person who hands out food, he wastes no
time letting his presence be known. I cannot ignore our four titmice. If I should pretend
not to see them, they come closer and closer, squeaking and squealing, scolding and
calling. If I still do not come up with the nut, they will fly at my face and around my head

8

The Chat

as if to say, “Notice me, here I am. I want my nut, now!” Because of this behavior, I am
certain that these are the same birds coming from year to year. However, birds learn so
quickly from one another, it is possible for replacements to have occurred.

Like all birds, titmice have their own special territories, land to which they lay claim
and on which other titmice must not intrude. During the fall and winter, they relax a bit
on the boundary lines, but in late winter and early spring, some downright ugly squab-
bles can develop when one pair or the other steps over the line. One pair has ownership
of the front yard and the woods across the street; the other holds the back yard and all
the land extending some two blocks back to a creek. The feeders around the house
attract both pairs and things get rough should all four show up at the same time. The
call, “Peter, peter,” becomes a warning. If not heeded, another call, impossible to
describe, is given. In effect it says, “You are intruding on my territory, leave now!”
Perhaps the invaders will leave, perhaps not. If they choose to stay and dispute the
claim, quite a hassle may ensue. There is much squealing and chasing and the fight is on.
The titmice go at each other feet first. They may meet in midair and thrust their feet
forward, wings beating rapidly to hold them up. Generally, they come down to the
ground. Sometimes, with toes locked together, they roll about on the ground, kicking
and pecking and squealing until one gives up and beats a hasty retreat. After such a
fight, the four titmice will flit wildly from shrub to shrub and tree to tree with much
squealing and scolding. Eventually, tempers cool and the birds split, going deeper into
their own territories. I have never seen one of these birds really hurt the other, but they
seem to have established dominance and the bird out of place departs.

But they will return. However, future visits will be made when one pair has assured
itself that the other is nowhere near. Ofttimes they utter a soft call as though awaiting a
response and if no answer is given, back they come to the forbidden feeder. I recall an
instance when the male of the backyard pair was singing loudly telling the world that he
was marking off his boundary lines. The male of the frontyard pair was making an

Winter 1981

9

attempt to slip in to the seed feeder. The intruder gave out with the softest of calls as
though he were trying to sound far away. It must have fooled the other bird, for he soon
flew away.

Only twice have I known of a titmouse nest in or near my yard. Once, a pair had a
nest in the metal pipe serving to hold up a basketball goal in a neighbor’s yard. However,
they did not have any luck as a pair of House Sparrows found the place and harassed
them so that they left; the House Sparrows took over. Another time, some years ago, a
pair built a nest in a birdhouse made from an old Chlorox bottle. The hole was too small
for the sparrows to enter. It took the female titmouse many days to build the nest. She
carried in a great deal of moss from the woods and creek banks. I wasn’t certain when
she began to incubate the eggs, but it was a very long time before I was aware that the
young had hatched. Before entering the nest, whether to feed the babies orjust check on
them, the parent would perch on a nearby twig and give out a single, soft call note. The
young birds stayed much longer in the nest than do American Robins or Cardinals I
have watched. When they were ready to come out, they could fly well. I was amazed to
note that they returned to the nest at night for several days after they made the first trip
out. Long after the nest had been abandoned, I took down the bottle and opened it. To
my surprise, I found two nests, the one on the bottom with two eggs in it. No wonder it
was such a long time from the building of the nest until the eggs hatched! Apparently the
first clutch was infertile, or perhaps had been allowed to get cold.

Since that time, I have not found the nests of my two pairs of titmice, but I always
know when the females are incubating as the males come alone for handouts. I presume
that they take something to the females on the nest. I can tell when the eggs have
hatched, because then the two birds come together, again. This time, they refuse the
hard peanuts, but want the soft balls of cornmeal and peanut butter I feed the other
birds. They come for this several times during the day, but spend most of their time
gathering small insects to feed the young. As with the other nesting birds I feed, the
parents use my food as a filler for hungry mouths, or perhaps grab a bite for themselves
to renew the spent energy used in raising a family. When the little ones are fledged, they
accompany their parents for a snack now and then. Sometimes one of the little ones will
catch on to this easy method of food-getting and come take some on its own. Mostly,
though, they flit and frolic through the tree tops or hunch down on some twig, wings
aquiver, begging to be fed by the parents. It seems an incredibly short time before they
are on their own and gone. The older birds return fora nut nowand then during the late
spring and summer, but they feed mostly on the abundant insect life. During the molting
season, when they are tired and uncomfortable, they come more often for an easy meal.

The first cold winds in the fall bring the titmice back to the feeders and for my nuts.
I can always tell when a cold front is on the way by the stepped-up activity of the titmice.
If I am indoors, then they come for sunflower seeds and can empty a feeder in short
order. They hide the seeds in the same manner as they do with the nuts. While they leam
much, they never seem to realize that there will always be food here and no need to store
some away. It is one of those instinctive things they do which is built into the very fiber
of their being.

The Tufted Titmice, along with the Carolina Chickadees, are very alert to all that
goes on in their tree-top world. They become very agitated during spring and fall migra-
tion when the many small warblers invade their domain. Probably such an invasion of
other small birds, all insect eaters, frightens my little friends. They must fear a whole-
sale loss of all their choice food. Like the Mockingbird after a flock of Cedar Wax wings
in his favorite pyracantha bush, the titmice intend to drive the newcomers away as
quickly as possible. They will accompany these warblers (or kinglets, creepers, and

(Continued on Page 17)

10

The Chat

CB@

^mutdt^Cc

. . . with Louis C. Fink

Food Storing by Red-breasted Nuthatches

On 5 October 1980, my pine woods were “invaded” by Red-breasted Nuthatches.
For the first 2 weeks, they stayed in the woods, associating with chickadees and titmice.
Then, unfortunately for my budget, they discovered the half-coconut that dispenses
sunflower seeds. For 3 or 4 days, I was convinced that I had at least six birds coming to
the feeder. It became apparent that they were taking seeds and storing them. I never saw
them hack open a seed, and they made many more trips than the chickadees and titmice.
They are pugnacious and tame, waiting at arm’s length while I fill the feeder. I shall be
interested to hear of other observations of this habit of storing seeds. — ADAIR M.
TEDARDS, Box 157, Route 4, Easley, S.C. 29640.

Song and Garden Birds of North America (National Geographic Society, 1964)
calls nuthatches “great rainy-day birds. They spend long hours taking provender from
bird feeders and wedging it in walls, under shingles, or behind loose bark, despite the
fact that the food supply is constantly replenished.”

In A Complete Guide to Bird Feeding (Knopf, 1980), John V. Dennis describes the
food-storing behavior of the White-breasted Nuthatch and then comments on the^Red-
breasted: “Hanging and tree-trunk feeders are to its liking, and it has the same habit as
its larger relative of carrying off large quantities of food. An observer in Illinois reported
seeing this nuthatch press seeds into the ground in much the same manner that squirrels
use in disposing of food. Most of the food carried away by this nuthatch is stored in
crevices in trees.”

Mill Grove

John James Audubon was a superb painter but not much of a husband or provider.
His only real home still standing in America is Mill Grove, not far from Valley Forge,
where he developed his love for birds and also for Lucy Bakewell, who became his wife.

I visited the estate on a clear September morning and hiked some of the six miles of
trails on the 1 30 acres. The mansion house is also open to the public; it was built in 1 762,
preserved since 1951 by the Montgomery County Commissioners. The interior walls
contain murals by George M. Harding, which tell the story of Audubon’s life. The attic
is a work-room very much like the space Audubon used.

Mill Grove boasts a list of 175 species of birds. Of special interest are the activities
of the Valley Forge Audubon Society, which publishes a list of more than 50 field trips,
films, and meetings from September to January!

Clemmons State Forest

For a pleasant walk in the woods, this spot of 300 acres is recommended. There are
two well-marked and well-maintained trails, one 0.6 of a mile, the other VA miles. There
is a small pond fed by a stream, which one of the trails follows. For anyone interested in

Winter 1981

11

nature, the exhibits are satisfying — and imaginative. Many trees have small boards that
identify the trees after you have made your guess and turn the sign over. Seven trees have
small boxes with buttons. Press the button and the tree speaks. “I am a red cedar,

planted here in 1940, but now suffering from root rot ” A host of other displays are

scattered throughout, including one on the value of the Pileated Woodpecker, complete
with a stuffed bird.

Bird life was not extravagant, but a visit to Clemmons State Forest will tell most of us
something about trees and their relationship with other living things. The Forest is
between Gamer and Clayton on “old US 70.” This is a two-lane road just east of
US 70 — and not too clear on some maps.

Symposium on Biology of the Seaside Sparrow

On 1 and 2 October 1981, the North Carolina Biological Survey, the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Audubon Society will sponsor a symposium
on the Biology of the Seaside Sparrow. About half of the invited speakers are already
selected for a series of papers that will cover nearly all aspects of the Evolution, Distri-
bution, Ecology, and Life History of the bird. Seaside Sparrows are a coastal species
found from New York to Texas and live only in salt marshes. Much of the field work
done on these sparrows has been conducted in North Carolina and Florida. Some of the
speakers include Eugene Hester, Sandy Sprunt, Paul Sykes, Oliver Austin, Herbert
Kale, John Hardy, John Funderburg, and Tom Quay. John Henry Dick has agreed to
provide a painting showing all nine races of the species. The results of the sessions will
be published by the North Carolina State Museum in a single volume. Additional
information is available upon request from Thomas L. Quay, symposium editor, or
David S. Lee, symposium coordinator, North Carolina State Museum, P.O. Box 27647,
Raleigh, N.C. 27611 (919-733-7450).

Coastal Bird Conference

Southeastern Coastal and Estuarine Birds: A Conference-Workshop will be held
11-13 September 1981 near Georgetown, S.C., at the Field Laboratory of the Belle W.
Baruch Institute for Marine Biology and Coastal Research, University of South Caro-
lina. The meeting will focus on a total ecosystem approach and will assemble past and
present federal, state, and academic researchers from Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Interested people are invited
to present the results of their research, in either a conventional or a poster format. Pre-
liminary results and presentations by graduate students are especially welcome, as are
papers on avian prey bases and avian competitors. We hope the conference will serve
as an information exchange as well as a forum on current coastal and estuarine bird
research. Questions concerning presentations and graduate student awards (room and
registration fee waivers) should be directed to KEITH L. BILDSTEIN, program chair-
man, Department of Biology, Winthrop College, Rock Hill, S.C. 29733 (803-323-2111).
Information on registration and housing will be mailed to A.O.U., C.O.S., and W.O.S.
members in the Southeast. Others may obtain this mailing by writing BOBBIE
CHRISTY, local chairman, Baruch Field Laboratory, P.O. Box 1630, Georgetown,
S.C. 29440 (803-546-3623).

CBC Members in Print

Bird — Habitat Associations on Southeastern Forest Lands is a report written by
HARRY E. LeGRAND JR. and PAUL B. HAMEL, of Clemson University, for the
USD A Forest Service Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. The primary purpose

(Continued on Page 28)

12

The Chat

General Field Notes

DAVID S. LEE, Department Editor

North Carolina State Museum, P.O. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

JULIAN R. HARRISON, Associate Editor

Department of Biology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. 29401

First Record of Black-tailed Godwit
from North Carolina

MICHAEL TOVE

Department of Zoology, University of North Carolina

Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514

DAVID HUGHES

4729 Camelia Drive

Suffolk, Virginia 23435

On 26 December 1979, during the annual Bodie-Pea Island, N.C., Christmas Bird
Count, a Black-tailed Godwit ( Limosa limosa ) was found by Hughes on the Bodie
Island Lighthouse pond. The bird was subsequently seen and photographed by many
observers until 12 January 1980 when the pond was flooded, apparently causing most of
the shorebirds to move elsewhere. The godwit was not relocated.

Later on the count day Tove, accompanied by Kevin Hintsa, John Fussell, and Bill
Moffitt, went to the pond and slowly worked toward the back side. At approximately
1530, they found a godwit feeding near some American Avocets. The bird was studied

§

/

'5

f

t*

Fig. 1. A Black-tailed Godwit was
photographed from above at Bodie
Island, N.C., 27 December 1979.
Note the black tail, white rump,
broad white wing stripe, and black
wrists.

Fig. 2. In another view of the same
Black-tailed Godwit shown at left,
note the white under wing and
axillars. (Both photos by Michael
Tove, 27 December 1979, Bodie
Island, N.C.).

Winter 1981

13

through a scope until it flew, whereupon it was identified as a Black-tailed Godwit.
Identification was made on the basis of the black tail and white rump (Fig. 1) and the
white axillars and wing linings (Fig. 2).

Lewis (1978) described some of the major differences in plumage between Black-
tailed and Hudsonian Godwits. Having had prior (and subsequent) experience with
both species, we wish to elaborate a bit more the differences between them. There are
two major differences in plumage: (1) Wing lining and axillars are white in Black-tailed,
black in Hudsonian. (2) Upper wing of Black-tailed has a broad, bold white (Willet-like)
stripe along the basal portion of the primaries and secondaries; primary coverts are
blackish and contrast with lighter, brownish-gray secondary coverts. Upper wing of
Hudsonian has a narrow, sometimes indistinct, grayish-white wing stripe at the very
base of the primaries and secondaries; upper wing coverts are uniformly colored.

Unfortunately, these differences are of little help unless the bird is seen in flight.
However, there are other, albeit subtler, differences between the species. Hudsonians
have bills that are slightly to moderately upturned. Conversely, Black-taileds have
nearly or completely straight bills. However, females of both species have longer bills
with a little more curvature than males. Thus, a female Black-tailed Godwit may exhibit
some bill curvature, but generally less than that of a male Hudsonian.

Baird (1967) noted that Black-tailed Godwits have blackish legs and Hudsonians
have blue. He also described breeding plumages as “rusty orange on chin, neck and
upper breast; whitish unmarked belly, flank and undertail coverts” for the Black-tailed
and “extensive chestnut underparts; barred undertail coverts” for the Hudsonian. We
cannot wholly support these distinctions as good criteria for field identification.
Reliably differentiating (dark) blue from black legs in the field is a risky task. Also,
Black-taileds in breeding plumage are heavily barred on the flanks, and the white of the
belly and under tail is narrow and obscure, making it hard to see in the field. Hudsonian
Godwits have completely, or almost completely rust-orange underparts, which are more
brick-colored than in the Black-tailed. The breast and upper breast of a Black-tailed
Godwit are cinnamon-orange, which gives way to dark barring on the flanks and sides
of the belly. In addition, the back of a Hudsonian Godwit is blacker than that of the
Black-tailed.

This sighting constitutes the fifth record of Black-tailed Godwit from the
contiguous United States. Previous records include: one in Massachusetts, April 1967
(Baird 1968); one in New Jersey, May-June 1971 (Am. Birds 25:717); one in
Pennsylvania, October 1979 (Am. Birds 34:146, Cassinia 58:22-23); and one seen by
Hughes 27 February 1971 at Pea Island and originally misidentified as a Hudsonian.
Although all the appropriate field marks had been noted, none of the observers of the
February 1971 bird considered Black-tailed a possibility because it was not listed in
any of the North American field guides. Recently, this record was mentioned in Ameri-
can Birds (34:264). The 1979 North Carolina and Pennsylvania records are likely to be
of the same individual.

Fortunately, the Black-tailed Godwit is illustrated, along with several other
Eurasian shorebirds that may eventually occur in the Carolinas, in the newly released
Peterson bird guide for eastern North America. Nonetheless, one still must consult
European guides for flight patterns and discussion of field marks.

LITERATURE CITED

Baird, J. 1968. A United States record of the Black-tailed Godwit. Auk 85:500-501.
Lewis, B. 1978. A record of the Hudsonian Godwit in South Carolina and a compari-
son with the Black-tailed Godwit. Chat 42:82-83.

14

The Chat

Effects of Cool Weather on Nestling Behavior
and Development in the Yellow-billed Cuckoo

ELOISE F. POTTER
Route 3, Box 114 AA

Zebulon, N.C. 27597 7 January 1981

In an earlier paper (Potter 1980), I reported an incubation period of 9 days and a
nestling period of 7 to 8 days for Yellow-billed Cuckoos (Coccyzus americanus) hatched
in my yard near Zebulon, N.C., in 1973. The young birds burst their feather sheaths on
the sixth day after hatching, which is the normal time acording to Bent (1940). Vera
Campbell (pers. comm.) noted a 10-day nestling period for two young fledged from a
nest at Jacksonville, N.C. I suggested that the parents’ lengthy absences from the nest
once the first two nestlings require frequent feedings might explain the longer
incubation and nestling periods reported by some observers (Bent 1940, Hamilton and
Hamilton 1965). Development of the young in a nest studied at Zebulon from 28 May
through 15 June 1980 indicates that unseasonably cool weather during the nestling
period probably delays bursting of sheaths and departure from the nest.

On 27 and 28 May I heard cuckoos calling frequently from the vicinity of the site
where a pair copulated on 2 July 1979 (Potter 1980). Repeated visits to the area revealed
no nest-building activity, although an unattended nest was discovered on 27 May. The
afternoon of 28 May, I noticed an adult cuckoo perched on a low limb near the
unoccupied nest. The bird drooped its wings and raised its tail over the back in a
distraction display frequently employed in nest defense (Hamilton and Hamilton 1965,
Potter 1980). The bird raised and lowered its tail several times before flying out of sight.
At 2030 EDT I found a cuckoo sitting on the nest.

The nest site was in a small, dense stand of pines ( Pinus sp.) about 20 to 25 years
old. This stand is separated from nearby woodlands by the dam fora small farm pond,
the driveway to my house, and a powerline right-of-way. The nest was about 5 m above
ground on a tangle of Muscadine Grape ( Vitis rotundifolia ) vines surrounding a
horizontal limb of a pine tree on the edge of the stand facing the dam. The site is
approximately 20 m from the place where copulation occurred in 1979 and about 50
m from the 1973 nest site (Potter 1980).

The first egg hatched during the afternoon of 6 June, and the second one hatched
before 1655 EDT on 7 June. The incubation period for each of these eggs appears to
have been 9 days. There was no evidence of additional eggs in the nest.

Although the tangle of vines about the nest prevented close observation of the care
of the young, I believe it was essentially the same as in the previously reported nesting.
Therefore, I expected the chick that hatched on 6 June 1980 to burst sheaths on 12 or 13
June. However, that was not the case.

On 13 June, the seventh day after hatching for the older chick, I noted that the
parents were no longer removing fecal sacs and discovered white splashes of droppings
on the leaves below the nest. One nestling repeatedly gave a series of five low “kuks”
between feedings, but neither made begging sounds when an adult approached the nest.
No signs of emerging feathers were noted on 13 June or the morning of 14 June. (No
observations were made the afternoon of the 14th.)

By 1000 EDT on 15 June, its ninth day after hatching, the older chick had burst
sheaths on most of its flight and contour feathers. The younger nestling had burst
sheaths on most of its flight feathers by 1 125 EDT, but nearly all of its contour feathers
were still encased in sheaths. Both nestlings still begged for food silently. By 1230 EDT
the younger had begun to give a series of five “kuks” repeatedly between feedings. By
1310 EDT the younger bird, with feathers of back and underwings still in quills, was in
the vines near the nest, but the older one remained in the nest. At 1430 EDT the parents
were tending both young as they fluttered from branch to branch in trees 3 to 10 m from

Winter 1981

15

the nest. Thus the young burst their sheaths and left the nest on their eighth and ninth
days after hatching, and the period from onset of incubation to departure from the nest
lasted 18 days for the older of the two, 17 days for the younger.

I attribute the delayed emergence of feathers from sheaths and the slightly extended
nestling period to the unseasonably cool weather from 9 through 14 June. High and low
temperatures, in degrees Fahrenheit, for 8 through 15 June (U.S. Dept. Comm. 1980)
were: 8 June 90/77,9 June 90/53, 10 June 78/57, 11 June 86/60, 12June 76/54, 13 June
82/42, 14 June 77/51, and 15 June 84/72. At 0900 EDT on 14 June my outdoor
thermometer registered 65° F, and the nestlings were not being brooded. Although the
parents seemed to have no problem finding an adequate supply of prey items, the
growth and development of the young birds appeared to slow down once the daytime
brooding was reduced or halted. The quill-covered young birds mostly remained
huddled together in the nest cup between feedings and were generally much less active
than the young in the 1973 nest. This behavior apparently enabled the nestlings to
conserve energy and maintain body temperature without benefit of daytime brooding
during several days of unseasonably cool weather.

LITERATURE CITED

Bent, A.C. 1940. Life Histories of North American Cuckoos, Goatsuckers, Humming-
birds and Their Allies. U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 176.

Hamilton, W.J., III, and M.E. Hamilton. 1965. Breeding characteristics of Yellow-
billed Cuckoos in Arizona. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. (4th ser.) 32:405-432.

Potter, E.F. 1980. Notes on nesting Yellow-billed Cuckoos. J. Field Ornithol. 51:17-29.
U.S. Department of Commerce. 1980. Daily weather maps, weekly series, June 2-8
and June 9-15.

Winter Records of the Grasshopper Sparrow
in the North Carolina Sandhills

J.H. CARTER III
P.O. Box 891

Southern Pines, N.C. 28387
MARION JONES
Box 1869

Pinehurst, N.C. 28374 26 December 1980

The winter status of the Grasshopper Sparrow ( Ammodramus savannarum ) in
North Carolina is not clearly understood. It apparently winters irregularly in the
piedmont and coastal plain. Preferred winter habitats are weedy old fields, pastures,
broomsedge fields, and similar habitats. Most published winter records for North
Carolina are from the last half of December. However, this species is difficult to locate
during the nonbreeding season. It does not flock with other birds, and when flushed,
flies only a short distance before landing and running. Such “runner” sparrows are
notoriously difficult to observe. Thus, the Grasshopper Sparrow may be more common
in winter than realized.

Prior to 1978, only one record for this species existed for the Sandhills region in
south-central North Carolina. M.P. Skinner saw one on 1 March 1926, but commented
that “it may winter in the Sandhills” (Skinner and Achorn 1928, A Guide to the Winter
Birds of the North Carolina Sandhills, Science Press, Lancaster, Pa.). This record
probably represents a wintering individual, but it could be an early spring migrant.

On 12 November 1978, a Grasshopper Sparrow was seen in the Sandhills Game
Lands, about 5.8 miles NW of Hoffman, Richmond County, N.C. Observers were

16

The Chat

Roberta Blue, Dick Repasky, Tim Stamps, and Jay Carter. The sparrow was flushed
five times from a small field in Longleaf Pine ( Pinus palustris ) — Turkey Oak ( Quercus
laevis) woods. It then perched in a small oak and was positively identified by all
observers. The field has vegetated with broomsedge ( Andropogon sp.) and dead weeds.

On 7 February 1 979, a Grasshopper Sparrow appeared in the yard of Marion Jones
in Pinehurst, Moore County, N.C. It was seen there irregularly through 17 March.
Recognizable photographs were taken by Tom Howard. This bird was in very atypical
habitat. The yard was forested with pines, and evergreen shrubbery was around the
house and patio. Some old fields with broomsedge were a few hundred yards away, but
appeared too sparsely vegetated to be good habitat. The sparrow was first noticed
during a snow and ice storm on 7 February. It fed with other ground -feeding species on a
concrete patio where birdseed had been scattered. Later it came when the feeding area
was less crowded, and was often alone. Although it preferred to feed on the floor of the
patio, it also took seed spread on a patio bench that sat next to the house. The bird
normally appeared first under the bench and gradually moved to seeds on the concrete,
seldom going more than 5 or 10 feet from the bench and evergreen shrubbery. Some-
times, especially if the sun was out, it hopped up on the bench and sat quietly for a few
minutes. It was seen in a tree only once, and never on nearby pole feeders.

Although the Grasshopper Sparrow seen in November 1978 may have been a late
migrant, the one in February 1979 was undoubtedly a winter storm refugee. It is note-
worthy that the latter bird lingered in atypical habitat after the severe weather passed.
The Grasshopper Sparrow may winter in the Sandhills more commonly than the three
records indicate, but until there are more published records, it must be considered very
rare in the winter months.

BACKYARD BIRDING

(Continued from Page 10)

nuthatches) from tree to tree until they are well out of the range considered by the
titmice as their own property and hunting grounds.

The most interesting reaction to strangers from the sky, however, is the way the
titmice respond to hawks. Two kinds of hawks may turn up in our area, mostly in fall
and winter. The large hawks, buteos, such as the Red-tailed, pose little threat to the bird
life. Except for Blue Jays and crows, their passage goes virtually unnoticed by the small
birds. But that other kind of hawk, the accipter, such as a Sharp-shinned or Cooper’s,
which prey on birds, causes panic and instant silence. Now how these little birds know
the difference in the hawks, even when it may be very high in the sky, beats me. But they
do know! I have learned to look for a sharpie when all of a sudden a titmouse lets out
with the highest, thinnest shriek it can make. Everything lets out with a cry of alarm and
dives for the nearest cover. In a second or two following the alarm and great disappear-
ing act, sure enough, here comes the little hawk flying over. Sometimes it is high; some-
times at tree-top level. It flies so fast and sure, even through the trees, that one cannot
help but admire it. The grace and agility of the hawk, however, is unappreciated by the
little birds who fear it so. Should a bird find itself unable to reach good cover, it simply
“freezes” to the twig on which it is perched.

Once I was standing under a dogwood tree, tossing nuts to my titmouse friends
when the Sharp-shinned Hawk flew over, landed in the top of a nearby sweetgum tree
and proceeded to scan the area for his dinner. The alarm had been given by the titmouse
I was feeding at the moment. He was afraid to move from his perch over my head. I
watched him as he sat so still; not a feather ruffled, not a muscle moved. His eyes were

Winter 1981

17

fixed on that hawk. Perhaps the hawk saw me or decided that no easy prey was in sight.
He left his perch and flew swiftly away. The moment he took off, the titmouse over my
head let out some of the most terrified screams (soft, high, and thin) I have ever heard.
He “cried” like this from the time the hawk left its perch until it was long gone — perhaps
a full minute. He continued to sit on his perch, immobile, for some minutes longer. It
was as though he had seen the most horrible sight in his life and he could hardly stand it.
The other birds had come out of hiding and begun to feed again for some time before the
little titmouse could shake off the terrible fear of what he had seen.

Nine times out of ten, when danger appears on the scene, be it hawk or cat, the
titmouse is the first bird to see it and alert the others. The Blue Jay, quite vocal about
cats, buteos, owls, and crows, rarely emits a sound when the Sharp-shin flies over, but
dives into the nearest shrubbery. The titmouse is usually the last bird to resume normal
activity when an accipiter has passed by, keeping a sharp eye on the sky and tree-tops
lest it should double back.

Little birds, such as titmice, chickadees, and wrens, have a rather short life span.
Few, if any, would die of old age, for life is full of danger. There are animal predators,
disease, parasites, injury, and air rifles to snuff out their lives. Only the strong and alert
survive.

Knowing these titmice has enriched my life immeasurably. Sometimes, they light
on a branch so near to me that I could reach out and touch them — not really, for they
would be gone in a flash. I wonder if, perhaps, I might coax one of them to take a nut
from my hand . I do not really want to try this, for it is not wise to let a wild bird become
too tame, for its own safety. All people do not love birds and some might even become
frightened if a little fellow suddenly landed on head, shoulder, or arm to look for food.
Others might harm them in some way. While I believe these four titmice recognize me,
individually, as a separate person, all birds do not seem to distinguish one human from
another. The reason I think my titmice friends do know me is that they come close and
beg for nuts even when I encounter them some distance from my yard — in the woods,
along the creek, or on a street some blocks away.

These four little birds have brought me much pleasure as they go about the business
of living free. I have learned much about them, and hope to discover more. Since they
are a fairly common bird all over the Carolinas and are easily attracted to feeders, I
commend to all who read this — find and make a friend of a titmouse. You will never
regret it. — GTW

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The Chat

BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

(All dates 1980 unless otherwise indicated)

HORNED GREBE: One seen at Beaufort, N.C., in May was noted there through 20
June by John Fussell and Dana Carter.

PIED-BILLED GREBE: Merrill Lynch reported an adult with six young on 24 June
in a Carolina bay near Wagram, Scotland County, N.C., possibly a first nesting in
the state in that habitat. One in breeding plumage was notable on the White Oak
River, along the Onslow-Jones County line, N.C., on 19 June (Mike Alford).

GREATER SHEARWATER: Eight were rare at Cape Lookout, N.C., on 26 June,
as seen by Skip Prange, and John Fussell found eight dead on the beach at nearby
Shackleford Banks, along 3.5 miles of beach, on 7 July.

SOOTY SHEARWATER: One was observed by John Fussell at Atlantic Beach, N.C.,
on 13 June, after 3 days of NE winds.

AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER: Observers in the Beaufort Inlet — Atlantic Beach area
noted individuals from shore on many occasions from 21 to 27 July, with an
excellent count of 60 on 23 July (Brainard Palmer-Ball). Ricky Davis and Bud
Needham saw two Audubon’s flying just off the beach on Ocracoke Island, N.C.,
on 26 July.

WILSON’S STORM-PETREL: Skip Prange noted petrels in the bight at Cape
Lookout several times in June, with a peak of 14 on 14 June.

WHITE-TAILED TROPICBIRD: One was seen by Duncan Dawkins approximately
50 miles SE of Cape Lookout in June.

ANHINGA: A pair seen at a pond near Fayetteville, N.C., on 16 June by M.E.
Whitfield and Tim Playforth was outside the known breeding range; however, a
female seen by Merrill Lynch at Catfish Lake in Croatan National Forest, N.C.,
on 9 July might have been a breeder.

CATTLE EGRET: John Cely reported a new rookery, containing 1200 nests, approxi-
mately 15 miles E of Columbia, S.C., in July.

SNOWY EGRET: A good post-breeding count was six birds seen by Dennis Alwon
at Jordan Reservoir in eastern Chatham County, N.C., on 10 August.

LOUISIANA HERON: Single birds were noted in the piedmont in July and early
August at Winston-Salem, N.C. (Ramona Snavely et al.), Jordan Reservoir (Bob
Lewis, Bill Wagner), and Clemson, S.C. (Harry LeGrand).

YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: Rare for the piedmont was a nest, with an
adult in attendance, seen on 24 June along the Neuse River in extreme eastern
Durham County, N.C. , by Bobby Klutz. A helpless young was found on the ground
near the Neuse River in the Kinston, N.C., area in late July (fide John Fussell).
Other records that suggested breeding were five adults and an immature seen on
2 June by Tom Haggerty in extreme southern Bertie County, N.C.; two adults
and a juvenile noted by Merrill Lynch and Julie Moore at Elkton Swamp near
Clarkton, N.C., on 19 June; and two adults and an immature seen 5 miles away
from the latter site at Brown Marsh on 20 June (Lynch and Moore). In the pied-
mont, up to three immatures were seen at three locations: Winston-Salem on 4 July
(Ramona and Harry Snavely), Jordan Reservoir from 5 to 26 July (Bob Lewis,
Allen Bryan), and Pendleton, S.C., on 19 and 27 July (Harry LeGrand).

GLOSSY IBIS: As many as four birds were present at Jordan Reservoir from 15 to
24 July, as reported by Bob Lewis and Bill Wagner.

Winter 1981

19

WHITE IBIS: Perhaps record piedmont counts were the ibises noted by Bob Lewis et al.
at Jordan Reservoir this summer: 80 on 11 July, 100+ on 2 August, and 140+ on
14 August. Other notable records were 25 seen in flight by Allen Bryan in eastern
Guilford County, N.C., on 29 June, five noted by Jay Carter near Raeford, N.C.,
on 10 July, and up to four at Winston-Salem from 31 July to early August (Charles
Frost, Harry Snavely, Ramona Snavely).

AMERICAN FLAMINGO: Ricky Davis and Bud Needham observed one near
Ocracoke, N.C., on 10 June, and possibly the same bird was noted at Morgan
Island, near Cape Lookout, on 15 July (Keith Voges) and 22 July (John Thomp-
son, and near Cedar Island on 26 July (Roy Styron).

MALLARD: A female with eight ducklings was reported by Merrill Lynch on a Caro-
lina bay near Wagram, N.C., on 24 June.

BLUE-WINGED TEAL: A nesting of this species was noted near Fairplay, Anderson
County, S.C., during the summer (fide Stanlee Miller), and John Fussell had a
nesting record (five young plus adults) at Brant Island, in Fort Macon State Park,
N.C., in June. A male was unusual at Huntington Beach State Park, S.C., on 12
June (P.J. Crutchfield, Kevin Mason), and seven were very early at Jordan
Reservoir on 2 July (Bob Lewis).

RING-NECKED DUCK: Individuals were seen by Allen Bryan on 1 and 3 July near
Burlington and by R.J. Hader on 19 July at Beaverdam Reservoir in northern
Wake County, N.C.

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER: An injured scoter was notable at Kiawah Island, S.C.,
on 22 June, as seen by Steve Compton and Gardner Miller.

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: An individual was rare at Fort Moultrie, in the
Charleston, S.C., area on 22 June, as noted by Perry Nugent.

SWALLOW-TAILED KITE: One was seen flying over North River marsh in central
Carteret County, N.C., on 4 June by Ted Best.

MISSISSIPPI KITE: A good population was again present in eastern Halifax County,
N.C., near the Roanoke River, as witnessed by a count of 14 by Ed Reimann on
13 June, and an adult was seen there by Merrill Lynch on 20 July.

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: Rare in summer in North Carolina were single hawks
noted by Merrill Lynch and Julie Moore on 30 June along the New River at the
Ashe-Alleghany County line and by Mike Tove near Henderson on 6 July.

COOPER’S HAWK: Merrill Lynch observed single adults near Eure, Gates County,
N.C., on 17 June and near Lilesville, N.C., on 1 July.

BROAD-WINGED HAWK: Most unusual near the North Carolina coast in summer
were an adult seen and heard south of Shallotte by Ricky Davis on 22 June and
one noted by Larry Crawford between Swansboro and Jacksonville on 29 and
3 1 July. Other sightings of interest in that state were one at Areola, Warren County,
on 9 June (Merrill Lynch, Julie Moore), one east of Maxton on 19 June (Jay
Carter), one at Fayetteville on 23 June (P.J. Crutchfield), and several in eastern
Anson County on 1 and 2 July (Merrill Lynch).

BALD EAGLE: An active nest was reported at Colington, Dare County, N.C., this
spring (fide Lance Peacock), and single adults were observed at Alligator River
in western Dare County on 29 July by Dave Lee and at a pond in the southern part
of Croatan National Forest, N.C., on several dates in June and July (fide John
Fussell).

MARSH HAWK: Individuals in eastern North Carolina at Cedar Island on 2 June
(John Fussell) and in early June on the Dare County mainland (Dave Lee) might
have been breeders. A very early migrant was observed by Johnnie Payne on
4 July at Jordan Reservoir.

20

The Chat

OSPREY: Rather far inland was an active nest seen by Merrill Lynch and Wayne Irvin
on 1 June on Holiday Island in northwestern Chowan County, N.C.

SANDHILL CRANE: The first record for the North Carolina piedmont was an adult
seen by Bob Lewis at Jordan Reservoir on 8 July. It was seen the following day
by Allen Bryan and again on 10 July by Bill and Margaret Wagner.

SORA: One seen well by Bob Lewis at Jordan Reservoir on 28 July was probably a
very early migrant.

BLACK RAIL: Bob Lewis flushed an individual in the Farrington area of Jordan
Reservoir on 3 June, and he had one calling in response to a tape in the same area
on 10 June.

PURPLE GALLINULE: Very rare for the mountains was one in emaciated condition
captured by hand near Hazelwood, N.C., on 18 April by Andrew Bryan. The bird
was later released.

PIPING PLOVER: This species breeds south to Beaufort Inlet, N.C.; thus, quite
unusual was a territorial pair seen by Ed Reimann at the east end of Sunset Beach,
Brunswick County, N.C., on 16 June.

COMMON SNIPE: Completely out of season were two birds noted by Bob Lewis on
10 June at Jordan Reservoir.

LONG-BILLED CURLEW: One was rare, though not unexpected, at Ocracoke, N.C.,
on 14 July, as seen by Ricky Davis, Bud Needham, and Jim Parnell.

WHIMBREL: Notable in early summer was one on 12 June at Huntington Beach
State Park, S.C. (P.J. Crutchfield, Kevin Mason).

UPLAND SANDPIPER: Very rare inland in fall was an individual seen by Bob Lewis
on 7 August at Jordan Reservoir and again on 1 1 August by Bill and Margaret
Wagner. A report of one there on 16 August, by many observers, may have been
the same bird. An excellent count of 25 was noted by Evelyn Dabbs at Shaw Air
Force Base in Sumter County, S.C., on 2 August.

WILLET: Noteworthy inland was one seen by Bob Lewis at Jordan Reservoir on 28
July.

GREATER YELLOWLEGS: Most unusual in June was an individual seen on the 10th
of that month at Jordan Reservoir by Bob Lewis.

LESSER YELLOWLEGS: Very early fall arrivals were reported by Ramona Snavely
et al. at Winston-Salem on 26 June and by Bob Lewis at Jordan Reservoir on
2 July.

PECTORAL SANDPIPER: One near Fort Macon State Park on 6 July, as noted by
John Fussell, was a rather early fall migrant.

CURLEW SANDPIPER: An exciting find was an individual in full breeding plumage
near Southport, N.C., on 10 July, as observed by Jay Carter, Jim Parnell, Ricky
Davis, Bud Needham, and others.

DUNLIN: Completely unseasonable was a breeding-plumaged bird at Jordan Reser-
voir, where Bob Lewis noted it on 29 June and 2 July.

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER: The first arrival at Jordan Reservoir was noted by
Bob Lewis on 9 July, rather early for an inland site.

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER: Uncommon for the Sunset Beach area were six to
eight noted there by P.J. Crutchfield and Kevin Mason on 17 August.

SANDERLING: Very rare inland in spring were five at the sewage treatment plant in
Winston-Salem on 22 May, as seen by Bob Witherington, Ramona Snavely, and
Charles Frost; and two were noted there on 24 May by Evelyn Dabbs and Ramona
Snavely.

Winter 1981

21

STILT SANDPIPER: Early along the North Carolina coast were single birds at
Shackleford Banks on 7 July (John Fussell) and near Southport on 9-10 July (Jay
Carter, Jim Parnell, et al.). One to three were present at Jordan Reservoir from
21 July to mid-August (many observers).

BLACK-NECKED STILT: Six stilts at North River marsh in Carteret County on 22
June, as reported by John Fussell, probably were breeding birds.

WILSON’S PHALAROPE: One in winter plumage was seen by Ricky Davis at the
north end of Ocracoke Island, N.C., on 11 June. Inland, rare were single birds
observed by Wayne Irvin near Raleigh on 22 July and by Bob Lewis and Harry
LeGrand at Jordan Reservoir on 14 August.

POMARINE JAEGER: A first July record for North Carolina was a dark-phase bird
that flew directly over John Fussell at Shackleford Banks on 7 July.

CASPIAN TERN: R.J. Hader found one, freshly dead, at Beaverdam Reservoir on
the early date of 19 July.

BLACK TERN: One was very early at Jordan Reservoir on 20 June (Bob Lewis), and
others seen inland were four at Lake Cam mack on 22 July (Allen Bryan), five
near Fayetteville on 23 July (P.J. Crutchfield), and one near Raleigh on 23 July
(fide R.J. Hader). Three were somewhat early at Folly Beach, S.C., as reported by
Gardner Miller on 13 July.

YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER: A rare nesting report, especially for the northern
half of the North Carolina mountains, was that of adults seen feeding young at a
nest at Moses Cone Memorial Park, near Blowing Rock, on 22 June by Tom
Haggerty.

RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER: Merrill Lynch had a conclusive breeding
record at an established site near Eure, Gates County, N.C., in mid-June, and he
saw an adult depart a cavity approximately 0.5 mile S of the above locality on 17
June. He also observed two adults and two juveniles near Como in Hertford
County, N.C., on 18 June. This species is rare and local in the state’s northern
coastal plain.

SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER: Kay Sisson reported on the observation of two
individuals of this species in central South Carolina. One was seen along SC 261
in the vicinity of Poinsett State Park by Tony Veccio on 20 July, and another was
noted by Virginia Barron for 3 days in May 1972 in southeastern Richland County.

WILLOW FLYCATCHER: Tom Haggerty found a nest with four eggs along the
Watauga River near Valle Crucis, N.C., on 21 June. Ramona Snavely et al. noted
singing individuals in North Carolina’s piedmont section at Roaring River in
Wilkes County on 8 June, at Oak Hollow Reservoir in High Point on 10 June,
and at the sewage treatment plant in Winston-Salem on 26 June.

HORNED LARK: Noteworthy for the upper coastal plain were a pair seen and heard
on several occasions, through 21 July, near Mayesville, S.C. (Evelyn Dabbs), and
one heard singing near Raemon in Robeson County, N.C., on 19 June (Jay Carter).

TREE SWALLOW: One seen by Jay Carter on 10 July near Southport was a rather
early fall migrant.

BANK SWALLOW: One was early near Southport on 9 and 10 July, as noted by Jay
Carter.

CLIFF SWALLOW: Allen Bryan observed seven at Lake Cammack in June, and
during the same month he saw two birds at a bridge 3 miles away; nesting is likely
at both places. At least nine nests and 15 adults were counted at Clemson, S.C.,
in early June by Harry LeGrand.

PURPLE MARTIN: Large post-breeding concentrations were noted in the North
Carolina coastal plain by P.J. Crutchfield (peak of 1500 near Fayetteville on

22

The Chat

14 July) and by Merrill Lynch (1000+ at Catfish Lake on 9 July and 1800 at Suggs
Millpond in Bladen County on 22 July).

COMMON RAVEN: Merrill Lynch reported a pair of ravens at Bat Cave, Henderson
County, N.C., on 7 August, and another pair at Bluff Mountain in Ashe County,
N.C., on 29 June and 18 July.

SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN: One was noted singing on 10 August by Dennis
Alwon at Jordan Reservoir, and Harry Le Grand and Bob Lewis heard two calling
there on 14 August.

SOLITARY VIREO: Along the eastern edge of the breeding range was a singing male
seen just southwest of Littleton, N.C., on 8 June by Merrill Lynch.

SWAINSON’S WARBLER: Although this species has been noted previously in
summer at Walker’s Mill Pond near Newport, N.C., John Fussell observed an
adult feeding a young bird there on 5 July.

WORM-EATING WARBLER: A good count for the coastal plain was three singing
males in western Gates County, N.C., noted by Merrill Lynch on 12 June. He has
found the species in that area every summer since 1972.

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER: Early migrants were reported from Poinsett State Park,
S.C., on 18 July (Bryan Glover, fide Kay Sisson), and at Fayetteville on 1 1 August
(P.J. Crutchfield).

BREWSTER’S WARBLER: Mike Tove observed a male, with a yellow patch on its
breast, singing a Blue-winged Warbler song near Fontana Village, Graham
County, N.C., on 3 May.

MAGNOLIA WARBLER: Joshua Lee reported that he saw and heard an individual
singing in June “a few years back” at Richland Balsam, N.C., along the Blue Ridge
Parkway. This is the farthest south that the Magnolia has been noted during the
breeding season in the southern Appalachians, but this mountain has been worked
extensively in recent years without any further reports of the species.

WILSON’S WARBLER: An adult male seen at Graveyard Fields, in southern
Haywood County, N.C., on 19 July by Sarah Harrison was extremely early. The
round black cap was clearly noted.

NORTHERN ORIOLE: An adult pair was seen feeding young at a nest along the
Watauga River near Valle Crucis, N.C., on 21 June by Tom Haggerty. Possibly
breeding were a male observed by Allen Bryan near Burlington on 22 June and a
female seen by Pat Culbertson, Barbara Page, and Ramona Snavely on 13 June
at Tanglewood Park near Winston-Salem.

SCARLET TANAGER: There were three reports of this species during the summer
from Gates County, N.C.: one singing near Eure on 1 June (Harry LeGrand),
three singing males in the western part of the county on 12 and 17 June (Merrill
Lynch), and two males heard at Merchants Millpond State Park on 19 July (Tom
Haggerty).

BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK: Highly unusual for the summer months was a male
seen eating sunflower seeds at the feeder of Mrs. John Kelly in Greenville, S.C.,
on 14, 15, and 21 July (fide Pat Waller).

PAINTED BUNTING: These buntings have a very spotty and poorly known breeding
distribution in South Carolina’s inner coastal plain; thus, notable was a report of
a family group seen at a feeder 6 miles east of Sumter this summer (fide Evelyn
Dabbs).

HOUSE FINCH: As many as 40 were seen by Tom Hallowell at his feeders at Hender-
sonville, N.C., from 10 January to 1 February. Carol Hamilton and Mary Pyne
saw adults and young at two locations in mid-July at Durham, N.C.

Winter 1981

23

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW: One seen and heard in a grassy field next to Beech
Creek bog, western Watauga County, N.C., on 7 June by Tom Haggerty was at a
very high elevation (4600 feet) for this species. Far out of range were three observed
singing at the New Hanover County airport near Wilmington, N.C., on 28 July
by Ricky Davis. This species breeds sparingly along the extreme western edge of
the state’s coastal plain, but nowhere near the coast.

BACHMAN’S SPARROW: One to three were noted on several dates this summer at
Fort Bragg near Fayetteville by P.J. Crutchfield.

SONG SPARROW: John Fussell observed five birds, including three singing males,
on 3 June at Portsmouth, N.C., at the southern limit of breeding for the Atlantic
race.

CORRIGENDUM: A Golden Eagle near Burlington, N.C., reported in Chat 44:47,
was actually observed on 24 October, and not in September.

CORRECTION: One line of type was inadvertently omitted from the paper “Bird
Sightings Associated with Hurricane David” by John O. Fussell III and Alice Alien-
Grimes (Chat 44:89-100). In the Bridled Tern section (p. 95), the first three sentences
of the third paragraph should read: “Bridled Terns also returned offshore quickly, no
healthy individuals being seen on land after the sixth. However, they did linger a little
longer than the Sooty Terns. On the morning of the sixth, virtually all closely ap-
proached birds at Southport and Wrightsville Beach were Bridled Terns ” Please

correct your copy by adding the words italicized above as the second line of the third
paragraph under the heading of Bridled Tern.— EFP

24

The Chat

BOOK REVIEWS

BIRDS OF THE CAROLINAS

Eloise F. Potter, James F. Parnell, and Robert P. Teulings. 1980. The University of
North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill. 337 color photos, 1 drawing. 408 p. Index.
Hardcover $15.

First I should state that the only reason I am reviewing this book is an obvious one.
I am one of the few ornithologists in the Carolinas who was not personally involved in
the book. The acknowledgment section of Birds of the Carolinas reads like a “who’s
who” of bird students and nature photographers of the region. The text and photos
reflect the interest and spirit of all the amateurs and professionals who donated both
excellent color photographs and time to this book. In keeping with the overall spirit
behind this unique book, the authors assigned a significant percentage of the royalties to
Carolina Bird Club.

The book serves some functions not immediately apparent to readers who have not
had a long involvement in the study of local birds. It is up-to-date, presents a
considerable amount of otherwise unavailable information, and represents an excellent,
precise summary of all the field knowledge accumulated since the 1942 edition of Birds
of North Carolina and the 1949 South Carolina Bird Life. Therefore, it will serve as a
solid building block for future, more technical books on the ornithology of the two
states.

It probably should be stated that the authors envisioned this text as a popular
coffeetable book that would supplement current field guides. Their attention to
accuracy and completeness makes it far more than that. The care, energy, and
meticulous attention to detail that the authors put into Birds of the Carolinas is obvious
and places it many steps above the countless commercial bird books that are appearing
on the growing market.

The book, of course, speaks for itself and most readers of the Chat already own a
copy, so a review per se may not seem warranted. However, I noted in this essentially
error-free book a few problems the authors and publisher should keep in mind when the
time comes for revisions. The bird in the adult Peregrine Falcon photo appears to be a
bit on the immature side. This and several other weak pictures should be replaced. The
Western Sandpiper appears to be in breeding plumage rather than nonbreeding.
Absence of a Pine Warbler photo is most unfortunate. The endpaper map showing state
and national parks and forests is helpful, but another map showing counties, geographic
provinces, and mountain ranges would be especially useful to readers who are not well
versed in the geography of the Carolinas.

Finally I should state that a major strength of this book lies in the authors’ frequent
admission of incomplete knowledge. Sometimes the problems are clearly defined, as in
the Pine Siskin account. More often they are merely suggested by hedge words:
possibly, probably, at least, is said to be, is not known to be . Particularly where breeding
ranges are concerned, we have our work cut out for us. — JOHN B. FUNDERBURG,
Director, North Carolina State Museum, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611.

A FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF EASTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH
AMERICA

Roger Tory Peterson. 1980. Fourth edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.
384 p. 136 color plates, 390 range maps. Index. Hard cover, $15.00; paperback, $9.95.

This guide has been long awaited by birders, many of whom must have wondered
why it took 33 long years for the fourth edition of Peterson’s “bible” to hit the press. This
edition represents a completely new format for the “bible,” it being arranged along the
lines of Birds of North America (Robbins etal., Golden Press, 1966). That is, the text for

Winter 1981

25

each species is located opposite the corresponding illustrations of the species, with range
maps included (in the back of the Peterson book). Although all of the illustrations are
new, the textual material is largely the same as in the third edition, with some reduction
necessary in order to print an average of four or five species accounts on a page. The
accounts present several statements on field identification; a few phrases on similar
species; and brief mention of the voice, range, and habitat. In general, this reduction in
text is most severe in the Similar Species section, the part of the account to which one
most often turns when a puzzling bird is seen. Thus, the new format necessitated a
somewhat weaker text than was present in the third edition.

At first glance the 136 plates seem to be a great improvement over the 60 plates in
the previous edition. All but a few plates are in color. With an average of just four or five
species portrayed on a plate, Peterson has given himself more space for illustrations of
females, immatures, and birds in flight. Although most of the plates are good to
excellent, it is readily apparent that Peterson has somehow failed to capture the “jizz” or
“gestalt” of many groups of birds, and I found the quality of each single bird portrait
somewhat inferior to those in the 1947 edition. The least satisfactory illustrations are the
ducks on the water; the bodies are too long and slender. The shearwaters and petrels are
illustrated with wings bent back at the wrist, and they thus resemble gulls more than they
do shearwaters. The flycatcher and sparrow illustrations also lack “jizz,” the eye being
painted in the center of the head and the crown being too rounded on many species. The
Black-capped Petrel illustration is tucked near the crease of the book; yet the Cahow,
found only in Bermuda, is portrayed both from above and below! Peterson has included
plates on essentially all of the accidental species ever recorded in the East (except for
Western species portrayed in his other field guides); however, I question the need for
several of these plates, particularly the exotic species on p. 303. The highlights of the
plates are the owls, even with only heads shown for most of the species, and the
accidentals (especially the pelagic birds). There is no text for most of the accidental
species, only a list of states where each has been recorded — a practice I dislike, as it
introduces errors into the book (a Zone-tailed Hawk in North Carolina?) and becomes
quickly out-of-date. I rate the overall quality of the plates equal to or slightly superior to
those in Robbins (because of the inclusion of the accidentals), though the latter guide
treats the entire continent and Peterson only the eastern half.

The third major feature of the book is the range maps, all grouped at the back of the
book as in Conant’s A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and
Central North America. The pink, blue, and purple colors on the maps indicate the
breeding range, wintering range, and range of permanent occurrence, respectively.
Unlike the maps in the Robbins guide, isochronal lines and lines representing migration
routes are not presented. Instead, Peterson and his wife (who prepared the maps) give
capsule comments on the maps, such as “migrant mainly through plains,” “declining in
s. part of range,” and “winters mainly south of U.S.” I find these comments very
informative, and they eliminate clutter from the maps that the migration lines in
Robbins produce. The maps are also considerably larger and more detailed than in
Robbins, and state boundaries are presented on most of them. At first glance the state
lines are very helpful, but after careful scrutiny of the maps, I have come to a sad
conclusion. Detailed knowledge of bird distribution in the United States and Canada
has not advanced to the point it has in Europe, and there is a definite need for a
distribution atlas project for North America, whereby persons interested in range maps
for selected species can contact the agency in charge for these maps, rather than
spending countless hours in libraries researching the maps for themselves. In other
words, distributional data are still so incomplete in some sections of the continent that
maps with state boundaries are not really proper. I have major complaints about the
distributions shown for a number of species in the Carolinas. Several dozen species of
waterbirds winter inland in the Carolinas, but the maps show many of them wintering

26

The Chat

only coastally or only in the coastal plain (e.g. ducks, gulls, and shorebirds). Even
though most of the maps are quite up-to-date (such as the Empidonax flycatchers and
Mississippi Kite), others are 30 or 40 years out-of-date (such as Barn and Cliff swallows,
Bewick’s Wren, and Cerulean Warbler). I am somewhat disappointed with the maps for
approximately 50 species found in the Carolinas, but only for 15 or so do I really gag —
Horned Grebe, both gallinules, White Ibis, Killdeer, Saw-whet Owl, Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker, Western Kingbird, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Fish Crow, Bewick’s
Wren, Solitary Vireo, Cerulean Warbler, Brewer’s Blackbird, “Baltimore” Oriole,
Bachman’s Sparrow, and Henslow’s Sparrow.

The guide features several other changes from the third edition. I am pleased that
the waterbirds are grouped together in the front half, thanks to the removal of the hawks
and gallinaceous birds from between the ducks and rails (where they occur on the
checklist) and the subsequent placement of them in the guide next to the owls. Peterson
has changed the common names of several species (such as American Crow and Sedge
Wren), and he has included a chapter entitled “How to Identify Birds,” complete with
black-and-white sketches.

All-in-all the new guide is well worth the money and is a visual delight. Birders who
already have the Robbins guide and the old Peterson guide can live without the new
Peterson, but I still recommend this book primarily because of the inclusion of
accidental birds such as pelagic species and parrots. The range maps are an improve-
ment over those in Robbins and are a great advancement over the written ranges in the
third edition, but they leave me wishing for a continent-wide range-mapping project
that would satisfy sticklers for accurate maps, like me! — HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A KANGAROO BIRD?

Barbara Brenner. 1980. Coward, McCann and Geohegan, Inc., New York. Two-
color illustrations by Irene Brady. 48 p. Index. Hardcover, $7.95.

Written for young readers 7 to 10 years of age, this new book reminds me of Birds
Do the Strangest Things , which my children thoroughly enjoyed some 15 to 20 years
ago. Each of the 12 chapters is titled with a question: How Does the Oilbird See in the
Dark? How Crazy Is a Cuckoo? Can a Bird Use Tools? Why Are Vultures Bald? The
answers to the questions tell a great deal about bird behavior. Although Ms. Brenner
missed a good opportunity to point out similarities between Oilbirdsand cave-dwelling
bats as well as those between Oxpeckers and Cattle Egrets, the book generally does a
good job of relating the birds of faraway places to those of North America. The
vocabulary of this book may cause problems for some young readers, but unfamiliar
words will undoubtedly arouse the curiosity of many others. — EFP

WELCOME THE BIRDS TO YOUR HOME

Jane and Will Curtis. 1980. The Stephen Greene Press, Battleboro, Vermont.
Many black-and-white drawings by John Sill. 154 p. Price N.A.

The jacket blurb admits that this is “not a scientific book of ornithology.” It is a
“folksy” and somewhat trite story of the family who move from the city to the country
with the usual problems. Their interest in birds was aroused one morning when they
heard a Red-winged Blackbird. From that start, they obtained field guides, built
feeders, studied migration, observed nesting, and designed plantings to attract birds.
Unlike many others, they did not start with a feeder; they began by protecting and
developing habitat. As they explore each facet of bird study, the authors include much
information already available in print, but presented here attractively for the beginner.
Each chapter is headed by a drawing of one familiar species, and there are dozens of
small drawings to illustrate the authors’ points. These pictures — by John Sill of
Franklin, N.C. — are excellent. — LCF

Winter 1981

27

A FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA

Graham Pizzey. 1980. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey 08540. 88
plates (mostly in color) by Roy Doyle. 460 p. Indexed by scientific and English names.
Hardcover, $27.50.

If you have ever dreamed of birding in Australia, this book will make you call your
travel agent. Pizzey’s guide treats 726 species, many of which have two or more well-
marked races that can be recognized in the field. The 1300-plus bird illustrations are
printed in a section near the middle of the book, and the range maps (breeding range
only) are at the back. Endpapers offer a large map of Australia. Each species account is
numbered to permit easy coordination of text with maps and bird illustrations.
Numbers in the indexes refer not to pages but to species and plates. The text is well
organized and generally easy to follow in spite of the telegraphic style and numerous
abbreviations. Many of the birds are drawn in profile with only one leg visible, and
several plates are crowded with up to 25 drawings per page. Some of the illustrations are
far more appealing than others, giving the impression that the artist matured greatly
while the work was in progress. However, all drawings appear to be adequate for their
intended purpose. Among the 25 or so familiar species Carolinians may find in
Australia are the Cattle Egret, Sanderling, Glossy Ibis, Barn Owl, and Bam Swallow.
But who will look for them in the land of Emus, the Australian Cassowary,
kookaburras, and bowerbirds? — EFP

CBC ROUNDTABLE

(Continued from Page 12)

of the work is to provide a data base to aid forest managers in assessing effects of land
management decisions on birds. The range maps cover Virginia, North and South
Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. The text provides concise information on status,
primary habitats, key habitat requirements, reproduction, and food habits for each of
the 234 avian species included in the work.

“Decline and disappearance of the Dusky Seaside Sparrow from Merritt Island,
Florida” by PAUL W. SYKES JR. (American Birds 34:728-737, September 1980)
features Paul’s remarkable color photo of an adult male singing on territory.

With Their Ears Pricked Forward — Tales of Mules I’ve Known by JOSHUA A.
LEE was released in October 1980 (John F. Blair, Publisher, 1406 Plaza Drive S.W.,
Winston-Salem, N.C. 27103. 138 p. $8.95). What will this bird-watching plant geneticist
do next?

Atlas of North American Freshwater Fishes, an 850-page looseleaf publication
treating 111 recognized species, was released by the North Carolina State Museum of
Natural History in October 1980. Coordinator of the project was DAVID S. LEE.
Each species account includes an illustration of the fish, a range map, and text giving
type locality, systematics, distribution and habitat, adult size, and biology. For further
information write Fish Atlas, North Carolina State Museum, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh,
N.C. 27611. Lee is also author of “The Pocket Gopher Mound Project,” which appeared
in the June 1980 issue of Natural History.

The Age of Birds by ALAN FEDUCCIA, of the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, traces the evolution of birds from their emergence in the Age of Reptiles to
the present. A review is planned for a future issue of Chat.

28

The Chat

MEMBERSHIP

Carolina Bird Club, Inc., is a non-profit educational and scientific association
founded in March , 1937 and open to anyone interested in the study and conservation of
wildlife, particularly birds. Dues, contributions, and bequests to the club are deductible
from State and Federal income and estate taxes. Checks should be made payable to
Carolina Bird Club, Inc., and sent to CBC Headquarters, P.O. Box 1220, Tryon, N.C.
28782.

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All CBC members not in arrears for dues receive The Chat, a quarterly journal
devoted to bird study and conservation, and the CBC Newsletter, which carries infor-
mation about meetings, field trips, and club projects. Articles intended for publication
in Chat may be sent to the Editor or to the appropriate department editor listed in a
recent issue of the bulletin. Items for the Newsletter should be sent to its Editor, Clyde
Smith, 2615 Wells Avenue, Raleigh, N.C. 27608. Correspondence regarding member-
ships, changes of address, or requests for back numbers of either publication should be
sent to CBC Headquarters, P.O. Box 1220, Tryon, N.C. 28782.

OFFICERS

President Ramona Snavely, 115 Plymouth Ave., Winston-Salem, N.C. 27104

Vice-presidents . .. Ercei Francis, 26 Cardinal Road, Cedar Mountain, N.C. 28718
Frances B. Needham, Box 8207, Waynick Blvd., Wrightsville Beach, N.C. 28480
Julian R. Harrison, 805 Robert E. Lee Blvd., Charleston, S.C. 29412

Secretary Dillon L. Wood, 712 Gardenview Drive, Jacksonville, N.C. 28540

Treasurer Ernest B. Kellogg, Box 503, Landrum, S.C. 29356

Members-at-large:

Region I — Western North Carolina

Robert H. Witherington, Winston-Salem, and Richard D. Brown, Charlotte
Region II — Eastern North Carolina

Robert J. Hader, Raleigh, and Dana T. Carter, Goldsboro
Region III — South Carolina

Louise Lacoss, Hilton Head Is., and W. David Chamberlain, Mt. Pleasant
Headquarters Secretary Elizabeth M. Paterson

SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID
at Tryon, N.C. 28782

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The

Vol. 45

SPRING 1981

No. 2

Quarterly Bulletin of Carolina Bird Club, Inc.
The Ornithological Society of the Carolinas

The Chat

(USPS 101-020)

Vol. 45 SPRING 1981 No. 2

Published by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc.

Editor Eloise F. Potter, Route 3, Box 114 AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

General Field Notes David S. Lee, Department Editor

Julian R. Harrison, Associate Editor

Briefs for the Files Harry E. Le Grand Jr., Department of Zoology

Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29631

CBC Roundtable Louis C. Fink, Apt. 6, Bldg. L, Tau Valley Estates,

Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801

Backyard Birding Gail T. Whitehurst, 1505 Brooks Avenue,

Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Bird Count Editor John O. Fussell III, P.O. Box 520,

Morehead City, N.C. 28557

Art and Photography John Henry Dick and Jack Derm id

THE CHAT is published quarterly by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., with headquarters at Shuford Memorial Sanctuary,
P.O. Box 1220, Tryon, N.C. 28782. Second class postage paid at Tryon. N.C. 28782.

Subscription price $10.00 per year.

PAGE CHARGES: Authors who have funds available for page charges are requested to remit same at the rate of $40.00
per page. CBC Headquarters will provide statements required for your business records.

CONTENTS

Status of the Cerulean Warbler in the Roanoke River

Basin of North Carolina. J. Merrill Lynch 29

CBC Roundtable 36

Backyard Birding 39

General Field Notes

Green Heron Fishing with Mayflies. William J. Keenan III 41

Specimen Record of a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

from Carteret County, N.C. David S. Lee 41

Status of the Mississippi Kite

in North Carolina. J. Merrill Lynch 42

Second Sight Record of Say’s Phoebe

in South Carolina. John B. Andre 44

First Record of Vermilion Flycatcher

in North Carolina. Edmund Le Grand 45

Unusual Behavior of a Barred Owl. Ruth Ittner 45

Specimen Record of a Smith’s Longspur

from Chatham County, N.C. E. Wayne Irvin and John Connors 46

Briefs for the Files 47

Book Reviews 55

OUR COVER — Many birds use panting as a means of
reducing body temperature. Gilbert S. Grant photographed
panting Black Skimmers during his extensive studies of the
birdlife of the Salton Sea in California.

STATUS OF THE CERULEAN WARBLER
IN THE ROANOKE RIVER BASIN
OF NORTH CAROLINA

J. MERRILL LYNCH

Abstract. — The Cerulean Warbler breeds, or formerly bred, at several sites in
the mountains and upper piedmont of North Carolina and was recently
discovered in the coastal plain along the Roanoke River. This paper gives the
current status of the Roanoke River population, identifies remaining habitat
zones, describes essential habitat requirements, and makes recommendations
concerning management and protection strategies.

The primary range of the Cerulean Warbler ( Dendroica cerulea) lies west of the
Blue Ridge Mountains in the north-central United States and in the Appalachian high-
lands. East of its main transalleghenian range, the species breeds only locally. Small,
disjunct populations are known from the fall belt of northeastern Maryland and from
several sites on the Maryland piedmont (Stewart and Robbins 1958). Another disjunct
population has been reported from the Chickahominy Swamp area of Henrico and
Hanover Counties near Richmond, Virginia (Scott 1958). This site is on the western
edge of the upper coastal plain.

Birds of North Carolina (Pearson et al. 1942) lists three Cerulean Warbler breeding
records from the western piedmont: Morganton, Burke County, adult feeding young,
1909, Arthur Wayne; Greensboro, Guilford County, adult feeding young, 1929, E. E.
and F. R. Brown; and Statesville, Iredell County, nest with young, 1930, M. E. Stimson.
Forty-two years had elapsed since the last recorded nesting of the species in North
Carolina when I discovered a sizable and previously unsuspected breeding population
in the northern coastal plain in 1972 (Lynch 1973). Since then, five colonies have been
reported from the North Carolina mountains during the breeding season and are
assumed to be nesting populations although no nests or young have yet been found.
These colonies are in the counties of Wilkes (Lynch 1973), Polk, Buncombe (McKenzie
and Copenhaver 1975), Graham (LeGrand 1979), and Clay (Schultz 1980). The Polk
County colony was found by Chris Marsh and Merrill Lynch in May and June 1975. On
several dates during these months we observed three or four males singing near the
Green River in the southwestern part of the county.

Figure 1 shows the general breeding range of the Cerulean Warbler, as stated in the
A.O.U. Check-list (1957), with an enlarged map for Maryland, Virginia, and North
Carolina. To the best of my knowledge, there are no breeding records for this species
from South Carolina or Georgia.

The Cerulean Warbler breeding population in eastern North Carolina is situated
along the Roanoke River flood plain in a four-county area, disjunct by over 185 miles
from the nearest known North Carolina mountain populations and by about 80 miles
from the Chickahominy Swamp population in Virginia. Roanoke River and
Chickahominy Swamp are the only known breeding sites for the species in the coastal
plain along the Atlantic seaboard.

The purposes of this paper are to update and define the current status of the
Roanoke River population, identify remaining habitat zones, describe essential habitat
requirements, and make recommendations concerning management and protection
strategies. The Cerulean Warbler was suggested as a Threatened species in North
Carolina by the Symposium on Endangered and Threatened Biota of North Carolina in
1975 (Parnell 1977) and was considered a candidate for predesignation study in 1979

Spring 1981

29

Fig. 1. Breeding range of the Cerulean Warbler. (Map by Steven P. Platania,
North Carolina State Museum.)

(CBC Records Committee/ N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Endangered Species
Advisory Committee).

Field work during May and June 1979 was implemented under contract with the
North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, Division of Parks and Recreation,
Department of Natural Resources and Community Development. Previous field work
during the summer of 1 975 was partially funded by the North Carolina State Museum of
Natural History (NCSM).

The Roanoke River breeding population was discovered in June 1972 in the
Occoneechee Neck section of Northampton County, and the 1973 breeding population
at this site was estimated at 25 pairs (Lynch 1973). Field work sponsored by the NCSM
in 1975 revealed a much more extensive population, extending from Weldon, Halifax
County, downstream to Old Mill Landing near Windsor, Bertie County, a distance of 82
miles. This includes portions of Halifax, Northampton, Bertie, and Martin Counties.
Based on ground surveys at access points along this segment of the Roanoke River, I
estimated at least 40 pairs to be present in 1975 (Parnell 1977).

Boat surveys during May and June 1979 revealed a minimum of 28 pairs present
along a 37-mile segment of the river between Halifax and Palmyra in Halifax County.
This segment lies roughly in the geographical center of the entire 82-mile range (Fig. 2).
Populations of highest density occur in this 37-mile segment. Boat surveys of the

30

The Chat

fall

_4- Total 82-mile range

-75 Miles from river mouth

County line

Fig. 2. The Roanoke River from Weldon to Williamston, N.C., showing the
relative density of the Cerulean Warbler population along the 82-mile section
where the birds occur.

Spring 1981

31

remainder of the range (Weldon-Halifax and Palmyra-Oid Mill Landing) indicated
only five pairs present. Pairs were determined by counting singing males (assumed to be
territorial) by boat during peak singing periods in early morning. Ground checks
indicated that in several areas singing males were present on territories more than 1 10
yards from the river bank, and these birds were not recorded by the boat surveys.
Because of this censusing flaw, it was not feasible to determine the entire breeding
population during this survey. However, the boat surveys did enable a determination of
high-density population zones along the river and the relationship of these zones to
habitat types. Based on this, an estimated 80% of the population occurs along the
central 37-mile segment.

HABITAT REQUIREMENTS

The Cerulean Warbler distribution in the Roanoke River basin is primarily
restricted by habitat requirements, and pair density is directly correlated with specific
habitats. Highest densities occur in old-growth, mature floodplain forest communities
on well-drained natural levees within 330 yards of the river.

The dominant canopy species of this alluvial community are Sycamore ( Platanus
occidentalis ), Green Ash ( Fraxinus pennsylvanica), and Sugarberry ( Celtis laevigata).
Other species present in the canopy include Cherrybark Oak ( Quercus falcata var.
pagodaefolia), Sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ), cottonwoods ( Populus heter-
ophylla and P. deltoides), and Water Hickory ( Carya aquatica). The subcanopy is
typically dominated by Box-elder (Acer negundo). The shrub layer varies from sparse to
well developed in the floodplain system and includes dominants Spicebush (Lindera
benzoin ), Pawpaw (Asimina triloba ), and Buckeye (Aesculus sylvatica). Ground cover
is usually 100%, with dominance by several species of grasses and sedges and with Cane
(Arundinaria gigantea) locally abundant. At the highest-density sites the canopy height
is 80 to 100 feet, the shrub layer is distinct, ground cover is 100%, and the canopy is
closed. This alluvial community is restricted to essentially flat, well-drained, silty loam
levees that occur in bands 30 to 1000 feet wide adjoining the river.

The natural levees are low, flat ridges that occur directly adjacent to the river and
are best developed along the 37-mile central segment. These levees are formed by
periodic flooding of the river and the subsequent deposition of sediment over a period of
many thousands of years. As water rises over the river bank during flood stage and
spreads out over the flood plain, it rapidly loses velocity and the capacity to carry
sediments. The coarsest material (usually silt) is dropped at the top of the bank, where it
forms the small ridge. Natural levees are characteristic of a large river, such as the
Roanoke, which carries a heavy load of silt and fine sand at flood stage. Depending on
the position of the flood plain relative to sea level, the elevation of the natural levees
along the Roanoke ranges from a maximum of about 50 feet above mean sea level (msl)
near Weldon to a minimum of 15 feet msl near Williamston.

Soils typically associated with the levees include the Chewacla and Congaree silty
loam series (Goodwin 1979, Lee 1955, Richards 1950). The seasonal high water table
ranges from 0.5 to 4.0 feet beneath the surface during late winter and early spring. The
flood plain is frequently flooded for brief periods. The levees are typically bounded on
one side by the river and on the other side by cypress-gum ( Taxodium distichum-Nyssa
aquatica) swamp embayments or upland slope communities.

Along the fall belt at Weldon, the alluvial floodplain community is replaced by
upland piedmont oak-hickory-pine associations. The remainder of the Roanoke River
basin upstream from Roanoke Rapids is now inundated by a series of hydro-electric
reservoirs. Downstream from Hamilton, Martin County, the cypress-gum swamp
community assumes increasing dominance in the river basin and the alluvial floodplain
community is restricted to increasingly narrow bands adjoining the river. This
community reaches its downstream limit near Williamston, Martin County. Thus, the

32

The Chat

alluvial floodplain community occupies roughly a 90-mile section of the river, bounded
on the upstream end by piedmont vegetation along the fall belt at Weldon and by
cypress-gum swamp vegetation along the downstream limit near Williamston.

The high-density population zones of the warbler are clearly limited to the best-
developed alluvial floodplain communities, which occur primarily in the 37-mile central
segment. Of the 33 total singing males recorded on the 1979 boat survey, 28 occurred in
the central segment. No singing males were observed in the adjoining cypress-gum
embayments or in the upland slope communities. Minimum habitat requirements
include: (1) a closed canopy, (2) presence of scattered, very tall, old-growth canopy
trees, and (3) good development of vegetation strata, i.e., distinct zonation of canopy,
subcanopy, shrub, and ground-cover layers. Floodplain areas of even-aged timber with
no old-growth trees contain few, if any, breeding pairs.

BEHAVIOR

Singing males characteristically use the tallest available canopy trees for singing
perches, alternately foraging and singing in a single tree for periods up to 35 minutes.
These tallest trees, usually Sycamore, Ash, or Sugarberry, are also used as nesting sites.
Males are persistent singers and may be heard throughout the day, although peak
singing periods occur during early morning and late afternoon. Males arrive and
establish territories in late April (earliest date, 22 April). Nest building and rearing of
young probably occur from early May to early July. Males continue to sing until mid-
July after which singing activity decreases rapidly. Birds remain in the area until at least
mid-August (latest date, 26 August).

Both sexes spend a great deal of time foraging in the canopy of the taller trees,
systematically hopping along the larger branches from the main trunk outward to the
smaller, peripheral branches, gleaning the undersides of leaves and twigs. They rarely
hover or perform aerial flycatching as some warblers do. Occasionally, a warbler will
come down to the lower branches of the subcanopy, within 20 to 30 feet of the ground.

I have observed very few interactions of Cerulean Warblers with other birds. Only a
few species locally occur with the warbler in the high canopy. The most common of these
is the Red-eyed Vireo ( Vireo olivaceus ) which apparently coexists peacefully with the
warbler. On two occasions I have seen male warblers chase vireos for short distances. A
potential competitor is the Northern Parula ( Parula americana). This is a canopy-
subcanopy species over most of its range, but an interesting situation exists along the
Roanoke River basin. In areas of mature, well-developed floodplain forest, (optimum
Cerulean Warbler habitat) the Northern Parula is almost completely absent.
Apparently it is restricted primarily to the cypress-gum swamp communities,
particularly where Spanish Moss ( Tillandsia usneoides) is abundant. Downstream from
Hamilton, the alluvial floodplain community is largely replaced by the cypress-gum
community with a corresponding replacement of Ceruleans by a sizable Parula
population. The Yellow-throated Warbler ( Dendroica dominica), another potential
competitor, also seems to be restricted to the cypress-gum community in the river basin.
Brown-headed Cowbirds ( Molothrus ater) have undergone a significant range
expansion and population increase in the North Carolina coastal plain in recent years.
This species is common along the Roanoke during the breeding season and may be
significantly affecting the warbler populations in the area, although I have no conclusive
data or observations to support this hypothesis.

Two other warbler species are typically associated with the alluvial floodplain
community, occurring in lower vegetation strata than the Cerulean Warbler, and
therefore not competing with it. The Kentucky Warbler {Oporornis formosus ) and the
American Redstart ( Setophaga ruticilla ) are both common summer residents,
occupying the ground-shrub and subcanopy layers, respectively. These species occur in
high-density Cerulean Warbler zones but, not being confined to sites having a well-

Spring 1981

33

developed canopy stratum, also occur in cut-over, second- or third-growth forest areas
that contain few or no Ceruleans. Both Kentucky Warblers and American Redstarts are
considered rare or local over most of the North Carolina coastal plain and are typically
associated with rich, mesic hardwood forests of the piedmont and mountain provinces.

Other characteristic breeding species that occur in the alluvial floodplain forest
areas include Mississippi Kite ( Ictinia mississippiensis), Red-shouldered Hawk ( Buteo
lineatus ), Turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo), Barred Owl (Strix varia), Pileated
Woodpecker ( Dryocopus pileatus ), White-breasted Nuthatch ( Sitta carolinensis ),
Wood Thrush ( Hylocichla mustelina), Prothonotary Warbler ( Protonotaria citrea),
and Swainson’s Warbler ( Limnothlypis swainsonii). The Mississippi Kite is very local
and occurs only in the vicinity of Buzzard Neck, Halifax County, and Occoneechee
Neck, Northampton County (LeGrand and Lynch 1973).

HABITAT ZONE DESIGNATION

Identification of the best remaining tracts of alluvial floodplain forest was ac-
complished by boat surveys of the central segment. A four-level priority classification
system (A, A-B, B, C) was designed to rate the floodplain forest communities based on
the following criteria: (1) canopy height, (2) presence of a closed canopy, (3) relative
disturbance (frequency and intensity of timbering operations, etc.), and (4) presence of
tall, old-growth canopy trees (singing perches). All floodplain areas within the central
segment that were considered to be prime or potential breeding habitat for the warbler
were mapped. Areas of non-potential habitat (cultivated fields, pastures, sandpits, etc.)
were not mapped. A, A-B, and B levels represent 3579 acres of presently available
breeding habitat. A is the best remaining habitat (1031 acres), B is good marginal
habitat (1671 acres), and A-B is transition between A and B habitat (877 acres). C
represents potential breeding habitat, i.e., floodplain forest that has been clearcut or
heavily timbered within the past 20 to 40 years and thus is presently not suitable as
breeding habitat (2826 acres). However, if left undisturbed for a number of years, the C
areas may develop into a mature alluvial community enabling the warblers to reinvade.
Topographic maps identifying the critical habitat zones (accompanied by written
descriptions and ownership information) are on file at the Natural Heritage Program
office, P.O. Box 27687, Raleigh, N.C. 27611.

DANGERS TO HABITAT INTEGRITY

The Cerulean Warbler population along the Roanoke River appears to be in
serious jeopardy due to extensive timbering of the floodplain forest. Since 1950,
clearcutting operations have reduced the available breeding habitat by an estimated
50%. This timber policy effectively removes valuable breeding habitat and, assuming no
further cutting, requires a minimum of 50 to 90 years for re-establishment of a mature
floodplain forest community essential to the species. Much of the floodplain timber is
owned by or leased to large timber corporations, which are presently cutting on a 20-
year rotation cycle, effectively preventing re-establishment of the mature alluvial
community. Conversion of some floodplain areas to pasture has also had some
detrimental effect on warbler populations, but this has a relatively small impact when
compared to the extensive timbering operations.

The greatest hope for the warbler lies in the small tracts held by local landowners
who have resisted pressure to clearcut their property and who have practiced more
conventional forms of timber management, such as selective cutting. I have observed
territorial pairs in areas where selective cutting is presently being practiced and believe
the warbler populations in these areas are being maintained. Urgently needed are
intensive, quantitative studies of the remaining breeding populations to determine what
the critical habitat requirements are in terms of long-range successional management so
that a workable policy can be designed to permit timber production and removal while
providing adequate protection for Cerulean Warbler habitat.

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The Chat

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank David Lee, of the North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, and
Lance Peacock and Julie Moore, of the N.C. Natural Heritage Program, for reviewing
this manuscript and offering many helpful comments. Thanks also go to John S.
Wright, who helped with the 1975 field observations, and to Steven P. Platania, of the
North Carolina State Museum, for assistance in preparation of the range maps.

LITERATURE CITED

American Ornithologists’ Union. 1957. Check-list of North American Birds. Fifth ed.
A.O.U., Baltimore.

Goodwin, R.A. 1979. Soil Survey of Edgecombe County, North Carolina. U.S. Dept.

of Agri., Soil Conservation Serv., Washington, D.C.

Lee, W.D. 1955. The Soils of North Carolina. N.C. Agri. Exper. Sta., Tech. Bull. No.
115, Raleigh, N.C.

LeGrand, H.E., Jr. 1979. Cerulean Warbler colony in Graham County, N.C. Chat
43:20.

LeGrand, H.E., Jr., and J.M. Lynch. 1973. Mississippi Kites in northeastern North
Carolina. Chat 37:105-106.

Lynch, J.M. 1973. Cerulean Warbler found in North Carolina in summer. Chat
37:83-84.

McKenzie, P., and L. Copenhaver. 1975. Briefs for the files: Cerulean Warbler. Chat
39:98.

Parnell, J.F. 1977. Birds. Pages 330-384 in Endangered and Threatened Plants and
Animals of North Carolina (J.E. Cooper, S.S. Robinson, and J.B. Funderburg,
Ed,), N.C. State Museum, Raleigh.

Pearson, T.G., C.S. Brimley, and H.H. Brimley. 1942. Birds of North Carolina. N.C.
Dept. Agri., Raleigh.

Richards, H.G. 1950. Geology of the Coastal Plain of North Carolina. Trans. Am.
Phil. Soc. 40:1-83.

Schultz, M.P. 1980. Warblers in southwestern North Carolina, including Cerulean
Warblers in Clay County. Chat 44:18-19.

Scott, F.R. 1958. The Cerulean Warbler in summer on the Virginia coastal plain.
Raven 29:1 18.

Stewart, R.C., and C.S. Robbins. 1958. Birds of Maryland and the District of
Columbia. U.S. Govt. Print. Office, Washington, D.C.

North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, P.O. Box 27687, Raleigh, N.C. 27611, 7
March 1980.

Spring 1981

35

CB©

. . . with Louis C. Fink

The Willet’s Way

She had placed her nest at least a foot below high water mark. Obviously, sooner or
later, the Willet’s eggs would wash away in a high tide.

Left exposed on the open flats, they would be eaten by coons or grackles — or, lost
among rotting Spartina stems, they would fall to pieces and rejoin the energy network of
the marsh through the activities of microscopic agents of decay. That the eggs might
eventually hatch never entered my mind.

But, in the three weeks that followed, I visited and revisited the nest. Often I found
the thin lining of straw on which the eggs lay soaking wet, but the eggs, themselves,
always looked fresh and neatly arranged.

One had to peer carefully to see them tucked away in the base of a clump of Black
Rush, especially if the setting Willet happened to be at home. Usually she waited almost
until I could touch her before she would bolt, her screams bringing her screaming mate
to help torment the predator.

They seemed to feel their nest and its contents in far greater danger from a nosey
naturalist than from rising water.

At last I took the obvious steps and sloshed out for a visit at flood tide. The Willets
screamed as usual. I hardly heard them. Enthralled, I suddenly saw and understood a
totally unexpected adaptation to the tideland environment.

All four eggs bobbed gently in the cool water. The circle of rush stems around the
nest had caged and guided the eggs up from the sand as the tide overtook them. When it
subsided, I could see, the spikes would guide the eggs back down to the temporarily
underwater nest. Fortunately I had brought along my camera and photographed the
eggs in their watery cradle.

Could the embryos possibly survive a twice-daily wetting and chilling? If they
hatched they would prove their placement no bird-brain mistake. A marvelous and, as
far as I know, previously unsuspected nesting biology would be confirmed.

They hatched. On the morning of June 1 1th, not an hour after tide had drained
from the soggy flats, I discovered two newly hatched birds struggling out of the Juncus
clump. Behind them lay a pipped egg. The fourth egg had vanished.

I dashed back to the cabin for my camera, found breakfast on the table, and was
delayed for nearly an hour. The young birds had left when I got back, but the pictures I
took of the egg shells in the damp nest should document the event. — JAY SHULER,
P.O. Box 288, McClellanville, S.C. 29458. (Reprinted with permission of the author
from The Greenville [*S. C.] News, 18 June 1972).

Blue Jays in Minnesota

Bill Hilton Jr. is a CBC member working on his doctorate at the University of
Minnesota. Last year he began a detailed study of the Blue Jay; he and Jean M. Vesall
located 121 nests within an area of about one square mile. By October 1980, the pair had

36

The Chat

banded 363 fledglings and adult birds. Since some of these jays overwinter and some
migrate, Hilton will study the breeding success of different populations in the 1981
season. His work has been reported in The Loon (52:146-149). Hilton and some of his
former students at the Fort Mill, S.C., high school have conducted a Christmas Bird
Count for two years at the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge. They will
welcome volunteers for the 1981 count near McBee.

The 600 Club

Terry Moore (2699 Twiggs Circle, Marietta, Georgia 30067) reports 124 living
members of the 600 Club, those who have seen and identified 600 species in North
America north of the Rio Grande. Florida, Texas, and California are home to the
majority, but Dwight R. Lee (615 species) is from North Carolina.

In an effort to start discussion, Terry offers a suggested list of which introduced
species could be countable. He includes only those species that have maintained a stable
breeding population. The Blue-gray Tanager was eliminated on that basis.

Mute Swan — not known to breed in the Carolinas.

Ring-necked Pheasant — breeding on Hatteras Island.

Chukar
Gray Partridge
Black Francolin

Rock Dove — I assume we all know this one.

Spotted Dove

Ringed Turtle Dove — breeding at Charleston and Winston-Salem.

Budgerigar — hypothetical breeder in the Carolinas.

Monk Parakeet — breeding near Asheville.

Canary-winged Parakeet
Yellow-headed Parrot
Red-crowned Parrot
Skylark

Red-whiskered Bulbul
Starling — no comment.

Crested Mynah
Indian Hill Mynah
Java Finch

House Sparrow — no comment.

European Tree Sparrow
Spotted Oriole
European Goldfinch

If you have information or comments on this suggested list, take the time to write
Terry Moore. His interesting reports are available for $5 per year.

A New Blackbird Roost in Greenville, N.C.

On several days during December 1980 and January 1981, 1 observed a blackbird
roost that formed at a site not used for this purpose in previous winters. It was in a grove
of mixed oak and pine woods bordered by US 264 By-pass on one side, Evans Street
extension on one side, and Lynndale housing subdivision on two sides.

Species frequenting the roost were primarily Common Grackles, Brown-headed
Cowbirds, and Starlings, with smaller numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds. Flocks
appeared to arrive in heaviest numbers for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, with the
birds flying in bands from 50 to 150 feet wide. Most birds arrived from an easterly
direction with lesser numbers returning from north or northeast. Birds did not

Spring 1981

37

immediately occupy the roost but circled in flocks or paused in nearby fields or trees
before circling the roost site in mass groups to settle for the night. A great deal of
vocalization accompanied each roosting session. Gradually diminishing, these calls
continued throughout the roost well after darkness. Departure from the roost occurred
in a relatively short period of time. Most birds departed in a rather uniform movement,
usually 20 to 25 minutes before sunrise.

Interestingly, the roost site features no buffer zone or protective area on its borders
and is near a rather heavily traveled highway. A large television tower is nearby, a fact
that may aid the birds in orientation toward the roost. The understory vegetation may
afford some protection from predators and cold weather. It is primarily a combination
of Greenbriar ( Similax sp.) and Cane ( Arundinaria sp.). — JEFFREY D. SHATTER-
LY, Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C. 27834.

CBC Members in Print

The Autumn 1980 issue of Journal of Field Ornithology has two CBC members as
contributors. KEITH BILDSTEIN and Frances Hamerstrom wrote “Age and Sex
Differences in the Size of Northern Harriers” (51:356-360), PAUL A. STEWART and
Harold A. Connor wrote “Fixation of Wintering Palm Warblers to a Specific Site”
(51:365-367), and Stewart also wrote “Mockingbird’s Defense of a Winter Food
Source” (51:375).

MORRIS D. WILLIAMS, a member from Tennessee who is a graduate student at
Louisiana State University, has a note in Auk (98:187-189) about his discovery of the
nest and eggs of the Cinereous Finch, a species endemic to the coast of Peru. In an earlier
paper (Auk 97:889-892), Williams gave the first description of the eggs of the White-
winged Guan, a Peruvian species that was thought to have been extinct for 100 years
prior to its rediscovery in 1977.

H. DOUGLAS PRATT is the principal author of a paper on the resident birds of
the Palau Island in western Micronesia (Condor 82:117-131). Pratt, like Williams, is
associated with the Museum of Zoology at LSU.

Cardinal Print Available

The April 1981 issue of Carolina Country, the official publication of the North
Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc., features John Trott’s photograph
of a male Cardinal that appears on the jacket of Birds of the Carolinas. Editor Owen
Bishop arranged to have reprints made for his readers and graciously extends the offer
to Carolina Bird Club members. The SlA x 11-inch color photo is reproduced with a
white border on heavy 11 x 14-inch glossy paper. Send your name, address, and $3
for each reprint to Cardinal Photo, Carolina Country, P.O. Box 27306, Raleigh, N.C.
27611.

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The Chat

Sacfafond

Sending

. . with Gail T. Whitehurst

Backyard birding comes into its own in February. If one does not already have a feeding
station, we recommend this as the optimum time to initiate a feeding program. Natural feed
has been diminished or depleted. Winter residents are moving about in search of food.
Permanent residents are staking out nesting territories, thereby sending others of their species
in search of new grounds. The migrants have only a few weeks in which to build up fat
deposits to sustain them on the long journey north. These factors mean an increase in
numbers attracted to feeders.

Subtle changes in appearance are taking place daily. Colors are becoming more brilliant
as pre-nuptial moults are taking place. By the middle of February, one can see a few White-
throated Sparrows whose throats and head stripes are a “freshly painted” white. Purple
Finches seem to glow. Goldfinches turn from olive drab to sunny yellow. The more birds you
have and the more time you devote to watching them, the greater your chances of seeing
something of interest. Perhaps you will note an unusually marked or colored bird. Or a
species new to you will appear on the scene. It is an excellent time to study the ways in which
birds solve eating and drinking problems.

February is a good time, too, to become familiar with bird songs and calls. With the
exception of the mountains, perhaps, most of the permanent residents are singing loud and
clear toward the end of the month. On mild days, when the need for constant feeding is
diminished, many of the winter residents such as Dark-eyed Juncos, Purple Finches, Pine
Siskins and American Goldfinches are breaking forth into song. Woodpeckers begin
drumming in earnest. Common Flickers and Red-bellied Woodpeckers seem to prefer the
increased volume and resonance that comes from beating their tatoo on metal gutters,
streetlight covers, power poles, and metal transmission line towers.

Spring migration has begun in late February. Large flocks of Common Crackles, Red-
winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and American Robins may suddenly appear in
your backyard. Bluebirds are on the move. Scatter some seed along a hedgerow and you may
see a Fox Sparrow. You may have some less desirable visitors, too, such as Common and Fish
Crows or a Sharp-shinned Hawk. By the end of the month, “skywatching” is good for hawks
and waterfowl flying northward.

We have had some interesting and exciting observations this past winter. We have heard
of many more. We are delighted to have received reports from a number of you CBC
members. We want and need your contributions to make this department a success.

Now That’s Using Your Head!

It was Bird Count Day along the Pamlico, in Beaufort County, 4 January 198 1 . A
winter temperature of 25 degrees F (dropping to 19 and lower during the night) I knew
would bring our bird friends. Glancing over the bird bath, I was surprised to see a

Spring 1981

39

Pileated Woodpecker sitting in the middle, boring away at the edge to break the rim of
ice so he could drink ... all 18 inches of him sitting there, frustrated and drilling away.
Every few seconds he’d raise his head to relax before starting to drill again — not noticing
the finches, Fox Sparrows, and Blue Jays coming in for a landing and zooming quickly
into the cover of a nearby holly tree.

Chickadees and nuthatches going in and out and up and down the tree distracted
me for a moment, and then a male Eastern Bluebird flew over and perched on a holly
branch close to my window. I looked quickly back to the bird bath. The woodpecker
had bored a cigar-shaped path through the ice and was drinking! There couldn’t have
been much water there — and how did he know there would be any water after all his
effort?

The Pileated is seen in our yard only three or four times a year, and for him to
perform like a social being, on our level, and to appear just at the right time, was
unbelievable. (My husband took several camera shots while this drummer was drilling
and surveying the situation.) When his thirst was satisfied, the Pileated flew high into a
tall pine tree and immediately his place at the bird bath was taken over by three male
bluebirds. Then sparrows and finches enjoyed “bellying up to the bar,” while the
bluebirds flew around them and the Cardinals did their feeding around the base of the
bird bath. — DICK and DORIS PROVOST, 1 10 Wedgewood Drive, Yacht Club Cove,
Washington, N.C. 27889

Waste Not, Want Not

No matter how long the temperature stays below freezing, the recirculating pump
in my fish pool keeps a trickle of water flowing over a big rock at one end. All the birds in
the neighborhood come here to drink and bathe. Sometimes the traffic is so heavy that
many birds never even get their beaks wet before being displaced by a new arrival. I am
accustomed to seeing birds, especially the small seedeaters, foraging on the frozen
surface of the fish pool. I always assumed they were picking up seeds blown on the ice.
However, on 9 January two Golden-crowned Kinglets foraged on the ice of the fish pool
for several minutes. On 1 1 January an Eastern Phoebe dropped from a rock beside the
pool to the ice and pecked at it several times before flying away. Examination of the ice
revealed many leaves protruding from the frozen surface, but I saw nothing that
resembled an insect or a part of one among the bird droppings, leaves, and shredded
husks of seeds that littered the ice. One possible explanation is that these highly
insectivorous birds were recycling semi-digested food from the droppings of the other
birds. Although I have absolutely no proof of this idea, it is not without precedent. I’ve
seen Rough-winged Swallows on the ground picking tidbits from horse droppings, and
this happened in the summertime when insects were readily available. Of one thing I am
certain, kinglets, phoebes and swallows always have a good reason for the rare
occasions when they forage at ground level. — ELOISE F. POTTER, Route 3, Box 1 14
AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

Skywatch!

In the early afternoon of 18 January 1981, 1 was watching an immature Red-tailed
Hawk soaring over my back yard. All of a sudden, I spotted a much smaller hawk
dropping down on the Red-tail from above. Putting my binoculars on the two birds, I
noted that the smaller one was a small, light falcon with a dark banded tail. The falcon
dove at the Red-tail’s back, causing it to break from the circling pattern and move away.
The falcon would fly away a short distance, turn and attack again. This behavior
continued until both were out of view. I identified the falcon as a Merlin. I had seen a
Merlin fly over my yard on 7 January 1981. — GAILT. WHITEHURST, 1505 Brooks
Avenue, Raleigh, N.C. 27607

More on page 56

40

The Chat

General Field Notes

DAVID S. LEE, Department Editor

North Carolina State Museum, P.O. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

JULIAN R. HARRISON, Associate Editor

Department of Biology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. 29401

Green Heron Fishing with Mayflies

WILLIAM J. KEENAN III
3135 Millwood Avenue
Columbia, S.C. 29205

At 1815 EDT on 16 August 1975 at Lake Murray near Chapin, S.C., I saw a Green
Heron standing on a rock at the edge of the water about 120 feet from where I stood.
Behind the heron and 2 yards back from the water, a swarm of mayflies was circling.
While I watched through binoculars, the bird walked to the insects, caught one, and,
holding it crosswise in its beak, returned to the water where it dropped the mayfly in the
shallows. A small fish rose to the fly and was caught by the heron. Four of us watched as
the bird repeated the process. After catching a third mayfly, the bird went to a different
perch by the water and was hidden from our view by a large boulder. The heron flew
away a few moments later.

[NOTE: At least three other instances of what appears to be “insight learning” in
this species are known. These also involve the baiting of fishes. In one case (Wilson
Bull. 70:280-281) the heron used pieces of bread; in the second (National Geographic
146:143-147), fish-food pellets were used; and in the third (Am. Birds 29:652-654), the
lure was a feather. — JRH]

Specimen Record of a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
from Carteret County, N.C.

DAVID S. LEE

North Carolina State Museum of Natural History
Raleigh, N.C.

While reorganizing portions of the bird collection at the North Carolina State
Museum, we uncovered a previously unreported specimen of a Black-bellied Whistling-
Duck ( Dendrocygna autumnalis) collected in North Carolina. The bird (NCSM 2910)
was shot by Eugene Pond in Cove Sound, near Stacy, Carteret County, on 15 February
1968. Mr. Pond, who has secured and reported other interesting first records from this
region, recalls collecting the bird. The bird is in fresh adult plumage and is of the
Northern subspecies. D. a. autumnalis {- D. a. fulgens in 1957 edition of A. O.U. Check-
list). The belly is dark brown, suggesting a bird of south Texas/ northeast Mexico
origins (Condor 49: 189-195). Unfortunately, its sex was not determined at the time the
skin was prepared, and the species, unlike most waterfowl, does not have sexually
dimorphic plumage.

This duck apparently does not regularly wander outside its normal range as does
the Fulvous Whistling-Duck ( D . bicolor). In the United States, the breeding range is

Spring 1981

41

limited almost entirely to southern Texas and from here ranges southward along the
tropical coasts of Mexico and central America. There are scattered nesting records in
other parts of Texas and in Arizona (Southwestern Nat. 15:394-395) and Kansas (Am.
Birds 34:908). Two nesting records from the Miami, Florida, area (Am. Birds 23:652)
may represent escapes from a nearby zoo. Individuals from the northern portion of their
range normally over-winter south of the United States/ Mexican border. Because this
duck is not typically a long-distance wanderer, it should be suspected that a February
North Carolina record is that of an escaped bird. Nevertheless, the condition of the
plumage and feet give no indication of recent captivity. This record, the first for North
Carolina and one of the few from east of the Mississippi River, will qualify the Black-
bellied Whistling-Duck as a Provisional II species on the state bird list. Most other
waterfowl records of birds of possibly captive origin have received the same status (Chat
443:59-61).

I thank James Parnell for advice in preparing this note. 1981-1 N.C. Biol. Surv.

Status of the Mississippi Kite in North Carolina

J. MERRILL LYNCH

North Carolina Natural Heritage, Program

Department of Natural Resources and Community Development

P.O. Box 27687

Raleigh, N.C. 27611 3 February 1981

The presence of Mississippi Kites ( Ictinia mississippiensis) during the breeding
season in North Carolina was first reported in June 1972 from the Occoneechee Neck
area of Northampton County (Chat 36:112). Since that time, a number of sightings
during the period of May through October have been reported from the coastal plain
and piedmont provinces of the state. This field note is intended to clarify the present
status of the species in North Carolina.

Mississippi Kites are presently undergoing a substantial range expansion and
population increase throughout their range in the southern United States (Am. Birds,
33:1 19-129) and are apparently expanding their range northeastward through eastern
North Carolina. Prior to 1972 there were only three records for the state: one killed in
Cherokee County on 26 May 1 893, another shot in that area soon afterward, and one at
Southern Pines on 20 October 1949 (Birds of North Carolina, 1959). Since 1972 a
number of verified sightings have been reported from the state. These are summarized in
Figure 1 and below.

1. One at Occoneechee Neck, Northampton County, on 15 June 1972 (Chat
36:112).

2. One at Occoneechee Neck on 6-12 May 1973 (Chat 37:105-106).

3. One adult at Cutawhiskie Creek, SW Hertford County, on 4 July 1973 (Chat
37:105-106).

4. One along the Pee Dee River, SE Anson County, on 12 July 1975 (Chat 40: 18).

5. Twenty-three counted along the Pee Dee River in SE Anson County and
adjacent Chesterfield County, S.C., on 3 August 1975 (Chat 40:47).

6. One adult along the Eno River, Durham County, on 24 April 1976 (Chat
40:87.

7. One immature at Occoneechee Neck on 8 May 1976 (Chat 40:87).

8. Twenty-three (including two immatures) at Buzzard Neck, SE Halifax
County, on 30 May 1976 (Am. Birds 30:827).

9. One at Cedar Mountain, Transylvania County, on 6 June 1976 (Chat 41:14).

10. Five adults at Buzzard Neck on 6 June 1977 and three adults there on 26 June
1977 (Chat 42:17).

11. Two immatures at Nash Farms in Franklin County on 14 September 1978
(Chat 43:38).

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The Chat

12. Twenty-nine adults at Buzzard Neck on 2 June 1979 and one immature there
with several adults on 4 July 1979 (Am. Birds 33:854).

13. Two adults along the Pee Dee River, SE Anson County, on 16 August 1979
(Chat 44:47).

14. One immature at Jordan Reservoir, Chatham County, on 20 September 1979
(Chat 44:47).

15. Two immatures at Oak Island, Brunswick County, on 18 October 1979 (Chat
44:47).

In addition to the above records there are several unpublished sightings of adults
from the Occoneechee Neck and Buzzard Neck sections of the Roanoke River flood
plain. These records include single birds at Occoneechee Neck and flocks of 5 to 20
individuals at Buzzard Neck, all dated May through July 1976-1980.

A review of the above published records indicates there are only three sites where
kites have been noted on a regular basis during the breeding season (May-July). The
other records likely represent postbreeding dispersants from populations in South
Carolina.

Two of these sites, Occoneechee Neck and Buzzard Neck, are located within 25 air
miles of each other on the flood plain of the Roanoke River in the northern coastal
plain. Both sites are similar in habitat, containing a mosaic pattern of large, low-lying
agricultural fields with numerous cypress-gum swamp sloughs and alluvial bottomland
forest. The kites are restricted to the low flood plain, feeding over both the forested
zones and the open farmland.

Immature kites have been observed at both sites in May and July. One immature
seen at Buzzard Neck on 4 July 1979 had a very ragged appearance with several
primaries missing from each wing. It was seen in company with several adults feeding
over a large beaver pond. Its behavior also suggested a young bird recently off the nest.
The flight was awkward and clumsy with much flapping in contrast to the smooth,
effortless gliding of the adults. This record, coupled with the regularity of occurrence
at this location, suggests the possibility of breeding although positive confirmation (nest
or flightless young) is still lacking for the state.

The third site is along the Pee Dee River in extreme southeastern Anson County
near the South Carolina state line and situated on the extreme eastern edge of the

Fig. 1. The map shows all known occurrences of the Mississippi Kite in North
Carolina. Dots represent scattered sightings. Stippled areas are sites where the
species has been found regularly since 1972 and where breeding is suspected:
Buzzard Neck, Halifax County (A); Occoneechee Neck, Northampton County
(B); and Pee Dee River, Anson County (C). (Map by Steven P. Platania.)

Spring 1981

43

piedmont province. There are published reports of up to 23 individuals from this area
and adjacent Chesterfield County, S.C. The habitat at this site is strikingly different
from the Roanoke River sites. The flat floodplain levee is restricted to a very narrow
zone along the river channel and is bordered on both sides by steeply rising upland
slopes. Almost all of the land bordering the river is forested except for clearcuts, and
there is little open farmland.

Floodplain habitat similar to that of the Roanoke River sites does exist along the
Pee Dee River downstream in South Carolina where the river enters the relatively flat
coastal plain. I believe that the Anson County kites are nesting in South Carolina and
using the Anson County site primarily for feeding purposes.

One habitat feature present at all three sites is extensive open areas of beaver ponds
ranging in size from several acres to 100 acres. These ponds provide optimum breeding
conditions for numerous species of dragonflies, mayflies, and other large flying insects
and may provide important feeding habitat for the kites. I have noted flocks of kites
feeding over beaver ponds in the Buzzard Neck area.

Parker and Ogden (Am. Birds 33:1 19-129) have documented the Mississippi Kite
expansion and population increase throughout the southern United States. The
question arises as to how far north the species’ historic breeding range extended.
Evidence supports a recent range expansion and not a reoccupation of former range, at
least for the Roanoke River population. The species, by virtue of its gregariousness and
preference for open areas, is highly visible and not easily overlooked, even by farmers
and others who have no real interest in birds. Personal communication with several
farmers in the Buzzard Neck area revealed that they had noticed the kites at the site since
the late 1960s or early 1970s. They did not recall having seen any earlier than that, even
though the memories of some went back to the 1920s and 1930s. I believe that these birds
represent a recent range expansion as a result of the “spillover effect” from population
increases further south in South Carolina and Georgia.

I predict that breeding evidence will soon be confirmed in North Carolina and that
additional populations will be discovered in areas of suitable habitat in the coastal plain.
Potential habitat exists in the flood plains along the major brown-water rivers, i.e., the
Cape Fear, Neuse, and Tar systems. Sections that contain the best habitat include the
Cape Fear from Fayetteville downstream to Elizabethtown, the Neuse from Clayton
downstream to Kinston, and the Tar from Rocky Mount downstream to Greenville.

Second Sight Record of Say’s Phoebe in South Carolina

JOHN B. ANDRE

Route 1, Box 220, Awendaw, S.C. 29429

Ruth Ittner and I spent the afternoon of 30 September 1979 watching birds on Bulls
Island in Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, Charleston County, S.C. After an
hour we met the assistant refuge manager, Dick Munoz, and proceeded by vehicle to the
refuge boat basin on the west side of the island. Upon our arrival at 1430 EDT, I noticed
a bird perched on the corner of the roof covering the boat basin. The dark -colored bird
exhibited an upright flycatcher posture and wagged its tail. When we left the vehicle, the
bird flew a short distance and perched approximately 5 m above the ground in the top of
a small tree. While the bird was flying, we noted the rusty abdomen and flycatcher-like
flight. With 7 x 35 binoculars, we viewed the stationary bird for approximately 4
minutes from a distance of 10 m. We saw the dark brown-gray head, gray back, and dull
black tail. The wings were also dull black with gray edging on the secondaries and
coverts. The throat and breast were light gray. After this period of observation, the bird
flew toward and past us. It then perched for approximately 2 minutes on an I-beam
supporting the roof of the boat basin. Again we saw the characteristics previously
mentioned. The bird was last seen flying southeast over the salt marsh toward the
interior of the island.

44

The Chat

All observers identified the bird as a Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya). To confirm our
identification of this Western flycatcher, we immediately referred to The Birds of North
America (Robbins, Bruun, Zim and Singer 1966, Golden Press, New York, N.Y.) All
three members of the party are familiar with the species, Munoz having lived in
Montana for 16 years before moving to South Carolina, Andre having attended
graduate school in Idaho and Utah, and Ittner having visited Arizona.

Munoz and I independently searched for the Say’s Phoebe the following day
(1 October) without success.

Say’s Phoebe was given hypothetical status by E. Milby Burton in his Supplement
to South Carolina Bird Life (1971, p. 641-642) on the basis of a single bird seen in
Richland County on 1 8 January 1969 (Chat 35: 1 12). The species has also been seen once
in Wake County, N.C., on 23 October 1965 (Chat 30:28-29).

[NOTE: A specimen, suitable photograph, or a third adequately documented sight
record will be required to remove this species from the South Carolina hypothetical
list.— JRH]

First Record of Vermilion Flycatcher in North Carolina

EDMUND LeGRAND
PSC Box 1572

K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan 49843 15 February 1981

The Checklist of North Carolina Birds (J.F. Parnell, Chmn. CBC Records
Committee, 1978, CBC and N.C. State Museum, p. 36) includes the Vermilion
Flycatcher ( Pyrocephalus rubinus) among the species that probably would warrant
hypothetical status if the published record contained adequate details for documen-
tation. The Vermilion Flycatcher discussed here was mentioned in American Birds
(27:43, 1973).

Gard Otis, Sebastian Patti, and I met Paul DuMont and Robert Ake on the Outer
Banks of North Carolina the afternoon of 1 October 1972. They told us that they had
just seen a Vermilion Flycatcher perched on the fence of the waterworks at Nags Head,
Dare County, N.C. An hour later, the three of us found the bird in the same place. We
decided it was an immature male because it had red underparts with a mottling of dark
feathers. The bird flew from its perch several times, and we had ample time to observe it
at close range through binoculars and spotting scopes. To the best of my knowledge, this
bird was the first Vermilion Flycatcher found in North Carolina, and there are no
subsequent published reports. A specimen and several additional sightings have been
reported from South Carolina (South Carolina Bird Life, 1971, p. 614-615).

Unusual Behavior of a Barred Owl

RUTH ITTNER

Route 1, Box 220, Awendaw, S.C. 29429

At 2000 EDT on 20 August 1979, I saw a Barred Owl (Strix varia) hang upside
down by one foot from a limb of an oak tree in the back yard of my home in Awendaw,
Charleston County, S.C. I had watched the owl perched in its normal upright position
for about 5 minutes from a distance of about 25 yards. From its perch about 25 feet
above ground, the bird alternately scanned the ground and looked toward me and my
German Shepard. It then flew toward another oak set back from the first by about 4
yards. As it neared the tree, the owl brought its feet forward, grasped a branch with one
foot, and hung upside down for at least 8 seconds. Its wings were fully spread the entire
time, and it was facing the dog and me. It is possible that the owl was exercising a scare
tactic directed at the dog. Lill (Auk 96:489-498) documented a Superb Lyrebird
( Menura superba ) using the wing-spread character in a threatening posture. The
lyrebird reacted in this manner to Fill’s inspection of her nest containing fledglings.

Spring 1981

45

Specimen Record of a Smith’s Longspur
from Chatham County, N.C.

E. WAYNE IRVIN

North Carolina State Museum of Natural History
Raleigh, N.C.

JOHN CONNERS

Raleigh Department of Recreation

Raleigh, North Carolina 26 March 1981

While searching a large field in eastern Chatham County, N.C., for Short-eared
Owls (Asio flammeus) on 11 January 1981, John Conners, Beth O’Neill, and Don
Tarbet encountered a passerine species unfamiliar to them. The bird flew to an altitude
of approximately 75 feet and dropped to the ground. It was noted that a conspicuous
white shoulder patch and solid white outer tail feathers were present when the bird
flushed. Metallic clicking notes were heard as the bird flew. While it perched in a small
Sweet Gum ( Liquidamber styraciflua), further field marks were seen: conical bill, buffy
breast and abdomen, a dark cheek patch, and a light eye ring. After consulting field
guides, the observers decided that the bird was a Smith’s Longspur ( Calcarius picto).
Fran and Wayne Irvin saw the bird llA hours later and agreed with the identification.
The longspur was seen eating seed from one of the abundant plant species in the field,
Three Awn Grass ( Aristida oligantha).

The field had been subject to intensive agriculture for many years and was
abandoned 4 years ago. It is now characterized by extensive erosion and typical old-field
plant species: blackberry (Rubus sp.), Broomsedge ( Andropogon virginicus), and Sweet
Gum. Contiguous with this field is a vast prairie created 3 years ago by clearcutting an
alluvial forest along the New Hope River in Chatham County. This is the unflooded site
of the B. Everette Jordan Reservoir.

The bird was later collected by staff members of the North Carolina State Museum
of Natural History and added to its collections (NCSM 7804). During preparation,
Irvin noted several significant points: the cranium was completely ossified; the testes
measured 1.4 x 1.7 mm and 1.0 x 1.7 mm; and the Bursa of Fabricius was atrophied.
Thus no definite conclusions are possible regarding hatch year. Further, the distended
crop was filled with seeds of Three Awn Grass, and the plumage was typical of an adult
winter male. There was no evidence of ecto- or endoparasites; no molt was discernable.
Additional relevant data include: weight, 28.4 gms; length, 155 mm; tarsus, 22 mm;
wing chord, 90 mm; tail, 65 mm; wing span, 252 mm; eye color, dark brown; foot color,
dark yellow and brown; upper mandible color, dark gray-brown throughout; lower
mandible color, basal 2/3 — horn, apical 1/3 — as upper mandible.

Historically, Smith’s Longspur has been seen infrequently in the East and
Southeast. Birds of the Carolinas \ 1980, p. 393) indicates one published sight record of
the species for North Carolina (Auk 65:456), and two published records for South
Carolina. Loomis collected one in 1880 (Bull. Nuttall Orn. Club 6:1 15); he collected a
second one in 1889 (Auk 8:167). There is one recent record for North Carolina. Marsh
and Moffett saw a Smith’s Longspur at Lake Surf in Moore County (Am. Birds 28:40),
but details of the sighting remain unpublished. Other records for the East include one
from Long Island, New York (Am. Birds 29:34), and two at Assateague Island,
Maryland (Am. Birds 31:319).

With the publication of this note, Smith’s Longspur is now formally recognized as
occurring in North Carolina. Previously, it was on the Provisional List (Chat 44:59).

The authors thank Fran Irvin, Beth O’Neill, and Don Tarbet for their contribu-
tions to this manuscript.

46

The Chat

BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

(All dates 1980 unless otherwise indicated)

HORNED GREBE: Steve Graves noted a flock of 74 grebes at Lake Wheeler, near
Raleigh, N.C., on 18 November.

CORY’S SHEARWATER: Five pelagic trips off North Carolina from 28 August to 7
October yielded at least 100 individuals each, with peak totals, both on 28 August,
of 209 off Oregon Inlet (Dave Lee) and 366 off Cape Lookout (John Fussell).

GREATER SHEARWATER: The only North Carolina pelagic trip recording this
species in double figures was one off Oregon Inlet on 28 August, when Dave Lee
saw 46 birds. This species seems to have declined in numbers off the coast during
the past few years, and in summer and fall it is not now the fairly common to
common bird that the literature indicates.

AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER: Three seen from shore at Bodie Island, N.C., on 4
October by Bob Lewis were notable, and 50+ seen by Dave Lee off Hatteras, N.C.,
on 20 November were quite late. The higher counts in North Carolina were 130 off
Cape Lookout on 28 August (John Fussell), 1 1 1 off Oregon Inlet on 10 September
(Dave Lee), and 110 off Hatteras on 7 September (Will Russell et al.)

BLACK-CAPPED PETREL: Three or four were of interest on 20 November, as
reported by Dave Lee off Hatteras; one of the birds lacked the white rump patch.
Excellent counts for North Carolina were 161 off Capes Lookout and Hatteras on
7 October (Robert Pitman), 55 off Hatteras on 7 September (Will Russell, Davis
Finch, et al.), and 41 off Hatteras on 31 August (Greg Massey et al.).

WILSON’S STORM-PETREL: The only North Carolina total in triple figures was 183
off Oregon Inlet on 28 August, as noted by Dave Lee.

BROWN PELICAN: Bob Holmes observed 600 to 700 at Hatteras Inlet, N.C., on
7 December, an excellent count for the state.

ANHINGA: Seven were noteworthy near Sunset Beach, N.C., as seen by Philip
Crutchfield and Kevin Mason on 17 August.

GREAT CORMORANT: Several immatures were observed this fall in North Carolina:
one at Wrightsville Beach on 14 October (Ricky Davis), one at Hatteras Inlet on
28 November (Claudia Wilds), and one at Pea Island on 31 October (Allen Bryan)
and probably the same bird there on 28 to 30 November (Claudia Wilds, Merrill
Lynch, Julie Moore).

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: Inland reports, all in North Carolina, were:
one on Lake Cammack near Burlington from 3 to 1 1 August (Allen Bryan), one
at Lake Surf near Vass on 4 September (Jay Carter, Tim Stamps), three near
Fayetteville on 13 October (Philip Crutchfield), three near Raleigh on 25 October
(Fran and Wayne Irvin), and one to two on Quaker Lake in Alamance County
from 16 to 29 November (Bryan).

MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD: Very late for South Carolina was an immature
observed by Gardner Miller and party at North Island on 16 November.

CATTLE EGRET: This species is rare in the piedmont and the mountains in summer
and fall. Thus, noteworthy were one near Townville, S.C., on 23 August (Harry
LeGrand); three near Simpsonville, S.C., on 26 August (Alan Avakian); 10 at
Beaverdam Reservoir north of Raleigh, N.C., on 28 September (Bill Wagner,
Angelo Capparella); and 18 far inland at Old Fort, N.C., on 18 October (Robert
Ruiz).

Spring 1981

47

GREAT EGRET: One seen by Kevin Mason and Philip Crutchfield was quite late on
7 December near Fayetteville.

YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: One seen by Adair Tedards from 2 to 6
December, several miles E of Pendleton, S.C., was very late for a piedmont locality.

LEAST BITTERN: One seen on 9 August was noteworthy at Jordan Reservoir in
eastern Chatham County, N.C., as reported by Allen Bryan and Bob Lewis.

WOOD STORK: The species was again present at the pond near Sunset Beach, N.C.,
this summer, with reports from 13 July to 30 August; the peak count was 12 on 13
July (Allen Bryan, Bob Lewis).

GLOSSY IBIS: One to two individuals were noted by Allen Bryan, Steve Graves, and
others at Jordan Reservoir from 23 August to 28 September.

WHITE IBIS: Inland reports of note were 33 at Beaverdam Reservoir on 30 August
(Steve Graves, Bill and Margaret Wagner) with one late there on 18 November
(Wagners, Johnnie Payne), three at Holts Lake in Johnston County, N.C., on 11
August (Tom Haggerty), and one near Lenoir, N.C., on 28 August (Les Hines).

WHISTLING SWAN: One seen by Charlotte Gantz at Lake Surf on 26 November
was a good find.

SNOW GOOSE: North Carolina reports away from the normal wintering range were:
an immature in blue phase at Carolina Beach on 21 October (Ricky Davis), an
immature white-phase bird at Cape Lookout on 1 November (Skip Prange),
another immature white bird at Jordan Reservoir on 28 November (Jim
McConnell et al.), and an adult in blue phase at Lake Pinehurst on 28 November
(Marion Jones et al.).

FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCK: The only fall report was that of six birds seen by
Edmund Farrar at Magnolia Gardens near Charleston, S.C., on 20 September.

NORTHERN SHOVELER: One was very early at Clemson, S.C., on 7 September,
as noted by Harry LeGrand and Sid Gauthreaux.

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER: An excellent inland find was a female seen by Jim
McConnell and Michael Schultz at Jordan Reservoir on 1 December.

SURF SCOTER: Very rare inland was an immature seen by Allen Bryan on Lake
Cammack on 20 October.

COMMON MERGANSER: A male was observed by Philip Crutchfield and party at
Pamlico Point in Pamlico County, N.C., on 22 November.

MISSISSIPPI KITE: A good count for Sumter, S.C., was 16 birds, all immatures,
seen on 28 August by Evelyn Dabbs and Ramona Snavely.

BROAD-WINGED HAWK: Tom Haggerty observed 446 hawks at Stone Mountain
State Park, N.C., on 22 September, and Mike Tove counted 239 hawks on 26
September along the Blue Ridge Parkway in southern Haywood County, N.C.
Perry Nugent and Gardner Miller noted a late immature at Santee National
Wildlife Refuge on Lake Marion, S.C., on 22 November.

GOLDEN EAGLE: The only report for the fall was that of an adult seen flying S W over
Swannanoa, N.C., on 16 October by Robert Ruiz.

BALD EAGLE: Adults were seen at three localities in Forsyth County, N.C.: on
23 August by Pat Culbertson and Jerry Shiffert, on 1 November by Bert Hollifield,
and on 20 November by Ramona Snavely and party. An adult near Raleigh on 25
October was noted by Fran and Wayne Irvin.

PEREGRINE FALCON: Rare inland in North Carolina were single birds in southern
Haywood County on 26 September (Mike Tove), at Beaverdam Reservoir on 29
September (Steve Graves), along the Chowan River south of Gatesville on 3
October (John Funderburg), and at Raleigh on 13 November (Rex Schmidt).

48

The Chat

MERLIN: An excellent number of inland birds were reported this fall. In South
Carolina one was near Townville on 5 October (Sid Gauthreaux, Harry LeGrand).
In North Carolina were one at Crowders Mountain State Park on 24 September
(Paul Hart, Jack Greene), two at Beaverdam Reservoir on 27 September (Steve
Graves, et al.) and one there on 2 October (Mike Tove), one at Jordan Reservoir
on 27 September (Fran and Wayne Irvin), one near Burlington on 20 October
(Allen Bryan), and one near Chapel Hill on 7 November (Bill and Margaret
Wagner).

SANDHILL CRANE: Gardner Miller and party observed four birds near Charleston
on 14 December.

VIRGINIA RAIL: One at Jordan Reservoir on 2 August, and the same bird or another
there on 30 August, as noted by Allen Bryan, might have been summer residents.

YELLOW RAIL: One flushed by John Fussell at North River marsh, near Beaufort,
N.C., on 25 October was an outstanding find.

BLACK RAIL: Perry Nugent, Steve Compton, and Gardner Miller heard one that
answered a taped call at dawn at Huntington Beach State Park, S.C., on 12
October.

PURPLE GALLINULE: A very late record was an immature seen at Sunset Beach,
N.C., on 8 November by Philip Crutchfield and others.

BLACK-NECKED STILT: Rare for Huntington Beach State Park were two
individuals seen by Pat and Renee Probst on 16 and 17 August.

AMERICAN AVOCET: A very rare inland record was an avocet at Beaverdam
Reservoir, where it was seen on 31 August by Angelo Capparella, Jay and Lois
Garner, and others. Notable coastal sightings were two at Huntington Beach
State Park on 16 and 17 August (Pat and Renee Probst), five near Fort Macon
State Park, N.C, on 17 August (John Fussell), eight at Charleston harbor on 6
October (Pete Laurie et al.), and nine at Charleston harbor on 25 November
(Lynn DeMille).

WILSON’S PLOVER: Brainard Palmer-Ball observed 200 near Beaufort, N.C., on 2
August, an excellent Carolina total.

AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER: Single birds were seen along the coast this fall in
North Carolina at Pea Island, Ocracoke Island, Cape Hatteras, Fort Macon,
and Sunset Beach (on 8 November), and at two localities near Charleston. Ten were
noted by Will Russell and party in the Bodie-Pea Island area on 6 September. At
Beaverdam Reservoir this plover was seen from 25 September to 2 October, with a
peak of 12 on 29 September (Bill and Margaret Wagner et al.).

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER: Good inland finds were single birds seen by Alan
Avakian and others at Clemson on 24 August, by Bill and Margaret Wagner at
Beaverdam Reservoir on 2 September, and by Jim and Elizabeth Pullman at
Parkwood Lake south of Durham, N.C., on 10 September.

LONG-BILLED CURLEW: Claudia Wilds observed one at the southwestern tip of
Ocracoke Island on 28 November.

UPLAND SANDPIPER: One seen at Raleigh on 3 September by Fran and Wayne
Irvin was a rare fall record for that city. The only coastal report of note was that of a
large flock present at the Wilmington airport from 28 July to 28 August. Ricky
Davis observed 20 there on 8 August and 31 on 14 August.

GREATER YELLOWLEGS: Steve Graves saw an individual on 7 November at
Umstead State Park near Raleigh.

WILLET: Quite rare inland were single birds found at Jordan Reservoir on 22 August
(Steve Graves), at Beaverdam Reservoir on 30 August (Steve Graves, Bill and

Spring 1981

49

Margaret Wagner), and at Santee refuge on 30 August (Evelyn Dabbs, Ramona
Snavely).

SPOTTED SANDPIPER: One noted by Steve Graves at Chapel Hill was late on 3
November.

RUDDY TURNSTONE: Dan Kaplan and others saw one at Beaverdam Reservoir on 1
September; five were seen there on 29 September by Steve Graves, and one was
present on 2 October (Mike Tove).

WILSON’S PHALAROPE: The species has increased dramatically throughout the
East in the last decade, and Carolina records this fall were almost too numerous
to mention. Inland reports were of single birds at Jordan Reservoir on 6 September
(Steve Graves et al.) and again from 20 to 28 September (m.ob.), and at Beaver-
dam Reservoir on 27 September (Steve Graves). Along the coast were eight at
Bodie and Pea Islands on 16 August (Bob Lewis, Harry LeGrand, Allen Bryan),
one at Ocracoke Island on 17 August (Ricky Davis), four at Fort Macon on 24
August (John Fussell),and two at Huntington Beach on 16 and 17 August (Pat and
Renee Probst).

NORTHERN PHALAROPE: Good pelagic counts for North Carolina were 75 seen
off Hatteras on 17 August by Paul DuMont and party, 93 seen off Oregon Inlet
on 21 August by Dave Lee, and 89 in the latter area noted by Lee on 28 August.
Along the coast were four seen at Huntington Beach State Park on 16 and 17
August (Pat and Renee Probst), one seen at the northeastern end of Ocracoke
Island on 17 August (Ricky Davis), and another on Beacon Island in Ocracoke
Inlet on 6 September (Davis).

RED PHALAROPE: An excellent find was an individual seen by Allen Bryan, Ken
Knapp, and others at Beaverdam Reservoir on 28 and 29 September. Two seen off
Hatteras by Paul DuMont and party on 17 August were somewhat early.

COMMON SNIPE: John Fussell noted an early snipe on 8 August at North River near
Beaufort, N.C.

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER: The only notable inland reports were as many as
eight birds at Clemson on 23 and 24 August (Harry LeGrand), and individuals at
Jordan Reservoir from 9 to 30 August, with eight on 1 1 August (Allen Bryan, Bill
and Margaret Wagner).

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER: One seen and heard near Townville on 21 September
by Harry LeGrand and Sid Gauthreaux was the second record for the Clemson
area.

SANDERLING: Good inland records were single birds at Jordan Reservoir on 22 and
23 August (Steve Graves, Allen Bryan) and at Clemson on 31 August and 7
September (Harry LeGrand, Sid Gauthreaux).

SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER: A good inland count of 80 birds was noted at
Clemson on 7 September by Harry LeGrand.

WESTERN SANDPIPER: Harry LeGrand and Sid Gauthreaux observed 40 in the
Clemson area on 23 August.

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER: This species is seldom seen inland in fall; thus, one
seen by Steve Graves at Jordan Reservoir on 22 August was notable.

BAIRD’S SANDPIPER: The only coastal report was of a single bird seen at South
Pond on Pea Island on 18 August by Harry LeGrand, Bob Lewis, and Allen
Bryan. LeGrand also noted one at Clemson on 23 and 24 August.

DUNLIN: Single birds on 9 September were observed at Jordan Reservoir by Angelo
Capparella and at Beaverdam Reservoir by Bill and Margaret Wagner. An
excellent inland count of 30 was made at Beaverdam on 2 November by Mike Tove.

50

The Chat

STILT SANDPIPER: Noteworthy inland counts were six at Jordan Reservoir on 20
September (Allen Bryan), seven at Clemson on 21 September (Sid Gauthreaux,
Harry LeGrand), and three at Beaverdam Reservoir on 2 October (Mike Tove).

BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER: Individuals were reported at Bodie and Pea
Islands from 16 August to 6 October, with a peak of four birds; six were found
near Charleston from 9 to 1 1 September by Perry Nugent. An exceptional inland
count was 14 near Clemson on 14 September (Harry LeGrand, Sid Gauthreaux).
Others inland were one at Santee refuge on 30 August (Evelyn Dabbs, Ramona
Snavely), one at Winston-Salem on 5 and 6 September (Ramona Snavely et al.),
a peak of three at Beaverdam Reservoir from 30 August to 8 September (Steve
Graves, Bill and Margaret Wagner), and a peak of four at Lake Surf from 4 to 8
September (Jay Carter, Tim Stamps, et al.).

LONG-TAILED JAEGER: Extremely rare for the fall season was an adult observed by
Paul DuMont, Richard Rowlett, and party off Hatteras on 17 August. A single
unidentified jaeger was noted on the above trip as well as off Oregon Inlet
on 28 August by Dave Lee.

GLAUCOUS GULL: A very early report was an individual in second-fall plumage at
Morehead City, where it was seen by John Fussellfrom21 September to 5 October.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL: Sightings of adults in northeastern Pamlico
County on 24 October (Philip Crutchfield et al.) and Bodie Island on 6 December
(Bob Holmes) added to the rapidly growing number of records for North Carolina.

HERRING GULL: One was quite early on 27 September, as seen by Tom Howard at
Lake Surf.

RING-BILLED GULL: A good count for Lake Surf was 200+ noted on 13 November
by Tom Howard.

BONAPARTE’S GULL: Renee Probst observed an early individual on 16 August at
Huntington Beach State Park.

GULL-BILLED TERN: The species is seldom seen in North Carolina after September;
thus, very late were two seen by John Fussell at Beaufort on 4 October.

FORSTER’S TERN: Tom Howard noted one at Lake Surf on 27 September, and
Philip Crutchfield saw another at Fayetteville on 28 October.

COMMON TERN: One was seen by Dick Thomas near Southern Pines, N.C., on 7
August, and 17 birds were notable at Winston-Salem on 29 September, as recorded
by Pat Culbertson. A good coastal count of 3000 was reported by John Fussell at
Beaufort, N.C., on 22 September.

SOOTY TERN: Rare onshore was an immature seen by Skip Prange on mudflats at
Portsmouth Island, N.C., on 21 August. The only offshore sighting was of three
birds off Oregon Inlet on 10 September (Dave Lee).

CASPIAN TERN: From three to five individuals were noted at Beaverdam Reservoir
from 31 August to 3 September by the Wagners and others; five were seen by
Tom Howard on 27 September at Lake Surf.

BLACK TERN: Tom Haggerty observed one near Four Oaks, N.C., on 17 August.

BLACK SKIMMER: Casual inland was an immature seen at Jordan Reservoir from 30
August to 6 September by Allen Bryan and others.

YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO: One seen on 2 November at Clemson by Harry
LeGrand and Sid Gauthreaux was several weeks late, and an excellent count was
50 at Cape Lookout, N.C., on 12 October (John Fussell, Larry Crawford, R.J.
Hader).

BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO: Highly significant was the discovery of an active nest by
Bill Duyck in the spruce-fir forest at Devil’s Courthouse in northern Transylvania

Spring 1981

51

County, N.C., on 8 September. The adults were photographed. A migrant was
rare near Fayetteville on 15 October (Philip Crutchfield).

LONG-EARED OWL: One seen by Gardner Miller and others on North Island, near
Georgetown, S.C., on 16 November was an excellent find.

CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW: John Fussell heard one calling near Morehead City on 19
September, probably a representative departure date for the species.

COMMON NIGHTHAWK: A good coastal count of 200+ was noted by Steve
Compton at Sullivans Island, S.C., on 6 September.

RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER: Three individuals and 1 1 cavity trees were
observed by Tom Haggerty at Johnston Technical College near Four Oaks, N.C.,
during the fall.

EASTERN KINGBIRD: Ricky Davis noted a late bird on the campus at UNC —
Wilmington on 1 November.

GRAY KINGBIRD: Single birds rare for South Carolina were along the coast near
Georgetown on 31 July (Cliff Ester) and far inland at Santee refuge on 25 October
(Jimmy Beatty, Lex Glover, John Paquet).

WESTERN KINGBIRD: There were six fall reports, all from coastal North Carolina,
spanning the period from 9 October to 1 November.

YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER: Evelyn Dabbs mist-netted individuals at
Sumter, S.C., on 8 and 9 September, and another was seen at Chapel Hill on 13 and
14 September by Steve Graves and others.

“TRAILL’S” FLYCATCHER: Individuals were netted by Evelyn Dabbs at Sumter on
13 and 20 September, but whether the birds were Alders or Willows could not be
determined.

LEAST FLYCATCHER: Evelyn Dabbs netted two at Sumter on 9 September.
Although observers in the field report Empidonax flycatchers rather infrequently
in fall, these birds are far less uncommon than the records indicate, based on
mist-netting results. Netting at Clemson throughout the fall yielded more than a
dozen individuals of this genus, including a Yellow-bellied, many Traill’s, and
several Leasts (Paul Hamel, Harry LeGrand, et al.).

OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER: A very rare record for South Carolina was an
individual studied at leisure through a scope near Clemson on 23 August by Harry
LeGrand.

TREE SWALLOW: Good numbers inland in the fall season were 100+ at Beaverdam
Reservoir on 28 September (R.J. Hader et al.) and 100+ near Jordan Reservoir
on the following day (Bill and Margaret Wagner).

ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW: An individual was exceptionally late near
Pendleton, S.C., on 8 November. It was sitting on a telephone wire and was studied
at very close range by Harry LeGrand and party.

CLIFF SWALLOW: Rather rare along the coast were single migrants seen at
Wrightsville Beach on 7 August by Ricky Davis and near Beaufort, N.C., on 8
August by Brainard Palmer-Ball.

COMMON RAVEN: One was seen by Steve Compton at Caesar’s Head, S.C., on 28
November. Most raven reports for the state’s mountain region have been during
the summer.

FISH CROW: A record count for northwestern South Carolina was a flock of 30 seen
and heard near Townville by Paul Hamel and Harry LeGrand on the late date of
30 November.

WINTER WREN: One was extremely early on 14 September at Chapel Hill, as noted
by Steve Graves and party.

52

The Chat

BEWICK’S WREN: An individual seen well by Philip Crutchfield was quite unusual
near Fayetteville on 30 August.

SWAINSON’S THRUSH: Gail Whitehurst observed a late bird at Raleigh on 2
November.

VEERY: One was found dead at Pine Knoll Shores on Bogue Banks, N.C., in mid-
October by Larry Crawford. This species is quite scarce in fall along the coast.

SOLITARY VIREO: One was approximately 6 weeks early on 1 September in the
Francis Marion National Forest, S.C. (Steve Compton).

PHILADELPHIA VIREO: Evelyn Dabbs banded individuals at Sumter on 1 1 and 22
September; others were seen near Burlington on 1 October by Allen Bryan, near
Charleston on 4 October by Perry Nugent, and near Durham on 12 October by
Johnnie Payne.

WARBLING VIREO: An exceptional report for the coast in fall was one seen at Fort
Fisher, N.C., on 9 September by Ricky Davis. He observed the vireo bill, grayish
upperparts without yellow sides, a lack of wing bars, and a light stripe over the
eye without any dark facial markings.

GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER: Good finds for the coastal plain were individuals
noted at McCain, Hoke County, N.C., on 20 August (Libba Watson) and near
Brogden, Johnston County, N.C., on 30 August (Tom Haggerty).

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER: Notable for the coast were two seen by Skip Prange at
Cape Lookout, N.C., on 5 September, and three observed near Charleston on 4
October by Perry Nugent.

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: One was seen by Steve Graves at Chapel Hill on
27 October, and another was late at Clemson on 29 November, when noted by
Harry LeGrand. Several reports in mid-September were deemed to have been
incorrectly identified, because this species is extremely rare in the Carolinas before
October and because of confusion with several other species, especially the
Tennessee Warbler.

NASHVILLE WARBLER: One was rather early at Chapel Hill on 13 September
(Steve Graves), and a first North Carolina Sandhills record was an individual near
McCain on 7 October (Jay Carter, Tom Howard). An excellent count was four
seen by John Connors and Paul Smithson at Beaverdam Reservoir on 1 1 October.
Perry Nugent noted birds at Charleston on 4 October and Huntington Beach State
Park on 12 October.

CAPE MAY WARBLER: One seen by Gardner Miller, Perry Nugent, and others was
very late at Seabrook Island, S.C., on 29 November.

CERULEAN WARBLER: Rare fall sightings were made by Sid Gauthreaux at
Clemson on 7 September, by Perry Nugent near Charleston on 4 October, and by
Philip Crutchfield at Fayetteville on 13 October.

CONNECTICUT WARBLER: One was observed in early October near Durham by
Johnnie Payne, and one seen well (and described in full) by Perry Nugent and party
was extremely late on 15 November at Seabrook Island.

WILSON’S WARBLER: Notable for the Asheville, N.C., area were two seen at
Swannanoa on 27 September by Jean Gertz and party.

BREWER’S BLACKBIRD: A male and a female were rare at Raleigh on 25 October, as
reported by Gail Whitehurst.

DICKCISSEL: Ricky Davis again noted this species in fall at Fort Fisher; one was there
on 4 October.

EVENING GROSBEAK: A good flight occurred into the Carolinas this fall, being first
noted in early November. Grosbeak numbers during the previous two winter

Spring 1981

53

seasons had been rather low.

HOUSE FINCH: Noteworthy records for the Outer Banks of North Carolina were one
seen at Buxton on 9 October by Greg Hanisek, and a male observed at Bodie Island
on 24 November 1973 by Harry and Edmund LeGrand. Two were uncommon at
Asheville on 7 to 9 November (Bill Duyck), as were six at Fayetteville on 28
October (Philip Crutchfield).

PINE SISKIN: As with the Evening Grosbeak, large numbers were present in the
Carolinas by late fall, with the earliest arrivals occurring in mid-October.

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW: A rare record for Carteret County, N.C., was one seen
by John Fussell along the boundary with Craven County on 3 October. Dennis
Forsythe picked up a dead individual in Mount Pleasant, S.C., on 6 December.

HENSLOW’S SPARROW: Approximately five were observed by John Fussell,
Merrill Lynch, and others in western Carteret County on 12 and 13 November.
This locality is the site where at least one wintered last year, and thus these birds
were probably on their wintering grounds.

LE CONTE’S SPARROW: One seen by Gardner Miller and party was noteworthy on
North Island, S.C., on 16 November.

LARK SPARROW: The first record for Forsyth County was an individual seen by
Ramona Snavely and others at Winston-Salem on 5 and 6 September.

DARK-EYED JUNCO: One noted by Libba Watson was early at McCain, N.C., on 24
September.

TREE SPARROW: One was extremely early at Chapel Hill on 27 October, as
observed by Steve Graves.

CLAY-COLORED SPARROW: For the fifth consecutive fall, Ricky Davis noted the
species at Fort Fisher, with one seen on 1 November.

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW: Good totals for Carteret County were four at Cape
Lookout on 12 October and four again on 26 October (John Fussell et al.).

LINCOLN’S SPARROW: Six birds were netted at Clemson by Paul Hamel, Harry
LeGrand, and others from 4 October to 6 November. The only other fall reports
were one at Chapel Hill on 27 October (Steve Graves), and two near Townville on
2 November (Harry LeGrand).

LAPLAND LONGSPUR: Two were observed on Core Banks, N.C., by Chip Davis
and Riley Hoggard on 4 November.

SNOW BUNTING: This species staged its best fall flight into the Carolinas in perhaps a
decade, with all records being coastal. Approximately 90 were seen by Sue and
Ecky Meadows at Pea Island in late November, 34 were noted at Salvo, N.C., on 19
November by Fran and Wayne Irvin, 22 were seen by Claudia Wilds at Ocracoke
on 28 November, and one was seen at North Island on 16 November by Gardner
Miller and party.

PELAGIC TRIP OFF CAROLINA BEACH, N.C.: A group of birders led by Greg
Massey made a trip from this town to a point nearly 50 miles offshore on 4 October.
Because most pelagic trips taken to the south of Beaufort Inlet have been
disappointing, the noteworthy results of this very successful trip are presented in
full. All the following species were observed at least 10 miles from shore: Cory’s
Shearwater 23, Greater Shearwater 2, Sooty Shearwater 1, Audubon’s Shearwater
3, shearwater (sp.?) 14, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel 1, Little Blue Heron 1, Snowy Egret
9, Marsh Hawk 1, Peregrine Falcon 1, Short-billed Dowitcher 1, Northern
Phalarope 4, Arctic Tern 4 (underwing pattern compared with nearby Common
Terns), Bridled Tern 2, Mourning Dove I, Palm Warbler 2, American Redstart 1.

54

The Chat

BOOK REVIEWS

STORIES ABOUT BIRDS AND BIRD WATCHERS

Mary Beacom Bowers, ed. 1981. Atheneum, 597 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y.
10017. Illus. by Bob Hines. 234 p. Hardcover, $12.95.

RANDOM RAMBLINGS OF AN EVERYDAY BIRDWATCHER

Yulee Larner. 1980. Ramblings, 1020 W. Beverley Street, Staunton, Virginia
24401. Illus. by Mary Pemberton. 60 p. Softcover, $4.60 ppd. (Virginia residents add
16c tax.)

If you enjoy the Backyard Birding department of Chat and informal nature essays
in general, you will want to read both of the books listed above. Stories About Birds and
Bird Watchers is a collection of choice articles from Bird Watcher’s Digest , which has
been edited since its debut in 1978 by Mary Bowers, a native Tar Heel and a graduate of
the University of North Carolina. Mrs. Larner is a nature columnist for the Staunton
News-Leader and chairman of the records committee of the Virginia Society of
Ornithology. Some of her columns have been reprinted in BWD.

The informal essay has an honorable place in the ornithological literature. It can
attract and educate people who appreciate the beauty of nature but are not yet ready for
scientific papers. It can toss out ideas not adequately documented for formal
publication and encourage people to confirm or refute those ideas. It can stimulate
curiosity and enthusiasm. It can promote conservation. It can preserve the human side
of bird study, the meaningful personal experiences that almost never appear in the pages
of scientific journals.

I have just one complaint about BWD and numerous other publications that cater
to the needs of the amateur naturalist. Their editors almost to the very last one follow
style manuals that dictate treating the English names of birds as common nouns. I
believe that common names duly adopted by an appropriate scientific body are proper
nouns and should begin with capital letters. Then the reader is not left to wonder if the
writer means the species Common Tern or just any old tern that is common in the given
area. After all, a Common Tern may be not at all common at certain times and places.
Can you imagine the possibilities for confusion in a sentence about a rare common tern?
Mrs. Larner, with her background in scientific publication, wisely uses up-style in her
book. I hope other editors of popular nature publications will soon follow her fine
example. — EFP

[NOTE: Bird Watcher’s Digest appears bimonthly. Subscriptions are $9 per year
from BWD, P.O. Box 110, Marietta, Ohio 45750. The March/ April 1981 issue has an
article by Lee Jones, a North Carolinian who went to California to attend graduate
school and now has a Ph.D. and his own business in Topanga. — ED.]

ON THE ROAD WITH JOHN JAMES AUDUBON

Mary Durant and Michael Harwood. 1980. Dodd, Mead & Company, New York.
Several hundred black-and-white photographs. 638 p. $19.95

The authors, a husband-and-wife team of professional writers, spent 13 months
retracing the travels of Audubon from Mill Grove, Pennsylvania, to the Dry Tortugas,
Texas, Labrador, and Montana. Using the artist’s voluminous writings as a guide, they
looked for the places he described and tried to find descendants of people who knew and
even entertained Audubon. Most nights, they camped in a tent and bemoaned the
unkempt condition of many camp grounds. They looked for birds in the places where

Spring 1981

55

Audubon found them, sometimes with success and sometimes not. The Carolinas are
well covered, of course.

I found the book highly entertaining, with many insights into Audubon’s character,
as well as that of his wife, Lucy Bakewell. Audubon’s weaknesses and strong points are
thoroughly explored. Besides a general index, there is a bird index with fascinating
names: tickle-asses, tinkers, tell-tale godwits, loppers, Cincinnati gulls, and bullbirds. It
was a personal satisfaction to me that Audubon confused the Lesser Scaup and the
Greater Scaup, my own bete noir. — LOUIS FINK

BACKYARD BIRDING

(Continued from page 40)

Like Catchin' Fish in a Barrel

Red-shouldered Hawks are permanent residents along Moccasin Creek, which
forms the boundary between Wake and Franklin Counties near Zebulon, N.C. At all
seasons of the year these birds hunt for snakes, salamanders, frogs, and ditch eels
(Amphiuma) in the many small wooded tributaries, including the spring at the bottom
of my hill. On many occasions I have seen small birds freeze or take cover when a hawk
circled the yard. Once the neighborhood birds mobbed a Red -shouldered as it
innocently tried to dine on a freshly caught Amphiuma. This gave me the impression
that small birds do not distinguish between Red-shouldered Hawks, which prefer
aquatic prey, and the other buteos, which are more likely to take warm-blooded prey.
However, the events of 30 and 31 January 1981 strongly suggest that small birds do
know one hawk from another.

Light snow began falling the morning of the thirtieth. By noon the ground was
lightly covered, and before nightfall 2 or 3 inches had accumulated locally. About 0900 a
subadult Red-shouldered Hawk perched in a tree some 25 feet beyond the feeder
farthest from the kitchen window. Many small birds — Cardinals, Pine Siskins, Purple
Finches, Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted
Titmice, Pine Warblers, and assorted woodpeckers — continued to feed and remained
undisturbed even when the hawk took flight.

About 1030 the next day, the Red-shouldered sailed past my study window,
apparently en route from the feeding area to the spring. At 1615 the big bird was again
perched near the feeders, and the small ones again appeared unconcerned, although
they prudently avoided drinking from the water trickling over a rock at one end of the
fish pool, almost directly under the hawk. The moving water maintains a small circle of
open water at the base of the rock even when the rest of the surface is frozen solid, as it
was on the thirty-first. I watched the hawk constantly, hoping to get a good look at the
wing linings when the bird flew. The hawk was obviously alert and watching for prey,
but it made no attempt to molest the feeding birds — not even the one bold soul that
perched on a limb no more than 10 feet above its head. About 1650 the hawk suddenly
dropped to the small circle of open water. Although the bird’s head, body, and feet were
hidden by a rock, I could see the wings flapping several times before they came to rest
held partly open by the rocks on each side of the bird. The hawk raised its head and
stood motionless. A few moments later it hopped to a flat rock nearby, clutching a large
frog, apparently a Bullfrog because the venter was white with many dark spots. A
minute later the hawk flew away with its prey. “Like catchin’ fish in a barrel,” I thought.
Although the small birds paid no attention to the successful hunting expedition, they
returned to drink at the pool shortly after the hawk departed. — ELOISE POTTER,
Route 3, Box 114AA, Zebulon, N.C. Zebulon, N.C. 27597

56

The Chat

MEMBERSHIP

Carolina Bird Club, Inc., is a non-profit educational and scientific association
founded in March 1937 and open to anyone interested in the study and conservation of
wildlife, particularly birds. Dues, contributions, and bequests to the club are deductible
from State and Federal income and estate taxes. Checks should be made payable to
Carolina Bird Club, Inc., and sent to CBC Headquarters, P.O. Box 1220, Tryon, N.C.
28782.

DUES

(Payable on a calendar-year basis)

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All CBC members not in arrears for dues receive The Chat, a quarterly journal
devoted to bird study and conservation, and the CBC Newsletter, which carries infor-
mation about meetings, field trips, and club projects. Articles intended for publication
in Chat may be sent to the Editor or to the appropriate department editor listed in a
recent issue of the bulletin. Items for the Newsletter should be sent to its Editor, Clyde
Smith, 2615 Wells Avenue, Raleigh, N.C. 27608. Correspondence regarding member-
ships, changes of address, or requests for back numbers of either publication should be
sent to CBC Headquarters, P.O. Box 1220, Tryon, N.C. 28782.

OFFICERS

President Ramona Snavely, 115 Plymouth Ave., Winston-Salem, N.C. 27104

Vice-presidents . . . Ercei Francis, 26 Cardinal Road, Cedar Mountain, N.C. 28718
Frances B. Needham, Box 8207, Waynick Blvd., Wrightsville Beach, N.C. 28480
Julian R. Harrison, 805 Robert E. Lee Blvd., Charleston, S.C. 29412

Secretary Dillon L. Wood, 712 Gardenview Drive, Jacksonville, N.C. 28540

Treasurer Ernest B. Kellogg, Box 503, Undrum, S.C. 29356

Members-at-large:

Region I — Western North Carolina

Robert H. Witherington, Winston-Salem, and Richard D. Brown, Charlotte
Region II — Eastern North Carolina

Robert J. Hader, Raleigh, and Dana T. Carter, Goldsboro
Region III — South Carolina

Louise Ucoss, Hilton Head Is., and W. David Chamberlain, Mt. Pleasant
Headquarters Secretary Elizabeth M. Paterson

SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID
at Tryon, N.C. 28782

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The Chat

(USPS 101-020)

Vol. 45 SUMMER 1981 No. 3

Published by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc.

Editor Eloise F. Potter, Route 3, Box 114 AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

General Field Notes David S. Lee, Department Editor

Julian R. Harrison, Associate Editor

Briefs for the Files Harry E. LeGrand Jr., Department of Zoology

Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29631

CBC Roundtable Louis C. Fink, Apt. 6, Bldg. L, Tau Valley Estates,

Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801

Backyard Birding Gail T. Whitehurst, 1505 Brooks Avenue,

Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Bird Count Editor John O. Fussell III, P.O. Box 520,

Morehead City, N.C. 28557

Art and Photography John Henry Dick and Jack Derm id

THE CHAT is published quarterly by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., with headquarters at the North Carolina State Museum,
P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Second class postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Subscription price $10.00 per year!

PAGE CHARGES: Authors who have funds available for page chrges are requested to remit same at the rate of $40.00
per page. CBC Headquarters will provide statements required for your business records.

CONTENTS

Cowbirds in the Carolinas.

Eloise F. Potter and Gail T. Whitehurst 57

CBC Roundtable 69

Backyard Birding 71

General Field Notes

Common Terns Foraging Over Land.

David S. Lee and Mary Kay Clark 73

A Dark-phase Western Grebe from North Carolina. Michael Tove 73

Rare Gulls at Cape Hatteras, N.C., Including First
Carolinas Record of Mew Gull. Robert H. Lewis,

Michael Tove, and Harry E. LeGrand Jr 75

Rat Snake Preys on Nestlings of Rough-winged Swallow

and Common Grackle. Tom Haggerty 77

Briefs for the Files 80

Correction 84

OUR COVER — Fall shorebird migration actually begins in
summer for most species, but the Purple Sandpiper has
not been recorded in the Carolinas before October. Look
for it throughout the winter on coastal jetties. Photo by
David Lee.

COWBIRDS IN THE CAROLINAS

ELOISE F. POTTER and GAIL T. WHITEHURST

Abstract. — The first fledgling Brown-headed Cowbird was seen in the Caro-
linas in 1933. Since that time the species has been reported during the breeding
season from all sections of the two states, although it appears at present to be
generally more numerous in North Carolina and western South Carolina than in
eastern South Carolina. Rufous-sided Towhees, Red-eyed Vireos, Solitary Vireos,
Wood Thrushes, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Chestnut-sided Warblers are the most
frequently reported of the 29 host species recorded in the Carolinas. Host selection
and egg-laying behavior have been well studied in the Brown-headed Cowbird, but
much remains to be learned about the development of the young, particularly in
regard to the relationship of the fledgling to the natural mother.

One of the first things the beginning bird student learns is that cowbirds lay their
eggs in the nests of other birds. The tendency is to assume that cowbirds are not nice and
to ignore them except when another species is needed for the local bird count. Never-
theless, these birds warrant our careful attention. The purposes of this paper are to
review the history of the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) in North and South
Carolina, to assess the present status of the species in the region, and to summarize the
breeding habits of this brood parasite.

METHODS

A survey of records published in the two state bird books as well as in Chat and
American Birds provided the early history of the cowbird in the Carolinas. From these
sources and unpublished records, both our own and those of Carolina Bird Club
members who responded to a request for information in Chat, we obtained data on 101
known cowbird eggs or young for the region. The great majority of these reports were
sightings of hosts feeding fledgling cowbirds. Whitehurst’s data are from her yard in a
residential section of Raleigh, Wake County, N.C., where she feeds the birds regularly
throughout the year. Potter’s data are from her wooded yard adjacent to a golf course in
rural eastern Wake County, 4.5 miles N of Zebulon, N.C. Additionally, Potter
conducted field studies in southern Franklin County, N.C., which is the portion
adjacent to eastern Wake County. She made 80 trips between 1 October 1975 and 30
September 1976. There are several large cattle farms in southern Franklin County, and
each trip included a visit to one or more of these sites. Material on nesting habits is
mostly from the general literature, but some details are based on personal observations
of the authors and various other CBC members.

HISTORY OF COWBIRD BREEDING IN THE CAROLINAS

Although Brown-headed Cowbirds have long been known as winter residents in
the Carolinas, the first positive evidence of egg laying was not found here until 1933. On
10 June 1933 someone brought Thomas D. Burleigh a week-old cowbird taken from a
Red-eyed Vireonestin Buncombe County, N.C. (Pearson etal. 1959, p. 355). On 17 July
1934 an unidentified warbler was seen feeding a cowbird fledgling at Clemson, S.C.
(Sprunt and Chamberlain 1970, p. 506). In June 1939 immature cowbirds were noted at
Hatteras village and Oregon Inlet (Pearson et al. 1959, p. 355). Evidence of breeding in
central North Carolina came from Greensboro in 1943 (Chat 7:79), Durham in 1958
(Chat 23:20), Mecklenburg County in 1958 (Chat 22:84), Chapel Hill in 1959 (Chat
23:68), and Nash County in 1965 (Chat 29:89). On the southern coast breeding was first

Summer 1981

57

TABLE 1. Number of Brown-headed Cowbird fledglings seen by Whitehurst and
Potter in Wake County, N.C., 1969-1978.

Year 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976

Whitehurst1 1 112 3 5 3 8

Potter2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0

Total 1 1 1 3 3 6 3 8

•Yard in Raleigh residential neighborhood; summer bird feeding program.

2 Yard in rural woodlands adjacent to golf course; no summer bird feeding program.

1977 1978

3 5

1 1

4 6

noted in Charleston County, S.C., in 1965 (Chat 29:115)and near Wilmington, N.C.,in
1967 (Chat 31:99).

In the early years (1933 to mid-1950s) reports of cowbird eggs or young were few
and far between in the Carolinas. Some observers believed that migrating females laid
eggs and continued moving northward (Pearson etal. 1959, p. 355). Although instances
of such behavior cannot be eliminated as a possibility, one adult female certainly
remained at Clemson, S.C., at least until late June to lay the egg that produced the
fledgling being fed on 17 July 1934 (Sprunt and Chamberlain 1970, p. 506). Repeated
sightings of adults and young in June, July, and August soon made it obvious that adult
Brown-headed Cowbirds were remaining in the Carolinas all summer and that females
were continuing to lay eggs well into July.

The second report of confirmed breeding did not come from Clemson until May
1957 (Chat 21:90); however, Gaston Gage (pers. comm.) indicates that cowbirds were
present there throughout the summer of 1953, with 5 adults seen on 29 May, 5 adults on
26 June, 14 adults on 9 July, about 50 adults on 1 1 July, 2 immatures on 20 July, and
about 15 (age not specified) on 5 August. Gage saw about 30 cowbirds, including some
immatures, on 1 1 July 1954. Thus it is apparent that the cowbird breeding population
was already well established in the Clemson area at the time of the 1957 report.

By the mid-1960s the species was parasitizing nests throughout the Carolinas,
though it was still locally scarce or absent in the eastern piedmont and inner coastal
plain. Wake County provides a good example of how unobtrusive cowbirds can be
during the early years of local egg laying. Fifty cowbirds were reported on a bird count
at Raleigh on 28 April 1956 (Chat 20:54). This suggests the probability of local breeding
because Brown-headed Cowbird flocks disperse in late winter or very early spring (Bent
1958, p. 448-449). However, the first reported summer sighting of adult cowbirds did
not occur until 26 and 27 June 1962 when Oliver H. Orr Jr. saw a male and a female at
his home near Raleigh (N.C. State Museum records). Summer adults were first noted at
Zebulon on 18 June 1966 when Potter saw two females and four males displaying on a
green at the Zebulon Country Club. The first positive evidence of breeding in Wake
County came in 1968 when R.J. Hader saw a juvenile following an adult Rufous-sided
Towhee at Raleigh (Chat 32:81). Table 1 shows the number of cowbird fledglings seen
each of the 10 years following 1968 by Whitehurst in Raleigh and by Potter in rural
Wake County. In spite of the expected seasonal variations in nesting success and
observer diligence, the general trend is decidedly upward.

J.H. Carter III (pers. comm.) says that cowbirds did not spend the summer in the
Southern Pines area when he first became interested in birds in the mid-1960s. First,
males began to linger into June. Then immatures began to appear in July and August,
and adults of both sexes also began to show up in these months. By 1971 the species had

58

The Chat

TABLE 2. Taken from computer print-outs of summary sheets for U.S. Fish and Wild-
life Service Breeding Bird Survey Routes run in North Carolina from 1966 through
1978, the data below for routes run at least four times from 1966 through 1977 show 12-
year means for two common cowbird hosts, the Rufous-sided Towhee and the Red-
eyed Vireo, compared with the mean for the Brown-headed Cowbird. The cowbird
mean is compared with the number of this species found on the same route in 1978.
County designation applies to the starting point for each route, although some routes
are known to extend into other counties. The number in parentheses following the
county name indicates how many years that particular route was censused from 1966
through 1977.

Route

MOUNTAIN REGION

Craven Gap, Buncombe (7)

Fontana, Swain (4)

Cullowhee, Jackson (4)

Brevard, Transylvania (10)

NORTHERN COASTAL REGION
Grandy, Currituck (5)

Mashoes, Dare (7)

WESTERN PIEDMONT REGION
Copeland, Surry (10)

Call, Wilkes (8)

Mooresville, Iredell (4)

Climax, Guilford (12)

Madison, Rockingham (12)
Saxapahaw, Alamance (12)

SOUTHERN COASTAL REGION
Merrimon, Carteret (10)

Ward’s Corner, Pender (7)

Myrtle Grove, New Hanover (11)
Shallotte, Brunswick (10)

EASTERN PIEDMONT REGION
Areola, Warren (7)

Youngsville, Franklin (12)

Jordan, Johnston (12)

INNER COASTAL PLAIN
California, Hertford (5)

Beargrass, Martin (12)

Speed, Edgecombe (12)

Rosewood, Wayne (10)

Kinston, Lenoir (4)

Arapahoe, Pamlico (12)

Fairmont, Robeson (10)

Rufous-sided

Red-eyed

Brown-headed

Towhee

Vireo

Cowbird

mean

mean

mean/ 1978 total

21

3

3/ -

14

43

1/ 1

28

32

8/13

22

11

2/ 1

7

3

15/ -

43

1

25/ -

28

4

9/ 5

16

18

2/23

26

25

10/ 9

13

12

3/ 1

21

2

3/ -

14

15

4/ -

11

3

4/10

40

8

1/ -

27

1

4/11

35

6

2/18

32

27

7/14

30

14

4/ 5

23

8

3/ 0

35

52

11/35

19

3

2/ 2

18

9

1/ 6

11

4

1/ 0

11

2

2/ 2

28

5

4/ 6

21

4

2/ 0

become a permanent resident, though uncommon in summer and rare in midwinter
(Carter 1971).

In North Carolina 26 U.S. Fish and 'Wildlife Service Breeding Bird Survey Routes
have been runat least four times during the 12-year period from 1966 through 1977. The

Summer 1981

59

mean number of cowbirds for each of these routes is given in Table 2 along with the
number of individuals reported in 1978. The highest cowbird means are from the
Mashoes route in Dare County (25) and the Grandy route in Currituck County (15),
both of which lie in the northeastern coastal region where the cowbird can be assumed to
have been breeding more than 40 years. Cowbird means for the four mountain routes
are surprisingly low, and probably are not typical of mountain localities having
extensive agricultural development.

A 1977 report on the breeding birds in South Carolina State Parks (Chat 42:7 1-72)
shows cowbirds to be present at 1 1 of the 14 units censused. The species was most
numerous at Croft in Spartanburg County (18 birds), Huntington Beach in Georgetown
County (8 birds), and Oconee in the mountains (5 birds). One to four cowbirds were at
the other units reporting the species. Although cowbirds were found in all sections of
South Carolina, they were encountered less frequently at parks in the southern portion
of the coastal plain than elsewhere in the state.

PRESENT STATUS

From the various reports cited above, however scattered and fragmented they may
be, we can see that the Brown-headed Cowbird extended its breeding range throughout
the Carolinas during the 40 years between 1930 and 1970. During the 1970s the cowbird
breeding population seems to have stabilized at a relatively low level in the regions first
invaded (mountains, western piedmont, northeastern North Carolina) while an upward
trend continued in recently invaded regions (eastern piedmont, southern coast, inner
coastal plain). Today the Brown-headed Cowbird is generally fairly common
throughout the Carolinas during the egg-laying season, but it remains locally scarce,
perhaps even absent, in certain portions of the coastal plain. Although a long-term
increase in the total cowbird breeding population in the Carolinas seems inevitable, this
species shows no signs of ever becoming as numerous as the Starling and House
Sparrow.

NESTING HABITS

Formerly a bird of the grassy plains of mid-North America, the Brown-headed
Cowbird followed herds of bison and other wild grazing animals prior to the introduc-
tion of domestic cattle. The species gradually extended its range eastward and westward
as the forests were cut and increased areas of cleared land were used for crops and
pastures. No one can tell whether brood parasitism evolved as an adaptation to the
species’ feeding habits or simply made it possible for the Brown-headed Cowbird to
occupy a previously vacant feeding niche. Whichever came first, the feeding strategy or
the reproductive strategy, the system obviously works well for the Brown-headed
Cowbird even though this species has none of the special adaptations (such as egg
mimicry) characteristic of certain other brood parasites, most notably the Common
Cuckoo ( Cuculus canorus) of Eurasia and Africa.

Habitat requirements. — Although a few Brown-headed Cowbirds may feed and
breed in the rather limited natural grasslands of eastern North America (e.g. grassy
mountain balds, coastal marshes), the vast majority depend on man-made and man-
maintained open areas such as pastures and golf courses. During the egg-laying season,
many cowbirds also frequent woodland edges and residential neighborhoods with lots
of shade trees. Here the female — usually accompanied by one or more males — perches
in a tree, often a standing dead tree, that offers a clear view of the nesting activities of
potential hosts. A good observation post appears to be essential to her success in
locating nests suitable for parasitizing.

Working in the Otter Lake region of Michigan, the McGeens (1968) found that one
female may cover from 1 2 to 40 acres, with a probable average of 25 acres. Overlapping

60

The Chat

ranges are not uncommon. Apparently the density of the cowbird population is relative
to the number of host nests available per female cowbird.

Although there is no support from observations of banded birds, two Carolinians
describe behavior that indicates strong site loyalty in breeding cowbirds. In June 1979 at
Pendleton, S.C., Pamela M. Spencer noted in her yard a male cowbird that spent his
time, when not feeding, perched atop a weather thermometer attached to the window
of the house. He used the thermometer to wipe his bill after feeding, and he repeatedly
displayed from this perch. The female perched in a large oak tree nearby. In March 1980
a pair of cowbirds arrived, the male perching regularly on the thermometer and the
female in the same oak tree.

At Raleigh in the summer of 1979, Whitehurst had five young cowbirds that
followed her about the yard, begging for food. Among the adults arriving in the spring
of 1980 was one that immediately began following her and begging for food. Whitehurst
strongly believes that one of the birds reared in the vicinity of her feeder in 1979
returned to the same area to breed in 1980.

Host species. — Herbert Friedmann, author of The Cowbirds: A Study of the
Biology of Social Parasitism (1929), periodically summarizes data on cowbird host
relations (Friedmann 1963). His most recent updating (Friedmann 1971) brings the
total number of species parasitized by the Brown-headed Cowbird to 214, of which 121
are known to have reared cowbirds. Obviously many of the hosts are rare or accidental,
and some of them (e.g. Mourning Dove, Purple Martin) have nesting habits that make
them unsuitable foster parents for young cowbirds.

The Brown-headed Cowbird is the only regular brood parasite that is widely
distributed in the parts of North America north of Mexico. Although its hosts range in
size from the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher to the Mourning Dove, Lowther (1979) indicates
that eggs of commonly used host species are generally smaller and less heavily marked
than cowbird eggs. Egg size (volume) appears to be the most important visual cue for
nest selection by female cowbirds. Some females show a strong preference for laying in
the nests of a single species (McGeen and McGeen 1968) whereas others may parasitize
the nests of several species. Among the birds most frequently victimized are vireos,
tanagers, Hylocichla thrushes, and many warblers and fringillids.

Of the 29 host species recorded in the Carolinas, the one most frequently reported is
the Rufous-sided Towhee (25%). This probably is a disproportionately large percentage
because the towhee nests in residential neighborhoods and is more likely than most
other host species to bring the fledgling cowbird to a bird feeder. Following the towhee
are the Red -eyed Vireo (15%), Solitary Vireo (9%), Wood Thrush (8%), Dark-eyed
Junco (6%), and Chestnut -sided Warbler (5%). No other species has been reported more
than three times: Carolina Chickadee, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (3), White-eyed Vireo,
Yellow-throated Vireo, Black-and-white Warbler (2), Swainson’s Warbler, Worm-
eating Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow-throated Warbler (2), Pine Warbler (2),
Prairie Warbler, Ovenbird, Kentucky Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-
breasted Chat, American Redstart (2), Cardinal (2), Blue Grosbeak (2), Indigo Bunting,
Painted Bunting, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow (2), and Field Sparrow. The six most
frequently reported hosts account for 68% of the Carolina records; the remaining 23
species account for only 32%.

Most of the hosts are widespread and multi-brooded in the Carolinas. The House
Finch, however, is a newcomer to the region and not yet known to breed in large
numbers. It apparently nested in Winston-Salem for the first time in 1974 (Chat 38:98).
By 1978 the species was nesting at several locations, and cowbird parasitism was noted
in the small colony at Salem Cemetery (Chat 42:74-75).

Although conclusive data are not available for the Carolinas, the very small
number of reports of more than one cowbird egg per nest (2) or of host pairs feeding
more than one fledgling (5) suggest that only a small proportion of the parasitized nests

Summer 1981

61

contain more than one cowbird egg. However, such a small percentage of our data
comes from examination of active nests that we could very easily be misled by the
sample. There may be a high failure rate in nests containing two or more alien eggs.

In general, the large and medium-sized hosts (e.g. towhees and vireos) are more
successful than the small ones when it comes to fledging young cowbirds. Nonetheless,
Tom Haggerty (pers. comm.) reports a Chestnut-sided Warbler feeding three young
cowbirds in Watauga County on 10 July 1979. Fortunately, cowbirds tend to victimize
common, multi-brooded species whose open nests are easy to find. This habit
apparently insures an abundance of suitable foster parents in future breeding seasons.
The only time the cowbird becomes a very serious problem for a host species is when a
small total population happens to be concentrated in a small geographic region, as is the
case with the Kirtland’s Warbler. This rare and endangered species is now protected by
systematic removal of adult cowbirds and cowbird eggs. Most host species can take the
inconvenience of rearing cowbirds in stride. One study indicates that the difference in
nesting success between parasitized and nonparasitized populations may be as little as
3% (Pettingill 1970, p. 378). Nevertheless, Carter (pers. comm.) believes cowbird
parasitism had an adverse effect on Solitary Vireos breeding in the Sandhills, where that
species is at or near the eastern edge of its range in the Carolinas.

Table 2 shows the 12-year mean for cowbirds found on certain North Carolina
Breeding Bird Survey Routes compared to the 12-year means for Rufous-sided Towhees
and Red-eyed Vireos. At almost all localities the towhees and vireos are present in much
greater numbers than are the cowbirds, indicating an abundance of suitable hosts. Only
in northeastern North Carolina (Grandy) does the mean number of cowbirds exceed the
combined means for the two most commonly reported host species statewide. Merrill
Lynch (pers. comm.) suggests that where the Rufous-sided Towhee and Red-eyed Vireo
are relatively uncommon, the Brown-headed Cowbird relies on one or more locally
common hosts not frequently parasitized elsewhere in the state. This is a good
hypothesis because we can easily see that cowbirds parasitizing Dark-eyed Juncosand
Chestnut-sided Warblers in the mountains are showing preference for locally common
species that do not breed in the piedmont and coastal plain.

Mengel (1965) lists 23 cowbird hosts for Kentucky. More than 20% of the nests
examined had been parasitized in six species: Summer Tanager (41.2% of 17 nests),
Red-eyed Vireo (36.3% of 1 1), Indigo Bunting (32.5% of 40), Wood Thrush (28.2% of
39), White-eyed Vireo (25.0% of 8), and Field Sparrow (22.4% of 49). Mengel found the
Red-eyed Vireo to be the most successful host in terms of the number of young cowbirds
known to have been fledged, followed by the Indigo Bunting, Summer Tanager, Wood
Thrush, Cardinal, and Field Sparrow.

Southern and Southern (1980) found that some species remain locally common in
spite of having been heavily parasitized for almost 70 years. Their recent study of nesting
data from the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS), a largely forested
preserve situated in Cheboygan and Emmet Counties in the northern portion of the
Lower Peninsula, provides data oncowbird parasitism fora single region fora period of
68 years (1911-1978). The Southerns selected 2605 adequately detailed nest records
from UMBS files. These represented 57 open-nesting passerines considered to be
potential cowbird hosts. No nest parasites were recorded for 26 of these species, but the
remaining 31 were parasitized at least once between 1911 and 1978. Of those species with
a sample size larger than 10 nests, 13 had more than 20% of the recorded nests
parasitized. The Red-eyed Vireo, with 69.3% of 257 nests parasitized, was the most
frequent host at UMBS. It was followed by the Scarlet Tanager (63.64% of 11 nests
parasitized), Chestnut-sided Warbler (52.94% of 17), Veery (51.52% of 33), Indigo
Bunting (43.24% of 37), Purple Finch (42. 1 1% of 19), Yellow-rumped Warbler (36.84%
of 19), American Redstart (35.71% of 42), Ovenbird (29.55% of 44), Yellow Warbler
(28.57% of 21), Chipping Sparrow (24.54% of 216), Rufous-sided Towhee (24.14% of
29), and Hermit Thrush (21.67% of 60).

62

The Chat

Comparison of the Carolina, Kentucky (Mengel 1965), and UMBS (Southern and
Southern 1980) data with each other and with results of other studies reveals some
marked variations that appear to be related to (1) local habitat or (2) regional species
diversity and relative abundance. In general, the more specialized and uniform the
habitat, the lower the species diversity and thus the more heavily parasitized the limited
number of suitable hosts within the area.

For example, a study of cowbird parasitism in northeastern Kansas (Elliott 1977)
indicates that Grasshopper Sparrows, Dickcissels, and Eastern Meadowlarks nesting
on the ground in this prairie region experienced a combined incidence of 70% parasitism
with a mean of 2.7 cowbird eggs per parasitized clutch. Only 26% of the parasitized nests
had but one cowbird egg. This contrasts sharply with data from other regions showing
that approximately 60% of the parasitized nests have only one cowbird egg. Both
Grasshopper Sparrows and Eastern Meadowlarks are on the list of birds for which no
parasitized nests were reported at UMBS. Neither of these species has been recorded as
a host in the Carolinas or Kentucky. (Dickcissels, of course, are irrelevant to the present
study because of their rarity as breeding birds in the eastern United States.)

During a study of cowbird parasitism in an abandoned pasture and adjacent wet
thicket at Otter Lake near Pontiac, Michigan, the McGeens (1968) found the Yellow
Warbler to be the preferred host with some female cowbirds apparently laying exclus-
ively in the nests of this species. The Yellow Warbler was a fairly common host at the
largely forested UMBS, but we have no record of it as a host in Kentucky or the
Carolinas.

Although Klass (1975) found cowbirds had parasitized 24.3% of 391 Eastern
Phoebe nests he studied in Kanasas, this host was not reported at UMBS (97 nests
examined) or in the Carolinas. In Kentucky, Mengel (1965) examined 32 nests and
found only three (9.4%) that contained a single cowbird egg or nestling. Data from
Connecticut and Michigan (Rothstein 1975) indicate 20.6% of 136 phoebe nests were
parasitized by cowbirds.

There is no record of a parasitized Red-winged Blackbird nest from the UMBS (44
nests examined), Kentucky, or the Carolinas, but Hergenrader( 1962) reported 54.2% of
59 nests examined in Nebraska contained one to three cowbird eggs.

Considering the Song Sparrow’s reputation as a common host for cowbirds, the
rates at UMBS (4 of 61 nests parasitized, 6.56%), in Kentucky (2 of 25 nests, 8%), and in
the Carolinas (only one report in the 101 documented) are surprisingly low.

Mengel (1965) reported the Summer Tanager as the species most frequently
parasitized in Kentucky (14 cowbird eggs or young in 7 of 17 nests examined), and the
Southerns (1980) found 7 of 1 1 Scarlet Tanager nests parasitized at UMBS. However,
neither species has been reported as a host in the Carolinas.

The most frequently reported host in the Carolinas is the Rufous-sided Towhee
(25% of the documented eggs or young). At UMBS 7 of 29 nests (24.14%) were
parasitized, indicating that the towhee is an important host in that part of Michigan,
though far from the most frequent one. In Kentucky only 2 of 20 towhee nests (10%)
contained cowbird eggs or young. Thus the towhee ranks twelfth at UMBS and
sixteenth in Kentucky according to the percentage of parasitized nests in samples of 10
or more nests examined. The Carolina sample may be biased toward Rufous-sided
Towhees because they bring young to feeders, and our data based mostly on fledglings
are not comparable to the nest records from Kentucky and Michigan; nevertheless, the
towhee appears to be a far more frequent host in the Carolinas than in Kentucky and
Michigan.

While acknowledging the reality of sample bias, we believe that most, if not all, of
the regional variations in the rates of cowbird parasitism noted above reflect real
differences in host selection. The Southerns suggest, and the present authors concur,
that host species diversity and relative abundance contribute to regional differences in

Summer 1981

63

host selection. It seems apparent, though, that host selection is governed by something
more subtle than mathematical probability when several species that are common and
successful hosts elsewhere have not yet been recorded as hosts in the Carolinas even
though they are common and widely distributed breeding birds in this region.

Egg-laying behavior. — Pettingill (1970, p. 361) summarized the egg-laying
behavior of the female Brown-headed Cowbird. Having noticed the nest under
construction, she usually does not enter it until the prospective foster mother has laid
two or more eggs but still has not begun incubating them. About a half hour before
sunrise is the normal time for the female cowbird to enter the unoccupied nest and
quickly deposit a single egg. No egg of the host species is destroyed at this time. Egg
removal takes place the day before laying, later in the day of laying, or the day after
laying. The female then pierces the egg with her bill, carries it from the nest, and eats it.
Her interest in the nest continues, and she may remove additional eggs or, rarely, even
the young of the host if she is allowed to approach the nest.

Normally the female cowbird deposits one egg a day for several consecutive days.
In a given season 10 to 12 eggs maybe laid in several “clutches” of 1 to 6 eggs each, with
intervals varying from several days to a few weeks (Pettingill 1970, p. 361). However, the
figures cited by Pettingill may be on the conservative side. The McGeens (1968) noted
that the laying cycle varied from year to year with the host cycles. Their egg data from
the Otter Lake region of Michigan suggest single female cowbird cycles of 18, 19, and 25
eggs in 4 to 7 clutches over periods of 40, 41, and 70 days.

Nests containing more than one cowbird egg may have been parasitized by more
than one female, and Bent(1958,p.438)reportsthatasmanyaseightcowbird eggs have
been found in a single towhee’s nest. Lowther (1979) indicates that the relatively large
size of cowbird eggs seems to protect them from removal by female cowbirds that
subsequently lay in the same nest.

Rejector species. — Birds have three primary defenses against brood parasitism:
nest desertion, puncture or removal of the alien egg, the construction of a new nest on
top of the old one. Blue Jays, Eastern Kingbirds, Cedar Waxwings, Gray Catbirds,
Brown Thrashers, and American Robins are among those that puncture and eject
cowbird eggs. The Yellow Warbler is well known for building many-layered nests to
avoid incubating cowbird eggs (Pasquier 1977, p. 187). On 6 June 1971 Jay Carter (pers.
comm.) found a Solitary Vireo nest containing one vireo egg and three cowbird eggs.
After the nest was abandoned, he examined it and found a fourth cowbird egg that
apparently had been roofed over by the nest builder. Sometimes unwilling hosts may
bury the cowbird egg in the nest lining (Sprunt and Chamberlain 1970, p. 506).

Annual cycle. — In her study of the birds of Franklin County, N.C., Potter found
that the large flocks of cowbirds depart or disperse in February. As early as 3 March she
found cowbirds “on territory” at Zane’s Mountain, a particularly attractive nesting
place for good host species. Cowbirds were singing and displaying at three sites on 15
March, and on 29 March single birds and small flocks were at six places. On 15 April
cowbirds were present at every creek and river bottom, and a few were at the cattle
farms, too. Cowbirds appeared to continue feeding at the cattle farms even though they
were searching woodland habitats for nests to parasitize. They were seen regularly along
the watercourses from mid-April through June, but their numbers declined as the
nesting season progressed. Meanwhile, the numbers found at the cattle farms increased
until August when flocks of 20 or more immatures or 50 to 150 adults and immatures
could be found in feed lots. Cowbirds were generally scarce in September and early
October, giving the impression that most of the local breeding poipulation had moved
south prior to the arrival of fall migrants from the north. However, it is very likely that
some individuals are permanent residents in the Carolinas.

64

The Chat

Nesting season. — Of the 101 known eggs or young cowbirds found in the Carolinas,
we can calculate the month of laying for 53. These data indicate that the peak of laying
occurs in June (43%). Approximately 34% of the eggs appear to have been laid in May
with three of these possibly laid in very late April. The remaining 23% were laid in July,
with one possibly laid in very early August. The earliest egg date we have seen for the
Carolinas is 5 May at Charleston, S.C. (Chat 29:115); the earliest date fora young
cowbird in the nest is 10 May in Moore County, N.C. (Chat 32: 104); and the earliest date
for a fledgling is 27 May (several sites). The latest date we have for a fledgling still
dependent on the foster parent is 27 August (Whitehurst). The early May to late July
period for egg laying is consistent with dates listed in Bent (1958, p. 450). As the
McGeens (1968) point out, pooling egg dates from several seasons gives the impres-
sion of a longer laying period than is normal fora single season because varying weather
conditions sometimes make onset of laying for hosts earlier or later than normal.

Incubation period. — According to Bent (1958, p. 439), the incubation period varies
from 1 1 to 14 days with 1 1 to 12 being the usual number. The young cowbird normally
hatches at least a day ahead of the young of the host species.

Nestling period. — Unlike some other brood parasites, young Brown-headed
Cowbirds are not known to make a deliberate (or instinctive) effort to injure or oust the
eggs or young of the foster parents. Although nestlings of the host species, particularly
the larger ones, often are raised successfully along with the cowbird, smaller nestmates
sometimes are undernourished or crowded out.

From a blind Tom Haggerty (pers. comm.) observed the care of a young cowbird in
Watauga County, N.C., on 14 and 17 July 1979. At 1550 on 14 July, the female Indigo
Bunting fed the young cowbird and took away the fecal sac in her mouth. The cowbird
(eyes open, feathers emerging from sheaths) was larger and better developed than the
single downy Indigo Bunting nestling, which still had its eyes closed. The inside of the
cowbird’s mouth was red; the bunting’s mouth lining was yellow. The adult Indigo
Bunting did not seem to distinguish between the two. The young cowbird kept its head
and bill up, whereas the young bunting let its head drop. The cowbird was quicker to
open its mouth for food, but it did not point its bill toward the approaching adult. Items
fed to the cowbird were a butterfly and several grasshoppers.

At 0900 and 0905 on 17 July, Haggerty saw a female Chestnut-sided Warbler feed
caterpillars to the cowbird nestling in the Indigo Bunting nest. At 0910 the female
bunting came to the nest and seemed to look for fecal matter. The cowbird appeared to
be alone in the nest. The warbler fed the cowbird eight times between 0922 and 1004. At
1009 the female Indigo Bunting returned to the nest, fed the cowbird, and settled on the
nest. She left at 1013 and spent about 5 minutes chasing the Chestnut-sided Warbler
from the nest. Meanwhile, a male Common Yellowthroat investigated the nest but did
not bring food. At 1020 and 1030 the Chestnut-sided Warbler continued to feed the
cowbird. Haggerty departed at 1031. Because the male Indigo was singing frequently
and the female spent most of the period of observation on 17 July climbing around a
Blackberry bush about 100 feet from the nest, Haggerty believes that she was in the
process of constructing another nest.

Interspecific relationships such as a helper at the nest are always interesting, but
few bird students ever match Haggerty’s record of seeing four species at one nest, two of
them feeding a nestling of a third species.

Fledgling period.— The rate of growth for the cowbird nestling depends on the
suitability of the food furnished by the foster parents and the quantity provided (Bent
1958, p. 440-441). A lone cowbird grows faster than one that must compete with other
nestlings. Thus, the age at which cowbirds leave the nest is subject to considerable
variation; about 10 days may be a good average. The foster parent may continue to feed

Summer 1981

65

the fledgling out of the nest for as long as 14 days. Potter has noted that fledgling
cowbirds follow ground feeders such as Wood Thrushes and Rufous-sided Towhees
about on the ground, whereas fledglings being fed by arboreal species such as Red-eyed
Vireos and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers remain on elevated perches in trees or shrubs or atop
tall fences.

Relatively little has been published on the care of young cowbirds after they leave
the nest. On 30 June 1979, Potter heard a young cowbird calling from a perch in the
canopy of a Sourwood ( Oxvdendrum arboreum). Tended by a Red-eyed Vireo, the
apparently newly fledged bird remained in approximately the same place for more than
24 hours. The young cowbird is assumed to have hatched in a nest about 60 feet away
where another Red-eyed Vireo was tending a single nestling of its own species. The after-
noon of 1 July, Potter saw the vireo feed the cowbird several times. After the second
feeding, the foster parent remained nearby, but it did not appear to be foraging even
though the chick continued to beg insistently. Suddenly the vireo swooped past the
cowbird’s posterior and flew away with a white mass in its beak. The mass appeared
to be fecal matter. Examination of the ground under the perch revealed no droppings
even though the fledgling is believed to have remained in the same tree for the better part
of 2 days. Later in the day the young cowbird began moving to different trees. By 6 July,
presumably the sixth day after fledging, the cowbird was still being cared for by the
vireo in the same part of the yard. Through 14 July Potter heard calls that seemed to be
those of a young cowbird and saw vireos in the vicinity of the source of the sound, but
the height of the trees and the density of the foliage made it impossible to determine
whether the vireo was still feeding the cowbird. All sites were within 200 feet of the vireo
nest.

The young cowbird does not become imprinted upon the foster parents (Pettingill
1970, p. 394). Soon after dependency it flocks with others of its own kind. How the
fledgling makes the transition from associating with the host species to flocking with
other cowbirds is not clearly understood. Apparently the adult female keeps an eye on
the parasitized nest and watches over the fledgling. Bent (1958, p. 441-442) cites three
examples of adult females feeding young, apparently but not certainly their own.
Whitehurst (1977) describes what appears to be the female’s manner of attracting the
chick away from the foster parents. Although she has not witnessed a repetition of an
adult female’s calling to a fully fledged young cowbird that later flew away with her,
Whitehurst has seen other adult cowbirds in her yard on numerous occasions when
fledglings were still dependent on the foster parents. On 10 August 1976, Whitehurst
saw a female cowbird and two immatures, previously fed by two towhees, sitting
together in a tree. There seems to be no reason to doubt that female cowbirds play an
active role in assembling immatures into flocks.

DISCUSSION

Between 1933 and the mid-1960s, the Brown-headed Cowbird became known as a
brood parasite throughout the Carolinas. The earliest known breeding records came
from the mountains, western piedmont, and northern coastal region. Later the species
invaded the eastern piedmont, inner coastal plain, and southern coastal region. The
population levels appear to have stabilized during the mid-1970s in many of the western
counties, but an upward trend is still evident in the more recently invaded areas.
Throughout the Carolinas, the cowbird population appears to be relatively sparse
compared to the number of potential hosts, and reports indicating two or more cowbird
eggs in one nest are uncommon. Although a continued increase in the cowbird breeding
population seems inevitable, the species does not appear likely to undergo the dramatic
population explosion we have seen in the range expansion of introduced species such as

66

The Chat

the Starling and House Sparrow. Natural controls seem to be keeping the cowbird
population within reasonable limits.

What effect has the Brown-headed Cowbird had on the populations of host species
during nearly a half century of brood parasitism in the Carolinas? Several species —
notably Bewick’s Wren, Bachman’s Sparrow, and Yellow Warbler — have declined, or
at least contracted their range, during the past 50 years; however, there is no proof that
cowbird parasitism is responsible for these changes. Indeed, the cowbird’s most
commonly reported host in the Carolinas is the Rufous-sided Towhee, which was not
known to breed in Wake County in 1930(Hader 1969). It has become a common nesting
bird in the Raleigh area and remains so in spite of raising more than its share of young
cowbirds. This absence of significant harmful effects on the host species (except one
already scarce or endangered for other reasons) is consistent with the experience of
other observers (Pettingill 1970, Southern and Southern 1980). The Brown-headed
Cowbird is a remarkably adaptive species that seems to balance its own reproductive
demands against the need to preserve the abundance of birds that make the most
successful foster parents for young cowbirds.

Host selection and egg-laying behavior have been well studied in the Brown-headed
Cowbird, but regional differences in the rates of parasitism for the nests of some
common hosts raise interesting questions about host preferences. Much remains to be
learned about the care of fledglings, especially the role of the adult female cowbird in
watching over her offspring and in attracting them away from the foster parents.
Careful observations may reveal that adult females and the young of the year have a far
more complex relationship than is presently known or even suspected.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

J.H. Carter III, Elizabeth Clarkson, Gaston Gage, Bryan Glover, Tom Haggerty,
J. Merrill Lynch, and Pamela M. Spencer provided unpublished records of cowbird
parasitism and behavior. W.E. Southern arranged for us to receive a copy of Jack-Pine
Warbler containing an important paper on cowbird parasitism in Michigan. Harry E.
LeGrand Jr. and David S. Lee read a previous version of the paperand offered valuable
suggestions.

LITERATURE CITED

Bent, A.C. 1958. Life Histories of North American Blackbirds, Orioles, Tanagers,and
Allies. U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 211.

Carter, J.H., III. 1971. Birds of the central Sandhills of North Carolina. Chat 35:
91-105.

Elliott, P.F. 1977. Adaptive significance of cowbird egg distribution. Auk 94:590-593.
Friedmann, H. 1929. The Cowbirds: A Study in the Biology of Social Parasitism.
C.C. Thomas, Springfield, 111.

Friedmann, H. 1963. Host Relations of the Parasitic Cowbirds. U.S. Natl. Mus.
Bull. 233.

Friedmann, H. 1971. Further information on the host relations of the parasitic cow-
birds. Auk 88:239-255.

Hader, R.J. 1969. Species list of birds of Wake County, North Carolina. Chat 35:53-71.
Hergenrader, G.L. 1962. The incidence of nest parasitism by the Brown-headed Cow-
bird ( Molothrus ater ) on roadside nesting birds in Nebraska. Auk 79:85-88.
Klass, E.E. 1975. Cowbird parasitism and nesting success in the Eastern Phoebe.

Univ. Kansas Mus. Nat. Hist. Occ. Pap. 41:1-18.

Lowther, P.E. 1979. Nest selection by Brown-headed Cowbirds. Wilson Bull. 91:118-

122.

Summer 1981

67

McGeen, D.S., and J.J. McGeen. 1968. The cowbirds of Otter Lake. Wilson Bull.
80:84-93.

Mengel, R.M. 1965. The Birds of Kentucky. Ornithological Monographs No. 3.
American Ornithologists’ Union.

Pasquier, R.F. 1977. Watching Birds: An Introduction to Ornithology. Houghton
Mifflin, Boston.

Pearson, T.G., C.S. Brimley, and H.H. Brimley. 1959. Birds of North Carolina. Rev.
ed. N.C. Dept. Agri., Raleigh.

Pettingill, O.S., Jr. 1970. Ornithology in Laboratory and Field. Fourth ed. Burgess
Publishing Co., Minneapolis, Minn.

Rothstein, S.I. 1975. Evolutionary rates and host defenses against avian brood
parasitism. Am. Nat. 109:161-176.

Southern, W.E., and L.K. Southern. 1980. A summary of the incidence of cowbird
parasitism in northern Michigan from 1911-1978. Jack-Pine Warbler 58:77-84.
Sprunt, A., Jr., and E.B. Chamberlain. 1970. South Carolina Bird Life. Rev.ed. Univ.
S.C. Press, Columbia.

Whitehurst, G.T. 1977. Brown-headed Cowbird behavior. Chat 41:71.

Route 3, Box 114AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597, and 1505 Brooks Avenue, Raleigh, N.C.
27607, 25 September 1980.

68

The Chat

C8@

. . . with Louis C. Fink

Can A Blue Jay Really Produce Music?

Anyone acquainted with the shrills, squeaks, and hawk imitations of the Blue Jay
is likely to scoff at the notion that a jaybird, or at least one individual, sings. The bird in
question — I suspect that I’ve heard the same one three or four times — likes to crouch on
my TV antenna and warble forth. The song is a sort of subdued prattle, not at all
unpleasant, with, seemingly, no beginning or end. The jaybird’s own special notes are
frequently interspersed with caws like a crow and the “wicker” notes of the Common
Flicker. Naturally I don’t know the sex of the bird, but should like to suggest that it is a
sort of mezzo-soprano for whatever that’s worth.

The song probably does not relate to territorial advertisement inasmuch as Blue
Jays do not nest in my yard nor any closer than a thicket two blocks away. Perhaps pure
joie de vivre is as good an explanation as any. Have any of you bird watchers out there
heard the song of Bre’r Jaybird? — JOSHUA A. LEE, 5104 Newcastle Road, Raleigh,
N.C. 27606.

This reporter hopes for some reaction: Bird behavior is as important and as
intersting as bird identification.

George Gladden in Birds of America (Garden City Publishing Co., Inc., 1936)
writes, “ ‘That a Blue Jay? Nonsense!’ many people exclaim, when told that a very
melodius, bell-like note coming from a thicket is one of the calls of a bird whose sole
vocal accomplishment, as far as they know, is his harsh cry of Thief, thief But he
frequently sounds this note and many others that are really musical ”

Richard A. Pough in Audubon Bird Guide Small Land Birds (Doubleday and Co.,
Inc., 1946) speaks of “sort of soft warbles and twitters.”

Song and Garden Birds of North America (National Geographic Society, 1964)
mentions a “bell-like tull-ull call, most often in autumn, when other birds are quiet” and
refers to the “barely audible but exquisite medley of sweet, lisping notes ”

I plan to listen more attentively. — LCF

Attention, Program Chairmen

Excellent program materials, guest speakers, movies, slide shows, and film strips
are available from the various state and federal agencies that are responsible for conser-
vation education. Although some of the motion pictures carry high rental fees, many
aids are available free of charge or for a small fee to cover postage.

A two-part slide show featuring the nesting and feeding habits of marsh and shore
birds of the Southeast has been assembled by Mary Kay Clark, Audio-Visual
Coordinator for the North Carolina State Museum. Intended for an audience of high
school age or older, the 100-slide program titled “Feeding and Reproductive Niches of
Marsh and Shorebirds” has an accompanying printed text (with glossary), and a
cassette recording of the script is planned. This program, as well as others currently

Summer 1981

69

being produced for the North Carolina Biological Survey, is free to those who can pick
up the slides and return them in person. Anyone wishing to order the show by mail,
however, is requested to send a check for $1.50 payable to the Museum Extension Fund,
to cover postage and handling. To reserve a slide show or obtain further information
about educational materials available through the museum, write Mary Kay Clark,
North Carolina State Museum, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611.

The Natioinal Audiovisual Center issues descriptive brochures on a regular,
ongoing basis. A recent title is “National Park Service Film Collection.” To obtain this
publication or to be placed on the mailing list, write: National Audiovisual Center,
National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration, Reference
Section BW, Washington, D.C. 20409.

Golden Eagle Hacking Project

David Cone, curator of education at the Schiele Museum of Natural History in
Gastonia, N.C., is directing a project with the ultimate goal of establishing a pair of
breeding Golden Eagles in the Shining Rock area of Pisgah National Forest. Assisted by
Don Hammer, a TVA biologist who successfully reestablished Ospreys and Bald Eagles
in Tennessee, Cone obtained two eaglets, a male and a female. These birds were placed
in an artificial nest atop a cliff at Shining Rock and tended by volunteers, many of them
members of the museum’s Expedition Society. If they survive to fledging, the young
Golden Eagles will be released in August 1981. According to Cone, this is the first
attempted hacking of Golden Eagles in the United States. The project may have to
be repeated several times because the chances are slim that both of the birds hacked in
1981 will reach maturity and return to breed at Shining Rock.

Wing Haven

Wing Haven, the Charlotte home, garden, and bird sanctuary of CBC members
Edwin O. and Elizabeth Barnhill Clarkson, was described in a recent Associated Press
article by Elissa McCrary. The Clarksons donated the 3.5-acre graden in the heart of
North Carolina’s largest city to the Wing Haven Foundation in 1975 for public use. A
15-minute film about the sanctuary will soon be shown to nature groups around the
country. Filmed by a Charlotte company, the documentary will be narrated by Dick
Cavett.

Work on the garden began in 1927 when Mrs. Clarkson came to Charlotte as a
bride and moved into a white frame house surrounded by an almost treeless field of red
clay. Over the years brick walkways, a pond, and fountains were constructed; shade
trees grew; and more than 130 species of birds, including breeding Wood Ducks, came
to the garden.

Mrs. Clarkson’s ornithological publications include an annotated list of the birds
of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. — EFP

Inflation Strikes Again: Bird Prints $4

Because printing and mailing costs ran higher than anticipated, Carolina Country
has been forced to raise the price for reprints of John Trott’s male Cardinal to $4 each.
This is the same photo that appears on the jacket of Birds of the Carolinas reproduced
in a format suitable for framing. The address is Cardinal Photo, Carolina Country,
P.O. Box 27306, Raleigh, N.C. 27611.

70

The Chat

^aedfa^td

life dfaf

with Gail T. Whitehurst

We have a riddle for you. When does looking ahead mean looking back? When you
read this in the summer issue of Chat, winter birdwatching will soon begin. So, in
looking forward to that best of all seasons for backyard birding, perhaps we might look
back to winters past. See what others have discovered and perhaps you, too, can see the
same — or even better sights.

The winter of 1980-1981 brought forth some reports of unusually colored birds. I
read in the Raleigh newspaper of a yellow male Cardinal. A neighbor told me of an
orange male House Finch, and later he showed up on my feeder. He was a pale orange
where he should have been red! We had a bird the size and shape of a Purple Finch with
the coloring of a House Finch. A hybrid?

There were birds that should not have been around at all. My brother who lives in
Asheville, N.C., had a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak at his feeder on New Year’s Day.
John Fussell reported that a male Painted Bunting has wintered at a feeder in Morehead
City for several years. They know it is the same bird because it has an injured wing.

The past winter was a good one for the many bright and colorful Northern finches.
After an absence of a couple of years, everyone enjoyed seeing Pine Siskins again. These
may be small birds, but they most certainly hold their own on a feeder, chasing away the
Purple and House Finches, and even the much larger Evening Grosbeaks.

Highly visible in winter, birds do interesting things at feeders and bird baths. Many
a dreary and cold day can be “perked up” just watching them.

John Funderburg, Director of the North Carolina State Museum, told me of an
observation he made following a heavy snowfall, a couple of winters ago. He had made a
clearing in his back yard and scattered seed on the ground. The snow was wet and heavy,
covering the tree branches. As it began to warm up a bit, large clods, or chunks, of snow
would fall right in the midst of the clearing where the birds were feeding. He noticed that
the birds continued to feed, never fearing the falling clumps of snow. In fact, they did not
even seem to notice them. Some of these birds were immatures, and it must have been
their first experience with snow. Now if he had chunked a rock or stick at them, they
would have scattered immediately. How did they know the snow was harmless?

We never cease to be amazed that birds “know” what to fear and what is harmless.
Even a tiny fledgling fears a cat. It will flee if a human or dog comes near. How about the
immatures that seek cover when an accipiter flies over in winter even though they have
never encountered one? Why are birds usually not afraid of squirrels, chipmunks, or
rabbits? Is this an instinctive knowledge, or do they “learn” from other birds?

Those who get hooked on backyard birding in winter find their interest continuing
into spring. Winter birds are mainly concerned with getting food and water and with
grooming. Come spring, and a whole new set of activities begins. Thanks to two of our
younger CBC members, we have some unusual items for early spring.

Summer 1981

71

Melissa S. Sherer, Box 977, Cramerton, N.C. 28032, wrote us: “On April 2 a
Downy Woodpecker flew from its regular perch on a suet bag to a hanging cactus
plant. After carefully landing, she began to peck on the cactus. She was eating it! I
wondered if this has ever happened before. It was so funny that I couldn’t help
laughing.”

John Sneeden, 6305 Gadwall Court, Wilmington, N.C. 28403, sent this in:

“On May 12, 1981, 1 was observing parent Tufted Titmice nesting in my back yard
when I noticed a truly unique ritual. Before entering to feed the young, the two birds
perched on top of the nesting box I had erected. The male carried a long, green
caterpillar in his bill, but the female had nothing. As I watched, the female gently took
the grub from the male’s mouth and uttered a few soft notes. The male then ‘reached’ out
and pulled it back to his mouth. This procedure was repeated for 5 minutes until the
female finally took the caterpillar and entered the box. Throughout the ritual both birds
didn’t seem angry, on the contrary . . . both seemed to be experiencing ecstasy, and
quivered with excitement. I never saw this again nor could I find it mentioned in Donald
Stokes’ book, A Guide to Behavior in Common Birds. I would like to hear if anyone has
seen it in titmice or any other birds.”

The more you watch, the more you see. And, the more you see, the more questions
you will ask. This leads you to keep on watching, reading, asking other birders — and, we
hope, sending your observations so that all of us can learn.

Another good thing about winter birds — they do not create any problems for the
vegetable garden! We do have problems in spring and summer. Granted, birds destroy a
goodly number of insect pests. But, they like to partake of the fruits of our hard labor.
For instance, House Sparrows simply adore lettuce from the minute it comes up. They
bit off huge chunks of it right before our eyes. Brown Thrashers tend to pull up the first
beans that sprout — guess they think the little shoots are green worms! Thrashers,
catbirds, and robins dearly love tomatoes or any other fruit one chooses to grow. So,
what do we do? We put chicken wire or netting over the threatened goodies, and it is
usually pretty effective. Occasionally a bird will get through an opening in the netting,
and we have a dickens of a time getting it out. Naturally, a bird will panic when it realizes
it is caught. When you approach, it begins to race about in a terrified frenzy. Somehow,
we manage to make an opening large enough for the bird to see, herd it in the right
direction, and let it escape with no harm done.

Recently, we spent considerable time and effort putting a net over our pear tree,
which is full of fruit. We thought we had the net well tied at the base of the lowest limbs.
A day or so later, I went outside in the evening. There, inside the net and trying
frantically to get out, were two titmice. The closer I went to the tree, the more excited the
birds became. I had,to untie the net so the birds could get out. While I was working on
this, one of the little fellows clung to the net above my head and tried to bite his way out.
Before he could do so, however, I had made an opening that he could see. In a flash, both
birds saw the hole and were out and gone. The opening through which they had entered
the net was very small, next to the trunk of the tree. They must have crept up the trunk,
searching for insects. I rather suppose these two birds will stay a way from the pear tree. I
re -tied the net, this time making sure there was absolutely no way a bird could get inside.

The following day, I noted an adult Brown Thrasher walking about under the net
over the lettuce bed. A tiny fledgling was outside, looking in and whimpering. Now the
adult bird has been around several years and is one of my so-called “pets.” It is not afraid
of me and seemed to realize that I meant no harm as I approached. It waited patiently as
I lifted some rocks holding down the net, and then walked out as calmly as you please.
The little one was frightened, though. I tossed the old bird a bit of food and the baby
followed its parent to a safe spot where it was fed. I found where the thrasher had
entered and secured the place so that neither it nor the wee one would make that mistake
again.

72

The Chat

General Field Notes

DAVID S. LEE, Department Editor

North Carolina State Museum, P.0. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

JULIAN R. HARRISON, Associate Editor

Department of Biology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. 29401

Common Terns Foraging Over Land

DAVID S. LEE
MARY KAY CLARK
North Carolina State Museum
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

On various occasions on 5, 6, and 7 May 1981, we observed Common Terns ( Sterna
hirundo ) foraging over sparsely vegetated road shoulders on Bodie and Pea Islands,
Dare County, N.C. Individual birds and groups of two to five terns were seen hunting
along the main road (NC 12) that runs the length of the islands. To the best of our
knowledge there are no reported instances of this species feeding over non-aquatic
habitats, although it is a well-known behavior in Forster’s (S. forsteri). Gull-billed
( Gelochelidon nilotica), and Black Terns ( Chlidonias niger).

The birds flew parallel to the road, into the wind, at an altitude of about 3 to 4 m
and swooped down on potential prey. The terns were observed snatching food from the
ground with their bills, but the prey items must have been small because we could not see
them. After catching food the birds returned to their original altitude, without landing,
and continued to patrol the road shoulder. Based on the number of feeding swoops, the
prey items must have been quite abundant, and we surmize that they were newly
emerging Orthopterans. Wax Myrtle ( Myrica sp.) an other woody shrubs lined the
road shoulders, so the birds confined their hunting to a rather narrow zone.

Although this seems like aberrant feeding behavior fora plunge -diving, surface-
feeding tern, Lee observed this same behavior once before on Assateague Island,
Worcester County, Maryland, in May 1974. A single bird was feeding over the open
inner dune area near the north end of the island. In all cases the nearby waters were not
so rough as to prohibit the birds from feeding in their conventional manner. It is not
known if the individuals observed were breeding residents or spring migrants. In North
Carolina and Maryland, Common Tern migration continues at least until the last week
in May and local nesting is under way by the second week of the month. This is
publication 1981-9 of the North Carolina Biological Survey.

A Dark-phase Western Grebe from North Carolina

MICHAEL TOVE
Department of Zoology
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514

On 28 February 1981, I observed a dark-phase Western Grebe (Aechmorphorus
occidentals) on Pamlico Sound near the Swan Quarter ferry landing in Hyde County,
N.C. The bird was first seen about 0800 as it swam in the vicinity of a Double-crested

Summer 19S1

73

Fig. 1 . (A) First-winter Great Crested Grebe, a species not recorded from North
America. (B) Winter-plumaged dark-phase Western Grebe of the northwestern
United States and adjacent Canada. (C) Winter-plumaged light-phase Western
Grebe of the southwestern United States and Mexico. (Drawings bytheauthor)

Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax auritus). The two birds were of comparable size, but the
grebe’s neck was a little thinner and held straighter. The grebe’s head and neck were
immaculate white except for a coal-black crown, which extended below the eye (Fig.
1 B), and a black stripe down the back of the neck. Most striking, however, was the very
long and narrow straw-colored bill. Steve Graves and I observed the bird for nearly 30
minutes. Although the grebe was a considerable distance from us, nearly perfect lighting
and an 80X Questar provided an opportunity for excellent study.

There are two distinct color morphs of the Western Grebe, which in fact were
initially considered separate species but were treated as one species in the 1886 A.O.U.
Checklist and all subsequent editions (see Storer 1965, Living Bird 4:59-63). Recently,
compelling evidence indicates that these morphs behave as distinct species (Ratti, 1979,
Auk 96:573-586). Although there are six previous records of Western Grebe for North
Carolina (Chat 35:27-29; 41:36,38), the present one appears to be the first in which the
color phase has been described.

Both forms of the Western Grebe have coal-black caps without distinct crests; both
also have pale yellow bills (Storer 1965). The dark-phase birds of the northwestern

74

The Chat

United States and adjacent Canada have black caps that extend below the eyes (Fig.
IB). Conversely, the light-phase birds of the southwestern United States and Mexico
have white supercillia and generally more restricted black caps (Fig. 1C), Storer further
comments that light birds have thinner stripes down the back of the neck, paler backs,
and clearer yellow bills. If seen well, neither form of the Western Grebe should be
confused with the Great Crested Grebe ( Podiceps cristatus), which exhibits a slight
crest and pronounced black line from eye to bill even in first-winter plumage. The
Eurasian species has not been recorded in North America.

Rare Gulls at Cape Hatteras, N.C.,

Including First Carolina Record of Mew Gull

ROBERT H. LEWIS
Department of Mathematics
Fordham University, Bronx, N.Y. 10458
MICHAEL TOVE
Department of Zoology

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514
HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

Department of Zoology

Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29631

On the afternoon of 31 December 1980, we discovered a Glaucous Gull ( Larus
hyperboreus), six Lesser Black-backed Gulls ( Lfuscus ), and a Mew Gull (L. canus ) at
the large tidal pond at Hatteras point. Dare County, N.C. There is only one previous
Carolina record of the Lesser Black-backed Gull in which more than a single bird was
seen. The Mew Gull observation constitutes the first record of this species for the
Carolinas, and it appears to be the first for the eastern United States south of Baltimore.

[The name Mew Gull, which is generally used in North American publications, is
preferred in this article even though the Atlantic population, L. c. canus , is referred to as
the Common Gull in European field guides. — DSL]

Along the North Carolina coast, the period 25 to 31 December 1980 witnessed
continuous sustained winds from the NE and NNE, never falling below 10 mph and
reaching gale force on several occasions. The reputation of the Hatteras area as a
magnet for storm-tossed birds prompted our visit. There were roughly 40,000 gulls in
the area of the big pond, of which about 60% were Ring-billed (L. delawarensis), 35%
Herring (L. argentatus), and 5%|Great Black-backed (L.\marinus). The sky | was overcast
with the temperature about 40° F. We were equipped with two spotting scopes and a
Questar.

The Glaucous Gull was discovered in midafternoon by LeGrand. It was in first-
year immature plumage, typical of most birds of this species seen in the Carolinas. This
bird was studied leisurely as close as 50 m. Apparently the same bird had been seen there
5 days earlier by Lewis and Allen Bryan.

Soon after arriving at the pond about 1245, Lewis picked out the first Lesser Black-
backed. Tove soon noticed two more within 30 m of the first. From the mantle color it
was assumed that these birds were members of the British race L. f. graellsii. The
mantles were dark ash-gray, much darker than in a Ring-billed Gull, yet not at all black,
showing obvious contrast with the black wing tips. Lewis, who had observed adult
Lesser Black-backeds in North Carolina on three previous occasions (Lewis 1980),
remarked that these were the palest he had ever seen. Yet the several adults seen by
LeGrand and Tove (LeGrand 1980, LeGrand and Tove 1980) in the Carolinas and
Virginia had mantles much the same shade as these. All three of the birds showed

Summer 1981

75

extensive gray streaking around the eye and on the crown and nape. One of the birds was
adult/fourth winter (bill yellow with red gonyal spot), another seemed to be in its third
winter (bill yellow with black subterminal mark), and the third appeared to be in its
second winter (some brown on the wing coverts, bill mostly dark). This third bird had
grayish legs, whereas the others had yellow legs. All were a little smaller than a Herring
Gull. Later in the afternoon, we found three more of these gulls elsewhere on the pond,
all third winter or adult/ fourth winter. Curiously, one of these latter birds, an
adult/fourth winter, had an almost no streaking on its head. See Grant (1980) for #
information on identification of Lesser Black-backeds.

Soon after the sighting of the first three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Lewis observed
a bird about 70 m away, which we assumed at first to be an adult Lesser Black-backed.
Lewis was the first to realize that the bird could not be a Lesser Black-backed because of
its bill and size. We studied the bird for the next half hour as it stood and swam next to
Ring-billed Gulls.

We observed a small, fully adult, winter-plumaged gull with a fairly dark mantle.
The mantle color was midway between that of the Lesser Black-backeds and the nearby
Ring-billeds, close to the shade of a Franklin’s Gull (L. pipixcan). In overall size or bulk,
the bird seemed identical to a Ring-billed Gull. The bird’s head had the overall shape of
a Ring-billed’s. The leg color was greenish-yellow. The nape, crown, the lower nape area
was so streaked as to give a collared effect. The folded wings showed four prominent
white “mirrors” in the otherwise black wing tips, and were long enough to give the bird a
tapered look. The eye was dark, but showed contrast between the black pupil and the
surrounding iris. Lacking bright sunlight, we were unable to determine the iris color
precisely; however, we believe that it was brownish or grayish. Gray smudgings around
the front half of the eye gave the bird a “mean” look.

Perhaps the most striking feature of the gull was its bill. In size and shape it
resembled a Ring-billed’s, but with several significant differences. It was a little thinner
and did not have a gonyal bulge. The tip of the upper mandible tapered gently, quite
unlike the rounded tip of the Ring-billed. Most strikingly, the bill was uniformly
greenish-yellow, with no red or black marks whatsoever.

The species Larus canus is common and widespread from western Europe across
the whole of Siberia and into Alaska and the northwestern United States. The bird that
is depicted in the various North American field guides is, naturally, the breeding race L.
c. brachyrhynchus (Mew Gull). However, the birds that wander occasionally to the
eastern United States are of the nominate western European race L. c. canus (Common
Gull). The difference is significant, because birds of the two races differ noticeably.
Common Gulls average only slightly smaller than Ring-billeds. Grant (1979) shows that
there is much overlap in size. Mew Gulls average smaller and have dome- or dove-
shaped heads and small, dainty bills. Common Gulls on the other hand, have somewhat
larger bills and more flattened heads, more like those of Ring-billed Gulls. In fact, there
is some evidence (Dan Gibson, pers. comm.) that these forms may not be conspecific.
Our bird looked very much like those illustrated in Grant (1979), particularly like
the individual shown in plate 50, page 151. Lewis and LeGrand, who had never before
seen any L. canus, did not immediately recognize our bird because their subconscious
preconception was of the Pacific Mew Gull rather than the Atlantic Common Gull.
People who look for adult Common Gulls in the eastern United States are also
cautioned not to look for “Ring-billeds without the ring.” With their extensive head and
neck streaking and dark mantle, adult Common Gulls resemble Lesser Black-backed
Gulls more closely than they do Ring-billed Gulls.

Immature Common/ Mew Gulls are virtually inseparable from immature Ring-
billed Gulls, at least under most field conditions. For further information, refer to the
article by Lauro and Spencer (1980). Soon after publication of their article, several
reports of immature L. canus in the East were retracted.

76

The Chat

LITERATURE CITED

Grant, P.J. 1979. Field identification of west Palearctic gulls, Part II. Brit. Birds
72:142-182.

Grant, P.J. 1980. Field identification of west Palearctic gulls, Part III. Brit. Birds
73:113-158.

Lauro, A.J., and B.J. Spencer. 1980. A method for separating ju venal and first-winter
Ring-billed Gulls ( Larus delawarensis ) and Common Gulls ( Larus canus). Am.
Birds 34:111-117.

Le Grand, H.E., Jr. 1980. Lesser Black-backed and Glaucous Gulls at Huntington
Beach State Park, S.C. Chat 44:78-79.

Le Grand, H.E., Jr., and M. Tove. 1980. Immature Lesser Black-backed Gull in
Carteret County, N.C. Chat 44:82-83.

Lewis, B. 1980. Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the Carolinas. Chat 44:79-81.

Rat Snake Preys on Nestlings
of Rough-winged Swallow and Common Crackle

TOM HAGGERTY
Box 1029

Four Oaks, N.C. 27524

Though snake predation of various swallow species and other birds is not unknown
(Bent 1942, U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 179:424-433; Condor 79:509; Living Bird 15:33-41 ;
Murrdet 61:35-36; Wilson Bull. 91:135-137), few snake predation records have been
noted from North Carolina.

At 1830 on 14 May 1980 in Bertie County, N.C., I examined a hole that was
horizontally eliptical and was dug out of a sandy clay bank that had a slope of
approximately 50 degrees. The hole was approximately 55 cm from the top of the bank
and 2.5 m from the base. With the help of a pine root, I pulled myself up to the entrance,
which had a vertical measurement of 5.5 cm and a horizontal measurement of 12.5 cm.
The depth of the hole was 67 cm. A nest of pine needles was barely visible, but the hole
was too dark for me to see eggs or young. Because adult Rough-winged Swallows
( Stelgidopteryx ruficollis) were seen entering the hole, I assumed that the hole was being
used for nesting.

At 1900 on 16 May, I returned to the nest hole and with the aid of a flashlight I
found a Rat Snake ( Elaphe obsoletta) curled up in it. After considerable effort, I
extracted from the hole a snake approximately 1 20 cm in length. Its sides were evidently
swollen. With firm downward massaging along its vertically held body, I forced the
snake to regurgitate its stomach contents. The stomach remains were recognizable: five
Rough-winged Swallow nestlings, one Rough-winged Swallow egg and two Common
Grackle ( Quiscalus quiscula) nestlings. The Rough-winged Swallow nestlings had a
trace of down on the back and head and measured between 35 mm and 40 mm in length.
The Rough- winged Swallow egg measured 17 x 11 mm and was cracked along its length
and width. No visible signs of digestion were seen on the Rough-winged Swallow
nestlings or egg. The Common Grackle nestlings measured approximately 108 mm
in length and emerging feather sheaths could be seen along the feather tracts. The
abdomen of one grackle nestling appeared to be slightly digested, for some of its internal
organs were exposed. The eyes of all seven nestlings were still unopened.

Identification of the snake’s stomach contents was confirmed by David Lee of
the North Carolina State Museum. The snake was released near the point of capture.

Summer 1981

77

BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

(Dates extend from April 1980 to March 1981; CBC = Christmas Bird Count)

COMMON LOON: An all-time high CBC for North America was the 2503 seen at
Morehead City, N.C., on 21 December, fide John Fussell.

RED-NECKED GREBE: Two were seen in a creek near the Stono River on Johns
Island, S.C., on 23 December by Pete Laurie. Single birds were observed near
Masonboro Island, New Hanover County, N.C., on 6 December (Greg Massey);
on the McClellanville, S.C., CBC on 21 December (Gardner Miller, Perry Nugent,
et al.); and on the Roanoke Rapids, N.C., CBC on 29 December (Merrill Lynch).

HORNED GREBE: Mike Tove noted a peak count of 10,000+ on Pamlico Sound,
N.C., during the winter. He had a similar peak of Common Loons, and a peak of
1000 Red-throated Loons on this body of water during the winter.

EARED GREBE: An extremely rare record for South Carolina was a bird seen on the
ocean at Pawleys Island on 30 December by Steve Graves and Toby Lorenzen.

WHITE PELICAN: One was noted at Huntington Beach State Park, S.C., on 12
December by Pat Probst and Greg Massey, and presumably the same bird was
seen on the Litchfield-Pawleys Island CBC on 30 December by Steve Graves and
Toby Lorenzen. Apparently three birds were present during the winter in the
Charleston, S.C., area, fide Dennis Forsythe: one in the Buck Hall section of
Francis Marion National Forest, another at Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant since
November, and a third at Colonial Lake in Charleston since January.

GREAT CORMORANT: Several immatures were seen at Huntington Beach State
Park nearly all winter, with a record Carolina count of five on 22 February as
noted by Perry Nugent et al. In North Carolina were single immatures at Oregon
Inlet on 16 December (Steve Graves), at Pea Island 26 to 30 December (Bob Lewis
et al.), at Cape Hatteras from 15 to 25 February (John Fussell, Mike Tove), and at
Masonboro Inlet on 23 December (Bob Lewis).

GREEN HERON: One was seen by Alan Avakian near Pendleton, S.C., on 3 January.

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: A good count of 175 was made at the spoil
area in South Carolina just north of Savannah, Ga., on 28 February by Jimmy
Beatty et al.

GLOSSY IBIS: One was noteworthy at Lake Mattamuskeet, N.C., on the early date
of 27 February by Steve Graves and Mike Tove.

WHISTLING SWAN: Outside of the usual winter range was one at Lake James in
western North Carolina, as noted by Robert Ruiz on 8 December; and nine were
seen near Cove City, N.C., on 7 February by R.J. Hader.

BRANT: Good North Carolina counts were 1000 in Hatteras Inlet on 9 January, as
reported by Mike Tove and Steve Graves, and 200 near Cape Lookout on 16
February (Skip Prange).

WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: Bud Pollock and Sparkie Betts noted 13 at Santee
National Wildlife Refuge, S.C., on 7 December. Two were seen at Savannah
National Wildlife Refuge, S.C., on 10 January by Anne and Vernon Waters and
again on 17 January by Perry Nugent et al.

SNOW GOOSE: One adult and two immature Blue Geese were present at a farm pond

78

The Chat

near Morehead City, N.C., during most of February, as noted by John Fussell
et al.

ROSS’ GOOSE: An adult was studied at close range at Pea Island, N.C., from 31
December to 18 January. It was discovered by Bud Needham and was later seen
by Harry LeGrand, Bob Lewis, Mike Tove, and many others.

PINTAIL: A flock of 25 was seen by Steve Graves at Beaverdam Reservoir in northern
Wake County, N.C., on 20 February.

GREEN-WINGED (COMMON) TEAL: A male of this Eurasian race was carefully
studied at Santee refuge, S.C., on 12 December by Anne and Vernon Waters. This
is probably a first inland record of a Common Teal in the Carolinas.

EUROPEAN WIGEON: A male was seen by Charles Eastman on the McClellanville,
S.C., CBC on 21 December.

NORTHERN SHOVELER: Rare inland in winter were four noted by P.J. Crutchfield
at Fayetteville, N.C., on 23 December.

RING-NECKED DUCK: Good counts for the Burlington, N.C., area were 279 on
Lake Cammack on 22 January and 275 there on 22 February (Allen Bryan).

GREATER SCAUP: At Lake Cammack, N.C., were four on 6 January and seven the
following day, as reported by Allen Bryan. As many as three were observed by
Harry LeGrand et al. near Clemson, S.C., from 3 to 8 January. One was rare for the
Chapel Hill, N.C., area at Eastwood Lake on 15 February (Steve Graves). Also
seen on Eastwood Lake during the winter by Graves et al. were two Redheads,
three Canvasbacks, and a female Common Goldeneye, all of which are scarce in
the Chapel Hill area.

OLDSQUAW: Perhaps a record Carolina count was the 5000 seen on Pamlico Sound,
N.C., mainly in the Swanquarter area, on 28 February by Steve Graves and Mike
Tove. One was notable at the Savannah River Plant, S.C., on 20 December, as
seen by Anne Waters et al.

KING EIDER: Two females were observed by Steve Graves and Mike Tove at Oregon
Inlet, N.C., on 11 January.

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER: Rare inland was an immature or female bird seen by
C. Royce Hough and party at Salem Lake near Winston-Salem, N.C., on 18 to
20 January.

SURF SCOTER: Merrill Lynch noted an immature male on Roanoke Rapids Lake,
N.C., on 29 December.

RUDDY DUCK: Bob Holmes reported that 20,000+ ducks, at least 95% Ruddies, were
present on the lower Neuse River in Craven County, N.C., from 8 to 10 March.
At least 3000 waterfowl (mainly Ruddy Ducks, American Coots, and Buffleheads)
were seen by Jay Carter and Tim Stamps on Lake Surf, near Vass, N.C., on 15
February.

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: An outstanding North Carolina total was
150,000+ observed by Mike Tove from the Cedar Island to Ocracoke ferry on
9 January. A female was noted by P.J. Crutchfield at Fayetteville on 15 January.

COMMON MERGANSER: Small numbers (nine or fewer) were seen during the winter
on the following lakes in North Carolina: Lake Wheeler near Raleigh (Steve
Graves), Lake Cammack (Allen Bryan), Lake Surf (Tom Howard), and Kerr Scott
Reservoir near North Wilkesboro (John Fussell, Mike Tove). One seen on the tidal
pond at Cape Hatteras point, N.C., by Bob Lewis on 26 December was rare for
the Outer Banks.

BLACK VULTURE: Rare for the mountains were three seen by Robert Ruiz and Bill
Duyck at Enka, N.C., on 18 December.

Summer 1981

79

GOSHAWK: An exciting find was an adult observed in Biltmore Forest, near Ashe-
ville, N.C., on 1 January by John Young.

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK: Single birds were noted at Jordan Reservoir in eastern
Chatham County, N.C., from 8 to 20 February (Steve Graves, Mark Crotteau,
et al.), in western Chatham County in mid-January (Pat and Jim Culbertson),
and near Cape Island on the McClellanville CBC on 21 December (Gardner Miller,
Perry Nugent).

GOLDEN EAGLE: An immature was noteworthy at the Goat Island section of Lake
Marion, S.C., on 31 January, as seen by Carl Helms and the Clemson University
ornithology class. Two adults were noted at Roan Mountain, N.C., on 6 February
by Fran and Wayne Irvin.

BALD EAGLE: In addition to scattered reports from the South Carolina coast, where
the species is regular, single eagles were detected inland at Beaverdam Reservoir
on 4 and 5 December (Jim McConnell), near Camden, S.C., on 25 January (Harry
LeGrand), at Santee refuge on 25 January (Charleston Natural History Society),
at Jordan Reservoir on 8 February (Steve Graves, Mark Crotteau), and at Con-
garee Swamp, southeast of Columbia, S.C., on 21 February (Paul Hamel).

MARSH HAWK: An extraordinary CBC total was 98 harriers on the New Hope River
count on 4 January, fide Barbara Roth. Nearly all of the birds were seen in the
lakebed of Jordan Reservoir.

OSPREY: Rare for the winter season was an individual seen by R.J. Hader at Beaver-
dam Reservoir on 22 December.

PEREGRINE FALCON: There were no reports away from the tidewater zone during
the winter, but an adult at Lake Mattamuskeet, N.C., on 27 February (Steve
Graves, Mike Tove) was notable away from the immediate coast.

MERLIN: An overdue first record for the North Carolina Sandhills was one seen by
Tom Howard on 24 February at Weymouth Woods park near Southern Pines.
Others inland were noted at Raleigh on 7 and 18 January by Gail Whitehurst and
near Fayetteville on 8 January and 23 February by M.E. Whitfield and P.J.
Crutchfield.

RUFFED GROUSE: Several were seen by hunters during the winter approximately
5 miles NE of Yanceyville, N.C., fide James Coman.

YELLOW RAIL: A notable find was a rail flushed from a salt marsh at Oregon Inlet
on 10 January by Mike Tove and Steve Graves.

WILSON’S PLOVER: One was rare at Bird Shoal on the Morehead City, N.C., CBC
on 21 December, as seen by Mike Tove.

HUDSONIAN GODWIT: The first definitive winter record for NorthCarolina was
an individual seen by Paul Sykes et al. at South Pond on Pea Island on 30 Decem-
ber. The dark underwing linings were clearly noted by the observers.

WHIMBREL: John Fussell saw one near Fort Fisher, New Hanover County, N.C., on
24 January.

GREATER YELLOWLEGS: Rare inland in winter was an individual near Fayetteville
on 9 January (P.J. Crutchfield, Kevin Mason), and another was seen at a different
site near that city on 28 January by Crutchfield. Good winter totals of 120 Greater
Yellowlegs and 75 Lesser Yellowlegs were made at the Savannah spoil area on 28
February by Jimmy Beatty et al.

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER: Most unusual inland were 15 at Swanquarter, N.C.,
as seen by Steve Graves and Mike Tove on 28 February. One was seen and heard
at Huntington Beach State Park, S.C., on 21 February by Lex Glover et al.

DUNLIN: Two were late at Jordan Reservoir on 4 January, as noted by Norman

80

The Chat

Budnitz.

GLAUCOUS GULL: Several immatures were seen this winter in coastal Carolina.
At Cedar Island, N.C., one was noted on 9 January (Steve Graves, Mike Tove),
with two there on 23 January (Tove, Allen Bryan), and one present on 14 February
(John Fussell). One was at Cape Hatteras from 26 December to 23 January (Bob
Lewis et al.), and another was seen near Hatteras, N.C., on 9 January (Graves,
Tove). In South Carolina one was at Litchfield Beach on 29 December (Perry
Nugent).

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL: Extremely rare for the piedmont was an immature
seen on Salem Lake at Winston-Salem on 20 January. Ramona Snavely and others
compared the gull with Herrings and Ring-billeds in the area.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL: Record numbers were present at Cape Hatteras
during the season, with six seen there on 31 December by Bob Lewis, Mike Tove,
and Harry LeGrand; three on 23 January by Mike Tove and Allen Bryan; and one
still there on 28 February (Steve Graves, Tove). Lewis and Bryan saw one at Pea
Island on 26 December, and Skip Prang saw another at Cape Lookout, N.C., on
30 January and again on 16 February.

HERRING GULL: Locally rare in the piedmont were three on the New Hope River
CBC on 4 January (fide Barbara Roth), and at least three wintered at Beaverdam
Reservoir (fide R.J. Hader), with a peak of 10 there on 26 December (Harry
LeGrand).

RING-BILLED GULL: Three seen by Bill Duyck and Robert Ruiz were rare at Lake
Junaluska, N.C., on 18 December.

BONAPARTE’S GULL: Noteworthy CBC totals inland were 102 at Raleigh on
20 December (Harry LeGrand, Merrill Lynch, et al.), nine at Lake Surf on the
Southern Pines count on 21 December (Tom Howard), and two at New Hope
River on 4 January (Steve Graves, Dan Kaplan).

COMMON TERN: One was somewhat north of the usual winter range at Sunset Beach,
N.C., on 2 January, as noted by P.J. Crutchfield and Kevin Mason.

SHORT-EARED OWL: A remarkable number of owls were present in the fields and
marshes in the lakebed of Jordan Reservoir during the winter. Three were seen by
Jim and Elizabeth Pullman on 7 December, and many birders saw 1 0 or more owls
there in a single day, with the highest count being 21 on 8 February (Steve Graves,
Mark Crotteau, Marc Eisdorfer). One was seen by John Paquet, Jimmy Beatty,
and Lex Glover at Carolina Beach, N.C., on 24 January.

RUBY-THROATED (?) HUMMINGBIRD: Single females or immature males were
observed at Tryon, N.C., on 13 December by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Milner and on
the McClellanville CBC on 21 December by Dennis Forsythe. Because a recent
winter specimen of a female or immature hummingbird from Massachusetts was
a Black-chinned (Am. Birds 34:254), and Florida recently had its fourth record of
Black-chinned (Am. Birds 34:769), it cannot be assumed that non-rusty humming-
birds in winter in the Carolinas are Ruby-throated.

RUFOUS (?) HUMMINGBIRD: A female or immature was seen at Charleston on
24 January by Bowman Varn. The bird had rufous on the rump, tail, and sides.
The possibility of “rusty” hummingbirds in our area being Allen’s or Broad-
tailed is remote, but (again) caution must be taken when dealing with humming-
birds that are not in adult male plumage.

RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER: Jay Carter and Tim Stamps noted three birds
and 39 cavity trees in two colonies near Pembroke, N.C., on 3 February.

BARN SWALLOW: Very early “spring” migrants were observed by Vince Jackson et
al. on 15 February at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge and by Merrill Lynch on

Summer 1981

81

18 February near Waterlily, Currituck County, N.C.

SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN: Noteworthy inland in winter were individuals on
CBCs at Roanoke Rapids on 29 December (Harry Le Grand) and at New Hope
River on 4 January (Jim and Elizabeth Pullman). The Pullmans saw another wren
at a different location in Jordan Reservoir on 18 January, and P.J. Crutchfield
found one near Fayetteville on 6 January.

FISH CROW: This species is now apparently wintering in the Lake Hartwell area of
South Carolina, as one was seen and heard near Townville on 8 January and two
were there on 28 February, as reported by Harry LeGrand.

BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH: Rare for the mountains was an individual seen by
Jean Gertz andparty on 24 January in the Bent Creek area of Buncombe County,
N.C.

BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER: Jim Mulholland found a late bird near Raleigh on
30 November.

WHITE-EYED VIREO: Notable records were one on the Roanoke Rapids CBC on
29 December (Harry LeGrand) and another at Sunset Beach on 25 January
(P.J. Crutchfield, Kevin Mason, Dennis Boeke).

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER: Harry LeGrand, Julie Moore, and Merrill Lynch
saw one on the Raleigh CBC on 20 December.

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: Two birds were seen on the Raleigh CBC on 20
December by Ken Knapp and Wayne and Fran Irvin.

CAPE MAY WARBLER: A rare winter record was an individual noted by Lee
DeNeef at Raleigh on 10 December.

PRAIRIE WARBLER: One was notable in a yard at Fayetteville on 23 February, as
reported by P.J. Crutchfield and Mosely Chesnutt.

OVENBIRD: One of the few winter records for North Carolina was a bird studied
carefully at the Buxton Woods nature trail at Cape Hatteras on 23 January by
Mike Tove and Allen Bryan.

YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT: Single birds were observed by Jay Shuler at his feeder
in McClellanville on 23 and 24 December and by P.J. Crutchfield at Fayetteville
on 31 December and 8 January.

WILSON’S WARBLER: An exceptional count of three was made at Santee National
Wildlife Refuge on 25 January by Perry Nugent, Steve Compton, et al. A trace of
a black cap was seen on one of the birds.

ORCHARD ORIOLE: Alan Feduccia noted a female or immature male at his feeder
at Chapel Hill for several days in mid-February.

BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE: The first convincing North Carolina record away from
the lower coastal plain was a female carefully observed by P.J. Crutchfield in his
yard in Fayetteville on 9 January. The bird was brown in color with an evident eye
stripe, dark eye, tail approximately one-half the total length of the body, and size
larger in length and bulk than Common Grackles (which were present for compari-
son).

BREWER’S BLACKBIRD: The only winter sighting was a male seen by Gail White-
hurst in her Raleigh yard on four occasions from 27 December to 12 February.

WESTERN TANAGER: One was seen at a feeder in Fayetteville on 15 February by
P.J. Crutchfield, Kevin Mason, et al.

SUMMER TANAGER: Very rare in winter were females or immature males near
Morehead City on 21 December (Alex Meadows, Kenny Baxter) and at a feeder
in Fayetteville on 9 and 11 February (P.J. Crutchfield, Henry Rankin, et al.).

82

The Chat

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: A male was observed at a feeder in Asheville on
3 January by Gilbert Tennent.

BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK: Jay Shuler noted a female at his feeder in McClel-
lanville from 16 to 21 January. He saw the buffy underparts and fine streaking
along the sides of the breast.

BLUE GROSBEAK: One was rare for the season near Pendleton, S.C., where seen by
Harry LeGrand on 15 February.

PAINTED BUNTING: One wintered at the feeder of Mrs. John Griffith in Mo rehead
City. John Fussell observed the bunting on 18 March.

DICKCISSEL: Jack Stewart discovered two pairs at Columbia, S.C., in late April. A
nest was later found, with five young, by Oleta Beard and Oscar LaBorde. Jimmy
Beatty noted three immatures from this nesting on several dates during the summer.

WINTER FINCH FLIGHT: The winter of 1980-1981 saw a rather heavy influx of
Evening Grosbeaks and Pine Siskins to all parts of the Carolinas, the first major
invasion in three winters. Red-breasted Nuthatches were also present in fairly good
numbers, but they were common in only a few areas.

HOUSE FINCH: Locally noteworthy were two males seen in Pinehurst, N.C., from
22 December to 1 January by Bob Rufa, and three seen at a feeder in Wilmington,
N.C., by Greg Massey from 26 to 28 February. This species was seen this winter as
far west as Asheville and as far east as Morehead City.

COMMON REDPOLL: On the Chapel Hill CBC on 3 January were one at Carol
Hamilton’s feeder (seen again on 1 1 January) and two at Cora and Ruth McLean’s
feeder. Wayne and Fran Irvin had one at their feeder in Raleigh on 4 January. It
was present for several days and was observed by Steve Graves and Mike Tove
on 5 January. The most unusual record was a group of six redpolls seen by Skip
Prange on 6 January at Harkers Island, N.C.

RED CROSSBILL: This species was again essentially absent in the Carolinas during
the winter, with the only sightings being of one at Raleigh in late November by
Joshua Lee, three at Wilmington on 9 December by Greg Massey, several in mid-
December in Brunswick County, N.C., by Ricky Davis, and one at Highlands,
N.C., on 31 December by Jim McConnell.

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW: Notable in winter for North Carolina were one at
Jordan Reservoir on 18 January (Barbara Roth) and another nearby at Mason
Farm in Chapel Hill on 24 January (Steve Graves).

HENSLOW’S SPARROW: This rare and elusive sparrow again wintered in western
Carteret County, N.C., inopen pinewoods along Millis Road. At least one was seen
on 22 December by Bob Lewis, Mike Tove, and Harry LeGrand, and two were
there on 1 February (John Fussell et al.). At the abandoned golf course near
Carolina Beach, Greg Massey et al. observed several on four dates from 20
December to 2 February.

LE CONTE’S SPARROW: Very rare for North Carolina was one studied carefully
at the abandoned golf course near Carolina Beach on 25 January by Jimmy Beatty,
Lex Glover, and John Paquet. Four were reported from South Carolina: a first
for the Clemson area near Pendleton on 7 December (Sidney Gauthreaux, Harry
LeGrand, et al.) and again on 3 January (Le Grand, Edmund Taylor); on the
McClellanville CBC on 21 December (Perry Nugent); on the Litchfield -Pawleys
Island CBC on 30 December (many observers); and at Mount Pleasant on 1 1
January (Charles Eastman).

VESPER SPARROW: One was seen at Fort Bragg, N.C., on 14 December, and two
were noted at Fayetteville on 8 January, as reported by P.J. Crutchfield.

Summer 1981

83

LARK SPARROW: Very rare for the season was a brightly-colored individual found
on 21 December by Larry Crawford at Pine Knoll Shores, Carteret County, N.C,
Mike Tove photographed the sparrow the next day.

BACHMAN’S SPARROW: Jay Carter flushed an Aimophila sparrow from suitable
habitat in the western part of Fort Bragg on 2 January, and two were flushed in the
area on 4 January. The birds were presumably Bachman’s. At the Henslow’s
Sparrow site in Carteret County were one Bachman’s on 1 February (Steve Graves,
John Fussell, Mike Tove) and three singing there on 28 February (Fussell et al.).
DARK-EYED (OREGON) JUNCO: One of the few records of this race for North
Carolina was a female seen at Umstead State Park, near Raleigh, on 14 December
by Steve Graves and Mark Crotteau.

CLAY-COLORED SPARROW: North Carolina had three ‘’first” winter records: one
seen by Bob Holmes at Pea Island on 6 December, one seen by Greg Massey
and Maurice Barnhill at the abandoned golf course near Carolina Beach on 24
December, and as many as three at Bodie Island from 30 December to 22 February.
Allen Bryan discovered the first Bodie Island sparrow, and numerous birders saw
them during the winter, with Wayne Irvin collecting two of the birds in February.
HARRIS’ SPARROW: An exciting find was an individual seen at Alan Haney’s feeder
in Swannanoa, N.C., from 5 to 12 January.

LINCOLN’S SPARROW: Two parties noted this species on the Winston-Salem CBC
on 3 January (Zack Bynum and Don White, Jim and Pat Culbertson). The only
other winter report was of one seen on the Clemson CBC on 3 January by Harry
LeGrand and Edmund Taylor.

LAPLAND LONGSPUR: Three were observed near Pendleton on 7 December by
Harry LeGrand and Sidney Gauthreaux; four were noted at Cape Hatteras on
23 January by Allen Bryan and Mike Tove; and 13 were seen on the Roanoke
Rapids CBC on 29 December, with three of the birds near Halifax (Merrill Lynch)
and the remainder on Occoneechee Neck (Harry LeGrand, Mike Tove).

SNOW BUNTING: Perhaps the best flight into the Carolinas in a decade occurred
during the winter, though the only records for South Carolina were eight seen by
many observers on the Litchfield-Pawleys Island CBC on 30 December, and one
seen near Charleston on 13 January by Harry and Jeanette Anderson. The most
remarkable record was 14 tallied on the Roanoke Rapids CBC on 29 December,
with four near Halifax and 10 on Occoneechee Neck (Merrill Lynch, Harry
LeGrand, Mike Tove). At Occoneechee Neck, six buntings had been discovered
the day before the count in a flock of several hundred Horned Larks by Lynch,
Bob Lewis, and Allen Bryan, and two were still there on 31 January (Tove, Steve
Graves.) Along the North Carolina coast, counts in double figures were 45 on
Masonboro Island on 28 February (Greg Massey), 32 on Radio Island at
Morehead City on 21 December (Bob Lewis) and 36 there on 10 February (John
Fussell), 19 on the Bodie-Pea Island CBC on 30 December (fide Paul Sykes), 15 at
Cape Hatteras on 31 December (Lewis, LeGrand, Tove), and 15 near Avon on
10 January (Graves, Tove).

Correction

Harry E. LeGrand Jr. has noted a minor discrepancy in the published dates for the
first sighting of the Black-tailed Godwitat Bodie Island, N.C.,in December 1979during
the Christmas bird count. Tove and Hughes (Chat 45:13-14) give 26 December;
American Birds (34:458) gives the date of the Bodie-Pea Island Christmas Bird Count as
27 December. The latter date is correct.

84

The Chat

MEMBERSHIP

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OFFICERS

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Vice-presidents . . . Ercei Francis, 26 Cardinal Road, Cedar Mountain, N.C*. 28718
Frances B. Needham, Box 8207, Waynick Blvd., Wnghtsville Beach, N.C. 28480
Teddy M. Shuler, Route 1, Box 15, Seneca, S.C. 29678

Secretary Julie Angerman-Stewart, 3966-C Tara Drive, Raleigh, N.C. 27609

Treasurer Thomas M. Dabbs, Route 1, Box 64, Mayesville, S.C. 29104

Members-at-large:

Region I — Western North Carolina

Robert H. Witherington, Winston-Salem, and Richard D. Brown, Charlotte
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Region III — South Carolina

Lex Glover, Columbia, and Steve Compton, Charleston
Headquarters Secretary Elizabeth M. Paterson

SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID
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The Chat

Vol. 45 FALL 1981 No. 4

Quarterly Bulletin of Carolina Bird Club, Inc.
The Ornithological Society of the Carolinas

The Chat

(USPS 101-020)

Vol. 45 FALL 1981 No. 4

Published by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc.

Editor Eloise F. Potter, Route 3, Box 114 AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

General Field Notes David S. Lee, Department Editor

Julian R. Harrison, Associate Editor

Briefs for the Files Harry E. LeGrand Jr., Department of Zoology

Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29631

CBC Roundtable Louis C. Fink, Apt. 6, Bldg. L, Tau Valley Estates,

Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801

Backyard Birding Gail T. Whitehurst, 1505 Brooks Avenue,

Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Bird Count Editor John O. Fussell III, P.O. Box 520,

Morehead City, N.C. 28557

Art and Photography John Henry Dick and Jack Derm id

THE CHAT is published quarterly by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., with headquarters at the North Carolina State Museum,
P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Second class postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 2761 1. Subscription price S10.00 per year!

PAGE CHARGES: Authors who have funds available for page chrges are requested to remit same at the rate of $40.00
per page. CBC Headquarters will provide statements required for your business records.

CONTENTS

Autumn Hawk Migrations at Fort Johnson, Charleston, S.C.

Pete Laurie, John W. McCord, and Nan C. Jenkins 85

CBC Roundtable 91

Backyard Birding 93

General Field Notes

Behavior of American Woodcock and Other Birds

in Coastal North Carolina During the Blizzard of 1980.

H. Lee Stribling 96

Female Wood Duck Apparently Killed by Black Snake.

Paul A. Stewart 97

First South Carolina Specimen of the Black-legged Kittiwake.

Pris Knight and Jean Pfaff 98

Range Expansion of Nesting Tree Swallows. Bill E. Duyck 98

Rough-winged Swallow Nesting in Coastal North Carolina.

Steven P. Platania and Mary Kay Clark 100

Cliff Swallows Nesting on Fontana Dam, N.C. Jim McConnell 102

Distraction Display of Chestnut-sided Warbler.

Jim McConnell 103

Briefs for the Files 104

Book Reviews Ill

Index to The Chat — Volume 45 114

OUR COVER — Bill E. Duyck found and photographed the
second Tree Swallow nest known for North Carolina. In
Buncombe County the birds nested at or near the southern
limit of breeding for the eastern United States (see page 98).
John Henry Dick contributed the eagle and duck drawings
used in this issue.

AUTUMN HAWK MIGRATIONS
AT FORT JOHNSON, CHARLESTON, S.C.

PETE LAURIE, JOHN W. McCORD, and NAN C. JENKINS

The fall migration of raptors on the East Coast of North America is well
documented from New England to Virginia (Heintzelman 1975). At several points such
as Hawk Mountain, Pennsylvania, and Cape May, New Jersey, numerous observers
have for years recorded detailed accounts of passing migrants. Migrating raptors
generally follow either mountain ridges or coast lines, and peak flights generally are
preceded by the passage of a cold front (Broun 1951).

South of Virginia only a few scattered observations have been recorded (Simpson
1954, Crossan and Stevenson 1956, Carter 1973, Lee and Lee 1978). Neither Wayne
(1910) nor Sprunt and Chamberlain (1970) mention this phenomenon. Preliminary
efforts to monitor hawk migrants along the South Carolina coast were undertaken by
Laurie in the fall of 1979 at Fort Johnson on the southern edge of Charleston Harbor.
During the fall of 1980, the study was continued on a broader and more refined basis.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Fort Johnson is situated on the point of a short peninsula extending northeast
from James Island, Charleston County, into Charleston Harbor (Fig. 1). The count site
is 2.7 km inland from the Atlantic Ocean on the landward edge of a wide strip of
Spartina saltmarsh. Observations were made from the top of a spoil dike
approximately 3 m above the surrounding terrain. This site provided an unrestricted
view of about 180° across the harbor and the surrounding marsh.

Hawk migrations were monitored at Fort Johnson from 3 September to 6
November 1980. Counts were made on an hourly basis by three observers equipped
with 7X binoculars. Occasionally less than three observers were available during count
periods. Most counts were conducted from 1100 to 1200 or from 1200 to 1300 EST.
Wind direction and speed were approximated, and percent of cloud cover was
estimated.

Data were recorded according to criteria developed in the newsletter of the Hawk
Migration Association of North America (1978). All raptors were counted provided
they demonstrated an obvious north-to-south movement. Occasionally Ospreys and
more often Marsh Hawks were observed circling in a small area, showing no directed
southerly movement. Although these birds may well have been migrants that
temporarily paused to feed, they were considered to be local birds and were not
counted. Ospreys breed along the South Carolina coast but are rare in winter, whereas
Marsh Hawks are common during the winter but are not known to breed in the state
(Potter et al. 1980).

RESULTS

A total of 1764 raptors representing 11 species were recorded during 71.6 hours of
observation (Table 1). In 1979, 310 raptors were seen at the same count site from 23
September to 1 1 October during 18 hours of field work. An average of 24.6 hawks per
observation hour was recorded in 1980. The highest hourly count was 306 raptors at
midday 6 October. This corresponds to the highest hourly count of 60 raptors on the
same date in 1979.

The Sharp-shinned Hawk was the predominant species noted during the 1980
count period, and it accounted for 47% of the total hawks recorded. American Kestrels,

Fail 1981

85

TABLE 1. Number of hawks per month observed at Fort Johnson during 1980.

Species

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Total

Total Hawks

Turkey Vulture

5

174

0

179

10.1%

Unidentified Accipiter

4

0

0

4

0.2%

Sharp-shinned Hawk

56

763

12

831

47.1%

Cooper’s Hawk

13

12

0

25

1.4%

Unidentified Buteo

6

9

2

17

1.0%

Red-tailed Hawk

5

7

0

12

0.7%

Red-shouldered Hawk

4

5

0

9

0.5%

Bald Eagle

1

5

1

7

0.4%

Marsh Hawk

67

82

8

157

8.9%

Osprey

119

74

1

194

11.0%

Unidentified Falcon

3

3

2

8

0.4%

Peregrine Falcon

5

7

0

12

0.7%

Merlin

3

3

0

6

0.3%

American Kestrel

138

157

5

300

17.0%

Unidentified Raptor

0

0

3

3

0.2%

Total

429

1301

34

1764

—

Ospreys, Turkey Vultures, and Marsh Hawks followed in decreasing order of
abundance and accounted for an additional 47% of the count. The remaining 6% of the
total count was composed of six species and four categories of unidentified raptors
(Table 1).

Flight Behavior and Movements

Migrant raptors generally were first seen over the harbor approaching the count site
from the northeast (Fig. 1). In many cases migrants passed almost directly overheard
with the majority at an altitude between 50 m and the upper limit of unaided sight. Height
and direction of flight varied somewhat with wind direction and speed. With light or
variable wind, birds of all species moved in tight circles with distinct progress to the
southwest. On stronger winds raptors generally exhibited directed flight with little wing
movement. On a few occasions with strong westerly winds, raptors were seen flying just
above the water. This low flight was also noted occasionally in 1979.

During times of concentrated flights, migrants often formed small, unorganized
groups of 5 to 10 birds, not always of the same species. In between such groups, we saw
individual birds, apparently migrating indpendently. Only Turkey Vultures appeared to
migrate in concentrated groups of 10 or more birds.

The direction of flight and the position of the main flight path suggest that the
observed raptors were following either the tree line on the landward side of the saltmarsh
strip or were following the barrier island string and were deflected by the southwest hook
of Sullivans Island (see Fig. 1). Most raptors are reluctant to cross open water
(Heintzelman 1975) and apparently seek the shortest routes across the harbor, which

The Chat

CHARLESTON

HARBOR

FT.

JHNSON

OCEAN

Fig. 1 . Map of Fort Johnson observation site and surrounding area of Charleston
County, S.C., indicating general direction of hawk flight.

would be to Fort Johnson or to Owl Island where they normally could be seen and
identified from the Fort Johnson observation site.

Turkey Vultures and Sharp-shinned Hawks exhibited the most concentrated move-
ments whereas Marsh Hawks, Ospreys, and American Kestrels were more evenly
distributed over the length of the count period (Fig. 2).

Weather

Peak raptor flights closely correlate with the passage of cold fronts (Fig. 3). Good
flights usually followed 2 days after a cold front passed through the mid-Atlantic states.
The effect of cold fronts on raptor migration is well documented from many areas. The
scarcity of raptors observed in early and mid-September 1 980 is probably due in part to a
complete lack of cold fronts passing through the mid-Atlantic area during that period.

Peak flights also correlate with northerly winds (Fig. 4), which generally accompany
cold fronts in the study area. Northerly winds may serve to concentrate raptor flights
within view of the Fort Johnson count site.

Time of Day

The majority of counts were made at midday because observers were normally
available at that time. Several counts that began at midmorning produced few birds until
1000 or 1030. Late afternoon counts (1700 to 1900) also were unproductive even on days

Fall 1981

87

TOTAL HAWKS

Turkey Vulture

Northern Harrier

(birds per day)

— <5
15-10
X 11-25

Osprey

i 1 r 1 1 1 p 1 1 1 1 1 p 1

3 7 12 17 22 27 I 7 12 17 22 27 I 6

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER

Fig. 2. Temporal migration periods for raptors observed at Fort Johnson, S.C.,
during 1980.

Fig. 3. Total hawks observed per day at Fort Johnson, S.C., in 1980, showing the
time of passage of cold fronts through the mid-Atlantic region.

The Chat

TOTAL HAWKS/NOON HOUR

N

Fig. 4. Correlation of raptor migration with wind direction and speed at Fort
Johnson, S.C., in 1980.

that produced good flights at midday. Numerous observers at sites that regularly conduct
all-day counts have noted a “noon lull,” a period at midday when the number of raptors
observed temporarily declines (Heintzelman 1975). Because of the time frame of counts
at Fort Johnson, it was impossible to record a noon lull, although on two occasions when
counts continued beyond 1300 a sharp drop in sightings was noted.

Feeding Behavior

Migrating raptors are not often seen feeding during the day (Heintzelman 1975), but
flying birds with full crops are occasionally noted. Most birds seen at Fort Johnson
during the 1980 count were flying at considerable height and showed no signs of hunting,
nor were any birds observed with full crops. On one occasion, a Sharp-shinned Hawk
caught a small bird in heavy brush directly behind the observation site. On another
occasion a Sharp-shinned Hawk approached the site about 3 m above the water and with
legs extended made an unsuccessful pass at an unseen bird in low brush in front of the
observation post. Both instances occurred at midday. About 1500, another Sharp-
shinned Hawk was seen within 100 m of the observation site, flying at treetop level and
carrying a small bird it may have caught on the Fort Johnson side of the harbor.

Marsh Hawks commonly hunted over the marshes near Owl Island, but these birds
were treated as locals and were not counted. On several occasions Ospreys appeared high
on the northeast horizon, paused briefly to catch fish in the harbor, and then continued
on a direct southwesterly course.

Fall 1981

89

LITERATURE CITED

Brown, M. 1951. Hawks and weather. Atlantic Naturalist 6:105-112.

Carter, J.H., III. 1973. Osprey migration at Wrightsville Beach, N.C. Chat 38:39.
Crossan, D.F.,and R.A. Stevenson Jr. 1956. Hawk migrations along the middle eastern
Seaborad, Delaware to North Carolina. Chat 20:2.

Heintzelman, D.S. 1975. Autumn Hawk Flights — the Migrations in Eastern North
America. Rutgers Univ. Press, New Brunswick, N.J.

Lee, D., and B. Lee. 1978. Observations of the autumn hawk migrations along N.C.
Outer Banks. ASB Bull. 25:53.

Newsletter of Hawk Migration Association of North America. 1978. IV:2.

Potter, E.F., J.F. Parnell, and R.P. Teulings. 1980. Birds of the Carolinas. Univ. N.C.
Press, Chapel Hill.

Simpson, T.W. 1954. The status of migratory hawks in the Carolinas. Chat 18:15.
Sprunt, A., Jr., and E.B. Chamberlain. 1970. South Carolina Bird Life. Revised edition,
with supplement. Univ. S.C. Press, Columbia.

Wayne, A.T. 1910. Birds of South Carolina. Contr. Chas. Mus. I.

612 Flint Street, Charleston, S.C. 29412; 107-G Ashley Avenue, Charleston, S.C. 29401;
and 1216 Oldwanus Drive, Mount Pleasant, S.C. 29464. 26 April 1981.

^.U.Q'th

90

The Chat

CBG

JRouttdfai (£e

• . . with Louis C. Fink

Bird Miscellany

The world of birds is filled with interesting tidbits of information. The infinite
variety of the habits of birds-— -and the people who study them — can add to our
enjoyment of the hobby. Maybe there will be no harm (only pleasure) in talking about a
few.

Take a bird like the Dipper, or Water Ouzel. (“Ouzel” comes from the Old English
osle, the European Blackbird.) The Dipper feeds by walking on the bottom of streams
and builds its nest behind a waterfall. I watched this unbelievable performance in
Yellowstone National Park in 1936; otherwise, I should not have believed. There is a
delightful account of the Dipper in Ford Timeslot August 1981. Your local Ford dealer
can put you on the mailing list for this fine magazine, which publishes several bird articles
each year.

Terry Moore sends his regular report of the 600 Club from 3086 River Oaks Drive,
Atlanta 30339. Far out in front is Thompson G. Marsh of Colorado with his unbelievable
list of 756 species! It was sad to note that the list of deceased members is headed by
Edward L. Chalif of Arizona, co-author with Roger Tory Peterson of the definitive
book on Mexican birds. I spent two days in Tucson with Eddie Chalif and never met a
more generous host. With his guidance, I added 37 species to my life list.

Interior Secretary James Watt found himself in trouble when rumors started that his
department might give some Federal Wildlife Refuges back to the States. One such spot
is the home of the 78 or so Whooping Cranes in Texas. It is easy to see these rare birds in
the winter at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. There are observation towers on land
and even easier views by boat for a small fee.

In Peabody, Massachusetts, somebody stole a 155-year-old leather-bound book of
John J. Audubon’s color lithographs. The book is valued at $250,000.

In Cleveland, Ohio, a man objected to the name Bald Eagle. Turns out that the name
has been in use since 1634, and that “bald” derives from a word that means “white” in
several languages. — LCF

More on the Music of Blue Jays

In the Summer issue of Chat, Joshua Lee mentions hearing the song of the Blue Jay
and asks if others have heard this.

Even though the song of the Blue Jay is well described in Bent’s Life Histories of
North American Jays, Crows and Titmice, I was unaware of this until a trip to Pullen
Park in Raleigh, N.C., on 7 February 1977. My notes from that day read (slightly
altered): “At Pullen Park today (between 2:20 and 3:00 p.m.), I was startled to hear a
symphony of unfamiliar notes coming from the direction of a Red Cedar. The

Fall 1981

91

strains of notes were from 10 to 30 seconds long, sometimes as long as 1 Vi to 2 minutes.
The notes were in the style of a Winter Wren, but contained none of that type of notes. In
the song I heard the imitation of the Common Flicker’s “yucker” notes several times,
and other notes reminiscent perhaps of the Dark-eyed Junco, American Goldfinch,
House Finch, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Blue Jay. I had thought the singer was a
finch of some sort until I heard the flicker and Blue Jay notes mixed in. I looked upward
into the cedar and saw only a Blue Jay. Sure enough, as the Blue Jay moved to higher
branches (perhaps 35 feet above ground) so moved the notes of my mysterious singer.
The jay flew to a Sugar Maple and began singing again after a period of silence. I circled
slowly around the maple and saw that the Blue Jay was indeed the mysterious singer as it
raised its open bill upwards and some sweeter-than-normal notes poured forth. This
went on for several minutes until the jay gradually went into the more normal bell-like
calls of the Blue Jay. The song was long, varied, rather high-pitched, and not very loud,
often very soft.”

I spent 1 1 years birding around Blue Jays in the East, and the only one I ever heard
singing was on a clear and very cold February afternoon at Raleigh’s Pullen Park. I
imagine that it is very rare to hear this song. — KEVIN G. HINTSA, 2808 Ascot Drive,
San Ramon, California 94583.

Durham County Bird List

Jim McConnell has compiled an 18-page annotated list of the birds of Durham
County, N.C. Copies are $1 each from Jim at 2808 Butner Street, Durham, N.C. 27704.

92

The Chat

with Gail T. Whitehurst

The Brown Thrasher

Almost any day in spring or summer, as I open the door and step onto the porch, I
see him coming. He may come running up the driveway or hurrying across the lawn.
Head down, back straight, long brown tail held stiffly out behind him— -he runs, hops,
and sometimes even flies a little in his eagerness to reach me. I have no illusions that he,
like a dog, is just glad to see me. Oh, no, it is what I have in my hand that he wants. Be it
breakfast, lunch, or dinner, he wants to get his share before the other freeloaders
discover my presence. He seems to prefer avoiding a hassle, but he can hold his own in
any crowd if need be. Who wouldn’t be intimidated by that long, decurved beak or fierce
yellow eye? He is, of course, one of my “tame” Brown Thrashers.

The Brown Thrasher has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember.
When I was a child, living in Asheville, N.C., we had no Mockingbirds. The Brown
Thrasher was one of the first summer residents to return in the spring, and his song
brought us much joy. I recall playing “house” with my dolls at the base of an old beech
tree in the woods. I would be startled by the noise of something rustling leaves on the
ground nearby. Was it one of my brothers, coming to spy on me? Or, worse yet, a
stranger coming to hurt me and my precious “children”? No! It was a lovely brown bird
with a long beak and tail and a bright yellow eye. It was throwing leaves in all directions,
looking for its dinner. In some of the mountain counties it is called the “ground
thresher.”

The thrasher is basically a shy bird, preferring to stay out of sight. It nests in thick
hedges or low bushes and goes about its business in a quiet manner, except for the
“thrashing of the leaves” and glorious song in spring. The song is far more beautiful than
that of the Mockingbird and much less tedious. The latter will get on to a new sound and
keep it up for hours on end — and during the night, even! But like the Mockingbird, his
cousin, the thrasher sings from the highest point in his territory. Near our house there is
a tall transmission line tower. It is not unusual to find a male thrasher singing from its
top.

A number of years ago, when we first lived here, there were very few birds around.
The people who lived here before us had kept a cat. Within a year or so, with the cat
gone, more and more birds began to show up and hang around. One morning in the
summer of our second year, I looked out the window and saw an adult Brown Thrasher
with a band on his foot. Close behind him, walking up our driveway, was a nearly full-
grown fledgling. The old bird and the young one hunted our yard for several days. The
banded adult departed, but the young one stayed on. We have never been without a
thrasher since that day. From him, and his descendants, we have learned much about
this species. I cannot recall now whether that young bird stayed with us all winter as I

Fall 1981

93

was not keeping records or notes at the time. He was around in late winter. In the spring,
a female was wooed by our bird, and they nested nearby.

Meanwhile, I was trying to “tame” a male Rufous-sided Towhee by offering him
sunflower seeds and bits of bread (the cornmeal and peanut butter mixture I now use
had not been invented then). The towhee was feeding young and soon overcame his fear
in his eagerness to get food for his babies. Since the towhee and thrasher feed on the
ground under the hedges, it soon became apparent that the thrasher was aware of the
free and easy food. By the end of the summer, both towhee and thrasher would come
fairly close to me as long as they had young to feed. I called the thrasher “Pretty Bird,”
and it is that name to which all thrashers now respond when I call.

Do I hear someone asking, “How in the world can you tell a male from a female
thrasher?” My reply is that the male is the one that is singing. Also, over the years, I have
noted that the female tends to be slightly smaller and daintier than the male. Close and
continuous observation of birds reveals small differences in size, markings, and
coloration (in some pairs I have known, one will be plain brown and the other more
rufous). And personality traits vary from bird to bird.

During the winter, the adult males remain here, coming to feed from time to time.
The females and immatures disappear, and, I presume, go farther south and/ or east. At
any rate, the females usually return in late winter, sometimes in early February. The
male has already begun to sing and stake out his territory. When the female shows up, he
tries to chase her away as an intruder. Before long, he realizes his mistake and courthsip
is under way. No pair of birds is more devoted. He sings as he never sang before — long,
loud, and lilting. I often see them hunting together, and they remind me of a pair of
hand-holding lovers. Then one day I see only one thrasher, which keeps up his song
most of the day, and I say, “Aha! She must be sitting on a nest!”

Some years I run across the nest by chance — I never go hunting for one. It is likely
to be in a thick and / or thorny shrub, such as a Pyracantha or Blackberry Rose. One year
I was able to watch as the birds built. Both birds worked together on the basic
foundation of large sticks and twigs. The female completed and lined the nest with finer
material while the male sang to her from a nearby perch. As soon as the nest was ready,
the female deposited two eggs, a day apart. She wasted no time beginning incubation.
She sat upon the eggs faithfully, through rain and shine, chill and heat, day and night.
She left only for brief periods, during the warmest part of the day, to feed and get
water. The male did not get on the nest but remained nearby to guard it. At the end of
two and a half weeks, the eggs hatched (perhaps a day apart, I did not wish to disburb
the birds to find out). The male ceased his singing and went to work hunting food while
the female brooded the naked, helpless babies. Within a week of hatching, the young
were sufficiently feathered to protect them from the elements (except rain); the female
could leave them for short periods and join the male in feeding them.

By the end of the second week, the nestlings had grown to about half the size of the
parents and were becoming quite active. They spent considerable time standing on the
rim of the nest, flexing their muscles and exercising their tiny wings. Within a few days
they left the nest — one remaining a night longer than the other.

It has been my observation that young birds (of several species) leave the nest when
they want to, not that the parents have to urge them. In fact, the parent birds generally
appear agitated and spend much time scolding and coaxing the fledglings to safe perches
above ground. They are especially upset if something or someone has come too close to
the nest, causing the young to leave prematurely. If one cannot resist watching nesting
birds, it is beter to do it at a distance, with binoculars. We delay pruning shrubbery in
the spring if there is any sign that a bird may have a nest there. Thrasher nests are usually
pretty safe from cats, but once the fledglings are out, they are vulnerable to many
predators.

It is amazing how fast a newly fledged thrasher can run, if need be. However, it can
barely fly, if at all. Getting a baby off the ground and up into a shrub or tree takes time.

94

The Chat

The fledgling has to hop, fluttering its tiny wings, from one twig to another. Except for
an immediate threat of danger, the parent thrashers do not use their harsh and urgent
scold note, but call to the young with a soft chirruping sound. They use this call also
when trying to locate the fledglings once they can fly and move about more freely. The
male occasionally sings a whisper song to find a young one.

Most of the time, the young respond as desired by the old birds. But not always!
Occasionally a fledgling, like Epaminondas, “doesn’t have the sense he was born with”
and cannot or will not behave. I recall one instance where the nest was next to the street.
One fledgling hopped into the street. No amount of coaxing could make it move. I even
interfered by picking up the baby bird and placing it in a bush. Within minutes, it was
back in the street again. Of course, the inevitable happened — it was run over by a car!

When the baby thrashers are still in the nest, they remain fairly quiet and do not
call attention to themselves as do Cardinals and American Robins. When first fledged,
they stay hidden and quiet for the most part. The call of a fledgling is pleasant and soft.
And oh, how cute they are ! They seem so tiny, with big dark eyes, little tufts of feathers
over the eyes, and short stubby tails. They are dark brown in color, but have the
unmistakable streaked breasts and wing bars of the adult. As they begin to grow, they
follow their parents about. Their begging is subdued — not harsh and raucous as is a
young Blue Jay, Starling, or Brown-headed Cowbird. The sound is more of a
whimper.

The adult birds divide the fledglings and head in opposite directions with them — a
survival tactic, no doubt. Usually all of our thrashers are double-brooded and have two
young per nest. When something happens to one of the first brood, I have known them
to have three in the second brood. Depending upon whether it is the firt brood, or the
second, the amount of time spent with the adults varies. With a first brood, the male
takes both young when the female begins a new nest. I might mention here, that the
courtship period for the second nest is very brief, with the male singing only a day or
two — perhaps a reinforcement of the pair bonding. A short time before the second
brood hatches, the male takes the young away and leaves them— just as the old bird left
me my first thrasher. After the second brood is on its own, the old birds permit the
young to remain in the territory, even after they have ceased to feed them. By this time,
the old birds have begun their postnuptial molt and spend much of their time in the
shade, just resting.

The second brood appears to get far more time and attention than does the first
one. By the time these birds are out of the nest, it is hot weather for sure. The old birds
begin sunbathing and dustbathing, the young ones watching and following suit. It is
during these periods that I have watched the young birds at play — chasing each other
and fledglings or immatures of other species, such as towhees and robins. They pick up
new objects, mouthing them to see what they are and if they are edible. They begin to
find a bit of food on their own here and there. They also watch the old birds catch and
beat a grasshopper or cricket to pieces, and sometimes, the old bird will eat the food, not
giving the young a bite! Then they will whimper a bit. As the young birds grow and prove
to the parents that they can get their own food, the old birds begin to leave them for long
periods of time, continuing to feed them occasionally. Here, where I feed them, the old
birds bring their juveniles and “dump” them on me, and the youngsters quickly learn to
come for my hand-outs. After a while, the old birds stop feeding the young at all and will
run them away if they venture too close.

As the years go by, we lose some thrashers to illness or accident, but there is always
a new generation coming along. As the numbers of individual birds and species that
come here for food have expanded, I find it more difficult to keep up with and recognize
some individual thrashers — but they know me! Well, they know my food.

(Continued on page 103)

Fall 1981

95

General Field Notes

DAVID S. LEE, Department Editor

North Carolina State Museum, P.O. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

JULIAN R. HARRISON, Associate Editor

Department of Biology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. 29401

Behavior of American Woodcock and Other Birds
in Coastal North Carolina During the Blizzard of 1980

H. LEE STRIBLING
Department of Zoology
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, N.C. 27650

Wintering American Woodcock (Philohela minor ) arrive in coastal North Carolina
in November and remain until early March (Stamps and Doerr 1978). During late
February and early March of 1980, two periods of snowfall adversely affected many
birds wintering in this area. Some of these birds, especially woodcock, usually probe soft
unfrozen ground for earthworms.

On my woodcock study area near Lake Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge in
Hyde County, N.C., the first snowfall occurred 26 February and left an accumulation of
5.0 to 7.5 cm, which persisted for 24 hours. The second snowfall began in the early
morning of 1 March. It continued into the next day and left an average accumulation of
36 cm, which persisted for 6 days. During this time the deep snow forced woodcock to
probe and feed in the few open unfrozen areas available. During the day they left their
usual diurnal foraging sites in the thickly forested swampy lowlands to feed in open
yards, under shrubbery around homesites, on the slopes of sheltered drainage ditches
separating agricultural fields, and along roadsides cleared by snow plows.

The half-meter strips cleared by plows along each side of the roads attracted
woodcock and other ground-feeding birds such as Red-winged Blackbirds ( Agelaius
phoeniceus ), Dark-eyed Juncos ( Junco hyemalis), American Robins ( Turdus
migratorius), Eastern Meadowlarks ( Sturnella magna ), Mourning Doves ( Zenaida
macroura ), Killdeer ( Charadrius vociferus). Cardinals ( Cardinalis cardinalis). Blue
Jays ( Cyanocitta cristata ), Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris ), and Common Snipe ( Capella
gallinago ). Road kills were common. In one randomly chosen 200-m strip of highway, I
counted 25 robins and three woodcock that had been killed by vehicles.

At sunset, I observed three woodcock circling over snow-covered agricultural fields.
Instead of landing in this customary roosting site, they landed in the center of the
highway and remained there for about 10 minutes before flying back into the swamp
forest to roost on top of the snow. Woodcock and other species also roosted on clear
ground under old barns and other outbuildings. I flushed 25 birds, including woodcock,
Mourning Dove, Common Snipe, robins, and Killdeer, from under one small (37 m2)
building.

Some woodcock mortality can be directly related to their weakened condition due to
their inability to feed. When flushed, their flight was more labored than normal with
slower wingbeats. Others were so weakened by the third day, presumably from lack of

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food, that flight was impossible; I caught one by hand in an open field. Such emaciated
birds were easy prey for avian and other predators. Four woodcock had been killed by
house cats at one homesite. I found evidence that Barn Ovj\s{Tytoalba), Red-shouldered
Hawks ( Buteo lineatus), and even Opossums ( Didelphis marsupialis ) had killed
woodcock.

Toward the end of this 6-day freeze the effects of starvation were evident in three
male woodcock I examined. They revealed very sharply keeled sternums. Their weights
were 95 g, 104 g, and 106 g, averaging 102 g, which is 37% less than the average weight
(161 g) of migrating male woodcock at this time in the study area.

This is paper number 8 102 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina Agricultural
Research Service, Raleigh, N.C. 27650.

LITERATURE CITED

Stamps, R.T.,andP.D. Doerr. 1978. Woodcock on North Carolina wintering grounds.

Proc. Annual Conf. of Southeastern Assoc. Game and Fish Comm. 30:392-399.

Female Wood Duck Apparently Killed
by Black Rat Snake

PAUL A. STEWART
203 Mooreland Drive
Oxford, N.C. 27565

At about 0830 on 23 April 1975 I went into my observation blind erected near a
Wood Duck (. Aix sponsa) nest, planning to make photographs of the brood of 11
ducklings leaving their nesting box. I had checked the nest in midafternoon of the
preceding day and found that the brood of ducklings could be expected to leave their nest
in the forenoon of 23 April. After watching from the observation blind until shortly after
noon without seeing the ducklings leaving their nest, I looked into the nesting box and
found there were no ducklings in the nest and the mother Wood Duck was dead. The
plumage on her head and neck was deranged, showing evidence of drying after having
been deranged when wet. I assumed that the mother Wood Duck had been killed by a
Black Rat Snake ( Elaphe obsoleta ) that had attempted to eat her. Apparently the snake
had swallowed the head and neck of the mother Wood Duck and disgorged these after
reaching the duck’s body, which was too large to be engulfed by the snake. It seems likely
that the snake tried to eat the mother Wood Duck before eating the ducklings, as it is
unlikely that the duck would have remained in the nesting box while the snake ate her
offspring.

Although I had no doubt that I was correct in my reading that the mother Wood
Duck had been killed by a Black Rat Snake, I hesitated to publish the observation
because I did not actually see the snake at the nest. Furthermore, I doubted that a snake
could have killed the mother Wood Duck, eaten all of the brood of ducklings, and
disappeared from the spot in the short time between my two visits to the nest. However, I
had earlier found other broods of newly hatched Wood Ducks nearby eaten by Black Rat
Snakes that I saw in the nesting boxes. Now, Fendley (Wilson Bull. 92:526-527) reports
having found Black Rat Snakes in nests in South Carolina with dead Wood Ducks, the
Wood Ducks showing evidence of having been killed by the snakes. The necks of the
birds were twisted, the neck of one of the birds possibly being broken. The dead Wood
Duck I found showed no evidence of having struggled as was suggested by the conditions
of the birds found by Fendley. Although I could not determine whether constriction had
been used by the snake, I assumed that my Wood Duck had been killed at least partly by
the bird’s inability to breathe with her head inside the snake’s body.

Fall 1981

97

First South Carolina Specimen
of the Black-legged Kittiwake

PRIS KNIGHT
Endangered Species Section

South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department
P.O. Box 12559, Charleston, S.C. 29412
JEAN PFAFF

Sea Island Veterinary Hospital
Charleston, S.C. 29412

In response to a call from the Law Enforcement Division of the South Carolina
Wildlife and Marine Resources Department concerning oil-soaked birds, Knight investi-
gated the beach at Folly Island, near Charleston, S.C., the morning of 19 January 1980.
The only bird found appeared to be a kittiwake. It was emaciated and had oil on its
breast, wings, and head. The weather at the time, through cold, was clear and sunny.
Knight took the bird to the Sea Island Veterinary Hospital where Pfaff identified it
tentatively as a Black-legged Kittiwake ( Rissa tridactyla ). Pfaff treated the bird for shock
and removed as much of the oil as possible. Nevertheless, the kittiwake died 2 hours later.

Albert E. Sanders of the Charleston Museum confirmed the identification of the
Kittiwake (as R. t. tridactyla ) and had it prepared as a study skin (ChM No. CB2349).
The specimen, an adult female in fresh, early winter plumage, weighed 236.4 g.
Measurements were total length 38 cm, tail 14 cm, wing 30 cm, tarsus 3.2 cm, bill 3.5 cm,
and ovary 1.0 x 0.6 cm. The stomach contained grit, coquina shells (Donax sp.), and
ingested oil.

The Folly Island specimen represents the first record of the Black-legged Kittiwake
in South Carolina. Grant, Browne, and Parnell (1976, Chat 40:12-13) stated that there
are no published records for South Carolina, but suggested that this species undoubtedly
occurs offshore during winter. They summarized 17 sightings in North Carolina waters
since 1940. More recently, Lee and Booth (1979, Am. Birds 33:719) reported addi-
tional records for North Carolina and gave the status of the kittiwake in that state as
a common winter resident. Additional field work is required in order to establish its
status in South Carolina coastal waters.

Range Expansion of Nesting Tree Swallows

BILL E. DUYCK
53 Merion Drive
Asheville, N.C. 28806

On 4 May 1981 at 1615 EDT I noticed a pair of Tree Swallows (Iridoprocne bicolor)
clinging to an empty bluebird nest box while a male Eastern Bluebird ( Sialia sialis )
attempted to drive them away. The bluebird, which was nesting about 70 feet a way at the
time, seemed determined to keep the swallows from infringing on his territory. The male
Tree Swallow would fly down to the nest box, the female would join him, and the male
bluebird would try to run them away from the box. I watched this behavior for about 30
minutes. Although I at first assumed the swallows were just passing through in
northward migration, subsequent visits to the site provided the first nesting record for
Tree Swallows in Buncombe County, N.C., and the second for the state.

The swallow nesting site is 1.5 miles N of Asheville on NC 191. The box is 4 feet
above ground and attached to a telephone pole in an open field about 50 feet from a
dwelling. The elevation is 1980 feet. The French Broad River is nearby.

I visited the site almost daily from 4 through 29 May and less frequently until the day
the young Tree Swallows fledged, 21 June. Although the adult swallows were at the

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The Chat

Fig. 1 . Shown above are the nest and six eggs of a pair of T ree Swallows that bred
successfully in Buncombe County, N.C., in 1981. (Photo by Bill E. Duyck)

chosen box on 5 and 6 May, it was not until the seventh that I found a few pieces of grass 4
to 6 inches long in the bottom of the box. On 9 May I finally saw the female carrying
material into the box. On this date I noticed that the male bluebird was no longer
harassing the Tree Swallows, though I could not determine when the bluebird ceased this
behavior.

By 10 May the nest box was one-third full of nesting material. The cup had been
completed by 12 May when I found two feathers in the nest. On 14 Maya second female
appeared on the scene. Apparently a transient, she perched on the power line for a few
seconds and continued on her way.

One egg was laid each day from 15 through 20 May, completing the clutch of six
eggs. During the egg-laying period more and more feathers were added to the nest (Fig.
1). The female was incubating on 21 May, and the male was carrying feathers to the nest.

When I visited the box on 23 May, the incubating female left the nest. While she was
gone, the male entered the box and looked out the entrance hole. After about 3 minutes,
the female returned. Just at the last second the male left the nest. The female immediately
alighted upon the box and went in. According to Bent’s Ufe Histories, this is normal
behavior for nesting Tree Swallows.

Feathers continued to be added to the nest at least through 26 May. I identified
some as dove and guinea fowl feathers.

Unfortunately, I was not able to obtain data on the hatching of the eggs or develop-
ment of the nestlings because other commitments made regular visits impossible from 30
May through 16 June. On 20 June I found all six young swallows alive in the nest box and
apparently about ready to fledge.

I returned at 1030 EDT on 21 June. When I took the top off the box, there were only
five nestlings inside. The adults really were giving me a dive bombing. Then I realized the

Fall 1931

99

young were fledging and immediately replaced the top. Suddenly the sky was filled with
Tree Swallows. The young left the box so rapidly I couldn’t count them, but the last one
departed at 1040 EDT. The parents and the five young Tree Swallows soon left the nest
site and, as is their habit, did not return.

Again I removed the top. There was one young swallow in the nest, but it was dead.
Judging from the size of it, I figured that it was the last one to hatch. Apparently it was
suffocated by its larger nestmates shortly before they fledged.

The only previously reported nesting of the Tree Swallow in North Carolina
occurred in Ashe County in 1979 (Chat 44:9). That nest was in an old woodpecker cavity
in a tree stub beside the New River at an elevation below 3000 feet. The Buncombe
County site is nearly 100 miles SW of the Ashe County site, and it lies at or near the
southern limit of breeding in the East.

Rough-winged Swallow Nesting in Coastal North Carolina

STEVEN P. PLATANIA
MARY KAY CLARK
North Carolina State Museum
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

During early May 1981 we found two nesting sites for the Rough-winged Swallow
( Stelgidopteryx ruficollis ) on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. These represent the
first nesting records for this species from this region and one of the few confirmed ones
for the coastal portion of the state (see Fig. 1).

Behind the Marine Resources Center on Roanoke Island, Dare County, we
observed Bank Swallows ( Riparia riparia) feeding over Croatan Sound and flying
about an eroded bank. One bird was seen leaving a hole, which contained an unfinished

Fig. 1 . Known nesting localities of the Rough-winged Swallow in North Carolina
(dots). Counties from which nesting is reported but for which specific sites are
unknown are marked with a C. Sources of records are on file at the North
Carolina State Museum.

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The Chat

Fig. 2. Rough-winged Swalllows nest in an eroded embankment on Roanoke
island, Dare County, N.C. Buildings in the background are part of the Marine
Resources Center near Manteo.

nest. Several birds perched nearby and were well studied. There were 10 to 15 vocalizing
individuals in the area, all of which appeared to be Bank Swallows. This was on 6 May
1981. Later that day a second nest site containing a single pair of swallows was found in
Nags Head Woods in the side of a sand pit currently used as a local dump. These birds
were Rough-winged Swallows.

On 13 May 1981 we revisited both sites hoping to confirm the breeding of the two
species. At this time only Rough-winged Swallows were found at both sites, and at least
two nests contained eggs (others were too deep to be reached). The Bank Swallows seen
earlier apparently were migrants, although it is interesting that they were investigating
potential nest sites during migration.

The swallow burrows did not seem to be new, so we assume that they were also here
during the 1980 nesting season and perhaps in prior years as well. Eloise Potter observed
large numbers of Rough-winged Swallows in and near Nags Head woods 9 to 1 1 May
1978 while conducting a breeding bird survey of the area, but she was unable to locate
any nests. At the Nags Head site the banks used by the swallows were unvegetated, but
the sand pit, while close to water and other open areas that would be suitable for feeding,
was completely enclosed in a mature pine-hardwood forest. At the Roanoke Island site
(Fig. 2) the bank was vegetated (Loblolly Pine, Firms taeda ; American Holly, Ilex
opaca\ greenbriers, Similax sp.; Muscadine Grape, Vitis rotundifolia; Coral Honey-
suckle, Lonicera sempevirens\ and Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana), and several of
the nest openings close to the top of the bank were concealed by overhanging vines.

All of the coastal county nesting records (see Fig. 1) appear to represent a recent
invasion. Quay (1959, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, and Amphibians of Cape Hatteras

Fall 1981

101

National Seashore Recreational Area, U.S. Dept, of Interior 1-88) did not record the
species nesting in the Outer Banks area. Rough-winged Swallows first appeared in the
Beaufort area about 20 years ago (J.O. Fussell III, pers. comm.), and they were absent in
the southeastern portion of the state prior to the 1960s (Funderburg and Quay 1959,
J. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc. 75:13-18).

Bird students should be aware that Bank Swallows and Tree Swallows
( Iridoprocne bicolor ), while rare mountain nesting species in North Carolina, are
regular nesting birds in the tidewater region of the Chesapeake Bay. An extension of
their breeding range into coastal North Carolina would not be unexpected. The rapid
expansion of nesting Barn Swallows ( Hirundo rustica) during the 1950s and 1960s,
unlike that of the Cliff Swallow ( Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) (Grant and Quay 1977,
Wilson Bull. 89:286-290), went relatively undocumented. This is publication 1981-8 of
the North Carolina Biological Survey.

[NOTE: The North Carolina Biological Survey is maintaining nesting records for
all the breeding birds of the state. Eloise Potter has been primarily responsible for
assembling these records. Persons with definite nesting records for any species are urged
to send information to her. Work maps such as the one for the Rough-winged Swallow
will appear in Chat when they will enhance articles and notes discussing distributional
patterns. It is hoped that the occasional appearance of these maps will encourage
contributors of breeding records. As can be seen here, nesting information even for the
common species is relatively fragmentary. — DSL]

Cliff Swallows Nesting on Fontana Dam, N.C.

jim McConnell

2808 Butner Street
Durham, N.C. 27704

Birds of the Carolinas (1980) summarizes the recent expansion of the Cliff Swallow
( Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) as a breeding species in the Carolina piedmont and coastal
plain since it was first reported nesting at Hartwell Dam on the upper Savannah River in
the spring of 1965. Its preference for dam sites, the dams serving as sheltered locations for
the attachment of the swallows’ characteristic mud nests, was also noted. No nesting
activity has been reported for any of the larger dams or other suitable areas in the
mountain region of either North Carolina or South Carolina. The discovery of a nesting
pair of Cliff Swallows on 15 June 1981 on the Graham County side of the Fontana Dam
by Owen McConnell and me represents the first evidence of the logical extension of
breeding into the mountain region where suitable habitat exists. Accordingly, Stupka, in
his Notes on the Birds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (a park adjacent to
Graham County and including the Swain County portion of Fontana Dam) recognized
the Cliff Swallow only as a “very common fall migrant in the vicinity of the park.” His
studies were concluded in 1963, before the advent of the species as a breeder in the
Carolinas.

The Cliff Swallows were carefully observed while they were flying with Barn and
Rough-winged Swallows in the vicinity of the dam. The pair had placed their jug-like
mud nest under a concrete overhang at the top of the dam about 35 m from the shore and
a few meters from the first flood gate. This nest was entirely separate from a colony of
Barn Swallows occupying the flood gate openings on the opposite side of the dam. We
watched the nest between 1400 and 1500 EDT, during which time both adults made
frequent visits. An adult bird would arrive, on the average, once every 5 to 10 minutes.
There seemed to be no synchronization between the two adults’ visits to the nest. Some-
times they would arrive simultaneously, but at other times at well-spaced intervals. They
stayed in the nest from 1 to 3 minutes, apparently feeding young. No evidence of addi-
tional pairs was found around the dam, and only time will tell whether the species will
establish a colony here.

102

The Chat

Disfraciion Display of Chestnut-sided Warbler

jim McConnell
2808 Butner Street
Durham, N.C. 27704

At 1100 EDT on 16 June 1981 I was hiking along a dirt road leading up the side of
John’s Knob (1200 m) in Graham County, N.C., when a female Chestnut-sided Warbler
(. Dendroica pensylvanica) flew from a small Rub us thicket along the roadside and
alighted on the ground about 3 m from me. The bird was a female, showing a chestnut
stripe broken in several places on its sides, a white cheek with only a trace of black below
the eye, and generally less intense and less extensive greenish-yellow towards the back of
the head and back than would be expected on a male. It began to chip excitedly and to
drag its wings, especially the left one, while running along the ground in front of me.
When I approached the bird it flew into a small tree 2 m from my head and began
chipping “in protest,” obviously excited and with its crown erect. A 10-minute search of
the immediate vicinity failed to turn up either a nest or young, but this does not mean that
one or the other did not exist. Throughout the search the bird engaged in numerous
broken-wing displays and chipped frequently. Interestingly, the bird would feign a
broken wing only when I was within a small area with a diameter of about 4 m. The bird’s
mate, a well-marked male, was seen foraging close by, but it did not engage in such antics.
Lee noted that among the warblers breeding in the Carolinas only the Black-and-white
and the Swainson’s have been recorded performing broken-wing acts (Chat 44: 1 1 1-1 12).

BACKYARD BIRDING

(Continued from page 95)

The females and immatures begin to disappear in late September and early
October. Usually they move on following a cold front that has brought with it a number
of migrant thrashers from the north. When these new birds appear, there is much
scolding and chasing for a day or two and then all are gone. The males who winter here
seem to wander during this period in early fall, but by November, can be found in their
accustomed haunts.

For the past few winters we have had two males staying over. Naturally, they d o not
get on well together. One stays in the hedge on one side of the house and the other on the
opposite side. Except during extremely cold or snowy times, they rarely come in contact
with each other. At these times, they appear to be somewhat more tolerant of each other.
However, when the days begin to warm and grow longer, the two male thrashers are
often seen chasing each other. When the territories are staked out, one must not cross
over into that of the other. This usually means that they nest in yards other than mine,
but they continue to slip in for food.

During the winter months the male thrashers revert to their typical shyness. I rarely
see them except when they come for food. On warm winter days, I can hear one or both
of them singing a whisper song from a concealed perch in an evergreen. By mid-January,
they sing more often and for longer periods of time. When mid-February comes, singing
begins in earnest as they map out their territories. With the return of the females, the
singing reaches its highest and lovliest peak — from dawn until dark.

Fall 1981

103

BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

(All dates 1981 unless otherwise indicated)

COMMON LOON: Douglas McNair noted a late individual on White Lake in Bladen
County, N.C., on 24 May.

RED-NECKED GREBE: Quite rare was a grebe near Morehead City, N.C., on 6 March,
as seen by Allen Bryan.

NORTHERN FULMAR: Dave Lee reported 207 birds in the Gulf Stream off Cape
Hatteras, N.C., on 26 March. The previous high count of fulmars in North Caro-
lina waters was nine individuals.

CORY’S SHEARWATER: Pelagic trips off Charleston, S.C., tallied two on 26 April
(Dennis Forsythe et al.) and one on 3 May (Perry Nugent, Gardner Miller, et al.).

GREATER SHEARWATER: A pelagic trip led by Robert Ake and Paul DuMont out
of Hatteras Inlet, N.C., on 24 May yielded three individuals. Other shearwaters on
this trip were 1 1 Cory’s, six Sooties, and 36 Audubon’s.

SOOTY SHEARWATER: John Fussell counted five migrants from a pier at Atlantic
Beach, N.C., on 27 May.

AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER: Very early were two seen off Wilmington, N.C., on 27
March (Dave Lee).

BLACK-CAPPED PETREL: This species was noted on four pelagic trips off the North
Carolina coast during the spring. Two seen by Dave Lee off Wilmington on 27
March were the first ever for the state in that month and provided one of the very few
records south of Cape Lookout. Other reports were seven off Oregon Inlet on 2
April (Dave Lee), 14+ off Oregon Inlet on 14 May (Lee), and 18+ off Hatteras Inlet
on 24 May (Robert Ake, Paul DuMont, et al.).

LEACH’S STORM-PETREL: Dave Lee collected one off Oregon Inlet on 2 April, an
early date for this species. Lee also saw two in the same area on 14 May, and on the
pelagic trip led by Robert Ake and Paul DuMont four or five were observed on 24
May off Hatteras Inlet.

WILSON’S STORM-PETREL: An early individual was collected by Dave Lee off
Oregon Inlet on 2 April, and 75 were noted off Hatteras Inlet on 24 May (Mike Tove,
Paul DuMont, et al.). John Fussell observed single birds from a pier at Atlantic
Beach, N.C., on 9 and 10 May.

WHITE PELICAN: One was a good find at Shutes Folly Island near Charleston, S.C.,
on 27 February, as seen by Ted Metcalf.

GREAT CORMORANT: Single birds were rather rare at Oregon Inlet on 2 April (Dave
Lee) and at Huntington Beach State Park, S.C., on 26 April (Perry Nugent).

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: Inland reports, all in North Carolina, were: as
many as four at Beaverdam Reservoir in northern Wake County from 12 March to
20 May (Bill and Margaret Wagner et al.), one at Chapel Hill on 10 May (Mike
Tove), two near Fayetteville on 13 May (Philip Crutchfield), two on White Lake in
Bladen County on 24 May (Douglas McNair), and four on Bay Tree Lake in the last
county on 24 May (McNair).

ANHINGA: The species was again noted in the Fayetteville area and might be nesting
there, as four were seen at Jessup’s Mill Pond on 29 May by Philip Crutchfield. John
Fussell saw 1 1 at Walker’s Mill Pond near Newport, N.C., on 14 May; breeding has
been suspected there for several years.

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MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD: One was seen over Holden Beach, N.C., on 6 June
1980 by Darryl Moffett. An apparently adult male (no white seen in the plumage)
was observed flying over Cape Lookout, N.C., on 17 May by Skip Prange, Chip
Davis, and others; and a third bird was seen by Larry Crawford at Beaufort Inlet,
N.C., on 6 June.

GREAT BLUE HERON: Jay Carter discovered 18 nests on 4 May at a cypress pond on
the Sunny Point Military Ocean Terminal near Southport, N.C.

CATTLE EGRET: Inland sightings of note were an early individual at Fayetteville on
18 March, with 30+ there on 1 May (Philip Crutchfield); four in northeastern
Guilford County, N.C., on 20 April (Allen Bryan); two near Raleigh, N.C., on 29
April (Steve Graves); and 1 ! near Bennettsville, S.C., on 30 May (Douglas McNair).

SNOWY EGRET: Rare inland in spring were three to four at Fayetteville from 22 April
to 1 May, as reported by Philip Crutchfield.

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: Presumably a late migrant was an adult seen
by Tom Haggerty near the Kerr Scott Reservoir dam in Wilkes County, N.C., on 22
May.

AMERICAN BITTERN: One noted by Douglas McNair near Rockingham, N.C., was
rather late on 9 May.

AMERICAN FLAMINGO: Two flamingos were observed by T.H. Parker near the
lighthouse on Cape Island, S.C., on 13 May.

BRANT: Steve Graves and Mark Crotteau saw flocks of 250 and 200 near Ocracoke
and Hatteras Inlet, N.C., respectively, on 10 March. One was late at Fort Macon
State Park, N.C., on 16 April (Skip Prange).

PINTAIL: A pair, apparently mated, was noted at Pea Island, N.C., on 23 May by
Bruce Lord and Herb Wilson.

AMERICAN WIGEON: A male was rather late at Beaufort, N.C., on 4 May, as seen by
John Fussell et al.

REDHEAD: Steve Graves observed a very late male at North River marsh near Beaufort
on 1 1 May.

OLDSQUAW: An excellent total for so late in spring was 200 individuals seen from the
Ocracoke-Swanquarter, N.C., ferry on 18 April by Wayne and Fran Irvin. Also seen
on this ferry crossing were 150 scoters (Surfs and Blacks).

HARLEQUIN DUCK: Very unusual away from the immediate coastline was an
immature male noted by John Fussell at Swanquarter on 2 March. Allen Bryan
observed the bird 3 days later.

KING EIDER: Rare and extremely late were a male and four females at Price’s Inlet
near Charleston on 1 May, as seen by John McCrady and Fred Horlbeck.

COMMON MERGANSER: A female was carefully studied by Ray Chandler and
Michelle Cawthorn at Oregon Inlet on 1 1 and 12 April. This species is seldom seen
after March in the Carolinas, and the saltwater habitat is also rather unusual.

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: Good totals for an inland locality were 50 at
Beaverdam Reservoir on 16 March and 53 there on 18 March, as reported by Bill
and Margaret Wagner and Johnnie Payne.

SWALLOW-TAILED KITE: Most unusual for the piedmont was a kite seen by Tom
and Elizabeth Haggerty and Joe Williams approximately 9 miles SE of Siler City,
N.C., on 22 May. Other records from the same state were individuals at Morehead
City on 13 April (John Fussell), at Ocracoke Island on 25 April (Peter Vankevitch),
and on Core Banks near Atlantic on 1 May (Kevin Kacer).

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK: One was seen at Jordan Reservoir, in eastern Chatham
County, N.C., on 14 March by Allen Bryan, apparently the same hawk that was
noted there in February.

Fall 1981

105

BALD EAGLE: One to two were seen on many dates this spring at Beaverdam Reservoir
(Bill and Margaret Wagner et al.), and an immature was observed over residential
Raleigh on 27 March by Gail Whitehurst. In the North Carolina Sandhills were an
adult seen by Tom Howard and party near Aberdeen on 23 March and an immature
seen at Hoffman on 1 1 May by Douglas McNair.

MARSH HAWK: An individual was late at Jordan Reservoir on 16 May, as reported by
Bob Lewis, Allen Bryan, and Mike Tove.

PEREGRINE FALCON: Quite rare and late was an adult noted by Ricky Davis in
northwestern Pender County, N.C., on 15 May.

MERLIN: Dave Lee saw an individual near Bryson City, N.C., on 1 1 April, and three
were seen in Carteret County, N.C., on 25 and 26 April (fide John Fussell).

AMERICAN KESTREL: Perry Nugent and Steve Compton watched a pair carrying
anoles into a woodpecker hole on Old Fort Road in I’On Swamp, northeast of
Charleston, on 17 May. This is the same site where nesting was suspected last year.

SORA: One was rather early at Beaverdam Reservoir on 4 April, as seen by Robert
Hader.

BLACK RAIL: John Fussell, Ricky Davis, and Mike Tove heard approximately 20
calling on the evening of 4 May at Cedar Island, N.C., where the largest known
breeding population in the Carolinas exists.

BLACK-NECKED STILT: At North River marsh near Beaufort, John Fussell noted an
early individual on 6 April, and the maximum spring count there was 14 on 11 May
(Steve Graves). One at Sunset Beach, N.C., on 19 April (Kevin Mason, Philip
Crutchfield) was rare for Brunswick County.

AMERICAN AVOCET: Noteworthy for Carteret County was an avocet at North River
marsh on 16 April (John Fussell).

AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER: The only spring report received was of one in winter
plumage seen by Allen Bryan at Bodie Island, N.C., on 18 April.

MARBLED GOD WIT: Five seen flying over the surf at Bodie Island were of interest
on 24 May, as noted by Bruce Lord and Herb Wilson.

UPLAND SANDPIPER: One was observed by Billy McCord and Nan Jenkins on 25
March approximately 2 miles W of Sycamore, Allendale County, S.C.

GREATER YELLOWLEGS: One was rather early near Townville, S.C., on 8 March
(Harry LeGrand), and a good count of 25+ was made in eastern Durham County,
N.C., on 31 March (Bill and Margaret Wagner).

WILLET: Rare inland were one seen by Philip Crutchfield near Fayetteville on 5 May
and two observed by John Fussell at an impoundment just northwest of Catfish
Lake in Jones County, N.C., on 15 May.

WILSON’S PHALAROPE: Three individuals were flushed from the ocean on a pelagic
trip off Charleston on 3 May, as reported by Perry Nugent and party. Also noted on
this trip were the “usual” pelagic phalaropes, 25 Northerns and 15 Reds.

NORTHERN PHALAROPE: Notable onshore sightings were six at a small pond on
Bodie Island on 18 May (Claudia Wilds) and one at Brant Island at Fort Macon
State Park on 24 May (John Fussell).

RED PHALAROPE: Dave Lee had good counts of 378 on 26 March, and 118 on 2
April, both off Oregon Inlet.

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER: One in breeding plumage was observed by Philip
Crutchfield at Fayetteville on 22 April, and apparently the same bird was there on
29 April.

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER: A flock of 18 was seen on 2 March by John Fussell at

106

The Chat

Swanquarter at the site where they were previously reported in February. At Bodie
Island were 20 on 17 April (Allen Bryan) and one on 18 May (Claudia Wilds).

SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER: Rather early inland migrants were two birds seen
by Philip Crutchfield at Fayetteville on 22 April.

WESTERN SANDPIPER: This “peep” is rare inland in spring; thus, of interest were one
at Jordan Reservoir on 11 April (Mike To ve, Steve Graves) and four at Fayetteville
on 26 April, with two there the following day (Philip Crutchfield).

LEAST SANDPIPER: A total of 12 at Jordan Reservoir on 19 March, as reported by
Bill and Margaret Wagner, was a good number for that month.

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER: Two were observed by Mike Tove at Jordan
Reservoir on 28 April,

PECTORAL SANDPIPER: One seen by Harry LeGrand was early on 7 March near
Pendleton, S.C., and LeGrand and Alan Avakian tallied 90 birds at several sites in
the Clemson, S.C., area on 21 March.

DUNLIN: Philip Crutchfield noted three at Fayetteville on 17 March.

CURLEW SANDPIPER: The earliest spring record for the Carolinas, and the first
for April, was an individual in winter plumage described in great detail by Ray
Chandler et al. The sandpiper was seen at the Bodie Island lighthouse pond on
11 April.

STILT SANDPIPER: John Fussell observed an early migrant near Beaufort on 8 April.

JAEGERS: In the Atlantic Beach, N.C., area, John Fussell and others noted many
jaegers migrating over the surf this spring, with the following totals: four on
18 April, two on 26 April, 11 on 29 April, four on 30 April, one on 9 May, 12 on
10 May, and two on 1 1 May. Fussell believed that most (especially those in April)
were Pomarines, but none were positively identified. Reports of “identified” jaegers
were a Pomarine at Pine Knoll Shores, N.C., on 15 March (Robert Hader), two
Pomarines off Oregon Inlet on 26 March (Dave Lee), and a Parasitic off Cape
Lookout on 6 May (Wayne Irvin).

GLAUCOUS GULL: A first-year immature was seen at a landfill at Newport, N.C., on
6 March by John Fussell and Allen Bryan; and another immature was seen by Perry
Nugent at Huntington Beach State Park, S.C., on 26 April.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL: Steve Graves and Mark Crotteau observed one
on 10 March at the point at Cape Hatteras, where as many as six birds were noted
during the winter.

HERRING GULL: An immature seen by Douglas McNair at Singletary Lake in Bladen
County, N.C., was quite late on 24 May.

LAUGHING GULL: One was seen by Tom Haggerty at Roanoke Rapids, N.C., on
3 April.

COMMON TERN: Individuals were observed at Rocky Mount, N.C., on 14 April by
Lou Fink and at Beaverdam Reservoir on 20 May by Bill and Margaret Wagner
and Johnnie Payne.

CASPIAN TERN: Two each were noted at Forest Lake near Fayetteville on 23 April
(Derb Carter) and at Lake Wheeler near Raleigh on 29 April (Steve Graves).

BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO: Noteworthy for the coast in spring were two heard calling
in FOn Swamp near Charleston on 9 May by Perry Nugent, who heard another in
the Charleston area on 1 1 May.

SHORT-EARED OWL: In the weedy fields and marshes in the lakebed of Jordan
Reservoir, Maurice and Steve Graves saw 10 on 14 March, and Ricky Davis noted
one on 6 April.

SAW-WHET OWL: At least three were heard calling at dawn from a dense stand of

Fall 1981

107

small pines in I’On Swamp near Charleston on 17 May by Steve Compton and
Perry Nugent. The owls responded to taped calls but were not observed. The birds
were undoubtedly very late migrants.

CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW: One was heard by members of the Charleston Natural
History Society at Fairlawn Plantation northeast of Charleston on the early date of
22 March.

COMMON NIGHTHAWK: Douglas McNair observed two flocks of migrants totaling
30 birds at Derby, Richmond County, N.C., on 22 May.

CHIMNEY SWIFT: An early individual was seen by Steve Compton at Kiawah Island,
S.C., on 14 March.

SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER: An excellent find was one seen near Derby, N.C.,
on 27 May by Douglas McNair and later in the day by Tom Howard.

ALDER FLYCATCHER: Rare was a singing bird along Alamance Creek in Alamance
County, N.C., on 9 May, as reported by Allen Bryan.

EASTERN WOOD PEWEE: John Fusselletal. saw an early pe wee in western Carteret
County on 18 April.

BANK SWALLOW: An excellent concentration of swallows was 1800 at Beaverdam
Reservoir on 20 May; 45% were Banks, as noted by Bill Wagner and others.

COMMON RAVEN: One was seen in the extreme upper piedmont at Sunset, Pickens
County, S.C., on 3 May by Harry LeGrand.

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE: A bird heard giving the two-note song of this species
was noted by Herb Wilson on Round Bald, just east of Roan Mountain, N.C., on
5 June. The bird was not seen, and thus the record is suggestive of Black-capped
Chickadee but not absolutely conclusive.

HOUSE WREN: Henry Rankin and Philip Crutchfield found a singing male at
Fayetteville on 22 May. This city is outside the known breeding range.

SWAINSON’S THRUSH: One was at least 2 weeks early at Raleigh on 10 April, as seen
by Gail Whitehurst.

GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH: Very rare in spring for the immediate coast was an
individual seen at Cape Lookout on 23 May by John Fussell and Robert Hader.

WATER PIPIT: A flock of 40 seen by Perry Nugem at the U.S. Vegetable Lab near
Charleston was late on 7 May.

CEDAR WAXWING: Although scattered individuals of this species routinely linger in
the Carolinas (away from the nesting grounds) until late May, a group of 60 was
notable at Bay Tree Lake in Bladen County on 24 May (Douglas McNair).

PHILADELPHIA VIREO: Extremely rare for the coastal plain in spring was an indi-
vidual seen by Steve Compton and Perry Nugent in I’On Swamp near Charleston on
17 May. The bird was yellowish below, olive above including the head, had a white
eye stripe with no black border above it, and a black loral spot.

SWAINSON’S WARBLER: An individual was reported near Chapel Hill on 1 May by
Mike Tove. The species was detected in this area last spring, and despite a lack of
summer records to indicate breeding, the birds might be on territory.

WORM-EATING WARBLER: One noted by Mike Tove and Steve Graves was rather
early on 1 1 April at Chapel Hill.

GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER: Quite rare as far east as Fayetteville in spring were
two males observed on 26 April by Philip Crutchfield and Russell Oates.

TENNESSEE WARBLER: An individual in winter plumage was studied carefully by
Perry Nugent, Steve Compton, et al. at Fairlawn Plantation northeast of Charleston
on 22 March. All marks, including white undertail coverts and trace of a wing bar,

108

The Chat

were observed. Douglas McNair noted singing birds near Rockingham, N.C., on
8 May and 21 May.

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: One was seen by Ruth and Mosely Chesnutt in a
yard in Fayetteville in early March.

NASHVILLE WARBLER: Gail Whitehurst observed a female on 22 May at Raleigh,
where the species is very rare in spring.

NORTHERN PARULA: One was approximately a week early at McCain, Hoke
County, N.C., on 29 March, as noted by Libba Watson.

YELLOW WARBLER: One was singing at White Lake, N.C., on 24 May (Douglas
McNair). The species is not known to breed in this area, but it is not clear from the
date of the sighting whether the bird was simply a late migrant or not.

MAGNOLIA WARBLER: Unusual for the coast in spring was a singing male seen by
John Sneeden near Wilmington, N.C., on the late date of 30 May.

CERULEAN WARBLER: Wayne and Fran Irvin noted a male in their yard near
Raleigh on 13 April.

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER: Very rare were two at Cape Lookout on 23 May
(John Fussell, Robert Hader) and another near Kitty Hawk, N.C., on 24 May (Herb
Wilson, Bruce Lord).

YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER: One singing from waxmyrtles was unusual at
Pea Island on 23 May, as noted by Herb Wilson and Bruce Lord.

PRAIRIE WARBLER: One was noteworthy for late winter in a Fayetteville yard on
13 March (Philip Crutchfield, Ruth and Mosely Chesnutt).

OVENBIRD: John Fussell observed a flightless young and an “upset” adult 1 mile Eof
Havelock, N.C., on 14 May. The species is present in summer and assumed to breed
in this part of the state, but actual nesting evidence for the Croatan National Forest
had been scarce or lacking.

LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH: One was reported by John Fussell at Hunter’s Cfeek
in extreme western Carteret County on 17 April, a very rare record for the county,
but the date gives no clues as to whether the bird was a breeding individual. Ricky
Davis found two singing birds, apparently on territory, in southern Pender County,
N.C., where the Black River joins the Cape Fear River, on 13 May.

WILSON’S WARBLER: One seen by Gardner Miller and Perry Nugent was rare and
somewhat early on 18 April near Charleston. One of the surprisingly few spring
records for Great Smoky Mountains National Park was a singing male observed by
Mike Tove and Mark Eisdorfer on 13 May at Deep Creek, N.C.

CANADA WARBLER: The first record for Carteret County was a male seen at Cape
Lookout on 23 May by John Fussell and Robert Hader.

NORTHERN ORIOLE: Eloise Potter noted an adult male in her yard near Zebulon,
N.C., on 2 June; however, it was not seen on later dates and presumably was a non-
breeder.

WESTERN TANAGER: An individual present in a Fayetteville yard in February was
noted again, from 14 March to early April, by Philip Crutchfield and Ruth and
Mosely Chesnutt.

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: Robert Ruiz reported a pair seen at Swannanoa,
N.C*, nearly daily from 30 April into June. The elevation of 2265 feet is approxi-
mately 1000 feet below the usual lower limit of breeding in the state. Aji early
migrant was at Jordan Reservoir on 12 April (Sue Wilburn), and fairly late were
birds on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on 23 May at Buxton and on 24 May at
Kitty Hawk (Bruce Lord, Herb Wilson).

DICKCISSEL: Ricky Davis observed a singing male at Ebenezer Point in the Jordan

Fall 1981

109

Reservoir area on 6 April, but it was not seen again by other birders later in April or
May. However, another (or the same) was reported from the reservoir on 7 June by
Eva McKenna and Ruth Fink. Paul Hamel noted a male on territory in northern
Anderson County, S.C., on 14 June at the exact spot where a male was present in the
summer of 1977.

EVENING GROSBEAK: One was rather rare at Bodie Island on 7 May, as reported by
Allen Bryan.

HOUSE FINCH: A female lingered at Charles Lincoln’s feeder in Morehead City, N.C.,
until 21 April. A female in Swannanoa, N.C., on 20 April and a male on 4 May were
noteworthy (Betty Ruiz). Several adults were seen in two yards at Chapel Hill in late
May and early June, though no evidence of nesting was reported (fide Bill Wagner).

COMMON REDPOLL: Very rare, as well as surprisingly late, was a female seen at a
feeder in Monroe, N.C., by Anne Olsen from 11 to 15 March. Convincing details
were provided.

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW: Philip Crutchfield and Kevin Mason heard a singing
bird along River Road near Fayetteville on 18 May. This site is somewhat to the
southeast of the known breeding range.

LE CONTE’S SPARROW: An individual was studied carefully by Harry LeGrand,
Alan Avakian, and Jeff Beacham near Townville, S.C., on 8 March. Another bird,
previously seen during the winter, was noted again near Pendleton, S.C., on 21
March by Avakian and LeGrand.

BACHMAN’S SPARROW: Jay Carter reported that singing males were present this
spring on the Sandhills Game Land in northeastern Richmond County, in the
western part of Fort Bragg, and at two sites in southern Moore County, all in the
North Carolina Sandhills.

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW: Fairly late in departing were birds at Bulls Island,
S.C., on 9 May (Steve Compton, Gardner Miller), and on 10 May at Harkers Island,
N.C. (Skip Prange) and at Chapel Hill (Steve Graves).

LINCOLN’S SPARROW: One seen near Pendleton on 7 March by Harry LeGrand was
likely a wintering individual, whereas Charles Blake banded one, probably a
migrant, near Hillsborough, N.C., on 13 April.

LAPLAND LONGSPUR: Douglas McNair closely watched a female at the Rocking-
ham-Hamlet airfield, N.C., on 9 May. The previous late date for this species in the
Carolinas was 20 April.

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The Chat

BOOK REVIEWS

THE AUDUBON SOCIETY FIELD GUIDE TO NORTH AMERICAN
BUTTERFLIES

Robert Michael Pyle. 1981. Knopf. $11.95

A bird-watcher who strays into the world of butterflies finds much that is familiar.
Birds and butterflies are similar in size, color, number of species, and distribution. Both
groups are active mostly by day, and both have fascinating, though different, life
histories. Then too, the lives of birds and butterflies often converge; birds as predators,
butterflies as their prey.

The prey relationship has affected profoundly the way butterflies look. Many
species have evolved on the outer edges of their wings colorful eye -like spots that seem
to misdirect the stab of a hungry bird. Other species have hair-like tails at the trailing
edge of their hind wings. These confuse birds: Which end is the antennaed head, where
one blow would bring down the victim, and which end the expendable tail?

Some butterflies, in our area notably the Pipevine Swallowtail and the Monarch,
taste bad and cause illness when ingested. The poison is held over in the adults from the
toxic plants on which they fed as larvae. These butterflies have bold colors and
markings. Birds quickly learn to recognize the butterflies they don’t like, and to avoid
them. But still others, notably the Red Spotted Purple and the Viceroy, mimic the bad-
tasting butterflies in appearance. These are, so to speak, tidbits in wolfs clothing,
benefactors of false and misleading advertising.

Despite the rich variety of butterflies, most bird-watchers seem to hesitate to
commit themselves with the same passion with which they pursue birds. Perhaps the
idea still persists that to study butterflies one must possess and be willing to use such
nasty objects as nets, killing jars, and pins. The butterly volume in the Peterson Field
Guide Series did nothing to dispel this notion. By Alexander Klotz, it is a fine book
despite the slant of both text and illustrations toward identifying the collected
specimen. It was published about 30 years ago. Butterfly nomenclature has undergone
many a revision since them. New species have been described. Many new facts have
been discovered about life histories. And the old guide limited its coverage to North
America east of the Rockies. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t intend to dispose of my copy.
I’ll keep it on hand and use it often.

Fortunately, the new Audubon Society field guide triumphantly overcomes the
shortcomings of the Klotz guide. An astonishing 1086 full-color photographs cover
about 600 species, with some 100 others treated in thumbnail drawings and discussions.
All of North America north of Mexico falls under the scope of this book. The tropical
strays that reach south Florida and Texas lead one’s dreams toward Central America
the West Indies.

This is a marvelous natural history book, in my opinion the best of the Audubon
Society Field Guide Series. We are inspired to identify butterflies in the field and to
collect photographs rather than bodies. A marvelous book, but not a masterpiece. A
masterpiece would not have so many flash pictures, which give an out-of-this-world
look to the butterflies. A good (bad?) example is the Eastern Tailed Blue on the cover.
It has the look of metal foil — an effect you’ll never see in natural light. That Desert
Orangetip, so fetchingly posed on a desert wildflower, has sunk to the petals as though
its legs won’t support it. I strongly suspect a poison jar or a pinch, both sure to slow a
butterfly too frisky for the photographer’s convenience. What of the Northwest Alpine?
If a better photograph couldn’t be found, the artist should have been summoned. But
these are isolated flaws. Probably it will be a long time before a better butterfly guide
comes along. — JAY SHULER

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111

BIRDS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA/STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION

Kimball Garrett and John Dunn. 1981. Los Angeles Audubon Society, 7377
Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90046. Line drawings by Lee Jones. Index.
408 p. Hardcover, $18.95 plus $1.25 for postage and handling.

This is an attractive and informative book — a must for any bird student who lives in
southern California, visits or plans to visit there, or simply wants to be well informed
about the bird life of the West Coast. Do not be misled by Herbert Clarke’s gorgeous
jacket photo of a Western Bluebird or by Lee Jones’s generally excellent line drawings
scattered through the text: Birds of Southern California was written for people who take
their bird-watching seriously. (Yes, that’s our Lee Jones, formerly of Charlotte and
North Carolina State University.)

A careful reading of the front matter is essential to proper interpretation of the bar
graphs, species accounts, and range maps for breeding birds. The introduction includes
a long list of abbreviations used in the text and a helpful discussion of the geographical
scope of the work. A section on taxonomy and nomenclature explains the authors’
choice of common names and species order. (Basically, Garrett and Dunn rejected the
out-of-date 1957 A.O.U. Check-list and anticipated, as best they could, the forth-
coming edition, which probably will not be available before 1983.) Other sections treat
seasonal bird movements, population trends, and districts and habitats. The four
districts (desert, coastal, Colorado River, and Salton Sea) are illustrated on endpaper
maps of southern California as well as on aerial photographs of the region. Bar graphs
offer a quick impression of relative abundance of each species throughout the year in the
various districts and habitats. In some cases (e.g. American White Pelican) each district
has a separate bar.

Species accounts number more than 500 and vary in length from a few lines to a
page or more. The boldface opening paragraph is a brief, telegraphic statement of
seasonal status and distribution. Subsequent paragraphs, written in complete sentences,
give full details including specific dates and places for rare occurrences. The basic
species list is followed by introduced and exotic species, a supplemental list (species that
do not yet meet the criteria for acceptance on the main list), and additional species
recorded from northern California.

The breeding range maps at the back of the book are very helpful, but I wish the
illustrator had put the hatching lines farther apart. Even with reading glasses, I have
difficulty determining the directions of slope on maps treating two races or two species.
(For easy reference, I have colored one set of lines in each dual-purpose map.)

Birds of Southern California offers authoritative treatment of local seasonal
distribution, migration dates, nesting ranges, habitat relationships, and population
trends. With this book in hand, the Carolinian who visits southern California should
return home not only with many new species on his life list but also with an under-
standing of habitats quite different from those of the Eastern United States.

Los Angeles Audubon Society is to be congratulated for publishing an outstanding
book that defies the conventional wisdom of trade and university presses, which is that
state and regional bird books will not sell unless they have lots of color pictures and
instructions for identifying birds. In this day of excellent and inexpensive bird guides,
authors of state and regional works should be able to omit sections on field identifica-
tion without significant loss of sales. Absence of color plates is another matter.
Although this will certainly discourage some prospective buyers, the strong text and
wide interest in the bird life of southern California should make the small first printing
of the Garrett and Dunn book sell out quickly. — EFP

112

The Chat

THE AUDUBON SOCIETY HANDBOOK FOR BIRDERS

Stephen W. Kress. 1981. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. Illus. Three appen-
dices, Index. 322 p. Hardcover, $17.95.

Every new bird-watcher reaches a critical stage in the development of his interests
and skills when he first realizes that he has learned to identify all the species he can
readily find in the vicinity of his own home. Some people solve the problem by traveling
greater and greater distances to add birds to their life lists, North American lists, state
lists, year lists, or whatever other lists they may choose to keep. These people become
known as listers. Others solve the problem by learning more and more about the birds
close to home. These people become known as bird students. The purpose of Kress’s
Handbook is to help the inexperienced bird student become familiar with the funda-
mental techniques, field equipment, and publications used by professional and non-
professional ornithologists.

The chapter headings clearly define the scope of the book: field trip techniques,
binoculars and spotting scopes, observing birds, photographing and recording birds,
educational programs, research programs welcoming amateurs, periodicals and
organizations, and building a bird-watcher’s library. The text is generously illustrated
with black-and-white photographs and with drawings by Anne Senechal Faust. On the
whole the author presents basic information in a straightforward manner with a
minimum of technical terms and a blessed absence of jargon.

As will be true of any book covering a broad range of topics in some detail, there
are a few lapses. Two I happened to notice because of my personal involvement. Birds
of the Carolinas is listed only under the North Carolina heading, an understandable
oversight because few bird books cover two states. In the captions for the illustrations
of birds dusting and anting, only the control of ectoparasites is mentioned as a possible
reason for these behaviors. Sunning is neither illustrated nor mentioned in the text.

On page 40 Kress cautions readers against “assigning human motives and values to
bird behavior.” Isn’t that what he and others are doing when they assume birds take
extraordinary measures to rid themselves of ticks, lice, and mites even though there is
almost no supporting data based on the behavior of wild birds? I assume Kress took his
captions from the general literature without bothering to read Wilson Bulletin 69:78-90,
Auk 87:692-713, Chat 37:91-102, or Auk 91:537-563. These papers offer a considerable
body of data demonstrating a correlation between the peak of postnuptial and post-
ju venal molts and the peak of such grooming behaviors as anting, sunning, dusting,
and — to a lesser extent — water-bathing.

Of course Kress’s book is not supposed to be an encyclopedia of bird behavior,
merely an introduction. My criticisms should not detract from the many positive
aspects of the work. I particularly like the emphasis on keeping adequate records. How
often does the beginning bird-watcher see something unusual and fail to write it down?
Years later, when he finally realizes the full significance of the observation, he cannot
recall even the date much less weather conditions and other pertinent details.
Altogether Kress offers an abundance of sound advice and useful information that will
get bird students off to a good start. — EFP

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113

INDEX TO THE CHAT— VOLUME 45

A

Aberdeen, N.C., 106

Aiken (County), S.C., see Savannah River
Plant

Alamance County, N.C., 47,108; see also
Burlington, Lake Cammack
Alleghany County, N.C., 20; see also Stone
Mountain State Park
Allendale County, S.C., 106
Anderson (County), S.C., 20, 110; see also
Pendleton, Townville
Andre, John B., 44
Anhinga, 2,19,47,104
Anson County , N.C., 20,43; see also
Lilesville

Ashe County, N.C., 20,23
Asheville, N.C., 80^83,93
Atlantic Beach, N.C., 19,104,107
Avocet, American, 49,106
Avon , N .C . , 84

B

Barnwell County, S.C., see Savannah River
Plant

Beaufort, N.C., 19,49,50,51,52,102,105,106,
107

Beaufort County, N.C., 4,39
Beaufort Inlet, N.C., 21,105
Beaverdam Reservoir, N.C., 20,22,47,48,49,
50,51,52,53,79,80,81,104,105,106,107,108
behavior, bathing, 7

brood parasitism, 57-68
distraction display, 103
drinking, 40

feeding, 7,40,41,56,72,73,89
fishing, 41
food storing, 11
insight learning, 41
migratory, 85-89,100-101
nesting, 15,72,93-95,98-100
threatening, 45
winter, 71,96-97
Bennettsville , S.C., 105
Bertie County, N.C., 19,30
Bildstein, Keith, 38
Bird Count, Spring, 1-6
Bittern, American, 4,5,105
Least, 48

Blackbird, Brewer's, 53,82
Red-winged, 37,63,96

Bladen County, N.C., 23,104,107,108; see
also Clarkton, White Lake
Blowing Rock, N.C., 22
Bluebird, Eastern, 98,99

Bodie Island, N.C., 13,47,50,51,54,84,106,
107,110

Book Reviews, 25-28,55-56,111-113
Brant, 78,105
Brevard , N .C . , 6

Brunswick County, N.C., 21,83; see also
Holden Beach, Shallotte, Southport,

Sunset Beach
Bryson City, N.C., 106
Bufflehead, 79
Bulls Island, S.C., 100

Buncombe County, N.C., 82,98-100; see also
Asheville, Enka, Swannanoa
Bunting, Indigo, 61,62,65
Painted, 23,61,71,83
Snow, 54,84

Burke County, N.C., see Lake James
Burlington, N.C., 20,23,24,47,49,53,79
Buxton (Woods), N.C., 82,109

C

Caesars Head, S.C., 52

Caldwell County, N.C., 6; see also Blowing
Rock, Lenoir
Camden, S .C . , 80
Canvasback, 79
Cape Island, S.C., 105

Cape Lookout, N.C., 3,19,20,47,48,51,53,78,
81,105,107,108,109

Cardinal, 38 (print), 61,62,70,71,96
Carolina Beach, N.C., 48,54,81,83,84
Carter, J.H., III, 16

Carteret County, N.C., 20,22,41,54,83,84,
106,108,109; see also Atlantic Beach,
Beaufort Inlet, Cape Lookout, Cedar
Island, Core Banks, Croatan National
Forest, Fort Macon State Park, Hark-
ers Island, Morehead City, Newport,

Pine Knoll Shores, Portsmouth,

Shackleford Banks

Caswell County, N.C., see Yanceyville
Cedar Island, N.C., 20,79,81,106
Chapel Hill, N.C., 5,49,50,52,53,54,79,82,
83,104,108,110

Charleston (County), S.C., 4,20,36,44,45,
48,49,51,53,78,81,84,85-90,98,104,105,106,
107,108,109; see also Bulls Island, Cape
Island, Folly Beach, Francis Marion Na-
tional Forest, Johns Island, Kiawah Is-
land, McClellanville , Mount Pleasant,
Seabrook Island, Sullivans Island
Charlotte, N.C., 6
Chat, Yellow-breasted, 61,82
Chatham County, N.C., 19,46,48,80,105; see
also Jordan Reservoir, New Hope River,
Siler City

checklist, Durham County, N.C., 92
Chickadee, Black-capped, 108
Carolina, 61
Chowan County, N.C., 21
Chuck-wil 1 1 s-widow , 52,108
Clarendon County, S.C., see Santee N.W.R.
Clark, Mary Kay, 73,100
Clarkson, Edwin 0. and Elizabeth B., 70
Clarkton, N .C . , 19
Clemmons State Forest, N.C., 11
Clemson, S.C., 19,22,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,
79,84,107

Coastal Bird Conference, 12
Columbia, S.C., 19,83
Congaree Swamp, S.C., 80
Conners, John, 46
Coot, American, 79
Core Banks, N.C., 54,105
Cormorant, Double-crested, 5,6,47,104
Great, 47,78,104
corrections, 24,84

114

The Chat

Cove City, N.C. , 78
Cowbird, Brown-headed, 33,37,57-68
Crane, Sandhill, 21,49
Craven County, N.C., 79; see also Cove
City, Croatan National Forest, Havelock
Croatan National Forest, N.C., 19,20
Crossbill, Red, 83
Crow, Fish, 52,82

Crowders Mountain State Park, N.C., 49
Cuckoo, Black-billed, 51,107
Yellow-billed, 15-16,51
Cumberland County, N.C., 4; see also
Fayetteville, Fort Bragg
Curlew, Long-billed, 21,49
Currituck County, N.C., 82

Dare County, N.C., 20,45,73,75,100-102; see
also Avon, Bodie Island, Buxton, Hatteras,
Kitty Hawk, Oregon Inlet, Pea Island,

Salvo

Deep Creek, Great Smoky Mtn . Natl. Park, 109
Derby, N.C., 108

Dick, John Henry, drawings by, 24,90,110,119
Dickcissel , 4,53,63,83,109
Dillon (County), S.C., 4
Dove, Mourning, 54, 96
Dowitcher, Long-billed, 21,50,80,106
Short-billed, 21,50,54,106
Duck, Harlequin, 105
Ring-necked, 20,79
Ruddy, 79
Wood, 97

Dunlin, 5,21,50,80,107
Durham (County), N.C., 5,19,23,49,53,92
(county list), 106

Duyck, Bill E . , No. 4 cover photo, 98-100

Eagle, Bald, 2,20,48,85-90,106
Golden, 24,48,70,80

Edgecombe County, N.C., see Rocky Mount
Egret, Cattle, 6,19,47,105
Great, 6,48
Snowy, 19,54,105
Eider, King, 79,105
Elkin-Ronda, N.C., 6
Enka, N.C., 79

Fairfield County, S.C., see Simpsonville
Falcon, Peregrine, 48,54,80,85-90,106
Fayetteville, N.C., 19,20,22,23,24,47,48,
51,52,53,54,79,80,82,83,104,105,106,107,
108,109,1-10
Feduceia, Alan, 28
Finch, House, 2,23,54,61,71,83
Purple, 2,62,71
Fink, Louis C . , 27,56
Flamingo, American, 20,105
Flycatcher, Alder, 1,4,108
Least, 3,6,52
Olive-sided, 52

Sc issor-tailed , 22,108
Traill's, 52
Vermilion, 45
Willow, 4,22
Yellow-bellied, 1,4,52
Folly Beach, S.C. , 22
Forsyth County, N.C., 48,54; see also
W inston-Salem
Fort Bragg, N.C., 83,84
Fort Fisher, N.C., 53,54,80
Fort Macon State Park, N.C., 20,21,49,50,
105, 106

Four Oaks, N.C., 51,52

Francis Marion National Forest, S.C., 53
Franklin County, N.C., 57,64
Frigatebird, Magnificent, 47 , 105
Fulmar, Northern, 104
Funderburg, John B . , 25
Fussell, John 0., Ill, 1

G

Gallinule, Purple, 21,49

Gaston County, N.C., see Crowders Mtn. S. P.
Gates County, N.C., 20,22,23; see also
Gatesville, Merchants Millpond S. P.
Gatesville, N.C., 48

Georgetown (County), S.C., 52; see also
Huntington Beach State Park, Litchfield
Beach, North Island, Pawleys Island
Gnatcatcher, Blue-gray, 61,66,82
Godwit, Black-tailed, No. 1 cover, 13-14,84
Hudsonian, 80
Marbled, 106
Goldeneye, Common, 79
Goose , Ross 1 , 79

Snow, 4,48,78 (Blue)

White-fronted, 78
Goshawk, 80

Crackle, Boat-tailed, 82
Common, 37,77

Graham County, N.C., 23,102,103
Grant, Gilbert S., No. 2 cover photo
Grebe, Eared, 78
Horned, 19,47,78
Pied-billed, 19
Red-necked , 78,104
Western, 73-75
Greensboro, N.C., 6
Greenville, N.C., 37

Greenville (County), S.C., 6,23; see also
Caesars Head

Grosbeak, Black-headed, 23,83
Blue, 61 ? 83
Evening, 2,53,71,83
Rose-breasted, 3,4,7,71,83,109
Grouse, Ruffed, 80

Guilford County, N.C., 20,105; see also
Greensboro, High Point
Gull, Bonaparte's, 5,51,81
Glaucous, 51,75,81,107
Great Black-backed, 81
Herring, 51,75,81,107
Laughing, 107

Lesser Black-backed, 51,75,81,107
Mew (Common) , 75
Ring-billed, 51,75,81

Fall 1981

115

H

Haggerty, Tom, 65,77

Halifax (County), N.C., 20,30,43,84; see
also Littleton, Roanoke Rapids
Hamlet, N.C., 110
Hamel, Paul B . , 12
Harkers Island, N.C., 83,110
Hatteras, N.C., 47,50,51,81
Cape, 49,78,79,81,84,104,107
Inlet, 78,104,105
Havelock, N.C., 109
Hawk, Broad-winged, 2,20,48
Cooper's, 2,20,85-90
Marsh, 2,20,54,80,85-90,106
Red-shouldered, 2,34,56,85-90,97
Red-tailed, 2,40,85-90
Rough-legged, 80,105
Sharp-shinned, 2,20,85-90
Haywood County, N.C., 23,48; see also
Hazelwood, Lake Junaluska, Richland
Balsam, Shining Rock
Hazelwood, N.C., 21
Henderson, N.C., 20

Henderson County, N.C., 23; see also
Hendersonville
Hendersonville, N.C., 23
Heron, Great Blue, 105
Green, 41,78
Little Blue, 5,54
Louisiana, 19
Hertford County, N.C., 22
Highlands, N.C., 83
High Point, N.C., 22
Hillsborough, N.C., 110
Hintsa, Kevin, 92
Hoffman, N.C., 106
Hoke County, N.C., 53,109; see also
McCain, Raeford
Holden Beach, N.C., 105
Hughes, David, 13
Hummingbird, Ruby-throated, 81
Rufous, 81

Huntington Beach State Park, S.C., 20,21,
49,50,51,53,78,80,104,107
Hyde County, N.C., 73,96; see also Lake
Mattamuskeet, Ocracoke, Swanquarter

I

Ibis, Glossy, 19,48,78
White, 20,48
Iredell County, N.C., 6
Irvin, E. Wayne, 46
Ittner, Ruth, 45

J

Jackson County, N.C., see Richland Balsam
Jacksonville, N.C., 20
Jaeger, Long-tailed, 51
Parasitic, 3,107
Pomarine, 3,22,107

Jasper County, S.C., see Savannah N.W.R.
Jay, Blue, 69,91-92,96
Jenkins, Nan C., 85-90
Johns Island, S.C., 78
Johnston County, N.C., 48,53; see also
Clemmons State Forest, Four Oaks

Jones, Marion, 16

Jones County, N.C., 19,106; see also
Croatan National Forest
Jordan Reservoir, N.C., 19,20,21,22,23,48,
49,50,51,52,80,81,82,83,105,106,107,109
Junco, Dark-eyed, 54,61,62,84 (Oregon), 96

K

Keenan, William J., Ill, 41
Kershaw County, S.C., see Camden
Kestrel, American, 2,85-90,106
Kiawah Island, S.C., 20,108
Killdeer, 96
Kingbird, Eastern, 52
Gray, 52
Western, 52

Kinglet, Golden-crowned, 40
Kinston, N.C . , 19

Kite, Mississippi, 2,20,34,42-44,48
Swallow-tailed, 2,20,105
Kittiwake, Black-legged, 98
Kitty Hawk, N.C., 109
Knight, Pris, 98

L

Lake Cammack, N.C., 22,47,48,79
Lake James, N.C., 78
Lake Junaluska, N.C., 81
Lake Marion, S.C., 48,80
Lake Mattamuskeet, N.C., 78,80
Lake Murray, S .C . , 41
Lake Surf, N.C., 47,48,51,79,81
Lark, Horned, 22
Laurie, Pete, 85-90

Lee, David S., 28,41, No. 3 cover photo, 73
Lee, Joshua A. , 28
LeGrand, Edmund, 45

LeGrand, Harry E., Jr., 12,25-27,75-77
Lenoir , N .C . , 48

Lenoir County, N.C., see Kinston
Lewis, Robert H., 75-77
Lilesville, N.C., 20
Litchfield Beach, S.C., 81,83,84
Littleton, N.C., 23
Longspur, Lapland, 54,84
Smith's, 46

Loon, Common, 5,6,78,104
Red-throated, 78
Lynch, J. Merrill, 29-35

M

McCain, N.C., 53,54

McClellanville, S.C., 36,78,79,80,81,82,83

McConnell, Jim, 92,102,103

McCord, John W., 85-90

McDowell County, N.C., see Lake James,

Old Fort

Macon County, N.C., see Highlands
Mallard, 20

Marlboro County, S.C., see Bennettsville
Martin, Purple, 22
Martin County, N.C., 30
Masonboro Inlet, N.C., 78
Island, N.C., 84
Maxton, N.C., 20
Mayesville, S.C., 22

116

The Chat

Meadowlark, Eastern, 63,96
Mecklenburg County, N.C., see Charlotte
Merchants Millpond State Park, N.C., 23
Merganser, Common, 48,79,105
Red-breasted, 5,20,79,105
Merlin, 2,40,49,80,85-90,106
migration, hawk, 85-90

Mitchell County, N.C., see Roan Mountain,
Round Bald
Mockingbird, 93
Monroe , N .C . , 110

Moore County, N.C., 17,110; see also Aber-
deen, Lake Surf, Pinehurst, Southern
Pines, Vass

Morehead City, N.C., 3,51,52,78,79,80,82,
83,84,104,105,110

Moses Cone Memorial Park, N.C., 22
Mount Pleasant, S.C., 54,83
Myers , Helen E . , 7

N

Nash County , N.C., see Rocky Mount
New Hanover County, N.C., 24,78,80; see also
Carolina Beach, Fort Fisher, Masonboro,
Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach
New Hope River, N.C., 5,81,82
Newport, N.C., 23,104,107
Nighthawk, Common, 52,108
Night-Heron, Black-crowned, 5,78,105
Yellow-crowned, 5,19,48
Northampton County , N.C., 30,43
North Island, S.C., 47,54
North Wilkesboro, N.C., 79
Nuthatch, Brown-headed, 82
Red-breasted, 2,7,11,83
White-breasted, 34

0

Ocracoke (Inlet, Island), N.C., 19,20,21,
22,49,50,54,105
Old Fort, N.C. , 47
Oldsquaw, 79,105

Onslow County, N.C., 19; see also
Jacksonville

Orange County, N.C., see Chapel Hill,
Hillsborough

Oregon Inlet, N.C., 47,50,51,78,79,80,104,
105,106,107

Oriole, Northern, 23,109
Orchard, 82
Osprey, 2,21,80,85-90
Ovenbird, 61,62,82,109
Owl, Barn, 2,97
Barred, 2,34,45
Great Horned, 2
Long-eared, 52
Saw-whet, 107
Screech, 2
Short-eared, 81,107

P

Pamlico County, N.C., 48,51
Sound, N.C., 78,79
Parula, Northern, 33,61,109

Pawleys Island, S.C., 78

Pea Island, N.C., 47,49,50,51,54,78,79,80,

81.84.105.109
Pelican, Brown, 2,47

White, 78,104
Pembroke , N .C . , 81
Pender County, N.C., 106,109
Pendleton, S.C., 19,48,52,78,83,84,107,110
Petrel, Black-capped, 47,104
Pewee, Eastern Wood, 108
Pfaff, Jean, 98

Phalarope, Northern, 3,50,54,106
Red, 50,106
Wilson's, 22,50,106
Phoebe, Eastern, 40,63
Say 1 s , 44

Pickens County, S.C., 108; see also Clemson
Pilot Mountain State Park, N.C., 6
Pinehurst (Lake), N.C., 48,83
Pine Knoll Shores, N.C., 53,107
Pintail, 79,105
Pipit, Water, 108
Pitt County, N.C., see Greenville
Platania, Steve, 100-102
Plover, American Golden, 49,106
Black-bellied, 49
Piping, 21
Semipalmated , 4,5
Wilson's, 49,80

Poinsett State Park, S.C., 22,23
Polk County, N.C., see Tryon
Portsmouth (Island), N.C., 24,51
Potter, Eloise F., 15,27,28,40,55,56,57-68,
112,113

Pratt, H. Douglas, 38
Provost, Dick and Doris, 40

R

Raeford, N.C., 20
Rail, Black, 21,49,106
King, 5
Virginia, 49
Yellow, 49,80

Raleigh, N.C., 4,22,47,48,49,53,79,81,82,

83.84.105.106.107.108.109
Raven, Common, 23,52,108
Redhead, 79,105

Redpoll,. Common, 83
Redstart, American, 33,54,61,62
Richland Balsam, N.C., 23
Richland County, S.C., 22; see also
Columbia, Congaree Swamp
Richmond County, N.C., 16,108,110; see also
Derby, Hamlet, Hoffman, Rockingham
Roan Mountain, N.C., 80
Roanoke Rapids, N.C., 78,79,82,84,107
Robeson County, N.C., 22; see also Maxton,
Pembroke

Robin, American, 96
Rockingham, N.C., 105,109,110
Rocky Mount, N.C., 107
roost, blackbird, 37
Round Bald, N.C., 108
Ruff, 1

Fafl 1981

117

s

Salvo, N.C., 54
Sanderling, 21,50
Sandpiper, Baird's, 50
Buff-breasted, 51
Curlew, 21,107
Least, 107
Pec toral , 21,107
Purple, No. 3 cover
Semipalmated , 50,107
Spotted, 50
Stilt, 22,51,107
Upland, 21,49,106
Western, 50,107
White-rumped, 5,50,107
Santee National Wildlife Refuge, S.C., 48,
50,51,52,78,79,80,82
Sapsucker, Yellow-bellied, 22
Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, S.C.,
78,81

Savannah River Plant, S.C., 79
Scaup, Greater, 79
Scoter, Surf, 48,79
White-winged, 20,48,79
Scotland County, N.C., 19; see also Wagram
Seabrook Island, S.C., 53
Shackleford Banks, N.C., 19,22
Shallotte , N.C., 20
Shatterly, Jeffrey D., 38
Shearwater, Audubon's, 19,47,54,104
Cory's, 47,54,104
Greater, 19,47,54,104
Sooty, 3,19,54,104
Sherer, Melissa S., 72
Shining Rock, N.C., 70
Shoveler, Northern, 48,79
Shuler, Jay, 36,111
Siler City, N.C., 105
Simpsonville, S.C., 47
Siskin, Pine, 7,54,71,83
Skimmer, Black, No. 2 cover, 51
Snake, Rat, 77,97
Sneeden, John, 72
Snipe, Common, 21,50,96
song, Blue Jay, 69,91
Sora, 6,21,106

Southern Pines, N.C., 4,51,80
Southport, N.C., 21,22,105
Sparrow, Bachman's, 2,24,67,84
Chipping, 61,62
Clay-colored, 54,84
Field, 61,62

Grasshopper, 16-17,24,54,63,83

Harris', 84

Henslow's, 54,83

Lark, 54,84

Le Conte's, 54,83

Lincoln's, 54,84

Seaside, 12 (Symposium), 28

Song, 24,63

Tree, 54

Vesper, 83

White-crowned, 54

White-throated, 24 (drawing)

Stanly County, N.C., 6
Starling, 37,96
Stewart, Paul A., 38,97
Stilt, Black-necked, 22,49,106

Stone Mountain State Park, N.C., 48
Stork, Wood, 48
Storm-Petrel, Leach's, 104
Wilson's, 3,19,47,54,104
Stribling, H. Lee, 96-97
Sullivan's Island, S.C., 52
Sumter (County), S.C., 21,23,48,52,53; see
also Mayesville, Poinsett State Park
Sunset Beach, N.C., 21,47,48,49,81,82,106
Surry County, N.C., see Elkin-Ronda, Pilot
Mountain State Park
Survey, North Carolina Biological, 102
Swain County, N.C., see Bryson City, Deep
Creek

Swallow, Bank, 22,100,101,108
Barn, 81,102
Cliff, 22,52,102

Rough-winged , 40,52,77, 100-102 ,102
Tree, 22,52, No. 4 cover, 98-100
Swan, Whistling, 48,78
Swannanoa, N.C., 48,53,84,109,110
Swanquarter, N.C., 80,105,107
Swift, Chimney, 108
Sykes, Paul W., Jr., 28

T

Tanager, Scarlet, 3,4,23,62,63
Summer, 62,63,82
Western, 82,109
Taylor, John W., drawing by, 9
Teal, Blue-winged, 20

Green-winged (Common), 79
Tedards, Adair, 8,11
Tern, Arctic, 54
Black, 22,51
Bridled, 24,54
Caspian, 4,22,51,107
Common, 51,54,73,81,107
Forster's, 5,51
Gull-billed, 51
Least, 2
Sooty, 24,51

Thrasher, Brown, 72,93-95,103
Thrush, Gray-cheeked, 108
Hermit, 62
Swainson's, 53,108
Wood, 34,61,62,66
Titmouse, Tufted, 8,72
Towhee, Rufous-sided, 59,61,62,63,66
Townvi lie , S.C., 47,49,50,52,54,82,106,110
Tove, Michael, No. 1 cover drawing, 13,73-
75,75-77

Transylvania County, N.C., 51; see also
Brevard

Tropicbird , White-tailed, 19
Tryon, N.C., 81
Turkey, 34

Turnstone, Ruddy, 50

U-V

Union County, N.C., see Monroe
Valle Crucis, N.C., 22,23
Vance County, N.C., see Henderson
Vass , N .C . , 47
Veery, 53,62

118

The Chat

Vireo, Philadelphia, 53,108
Red-eyed, 33,59,61,62,66
Solitary, 23,53,61,62,64
Warbling, 4,53
White-eyed, 61,62,82
Yellow-throated, 61
Vulture, Black, 2,79
Turkey, 2,85-90

W

Wagram, N .C . , 20

Wake County, N.C., 20,57,79,104; see also
Beaverdam Reservoir, Clemmons State
Forest, Raleigh, Zebulon
Warbler, Bay-breasted, 4
Black-and-white, 61,82
Blackburnian, 109
Black-throated Blue, 3
Blue-winged, 23,53
Brewster's, 6,23
Canada, 109
Cape May, 53,82
Cerulean, 29-35,53,109
Chestnut-sided, 61,62,65,103
Connecticut, 53
Golden-winged, 5,6,53,108
Kentucky, 33,61
Lawrence's, 6
Magnolia, 23,109
Nashville, 4,5,53,109
Orange-crowned, 53,82,109
Palm, 54
Pine, 61

Prairie, 61,82,109
Prothonotary , 34
Swainson's, 6,23,34,61,108
Tennessee, 108
Wilson's, 5,23,53,82,109
Worm-eating, 23,61,108
Yellow, 62,63,67,109
Yellow-rumped, 62

Yellow-throated, 33,61,109
Warren County, N.C., 20; see also Littleton
Watauga County, N.C., 24,62; see also Blow-
ing Rock, Moses Cone Memorial Park, Valle
Cruc is

Waterthrush, Louisiana, 109
Waxwing, Cedar, 108
Whimbrel, 5,21,80

Whistling-Duck, Black-bellied, 41
Fulvous, 48

Whitehurst, Gail T., 8-10,17-18,40,57-68,
93-95,103

White Lake, N.C., 109
Wigeon, American, 105
European, 79

Wilkes County, N.C., 22,105; see also
Elkin-Ronda, North Wilkesboro, Stone
Mountain State Park
Willet , 21,36,49,106
Williams, Morris D., 38
Wilmington, N.C., 3,49,52,83,104,109
Winston-Salem, N.C., 6,19,20,21,22,23,51,79,
81,84

Woodcock, American, 96-97
Woodpecker, Downy, 72
Pileated, 34,40
Red-cockaded, 2,22,52,81
Wren, Bewick's, 1,5,53,67
House, 108
Long-billed Marsh, 5
Short-billed Marsh, 4,5,23,82
Winter, 52

Wrightsville Beach, N.C., 47,52
X-Y-Z

Yanceyville, N.C., 80
Yellowlegs, Greater, 21,49,80,106
Lesser, 21,80

Yellowthroat , Common, 61,65
Zebulon, N.C., 15,57,109

Fall 1981

119

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120

The Chat

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The Chat

Vol. 46 WINTER 1982 No. 1

CB©

Quarterly Bulletin of Carolina Bird Club, Inc.
The Ornithological Society of the barolinas

The Chat

(USPS 101-020)

Vol. 46 WINTER 1982 No. 1

Published by the Caroline Bird Club, Inc.

Editor Eloise F. Potter, Route 3, Box 114 AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

General Field Notes David S. Lee, Department Editor

Julian R. Harrison, Associate Editor

Briefs for the Files Harry E. LeGrand Jr., Department of Zoology

Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29631

CBC Roundtable Louis C. Fink, Apt. 6, Bldg. L, Tau Valley Estates,

Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801

Backyard Birding Gail T. Whitehurst, 1505 Brooks Avenue,

Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Bird Count Editor John O. Fussell III, P.O. Box 520,

Morehead City, N.C. 28557

Art and Photography John Henry Dick and Jack Derm id

THE CHAT is published quarterly by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., with headquarters at the North Carolina State Museum,
P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Second class postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Subscription price $10.00 per year.

PAGE CHARGES: Authors who have funds available for page charges are requested to remit same at the rate of $40.00
per page. CBC Headquarters will provide statements required for your business records.

CONTENTS

Lark Sparrows Breed in Richmond County, N.C.

Douglas Branch McNair 1

Probable Brewster’s Warbler X Golden-winged Warbler

Mating in North Carolina. Michael Tove 9

CBC Roundtable 13

Backyard Birding 15

General Field Notes

Bill-vibrating Feeding Behavior in the Snowy Egret.

Eloise F. Potter 18

A Bird List for Caldwell County, N.C., in Late May.

John Sneeden 18

A Winter Bird Survey of Graham County, N.C.

Jim McConnell 19

Briefs for the Files 21

Photo Quiz 26

Book Reviews 27

OUR COVER — David Lee photographed a familiar winter
scene in coastal Carolina — Double-crested Cormorants
silhouetted against shimmering water.

LARK SPARROWS BREED
IN RICHMOND COUNTY, N.C.

DOUGLAS BRANCH McNAIR

Abstract. — Lark Sparrows fledged young from one nest in late May 1 98 1
near Derby, Richmond County, for the first modern North Carolina breed-
ing record. This represents extralimital breeding approximately 500 km from
the nearest presently known nesting localities. The successful nest and all but
one of the incomplete nests were built on the ground under unappressed tufts
of needles or boughs of seedling Longleaf Pines in a field planted with these
pines; this field had bare sandy areas and low herbaceous plants. The total
population of Lark Sparrows was three to four pairs, and the most frequently
observed activity was singing by males. Courtship, nest construction, and
fledging of young were seen. The possible origin of this population in the
North Carolina Sandhills and its future prospects are discussed.

Lark Sparrows (Chondestes grammacus) are rare to uncommon and erratic breed-
ing birds in the most easterly portions of their range (Todd 1940, Mengel 1965, Larner
1979, Bierly 1980, and Peterson 1980), and a general decrease has recently occurred in
many states (Peterson 1980 and many reports in American Birds). They have nested as
close to North Carolina as northwestern Virginia (Larner 1979), eastern Tennessee
(Bierly 1980), and in the western parts of the Tennessee Valley and the Black Belt of
Alabama (Imhof 1976). The species apparently no longer breeds in the northeastern-
most portion of its breeding range (Peterson 1980), and the last known pairs nested in
Virginia and eastern Tennessee in 1949 and 1972 (Larner 1979, Hall 1972).

There is but one previous breeding record for North Carolina. The A.O.U. Check-
list (1957) and Baepler (1968) state the Lark Sparrow breeds in western and central
North Carolina (Cranberry, rarely to Raleigh), which is decidedly misleading. I have
been unable to find a published record of Lark Sparrows breeding at Cranberry, which
is in central Avery County. Birds of North Carolina (Pearson et al. 1942) lists but one
breeding record, that of a deserted nest with four eggs found by H.H. Brimley at Raleigh
on 24 July 1890. Thus a recent nesting record from the North Carolina Sandhills is
especially noteworthy. Three to four pairs were present near Derby, Richmond County,
and one pair fledged young in late May of 1981.

METHODS

Information obtained represents data gathered over 17 hours from late May to
early July. Behavioral activities were timed by a digital watch and stopwatch. All birds
were unmarked. They were sexed and aged by behavior or plumage.

HABITAT DESCRIPTIONS

I discovered Lark Sparrows the latter half of May 1981 at two localities near
Derby, Richmond County, N.C. The first site is an abandoned 5.6-ha pasture 5 km SE
of Derby on SR 1003 (Derby Road). Pineweed [Hypericum gentianoides), Wireweed
( Stipulicida setacea), and Polypremum procumbensare the most numerous herbaceous
plants. There are scattered clumps of Haplopappus divaricatus , Lovegrass ( Eragrostis
sp.), and Plaintain ( Plantago sp.). Lupine [Lupinus diffusus) is a locally important
procumbent species. Small (2 to 4 m) Longleaf Pines [Pinus palustris) and Broomsedge
[Andropogon sp.) are in a corner of the pasture. A small garden is also present. Other
representative plant species are Rabbit Tobacco [Gnaphalium obtusifolium ), Thistle
[Carduus repandus ), Eupatorium capillifolium , and Panicum sp. The pasture is a
minimum of 3 years old, with pines that are 12 to 14 years old in one section. There are

Winter 1982

1

Fig. 1 . Lark Sparrows bred successfully in this field of young pines
near Derby, Richmond County, N.C., in 1981. The Longleaf Pines
shown above range in height from 25 to 50 cm. (Photo by Tom
Howard)

many bare sandy areas. The pasture is almost encircled by a sandy road and is bordered
by Derby Road, two homes, a windbreak row of 12-m Loblolly Pines (P. taeda), second-
growth pine-oak forest, a young-pine pasture, and hay, grain, and vegetable fields.

The second locality is an 8-ha barren field planted in rows with short (20cm to 1.15
m) Longleaf Pines (Fig. 1 ) 1 km closer to Derby than the pasture, and also on the Derby
Road. P. procumbens, Heterotheca subaxillaris, and H. divaricatus are the most
numerous herbaceous plants, and Rabbit Tobacco is fairly common. The field is 5 to 8
years old, and sandy barren areas are characteristic. There is a slope with a difference of
1 .5 m in relief. Adjacent areas are a 1 1 - to 13-m Longleaf Pine woodlot, oak shrub 2.5 to
6. 1 m high, a hedge bordering a hay field, scattered deciduous saplings, and Derby Road
separating the nesting site from a large field.

There is another barren field planted in rows with short Longleaf Pines on another
side of the Longleaf Pine woodlot and oak shrub. This field is similar to the 8-ha field,
but is lower and wetter than surrounding habitats. Dwarf Morning Glory ( Bonamia
patens ) is widespread and Lupine is locally abundant. Henceforth, this field shall be
called the back field and the 8-ha field, the major field.

Key breeding species at one or both localities include the following. Bobwhite
( Colinus virginianus) and Mourning Dove ( Zenaida macroura ) are numerous. An
Eastern Meadowlark ( Sturnella magna) nest was found in both the major field and
pasture. Horned Lark ( Eremophila alpestris ) and Common Nighthawk ( Chrodeiles
minor ) apparently nested in the field across the road from the major field. Loggerhead

2

The Chat

Shrike ( Lanius ludovicianus ) nested in the area and fed at both sites. Field Sparrow
( Spizella pusilla ) and Blue Grosbeak ( Guiraca caerulea) were important species of shrub
and hedge.

POPULATION AND PERIOD OF OCCURRENCE

The total number of Lark Sparrows present was 1 1 or 12, 7 or 8 adults and 4
juveniles. One pair was seen in the pasture on 18 May, and the male was singing on 22
May; none were seen at the pasture subsequently. Three singing males were on territory
in and near the major field from 22 May to early July. Two pairs were observed on
several occasions, and 7 or 8 adults were seen on 3 June, foraging in one flock in the
major field. This total probably included the pair from the pasture. Thus, at least three
pairs, possibly four, were present near Derby. Known females were last seen on 19 June
(J.M. Lynch, pers. comm.), accompanied by singing males. Three juveniles with adults
were seen on this date, and a fourth juvenile was also present (see below). The successful
nesting female’s plumage was very worn by mid-June. Several adults had dispersed 3 to
5 km by early July, and no Lark Sparrows were seen afterwards.

PROOF OF BREEDING

On 22 May in the major field, I noticed an anxious male carrying a caterpillar.
While searching nearby, I flushed a female off a nest with five young. The nestlings’ eyes
were wide open; the remiges were starting to emerge from their sheaths, and the rectrices
were short. The nest was collected later and is North Carolina State Museum No. 8 1 8 1 .

Jay Carter and Tom Howard accompanied me to the site on 27 May, and we found
an empty nest. Howard and I returned the next day and found the male parent bringing
small grasshoppers to one very recently fledged bird in the pine woodlot. The juvenile
was hiding under vegetation on the ground, and we flushed it. Howard photographed
the young bird before I caught it. The juvenile was an undistinguished brownish color
and deeply streaked on both under- and upperparts; the tail was but one-half the adult
length, though already showing white on the outer rectrices (Fig. 2). Last seen on 23
June with the male in the pine woodlot and major field, the juvenile looked as depicted
in popular field guides.

I concluded the juvenile fledged from the discovered nest. Nestling Lark Sparrows
are able to leave the nest the sixth day after hatching and normally do so at 9 or 10 days
of age, at which time they can fly (Baepler 1968). Baepler’s description of juvenile
plumage on the fifth day of the nestling period is most similar to the juveniles I
discovered in the nest on 22 May. Thus the juvenile photographed on 27 May was
probably 10 or 1 1 days old. It was observed flying as far as 5 m and as high as 2 m. This
closely agrees with Baepler’s statement that juveniles first fly at 9 to 10 days. Lark
Sparrows begin incubation after the last egg is laid for normal early clutches, though
incubation may begin with laying of the first or second egg on renesting attempts,
according to Baepler. It is reasonable to assume this nest represents a normal clutch
because of the early date. Assuming the juveniles were 5 days old when discovered,
represent a clutch of five, and have an incubation period of 12 days, the first egg was laid
on 3 May with a probable error of + 2 days. No other active nests were discovered , and I
believe this was the only successful nest in the area. Lynch visited this site on 19 June and
found three juveniles begging food from adults. These are almost certainly three of the
four other juveniles from the same nest.

NEST-SITE SELECTION AND NEST CONSTRUCTION

The complete nest (Fig. 3) was a depression in the sand, partly lined with grasses
and stems of herbs and situated at the base of a seedling pine 25 cm high by 48 cm wide.
The nest diameter was 1 1 cm and its depth was 6.5 cm; the unlined bottom was 6 cm in
diameter. Facing east, the nest was on a 3° slope. The pine needles were not appressed to

Winter 1982

3

Fig. 2. The juvenile Lark Sparrow shown above fledged from a nest
in Richmond County, N.C., in late May 1981. Note the white on the
tail feathers. (Photo by Tom Howard)

the ground and provided a canopy for the nest, which could be viewed without
disturbing any vegetation. The immediate area surrounding the pine was bare.

Five incomplete nests, all in the major field, were discovered on days subsequent tc
22 May. All five and the complete nest shared many characteristics. Each nest scrape
was excavated at the base of a pine in sandy soil on a slope of 3° or less and faced an east
to south direction. Nest scrapes ranged from 1 1 to 12.5cmindiameterand4to7.5cmin
depth. Only the successful nest was completed. Three other nests were incomplete, in
varying stages of completion with construction begun on the side away from the pine;
two had no lining. Nest lining consisted of grasses and stems of herbaceous plants. The
nest scrapes varied from very fresh to old when discovered from 3 to 1 5 June. The height
of pines chosen ranged from 25 to 50 cm with a mean of 39.8 cm and standard deviation
of 12 cm. The spread of seedling pines ranged from 48 to 73 cm with a mean of 62.3 cm
and standard deviation of 8.5 cm. A systematic analysis of the pines selected for nest
sites with those not selected revealed what I intuitively expected: There were no
significant differences in size. I also noted whether or not tufts of pine needles or boughs
were appressed to the ground. All six pines chosen by Lark Sparrows were not
appressed, which is significant. During 9 hours of searching for nests, I obtained no
evidence, behavioral or otherwise, that Lark Sparrows attempted to nest outside the
major field, though earlier discovery may have produced more illuminating results. I
believe the evidence is clear. Lark Sparrows preferred seedling pines with unappressed
tufts of needles or boughs for nest sites. Nest sites that provide cover are preferred by the
Lark Sparrow throughout its range, particularly in the East where it nests on the ground

4

The Chat

Fig. 3. The successful Lark Sparrow nest in Richmond County,
N.C., was built in a scrape in sandy soil at the base of a young
Longleaf Pine and partially lined with grasses and stems of herba-
ceous plants. The overhanging pine needles help shade and
conceal the nest. (Photo by Tom Howard)

more frequently than it does in the West (Roberts 1936, Sutton 1967, Baepler 1968,
Newman 1970, Walcheck 1970). This preference for cover is, in part, to protect the eggs
and nestlings from becoming overheated. Walcheck found Lark Sparrows preferred
nesting on the ground under Big Sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata) rather than under
Greasewood ( Sarcobatus vermiculatus). The height and width of the canopy of both
species were similar as well as their frequency, but Big Sagebrush had many more over-
hanging branches and the soil was more granular underneath because the life form of
the vegetation caught rainfall better and prevented the soil from becoming hardpanned
as it did under Greasewood. Lark Sparrows seemingly have shown no especial
preference for coniferous or deciduous growth in other areas, but partly select nest sites
based on life form characteristics.

While watching a pair courting on 1 8 May, I found a partially lined nest at the base
of a Lupine in the higher part of the pasture. The nest faced S-SW and the plant’s stems
and leaves provided a canopy. This was the only other incomplete nest discovered.

More critical than the vegetation, however, is the soil, which must be sandy or
otherwise poor (Graber and Graber 1963, Baepler 1968 and others). The Derby locality
satisfies this requirement as well as that of having sections of slightly elevated land
within expanses of otherwise similar habitat — another preference Roberts noted in
Lark Sparrow nest-site selection. The back field is lower (and wetter) than surrounding
habitats and thus apparently unsuitable for nesting Lark Sparrows.

Winter 1982

5

The six nests in the major field, except for being placed in the higher areas, seemed
to be randomly distributed. It is possible that random distribution of nests in a
homogenous habitat is the best defense against predation, as the nests themselves are
poorly concealed. A snake was the probable agent in accounting for less than the
complete brood fledging successfully, as the nest was undisturbed. Newman (1970)
found nesting success lower in ground nests than in those above ground, and snakes
were implicated as a major predator.

Both males and females help in nest-site selection, the males usually dropping stems
at prospective sites and the female building the nest with these and ones she has also
collected (Baepler 1968), but there is no information in the literature on how many
scrapes may be excavated by one pair before one nest is completed. There were but two
probable pairs, absolutely no more than three, at the major field where the six scrapes
were excavated.

BREEDING BEHAVIOR

Courtship. — Courtship was observed only on 18 May in the barest area of the
pasture, and all courtship activity occurred within 36 m of the incomplete nest except for
flight to the nearby row of Loblolly Pines. The male gave the “Turkey-cock” display
(Barlow 1960) on the ground before the female at 1830. For the next 45 minutes the male
alternated bouts of singing with other activities such as presenting stems to the female,
searching for suitable stems, and examining potential nest sites. Singing occupied about
80% of the time, and the normal song was delivered from many perches, both on the
ground and above the ground. The male placed stems on the ground at several sites,
usually Plantago and Lupine, including the site of the incomplete nest.

Song. — Singing was the dominant activity of male Lark Sparrows and was
frequent at all daytime hours. It may have been frequent at night (Roberts 1 936, Baepler
1968), but I did not visit then. Estimated duration of singing by an individual male
ranged from 10 to 95% of time under observation, often timed continuously for 1 hour.
The low of 10% was recorded for the male tending the juvenile on 28 May. There was no
apparent correlation of singing time with weather.

The normal song usually consisted of one unbroken succession of 5 to 8 mellifluous
trills, with some churring notes interspersed. Each song lasted an average of 3 seconds
with a range of 2 to 5 seconds. I timed many periods between the beginning of one song
and the beginning of the next; representative means of consecutive songs with no long
pauses were 9.8 to 13.5 seconds. Once on 28 May, the male parent, while tending the
juvenile, sang an extended song atop a 1-m pine in the major field. The same male also
sang the normal song sotto voce in the major field on this occasion. Both are rare songs
presumably maintained the male-female pair-bond during a time of stress, i.e. when
both were responsible for the very recently fledged young. Other vocalizations heard
were contact, alarm, distress, and feeding notes.

Lark Sparrows preferred singing from elevated perches in low plants in fields and
in shrubs and pines. Ground singing was infrequent and mostly related to courtship.
The flight-song was never observed. Baepler (1968) says this may be frequent whereas
Roberts (1936) says it is rare. The relative frequency may be related to both species
density and availability of elevated perches. The lowdensity and manyadequate perches
at Derby may explain the lack of flight-song observations.

Lark Sparrows usually selected singing perches in the upper half of the crown and
near the trunk or main axis of leafy trees or shrubs. Birds often sang at or near the top of
bare shrubs. Males sang from many perches within their respective territories; however,
each singing male had several favorite perches, and one had as many as eight. This is
contrary to Baepler (1968) and Roberts (1936), who state that they do not have favorite
perches. Some individual males showed a preference for a particular type of singing
perch (i.e. dead oak shrub, toward top of large Longleaf Pine), but others showed no
preference for one type.

6

The Chat

Foraging. — All foraging occurred on the ground. Both male and female fed the
young. Caterpillars (N = 2) were fed to nestlings; grasshoppers (N = 5) were fed to the
juvenile. Other food items included seeds eaten by adults. Females pecked quicker and
were warier than males; foraging females sometimes engaged in neck scanning and
mouse runs. Todd (1940) noted similar female feeding behavior during the breeding
season in Pennsylvania.

Other Behavior. — When flushed from fields or shrubs. Lark Sparrows, including
singing birds, preferred to fly to nearby large pines at both localities. Birds flushed to
large pines almost always landed in the upper half of the crown, and if flushed again,
preferred to stay in pines. Lark Sparrows often entered large pines — when flushed,
flying to singing perches, resting, or carrying food to the juvenile — by approaching at a
height equal to the eventual chosen perch. Maintenance activities, preening and
scratching, usually occurred between singing bouts during rest periods. Longest con-
tinual preening observed was 20 seconds.

POSSIBLE ORIGIN OF LOCAL BIRDS

The Derby nesting locality is 480 to 650 km from the nearest presently known
breeding sites in Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Although the Lark Sparrow
crossed the Allegheny Divide into the Northeastern States (Todd 1940), it has failed to
advance from Alabama eastwards, which suggests the Northeast as the origin of the
Derby birds. It is conjecture whether the birds found the Derby site when migrating
during spring toward the Northeastern breeding grounds or if these birds wintered near
Derby and decided to nest there instead of migrating. Lark Sparrows have been
reported wintering sparingly on the coast of the Southeastern States (Baepler 1968,
Potter et al. 1 980), and are decidedly scarce inland. The last Lark Sparrow in Derby was
seen in early July 1981 and despite intensive search since, none have been found.
Whatever their origin, three to four pairs at one place in North Carolina is remarkable.

FUTURE PROSPECTS FOR LOCAL BREEDING POPULATION

Six incomplete nests and abandonment of the pasture by one pair suggest a lack of
behavioral synchrony within breeding pairs of a species nesting at the very edge of its
breeding range. Newman (1970) found 16.1% of Lark Sparrow nests abandoned for
reasons not caused by predation — a much lower percentage than at the Derby site — but
published no information on why or how this occurred. I could not determine how
many pairs were responsible for the nest starts in the major field though a second pair
was almost certainly involved. A very fresh scrape was found on 3 June, at which time
the successful nesting pair was still feeding young, and certain second broods are
unknown (Baepler 1968). The other singing male in the major field shifted most of its
singing from the field to oak shrubs, which may have been a partial response to breeding
failure.

Suitable habitat and life-form characteristics of the vegetation may be the most
important factors for establishment of a stable breeding population. It is not surprising
that the poor sandy soils of the North Carolina Sandhills were selected. Scattered tracts
of similar habitat exist at the Fort Bragg Military Reservation (Jay Carter and Tom
Howard, pers. comm.). Prospects at the present site are not good, however, because it is
for sale. Nevertheless, Carter saw an adult at this site in May 1 980, and Lark Sparrows
were probably breeding that year. This suggests that the population may be trying to
establish itself. However, Lark Sparrows have declined or retreated from breeding areas
nearest the Carolinas, which provides scant hope the Derby population will persevere.
Nevertheless, given the scarce coverage of potential Lark Sparrow habitats in the
Carolinas and the especially favorable environment of the Carolina Sandhills, the
presence of three or four pairs in 1981 at Derby provides some hope that this species may
become a rare but regular breeder in the Carolinas.

Winter 1982

7

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank Tom Howard for identification of many plant species, his excellent photos,
and critical comments, and J. Merrill Lynch for permission to include his unpublished
field notes.

LITERATURE CITED

Baepler, D.H. 1968. Pages 886-902 in A.C. Bent, Life Histories of North American
Cardinals, Grosbeaks, Buntings, Towhees, Finches, Sparrows and Allies, U.S.
Natl. Mus. Bull. 237.

Barlow, J.C. 1 960. Courtship feeding in the Lark Sparrow. Bull. Kansas Ornithol. Soc.
11:2.

Bierly, M.L. 1980. Bird Finding in Tennessee. Published by author, Nashville, Tenn.
Forbush, E.H. 1929. Birds of Massachusetts and Other New England States, vol. 3.
Mass. Dept. Agric., Boston.

Graber, R.R., and J.W. Graber. 1963. A comparative study of bird populations in
Illinois, 1906-1909 and 1956-1958. 111. Nat. Hist. Surv. Bull. vol. 28, article 3.
Hall, G.A. 1972. Appalachian region. Am. Birds 26(4):760-763.

Imhof, T.A. 1976. Alabama Birds. Second edition. Univ. Ala. Press.

Larner, Y.R. 1979. Virginia’s Birdlife/An Annotated Checklist. Va. Soc. Ornith.
Mengel, R.M. 1965. The Birds of Kentucky. A.O.U. Ornithol. Monograph No. 3.
Newman, G.A. 1970. Cowbird parasitism and nesting success of Lark Sparrows in
southern Oklahoma. Wilson Bull. 82:304-309.

Pearson, T.G., C.S. Brimley, and H.H. Brimley. 1942. Birds of North Carolina. N.C.
Dept. Agri., Raleigh.

Peterson, R.T. 1980. A Field Guide to the Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.
Potter, E.F., J.F. Parnell, and R.P. Teulings. 1980. Birds of the Carolinas. Univ. N.C.
Press, Chapel Hill.

Radford, A.D., H.E. Ahles, and C.R. Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the
Carolinas. Univ. N.C. Press, Chapel Hill.

Roberts, T.S. 1936. The Birds of Minnesota, vol. 2. Univ. Minn. Mus. Nat. History,
Minneapolis.

Sutton, G.M. 1967. Oklahoma Birds. Univ. Okla. Press, Norman.

Todd, W.E.C. 1940. Birds of Western Pennsylvania. Univ. Pittsburgh Press.
Walcheck, K.C. 1970. Nesting bird ecology of four plant communities in the Missouri
River breaks, Montana. Wilson Bull. 82:370-382.

Department of Zoology, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29631, 28 October 1981.

The Chat

PROBABLE BREWSTER’S WARBLER X GOLDEN-
WINGED WARBLER MATING IN NORTH CAROLINA

MICHAEL TOVE

On 23 April 1979, I caught and banded an adult male Brewster’s Warbler
( Vermivora chrvsoptera X pinus ) near Cullowhee, Jackson County, N.C. The bird
(Fig. 1) was the white-breasted variety as described by Pough (1946) and Parkes(1951).
According to these authors, this plumage represents a “Backcross Brewster’s Warbler
Genotype,” which is described as the product of a Brewster’s Warbler X Golden-winged
Warbler mating.

After release, the warbler began to establish a territory, the boundaries of which
shifted considerably. After about 3 days, a territory over 400 m longand 100 m wide was
claimed. This territory contained three distinct areas, each delimited by a natural or
man-made boundary (Fig. 2). Area I included Sectors J,K, and L. Area 2 included
Sectors, A,C,E, and G. Area 3included Sectors B,D,F,H,and I. Each of these areas was
roughly equivalent to an average territory of either parental species (see Ficken and
Ficken 1968a).

During the first three mornings after release, the bird was observed singing in all
sectors. His song resembled that of a Golden-winged Warbler ( V. chrvsoptera) except
for differences in the introductory syllable (see Figs. 3 and 4). Throughout the next 4
weeks, singing activity was concentrated in Sectors C, E, and G of Area 2, and Sectors
B, D, and F of Area 3.

On 12 May, the bird was observed displaying with an adult female Golden-winged
Warbler in Sector L. The displays included a variety of vocalizations, tail fanning, and
wing quivering by both individuals. Throughout most of the display, the birds remained

Fig. 1. Adult male Brewster’s Warbler caught and banded 23 April
1970 near Cullowhee, Jackson County, N.C. (Photo by M. Tove)

Winter 1982

9

10

The Chat

Fig. 2. Map of the territory defended by the Brewster’s Warbler.

6

4

2-

; *

-

T

1

x

2 Sec

Fig. 3. Sonogram of the territorial song of the Brewster’s Warbler.
Recording made 27 April 1979 by M. Tove.

4”

2

f — (

1 2 Sec

Fig. 4. Sonogram of the territorial song of a Golden-winged Warbler
on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. Recording made 30
April 1979 by M. Tove.

close to each other, often engaging in chase sequences and occasionally making contact.
So intense was the display, that the commotion induced a brief mobbing response from
other nearby birds.

I did not see the female after that occasion, but changes in the male’s behavior
provide evidence that he was paired. After 21 May, the male began to spend more time
defending Sector L. Defense of Areas 2 and 3 continued, although at a greatly reduced
rate.

Two weeks later, the male was observed carrying food into a particularly dense
thicket of sumac and blackberry near the center of Sector L. Because of the thickness of

Winter 1982

11

the brush and the ground-nesting habit of the birds, no attempt to locate a nest was
made.

On 27 June, a juvenile Golden-winged Warbler was caught and banded in Sector J.
On 5 July, an unbanded juvenile Golden-winged and a juvenile Brewster’s Warbler were
seen in Sector L. Although there is no proof that these young were fathered by the
Brewster’s Warbler, the circumstantial evidence is highly suggestive.

The present paper represents the first report of a hybrid mating within the Blue-
winged ( V. pinus) - Golden-winged Warbler complex in the southeastern United States.
The Fickens (1968b) presented a summary of known cross-matings, reporting the
majority of these from the Northeast and none south of Pennsylvania. LeGrand ( 1976)
noted that interbreeding has occurred in West Virginia and Maryland, but details were
not given. Normally, neither parental species breeds in the Southeast except in the
Appalachian Mountains. LeGrand (1976) located five territorial male Blue-winged
Warblers in extreme southwestern North Carolina. Although he also located territorial
Golden-winged Warblers in the same counties, no overlap occurred and no evidence of
hybridization was found.

The Fickens ( 1968a) indicate that territory sizes for this complex are roughly 5000
to 7000 m2. This is approximately the size of Sector L in Area 1, which was most
vigorously defended after pairing occurred. Thus the continued defense of Areas 2 and 3
is interesting. Moreover, during the 1978 breeding season. Areas 2 and 3 each had at
least one pair of nesting Golden-winged Warblers. At that time. Sector L and the
disturbed area were heavily overgrown and did not provide suitable nesting habitat for
the species. During March 1979 when the disturbed area wascleared for house construc-
tion, only Area 1 was affected by construction activity. This involved removal of the
dense vegetation from Sector L. Consequently, the total available breeding habitat was
enlarged by this activity. Having lived in the area for 3 years, I can confidently state that
the Golden-winged Warbler is locally a very common breeding species of old-field
habitat. Thus the male Brewster’s Warbler at Cullowhee was apparently able to
competitively exclude breeding male Golden-winged Warblers, even though the
defended territory probably could have supported at least two other pairs.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank Fred Coyle for reviewing the manuscript and making many valuable
suggestions. Appreciation is also expressed to David Lee of the North Carolina State
Museum for loan of the recording equipment, to James Gullege of Cornell’s Laboratory
of Ornithology for assistance in production of the sonograms, and to Henry
Mainwaring for assistance in printing the photographs.

LITERATURE CITED

Ficken, M.S., and R.W. Ficken. 1968a. Territorial relationships of Blue-winged
Warblers, Golden-winged Warblers, and their hybrids. Wilson Bull. 80:442-451.
Ficken, M.S., and R.W. Ficken. 1968b. Reproductive isolating mechanisms in the
Blue-winged Warbler - Golden-winged Warbler complex. Evolution 22:166-179.
LeGrand, H.E., Jr. 1 976. Notes and comments on the Blue-winged and Golden-winged
Warblers in southwestern North Carolina in summer. Chat 40:15-16.

Parkes, K.C. 1951. The genetics of the Golden-winged X Blue-winged Warbler
complex. Wilson Bull. 63:4-15.

Pough, R. 1946. Audubon Land Bird Guide. Doubleday and Co., New York. p.
152-155.

Department of Biology, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723, 5
January 1981. [Present address: Department of Biology, Utah State University,
Logan, Utah 84322 ]

12

The Chat

C8@

7ZauM*Ua6(c

. . . with Louis C. Fink

Flamingos Disappear

In Etosha National Park in Namibia, scientists note the disappearance of 1,250,000
flamingos in 1976. Nobody has seen them since. The observers are sure the birds are
alive, but don’t know where they have gone.

Harris’ Hawk on Stage

When the New York City Opera produced Der Freischutz, it had a bit part for
Harry, the Harris’ Hawk, owned by Dr. Heinz Meng. State conservation authorities
claimed the predator was kept illegally and confiscated it. Argument ensued as to
whether the hawk could ever be re-introduced to the wild.

Miscellany

The National Wildlife Federation reports that 4000 volunteer spotters counted
13,709 Bald Eagles in January of 1981, up from 13,046 counted in 1980 — and 35%more
than were counted in 1979.

A man in Oregon was fined $2,500 for killing a Bald Eagle. He was caught because
of a radio transmitter on the bird.

The Black-tailed Godwit popped up from Scandinavia on Merritt Island, Florida,
and observers came from as far away as Denver.

Argument rages over how to save the California Condor, of which from 20 to 30
still live in California. One plan is to capture some birds, have them breed in captivity,
and attach monitoring devices. At least one condor expert objected to this as meddling.

The Peregrine Falcon has been re-introduced in New York City. Mayor Ed Koch
was there when young were released in City Hall Park.

Litter in shopping center parking lots is becoming a food source for Ring-billed
Gulls and Herring Gulls in Cleveland. The paved areas probably look like water to the
birds.

At the Mile Hi Sanctuary in Hereford, Arizona, observers are coming from all over
to see the hummingbirds. Fourteen species can be seen, more than at any other place, it
is said.

Ring-necked Pheasant’s First Century

Minnesota is celebrating the arrival of the Ring-necked Pheasant 100 years ago
with a stamp from a painting by Roger Preuss. The stamp is $5; a full-color copy of the
painting is $125. Last year, hunters took 466,000 pheasants; the total is expected to be
higher this year.

Winter 1982

13

Wild Turkey Coming Back?

Millions of wild Turkeys disappeared from this country, and by 1920 it is said that
the bird was gone from 18 of 36 States in which it was native. By 1940, the total popula-
tion was down to 40,000. (In 1944, I had the thrill of watching birds on Bull’s Island,
S.C., with Alexander Sprunt. We spent an hour waiting by a trail and the Turkey family
arrived. Mr. Sprunt guaranteed that domestic turkeys could not fly or swim from the
mainland.) The news is better today and press reports announce two million birds in all
48 States, concentrated in the East.

14

The Chat

Sindinf

. . . with Gail T. Whitehurst

At last the calls for items from you folks out there have been heeded. We hope that
as you see what others have sent in, even more of you will respond. Our thanks to all the
following contributors.

Dinner’s Ready- Come and Get It!

In April we had a brood of White-breasted Nuthatches raised in a bluebird house
mounted on a pole above our lower deck. The house is positioned so that we look down
on it from our dining area. One particular morning the adult bird was acting strangely.
It was hanging head down, waving a good-sized moth in its bill in front of the hole. After
a short while one of the young flew out of the hole and then, another. The adult birds
continued to feed young in the nest for another day or so. I did not see the others
fledge.- MARTHA S. FREDERICK, 262 Howard Gap Road, Tryon, N.C. 28782

A Titmouse with a Sweet ‘Tooth’

On several occasions this summer ( 198 1 ) we observed a Tufted Titmouse drinking
sugar water from our hummingbird feeder. We believe it to be the same bird each time as
it had a pattern of approaching the feeder. The feeder hangs over the edge of a second-
story deck. The titmouse would come to the floor of the deck, hop under a deck chair
and up to the back of the chair. From there it flew and perched on the edge of the red
plastic flower of the feeder. The titmouse positioned itself so as to reach inside the flower
from the top. Because the yellow perforated center of the flower had dropped out, the
bird could get its bill in through the hole.— MARTHA S. FREDERICK, 262 Howard
Gap Road, Tryon, N.C. 28782

It was, Indeed, an III Wind

On the morning of 5 October 1 98 1 Rose Williams found a Ruffed Grouse dead in a
second-floor window of her home in Boone, Watauga County, N.C. The house is near
the base of Howard’s Knob, at the edge of a second-growth hardwood forest reaching
the western property line. I have occasionally seen and heard Ruffed Grouse in these
woods. The dead bird was lodged 4. 1 m above ground in a .76 x .45 m section of a 1 .7 x
.9 m window. We believe that the bird hit the window during the high winds of 2
October. Rose and her husband John heard a mysterious thud that day and saw a
feather in a lower window the next day. Even though the bird had been dead at least 3
days, I found it to be stiff but not putrid. The only obvious injury was a cut on the right
foot. The impact was hard enough to penetrate both panes of double glazing and push in
the inner window screen. I photographed the bird, removed it, and temporarily

Winter 1982

15

preserved it by freezing. Due to the size of the bird and force of impact, it is the most
unusual window kill I know of. — JOSEPH K. WILLIAMS, 8 1 2 Laculty Street, Boone,
N.C. 28607

A Possible Reason Why Sparrows
(Ubiquitous Weaver Finches) Quarrel

“A quarrel of sparrows,” a term of venery applied to a flock of the seemingly anti-
social weaver finches we know as House Sparrows or English Sparrows, is a very apt
phrase because these birds seem forever in combat or contention over a pile of manure
or less substantive possession of equally dubious value. Many observers say that in
addition to male versus male battles over females or territories, often several males will
attack a female without apparent provocation! This fighting behavior does not seem to
follow a particular “pecking order” or take place only on the fringes of territories;
rather, it may break out at any time between usually compatible flock members.
Recently, I have watched closely as a group feed at my window ledge and in the adjacent
shrubbery. Many young, subadults, and “courting females” beg food to elicit a paternal
response from the males, who usually feed the persistent beggars. Those with still-visible
soft gapes are always fed, but as they grow older and bolder, soliciting all adult
sparrows, male and female alike, the gape retreats and the entire beak hardens. This
stage signals the maturing bird is well able to feed itself; but it has now acquired the
potentially dangerous habit of approaching strangers for “handouts.” Careful observa-
tions showed these intermediate birds were subject to sudden attack by birds that
formerly fed them (thus teaching them not to be so trusting?). Certainly such learning
experience might prevent their innocent but fatal approach to shrikes, cats, or humans,
and so have survival value for the individual and the species.

Some other reasons may be suggested for this almost unique intraspecies
behavior — ritualistic flock-bonding, for instance, since all observers as well as
participants become more agitated as a fight progresses. (Some cannot contain them-
selves and join the fray after watching from ever-closer vantage points, although the
source of the contention could hardly have involved them directly.) Whatever the other
stimuli that trigger “quarrel” response in the House Sparrow, the practical effect of a rite
of passage for young birds must rank as important to survival, and should be considered
as one of the possible reasons we so often see or hear “a quarrel of sparrows.”

Among mammals, the Beaver exhibits a sort of rite of passage, in which the 2-year-
old young are forcibly driven from the parental lodge to establish their own. — DANIEL
M. WATSON, 107 A Hope Street, Greenville, S.C. 29601

Rearing Out Cheepie

The 198 1 season was not one of the very best for martins at Raleigh. A cool snap in
May caused four pairs to lose broods, and hot, dry weather in mid-July wiped out
attempts at renesting. Insect failures caused all late broods to be abandoned, a very rare
thing in adult Purple Martins.

The latest brood of all consisted of four young, and all but one died. That one bird,
about 2 weeks of age when we rescued it, was lively and seemed determined to live
although it was little more than skin, bones, and feathers. We tried feeding the waif raw
hamburger and boiled egg. At first we had to poke the food down the reluctant bird’s
throat, but as little Cheepie — as we named our new pet — gained strength he became
more cooperative. I say he because of the bird’s huge, blocky head. For the next few
weeks my son David and I spent much of our spare time scurrying after grasshoppers
and crickets, and for once I found a use for the Japanese Beetles that insist upon infest-
ing my garden.

There are many old-wives tales about martins. One insists that a young bird
consumes its weight in food each day. Maybe some do, but Cheepie, once he regained

16

The Chat

CHEEPIE

his strength, put away about 1 ounce per day, which was about one-half his weight.
From a stub-tailed fledgling at 2 weeks, Cheepie grew into a sleek 4-week-old with a
forked tail. At 4 weeks martins leave the nest, but are still dependent upon the parent
birds for at least 2 more weeks. We let Cheepie practice flying indoors. Although he
seemed tame, we knew he might fly away to starve if we let him venture outdoors.

By the time Cheepie was making his first short flights, he was accompanying us to
the cotton fields for our daily work. One morning in early August the young martin
escaped from our work van and flew away. Oh well, nature was bound to call sooner or
later. But when we arrived for work the next morning, we found Cheepie in a pine
thicket waiting to be fed. He had no qualms about coming to David’s hand while
William Brown fed him grasshoppers. We allowed Cheepie to sleep at the research
station for the remainder of that week and learned that he had learned to drink on the
wing like his wild brethren. That weekend we placed him in a gourd to roost outdoors.
The next morning, Cheepie was gone.

I like to think that he returned a few days later with some of his wild kin. Six
martins, including two young of the year, perched on our TV aerial. One bird sailed low
over our heads before departing southward. Maybe it was Cheepie’s way of saying
thanks and goodbye. — JOSHUA A. LEE, 5104 Newcastle Road, Raleigh, N.C. 27606

[Note: Stories about raising baby birds are fairly commonplace, but we felt this

one, about a Purple Martin, most unusual and of interest to everyone. -

GTW]

This department encourages reports on observations of bird behavior. One never
knows when something really significant may turn up and a real contribution can be
made to the literature of ornithology. It is all right to raise questions as to the meaning of
such behavior, and even to do a bit of speculation. We would, however, caution our
readers to resist the temptation to draw positive conclusions. For if we do, we can be
certain that our statements will be challenged. Sharing the things we see birds do with
other birders will enable us to learn whether or not we have made a real discovery. So
please continue to let us hear from you.

Winter 1982

17

General Field Notes

DAVID S. LEE, Department Editor

North Carolina State Museum, P.0. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

JULIAN R. HARRISON, Associate Editor

Department of Biology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. 29401

Bill-vibrating Feeding Behavior in the Snowy Egret

ELOISE F. POTTER
Route 3, Box 1 14 AA
Zebulon, N.C. 27597

About 0700 on 18 August 1981 I noticed unusual feeding behavior in a Snowy
Egret ( Egret ta thula ) at North Pond in the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Dare
County, N.C. The bird was standing in water that reached the feathered portion of the
legs. Its body and lower neck were held parallel to the surface of the water and just
barely above it. The upper neck arched to permit immersion of the tip of the bill in the
water. The bird opened and closed the bill almost imperceptibly at a very rapid rate.
This caused visible turbulence in the water at the point of immersion. Occasionally the
heron assumed an upright posture and took a few steps before crouching and again
vibrating the bill in the water. Twice the bird moved forward very slowly without
removing the bill from the water or ceasing the vibrations. The behavior continued for
about 1 5 minutes after I first noticed the bird. The egret then left the water and stood on
a nearby island. Although the Snowy Egret is generally a very active bird while feeding,
this one appeared to be using the bill vibrations as a variation on the crouched stand-
and-wait technique regularly employed by the Green Heron ( Butorides striatus ).

Kushlan (Auk 93:86-94) summarizes 28 feeding behaviors recorded for one or more
of the North American herons. He lists three species reported as having used bill-
vibrating to create a disturbance that attracts prey: Black-crowned Night-Heron
( Nycticorax nycticorax ), Cattle Egret ( Bubulcus ibis), and Snowy Egret. James F.
Parnell (pers. comm.) says that he has seen bill vibrations employed on several occasions
by Black-crowned Night-Herons feeding in floating mats of algae. Perhaps the
technique is not as uncommon as the few published reports suggest.

A Bird List for Caldwell County, N.C., in Late May

JOHN SNEEDEN
6305 Gad wall Court
Wilmington, N.C. 28403

On 30 May 1981 I spent several hours watching birds near Hudson, Whitnel, and
Lenoir in south-central Caldwell County, N.C. Elevations here range from 950 feet
(Hudson) to 1 182 feet (Lenoir), and the habitat is primarily rolling hills forested by
Pitch Pine ( Pinus rigada).

Forty avian speicies were recorded, and of these the 30 that showed territorial
behavior are followed by an asterisk (*): Sharp-shinned Hawk 1, Cooper’s Hawk 2*,

18

The Chat

Mourning Dove 10*, Chimney Swift 3, Common Flicker 2*, Downy Woodpecker 2*,
Great Crested Flycatcher 3*, Eastern Wood Pewee 1*, Barn Swallow 8, Blue Jay 10+*,
Carolina Chickadee 5*, Tufted Titmouse 3*, White-breasted Nuthatch 1*, Brown-
headed Nuthatch 5*, House Wren 2*, Carolina Wren 2*, Mockingbird 7*, Gray Catbird
2*, Brown Thrasher 3*, American Robin 15+*, Wood Thrush 3*, Veery 1, Eastern
Bluebird 8*, Golden-crowned Kinglet 1, Cedar Waxwing 4, Black-and-white Warbler
3*, Yellow Warbler 1, Pine Warbler 2*, Ovenbird 6*, Eastern Meadowlark 10+*,
Orchard Oriole 2*, Common Grackle 25+*, Brown-headed Cowbird 5+, Scarlet
Tanager 2*, Cardinal 15*, Indigo Bunting 1*, Rufous-sided Towhee 8*, Dark-eyed
Junco 4, Grasshopper Sparrow 1 (heard only), and Song Sparrow 20+*.

Unfortunately, the brevity of my stay precluded searching for nests. Nevertheless,
several of the occurrences warrant further comment. I found the Cooper’s Hawks at
Lenoir occupying a 5-mile stretch of lowland between two mountains, one of which has
a forest station and hang-gliding point at the summit. The Pine Warblers were between
Hickory (Catawba County) and Hudson along US 32 1 -A (ca. 925 feet), and the Brown-
headed Nuthatches were along US 32 1 in a grove of pines near a pottery shop on the way
to Lenoir (ca. 1050 feet). Brown-headed Nuthatches were first reported nesting in
Caldwell County in 1974 (Chat 38:66). The Orchard Orioles were at the same location as
the nuthatches but on the other side of the road in deciduous shade trees. The Veery,
Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Dark-eyed Juncos were undoubtedly late transients at
the elevations covered.

A Winter Bird Survey of Graham County, N.C.

jim McConnell

Box E-802, Earlham College
Richmond, Indiana 47374

Early ornithological explorations of the North Carolina mountain region such as
those conducted by William Brewster (1886) completely bypassed Graham County. It
was not until 1944-1946 that Ganier, conducting research mainly at high-altitude (4000
to 5472 feet) sites, described the summer birds of the Unicoi Mountains, which consti-
tute the western edge of the county (Ganier and Clebsch 1944, 1946). More recently
(from 1968 to 1978), five breeding bird surveys have been conducted around the
Fontana Village area by Mary Enloe, John Wright, and Harry E. LeGrand Jr. Addi-
tionally, several bird sightings have appeared in The Chat , representing observations
made from the months of April through September. No published distributional
records have appeared for the months from October to March.

Graham County has eight mountaintops rising above 4900 feet. Four major lakes
are either partially or wholly within the county: Lake Santeetlah, Fontana Lake,
Cheoah Lake, and Calderwood Lake. Of these, Santeetlah is the highest with an average
surface elevation of 1920 feet, and Calderwood is lowest at 1080 feet. The proximity of
these lakes to the Tennessee Valley suggests the possibility of wintering water birds
straying from that prime waterfowl habitat.

From 29 through 31 December 1980, Owen McConnell and I surveyed winter birds
in Graham County. We covered most of the county, including the high peaks of Hooper
Bald, Oak Knob, and Big Huckleberry Knob in the western Unicoi Mountains; the
length of Big Santeetlah Creek; the area surrounding Santeetlah Lake in the center of
the county; Joyce Kilmer Memorial; Maple Springs Observation Point; the valleys of
Cochran, Yellow, and Sweetwater Creeks; NC 28 from Stecoah to Fontana; US 129
from Robbinsville to Tapoco; Calderwood, Cheoah, and Fontana Lakes along the
northern county boundary; and a portion of the Appalachian Trail in the Yellow Creek
Mountains. Although light snow fell on the night of 30 December, the weather was

Winter 1982

19

mostly clear to partly cloudy with overall temperatures for the three days ranging from
about 34° to 41°F (as recorded in Robbinsville).

We recorded 834 individual birds representing 50 species: Pied-billed Grebe 1,
Black Duck 5, Sharp-shinned Hawk 2, Red-tailed Hawk 1, American Kestrel 4,
Bobwhite 21, Mourning Dove 3, Screech Owl 1, Great Horned Owl 4, Barred Owl 1,
Belted Kingfisher 3, Common Flicker 1, Pileated Woodpecker 11, Red-bellied
Woodpecker 3, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 4, Downy Woodpecker 10, Eastern Phoebe 2,
Blue Jay 12, Common Crow 58, Carolina Chickadee 59, Tufted Titmouse 13, White-
breasted Nuthatch 7, Red-breasted Nuthatch 12, Brown Creeper 2, Winter Wren 1,
Carolina Wren 17, Mockingbird 1, Brown Thrasher 1, American Robin 3, Hermit
Thrush 2, Eastern Bluebird 20, Golden-crowned Kinglet 37, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1,
Water Pipit 1, Starling 37, House Sparrow 4, Rusty Blackbird 1, Cardinal 19, Evening
Grosbeak 3, Purple Finch 42, Pine Siskin 15, American Goldfinch 34, Red Crossbill 6,
Rufous-sided Towhee 16, Dark-eyed Junco 215, Field Sparrow 23, White-throated
Sparrow 38, Fox Sparrow 5, Swamp Sparrow 7, and Song Sparrow 47.

The Water Pipit, regarded as a rare winter visitor in the North Carolina mountains
(Potter et al. 1980), was found along the broad, unvegetated shoreline of Santeetlah
Lake, which had beendrawndownapproximately 30feet. The Pied-billed Grebe was on
the lake itself, whereas the five Black Ducks were feeding in a small, shallow recess of the
otherwise deep Cheoah Lake. The Brown Thrasher, Mockingbird, and Rusty Blackbird
were noteworthy, if only for the fact that just one of each could be found. They were at
elevations slightly below 2000 feet. The most abundant bird was the Dark-eyed Junco,
which was commonest in the valleys but could be found in small flocks along roadcuts at
the higher elevations. A few were present even on the tops of the highest balds. Other
birds present on the balds were the Carolina Chickadee and Downy Woodpecker. The
most frequently seen woodpecker in the county was the Pileated. Its apparent numerical
edge over the Downy may be due to its noisy and conspicuous habits. Pileated
Woodpeckers called more frequently and certainly louder than Downy Woodpeckers
when both were present for comparison. Because the 1980-81 winter provided a
substantial influx of northern finches in the Carolinas, it is not surprising that Evening
Grosbeaks, Purple Finchs, Pine Siskins, and Red Crossbills were seen. The six Red
Crossbills were in Pitch Pines bordering the West Buffalo Creek arm of Lake
Santeetlah. In general, both the number of species and the number of individual birds
declined with increasing elevation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Appreciation is expressed to William H. Buskirk, associate professor of biology at
Earlham College, for perusing this article and offering advice. Breeding Bird Survey
data were provided by Harry E. LeGrand Jr. of Clemson University.

LITERATURE CITED

Brewster, W. 1886. An ornithological reconnaissance in western North Carolina. Auk

3:94-112, 173-179.

Ganier, A.F., and A. Clebsch. 1944. The breeding birds of the Unicoi Mountains.

Migrant 15:61-65.

Ganier, A.F., and A. Clebsch. 1946. The breeding birds of the Unicoi Mountains.

Migrant 17:53-59.

Potter, E.F., J.F. Parnell, and R.P. Teulings. 1980. Birds of the Carolinas. Univ. N.C.

Press, Chapel Hill. p. 283-284.

20

The Chat

BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

(All dates 1981)

PIED-BILLED GREBE: Rare for early summer was an individual on Cheoah Lake,
Graham County, N.C., on 15 June, as seen by Jim McConnell.

AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER: In Carteret County, N.C., were birds seen from a pier
at Atlantic Beach on 3 July by Jim McConnell, and picked up alive in a yard at
Williston on 26 July (fide Mark Shields).

GANNET: Late were single subadults observed at Atlantic Beach, N.C., on 6 June
(Bob Holmes) and on 7 June (John Fussell).

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: Jay Carter noted eight in flight near McCain,
Hoke County, N.C., on the unusual date of 1 June.

ANHINGA: Possibly breeding were as many as four seen at Jessup’s Mill Pond near
Fayetteville, N.C., from 29 May to 10 August, fide Philip Crutchfield; three seen
in southeastern Craven County, N.C., on 3 July by Gene Huntsman; and 1 1 noted
at Lay’s Lake near Nakina in Columbus County, N.C., on 7 July by Jim
McConnell. A female seen by Douglas McNair at Johns Pond in Scotland County,
N.C., on 10 June was considered a nonbreeder.

MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD: An immature was seen over Pawleys Island, S.C.,
on 2 June by Margaret Cely, and another (of unspecified sex and age) was noted
near Cape Lookout, N.C., by Lloyd and Martha Davidson on 25 June.

CATTLE EGRET: One was noteworthy near Southern Pines, N.C., on 7 July (Jay
Carter). Jim McConnell reported a possible heronry at Lay’s Lake in Columbus
County on 7 July. At least 200 Cattle Egrets, some carrying nesting material in their
bills, were noted, as were 30 Little Blue Herons, 12 Snowy Egrets, seven Great
Egrets, and an unspecified number of Least Bitterns and White Ibises.

REDDISH EGRET: A very good find was an individual seen by Fran and Wayne Irvin
on 21 June at the Cedar Island, N.C., ferry landing.

SNOWY EGRET: Gail Whitehurst saw one at the Falls of the Neuse dam in northern
Wake County, N.C., on 12 July.

LOUISIANA HERON: One was uncommon at Jordan Reservoir in eastern Chatham
County, N.C., on 1 August, as seen by the Chapel Hill Bird Club.

WOOD STORK: Ricky Davis first noted individuals (five) at the summering site near
Sunset Beach, N.C., on 23 June.

WHITE IBIS: A good post-breeding count was 40 immatures at Jordan Reservoir on
13 July (Bill and Margaret Wagner).

SNOW GOOSE: Eleven was a good total at Pea Island, N.C., on 9 July, as reported
by Allen Bryan.

MISSISSIPPI KITE: For the third consecutive summer, a pair nested in Cayce, S.C.,
across the street from Jimmy Beatty’s home. Douglas McNair saw two adults in
southwestern Richmond County, N.C., on 26 July, but unfortunately found none
there or in adjacent Anson County in May or June (when the presence of adults
would more likely indicate the possibility of breeding). A very rare visitor was an
adult seen well at Jordan Reservoir on 13 July by Bill and Margaret Wagner.

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: Douglas McNair saw an immature at Pee Dee National
Wildlife Refuge, N.C., on 4 June.

COOPER’S HAWK: One was noted by Paul Hamel near Anderson, S.C., on 14 June,
and an immature was seen by Mike Schultz and Jim McConnell near Durham,
N.C., on 3 August.

Winter 1982

21

BALD EAGLE: Rare for the Sandhills region was an adult seen by Jay Carter and
Fred Yelverton in western Hoke County on 10 July.

MARSH HAWK: A good count of five was reported at Cedar Island on 22 June by
John Fussell and Wayne and Fran Irvin. At least one was present in June and
July at Jordan Reservoir (Allen Bryan et al.).

OSPREY: Uncommon for the mountains were several seen at Lake Julian near
Asheville, N.C., on 30 July by Gail Whitehurst. One was out of season in early
June at Clemson, S.C. (Harry LeGrand, Alan Avakian).

AMERICAN KESTREL: Perhaps indicative of nesting was an adult male seen flying
from a road sign pipe over 1-40 near the Greensboro, N.C., airport on 30 May
(Wayne Irvin). Very rare near the coast was a pair seen carrying anoles into a
woodpecker hole on Old Fort Road in I’On Swamp, NE of Charleston, S.C., on
1 7 May (Perry Nugent, Steve Compton); presumed nesting was reported from this
site last year. At Winston-Salem, N.C., two fledglings were found on the ground in
town on 24 and 30 May, hand-reared, and later released (Ramona Snavely, Phil
Page). Jay Carter, Tim Stamps, and others reported kestrels on seven dates from
2 June to 2 July at five sites in western Fort Bragg, N.C., with a group of five (a
family party?) on 1 July.

SORA: An early migrant was seen by Harry LeGrand at a farm pond near Pendleton,
S.C., on 25 July.

BLACK RAIL: Allen Bryan saw one at Jordan Reservoir on 27 June, after the rail had
come to a taped call. As the species has been noted there for three consecutive
summers, breeding is strongly suspected.

BLACK-NECKED STILT: Conclusive nesting was reported from North River marsh
near Beaufort, N.C. An egg was found by Wayne Irvin on 6 June, and three pairs
were present all summer, with three juveniles seen with one of the pairs (fide John
Fussell). Fussell also noted post-nesting individuals at Davis, N.C., with six on
26 July and nine on 2 August.

AMERICAN AVOCET: Very rare inland was one noted by Brainard Palmer- Ball at
a small pond SE of Clayton, N.C., on 25 July.

WHIMBREL: A high total for June was 13 observed on the 17th at Beaufort, N.C., by
John Fussell.

LONG-BILLED CURLEW: Mike and Barb Homoya saw one on 5 June at Hatteras
Inlet, N.C.

UPLAND SANDPIPER: Rare inland in fall were three at the Lumberton, N.C., air-
field on 17 July (Douglas McNair) and two along the Neuse River at the Durham —
Wake County border on 2 August (Jim McConnell). Three were early on 7 July
at the New Hanover County, N.C., airport (Ricky Davis).

WILLET: A good inland find was one noted by Eloise Potter and John Erickson at a
farm pond near Bunn, Franklin County, N.C., on 4 July.

SPOTTED SANDPIPER: Ricky Davis noted a “singing” individual, perhaps indicat-
ing the presence of a territory, along the South Fork New River near Weavers Ford
in Ashe County, N.C., on 4 June.

RUDDY TURNSTONE: One noted by the Chapel Hill Bird Club at Beaverdam
Reservoir in northern Wake County on 18 July was rare for the piedmont.

WILSON’S PHALAROPE: Rather early fall migrants were one at Pea Island on 30
and 31 July (Allen Bryan) and two at Davis, N.C., on 2 August (John Fussell,
Brainard Palmer-Ball).

COMMON SNIPE: One on 5 August was several weeks early in northern Durham
County, N.C., as noted by Jim McConnell.

22

The Chat

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER: Eloise Potter and John Erickson saw an early
individual near Bunn, N.C., on 4 July.

WESTERN SANDPIPER: Rare for Durham County was one along the Neuse River
on 3 August (Jim McConnell, Mike Schultz), and one was early near Bunn on 4
July (Eloise Potter).

LEAST SANDPIPER: A first Carteret County, N.C., record for June was a bird at
Cedar Island on 22 June (John Fussell et al.). Rather early inland were one seen
at Clemson on 6 July by Harry LeGrand, and four seen by John Sneeden and
Eloise Potter on 9 July near Bunn.

DUNLIN: John Fussell observed two at Beaufort, N.C., on 17 June. The species is
rare on the coast in that month.

STILT SANDPIPER: At an impoundment near Davis, John Fussell and Wayne
Irvin noted 35 on 12 July and 65 on 26 July.

RUFF: An outstanding find was one, considered to have been an adult female, at
North River marsh near Beaufort on 31 July. John Fussell and Brainard Palmer-
Ball saw the large, white, oval patches on the sides of the tail and a diamond-shaped
patch of black feathers on the breast.

POMARINE JAEGER: Seldom reported in July, one was seen by Dave Lee and
Wayne Irvin off Oregon Inlet, N.C., on 8 July.

RING-BILLED GULL: Unusual midsummer sightings were two in a field near Valle
Crucis, Watauga County, N.C., on 4 June (Ricky Davis), and one at Clemson on
9 and 18 July (Alan Avakian).

FORSTER’S TERN: Tom Haggerty saw a rare and early migrant near Clayton, N.C.,
on 27 July. The bird, in winter plumage, was injured and was picked up at a farm
pond.

ROSEATE TERN: One in full breeding plumage, and described in detail, was seen at
a pond on Pea Island on 6 June by Mike Homoya.

SOOTY TERN: Unusual was an adult seen sitting with other terns at Cape Lookout,
N.C., on 18 June (Skip Prange).

BLACK TERN: Inland reports for “early fall” were single birds in North Carolina near
Smithfield on 5 July (Tom Haggerty), in eastern Durham County on 29 July (Jim
McConnell), and at Lake Julian near Asheville on 30 July (Gail Whitehurst).

BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO: Tom Haggerty saw an adult feeding another adult,
perhaps a courtship activity, on Potato Hill in Watauga County, N.C., on 25 July.
He heard another singing at nearby Blowing Rock on 26 July.

SAW-WHET OWL: Three were heard calling on Roan High Knob, N.C., on 27 June,
as noted by Herb Wilson and Bruce Lord.

WH IP-POOR-WILL: Philip Crutchfield reported as many as eight birds in the Fayette-
ville and Fort Bragg areas of North Carolina from April to August. Apparently
outside the known breeding range was one calling 6 miles S of New Bern, N.C., on
18 June (John Fussell).

GRAY KINGBIRD: Rare was an individual noted by Woody Martin just NE of
Atlantic, N.C., on 22 June.

EASTERN PHOEBE: In Richmond County, N.C., near the edge of the breeding range,
Douglas McNair found phoebes to be widely distributed during the summer in the
piedmont, but only sparingly distributed in the coastal-plain portion of the county.

OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER: One was seen in a locust-maple thicket at the edge of
an upland meadow on Hanging Rock Mountain, Watauga County, N.C., on 7
June (Philip Crutchfield, Kevin Mason). Although breeding is conceivably pos-
sible at this site, no evidence (such as singing) was reported.

Winter 1382

23

HORNED LARK: Ricky Davis and Steve Leonard found four pairs on Pond Moun-
tain, Ashe County, N.C., on 3 June; and Edmund Taylor saw at least six birds,
including singing males, at Reidsville in Spartanburg County, S.C., in early July.
Jay Carter reported two near Maxton, N.C., on 19 June. Douglas McNair noted
unprecedented numbers for the North Carolina coastal plain in summer: 14 pairs
in the Sandhills portion of Richmond County, four pairs at the Laurinburg-
Maxton airfield in Scotland County, and eight or nine adults plus young at the
Lumberton airfield in Robeson County. McNair also had Horned Larks in the
piedmont in Anson and Montgomery counties in that state during the summer.

TREE SWALLOW: An immature was a fairly early migrant at Fayetteville on 1 1 July
(Philip Crutchfield et al.).

BANK SWALLOW: Fall arrivals were observed as early as 19 July at Fort Macon
State Park, N.C. (John Fussell, Robert Hader) and 22 July at Long Beach, N.C.
(Jay Carter, Tim Stamps).

BARN SWALLOW: Most unusual was an individual in total albinistic plumage near
Winston-Salem on 16 July, as noted by Ramona Snavely and Kay and Joe Bergey.

CLIFF SWALLOW: As many as five pairs were seen at the US 74 bridge over the Pee
Dee River in Richmond County on 28 June by Jim McConnell, who saw a pair
feeding young there on 7 July. Two small nesting colonies were observed by Harry
LeGrand during the summer under bridges over the Tugaloo River in western
Oconee County, S.C.

PURPLE MARTIN: Philip Crutchfield reported as many as 3000 post-breeding birds
at one site in the Fayetteville area in early August.

COMMON RAVEN: Sightings in Ashe County, N.C., were four over the community
of Brown on 3 June (Ricky Davis) and three at Bluff Mountain on 1 1 July (Jim
McConnell).

FISH CROW: One or two were noted by Jim McConnell at Durham on several
occasions all summer. The species is quite rare in that area after the spring season.

HOUSE WREN: A pair made a nesting attempt (but with no offspring produced) at
Fayetteville, being seen by Henry Rankin from 7 May into August.

CEDAR WAXWING: The first nesting record for South Carolina was reported by
Sidney Gauthreaux from the Oconee Nuclear Station a few miles N of Seneca.
Two nests, one under construction, were noted in the same tree, and four adults
were observed, all on 2 June. The habitat was scattered, planted Sugar Maples
on the grounds of the station. A rare North Carolina piedmont breeding record
was made when Fred and Sally Hill found a fledgling sitting on a sidewalk in
Forsyth County on 3 July. Other summer sightings were of one at Chapel Hill on
27 June (Marc Eisdorfer) and two at Southern Pines on 17 July (Jay Carter).

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE: Unusual for Ashe County was one seen near Weavers Ford
on 3 June, at an elevation of 2500 feet, by Ricky Davis. A number of observers,
especially in the piedmont, reported on the continued decline of this species as a
breeder.

SOLITARY VIREO: Douglas McNair noted four singing males on territory on
Morrow Mountain, Stanly County, N.C., on 23 May, and another singing on
that date along the Richmond-Montgomery County line. All birds were in mixed
pine-hardwood forests.

PROTHONOTARY WARBLER: The first indication of breeding in the North Caro-
lina mountains was a male singing vigorously on 14 June where West Buffalo
Creek enters Lake Santeetlah in Graham County (Jim McConnell).

SWAINSON’S WARBLER: Jim McConnell noted six birds at four sites in north-
western Graham County in June; and on 15 and 16 June an empty nest was found

24

The Chat

along the Cheoah River, with three birds (one an apparent juvenile) nearby.
Douglas McNair discovered two singing birds in Scotland County, and three at
two places in Robeson County, on 30 May.

CERULEAN WARBLER: In Graham County on 15 June, Jim McConnell found a
singing bird just above the dam of Fontana Lake, and five near Tuskeegee.

LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH: Significant reports, apparently of territorial birds,
were of one singing along the Cape Fear River at Elizabethtown, N.C., on 24
May (Douglas McNair); one singing at Otter Creek near Croatan in Craven
County, N.C., on 9 and 11 June (John Fussell); and a nonsinging bird in Jones
County, N.C., 8 miles SW of New Bern, on 10 June (Fussell).

BOBOLINK: Ricky Davis flushed a silent male from tall grass near Weavers Ford,
N.C., on 4 June. Nesting, or possible nesting, has occurred on several occasions
previously in the northwestern corner of the state. Presumed migrants on 3 June
were a male at Derby and a female at Norman, both in Richmond County (Douglas
McNair).

NORTHERN ORIOLE: A male was seen and heard in June in northern Alamance
County, N.C., by Allen Bryan.

SCARLET TANAGER: Douglas McNair noted a few in the breeding season in Anson
and Richmond Counties, and seemingly far out of range was an individual seen
singing on territory by McNair at Hog Creek in Robeson County on 30 May.

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: Robert Ruiz observed a pair all of June in his yard
at Swannanoa, N.C. (2265 feet). Most breeding birds are found in that state above
3500 feet in elevation.

INDIGO BUNTING: Quite high in elevation during the breeding season were a male
at the rhododendron gardens on Roan Mountain, N.C.,andtwo singing on nearby
Jane Bald, on 27 June (Herb Wilson, Bruce Lord).

DICKCISSEL: A female was seen at Columbia, S.C., on 18 May by Jimmy Beatty,
Lex Glover, and John Paquet; however, it was not seen on later dates.

HOUSE FINCH: This species probably bred for the first time at Fayetteville. Adults
were seen by Philip Crutchfield and Henry Rankin from 29 June to August, with
a pair plus three immatures noted on 17 August.

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: Near the edge of the breeding range were as many as
six individuals noted in the Fayetteville area during the summer by Philip
Crutchfield.

RED CROSSBILL: Rare for South Carolina in summer was a female seen by Steve
Cox in Greenville on 2 July.

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW: Ricky Davis noted an adult and a possible juvenile at
the New Hanover County, N.C., airport on 30 July.

BACHMAN’S SPARROW: Rather rare for the Columbia area was a singing bird seen
by John Cely in June at the Congaree Swamp National Monument.

SONG SPARROW: The southern breeding limit of the Atlantic race was extended
south to Cedar Island, where John Fussell and Wayne Irvin found 10 territorial
males in 3 miles near the ferry terminal on 22 June. Two recently fledged young
were also seen.

CORRIGENDA: The Red-cockaded Woodpeckers in Johnston County, N.C. (Chat
45:52), were at Smithfield, and not near Four Oaks as reported. The Nashville
Warbler near McCain, N.C. (Chat 45:53) was seen by Jay Carter and Tim Stamps
(not Tom Howard).

Winter 1982

25

PHOTO QUIZ

Answer on Page 28

26

The Chat

BOOK REVIEWS

AMERICA’S ENDANGERED BIRDS

Robert M, McCiung. 1979. William Morrow and Company, New York. Ulus, by
George Founds. 160 p. Price NA.

The Library of Congress classifies this as “juvenile literature,” but adults will enjoy
it. Professional ornithologists and conservationists will find nothing new in it, but for
many other bird students, the book is a straightforward, unsentimental account of
efforts to save Whooping Cranes, Bald Eagles, Brown Pelicans, California Condors,
Kirtland’s Warblers, and Ivory-billed Woodpeckers. Each bird gets a full chapter, with
details of the various and oft-debated methods of rescue. A final chapter touches on
many other endangered species, and it is encouraging to read of the efforts being made
to save them. The book ends with this: “The death of a species is forever.” — LCF

BEYOND THE BIRD FEEDER

John Y. Dennis. 1981. Knopf, New York. Ulus, by Mathew Kalmenoff. 201 p.
Index. Hardcover, $13.95.

There is no way I can give this book an impartial review'. John Dennis and I have
spent many hours discussing bird behavior and methods of pursuing this fascinating
aspect of bird study. As he graciously acknowledges, I previewed part of the manuscript.
And for nearly 20 years I have been touting the advantages of using the home as a bird
blind. This close involvement makes me prone to praise the author when he expresses
my sentiments exactly and to criticize him — perhaps unjustly — when he neglects a topic
I deem important.

Beyond the Bird Feeder is a sequel to Dennis’s very successful Complete Guide to
Bird Feeding. Like the earlier work, this one is an intensely personal account written in
the first person singular. The nine chapters treat migration and bird feeding, food,
water, anting and related antics, eluding enemies, confrontations, habitat and food
plants, reactions to inclement weather, and houses and their attractions to birds.
Although there are frequent references to feeders, the book basically explains what
backyard birds are likely to do when they are not eating at the feeders. There is an
extensive discussion of grooming behaviors— water-bathing, anting, sunning, dusting,
and preening. Unfortunately, several related topics (scratching, wing-stretching, bill-
wiping, and molting) are omitted or mentioned only briefly. Frequent references to
events related to courtship and nesting make me long fora chapter on the reproductive
cycle. This would not have to be lengthy or technical — just the basic perspective needed
for an intelligent reading of Bent’s Life Histories.

Dennis refers in his preface to the contributions of amateurs to the study of bird
behavior, and in the chapter on eluding enemies he mentions the importance of keeping
careful notes on observations. As the editor of Chat, I wish the author had placed more
emphasis on note taking and the importance of publishing accounts of unusual behavior
in appropriate journals.

On the positive side, Dennis approaches bird behavior with great enthusiasm and
leaves the reader prepared to watch for the unexpected. He emphasizes those aspects of
bird study that are still poorly understood and invites readers to think seriously about
the significance of the behavior they see in their own yards. Dennis gives his book wide
appeal by including the experiences of bird students from all parts of the United States
and from several foreign countries. Readers might get the impression, however, that he
is partial to the Carolinas. Not only does Dennis refer to the writings of Arthur T.

Winter 1982

27

Wayne, A.L. Pickens, John C. Watkins, Doris C. Hauser, and Eloise Potter but also he
frequently mentions having lived in South Carolina, which he calls “one of the most
beautiful and unspoiled of the southern states.”

Anyone who is just beginning to develop an interest in bird behavior will find this
book very helpful and enjoyable. More important than any scientific facts presented in
Beyond the Bird Feeder is the author’s point of view: The ability to recognize the birds
attracted to your feeder combined with an informed curiosity about bird behavior
enables you to study birds in depth from the comfort of your own home. And, of course,
the keen awareness of behavior developed at the feeding station adds to the enjoyment
of trips afield. — EFP

ANSWER TO PHOTO QUIZ

If you identified the owl on page 26 as a fledgling Screech Owl,
you agree with the several experienced field observers who
examined the photograph prior to publication. Note that the bird
has not yet grown the ear tufts that are characteristic of adults and
most juveniles of this species. The photograph was submitted by
Henry Rankin Jr. of Fayetteville, N.C. Do you have bird pictures that
illustrate identification problems? If so, please submit black-and-
white prints to the Editor for use in future Photo Quizzes.

28

The Chat

MEMBERSHIP

Carolina Bird Club, Inc., is a non-profit educational and scientific association
founded in March 1937 and open to anyone interested in the study and conservation of
wildlife, particularly birds. Dues, contributions, and bequests to the club are deductible
from state and federal income and estate taxes. Checks should be made payable to
Carolina Bird Club, Inc., and sent to CBC Headquarters, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh,
N.C. 27611.

DEES

(Payable on a calendar-year basis)

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Affiliated Club $ 10.00

PUBLICATIONS

All CBC members not in arrears for dues receive The Chat, a quarterly journal
devoted to bird study and conservation, and the CBC Newsletter, which carries infor-
mation about meetings, field trips, and club projects. Articles intended for publication
in Chat may be sent to the Editor or to the appropriate department editor listed in a
recent issue of the bulletin. Items for the Newsletter should be sent to its Editor, Clyde
Smith, 2615 Wells Avenue, Raleigh, N.C. 27608. Correspondence regarding member-
ships, changes of address, or requests for back numbers of either publication should be
sent to CBC Headquarters, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611.

OFFICERS

President Ramona Snavely, 115 Plymouth Ave., Winston-Salem, N.C. 27104

Vice-presidents . .. Ercei Francis, 26 Cardinal Road, Cedar Mountain, N.C. 28718
Frances B. Needham, Box 8207, Waynick Blvd., Wnghtsville Beach, N.C. 28480
Teddy M. Shuler, Route 1, Box 15, Seneca, S.C. 29678

Secretary Julie Angerman-Stewart, 3966-C Tara Drive, Raleigh, N.C. 27609

Treasurer Thomas M. Dabbs, Route 1, Box 64, Mayesville, S.C. 29104

Members -at -large:

Region I — Western North Carolina

Robert H. Withenngton, Winston-Salem, and Richard D. Brown, Charlotte
Region II — Eastern North Carolina

Robert J. Hader, Raleigh, and Dana T. Carter, Goldsboro
Region III — South Carolina

Lex Glover, Columbia, and Steve Compton, Charleston
Headquarters Secretary Fran M. Irvin

SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID
at Raleigh, N.C. 27611

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the Chat

Vol. 46

SPRING 1982

No. 2

CB©

Quarterly Bulletin of Carolina Bird Club, Inc.
The Ornithological Society of the Carolines

The Chat

(USPS 101-020)

Vol. 46 SPRING 1982 No. 2

Published by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc.

Editor Eloise F. Potter, Route 3, Box 114 AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

General Field Notes David S. Lee, Department Editor

Julian R. Harrison, Associate Editor

Briefs for the Files Harry E. LeGrand Jr., Department of Zoology

Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29631

CBC Roundtable Louis C. Fink, Apt. 6, Bldg. L, Tau Valley Estates,

Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801

Backyard Birding Gail T. Whitehurst, 1505 Brooks Avenue,

Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Bird Count Editor John O. Fussell III, P.O. Box 520,

Morehead City, N.C. 28557

Art and Photography John Henry Dick and Jack Dermid

THE CHAT is published quarterly by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., with headquarters at the North Carolina State Museum,
P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 2761 1. Second class postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 2761 1. Subscription price $10 per year.

PAGE CH ARGFS: Authors who have funds available for page charges are requested to remit same at the rate of $40.00 per
page. CBC Headquarters will provide statements required for your business records.

CONTENTS

Third Annual Breeding Bird Foray:

Hoke County, N.C. Mary Kay Clark and Eloise F. Potter 29

Backyard Birding 38

CBC Roundtable 41

General Field Notes

Brown Pelican on Inland Freshwater Impoundment.

Philip J. Crutchfield 43

A Nanday Conure in Coastal North Carolina. E. Wavne Irvin 43

Flying Squirrel Found Dead at Red-cockaded

Woodpecker Cavity. J.H. Carter /// 44

Mortality Rates in Nestling Purple Martins. Joshua A. Lee 45

Briefs for the Files 47

Book Review 56

OUR COVER A Brown Pelican was photographed by
David S. Lee as it was about to land on a piling. John Henry
Dick drew a pelican (page 47) in almost the same position,
particularly in regard to the feet and tail. Once more a photo
documents the keen eye of the artist.

THIRD ANNUAL BREEDING BIRD FORAY:

HOKE COUNTY, N.C.

MARY KAY CLARK and ELOISE F. POTTER

Between 25 and 30 May 1981 members of the Carolina Bird Club and the North
Carolina State Museum of Natural History conducted the third annual Breeding Bird
Foray near McCain, Hoke County, N.C. The 1 700-acre site is on both sides of NC 21 1 at
the town of McCain. Additional field work was conducted between 21 and 27 October
1981 by members and associates of the State Museum. Several brief trips were also
made during 1 98 1 primarily for inventorying mammals, but bird records were obtained
at those times as well. Participants in the May 1981 Breeding Bird Foray include Alvin
Braswell, Cindy Clark, John Funderburg, Peter Hertl, Tom Howard, David Lee, Steve
Platania, John Watson, and the authors.

The 1981 Foray was part of a general, long-range floral and faunal survey of the
McCain Tract. The property is owned by the State of North Carolina and administered
by the State Farms Division of the Department of Agriculture and the North Carolina
Biological Survey through a mutual agreement of understanding in response to concern
over the preservation of Sandhills ecosystems and pocosins in the state. This area is the
first in a series of Department of Agriculture properties to be surveyed and eventually
managed for floral and nongame enhancement. These lands will also be used for long-
range population studies and other types of field research conducted by the North
Carolina State Museum of Natural History. The base-line information obtained during
the study will provide a yardstick against which to measure the effects of long-range
habitat management.

HABITAT DIVERSITY

Major vegetative types on the McCain Tract include pine-dominated communities,
pine planatations, and a variety of wetlands. Elevations on the sandy site range from 290
to 520 feet above sea level. Plant community diversity can be attributed to the differ-
ences in elevation and the various wetland types. Six principal habitats were inventoried
for breeding birds: Longleaf Pine - Turkey Oak - Wiregrass (Pinus palustris -
Quercus laevis - Aristida stricta ), Loblolly Pine ( P . taeda) plantations, a Carolina Bay,
creek-bottom hardwoods, and a Beaver pond and Cattail marsh. Miscellaneous
ecotonal and successional habitats such as fields, utility rights-of-way, and road cuts
were also covered.

The most extensive vegetative type is a typical Sandhills community, Longleaf Pine
- Turkey Oak - Wiregrass (Fig. 1), which characterizes the high ridges on the property.
A Longleaf Pine - Wiregrass savanna grows over a clay layer at the tract’s highest
elevation. Most of the pines in these communities are second growth, but much of the
property has not been lumbered in over 80 years. Old flattops, often bearing scars (Fig.
2) from turpentine operations in the 1930s, are scattered throughout the stands.
Longleaf Pine - Wiregrass swales occur along drainage ways in low areas.

Loblolly Pine plantations (Fig. 3) occupy the next highest percentage of area on the
tract. The canopy is closed in these plantations as opposed to the open canopy of the
Longleaf Pine communities. The understory is composed of some hardwoods and an
abundance of honeysuckle.

The most distinctive feature on the property is a 5-acre Carolina Bay (Fig. 4)
situated in the northwest corner. One of the few bays occurring in the North Carolina
Sandhills, it is the only known clay-subsoil bay in state ownership. Jointweed
( Polvgonella polygama ), uncommon in the Sandhills, grows in the sandy ridges that
form the margins of the bay. Dense thickets of evergreen shrubs, predominantly Titi or
Leatherwood ( Cvrilla racemiflora ), make entrance to the interior difficult. Growing

Spring 1982

29

Fig. 1 . Longleaf Pines, Turkey Oaks, and Wiregrass are characteristic plants on the
high ridges of the McCain Tract in Hoke County, N.C. This typical Sandhills plant
commun ity is the most extensive vegetative type on the tract and prime habitat for the
Red-cockaded Woodpecker. (Photo by Mary Kay Clark)

within the bay are small, scattered Bald Cypress ( Taxodium distichum)as well as Sarvis
Holly (Ilex amelanchier ), Black Gum ( Nyssa sylvatica ), Fetter-bush (Leucothoe
recurva ), Red Maple (Acer rubrum ), and Sphagnum (Sphagnum sp.).

Mountain Creek flows through the property, enhancing habitat diversity in several
ways. Along the creek bottom is a dense zone of evergreen shrubs that occupy the
ecotone between the uplands and a hardwood swamp. Scattered throughout this zone
are a few clumps of the rare White Wicky (Kalmia cuneata ), Slender Clubmoss
(Lycopodium cardini anum ), and a small population of Purple Pitcher Plants
(Saracenia purpurea ).

Found along the creek are a 2-acre Cattail marsh in an active Beaver pond and a
man-made pond. Alders ( Alnus serrulata) are common around the edges of the marsh.

(Text Continues on Page 34)

30

The Chat

Fig. 2. Most of the McCain T ract has not been lumbered in over 80 years. The trunk of
this old flattop bears scars from turpentine operations in the 1930s. Trees like this
one are scattered throughout the Longleaf Pine stands. (Photo by Mary Kay Clark)

Spring 1982

31

Fig. 3. A Loblolly Pine plantation on the McCain Tract has a closed canopy as
opposed to the open canopy of the Longleaf Pine communities. (Photo by Mary Kay
Clark)

Fig. 4 (at right). The Carolina Bay in the northwest corner of the McCain Tract is
ringed by dense thickets of evergreen shrubs. Deciduous trees around and in the bay
include Bald Cypress, Black Gum, and Red Maple. This bay is particularly interesting
because of its clay subsoil. (Photo by Mary Kay Clark)

32

The Chat

MSI fife

Spring 1982

33

TABLE 1 . Birds known or assumed to have nested in the McCain Tract, Hoke County,
N.C., during the 1981 breeding season are listed below. An asterisk (*) following the
name of the species indicates positive evidence of breeding. The six types of habitat
surveyed are (1) Longleaf Pine - Turkey Oak; (2) Loblolly Pine; (3) Carolina Bay; (4)
creek-bottom hardwoods; (5) lake, pond, and marsh; and (6) other, including fields,
roadsides, and residential neighborhoods.

Species Habitat

12 3 4 5 6

Green Heron* — — X —

Wood Duck X —

Turkey Vulture ______ x

Black Vulture — X

Red-tailed Hawk X — — — — X

American Kestrel — — — — — X

Bobwhite* X X X X — X

Mourning Dove* X X X X —

Yellow-billed Cuckoo* — — — X — -

Great Horned Owl X — — — — X

Barred Owl — — — — X —

Chuck-will’s-widow* X X — —

Whip-poor-will* — X — X — —

Common Nighthawk* X — — —

Chimney Swift — — — — — X

Ruby-throated Hummingbird — — — X — —

Belted Kingfisher* - X -

Common Flicker* X X — — X —

Pileated Woodpecker* X — — X X —

Red -bellied Woodpecker* — X X — — —

Red-headed Woodpecker* — — — — X —

Hairy Woodpecker — X X X

Downy Woodpecker — XXX

Red-cockaded Woodpecker* X — — — —

Eastern Kingbird* — — — — X X

Great Crested Flycatcher* X X X X — —

Acadian Flycatcher* — — — X — —

Eastern Wood Pewee* X X — — — —

Rough-winged Swallow — — — — X X

Purple Martin — — — — — X

Blue Jay* — X — —

Common Crow — — — — — X

Fish Crow X X — X — —

Carolina Chickadee* X X X X — —

Tufted Titmouse* X X X X — —

Brown-headed Nuthatch* X X — — — —

Carolina Wren* — XXX — —

Mockingbird — — — — — X

Species

j

2

Habitat
3 4

1

5

6

Gray Catbird*

X

X

X

Brown Thrasher*

X

_

_

American Robin*

X

X

X

X

Wood Thrush*

X

X

X

X

_

Eastern Bluebird

X

_

X

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher*

X

X

X

X

.Starling

X

White-eyed Vireo

X

X

_

X

Yellow-throated Vireo*

X

X

X

__

Red-eyed Vireo*

X

X

_

X

Black-and-white Warbler

__

X

_

Prothonotary Warbler

SBb

_

X

X

Northern Parula

_

X

X

Yellow-throated Warbler

X

X

_

Pine Warbler*

X

X

_

Prairie Warbler*

X

Ovenbird

_

X

_

_

Kentucky Warbler

_

_

X

_

Common Yellowthroat*

_

_

X

X

_

Yellow-breasted Chat

_

_

X

_

_

_

Hooded Warbler*

_

X

X

X

_

American Redstart*

_

_

X

__

House Sparrow

_

_

_

_

X

Eastern Meadowlark*

X

Red-winged Blackbird*

_

_

_

X

X

Orchard Oriole

_

X

_

X

Common Grackle

_

_

X

X

Brown-headed Cowbird

X

X

_

Summer Tanager*

X

X

X

X

_

Cardinal*

—

X

X

_

_

Blue Grosbeak

X

_

_

X

Indigo Bunting

X

American Goldfinch

X

X

X

Rufous-sided Towhee*

X

X

X

X

_

Chipping Sparrow*

X

X

_

_

15

Field Sparrow

X

Bachman’s Sparrow

X

A hardwood swamp forest (Fig. 5), with standing water resulting from Beaver activity,
contains large dead trees that provide habitat for several species of woodpeckers.

BIRD LIFE

At least 75 species of nesting birds were observed on the property. Previously,
Carter (1971) discussed the birds of the general Sandhills region but did not consider
specific sites within the four-county area. The emphasis of this foray was to document
avian breeding activity as related to the major vegetation types described in Table I.

Represented among the birds of the McCain Tract are several species nesting at or
near the southeastern limit of the presently known breeding range. These and a few
other species require brief discussion.

Caprimulgids: All three caprimulgids nest on the property. Lee found a Chuck-
will’s-widow nest with two eggs on 26 May. Whip-poor-wills exhibited territorial
behavior, but no nest was found. This is unfortunate, for to the best of our knowledge

34

The Chat

Fig. 5. Red-headed Woodpeckers are among the cavity-nesting species using the
large standing dead trees in a portion of the hardwood swamp forest flooded by a
Beaver dam. (Photo by Mary Kay Clark)

there is no documented breeding record of the species from the North Carolina coastal
plain. Calling stations have been reported as far east as Gates, Bertie, Johnston,
Cumberland, Moore, and Hoke Counties. The Common Nighthawk collected on 25
May 1981 (NCSM 8006) appears to be intermediate between Chordeiles minor minor
and C. m. chapmani. The former race breeds in the mountains, most of the piedmont,
and the northern part of the coastal plain, whereas the latter race is generally believed to
breed “in the southern half of the coastal plain and neighboring margin of the piedmont
region of North Carolina” (Pearson et al. 1959). The nighthawks exhibited territorial
behavior in the open pine woods where they apparently nest on the sandy ground in the
manner of the population found on the immediate coast northward at least to Carteret
County.

Belted Kingfisher: An active nest burrow was discovered at a sandpit by Tom
Howard.

Red -headed Woodpeeker: This species was found only where Beaver ponds had
created plots of large -diameter standing dead timber.

Red-eoekaded Woodpecker: To date approximately 40 to 50 cavity trees have
been located on the McCain Tract. Clearing of brush has begun in the vicinity of some
active colonies where the understory was on the verge of becoming too tall and dense to
meet the habitat requirements of the species.

Crows: Fish Crows were more numerous than Common Crows during the breed-
ing season. We do not know when the Fish Crow began nesting in Hoke County. Carter
(1971) commented that the species was already well established in the Sandhills when he
collected the first local specimen in 1970.

Warblers: In addition to the warblers that are known to breed throughout the
southern part of the North Carolina coastal plain, we found several species at or near the

Spring 1982

35

southeastern edge of their nesting range in this state. Additional field work is needed to
determine the breeding status of the Black-and-white Warbler, Ovenbird, Kentucky
Warbler, and American Redstart in the southeastern counties.

Summer Tanager: This species, which is frequently associated with pine-
hardwood forests in the piedmont, was among the most numerous of the birds breeding
in the pines of the McCain Tract.

Blue Grosbeak: Although we seemed to miss most of them, Mr. and Mrs. John
Watson assure us that the Blue Grosbeaks are common in open habitats in the McCain

area.

Rufous-sided Towhee: According to Blake (1961), the McCain Tract lies within a
band of presumed intergradation between Pipilo erythropthalmus rileyi , of the South
Carolina and southern North Carolina coastal plain, and P. e. eanasier and P. e. ery-
throphthalmus , the other two races that breed in the Carolinas. An adult male (NCSM
8244) taken in late May had a very pale yellowish-white iris, which is considered typical
of P. e. rileyi in spite of the fact that some individual adults may have orangish or
reddish irides. This race is listed in some books written before publication of the 1957
A.O.U. Check-list as P. e. alleni and given the common name “White-eyed Towhee.”

Bachman’s Sparrow: Potter heard one singing several times from pines at the edge
of a field, but she was unable to confirm the identification visually. The species is known
to have bred in the county as recently as 1974 (Carter 1974).

Introductions: Only two introduced species were recorded. House Sparrows and
Starlings visit the edges of the McCain Tract, but so far their breeding sites remain in
developed areas adjacent to the property.

OTHER VERTEBRATES

Other vertebrate species recorded from the property include (““voucher specimens
in the NCSM collections):

MAMMALS: Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis ), ““Carolina Short-tailed Shrew
( Blarina carolinensis ), Least Shrew ( Crypotis parva ), Southeastern Shrew (Sorex
longirostris ), Eastern Mole ( Sca/opus aquaticus ), *Myotis sp., ““Eastern Pipistrelle
( Pipistrellus subflavus), *Red Bat ( Insiurus borealis), ““Eastern Cottontail ( Sylvi/agus
fioridanus ), Marsh Rabbit (S. palustris ), Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), ““Fox
Squirrel (S. niger ), ““Southern Flying Squirrel ( Glaucomvs vo/ans), Beaver (Castor
canadensis), ““Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys humulis ), ““White-footed Mouse
( Peromyscus leucopus), ““Cotton Mouse (P.gossypinus), ““Golden Mouse (Och rotomys
nuttali), ““Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus), ““Pine Vole ( Microtus pinetorum), ““House
Mouse ( Mus musculus). Red Fox (Vulpes fu/va). Gray Fox ( Urocyon cinereo-
argenteus). Raccoon (Procvon lotor). Bobcat (Lynx rufus). White-tailed Deer
( Odocoileus virgionianus).

REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS: Dwarf Waterdog ( Necturus punctatus).
Lesser Siren ( Siren intermedia). Red-spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens).
Dusky Salamander ( Desmognathus fuscus/auriculatus). Mud Salamander (Pseudotri-
ton montanus). Red Salamander (P. ruber). Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea sp.).
Dwarf Salamander (E. quadridigitata). Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosus).
Eastern Spadefoot (Scaphiopus ho/brooki). Southern Toad (Bufo terrestris). Southern
Cricket Frog (Acris gryllus). Green Treefog ( Hyla cinerea). Southern Gray Treefrog ( H.
chrvsoscelis). Spring Peeper (H. crucifer). Barking Treefrog (H. gratiosa). Bullfrog (Rana
catesbiana). Bronze Frog (R. clamitans). Southern Leopard Frog (Rana utricularia).
Snapping Turtle ( Chelydra serpentina ), Stinkpot (Sternotherus odoratus). Yellow-
bellied Turtle (Chrvsemys scripta). Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene Carolina), Green
Anole (Anolis carolinensis). Northern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undu/atus
hyacinth inus). Ground Skink (Scincella lateralis). Six-lined Racerunner
(Cnemidophorus sexlineatus). Eastern Worm Snake (Carphopis amoenus). Black

36

The Chat

Racer ( Coluber constrictor ), Ringneck Snake ( Diadophis punctatus ), Corn Snake
( Elaphe guttata ), Black Rat Snake (E. obsoleta ), Eastern Mud Snake (Farancia
abacura ), Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon platyrhinos ), Banded Water Snake
( Nerodia fasciata ), Southeastern Crowned Snake ( Tantilla coronata ), Eastern
Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorous).

FISHES: Eastern Mudminnow ( Umbra pygmaea), Redfin Pickerel (Esox
americanus ), Lake Chubsucker ( Erimyzon sucetta ), Yellow Bullhead (Ictaturus
natalis ), Pirate Perch (Aphredoderus sayanus), Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), Mud
Sunfish ( Acantharchus pomotis ), Warmouth ( Lepomis gulosus ), Dollar Sunfish
( Lepomis marginatus).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the above lists of vertebrate fauna for the McCain Tract must be consid-
ered preliminary, the bird list probably includes all of the locally common breeding
species and most of the uncommon nesters. The success of the 198! Breeding Bird Foray
emphasizes the advantages of intensive field work by a team of experienced observers
covering a small geographic areas for several consecutive days. Even when no rare birds
are found, valuable base-line data can be compiled on habitat relationships and made
available for future research projects, including studies of long-range habitat manage-
ment practices.

LITERATURE CITED

Blake, C.H. 1961. Towhees in the Carolinas. Chat 25:22-24.

Carter, J.H. 1971. Birds of the central Sandhills of North Carolina. Chat 35:91-105.
Carter, J.H. 1974. Briefs for the Files: Bachman’s Sparrow. Chat 38:98.
Crutchfield, P.J., C. Rankin Jr., and H. Rankin Jr. 1979. A Checklist of the Birds of
Cumberland County, North Carolina. Fayetteville Audubon Society.

Pearson, T.G., C.S. Brimley, and H.H. Brimley. 1942. Birds of North Carolina.
Revised 1959 by D.L. Wray and H.T. Davis. N.C. Dept. Agric., Raleigh.

North Carolina State Museum, Raleigh, N.C. 1 February 1982.

Spring 1982

37

Sinduty

. . . with Gail T. Whitehurst

The cold, damp, miserable winter of 1981-1982 is nearly over as this is being
written. For many folks it brought in some unusual birds to the backyard feeders. By far
the most exciting visitor was the Goshawk seen by Dr. and Mrs. Walton C. Gregory of
Raleigh. A complete write-up of this sighting appears below. A neighbor of mine onlya
few blocks away had, on different occasions, a Palm Warbler and two White-crowned
Sparrows. We did not have any of these aberrant birds — just plenty of those to be
expected, eating us out of house and home!

A Brazen Predator, the Goshawk

When we returned home in northwest Raleigh in May 1981, after several weeks’
absence, we were surprised to find that a young game cockerel had taken up residence
near our bird feeder, which had been kept supplied by a neighbor while we were away.
Casually named Henry, the cockerel, showed little sign of domestication and when
flushed, flew skillfully among the large pine boles of our 13-acre forested place. By
October Henry was nearly full-sized, a proud-looking, beautiful bird of red -orange and
black — irridescent to green and blue. M.P. immediately fell in love with Henry and by
October had determined to visit the poultry exhibit of the North Carolina State Fair,
where she talked an exhibiter of game fowl into giving her one of his prize pullets. After
2 days of through-the-wire acquaintanceship with Henry, the pullet was allowed to fly
out to join her wild spouse. Wild as he, she stayed close by his side, under cover by day
and on the same limb by night. We named her Mathilda.

Happy seemed the lot of Henry and Mathilda in warm full sunshine that slanted
under their boxwood refuge. Then on gray 1 8 December we saw a large gray hawk rise
from near the boxwoods. There lay Henry scattered and torn while his great predator
brazenly perched front view on a low limb not 30 feet away. W.C. walked to within 40
feet of this hawk before it elected to move another 30 feet and a little higher. Its great
gray wings looked, when spread, to be more than a meter from tip to tip. Perched profile
view on its second perch, the bird showed its great head with a distinct white stripe
over the eye.

The hawk returned to its kill, but we saw it only at a distance on 20 and 21
December. Mathilda, meantime, had disappeared. We thought that the great hawk had
lifted her small body away. How wrong we were. She hid by day and visited the feeding
area only in the darkest twilight of morning and evening. The hawk returned in
morning twilight on 28 January when it perched so that M.P. was able to observe its
white undertail coverts and to count five distinct gray undertail bars. We did not see

38

The Chat

Mathilda for 6 days. At this writing (1 I February 1982) she is still with us and still
crepuscular.

We report this to be a sighting of the Goshawk in Wake County, N.C., on 18, 20,
and 21 December 1981 and on 28 January 1982. We base this identification on the
hawk’s large size, dark gray color, whitish underparts, white eye stripe, white undertail
coverts, long tail, and five gray undertail bars. Additional support for this report lies in
the size of its kill, its brazen behavior, and the species of its kill. — WALTON C.
GREGORY and MARGARET P. GREGORY, 3808 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, N.C.
27612.

Birding Tastes and Preferences in Felis domesticat

I’m sure Bird -lovers and Feliphiles (they are often the same) have watched and and
wondered why the Housecat, ever the renowned Mouser, is always an even greater
Birder, to the dismay of human birders as well as human cat-keepers. In the spring of
1981,1 had to witness helplessly the successful stalk by a “stray,” polite euphemism for a
feral feline, of a group of four Gray Catbirds. (That’s Ctf/-bird, Pussy, not Cat’s-birdl)
After a field of weeds was mowed, they were left with little cover. The alert feline just
stood his ground, despite the birds’ scolding, my bursting a paper bag and throwing
gravel while advancing menacingly and shouting “SCAT,” until one brave but foolish
defender dared venture within the killing compass of his claws. One more lucky leonine
luncher, and one less lucky catbird. “Why?” 1 wondered aloud, “Never a usurping
Starling, an overabundant House Sparrow, nor ever a messy Rock Dove; always some
naive, native songbird.” (The only bird my carefully controlled Siamese cat ever caught
was a big Common Flicker, the tell-cat-tale yellow shafts strewn like rose petals down
the cellar steps, as if the guilty kitty were soliciting praise from her surprisingly
unsympathetic owner.) Watching the behavior of the catbirds, I was intrigued by the
apparent suicidal attitude of the territorial defenders who were willing to approach and
try to drive a way an enemy that was their nemesis. Why did n’t they have sense enough to
let the cat alone? Surely it could not climb into the fragile branches they could safely
perch on out of reach. Or, were the birds not experienced enough to avoid the danger?

The housecat is out of its natural range in North America; no other predator on the
catbird’s nesting grounds closely resembles it in either size or propensity. Our native
Bobcat, or Bay Lynx, is so large that small songbirds must be beneath its dignity. And
when our native songbirds migrate to Mexico or Central and South America, they
encounter only the chiefly nocturnal Margay and the Ocelot; again, too large to be
serious threats to small game. In Europe, though, our imported nuisance birds have had
the Eurasian Wildcat for a small predator model, and so may have learned to cope with
a wild cat’s wiles. Probably the catbird is the cat’s bird, for it appears to have no
instinctive fear of the housecat. This raises some interesting questions: At what point did
the Gray Catbird learn to imitate the cat, a very effective deterrent to some avian
enemies? Or does the bird really imitate the cat’s “meow” at all? And does this call play
into the cat’s paws?— DANIEL M. WATSON, 107 A Hope Street, Greenville, S.C.
2960 1

Mr. Watson’s observations and comments are interesting and entertaining.
However, our experience with housecats and birds causes us to take exception to the
premise that songbirds do not recognize the housecat asan enemy — at least not the birds
that dwell in cities and suburban areas. When I was a child, my mother nearly always
had a cat. My father was always concerned whenany of these petsbrought ina songbird.
We noted that cats do not discriminate as to the kind of bird caught but go for whatever
is easiest to catch. Here where I live, there are a number of cats roaming the neighbor-
hood. They do make a catch from time to time (although they are well fed). I have seen a
cat catch a House Sparrow and also a Starling as well as Rufous-sided Towhees,

Spring 1982

39

Cardinals, and other desirable (to me) songbirds. They take their greatest toll during the
nesting season, robbing nests that are low to the ground and pouncing on fledglings. The
adult birds do tend to “go after the cat” when their young are threatened — and some,
such as the Blue Jay, Mockingbird, and Brown Thrasher, can succeed in their efforts to
drive the cat away. Blue Jays are especially effective in an attack on a cat with their shrill
cries and tendency to join forces to mob a predator. I always know when a cat is around
because all of the birds (usually from safe perches) set up quite a fuss. The successful
hunters are those which find a hiding place under cover of darkness, and patiently wait
until an unsuspecting bird gets near, then spring quickly and make the kill. The neigh-
borhood cats know where the birds hang out, and so 1 have a constant running battle
with them, especially in spring. They have learned that they are “persona non grata”
here and take their leave as soon as they see me and / or hear my slow “hiss.” In hereto-
fore published material in this department, I have commented on the fact that even the
young fledglings appear to recognize and fear housecats and that they can discern the
difference between a cat and a Gray Squirrel or Cottontail Rabbit. — GTW

More on the Brown Thrasher

In response to my article on the Brown Thrasher (Chat 45:93) came a letter from a
South Carolina thrasher watcher.

“I have a long association with and many memories of this species. In 1959-1962, 1
kept a record of nests in my yard in Anderson, S.C. The density of nesting birds there
was always amazing to me. We had 10 acres, 5 in pasture, with dense shrubbery all
around the house and next to the fences. One year, I had five pairs of thrashers nesting
there. I recall that I wanted to get photos of a nest in a Wisteria vine. The nest was about
4 feet from the ground, containing several nestlings a few days old. My friend who was
to take the pictures was concentrating on the photography when one of the adult birds
appeared and almost took his eye out!

“This present snow reminds of the first winter I lived here on my farm in upper
Anderson County. I had just put a new load of gravel in front of the stable hallway. TTie
ground was covered with snow, but a few feet of exposed gravel was free of snow just
inside the stable. I watched a thrasher pick up pieces of gravel in his beak and sling them
away (sometimes several feet) until he got down to dirt, where he either fed on
something he had exposed, or was obtaining gravel.” — ADAIR M. TEDARDS, Route
4, Box 70, Easley, S.C. 29640

Brazen Predator II

Backyard birding at our place has not been as much fun this winter due to frequent
visits from a Sharp-shinned Hawk. She appeared almost daily and made a few kills. The
birds here developed a bad case of paranioa. The slightest sound of a “hawk alarm” note
had them all dashing for cover. There were times when even a small airplane high in the
sky might trigger the alarm. All of the above is by way of background for the events that
took place the afternoon of 1 1 February.

It was a day with mild enough temperatures to permit me to just sit in the yard and
watch the birds. There is a Blue Jay here with the toes on its right foot permanently
curled under. Because it is fairly tame, and crippled, I had been giving it some special
goodies, bits of pecans in small enough pieces so it could handle them. I had just fed this
bird, and it had flown into a nearby tree to rest and preen. I turned my head to look at
something else when I heard the jay let out a most terrified scream. I turned back to see a
very large accipiter going after it across the yard. Without taking time to think, Igotup
and ran at the hawk, “hissing” and clapping my hands (as I would at a cat). This did
scare the hawk away. When I turned back to look for the Blue Jay, it was gone. A few

(Continued on Page 56)

40

The Chat

CB©

^MUtcUailc

■ . . with Louis C. Fink

Union Camp Acts to Preserve Camassia Slopes
Along Roanoke River

North Carolinians and naturalists everywhere are assured protection of one of the
most spectacular displays of rare wild flowers in the Southeast. On 16 April 1982, Union
Camp Corporation, which manages about 1 .7 million acres of woodlands in six south-
eastern states, officially donated the 176-acre Camassia Slopes Tract to The Nature
Conservancy as part of the company’s Corporate Land Legacy Program, which was
established in 1975 to identify and preserve areas of special ecological or historical
significance among its landholdings. To date, the company had donated nine major
tracts in five states, totalingabout 77,000acres with an appraised value of more than $22
million. The Camassia Slopes Tract, which botanists describe as one of national signifi-
cance, has an appraised value of about $130,000. Explaining the donation, Peter J.
McLaughlin, president and chief executive officer of Union Camp, said, “Asa forest
products company. Union Camp has to manage its lands for the highest and best end
use. In this case, the best use is to leave the property as is, preserving a delicate and
unusual segment of the Roanoke River Basin.”

Known as the Camassia Slopes because of the abundant growth of Camassia
scilloides , or Wild Hyacinth, the acreage has an almost 100% ground cover of more than
24 species of wild flowers designated as endangered, uncommon, or rare in the coastal
plain of North Carolina. Here the Wild Hyacinth is a disjunct species, isolated a signifi-
cant distance from its normal range. It is ordinarily at home west of the Appalachians in
midwestern river valleys and prairies.

J. Merrill Lynch, a biologist for the Natural Heritage Program, an agency of the
North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development,
discovered the unusual nature of Camassia Slopes in 1979. The site isabout 20miles SE
of Roanoke Rapids, Lynch’s home town. After tests showed that the soil was highly
basic, as opposed to the acidic soil elsewhere in the Roanoke River Basin, it became
clear that Camassia Slopes was more than a random collection of rare plants. The tract’s
entire ecosystem is highly unusual — typical of a midwestern river basin, but unlike
anything else in the surrounding area. Lynch initiated the effort that ultimately led The
Nature Conservancy to approach Union Camp regarding preservation of the tract. The
Camassia Slopes Tract, now donated to The Nature Conservancy, will be managed by
the state chapter of the national conservation organization.

Lynch states that 60 to 70 species of breeding birds occur on the tract, which offers a
good diversity of woodland forest habitat. There are at least 10 nesting warbler species
in addition to the one or two pairs of Ceruleans. Turkeys, Red-shouldered Hawks,

Spring 1982

41

Barred Owls, Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers, and White -breasted Nuthatches also
use the Camassia Slopes for nesting, feeding, or both.

Union Camp’s largest land donations have been: 50,000 acres in the Great Dismal
Swamp in Virginia, which became the core of the Great Dismal Swamp National
Wildlife Refuge; 16,000 acres for incorporation into the Okefenokee National Wildlife
Refuge in Georgia; 3,800 acres along North Carolina’s Chowan Swamp for use as an
environmental studies center; and 1,700-acre Turtle Island, the southernmost barrier
island along the coast of South Carolina. Forfurtherinformationabout the last site, see
“The Birds of Turtle Island, S.C.” by W. David Chamberlain (Chat 42:3-7).

Aider Flycatchers on Roan Mountain: A Clarification

I would like to comment on a statement made in the article “Bird Finding on Roan
Mountain, Mitchell County, N.C.” (Potter and LeGrand, Chat 44:32-36). On page 33,
in the discussion of Alder Flycatchers, the authors mention the June 1970 reports of
Traill’s Flycatcher (Smith, Migrant 41:68-72). I talked to Glen Eller, one of the
observers, and he said that these were Willow Flycatchers (fitz-bew song form) found
along the creek that flows through the town of Roan Mountain (Tennessee side, eleva-
tion 2500 feet). This information should have been included in the original publication.
Our first record of Alder Flycatchers in the Roan Mountain area came in June 1978,
though we did receive an unverified report in 1977 from a hiker along the Appalachian
Trail (see Lura et al.. Migrant 50:34-36). So far. Roan Mountain is the only location in
Tennessee where Alder Flycatchers have been found in the breeding season, though
some spots in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and elsewhere should be
searched. Currently, I am planning to study the Alder Flycatchers on Roan Mountain
fora Master’s thesis. — RICK KNIGHT, 804 N. Hills Drive, Johnson City, Tenn. 37601

Cliff Swallows in Mountains: Additional Records and a Correction

Charles P. Nicholson, editor of The Migrant, writes in a letter dated 1 5 September
1981: “The nest record of Cliff Swallows at Fontana Dam (Chat 45: 102) is very interest-
ing. Last summer I had 10 Cliff Swallows on 19 June, which appeared to be ‘prospecting’
for nest sites — perching and flying about under the roadbed — at the bridge of US 129
over Tabcat Creek, about 5 miles above Chilhowee Dam. This is about 12 air miles from
Fontana Dam, with Calderwood and Cheoah Dams in between. Both of these dams are
fairly closed in; Fontana and Chilhowee seem much more suitable to Cliff Swallows.
The swallows did not nest at Tabcat Creek bridge this year, and I’ve checked Chilhowee
Dam for the past two years, with negative results. I wonder if the Fontana birds were the
ones I saw at Tabcat.” — CHARLES P. NICHOLSON, P.O. Box 402, Norris, Tenn.
37828

Jim McConnell, author of the field note mentioned above, calls to ourattentionan
unfortunate typographical error in the quotation from Arthur Stupka’s book regarding
the status of the Cliff Swallow in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The
species is an uncommon fall migrant there, not common. What a difference two little
letters can make! — EFP

Sandwich Tern Recovery

“A summary of banded North American birds encountered in Europe” by John V.
Dennis (North American Bird Bander 6:96-98) includes only one bird from the
Carolinas. A Sandwich Tern banded at Cape Lookout 23 June 1978 was found dead in
the Netherlands 6 months later, on 23 December 1978.

42

The Chat

General Field Notes

DAVID S. LEE, Department Editor

North Carolina State Museum, P.O. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

JULIAN R. HARRISON, Associate Editor

Department of Biology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. 29401

Brown Pelican on Inland Freshwater Impoundment

PHILIP J. CRUTCHFIELD
901 Montclair Road
Fayetteville, N.C. 28304

Although records of pelicans on inland waters after severe coastal storms are not
too unusual, records of impromptu visits, and especially of prolonged stays, appear to
be rare. Such is the case of a single adult Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) on
Hope Mill Lake, which is located in the town of Hope Mills, Cumberland County, N.C.

This bird appeared at the lake late in July 1981 and continued to be seen there
through September. Most of the day it perched in one of a number of cypress trees in a
cove on the edge of the lake. High-powered motorboats that went by the perching area,
frequently towing water-skiers, did not appear to disturb the animal significantly. It
made fishing forays each day, sometimes among the fishermen and water-skiers. When
fishermen encroached on the perching area, the animal simply left for another part of
the lake.

I was first made aware of the presence of the pelican by Parley Rassmussen, a
resident of Hope Mills, early in August. Later that month, I was approached by John
Konen, who indicated that the pelican seemed encamped in an area across the lake from
his home. My first observation of this animal was on 2 September, and the bird
remained in the area through the last week of September. However, during the evening
of 3 October there appeared an additional bird according to John Konen. These birds
were last seen flying over the lake about sundown on 7 October.

There has been an impounded body of water supplying power for various textile
mills in thisarea since the 1850s. The presentdam wasbuiltin 1924 to impound water to
supply electricity. Hope Lake Number 2, as it iscalled, isanacid warm-water impound-
ment, rather deep in comparison with most other bodies of water in the coastal plain. It
includes approximately 1 50 acres of generally open water, and some 1 50 adjacent acres
of swamps and tributary streams. The lake is some 80 to 90 miles inland from the
southern coasts of North Carolina.

A Nanday Conure in Coastal North Carolina

E. WAYNE IRVIN

North Carolina State Museum of Natural History
P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 2761 1

While covering our assigned area on the Bodie-Pea Island Christmas Bird Count in
1977, my wife Fran and I saw a parrot species unfamiliar to us. The bird was approxi-
mately 12 to 14 inches long with mandibles typical of a psitticiform. Its plumage was

Spring 1982

43

almost entirely dark green, appearing black when viewed at certain angles in the
subdued ambient light. The face and remiges were noticeably darker than the rest of the
body. Fran noted red plumage on the legsas the bird extended them in landing. The long
pointed tail and wings were noted as the bird flew about and perched in a grove of
mature Wax Myrtle ( Myriea cerifera).

We first noticed the bird because of its raucous, screeching vocalizations, usually
uttered during short flights. Clearly a strong flier, the solitary bird permitted us to
approach no closer than 75 to 100 yards before taking wing. We watched the parrot for
approximately 30 minutes with 10X binoculars during midday on 30 December 1977.
The sky was overcast with intermittent light rain; the temperature was in the mid-40s.
The site was the parking lot adjacent to the boat slipsat the U.S. Coast Guard Stationat
the north end of Pea Island, Dare County, N.C.

The illustration in Forshaw and Cooper’s Parrots of the World (1973) left little
doubt that we had seen a Nanday Conure (Nandayus nenday). Further, the observed
field marks matched well with a study-skin specimen in the scientific collection of the
North Carolina Museum of Natural History (NCSM 5755).

Lisk and Crabtree (Am. Birds 28: 1 1) document the occurrence of this conure, also
known as the Black-hooded Parakeet, as a feral species in southern California and give
strong circumstantial evidence of breeding there in the early 1 970s. Several reports from
the New York-New Jersey area indicate considerable nesting success of the Nanday
Conure. A Brooklyn, N.Y., population grew from 8 in 1976 to 19 in 1978, including 2
immature birds (Am. Birds 35:2).

The North Carolina sightingdocumented here is unquestionably a bird of pet-trade
origin, having been seen during the period when the species was breeding successfully in
New York. Observers should be aware that temperate coastal areas appear to prolong
survival of many non-native species introduced in the eastern United States by various
means, both accidentally and deliberately.

Flying Squirrel Found Dead
at Red-cockaded Woodpecker Cavity

J.H. CARTER 111
P.O. Box 891

Southern Pines, N.C. 28387 14 January 1982

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (Picoides h orealis) are known forexcavating nestand
roost cavities in living pine trees and for maintaining resin wells around the cavities.
Various researchers have speculated that resin flow functions as a determent to
potential predators and cavity competitors. Southern Flying Squirrels (Glaucomys
volans) are major users of Red-cockaded Woodpecker cavities (Dennis 1971, Carter
1974, Jackson 1978), and they are not necessarily deterred by fresh, sticky resin (Dennis
1971). On 18 May 1974, I discovered a dead flying squirrel in the entrance tunnel of a
Red-cockaded Woodpecker cavity. The cavity was in a second-growth Longleaf Pine
(Pinus palustris) in an open, mature Longleaf Pine stand on the Fort Bragg Military
Reservation, Hoke County, N.C. The cavity had been classed as active on 9 February
1974, with no plate, much fresh chipping, and much resin flow. It was 4.6 m high, and
faced SSW. On 3 June 1974 the cavity showed additional fresh chipping by the Red-
cockaded Woodpecker.

The squirrel was badly decomposed, and the entire ventral surface was mired in
resin. The tail and hind legs protruded from the cavity entrance. When the suqirrel was
removed, some matted, shredded vegetative matter was found in the entrance tunnel
where the head had been. Flying squirrels construct their nests frem such material. The

44

The Chat

squirrel appeared to have been entering the tunnel with nesting material when it
became stuck.

This is apparently the only record of a flying squirrel being found stuck in the resin
around a Red-cockaded Woodpecker cavity. An Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) and a
probable Pine Warbler ( Dendroica pinus ) have been found stuck in the resin flow on a
cavity tree (Dennis 1971), and a Red-cockaded Woodpecker has been found stuck in sap
in the entrance tunnel to its cavity (Locke, Conner, and Kroll 1979). In the latter case,
the authors felt that the entrance tunnel was atypical in shape, allowing resin to pool on
its floor. Though the shape of the tunnel was not specifically noted in my observation,
the fact that the squirrel’s entire ventral surface was fairly stuck to the tunnel floor
suggests that sap had pooled there to some extent. 1 cannot state with absolute certainty
that the squirrel died as a result of being mired in the sap, or that it was alive when it
became stuck. It is possible that the squirrel died in the cavity and was left in the tunnel
by another animal trying to eject it. However, the squirrel’s posture in the tunnel left the
impression that it died while struggling to enter the cavity.

LITERATURE CITED

Carter, J.H., III. 1974. Habitat Utilization and Population Status of the Red-cockaded
Woodpecker in South-Central North Carolina, M S. Thesis, Dept. Zoology, N.C.
State Univ., Raleigh.

Dennis, J.V. 1971. Species using Red-cockaded Woodpecker holes in northeastern
South Carolina. Bird-Banding 42: 79-87.

Jackson, J. A. 1978. Competition forcavitiesand Red-cockaded Woodpecker manage-
ment. Pages 103-1 12 in Endangered Birds, Management Techniques for Preserving
Threatened Species (S.A. Temple, ed.), Univ. Wisconsin Press, Madison.

Locke, B.A., R.N. Conner, and J.C. Kroll. 1979. Red-cockaded Woodpecker stuck in
cavity entrance resin. Bird-Banding 50: 368-369.

Mortality Rates in Nesting Purple Martins

JOSHUA A. LEE
5104 Newcastle Road
Raleigh, N.C. 27606

Breeding individuals of the California Condor (Gymnogyps calif orianus),
particularly pairs foraging together, reportedly gain first access to available food (C.B.
Koford,The California Condor, Dover Press, New York, 1966). Thus Koford reasoned
that the reproducing segment of the population was the most fit in terms of ability to
garner and hold resources. One could further hypothesize that the effective portion of a
given population of organisms — the breeders — are the most fit from a physical and
pyschological standpoint. Further, it is likely that survival during the breeding season is
high for those individuals gaining access to the resources required for reproduction.

The Purple Martin ( Progne subis ) seems ideally suited for use in testing such an
hypothesis. The birds nest in colonies near human habitation, and they are site-
tenacious once a pair selects a nesting compartment. I have constructed a table that
records the mortality of nesting birds in my martin colony in Raleigh, N.C., from 1959
through 1979. Causes of mortality are given where appropriate, and mortality was
assumed when one, or more, of a pair disappeared after nesting had commenced. Thus
the estimates given are maximum estimates. Observations cover only the period when
the birds were nesting. Information on parental survival during the period of post-
nesting care of the young is not available.

Total mortality for the 21 -year period was 1 2 birds for an average mortality rate of
2.3%, very low considering the early arrival of adult birds, usually in March, the toll of
territorial combat, indulged by both sexes, and the stresses from rearing large broods.

Spring 1982

45

Table 1. Mortality rates of nesting Purple Martins at Raleigh, N.C., 1959-1979.

Year

No.

pairs

%

Mortality

Losses

1959

6

0%

None

1960

12

0%

None

1961

16

6%

One female suffered broken wing; another killed by a

1962

20

5%

cat.

Two females disappeared after eggs had hatched;

1963

20

5%

each surviving male reared out two young.

One male found in an emaciated, moribund condition

1964

16

6%

on ground; another killed by cat.
Two females found dead on nests.

1965

14

4%

One male killed by a cat.

1966

12

0%

None

1967

10

0%

None

1968

9

0%

One female disappeared during nesting season.

1969

7

0%

None

1970

10

0%

None

1971

9

6%

One male killed by a cat.

1972

1 I

0%

None

1973

12

0%

None

1974

12

0%

None

1975

12

4%

One female found dead on nest.

1976

9

0%

None

1977

12

0%

None

1978

12

0%

None

1979

12

0%

None

Pairs . . . .

.253

Avg.

Individuals

506

1.3%

Total birds lost = 1 2

Predation by cats accounted for about half the losses, and such mortality is d oubtfully
related to the general condition of the birds. Martins are extremely vulnerable when on
the ground, as when gathering nesting material, or when males fall to the ground in
combat.

Mortality was greatest when the colony was largest. Considering the low rate of
mortality from all causes, that might have been merely a matter of sampling deviation.
Once the colony began declining in the number of nesting pairs, I began limiting the
number of nesting compartments (gourds) to 12. Recently the colony has stabilized
around the maximum space available, an average of about 10 pairs of adults birds, plus
1 or 2 pairs of subadults, per year. Since the colony has become reduced in size, fighting
among the males seems to be much less, and the rate of abandonment of nests by
subadults has dropped to zero. Perhaps conditions in modest-sized colonies are less
stressful on inhabitants than in large ones.

1 have recorded about a 30% rate of recruitment per year for 2-year-old males in the
colony. Males of this age class can be identified by the white stripe on either side of the
black venter. Assuming site-tenacity of males, once the birds have nested in a given
colony, the 30% recruitment rate must be a replacement rate. Therefore there is the
likelihood that relatively young, though mature, martins are the most fit of the popula-
tion available for reproduction for a pending season. The rigors of migration must be
severe on the young and the aging. Results of 20 years of observation at Raleigh show
that the survival of nesting Purple Martins, at least in one colony, is high. Therefore
most of the mortality of adult birds must occur during the nonreproductive period.

46

The Chat

'J.tf.O'ck

BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

(All dates 1981 unless otherwise indicated)

COMMON LOON: Very rare inland in summer was an individual seen on 6 August
1977 on Lake Robinson, Chesterfield County, S.C., by John Castrale and party.
Two seen by Steve Graves were early at Jordan Reservoir, eastern Chatham
County, N.C., on 10 October.

HORNED G REBE: Members of the Chapel Hill Bird Club noted an early grebe on 26
September in eastern Durham County, N.C.

PELAGIC OBSERVATIONS: John Bazuin spent the period from 3 to 16 September
at least 40 miles offshore, between Cape Hatteras, N.C., and the Virginia line.
Grand totals of pelagic species within 100 miles of shore were 718 Cory’s Shear-
waters, 13 Greater Shearwaters, 455 Audubon’s Shearwaters, 30 Black-capped
Petrels, one Leach’s Storm-Petrel (1 1 September), 134 Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, 1
White-tailed Tropicbird (5 September approximately 75 miles E of Cape Look-
out), 4 phalaropes (sp. ?), I Parasitic Jaeger (6 September), and just 1 Bridled Tern.
Other birds seen were 8 early White-winged Scoters on 6 September; 2 Red-
breasted Nuthatches on 9 September (81 miles E of Oregon Inlet); and 4 Cape May
Warblers, 2 Black-throated Blue Warblers, 4 Black-throated Green Warblers, a
Northern Waterthrush, and a Northern Oriole on 10 September (all 85+ miles E of
Oregon Inlet).

SOOTY SHEARWATER: Rare in fall was one seen off Hatteras, N.C., on 5 September
by Paul DuMont and party.

AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER: Two disabled birds were found on the beach at Bogue
Banks, N.C., in late July and early August by Brainard Palmer-Ball.

Spring 1982

47

BLACK-CAPPED PETREL: This species was observed on all four of the Ake-
DuMont pelagic trips out of Hatteras: 10+ on 6 September, 20+ on 5 September
and 18 October, and 82 on II October.

LEACH’S STORM-PETREL: One was noted by Paul DuMontand party off Hatteras
on 6 September.

WHITE PELICAN: What was likely a single individual was observed at three sites in
the Charleston, S.C., area in October by Sidney Gauthreaux, Harry LeGrand,
Perry Nugent, and others.

BROWN PELICAN: An excellent count was 100+ birds at the northern edge of the
range at Whalebone Junction, N.C., on 22 October (Jim and Elizabeth Pullman).

BLUE-FACED BOOBY: An adult was present at a Brown Pelican nesting colony in
the lower Cape Fear River, N.C., all summer, and it was last seen on 3 October by
Greg Massey. Ricky Davis and Bud Needham have submitted a note and photo-
graph for publication in a national journal.

GREAT CORMORANT: Quite rare for Carteret County, N.C., was an immature
noted by Helenhill Dove near Cape Lookout on 2 November.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: Unusual for the mountains was a cormorant
seen on a high-tension cable tower at Lake Julian, near Skyland, N.C., on 8
November (Roland Sargent, Jerry and Ruth Young). Two were seen at Jordan
Reservoir by Steve Graves on 10 October; and John Fussell noted this species
regularly during the summer on the Neuse River near Croatan, N.C., with a peak
of 22 on 14 August.

ANHINGA: A good piedmont find was an individual at Pee Dee National Wildlife
Refuge, N.C., on 30 July (Douglas McNair). Other records of note in North Caro-
lina were four at an impoundment in southeastern Jones County on 13 August
(John Fussell, Merrill Lynch, Lance Peacock), and one until 22 September near
Fayetteville, where breeding may be taking place (Philip Crutchfield).

MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD: Gary Williamson observed an immature over the
US 64 bridge at Roanoke Sound, N.C., on 15 June.

CATTLE EGRET: Very late inland was an egret in a field near Piedmont, Anderson
County, S.C., on 1 December, as seen by Phillip Waggett.

SNOWY EGRET: Two were seen by Sidney Gauthreaux and others in western Ander-
son County, near Fairplay, S.C., from 23 August to 6 September;and Allen Bryan
saw another near Burlington, N.C., from 8 to 20 September.

LOUISIANA HERON: In inland North Carolina were individuals at two sites near
Fayetteville on 15 and 18 August (Philip Crutchfield), near Beaverdam Reservoir
in northern Wake County on 29 August (Steve Graves, Bill and Margaret Wagner),
and near Burlington from 30 August to 20 September (Allen Bryan).

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: Notable inland was an immature seen by
Philip Crutchfield near Fayetteville on 26 August.

GLOSSY IBIS: One was rare near Fayetteville on 23 October, as noted by Philip
Crutchfield, who also reported three late birds in impoundments in Pamlico
County, N.C., on 15 November.

WHITE IBIS: The first good nesting evidence for this ibis at the Emerald Isle, N.C.,
heronry was a juvenile with two adults on 7 August (John Fussell).

MUTE SWAN: Perhaps “wild” were two seen at Avon, N.C., on Pamlico Sound on
1 August, by Vicki Little.

WHISTLING SWAN: Bill and Margaret Wagner noted four adults on Jordan
Reservoir on 22 November.

CANADA GOOSE: Two were early at Pee Dee refuge, N.C., on 24 September

48

The Chat

(Douglas McNair).

WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: An immature was seen by Derb Carter at Pea Island
National Wildlife Refuge. N.C., on 3 December.

AMERICAN WIGEON: Exceptionally early were five seen on Santeetlah Lake in
Graham County, N.C., by Jim McConnell on 1 6 August. A good count of 200 was
made by Steve and Maurice Graves on 28 November at Umstead State Park, N.C.

NORTHERN SHOVELER: Rather early inland was one in eastern Durham County
on 12 October (Bill and Margaret Wagner).

REDHEAD: David Barnes and party observed five early individuals at Jordan
Reservoir on 17 October.

GREATER SCAUP: Uncommon were five at Jordan Reservoir on 30 October, as
noted by Bill and Margaret Wagner.

COMMON GOLDENEYE: Two males and a female were seen by Bill and Margaret
Wagner on 23 November at Jordan Reservoir.

OLDSQUAW: An exciting find was six birds at Jordan Reservoir on 10 November
(Bill and Margaret Wagner).

RUDDY DUCK: Very early were six seen by Robert Clark and Jack Dermid on 14
September at Fort Fisher, New Hanover County, N.C.

BLACK VULTURE: Noteworthy in the mountains were two near Fairview, Bun-
combe County, N.C., on 7 September (Robert Ruiz, Jerry and Ruth Young).

MISSISSIPPI KITE: A first record for Dare County, N.C., was an adult observed at
Buxton Woods on 6 October by Greg Hanisek.

GOLDEN EAGLE: Adults were seen on 30 September at Catawba, York County, S.C.
(June Conway), and at Swannanoa, N.C., on 22 October (Robert Ruiz).

BALD EAGLE: In addition to several reports from Beaverdamand Jordan reservoirs
in North Carolina, where the species has been seen frequently in the past several
years, other reports in the state were: an immature at Lake Surf, near Vass, on 20
August (Jay Carter, Tom Howard), an adult in southwestern Fort Bragg on 16
and 18 September (Carter, R.T. Stamps), an immature in the lower Cape Fear
River during September and October (Greg Massey), and an adult near Southport
on 22 October (Carter).

MERLIN: A good tally of migrating Merlins was 21 in 1.5 hours at Edisto Beach State
Park, S.C., on 28 September (Mike Homoya). Birds seen inland in South Carolina
were at Clemson on 25 September and 11 October (Sidney Gauthreaux et al.)
and near Fairplay on 20 September (Gauthreaux, Harry LeGrand, et al.); and
in North Carolina at Jordan Reservoir on 16 September (Bill and Margaret
Wagner, Johnnie Payne), near Burlington on 3 October (Allen Bryan), at Chapel
Hill on 4 November (Wagners), and near Godwin in Cumberland County on 15
September and again 6 days later (M.E. Whitfield, Philip Crutchfield).

SANDHILL CRANE: Highly unusual for central North Carolina was a crane seen at
a gravel-pit pond a few miles west of Lillington, N.C., by Tommy Wagoner,
Megan Lynch, Tom Howard, and others from early November through 19
December.

BLACK RAIL: Steve Graves saw one at a pond at Bodie Island, N.C., on 19 October.

COMMON GALLINULE: A rare inland migrant was seen by Douglas McNair at
Andrews Pond in northwestern Richmond County, N.C., on 19 September.

AMERICAN COOT: An excellent count was lOOOat Jordan Reservoir on 21 Novem-
ber, as reported by Steve Graves.

AMERICAN AVOCET: The species is rare in North Carolina away from the Bodie-
Pea Island area; thus, noteworthy were nine at an impoundment in Pamlico

Spring 1982

49

County on 15 November (M.E. Whitfield, Philip Crutchfield), a peak of four at
Davis from 5 to 13 August (John Fussell et al.). one at Beaufort on 20 October
(Fussell), three at Cedar Island on 1 November (Fussell), and two on the lower
Cape Fear River on 12 September (Ricky Davis).

WILSON’S PLOVER: Good post-breeding counts of 1 10 on 10 August and 120 on 2
September were made by John Fussell at Bird Shoal near Beaufort, N.C.

PIPING PLOVER: First records for the Clemson, S.C., area were one in breeding
plumage on 23 August, one in winter plumage on 6 September, and a different
bird in winter plumage from 20 September to 15 November, all seen on Lake
Hartwell near Fairplay by Harry LeGrand, Sidney Gauthreaux, and others.

AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER: Five were observed near Fairplay on 18 October
by Sidney Gauthreaux, Harry LeGrand, and party. In North Carolina were four
at Bodie Island on 23 October (Jim and Elizabeth Pullman), two at Lake Surf on
14 November (Tom Howard), singles at New Topsail Inlet on 2 September (Ricky
Davis) and at Jordan Reservoir on 17 October (Bill and Margaret Wagner), and
different birds at North River near Beaufort on 21 October and 2 November
(John Fussell).

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER: Rather rare inland was one in eastern Durham County
where 1-85 crosses the Neuse River, on 14 October, as noted by Bill and Margaret
Wagner.

UPLAND SANDPIPER: The New Hanover County Airport is apparently the best
spot in North Carolina to look for this species, as Ricky Davis had a peak tally
this fall of 46 on 20 August. Of interest inland were five seen by Evelyn Dabbs near
Sumter, S.C., on 19 August.

GREATER YELLOWLEGS: Late sightings were one near Fayetteville on 10 Novem-
ber ( Philip Crutchfield), four near Fairplay on 1 5 November (Sidney Gauthreaux
et al.), and three east of Durham on 5 and 6 December (Jim McConnell).

LESSER YELLOWLEGS: Two seen by Jim McConnell in eastern Durham County
were very late on 5 and 6 December.

WILLET: A good inland find was a Willet at Wallace, Marlboro County, S.C., on 3
August, as reported by Douglas McNair.

RUDDY TURNSTONE: Individuals were observed at a sewage treatment plant at
Winston-Salem, N.C., from 5 to 7 September by Royce Hough and others, and
east of Durham on 12 September by Andy Towle.

WILSON’S PHALAROPE: Notable for Carteret County were two to four at Davis
from 2 to 13 August and two at North River on 13 August (John Fussell et al.).

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER: Uncommon inland were one at the Falls of the
Neuse Lake dam. Wake County, N.C., on 29 August (Steve Graves, Bill and
Margaret Wagner); two near Fairplay on 6 September, with one there on 13
September (Alan Avakian, Jeff Beacham, et al.); and two at Winston-Salem from
6 to 7 September (Jim and Pat Culbertson, et al.).

SANDERLING: Jim and Pat Culbertson saw one at the Winston-Salem sewage
treatment plant on 5 September.

WESTERN SANDPIPER: One was very late near Fairplay on 1 November, as noted
by Sidney Gauthreaux.

LEAST SANDPIPER: Jim McConnell saw seven late Leasts east of Durham from 4
to 6 December.

WHITE-RUM PED SANDPIPER: At least 12 was a good count on 22 October at
Bodie Island, as seen by Jim and Elizabeth Pullman. Quite rare inland in fall were
three noted by Royce Hough. Ramona Snavelv, and Bob Witherington at

50

The Chat

Winston-Salem on 6 and 7 September.

BAIRD’S SANDPIPER: The only fall reports were of individuals at the Wright
Brothers Memorial at Kill Devil Hills, N.C., on 5 September (Steve Graves) and
near Fairplay on 6 September (Harry LeGrand).

DUNLIN: Twenty were counted by Sidney Gauthreaux and Harry LeGrand near
Fairplay on I November, and two were noted by Steve Graves at Jordan Reservoir
on 24 October.

CURLEW SANDPIPER: Rare and apparently the latest ever for North Carolina
was an individual in winter plumage carefully studied by Jim and Elizabeth
Pullman at the Bodie Island lighthouse pond on 22 October.

STILT SANDPIPER: An excellent count a way from the North Carolina Outer Banks
was 150+ at Davis on 7 August (Brainard Palmer-Ball). Noteworthy inland was
one at Winston-Salem on 5 to 7 September (Jim and Pat Culbertson et al.)and
another near Durham on 12 September (Andy Towle).

BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER: The only inland report was of four near Fairplay,
as seen by Sidney Gauthreaux, Harry LeGrand, and party on 30 August. Coastal
reports were of one at the Wright Brothers Memorial at Kill Devil Hills on 23
August (Bob Lewis) and four there on 10 September (Herb Wilson), one on an
island in the lower Cape Fear River on 12 September (Ricky Davis, Robert Ake,
et al.), and one at Bodie Island on 3 and 10 October (Wilson).

RUFF: An excellent find was a male with some trace of breeding plumage at a rain
pool at Cape Hatteras point, N.C., as noted by Steve Graves on 5 September.

PARASITIC JAEGER: Out of place was one seen by Herb Wilson as it chased a
Herring Gull over the Bodie Island lighthouse pond on 10 October. Ricky Davis
noted a light-phase Parasitic at Carolina Beach, N.C., on 27 November.

GLAUCOUS GULL: Unusual for the summer months was an immature observed at
Pea Island on 1 August by Luise and Breton Ely.

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL: A good count for early fall was 415+ from the
Cedar Island, N.C., ferry on 18 September (Ricky Davis, Jim Parnell, Bud
Needham).

BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE: One was noted off Hatteras on the early date of 1 1
October by Paul DuMont and party, and an adult was seen over the breakers at
Fort Fisher on 14 November by Ricky Davis.

FORSTER’S TERN: Bob Lewis counted 186 at Lake Marion, S.C., on 29 August,
and Bill and Margaret Wagner noted one at Beaverdam Reservoir on 7 September.

COMMON TERN: Inland sightings were three at Lake Surf on 6 August (Douglas
McNair), three at Lake Marion on 29 August (Bob Lewis), and one at Kerr Scott
Reservoir in Wilkes County, N.C., on 7 September (Tom Haggerty).

ROSEATE TERN: Three were rare on a sand spit near Masonboro Inlet at Wrightsville
Beach, N.C., as seen by Greg Massey and Jim Pearson on 9 August.

CASPIAN TERN: Seven were seen by Bob Lewis at Lake Marion on 29 August, and
Allen Bryan observed two at Lake Cammack, near Burlington, on 19 October.

BLACK TERN: Inland sightings were 20 near Fayetteville on 10 August (Philip
Crutchfield), two at Jordan Reservoir on 17 August (Ricky Davis), three at Lake
Surf on 20 August (Jay Carter, Tom Howard), three at Lake Marion on 29 August
(Bob Lewis), and one near Fairplay on 6 September (Alan Avakian, Harry
LeGrand, et al.).

BROWN NODDY TERN: Louise Lacoss noted a dark tern with white on top of the
head, at Port Royal Sound, adjacent to Hilton Head Island, S.C., on 21 July. The
bird was presumably this species of noddy tern.

Spring 1982

51

DOVER IE: One was a good find between 35 and 40 miles S of Beaufort Inlet, N.C., on
6 November, as made by Wayne Irvin. It has been at least 1 5 years since a flight of
this species has been detected in the Carolinas.

MOURNING DOVE: Tom Haggerty reported that a pair of doves that he discovered
nesting near Four Oaks. N.C., in October 1980 fledged two young on theextremely
late date of 19 November.

BEACK-BIEEED CUCKOO: Rare near the coast were individuals seen at an island
near Beaufort. N.C., on 19 September by Tom Haggerty and at Santee Coastal
Reserve. S.C.. on 1 1 October by Phyllis Bell and Mitch Feller.

BARN OW1 : Lex Glover found a nest near Columbia, S.C., in an abandoned house
in September, as well as a nest in a tree only 200 yards a way. The nest in the house
produced four young; the tree nest produced three. Glover also hand-reared several
more young from a nest found in October in a Columbia junkyard.

SNOWY OWL: The first South Carolina record in many years was an immature male
present in Whitmire, seen perched on buildings, from 14 to 24 November. The
sickly owl was captured on the 24th by wildlife personnel, but it died shortly after-
ward, according to John Cely. The bird is now a specimen at Clemson University.

LONG-EARED OWL: Greg Massey heard one in pinewoods near the University of
North Carolina Wilmington campus on 22 and 23 September. [As this species
and the Saw-whet Owl are quite rare in the Carolinas, birders should attempt
visual corroboration of all suspected vocalizations of these two species. Such
confirmation is important because certain calls of the adults and /or juveniles of
the much more common Great Horned, Barred, and Screech Owlscan beconfused
with those of the rather silent (on the wintering grounds) Long-eared and Saw-whet
Owls. HE LI

SHORT-EARED OWL: Lex Glover flushed two from dunes at Huntington Beach
State Park on 21 November and found another at North Island, S.C., on the
following day.

CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW: The species is infrequently reported in fall; of interest
were one calling on 10 September at Rockingham, N.C. (Douglas McNair), and
one seen at Rock Hill, S.C., on 30 September (Albert and June Conway).

COMMON NIGHTHAWK: Good coastal-plain counts were 105 seen by Douglas
McNair at Hoffman, Richmond County, N.C., on 24 August, and 160 seen (in one
hour) migrating south at Carolina Beach on 12 August by Ricky Davis.

RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER: One heard calling in Boone, N.C., on 6
September by Tom Haggerty was his first personal record for Watauga County.

WESTERN K INGBI RD: Single birds, all along the coast, were found on 10 September
at Cape Lookout, N.C. (Skip Prange); on 12 September at Fort Fisher (Ricky
Davis); on 4 October at Sullivans Island (Sidney Gauthreaux, Harry LeGrand);
on 17 October at Frisco, N.C. (Jim and Elizabeth Pullman); and on 24 October
at Pea Island (Pullmans).

SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER: Always exciting was one seen well at Cape
Hatteras point on 17 October by Stuart Tingley and others.

YEI LOW-BELLIFD FLYCATCHER: The seven fall reports from North Carolina
were likely a record number fora single season. Individuals were noted at Lake
Cammack near Burlington on 13 September (Allen Bryan), at Raleigh on 18
September (Gail Whitehurst), at Ocracoke Island on 19 September (Ricky Davis,
Jim Parnell, Bud Needham), near Chapel Hill on 25 September (Bill and Margaret
Wagner), at Wilmington on 25 September (Greg Massey, Kitty Kosh). in northern
Cumberland County on 28 September (two birds- Philip Crutchfield), and at
Carolina Beach on 3 October (Massey, Mark Galizio, Jane Brackett).

52

The Chat

LEAST FLYCATCHER: Bill and Margaret Wagner saw individuals in the Chapel
Hill area on 12 and 19 September.

TREE SWALLOW: A good inland count for the fall was 50 noted by Steve Graves
and party at Jordan Reservoir on 24 October.

BANK SWALLOW: Tom Haggerty reported a flock of approximately 1500 swallows
near Four Oaks, N.C., on 29 August. He estimated that half of the flock (750 birds)
were Banks, and the others were Barns, with the exception of single Tree and Cliff
swallows.

CLIFF SWAL LOW: Uncommon for the coast was one seen by Ricky Davis at Sunset
Beach, N.C., on 13 September.

PURPLE MARTIN: One near Boone on 5 September was a rare find for Watauga
County (Tom Haggerty). Fairly late were 12 seen by Greg Massey at Wilmington
on 12 September, and exceptionally late was a female or immature seen near
Fayetteville on 26 October by Philip Crutchfield.

BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH: One to two were seen on numerous occasions
by Bill Duyck in his yard in Asheville, N.C., during late October and November.

HOUSE WREN: Perry Nugent observed an early wren at Charleston on 9 September.

SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN: One was noted singing at North River marsh,
near Beaufort, on 7 August by Brainard Palmer-Ball. Because one was heard
singing at the identical site in May, there is the chance that a territorial bird was
involved.

BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER: Over a month late was a gnatcatcher near Durham
on 2 December, as seen by Jim McConnell.

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE: A rare migrant was observed by Greg Hanisek on the
North Carolina Outer Banks at Salvo on 8 October.

PHILADELPHIA VIREO: Ricky Davis and Jim Parnell saw one at Fort Fisher on
1 8 September, and they (and Bud Needham) noted two at Ocracoke Island on the
next day. Inland sightings were of one near Chapel Hill on 12 September (Bill
Wagner) and one in a Fayetteville yard on 30 September, 5 October, and 8 October
(Philip Crutchfield).

PROTHONOTARY WARBLER: Evelyn Dabbs banded 89 birds between 29Julyand
15 August near Mayesville, S.C.

WORM-EATING WARBLER: An early migrant was seen by Greg Massey on 4
August at Orton Plantation in Brunswick County, N.C.

GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER: Six were noted by Harry LxGrand and others in
the Clemson area from 13 to 27 September. Sightings of singles were made along
the Neuse River in Johnston County, N.C., on 15 September (Tom Haggerty),
at Huntington Beach State Park on 20 September (Cheryl Phillips, Perry Nugent),
near Fayetteville on 22 September (Philip Crutchfield), and at Mayesville, S.C.,
on 28 September (banded — Evelyn Dabbs).

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER: Reports of birds in North Carolina spanned the period
from 16 August to 19 September and were noted in Johnston County (Tom
Haggerty), Fayetteville (Philip Crutchfield). Sunset Beach (Crutchfield), Carolina
Beach (Greg Massey et al.), and Jordan Reservoir (Margaret Wagner). South
Carolina records fell between 17 and 27 September at Clemson (Sidney Gauth-
reaux). Charleston (Perry Nugent), and Huntington Beach State Park (Nugent).

BREWSTER’S WARBLER: This hybrid was carefully observed by Perry Nugent at
Charleston on 17 September.

TENNESSEE WARBL.ER: This species was seen in considerably greater numbers in
eastern North Carolina than usual in fall, especially at Southern Pinesand Fayette-

Spring 1982

53

ville. Rare for the coast were one seen at Ocracoke Island on 19 September by
Ricky Davis. Bud Needham, and Jim Parnell; one at Cape Lookout on 3 October
by John Fussell; and three at Fort Fisher on 3 October by Greg Massey and party.

ORANGE-CROWNED WA RBLER: Philip Crutchfield noted one or two in a yard in
Fayetteville on 8 October, and Allen Bryan noted one near Edenton. N.C., on
27 November and a different individual there on 28 November.

NASHVILLE WARBLER: Rare for eastern North Carolina were individuals at Ocra-
coke Island on 19 September (Ricky Davis), near Burlington on 20 September
(Allen Bryan), at Chapel Hill on 28 September (Bill and Margaret Wagner), at
Fort Fisher on 3 October (Greg Massey), and at Southern Pines on 4 October
(Jay Carter).

NORTHERN PARULA: A month late was one seen by Tom Haggerty near Holts
Lake in Johnston County on 15 November.

CERULEAN WARBLER: This species is quite rare infall migration; thus, noteworthy
were immatures or females seen near Blowing Rock, N.C., on 1 August (Tom
Haggerty) and at Charleston on 1 7 September ( Perry Nugent), and an adult male
at Clemson on 12 and 13 September (Harry LeGrand).

BLACKBURNIAN W A RBLER: One was rare along the coast at Fort Fisher, as seen
by Greg Massey on 3 October. Another noted by Albert and June Conway was
very late on 22 November at Catawba, S.C.

YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER: Rare for the northern mountains of North
Carolina was a presumed migrant near Boone on 5 September (Tom Haggerty).

CHESTNUT-SIDED WA RBLER: Rare for the coast were singles noted at Ocracoke
Island on 19 September by Ricky Davis and Jim Parnell, and at Cape Lookout on
25 September by Skip Prange.

PINE WARBLER: Tom Haggerty had many records in the Boone area in September
and early October, including five in one tree on 5 September.

CONNECTICUT WARBLER: A good find was an adult male observed by Tom
Haggerty on 24 September along the South Fork New River, Watauga County,
N.C.

MOURNING WARBLER: This is the rarest of the regularly occurring warblers in the
Carolinas. Quite unusual were three well-described birds this fall: an adult male at
Blowing Rock on 6 September (Tom Haggerty), a probable adult male at the U.S.
Vegetable Lab in Charleston on 9 September (Perry Nugent), and a female or
immature at Ocracoke Island on 19 September (Ricky Davis).

WILSON’S WARBLER: Individuals seen ineastern North Carolina were near Fayette-
ville on 22 September (Philip Crutchfield), Wilmington on 25 September (Kitty
Kosh, Greg Massey), Chapel Hill on 6 October (Bill and Margaret Wagner), and
Pea Island on 12 October (Herb Wilson).

CANADA WARBLER: Quite rare for the coast were birds noted by Skip Prange at
Harkers Island, N.C., on 23 August, and by Kitty Kosh at Wilmington on 20and
21 September.

BREWER’S BLACKBIRD: A male wasa rare migrant near Pendleton, S.C.,as seen by
Sidney Gauthreaux and others on 8 November. [From time to time I receive
reports of this species without details. As the species is rather difficult to identify
and is rare in the Carolinas, full details should accompany all reports. Helpful
field marks not emphasized in the field guides are the moderately thick bill (inter-
mediate in shape between the slender bill of the Rusty Blackbird and the thick
bill of the cowbird) and the brilliant white eye of the male (as opposed to the dull
yellow eye of the Rusty). HEL]

WESTERN TANAGER: An excellent find was a male, still retaining some rosy color

54

The Chat

on the head, seen by Allen Bryan in a woodland near Edenton, N.C., on 29 Novem-
ber.

PAINTED BUNTING: Philip Crutchfield observed a female or immature male in a
hedgerow near Wade in Cumberland County on 24 August.

PURPLE FINCH: Extremely early were a female or immature at Cape l ookout (Skip
Prange) and an adult male at Fayetteville (Philip Crutchfield), both on 10 Septem-
ber.

HOUSE FINCH: Bill Duyck noted a female in his yard in Asheville on 24 and 25
October. This species is still uncommon in the mountains.

PINE SISKIN: Jim McConnell noted flocks of 500+ in Graham County, N.C., in late
November, with 1000 seen on 27 November.

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH: One was noted near Lumberton, N.C., on 24 May by
Douglas McNair. He also found 12, mostly singing males, on 10 June at Maxton,
N.C.; he believes these birds were late migrants.

RED CROSSBILL: Two were observed by Allen Bryan at Mount Mitchell, N.C., on
22 August. There were no fall reports away from the mountains.

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW: A probable immature, with streaks on the breast, was
seen by Ricky Davis on 20 August at the New Hanover County, N.C., airport,
further suggesting that the species is nesting at this locality. One was seenat Derby,
Richmond County, N.C., on 13 October by Douglas McNair. As breeding
occurred this year at Derby, this individual was probably present during the
summer.

HENSLOW’S SPARROW: Two wintering birds were observed by John Fussell and
Wayne Irvin in western Carteret County, N.C., on 8 November.

LARK SPARROW: The only fall report was one noted by Perry Nugent and others at
Huntington Beach State Park on 20 September.

LINCOLN’S SPARROW: Single migrants were seen by Tom Haggerty near Four
Oaks on 8 October; by Marc Eisdorferand Mark Crotteau at Eno River State
Park. N.C., on 18 October; by Allen Bryan at Jordan Reservoir on 22 October; and
by Harry LeGrand at Clemson on 7 November and near Pendleton on the follow-
ing day. In the mountains of North Carolina, where this secretive species is by no
means rare in fall, Haggerty reported good numbers in the Boone area, with a peak
of seven on 25 September.

Red-cockaded Woodpecker Newsletter Available

Red-cockaded Woodpecker News is a new publication founded to promote the
exchange of information among those who need to know the latest developments
concerning the conservation of this endangered species. Persons interested in receiving
this quarterly bulletin should write its editor, Anne Shapiro, Division of Wildlife,
Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, 620 South Meridian Street,
Tallahassee, Fla. 32301. The Winter 1982 issue features an article by Michael Lennartz
of Clemson University and summarizes publications and reports on the Red-cockaded
Woodpecker issued in 1979, 1980, and 1981. — EFP

Spring 1982

55

BOOK REVIEW

BIRDI.IFE AT C’H INCOTEA GIF. AND THF. VIRGINIA BARRIER ISLANDS

Brooke Meanley. 1981. Cornell Maritime Press, Centerville, Md. 21617. 1 17 p.
Softcover. $7.50.

This hook provides an invaluable introduction for amateur naturalists intending to
visit the Chincoteague area. The short chapters are an interesting combination of ones
on specific birds (e.g. The Atlantic Brant), groups of related birds (e.g. Strikers & Flood
Gulls), ecologically related species (e.g. Birds of Oceanic Littoral Zone), and activities of
bird students ( Banding Royal Terns, The Christmas Bird Count). Chat readers may be
especially interested in Meanley’s chapter entitled “Some Unusual Bird Records”
because it gives some insight into rare species likely to show up along the Carolina coast.
Indeed, many already have done so. Numerous charts, drawings, and black-and-white
photographs add to the value of the book, which should prove enjoyable to anyone
wishing to become familiar with the area and perhaps to those who already are. — DSL

BACKYARD BIRDING

(Continued from Page 40)

fluffy breast feathers were on the ground at the spot 1 had last seen the jay — so the hawk
did make contact. I was sure, however, that when the hawk flew, it did not have a bird in
its talons. That Blue Jay was so “shook up” that I did not see it again for almost 24
hours. For several days, the crippled jay was quite shy about coming here and away
from cover.

An hour or so after the hawk attempted to get the Blue Jay, it returned and, like a
shot out of a gun, dived toward a spot within a few feet of my chair where some White-
throated Sparrows were feeding. We startled each other, and the hawk left without
catching anything. This time I watched it fly up onto a branch of a large oak tree in the
front yard. I went up front and looked at the hawk carefully with my glasses. When it
turned its head and saw me, it flew off across the street into the woods. What surprised
me, however, was that the hawk was not our resident Sharpie, but a fine adult Cooper’s
Hawk. I surmised that it was migrating north and was looking fora quick meal. Now I
am fascinated with hawks and know that they have their niche in the scheme of things,
but somehow, I don’t want them taking my “pets,” not even the crippled ones to which
theyare entitled by Mother Nature. — GAIL T. WHITEHURST, 1505 Brooks Avenue,
Raleigh, N.C. 27607

56

The Chat

MEMBERSHIP

Carolina Bird Club, Inc., is a non-profit educational and scientific association
founded in March 1937 and open to anyone interested in the study and conservation of
wildlife, particularly birds. Dues, contributions, and bequests to the club are deductible
from state and federal income and estate taxes. Checks should be made payable to
Carolina Bird Club, Inc., and sent to CBC Headquarters, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh,
N.C. 27611.

DUES

(Payable on a calendar-year basis)

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Affiliated Club $ 10.00

PUBLICATIONS

All CBC members not in arrears for dues receive The Chat, a quarterly journal
devoted to bird study and conservation, and the CBC Newsletter, which carries infor-
mation about meetings, field trips, and club projects. Articles intended for publication
in Chat may be sent to the Editor or to the appropriate department editor listed in a
recent issue of the bulletin. Items for the Newsletter should be sent to its Editor, Clyde
Smith, 2615 Wells Avenue, Raleigh, N.C. 27608. Correspondence regarding member-
ships, changes of address, or requests for back numbers of either publication should be
sent to CBC Headquarters, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611.

OFFICERS

President Ramona Snavely, 115 Plymouth Ave., Winston-Salem, N.C. 27104

Vice-presidents . . . Ercel Francis, 26 Cardinal Road, Cedar Mountain, N.C*. 28718
Frances B. Needham, Box 8207, Waynick Blvd., Wnghtsville Beach, N.C. 28480
Teddy M. Shuler, Route 1, Box 15, Seneca, S.C. 29678

Secretary Julie Angerman-Stewart, 3966-C Tara Drive, Raleigh, N.C. 27609

Treasurer Thomas M. Dabbs, Route 1, Box 64, Mayesville, S.C. 29104

Members -at -large:

Region I— Western North Carolina

Robert H. Witherington, Winston-Salem, and Richard D. Brown, Charlotte
Region II— Eastern North Carolina

Robert J. Hader, Raleigh, and Dana T. Carter, Goldsboro
Region III — South Carolina

Lex Glover, Columbia, and Steve Compton, Charleston
Headquarters Secretary Fran M. Irvin

SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID
at Raleigh, N.C. 27611

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The Chat

Vol. 46 SUMMER 1982 No. 3

The Chat

(USPS 101-020)

Vol. 46 SUMMER 1982 No. 3

Published by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc.

Editor Eloise F. Potter, Route 3, Box 114 AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

General Field Notes David S. Lee, Department Editor

Julian R. Harrison, Associate Editor

Briefs for the Files Harry E. LeGrand Jr., Department of Zoology

Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29631

CBC Roundtable Louis C. Fink, Apt. 6, Bldg. L, Tau Valley Estates,

Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801

Backyard Birding Gail T. Whitehurst, 1505 Brooks Avenue,

Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Bird Count Editor John O. Fussell III, P.O. Box 520,

Morehead City, N.C. 28557

Art and Photography John Henry Dick and Jack Derm id

THE CHAT is published quarterly by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., with headquarters at the North Carolina State Museum,
P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 2761 1. Second class postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 2761 1. Subscription price $10 per year.

PAGE CHARGES: Authors who have funds available for page charges are requested to remit same at the rate of $40.00 per
page. CBC Headquarters will provide statements required for your business records.

CONTENTS

Report on Six Recent Sightings of the Iceland Gull in North

Carolina with Comments on Problems of Field Identification.

John O. Fussell III, Michael J. Tove, and Harry E. LeGrand Jr.

New A.O.U. Check-list in Press. Eloise F. Potter

CBC Roundtable

Backyard Birding

General Field Notes

Recent Evidence of Sharp-shinned Hawks Breeding

in North Carolina. Kenneth D. Meyer and Helmut C. Mueller .
Sighting of a Swainson’s Hawk in North Carolina.

Don D. Tarbet and Kay Coburn

Screech Owl Nest in a Box on the Ground.

Sherrill M. Clemmer and Jerome A. Jackson

First North Carolina Record of a Wheatear. Stephen Murphy

Confirmation of Breeding Red Crossbills in the Mountains of

North Carolina with Notes on Nesting Behavior. Tom Haggerty
Briefs for the Files

57

72

74

76

.. 77

.. 80

.. 81
.. 82

. 83
.. 87

OUR COVER — A Laughing Gull in breeding plumage
was captured in flight by the lens of John Trott. Pfeiffer
College at Misenheimer, N.C., is honoring this
distinguished alumnus with a showing of his nature
photography that will last through 15 October. John is
Resident Naturalist at the Madeira School in McLean,
Virginia.

REPORT ON SIX RECENT SIGHTINGS
OF THE ICELAND GULL IN NORTH CAROLINA
WITH COMMENTS ON
PROBLEMS OF FIELD IDENTIFICATION

JOHN O. FUSSELL III, MICHAEL J. TOVE,
and HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

Abstract. — Observations of six Iceland Gulls, seen in Carteret and Dare
Counties in 1980 and 198 1 , are discussed. Evidence is presented to show that these
gulls were not hybrids, or albinistic or leucistic individuals, or Glaucous or
Thayer’s Gulls. Separation of Iceland Gull and Thayer’s Gull can be difficult and
some individuals probably cannot be safely identified. Emphasis is placed on
“building a case” for the identification of any “white-winged” gull.

Reports of “white -winged” gulls [in this paper, Glaucous Gull ( Larus
hyperboreus ) and Iceland Gull ( L . glaucoides )] in the Carolinas are increasing.
Including those in this paper, there are 78 known records — 51 of Glaucous Gull,
23 of Iceland Gull, and four of unidentified species. Almost three-fourths of these
records were made during the last decade. This increase is probably due in part to
an increase in gull populations and in part to an increase in the number of capable
observers, especially in regard to coverage along the coast in winter. Many of the
recent winter records were made after periods of abnormally cold weather.

With the increase in “white-winged” gull sightings, there have been some
controversies in the Carolinas (see Am. Birds 31:321, Chat 42:10). This is not
surprising, for this group of birds can pose identification problems in the field
(and sometimes in the hand). A frequent problem is that in areas where Glaucous
and Iceland Gulls are uncommon to rare, or among observers unfamiliar with
these species, there has been a strong tendency to misidentify small Glaucous
Gulls as Iceland Gulls. This tendency appears to be largely due to two common
misconceptions that can be traced to the popular field guides: (l)the primaries of
a Glaucous Gull at rest never extend beyond the tail, and (2) all “white-winged”
gulls that are approximately the same “size” as Herring Gulls ( L . argentatus) are
Iceland Gulls, Glaucous Gulls always being obviously larger than Herring Gulls.
In fact, the primaries of a Glaucous Gull usually extend beyond the tail (Kay 1947,
Hume 1975, Grant 1981), and, no matter how size is defined, there is some
overlap between the Glaucous Gull and the Herring Gull. Another identification
problem that has recently come to light in several western states is that pale
immature Thayer’s Gulls ( L . thayeri) have been called Iceland Gulls and other
species (Am. Birds 32:1030, 33:296; Pulich 1980; Weber 1981). On the other hand,
darker adults of the Kumlien’s race of Iceland Gull have probably been
misidentified as Thayer’s Gulls (Am. Birds 26:577). Still more problems are the

Summer 1982

57

occurrence of albinism and leucism in gulls and the relatively frequent occurrence
of hybridization in gulls.

Although there are specimens of Glaucous Gull for both North and South
Carolina, there are no specimens of Iceland Gull for either state. (There is an
Iceland specimen for Georgia.) In 1964, a detailed account of an Iceland Gull
sighting in South Carolina was published in Chat (28:49-51) and in 1978 three
more detailed South Carolina sightings were published (Chat 42:10-12). Although
there were 12 records of Iceland Gulls in North Carolina prior to this paper, none
had been truly well documented, i.e. to a degree desirable fora species that is part
of such controversies or in a manner that rules out the recently recognized
Thayer’s Gull. In the winters of 1979- 1980 and 1980-1981, we observed six Iceland
Gulls in North Carolina, four in Carteret County and two in Dare County, and
photographed four of these birds. Three of the Carteret birds were present for
long periods and were studied under exceptional conditions and on numerous
occasions. However, attempts to collect a specimen were unsuccessful. Thus the
purpose of this paper is to document these Iceland Gulls in a manner that rules
out other species, albinistic and leucistic birds, and hybrids.

ICELAND GULL OBSERVATIONS

Birds 1, 2, 3, and 6 were seen in Carteret County; Birds 4 and 5 were found in
Dare County. Color slides have been deposited at the North Carolina State
Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, N.C.

BIRD 1. A first-winter immature (Fig. 1 and 2) was found by Dana Carter and
John Fussell at Fort Macon on 17 January 1980. From then until 12 March, it
was seen nine times by a total of nine observers: Allen Bryan, Dana Carter, Larry
Crawford, John Fussell, Kevin Hintsa, Dwight Lee, Bob Lewis, Mike Tove, and
Ray Winstead. All sightings, except one at Atlantic Beach, were within a mile of
Beaufort Inlet. On three occasions, this gull was seen feeding behind a hopper
dredge that worked in the inlet much of the winter.

This bird, although it usually associated with Ring -billed Gulls ( L . dela-
warensis), was seen several times next to Herring Gulls for size comparison. Best
studies were made on: 18 January, when it was studied next to a Herring Gull
through a 20X scope at 75 feet for about a minute; 1 February, when studied for
several minutes at 1 50 feet through a Questar at 80X; and 1 2 March, when studied
next to a Herring Gull, both birds in full profile at 25 feet, through 10X binoculars
for a minute.

Field characters. — The general aspect was of a slender, long-winged, small-
headed bird. Its bill-to-wing-tip length was similar to that of a Herring Gull, but it
was obviously of a lesser bulk. The extension of the wing tips beyond the tail
slightly exceeded the bird’s bill (culmen) length. Its plumage was generally a pale
buff to a whitish buff (lighter in March than in January). Most of the plumage
was finely and densely barred with buff or light tan; this barring appeared to be
most prominent on the wing coverts and upper tail coverts. The unbarred
primaries graded from a pale buff to whitish adjacent to the coverts to white or
whitish at the tips; thus the primaries, but particularly the tips of the primaries,

58

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Fig. 1. Immature Iceland Gull (Bird 1) near Fort Macon, 12 March 1980. An
immature Ring-billed Gull is to the left of the Iceland Gull; all other birds
are adult Ring-billed Gulls. (Photo by John Fussell)

Fig. 2. Immature Iceland Gull (Bird 1) in flight, 12 March 1980. (Photo by
John Fussell)

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Fig. 3. Adult Iceland Gull (Bird 2) on Morehead City waterfront, 10
February 1980. This individual preferred to perch on ships’ masts and
other very high sites. (Photo by John Fussell)

were paler than the rest of the wing. The rectrices were mottled with buff and
white; because of the high density of buff barring, there was a slight contrast
between the rectrices and the upper tail coverts. Each of the rectrices appeared to
be tipped with white. The iris was brown or brownish. The bill was black or
blackish and was about one-third shorter than that of adjacent Herring Gulls. On
at least two occasions, this bird was chased by a Herring Gull; it was never seen to
dominate that species though.

BIRD 2. An adult (Fig. 3) was discovered on 18 January 1980 next to the draw-
bridge at Beaufort by Fussell, Bill Moffitt, and Ray Winstead. It was seen a total
of five times (latest was on 11 February) by 12 observers: Mike Alford, John
Fussell, Bob Hader, Fran and Wayne Irvin, Ken Knapp, Harry LeGrand, Bill
Moffitt, JoAnne Powell, Mike Tove, McDuffy Wade, and Ray Winstead. Four
of the five sightings were around fish houses and all sightings were in the immedi-
ate Morehead City-Beaufort area. Several thorough searches of the fish houses at
other times did not turn up the bird; possibly at these times it was offshore around
fishing boats.

This bird was also closely studied for size comparison with Herring Gulls.
Best studies were made on: 18 January, when it was studied through a 20X scope
at 200 feet for 2 minutes, as it stood next to several Herring Gulls, all in full
profile; and 19 January, when seen for several seconds by Ken Knapp and Bob
Hader at 20 feet through I OX binoculars as it hovered over the water.

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Field characters. — When at rest, this individual was similar in general aspect
to Bird 1, although the long, attenuated appearance was not quite as pronounced.
The length by which the wing tips exceeded the tail was greater than the length of
the bird’s bill. As compared to adjacent Herring Gulls, this bird was of a lesser
bulk, had an obviously shorter bill, and had a much lighter mantle color. There
was almost no streaking on the head and neck. The primary tips were white,
except that the outer primaries had some of the pattern of gray bars that is typical
of the Kumlien’s race of the species. However, this pattern was rather faint, and at
a distance, the wing tips looked all white. The rectrices were white. Iris color, as
observed by Knapp and Hader, was a clear, unspeckled pale yellowish; the color
of the orbital ring (eye-ring) was not observed. Leg color was a duskier, more
colorful pink than that of Herring Gulls. On several occasions we saw this bird
dominated by Herring Gulls, both adults and immatures, but we never saw it
dominate that species.

BIRD 3. A first-winter immature (Fig. 4) was seen by LeGrand and Tove for 5
minutes on 25 January 1980 as it flew around off the south end of Radio Island
near Beaufort. It was not seen again.

Field characters. — This individual was seen flying near Ring-billed Gulls; it
was somewhat larger than they but flew as buoyantly. It appeared to be uniformly
buffy colored, but the primaries were obviously whiter. The rectrices were light,
providing no contrast with the tail coverts. The bill was small and slender relative
to the head and was mostly dark with a grayish-pink base.

BIRD 4. A first-winter immature was seen by Tove and Steve Graves for about 5
minutes as it followed the Ocracoke-Hatteras ferry on 9 January 1981. On this
day over 1 million gulls were seen, including the Iceland Gull and two Glaucous
Gulls.

Fig. 4. Immature Iceland Gull (Bird 3) in flight at Radio Island, 25 January
1980. (Photo by Mike Tove)

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Fig. 5. Adult Iceland Gull (Bird 6) on Morehead City waterfront, 11
February 1981. Note “classic” Iceland Gull profile of small head and
stubby bill. (Photo by John Fussell)

Field characters. — This bird was intermediate in size between Herring and
Ring-billed Gulls. It was uniformly pale buffy-white with whiter primaries. The
rectrices were white with faint tan barring and did not contrast with the tail
coverts. The bill was small and mostly dark with a paler pinkish-gray base. In
contrast, an immature Glaucous Gull, seen only minutes earlier, was massive,
being easily as large as a Great Black-backed Gull ( L . marinus ). The bill of that
bird was especially long and cleanly flesh-colored with a well-defined black tip.

BIRD 5. A first-winter immature was seen by Tove and Graves as it swam 100
feet from shore at Oregon Inlet on 10 January 1981.

Field characters. — While the bird was on the water, its folded wings
extended well beyond the tail, giving the gull a very attenuated appearance. The
plumage was white with pale buff barring. The bill was small relative to the head,
and was dark with a horn-gray base. Eventually the bird flew and joined a small
flock of Ring-billed Gulls. The Iceland Gull was slightly larger than the Ring-
billeds, but flew as buoyantly.

We believe that this individual was a first-winter bird in spite of its very pale
plumage. Identification of age groups is another aspect of “white -winged” gull
study about which there seems to be some confusion caused by the popular field

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Fig. 6. Adult Iceland Gull (Bird 6) in flight, 11 February 1981. The slate-
gray bars in the outer primaries are darker and more extensive than in
many Iceland Gulls, but still within the range of that species as opposed to
the Thayer’s Gull. (Photo by John Fussell)

guides. Kay (1 950) and Hume (1975) have pointed out that first-year birds maybe
paler than second-year birds; Kay (1950) suggested that bill and eye coloration
and other characters are probably a better indication of age than is general
plumage coloration. We have noticed that most detailed accounts of “second-
winter” Glaucous and Iceland Gulls in the Carolinas that mention soft parts have
described the soft parts of a typical first-winter individual.

BIRD 6. Another adult (Fig. 5, 6, and 7) was found on the Morehead City water-
front on 1 February 1981 by Carter, Fussell, Graves, and Tove. It was later seen at
the same site three more times, the last being on 21 February, when it was seen by
Wayne Irvin. It was also seen by Larry Crawford and Thomas Newport.

This individual was studied under excellent conditions. The best study was
made during 2 hours on 1 1 February, when this gull, and a group of Herring and
Ring-billed Gulls, responded aggressively to bread thrown out to them. The
Iceland Gull was studied as closely as 18 feet (minimum focus of 10X binoculars
and camera) for up to a minute at a time as it perched on pilings with many
Herring Gulls nearby for comparison. It was also studied and photographed at a
similar distance as it fluttered over the water, vying with the other gulls for bread

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Fig. 7. Close-up of head of adult Iceland Gull (Bird 6), 13 February 1981.
Only at very close range were the light irides apparent. At a little distance,
due to shading around the eye, the irides looked dark, as in Figure 5.
(Photo by John Fussell)

that was thrown out. At this time, the pattern of the primaries was seen excep-
tionally well.

Field characters. — When this bird perched, it would frequently “hang” its
wings, creating a distinctive profile. The extension of the wing tips beyond the tail
was greater than the bill length. Its mantle color was much paler than that of
adjacent Herring Gulls; the head and neck were lightly streaked with brownish,
but the breast was virtually white. The primary tips were largely white; however,
the pattern of gray bars that we saw on the 1980 adult was present and was very
noticeable (Fig. 6). The rectrices were white. The irides, as seen under overcast
skies through 10X binoculars at 1 8 feet, were clear with no flecks of dark pigment
and were a pale gray-green; however, in bright sunlight, they appeared yellowish
(Fig. 7). The orbital ring was a dark brownish-gray. The bill was much shorter
than those of adjacent Herring Gulls and appeared very stubby (Fig. 5); the
yellow of the bill was duller than the yellow of the Herring Gull’s bill and had a
tinge of greenish. The legs and feet were a dusky pink, much more colorful than
those of the adjacent Herring Gulls. This bird was chased from its perch well over
50 times by both adult and immature Herring Gulls, but it was never seen to
displace an individual of that species.

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DISCUSSION

In November 1977, the CBC Records Committee decided to require a voucher
specimen of Iceland Gull before admitting the species to the official North Caro-
lina state list (Chat 42:10). Apparently that decision was made largely because of
previous misidentifications of small Glaucous Gulls as Iceland Gulls in the state,
and because many of the differences between immature Glaucous Gulls and
immature Iceland Gulls are ones of a relative nature. Probably a more valid
concern though, at least in regard to some individuals, is the “overlap zone” of
appearance between the Thayer’s Gull and the Iceland Gull (Kumlien’s race).

We are confident that none of our six gulls were Glaucous Gulls. All these
birds were of a bulk obviously less than that of all Herring Gulls seen adjacent to
them. Also, their bills were relatively short; all had obviously shorter bills (up to
one -third shorter) than those of all Herring Gulls with which they were compared.
Such bill lengths are inconsistent with these birds’ being Glaucous Gulls (see
measurements in Smith 1966). The three birds that we saw while they were
perched (Birds 1, 2, and 6) all had wing tips projecting beyond the tail to a length
exceeding their respective bill (culmen) lengths. Grant (1981) states that, although
Glaucous Gulls regularly have wing tips projecting beyond the tail, this length of
projection never exceeds the bird’s bill length, as is often the case with the Iceland
Gull. The bill color of the immature gulls (Birds 1,3,4, and 5) was consistent with
each of them being a first-winter Iceland Gull; it was not consistent with their
being Glaucous Gulls of any age (see Hume 1975, Grant 1981). Both the adults
(Birds 2 and 6) had the pattern of gray markings on the otherwise white distal
portion of the outer primaries that is typical of the Kumlien’s race of Iceland Gull.
This primary pattern does not occur in the Glaucous Gull.

A more important consideration is the separation of our birds from Thayer’s
Gulls. Before we attempt this, it would be best to summarize some basic informa-
tion about Thayer’s and Iceland Gulls. The brief descriptions that follow refer to
adults only.

Thayer’s Gull. — This is a generally dark -eyed gull with a variable amount of gray
to black in the wing tips and a mantle color that is generally similar to or slightly
darker than that of the Herring Gull. The orbital ring is reddish or purplish (at
least in the breeding season). It is mainly a cliff-nesting species that breeds
primarily from Baffin Island and northern Hudson Bay north and northwest to
the Arctic Ocean (at least from northwest Greenland to Banks Island).
Apparently fall migration is mostly toward the southwest. The species winters
primarily along the Pacific coast of North America. However, there are numerous
records farther east, and the species is regular on the western Great Lakes. Along
the Atlantic coast, Thayer’s Gull is apparently rare, and virtually all reliable
records have been of immature birds.

Iceland Gull. — This is separated into two races, the Kumlien’s race ( L . g. kum-
lieni ), often called “Kumlien’s Gull” (as a matter of convenience), which breeds on
southern Baffin Island and the northwest tip of the Ungava Peninsula, and the
nominate race ( L . g. glaucoides ), which breeds primarily along the coasts of
Greenland. Both races of Iceland Gull are also cliff-nesters. Birds of the nominate

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race have pale irides, wing tips that are all white (sometimes with a trace of gray
pattern), and a very pale mantle color. Individuals of the Kumlien’s race are quite
variable in appearance. They range from individuals that are morphologically
identical to the nominate race to “dark” individuals that have considerable
speckling of dark pigment in the irides, a rather prominent pattern of slate -gray in
the wing tips, and (perhaps) a mantle color that averages slightly darker than in
the nominate race. The orbital ring of both races is reddish or purplish in the
breeding season.

The A.O.U. Checklist (1957) states that both races of Iceland Gull winter
along the Atlantic coast of North America (primarily southeast Canada and the
northeastern United States). Macpherson (1961) suggested that it was “fairly well
established” that the “Kumlien’s Gull” wintered in this area and noted that a
banded individual collected in Maryland was from a colony on southwest Baffin
Island. However, he felt that the exact winter status of the nominate race was
open to question because many individuals of the Kumlien’s race are identical to
the nominate race. Recently, Lehman (1980), probably reflecting the consensus of
present-day gull students, suggested that the Kumlien’s race winters predominantly
along the Atlantic coast of North America, but that the nominate race winters
predominantly in Europe. A review of British birding literature (as Hume 1975,
Grant 1981) suggests that “Kumlien’s Gulls” (well-marked ones, at least) are absent
or nearly so in Great Britain, where birds are studied intensively.

In many respects the darker “Kumlien’s Gulls” are intermediate between the
Thayer’s Gull and the nominate race of Iceland Gull. In fact, the “Kumlien’s Gull”
was formerly considered to represent a hybrid between the Thayer’s Gull (then
considered to be a race of Herring Gull) and the “Iceland Gull” (name then
restricted to the birds with all-white wing tips) (Dwight 1925), until it was
discovered that the two supposedly parental populations did not overlap. From
1959 to 1961, Smith (1966) studied breeding colonies of gulls in the Baffin Island
region of Canada, including colonies with Glaucous Gulls, Thayer’s Gulls,
“Kumlien’s Gulls,” and Herring Gulls all present. Among these populations, he
found complete reproductive isolation. Because of Smith’s findings, the A.O.U.
(1973) designated the Thayer’s Gull as no longer a race of the Herring Gull, but as
a separate species. Although Smith found reproductive isolation between the
Thayer’s Gull and “Kumlien’s Gull,” recent work in the Baffin Island region has
found interbreeding between the two populations, and, in the future, the Thayer’s
Gull may be considered a race of Iceland Gull (Sutton and Parmelee 1978, Weber
1981).

Whether or not the Thayer’s Gull and the Iceland Gull are regarded as
conspecific in the future, it is true that the two populations are, on the average,
very different in appearance; but some of the lightest Thayer’s Gulls and darkest
“Kumlien’s Gulls” are very similar. There are probably some individuals that,
even in the hand, could not safely be assigned to either species. Clearly, in the
identification of one of these species, the observer must build a case for the
identification , observing as many characters as possible that are consistent with
one species and that are inconsistent (or relatively so) with the other species. This
is the approach we have taken in identifying the six birds we saw as Iceland Gulls.

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Identification of the four immature gulls, Iceland Gull versus Thayer’s Gull.
There are two major field characters by which one can separate most first-winter
Iceland and Thayer’s Gulls: color of the primaries, particularly color relative to
the rest of the wing; and color of the rectrices, including the degree of contrast
between the general color of the rectrices and the general color of the tail coverts
(Gosselin and David 1975, Lehman 1980). The upper surface of the primaries of a
first-winter Iceland Gull varies from whitish to tannish and is the same color as
the rest of the wing or lighter. In Thayer’s Gull, the upper surface of the primaries
varies from light brown to deep brown and is the same color as the rest of the
wing or darker. The upper primary surface of the four immatures we saw varied
from white to pale buff, but, in all cases, we observed that the color was lighter
than the rest of the wing, consistent with the birds’ being Iceland Gulls and
inconsistent with their being Thayer’s Gulls. We obtained one good color slide of
the color of the primaries of Bird 1 . We are confident that all our birds were first-
winter individuals; however, we will mention that the pattern of contrast between
the primaries and the rest of the wing cited above is repeated in second-winter
individuals (see Hume 1975, Sutton and Parmelee 1978, Lehman 1980).

In first-winter Thayer’s Gulls, virtually all the surface of the rectrices not
hidden by the tail coverts is a solid brown or brown-gray. This general color
contrasts strongly with the mottled tail coverts, creating a noticeable tail band . In
contrast, rectrices of first-winter Iceland Gulls are whitish with variable amounts
of buff barring. In some individuals, the density of barring is great enough to
create a slight tail-band appearance as in the Thayer’s Gull, but the degree of
contrast is much less. The color of the rectrices of the four immature gulls we
studied was whitish with light to moderate amounts of buff barring, consistent
with their being first-winter Iceland Gulls and inconsistent with their being
Thayer’s Gulls of any age. We obtained one color slide of Bird 1 that shows the
white-and-buff mottled rectrices of that bird very well.

Smith ( 1966) collected biometric data on 646 Thayer’s Gulls and 889 Iceland
Gulls (Kumlien’s race) in the Baffin Island region of Canada. He measured
flattened wing length, tarsus, culmen length, distance between the anterior edge of
naris and bill tip, and depth of the bill at the posterior edge of naris. Within each
sex, Thayer’s Gull averaged greater than “Kumlien’s Gull” for all five
measurements; the amount of overlap varied from considerable for wing length to
almost none for culmen length. (We have seen no data on Thayer’s Gulls or
Iceland Gulls from elsewhere that increase the amount of overlap recorded by
Smith.) Male gulls average larger than females; therefore, combining Smith’s data
for both male and female gulls increases the range of overlap between Thayer’s
Gull and Iceland Gull. However, the amount of overlap of culmen length between
the two species is still very slight. Of course, the applicability of Smith’s data to
the identification of our birds in the field is limited. Nonetheless, bill length
relative to that of the Herring Gull was a character of our birds that we studied
very carefully. Based on Smith’s data (which include measurements on 228
Herring Gulls) and the comparison of the bills of our birds with those of Herring
Gulls, we think it would be very conservative to say that the bill lengths of our
birds fell either within the range of overlap between Thayer’s Gull and Iceland

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Gull (consistent with both species) or within the range of Iceland Gull but less
than Thayer’s Gull (consistent with Iceland Gull only). They definitely did not fall
within the range of Thayer’s Gull bill lengths that exceed all those of Iceland
Gulls. Such bill lengths would be as long as those of many Herring Gulls. The bill
length of Bird 1 (about one -third less than in numerous adjacent Herring Gulls) is
particularly inconsistent with that bird’s being a Thayer’s Gull.

Identification of the two adult gulls, Iceland Gull versus Thayer's Gull. — Most of
the field characters we studied — bill color, leg color, amount of streaking on the
head and neck, orbital-ring color, etc. — appear to be of no value in differentiating
between Thayer’s Gulls and Iceland Gulls. However, we studied (and
photographed) three characters that, on the average, are quite different in the two
species: ( 1 ) iris color, including degree of speckling of dark pigment, (2) pattern in
the distal portion of the outer primaries, and (3) mantle color.

The Iceland Gulls that overlap in appearance with Thayer’s Gulls are
“Kumlien’s Gulls.” Therefore, below we will refer almost exclusively to that race
as a matter of convenience. This does not necessarily mean we are identifying
these birds to race, however.

On the average, irides of “Kumlien’s Gulls” are lighter than those of Thayer’s
Gulls. However, there is considerable overlap. The best reference on iris color
variation is Smith (1966). Smith recorded (in the hand or at extremely close
range) the iris color of 1170 Thayer’s Gulls and 1131 “Kumlien’s Gulls” in the
Baffin Island-northwest Hudson Bay region. Of special interest, he compared the
iris color of the two populations where they were sympatric and where they were
not. Where they were sympatric, the irides of most “Kumlien’s Gulls” were clear
or mostly light, but, on southwest Baffin Island, where there were no Thayer’s
Gulls, the irides of many “Kumlien’s Gulls” were moderately to all dark. The
irides of Thayer’s Gulls were much less variable. Both where they were sympatric
with “Kumlien’s Gulls” and where they were not, their irides were mostly partly to
all dark. Of the 1 170 Thayer’s Gulls, Smith found none that had all-clear irides.
Thus, the iris color of the two adults we observed favors their being Iceland Gulls
rather than Thayer’s Gulls. We obtained several color slides of the irides of the
1981 adult.

In general, the amount of melanin in the wing tips of Thayer’s Gulls and
“Kumlien’s Gulls” appears to be related to the amount of melanin in the irides. In
both species, dark -eyed individuals generally have darker wing tips (Smith 1966),
but there are frequent exceptions to this rule. Smith found that, where the two
populations were sympatric, “Kumlien’s Gulls” generally had whitish wing tips
and Thayer’s Gulls had blackish wing tips. However, in the whole Baffin Island
region, “Kumlien’s Gulls” had wing tips typically varying from whitish to having
moderate amounts of dark gray, and Thayer’s Gulls had wing tips varying from
having moderate amounts of dark gray to extensive amounts of blackish. Smith
apparently does not include the extreme variation in wing-tip pattern he
observed, but he does include (p. 64)a detailed drawing of the typical variation he
observed. Both adults we studied fell within the range of “Kumlien’s Gulls” as
pictured in Smith, Bird 6 (Fig. 6) toward the darker end of the range and Bird 2

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toward the lighter end of the range. Thus the pattern of the primaries favors
these birds’ being Iceland Gulls. This is especially true of Bird 2.

On the average, the mantle color of an adult Thayer’s Gull is similar to or
slightly darker than that of the Herring Gull and that of the “Kumlien’s Gull” is
lighter than that of the Herring Gull (Smith 1966, Gosselin and David 1975,
Lehman 1980). However, this character is difficult to evaluate and thus there is no
good information on the limits of variation of mantle color in “Kumlien’s Gulls”
and Thayer’s Gulls. In the field, the Herring Gull can be a good “yardstick” for
comparison. Fortunately, during our observations of the adult gulls in 1980 and
1981, there were many Herring Gulls present. The mantle color of our birds was
obviously lighter than that of all Herring Gulls with which they were compared.
We obtained several color slides of Bird 6 next to Herring Gulls (and Ring-billed
Gulls) for comparison; its relatively pale mantle is obvious in all slides. Based on
this character, our birds are more likely to have been Iceland Gulls than Thayer’s
Gulls.

Our comments regarding size of the immature birds, especially bill length,
are also applicable to the adults. These birds had obviously shorter bills than all
Herring Gulls seen next to them. A conservative statement is that their bill lengths
might be consistent with both Thayer’s Gull and Iceland Gull, but certainly not
with large Thayer’s Gulls. However, we believe that the bill length of Bird 6 (Fig.
5) favors its being an Iceland Gull.

As stated above, we are not attempting to prove that these gulls are members
of the “Kumlien’s race,” only that they are Iceland Gulls. One problem in
positively identifying the race of the adults is the lack of extensive information (in
an English publication, at least) on the extent of variation of the nominate race.
However, based on fragments of information on the nominate race in several of
the papers cited earlier, the wing-tip pattern of our birds (especially Bird 6)
appears to lie well outside the normal range of the nominate race, and we assume
that the adults were indeed “Kumlien’s Gulls.” Based solely on appearance (as
opposed to geographic probability), no judgment on the probable race of the
immature gulls is possible (see Gosselin and David 1975), although we suspect
that the all-blackish bill of Bird 1 favors its being a “Kumlien’s Gull” also.

An Iceland Gull specimen for North Carolina is desirable. Meanwhile, we
believe that our black-and-white prints and color slides of both immature and
adult birds address the basic points regarding separation of Thayer’s Gull and
Iceland Gull virtually as well as a specimen would. Color slides of Birds 1 and 6,
which address all the major points of separation of Iceland and Thayer’s Gulls,
have been deposited in the color slide collection of the North Carolina State
Museum of Natural History and critically examined by authorities on bird
identification. Finally, there is no reason to suspect that any of our birds were
leucistic or albinistic individuals of other gull species, or that they were hybrids.
All our birds fell well within the normal size range of the Iceland Gull; also, all
had bill lengths well within the normal size range of the species. All four
immatures had the plumage and soft-parts coloration that has been described for
typical first-winter Iceland Gulls. None of these birds were pure white or had any
pure white regions in the plumage. All four had primaries lighter than the rest of

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the wing and mantle. None of our birds exhibited excessive wear as is typical of
albinistic or leucistic individuals (Hume 1975). Certain hybrid combinations
might result in a wing-tip pattern similar to the “Kumlien’s wing-tip pattern.”
However, as stated above, our two adults fell well within the normal range of
Iceland Gull body size and bill length. Also, our birds had all soft parts colored as
in typical Iceland Gulls.

POSTSCRIPT

We hope that our photographs will give Carolina bird students a ‘feel” for
the Iceland Gull and help reduce the tendency of observers to identify small
Glaucous Gulls as Iceland Gulls. We also hope that our discussion of the six
Iceland Gulls will lead to more caution in the reporting of “white-winged” gulls in
the Carolinas. Because of considerable individual variation, albinism, leucism,
and hybridization in gulls, the safest identification of a “white-winged” gull is
usually of a typical individual. There are some aberrant gulls that cannot be safely
identified. However, we urge observers of unidentifiable gulls to report their
sightings — complete with thorough documentation — to Chat and American Birds
so that we may all become more knowledgeable about the types of field identifi-
cation problems associated with gulls.

More caution is urged in the identification of the age of immature “white-
winged” gulls. Many first-winter “white-winged” gulls are very whitish,
particularly in late winter, and we suspect that most reports of second-winter
birds in the Carolinas are actually first-winter individuals. See Grant (1981) for
reliable methods of aging immature Glaucous and Iceland Gulls.

LITERATURE CITED

American Ornithologists’ Union. 1957. Checklist of North American Birds.
Fifth edition. Baltimore.

American Ornithologists’ Union. 1973. Thirty-second supplement to the A.O.U.

Checklist of North American Birds. Auk 90:411-419.

Dwight, J. 1925. The gulls (Laridae) of the world: their plumages, moults, varia-
tions, relationships, and distribution. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. Bull. 52:63-402.
Gosselin, M., and N. David. 1975. Field identification of Thayer’s Gull ( Larus
thayeri ) in eastern North America. Am. Birds 29:1059-1066.

Grant, P.J. 1981. Field identification of west Palearctic gulls: Part 5. Glaucous,
Iceland, Sooty, and White -eyed Gulls. Brit. Birds 74:363-394.

Hume, R. A. 1975. Identification and ageing of Glaucous and Iceland gulls. Brit.
Birds 68:24-37.

Kay, G.T. 1947. The Glaucous Gull in winter. Brit. Birds 40:368-373, plates
40-53.

Kay, G.T. 1950. The Iceland Gull in winter. Brit. Birds 43:399-402, plates 74-81.
Lehman, P. 1980. The identification of Thayer’s Gull in the field. Birding
12:198-210.

Macpherson, A. 1961. Observations on Canadian Arctic Larus. Arctic Inst, of
North America Tech. Paper No. 7.

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Pulich, W.M. 1980. A Thayer’s Gull specimen from Texas: a problem in identifi-
cation. Southwestern Nat. 25:257-282.

Smith, N.G. 1966. Evolution of some Arctic gulls ( Larus ): an experimental study
of isolating mechanisms. Ornith. Monog. No. 4. Amer. Ornith. Union.

Sutton, G.M., and D.F. Parmelee. 1978. On maturation of Thayer’s Gull.
Wilson Bull. 90:479-491.

Weber, J.W. 1981. The Larus gulls of the Pacific Northwest’s interior, with
taxonomic comments on several forms (Part I). Continental Birdlife 2:1-10.

1412 Shepard Street, Morehead City, N.C. 28557; Department of Biology, Utah
State University, Logan, Utah 84322; and Department of Zoology, Clem son
University, Clemson, S.C. 29631

Corrections

Two plants were incorrectly identified in the report on the “Third Annual
Breeding Bird Forray: Hoke County, N.C.” by Clark and Potter (Chat 46:29-37).
On page 30, Fetterbush should be Leucothoe racemosa , and Slender Clubmoss
should be Lycopodium appressum. The authors thank Jay Carter for bringing
these errors to their attention.

Additional Cowbird Host for Carolinas

The Black-throated Green Warbler should be added to the list of host species
for the Brown-headed Cowbird in the Carolinas (Potter and Whitehurst, Chat
45:57-68). Meanley (Raven 48:19) reports that a female was “observed building a
nest in an American holly in the North Carolina section of the [Dismal] Swamp on
17 April, 1970; on 29 April, it contained two eggs of the warbler and one of a
Brown-headed Cowbird.”

Summer 1982

71

New A.O.U. Check-list in Press

ELOISE F. POTTER

The 6th edition of the A.O.U. Check-list of North American Birds is now in
press, but it will not appear until 1 983. A supplement to the July 1 982 Auk provides
an updated list of birds recorded with appropriate documentation through
E)ecember 1981 from Canada and the United States, including Hawaii. This 34th
Supplement to the A.O.U. Check-list uses the sequence, scientific names, and
English names of the 6th edition.

There are many changes in the sequence of species within genera and of genera
within families. Several of the major changes involve dividing subfamilies into
tribes. The most extensive revisions are in the passerines, where wood warblers,
tanagers, cardinals, sparrows, and blackbirds and orioles are placed in different
subfamilies of the family Emberizidae. Thefringillids (including finches, crossbills,
and the Evening Grosbeak) follow the orioles. The last family with a representative
among the Carolina birds is the Passeridae — the House Sparrow.

Copies of the 34th Supplement are available for $3 each (postpaid) from G.E.
Woolfenden, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620.

Listed below are the common and scientific names that differ from those used
in Birds of the Carolinas (Potter, Parnell, and Teulings, 1980) and recent issues of
The Chat. Scientific names that precede common names have been changed.
Former common names are not given when only “America” or “Northern” has
been added to the familiar form. Beginning with the next issue. Chat will adopt the
nomenclature of the 34th Supplement. Contributors are requested to use the new
names and species order if at all possible.

Herald Petrel (formerly South Trinidad Petrel).

Calonectris diomedea. Cory’s Shearwater.

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (formerly Harcourt’s Storm-Petrel).

Sula bassanus. Northern Gannet.

American White Pelican.

Egret ta caerulea. Little Blue Heron.

Egretta tricolor. Tricolored Heron (formerly Louisiana Heron).

Egret ta rufescens. Reddish Egret.

Green-backed Heron (formerly Green Heron).

Nycticorax violaceus. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron.

Greater Flamingo (formerly American Flamingo).

Tundra Swan (formerly Whistling Swan). [This is my own least appreciated change
in the entire list. — EFP]

Greater White -fronted Goose (Anser albifrons).

American Black Duck.

Northern Pintail.

Garganey (formerly Garganey Teal).

Eurasian Wigeon (formerly European Wigeon).

American Swallow-tailed Kite.

72

The Chat

Elanus caeruleus. Black-shouldered Kite (formerly White -tailed Kite).

Nothern Harrier (formerly Marsh Hawk).

Northern Goshawk.

Polyborus plancus. Crested Caracara (formerly Caracara, Audubon’s Caracara).
Wild Turkey (formerly Turkey).

Northern Bobwhite.

Common Moorhen (formerly Common Gallinule).

Northern Lapwing.

Lesser Golden Plover (formerly American Golden Plover).

Himantopus mexicanus. Black-necked Stilt.

Phaloropus fulicaria. Red Phalarope.

Common Black-headed Gull (formerly Black-headed Gull).

Sterna an til /arum. Least Tern.

Common Ground -Dove (formerly Ground Dove).

Common Barn-Owl (formerly Barn Owl).

Eastern Screech-Owl (formerly Screech Owl).

Northern Saw-whet Owl.

Ceryle alcyon. Belted Kingfisher.

Northern Flicker (formerly Common Flicker, Yellow-shafted Flicker).
Contopus borealis. Olive -sided Flycatcher.

Eastern Wood-Pewee (note hyphen).

Tvrannus forficatus. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.

Tyrannus savana. Fork -tailed Flycatcher.

Taehycineta bicolor. Tree Swallow.

Stelgidopteryx serripennis. Northern Rough-winged Swallow.

American Crow (formerly Common Crow).

Sedge Wren (formerly Short -billed Marsh Wren).

Marsh Wren (formerly Long-billed Marsh Wren).

Northern Wheatear.

Northern Mockingbird.

European Starling (formerly Starling).

Northern Cardinal.

American Tree Sparrow ( Spizella arborea).

Ammodramus leeonteii. Le Conte’s Sparrow.

Ammodramus caudacutus. Sharp-tailed Sparrow.

Ammodramus maritimus. Seaside Sparrow.

Coccothraustes vespertinus. Evening Grosbeak.

Summer 1982

73

CB©

TRaundto/Ue

• ■ • with Louis C. Fink

More About Rough-winged Swallows and Dot Maps

Many CBC members have expressed appreciation for the range map that
accompanied the article by Steve Platania and Mary Kay Clark on the Rough-
winged Swallow (Chat 45:100-102). Gail Whitehurst reports an adult carrying
food to a nest in a drainpipe in Pender County 12 and 13 June 1979. Daniel M.
Kaplan adds a dot for Orange County with this account dated 15 June 1982: “I
first noticed a pair of Rough-winged Swallows flying around the new wing of
Wilson Library on the UNC campus on 8 June. I subsequently located the nest,
containing at least two young, in the mouth of a pipe about 6 inches in diameter
which protrudes slightly from the wall at the basement level of the building. I
have observed the adults feeding the young in the nest nearly every day since
then.”

Breeding birds are fairly well documented for the immediate coast, for
counties with major cities in the piedmont, and for the high-elevation portions of
the mountains. Elsewhere in North Carolina, particularly in the coastal plain, it is
almost impossible to find any published breeding records. It is not necessary to
collect a nest or eggs to establish a local breeding record. All we need is the name
of the species, date, place, evidence of breeding, and name of the observer though
further details are very useful. Evidence might be adults building a nest, carrying
food toward a nest, or feeding young birds out of the nest. The species does not
have to be rare to be of interest.

An atlas of the breeding birds of North Carolina is in preparation and
should be published within the next 2 to 3 years by the N.C. Biological Survey. If
you live in any of the counties that do not have dots for the Rough-winged
Swallow, chances are very good that a map of the Carolina Wren, Blue Jay, or
Cardinal would not have a dot either. Records intended for the atlas may be sent
to Eloise Potter or David Lee. Accurate information on the breeding distribution
of birds is very important for various ecological studies and useful to the average
bird watcher as well. Your help is needed, and it will be appreciated. ELOISE
POTTER, Route 3, Box I I4AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597.

Remarks on the Identification of Brewer’s Blackbirds

Over the past few years 1 have received a number of reports of Brewer’s
Blackbirds, some with good details and others with none whatsoever. I have
published most of these reports, but some of my fellow birders have expressed
concern over published sightings from residential areas, especially from semi-

74

The Chat

wooded habitats. I now believe that a handful of the recent published records,
including a report of 1500 on the Charlotte, N.C., Christmas Bird Count in 1971,
may have been of birds incorrectly identified. The following comments are helpful
hints for identifying this species in the Carolinas.

Brewer’s Blackbirds are birds of open country, especially of cattle feedlots.
They may occur also in plowed fields, large open lawns, and pastures, but they are
most frequently seen near cattle where the grass is very closely cropped. Although
they roost with other blackbirds in woods and thickets, their foraging is generally
limited to pastures and fields.

The species is essentially a rare migrant in the Carolinas, though it may
winter in very small numbers from the Columbia, S.C., area west to the Georgia
line. It is a rare though regular migrant (mainly in November, March, and April)
in northwestern South Carolina and southwestern North Carolina (Asheville
west). The species is very rare east of Asheville, Columbia, and Savannah, Ga.

Brewer’s Blackbirds are approximately the same size and shape as Rusty
Blackbirds, which also frequently occur in pastures and open lawns (as well as in
swamps and wet thickets). Rusties also are not unusual on semi-wooded lawns.
Male Brewer’s, even in winter, still retain some glossy coloration, but in spring the
birds are much more iridescent, with purple heads and aqua, blue -green bodies.
Two field marks not stressed in guides, but excellent marks nonetheless, are the
moderately short bill and the brilliant yellow-white eye (of the male only). The bill
is shorter than that of the Rusty Blackbird, being approximately intermediate
between the conical bill of the Brown-headed Cowbird and the long, tapered bill
of the Common Grackle. The eyes of the males are noticeably more conspicuous
than the pale yellowish eyes of Common Gracklesand Rusty Blackbirds. Female
Brewer’s is a rather nondescript bird, with the same brownish-gray and
unstreaked plumage of most female cowbirds, but Brewer’s are larger than
cowbirds with somewhat longer bills and tails. Female Brewer’s have dark eyes,
whereas female Rusties have pale eyes (though the light eye may be difficult to see
at a distance).

My experience with Brewer’s Blackbirds in the Carolinas might also be
helpful to persons searching for the species. I birded eight years at Raleigh, N.C.,
and never saw the species there or elsewhere in the state. In 1970 I checked out a
report of a male Brewer’s from a wooded yard at Raleigh; the bird was a small
female grackle. In eight years of birding at Clemson, S.C., I have seen Brewer’s
twice in November and three times in March. Despite the most intensive search
for them in December to February, I have yet to find one in winter. On three
occasions the birds were feeding in cattle feedlots, and on another were feeding
with cattle in a pasture where the grass was a few inches high. On the fifth
occasion the birds (a flock of ten) were in a plowed field. At Clemson I have seen
Rusty Blackbirds feeding on lawns on many occasions, but all Brewer’s have been
in agricultural areas. HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

Saving The Birds

A pair of Condors under observation in California squabbled and pushed
their egg out of the nest. Fort yd ays later, another egg was laid and is being watched
closely.

In Maryland. 45 pairs of Bald Eagles have been found incubating. These
observations around Chesapeake Bay are encouraging.

(Continued on Page 86)

Summer 1982

75

. . . with Gail T. Whitehurst

So That’s Where They Were!

Early in the morning of 15 February 1982, I had the thrill of a life time.
When I arose from bed and came into the den, I noticed one Evening Grosbeak
on one of my feeders. Then in a mater of minutes grosbeaks came down in great
quantities. I counted 50 shuttling back and forth from the hemlock tree to my
feeders. Then again, on 16 and 17 February I recorded 50 each day. I recorded
anywhere from 4 to 35 each day until 22 April, when a flock of 35 lighted in the
hemlock tree and then flew away. That was the last we saw of the grosbeaks. The
location is in Transylvania County, N.C., about 10 miles SE of Brevard and 5
miles S of US 276, about 1.5 miles from the South Carolina border.

On 12 December 1981, I was sitting in my den when 1 noticed seeds falling
from the hemlock trees in my yard as though it were snowing. I got up to check
the reason, and discovered the tree was filled with Pine Siskins. Then they started
coming down to my feeders. 1 counted 45. On most any given day from then on
until 7 April 1982, I could see from 35 to 40 on the feeders, usually in the early
mornings. — ROSA LEE HARDIN, Star Route, Cleveland, S.C. 29635

The Cowbird Connection

As a good many of you readers know, I have spent a considerable amount of
time and energy observing Brown-headed Cowbirds. Why? Simply because they
are there — at a time when backyard birding is rather dull and routine. I had a
fascinating experience with one of five fledglings that were “dumped” on me by
their host parents, Rufous-sided Towhees. This has happened a number of years.
When the towhees were ready to turn these over-sized, noisy, and worrisome
youngsters out on their own, they led them to my yard where they quickly learned
to take my hand-outs.

From 9 August to 10 September 1979, I had the opportunity to study five
cowbird flgedlings rather intensively (and kept copious notes). 1 learned a number
of interesting facts relating to their behaviour. For instance, a cowbird fledgling is
easily “tamed,” showing little fear of humans — especially those offering food.

76

The Chat

Also, the little fellows soon recognize their own kind and tend to stick together
once the host parent has ceased to feed them.

Cowbird number five appeared on 27 August, being fed by a male towhee.
On 30 August, the towhee ceased to feed the female fledgling, and she came to me
frequently for hand-outs. She became quite tame. She could recognize the sound
of my voice and often came flying to me for food. Once she even came up on my
back porch and looked in the door, upon hearing my voice. When she finished
eating her morning meal, she wandered about the lawn, drinking droplets of dew
from the grass and occasionally catching and eating small insects. She discovered
that by coming right to my feet, she could get all the food she wanted without
having to hassle the other hungry birds I was feeding. She often stayed nearby my
husband and me as we sat out on the lawn in the evenings, and on one occasion lit
on his hand for a moment. She appeared to trust us completely. She was easy to
identify as she had one white primary feather on the left wing.

On 7 September something happened which so impressed me that I will
never forget it. I quote here from my notes:

“After supper I fed him* (#5 cowbird) and he stayed around. He
followed me all around the yard. I wondered why he was so fearless and
why he stayed so near my feet. Noticed he would catch and eat tiny
insects from time to time. It occurred to me that perhaps he, being a
cowbird, was instinctively following at my feet to find any insects which
I might stir up as I moved about the lawn. I kept moving about the
grass, scuffing my feet from time to time. Apparently this did cause
insects to appear, for little cowbird would dart this way and that and
picked up things too small for me to see. As it grew darker, he kept
looking at sky often. Finally he flew off into trees.”

*At time of this incident, 1 did not know sex of bird.

I last saw and fed #5 cowbird on 10 September. In the days following the first
time I “played cow” with her, I did it several more times. The bird seemed eager
for me to stir up insects and the “game” might last for 10 to 15 minutes. The more
insects she caught, the less hand-out food she wanted. She always kept an eye on
me as I moved about so as to avoid being stepped on, but, at the same time was on
the alert for any insects flushed in the process. It really was a lot of fun and must
have been quite a sight had anyone been watching. During these days the little
bird appeared to be growing rather restless. She had also begun her post-juvenal
molt. When she disappeared (as the young cowbirds always do), it never ocurred
to me that I would see her again.

In early April of 1980, two female Brown-headed Cowbirds came near me as
I was tossing out food to the many “freeloaders” in my backyard. One of these
females, in the company of a male, returned at least once every day for food for
about a month or so. The male, although shy and suspicious at first, began to
partake of the food, too. He never came as close as the female. On 18 May the

(Continued on Page 86)

Summer 1982

77

General Field Notes

DAVID S. LEE, Department Editor

North Carolina State Museum, P.O. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

JULIAN R. HARRISON, Associate Editor

Department of Biology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. 29401

Recent Evidence of Sharp-Shinned Hawks
Breeding in North Carolina

KENNETH D. MEYER
HELMUT C. MUELLER
Department of Zoology
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514

Although there have been at least a half-dozen breeding, or probable
breeding, records of Sharp-shinned Hawks (Accipter striatus) in North Carolina
(Pearson, Brimley, and Brimley, Birds of North Carolina, revised by Wray and
Davis, 1959), additional records are obviously noteworthy.

On 24 July 1970, near the summit of Mount Mitchell, Mueller saw an adult
male pass food to a juvenile female in flight. We have seen this behavior only when
parents feed fully-fledged young.

On 17 June 1974, Mueller saw a male Sharp-shin in the Mason Farm area
about 5 km SE of Chapel Hill. The bird was carrying food and was flying at a
height of more than 50 m, and proceeded in a straight line for more than 500 m
until it disappeared from view behind trees. We have seen such behavior only
when the male is carrying food to the nesting female or young.

On 2 May 1981, Meyer saw an adult male and adult female Sharp-shin
apparently defending a nest near the Eno River, 7 km NE of Hillsborough. The
nest, with the female in incubating position, was found on 3 May. The nest was
located against the trunk (18 cm dbh), of a 15- to 16-m Virginia Pine {Pinus
virginiana) at a point 1 2 to 13m above the ground. The nest tree was on a 30- to
40-degree slope about 200 m from the river and 9 m from a disused logging road.
The site was near the edge of a stand of Virginia Pines, adjacent to an extensive
oak /hickory forest. The diameter of the nest and the sticks used in its construc-
tion were typical of the nests we have seen in Maine and eastern Canada. The
depth of the nest was greater than any we have seen and it was built in a tree and
grove offering much less concealment than any other nest, which were all in
spruces ( Picea sp.). One food delivery by the male was seen on 3 May. The female
received the prey 30 to 40 m from the nest after a brief vocal exchange. On 13
May, the female remained in incubating position during the entire 3-hour obser-
vation period. The male was not seen during this time, though, in our experience.

78

The Chat

TABLE I. Observations of Sharp-shinned Hawks during the breeding season,

1960-1981.

County

Date

Observer(s)

Reference1

Western

North

Carolina

Ashe-Allegheny

30

June

1980

Lynch & Moore

45:20 (1981)

Avery

22

May

1976

Wentworth

40:91 (1976)

Buncombe

23

June

I9722

Lee

Unpublished

Caldwell

30

May

1981

Sneeden

46:18 (1982)

Central

North

Carolina

Chatham

23

July

1977

Pullman & Teulings

42:17 (1978)

Cumberland

14

June

1978

Crutchfield

43:22 (1979)

Durham

29

July

1975

Teulings

40:18 (1976)

Durham

3

July

1976

Pullman

41:14 (1977)

Guilford

22

June

1975

Carter

40:18 (1976)

Vance

6

July

1980

Tove

45:20 (1981)

Wake

23

July

19742

Wright

38:96 (1974)

Warren

4

June

1974

Le Grand

38:96 (1974)

Eastern

North

Carolina

Carteret

22

June

1970

Wade & Fussell

34:108 (1970)

Carteret

27

May

1972

Fussell

36:94 (1972)

'All references are to The Chat.
2Two individual birds were seen.

such absences are not unusual early in the nesting cycle. Neither adult was present
on 1 8 May; we found no signs of young, egg remains, or nest predation. Occasional
searches in late May, June, and early July provided no evidence of the hawks or any
possible explanation for the pair’s apparent failure.

There have been no other definite, or even strongly suggestive, records of
Sharp-shins breeding in North Carolina since 1959. Stupka (Notes on the Birds of
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 1963) mentions four records for both
June and July for the years 1928 through 1961, but does not indicate how many of
these were seen in the North Carolina portion of the park. Stupka lists only one
record that we interpret as clear evidence for breeding; on 2 June 1954, Tanner
saw a bird carrying food near Mount LeConte (Tennessee). Two other works have
indicated Sharp-shins as being present in summer, at least rarely, but neither
presents details: Johnston, J. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc. 80: 29-38 (Highlands,
Cashiers, and vicinity); and Simpson, J. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc. 88: 244-251
(Mount Mitchell State Park). A summary of all other know observations of
Sharp-shins in North Carolina in summer is presented in Table 1.

The presence of a single individual is dubious evidence of breeding. We know
very little about the age when most Sharp-shins breed and what portion of first-
year birds complete the migration to northern breeding areas. Sharp-shinned
Hawks have been observed in migration at the Cedar Grove Ornithological

Summer 1982

79

Station in southeastern Wisconsin as late as 30 May; in the 9 years the station was
operated in the spring, we conducted observations for a total of only 9 days in
June with the latest date on 8 June (Mueller, unpubl.). It is possible that a few
birds may move northward in June.

The simultaneous sighting of two birds without any evidence of behaviors
associated with breeding is also only tenuous evidence for breeding. The female
remains in the immediate vicinity of the nest from just before egg-laying until the
nestlings are about 3 weeks old, a total period of about 8 weeks. During this time
the male provides all the food for his family and is seen in the vicinity of the nest
only during the few minutes (maximum) elapsed during the delivery of prey to the
female. This exchange involves considerable vocalizations. Incubating females
may sit tight and go unnoticed when a nest is approached, but most will exhibit
some form of defensive behavior, particularly after the young have hatched.
Defensive behaviors range from flying about, vocalizing, to attacks on the human
intruder. The young remain together for about 3 weeks after fledging and this is
the most likely time to see more than one Sharp-shin in a small area. Young birds
frequently perch in the same or adjacent trees, and interact frequently, stooping at
each other and vocalizing. The approach of an adult results in a frenzy of
vocalizing and young able to fly will meet the approaching adult and chase it until
the food is dropped. The bird obtaining the food item is usually chased by one or
more siblings who have failed to receive food, vocalizing as they fly about.

Anyone seeing two Sharp-shins together in summer should pause for an hour
or two and attempt to observe interactions or other behaviors suggesting breed-
ing. Every attempt should be made to determine the age and sex of the birds (see
Mueller, Berger, and Allez, American Birds 33:236-240 and Bird-Banding 50:34-
44).

Sighting of a Swainson’s Hawk in North Carolina

DON D. TARBET

Department of Recreation

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.

KAY COBURN
6605B Lake Hill Drive
Raleigh, N.C.

On 21 March 1982, approximately 30 minutes before sunset, we saw an
adult, light-phase Swainson’s Hawk ( Buteo swainsoni ), at Lake Benson. Lake
Benson is near Garner, Wake County, N.C., and is approximately 8 miles S of
Raleigh. The large Buteo was soaring along the line of trees that separates Lake
Benson from the fields to the east. After remaining in sight for approximately 10
seconds and approaching us to within about 7.5 m, the bird turned eastward and
disappeared behind the trees. We were unable to find the bird again that day or on
subsequent days. At the time of the sightings the sun was low but unobscured and
was over our right shoulders. We were facing southeast from the Lake Benson

80

The Chat

Causeway, and the bird was about 100 degrees from the sun. Each of us used 7 x
35 binoculars.

Most noticeable field marks were white wing linings and body contrasting
strongly with dark flight feathers, with dark head and breast region, and with dark
tail. Some white was also present in the face, chin, and throat. Wings were long
and slender-appearing for a Buteo, and when the bird was at a good angle, a weak
dihedral was apparent in the wings. No banding was apparent in the tail from
either above or below, although some faint banding was noticeable on the flight
feathers. It is the experience of Tarbet that the banding of the tail is seldom easily
seen in Swainson’s Hawk, with the tail often presenting a general gray color as in
the present case.

We are confident that the bird was a Swainson’s Hawk because of wing,
body, and head pattern; shape and size; and wing position while soaring. It also
matched quite closely the numerous members of this species seen by Tarbet in the
West. The bird is rare in North Carolina with only three previous reports (Chat
44:76 and 44:76-78).

Mike Tove, Harry LeGrand, Paul Sykes, and others mentioned the
possibility that this bird was part of the small winter population in Florida,
despite the fact that most of that population is immatures. We can offer no more
likely explanation for the presence of the bird in the Raleigh area and conclude
from the failure to locate the bird later that it was migrating.

We thank the following for their consultation in this matter: John Connors,
Craig Gorsuch, Bob Hader, Ken Knapp, Harry LeGrand, Paul Sykes, Mike
Tove, Bill Wagner, Jeff Walters, and Joe Wonderle.

Screech Owl Nest in a Box on the Ground

SHERRILL M. CLEMMER
JEROME A. JACKSON
Department of Biological Sciences
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

On 13 May 1981, Clemmer found a Screech Owl ( Otus asio) with two large
downy young in a nest box (inside dimensions: 25 x 25 x 56 cm; entrance
diameter: 10 cm) that was resting on the ground at the Savannah River Plant,
Aiken County, S.C. The site was dominated by 40-year-old Longleaf Pine ( Pinus
palustris ), Bluejack Oak (Quercus cinerea), and Turkey Oak ( Quercus laevis) with
little ground cover other than pine straw. As a result of forest management
activities and the young age of the stand, few trees were large enough to provide
nesting cavities for this species, although an identical unoccupied nest box
attached at 2 m on a pine was within 100 m of the box on the ground. The bottom
of the box on the tree was covered by pine straw; the box on the ground had
about 8 cm of wood shavings on the bottom. The birds were not disturbed on 13
May. When the box was checked by Jackson on 27 May, the birds were gone,
though one infertile Screech Owl egg was found.

While Screech Owls are well known to accept nest boxes as substitutes for
natural nesting cavities (Van Camp 1975, Bent 1938, Alland 1937), they usually

Summer 1982

81

choose nest sites well above the ground. The only similar report we have found
was of a nest in a stump; in that case, the bottom of the nest was below ground
level (Bent 1938).

Work at the Savannah River Plan has been generously supported by grants
to Jackson from the U.S. Department of Energy and from the Savannah River
National Environmental Research Park. We thank personnel at the Savannah
River Ecology Laboratory for their continued interest in our studies.

LITERATURE CITED

Alland, H.A. 1937. Activity of the Screech Owl. Auk 54:300-303.

Bent, A.C. 1938. Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey. Part 2. U.S.
Nat. Mus. Bull. 170.

Van Camp, L.F., and C.J. Henny. 1975. The Screech Owl: its life history and
population ecology in northern Ohio. North Am. Fauna No. 71.

First North Carolina Record of a Wheatear

STEPHEN MURPHY
P.O. Box 571
Franklin, N.C. 28734

About 0800 on 1 1 October 1981, I saw a small flock of Eastern Bluebirds
alight in a Flowering Dogwood tree in the front yard of my home at Franklin,
Macon County, N.C. I noticed one of the birds was unusually light colored for a
bluebird. With binoculars I observed, from a distance of about 40 feet, that the
bird in question was not only a pale brown color on both top and bottom but
also did not have the hunched-over look of a bluebird.

It was definitely a bird that I had never seen before. My first view of it, as it
perched in the dogwood tree, was a profile, and I noticed a thin bill, possibly even
a little thinner than that of the bluebird, as well as a pale brown color on the head,
back, underparts, and upper half of the wings. The lower half of the wings was
very dark, maybe even black, and what I could see of the rear portion of the tail
was black also. The bird was constantly flicking its wings and bobbing up and
down, and each time it flicked its wings I could see some white on its rump.

I went outside to get a closer look and was able to approach to less than 20
feet: I was now at about a three-quarter angle to the rear of the bird and for the
first time noticed a hint of a pale eye stripe, not quite white. I also noticed the
white of the rump was far more extensive than I had thought at first. When the
bird became alarmed at my approach and flew, I could see a really tremendous
contrast between the bright white of the rump and the black of the tail.

The bird then flew to some power lines, and I went back to the house, hoping
it would return. About 15 minutes later I noticed the bird was with a small Hock
of Song Sparrows. At this time whenever the bird flicked its wings I was able to
observe a pattern between the black and white on the tail. The rear portion of the
tail, about one-third, was black and then a black stripe, maybe one-third the
width of the tail, ran up the tail. The entire rump and rest of the tail were bright

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white except fora very small strip — about 1 /4 inch at the very tip of the tail — that
was buff colored.

I saw the bird 8 or 10 different times between 0800 and 1030, when the sun
burned off the overcast and the day warmed up. I was unable to locate it after that
time, nor could I find it the next two mornings. I believe the bird was a Wheatear
( Oenanthe oenanthe ), a species previously reported only once from the Carolinas.
Andrew Simons watched one at close range while golfing at the Charleston
County Club, 1 October 1960. He noted the inverted T and rump patch together
with the pumping action. Although E.B. Chamberlain (Chat 24: 102) accepted this
report and stated that the observation places the species on the South Carolina
Hypothetical List, the Wheatear is not mentioned in the 1970 edition of South
Carolina Bird Life, as revised by Burton. The species is, however, listed in Birds
of the Carolinas (Potter, Parnell, and Teulings, 1980).

[NOTE: Publication of the above field note adds the Wheatear to the North
Carolina state bird list with Provisional I status. — DSL]

Confirmation of Breeding Red Crossbills
in the Mountains of North Carolina
with Notes on Nesting Behavior

TOM HAGGERTY
613 Oakland, Apt. 4
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701

Although there is considerable evidence for Red Crossbills ( Loxia
curvirostra ) breeding in the southern Appalachian Mountains and in North
Carolina (Johnston 1963, Simpson 1974, Swindell 1974, Sykes 1974, Carter 1976,
Phillips 1979), no one has reported finding an active nest with eggs or nestlings.
Consequently, little has been recorded on the breeding biology of the species in
this region.

On 5 September 1981, Joe Williams and I discovered a female Red Crossbill
building anest in a White Pine (Pinus strohus ) at the edge of a gravel parking lot
off of Plemmons Drive on the Appalachian State University campus in Boone,
Watauga County, N.C. The altitude at this site is approximately 1006 m.

About 23 m in height with a d.b.h. of 62 cm, the nest tree is part of a large,
fairly uniform stand of White Pines that cover an area of roughly 3 ha. These
pines, like many others throughout the county, were heavily covered with cones in
September 1981. The nest was placed in the fork of a branch 3.5 m from the
main trunk and 19 m from the ground. Although visible from below, the nest was
partially concealed from above by small pine boughs. Because the limb pointed
south and extended over the parking lot, it received sunlight during most of the
daylight hours.

On 5 September between 1 700 and 1900, the female made 10 trips to the nest
with building material. She collected epiphytic mosses. Tulip Poplar bark fibers,
and unidentified materials, using her bill, feet, and body to construct the inner

Summer 1982

83

cup of what appeared to be an almost completed nest. Between 1300 and 1630 on
6 September, the female made approximately 21 visits to the nest with material.
Her visits were usually no longer than 3 minutes, and most were between 15 and
30 seconds.

Although the male usually accompanied the female as she searched for
nesting material, I never observed him carrying material. As the pair flew to and
from the nest, I heard the characteristic “kip-kip-kip” call notes. Often as the
female worked on the nest, the male positioned himself at the top of the nest tree
or some nearby tree and sang a series of notes that were quite musical.

Williams first noted the female incubating on 1 1 September. Since I later
discovered four eggs in the nest, I conjectured that they were laid from 7 to 10 or
from 8 to 1 1 September. If the female started incubating after she laid the last egg,
then the incubation period started on either 10 or 11 September. On 12
September I observed the female incubating, turning her eggs, and preening her
belly and breast. On 13 September between 0700 and 1200, the female had three
attentive periods totaling 287 minutes and three inattentive periods totaling 13
minutes. The male continued to sing from the tops of the surrounding trees. On a
few occasions the female called softly from the nest. Although I never observed
the male incubating, he fed the incubating female.

On 13 September, the male and the female were associating with three
heavily streaked juveniles that still had uncrossed bills, and twice the male fed two
of the young birds regurgitated food. The juveniles frequently followed the male
throughout the nesting period, and one of the juveniles begged from the breeding
female. Thus I conclude that the nest I found was at least the second during the
1981 season for this pair of Red Crossbills. On 22 September I photographed the
incubating female (Fig. I). Returning to the nest at 0900 on 26 September, I
found four newly hatched chicks. From their appearance, I estimated that the
chicks were just a day old and had probably hatched on the 25th. If the female did
indeed start incubating on the 10th or 11th, then the incubation period was
approximately 14 or 15 days. Lawrence (1949) states that the incubation period
for this species is “probably 14-18 days.”

At a distance of 3.5 m I continued to make observations until 1300 on 26
September. During this period the male fed the offspring two times and the
brooding female four times. As the male fed the female, she tilted her head back,
fluttered her wings, and begged as if she were a newly fledged bird. After receiving
regurgitated food from the male, the female usually waited a minute or two and
then began to feed the nestlings. This involved a slow movement of her bill in and
out of the nestling’s mouth. As she drew her bill out, a white, watery, regurgitated
substance was pushed into the nestling’s mouth with her tongue. She normally fed
the nestlings until they stopped begging. Before returning to brood, she usually
checked the nest for fecal sacs, and if she found one, ate it. The male also ate fecal
sacs. Although the breeding pair most often ate seeds from White Pine cones, on
one occasion during the nestling period the male captured and ate a green
caterpillar.

I made my last observations of 3 October, but Williams checked the nest
between 7 and 13 October. On the 12th at 1630 he noted that the nestlings were on

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The Chat

Fig. 1. A female Red Crossbill incubates her eggs in a nest at Boone, N.C.,
on 22 September 1981. (Photo by Tom Haggerty)

the edge of the nest, flapping theirwings. When he returned on the 13th at 1305
only one nestling remained at the nest, and at 1400 it also had left. If the eggs
hatched on 25 September and the birds fledged on 13 October, then the nestling
period lasted approximately 19 days. Synder (1954) reports a nestling period of 15
to 16 days. Lawrence (1949) found in her studies that the young remain in the nest
“at least 17 days,” and Skutch (1976) gives a nestling period of 18 to 24 days.

The extreme temperatures during the nesting period were 26° C (79° F) and
-1°C (30° F). The average temperature was 14°C (56.5° F), and 5.3 cm of
precipitation was measured (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
1981).

I thank Joe Williams for his help in the field and Libbus Haggerty and Tom
Howerton for their help with this manuscript.

LITERATURE CITED

Carter, J.H. 1976. Probable breeding of the Red Crossbill in the North Carolina

Sandhills. Chat 40:100.

Summer 1982

85

Johnston, D.W. 1963. Further evidence of Red Crossbills breeding in North
Carolina. Chat 27:81-82.

Lawrence, L. de K. 1949. The Red Crossbill at Pimisi Bay, Ontario. Canadian
Field Nat. 63:147-160.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 1981. Climatological Data,
N.C. Vol. 86, No. 9 and No. 10.

Phillips, R.A. 1979. Notes on summer birds in the Canadian zone forest of Roan
Mountain. Migrant 50:73-76.

Simpson, M.B., Jr. 1974. Red Corssbill observations in western North Carolina.
Chat 38:44-45.

Skutch, A.F. 1976. Parent Birds and Their Young. Univer. Texas Press.

Swindell, M. 1974. Fledgling Red Crossbills at Newfound Gap. Chat 38:43-44.

Sykes, P.W. 1974. Additional information on the Red Crossbill breeding in the
lower piedmont of North Carolina in 1967. Chat 38:42-43.

Snyder, D.E. 1954. A nesting study of Red Crossbills. Wilson Bull. 66:32-37.

(Continued from Page 75)

In western North Carolina, Asheville bird club members are assisting U.S.
Fish and Wildlife personnel with a survey of Great Horned Owls in preparation
for a planned Peregrine Falcon hacking program. For about 7 weeks they
observed nesting owls at Lake Julian Park from a blind constructed some 35 feet
above ground. An article in Asheville South , 22 June 1982, reported that the
adult owls were aware of the visitors and never went to the nest while anyone was
in the blind. Park officials protected the two fledgling owls by not releasing news
of their presence until after they left the nest.

(Continued from Page 77)

female cowbird was feeding on some birdseed. I tossed out some of my food and
she flew to my feet and ate. Then, as she did not make any move to leave, I began
walking slowly about the lawn. The cowbird followed me. I began scuffing my
feet through the grass and, to my surprise and delight, she followed me and began
looking for insects. However, this early in the spring there were none to be found,
so she gave up and flew away. This pretty well convinced me that she had to be
my little #5 cowbird of the summer preceding — no other bird would have
responded to my actions in that same manner. We never did have the opportunity
to “play cow” again. Oh how 1 wished that 1 had been able to have banded that
little fledgling!

Although the pair of adult cowbirds stayed around until July, I never did
have any new young fledglings to feed and study that summer — nor the next one,
either. Maybe this year, come hot, sticky, dull August, I will once again have the
chance to “play cow.” — GAIL T. WHITEHURST, 1505 Brooks Avenue,
Raleigh, N.C. 27607

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BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

(All dates winter 1981-82; CBC = Christmas Bird Count)

RED-NECKED GREBE: One was seen in the ocean at Oregon Inlet, N.C., on 29
December by Douglas McNair.

EARED GREBE: Lou Fink noted a very rear inland bird at City Lake in Rocky
Mount, N.C., on 30 January and 3 and 2 February.

WHITE PELICAN: Single individuals were noted at Santee National Wildlife
Refuge on Lake Marion, S.C., in November (Evelyn Dabbs et al.); in the
Charleston, S.C., area all winter (Dennis Forsythe); and at Southport, N.C.,
on 6 February (Charles Fox).

BROWN PELICAN: This species continues to increase in numbers in North
Carolina waters, being seen farther inland than usual in the tidewater sec-
tion. Brian Horsley reported pelicans at Elizabeth City during the summer of
1981; John Fussell saw six at a landfill near Newport on 14 January; Tom
Wade reported 15 at Cherry Point on 14 January; and four were noted by
Hugh Sterling from 13 to 16 February at Washington.

GAN NET: An estimate of 10,000+- was made at Cape Hatteras point, N.C., on 13
February by John Fussell, Allen Bryan, and Ricky Davis.

GREAT CORMORANT: The only winter reports came from South Carolina:
immatures seen by Julia Hill at the Ashley River near Charleston on 2
November and by Cheryl Phillips and Julia Hill at Huntington Beach State
Park on 19 January.

YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: An immature was notable on the
Bodie-Pea Island CBC, N.C., on 30 December, as seen by Harry Armistead
and Will Russell at Bodie Island.

AMERICAN BITTERN: Rare for the piedmont in February was one seen on the
6th at Jordan Reservoir in eastern Chatham County, N.C. (Bill and Mar-
garet Wagner, Johnnie Payne).

WHISTLING SWAN: Winter reports from outside the usual range were from
Burlington (Allen Bryan), Whispering Pines (Roberta Davis), Raleigh
(Harry LeGrand et al.), and Roanoke Rapids (LeGrand) in North Carolina;
and from Santee refuge (Cheryl and Eddie Phillips et al.) in South Carolina.

BRANT: Rare as far south as Beaufort Inlet, N.C., were 16 seen on the Morehead
City CBC on 20 December by Wayne Irvin and Chris Marsh.

WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: An immature spent the entire winter at Pea
Island, where it was seen by dozens of birders.

SNOW GOOSE: An adult and an immature “Blue Goose” were observed by
Harry LeGrand and others near Townville, S.C., on 6 and 10 December; and
an adult “Blue” was noted near Winston-Salem, N.C., from 24 December to
2 January by Ramona Snavely and Charles Frost.

ROSS’ GOOSE: Harry Armistead and party saw one inflight (with Snow Geese)
at the Bodie Island lighthouse on 30 December, the first Carolina record
away from neighboring Pea Island.

PINTAIL: This species is rare inland in winter; thus, noteworthy were two at

Summer 1982

87

Whispering Pines, N.C., on 22 December (Jay Carter); one near Burling-
ton, N.C., on 17 December (Allen Bryan); and one near Townville, S.C.,
on 24 January (Harry LeGrand).

BLUE-WINGED TEAL: Very rare inland in winter were two noted by Ross
Jervis at Jordan Reservoir on the CBC there on 3 January. Bill and Margaret
Wagner observed this species there on 2 March, an early date for migrant
birds.

EUROPEAN WIGEON: A male was seen by many birders at a pond on Bodie
Island on 29 and 30 December, and two males were observed there on 31
December (Mike Tove et al.).

REDHEAD: Locally notable counts were 10 at Jordan Reservoir on 30 January
(Steve Graves) and eight at Lake Cammack, near Burlington, on 29 January
(Allen Bryan).

GREATER SCAUP: Inland reports, all in North Carolina, were of two at Wood-
lake (formerly called Lake Surf), near Vass, on 2 December and one there on
8 January (Tom Howard); one at nearby Lakeview on 2 January (fide Jay
Carter); three near Fayetteville on 14 January (Philip Crutchfield); and four
near Burlington on 16 January (Allen Bryan).

LESSER SCAUP: An excellent inland total was 500 seen on the Savannah River
Plant CBC, S.C., on 19 December by Anne and Vernon Waters.

COMMON GOLDENEYE: Five females were observed by Bill and Margaret
Wagner on upper Jordan Reservoir, near Chapel Hill, on 9 March.

KING EIDER: A first-year male was seen by Chris Marsh and Wayne Irvin on
the Morehead City CBC on 20 December. A female was seen in Hatteras
Inlet, N.C., on the Cape Hatteras CBC on 31 December by Mike Tove,
Harry LeGrand, and Bob Lewis. Apparently the same bird was observed in
the area on 17 January by John Fussell and party.

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER: One was found dying on Par Pond, at the Savan-
nah River Plant, S.C., in early February. Several other scoters were on the
lake, according to Lehr Brisbin.

COMMON MERGANSER: Three females were seen at Winston-Salem from 2
to 9 January by Royce Hough, Hop Hopkins, and Fred Hill.

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: Five birds were noted on the Chapel Hill
CBC on 27 December, fide Bill Wagner.

VULTURES: Ricky Davis found a roost north of Butner, N.C., on 7 February
that had 125 Turkey and 45 Black Vultures.

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK: Singles, all in the light phase, were observed in
North Carolina on the Durham CBC on 20 December (Bill and Margaret
Wagner), on the Jordan Lake CBC on 3 January (Angelo Capparella, Mike
Godfrey), and near Fayetteville on 22 February (M.E. Whitfield).

BALD EAGLE: Rare inland in winter, all in North Carolina, were two adults
seen at Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge on 19 December by Douglas
McNair, an immature seen by McNair on 2 January at Rockingham, two
immatures noted by Lou Fink at the Tar River Reservoir near Rocky Mount
on 1 March, and one seen at Beaverdam Reservoir north of Raleigh on 18
March by Margaret Wagner.

PEREGRINE FALCON: Fran Irvin observed one perched on a transmission
tower at Raleigh on 6 January. Less unusual, though rare for Carteret

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County, was one seen by John Fussell at Morehead City on 8 and 18
February.

MERLIN: Inland birds were reported from the Savannah River Plant on 19
December (Anne and Vernon Waters), on the Jordan Lake CBC on 3 Jan-
uary (Jim Keighton), near Fayetteville on 19 January (Philip Crutchfield), at
Six Mile, S.C., on 4 February (Douglas McNair), and at Jordan Reservoir
on 13 March (Don Tarbet).

AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: As this species does not usually winter at
Oregon Inlet, N.C., five seen there on 14 February by John Fussell might
represent early spring migrants.

WILSON’S PLOVER: Notable for winter was a plover at Bird Shoal near Beau-
fort, N.C., as seen by Jeff Walters on 6 February.

GREATER YELLOWLEGS: One was found on the Raleigh CBC on 19 Decem-
ber, fide Robert Hader.

SPOTTED SANDPIPER: North of the winter range was one seen by Ricky
Davis at Hatteras village on 10 January.

LEAST SANDPIPER: Four were observed by Jim and Owen McConnell on the
Durham CBC on 20 December, and Harry Le Grand saw one on the
Roanoke Rapids, N.C., CBC on 27 December.

DUNLIN: Sidney Gauthreaux and Harry LeGrand found five in Anderson
County, near Fair Play, S.C., on 6 December; and one was seen on the
Raleigh CBC on 19 December, fide Robert Hader.

JAEGERS: A Pomarine and two Parasitic Jaegers were noted on the Bodie-Pea
Island CBC on 30 December (fide Paul Sykes). Larry Crawford saw a Para-
sitic on the Morehead City CBC on 20 December, and he had eight
unidentified jaegers at Pine Knoll Shores, N.C., on 4 December.

GLAUCOUS GULL: The Cape Hatteras CBC on 31 December had three indi-
viduals of this species, fide Carl Perry. John Fussell and others observed
one in first-winter plumage at the Newport, N.C., landfill from 22 to 29
January.

ICELAND GULL: An immature was seen by Harry Armistead and Douglas
McNair at Hatteras on 31 December, and another immature was seen in
January at a landfill in New Hanover County, N.C., by Greg Massey and
Jim Parnell. At the Newport landfill was an adult “Kumlien’s” on 22 January
(John Fussell) and 13 February (Wayne and Fran Irvin), as well as a first-
year bird on 23 to 26 January (Fussell et al.). An adult seen by Fussell at
nearby Morehead City on 8 February may have been the one at Newport.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL: Very rare for South Carolina was one seen
at Pawleys Island on 30 January by members of the Carolina Bird Club, fide
Dennis Forsythe. In North Carolina, four were seen on the Cape Hatteras
CBC on 31 December, fide Carl Perry. One was seen at Wanchese on 1 Jan-
uary by John Fussell and others, another was noted at the New Hanover
Landfill in January by Greg Massey, and one was seen at Cape Hatteras
point on 13 February by Allen Bryan et al. Fussell and others had three or
four individuals at the Newport landfill from 14 January to 26 February, one
or two of which were in third-winter plumage. One of the adults at Newport
was collected (specimen to the North Carolina State Museum), a first such
record for the Carolinas.

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89

HERRING GULL: A sharp cold snap in mid-January caused a major fish kill on
Carolina lakes, resulting in very large numbers of Herring and Ring-billed
Gulls being attracted to the lakes. Noteworthy inland Herring counts were
80 at Beaverdam Reservoir on 31 January (Ricky Davis), 50 at Kerr Scott
Reservoir near North Wilkesboro, N.C., on 14 February (Tom Haggerty),
nine immatures at Fayetteville on 14 January (Philip Crutchfield), and five
immatures in mid-January at Winston-Salem, N.C. (Ramona Snavely et al.).

RING-BILLED GULL: Excellent inland totals were 2000 estimated near
Durham on 20 February (Joe Lockwood), 9 15 at Beaverdam Reservoir on 31
January (Ricky Davis), 400+ at Clemson in late winter (Harry LeGrand), and
hundreds in the Winston-Salem area, even in open fields, during late winter
(fide Ramona Snavely).

BLACK-HEADED GULL: An adult was carefully studied at the Newport land-
fill by John Hardwick, Greg Massey, John Fussell, and others from 23 to 27
January.

LAUGHING GULL: Larry Crawford estimated that 250,000 were seen migrat-
ing along Bogue Banks in Carteret County, N.C., on 9 and 10 December, and
7000 were tallied on the Morehead City CBC there on 20 December. Yet,
John Fussell saw none in the county from mid-January to early March, indi-
cating the misleading nature of CBC totals for this species.

BONAPARTE’S GULL: A good count for the North Carolina Sandhills region
was 25 at Woodlake, near Vass, on 8 January (Tom Howard).

LITTLE GULL: An adult was a good find at Cape Hatteras point on 13 Febru-
ary, as noted by John Fussell, Allen Bryan, and Ricky Davis.

GULL-BILLED TERN: Very rare in winter was an individual seen flying around
a pond at McClellanville, S.C., on 5 January by Jay Shuler.

CASPIAN TERN: Ricky Davis saw one on the Morehead City CBC on 20
December.

ALCID (sp.?): A large alcid — Razorbill or murre — was seen a few miles off Hat-
teras Inlet on 31 December by Carl Perry.

YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO: A lingering individual was observed by Cheryl
Phillips at Moncks Corner, S.C., on 6 December.

SHORT-EARED OWL: This species winters in the weedy lakebeds of newly
constructed reservoirs, at least in north-central North Carolina. The Durham
CBC had five on 20 December at the Falls of the Neuse Reservoir; and five
were on the Chapel Hill CBC, 27 December, and three were on the Jordan
Lake CBC, 3 January, all at Jordan Reservoir. Another was seen by Lance
Peacock at a pasture on the Roanoke Rapids CBC on 27 December.

SAW-WHET OWL: A good find was an owl seen at dawn at Frisco, N.C., on the
Cape Hatteras CBC on 31 December by Merrill Lynch and John Fussell.

WHIP-POOR-WILL: This secretive bird was flushed twice during the winter: by
Bob Holmes near Long Lake, Craven County, N.C., on 23 December and
by Anne Waters and party at Aiken State Park, S.C., on 24 December.

HUMMINGBIRD (sp.?): A female or immature, with no rusty-colored feathers,
was seen in a Beaufort, N.C., yard through 18 December by Stanley Potter.
The bird was probably a Ruby-throated.

RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER: A record national CBC total was the 66

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The Chat

birds tallied on the Southern Pines, N.C., count on 2 January (fide Jay
Carter).

HORNED LARK: A high count for the Sandhills was a flock of 100 near Man-
gum, N.C., on 19 December (Douglas McNair).

TREE SWALLOW: As many as 5000 were observed in the Morehead City-
Beaufort area from late January through February, as reported by John
Fussell.

FISH CROW: Several wintered again near Townville, S.C., as noted by Harry
LeGrand. They were with large flocks of Common Crows in fields and
pastures, unusual habitats for Fish Crows in the piedmont.

LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN: Jim and Owen McConnell observed two on
the Durham CBC on 20 December.

BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER: Over a month late was a gnatcatcher seen by
Ricky Davis in northern Wake County, N.C., on 5 December.

WHITE-EYED VIREO: Somewhat to the north of the winter range were two on
the Cape Hatteras CBC on 31 December (Paul Sykes, Tom Haggerty), one
in southeastern Carteret County on 30 January (Haggerty, Ken Knapp), and
one at Santee refuge on 28 February (Cheryl and Eddie Phillips et al.).

PRAIRIE WARBLER: Very rare in winter at Morehead City was one seen by
John Fussell on 6 January.

PALM WARBLER: Twelve birds were detected by Bill Wagner and party on 30
January at Jordan Reservoir.

OVENBIRD: Tom Haggerty observed one near Frisco on the Cape Hatteras
CBC on 31 December, the second consecutive winter this species has been
reported from Buxton Woods.

NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH: Perhaps the second winter record for North
Carolina was an individual noted by Bruce Lord at Morgan Creek near
Chapel Hill on 17 January. The bird had dark olive-brown upperparts with
no streaking; heavy streaks on the sides and breast, with light streaks extend-
ing into the throat; creamy eye stripe and under parts; and a habit of bobbing
the tail as it fed along the edge of the creek.

NORTHERN ORIOLE: A female or immature “Baltimore” was rare for the
Bodie-Pea Island CBC on 30 December, seen by Grayson Pearce at South
Pond.

WESTERN TANAGER: One was noted by Tom Haggerty on the Cape Hatteras
CBC on 31 December; another was seen at a Fayetteville feeder from 12
January to early February by Ruth Chesnutt, Henry Rankin Jr., and Philip
Crutchfield; and a third was seen by Jimmy Beatty, Lex Glover, and George
McCoy at Brookgreen Gardens in Georgetown County, S.C., on 30 and 31
January. An immature male seen in a Live Oak at Manns Harbor, Dare
County, N.C., on 10 February by Eloise F. Potter was found in the same tree
two days later by Virginia Valpey.

SUMMER TANAGER: Apparently the first winter record for upstate South
Carolina was a female or immature seen and heard calling at the feeder of
Merrill and Charlotte Palmer at Clemson. The bird was present from 9 to 24
January and was also observed by Paul Hamel and Harry LeGrand.

PAINTED BUNTING: Tom Reeves noted a female or immature bird on the
McClellanville, S.C., CBC on 20 December.

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91

WINTER FINCH FLIGHT: For the second consecutive winter, a moderate to
fairly heavy flight of Evening Grosbeaks and especially Pine Siskins invaded
the Carolinas, whereas Purple Finches were only fairly common in most
localities.

HOUSE FINCH: Locally noteworthy were peak winter counts of 15 at Whisper-
ing Pines, Moore County, N.C. (Carol Turner), and 30 at Morehead City
(John Fussell).

COMMON REDPOLL: Individuals were seen at feeders in Durham on 25 and
26 January (Owen and Pat McConnell et al.) and in Raleigh on 26 and 27
January (Fran Irvin). Another was seen in a weedy field in Jordan Reservoir
on the Chapel Hill CBC on 27 December by Don Tarbet.

RED CROSSBILL: Winter reports were three on the Raleigh CBC on 19 Decem-
ber (fide Robert Hader), one photographed in late December at Roanoke
Rapids (fide Merrill Lynch), and one seen and heard at Six Mile, S.C., on 23
February (Douglas McNair).

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW: One was near the edge of the winter range at
Morehead City, as seen by John Fussell on 16 and 22 December.

VESPER SPARROW: One noted by Philip Crutchfield was uncommon near
Fayetteville on 19 January.

BACHMAN’S SPARROW: This secretive species apparently winters north to
Fort Bragg, N.C., as Jay Carter and Tom Howard saw two in the western
section on 2 January and Philip Crutchfield saw two more on 1 1 January
in the northeastern portion of the military base.

TREE SPARROW: Dave Lee observed one at his feeder north of Raleigh on 15
and 16 January.

LINCOLN’S SPARROW: One was noted by Perry Nugent in his yard at
Charleston from 17 February to 2 March. The winter distribution of this
species in the Carolinas is a complete mystery.

LAPLAND LONGSPUR: Small numbers were again found near Townville
during the winter, with a peak count of nine on 6 December (Harry
Le Grand, Sidney Gauthreaux). Douglas McNair saw two on 20 December at
the Laurinburg, N.C., airfield.

SNOW BUNTING: This irruptive species was quite rare this winter, with the only
report being of two seen by Paul Oplerand Jay Shuler at Cape Island, S.C.,
on 20 December.

CORRIGENDUM: The American Avocet reported in Chat (45:106) was seen at
Beaufort, N.C., and not at North River.

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MEMBERSHIP

Carolina Bird Club, Inc., is a non-profit educational and scientific association
founded in March 1937 and open to anyone interested in the study and conservation of
wildlife, particularly birds. Dues, contributions, and bequests to the club are deductible
from state and federal income and estate taxes. Checks should be made payable to
Carolina Bird Club, Inc., and sent to CBC Headquarters, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh,
N.C. 27611.

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All CBC members not in arrears for dues receive The Chat, a quarterly journal
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The Chat

Vol. 46 FALL 1982 No. 4

Quarterly Bulletin of Carolina Bird Club, Inc.
The Ornithological Society of the Carolinas

The Chat

(USPS 101-200)

Vol. 46 FALL 1982 No. 4

Published by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc.

Editor Eloise F. Potter, Route 3, Box 114 A A, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

General Field Notes David S. Lee, Department Editor

Julian R. Harrison, Associate Editor

Briefs for the Files Harry E. LeGrand Jr., Department of Zoology

Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29631

CBC Roundtable Louis C. Fink, Apt. 6, Bldg. L, Tau Valley Estates,

Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801

Backyard Birding Gail T. Whitehurst, 1505 Brooks Avenue,

Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Bird Count Editor John O. Fussell III, P.O. Box 520,

Morehead City, N.C. 28557

Art and Photography John Henry Dick and Jack Derm id

THE CHATis published quarterly by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., with headquarters at the North Carolina State Museum,
P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 2761 1. Second class postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 2761 1. Subscription price $10 per year.

PAGE CHARGES: Authors who have funds available for page charges are requested to remit same at the rate of $40.00 per
page. CBC Headquarters will provide statements required for your business records.

CONTENTS

Breeding Birds of Hall Swamp Pocosin,

Martin County, N.C. J. Merrill Lynch 93

Backyard Birding 106

CBC Roundtable 109

General Field Notes

First North Carolina Record of the Masked Duck.

Derb S. Carter Jr. and Ann Darby Carter 112

First Nesting of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

in South Carolina. Rudy Mancke 113

Low-elevation Record of Winter Wren During Breeding

Season in Graham County, N.C. Owen L. McConnell 114

Book Review 115

Briefs for the Files 116

Index to the Chat— Volume 46 123

OUR COVER— John O. Fussell III photographed a
Masked Duck discovered by Ann and Derb Carter at
Lake Ellis in Craven County, N.C. This is the first
published record of the species for the Carolinas (see
page 112). Note the two dark facial stripes and the
bird’s big-headed appearance. The Bewick’s Wren
drawing on page 107 is the work of Kelly Miller of
Raleigh, N.C. Ted Hinson of Rock Hill, S.C., contrib-
uted the cartoon on page 111.

BREEDING BIRDS
OF HALL SWAMP POCOSIN,

MARTIN COUNTY, N.C.

J. MERRILL LYNCH

Abstract. Pocosins are shrub- and tree-dominated wetlands
formed in the coastal plain of North Carolina and other South-
eastern States. The vertebrate fauna of pocosin habitats is poorly
known. This paper presents the results of several breeding-bird
censuses conducted in both altered and unaltered pocosin habitats
in Martin County, N.C. Additional notes on vegetation composi-
tion, bird-habitat relationships, and other faunal components of
the pocosins are also given.

Within the North Carolina coastal plain are numerous poorly drained
upland swamp areas, better known as pocosins. These pocosin habitats
originally occupied about 2,263,000 acres (Wilson 1962) but since the 1950s
substantial amounts have been drained and cleared for conversion to
agricultural and silvicultural production. The largest remaining pocosins
occur in the Great Dismal Swamp, the Dare-Tyrrell-Hyde County
(Pamlimarle) peninsula, Holly Shelter Swamp, Angola Bay, Croatan
National Forest, and the Green Swamp. The coastal-plain pocosins contain
some of the largest roadless wilderness areas remaining in the state and
support a diverse assemblage of plants and animals, some of which may reach
their greatest abundance there. A diversity of wetland shrub- and tree-
dominated habitats occur in pocosins, and for this reason they serve as
valuable breeding and foraging sites for a number of bird species, some of
which are considered uncommon or local breeders in the state. Faunal
composition of the vast coastal-plain pocosins is poorly understood,
particularly breeding birds. It is hoped that this paper will stimulate further
research in these areas.

The term pocosin has been used over the years to describe many. different
types of wetland habitats. It evolved from an Algonquin Indian word that
meant “where wTater backed up, as in spring freshets, or in rainy season,
which by reason of such happening become necessarily more or less boggy”
(Tooker 1899). Early settlers used the term to describe, in a broad sense, any
number of swamp types dominated by both trees and shrubs.

Probably the best definition of pocosins, and the one used in this paper,
was proposed by Wells (1928). He decribes them as being primarily restricted
to the coastal plain, and occurring in broad shallow stream basins, drainage
basin heads, and on broad flat uplands. These are areas with long
hydroperiods, temporary surface water, periodic fire, and soils of sandy
humus, muck, or peat.

Kologiski (1977) in his study of the Green Swamp, a pocosin in Brunswick
County, N.C., described eight major vegetation types associated with and
often restricted to pocosin areas. They are sedge marsh, Pond Pine-evergreen
shrub bog, Pond Pine-deciduous hardwood pocosin, pine savanna, pine
flatwoods, Atlantic White Cedar forest, evergreen bay forest, and deciduous
bay forest. Each of these types is a complex continuum of species populations
determined by soil type, hydroperiod, fire frequency, or other disturbances.

Fall 1982

93

STUDY AREA

Hall Swamp pocosin is situated in southeastern Martin County and
northwestern Beaufort County. Roughly rectangular, it extends from just
south of the towns of Plymouth and James ville southward into Beaufort
County, an area of approximately 78 square miles (i.e. 50,000 acres). The
pocosin is bordered on the north by uplands draining into the Roanoke River,
on the south by Pamlico River drainages, on the west by well-drained uplands,
and on the east by the Pinetown Scarp, a distinct narrow sandridge believed to
represent a Pleistocene ocean shoreline (Mixon and Pilkey 1976).

Topography of the Hall Swamp pocosin is essentially flat; 90% of the area
is between 46 and 51 feet above mean sea level. The pocosin lies on the
Wicomico Terrace, a flat plain that is believed to have been formed by marine
and estuarine forces during a high sealevel stand during the middle to early
Pleistocene Period (Daniels et al. 1978).

An estimated 90% of the Hall Swamp pocosin has been ditched, drained,
and cleared of the native vegetation for conversion to intensively managed
pine plantations, a practice that is rapidly altering pocosin and other wetland
habitats throughout the North Carolina coastal plain. This has been
accomplished by a grid system of roads and numerous ditches and canals that
have lowered the water table sufficiently to permit establishment of the pine
plantations and to provide easy access for vehicles during timber harvest
operations. Hall Swamp can be characterized today as an intensively altered
wetland area containing a mosaic of various age class Loblolly Pine
plantations with small, scattered pocosin and swamp forest remnants.

The study area was chosen because it represents one of the last remaining
blocks of natural pocosin vegetation within Hall Swamp. The term block is
particularly appropriate because the study area is b ounded on all four sides by
pine plantations 1 to 10 years old.

The study area (Fig. 1) is at the northern end of Hall Swamp in extreme
southeastern Martin County about 8.4 air miles SSE of Jamesville. The area is
accessible by road by taking NC 171 south of Jamesville until reaching SR 1541.
Continue east on SR 1541 for 3.7 miles until the end of state maintenance.
From this point a private timber road (Diamond City Road, which is open to
public access) continues SE for 1.2 miles to the southern border of the study
area (Fig. 2).

The study area encompasses approximately 775 acres along the broad,
flat streamhead of Hardison Mill Creek, one of several small streams that
drain the western margin of Hall Swamp. The site is bisected by a number of
drainage ditches that feed into the main channel ditch, which in turn feeds
into Hardison Mill Creek. The larger road ditches and the main channel ditch
are approximately 8 to 10 feet deep and about 12 feet wide. The smaller ditches
are about 4 feet deep and 5 feet wide. Spoil banks occur along all ditches.
Judging from the early successional stage of the spoil-bank vegetation, the
study area was probably ditched less than 10 years ago. It is assumed that
eventually the site will be cleared and converted to a pine plantation.

The plant community at the study area is composed of a distinctly three-
layered stratification: canopy, subcanopy, and shrub. Loblolly Pine ( Pinus
taeda ) is the dominant canopy tree over a closed subcanopy layer of Red
Maple (. Acer rubrum), Red Bay ( Persea borbonia), Sweet Bay ( Magnolia
virginiana), and smaller Loblolly Pines. The shrub layer is composed of a

94

The Chat

Fig. 1. Study area, Hall Swamp, Martin County, N.C.

dense growth of Sweet Pepperbush ( Clethra alnifolia), which forms a thicket
over much of the area. Ground cover is sparse and consists of occasional
patches of Cinnamon Fern ( Osmunda cinnamomea) and Netted Chain-Fern
( Woodwardia areolata). Canopy height is an estimated 80 to 95 feet with the

Fall 1982

95

Fig. 2. Martin County, N.C., pocosin study area showing Census Routes A, B, C,
and D.

trees averaging about 1.7 to 2.1 feet DBH (diameter breast high). Also present
in the canopy are scattered old-growth Bald Cypress ( Taxodium distichum) up
to 90 feet tall and 2.5 feet DBH. Scattered Sweetgum ( Liquidambar
styraciflua), Atlantic White Cedar ( Chamaecyparis thyoides), and Swamp
Black Gum ( Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora ) are also present in the subcanopy
layer. Other common shrubs include Hercules Club ( Aralia spinosa), Red
Chokeberry ( Sorbus arbutifolia ), and several blueberries ( Vaccinium sp.).
Vines are common, particularly along the road and ditch edges, and include
Yellow Jessamine ( Gelsemium semperuirens ) and Greenbriar ( Smilax lauri-
folia ). Scientific plant names follow Radford et al. (1968).

In summary the forest is characterized by an open canopy of tall,
scattered Loblolly Pines over a dense, closed subcanopy of Red Maple and bay
trees over a dense, low shrub layer of Sweet Pepperbush (Pig. 3). The scattered
Bald Cypresses and Swamp Black Gums are probable indicators of a wetter
system in the past before ditching and draining activities lowered the water
table. Presently, Red Maple is the only aggressively reproducing tree species,

96

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shrub subcanopy canopy

YTW

PW

BTGW

BWW

PRW

WEW.HW

SW

OB

Fig. 3. A diagrammatic representation of the Loblolly Pine-bay forest pocosin
habitat type illustrates the vegetation structure and the wood warbler foraging
niches. Characteristic plant species are denoted by lower case abbreviations,
and wood warbler species are denoted by upper case abbreviations.

Wood warblers:

Yellow-throated Warbler

YTW

Pine Warbler

PW

Black-thr. Green Warbler

BTGW

Black-and-white Warbler

BWW

Prothonotary Warbler

PRW

Worm-eating Warbler

WEW

Hooded Warbler

HW

Swainson’s Warbler

SW

Ovenbird

OB

Characteristic plants:

Red Maple

rm

Loblolly Pine

IP

Sweet Bay

sb

Red Bay

rb

Sweet Pepperbush

sp

Bald Cypress

be

as evidenced by abundant transgressive seedlings and saplings present
throughout the study area.

The vegetation of the study area is similar structurally to the deciduous
bay forest pocosin type as described by Kologiski (1977) in his study of the
Green Swamp pocosin vegetation. His definition of bay forest is characterized
by shallow to deep organic soils, intermediate to long hydroperiods, absence of
major fires, and a canopy dominated by combinations of the following species:
Red Maple, Atlantic White Cedar, Swamp Black Gum, Sweet Bay, Red Bay,
Loblolly Bay ( Gordonia lasianthus), Titi ( Cyrilla racemiflora), Pond Pine
( Pinus serotina), and Pond Cypress ( Taxodium ascendens).

However, in species composition the two sites differ. The last four species
are absent from the Hall Swamp study area and are replaced by species that
occupy similar structural niches. Loblolly Pine and Bald Cypress replace
Pond Pine and Pond Cypress in the canopy while in the shrub layer Sweet
Pepperbrush replaces Titi. These differences in composition may be related
to soils, hydroperiod, and geography. Pond Pine, Pond Cypress, and Loblolly
Bay are common and well adapted to moderately deep organic soils with
medium to long hydroperiods (Kologiski 1977), whereas Loblolly Pine and

Fall 1982

97

Bald Cypress more commonly occur over mineral soils with or without
shallow organic surface horizons. The study area is underlain by mineral soils
with shallow (less than 1.5 feet) organic surface layers. In addition, Martin
County is near the northern edge of the natural range for the three absent
species. The fourth species missing from the study area, Titi, usually occurs on
wetter sites than Sweet Pepperbush. This may explain its absence at Hall
Swamp.

Soils in the study area have tentatively been mapped as poorly drained
fine sandy loams of the Bladen, Lynchburg, and Rains soil series. These soils
have a seasonal high water table within 1 to 1.5 feet of the surface and are
strongly to very strongly acidic. Generally throughout the study area a
shallow layer of organic matter overlies the mineral soil horizons (Soil
Conservation Service 1978).

STUDY TECHNIQUES

On 18 April and 29 May 1981 I conducted several bird censuses along
selected routes on the southern and northern borders of the study area.
Censuses were conducted for one hour each between 1200 and 1430. Territorial
pairs (represented by singing males) seen or heard along each route were
counted. Censuses were conducted by walking slowly along the road or ditch
and recording species and numbers seen or heard along the way. In an effort
to standardize the counts, each route was (1) run in the same direction, (2)
conducted during the same time period, and (3) performed under similar
weather conditions on each day. See Figure 2 for locations of the census routes.

Four census routes (A, B, C, D) were conducted during this study. Two
routes (A and B) were conducted consecutively on each of the two dates,
whereas Route C was censused only on 18 April and Route D only on 29 May.
Routes A, C, and D sampled representative examples of the natural pocosin
vegetation as described in the Study Area section. Route B sampled a 5-year-
old Loblolly Pine plantation managed by a private timber company and
situated immediately adjacent to the Route A portion of the study area. This
plantation is representative of the many managed even-age pine stands in
Hall Swamp. Rows of planted pines about 10 to 20 feet tall form a dense cover.
Scattered saplings of Red Maple and Sweetgum are in the stand along with
occasional dense patches of Blackberry (Rub us sp.). Route B was chosen to
sample breeding bird composition and density at an intensively altered site
that once contained habitat similar to that of the study area. Tables 1,2, and 3
summarize census results.

SPECIES ACCOUNTS

Whip-poor-will : Three singing birds were recorded during a nocturnal
reconnaissance of the study area on 29 May. This species’ distribution in the
coastal plain of the Carolinas is poorly understood. Hamel et al. (1979)
reported Whip-poor-wills during the breeding season from two locations in the
upper South Carolina coastal plain; Fussell and Guida (1975) reported similar
observations from the Croatan National Forest, Carteret County, N.C. During
June and July from 1975 through 1980, I noted singing birds at several
locations in the northern coastal plain of North Carolina: California, Hertford
County; Gates, Gates County; Askewville, Bertie County; and Hamilton,
Martin County. These records suggest that this species may be fairly common

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The Chat

TABLE 1. Composition and abundance of breeding birds at the Hall Swamp
pocosin study area, Martin County, N.C. Census Route A: Loblolly Pine-bay
forest plant community. Both censuses were conducted between 1200 and 1430
hours. Numbers are territorial males seen or heard along a 3000-foot transect
on the Diamond City Road.

Species

Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird

Acadian Flycatcher
Red-eyed Vireo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Great Crested Flycatcher
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
White-eyed Vireo
Black-and-white Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Red-shouldered Hawk
Great Homed Owl
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-headed Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Bobwhite
Ruby-thr. Hummingbird
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Swainson’s Warbler
Black-thr. Green Warbler
Wood Thrush
Summer Tanager
Brown-headed Cowbird
Rufous-sided Towhee
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Blue Jay

18 April 1981
4
2

6

2

2

2

1

1

4

3

4
3

5
1

1

1

1

3

5

1

3

1

2

1

29 May 1981
7
5
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

TOTALS: Individuals
Species

59 58

24 32

but local in the northern coastal plain and uncommon to rare in the Carolina
coastal plain south of the Neuse River.

Common Nighthawk : A total of 12 individuals were seen 29 May at four
sites adjacent to the study area. Birds were observed feeding over recently

Fall 1982

99

TABLE 2. Composition and abundance of breeding birds at the Hall Swamp
pocosin study area, Martin County, N.C. Census Route B. 5-year-old Loblolly
Pine plantation. Both censuses were conducted between 1200 and 1430 hours.
Numbers are territorial males seen or heard along a 3000-foot transect on the
Diamond City Road. The two species recorded in the pine plantation but not
in the Loblolly Pine-bay forest plant community are marked with an asterisk
(*).

Species

Prairie Warbler*
Northern Bob white
Yellow-breasted Chat*
Indigo Bunting
Brown-headed Cowbird
White-eyed Vireo
Common Yellowthroat
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Gray Catbird
Carolina Wren
Hooded Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Rufous-sided Towhee

18 April 1981
6

2

3

3

2

1

2

2

2

29 May 1981
8
4
4
4
4
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1

TOTALS: Individuals
Species

23 40

9 14

cleared land where large piles of brush and debris had been bulldozed into
rows. Behavior of the birds suggested that they were roosting and probably
nesting in these cleared areas.

Black-and-white Warbler : A total of three singing males, assumed to be
territorial, were recorded on two census routes. Recent breeding-season
records in the North Carolina coastal plain are few and scattered:

Carteret County

Tyrrell County
Dare County
Bertie County
Gates County
Dare County

June-July 1970-1971 Fussell, Audubon

Field Notes 24:672 and 25:846
June 1971 LeGrand, AFN 25:846

June 1971 Mahler, AFN 25:846

July 1973 Lynch, American Birds 27:859

June 1976-1977 Lynch, unpub. notes

May 1980 LeGrand, AB 34:887

The Carteret, Tyrrell, and Gates County records are all from deciduous
bay forest pocosin habitat. The birds seen at the study area were in the Red
Maple-bay tree subcanopy zone where the Black-throated Green Warbler also
forages (see Fig. 3).

Worm-eating Warbler: A total of eight singing males were recorded on two
routes. To my knowledge this is the highest number ever recorded at one
locality during the breeding season in the North Carolina coastal plain. Along
Route A (Table 1) this warbler was the most common species. Individuals were
restricted to the shrub layer and lower levels of the subcanopy. Several males
were observed singing from perches in small Red Bay trees about 20 feet above

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The Chat

TABLE 3. Composition and abundance of breeding birds at the Hall Swamp
pocosin study area, Martin County, N.C. Both censuses were conducted in the
Loblolly Pine-bay forest plant community between 1200 and 1430 hours.
Route C includes territorial males seen or heard along a 1000-foot transect;
Route D includes territorial males seen or heard along a 2000-foot transect on
the J & W Tram Road.

Species

Mourning Dove
Carolina Wren
Northern Cardinal
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Prothonotary Warbler
White-eyed Vireo
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Bob white
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Wood Thrush
Common Yellowthroat
Indigo Bunting
Brown-headed Cowbird
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Gray Catbird
Red-eyed Vireo
Pine Warbler
Yell ow-throa ted Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Ovenbird
Summer Tanager
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Black-and-white Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Rufous-sided Towhee

Route C
18 April 1981

1

1

1

1

2

1

1

3

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Route D
29 May 1981
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

TOTALS: Individuals
Species

20 40

17 26

the ground. Highest densities seemed to be correlated with the densest
understory. Interestingly, the Route A census recorded 4 singing males on 18
April and 7 males on 29 May, apparently indicating an influx of additional
birds in late April or early May. Singing intensity was vigorous even during
the heat of midday on both count days. Worm-eating Warblers are considered

Fall 1982

101

TABLE 4. Master species list of the breeding birds of the Hall Swamp pocosin

study area, Martin County, N.C.

Turkey Vulture

Black Vulture

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-shouldered Hawk

Northern Bob white

Mourning Dove

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Great Homed Owl

Whip-poor-will

Common Nighthawk

Chimney Swift

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-headed Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Great Crested Flycatcher

Acadian Flycatcher

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Blue Jay

American Crow

Fish Crow

Carolina Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Gray Catbird
Wood Thrush
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
White-eyed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Black-and-white Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Swain son’s Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Ovenbird

Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-breasted Chat
Hooded Warbler
Brown-headed Cowbird
Summer Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
American Goldfinch
Rufous-sided Towhee

rare and local during the breeding season on the North Carolina coastal plain
(Parnell 1977). Recent records are:

Carteret County

Dare County
Tyrrell County
Gates County
Dare County
Dare County
Carteret County
Dare County
Camden County
Washington County

June-July 1970-1971

June 1971
June 1971
June 1972-1980
June 1973
June 1975
June 1975
June 1977
April- June 1980

Fussell, AFN 24:672
Fussell, AFN 25:846
LeGrand, AFN 25:846
LeGrand, AFN 25:846
Lynch, AB 34:887
Fussell, AB 27:859
Lynch, AB 29:960
Fussell, AB 29:960
Lynch, AB 31:1127
Terwilliger, AB 35:68-69
Lynch, unpub. notes

May 1981

Terwilliger (1980) conducted several breeding-bird censuses in Atlantic
White Cedar stands, a common pocosin vegetation type, within the Great
Dismal Swamp, Camden County, N.C., and the City of Suffolk, Virginia.
Worm-eating Warblers were the fifth and sixth most common species in two of
these study plots. As far as I can determine all of the 1970 to 1980 records are
from similar habitat, i.e. wetland pocosin habitats dominated by dense shrub
and subcanopy layers. It seems likely that the Worm-eating Warbler may be

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more widespread in the coastal plain than previously thought. It should be
looked for in bay forests and Atlantic White Cedar stands.

Black-throated Green Warbler. A total of five singing males were recorded
on Route A on 18 April. However, on 29 May only one male was recorded. This
may be explained by the fact that this species is an early nester and singing
activity decreases markedly by early June. Meanley (1979) reports that
populations in the Great Dismal Swamp nest “mostly in April” and also notes
that this species is one of the most common breeding warblers in the swamp
with daily counts of over 100 individuals in the Virginia section.

Within the study area this species had a localized distribution with all
pairs clustered in one area along the southern border. Three singing
males could be heard simultaneously from one location. Singing activity was
vigorous even during midday, and all birds seen were foraging in the Red
Maple-bay tree subcanopy zone, 20 to 60 feet above the ground (see Fig. 3).

OTHER FAUNA

During the study I also noted the occurrence of various mammals,
reptiles, and amphibians. Although documentation by specimens was not
possible, the following species list may help fill some of the gaps in our
knowledge of faunal composition in pocosin habitats.

Mammals:

Opossum ( Didelphis marsupialis ): tracks only
Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis ): one seen
Marsh Rabbit ( Syluilagus palustris ): one seen

White-tailed Deer ( Odocoileus uirginianus): 6 seen, many tracks; appar-
ently very common in area
Reptiles and Amphibians:

Oak Toad ( Bufo quercicus): hundreds calling after rain, 29 May

Southern Toad ( Bufo terrestris ): 10+ calling, 29 May

Southern Cricket Frog ( Acris gryllus ): 10+ calling, 29 May

Gray Treefrog ( Hyla chrysoscelis ): 20+ calling, 29 May

Squirrel Treefrog ( Hyla squirella ): 50+ calling, 29 May

Little Grass Frog ( Limnaoedus ocularis ): hundreds calling, 29 May

Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana ): 2 calling, 29 May

Green Frog ( Rana clamitans ): 15 calling, 29 May

Southern Leopard Frog (Rana sphenocephala ): 10 calling, 29 May

Eastern Box Turtle ( Terrapene Carolina ): 2 seen

Southeastern Five-lined Skink (Eumeces inexpectatus ): one seen

DISCUSSION

A total of 51 avian species, all of which are probable breeders, were
recorded within or immediately adjacent to the 775-acre study area. Of this
total, 42 species were recorded on the four census routes. A breakdown of the
latter total by habitat type indicates that 28 species (67%) are restricted to the
mature Loblolly Pine-bay forest plant community, only 2 (5%) are restricted to
the early successional Loblolly Pine plantation, and 12 (28%) are common to
both habitats. An additional 9 species were seen in the study area but not
recorded on the census routes: Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, Whip-poor-will,

Fall 1982

103

Common Nighthawk, Chimney Swift, Northern Rough-winged Swallow,
American Crow, Fish Crow, and American Goldfinch.

The mature Loblolly Pine-bay forest plant community supports a
surprisingly diverse assemblage of breeding birds, including 10 species of
wood warblers and 6 species of woodpeckers. Contributing to this diversity is
the three-layered stratification of the forest, providing a number of foraging
niches for the warblers, and the presence of numerous old-growth canopy trees
providing abundant dead stubs and branches suitable for use as nesting and
feeding habitat by the woodpeckers (see Fig. 3). The dense understory also
provides numerous nesting sites for the small passerines, as well as foraging
cover.

Several species considered uncommon or local in the coastal plain were
recorded. These are Whip-poor-will, Black-and-white Warbler, Worm-eating
Warbler, and Black-throated Green Warbler. A number of species considered
to be fairly common to common in coastal-plain swamp forests and other wet-
land habitats were not recorded from the study area. These include: Wood
Duck, Green-backed Heron, Barred Owl, Chuck-will’s-widow, White-breasted
Nuthatch, Yellow-throated Vireo, Northern Parula, and Orchard Oriole.

Distribution of the Northern Parula in the coastal plain seems to be
correlated with that of Spanish Moss ( Tillandsia usneoides), an epiphytic
plant that provides well-concealed nesting sites. No such obvious explanation
can be offered for the apparent absence of the other potential breeding birds
that were not found in Hall Swamp.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks go to Julie Moore of the North Carolina Natural Heritage
Program, who helped with the field work, and to Lance Peacock, of the North
Carolina Nature Conservancy, who reviewed this manuscript and offered
many helpful comments. A portion of the field work was undertaken while
under contract with the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program.

LITERATURE CITED

Daniels, R.B., E.E. Gamble, and W.H. Wheeler. 1978. Age of Soil Landscapes
in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina. Soil Science Society of America
Journal 42:98-105.

Fussell, J., and V. Guida. 1975. Whip-poor-will: Briefs for the Files. Chat
39:97.

Hamel, P.B., S.M. Winton, and B.E. Cassie. 1979. May and June observations
of the Whip-poor-will in the South Carolina coastal plain. Chat 43:65-66.

Kologiski, R.L. 1977. The Phytosociology of the Green Swamp, North Caro-
lina. N. C. Agricultural Experiment Station Tech. Bui. No. 250.

Meanley, B. 1979. An Analysis of the Birdlife of the Dismal Swamp in The
Great Dismal Swamp, Paul W. Kirk, editor. University Press of Virginia,
Charlottesville.

Mixon, R.B., and O.H. Pilkey. 1976. Reconnaissance Geology of the Sub-
merged and Emerged Coastal Plain Province, Cape Lookout Area, North
Carolina. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper No. 859. U.S. Govt.
Printing Office, Washington, D.C.

104

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Parnell, J.F. 1977. Birds. Pages 330-384 in Endangered and Threatened
Plants and Animals of North Carolina, J.E. Cooper, S.S. Robinson, and
J.B. Funderburg, editors. N.C. State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh.

Radford, A.E., H.E. Ahles, and C.R. Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora
of the Carolinas. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill.

Soil Conservation Service. 1978. Martin County, North Carolina Special Soil
Survey Report. SCS, U.S. Dept. Agric. Washington, D.C.

Terwilliger, K. 1981. Forty-fourth Breeding Bird Census. Amer. Birds 35:68-69.

Tooker, W.W. 1899. The adopted Algonquian term “poquosin.” Amer. Anthro-
pol. January: 162-1 70.

Wells, B.W. 1928. Plant Communities of the Coastal Plain of North Carolina
and their successional relations. Ecology 9:230-242.

Wilson, K. A. 1962. North Carolina Wetlands: Their Distribution and Manage-
ment. Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Project No. W-6-R. N.C. Wildlife
Resources Commission, Raleigh.

North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources
and Community Development, P.O. Box 27687, Raleigh, N.C. 27611, 10
January 1982.

Pocosin: A Clarification

The term “pocosin” is used to describe various freshwater wetland
habitats in the coastal plain of the southeastern United States. Botanists,
zoologists, hydrologists, geologists, and other researchers have defined the
term to include slightly different types of wetland vegetation. Some profes-
sionals consider pocosins to be restricted to areas of deep peat or sandy peat
characterized by dense Pond Pine and evergreen-shrub vegetation. Their defi-
nition of pocosin is narrower than the one used in the above paper on Hall
Swamp pocosin. They consider the vegetation type described in this paper to
be an upland swamp forest and not a “true” pocosin. Nonetheless, I prefer to
use the broad definition of pocosin given by Wells (1928), and included various
vegetation types that are associated with poorly drained upland or
nonalluvial wetlands. The plant community in Hall Swamp pocosin meets the
criteria established by Wells, and the study site is vegetatively quite distinct
from typical bottomland or alluvial swamp forest. I believe it is best charac-
terized as a vegetation sub-unit of the pocosin wetland complex.

Persons wishing to learn more about pocosin ecology are referred to
Pocosin Wetlands /Proceedings of Pocosins: A Conference on Alternative
Uses of the Coastal Plain Freshwater Wetlands of North Carolina (C. J.
Richardson, editor, 1981, Hutchinson Ross Publishing Co., Stroudsburg, Pa.).
— JML

Fall 1982

105

with Gail T. Whitehurst

Bewick’s Wrens Nest in Wautauga County, N.C.

Knowing of our love for antiques as well as birds, our son, Dick, gave us a
Williamsburg nest bottle. The 21/2-inch mouth would not interest any bird but
a common wren, so we hung it as a decoration, not caring that it faced north
and was not very close to protective shrubbery. It was hung on a blank wall, 2
feet beneath a tray feeder in good view from the kitchen eating counter and the
driveway.

Returning from the National Audubon Convention in mid- July, we were
pleased to find a Carolina Wren singing from atop the bottle. Having made
detailed studies of the Florida subspecies, we found it of only passing interest.
When we saw a somewhat smaller wren-type bird entering the bottle, we
began to pay close attention. The bird always flew directly to the tiny twig
perch and went in so rapidly that we were hard pressed to get details that
would satisfy our desire for careful identification. Now and then the Carolina
would go into the bottle but did not remain long. It took an unbelievable
number of sightings to piece together the parts needed to be sure of which wren
we were studying.

The bill was easily wren. The eye line was not as white as the Carolina’s.
The sides were buffy. The tail was long. There was fine barring on the upper
parts, but it took a long time to be sure it was only the folded wings, and not the
bird’s back. The throat was white. Because we were looking down on the birds,
we had no opportunity to see the underparts until I spied one of them having a
preening session on a nail in the supporting post of the porch. The underparts
were definitely white! This settled our minds in all but the most obvious
identification mark— the white tail margins. Sometimes I caught a glimpse of
a very thin one, but the tail was always folded. The 13 books in our home that
had pictures or descriptions of Bewick’s Wrens emphasized that, but the
pictures usually showed the tails spread out. We were convinced we had
Bewick’s Wrens and began to read as much as possible about them, especially
as to their rarity in our mountains. I made a notation in my bird notes,
“7/14/81 Bewick’s Wrens nesting in the Wm. bottle.”

So far we were sure of a Carolina Wren that sang from the bottle and some-
times entered it, and a Bewick’s that often entered the same nest. We assumed

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we had a male and female, in that order, and further wondered if the
possibility existed of cross breeding. The new Terres Encyclopedia often
mentions mixing of species, contrary to former works I had read. Knowing of
the House Wren’s tendency to harm eggs and young, we worried about that,
too.

At last we knew the female was remaining inside long enough to be
incubating. The male Carolina continued to enter now and then. Later we saw
another Bewick’s arrive and feed her. Was it courtship feeding or assisting in
the feeding of young? On 16 July we saw a fecal sac carried out. Ah!
Hatchlings at last! There were increased trips for feeding the babies, but not
enough to supply a normal brood. No doubt there were not many babies.

On the nineteenth I saw the female skid upon arrival, sailing inside as if
she had just waxed the floor. Up before dawn, I recorded the first feeding of the
day as 6:15 a.m.

A slightly fanned tail was seen the twenty-third, and a proper white
border was plainly seen.

In mid-morning of the twenty-fourth, we were drawn to the window by the
loud and insistent scolds of the Bewick’s Wrens. There were two birds, tails
well fanned out, and looking exactly like most of our references. They were
upset over something on the edge of the driveway or in the weeds and low
branches. We finally found a chipmunk and suspected that fledglings were
hidden, but at no time saw one. The commotion lasted 20 minutes or longer
and we had time to get the tape recorder and get their calls. Comparing them
later with the Cornell tapes, we had a good match.

On the twenty-sixth, all activity in the bottle had ceased. Remembering
that young birds sometimes return to the nest to roost, I left the bottle
undisturbed. When I could see a spider web across the mouth, I knew I could

Fall 1982

107

take the bottle down for examination. Inside was an egg! I rolled it out gently
with a spoon. Both its pattern and size were between the Carolina Wren and
Bewick’s. Allowing for individual differences within the same species might
account for this, or does it? When the contents of the bottle were pulled out,
they consisted of grasses and nondescript fluff. Neither the coarse twigs found
in many wren nests nor a stick barrier across the large opening was found.

We came to the conclusion that a pair of Bewick’s Wrens had their second
brood of the season in our nest bottle. What part the Carolina Wren played is
unclear. At no time did we see friction between these species. The number of
eggs is unknown, but the number that hatched and fledged was small. At no
time did we see eggs, shell fragments, or babies being removed. Did the
Carolina kill some babies? Puncture some eggs? Obviously the odd egg was
infertile or improperly incubated. Perhaps it should not be entirely ruled out
that it was a hybrid egg, improbable as that may be.

The altitude of our home is 3400 feet and, in line with the habitat men-
tioned in several references, is brushy and rural, yet near humans. Our
scarcity of House Sparrows and European Starlings is also favorable. The
fledging date is about a month later than any mentioned in the literature
studied. The very fact that Bewick’s nested at all is amazing in view of the
many statements that they no longer breed in our mountains and are not often
even seen. — RUTH A. HAYNES, Route 4, Box 279B, Boone, N.C. 28607.

(Continued from Page 122)

INDIGO BUNTING: Alan Avakian observed a brown-plumaged individual,
with bluish color in the wings, at Clemson on the extremely early date of
23 March.

PAINTED BUNTING: A female or immature male was present in John
Fussell’s yard in Morehead City from 11 March to 10 April; it may have
overwintered in a nearby area.

DICKCISSEL: A colony was discovered in Anderson County, S.C., near
Townville this spring. Harry LeGrand and Sidney Gauthreaux found
three singing males at one site, and another male 0.5 mile away, on 23
May. A number of colonies and/or singing males have been found at
various places over the past 8 years in that county, which undoubtedly
contains more suitable habitat (grassy or weedy fields with a scattering
of tall composites and/or shrubs) than any other in the Carolinas.

HOUSE FINCH: Jay Carter observed a female building a nest in a Longleaf
Pine sapling bordering a golf course near Pinehurst, N.C., on 23 April;
two males were seen nearby. This is the first nesting record for the Sand-
hills region. Marie Gerstenberg found an adult feeding young at Durham
on 1 May. At localities where the species is scarce, two were at Rocking-
ham, N.C., on 20 March (Douglas McNair), one was at Asheville on 22
March (Jerry Young), and two were at Cape Lookout on 10 April (John
Fussell).

PINE SISKIN: Extremely late was a siskin that remained at a Winston-Salem
feeder through 8 June, according to Ramona Snavely.

SNOW BUNTING: One of the few sightings for the winter season was three
noted by Avery and Susan Bums at Raccoon Key, S.C., on 20 February.

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The Chat

C8@

%^mmdM4£e

. . . with Louis C. Fink

Martins vs. Sparrows

The number of articles on Purple Martins seems to be increasing, and that
pleases me, inasmuch as I have promoted the martin for years. Still, I some-
times get a chuckle when I read these, for some bear the unmistakable stamp
of my own pen. Well, that’s one way to become an expert; just promulgate the
profundities, and the errors, of the ‘’experts” who’ve gone on before.

Most of the articles point out that House Sparrows and European Star-
lings are the natural enemies of the martin. That is true, but apparently not
under all conditions. In the 23 years I’ve kept martins here at Raleigh, there
has not been one starling or sparrow nest in the colony, and that’s not because
I’ve taken the old blunderbuss to the miscreants.

I’ve always used gourds, and there’s something about a gourd that the
starling doesn’t seem to like. Perhaps it’s because a gourd sways too much in
the breeze. Sparrows have no such qualms about being jiggled, and every year
that rolls around they attempt to nest in my martin’s gourds, but they always
give up before any eggs are laid. I don’t know why the sparrows quit, but
suspect that the noise around a well-inhabited martin colony is a bit discon-
certing.

Martins rarely attack sparrows. Rather, they subject them to a much more
cruel fate; they talk them to death. I would not like to have to perch all day long
in a colony of 24 chattering martins, so to that extent I can sympathize with
the sparrows.

There might be something didactic in the above. A strong colony of
martins can look after itself. Provide the birds with a modest number of gourds
of the right size, space the gourds out, and provide plenty of room for perching.
After all, the martins can’t drive friend sparrow batty with their patter if they
have to perch on utility wires half a block away.— JOSHUA A. LEE, 5104
Newcastle Street, Raleigh, N.C.

Just How Broody are Bluebirds?

I’ve frequently read references to bluebirds being double, or even triple,
brooded. The problem is that I don’t know just what multiple-broodedness
means. Does it mean that a given pair of birds rears out more than one brood
during a given nesting season, makes multiple attempts at nesting, or what?
Now I’ve seen bluebird eggs in the nest from early April through 1 August, but

Fall 1982

109

that only proves that the birds will attempt to nest over a lengthy period of
time and not that a given pair will attempt to raise as many broods as possible.

There were seven bluebird houses along my trail near Raleigh in 1982,
and all were occupied. Nesting was somewhat later than usual, the first eggs
appearing on 17 April. One brood was fledged from each house with no further
attempts at nesting after a brood had flown. Three pairs fledged broods on the
first attempt, and the remaining pairs — I can’t be sure that the same pairs
were involved — were successful on a second attempt. The progress of two
broods— one of three and the other of five — was followed into August. These
juveniles and their parents remained in the territory and might have used the
nesting box for roosting. These two examples were definitely single-brooded,
as was another pair. The remaining four examples, whether representing
renesting attempts or new pairs, also reared but one brood. Could it be that
bluebirds at our latitude are frequently, perhaps most often, single-brooded in
the sense that one success shuts down nesting for the remainder of the season?
—JOSHUA A. LEE, 5104 Newcastle Street, Raleigh, N.C.

100th Anniversary

The American Ornithologists’ Union, oldest and largest of the omitho
logical societies in North America, is celebrating the hundredth anniversary
of its founding in 1983. Its quarterly journal, The Auk, now includes about
1000 pages a year of papers on a wide variety of ornithological topics. The
long-awaited sixth edition of the AOU Check-List of North American Birds
will be published in time for the centennial meeting. If interested in knowing
more about the AOU, please write to Membership Chairman, Dr. Gustav A.
Swanson, Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology, Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523.

A Word for the Wilderness

In the 16 August 1982 issue of Newsweek, George F. Will mounted a strong
defense of an irreplaceable asset in a column titled “A Word for the Wilder-
ness.” The concluding paragraphs should be kept in mind by all CBC
members as we attempt to introduce our fellow citizens to the joys of bird
watching and the responsibilities of conservation:

“This nation began as an ‘errand into the wilderness.’ The first task was
to tame that wilderness, but as Wallace Stegner says, we need to preserve some
of it ‘because it was the challenge against which our character as a people was
formed.’

“Most Americans will never care a fig about wilderness. Perhaps that
means it is an elitist concern. But so what? Edith Hamilton, the classicist,
once said to Ezra Pound: ‘I have heard of a great Confucian who wrote a letter
so difficult there was only one other man in all of China who could understand
it. That is not very democratic, I’m afraid. That is aristocratic, like you, Mr.
Pound.’ Pound replied: ‘It is democratic insofar as it provides that anyone may
have the opportunity to learn enough to read that letter.’ Enjoyment of wilder-
ness may not be spontaneous and ‘natural.’ It may be a learned process,
inviting and even requiring reflection. But it is nonetheless valuable for being
an aristocratic pleasure, democratically open to all.”

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The Chat

Newspaper Stories

Friends send me newspaper clippings all the time. These may be of no
scientific importance, but they are fun to read and share. From Sanibel,
Florida, comes a report that Magnificent Frigatebirds are seen in flocks of 40
or more. One tourist reported that he had noted their ability to pull out of a
steep drive, built a model for the wind tunnel, and developed the F4U military
bomber!

Also in Sanibel, the J.N. “Ding” Darling N.W.R. people tried to attract
Black Skimmers by discing a secluded area. The soil was too black for the
birds, who chose a white sandy area near a causeway that is heavily traveled.
Large-scale nesting developed.

In Thailand, a pigeon was trained to carry heroin, but the police arrested
the 18-year-old developer of the idea. The young man bought heroin, strapped
it to the bird’s leg— and the bird was home before he was.

In Wisconsin, a Whooping Crane was conceived by artificial insemina-
tion. The chick has fledged and taken its first flight.

The Air Force Thunderbirds lost a skilled flyer when a Talon jet trainer hit a
flock of sea gulls at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland. Gulls and black-
birds are a hazard at many airports.— LCF

Superbird

Scientists report the discovery of fossil remains of a teratom, Argentavis
magnificens, said to be the world’s largest bird that could actually fly. It was
11 feet long, with a 250-foot wingspan and a weight of 160 pounds. I suppose
we should be glad it doesn’t come to our feeders.

“Do you ever get the feeling we’re being watched?”

Fall 1982

111

General Field Notes

DAVID S. LEE, Department Editor

North Carolina State Museum, P 0. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

JULIAN R. HARRISON, Associate Editor

Department of Biology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. 29401

First North Carolina Record of the Masked Duck

DERB S. CARTER JR.

ANN DARBY CARTER
2108 Dunnhill Drive
Raleigh, N.C. 27608

On the afternoon of 20 February 1982, we observed a Masked Duck
( Oxyura dominica) from a canoe on Lake Ellis in Craven County, N.C. The
following morning we returned by canoe to the same area with John O. Fussell
III and after a short search located the bird. Fussell concurred in our identifi-
cation and secured several color photographs of the duck. This sighting and
supporting photographs (see front cover) constitute the first recorded occur-
rence of the Masked Duck in the Carolinas.

The bird was first observed as it swam out of a clump of emergent
vegetation and into open water. Field marks were not discernible due to the
intense glare of the sun off the surface of the water. It had the silhouette of a
Ruddy Duck (O. jamaicensis ) and possibly would have been passed up as such
had it not taken flight by leaping straight up out of the water. This triggered
our curiosity because Ruddy Ducks characteristically “run” across the surface
of the water when taking flight. Twenty minutes later we relocated the duck
and identified it as a Masked Duck in female or winter-male plumage.

After relocating the bird, we observed it from as close as 10 m as it swam
and dove near emergent vegetation. Two dark facial stripes distinguished this
duck from the similar female Ruddy Duck, which has a single facial stripe.
One stripe extended from the top of the bill through the eye and the other from
the base of the bill across the cheek. A supercilliary stripe and the cheeks and
throat were huffy. The warm huffy coloration of the face and throat was
noticeably different from the dingy white cheeks and throat of a winter female
Ruddy Duck. When we returned the following morning we flushed the bird,
and it revealed white wing patches in the outer secondaries. It is noteworthy
that, when flushed, it again sprang straight up out of the water. This behavior
is well documented and is possibly an adaptation to the duck’s preferred
habitat of extensively vegetated marshes that limit the opportunities for a
running takeoff on open water.

The duck showed a definite preference for an area of shallow water
bordering a dense stand of cypress (Taxodium sp.) and Water Willow (. Decodon
verticillatus) heavily draped with Spanish Moss ( Tillandsia usneoides). The
shallow water was densely vegetated with emergents such as Jointed Spike-

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The Chat

rush ( Eleocharis equisefoides ), Maiden Cane ( Panicum hemitomon), and
white Water-lily ( Numphae odorata) and with submerged Bog Moss ( Mayaca
aubletii) and Sphagnum Moss ( Sphagnum sp.). The bird swam and dove,
grebe-like, along the margins of the emergent vegetation. When approached,
it would dive or swim into the emergent vegetation or stand of trees. On one
occasion it emerged from a dive with only its head above water in an apparent
attempt to escape detection. At no time was the Masked Duck observed to
associate with nearby American Coots ( Fulica americana), Ring-necked
Ducks ( Aythya collaris), Wood Ducks ( Aix sponsa ), or American Black Ducks
( Anas rub ripe s).

The bird was last observed on 25 February. It was not located during an
extensive search of the area on 7 March.

The normal range of the Masked Duck extends from the Gulf coast of
Mexico and Central America and the West Indies south to northern
Argentina. This species is considered rare and local even within its normal
range. The preferred habitat consists of marshes and swamps where the water
surface is extensively covered with emergent and floating vegetation. In the
United States, the Masked Duck occurs irregularly in southern Texas with the
first definite nesting occurring there in 1967. There are several records from
southern Florida and single records from nine other scattered states
(Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey,
Vermont, and Wisconsin). These records are summarized by Palmer
(Handbook of North American Birds, Vol. 3, p. 523-525).

As with all extralimital sightings of waterfowl, one must contend with the
possibility of escapes. Recent literature reveals that the Masked Duck has
never been bred or maintained in captivity. This, coupled with previous extra-
limital records, indicates that the Masked Duck observed and photographed
in Craven County, N.C., was most likely wild and not an escape.

Lake Ellis is a privately owned inholding within the Croatan National
Forest. The authors thank Ellis Simon and Manley Fuller for giving us the
opportunity to explore the area.

First Nesting of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in South Carolina

RUDY MANCKE
South Carolina State Museum
P.O. Box 11296
Columbia, S.C. 29211

On 6 July 1982, I found two adult Scissor-tailed Flycatchers ( Muscivora
forficata ) at Youngs Community in upper Laurens County on the piedmont of
South Carolina. One of them was on a nest when I arrived at 1100. The other
bird was on a telephone line nearby.

The birds were first observed by Niles Osborne approximately SV2 weeks
prior to my visit. They had begun to build the nest then. He reported the
sighting to Mary Riddle, who identified the birds and notified me. The nest
was built in a lone Willow Oak ( Quercus phellos), in a fork at the end of a
drooping branch. It was 15 feet above the ground, constructed of plant stems,
dried grass, and some thistledown. The nest was well hidden by the oak leaves
around it. The nest tree was between two buildings, a community center and

Fall 1982

113

a fire station. A mowed field was behind it and grown-up fields were in all
directions. The birds foraged in these fields.

On 12 J uly at least one nestling was heard in the nest. One adult stayed on
or near the nest while the other flew to the fields nearby. The adults were seen
with grasshoppers in their beaks.

On 22 July the birds were not at the nest site. The male was on a telephone
line 200 yards away. He flew to another line farther away, where the female
was perched. From a pecan tree in the front yard of a house 50 feet away, a
young bird was calling. The adults flew to another pecan tree, and the
youngster followed. The parents would fly from the tree, collect food, and fly
back to feed the young bird. Only one young bird was observed. The nest was
collected and deposited in the collection of the South Carolina State Museum
(#82.64.1).

This is one of the few records of a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher nesting east of
the Mississippi River (Jackson, Amer. Birds 29:912, 1975). To my knowledge,
this is as far east as this species has ever been known to breed. Although a
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was reported from Hilton Head Island, S.C., on 12
May 1973 (Chat 37:88), this is the first report of nesting from the Carolinas.

Low-elevation Record of Winter Wren During Breeding
Season in Graham County, N.C.

owen l. McConnell

2808 Butner Street
Durham, N.C. 27704

On 19 June 1982 at 1600 EST, while walking in the Joyce Kilmer
Memorial Forest in Graham County, N.C., with Pat and David McConnell, I
encountered a singing Winter Wren ( Troglodytes troglodytes). The location
was about 500 m (1640 feet) beyond the memorial plaque that honors Joyce
Kilmer on the right arc of the upper loop trail. We descended to the memorial
plaque and there saw another (or the same) Winter Wren, which sang repeat-
edly. The next morning at 0700 EST, Jim McConnell and I returned to the
memorial plaque and immediately heard a Winter Wren singing in the upper
loop area about 50 m (160 feet) up the gentle slope from us. While we stayed in
the area for about 30 minutes, the wren moved downhill into the lower loop
area, ranging as far as 200 m (650 feet) below the memorial plaque. It sang
repeatedly from various perches within the Rosebay {Rhododendron
maximum ) thickets, and we once observed it at a distance of about 6 m.

The elevation at the memorial plaque is about 770 m (2520 feet), and the
wren ranged perhaps 12 to 13 m (40 feet) lower than that. A survey of the
literature revealed no breeding-season records for the Winter Wren at such a
low elevation in North Carolina. Stupka (Notes on the Birds of the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park, 1963) states that in the Great Smoky
Mountains Winter Wrens leave the lower slopes in April for the highest eleva-
tions (spruce-fir forest) where they nest with other Canadian-zone species
such as Golden-crowned Kinglet {Regulus satrapa ), Brown Creeper {Certhia
americana ), and Red-breasted Nuthatch ( Sitta canadensis ). Birds of the

114

The Chat

Carolinas (Potter, Parnell, and Teulings, 1980) notes that little is known about
the breeding habits of the Winter Wren in the southern Appalachians.

I have noticed that Winter Wrens at higher elevations in Graham County,
where no spruce-fir forests grow, often have breeding territories that include
the dense growths of rhododendron under hemlocks along the mountain
streams and also the more open deciduous woods on the slopes above the
rhododendrons. The low-elevation virgin forest of Joyce Kilmer may provide a
habitat not unlike these higher sites in certain respects. Lying at the intersec-
tion of the lower and upper loop trails, the memorial plaque is a point of demar-
cation between two different types of habitat. Little Santeetlah Creek and its
numerous tributaries create a moist, cool environment for the lower loop area.
Shielded from the sun by Horse Cove Ridge to the south, this cove facing north
is refrigerated even in midsummer. There the dominant tree is the Eastern
Hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis ), some growing 4.5 m (15 feet) or more in circum-
ference. The understory is composed of dense thickets oiR. maximum of near
tree size. Where hemlocks have fallen, mosses, ferns, and mushrooms grow.
The upper loop area, on the other hand, is virgin cove-hardwood forest,
dominated by giant Tulip Trees ( Liriodendron tulipifera)— some over 2.1 m (7
feet) in diameter and over 6.1 m (20 feet) in circumference. The understory
consists of a rich variety of trees and is more open at ground level (no
rhododendron), permitting a lush growth of ferns and wildflowers. Although
it is not clear whether one or two Winter Wrens were seen, the one observed at
the memorial plaque on the morning of 20 June did have a range overlapping
both types of habitat.

BOOK REVIEW

A.B.A. CHECKLIST: Birds of Continental United States and Canada

Stuart Keith, chairman, A.B.A. Checklist Committee. 1982. (Second
edition) The American Birding Association, Box 4335, Austin, Texas 78765.
90 p. Softcover. $8.25 (A.B.A. members), $9 (nonmembers), plus $2.25 postage
and handling.

This checklist, which follows the taxonomic order of common and scien-
tific names that will appear in the sixth edition of the A.O.U. Check-List ,
should be extremely useful to bird students during the period of adjustment to
the new nomenclature. Nearly a third of the booklet is devoted to a “Summary
of Records of Accidentals and Other Species,” a feature that will interest those
who intend to purchase the A.O.U. publication but need a quick reference on
rare birds. Although numerous sight records are included in the citations for
the accidental species, great care seems to have been exercised in deciding
which sight records offer adequate details for acceptability. In several cases
where I have some familiarity with the published literature, I consider the
judgment of the A.B.A. committee to have been commendably conservative.
Space has been allowed for the owner to add records from supplements to be
published annually in Birding, the A.B.A. magazine. The inside back cover is
devoted to the A.B.A. Code of Ethics — something that should be publicized as
bird watching attracts highly competitive people who may thoughtlessly
create problems for wildlife, property owners, and fellow naturalists.— EFP

Fall 1982

115

BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

(All dates 1982 unless otherwise indicated)

COMMON LOON: The peak count at Lake Julian, near Asheville, N.C., was
six on 10 April; and one was late on nearby Beaver Lake on 8 May (Robert
Ruiz, Bill Duyck, Jerry Young).

EARED GREBE: Philip Crutchfield and M.E. Whitfield observed one in full
breeding plumage at Prong Creek in northeastern Pamlico County, N.C.,
on 30 April.

NORTHERN FULMAR: The southernmost record for North Carolina was
four fulmars seen 40 miles S of Beaufort Inlet on 2 April by Lloyd David-
son.

SOOTY SHEARWATER: The only Sooty seen in North Carolina waters
during May was one noted at Cape Lookout by Skip Prange on 19 May.
James Parnell took care of a sick bird that came ashore at Topsail Beach,
N.C., on 12 June.

BLACK-CAPPED PETREL: A typical count for the waters off Cape Hatteras,
N.C., in late May was the 14 tallied on 30 May by Paul DuMont, Robert
Ake, and party.

BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETREL: Two were noted in a small flock of
Wilson’s Storm-Petrels approximately 37 miles SSE of Hatteras Inlet,
N.C., on 30 May by Paul DuMont, Robert Ake, and party. Details of the
sighting will be published in the September 1982 issue of American Birds.

WILSON’S STORM-PETREL: Uncommonly seen from shore were 12 counted
by Allen Bryan at Cape Hatteras point on 16 May, and he saw five more at
the town of Hatteras on the same day.

AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: A very good total for the Carolinas was
three pelicans noted by Allen, William, and Jo Hutcheson at Charleston,
S.C., on 26 March.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: This species was common during the
spring at Jordan Reservoir in eastern Chatham County, N.C., with a
remarkable 73 tallied on the spring count there on 9 May (fide Barbara
Roth). Other inland records (excluding those on spring counts) were one
at Fayetteville, N.C., on 10 and 22 May (Philip Crutchfield); one flying
over Raleigh, N.C., on 14 May (Jim Mulholland); and four at Lake Cam-
mack, near Burlington, N.C., on 27 May (Allen Bryan).

LITTLE BLUE HERON: There were an unusually large number of spring
sightings for inland North Carolina. In addition to spring bird count
reports from Raleigh, Durham, and Winston-Salem, one to two were
observed near Whispering Pines in Moore County on 16 to 18 April (Dick
Thomas, Jay Carter, and others), six were at Jordan Reservoir on 24 April
(Chapel Hill Bird Club), and an immature was at Fayetteville on 22 May
(Philip Crutchfield).

CATTLE EGRET: One seen by Melvin Fowler was notable near Archer’s
Lodge, Johnston County, N.C., on 29 May.

116

The Chat

GREAT EGRET: Infrequent inland in spring were single birds observed by
Allen Bryan at Jordan Reservoir on 20 March and by Harry LeGrand and
Alan Avakian at Clemson, S.C., on 27 March.

SNOWY EGRET: This species is quite rare inland in spring; thus, noteworthy
were individuals seen near Whispering Pines on 17 April (Jay Carter,
Dick Thomas) and at Winston-Salem on 29 April (Charles Frost, Ramona
Snavely, Bob Witherington).

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: At Jordan Reservoir, Bill and
Margaret Wagner observed six on 5 April, and one was there through 16
April.

YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: A rare nesting for the piedmont
occurred in Greenville, S.C., during the summer of 1980, fide Stanlee
Miller. Five young were fledged from a nest, but one of the juveniles was
hit by a car on 1 July. Another juvenile, perhaps raised locally, was found
dead by John Cely at Union, S.C., on 5 July 1980. Both birds are now
study skins at Clemson University.

GLOSSY IBIS: An outstanding inland count was the 35 birds seen in several
flocks at Jordan Reservoir on 5 April by Bill and Margaret Wagner and
party. Eight were still there on 16 April.

MUTE SWAN: Observers who saw a swan at Fort Fisher, New Hanover
County, N.C., from late April to early May considered it “wild” and count-
able (Ricky Davis, John Fussell, and others).

NORTHERN PINTAIL: Paul DuMont and party saw four in the Bodie and
Pea Islands area, N.C., on 31 May. As possibly mated pairs have been
reported from this region in recent summers, these birds might have been
breeders.

AMERICAN WIGEON: Philip Crutchfield observed a very late male on 20
May at Fayetteville.

NORTHERN SHOVE LER: Rare for the mountains were three seen by Robert
Ruiz on 20 March near Fairview in Buncombe County, N.C.

GREATER SCAUP: The only inland spring report was a male seen by Harry
LeGrand at Sandy Springs, Anderson County, S.C., on 21 March.

LESSER SCAUP: A good inland count was 250 noted by Douglas McNair at
Lake Keowee, Oconee County, S.C., on 1 April.

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER: A female was rather late in Atlantic Beach,
N.C., on 17 April, as noted by Wayne Irvin; and rare inland was one seen
by Douglas McNair and Jeff Beacham on Lake Keowee on 25 March.

SURF SCOTER: An excellent inland count was five, including two males,
seen by Jeff Beacham and Steve Wagner at Lake Keowee on 12 April.

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER: Late individuals in inland North Carolina
were one near Fayetteville on 10 May (Philip Crutchfield), six at Beaver-
dam Reservoir in northern Wake County on 12 May (Ricky Davis), and
one at Jordan Reservoir on 15 May (Bill and Margaret Wagner).

AMERICAN SWALLOW-TAILED KITE: There were numerous records for
the North Carolina coast of birds having overshot their breeding range: at
North River near Beaufort on 25 April (Ricky Davis, John Fussell), at
Oregon Inlet on 13 May (fide Fussell), at Ocracoke on 17 May (Wayne and

Fall 1982

117

Fran Irvin), two near Avon on 29 May (Wayne Irvin et al.), and one at Pea
Island on 31 May (Paul DuMont and party).

MISSISSIPPI KITE: A first spring report for the Outer Banks was an adult
seen flying N near Avon, N.C., on 29 May by Merrill Lynch and Lance
Peacock. It was seen one-half hour later at Bodie Island (as were the two
Swallow-tailed Kites) by Jim Orgain and Dennis Abbott.

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: Tom Haggerty noted an apparently mated pair,
both in second-year plumage, on 23 and 30 May at a stand of White Pines
at Bass Lake near Blowing Rock, N.C.

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK: Rare and late was a dark-phase individual, with
the white tail and dark terminal band, seen by Philip Crutchfield on 14
April near Fayetteville.

BALD EAGLE: Inland reports for North Carolina were of single birds near
Burlington on 9 March (Allen Bryan), near Aberdeen on 21 April (Haskell
Duncan), at Jordan Reservoir on 25 April (Bryan, John Alderman), and at
Beaverdam Reservoir from 28 March to mid-April with another there
from 12 May into early July (Ricky Davis).

NORTHERN HARRIER: Two noted by Wayne Irvin, Derb Carter, and others
at Cedar Island, N.C., on 31 May possibly were breeding individuals.

OSPREY: Two were seen by Ricky Davis on the late date of 5 June at Beaver-
dam Reservoir.

PEREGRINE FALCON: Rare inland, particularly in spring, was an imma-
ture seen by Philip Crutchfield near Fayetteville on 7 April.

MERLIN: One was rather late at Pea Island on 9 May, as seen by Ray and
Michelle Chandler; but very late was an individual noted by Larry Craw-
ford at Pine Knoll Shores, Carteret County, N.C., on 29 May.

AMERICAN KESTREL: Possibly indicative of breeding were two females or
immatures near Fayetteville on 9 May (Philip Crutchfield, Mike Dennis)
as well as a male at Dorothea Dix Hospital on 12 and 13 May and another
bird at Central Prison on 26 May, both in Raleigh (Wayne Irvin). Irvin has
seen birds at the prison on many occasions previously in June, suspecting
that they nest in the walls of the prison.

PURPLE GALLINULE: Most unusual was a gallinule found in a yard in
Morehead City, N.C., by B.H. Stover on 28 March. The bird died shortly
afterward and was given to the North Carolina State Museum.

COMMON MOORHEN: An adult seen at Winston-Salem on 6 May by
Dorothy Kalet and Ramona Snavely had landed on a highway and had
fractures of both legs.

BLACK-NECKED STILT: One was noted by James Parnell and Mark Shields
on 12 May at the lower Cape Fear River, N.C., where it is a rare migrant.
Probable breeders were the 12 seen by Philip Crutchfield at impound-
ments in northeastern Pamlico County on 30 April and 1 May.

LESSER GOLDEN PLOVER: An excellent inland count was seven seen at
the Falls of the Neuse Reservoir lakebed in eastern Durham County, N.C.,
on 10 April by Mike Schultz and Andy Towle. Another was seen in plowed
fields near Pendleton, S.C., on 14 and 21 March by Harry LeGrand.

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER: One was rare and quite early near Clemson,
S.C., on 9 April (Alan Avakian). At Jordan Reservoir, Ricky Davis saw

118

The Chat

eight on 9 May, and Bill and Margaret Wagner had one on 11 May. Davis
also observed three on 11 May at Beaverdam Reservoir.

WHIMBREL: This species is seldom seen in numbers in the Bodie-Pea Islands
area; thus, 88 noted by Allen Bryan at Bodie Island on 15 May was a very
good count.

UPLAND SANDPIPER: Tom Haggerty observed an individual on 11 April
near Goldsboro, N.C.

GREATER YELLOWLEGS: Ricky Davis had a peak count of 36 birds at
Beaverdam Reservoir this spring (on 12 April).

RUDDY TURNSTONE: Very rare inland in spring was a tumstone seen by
Bill and Margaret Wagner at Jordan Reservoir on 15 May.

NORTHERN PHALAROPE: The only sighting for the spring season was
three males noted on a pelagic trip off Hatteras Inlet on 30 May (Paul
DuMont et al.).

RED PHALAROPE: Dennis Forsythe had 100+ birds in several flocks ap-
proximately 25 to 30 miles off Charleston, S.C., on 21 March, the only
pelagic species observed on the trip.

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER: Scarce inland in spring was an individual
noted by Philip Crutchfield on 10 May at Fayetteville.

WESTERN SANDPIPER: Ricky Davis observed one at Beaverdam Reser-
voir on 12 May.

LEAST SANDPIPER: Although this species winters regularly in the Clem-
son area (provided that mudflats are present on Lake Hartwell), two were
early migrants at Sandy Springs on 21 March (Harry LeGrand). An out-
standing inland count was 160 at Beaverdam Reservoir on 12 May, as
noted by Ricky Davis.

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER: One was early at Fort Macon State Park,
N.C., on 21 April (John Fussell). Inland, the species was reported in May
from Pendleton, S.C., as well as Jordan and Beaverdam Reservoirs, with
a good tally of 11 at the last site on 12 May (Ricky Davis).

BAIRD’S SANDPIPER: Paul DuMont and Robert Ake observed an adult at
Pea Island on 31 May, only the second spring report for North Carolina.
The bird was with Semipalmated Sandpipers but was the size of a White-
rumped Sandpiper. It had “black legs; pale huffy base color to breast and
fore flanks, with thin black streaks on breast and irregular, broken,
double row extension of black dash-spots along flanks; black mid-vein in
tail (seen in flight); brownish back with indistinct scalloping (a la a fall
bird).” [The quoted details were taken directly from a letter from DuMont.
-HEL]

DUNLIN: On 11 May, Ricky Davis observed three birds at Beaverdam Reser-
voir.

POMARINE JAEGER: John Fussell had an excellent count from shore of
14 Pomarines (in 2 hours) on 26 April at Atlantic Beach, N.C.

GLAUCOUS GULL: An excellent description was provided for a bird in first-
spring plumage seen by Ray and Michelle Chandler and Tom Wilcox at
Oregon Inlet, N.C., on 9 May, a fairly late date for this rare winter visitor.

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL: Very rare inland was an immature ob-
served by Allen Bryan at Jordan Reservoir on 20 March.

Fall 1982

119

BONAPARTE’S GULL: Notable for the mountains were five seen on 19 and
21 March at Beaver Lake in Asheville (Robert Bruce, Jerry and Ruth
Young). High inland counts, at Jordan Reservoir, were 112 on 8 April and
132 on 10 April, as tallied by Allen Bryan.

LITTLE GULL: Apparently the latest ever for North Carolina was a winter-
pi umaged adult observed by Wayne Irvin and John Fussell in a large
flock of Bonaparte’s Gulls at Atlantic Beach on 3 April.

BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE: Very late, and unusual away from the
ocean, was an immature seen by Philip Crutchfield and M.E. Whitfield
flying with Laughing Gulls and terns over an impoundment in north-
eastern Pamlico County, N.C., on 30 April. The dark “M” on the mantle,
collar neck band, and other field marks were described in detail.

SABINE’S GULL: The first ever seen on a North Carolina pelagic trip was an
adult noted approximately 35 miles off Hatteras Inlet on 30 May by Harry
LeGrand, Paul DuMont, and party. The very distinctive pattern of gray,
black, and white of the mantle, especially the black triangle from the wrist
to the primaries, was clearly seen

FORSTER’S TERN: The only inland reports were single birds seen at Owen
Park Lake at Asheville on 21 April (Robert Ruiz) and at Lake Wheeler
near Raleigh on 28 April (Jim Mulholland).

COMMON TERN: Seven (six in breeding plumage) were observed by John
Fussell at Cape Lookout on 10 April, the earliest he has seen the species in
Carteret County.

BRIDLED TERN: Nine were noted by Paul DuMont and party off Hatteras
on 30 May, all birds being in a well-developed drift line. The scarcity of
this species in offshore Carolina waters over the past couple of years
might have been due to hurricanes and tropical storms. However,
Bridleds are commonly seen in the vicinity of driftwood and other debris
(on which to perch), and DuMont speculated that the recent scarcity
might have been related to the poor development of drift lines along the
edge of the Gulf Stream, with the one on 30 May being the most clearly
defined line he had seen in 4 years.

LEAST TERN: The species arrived earlier than usual at Cape Lookout, as a
count of 120 was very high for the date of 10 April (John Fussell).

BLACK TERN: Spring migrants usually pass through the Carolinas in May
or early June; thus, early was one seen by John Fussell at Atlantic Beach
on 26 April.

BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO: The only report for the season was one noted by
James Coman near Blanch, Caswell County, N.C., on 4 May.

NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL: Jerry and Ruth Young saw one at Devils
Courthouse, N.C., along the Transylvania-Haywood County line, on 14
March, and they heard seven birds in that area on 4 April.

GRAY KINGBIRD: Individuals were north of their breeding range at Hatter-
as (Harry LeGrand et al.) and at Bodie Island (Robert Ake, Jeff Byrd),
both on 31 May.

WILLOW FLYCATCHER: Ramona Snavely reported that several males were
again singing on territory this spring along Salem Creek in Winston-
Salem, one of the few piedmont nesting sites in North Carolina.

ALDER FLYCATCHER: Tom Haggerty noted a singing bird at the junction
of Howard Creek and South Fork New River in Watauga County, N.C.,
on 29 May. The elevation was 3040 feet, very low for a bird that was prob-
ably on territory. Several singing Willow Flycatchers were within a mile
of the Alder. The population near the Shining Rock Wilderness Area in
southern Haywood County, N.C., appears to be expanding, as Harry
LeGrand had four singing birds and a calling individual there on 19 May.

TREE SWALLOW: Bill Duyck found a pair nesting at Woodfin, Buncombe
County, N.C., at the same site that breeding occurred last year. Six young
fledged in June.

CLIFF SWALLOW: Paul DuMont and Robert Ake saw a pair of adults and a
partly completed nest under the bridge at Oregon Inlet on 29 and 31 May.
This is the first nesting record for the coastal plain of North Carolina.
Ricky Davis saw an early migrant near Raleigh on 10 April, whereas one
at Cedar Island on 15 May was rare for Carteret County (Bob Holmes,
John Fussell).

BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH: Several were again noted by Bill Duyck in
his yard near Asheville on 7 and 8 April. Despite a scattering of recent
reports from Buncombe County, there is still no breeding record for the
mountains of North Carolina.

CAROLINA WREN: Harry LeGrand and Steve Wagner heard one singing
in mixed spruce-fir and hardwoods at an elevation of 5300 feet on 19 May
near Bearpen Gap, Jackson County, N.C., along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
This wren is not known to breed in the spruce-fir zone.

WATER PIPIT: Two pipits were late in departing on 11 May at Beaverdam
Reservoir, as seen by Ricky Davis.

SPRAGUE’S PIPIT: One of the few records for North Carolina was one seen
by Bruce Lord on 12 April at Jordan Reservoir where NC 751 crosses the
lake. The details submitted include: “heavily streaked back, head, onto
breast; thin beak, not finch-like; flesh-colored legs; white outer tail
feathers; light stripe over eye and streaks on head; walking slowly along
water’s edge on smooth dirt and boulders; no vocalizations; no tail-
bobbing; buffier, paler in overall appearance than Water Pipit.”

WHITE WAGTAIL: A first record for eastern North America was an individ-
ual of the Siberian black-backed race ( Motacilla alba lugens) seen by John
Fussell and Bob Holmes at Cedar Island on 15 May. A local photographer
took pictures of the wagtail. Full details will appear in a national journal.

WHITE-EYED VIREO: Allen Bryan noted an early individual at Jordan
Reservoir on 20 March.

WARBLING VIREO: A noteworthy find was a bird singing, apparently on
territory, along Clark Creek, near Valle Crucis, Watauga County, N.C.,
on 30 May (Tom Haggerty).

SWAINSON’S WARBLER: Unusual for Bogue Banks, N.C., was one noted
singing by Larry Crawford on 24 April at the Theodore Roosevelt Natural
Area.

GOLDEN-WINGED WTARBLER: Very rare along the coast in spring was a
male seen by J.R. Morris at Seabrook Island, S.C., on 27 April.

TENNESSEE WARBLER: Albert Conway saw and heard a Tennessee at
Rock Hill, S.C., on 7 May.

Fall 1982

121

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: John Fussell noted birds in eastern North
Carolina near Long Lake in Craven County on 28 March, at Cape Lookout
on 10 April, and near North River community in Carteret County on 20
April. Scarce in the piedmont were two at Raleigh on 9 April (Jim Mul-
holland), one near Burlington on 20 April (Allen Bryan), and one at
Jordan Reservoir on 25 April (Bryan, John Alderman).

NASHVILLE WARBLER: Rare and quite early was one seen by Owen
McConnell at Cheoah Lake, Graham County, N.C., on 14 April. Another
was noted by Wayne and Fran Irvin at Jordan Reservoir on 2 May.

NORTHERN PARULA: This species usually arrives in piedmont North
Carolina in early April; therefore, one was very early at Jordan Reser-
voir on 20 March (Allen Bryan).

CAPE MAY WARBLER: Extremely early, or perhaps overwintering, were
four birds in full breeding plumage, seen in a flock of Yellow-rumped
Warblers at Raleigh on 24 March by Jim Mulholland.

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER: Owen McConnell noted an early
individual, probably on its breeding grounds, at Joyce Kilmer Memorial
Forest, Graham County, N.C., on 13 April.

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER: An excellent count for late March
was 40 singing birds in a swamp N of Long Lake, N.C., on 28 March (Bob
Holmes, John Fussell). This species arrives on its breeding grounds in the
lower coastal plain of the Carolinas by mid- or late March, but it has
mostly finished its singing period by mid-May, a time when much of the
nesting-season field work is beginning. Thus, observers have probably
greatly underestimated the abundance of the species as a breeder, espe-
cially in eastern North Carolina.

CERULEAN WARBLER: Tom Haggerty noted one singing, likely on terri-
tory, approximately 3.2 miles W of Triplett, Watauga County, N.C., on 22
May. The habitat was open mature hardwoods at 2800 feet in elevation;
this is perhaps the first suggestion of breeding for the species in that
county.

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER: One was late, as was a Black-throated Green
Warbler, near Southern Pines, N.C., on 18 May, both being observed by
Libba Watson.

WATERTHRUSH (sp.?): Skip Prange saw a waterthrush at Harkers Island,
N.C., on the very early date of 8 March. He watched it feeding at a mud
puddle but did not have binoculars available to assist with the identifica-
tion.

WILSON’S WARBLER: Rather rare for the mountains were two males seen
by Ricky Davis near Blowing Rock, N.C., on 16 May.

BOBOLINK: Perry Nugent noted as many as 1000+ near Charleston from 3
to 9 May.

WESTERN TANAGER: An individual that was seen at a Fayetteville feeder
during the winter was last noted on 30 March (Ruth Chesnutt, Kathryn
McCoy).

SCARLET TANAGER: A male was rare and early at Cape Lookout on 13
April, fide John Fussell.

(Continued on Page 108)

122

The Chat

INDEX TO THE CHAT— VOLUME 46

A

Aberdeen, N.C., 118

Aiken (County, State Park), S.C., 81-82,90;

see also Savannah River Plant
Alamance Co., N.C., 25; see also Burlington
albinism, 24
alcid, 90

American Ornithologists' Union, 72-73
(Check-List revised), 110 (100th
anniversary)

amphibians, 36 (Hoke Co., N.C.l, 103
(Martin Co. , N.C.)

Anderson (County), S.C., 21,40,48,89,108,
117; see also Fairplay, Pendleton,
Piedmont
Anhinga, 21,48
Anson Co., N.C., 21,24,25
Ashe Co., N.C., 22,24,25; see also Weavers
Ford

Asheville, N.C., 22,23,53,55,108,116,120,
121

Atlantic, N.C., 21,23
Atlantic Beach, N.C., 21,117,119,120
Avocet, American, 22,49
Avon, N.C. , 48,118

B

Barn-Owl, Common, see Owl, Barn
Beaufort County, N.C., 94; see also Wash-
ington

Beaufort County, S.C., see Hilton Head Is.
Beaufort (Inlet), N.C., 22,23,50,52,53,87,

89,90,91,92,116,117

Beaverdam Reservoir, N.C., 22,48,49,51,88,
90,117,118,119,121

behavior, feeding, 18 (bill-vibrating)
Berkeley Co., S.C., see Moncks Corner
Bittern, American, 87
Least, 21

Blackbird, Brewer's, 54,74-75
Red-winged, 34
Rusty, 20

Bladen Co., N.C., see Elizabethtown
Blowing Rock, N.C., 23,54,118,122
Bluebird, Eastern, 19,20,34,45,109-110
Bobolink, 25,122

Bobwhite, Northern, 20,34,99,100,101,102
Bodie Island, 49,50,51,87,88,89,117,118,
119,120

Bogue Banks, N.C., 47,90,121
Booby, Blue-faced, 48
Book Reviews, 27-28,56,115
Boone, N.C. , 54,55
Brant, 87

Brunswick Co., N.C., 53; see also Long
Beach, Southport, Sunset Beach
Buncombe Co., N.C., 49,117,121; see also
Asheville, Lake Julian, Skyland,

Swannanoa
Bunn, N.C. , 23

Bunting, Indigo, 19,25,34,100,101,102,108
Painted, 55,91,108
Snow, 92,108

Burlington, N.C., 48,49,51,52,54,87,88,116,
118,122

Butner, N.C., 88

C

Caldwell Co., N.C., 18-19

Cape Fear River (lower), N.C., 48,49,50,51,
118

Cape Hatteras, N.C., 47,51,52,87,89,90,91,
116

Cape Island, S.C., 92

Cape Lookout, N.C., 21,23,42,47,52,54,55,
108,116,120,122

Cardinal, Northern, 19,20,34,40,99-102
Carolina Beach, N.C., 51,52,53
Carter, Ann Darby, 112-113
Carter, Derb S., Jr., 112-113
Carter, J.H., III, 44-45
Carteret Co., N.C., 21,23,48,50,55,58,87,
90,91,118,120,121,122; see also Atlantic,
Atlantic Beach, Beaufort (Inlet), Bogue
Banks, Cape Lookout, Cedar Island, Davis,
Emerald Isle, Fort Macon State Park,
Harkers Island, Morehead City, Newport
Caswell Co. , N.C. , 120
Catawba, S.C., 54

Catbird, Gray, 19,34,39,100,101,102
Cayce, S.C., 21

Cedar Island, N.C., 21,22,23,25,50,51,118,
121

Chapel Hill, N.C., 24,49,52,53,54,78,88,90,
91

Charleston (County), S.C., 22,48,53,54,87,
92,116,119,122; see also Cape Is., Edisto
Beach State Park, McClellanville , Sea-
brook Is., Sullivans Is.

Chat, Yellow-breasted, 34,100,102
Chatham Co., N.C., 21,47,87,116; see also
Jordan Reservoir

Check-List, A.O.U., 72-73 (revisions in)
Cherry Point, N.C., 87
Chesterfield Co., S.C., 47
Chickadee, Carolina, 19,20,34,99,102
Chowan Co., N.C., see Edenton
Chuck-will ' s-widow, 34,52,104
Clark, Mary Kay, 29-37
Clayton, N.C., 22,23
Clemmer, Sherrill M. , 81-82
Clemson , S.C., 22,23,49,50,53,54,55,90,91,
108,117,118,119
Coburn, Kay, 80-81
Columbia, S.C., 25,52
Columbus Co., N.C., 21
Condor, California, 13,45,75
Conure, Nanday, 43
Coot, American, 49,113

Cormorant, Double-crested, No. 1 cover, 21,
48,116

Great, 48,87

corrections, 25,42,71,92
Cowbird, Brown-headed, 19,34,71,76-77,86,
99,100,101,102
Crane, Sandhill, 49
Whooping, 111

Craven Co., N.C., 21,25,90,112-113,122; see
also Cherry Point, Croatan, Long Lake,

New Bern

Creeper, Brown, 20

Fall 1982

123

Croatan, N.C., 25,48
Crossbill, Red, 20,25,55,83-86,92
Crow, American, 102,104; see also Common
Common, 20,34,35,91; see also American
Fish, 24,34,35,91,102,104
Crutchfield, Philip J., 43
Cuckoo, Yellow-billed, 34,90,99-102
Black-billed, 23,52,120
Cumberland Co., N.C., 21,43,49,52,55; see
also Fayetteville, Fort Bragg
Curlew, Long-billed, 22

D

Dare Co., N.C., 18,44,49,58,91; see also
Avon, Bodie Is., Cape Hatteras, Frisco,
Hatteras (Inlet), Kill Devil Hills,
Oregon Inlet, Pea Is., Roanoke Sound,
Salvo, Wanchese, Whalebone Junction
Davis, N.C., 22,23,50,51
Devil's Courthouse, N.C., 120
Dick, John Henry, drawings by, 14,47
Dickcissel, 25,108
Dove, Mourning, 19,20,34,52,100-102
Dovekie, 52

Dowitcher, Short-billed, 23,50,119
Duck, American Black, 113; see also Black
Black, 20; see also American Black
Masked, No. 4 cover, 112-113
Ring-necked, 113
Ruddy , 49
Wood, 34,104,113
Dunlin, 23,51,89,119

Durham (County), N.C., 21,22,23,24,47,49,
50,51,53,88,89,90,91,92,108,116,118; see
also Eno River State Park

E

Eagle, Bald, 13,22,49,75,88,118
Golden, 49

Edenton, N.C., 54,55
Edisto Beach Sate Park, S.C., 49
Egret, Cattle, 18,21,48,116
Great, 21,117
Reddish, 21
Snowy, 18,21,48,117
Eider, King, 88
Elizabeth City, N.C., 87
Elizabethtown, N.C., 25
Emerald Isle, N.C., 48
Eno River State Park, N.C., 55

F

Fairplay, S.C., 48,49,50,51
Falcon, Peregrine, 13,86,88,118
Fayetteville, N.C., 21,23,24,25,48,50,51,
53,54,55,88,89,90,91,92,116,117,118,119,
122

Finch, House, 25,55,92,108
Purple, 20,55,92
Fink, Louis C., 27
fishes, 37 (Hoke Co., N.C.)
flamingo, 13

Flicker, Common, 19,20,34,39; see also
Northern

Northern, 99,101,102; see also Common
Flycatcher, Acadian, 34,99,101,102
Alder, 42,121

Great Crested, 19,34,99,101,102
Least, 53
Olive-sided, 23
Scissor-tailed, 52,113-114
Willow, 120,121
Yellow-bellied, 52

Forsyth Co., N.C., 24; see also Winston-
Salem

Fort Bragg, N.C., 22,23,49,92
Fort Fisher, N.C., 51,52,53,54
Fort Macon State Park, N.C., 24,119
Four Oaks, N.C., 25,52,53,55
Franklin Co., N.C., 22; see also Bunn
Frederick, Martha, 15
Frigatebird, Magnificent, 21,48,111
Frisco, N.C. , 52,90,91
Fulmar, Northern, 116

Fussell , John 0., Ill, 57-71, No. 4 cover
photo

G

Gallinule, Common, 49; see also Moorhen,
Common
Purple, 118

Gannet, Northern, 21,87
Georgetown (County), S.C., 91; see also
Huntington Beach State Park, North Is.,
Pawleys Is.

Gnatcatcher, Blue-gray, 34,53,91,99,101,102

Godwit, Black-tailed, 13

Go 1 deneye , Common , 49,88

Goldfinch, American, 20,25,34,55,102,104

Goldsboro, N.C., 119

Goose, Canada, 48

Greater White-fronted, see White-fronted
Ross' , 87
Snow, 21,87
White-fronted, 49,87
Goshawk, Northern, 38-39
Grackle, Common, 19,34

Graham Co., N.C., 19-20,21,24,25,49,55,114,
122

Granville Co., N.C., see Butner
Grebe, Eared, 87,116
Horned, 47
Pied-billed, 20,21
Red-necked, 87
Greensboro, N.C., 22
Greenville (County), S.C., 25,117
Gregory, Margaret P., 39
Gregory, Walton C., 39
Grosbeak, Blue, 34,36
Evening, 20,76,92
Rose-breasted, 25
Grouse, Ruffed, 15-16
Guilford Co., N.C., see Greensboro
Gull, Black-headed, 90
Bonaparte's, 120

Common Black-headed, see Black-headed
Glaucous, 51,57,61,62,89,119
Great Black-backed, 51,62,119
Herring, 13,57,60,61,63,64,90
Iceland, 57-71,89
Kumlien's, 57,61,65,89
Laughing, No. 3 cover, 90,120
Lesser Black-backed, 89
Little, 90,120

Ring-billed, 13,23,58,59,61,63,90
Sabine's, 120

124

Fall 1982

Thayer's, 57,65

H

Haggerty, Tom, 83-86

Halifax Co., N.C., see Roanoke Rapids
Hardin, Rosa Lee, 76
Harkers Island, N.C., 54,122
Harnett Co., N.C., see Lillington
Harrier, Northern, 118; see also Hawk,
Marsh

Hatteras (Inlet), N.C., 22,47,48,51,88,89,
90,116,119,120
Hawk, Cooper's, 18-19,21,56
Harris ' , 13

Marsh, 22; see also Harrier, Northern
Red-shouldered, 41,99,102
Red-tailed, 20,34,101,102
Rough-legged, 88,118
Sharp-shinned , 18,20,21,40, 78-80 ,118
Swainson's, 80-81
Haynes, Ruth A., 106-108
Haywood Co., N.C., 120,121
Heron, Green, 18,34; see also Green-backed
Green-backed, 104; see also Green
Little Blue, 21,116
Louisiana, 21,48
Tricolored, see Louisiana
Hillsborough, N.C., 78
Hilton Head Island, S.C., 51
Hinson, Ted, cartoon by, 111
Hoke Co., N.C., 21,22,29-37,71; see also
Fort Bragg

Howard, Tom, photos by, 2,4,5
Hummingbird, Ruby-throated, 34,99,102
hummingbird(s) , 13,90

Huntington Beach State Park, S.C., 52,53,
55,87

Hyde Go., N.C. , see Ocracoke

I

Ibis, Glossy, 48,117
White, 21,48
Irvin, E. Wayne, 43-44

J

Jackson Co., N.C., 9-12,121
Jackson, Jerome A., 81-82
Jaeger, Parasitic, 47,51,89
Pomarine, 23,89,119
Jane Bald, N.C., 25
Jay, Blue, 19,20,34,40,99,102
Johnston Co., N.C., 25,53,54,116; see also
Clayton, Four Oaks, Smithfield
Jones Co. , N.C. , 25,48

Jordan Reservoir, N.C., 21,22,47,48,49,50,
51,53,55,87,88,89,90,91,92,116,117,118,
119,120,121,122
Junco, Dark-eyed, 19,20

K

Kestrel, American, 20,22,34,118
Kill Devil Hills, N.C. , 51
Kingbird, Eastern, 34
Gray, 23,120
Western, 52

Kingfisher, Belted, 20,34,35

Kinglet, Golden-crowned, 19,20
Ruby-crowned, 20

Kite, American Swallow-tailed, 117,118
Mississippi, 21,49,118
Swallow-tailed, see Am. Swallow-tailed
Kittiwake, Black-legged, 51,120
Knight, Rick, 42

L

Lake

Julian,

N.C,

., 22,23,48,86,116

Lake

Keowee ,

S.C,

., 117

Lake

Marion,

S.C,

. , 51

Lake

Surf, N,

.C. ,

49,50,51; see also

Woodlake

Lakeview, N.C., 88
Lark, Horned, 24,91
Laurens Co., S.C., 113
Laurinburg, N.C., 24,92
Lee, David S . , No. 1 cover photo, No. 2
cover photo, 56

Lee, Joshua A., 16-17,45-46,109,110

LeGrand, Harry E., Jr., 57-71,74-75

Lillington, N.C., 49

Long Beach, N.C., 24

Long Lake , N.C. , 122

Longspur, Lapland, 92

Loon, Common, 47,116

Lumberton, N.C., 22,55

Lynch, J. Merrill, 41,93-105

M

Macon Co., N.C., 82

mammals, 36 (Hoke Co., N.C.), 44 (flying
squirrel), 103 (Martin Co., N.C.)

Mancke, Rudy, 113-114
Mangum, N.C., 91
Marlboro Co., S.C., 50
Martin, Purple, 16-17,24,34,45-46,53,109
Martin Co., N.C. , 93-105
Maxton, N.C. , 24,55
Mayesville , S.C., 53
McClellanville , S.C., 90,91
McConnell, Jim, 19-20
McConnell, Owen, 114-115
McNair, Douglas Branch, 1-8
Meadowlark, Eastern, 19,34
Merganser, Common, 88
Red-breasted, 88,117
Merlin, 49,89,118
Meyer, Kenneth D., 78-80
Miller, Kelly, drawing by, 107
Mitchell Co., N.C., 42; see also Jane Bald
Roan High Knob, Roan Mountain
Mockingbird, Northern, 19,20,34,40
Moncks Corner, S.C., 90
Montgomery Co., N.C., 24

Moore Co., N.C., see Aberdeen, Lake Surf,
Lakeview, Pinehurst, Southern Pines,
Vass, Whispering Pines, Woodlake
Moorhen, Common, 118; see also Gallinule,
Common

Morehead City, N.C., 87,88,89,90,91,92,108
118

Mount Mitchell, N.C., 55
Mueller, Helmut C. , 78-80
Murphy, Stephen, 82-83

Fall 1982

125

N

Nash Co., N.C., see Rocky Mount
New Bern, N.C. , 23
Newberry Co., S.C., see Whitmire
New Hanover Co., N.C., 22,25,49,50,55,89,
117; see also Carolina Beach, Fort
Fisher, Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach
Newport, N.C., 87,89,90
New Topsail Inlet, N.C. , 50
Nicholson, Charles P., 42
Nighthawk, Common, 34,35,52,99,102,104
Night-Heron, Black-crowned, 18,48,117
Yellow-crowned, 87,117
North Island, S.C., 52
North Wilkesboro, N.C. , 90
Nuthatch, Brown-headed, 19,34,53,121
Red-breasted, 20,47
White-breasted, 15,19,20,42,104

0

Oconee Co., S.C., 24,117; see also Seneca,
Townville

Ocracoke (Island), N.C., 52,53,54,117
Oldsquaw, 49

Orange Co., N.C., 74; see also Chapel Hill,
Hillsborough

Oregon Inlet, N.C., 23,47,87,89,117,119,121
Oriole, Northern, 25,47,91
Orchard, 19,34,104
Osprey, 22,118

Ovenbird, 19,34,36,91,97,99,101,102
Owl, Barn, 52

Barred, 20,34,42,104

Great Horned, 20,34,86,99,102

Long-eared, 52

Northern Saw-whet, 120; see also Saw-whet
Saw-whet, 23,90; see also N. Saw-whet
Screech, 20,26,81-82
Short-eared, 52,90
Snowy, 52

Oystercatcher , American, 89
P-Q

Pamlico Co., N.C., 48,49,116,118,120
Parula, Northern, 34,54,104,122
Pasquotank Co., N.C., see Elizabeth City
Pawleys Island, S.C., 21,89
Pea Island (N.W.R.), N.C., 21,22,23,49,51,
52,54,87,89,91,117,118,119
Pee Dee N.W.R., N.C., 21,48,88
Pelican, American White, 116; see also
White

Brown, No. 2 cover, 43,47 (drawing), 48,
87

White, 48,87; see also American White
Pender Co., N.C., 74; see also New Topsail
Inlet, Topsail Beach
Pendleton, S.C, 22,54,118,119
Petrel, Black-capped, 47,48,116
Pewee, Eastern Wood, 19,34; see also Wood-
Pewee, Eastern
Phalarope, Northern, 119
Red, 119
Wilson's, 22,50
Pheasant, Ring-necked, 13
Phoebe, Eastern, 20,23
Photo Quiz, 26

Pickens Co., S.C., see Clemson, Six Mile
Piedmont, S.C., 48
Pinehurst, N.C., 108
Pintail, Northern, 87
Pipit, Sprague's, 121
Water, 20,121

Plover, American Golden, 50
Black-bellied, 50,118

Lesser Golden, 118; see also Am. Golden
Piping, 50
Wilson's, 50,89

Potter, Eloise F., 18,28,29-37,74,115
R

Raccoon Key, S.C., 108
Rail, Black, 22,49

Raleigh, N.C., 16-17,45-46,52,87,88,89,92,
109,116,118,120,121,122
Raven, Common, 24
Redhead, 49,88
Redpoll, Common, 92
Redstart, American, 34

reptiles, 36 (Hoke Co., N.C.), 103 (Martin
Co. , N.C.)

Richland Co., S.C., see Cayce, Columbia
Richmond Co., N.C., 1-8,21,23,24,25,49,52,
55; see also Mangum, Rockingham
Roan High Knob, N.C., 23
Roan Mountain, N.C., 25
Roanoke Rapids, N.C., 87,89,90,92
Roanoke Sound, N.C., 48
Robeson Co., N.C., 22,24,25; see also
Lumberton, Maxton
Robin, American, 19,20,34
Rock Hill, S.C. , 52,121
Rockingham, N.C., 52,88,108
Rocky Mount, N.C., 87,88
Ruff, 23,51

S

Salvo, N.C. , 53
Sanderling, 50
Sandpiper, Baird's, 51,119
Buff-breasted, 51
Curlew, 51
Least, 23,50,89,119
Semipalmated, 119
Spotted, 22,89
Stilt, 23,51
Upland, 22,50,119
Western, 23,50,119
White-rumped, 50,119
Santee Coastal Reserve, S.C., 52
Santee N.W.R., S.C., 87,91
Sapsucker, Yellow-bellied, 20
Savannah River Plant, S.C., 88,89
Scaup, Greater, 49,88,117
Lesser, 117
Scoter, Surf, 117

White-winged, 47,88,117
Scotland Co., N.C., 21,24,25; see also
Laurinburg

Screech-Owl, Eastern, see Owl, Screech
Seabrook Island, S.C., 121
Seneca , S .C. , 24
Shearwater, Audubon's, 21,47
Cory's, 47
Greater, 47

126

The Chat

Sooty, 47,116

Shoveler, Northern, 49,117
Shrike, Loggerhead, 24,53
Siskin, Pine, 20,55,76,92,108
Six Mile, S.C., 89,92
Skimmer, Black, 111
Sky land, N.C. , 48
Smithf ield, N.C., 23,25
Sneeden, John, 18-19,20
Snipe, Common, 22
Sora, 22

Southern Pines, N.C, , 21,24,53,54,91,122
Southport, N.C. , 49,87
Sparrow, Bachman's, 25,34,36,92
Chipping, 34
Field, 20,34
Fox, 20

House, 16,20,34,36,39,109
Grasshopper, 19,25,55,92
Henslow's, 55
Lark, 1-8,55
Lincoln's, 55,92
Song, 19,20,25
Swamp , 20
Tree, 92
Vesper, 92
White-throated, 20
Spartanburg (County), S.C., 24
Stanly Co. , N.C. , 24
Starling, European, 20,34,36,39,109
Stilt, Black-necked, 22,118
Stork, Wood, 21

Storm-Petrel, Band-rumped, 116
Harcourt * s , see Band-rumped
Leach's, 47,48
Wilson’s, 47,116
Sullivans Island, S.C., 52
Sumter (County), S.C., 50; see also Mayes-
ville

Sunset Beach, N.C., 21,53
Swallow, Bank, 24,53
Barn, 19,24
Cliff, 24,42,53,121

Northern Rough-winged, 102,104; see also
Rough-winged

Rough-winged, 34,74; see also Northern
Rough-winged
Tree, 24,53,91,121
Swan, Mute, 48,117
Tundra, see Whistling
Whistling, 48,87
Swannanoa , N.G., 25,49
Swift, Chimney, 19,34,102,104

T

Tanager, Scarlet, 19,25,122
Summer, 34,36,91,99,101,102
Western, 54,91,122
Tarbet, Don D», 80-81
Teal, Blue-winged, 88
Tedards, Adair M. , 40
teratorn. 111
Tern, Black, 23,51,120
Bridled, 47,120
Brown Noddy, 51
Caspian, 51,90
Common, 51,120
Forster's, 23,51,120
Gull-billed, 90

Least, 120
Roseate, 23,51
Sandwich, 42
Sooty, 23

Thrasher, Brown, 19,20,34,40
Thrush, Hermit, 20

Wood, 19,34,99,101,102
Titmouse, Tufted, 15,19,20,34,99,101,102
Topsail Beach, N.C. » 116
Tove, Michael, 9-12,57-71
Towhee, Rufous-sided, 19,20,34,36,39,99,
100,101,102

Townville, S.C., 87,88,91,92
Transylvania Co., N.C. , 76,120
Tropicbird, White-tailed, 47
Trott, John, No. 3 cover photo
Tryon, N.C., 15
Turkey, Wild, 14,41
Turnstone, Ruddy, 22,50,119

U-V

Umstead State Park, N.C., 49
Union Camp Corp., 41
Union (County), S.G., 117
Vass, N.C. , 49,88,90
Veery, 19

Vireo, Philadelphia, 53
Red-eyed, 34,99,101,102
Solitary, 24
Warbling, 121

White-eyed, 34,91,99,100,101,102,121
Yellow-throated, 34
Vulture, Black, 34,49,88,102,103
Turkey, 34,88,102,103

W

Wagtail, White, 121

Wake Co., N.C. , 21,22,38-39,48,50,80-81,91
see also Beaverdam Reservoir, Raleigh,
Umstead State Park
Wanchese , N.C., 89

Warbler, Black-and-white, 19,34,36,97,99,
100,101,102,104
Blackburnian, 54,122
Black-throated Blue, 47,122
Black-throated Green, 47,71,97,99,102,
103,104,122
Blue-winged, 53
Brewster's, 9-12,53
Canada , 54
Cape May, 47,122
Cerulean, 25,41,54,122
Chestnut-sided, 54
Connecticut, 54
Golden-winged, 9-12,53,121
Hooded, 34,97,99,100,101,102
hybrid, 9-12
Kentucky, 34,36
Mourning, 54

Nashville, 25 (correction), 54,122
Orange-crowned, 54,122
Palm, 91

Pine, 19,34,45,54,97,99,101,102
Prairie, 34,91,100,102
Prothonotary, 24,34,53,97,99,101 ,102
Swainson's, 24,97,99,102,121
Tennessee, 53,121
Wilson's, 54,122

Fall 1982

127

Worm-eating, 53,97,99,101,102, 104
Yellow, 19
Yellow-rumped, 122

Yellow-throated, 34,54,97,99, 100,101 , 102
Washington, N.C., 87

Watauga Co., N.C., 15-16,23,52,53,54,83-86,
106,121,122; see also Boone
Waterthrush, Louisiana, 25
Northern, 47,91
sp.?, 122

Watson, Daniel M. , 16,39
Waxwing, Cedar, 19,24
Wayne Co., N.C., see Goldsboro
Weavers Ford, N.C., 25
Whalebone Junction, N.C., 48
Wheatear, Northern, 82-83
Whimbrel, 22,119

Whip-poor-will , 23,34,90,98, 102 , 103 , 104
Whispering Pines, N.C., 87,88,92,116,117
Whitehurst, Gail T. , 40,56,76-77,86
Whitmire, S.C., 52
Wigeon, American, 49,117
European (Eurasian), 88
Wilkes Co., N.C., 51; see also North
Wilkesboro
Willet , 22,50
Williams, Joseph K. , 15-16
Wilmington, N.C., 52,53,54
Winston-Salem, N.C., 22,24,50,51,87,88,90,
108,116,117,118,120

Woodlake, N.C., 88,90; see also Lake Surf
Woodpecker, Downy, 19,20,34,101,102
Hairy, 34,42,99,102
Pileated, 20,34,42,99,101,102
Red-bellied, 20,34,52,99,101,102
Red-cockaded, 25 (correction), 34,35,44-
45,55 (Newsletter), 90
Red-headed, 34,35,99,101,102
Wood-Pewee, Eastern, 99,101,102; see also
Pewee, Eastern Wood
Wren, Bewick's, 106-108

Carolina , 19 , 20,34,99-102 , 106-108 ,121
House, 19,24,53
Long-billed Marsh, 91
Marsh, see Long-billed Marsh
Sedge, see Short-billed Marsh
Short-billed Marsh, 53
Winter, 20,114-115
Wrightsville Beach, N.C., 51

X-Y-Z

Yancey Co., N.C., see Mount Mitchell
Yellowlegs , Greater, 50,89,119
Lesser, 50

Yellowthroat , Common, 34,100,101,102
York Co., S.C., 49; see also Catawba, Rock
Hill

128

The Chat

MEMBERSHIP

Carolina Bird Club, Inc., is a non-profit educational and scientific association
founded in March 1937 and open to anyone interested in the study and conservation of
wildlife, particularly birds. Dues, contributions, and bequests to the club are deductible
from state and federal income and estate taxes. Checks should be made payable to
Carolina Bird Club, Inc., and sent to CBC Headquarters, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh,
N.C. 27611.

DEES

(P&yabie on a calendar-year basis)

Individual . $ 9.00

Family $ 1 0.00

Student $ 5.00

Patron . $ 25.00

Life Membership (Payable in four consecutive $50 installments) $200.00

Library/ institution $ 10.00

Affiliated Club $ 10.00

PUBLICATIONS

Ail CBC members not in arrears for dues receive The Chat, a quarterly journal
devoted to bird study and conservation, and the CBC Newsletter, which carries infor-
mation about meetings, field trips, and club projects. Articles intended for publication
in Chat may be sent to the Editor oi\to the appropriate department editor listed in a
recent issue of the bulletin. Items for the Newsletter should be sent to its Editor, Clyde
Smith, 2615 Wells Avenue, Raleigh, N.C. 27608. Correspondence regarding member-
ships, changes of address, or requests for back numbers of either publication should be
sent to CBC Headquarters, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611.

OFFICERS

President . ............ Richard D. Brown, Biology, UNC-Charlotte, 28223

Vice-presidents . . . Ercel Francis, 26 Cardinal Road, Cedar Mountain, N.C. 28718
Frances B. Needham, Box 8207, Waynick Blvd., Wrightsville Beach, N.C. 28480
Teddy M. Shuler, Route 1, Box 15, Seneca, S.C. 29678
Secretary ..... Julie Angerman-Stewart, 3966-C Tara Drive, Raleigh, N.C. 27609
Treasurer .......... Thomas M. Dabbs, Route 1, Box 64, Mayesville, S.C. 29104

Members-at-large:

Region I— Western North Carolina

George W. Morgan, Winston-Salem, and Ruth Young, Fairview, N.C.
Region II — Eastern North Carolina

Robert J. Hader, Raleigh, and Dana T. Carter, Goldsboro
Region' III — South Carolina

Lex Glover, Columbia, and Steve Compton, Charleston
Headquarters Secretary ............................ ....... Fran M. Irvin

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Quarterly Bulletin of Carolina Bird Club, Inc.
The Ornithological Society of the Carolines

The Chat

(USPS 101-200)

Vol. 47 WINTER 1983 No. 1

Published by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc.

Editor Eloise F. Potter, Route 3, Box 1 14 AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

General Field Notes David S. Lee, Department Editor

Julian R. Harrison, Associate Editor

Briefs for the Files Harry E. LeGrand Jr., 331 Yadkin Drive,

Raleigh, N.C. 27609

CBC Roundtable Louis C. Fink, Apt. 6, Bldg. L, Tau Valley Estates,

Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801

Backyard Birding Gail T. Whitehurst, 1505 Brooks Avenue,

Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Bird Count Editor John O. Fussell III, P.O. Box 520,

Morehead City, N.C. 28557

Art and Photography John Henry Dick and Jack Dermid

THE CHAT is published quarterly by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., with headquarters at the North Carolina State
Museum, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Second class postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Subscription
price $10 per year.

PAGE CHARGES: Authors who have funds available for page charges are requested to remit same at the rate of
$40.00 per page. CBC Headquarters will provide statements required for your business records.

CONTENTS

Tropicbirds in the Carolinas: Status and Period of Occurrence

of Two Tropical Pelagic Species. David S. Lee and E. Wayne Irvin 1

Backyard Birding 14

CBC Roundtable 17

General Field Notes

Hooded Merganser Nesting in Wood Duck Boxes

in Wake County, N.C. Sarah S. Robinson 19

Second South Carolina Record of the Smooth-billed Ani.

John H. Dick 23

Groove-billed Ani at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, S.C.

Pat Young 23

Audubon-Myrtle Warbler Specimen from North Carolina.

Gilbert S. Grant and Alvin L. Braswell 25

Briefs for the Files 26

CB©

OUR COVER — For full details about the Groove-billed Ani
photographed by David Goeke at Savannah N.W.R. in
October 1 979, see the General Field Notes. Recent reports of
large numbers of Swallow-tailed Kites at the Santee River delta
in South Carolina reminded Mary Kay Clark of the flocks of
soaring birds she photographed in Florida in July 1 982 (back
cover).

TROPICBIRDS IN THE CAROLINAS:
STATUS AND PERIOD OF OCCURRENCE
OF TWO TROPICAL PELAGIC SPECIES

DAVID S. LEE AND E. WAYNE IRVIN

The recent documentation of a second species of tropicbird in the northwest Atlantic
Ocean (Bull 1964, Lee et al. 1981) makes it desirable to summarize and evaluate the current
knowledge of the status and the season of occurrence for the two tropicbirds in the offshore
waters of the Carolinas. The records presented here provide a needed base against which
future records can be tallied. They come from a widely diverse body of published sight
reports, unpublished records maintained at the North Carolina State Museum, and personal
field experience. Few specimens, photographic records, or literature reports provide enough
details to separate the two species of Atlantic tropicbirds. This is understandable because
prior to 1 964 there was little reason to suspect that any tropicbird seen off the coast of North
America was anything other than a White-tailed ( Phaethon lepturus ). The reported occur-
rence of the Red-billed Tropicbird (P. aethereus) off the southeastern coast (Lee et al. 1981)
makes the specific identification of previous sight reports suspect. It is our purpose to alert
readers to this problem as well as to evaluate the status of these two species based on the
fragmentary information presently available.

IDENTIFICATION AND BEHAVIOR

The problems of specific identification between White-tailed Tropicbirds and Red-
billed Tropicbirds are discussed in detail by Lee, Wingate, and Kale (1981). Basically,
Phaethon are high-flying birds and therefore are normally seen from below, while most of
their distinguishing field marks are on the dorsal surface. Additionally, the immature Red-
billed has a yellow bill, the breeding-season White-tailed may have a reddish bill, and
immatures of both species and the adult Red-billed have thin barring on the back and upper
wing surfaces (Fig. 1, 2). Differences in size and relative bill thickness are appreciated only
after both species have been well studied, and then are useful characters only at short
distances under good field conditions (Fig. 3). Thus, confirmation of bill size and color,
dorsal pattern, and presence of tail streamers would be desirable for accurate, specific
identification of adults. Field identification of flying immatures would be difficult under
most circumstances for people not familiar with both species. [It should be noted that
parallel identification problems exist for the three frigatebirds ( Fregata sp.) that occur in the
Atlantic.]

We found flying fish ( Exocoetidae sp.) in the stomachs of both species of tropicbirds,
and remains of squid in White-taileds. Although the prey items examined were large,
because of partial digestion the fish and squid were not identifiable to species. The tropic-
birds’ habit of flying above moving boats may actually be a learned feeding adaptation.
Flying fish are frequently flushed into “flight” by boats, thus providing plunge-diving
tropicbirds increased foraging efficiency.

SUMMARY OF TROPICBIRD RECORDS

North Carolina : For nearly 20 years the only information available was the three
records given by Pearson, Brimley, and Brimley ( 1 942). The first report was a sighting on 3

Winter 1983

1

Fig. 1. From left to right, adult and
immature Red-billed Tropicbirds
(NCSM 7182 and 7183).

The Chat

Fig. 2. From left to right, adult and
immature White-tailed Tropicbirds
(NCSM 6828 and composite illustration
of several immature birds).

3

f

Fig. 3. Adult Red-billed Tropicbird (NCSM 7-182, above) and adult White-tailed Tropic-
bird (NCSM 6828, below). These life-size drawings illustrate the subtle differences in
the bill proportions of the two species.

4

The Chat

August 1936, 15 miles off Cape Lookout. (Brimley’s original notes [1937] state: “One seen
by a party from the U.S. Fish Commission Laboratory 20 miles off Cape Lookout, on or
about August 12, 1936. R. Collie.”) The second sighting occurred 25 July 1 941 in the Gulf
Stream off Beaufort. An “immature” specimen was reported as having been found dead on
the beach at Pea Island on 5 July 1939. (NCSM records state that the bird was an adult
found on 18 August 1939.) The photograph and skull of this beached specimen are appar-
ently lost, and the description in Birds of North Carolina is not adequate for determining
which species was found. No additional reports appeared in the 1959 revision of this book;
however, one early record (Gault 1902) has long been overlooked.

Between 1959 and the start of the North Carolina State Museum’s intensive studies of
seabirds in 1975, several sightings of White-tailed Tropicbirds were published in Chat,
American Birds, or both journals (see Table 1). Lee and Booth (1979) summarized the
available records. They were aware of a total of 19 reports, which seasonally ranged from 8
June to 1 1 September. All were assumed to be reports of White-tailed Tropicbirds because
that was the only species then known to occur in the area. Since 1979, additional tropicbird
records have come to our attention. Sightings confirmed to species seem to be equally
divided between the two North Atlantic species (see Table 1).

South Carolina: Sprunt and Chamberlain (1949) reporta single P. lepturus record that
“Astonishingly enough comes from the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains.” The only
specimen record for the state was picked up in Jocassee, Oconee County, on 30 July 1 926.
The authors of South Carolina Bird Life went on to add: “Even to one not familiar with the
species the bird can hardly be confused with anything else. The beautiful, streaming feathers
of the tail are at once diagnostic.” Between 1954 and 1974, four additional sightings were
published (see Table 1), and all were listed as White-tailed Tropicbirds.

Specimen and photographic records : Because of the problems created by having few
specifically verifiable records of the two similar-appearing tropicbirds now known from the
Carolinas, some of our previous understanding of the seasonal distribution and abundance
of White-tailed Tropicbirds has become masked. Interestingly, the only two specimens of a
White-tailed Tropicbird for North Carolina (see Table 2) represent the earliest (18 June)
and latest (11 September) records of seasonal occurrence. Paul Sykes (Amer. Birds 29:40)
examined “good slides” of a White-tailed Tropicbird taken by a boat captain off Hatteras in
July 1975, and Mike Tove photographed an adult (Fig. 4) on 2 September 1979 at the
“rock pile” off Cape Hatteras. The bird seen by Lee 33.5 miles SE of Beaufort, N.C., was
certainly a White-tailed. This identification is based on his experience with both species.
Irvin photographed an adult and an immature (Fig. 5) of this species on 1 5 August 1 982 off
Beaufort, N.C. The one specimen record for South Carolina of a storm-driven P. lepturus
has already been discussed. This makes a total of eight positively identified White-tailed
Tropicbirds for the two states.

Four confirmed records for Red-billed Tropicbirds exist for North Carolina. Two
specimens were collected 16 May 1981 (one adult and one immature); one adult (Fig. 6)
was photographed by Irvin on 6 May 1 98 1 , 23 miles E of Cape Lookout; and one adult was
seen off Oregon Inlet on 1 September 1981 by Lee, Eloise Potter, Steve Plantania, and
Mary K. Clark. There are presently no reports of Red-billed Tropicbirds from South
Carolina.

All other records from the Carolinas must, because of lack of published details, be
regarded as tropicbirds of undetermined species. This includes the specimen (skull only)

Winter 1983

5

TABLE 1 . Summary of tropicbird reports from the Carolinas. All locations are
in North Carolina unless South Carolina is specified.

Date

Location

Number

Source

Remarks

mid- April
1974

70 miles off
Charleston, S.C.

1

Amer. Birds
28:788

26 April 1980

35 miles SE of
Oregon Inlet
at 27 fathoms

1

this study

6 May 1981

23 miles E of
Cape Lookout

1

this study,
EWI

P. aethereus
photo record

16 May 1979

40 miles W of
Oregon Inlet

1

Lee et al.

1981

P. aethereus (imm.)
NCSM specimen

17 May 1979

off Oregon
Inlet

1

this study

29 May 1959

18 nautical
miles SSE of
Charleston, S.C.
sea buoy

1

Manigault

1959

1 June 1977

off Oregon
Inlet

1

this study,
DSL

distant bird,
not good view

3 June 1981

ca. 35 miles ESE of
Oregon Inlet
at 100 fathoms

2

this study

6 June 1978

off Oregon
Inlet

1

this study

8 June 1976

off Oregon
Inlet

2

Lee & Booth
1979

14 June 1975

ca. 40 miles SE
of Charleston, S.C.

1

Amer. Birds
29:958

15 June 1976

off Oregon
Inlet

3

this study

18 June 1981

off Beaufort

1

this study

P. lepturus
NCSM specimen

25 June 1976

34° 17 N,

76° 12'W
33.5 miles SE of
Beaufort Inlet

this study,
DSL

P. lepturus

? July 1975

off Cape
Hatteras

1

Amer. Birds
29:40

P. lepturus
photo record

7 July 1981

off Oregon Inlet

1

this study

18 July 1975

ca. 45 miles SE of
Morehead City

1

Chat 40:17

18 July 1980

42 miles NE of
Oregon Inlet

2+

this study

6

The Chat

TABLE 1, continued

Date

location

Number

Source

Remarks

19 July 1977

off Oregon

Inlet

1

this study

25 July 1941

off Beaufort,
Gulf Stream

1

Pearson
etal. 1942

25 July 1958

30 miles offshore,
20 miles S of
Cape Hatteras

1

Harte and
McCallum
1959

25 July 1978

off Oregon
Inlet

1

this study

29 July 1980

37 miles E of
Oregon Inlet at
50 fathoms

1

this study

30 July 1926

Jocassee,
Oconee Co.,
S.C.

1

Sprunt and

Chamberlain

1949

R lepturus
Charleston Mus.
specimen

late July
1971

off Oregon
Inlet

1

this study

3 Aug. 1936

ca. 15 miles off
Cape Lookout

1

Pearson
et al. 1942

original notes state
12 August 1936

15 Aug. 1982

34° 12' N,

76° 14' W
29 miles SSE of
Cape Lookout

1

this study,
EWI

P. lepturus

15 Aug. 1982

34° 6' N,

76° 17 W,

36 miles SSE of
Cape Lookout

1

this study,
EWI

P. lepturus (imm.)
photo record

18 Aug. 1939

Pea Island,
Dare Co.

1

Pearson
etal. 1942

specimen lost;
see Lee etal. 1981

21 Aug. 1977

40 miles ESE of
Oregon Inlet

1

this study

24 Aug. 1960

120 miles off
N.C. coast

1

Chat

24:104-105

24 Aug. 1976

35 miles SSE of
Beaufort Inlet

1

Amer. Birds
31:164

29 Aug. 1972

70 miles S of
Morehead City

1

Amer. Birds
27:40

Chat 37:29
says 28 Aug.

1 Sept. 1976

12 miles SE
of Marker 14,
Beaufort Inlet

1

this study

1 Sept. 1981

off Oregon Inlet

1

this study,
DSL

P. aethereus

Winter 1983

7

TABLE 1, continued

Date

Location

Number

Source

Remarks

2 Sept. 1979

off Cape

1

Mike Tove

P. lepturus

Hatteras

photo record

4 Sept. 1976

off Oregon Inlet

1

this study

6 Sept. 1974

Jordan Reservoir

1

Fussell and
Alien-

Grimes 1980

inland record

9 Sept. 1980

off Oregon Inlet

2

this study

11 Sept. 1902

ca. 200 miles off
Cape Hatteras

1

Gault 1902

11 Sept. 1978

off Oregon

i

Lee and Booth P. lepturus

Inlet

1979

NCSM specimen

mid-Sept. 1979

off Oregon
Inlet

1

this study

16 Oct. 1954

Dillon,

i

Harte and

found alive 60 miles

Dillon Co., S.C.

McCallum

inland, not saved

1959

Fig. 4. Adult White-tailed Tropicbird photographed at the “rock pile” off Cape Hatteras,
N.C., 2 September 1979. (Photo by Mike Tove)

8

The Chat

Fig. 5. Immature White-tailed Tropicbird photographed off Cape Lookout, N.C.
(34° 6' N, 76° 17' W), 15 August 1982. (Photo by E. Wayne Irvin)

Fig. 6. Adult Red-billed Tropicbird photographed off Cape Lookout, N.C. (30° 11' N,
70° 8' W), 6 May 1981. (Photo by E. Wayne Irvin)

Winter 1983

9

TABLE 2: Specimen records of tropicbirds (Phaethon)
from the Carolinas.

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The Chat

and photograph record of 5 July (or 1 8 August) 1 935, for the description, while lengthy, is
not diagnostic and the skull and photograph cannot be located.

DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE

Excluding storm-driven tropicbirds, all sightings are from far at sea. North of Cape
Hatteras all sea records are from the Gulf Stream, but to the south tropicbirds may regularly
forage over the extensive shallow waters of the Hatteras Bight. Although information from
South Carolina is scant, one record (24 May 1 959, from only 1 8 miles SSE of the Charles-
ton sea buoy) suggests they occur inside the Gulf Stream and over relatively shallow water
there as well as in Hatteras Bight. Tropicbirds are high-flying, plunge-diving species adapted
to living over nutrient-poor tropical and subtropical waters. Therefore, they seemingly are
not as dependent on the edges of oceanic currents and upwelling areas along the continental
shelf as are most other pelagic birds of the Carolinas. This is not to say that they will not
take advantage of optimum foraging conditions. Indeed, many of our records are from
major sport-fishing grounds off Oregon and Hatteras Inlets, where we have concentrated
most of our field effort. Nevertheless, the frequency of occurrence in Hatteras Bight and off
Cape Lookout is impressive, considering the limited nature of the field work in those areas.

With the exception of one Red-billed Tropicbird collected on 16 May 1979 and one
White-tailed Tropicbird photographed on 15 August 1982 (and possibly the 1939 bird
beached in North Carolina), all Carolina records for both species are of assumed adults
(birds with streamered tails).

The known season of occurrence for the White-tailed Tropicbird in the Carolinas is
from 18 June to 11 September. Wingate (1973) reports April to August as the period of
maximum occurrence for this species in Bermuda, home of the nesting population closest to
the Carolinas. Records for Red-billed Tropicbird occurrence are from 6 May to 1
September. Although there are many sight records for which we are not able to determine
the specific identity, there is only one record outside the calendar period covered by positive
identifications. This is a 16 October 1954 storm record for a “White-tailed” Tropicbird
found alive in Dillon, Dillon County, S.C., approximately 60 miles inland (Harte and
McCallum 1959). The specimen, which unfortunately was not saved, was driven inland by
Hurricane Hazel. Although seasonal occurrence of tropicbirds in Carolina waters closely
parallels our season of maximum field effort, interviews with boat captains give us no
reason to suspect late-fall and winter occurrences in our latitudes. Red-billed Tropicbirds
have been recorded as late as 9 October in Florida, but the other seven North Atlantic
records fall within the mid-June to mid-September period.

Although large storms certainly affect the movements and distribution of most
seabirds and are responsible for most, if not all, coastal and inland sightings of Phaethon,
few of the records available for the Carolinas seem to be of storm-driven individuals. In
some instances we are aware of several sightings a few weeks after passage of a storm, but
storms are not believed to be a primary cause of displacement because healthy seabirds,
including tropicbirds, could return hundreds of miles to favorite feeding areas in a matter of
days. Several boat captains have suggested that tropicbirds are most frequently found in
Carolina waters during or soon after several days of steady southeasterly winds. While this
is without doubt a valid observation, tropicbirds also occur in association with other wind
conditions. Furthermore, southeastern winds are a normal occurrence in the summer
months.

Winter 1983

11

To provide some indication of frequency of occurrence, Richard Harris, of the Oregon
Inlet fishing fleet, kept count of all tropicbirds seen during 100 summer trips off Oregon
Inlet in 1982. He personally saw 12 birds, and both species were identified.

With the exception of Florida, tropicbirds have been encountered with more fre-
quency and regularity off the North Carolina coast than off any other state or province in the
eastern United States and Canada. This may in part be due to the intensity of field effort in
the Hatteras region. In Georgia and South Carolina the continental shelf is so far from land
that censusing is difficult. Although tropicbirds may feed regularly in the shallow inshore
waters, there probably are no areas of concentration. Georgia has but three tropicbird
records, a storm-blown individual over Atlanta (Griffin 1940) and two offshore sightings
(Moore 1980). One of the offshore birds was an immature seen on 27 August 1977 about
45 miles ESE of Savannah Beach over water approximately 90 feet deep. The other was an
adult (streamered tail) seen in the same vicinity the previous summer by the boat captain,
Jim Walthall. Neither offshore sighting was storm related. For many warm-water
“summering” seabirds, the Hatteras area represents the northern extent of regular
occurrence, or a region of maximum abundance in North America. Cape Hatteras has long
been recognized as the breaking point between boreal and tropical elements. Therefore, it is
not surprising that there are relatively few reports for either species of Phaethon to the north.
Additionally, rich feeding areas off the Outer Banks seem to attract “wandering” seabirds
on a regular basis. This is supported in part by the great diversity of seabirds documented
from the area (Lee and Booth 1979, Lee and Platania 1979).

Because of the unresolved problems of sorting out the distribution, relative abundance,
and season of occurrence for the two tropicbirds, we hope that field parties will continue to
report details of sightings and that editors will recognize the importance of publishing them.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Steven P. Platania, Mary Kay Clark, Eloise Potter, and John B. Funder-
burg, all of the North Carolina State Museum, and Ron Mobley, of North Carolina State
University, for assistance with the field work. The boat captains of the Oregon Inlet fishing
fleet, particularly Harry Baum, Richard Harris, and Allen Foreman, were helpful with all
aspects of this study. Charles Manooch, of Natural Marine Fisheries, provided opportunity
for survey trips off Beaufort. A1 Sanders, Charleston Museum, provided information on the
single South Carolina specimen. Mike Tove generously supplied a photograph of the
White-tailed Tropicbird. Drawings are by Renaldo G. Kuhler, scientific illustrator, North
Carolina State Museum. Portions of the North Carolina State Museum’s long-range studies
of marine birds and mammals were funded by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Contract 14-16-0009-80-044. This financial assistance is gratefully acknowledged. This is
contribution number 1983-1 of the North Carolina Biological Survey.

LITERATURE CITED

Bull, J.L. 1964. Red-billed Tropicbird on Long Island, New York. Auk 81:433434.
Fussell, J.O., III, and A. Alien-Grimes. 1980. Bird sightings associated with Hurricane

David. Chat 44:89-100.

Gault, B.T. 1902. Letter from Cayene, French Guiana. Wilson Bull. 9:140-143.
Griffin, W.W. 1940. Seasonal notes from Atlanta. Oriole 5:9-10.

Harte, J., and A. McCallum. 1959. Tropic-bird, a sight record and a capture. Chat 23:34.

12

The Chat

Lee, D.S., and J. Booth Jr. 1979. Seasonal distribution of offshore and pelagic birds in
North Carolina waters. Amer. Birds 35:715-721.

Lee, D.S., and S.P. Platania. 1979. Unverified sight records of seabirds in North Carolina
waters. Chat 43:79-81.

Lee, D.S., D.B. Wingate, and H.W. Kale II. 1981. Records of tropicbirds in the North
Atlantic and upper Gulf of Mexico, with comments on field identification. Amer.
Birds 35:887-890.

Manigault, P. 1959. Tropicbird off the South Carolina coast. Chat 25:62.

Moore, T.S. 1980. A record of the White-tailed Tropicbird for Georgia. Oriole 45:39-40.
Pearson, T.G., C.S. Brimley, and H.H. Brimley. 1 942. Birds of North Carolina. N.C. Dept.
Agric., Raleigh.

Sprunt, A., Jr., and E.B. Chamberlain. 1949. South Carolina Bird Life. Univ. South Caro-
lina Press, Columbia.

Wingate, D.B. 1973. A Checklist and Guide to the Birds of Bermuda. Published by author.
North Carolina State Museum, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611.

ATTENTION, PHOTOGRAPHERS!

PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST — The North Carolina State Museum of Natural
History will sponsor a nature photography contest this summer. Persons interested in
receiving contest information should write Mary Kay Clark, P.O. Box 27647, N.C. State
Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, N.C. 27611.

SLIDES NEEDED — High-quality slides depicting native plants and animals, aspects
of their life history, natural habitats, or other facets of North Carolina’s natural history are
needed by the State Museum. Slides will be used for noncommercial purposes to promote
natural history and support environmental education in North Carolina. Donations or loans
will be duplicated and originals or a high-quality duplicate will be returned to the
contributor. Contributors retain all publication and commercial rights to slides. Photo
credits will appear on slide mounts, and appropriate acknowledgements will be made when
the slides are used. Those interested in contributing should write or telephone Mary Kay
Clark, P.O. Box 27647, N.C. State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, N.C. 27611,
(919) 733-7450.

Winter 1983

13

SacAtfond,

2 vide* y,

• . . with Gail T. Whitehurst

Nesting Boxes Add New Dimensions to Backyard Birding

In the spring of 1982, we observed a Carolina Chickadee gathering moss and dry
grasses in our backyard. Watching to see where she went, we were somewhat surprised to
see her go down inside an iron pipe in the garden. Feeling that she deserved a better nesting
place, we scrounged around and came up with a small box that had contained a gift bottle of
wine. The front panel was removable. We cut a hole 1 V* inches across in this panel, put it
back on the box, and placed the whole thing on top of another iron pipe several feet away
from, and in line with, the one the chickadee had chosen. We hardly had time to move away
after securing the box before a pair of chickadees discovered it. They spent quite a while
going in and out and chattering to each other. The following morning, we were delighted to
see that they had “bought” the house and nest building was under way. This was on 1 1
March.

It was soon apparent that the female was incubating. Spring is a busy time for
gardening and birding, and we did not watch the box constantly. We did note on our daily
records that the chickadees were always present there. On 21 April, we noted one adult
taking a green worm into the box and wondered if the babies had hatched. On 29 April, we
could hear the babies in the box when being fed. On 6 May, at noontime, we dashed outside
to look for a Scarlet Tanager, which we heard singing. We did not locate the tanager, but did
realize that there was quite a commotion near the bird box. When we looked in that
direction, we discovered one fledgling already out and perched in a nearby tree. Another
one was peeking out the hole and shortly took flight. It was a few minutes later that we saw
the adult bird fly to the hole with an insect and entice another fledgling out. We could hear a
fourth baby inside, but pressing duties called us back to the house. A check later in the
afternoon found the box empty and the adults and young long gone. In subsequent days, we
did see the whole family foraging in the trees occasionally.

We waited a few days before taking down the box and opening it. The nest we
discovered was very neat and clean. Made of moss and fine grasses, it had a nice “woodsy”
odor. We removed the nest, scrubbed the box, let it air out a few days, and then returned it to
the same pipe/post. Incidentally, the box interior measures 12 % inches long; is 3 3A inches
wide and deep; the hole is 5% inches from the bottom. We give this information because, as
you will soon see, it seems to be just the right dimensions for small hole-nesting birds.

14

The Chat

On 1 3 May we noted two male House Wrens looking over the box. Both were singing
and, apparently, trying to claim it. Late the same day, we were aware that one male wren
had won and the other had moved on. The following day, the male that had taken
possession of the territory began taking twigs into the box. He did a lot of singing and very
shortly a female had arrived. We were not certain when the nest building began in earnest.
At any rate, these birds did nest there. It seemed an eternity before we could hear the
nestlings in the box and then forever until they fledged. We were not so fortunate as to be
present when the young came out, but knew they were in the box early in the morning of 28
June and gone that afternoon. They remained in the area for several days foraging in the low
bushes and hedge near the nest box.

Meanwhile, a few days before the young wrens left the nest, a male was heard singing
down the street a ways. He kept moving closer each day, and the singing kept up. The male
who had the young in the nest was too busy feeding them to challenge the newcomer.
Within a few days, the nesting wrens had moved on, and the new male claimed our
backyard for his own. On 7 July, we noted a wren taking the sticks and twigs out of the
box — we had been too busy to get around to cleaning it out. Once again a new nest was
built and, we presumed, eggs laid. The wait until we heard the young in the box was not
quite as long as with the first pair of wrens. Even so, it seemed as though it was a long stay.

On 1 2 August, we saw a young bird peeking out of the hole. We checked the box
several times during the day, and often the baby had its head sticking out, surveying the
world outside. It occurred to us that fledging time must be near. The next day at about 10
o’clock in the morning, we saw the baby wren again peering out at his surroundings.
Suddenly he gave a push with his toes, lifted his tiny wings and flew quite well. Out of the
box and 20 or more feet he flew into a nearby hedge. Other faces appeared and peeked out.
Then a little brown head with baby face and wide gape popped out of the hole. He surveyed
the situation, apparently measuring the distance to the nearest perch. He made much noise
(as the first one had done also) which was answered by the parent birds. He almost flew out,
then became “chicken” and turned and went back inside the box. Soon, however, he tried
again. After a period of several minutes, he overcame his fear and took off flying. This flier
was a bit less sure than the first fledgling, but he made it to a bush within a few feet of the
box. We could then see two more babies in the box. They took turns looking out, but neither
could bring itself to the point of leaving. The parent birds came and looked into the box
several times and chattered at the young. One would come out, look things over, and then
return. Then the other would give it a try, give up, and go back into the box. This lasted
some 30 minutes or so. We were reminded of children sticking their toes into cold water and
jumping back before finally being able to take the plunge into the swimming pool. Finally,
the coaxing of parents and siblings already out persuaded the reluctant ones to join them. It
took almost an hour to get the four fledglings out. The whole family moved off a few yards
into denser hedgerows and kept up a chatter the rest of the day. As I write this, it is the 1 7th
of August. The family of wrens is still around and can be seen and/or heard frequently
during the day. As dusk falls, the parent birds coax the young up into the pine trees to roost.
We felt most fortunate to be able to watch the fledging of two out of three families that used
our box. Isn’t it amazing how these tiny birds can fly the first time out?

Two days after the wrens departed the box, we took it down and examined the
contents. The nest was full of small sticks and twigs, which we decided to count. Would you
believe that there were 438 separate twigs? The inner nest was lined with pine straw

Winter 1983

15

(needles to you mountain dwellers) and a few small feathers. Tucked here and there among
the twigs was a bit of spider web and what looked like bits of cocoons of moths. The bottom
of the nest was damp and musty (had the second pair of birds left some of the first nest in?),
and we found a colony of small brown ants (with eggs) had established a home there. We
also counted a half dozen sow bugs on the floor of the box. We might mention here that the
box had two holes in the bottom through which we had run a heavy coated wire to hold the
box in place. The ants and sow bugs must have entered by way of these holes.

We have no exact dates as to when eggs were laid, incubation began, or hatching took
place. We did note that the time lapsed between the building of the nests and fledging was
46 days for the first pair and 38 for the second. We wonder if the warmer weather
(downright hot, if you will) made any difference in the time it took to bring the nesting to an
end. Or did the second brood leave earlier because of the presence of the ants? The second
brood did seem a tad smaller, and their gapes were more pronounced.

This was the first time in many years that we have had the pleasure of observing the
nesting of small birds here, and it made our summer backyard birding very interesting. Why
don’t you try it next year — and let us know what happens? — GAIL T. WHITEHURST,
1505 Brooks Avenue, Raleigh, N.C. 27607.

NATURE WALKS

Bird watchers living near Eno River, Umstead, and Crowders Mountain State Parks
are accustomed to the nature hikes scheduled throughout the year. Now similar activities
are open to the public at several parks in eastern North Carolina. On Saturday, 9 April there
will be a bird hike at Goose Creek State Park (phone 923-2191), and on Saturday, 7 May
there will be one at Merchants Millpond State Park (phone 357-1 191). All hikes begin at
0800 at the respective park offices and last until early afternoon. For further information,
write Michael L. Dunn, East District Naturalist, Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, Route 2, Box
50, Seven Springs, N.C. 28578.

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CB@

. . . with Louis C. Fink

Mammal Book Published

A Distributional Survey of North Carolina Mammals, by David S. Lee, John B.
Funderburg Jr., and Mary Kay Clark, was published by the North Carolina Biological
Survey and the State Museum in December 1982. Copies of this 72-page, SV2 x 11-inch
booklet are available from the State Museum, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 2761 1, for $5
each, postpaid.

Introductory material explains the zoogeography of North Carolina mammals,
describes the basic habitats, and reviews the history of mammal studies in the state. A
species list that includes the cetaceans is followed by species accounts for all mammals
except the whales and porpoises. There are range maps for nearly all the terrestrial
mammals. Although no attempt was made to illustrate all species, there are a number of
attractive drawings in addition to habitat photographs.

The publication is dedicated to the late Frederick S. Barkalow, a longtime professor of
zoology at North Carolina State University, a noted mammalogist, and an outstanding
wildlife conservationist.

The Living Bird Quarterly

In 1962 the Laboratory of Ornithology at Cornell University established an annual
publication, The Living Bird. Over the years this always beautifully illustrated journal has
published a number of significant and well-prepared papers, but it never was able to find a
large audience outside the loyal supporters of the Laboratory’s research programs. Most of
the papers were too technical to appeal to the average bird watcher, and many were too
light-weight to appeal to professionals and advanced amateurs.

The summer of 1982 marked the beginning of The Living Bird Quarterly , which is
designed to “inform, excite, and challenge” nonprofessional bird students. The publication
should appeal to those who want to learn more about ornithology but are not ready for the
major scientific journals. The color photographs and drawings are superbly reproduced.
The format and articles are much like those of Natural History or Audubon, though the first
two issues contained only 22 pages each. The quarterly is sent to all members of the Labora-
tory, and they receive a discount on items purchased at the bookshop. Memberships begin
at $25 per year. The address is 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, N.Y. 14850.

Winter 1983

17

Hawkwatching

Anyone who has ever spent an autumn day on Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania must
realize that hawkwatchers are different from other bird watchers. Part of the difference may
lie in the fact that the present-day popularity of hawkwatching grew out of a determination
to educate a public that seemed to believe the only good hawk was a dead one. Some of the
ridges where “sportsmen” used to gather to shoot hawks are today manned by dedicated
hawkwatchers who keep detailed migration data. From this effort grew, in 1974, the Hawk
Migration Association of North America, which has just published “A Beginner’s Guide to
Hawkwatching.” This 12-page booklet is available from Myriam P. Moore, 101 Columbia
Avenue, Lynchburg, Va. 24503, or from Nancy Clayton, HMANA Membership Secretary,
95 Martha’s Point Road, Concord, Mass. 01742. Single copies are $1; twenty or more
copies in one order, 75$ each.

HMANA offers daily report forms, with instructions, free to anyone who requests
them. The association publishes a newsletter, which goes to all members, and its other
publications and art prints are offered to members at special prices. A collection of hawk
slides is available for rental to bird clubs and other groups. Annual individual membership
is $8.

Newspaper Gleanings

Major John Charteris of the Royal Scots Regiment was assigned to protect 6 million
flightless penguins when the British retook the Falkland Islands from Argentina. In Bel Air,
Maryland, on the other hand, a high-school student raised a Great Horned Owl until it grew
too big. Used to being fed by humans, the owl attacked 1 5 people and had to be shot. This is
an effective reminder that the care of abandoned nestling raptors or sick and injured older
birds should be undertaken only by trained workers such as those at the various raptor
rehabilitation centers.

Whooping Cranes — at least 77 of them — are back in the Aransas National Wildlife
Refuge. Some of the birds carry radios so their migration can be tracked. An adult
California Condor was captured near Ventura, Calif., in hopes of successful breeding with
another condor in the Los Angeles zoo.

George M. Sutton, 84, who wrote 1 1 books on birds and illustrated 15 more, has died.

William J. Beecher, ornithologist and director of the Chicago Academy of Sciences,
says, “I don’t play the bird game. I prefer not to collect them like postage stamps — not caring
about them a second after their names are recorded on a list. I often spend a whole day
watching just one bird.”

(See also articles on pages 13 and 16.)

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General Field Notes

DAVID S. LEE, Department Editor

North Carolina State Museum, P 0. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

JULIAN R. HARRISON, Associate Editor

Department of Biology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. 29401

Hooded Merganser Nesting in Wood Duck
Boxes in Wake County, N.C.

SARAH S. ROBINSON
5020 Clear Run Drive
Wilmington, N.C. 28403

The Hooded Merganser (. Lophodytes cucullatus) is a cavity-nesting species that breeds
primarily in the Great Lakes area, but with secondary breeding areas along Pacific coastal
states and provinces and the eastern half of the United States (Johnsgard 1975, Bellrose
1976). The latter secondary nesting area includes North Carolina.

For North Carolina, Odum (1947) lists the Hooded Merganser as a “scarce breeder
inland” in the state. Pearson et al. ( 1 959) give two breeding records; Hader ( 1 969) gives the
Hooded Merganser “rare summer resident” status in Wake County and mentions briefly
four of the nests described in this paper. Additional published notes have indicated the
presence of adult Hooded Mergansers in spring and summer (Chat 13:34, 34:27, 36:94,
40:87, 4 1 :88-89, and 43:88) as well as an abandoned nest (Chat 38:78) and the presence of
young birds (Chat 37:108 and 44:22). These occurrences are summarized in Potter et al.
(1980).

The breeding range and nesting requirements of the Hooded Merganser are similar to
those of the Wood Duck {Aix sponsa ), and the merganser occasionally uses nest boxes
erected in Wood Duck management projects; Bellrose (1976) provides a summary of
published accounts of this occurrence throughout the United States. Hester and Dermid
(1973) refer to the occurrence of nests described in this paper, and one other nest in a Wood
Duck nest box has been reported in the state (Chat 38:78).

The nests reported here were found in nest boxes on Hester’s Pond in east-central
Wake County, N.C., near Wendell, approximately 30 miles east of Raleigh. The pond, on a
tributary of Little River, comprises 8 acres of open water with an alder thicket {Aims
serrulata ) near the upper end. The surrounding woodlands are mixed pine-hardwoods. The
Wood Duck nest boxes were erected between 1954 and 1966; nesting data reported here
were collected between 1961 and 1971 and in 1974 by North Carolina State University
Department of Zoology graduate students, including the author. Further descriptions of
Hester’s Pond and of data collection techniques can be found in Hester (1956) and
Robinson (1977).

During the years 1961 through 1971 and 1974, 13 Hooded Merganser nests were
initiated on Hester’s Pond; Table 1 summarizes information on the recorded nests. All of the

Winter 1983

19

TABLE 1. Summary of Hooded Merganser nesting on Hester’s Pond,
1961-1971 and 1974.

Total number

Number of

Incubating

Year

of eggs1

eggs hatched

hen 2

Hooded Merganser nests

1962

9

8

Hooded Merganser
(57564089)3

1963

10

04

2

04

1964

5

04

1971

9

9

Hooded Merganser
(no band)

Hooded Merganser- Wood Duck nests

1962

20(1+19)5

04

1963

11(2+9)

04

22 (3+19)6

17(1+16)

Wood Duck
(57564097)7

25(3+22)

08

1964

19(3+16)

11 (2+9)9

Wood Duck
(57564098)7

1974

15(2+13)

010

16 (13+3)11

11 (11+0)

Hooded Merganser
(no band)

7 (6+1)12

0i°

^or single nests all of the eggs are Hooded Merganser eggs, and as closely as can be
determined, all are from one hen; for dump nests the total includes Hooded Merganser and
Wood Duck eggs.

2 Whenever possible during the study on Hester’s Pond hens were given U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service leg bands during the third week of incubation; if the hen already wore a
band, the number was recorded.

3Female Hooded Merganser was banded (57564089) on this nest on Hester’s Pond in
1962, and this was her only documented nesting on the pond during the study.

4 The nest was never incubated.

5Hooded Merganser eggs + Wood Duck eggs.

6The field notes on this nest report on one day that the nest had 21 Wood Duck eggs,
but on the following check 19 were again reported; no reason for the inconsistency is
known.

7The female Wood Ducks were banded (57564097 and 57564098) on nests on
Hester’s Pond in 1962. Each nested a total of six times on the pond but had only one
documented nest with a mixed Wood Duck-Hooded Merganser clutch.

8 The nest was deserted by the incubating hen.

20

The Chat

nests were reported in February or March, the earliest being 18 February and the latest 28
March. This period corresponds with the peak period of Wood Duck nesting activity on the
pond (Robinson 1977).

The Hooded Merganser nests comprised two types, single nests with eggs laid by one
Hooded Merganser hen and compound or dump nests containing both Hooded Merganser
and Wood Duck eggs. Five nests were single nests; only two of these, each with nine eggs,
were incubated. Eight Hooded Merganser/Wood Duck dump nests were found on Hester’s
Pond, and three of these produced young.

The dump nesting phenomenon has been noted among both waterfowl and other
birds. Among gallinaceous birds, the behavior occurs regularly in the Ring-necked Pheasant
( Phasianus colchicus torquatus) (Bent 1 932). Dumping also occurs in some ground-nesting
species of ducks, including the Ruddy Duck ( Oxyura jamaicensis). Redhead (Aythya
americana ), and Canvasback (A. valisineria ) (Bent 1907, Hochbaum 1944, Weller 1959).
Among cavity-nesting species, Wood Duck dump nests have been reported frequently in
conjunction with nest-box studies, and over the 11 -year period from 1961 through 1971
they represented 61% of all Wood Duck nests on Hester’s Pond (Robinson 1977). Hooded
Merganser dump nests have been reported by Morse et al. (1969), and Bouvier (1974)
reported nesting interactions among Hooded Mergansers, Wood Ducks, and Common
Goldeneyes ( Bucephala clangula ) in Quebec.

One incidence of a Hooded Merganser laying in a Wood Duck nest on Hester’s Pond
was verified in 1974. On 20 February I checked box 41 shortly before 1300, noting 13
Wood Duck eggs and 1 Hooded Merganser egg. The eggs were photographed to show the
differences in size and coloration. As soon as I had left the box and rowed to the upper end
of the pond, a hen and drake Hooded Merganser landed on the water near box 4 1 and swam
for approximately 3 minutes. At 1 3 10 the hen flew into the box. The drake remained on the
water for a few minutes longer before flying off to the south. At 1325 the hen left the box
and also flew south. I immediately returned to the nest box and found one additional
Hooded Merganser egg, still warm, making a total of 15 eggs in the box. This nest received
no more eggs, and it was never incubated; it eventually was destroyed by flickers, starlings,
or both.

TABLE 1, footnotes, continued

9One young Hooded Merganser and four young Wood Ducks that hatched from this
mixed clutch did not leave the box with the female Wood Duck. The hen apparently left the
box with one Hooded Merganser and five Wood Duck chicks.

l0The nest was destroyed by predation.

nIf, as reported in the literature, female Hooded Mergansers lay one egg every other
day, it is probable that more than one Hooded Merganser was laying in the box. Between 6
March and 27 March a total of 13 Hooded Merganser eggs were deposited in the nest. This
nest also held one Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio ) egg, which was not included in the total
number of eggs; the owl egg was noted in the nest box on 6 March before any of the Hooded
Merganser or Wood Duck eggs were laid.

12This nest possibly should be considered a single-species (Hooded Merganser) nest
because Wood Duck eggs were found in the box at irregular intervals during the nesting
season.

Winter 1983

21

The small number of nests reported here prevents generalizations on the nesting
behavior of the Hooded Merganser, but these nests do follow the patterns observed in
Oregon by Morse et al. (1969) and in other studies summarized in Bellrose (1976). Of the
13 nests on Hester’s Pond with which Hooded Mergansers were involved, all but one are
known to have been in nest boxes located over water; Morse et al. (1969) found that
Hooded Mergansers selected the nest boxes nearest the water. In each of the three incubated
dump nests, a hen of the species that appeared to have initiated the nest performed the
incubation, and the number of eggs of that species predominated in the nest, observations
that agree with Bellrose. Bellrose also states that Wood Duck and Hooded Merganser
incubation periods are the same so that eggs of both species in mixed clutches hatch, and
two of the three dump nests on Hester’s Pond did produce young of both species.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank F. Eugene Hester, who directed the research at Hester’s Pond during his years
at North Carolina State University, for generously giving me access to the field notes for
1961 through 1970 and for making helpful comments on this manuscript.

LITERATURE CITED

Bellrose, F.C. 1976. Ducks, Geese, and Swans of North America. 2nd ed. Stackpole
Books, Harrisburg, Pa.

Bent, A.C. 1907. Summer birds of southwestern Saskatchewan. Auk 24:407-430.
Bent, A.C. 1932. Ring-necked Pheasant. Pages 310-322 in Life Histories of North
American Gallinaceous Birds, A.C. Bent. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washing-
ton, D.C.

Bouvier, J. 1974. Breeding biology of the Hooded Merganser in southwestern Quebec,
including interactions with Common Goldeneyes and Wood Ducks. Can. Field Nat.
88(3):323-330.

Hader, R. J. 1969. Species list of birds of Wake County, North Carolina. Chat 33(3):53-71 .
Hester, F.E. 1956. The Wood Duck in east central North Carolina. M.S. Thesis, North
Carolina State College, Raleigh, N.C.

Hester, F.E., and J. Dermid. 1973. The World of the Wood Duck. J.B. Lippincott Co.,
New York.

Hochbaum, H.A. 1944. The Canvasback on a Prairie Marsh. The Stackpole Co., Harris-
burg, Pa., and Wildl. Mgmt. Inst., Washington, D.C.

Johnsgard, P.A. 1975. Hooded Merganser. Pages 484-492 in Waterfowl of North
America, P.A. Johnsgard. Indiana Univ. Press, Bloomington.

Morse, T.E., J.L. Jakabosky, and V.P. McGrow. 1969. Some aspects of the breeding
biology of the Hooded Merganser. J. Wildl. Mgmt. 33(3):596-604.

Odum, H.T. 1947. Status of waterfowl in inland North Carolina. Chat 11:42-48.
Pearson, T.G., C.S. Brimley, and H.H. Brimley. 1959. Birds of North Carolina. Revised by
D.L. Wray and H.T. Davis. N.C. Dept, of Agric., State Museum Div., Raleigh, N.C.
Potter, E.F., J.F. Parnell, and R.P. Teulings. 1980. Birds of the Carolinas. Univ. of North
Carolina Press, Chapel Hill.

Robinson, S.S. 1977. Dump nesting in a Wood Duck population. M.S. Thesis. North
Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, N.C.

Weller, M.W. 1959. Parasitic egg laying in the Redhead ( Aythya americana ) and other
North American Anatidae. Ecol. Monogr. 29(4):333-365.

22

The Chat

Second South Carolina Record of the Smooth-billed Ani

JOHN H. DICK
Dixie Plantation
Meggett, S.C. 29460

On 5 December 1981, while driving on the old ricefield banks of Hope Plantation near
Jacksonboro, S.C., Mr. Turner and I noticed two grackle-like birds perched in low Chinese
Tallow Trees ( Sapium sebiferum). Their “loose-jointed” behavior and large bills immedi-
ately showed them to be anis. As the birds were remarkably tame, we were able to approach
within 10 feet before they became alarmed. With binoculars I could easily see that the bills
of both birds were smooth, without any trace of grooves. Neither bird foraged while we were
observing them, and I could not help but wonder how they survive in an area so far removed
from the normal range.

This appears to be the second record of the Smooth-billed Ani ( Crotophaga ani) for
South Carolina. On 29 November 1978, an individual of this species was found dead at
Hunting Island State Park, S.C., but the specimen was not saved (Amer. Birds 33:761). A
single specimen record for North Carolina is now believed to have been based on an escape
(Amer. Birds 33:761).

Groove-billed Ani at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, S.C.

PAT YOUNG

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge
Box 8487

Savannah, Georgia 31402

While touring the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge on 27 October 1979, members
of the Columbia Audubon Society spotted a Groove-billed Ani hidden in shrubbery along
the shoulder of a dike on the South Carolina side of Back River (east channel of the
Savannah River). The two visitors who first noticed the bird immediately yelled “Ani!”, but
the question of whether it was a Smooth-billed or a Groove-billed soon arose. The ani
accommodated viewers by flying to a high perch where it could be readily observed, and
even though the bird changed perch sites several times during a 40- to 50-minute period,
clear views (with binoculars and a 60X telescope at distances of 10 to 50 feet) were obtained
by all visitors and refuge personnel. A careful study of the bird’s field marks, particularly the
distinctive grooves on the beak, indicated to all viewers that the bird was unquestionably a
Groove-billed Ani ( Crotophaga sulcirostris). The bird disappeared into brush along the
bank of Back River and eluded people who sought it the following day, but was
rediscovered on 29 October at the original site. It returned to the Back River area on 1
December, where it was last seen on 9 December (Amer. Birds 34:264).

Refuge Manager David Goeke, who had been summoned to the scene on 27 October,
photographed the ani (see cover and Fig. 1) at 15 feet using a 35 mm Nikon FE camera
equipped with a 400 mm lens. Examination of the photographs confirmed the identification
of the ani as a Groove-billed; the beak was clearly grooved, not smooth. Also, the beak
lacked the distinctly arched and knife-like hump that is characteristic of the Smooth-billed
Ani, but exhibited instead the unbroken arc typical of the Groove-billed species. In life, the

Winter 1983

23

feathers on the nape appeared silvery-tipped, not bronze-edged as in the Smooth-billed
Ani. Photographs of the bird were shown to S.E. Gauthreaux, H.E. LeGrand Jr., and E.B.
Chamberlain, who were in accord with its identification as a Groove-billed. This record was
reported initially by LeGrand (Amer. Birds 34:151) in his summary of the autumn
migration for the Southern Atlantic Coast Region in 1979.

Although the Groove-billed Ani has been observed on a number of occasions in states
east of the Mississippi (see Associate Editor’s note below), chiefly during the late fall, the
present record is the first for South Carolina. Shortly after the initial report of the Back River
ani, Richard H. Moore (Amer. Birds 34:766) provided information concerning a second
South Carolina record, a dead bird in an advanced stage of decomposition found on the
beach at Waite’s Island near Cherry Grove on 23 January 1976. Although this specimen
was not saved, its beak was clearly that of a Groove-billed Ani.

[NOTE: During the past two decades, the Groove-billed Ani has become an
“uncommon but regular winter resident” in the Delta region of Louisiana below New
Orleans (G.H. Lowery, 1974, Louisiana Birds, p. 372-373), a regular fall vagrant in the
Midwest (Amer. Birds 36: 1 84), and an irregular fall vagrant in other areas of eastern United
States. As noted initially by Lowery, there is a general tendency for individuals of this
species to move northward in the fall when other migrants are moving south. Although anis
were scarce in the New Orleans area in 1967 (Amer. Birds 23:67), they were present in
“unprecedented numbers” during the fall and early winter of 1968 (Amer. Birds 23:490). In
other areas to the north and east, there were scattered fall records during the 1960s for
Florida (Amer. Birds 17:38, 19:31, 21:24), Michigan (Amer. Birds 23:55), Ohio (Amer.
Birds 18:43), Tennessee (Amer. Birds 23:67), and Wisconsin (Amer. Birds 23:55, 24:52).

In the 1970s, the number of sightings on the Gulf Coast and in the Midwest increased,
and for the first time, Groove-billeds began to appear in Atlantic Coast states north of
Florida. The species was again reported from Florida (Amer. Birds 25:47, 29:46), one or
more birds made an appearance at six different sites in Alabama (Amer. Birds 33:289), and
there were two sightings in Louisiana (Amer. Birds 33:289). In the Midwest, anis were seen
in Illinois (Amer. Birds 34:168, 785), Michigan (Amer. Birds 31:181), Missouri (Amer.
Birds 27:69, 33:184), Ohio (Amer. Birds 27:69), South Dakota (Amer. Birds 27:631), and
Wisconsin (Amer. Birds 30:75, 34:165). Also, and more interestingly, Maryland (C.S.
Robbins, and D. Bystrak, 1977, Field List of the Birds of Maryland), South Carolina
(Amer. Birds 34:151; Chat, this issue), and Virginia (Amer. Birds 34:160) established their
first records of the species.

In the fall and early winter of 1980, a Groove-billed was seen in Ohio (Amer. Birds
35:190), and an unidentified ani observed in Nova Scotia (Amer. Birds 35:803) may have
been this species. During fall 1981, Groove-billeds were present in “approximately normal
numbers” in coastal Louisiana (Amer. Birds 36:187), and were widespread in the state on
the Christmas Bird Count (Amer. Birds 36:303). The American Birds Regional Editor for
the Midwestern Prairie Region noted (Amer. Birds 36:184) that Groove-billeds “are
becoming regular fall vagrants” and listed records from Illinois, Kentucky, and Ohio. There
were also sightings in Wisconsin (Amer. Birds 36:181) and Virginia (Amer. Birds 36:178).

Although it seems clear that after the breeding season Groove-billed Anis do move
northward and eastward away from the Gulf Coast region, the reason behind this pattern of
behavior is unknown. The increase in the number of fall or early-winter sightings is at least
in part a reflection of the successful expansion of the breeding range into Louisiana. Skutch

24

The Chat

Fig. 1 . In spite of the shadow across the tip of the bill, the grooves can be seen
well enough to document the identity of the Groove-billed Ani found at
Savannah N.W.R. in South Carolina in October 1979. The same bird appears
on the front cover of this issue. (Photo by David Goeke)

(Auk 76:281-317) and others have commented that Groove-billed Anis often forage
beside grazing livestock, a behavior that is shared with Cattle Egrets. Cattle Egrets,
however, leave their breeding areas in North America and winter in the southeastern United
States, mainly on the Gulf Coast and in Florida, although the number of birds wintering in
the region has apparently declined (Amer. Birds 36:354-357). Competition for a similar
feeding niche on the wintering grounds of the Cattle Egret with a concommitant displace-
ment of Groove-billed Anis to other areas may be one factor that has led to a northward and
eastward movement of this species in the fall. — JRH]

Audubon-Myrtle Warbler Specimen from North Carolina

GILBERT S. GRANT
ALVIN L. BRASWELL
North Carolina State Museum
P.O. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

On 29 April 1982 Braswell collected a Yellow-rum ped Warbler (Dendroica
coronata ) off Buffalo City Road, 5 miles SE of the town of East Lake, Dare County, N.C.
Examination of the specimen (NCSM 8368) showed shared characteristics of both D. c.
auduboni and D. c. coronata. M. Ralph Browning at the United States National Museum of

Winter 1983

25

Natural History examined the specimen and confirmed this. The pale yellow throat and the
tail spotting of this specimen are typical of auduboni while the other characters (supraloral
spot, wing-bar pattern, auricular color, postocular line) are those of typical coronata
(Hubbard, Auk 86:393-432). Thus, the specimen is an intergrade of the two well-marked
subspecies. The specimen is a male (both testes 2x2 mm) weighing 12.4 g with moderate
fat stores and was undergoing moderate to heavy molt of the head, neck, and body. All
remiges were new. The skull was ossified. Having no bursa, the bird is an adult.

Although this is the third report of “Audubon’s” Warbler from North Carolina, this
represents the first spring record and the first of an intergrade from North Carolina.
Previously Betty Davis (Auk 88:924) collected an Audubon’s Warbler (NCSM 3938) in
Rocky Mount on 28 February 1970, and Michael Schultz (Chat 44:43-44) observed an
Audubon’s Warbler in Durham during February 1 980. Both of these records are of typical
D. c. auduboni.

We thank M. Ralph Browning for examining the specimen. The field work was partly
supported'by contract #14-16-0004-81-056 of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
This is contribution number 1983-2 of the North Carolina Biological Survey.

BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

(All dates 1982)

[Because copy for the winter briefs was prepared several months ago, only the
species names follow the Sixth Edition of the A.O.U. Check-list. The new species
order will be used in future issues. Please note that Red-necked Phalarope is the
new common name for the Northern Phalarope. This change was omitted from
the list that appeared in Chat 46:72-73. — ED.]

COMMON LOON: One was unusual at Jordan Reservoir, eastern Chatham County,
N.C., from 23 June to 1 July (Bill and Margaret Wagner).

HORNED GREBE: Out-of-season individuals, both in breeding plumage, were observed
near Four Oaks, N.C., on 7 June by Tom Haggerty and at Atlantic Beach, N.C., on
30 July by John Fussell.

PIED-BILLED GREBE: This species very rarely breeds away from ponds and impound-
ments in the lower coastal plain. Thus, notable were three active nests discovered on
5 July by Jim McConnell and party in eastern Durham County, N.C., at the new Falls
of the Neuse Reservoir. A fourth nest was found on 1 August.

GREATER SHEARWATER: John Fussell and Wayne Irvin found three dead birds
along the beach between Atlantic Beach and Beaufort Inlet, N.C., on 19 June.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: Inland reports for the summer season, all in
North Carolina, include one near Fayetteville from 9 June to 8 July (Philip Crutch-
field), one at Seven Lakes in Moore County on 15 June (Dick Thomas), and a peak
summer count at Jordan Reservoir of 55 on 30 June (Bill wagner et al).

26

The Chat

ANHINGA: Wayne Irvin saw one soaring near Raleigh, N.C., on 5 June. A pair was
again seen during the summer at Jessup’s Mill Pond near Fayetteville, N.C., by Philip
Crutchfield; nesting is possibly occurring at this site.

MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD: Adult males were observed on 20 June at Sullivans
Island, S.C. (Zach Ralston), on 20 or 21 June at Cape Lookout, N.C. (Steve
Spickerman), on 21 June at Bogue Sound, N.C. (John Fussell), and on 28 and 29
June at Beaufort Inlet, N.C. (Larry Crawford). These birds, plus an adult female at
Beaufort Inlet on 20 June (Wayne Irvin), were brought to the Carolinas by a tropical
storm.

CATTLE EGRET: Rare in the piedmont in summer were single birds noted by Jim
McConnell at Beaverdam Reservoir in northern Wake County, N.C., on 16 July and
by Harry LeGrand near Sandy Springs, S.C., on 25 July.

GREAT EGRET: Unusually large numbers dispersed inland during the summer, includ-
ing an excellent 150+ at Jordan Reservoir on 30 July, as reported by Bill Wagner.

SNOWY EGRET: An excellent count for the piedmont was six observed by Jim
Mulholland at Beaverdam Reservoir on 23 July.

TRICOLORED HERON: At least five were noted by Bill Wagner and party in eastern
Durham County on 31 July. Single birds were also inland near Fayetteville from
29 June to 24 July (Philip Crutchfield) and at Beaverdam Reservoir on 16 July (Jim
McConnell).

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: Rare in late summer was one seen by Dan
Kaplan and others at Jordan Reservoir on 5 August.

YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: Three were noted by Andy Towle and Tony
Shrimpton at Jordan Reservoir on 24 July.

LEAST BITTERN: Merrill Lynch and Lance Peacock found five at the Goose Creek
Gameland Impoundment along the Beaufort-Pamlico County, N.C., line on 13 May,
and another at the upper portion of the Alligator River in Hyde County, N.C., on 16
June. Bill and Margaret Wagner saw one in marshes along the Neuse River east of
Durham on 5 July, and Jim McConnell found a nest there on the same day. At least
four young fledged from the nest, which contained five eggs.

AMERICAN BITTERN: One was heard and another was seen at the Goose Creek
impoundment along the Beaufort-Pamlico County line on 1 3 May (Merrill Lynch,
Lance Peacock). These could have been either breeders or late migrants. Assumed
to be an early migrant was one seen by Philip Crutchfield at Fayetteville on 21 July.

WOOD STORK: This species nested for the second consecutive year on the lower Edisto
River in Colleton County, S.C., fide John Cely. Tom Murphy saw approximately
12 nests in 1981 and 22 nests this year. No specific dates were provided. This appears
to represent the first unequivocal evidence of breeding in the state, though there have
been vague references to nesting and other records of indirect breeding evidence (such
as adults carrying sticks).

GLOSSY IBIS: Adults were notable inland near Fayetteville on 15 July (Philip Crutch-
field) and at Beaverdam Reservoir on 23 July (Jim Mulholland).

WHITE IBIS: Philip and James Crutchfield saw 15 ibises near Fayetteville on 14 July.

BLUE-WINGED TEAL: Perhaps the first breeding record for inland North Carolina was

Winter 1983

27

established at Beaverdam Reservoir on 12 June, when Dick Brame flushed a female
with seven young.

COMMON EIDER: A good count for the Carolinas was two females and an immature
male seen by Suzanne Oppenheimer and Barbara Amatruda at Cape Hatteras, N.C.,
on 10 April.

BLACK SCOTER: There were many reports of lingering individuals along Bogue Banks,
N.C., between 6 June and 28 July (fide John Fussell), with 15 at Pine Knoll Shores
from 6 to 1 0 June (Larry Crawford). Others in North Carolina waters were three seen
in Brunswick County at Lockwood Folly Inlet on 3 July by Tim Playforth and Larry
Renfrow, and one seen off Pamlico Point on 31 July by Philip Crutchfield and party.

AMERICAN SWALLOW-TAILED KITE: John Cely found two nests this spring in the
Francis Marion National Forest, S.C.; three young were fledged. Truly remarkable
were the concentrations reported by Mitch and Phyllis Feller at the Santee River delta,
S.C., this summer. They noted 45 to 50 there on 5 July and approximately 100 at the
delta on 16 July. Only two were seen on 6 August.

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK: The pair seen by Tom Haggerty in May near Blowing Rock,
N.C., was noted again on 2 July. An immature was observed by Jim McConnell at
Durham on 3 July.

COOPER’S HAWK: Paul Hamel observed single birds in South Carolina near Cross
Anchor, Spartanburg County, on 1 June, and in northern Anderson County on 12
June. [Records of Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks in July, even of adults, should
not be taken to indicate local breeding. Both species are regularly seen in the Carolinas
after mid- July; most such birds in that month are likely to be early migrants or post-
breeding wanderers from other regions. Note that a Sharp-shinned Hawk nest in 1981
near Hillsborough, N.C., was active from 2 to 1 3 May (Meyer and Mueller, Chat
46:78-80). Thus, adult accipiters in May should not be assumed to be late spring
migrants. During my 5 years as Briefs for the Files editor of Chat , I have published
most accipiter records from June, many records from July, but relatively few from
May. As a result, the list of observations of Sharp-shinned Hawks during the breeding
season, 1960 through 1981, in the above reference, is somewhat incomplete. Never-
theless, both species are rare or rather rare in the breeding season in the mountains and
piedmont and very rare in the coastal plain. Actual evidence of breeding has been
extremely scarce in recent decades. — HEL]

GOLDEN EAGLE: Very rare and unusually late was an immature flushed from a large
field near Mayesville, S.C., on 27 May by Evelyn Dabbs. Jim McConnell and party
observed an adult in the Unicoi Mountains of western Graham County, N.C., on 18
June.

BALD EAGLE: Adults were noteworthy in North Carolina near Pinebluff on 1 1 June
(Russ Hay, fide Jay Carter), at Holland Lake on Fort Bragg on 1 August (Tommy
Hughs), and near Washington on 8 August (Amy Brown, Grace Smith). A few were
reported by Bill Wagner and others in late July and early August at Beaverdam and
Jordan reservoirs, sites where eagles have been fairly regular in recent years.

NORTHERN HARRIER: Merrill Lynch and Lance Peacock observed two immatures or
females south of Lake Phelps, Washington County, N.C., on 10 June and another 5

28

The Chat

miles S of nearby Roper on 1 1 July. As usual, several were seen at Cedar Island, N.C.,
in June, fide John Fussell.

AMERICAN KESTREL: Jay Carter noted birds at three locations in western Fort Bragg
during the summer. At one of these sites he saw a recently fledged bird with two adults
on 18 June.

KING RAIL: Rare for the piedmont were two seen and heard in June in eastern Durham
County along the Neuse River by Jim McConnell, Dan Kaplan, and others. The
species was last detected on 3 August.

SORA: One, probably an early migrant, was seen by Philip and James Crutchfield near
Sunset Beach, N.C., on 1 8 July.

BLACK RAIL: Likely on territory was one heard calling for 5 minutes at Pea Island, N.C.,
on 30 July by Allen Bryan.

AMERICAN AVOCET: John Fussell observed four to seven birds at Brant Island in Fort
Macon State Park, N.C., between 19 June and 24 July.

PIPING PLOVER: Philip and James Crutchfield noted one at Sunset Beach on 1 8 July.
This and several previous summer reports suggest the possibility of breeding there.

UPLAND SANDPIPER: A rare and very early fall migrant was noted by Evelyn Dabbs
near Mayesville, S.C., on 2 July.

LESSER YELLOWLEGS: Early fall migrants were three at Cedar Island, N.C., on 27
June (John Fussell) and one in eastern Durham County on 1 July (Jim McConnell).

WILSON’S PHALAROPE: Unusual in June was an individual in winter plumage at Fort
Macon State Park on 19 June, as seen by John Fussell. Allen Bryan observed four at
Pea Island on 30 July.

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE: Quite rare was one seen in breeding plumage at a spoil
pond at Fort Macon State Park on 19 and 21 June by John Fussell and Wayne Irvin.

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER: Fairly early fall migrants, noted by Jim McConnell,
were four at Beaverdam Reservoir on 1 1 July and one at the Durham sewer beds on
15 July.

LEAST SANDPIPER: John Fussell saw one at Fort Macon State Park on 24 June, an
early date for a presumed fall transient.

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER: This species is regular as a spring migrant along the
coast into mid-June; however, two seen by John Fussell at Fort Macon State Park on
19 and 24 June were somewhat unusual.

STILT SANDPIPER: Uncommon was one noted by Bill and Margaret Wagner at the Falls
of the Neuse Reservoir lakebed on 18 July.

PARASITIC JAEGER: Three were seen migrating northeastward at Atlantic Beach, N.C.,
on 13 June by John Fussell and Wayne Irvin.

RING-BILLED GULL: Notable in midsummer was an individual found by Allen Bryan at
Jordan Reservoir on 1 July. One (the same bird?) was also seen there on 25 and 28
July by Bill and Margaret Wagner.

BONAPARTE’S GULL: John Fussell saw two immatures from 19 June to the end of July
at Brant Island in Fort Macon State Park.

GULL-BILLED TERN: Rather unusual were as many as 10 seen feeding over soybean and

Winter 1983

29

corn fields near Swanquarter, N.C., on 1 1 August by Merrill Lynch and Lance
Peacock.

COMMON TERN: One was noted at Fayetteville on 29 June (Philip Crutchfield) and
three were seen east of Durham on 9 August (Bill and Margaret Wagner).

LEAST TERN: Merrill Lynch and Lance Peacock observed several at a spoil area of the
Texas Gulf Sulphur plant in Beaufort County, N.C., on 28 June.

CASPIAN TERN: Rare inland in midsummer were singles at Fayetteville on 22 June
(Philip Crutchfield) and at Jordan Reservoir on 17 July (Dan Kaplan, Bill Wagner,
et al.).

BLACK TERN: John Fussell and others had five records in the Beaufort Inlet, N.C., area
from 16 June to 6 July.

NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL: Strongly suggestive of local breeding was an immature
seen during the daytime by John Cely on 21 July at Craggy Gardens, Buncombe
County, N.C. The owl was roosting in a beech-birch thicket at an elevation of 4500 feet.

WHIP-POOR-WILL: Lance Peacock and Merrill Lynch noted four birds north of Grants-
boro, Pamlico County, N.C., on 13 May and on 28 June; and they heard one and saw
two at Peters Creek canal, 8 miles S of Manns Harbor, N.C., on 10 June. At an
established site, John Fussell heard one calling 2 miles N of North River community in
Carteret County, N.C., on 6 June. Farther inland in the coastal plain, several were
noted all summer in the Fayetteville area (Philip Crutchfield) and at least three were
heard in western Gates County, N.C., on 25-26 June (Karen Masson).

GRAY KINGBIRD: One was north of its breeding range at Topsail Island, N.C., as seen by
Gail Whitehurst on 7 June.

WILLOW FLYCATCHER: Ramona Snavely again noted this species during the summer
in the Winston-Salem, N.C., area. She saw two birds carrying food in June along
Salem Creek, but a nest was not found. Willow Flycatchers probably nest in most of
the counties in the northwestern piedmont of North Carolina; exploratory field work
on this species is badly needed.

ALDER FLYCATCHER: Bill and Margaret Wagner observed a singing migrant along the
Neuse River east of Durham on 16 August.

HORNED LARK: Jay Carter reports that larks apparently bred in Fort Bragg near Ashley
Heights, Hoke County. One was seen by Karen Masson on 25 June near the US 258
bridge over the Roanoke River in Halifax County, N.C.

TREE SWALLOW: An excellent count for so early in the fall migration was 1000+ seen by
Merrill Lynch and Lance Peacock in the Lake Phelps, N.C., area on 10 July.

BANK SWALLOW: This species breeds conclusively in North Carolina only in Wilkes
County, but two records this summer suggest the possibility of nesting. John Fussell
and party had two on 6 June and one on 20 June at the Cedar Island ferry terminal.
Barn and Rough-winged Swallows nested in holes in old ships there and possibly the
Banks did also. Merrill Lynch saw at least five flying around a bridge over the Hyco
River in northern Person County on 27 June. He reported that the birds did not seem
to be migrating; exposed banks are present along the shore of Hyco Reservoir.
Presumed early migrants were two at Jordan Reservoir on 8 July (Jim McConnell)

30

The Chat

and two at Emerald Isle, N.C., on 1 1 July (Larry Crawford, John Fussell, Bob
Holmes).

CLIFF SWALLOW: Karen Masson saw five pairs feeding young under a bridge across the
Hyco River near McGehees Mill, Person County, N.C., on 27 June. Nearby, Merrill
Lynch saw three pairs at their nests under a bridge on Hyco Reservoir on 1 1 July.
Allen Bryan saw eight birds and three nests at Jordan Reservoir on 1 July. In the
mountains, three nests were found at Fontana Dam, N.C., on 17 June by Owen and
Jim McConnell. Rather rare migrants near the coast were two at Oriental, N.C., on 14
July (Larry Crawford) and one at Emerald Isle on 25 July (John Fussell et ai).

FISH CROW: Jim McConnell noted the species nearly every day this summer in a part of
Durham, with a peak of four on 13 June. One bird was seen carrying a stick in its bill.

HOUSE WREN: Out of range and in unusual habitat was a singing wren in Pond Pine
pocosin in Northwest Pocosin, Pamlico County, N.C., on 14 May (Merrill Lynch,
Lance Peacock). These observers saw another singing bird in burned Pond Pine
pocosin 6 miles N of Stumpy Point, Dare County, N.C., on 10 June. Henry Rankin
and Philip Crutchfield had a male in Fayetteville from late June to mid- July, and
Harry LeGrand heard one singing on territory in a residential section of Newberry,
S.C., on 17 July.

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE: This species has become alarmingly scarce during the
breeding seson in the Carolinas, especially in the piedmont of North Carolina. Merrill
Lynch drove 106.5 miles in Person County in July, much in prime habitat, without
seeing any. Near Raleigh, Jim Mulholland saw only one along a 12-mile route where
shrikes were formerly common.

SOLITARY YIREO: Perhaps the first breeding-season record for this vireo in Person
County was a singing bird near the Hyco River on 27 June (Merrill Lynch). Jay Carter
heard one singing in western Fort Bragg, Hoke County, on 16 June.

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER: Merrill Lynch and Lance Peacock noted a singing
male on 14 May on Upper Broad Creek on the Pamlico-Craven County line, N.C. The
bird was probably on territory, but its being a Tate migrant cannot be ruled out.

SWAINSON’S WARBLER: Tom Haggerty found a singing bird along Elk Creek, Wilkes
County, N.C., about 2 miles N of Darby on 1 July; he saw the bird the next day. The
site was from 1300 to 1600 feet in elevation, with dense rhododendron and Mountain
Laurel on a steep slope. Several singing birds were found by Travis Knowles on
the Bat Cave Preserve in western Rutherford County, N.C., during June and July.
Extensive field work in eastern North Carolina by Merrill Lynch and Lance Peacock
revealed that the species was widespread though uncommon during the breeding
season in all four counties of their study area — Dare, Hyde, Washington, and
Pamlico.

WORM-EATING WARBLER: Merrill Lynch and Lance Peacock noted three singing
birds in Pamlico County on 14 May that were likely on territory. They also had a
remarkable 45 birds in Hyde, Dare, and Washington Counties during the summer.

BLUE- WINGED WARBLER: An early migrant was seen by Tony and Nikki Shrimpton
at Jordan Reservoir on 27 July.

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER: This species was quite common in parts of

Winter 1983

31

eastern North Carolina this spring and summer, according to Merrill Lynch and
Lance Peacock. They tallied 101+ singing birds in Dare, Hyde, Pamlico, and Wash-
ington Counties; the birds were most common in Atlantic White Cedar swamps.

CERULEAN WARBLER: A new breeding-season station was noted by Travis Knowles,
who found two singing males in June and July at Bat Cave Preserve in extreme
western Rutherford County.

KENTUCKY WARBLER: Merrill Lynch and Lance Peacock were unable to find this
species during the summer in Dare, Hyde, or Washington Counties. However, they
noted singing birds in Pamlico County near Kershaw on 28 June, Merritt on 13 July,
and Nelms on 1 3 July.

CANADA WARBLER: Jim McConnell noted a pair at the rather low elevation of 3120
feet during June along the Santeetlah Creek in Graham County, N.C.

AMERICAN REDSTART: Somewhat to the east of the breeding range was an individual
singing in Gull Rock Gameland, southern Hyde County, N.C., on 17 June (Merrill
Lynch, Lance Peacock).

SCARLET TANAGER: Singing males were slightly outside the usual breeding range at
Fort Jackson near Columbia, S.C. (John Cely), and near Arapahoe, N.C. (Merrill
Lynch, Lance Peacock), both noted on 1 3 July.

PAINTED BUNTING: This species nests almost solely in North Carolina within several
miles of the ocean. Therefore, a male singing regularly all during July and to 4 August
at Becker’s Sand and Gravel Company near Fayetteville was most unusual (Philip
Crutchfield).

DICKCISSEL: Harry LeGrand found three singing males and a female near Townville,
S.C., on 5 June, and he saw another singing male a mile away on several dates in
June. The field where the first four birds occurred was mowed in July, and no birds
were present after the mowing.

HOUSE FINCH: Jere Eggleston had a pair at his feeder in Columbia, S.C., in late April and
May. During June seven birds (a family group) were at the feeder. At Fayetteville,
Henry Rankin saw as many as 1 5 birds, including immatures, at his feeder during the
summer.

PINE SISKIN: Very late lingering siskins were at feeders at Raleigh until 5 June (Wayne
Irvin) and near Southern Pines, N.C., until 20 June (Libba Watson).

RED CROSSBILL: A few birds were reported in July in the North Carolina mountains
at Richland Balsam and at Highlands (Allen Bryan, Harry LeGrand).

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW: Philip Crutchfield and M.E. Whitfield noted three in Fort
Bragg, western Hoke County, on 3 August.

SONG SPARROW: John Fussell found the species at Cedar Island, N.C., during the
summer, in numbers similar to those of last year. This is the southernmost known site
of breeding for the Atlantic race.

[NOTE: LeGrand’s current address is 331 Yadkin Drive, Raleigh, N.C. 27609. — EFP]

32

The Chat

MEMBERSHIP

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OFFICERS

President Richard D. Brown, Biology, UNC-Charlotte, 28223

Vice-presidents . .. Ercel Francis, 26 Cardinal Road, Cedar Mountain, N.C. 28718
Frances B. Needham, Box 8207, Waynick Blvd., Wnghtsville Beach, N.C. 28480
Teddy M. Shuler, Route 1, Box 15, Seneca, S.C. 29678

Secretary Julie Angerman-Stewart, 3966-C Tara Drive, Raleigh, N.C. 27609

Treasurer Thomas M. Dabbs, Route 1, Box 64, Mayesville, S.C. 29104

Members -at -large:

Region I — Western North Carolina

George W. Morgan, Winston-Salem, and Ruth Young, Fairview, N.C.

Region II — Eastern North Carolina

Robert J. Hader, Raleigh, and Dana T. Carter, Goldsboro
Region III — South Carolina

Lex Glover, Columbia, and Steve Compton, Charleston
Headquarters Secretary Fran M. Irvin

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The Chat

Vol. 47 SPRING 1983 No. 2

Quarterly Bulletin of Carolina Bird Club, Inc.
The Ornithological Society of the Carolinas

The Chat

(USPS 101-200)

Vol. 47 SPRING 1983 No. 2

Published by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc.

Editor Eloise F. Potter, Route 3, Box 1 14 AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

General Field Notes David S. Lee, Department Editor

Julian R. Harrison, Associate Editor

Briefs for the Files Harry E. LeGrand Jr., 331 Yadkin Drive,

Raleigh, N.C. 27609

CBC Roundtable Louis C. Fink, Apt. 6, Bldg. L, Tau Valley Estates,

Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801

Backyard Birding Gail T. Whitehurst, 1505 Brooks Avenue,

Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Bird Count Editor John O. Fussell III, P.O. Box 520,

Morehead City, N.C. 28557

Art and Photography John Henry Dick and Jack Dermid

THE CHAT is published quarterly by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., with headquarters at the North Carolina State
Museum, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Second class postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Subscription
price $10 per year.

PAGE CHARGES: Authors who have funds available for page charges are requested to remit same at the rate of
$40.00 per page. CBC Headquarters will provide statements required for your business records.

CONTENTS

Breeding Birds of the Unicoi Mountains.

Jim McConnell and Owen McConnell 33

Backyard Birding 41

CBC Roundtable 43

General Field Notes

Brown-headed Nuthatches Store Pine Seeds.

Douglas B. McNair 47

Status of the Le Conte’s Sparrow in the Carolinas.

Harry E. LeGrand Jr. 48

Briefs for the Files 50

OUR COVER — “Lady of the Waters” Audubon called this
graceful heron, here captured on film by John Trott. Although
this species is now officially known as the Tricolored Heron,
many bird watchers still use its old name, Louisiana Heron.

Breeding Birds of the Unicoi Mountains

jim McConnell and owen McConnell

During the last half of June in the years 1944 through 1946, Ganier and Clebsch
(1944, 1946) studied the breeding-bird population of the Unicoi Mountain chain, which
follows the North Carolina (Graham County) - Tennessee (Monroe County) line. They
explored the 10 miles of ridge from Bob Bald on the north to Grassy Top on the south, at
elevations ranging from 4,000 to 5,472 feet. They were the first ornithologists to work the
area, and no further surveys of the birds of this area have been published, though a few
random observations have been reported in The Migrant. The present paper records the
results of censuses made in 1981 and 1982 in the same area studied by Ganier and Clebsch,
and at the same time of year. Changes that occurred during the intervening 35 years are
noted.1

HABITAT

A rather unusual habitat is created by the numerous grass balds and clearings found
close together on the gently rounded or almost level summits, ridges, and gaps of the Unicoi
Mountains. These meadows lie in an area of approximately 5 x 2 air miles and are islands in
a sea of forested mountains. East of the divide is the Nantahala National Forest, and west is
the Cherokee National Forest. Another distinctive feature is the high elevation — up to
5,560 feet — of these balds at such a southern latitude. Farther south, the Appalachians are
significantly lower.

Habitat, 1944-1946 : Four long-existing balds were surveyed by Ganier and Clebsch
(1944, 1946): Stratton Meadow (4,320 feet), Bob Bald (5,262 feet), Whigg Meadow
(4,960 feet), and Haw Knob (5,472 feet). Stratton Meadow, several acres in a gap, was the
site of Ganier’s camp. Then, as now, it was accessible by Forest Service roads. All the other
balds were, and still are, reached only by foot trail, or, in some cases, by very rough jeep
trails (old logging roads). Bob Bald is an elongated meadow of 5 or 6 acres. It lies 3 air miles
NE of Stratton Meadow. Whigg Meadow, 2 air miles S of Stratton Meadow, has 7 or 8
acres of quite open meadow, affording an outstanding view of the mountain ranges west-
ward. One-half mile E of Whigg Meadow is Haw Knob, then about 1 or 2 acres of meadow,
making it the smallest bald but highest summit along the ridge that Ganier explored.

After the Cherokees were removed in 1838, early white settlers grazed cattle, sheep,
and horses on the balds and built cabins there. Cattle grazing was continuing there at the
time of Ganier’s study. The cattle kept the thick mountain grasses, wild strawberries, and
other low growth neatly cropped. Ganier and Clebsch noted that the Veery, Black-throated
Blue Warbler, and Chestnut-sided Warbler (three of the four most abundant species) often
located their nests a few feet above ground in the cattle-cropped sprouts of beech and birch
trees growing in thickets along the edges of the balds. In the 1944-1946 period, the
Tennessee side of the Unicoi crest was young second-growth forest consisting of pines,
hemlock, and hardwoods (between 1905 and 1930 Babcock Lumber Co. had cut every-

1 Members of Tennessee Ornithological Society conducted a breeding-bird foray in Monroe County, Tenn., 23-26
May 1980. They covered Stratton Meadows, Haw Knob, Whigg Meadow, and some other places mentioned in the
present study. Unfortunately, the report has not yet been published and results are not available for comparison.

Spring 1983

33

thing of value on the Tellico River and its tributaries). The forest adjacent to the crest on the
North Carolina side was still virgin. Ganier and Clebsch (1944) wrote, “A virgin stand of
massive hemlocks near Stratton Meadow, some five feet in diameter, may be the finest
remaining grove of this beautiful tree left in the southern mountains.”

Habitat, 1981-1982: The virgin fqrest was soon destined for the woodman’s axe. Now
second-growth forest of hemlock and deciduous trees cover both slopes. However, the trees
have matured to the point where they are being cut again, but more selectively. About 3
years ago the U.S. Forest Service created several “balds” as part of a plan to improve the
habitat for wildlife. They clear-cut areas of about 10 acres each on Huckleberry Knob,
which at 5,560 feet is the highest point in Graham County, and on Oak Knob (5,440 feet),
about a half mile S of Huckleberry. The charred stumps and trunks of the Northern Red
Oak ( Quercus rubra) now lie among the tall grasses, wildflowers, and thornless Black-
berries creating a new type of bald. A similar field of about 3 or 4 acres was cleared adjacent
to the old Bob Bald, and another larger field with some dead trees left standing was made
northeast of Stratton Meadow. About a mile S of Oak Knob is the largest (about 1 5 acres)
and one of the oldest balds in the area — Hooper Bald. Because Hooper Bald and all the
newer clearings mentioned above are located in North Carolina close to the main divide
studied by Ganier and Clebsch (1944, 1946) and are at high elevations, we decided to
include them in the area we studied.

One of the most important changes is in the habitat of the older balds. Cattle no longer
keep the balds neatly cropped like lawns. Grasses are a foot or more high by late June and
tall Buttercups {Ranunculus acris ), Common Cinquefoil {Potentilla simplex ), and Bluets
{Houstonia caerulea) bloom next to the ripe wild Strawberries (Fragaria virginiana . Con-
stable’s Blueberries {Vaccinium constablaei ), Flame Azalea {Rhododendron calendulaceum ),
Mountain Laurel {Kalmia latifolia ), hawthorns {Crataegus sp.), and Allegheny Service-
berry {Amelanchier arborea) not only have increased around the borders but also are
intruding into the meadows. The beech and birch sprouts, once trimmed by cattle, are
becoming trees and encroaching on the open spaces. Ganier saw no Fraser Firs {Abies
fraseri), but now small stands up to 30 feet high are found on Bob Bald, Haw Knob, and
Hooper Bald. The balds have changed from close-cropped pastures into lush mountain
meadows interspersed with patches of shrubs and small trees.

METHODS

From 14 to 20 June 1981 and 15 to 20 June 1982 we hiked the trails along the Unicoi
Mountain crest from Bob Bald to within a mile of Grassy Top and from Huckleberry Knob
to Hooper Bald. (Ganier and Clebsch’s studies were conducted from 18 to 25 June 1944, 1 5
to 23 June 1945, and 16 to 26 June 1946.) We visited all of the long-standing balds and
newer clearings mentioned in the habitat section. Every bird clearly identified by sight or
sound was recorded along with the date and place of sighting.

Although we found at the older balds a few rare species that were not seen at the more
recent clearings, we observed no species at the newer balds that were not also seen at the
older ones. Therefore, it seemed appropriate to combine the data for statistical purposes. We
summed the total number of individuals of each species both for our data and for that of
Ganier and Clebsch. Because total observation times for the two studies are unequal, we
compare ranks rather than numbers of individuals. By rank-ordering the species on each list

34

The Chat

from most to least frequent, comparisons can be made of the relative frequency of each
species.

A note of caution: misinterpretations may result from taking the ranks too literally.
Large differences in rank are probably reliable, but differences in frequency between species
close in rank may not be significant. This is especially true for the rarer species, where ties
tended to occur, and an individual or two might change a rank. (In the case of ties ranks
were arbitrarily assigned.) Therefore, in the interpretation of the results, we will ignore small
changes in rank and not regard ranking as meaningful for the least frequent species.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The total species observed in the two studies are almost the same: Ganier and Clebsch’s
(1946) total was 44 species, ours was 45. Our list contains 1 1 species not observed in the
earlier study, whereas Ganier and Clebsch (1946) recorded 10 species not seen by us. Table
1 presents the species observed in both studies in phylogenetic order followed by their
comparative rankings. A zero in either column indicates the species was not recorded
during the study period.

The 10 species (including their ranks) that were observed by Ganier and Clebsch
(1946) but not by us are: Wood Thrush (6), Eastern Wood-Pewee (13), Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker (26), Brown Thrasher (27), Black-throated Green Warbler (31), Common
Raven (35), Barred Owl (36), Louisiana Waterthrush (41), Hooded Warbler (43), and
Brown-headed Cowbird (44). All these birds except the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and
Common Raven are found regularly in the area at lower elevations. We might have missed
some of these species because we did not work as extensively as did Ganier and Clebsch
along the lower elevation limit. Only one Hooded Warbler and three Louisiana Water-
thrushes were seen by Ganier and Clebsch, all at about 4,200 feet. The Black-throated Green
Warbler was not seen by Ganier and Clebsch until their last survey, when they found a few
in the “tops of the oldest hemlock stands,” which have now been cut. The lone Brown-
headed Cowbird was a juvenile that flew across Whigg Meadow where cattle were grazing.
The absence of cattle probably accounts for the disappearance of this species around the
balds. Barred Owls were heard only at Stratton Meadow where the ornithologists camped.
We did not camp overnight or make a special effort to hear owls. Brown Thrashers were
scarce during the 1940s but were found by Ganier and Clebsch at Stratton Meadow and
Whigg Meadow. We covered these meadows more than once without finding any Brown
Thrashers, and this species was uncommon even at lower elevations in the area.

Most astonishing is our failure to record a single Wood Thrush, whereas Ganier and
Clebsch’s (1946) count of 90 individuals placed this bird as the sixth most common species.
Their only remark is about its loud and frequent song. We found the Veery to be common
down to 4,000 feet. Has the Veery extended its range downward, causing the Wood Thrush
to retreat to lower elevations? Also, a striking difference existed between the 35 Eastern
Wood-Pewees they observed and our zero count. They noted that pewees were in open
woods, being most abundant around Stratton Gap. This gap is considerably less open now
than it was in the 1940s, but this change alone probably cannot explain such a large
difference.

Ganier and Clebsch’s (1946) finding of 12 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers extended the
known breeding range of this species southwestward from the Great Smoky Mountains.

Spring 1983

35

TABLE 1. Comparative rankings of breeding birds found in the Unicoi Mountains by
Ganier and Clebsch (1944-1946) and by McConnell and McConnell (1981-1982). Species
are listed in phylogenetic order, with those that ranked in the top five in either study printed
in boldface type. A zero ranking means that the bird was not found during the study period,
though the species may be present in the area in small numbers or at slightly lower elevations
than those covered by the two studies.

Species

Turkey Vulture
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Golden Eagle
Ruffed Grouse
Wild Turkey
Northern Bob white
Mourning Dove
Barred Owl
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Barn Swallow
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Winter Wren
Veery

Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Cedar Waxwing
Solitary Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo

1981-1982

1944-1946

33

29

44

0

18

0

39

37

45

0

20

30

40

40

12

39

43

0

0

36

5

19

19

16

0

26

22

23

26

24

41

25

29

33

0

13

27

0

35

42

42

0

23

15

14

0

0

35

13

20

37

14

36

34

24

12

34

0

21

38

3

2

0

6

25

8

10

7

0

27

16

18

6

5

17

0

36

The Chat

TABLE 1, continued

Species

Northern Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Ovenbird

Louisiana Waterthrush
Hooded Warbler
Canada Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Rufous-sided Towhee
Dark-eyed Junco
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch

TOTAL SPECIES

1981-1982

32

2

8

0

30
38
11

0

0

4

28

31
9
7
1
0

15

45

1944-1946

0

4

3

31

28

22

10

41

43
17

32
11

0

9

44
21

44

They note that sapsuckers were nesting in dead chestnut trees. Is the apparent decline of the
sapsucker as a breeding species in the Unicoi Mountains related to a decrease in suitable
nesting sites? Ganier (1954) described a southern Appalachian race of the Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker based in part on a specimen from the Unicoi Mountains. According to Peterson
(1980), the status of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in the southern portion of the Appa-
lachians is questionable, but Charles Nicholson (pers. comm.) says the species has been
reported in the Unicois during the past few years in the breeding season.

The only other species seen by Ganier and Clebsch (1946) but not by us was the
Common Raven. We saw four ravens at the Rock Quarry near Fontana Dam (about 1 2
miles from Bob Bald) on 17 June 1982. Also, four ravens were at Big Fat Gap in the Unicoi
Mountains, only 4 miles from the survey area, on 17 August 1981. Therefore, ravens
probably still breed nearby.

Of the birds we observed that were not seen earlier by Ganier and Clebsch (1946), the
most remarkable species for abundance is the Indigo Bunting, our ninth most common bird.
It has invaded all of the high grassy balds in the survey area. Apparently mated pairs were
found on the highest summits: Huckleberry Knob (5,560 feet) and Haw Knob (5,472 feet).
The sighting of 5 females along with 13 singing males strongly suggests breeding at these
high altitudes. Except for Simpson (1977), previous records of Indigo Buntings above 5,000
feet during the breeding season consist of solitary males with no evidence of females, nests,
or young.

Another interesting addition to the avifauna of the Unicoi Mountains were two male
House Wrens singing at separate locations. One was present on 17 June 1981 at the upper
end of Whigg Meadow (4,960 feet) where Mountain Laurel grew along the meadow border

Spring 1983

37

and some split-rail fences had been erected. It responded to “pishing” calls with territorial
investigative and alarm behaviors. The second House Wren was seen on 19 June 1981 at
Bob Bald (5,341 feet) in the 3-acre clearing the Forest Service had recently made adjacent to
the original bald. The male sang repeatedly from various perches around this clearing, which
still had the trunks of the fallen Northern Red Oaks strewn about. Charles Nicholson (pers.
comm.) reports that the House Wren was also found at high elevations during the 1980 TOS
foray in Monroe County, Tenn. In recent years the House Wren has been extending its range
southward (Stupka 1963). Although singing males have previously been observed during
the summer at elevations from 4,500 to 5,300 feet in Virginia on Whitetop Mountain and
on Mount Rogers (Stevenson and Stupka 1948), Stupka (1963) mentions no high-elevation
records for the Great Smoky Mountains. Potter et al. (1980) state that in the North Carolina
mountains the House Wren nests throughout the lower and middle elevations. Hence, the
presence of these House Wrens may represent an upward extension of the breeding range in
North Carolina.

Another newcomer not seen by Ganier and Clebsch (1946) was the Least Flycatcher.
A pair was seen on successive years (17 June 1981 and 18 June 1982) along a tree-bordered
creek at Whigg Meadow. The continuously repeated che-bek call was also heard. This
elevation (4,960 feet) exceeds the usual breeding range of 3,000 to 4,500 feet cited in Potter
et al. (1980).

Other species sighted by us but not by Ganier and Clebsch (1946) were Golden Eagle,
Broad-winged Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Crow, Red-eyed Vireo, Northern
Parula, Barn Swallow, and Mourning Dove. The Golden Eagle was an adult with some
white at the base of the primary flight feathers but not at the base of the tail. Seen from
Whigg Meadow at 1215 EST on 18 June 1982, the eagle first circled above Little Haw
Knob with a Broad-winged Hawk that was less than half its size. It then glided south-
westward parallel to the meadow, coming within 450 feet of us. Jon E. DeVore (1973) saw
an adult Golden Eagle from the same spot on 14 August 1971 and from a spot approxi-
mately 10 miles W in August 1968. Stupka (1963) lists five June records of the Golden
Eagle between 1924 and 1961 in the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Raptors appear to have increased in the high Unicois. Ganier and Clebsch (1946)
observed only the Red-tailed Hawk, which was rare, whereas we found four species: Golden
Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, and Sharp-shinned Hawk. The Broad-
winged Hawk was fairly common. Because these hawks are known to range throughout all
elevations, their absence during Ganier and Clebsch’s census must be accounted for more
than their presence now. The comeback is possibly related to the protection of hawks by
law, education of hunters about their beneficial effects, habitat improvement, and a greater
abundance of prey species.

Ganier and Clebsch (1946) failed to find the American Crow above 3,500 feet in the
Unicois. We saw American Crows at Bob Bald, Stratton Meadow, Whigg Meadow,
Hooper Bald, and Huckleberry Knob (5,560 feet). Stupka gives 3,000 feet as the usual upper
limit for breeding in the Great Smoky Mountains. We have no evidence of crows breeding at
these higher elevations, but their presence there in the breeding season is an interesting
change.

Our sightings of Red-eyed Vireos and Northern Parulas may indicate upward exten-
sions of their breeding ranges in the Unicois during the last 35 years. We saw six Red-eyed
Vireos in the 4,500- to 4,800-foot range and Northern Parulas at 4,000 to 4,500 feet along

38

The Chat

forested ridges. Other summer records at approximately this elevation exist for North
Carolina outside the Unicoi Mountains (Stevenson and Stupka 1948).

The Barn Swallow was seen at Whigg Meadow. Barn Swallows have nested as high as
4,888 feet at Cataloochee Ranch (Stupka 1963), but it is likely that the swallow we saw was
nesting at a lower site and merely feeding over the meadow. The Mourning Dove was
flushed twice, the interval being about 4 hours, from the same tree in a dense woods on the
side of John’s Knob (4,300 feet). The occurrence was most likely accidental.

In addition to changes in species, some interesting differences in the relative abundance
of species were noted. Species that significantly increased were Northern Bobwhite, moving
from rank 39 to 12; Canada Warbler, from rank 17 to 4; and Winter Wren, from rank 38 to
21. Decreasing in numbers were American Robin, dropping from rank 8 to 25; Rose-
breasted Grosbeak, from 1 1 to 32; White-breasted Nuthatch, from 12 to 23; and Northern
Flicker, from 25 to 41. As with changes in species, habitat differences probably played a
major role in these shifts in abundance. Grazing of cattle on the balds probably favored
robins and flickers. Dead chestnut trees could have provided more nesting sites for flickers.
The taller grasses and brushy growth in the balds today certainly provide better habitat for
bobwhites. Canada Warblers and Winter Wrens were most often seen in the dense growths
of rhododendron under hemlocks along the mountain streams, but it is not clear whether
this habitat is more common now than before. Possibly, removal of the virgin timber
encouraged rhododendron growth. The decrease in White-breasted Nuthatches might be
associated with the removal of virgin timber as well. The decrease in Rose-breasted
Grosbeaks is more puzzling, because they were usually seen around the edges of balds.

Ganier and Clebsch (1946) located a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches in a grove of
virgin hemlocks adjoining Stratton Gap. This finding extended the known breeding range of
the species southward from its nearest outpost near Clingman’s Dome. Although the old
virgin hemlocks have been cut, there is still a stand of fairly large hemlocks just south of
Stratton Gap. On 17 June 1981 we searched this hemlock grove and again discovered a pair
of Red-breasted Nuthatches. Simpson (1976) reviewed the status of the Red-breasted
Nuthatch in the southern Appalachians and urged that all evidence of breeding be reported.
We are happy to report that after 35 years, the Red-breasted Nuthatch can still be seen in the
Unicois during the breeding season.

CONCLUSIONS

The avifauna inhabiting the Unicois above 4,000 feet during late June has shown both
stability and change during the past 35 years. Thirty-four species observed 35 years ago are
still present, although the relative abundance of some species has changed. The number of
new species (11) is almost the same as the number of “lost” species (10), suggesting
constancy in the total number of species. Further study is needed, however, to determine if
the missing species are totally absent above 4,000 feet. Two trends appear to describe the
invasion by new speices: (1) range expansion upward and/or southward, and (2) an
increase in the raptor population. Range contractions downward and/or northward appear
to characterize the absent or declining species.

LITERATURE CITED

DeVore, J.E. 1973. Golden Eagle in the Unicoi Mountains. Chat 37:50.

Spring 1983

39

Ganier, A.F. 1954. A new race of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Migrant 25:37-41.

Ganier, A.F., and A. Clebsch. 1944. Summer birds of the Unicoi Mountains. Migrant
15:61-65.

Ganier, A.F., and A. Clebsch. 1946. Breeding birds of the Unicoi Mountains. Migrant
17:53-59.

Peterson, R.T. 1 980. A Field Guide t6 the Birds East of the Rockies. Houghton Mifflin Co.,
Boston.

Potter, E.F., J.F. Parnell, and R.P. Teulings. 1980. Birds of the Carolinas. Univ. N.C. Press,
Chapel Hill.

Simpson, M.B., Jr. 1976. Breeding season habitat and distribution of the Red-breasted
Nuthatch in the southern Blue Ridge Mountain province. Chat 40:23-25.

Simpson, M.B., Jr. 1977. High elevation nesting of the Indigo Bunting near Mt. Pisgah,
N.C. Chat 41:72.

Stevenson, H.M., and A. Stupka. 1948. The altitudinal limits of certain birds in the moun-
tains of the southeastern states. Migrant 19:33-59.

Stupka, A. 1963. Notes on the Birds of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Univ.
Tenn. Press, Knoxville.

2808 Butner Street, Durham, North Carolina 27704

40

The Chat

^ae/ufand

GhdUt?

. . . with Gai! T. Whitehurst

The Shrike That Came to Dinner

On 13 February 1983, 1 was observing several species of birds at three feeders located
outside my kitchen window. Around 0900, 1 noticed a disturbance on the ground under-
neath a thistle feeder. A Loggerhead Shrike was on the ground with a Dark-eyed Junco,
which had been feeding below the feeder. The shrike hit the bird with its beak and then, with
the junco still struggling, held the junco’s head to the ground with its feet. After the junco
ceased struggling, the shrike grabbed the bird with both feet and flew off, without apparent
difficulty.

The shrike apparently came from a nearby field where I have seen one on numerous
occasions during the winter. This is the first time I have witnessed a shrike capturing another
bird, though I have seen them chasing birds, and shrikes are well known for including birds
in their diet. I have seen them take insects several times. On one occasion in Arkansas, I
watched one capture and consume a shrew (presumably Blarina brevicauda or B. caro-
linensis). The only other avian predator I have seen at feeders was a Sharp-shinned
Hawk. — CHARLIE W. WOOTEN, P.O. Box 755, Elgin, S.C. 29045

Behold, the Not-so-gentle Bluebird

Bluebird enthusiasts often comment on the gentle demeanor of their favorite species
and complain bitterly when these lovely birds are driven from nesting boxes and cavities by
House Sparrows, European Starlings, and flying squirrels. During the 16 summers that I
have had bluebird boxes in my yard near Zebulon, N.C., I have seen these structures used by
Carolina Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Great Crested Flycatchers, and flying squirrels as
well as Eastern Bluebirds. Although bluebirds annually scouted a box erected in February
1975, chickadees used it every nesting season from 1975 through 1981, and I never saw any
evidence of interspecific competition.

On 28 March 1982, bluebirds again scouted this particular box, which was a gift from
Jack Finch, a founder of Homes for Bluebirds, Inc. Nonetheless, on 14 April the box con-
tained a nearly completed but still unlined chickadee nest. I was away from home for several
days. Upon my return, I was surprised to see bluebirds perched in the oak tree near the box,
which I assumed to be occupied by chickadees. On 20 April I saw the female bluebird
carrying nesting material into the box. I lifted the hinged front panel and saw a neat cup of
pine needles resting atop the still unlined chickadee nest. Almost immediately after I closed

Spring 1983

41

the box, the female added another pine needle to the nest. On 27 April the nest contained
three bluebird eggs, and two additional eggs were laid to complete the clutch. On 18 May
the nest contained five downy young, apparently about 5 days old. Although I did not
witness the fledging, the abundance of bluebirds in the yard throughout the summer
suggested a successful nesting. In late October bluebirds were seen perching atop the box
and inspecting the interior. I hope this means they will roost in the box this winter and nest
successfully again in 1983.

Naturally I wrote Mr. Finch to let him know that the box had at last been used by blue-
birds and to inquire about his experiences with bluebirds’ appropriating boxes already
occupied by other species. Mr. Finch keeps detailed records of occupancy for the numerous
boxes he has placed around golf courses in North Carolina and several other states. He
reported that on 19 May 1 982 he had found five baby bluebirds in Box No. 4 at the Zebulon
Country Club, which is adjacent to my property. The young were in a House Sparrow nest
that appeared to be on top of a bluebird nest.

On 17 July 1978, while monitoring boxes on the golf course at River Hills Plantation,
Clover, S.C., Finch found three 11 -day-old bluebirds in Box No. 5. This nest was 100%
sparrow nest. Finch questioned men working nearby, and they reported that they had seen
bluebirds and sparrows fighting.

On 10 May 1982 Finch had a nest of six Carolina Chickadees about 14 days old at his
home near Bailey, N.C. One nestling was found dead in the box that day. The following day
his son, who was working nearby, saw a male and a female Eastern Bluebird come out of
this box. Upon checking the nest, he found two more dead chickadee nestlings. The next day
one more was dead, but the remaining two apparently fledged. This was Mr. Finch’s first
experience with bluebirds actually killing other birds.

A.C. Bent, in his Life Histories of North American Thrushes, Kinglets, and Their Allies
(U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 196, 1949), comments that Eastern Bluebirds have been known to
compete successfully with House Sparrows and Tree Swallows that attempted to usurp their
nesting boxes. He cites one instance of bluebirds’ removing eggs from a swallow nest and
dropping them on the ground. The bluebirds raised their second brood in the box formerly
occupied by the swallows, and the latter species subsequently occupied the box vacated by
the bluebirds.

“As the bluebird population increases and we make closer observations, I am sure we
will see more bluebird take-over of other species’ nests,” Mr. Finch concluded. He correctly
notes that building on top of an abandoned nest of another species should not be regarded as
a take-over.

Anyone interested in ordering bluebird boxes or literature about bluebirds from Mr.
Finch can write him at Route 1, Box 341, Bailey, N.C. 27807. Homes for Bluebirds, Inc.,
was organized in February 1973 to aid in restoring and perpetuating the bluebird popula-
tion. Donations are tax deductible. “Come Back, Little Bluebird” is a brochure that offers
many practical suggestions on building, erecting, and monitoring bluebird houses. —
ELOISE F. POTTER, Route 3, Box 114 AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597.

42

The Chat

. . . with Louis C. Fink

About Superbird

With interest I read the account of the giant teratorn from South America (Fall 1982
issue of Chat ) that was alleged to have had a wingspan of 250 feet and to have weighed
approximately 160 pounds. Such a bird would have a span about twice the height of a tall
pine tree. I find such a report incredible and more than a little suspect.

Be that as it may, I took the time to estimate what the wingspan of a bird of around 1 60
pounds should be, based upon information at hand today, and came up with a figure much
less than 250 feet.

A teratorn was a vulture; all huge flying birds that cruise the land today, and in the past,
seem to be vultures. I don’t know why. I took average wingspans and weights of various Old
and New World vultures from Amadon and Brown’s Birds of Prey of the World and from
Brown, Urban, and Newman’s Birds of Africa, as listed below.

Assuming that the body weight was the independent variable (X) and wingspan the
dependent variable (Y), regression of the latter on wingspan yielded a highly significant
correlation of 0.943, which means that (0.943 )2 or about 89% of the variation in wingspan of
these vultures is a function of body weight.

The close relationship is remarkable in view of the fact that these birds are known to
vary somewhat in wingloading, and the plot of body weight against wingspan is probably
somewhat curvilinear and not precisely linear as I have assumed. Nevertheless, the fit was
good enough to make some rather striking predictions.

The relationships between wingspan and body weight produced the following linear
equation: Y = 4.43 + 0.2 1 6X, where X and Y are body weight and wingspan, 4.43 the point

Weight in lbs. (X) Wingspan in feet(Y)

Aegy pius monachus
Aegypius occipitalis
Aegy pius tracheliotus
Coragyps atratus
Gymnogyps californianus
Gyps africanus
Gyps fulvus
Gyps rueppellii
Necrosyrtes monachus
Vultur gryphus

21.5

10.6

15.4
3.5

19.5

11.6
19.5

17.4
4.0

26.4

8.6

6.9
8.6
4.5
9.0
7.2

7.7

7.9

5.7
10.5

Spring 1983

43

on the Y axis where the best fitting regression line intercepts the Y axis, and 0.216 the
tangent of the angle described by the slope of the regression line above the X axis.

A large teratorn from California has been estimated to have had a wingspan of 15 feet
and to have weighed 50 pounds. Plugging 50 into the equation estimates wingspan at 1 5.2
feet. A vulture weighing 160 lbs. would have a predicted wingspan of 39.0 feet, far less than
250.

Of course we can flip our analysis around and allow wingspan to be the X variable. If
we do that, we predict our California teratorn to have had a body weight of about 46 pounds
and our South American monster at around 1000! That would indeed be a superbird.
Perhaps the South American vulture evolved on a different scale of wingspan to body
weight than modern vultures and the California teratorn. — JOSHUA A. LEE, 5104
Newcastle Road, Raleigh, N.C.

Berries for Bluebirds

Jack R. Finch, Route 1, Box 341, Bailey, N.C. 27807, is interested in developing
methods for preserving Flowering Dogwood berries so they can be fed to Eastern Bluebirds
during late-winter snow and ice storms. He is experimenting with techniques that reduce the
moisture content to prevent spoilage during storage. He would like to correspond with
anyone who has experience with such processes.

Evolution in the House Finch

According to John W. Aldrich (J. Yamashina Inst. Ornith. 14:179-186), the popula-
tion of House Finches breeding in the eastern United States has developed some noticeable
differences from its parent stock. The birds released on Long Island about 1940 are believed
to have been from the grassland and chaparral region of southwestern California. Compara-
tive studies indicate that the eastern population has developed slightly shorter wings and
tails, markedly shorter tarsi and toes, and significantly larger bills than found in California
birds. Dr. Aldrich suggests that the shorter wings and tails, if indicative of body size, may be
correlated with the more moist climate in the East. Shorter legs and toes may be an adapta-
tion to the colder climate in the East and to this largely feeder-dependent population’s habit
of feeding from perches rather than on the ground. The larger bill size may be an adaptation
to feeding heavily on sunflower seeds rather than the small weed seeds that are the primary
winter food of the California birds. Aldrich notes that when eastern House Finches have an
opportunity to choose between large striped and small black sunflower seeds, they prefer the
small ones. He also found that females visit his hanging feeders more often than males do. He
believes this is a behavioral difference rather than a disproportion in the sex ratio of the
eastern population.

Winter Scarcity

Observers report a lack in some places of our winter finches. The editor of this column
in Rocky Mount has a feeder that attracted two House Finches all winter, no siskins, no
grosbeaks, no goldfinches. Even the juncos seem reduced in number. In Cleveland, Ohio,
observers report House Finches are more abundant than usual, but other winter finches
reduced in numbers. If you’re ever in Cleveland in the fall, walk a few blocks from the
downtown hotels to the lakefront park near the Cleveland Browns’ stadium. I spent a
morning there and delighted in close views of warblers, resting after the trip south over Lake

44

The Chat

Erie. My mind is still full of pictures of dozens of Black-throated Blue Warblers I saw at
arm’s length.

Search for Color-marked Shorebirds

In the spring of 1983, shorebirds were color-marked at several locations in South
America, California, North Carolina, Virginia, and New Jersey as part of a study of migra-
tion routes. This study is part of the Pan American Shorebird Program sponsored in part by
the World Wildlife Fund, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and Manomet
Bird Observatory. The 1983 work will focus on three species: Sanderling, Red Knot, and
Black-bellied Plover.

If you observe a color-marked shorebird, please try to note the following:

1. DYE — Color and location on body

2. LEG FLAG — Color and leg (left, right)

3. LEG BAND — Color and leg (left, right)

Even incomplete color-marking information will be very useful. Please send reports to
Dr. Marshall A. Howe, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Laurel, Maryland 20708.

Trouble in Paradise

Suriname, the former Dutch colony in South America, has more nature preserves for
its size than most countries. It is home to 669 tropical species and bird watchers have made it
a mecca. A 3-week tour for $2,300 was popular. But an Army sergeant has taken over
the government of Suriname and the U.S. State Department now says the tropical country
is too dangerous for ordinary travelers.

In reporting this sad news, the Wall Street Journal included results of a 1980 survey by
the Fish and Wildlife Service: 21 million Americans feed birds; over five million can identify
40 species; 2Vi million keep lists. With tongue in cheek, one observer raised the question of
organizing an insurgency force to invade Suriname.

Newspaper Gleanings

The most exciting news to this observer is the report of two eggs of California Condors
being hatched, and the young feeding successfully on chopped day-old mice. These 8-foot,
25-pound birds normally lay one egg every two years. When an egg is removed from the
nest, they lay another.

Glad-to-hear-it Department: Two men from New Bern, N.C., were fined $1,500 each
for hunting Canada Geese by moonlight.

Sorry-about-that Department: In Lumberton, N.C., woodpeckers drilled holes in light
poles at the football field, and $100,000 has been budgeted to replace the lighting system.

The swallows are back at Capistrano, and the buzzards have returned for their big day
at Hinckley, Ohio, where the locals stage a big breakfast to greet the birds. The citizens of
Rokeby Lock claim their buzzards return before the Hinckley birds, so they’re having their
own party.

At the battlefield of Gettysburg, at least 870 Black and Turkey Vultures wintered over
the fields where 50,000 men were wounded or killed. The legend is that the birds began
roosting in 1863 after the battle, and have returned ever since. One biologist says this is one
of the largest vulture roosts in the country.

Spring 1983

45

New Editor for South Carolina Field Notes

Beginning with next issue, William Post succeeds Julian R. Harrison as editor of the
South Carolina field notes for Chat. Dr. Post is the newly appointed Curator of Ornithology
at the Charleston Museum. He is well known for his studies of the Seaside Sparrow in New
York and Florida, and he has done extensive field work in the Caribbean.

Dr. Harrison, who has been associate GFN editor since June 1972, will continue as a
member of the CBC Records Committee. During part of his 1 1-year editorship, Harrison
has also served ably as a vice president of the club. Well done, Julian! We are grateful to
you. — EFP

BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

(Continued from Page 56)

LARK SPARROW: Individuals were noted at Pea Island on 26 August (Allen Bryan) and
at Portsmouth Island on 7 September (John Fussell).

CLAY-COLORED SPARROW: Dorothy Foy observed two at Oriental, N.C., on 8
November.

TV TOWER KILL: Jay Carter and Jim Parnell found 1300 birds of 51 species, including
26 species of warblers, killed at the WECT tower near White Lake, N.C., on the
morning of 12 October. Highlights were a Black Rail, a Black-billed Cuckoo, five
Gray-cheeked Thrushes, two Sharp-tailed Sparrows, six Seaside Sparrows, and the
following warblers: two Golden-wingeds, one Swainson’s, one Worm-eating, two
Nashvilles, five Black-throated Greens, three Blackburnians, and four Bay-breasteds.

COMMENTS ON SPRING REPORTS OF BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS: Claudia Wilds
has expressed concern about the validity of the Baird’s Sandpiper reported in the
spring of 1982 at Pea Island (Chat 46:1 19). She is extremely knowledgeable on shore-
bird plumages, and she studied many skins of Baird’s and White-rum ped Sandpipers at
the National Museum in Washington, D.C., examining in detail the description written
in The Chat “Briefs for the Files.” She concluded that: ( 1 ) the pale buffy ground color
to the underparts is consistent with Baird’s and very infrequent on spring White-
rumpeds; (2) the streaks on the flanks are totally inconsistent with Baird’s, but are
present on all adult White-rumpeds; (3) the back pattern is inconsistent with either
species in the spring; and (4) the black mid-vein in the tail does not rule out White-
rumped, as some adults have this pattern.

Thus, there is concern by Wilds that the bird in question may have been a White-
rumped, which is common in spring at Pea Island. The other spring report of Baird’s in
North Carolina (Chat 35:80) has details published, such as size approximately that of a
Swamp Sparrow, that are not convincing, in my opinion. There is no specimen or
photograph, or thoroughly described report of a Baird’s in spring in North Carolina.
The spring reports for South Carolina also should undergo closer and renewed exami-
nation. A sighting of this species in the spring in the Carolinas should be written upas a
General Field Note for this journal; a complete description must be provided. Baird’s
does occur as a regular but rare fall migrant in the Carolinas, both inland and along the
coast, but occurrences anywhere in eastern North America are extraordinary during
the spring. — HEL

46

The Chat

General Field Notes

DAVID S. LEE, Department Editor

North Carolina State Museum, P 0. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

JULIAN R. HARRISON, Associate Editor

Department of Biology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C 29401

Brown-headed Nuthatches Store Pine Seeds

DOUGLAS B. McNAIR
Department of Zoology
Clemson University
Clemson, S.C. 29631

I observed a Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla) storing seeds of a Loblolly Pine
( Pinus taeda) at 1800 on 8 October 1981 at Rockingham, N.C. A nuthatch placed winged
pine seeds in bark crevices on the vertical trunk of a 13-m high Loblolly Pine on several
occasions and secured the food by pounding it in crevices at heights of 5 to 6.5 m. The bird
clung to the pine bark in both vertical and horizontal positions while caching the food.
Locally the 1981 Loblolly Pine seed crop was excellent.

I observed another Brown-headed Nuthatch storing seeds of the Longleaf Pine ( P
palustris) at 1 100 on 13 October 1981 at Derby, N.C. The nuthatch extracted a winged seed
from a live Longleaf Pine and then flew to a dead 10.7-m pine snag that had some bark
attached. The bird secured the pine seed in a bark crevice at 6.7 m by pounding it in from
diagonal to vertical positions (tail above head) while clinging to the bark. To maintain its
balance, the bird fluttered its wings several times while caching the pine seed. The same bird
stored a pine seed in a bark crevice 6.1 m high on the vertical trunk of a 13-m live Longleaf
Pine. The nuthatch held a horizontal position while it cached the pine seed, and no wing
flicking was observed. The 1981 Longleaf Pine seed crop also was excellent.

On several occasions, I have seen Brown-headed Nuthatches retrieving stored pine
seeds. In a Longleaf Pine forest in the Sandhills Game Management Area, Hoffman, N.C., at
1 1 45 on 17 December 1 980, a Brown-headed scaled off a piece of pine bark at 6. 1 m on the
vertical trunk of a 15.3-m tree. The bird briefly probed and extracted a seed without its
wing attached. The bird then flew to another Longleaf Pine where it hammered the food. I
do not know what animal stored this seed. Again the crop was excellent.

Norris (1958) observed Brown-headed Nuthatches storing single pine seeds on trunks
or limbs of pines in Georgia, but provided no further details. He also observed food caching
in Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea). Roberts (1979) overlooked this reference in his
review of avian food-storing behavior, and listed the Brown-headed Nuthatch as a probable
food-storer, presumably based on documented food-storing behavior at the closely related
Pygmy Nuthatch (Stallcup 1 968). The purpose of this note is to provide the first published
descriptions of food-storing behavior in the Brown-headed Nuthatch and to point out an
oversight of this behavior in a recent major review of avian food-storing behavior.

Spring 1983

47

LITERATURE CITED

Norris, R.A. 1958. Comparative biosystematics and life history of the nuthatches Sitta
pygmaea and Sitta pusilla. Univ. Cal. Publ. Zool. 56:119-300.

Roberts, R.C. 1979. The evolution of avian food-storing behavior. Amer. Nat. 114:
418-438.

Stallcup, P.L. 1968. Spatio-temporal relationships of nuthatches and woodpeckers in
Ponderosa Pine forests of Colorado. Ecology 49:831-843.

Status of the Le Conte s Sparrow in the Carolinas

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

331 Yadkin Drive
Raleigh, N.C. 27609

On 4 December 1 982, I flushed a small sparrow on several occasions from a moist
grassy field on the edge of Beaverdam Reservoir in northern Wake County, N.C. I tenta-
tively identified the bird as a Le Conte’s Sparrow ( Ammodramus leconteii) because of its
sharp tail, rather low and feeble flight, and overall slimness. It was no larger than the many
Savannah Sparrows ( Passerculus sandwichensis) in the same field. As the bird never
perched in sight, and as its flight was always directly away from me, I was unable to obtain
any other field marks.

Allen Bryan and I flushed the sparrow in question in the same area on 17 December. It
immediately flew to a shrub in a nearby hedgerow and remained in sight there and on
several other perches for about 5 minutes. It was, indeed, a Le Conte’s Sparrow. The streaks
along the side of the breast and belly, thin purplish nape streaks, whitish median stripe
through the crown, orange stripe over the eye, absence of a malar stripe, and especially the
soft peach-orange color of the underparts and face were clearly seen. Because the streaks on
the underparts extended onto the upper breast, nearly meeting along the midline, I suspect
that the bird was an immature. The Le Conte’s was seen again on 18 December by Derb
Center and Wayne and Fran Irvin, in addition to Bryan and me.

This appears to be the third winter record for this species in North Carolina, but the first
away from the coast (Fig. 1). The other winter records are two at Bodie Island from 30
December 1974 to 10 January 1975 (Chat 39:10, 42:60) and one near Carolina Beach on
25 January 1981 (Chat 45:83). In South Carolina, there are numerous winter records for the
Savannah River Plant, the Charleston area, and the McClellanville area. Other isolated
winter records in the latter state are at Chester (South Carolina Bird Life, 1970, p. 529), near
Pendleton (Chat 45:83), at Santee National Wildlife Refuge (Chat 39:63), and in the
Litchfield Beach - Pawleys Island area (Chat 39:10, 45:83). Le Conte’s Sparrow possibly
winters regularly north to Santee refuge and Carolina Beach; it certainly is regular (though
rare or uncommon) north to the Savannah River Plant and the Santee River delta (see
Fig. 1).

I have also shown the published spring and fall records (Fig. 1 ) for localities outside the
regular winter range. The few spring records show no distinct geographical pattern. How-
ever, in the fall, the species seems somewhat more likely to occur near the coast than inland.

48

The Chat

Fig. 1. Distribution of the Le Conte’s Sparrow in the Carolinas. Dots indicate isolated
records; solid areas indicate numerous records. Solid line is the probable northern
edge of the regular winter range; dotted line is the possible northern limit of regular
occurrence.

North Carolina records span the period from 17 October to 25 January, in addition to
2 April, 21 April, and 30 April. Dates in South Carolina range from 25 October to 27 April.

Le Conte’s is an open country sparrow, occurring in various types of herbaceous cover.
Although most authors indicate that it occurs most often in winter in broomsedge
(Andropogon) fields, individuals that I saw near Pendleton, S.C., and Beaverdam Reservoir,
N.C., were found in grassy fields (with little broomsedge) in damp ground. The vegetation in
these fields averaged 0.5 m in height. This species also occurs in the drier portions of marshes
(ranging from fresh to salt) and in rice fields. Thus, in general, Le Conte’s should be looked
for in fairly thick grassy cover of knee height, often where vegetation is somewhat matted,
and preferably where slightly damp.

This is a very secretive species that seldom utters even a call note in winter. Frequently,
a special search must be made to find Le Conte’s Sparrows, as they tend to be scarce in

Spring 1983

49

hedgerows and in weedy, forb-covered fields inhabited by most sparrows. Unless shrubs or
saplings are present in the habitat (in which the sparrows may perch), it can be very difficult
to obtain field marks on the birds as they flush and then drop back into thick herbaceous
cover. Thus, Le Conte’s Sparrow is undoubtedly more numerous in the Carolinas than the
meager number of reports suggest.

BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

(All dates 1982 unless otherwise indicated)

COMMON LOON: An outstanding inland count was 280 to 300 seen at Jordan Reservoir,
in eastern Chatham County, N.C., by Bill and Margaret Wagner and Johnnie Payne
on 29 November. Zach Bynum saw 40 on Salem Lake at Winston-Salem, N.C., on 13
and 14 November.

RED-THROATED LOON: Very rare inland was one noted by Ricky Davis with a flock
of Common Loons at Jordan Reservoir on 26 November.

HORNED GREBE: Bill and Margaret Wagner observed a migratory flock of 35 grebes on
29 November at Jordan Reservoir.

GREATER SHEARWATER: This shearwater has been rather difficult to find on pelagic
trips in the past few years. Three Greaters were seen by Dave Sibley, Robert Ake, and
Paul DuMont off Hatteras, N.C., on 9 October; this trip was the only one of five
scheduled this fall by Ake and DuMont that departed from shore. Other shearwaters
on this trip were 56 Cory’s and 45 Audubon’s.

AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER: Dan Kaplan and Norm Budnitz saw one from shore at
Coquina Beach on Bodie Island, N.C., on 15 August.

BLACK-CAPPED PETREL: Approximately 50 were observed off Cape Hatteras, N.C.,
on the Ake-DuMont pelagic trip on 9 October.

AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: Derb Carter observed one flying N over the Umstead
Bridge at Croatan Sound, N.C., on 3 November.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: Five birds were late at Jordan Reservoir on
3 December (Don Wright), whereas one was noteworthy on 7 November at Burling-
ton, N.C. (Allen Bryan).

ANHINGA: Two were seen near Fayetteville, N.C., by Philip Crutchfield as late as 28
September.

GREAT BLUE HERON: A good inland count was 80 birds noted on 26 September at
Jordan Reservoir by Bill Wagner and party.

CATTLE EGRET: Philip Crutchfield observed 55 postbreeding egrets at Fayetteville on 7
August, and 18 were still present on 30 September. Two were rare at Beaverdam
Reservoir in northern Wake County, N.C., on 7 October (Merrill Lynch), and another
was very late on 29 November at Jordan Reservoir (Bill and Margaret Wagner).

SNOWY EGRET: At least four were present during August and September at Fayetteville,
as noted by Philip Crutchfield, and another was seen at Jordan Reservoir on 6 Septem-
ber by Ross Jervis.

50

The Chat

TRICOLORED HERON: Jim McConnell and others saw one on 22 August at the Falls
of the Neuse Reservoir lakebed, east of Durham, N.C.

YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: An immature was of interest on 2 October at
Jordan Reservoir (Ricky Davis, Allen Bryan). Another immature was late on 21 and
23 November, seen by John Fussell at Fort Macon State Park, N.C.

AMERICAN BITTERN: Somewhat early was one seen by Ricky Davis on 29 August at
Beaverdam Reservoir.

GLOSSY IBIS: Infrequently seen inland was one noted by Don Tarbet, Beth O’Neill, and
Kay Coburn at Raleigh, N.C., on 28 March.

WHITE IBIS: One on 9 October at Jordan Reservoir was late for a piedmont locality
(Andy Towle).

ROSEATE SPOONBILL: An excellent find was an adult spoonbill at Middle Marshes near
Beaufort, N.C., as noted by Jim and Nancy Godwin on 13 and 14 September.

TUNDRA SWAN: Away from usual wintering areas were two seen by Ricky Davis at
Beaverdam Reservoir on 17 November and one observed at Sunset Beach, N.C., on
26 November by Mark Oberle.

SNOW GOOSE: Don Tarbet noted two white-phase migrants at Jordan Reservoir on
14 March.

FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCK: Single birds were observed at the following locations
near the North Carolina coast: the Bodie Island lighthouse pond on 21 November
(Don Tarbet, Tom Howard, and party), Cedar Island on 22 November (Rich Boyd,
Margaret Conderman, Ecky and Sue Meadows), and Pamlico Point in northeastern
Pamlico County on 26 November (M.E. Whitfield, T. Simpson).

BLUE-WINGED x CINNAMON TEAL: Anne and Vernon Waters saw a male hybrid of
these species at Magnolia Gardens, near Charleston, S.C., on 27 November.

NORTHERN SHOVELER: This duck is rather rare inland in the fall; thus, of interest were
five seen by Andy Towle at Jordan Reservoir on 25 September and four seen by Peggy
Jansen and Dick Thomas at Lake Pinehurst, Moore County, N.C., on 17 October.

COMMON GOLDENEYE: An excellent piedmont count was 1 1 goldeneyes noted by
Bill and Margaret Wagner at Jordan Reservoir on 29 November.

COMMON EIDER: Seldom seen in summer or early fall was a female or immature seen
by Barbara Spencer and others on an island in Hatteras Inlet, N.C., on several dates in
early September. Very rare in the Southeast was an adult male Common, observed on
20 November by Fred Patton and Chip Davis near the Cape Lookout lighthouse,
Carteret County, N.C.

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER: Philip Crutchfield and party saw 12 near Pamlico Point,
N.C., on 12 November.

SURF SCOTER: Quite early for the fall season was a male noted by M.E. Whitfield, Tim
Playforth, and Gary Lancaster at Pamlico Point on 20 August.

MISSISSIPPI KITE: Seldom seen in the upper piedmont were two near Townville, S.C., on
29 August, as seen by Harry LeGrand, Paul Hamel, and Alan Avakian.

NORTHERN GOSHAWK: In the mountains of North Carolina, adults were noted by
Chris Haney 0.5 mile E of Newfound Gap in the Great Smoky Mountains National

Spring 1983

51

Park on 1 1 April 1981 (full details published in Migrant 52:4), and by Arch McCall urn
at Mount Mitchell on 23 October.

BROAD-WINGED HAWK: Notable flights were 1780 observed at Pilot Mountain
State Park, N.C., on 22 September (Ramona Snavely et al.) and 140 at Devil’s Court-
house, on the Transylvania-Haywood County line, N.C., on 25 September (Ruth
and Jerry Young). Rare for the coast were four noted by Greg Massey at Fort Fisher,
New Hanover County, N.C., on 15 October.

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK: Extremely early and rare was an individual observed at
Raleigh on 2 October by Don Tarbet.

GOLDEN EAGLE: Neil and Lynn Smith noted an immature at Hanging Rock State Park
N.C., on 30 October.

BALD EAGLE: At Beaverdam Reservoir, an adult and an immature were seen on several
dates in September by many observers, and as many as two adults and an immature
were noted between 15 August and 2 November at Jordan Reservoir, fide Bill Wagner.
Rare nowadays on the North Carolina Outer Banks was an adult seen by Jim and
Elizabeth Pullman at Pea Island on 12 October. An immature was found by Skip
Prange on Core Banks, N.C., on 29 October. Other records for North Carolina were
immatures seen in migration at Pilot Mountain State Park on 1 8 September (Mecklen-
burg Audubon Society) and 25 September (Ramona Snavely, Pat Culbertson); and an
adult and an immature observed on 1 4 September near Southern Pines (Mike Russell,
Libby Evans, et al.). There were numerous reports for the central coast of South Caro-
lina, as usual, but this species is a regularly occurring, breeding permanent resident in
that area.

PEREGRINE FALCON: In addition to a handful of coastal reports, one was noted by Bill
and Margaret Wagner at Jordan Reservoir on 21 and 22 September, and another (or
the same) bird was seen there on 25 September by Andy Towle. Philip Crutchfield had
a Peregrine near Fayetteville on 28 September.

MERLIN: The only inland report for the fall was one seen by Pat Culbertson at Pilot
Mountain State Park on 29 September.

COMMON MOORHEN: One was noted by Zach Bynum on Salem Lake at Winston-
Salem on 13 November.

AMERICAN AVOCET: One was rare, especially on a tidal mud flat, at Portsmouth Island,
N.C., where seen by John Fussell on 24 November.

SHOREBIRDS AT BEAVERDAM RESERVOIR: A large variety of shorebirds was
noted at Beaverdam Reservoir during the fall, particularly by Merrill Lynch and
Ricky Davis. Highlights included 17 Semipalmated Plovers on 12 September (Lynch);
Lesser Golden-Plovers from 12 to 24 September, with eight on 19 September (Lynch,
Davis); a Black-bellied Plover on 18 September (Davis); a Red Phalarope on 18
September (Lynch, Karen Masson); a Short-billed Do witcher on 12 and 18 Septem-
ber (Lynch); five Sanderlings on 19 September and one on 24 September (Lynch,
Davis); 75 Least Sandpipers on 1 9 September (Davis); a White-rum ped Sandpiper on
29 September (Lynch et al.); a Baird’s Sandpiper on 19 and 21 September (Lynch,
Davis, et al.); three Dunlins on 17 October (Davis); four Stilt Sandpipers on 19
September, with one until 29 September (Lynch, Davis); and seven Buff-breasted
Sandpipers on 12 September, with one to two until 21 September (Lynch).

52

The Chat

LESSER GOLDEN-PLOVER: In addition to three reports of single birds at Pea Island
this fall, two were observed by John Fussell on 22 September at Portsmouth Island.

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER: Philip Crutchfield had one to two at Fayetteville from 15
September to 8 November, and Bill and Margaret Wagner saw one at Jordan Reser-
voir on 31 October.

HUDSON1AN GODWIT: As usual, the only reports came from Bodie and Pea Islands,
where these godwits are seen each fall. The best count was three at Pea Island on 9
October (John Fussell, Bob Holmes, Larry Crawford).

MARBLED GODWIT: An excellent count for North Carolina was 200 seen by Derb
Carter and Lance Peacock at Portsmouth Island on 10 October.

WHIMBREL: Most unusual for the mountains were two seen by George Mayfield on
30 August 1 980 at Big Bald Mountain on the North Carolina-Tennessee line. The birds
were at an elevation of 5500 feet and were foraging on a road and in a grassy meadow;
full details are in Migrant 52:4.

LONG-BILLED CURLEW: John Fussell observed this species at Portsmouth Island from
6 September to 10 October; three were present on 10 October. Perhaps the most
extensive mud flats in North Carolina are located on the Pamlico Sound side of the
island, and this rare shorebird probably occurs each fall on these flats.

UPLAND SANDPIPER: Rare inland was one seen on 28 August at the unfilled Falls of
the Neuse Reservoir by Dan Kaplan and party.

WILSON’S PHALAROPE: The only seasonal report was of two individuals seen by Harry
LeGrand, Robert Ake, and others at Pea Island on 6 September.

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE: Exciting inland were one at the Falls of the Neuse
Reservoir near Durham on 18 September (Ricky Davis) and another on Rose’s Lake
near Fayetteville, from 6 to 9 November (Jim and Shirley Wheeling, Philip Crutch-
field). The November dates are very late for this species, yet an excellent description
was provided. One was seen in Hatteras Inlet on 5 September by Harry LeGrand,
Merrill Lynch, and party; and 19 were noted on a pelagic trip off Hatteras on 9 October
(Dave Sibley et al.)

RED PHALAROPE: One seen by Ricky Davis at the Falls of the Neuse Reservoir on 18
September may have been the same bird seen that day at Beaverdam Reservoir. Never-
theless, this species is one of the rarest shorebirds on inland lakes and mud flats. One
was also seen off Hatteras on 9 October (Dave Sibley et al.).

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER: Allen Bryan observed 14 away from the coast on
impoundments at Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, N.C., on 21 November.

SANDERLING: In addition to several at Beaverdam Reservoir, five were at Jordan
Reservoir on 4 September (Chapel Hill Bird Club) and one was at Fayetteville on 15
September (Philip Crutchfield).

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER: A late individual was observed by Philip Crutchfield
and party at Pamlico Point on 14 November.

BAIRD’S SANDPIPER: One was found by Ricky Davis at the salt flats on Pea Island on 6
September.

DUNLIN: Good inland counts were 13 at Jordan Reservoir on 23 October (Allen Bryan,
Ricky Davis) and seven at Fayetteville on 6 October (Philip Crutchfield); three were

Spring 1983

53

at the latter site on 8 November (Crutchfield).

STILT SANDPIPER: One was noted inland at Jordan Reservoir by the Chapel Hill Bird
Club on 4 September.

BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER: Harry LeGrand, Merrill Lynch, and others observed
one at Cape Hatteras Point on 6 September; surprisingly, no other coastal reports were
received.

POMARINE JAEGER: On 30 October off Cape Lookout, Wayne Irvin saw 19 Poma-
rines, approximately half of which were in dark phase. Two were also seen on the
Ake-DuMont pelagic trip off Hatteras on 9 October.

SKUA (SP.?): Seldom seen in the fall were single skuas noted off Cape Lookout by Wayne
Irvin. The first was very dark in color and was seen about 25 miles SSE of the cape on
22 August. The second was a uniform, medium brown and was seen 40 miles SSE of
the cape on 19 September.

ICELAND GULL: Likely the earliest ever for North Carolina was a first-fall individual
at Cape Lookout on 17 October, as observed by John Fussell, Wayne Irvin, and
Robert Hader. Another immature was seen at Cape Hatteras Point on 3 December
by Royce Hough.

GULL-BILLED TERN: Very rare after September in the Carolinas was one seen by John
Fussell on 1 0 October at Portsmouth Island.

COMMON TERN: Merrill Lynch, Ann Carter, and Derb Carter saw one at Beaverdam
Reservoir on 21 September.

ROSEATE TERN: An excellent find was one in breeding plumage seen at rest with
Common Terns at Cape Hatteras Point on 27 August. Allen Bryan provided convinc-
ing details. [There were several reports along the coast of Roseates seen only in flight.
Confusion with other terns, particularly Forster’s, is possible, especially when they are
not seen at rest in direct comparison with other species of terns. — HEL]

BLACK TERN: Inland sightings were reported from Lake Wheeler near Raleigh, Jordan
Reservoir, Beaverdam Reservoir, Falls of the Neuse Reservoir, and Fayetteville. The
peak count was eight, at Falls of the Neuse on 9 August (Bill and Margaret Wagner).

YELLOW- BILLED CUCKOO: A very late individual was noted by M.E. Whitfield and T.
Simpson at Lowland, Pamlico County, N.C., on 24 November.

BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO: Fall reports were made of one near Chapel Hill, N.C., on
6 September (Marc Eisdorfer); one near Fayetteville on 27 September (Philip Crutch-
field); one at Fort Fisher on 15 October (Greg Massey); and two at Pea Island on 17
and 18 October (Jim and Elizabeth Pullman).

WESTERN KINGBIRD: Only four fall reports were received, all of single birds along
the North Carolina Outer Banks between 23 September and 17 October.

YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER: This rather rare migrant was seen by Johnnie
Payne near Chapel Hill on 21 September, by Greg Massey at Carolina Beach State
Park, N.C., on 15 October, and by Perry Nugent near Charleston on 17 October.

TRAILL’S FLYCATCHER: Jim Mulholland noted a silent bird in his yard in Raleigh on
29 August. [Empidonax flycatchers, as a group, are uncommon to fairly common fall
migrants through the Carolinas, but specific identity of most individuals is difficult;
thus, there have been relatively few published fall records of Acadian, Alder, Willow,

54

The Chat

and Least flycatchers in recent issues of Chat. The Alder and Willow, collectively
known as “Traill’s,” are inseparable in the field by plumage. Both are fairly large
Empidonax flycatchers with olive-brown upperparts, dingy whitish underparts, and
only a trace of an eye ring (in comparison with the other species). Note the near
absence of the eye ring of the Willow pictured in Birds of the Carolinas (Potter et al.,
1 980) on page 23 1 . The Willow has a “whit” or “wit” call note; the Alder gives a “pip”
or “pep” note. — HEL]

LEAST FLYCATCHER: Individuals were noted near Fayetteville on 27 September
(Philip Crutchfield) and at Fort Fisher on 15 October (Greg Massey).

BANK SWALLOW: A good total, especially for the coast, was 200 seen by Tom Reeves
at Sullivans Island, S.C., on 6 September.

CLIFF SWALLOW: One was notable for the coast at Sunset Beach, N.C., on 12 August
(Dan Kaplan, Eric Garner).

FISH CROW: Philip Crutchfield reported a flock of 500 at dusk on 10 October near
Fayetteville.

VEERY: One was late at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, near Southern
Pines, N.C., on 1 1 October (Libba Watson).

BLUE-GRAY GNATC ATCHER: One seen by Philip Crutchfield was very late at Fayette-
ville on 30 November.

WATER PIPIT: One was rather early at Jordan Reservoir, seen by Bill and Margaret
Wagner on 23 September.

CEDAR WAXWING: Betty Mcllwain reported nesting by this species at Brevard, N.C.,
observing several young birds during the summer.

YELLOW-THROATED VIREO: The Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s “Birds of the
Outer Banks” checklist does not contain this species. Thus, very unusual for that area
was one seen by Tad Finnell at Bodie Island on 6 September.

PHILADELPHIA VIREO: Rare migrants were seen in North Carolina at Fayetteville
on 27 September (Philip Crutchfield), Jordan Reservoir on 2 October (two birds —
Allen Bryan, Ricky Davis), Burlington on 3 October (Bryan), Montreat on 26
October (Arch McCallum), and Wilmington on 28 October (Greg Massey).

WORM-EATING WARBLER: Jim Mulholland noted an early migrant or postbreeding
wanderer near Raleigh on 7 August.

GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER: Noteworthy for the coast were singles observed by Jim
McConnell and Jim Walterman on 29 August at Pea Island, by Tad Finnell at Bodie
Island on 5 and 6 September, and by Tom Reeves on 23 September at Magnolia
Gardens near Charleston.

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER: There were seven reports for the fall season, including birds
seen with each of the three Golden-winged Warblers listed above. The dates ranged
from 7 August to 23 September.

BREWSTER’S WARBLER: This hybrid was seen, and described well, by Philip Crutch-
field at Fayetteville on 1 2 October.

TENNESSEE WARBLER: Greg Massey noted as many as eight at Wilmington between
1 8 and 28 October; the species is a scarce migrant near the coast.

Spring 1983

55

NASHVILLE WARBLER: One was fairly early on 15 August at Devil’s Courthouse
along the Blue Ridge Parkway, N.C. (Ruth and Jerry Young). Notable for the coast
were singles seen by Greg Massey at Fort Fisher on 3 October and by Jim and
Elizabeth Pullman at Pea Island on 1 7 October. Alan Avakian reported that several
small groups were seen this fall in the Clemson, S.C., area, where Nashvilles are
normally uncommon.

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER: An early migrant was seen by Gail White-
hurst at Raleigh on 20 August.

CERULEAN WARBLER: Rare, and easily overlooked, was a female seen well by Jim
Mulholland near Raleigh on 9 August.

PALM WARBLER: Ruth and Jerry Young noted an early individual at Devil’s Court-
house on 15 August.

CONNECTICUT WARBLER: Good finds were birds seen by John Fussell at Ports-
mouth Island on 23 September and by Ricky Davis and Allen Bryan at Jordan
Reservoir on 2 October.

MOURNING WARBLER: Don Tarbet and Ken Knapp observed one, probably an
immature male, at Beaverdam Reservoir on 1 5 August. This is one of the most elusive
passerine migrants in the Carolinas.

WILSON’S WARBLER: Individuals were reported at Lancaster, S.C., on 4 September
(Cheryl Phillips); at Pea Island on 6 September (Harry LeGrand et al.); at Fayetteville
on 13 September (Philip Crutchfield); at Raleigh on 18 September (Jim Mulholland);
and at Sullivans Island, S.C., on 22 September (Tom Reeves).

YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD: Derb Carter, Merrill Lynch, Harry LeGrand, and
others saw an immature male and a female at Pea Island on 6 September; and an
immature male was seen at a feeder by Kathy Kirkman on 1 October in Pine Knoll
Shores, Carteret County, N.C.

ORCHARD ORIOLE: Most individuals of this species have departed the Carolinas by
early September; therefore, one was late at Fayetteville on 29 September (Philip
Crutchfield).

SUMMER TANAGER: One seen by Jim and Elizabeth Pullman was rather rare and late at
Pea Island on 18 October.

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: Seldom seen after October was an immature male at
a feeder near Newport, N.C., from 5 to 8 November (Mary Roberts, John Fussell).

PAINTED BUNTING: William Hutcheson observed a late adult male at Charleston on
25 November.

DICKCISSEL: John Fussell saw a female at his feeder in Morehead City on 19 and 22
November.

HOUSE FINCH: This species apparently bred for the first time at Brevard this summer,
fide Betty Mcllwain. As many as one male and two females were seen at feeders from
9 June to 6 September, and two juveniles were noted on 2 August. Two females or
immatures were seen by Philip Crutchfield on 12 August at Fayetteville, where
breeding almost certainly occurred in 1981.

(Continued on Page 46)

56

The Chat

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OFFICERS

President Richard D. Brown, Biology, UNC-Charlotte, 28223

Vice-presidents:

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Teddy M. Shuler, Route 1, Box 15, Seneca, S.C. 29678
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Secretary Philip Crutchfield, 901 Montclair Rd., Fayetteville, N.C. 28304

Treasurer John Watson, 208 Robroy Rd., Southern Pines, N.C. 28387

Members-at-large :

Region I — Western North Carolina

George Morgan, Winston-Salem, and Ruth Young, Fairview
Region II — Eastern North Carolina

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Region III — South Carolina

Dennis M. Forsythe, Charleston, and Keith L. Bildstein, Rock Hill
Headquarters Secretary Fran M. Irvin

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FALL 1983

Vol. 47

No. 3

The Chat

(USPS 101-200)

Vol. 47 FALL 1983 No. 3

Published by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc.

Editor Eloise F. Potter, Route 3, Box 1 14 AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

General Field Notes David S. Lee, Department Editor

William Post, Associate Editor

Briefs for the Files Harry E. LeGrand Jr., 331 Yadkin Drive,

Raleigh, N.C. 27609

CBC Roundtable Louis C. Fink, Apt. 6, Bldg. L, Tau Valley Estates,

Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801

Backyard Birding Gail T. Whitehurst, 1 505 Brooks Avenue,

Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Bird Count Editor John O. Fussell III, P.O. Box 520,

Morehead City, N.C. 28557

Art and Photography John Henry Dick and Jack Dermid

THE CHAT is published quarterly by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., with headquarters at the North Carolina State
Museum, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Second class postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Subscription
price $10 per year.

PAGE CHARGES: Authors who have funds available for page charges are requested to remit same at the rate of
$40.00 per page. CBC Headquarters will provide statements required for your business records.

CONTENTS

Winter Birds of a Small Tidal Estuary

in Southeastern North Carolina. Eleanor S. Cornell 57

Six for the New Year. Jack W. Greene 63

Backyard Birding 66

CBC Roundtable 68

General Field Notes

Bar-tailed Godwit Found at Portsmouth Island, N.C.

John O. Fussell III 71

Savannah Sparrows on Territory in Alleghany County, N.C.

Harry E. LeGrand Jr. 72

Additional Information on a Historical Breeding Record

of the Lark Sparrow in North Carolina. Douglas B. McNair 73

Briefs for the Files 76

Book Review 83

OUR COVER — Photographer John Trott caught three male
Mallards in flight. These ducks were among the numerous
shorebirds and waterfowl that prompted Eleanor S. Carnell, a
Wilmington artist and homemaker, to study the winter bird-
life of a tidal estuary near her home.

Winter Birds of a Small Tidal Estuary
in Southeastern North Carolina

ELEANOR S. CARNELL

There have been few studies of the winter bird life of the small tidal creek estuaries
that occur along the southern Atlantic Coast. My home near Wilmington, New Han-
over County, N.C., is on the south shore about midway up Pages Creek. This estuary
covers approximately 30 acres. The section I observed was 0.4 of a mile long, and 0.25
of a mile wide at the downstream end. At my vantage point it was 0.12 of a mile wide,
but narrowed to less than 50 yards upstream. Pages Creek opens to the Atlantic
Intracoastal Waterway about 1 mile from Mason Inlet (Fig. 1). The tidal range of 4 feet
insures that this estuary is mostly flooded twice daily and that twice daily extensive mud
flats and oyster bars are exposed by the ebbing tide (Fig. 2 and 3). The primary
vegetation of the marshes is Spartina alterniflora. Clams are abundant as are Blue Crabs
( Carcinus maenas), Fidler Crabs (Uca prignax ), and shrimp. Mullets ( Mulgie cepha-
lus), Spots ( Leiostomus xanthurus ), Pinfish ( Lagodon rhomboides ), Summer Flounder
( Paralichthys dentatus ), Bluefish ( Pomatomus saltatrix ), Blowfish ( Sphoeroides macula-
tus ), and many schools of small fish are among the available food. The focus of this
study is the cyclic use of the mud flats and the creek margins at low tide and of the
marsh waters at high tide.

METHODS

This study was conducted from January through March in both 1981 and 1982.
Observations were made with binoculars and spotting scope from an elevated wooden
pier extending into the estuary immediately behind my house. At least 4 or 5 days each
week from January thorugh March, identified birds were recorded along with the tidal
stage, bird activity, and location within the estuary. The gull flocks tend to use the part
of the estuary farthest from my observation point, sometimes making specific identifi-
cation impossible. Thus, all gulls are lumped, as also are the terns and the two yellow-
legs.

To allow for a semi-quantitative evaluation of the resulting data (Table 1), I
considered species that averaged more than 5 birds per observation period to be abun-
dant, 1 to 5 birds were considered common, 0.1 to 1 uncommon, and less than 0.1 birds
per period were considered sparse or rare.

The tidal cycle was broken into four periods: high ebbing (the first half of the
falling tide), low ebbing (the last half of the falling tide), low rising (the first half of the
flooding tide), and high rising (the last half of the flooding tide). Determinations were
made by reference to local tide tables and from personal knowledge of the estuary.

RESULTS

Twenty-three species of birds in addition to gulls and terns were observed in the
Pages Creek estuary ecosytem during the two winters of this study (Table 1). Most
abundant was a mixed-species group of gulls, consisting primarily of Herring ( Larus
argentatus) and Ring-billed (L. delawarensis ) Gulls, which regularly fed in the tidal

Fall 1983

57

RICH INLET

Fig. 1 . The study area is about midway the Pages Creek estuary, just west of Middle
Sound between Rich Inlet and Mason Inlet, New Hanover County, N.C.

creek that bisects the study area. Dunlin ( Calidris alpina ), Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus
occidentals ), and Great Blue Herons ( Ardea herodias ) were also common and present
regularly thorughout the study. All other species occurred in smaller numbers or at
irregular intervals.

Figure 4 shows the relationship between tidal stages and the total numbers of birds
of all species present. This graph clearly demonstrates that more birds use Pages Creek
estuary on the low ebbing tide than at other stages in the tidal cycle. Some species,
however, varied from this pattern, notably the flocks of gulls, which were usually most
numerous on the high ebbing tide.

Birds that fed on the exposed mud flats and in the shallow water were the small
shorebirds and the American Oystercatchers ( Haematopus palliatus ). The small shore-
birds, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus ), Black-bellied Plover
(Pluvialis squatarola ), and yellowlegs ( Tringa sp.) flew in on the ebbing tide to feed.
The yellowlegs bobbed about with nervous motions and the Short-billed Dowitcher
and Black-bellied Plover moved more slowly in their probing for food. Dunlin darted
rapidly along the edge of exposed oyster beds and in the shallow water of the mud flats
in their search for food. Oystercatchers fed on the oyster bars. Shorebirds arrived on the
low ebbing tide and left as the tide began to flood.

The Great Blue Heron was the most common long-legged wader and was present
during the entire tide cycle. Most often it was a solitary figure, head hunched in

58

The Chat

Fig. 2. Pages Creek study area at high tide.

Fig. 3. Pages Creek study area at low tide.

Fall 1983

59

TOTAL BIRDS

HIGH EBBING LOW EBBING LOW FLOODING HIGH FLOODING

TIDE CYCLE

Fig. 4. Abundance of birds in the Pages Creek estuary over the tidal cycle, January
through March, 1981 and 1982.

shoulders, backed against the marsh grass. When the mud flats began to show, the
heron moved to the oyster bar or the water’s edge, to fish and feed.

The Great Egrets ( Casmerodius albus ) sometimes came in flocks, but often just
two or three together. These waders also stood against the marsh grass. As the tide
ebbed, they changed position to feed and fish. Infrequently, the Great Egrets roosted in
the trees by the banks of the creek.

Only one Little Blue Heron ( Egretta caeruled) was present at a time. It regularly
fed along the creek margins in the shallow water and at the edge of the oyster bars as the
tide began to ebb.

Green-backed Herons ( Butorides striatus ), Snowy Egrets (E. thula ), and Tri-
colored Herons ( E . tricolor) were sparse. The Green-backed Heron hunted from the
water’s edge, leaning forward to strike at passing prey. Sometimes it moved farther into
the pools of water. The Snowy Egret and the Tricolored Heron fed on the mud flats,
darting back and forth in the shallow water.

The White Ibis (. Eudocimus albus) always came in flocks. When the tide was quite
low and the mud flats fully exposed, they fed by probing in the mud. They have not
reappeared on Pages Creek since the winter of 1981.

60

The Chat

TABLE 1. Abundance of winter birds of Pages Creek,
New Hanover County, N.C.

Total birds
observed

Observed
per day

Abundance

category

Species

1981

1982

1981

1982 Average

Gull species

807

1232

12.42

14.37

13.50

Abundant

Hooded Meganser

418

214

6.43

2.49

4.19

Common

Dunlin

152

178

2.34

2.07

2.19

Common

Brown Pelican

78

194

1.20

2.26

1.80

Common

Great Blue Heron

77

85

1.18

0.99

1.07

Common

White Ibis

145

0

2.25

0.00

0.97

Uncommon

American Oystercatcher

40

104

0.62

1.21

0.95

Uncommon

Mallard

16

97

0.25

1.13

0.75

Uncommon

Tern species

34

63

0.52

0.73

0.64

Uncommon

Short-billed Dowitcher

52

39

0.80

0.45

0.60

Uncommon

Great Egret

25

55

0.38

0.64

0.53

Uncommon

Yellow legs species

50

25

0.77

0.29

0.50

Uncommon

Little Blue Heron

24

9

0.37

0.10

0.22

Uncommon

Osprey

9

4

0.14

1.05

0.09

Sparse

Red-breasted Merganser

6

7

0.09

0.08

0.09

Sparse

Black-crowned Night-Heron

0

7

0.0

0.08

0.05

Sparse

Black-bellied Plover

2

3

0.03

0.04

0.03

Sparse

Snowy Egret

3

0

0.04

0.00

0.02

Sparse

Wood Duck

3

0

0.04

0.00

0.02

Sparse

Green- winged Teal

2

0

0.03

0.00

0.01

Sparse

Tricolored Heron

0

2

0.00

0.02

0.01

Sparse

American Bittern

1

0

0.01

0.00

0.01

Rare

Northern Harrier

1

0

0.01

0.00

0.01

Rare

Green-backed Heron

0

1

0.00

0.01

0.01

Rare

Herring, Ring-billed, and Bonaparte’s ( L . Philadelphia ) Gulls were present in great
numbers throughout the study. Laughing Gulls ( L . atricilla) did not appear until mid-
March. Approaching storms produced hundreds of gulls in the creek area. They came in
on all tides: Herring and Bonaparte’s Gulls on the high ebbing tide; Ring-billed Gulls
more frequently on the low tides. They fed from the oyster bars, from a swimming
position, and by probing in the mud.

Forster’s Terns ( Sterna forsteri ) appeared in small numbers with the gulls. They
hovered and dove for their food. They fed most commonly on the low tides. Common

Fail 1983

61

Terns (S. hirundo ) were absent most of the winter. Two early spring migrants appeared
in March.

Brown Pelicans came in small numbers — sometimes a single bird, or as many as
six. They flew high and dove into the water to feed. The pelicans sometimes flew in
formation and dove together. They loafed on the oyster bars or preened themselves on
the pilings beside the dock.

The Osprey ( Pandion haliaetus) arrived punctually each year about 1 March. This
bird flies very high above the creek, hovers, and then dives for its food. The Ospreys
nested in a bare tree across the creek from my house.

The most numerous ducks of Pages Creek were the Hooded Mergansers ( Lopho -
dytes cucullatus). They came in numbers from a few to groups of 30 to 50. Red-
breasted Mergansers ( Mergus senator) were sparse. Mergansers dove for their food,
completely submerging and coming to the surface some distance from this point. They
came most frequently on the high and low ebbing tides.

Several Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) were present during the entire tidal cycle
but most frequently on the low ebbing tide. They fed on vegetation by up-ending in
shallow water. They may have been feral birds.

Rare visitors were a Green-winged Teal (A. crecca) and three Wood Ducks (Aix
sponsa ), all present on the high tides.

Another rare visitor was an American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus ) seen sitting
in a frozen position in the marsh grass with its bill pointed skyward.

The Northern Harrier ( Circus cyaneus) was seen once hovering over the marsh
grass, but the marshes within the study area apparently are not extensive enough to
attract this species regularly.

CONCLUSIONS

In winter, birds are most numerous on Pages Creek on the low ebbing tide (Table 1).
The abundance of birds in the study area varies according to the food resources avail-
able at the different stages of the tide cycle. The greatest numbers of birds are present
during the low ebbing tides’ because the low water exposes extensive mud flats and
oyster beds. Although some shorebirds and long-legged waders retreat to the marshes
and shallow waters at the edges of the creek when the flooding tide covers the mud flats
and oysters beds, most leave the estuary. Bird activity reaches its low point during the
high flooding tide, but as the high tide begins to ebb, gulls and other species that dive for
fish or feed from the surface of the water become numerous in the estuary.

322 Pages Creek Drive, Wilmington, N.C. 28405

62

The Chat

Six for the New Year

JACK W. GREENE

Bobby Mize and I participated in the Christmas Bird Count of Stanly County,
N.C., to lend support to Morrow Mountain State Park, which has coordinated the
count for several years. We had been assigned the Yadkin-Pee Dee River section for
the count. Having gone canoeing over the Christmas holidays in 62°F weather, I was
looking for a good reason to be back on the water. I had been the seasonal naturalist at
Morrow Mountain the summer of 1977, with free access to a Wildlife Commission
canoe, which I used for exploring as many marshes and creeks as I could find. So I
knew the area. Another reason I was eager to go was that there had been reports of
Bald Eagles in this area for the past several winters. I had seen Golden Eagles in the
wild, but never Bald.

Friday and Saturday, the last day of 1982 and the first day of 1983, were identical.
Both were heavily overcast with no wind, and threatening rain that never came. We
put our canoe in at the Alcoa Boat Access Area on the Falls Reservoir and paddled
down the lake to the Falls Dam, got out, and walked around the fence to the top of a
small rock outcrop to look down on Lake Tillery. We located our first raptor of the
day, a mature Red-tailed Hawk, sitting in a tree on Morrow Mountain State Park’s
lake shore. I always check this outcrop for a small red sedum called Diamorpha smallii.
This is the first place it was ever found. John Small found it here in 1894 and it has
been found on many other rock outcrops since then, but its “type locality”, as it is
called by botanists, was destroyed in 1919 with the construction of the Falls Dam by
Alcoa. Still, I always check the area, hoping to find the sedum there again. The Falls
Dam not only destroyed the Diamorpha population, but also what is regarded as the
largest waterfalls in the state, if not the entire southeast, in terms of volumes of water.
The Yadkin River went from 1800 feet wide at Badin to 60 feet as it gorged its way
through the Narrows for 3 miles before dropping over a rhyolite dike. The roar of what
was known as The Great Falls of the Yadkin could be heard 4 miles away.

After checking down-river, Bobby and I paddled up the western shoreline of the
Falls Reservoir. The west bank belongs to Alcoa and the east to Uwharrie National
Forest. We were checking for birds that would come to the water’s edge to drink and
sometimes feed. Titmice, chickadees, woodpeckers, sparrows, and goldfinches could be
seen and heard with ease as we glided silently by. Suddenly a large bird took off from
the eastern shore, just ahead of us. We had been upsetting the local population of Great
Blue Herons all morning, but this was different. We followed the dark bird’s powerful
flight up-river and across the lake with our binoculars.

“Rough-legged Hawk.”

“No, I don’t think so. It’s dark-breasted all right, but it’s the wrong habitat. Rough-
legs are open-prairie birds. I’ve only seen them in large open fields.”

“Look, he’s trying to take the perch from another large bird.”

Having failed to dislodge the second bird, the first one flew on up the river and
landed on the west shore about a mile away. We started angling the canoe across the
river toward the second bird, trying to get close enough to identify it. Bobby had his

Fall 1983

63

spotting scope mounted on a gun stock in the bottom of the boat. “Let me get my
scope,” he said.

“I’m afraid the bird might think it’s a gun and fly off before we find out what it is.
Go ahead, but move slowly. Can you see him in the scope? I can make out a whitish
head. He’s getting ready to fly! No, he’s just turning around.”

“Awwh.”

“What is it?”

“His tail is pure white and so’s his head. It’s a mature Bald, which means that the
first one we saw was an immature Bald.”

“Give me the scope; let me see.”

“Look, on the left, there’s a third one.”

About 80 yards away, directly off our port side, sat another immature Bald Eagle.
“I’m getting my camera out. Let’s see how close we can get to the immature before
he flies.” We were both grinning from ear to ear.

“No one’s going to believe we saw three Bald Eagles in one day. No one . .
That’s when the fourth one flew over our heads. It had come from down-river, behind
us, so we didn’t see it until it had passed over, flying with slow, powerful strokes about
150 feet off the water. It also went up-river and landed on the west side.

“The immature’s taking off.”

“So’s the mature one.”

We continued paddling up-river watching the flying eagles until they landed
again. The immature, which had been perched closer to us, joined another immature
and a subadult whose head and tail were a smoky gray, but probably would be white
next year. Bald Eagles require 4 to 5 years to become fully mature, breeding adults.
“How many eagles do you see?”

“I see five.”

“I see five also. Describe where you see them.”

“Three together on the left in the poplar.”

“Yes, I see those.”

“One on the left, way up-river at the bend.”

“Yes, I see that one also.”

“One silhouetted against the sky at the tallest point on the hill to the left of the one
at the bend.”

“I didn’t see that one. Now I see six eagles.”

“Where is your sixth one, the one I don’t see?”

“I’m not believing this. LeGrand won’t either. [The standard joke at Iredell
County bird counts is that if you see anything rare, don’t bother to put it down because
Harry won’t believe you anyway.] All right, let me describe the positions for the six I
see. Three together in the poplar, one at the bend, which makes four. One silhouetted
against the sky at the high point, which makes five, and the sixth one is below the one
silhouetted in the trees. I believe it’s the mature one we saw earlier.”

“Yes, I see it. Now I see six also. Four immatures, one subadult, and one adult.”
“Right. That’s what I see. Put them on the bird count list. What a way to start the
New Year!!!”

64

The Chat

TABLE 1. Summary of Bald Eagle sightings on the Yadkin-Pee Dee River system in
North Carolina, January through May 1983.

Date

Birds

Observers

1 January

4 immatures
1 subadult
1 adult

Greene and Mize

12 January

5 immatures

Paul Hart, Bill Brokaw, Bob Mayer

13 January

2 adults
1 subadult

Dick Brown

15 February

3

Greene (morning)

3

Greene and Wade Stubbs (afternoon)

27 Feburary

3

Greene with Ann Taylor

12 March

1 immature

Mize and Betty Boyd Sides

ADDENDUM

Table 1 summarizes Bald Eagle sightings from the Yadkin-Pee Dee River system
near Badin, N.C., during the winter of 1983. Included are reports submitted to Harry E.
LeGrand Jr. for use in “Briefs for the Files” and American Birds. On 23 May all
observed raptors were soaring. If any eagles were still present, they were too high to be
seen or were not in the immediate area.

Jack W. Greene is Western District Naturalist for the North Carolina Department
of Parks and Recreation. His address is Duke Power State Park, Route 2, Box 224-M,
Troutman, N.C. 28166.

Fall 1983

65

iBmifaf

. with Gail T. Whitehurst

Man Versus Rodent Versus Owl

This morning (29 March 1983) my daughter, Mrs. Ray Adkins, phoned to tell me
that a Great Horned Owl had fluttered down from the high pines in her garden. Earlier,
it had hung from a branch, upside down, by one claw. She had called the South
Carolina Wildlife Department. Before anyone arrived, I went over to see the bird. It
was sitting in a corner of her shaded lot, wings spread out, rather like a cloak. Soon a
man and woman from Wildlife arrived. The man was wearing something like a weld-
ing glove, and they brought with them a large corrugated air-freight box.

At their approach, the owl promptly flew over a 6-foot fence and into a neighbor’s
dog pen. The young setter and Doberman-Pinscher therein did not seem to notice the
owl. My daugher gave the man a bedspread, which he used to capture the owl. It was
placed in the box with some difficulty as the sharp talons had become entangled in the
spread. They took the owl to the Riverside Zoo for examination by a veterinarian, who
determined that it had probably eaten a poisoned animal, which affected its central
nervous system. The owl lived only one day at the zoo.

Being an amateur bird watcher, I had something interesting to add to my life list,
although I must say it is definitely a situation of being watched by very colorful eyes
when you are near such a bird. — DAVID J. ABRAHAM, 3128 Woodsen Circle, West
Columbia, S.C. 29169

A Mating Ritual Totem?

Here are some new (for me at least) observations in the old habit of flickers
pecking on metal chimney covers. On a recent trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma, I watched a
pair of Yellow-shafted (Northern) Flickers cavort around their nest in an old willow.
The male would fly to a limb directly in front of the hole, rather softly announcing his
arrival each time. The female immediately came out of the hole and perched on a small
limb (non-passerine?) to its left. The pair then copulated and the male immediately
flew to a nearby chimney where he “drilled” the metal pot before flying off. I watched
this pattern being repeated at least seven or eight times a day for three consecutive days,
beginning as early as 0630 and ending as late as 1 830. 1 hardly know what conclusions
might be hazarded, but the routine was fascinating, never varying at all. The male did

66

The Chat

not even alter his chimney, although several were equidistant to the hole and another
even on the same house. I wonder how many other species incorporate some sort of
totem in the mating ritual? — A. LEIGH DeNEFF, 1623 Park Drive, Raleigh, N.C.
27605

Living Dangerously!

Today (30 October 1982) I was walking on our apartment grounds. We have 155 units
spread widely, with large paved areas for parking, much grass, plenty of blooming
camellias — and nothing remotely resembling woodland.

Over the paved street, low and 10 feet from my face, came a Sharp-shinned Hawk,
chased by three Starlings. The rapid maneuvering went on before me for several seconds. I
know that Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks can be similar in size, but this hawk was the
smallest accipiter I’ve ever seen, not much bigger than the Starlings. — LOUIS FINK,
L-6 Tau Valley Estates, Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801.

[Note: It is not uncommon, especially in the fall, to see a Sharp-shinned Hawk or a
Cooper’s Hawk being mobbed in the air by a large flock of European Starlings,
but this sounds most unusual. — GTW]

Whitehurst’s Laws of Backyard Birding

Nearly everyone is familiar with at least some of the famous Murphy’s Laws — things
that can foul up most any undertaking you plan. Well, I have come up with a few laws
relative to backyard birding. These have turned up over and over again. Perhaps you can
add something to the list.

1. Never say “never.” Just as soon as you tell another birder that such and such a species is
never seen feeding on the ground (or in the trees), you will see it doing that thing.

I told a friend once that while I often see Fish Crows perch on the tall transmission
line tower near my home, American Crows never do. This winter, long before the return
of Fish Crows, the American Crows in the area frequently perched on the tower.

I have always said that Mourning Doves never eat anything but grain, birdseed,
or fruit. This winter, I observed one eating bread!

I used to join with the many other observers in saying that House Sparrows do
not eat sunflower seed. They do! They will sit in a feeder that has only sunflower
seeds and prevent any other birds from partaking.

2. Just as you are about to locate a new, unusual, or interesting bird in a nearby tree, your
neighbor will walk over and begin a conversation — and the bird disappears.

3. While you are studying a “different” bird in the driveway, a car will turn in and frighten it
away before you are sure of the field marks.

4. Before you can decide what the new bird on your feeder is, someone or something will
frighten it away.

5. When you go to investigate the strange bird call you just heard, along comes a helicopter
or a garbage truck, or someone starts up a power mower, drowning out the sound.

6. On a bitterly cold, blustery winter day, when you can hardly stand to linger outside to
watch birds, along comes a Sharp-shinned Hawk. All the birds dive for cover and remain
out of sight for at least 10 minutes! — GAIL T. WHITEHURST, 1505 Brooks Avenue,
Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Fall 1983

67

CB©

TRoundfaiU'

... with Louis C. Fink

Birding with a Screech Owl Tape

One of those rare days in mid-June, which make the heart leap, I joined a nature
walk sponsored by Raleigh’s Parks and Recreation Department at Durant Nature Park.
Over 40 adults showed up, so Don Tarbert and John Conners divided the crowd in
two. The morning began with a small exhibit of skins and delightful, informal com-
ments by Don.

Both leaders carried tape recordings of a Screech Owl, and we stopped to play
them in cleared spaces in the woods. The results were a fine collection of summer
residents: catbirds, chickadees, both tanagers, several flycatchers, Indigo Bunting, Caro-
lina Wren, a lingering Palm Warbler, and so on. A nesting box with young Tufted
Titmice was available for close inspection.

Durant Nature Park is a former Boy Scout camp, and worth a visit at any time. It’s
on US 1 about 5 miles N of the Beltline. Turn left on Durant Readjust beyond Cheviot
Hills Golf Course. — LCF

Newspaper Gleanings

Siberian Crane eggs have been shipped from Wisconsin to Moscow, to be placed
in nests of wild cranes in the Soviet Union. Scientists hope to save one of the world’s
rarest birds. Out in California, condor eggs taken from the wild have hatched, and
scientists are delighted that one chick is a female. Alan Poole, a student of Ospreys, says
these birds are coming back, 10 years after DDT was banned.

The Smithsonian Institution in Washington is selling for $1 a bird silhouette
designed to prevent birds from flying into large glass doors and windows.

Moses Ashley Curtis: Early Carolina Naturalist

“Moses Ashley Curtis (1808-1872): Contributions to Carolina Ornithology” is the
title of a paper by Mark and Sallie Simpson in the April 1983 issue of The North
Carolina Historical Review. An educator and Episcopal minister, Curtis is well known
for his outstanding contributions to botany; however, his work on birds, mammals,
reptiles, and amphibians has been, for the most part, forgotten. The Simpsons pro-
vide considerable evidence that Curtis was the first modern student of North Carolina
animal life. Two appendices present Curtis’s list of birds for North Carolina (including
such intriguing entries as Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Whooping Crane, Purple Sand-

68

The Chat

piper, and Esquimaux Curlew) and several species accounts that were written for a
proposed state zoology. Although the North Carolina Geological and Agricultural
survey had published Curtis’s two volumes on the plants of the state, one before the
Civil War and the other in 1867, the legislature refused to appropriate funds for the
book on animals, which apparently never was completed. Bird students with a bent for
history will find the Simpsons’ paper fascinating.

Further Information on Tropicbirds in the Caroiinas

In a recent paper David S. Lee and E. Wayne Irvin (Chat 47:1-13) summarized
the tropicbird records for North and South Carolina and expressed concern about the
accuracy of identifications made before bird students became aware that two very
similar tropicbird species (White-tailed, Phaethon lepturus, and Red-billed, P. aethe-
reus ) occur in the region. The authors have received two written responses to their
paper, both of which are excerpted below. The first is a letter from D. Archibald
McCallum, one of the cited observers, providing further details of his experience with a
storm-blown bird found alive at Dillon, S.C., in October 1954. The second is a sum-
mary of unpublished information regarding several sightings reported without details in
“Briefs for the Files” during the years (1977 to present) that Harry E. LeGrand Jr. has
been editor of this department in Chat. One report from more than 100 miles offshore is
here mentioned in print for the first time. Lee has viewed John Bazuin’s slides of this
bird and concurs in its identification as a White-tailed Tropicbird. — EFP

Your paper in The Chat . . . has inspired me to try to recall more details of the
Dillon, S.C., record of October 1954. The bird was found by the Walters family (Mr.
and Mrs. Graham Walters Sr. and Graham Jr.) in their chicken coop. They brought it
to my family, because we were known to be interested in birds. I remember the bird
lying on the ground, my father retrieving the Peterson eastern field guide and almost
immediately finding the line drawing and identifying it as a “yellow-billed” tropicbird. I
am certain that this bird had no tail streamers. It was assumed at the time that it had lost
these in the storm. A wing was stretched out and all were impressed with its length. The
Walterses took the bird back home, hoping to nurse it back to health and to release it.
At that time we did not own a copy of South Carolina Bird Life, and were too
unsophisticated about the ways of ornithology to think of preserving the specimen.
Several years later I corresponded with E.B. Chamberlain about the record, and in the
fall of 1958, on a CBC trip in Charleston, Rhett Chamberlain asked us to see if the
skeleton could be exhumed. As I recall a house had been built over the place the bird
was buried, and so exhumation was out of the question.

My recollection is that the bill of the bird was yellow and that there was no thin
black barring on the back, but my mental image of the bird is undoubtedly influenced
by the many illustrations I have seen since, especially the Peterson drawing, which I
must have looked at hundreds of times as a boy. Moreover, I was only nine years old at
the time. — D. ARCHIBALD McCALLUM, Route 2, Box 3, Thoreau, New Mexico
87323

Because there have been a moderately large number of previous records for the
White- tailed Tropicbird in Carolina waters, I have not published descriptions of them

Fall 1983

69

in Briefs. However, the Lee and Irvin paper has stimulated me to go through my

correspondence The following is a list of sightings of tropicbirds, all reported as

White-tailed, that I have received since 1977. All have been published in Chat. For
each record, I mention whether or not a description was provided; if so, excerpts have
been included in quotes.

1. 2 September 1979; Mike Tove et al. (Chat 44:45). Tove’s photo of a White-tailed
was published in Lee and Irvin (Chat 47:8).

2. 3 September 1979; John Fussell (Chat 44:45). No description was provided. How-
ever, Fussell says: “Due to swell coming in from side, I didn’t see it well through
binoculars, and I didn’t identify it as a White-tailed until I’d looked at White-tailed
and Red-billed specimens in Raleigh.”

3. 6 September 1979; Bill and Margaret Wagner, Johnnie Payne (Chat 44:92). Bill
Wagner submitted a half-page description. In addition to noting the long, streamer
tail, he stated: “we saw yellow bill and noticed the head was all white except eye line
which showed to extend back of eye (not long as in Red-billed). The wings [when
raised by bird sitting on water] were black-tipped with black open V formed by
pattern extending from bend of one wing down to rump and back up to bend of
other wing.”

4. 5 September 1979; Richard Rowlett (Chat 44:69). No description.

5. 27 September i979; Rowlett (Chat 44:69). No description.

6. 23 May 1980; Vernon Waters (Chat 44:1 13). Mentioned as an adult, but no descrip-
tion provided.

7. June 1980; Duncan Dawkins (Chat 45:19). John Fussell submitted the report,

mentioning that Dawkins “saw one circle around over the boat he was on He

described it well.” However, Fussell’s letter did not actually include a description.

8. 5 September 1981; John Bazuin (Chat 46:47). He provided a half-page description,
including: “fairly large, all-yellow bill; . . . black bar extending diagonally forward
across the upper wing surface from the scapulary [sic] area to the wrist.” [NOTE:
Another adult White-tailed was seen by Bazuin 176 miles E of Jarvisburg, N.C., on
13 September 1981. However, the sighting was not published because it occurred
over 100 miles from shore, the unofficial limit of North Carolina waters (from an
ornithological standpoint). He submitted two slides of this bird to me. The yellow
bill and black diagonal bar on the wing clearly identify it as a White-tailed.]

Of the sight records above, [only the first and third were included in] the table of
occurrences of tropicbirds in Lee and Irvin (Chat 47:6-8). I assume that records three
and eight can now be added to their list of positively identified White-tailed Tropicbirds
in the Carolinas. — HARRY E. LeGRAND JR., 331 Yadkin Drive, Raleigh, N.C.
27609

The 6 September 1979 and 5 September 1981 records do not alter the known
period of occurrence for the White-tailed Tropicbird in the Carolinas. Addition of
Bazuin’s far-offshore photo record moves the latest date in our region from 1 1 Sep-
tember (as reported by Lee and Irvin) to 13 September. The additional information

(Continued on Page 75)

70

The Chat

General Field Notes

DAVID S. LEE, Department Editor

North Carolina State Museum, P.0. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

WILLIAM POST, Associate Editor for South Carolina

The Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting Street
Charleston, S.C. 29403

Bar-tailed Godwit Found
at Portsmouth Island, N.C.

JOHN O. FUSSELL III
1412 Shepard Street
Morehead City, N.C. 28557

On 22 September 1982, at approximately 1600, I discovered a Bar-tailed Godwit
(Limosa lapponica) feeding on the sand flats (locally called “The Flats”) at Portsmouth
Island, Carteret County, N.C., adjacent to Ocracoke Inlet. On this afternoon and the
next, I studied the bird for a total of more than 2 hours. Fortunately, I had in hand for
immediate reference the very helpful Guide to the Identification and Ageing ofHolarc-
tic Waders (A.J. Prater, J.H. Marchant, and J. Vuorinen, 1977, British Trust for
Ornithology Field Guide No. 17).

I was using 10X binoculars and often approached within 50 feet of the godwit. Thus,
I had excellent views of it. It associated primarily with Willets ( Catoptrophorus semipal-
matus) and Short-billed Dowitchers {Limnodromus griseus ), but also sometimes stood
next to Marbled Godwits {Limosa fedoa ), a Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus),
and other speicies, affording excellent size comparisons. The Bar-tailed Godwit could be
picked out at a long distance because of its distinctive silhouette— long, very slightly
recurved bill and slender body but relatively short, stocky legs. The bird “stood shorter”
than a Willet. It was in winter plumage and its general coloration was similar to that of the
Willets, not at all like that of a Marbled Godwit. The basal half of the bill was pink; the
distal half was black. The legs were black or blackish. The lower back, rump, and upper
tail coverts were white with dark barring visible on the rump and upper tail coverts. The
rectrices were largely brownish, tipped with white. The axillars were whitish with a
sparse amount of dark barring or speckling. The presence of the largely whitish lower
back, rump and axillars is consistent with the bird being of European origin, rather than of
Asian or Alaskan origin (see Prater et al., 1977). The godwit called once. That call was
tripled, and in quality was similar to a Willet’s call.

The Bar- tailed Godwit is very rare but regular along the East Coast of the United
States. There are three previous records for North Carolina, all of which were made at
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge: 31 August to 1 September 1971, 14 October 1974,
and 21 September 1975 (Chat 41:48,49; Amer. Birds 29:41). I photographed the

Fall 1983

71

Portsmouth Island godwit, and several color slide duplicates have been deposited in the
North Carolina State Museum of Natural History.

The godwit was also seen on 23 September by Pam Stuart. Wayne and Fran Irvin
found the bird on 2 October, 1 .5 miles SW of the September sightings. On 10 October, at
midday, the godwit was again adjacent to Ocracoke Inlet, and was seen by Bill and Pat
Brokaw, Larry Crawford, John Fussell, Bob Holmes, and Heathy Walker. Later, that
afternoon, Derb Carter and Lance Peacock found the bird in the same area. As far as I
know, these were the only observations, although others searched for the bird in early
October. I covered the flats thoroughly on 24 November, and did not see the godwit.
Prior to the initial observation, I had censued the shorebirds on the flats on 6 and 8
September. If the bird did arrive at Portsmouth between 8 September and 22 September,
it may be of interest that no extreme weather occurred during that period, although there
were several days with moderate northeasterly winds.

The location of the sightings, the Portsmouth Flats, is a significant natural area
within Cape Lookout National Seashore. These flats are vast (ca. 3 square miles), and
consist of sections that are primarily sand flats and sections that are primarily mud flats.
They provide a major feeding area for migrating shorebirds. Unfortunately, this rich
shorebird area has been generally inaccessible to bird students. However, recently a
transportation service (for tourists wanting to visit the historic Portsmouth village) from
Ocracoke has been developed.

Observation of the Bar-tailed Godwit was made while I was conducting, for the
Cape Lookout National Seashore, censuses of fall shorebirds using the Portsmouth Island
flats. This work was supported by the Volunteer in Park Program. Appreciation is
extended to Claudia Wilds for reviewing the manuscript.

Savannah Sparrows on Territory
in Alleghany County, N.C.

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

331 Yadkin Drive
Raleigh, N.C. 27609

The Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) has been slowly expanding its
breeding range southward in recent decades, and in the 1970s they had been recorded in
summer in a number of localities in the Virginia mountains. By 1980, the species had been
noted in Virginia south to Carroll County (Scott 1979), Washington County (Scott
1975), and Smyth County (Scott 1975); and in Hawkins County, Tennessee (Alsop
1977). Hawkins County is at the same latitude as the northern tier of counties in North
Carolina, whereas the southern locations in Virginia are only 15 to 20 miles from the
North Carolina border. Thus, the possibility existed that Savannah Sparrows occur in
summer in the mountains of northern North Carolina. Nonetheless, the species was not
detected on the Ashe County, N.C., Breeding Bird Foray in 1979 (LeGrand and Potter
1980), nor had it ever been detected in the breeding season in the Carolinas.

On 14 June 1983, I surveyed roadside habitats in the northeastern portion of
Alleghany County, N.C., looking specifically for open country birds, as the county

72

The Chat

contains an abundance of pastures and fields. I concentrated on listening for Savannah
Sparrows, Henslow’s Sparrows ( Ammodramus henslowii ), and Bobolinks ( Dolichonyx
oryzivorus). Though I suspect that Bobolinks nest somewhere in the county, because
abundant habitat seems present, I found neither of the last two species. However, I did
find singing Savannah Sparrows at three locations. The first was at the community of
Hooker, 5.3 miles E of Sparta. The second was along SR 1426, 2.7 miles E of Sparta. The
third location was 2.0 miles SE of downtown Sparta on SR 1 1 2 1 . The elevations at these
sites range from 2750 to 2900 feet (900 to 935 m).

All three individuals were first noted by their songs, and two were subsequently
seen, singing from either posts or wires of fences. The habitats were basically similar
— ungrazed or lightly grazed pastures in a moderately hilly setting. These pastures
contained only grasses, with no forbs or saplings of any kind; grasses were approximately
knee-height (0.3 m). The main associates of the Savannahs in these pastures were Eastern
Meadowlarks ( Sturnella magna ) and Grasshopper Sparrows (A. savannarum ); other
associates were Red-winged Blackbirds ( Agelaius phoeniceus) and Vesper Sparrows
(Pooecetes gramineus).

The Savannah Sparrows were obviously on territory, but I was unable to detect
further evidence of nesting. Nevertheless, it seems certain that the species is now
established in the breeding season in the county, and other Savannahs may well occur
there, as suitable habitat is widespread. Observers should look for additional sites for
the species in the northwestern corner of the state, especially in the western half of
Alleghany County and in eastern Ashe County. It is expected that conclusive evidence
of breeding will be found shortly.

LITERATURE CITED

Alsop, F.J., III. 1977. Savannah Sparrow ( Passerculus sandwichensis ) extends its
breeding range into upper eastern Tennessee. Amer. Birds 31:1 101-1 102.
LeGrand, H.E., Jr., and E.F. Potter. 1980. Ashe County Breeding Bird Foray — 1979.
Chat 44:5-13.

Scott, F.R. 1975. The Mount Rogers Foray of June 1974. Raven 46:75-87.

Scott, F.R. 1979. The Rocky Knob Foray of June 1976. Raven 50:3-1 1.

Additional Information on a Historical Breeding Record
of the Lark Sparrow in North Carolina

DOUGLAS B. McNAIR
Department of Zoology
Clemson University
Clemson, S.C. 29631

Lark Sparrows ( Chondestes grammacus) are rare to uncommon and erratic breeding
birds in the most easterly portions of their range (Baepler 1968, Peterson 1980). The A.O.U.
Check-list (1957) and Baepler (1968) state the Lark Sparrow breeds in western and central
North Carolina (Cranberry, rarely to Raleigh). I have been unable to find a published record
of Lark Sparrows breeding at Cranberry, which is in central Avery County. Birds of North

Fall 1983

73

Carolina (Pearson et al. 1 942) lists but one breeding record, that of a deserted nest with four
eggs found by H.H. Brimley at Raleigh, Wake County, on 24 July 1 890. 1 have located this
latter record at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, where it is listed
as Lark Sparrow egg set No. 6658. The only other substantiated breeding record in North
Carolina is for Richmond County (McNair 1982).

The following label, handwritten by H.H. Brimley, accompanied the egg set and is
quoted here in its entirety:

“1/4 Lark Sparrow (?). July 24, 1890. Raleigh, N.C. Nest on ground, in
depression, among small bunch of weeds in open, on high ground. The field
where found is used as a pasture and growth is kept cropped close, scattering
weeds being left standing in places. Field bounded by pines, mixed woods,
vineyard and a small stream. Eggs dry and hard, apparently deserted at least
a week, probably more. Incubation seemed to have commenced but if com-
menced, only quite slight. Nest taken on above date by negro fieldhand who
gave me foregoing information regarding where found. I know the field well,
it being less than a mile from here.

“Previous record of Lark Sparrow at Raleigh, one taken and another one
seen, Aug. 19/1889, one-half mile from where above nest was taken.”

The four eggs were placed in a cup-shaped nest. The outer nest material was composed
of grasses and weed stems. The nest lining was composed of fine grasses and rootlets. The
four eggs were ovate and creamy white, lightly scrawled with chocolate and gray on the
wide end plus a few brown spots. Three of the four eggs measured 22.5 x 1 6.5 mm; the other
egg measured 22.0 x 16.5.

The breeding habitat, nest placement, nest construction, and eggs (shape, size, color,
and markings) of this Lark Sparrow nest record are in agreement with Baepler (1968).
Because of the aforementioned characteristics, there is only one other species breeding in
North Carolina whose nest and eggs may be confused with Lark Sparrow, that is the Vesper
Sparrow ( Pooecetes gramineus). The Vesper Sparrow breeds in the mountains of northwest
North Carolina and may have nested “accidentally” at Greensboro, Rocky Mount, and
Wilmington, N.C., though documentation is lacking (Potter et al. 1980).

The largest eggs measured by Berger (1968) for Vesper Sparrows were 22.9 x 1 6.3 mm,
22.4 x 1 5.8 mm, and 21.8x16.8 mm. The four Lark Sparrow eggs collected in Raleigh were
larger in at least one dimension (length or width) than any of the above Vesper Sparrow
eggs. Thus, it is highly unlikely that these eggs collected at Raleigh are Vesper Sparrow eggs,
based on egg size. Additionally, there are differences in the color and marking of the eggs and
nest construction between these two species. R. A. Paynter Jr., Curator of Ornithology at
the Museum of Comparative Zoology, stated he believes the identity of Brimley’s Lark
Sparrow egg set is correct. Sally B. McNair compared this Lark Sparrow egg set with a small
series of egg sets of other Lark Sparrows, Horned Larks ( Eremophila alpestris ), and
Rufous-sided Towhees ( Pipilo erythrophthalmus ) and stated that Lark Sparrow egg set
No. 6658 unquestionably resembled other Lark Sparrow egg sets and not those of the
other three species.

The above information provides additional support for the validity of the 1890
breeding record of the Lark Sparrow at Raleigh. Without documentation of the collected
nest and eggs, the information accompanying this egg set could not be validated and several

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lines of reasoning could argue against the authenticity of this nesting record. The value of
specimen documentation is once again demonstrated.

I thank R.A. Paynter Jr., Curator of Ornithology at the Museum of Comparative
Zoology, and Sally B. McNair for their assistance.

LITERATURE CITED

Baepler, D.H. 1968. Pages 886-902 in Life Histories of North American Cardinals,
Grosbeaks, Buntings, Towhees, Finches, Sparrows and Allies, A.C. Bent, U.S. Nat.
Mus. Bull. 237.

Berger, A.J. 1968. Pages 868-885 in Life Histories of North American Cardinals,
Grosbeaks, Buntings, Towhees, Finches, Sparrows and Allies, A.C. Bent, U.S. Nat.
Mus. Bull. 237.

McNair, D.B. 1982. Lark Sparrows breed in Richmond County, N.C. Chat 46:1-8.
Pearson, T.G., C.S. Brimley, and H.H. Brimley. 1942. Birds of North Carolina. N.C.
Dept. Agri., Raleigh.

Peterson, R.T. 1980. A Field Guide to the Birds. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.

Potter, E.F., J.F. Parnell, and R.P. Teulings. 1980. Birds of the Carolinas. Univ. N.C.
Press, Chapel Hill.

CBC ROUNDTABLE

(Continued from Page 70)

supplied by McCallum and LeGrand, while welcome and helpful, does not change the
basic premise of the Lee and Irvin paper, which is that full details of tropicbird sightings
from the Carolinas need to be published until the seasonal occurrence and relative
abundance for the two species have been established. — EFP

Piping Plover Records Needed

Piping Plovers are a shorebird species threatened throughout their North Ameri-
can range. Increased development of their specialized, unvegetated beach habitat may
cause more populations to disappear, unnoticed. In an effort to determine the current
status and distribution of Piping Plovers, the World Wildlife Fund (Canada), Delta
Waterfowl Research Station, and Manitoba Department of Natural Resources are
solicting help in locating birds on breeding, migration, or wintering areas. Please sup-
port this project by reporting past or present sightings of Piping Plovers (include date,
location, number of birds and color bands, if any). Send information to: Susan Haig,
Delta Waterfowl Research Station, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba R1N 3A1,
Canada.

Fall 1983

75

BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

(All dates July 1982 to March 1983 unless otherwise indicated;

CBC = Christmas Bird Count)

RED-THROATED LOON: Quite rare inland was one seen by Albert Conway on the
Chester, S.C., CBC on 30 December.

NORTHERN FULMAR: A dead individual was found at Pea Island, N.C., in late fall,
according to Bonnie Woodall. It is now a specimen at the North Carolina State
Museum of Natural History.

AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: Dennis Forsythe and others again noted a wintering
bird at Charleston, S.C., as it was observed from 19 November through February.
Another was seen by Dorothy and Roger Foy in January at the junction of Greens
Creek and Smith Creek at Oriental, N.C.

BROWN PELICAN: Most unusual inland was one seen by John Koenen on Hope Mills
Lake in Cumberland County, N.C., on 14 and 15 January.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: Rare for the mountains was a cormorant at
Lake Julian, near Asheville, N.C., on 1 December (Jerry Young, Ken Lawson). A
tally of 24 on the Chapel Hill, N.C., CBC on 26 December was excellent for an
inland locality; observers were Dan Kaplan, Eric Garner, Jim McConnell, and Don
Tarbet.

ANHINGA: Single birds were noted by Jay Carter over 1-20 near Camden, S.C., on 26
January, and by Steve Wagner and others at Santee National Wildlife Refuge on
Lake Marion, S.C., on 30 January.

GREAT BLUE HERON: Uncommon in the mountains in winter were one on 10
December (Jerry Young, Ken Lawson) and two on 22 February (Ruth Young) in
the Cane Creek area near Asheville, N.C. Extremely rare for the Carolinas was an
individual of the “Wurdemann’s” race (of the Florida Keys), seen by Perry Nugent
and party at Cape Island, S.C., on 19 December.

GREEN-BACKED HERON: Early winter stragglers were notable on North Carolina
CBCs at Fayetteville on 19 December (Jim Wheeling), Chapel Hill on 26
December (Dan Kaplan et al.), Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge on 29
December (Glenda Ditto), and Hatteras on 31 December (Ken Knapp et al.).

CATTLE EGRET: Rare for the tidewater zone were one seen by Philip Crutchfield and
party at Pamlico Point in Pamlico County, N.C., on 12 January, and one noted by
Allen Bryan near Engelhard, N.C., on 20 February.

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: Jim Mulholland observed an immature near
Raleigh, N.C., on 13 February.

GREAT EGRET: Noteworthy in winter in the piedmont were two on the Jordan Lake,
N.C., CBC on 2 January (Dennis Alwon, Bill and Margaret Wagner) and approxi-
mately 20 near the Tega Cay part of Lake Wylie, York County, S.C., on 13
January (Dick Brown).

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WHITE IBIS: An excellent count at any season for Pea Island was 50+ seen by Allen
Bryan on 19 February.

TUNDRA SWAN: Unusual numbers so far inland were 515 on 16 February, 125 on 24
February, and 93 on 26 February in a large plowed cornfield at Caledonia Prison
Farm near Tillery, Halifax County, N.C. (Merrill Lynch, Karen Masson). Other
extralimital records in North Carolina were 19 flying over Jordan Reservoir on 12
December (Norm Budnitz, Jim McConnell), 30+ near Beaufort on 9 January (John
Fussell), and 105 near Newport on 12 February (Fussell, Wayne Irvin).

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE: Jeff Beacham observed three adults at
Santee refuge, S.C., on 23 December. Three were also seen there on 29 January by
Perry Nugent and Dennis Abbott.

SNOW GOOSE: One blue-phase individual was noted by John Fussell and Wayne Irvin
on 12 February near Newport, N.C. One blue-phase bird and another in the white
phase were seen by Merrill Lynch and Karen Masson near Tillery, N.C., on 16
February.

ROSS’ GOOSE: One was again present for most of the winter at Pea Island, being
reported on the CBC on 30 December (Paul Sykes et al.) and again during the
Carolina Bird Club meeting in that area on 21 and 22 January (Philip Crutchfield et
al.).

FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCK: Rare for a North Carolina CBC was one on a
small pond in Hatteras on 3 1 December, and again on the following day (Harry
Armistead and others). Another was along the North Santee River delta, S.C., on 19
February (Peter Manigault).

NORTHERN PINTAIL: Eric Garner, Dan Kaplan, and Jim McConnell observed one at
Chapel Hill on the CBC on 26 December.

BLUE-WINGED TEAL: Very rare for the mountains in winter was a male noted by
Ron Warner on Lake Tahoma, N.C., on 15 December. Allen Bryan observed 16
at Lake Mattamuskeet, N.C., on 20 February.

COMMON GOLDENEYE: Anson Cooke saw three on Jordan Reservoir on 26
December, and Tom Howard observed single birds at two places on the Southern
Pines, N.C., CBC on 2 January. This species, as well as most other waterfowl
species, was in low numbers in the Carolinas during the winter owing to very warm
weather in December.

COMMON MERGANSER: Five birds, including two males, were noted by Ricky
Davis at Jordan Reservoir on 30 January, and Allen Bryan saw three males there on
13 February. Noteworthy for the Bodie-Pea Islands CBC were five on impound-
ments at Pea Island on 30 December (Paul Sykes et al.).

ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK: One was seen by David Wright just south of Charlotte,
N.C., on 12 December. [I have been receiving too many reports of this rare species
without adequate details. The above report contained no description, but I accepted
it because of the experience of the observer. Many veteran birders have never seen
this hawk in the Carolinas, and I feel that most observers who report this species
have been too casual in the descriptions. It is a fairly easy bird to identify, in all color
phases, and the field guide descriptions are reasonably accurate. However, many of

Fall 1983

77

the reports have probably been of Red-tailed Hawks seen hovering or seen in poor
light. Remember — there are skeptics who question nearly all Rough-legged reports
from the Carolinas, so be absolutely positive before reporting one. — HEL]

GOLDEN EAGLE: An excellent find was an immature seen by Mike Tove and Kelly
Nagel at Lake Mattamuskeet on the CBC on 29 December.

BALD EAGLE: Bill and Margaret Wagner noted three immatures in one tree at Jordan
Reservoir on 9 February. Other records of note in inland North Carolina were
individuals at Edenton on 4 December (Allen Bryan), near Vass on 2 January (Tom
Howard), and at Lake Pinehurst on 8 February (Peggy Jansen).

OSPREY: Dick Brown saw one on an aerial survey for Bald Eagles on 13 January at
Lake Wylie, S.C. Another was late at Lake Mattamuskeet, where seen by Mike
Tove and Kelly Nagel on 29 December.

PEREGRINE FALCON: One was seen during count period of the Buncombe County,
N.C., CBC (held on 18 December), as reported by Ruth Young. Five reports for
Carteret County, N.C., during the winter (fide John Fussell) were notable for that
area.

MERLIN: Steve Wagner observed one near Pendleton, S.C., on the Clemson CBC on 19
December. Philip Crutchfield and others noted two near Fayetteville on 21 Febru-
ary and another on 28 February.

YELLOW RAIL: One was flushed and studied in flight by David Wright at Magnolia
Gardens, near Charleston, on 23 February.

BLACK RAIL: An excellent count for South Carolina was 15 to 25 seen by Peter
Manigault during a rice harvest along the North Santee River on 25 November.

COMMON MOORHEN: Howard and Susan Chambers noted one on Stewart’s Lake,
near Fayetteville, on 25 December.

AMERICAN COOT: Bill and Margaret Wagner had good counts of 1500 on 6
December at Jordan Reservoir and 750+ on 19 February at Falls of the Neuse
Reservoir in eastern Durham County, N.C.

LONG-BILLED CURLEW: Infrequently seen in winter was an individual noted by
Maurice Barnhill and Greg Massey on 24 December at Fort Fisher, New Hanover
County, N.C.

GREATER YELLOWLEGS: Philip Crutchfield had a rare midwinter bird at Fayette-
ville from 25 January to 1 1 February.

SPOTTED SANDPIPER: In North Carolina were individuals at North River near
Beaufort on 19 December (Allen Bryan), at Harkers Island on several dates in
January (Skip Prange), and at Woodlake, near Vass, on 5 February (Dick Thomas).

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER: Bob Lewis observed one at Lake Mattamuskeet on the
CBC on 29 December. This species perhaps winters regularly on the refuge there.

LEAST SANDPIPER: This shorebird is difficult to find in midwinter on the Outer
Banks; therefore, six on 19 February were of interest at Pea Island (Allen Bryan).

DUNLIN: A tally of 57 was good at Lake Mattamuskeet on 29 December, as noted by
Bob Lewis.

BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER: One was seen by Paul Hart, David Wright, and

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others at the Me Alpine Sewerage Treatment Plant near Pineville, Mecklenburg
County, N.C., on 29 August. It remained for approximately 10 days.

POMARINE JAEGER: Robert Hader saw one at Atlantic Beach, N.C., on 11
December, and one was noted by Allen Bryan on the Bodie-Pea Islands CBC on 30
December.

PARASITIC JAEGER: Four were seen at Atlantic Beach from 11 to 20 December
(John Fussell et al.). Very rare in midwinter was another noted by John Fussell,
Larry Crawford, Bob Holmes, and Harry LeGrand at Cape Hatteras point on 6
February.

GLAUCOUS GULL: Immatures were seen in North Carolina at Sunset Beach, in
Brunswick County, on 15 December by Philip and Jim Crutchfield; at Oregon Inlet
on 30 December by Mike Tove, John Fussell, and Bob Anderson; and at a landfill
near Newport from 1 2 to 26 February by Fussell and others. One was photographed
[print examined by the editor — HEL] at Breech Inlet, near Isle of Palms, S.C., on 26
March; it was seen by F. Glenn Smith, George McCoy, and Lex Glover.

ICELAND GULL: Very rare for South Carolina was one seen by Jackson Abbott at
Kiawah Island on 7 February. North Carolina had a remarkable number of records
this winter. Rather far inland was an individual seen in a parking lot in Elizabeth
City on 23 January by Claudia Wilds. Others were at Manns Harbor on 29
December (Bob Lewis, John Fussell, Allen Bryan), near Hatteras on 31 December
(Carl Perry), at Fort Macon State Park on 2 1 January (Fussell) and likely the same
bird at Beaufort on 27 January (Fussell), at Ocracoke on 23 January (Philip
Crutchfield, Morris Whitfield, John Roach), at Oregon Inlet on 28 January (Pat
and Jim Culbertson) and likely the same bird there on 5 February (Fussell et al.),
and at the Newport landfill on 18 February (Fussell). The last Iceland was an
adult; all others were immatures.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL: Notable in South Carolina was an adult seen by
Perry Nugent and party on the McClellanville CBC on 19 December. In North
Carolina, four were seen on the Bodie-Pea Islands CBC on 30 December (fide Paul
Sykes), and two were seen on the Cape Hatteras CBC on 3 1 December (Bob Lewis).
Others in the latter state were seen near Avon on 1 January (Lewis, Mike Tove,
Harry LeGrand), at Bodie Island on 21 January (Philip Crutchfield, Morris Whit-
field), at Wanchese on 22 January (Claudia Wilds et al.), at the Newport landfill
from 23 February into March and a second there from 23 to 26 February (John
Fussell).

COMMON BLACK-HEADED GULL: Good finds were individuals seen by Frances
Needham, Dana Carter, and others at a sewage treatment plant at Carolina Beach,
N.C., from 1 8 December to early March; and by Harry LeGrand and John Fussell at
Hatteras on 6 February.

BONAPARTE’S GULL: Ramona Snavely, Bobbie Page, and Sue Moore saw 16 on Oak
Hollow Reservoir near High Point, N.C., on 15 January. At Jordan Reservoir, six
were seen on the Chapel Hill CBC on 26 December (fide Bill Wagner) and one was
noted on 29 January (Andy Towle and party).

BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE: Philip Crutchfield and Morris Whitfield observed an
oiled bird on a sand bar with other gulls near Salvo, N.C., on 22 January.

Fall 1983

79

SABINE’S GULL: Absolutely remarkable for early spring was an individual in breeding
plumage seen by Henry Haberyan on the White Oak River near Swansboro, N.C.,
on 10 March. He noted the black head, pattern of triangles on the wings, and the
square tail as it was seen closely in flight. This is the fifth record for the state.

CASPIAN TERN: John Fussell saw one on the Morehead City, N.C., CBC on 19
December.

BLACK SKIMMER: An excellent total of 6 1 0 was reported on the Morehead City CBC
on 19 December, fide John Fussell.

RAZORBILL: Mike Tove and Bob Anderson noted one on the ocean at Pea Island on 30
December.

THICK-BILLED MURRE: Very rare was one observed by Carl Perry several miles off
Hatteras Inlet on the Cape Hatteras CBC on 3 1 December.

DOVEKIE: One was found sick or injured on Shackleford Banks, N.C., on 19 December
by Maureen Benson. The remains of another were found by John Fussell at Cape
Hatteras point on 6 February; the bird had been dead for at least several weeks.

SHORT-EARED OWL: Harry LeGrand observed five at dusk on 6 January in the
lakebed of Falls of the Neuse Reservoir along the line between Wake and Durham
Counties.

CHUCK- WILL’S- WIDOW: Extremely rare in winter was one seen by Harry LeGrand
on a road at dusk at Buxton, N.C., on 31 December. The large size (about as plump
as an American Woodcock), brownish-sooty body, and brown throat were clearly
seen in the headlights of a car.

RUBY-THROATED (?) HUMMINGBIRD: An immature male was present at Irene
Doremus’ feeder in Pine Knoll Shores, Carteret County, N.C., from December to 20
January. A close study by John Fussell and Wayne Irvin indicated that the bird was
almost certainly a Ruby-throated, especially as “some dark (reddish) feathers were
coming in on the throat” (Fussell). A female or immature hummingbird was
reported as this species, without details, from Charleston on 28 December (Louise
Cauthen).

LEAST (?) FLYCATCHER: An Empidonax flycatcher was carefully observed at Cape
Island, S.C., on the McClellanville CBC on 19 December. Perry Nugent and John
Paquet identified it as a Least. [It is probably best called “Least (?)”, as birds of this
genus are very difficult to identify when not singing and not in typical habi-
tat.—HEL]

HORNED LARK: Notable for the Outer Banks were two seen near Buxton on 22
January by Philip Crutchfield and Morris Whitfield.

PURPLE MARTIN: Early spring arrivals in coastal North Carolina were two at Sunset
Beach on 16 February (Philip Crutchfield) and one at Atlantic Beach on 18
February (John Fussell, Bob Holmes).

FISH CROW: Philip Crutchfield noted one on the rather late date of 18 December at
Fayetteville.

SEDGE WREN: On 30 and 3 1 July, Philip Crutchfield observed one and heard 10 to 12
others singing, apparently on territory, at Pamlico Point, N.C. The birds were in

80

The Chat

Black Needlerush marshes. There have been scattered reports in recent years of
apparently territorial singing in North Carolina by this species. Unfortunately, such
behavior is not necessarily indicative of breeding, and no evidence of nesting has yet
been found in the Carolinas.

BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER: Quite unusual for the piedmont was an individual
that presumably spent the entire winter in Charlotte, N.C. It was seen in Heathy
Walker’s yard on 5 December, 9 January, and 2 and 3 March. Two were seen on the
Jordan Lake CBC on 2 January (fide Barbara Roth) and one was seen on the Lake
Mattamuskeet CBC on 29 December (Mike Tove).

WHITE-EYED VIREO: John Wright saw one at Lake Mattamuskeet on the CBC on 29
December, and Paul Sykes noted two at Buxton on the Cape Hatteras CBC on 3 1
December. Paul Hamel, Alan Avakian, and others noted two on 14 January at the
Congaree River swamp, S.C., where the species is perhaps regular in winter.

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER: Individuals were seen on North Carolina CBCs at
Durham on 19 December (fide Mike Schultz), at Lake Mattamuskeet on 29
December (Larry Ditto), and Jordan Lake on 2 January (Dan Kaplan, Steve and
Maurice Graves). Others were seen at Fayetteville on 8 January (Norman and
Barbara Scott), at Raleigh on 12 January (Jim Mulholland), and at Congaree River
swamp on 14 and 15 January (three by Alan Avakian et al.).

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: The Cape Hatteras CBC tallied an outstanding 52
individuals on 31 December (fide Carl Perry). Heathy Walker observed one at a
suet feeder in Charlotte on 20 January.

NORTHERN PARULA: A very late bird was observed by Jim McConnell in Durham,
N.C., on 7 December.

MAGNOLIA WARBLER: Steve Compton noted one late on 26 November at Hampton
Park in Charleston.

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER: Very rare in winter was an individual seen
by Paul Sykes in Buxton Woods on the Cape Hatteras CBC on 31 December.

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER: One was late at Charleston on 26
November (Steve Compton).

YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER: North of the winter range was one seen by Paul
Sykes at Buxton on 3 1 December.

PRAIRIE WARBLER: Paul Sykes noted one on the Cape Hatteras CBC on 31
December. This bird was seen in the same mixed-species flock as the Black-throated
Blue and Yellow-throated Warblers.

NORTHERN (BALTIMORE) ORIOLE: Rare for extreme eastern North Carolina were
birds on CBCs at Lake Mattamuskeet on 29 December (Mike Tove), at Wanchese
on 30 December (two seen by Dan Cristol), and one at Buxton on 31 December
(Harry LeGrand).

NORTHERN (BULLOCK’S) ORIOLE: Robert Hader reported that one was seen at a
feeder in Raleigh on the CBC there on 1 8 December. Another male was noted at a
feeder near Charleston from 1 October through the winter by Mrs. Gilbert
Bradham.

BREWER’S BLACKBIRD: Ross Jervis and party observed two males in a cow pasture

Fall 1983

81

with other blackbirds on the Chapel Hill CBC on 26 December. The faint purple
overcast on the head and greenish body were noted on the birds.

WESTERN TANAGER: One was seen in an apple orchard and a yard between
Hendersonville and Edneyville, N.C., on 4 and 5 January by Ron Warner. [Excel-
lent slides were examined by the editor. — HEL] Another, apparently an adult male,
was at Kathy Kirkman’s feeder in Pine Knoll Shores, N.C., from early January to
early March. It was confirmed by John Fussell on 17 January. A female or
immature was seen by Mosely and Ruth Chesnutt in a yard in Fayetteville from
early November to March, and a male (with some red on the face) was seen in a yard
in a different part of that city from early December to late January (Bob and Becky
White, Henry Rankin).

EVENING GROSBEAK: This species was quite rare in the Carolinas during the winter,
with only scattered sightings. The highest count reported was 22 observed by Greg
Massey at Wilmington, N.C., on 1 March.

HOUSE FINCH: Noteworthy for tidewater North Carolina were eight at Edenton on 4
December (Allen Bryan), two at Hatteras on 3 1 December (Harry Armistead), and
two at a feeder in Wilmington from 13 January to 9 February (Greg Massey). Other
notable sightings were as many as 20 at a single Fayetteville feeder during the winter
(fide Philip Crutchfield); 100+ in one yard in Whispering Pines, Moore County,
N.C., on 2.3 January (Jay Carter, Dick Thomas, et al.); 177 on the Clemson, S.C.,
CBC on 19 December (fide Paul Hamel); and one in Hendersonville, N.C., on 15
February (Ron Warner).

COMMON REDPOLL (?): One was reported at a feeder on the Chapel Hill CBC on
26 December. [As this species was essentially absent in the northeastern United
States during the winter, there is concern about the sighting. Though fair details
were provided, the House Finch was not entirely eliminated by the description.
Birders who believe they have a redpoll, especially at a feeder, should make every
effort to obtain a photograph of the bird or notify experienced observers to verify
the sighting. — HEL]

PINE SISKIN: Like Evening Grosbeaks, siskins were very scarce this winter. There were
somewhat more reports of this species than of grosbeaks, but most observers did not
see either species all winter.

WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL: An adult male was seen by many birders at the feeder
of Lucius Gage near Waxhaw, Union County, N.C., from 15 to 25 February 1982.
The bird was photographed, and it was reported by Paul Hart. There were no reports
of either species of crossbill during the winter of 1982-1983.

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW: Near the edge of the winter range was one noted by
Harry LeGrand north of Beaufort, N.C., on 19 December.

LE CONTE’S SPARROW: One observed by Jim Mulholland just south of Raleigh on
19 February provided a very rare winter record for North Carolina. Numerous
birders saw the Le Conte’s on the same afternoon.

BACHMAN’S SPARROW: This species has recently been found to occur regularly in
winter in the North Carolina Sandhills. This season Jay Carter saw up to four birds
in western Fort Bragg on seven dates in December and two dates in January.

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CLAY-COLORED SPARROW: Harry LeGrand observed one in a flock of Field
Sparrows at Buxton on 3 1 December (on the Cape Hatteras CBC).

LINCOLN’S SPARROW: A first record for Carteret County, N.C., was one seen by
Skip Prange at his feeder on Harkers Island from 26 February to 22 March. He lives
adjacent to a shurbby marsh that is a good habitat for the species. Alan Avakian
noted another on 19 December on the Clemson CBC near Townville, S.C., the only
place in the Carolinas (Anderson County and vicinity) where Lincoln’s has been
consistently recorded in winter.

SNOW BUNTING: Nine seen by Bob Lewis, Harry LeGrand, and Mike Tove on 1
January between Salvo and Avon, N.C., was the only report for the winter.

BOOK REVIEW

FINDING BIRDS IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA: A SMITHSONIAN
NATURE GUIDE.

Claudia Wilds. 1982. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. Illus.
Appendices. Index. 215 p. Softbound, $10.95.

Guides to bird finding range from a few sheets of paper stapled together to
hardbound books, but most tend to be softbound books that sell for about $10 or less.
They may be very general (e.g. the two- volume Pettingill work) or very localized (e.g. the
Lane and Tveten Texas coast guide). The latter, with its habitat photographs, bar graphs,
and detailed maps, is a well-written but strictly utilitarian book that has helped to make
the Texas Gulf Coast a mecca for bird watchers. Recently we have seen the publication of
several statewide bird-finding guides, notably Bierly’s book for Tennessee (see Chat
44:1 19). Their greater geographic coverage makes the bar graphs impractical, and these
books tend to emphasize habitat variations rather than avian specialties. Most of these
books have been a labor of love accomplished by author/publishers with a minimum of
professional advice on design and layout. The result has been a series of very helpful
books marred by maps with legends too small for easy reading even under the best of
conditions.

Now we have a new guide to the area within easy driving distance of Washington,
D.C., which includes all or parts of six states. Of the bird-finding books I have examined,
this is by far the most attractive in format and, as far as I can tell without field-testing it,
the best illustrated and best written. The large-scale maps, prepared by Kai Yee, and the
large-size, well-spaced type can be easily read in a moving car. The spacious design by
Alan Carter and drawings by Doreen Curtin are pleasing to the eye. These “little things”
do make a difference!

CBC members who attended the meeting at Nags Head in January 1983 no doubt
recall how skillfully Miss Wilds explained some very difficult problems in shorebird
identification — and to mention her directions for finding the Lesser Black-backed Gull at
Wanchese. She is a “good ’splainer,” as one child used to say about a favorite teacher.

Fall 1983

83

Although the author acknowledges her debt to Carl W. Carlson’s series of articles,
published in the 1960s, on bird finding in the D.C. area as well as the contributions of
numerous other dedicated bird students, the book as a whole is uniquely her own. If you
doubt this, just read her expression of appreciation to the typist.

The guide primarily covers the District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, and
northern Virginia; however, a few places in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, southeastern
Virginia, and North Carolina are mentioned briefly. An introductory section deals with
geography, climate, and species to look for. The annotated species list gives relative
abundance for birds found regularly within the area covered, season of occurrence, and
places to look for them. Rarities and accidentals are listed separately without notations.
Regional headings are mostly self-explanatory: Washington and the Suburbs; The
Piedmont; Ridges, Valleys, and the Allegheny Plateau; The Western Shore (of Chesa-
peake Bay); The Eastern Shore; and South of Chesapeake Bay (southside Virginia and the
North Carolina Outer Banks). A concluding section provides information on pelagic
trips, hawk watching, and owling. Appendices list natural history and ornithological
societies, useful publications (including maps), and cooperative birding activities.

The usual route directions, habitat descriptions, and lists of expected birds are
enhanced by the author’s common-sense advice to bring along plenty of food and drink,
to avoid certain places when temperatures are too high or winds are unfavorable, and to
heed “No Parking” and “No Trespassing” signs. The comments on each site are brief and
straightforward, but they are presented in very readable complete sentences, often with a
subtle touch of humor. The emphasis is on having a pleasant trip rather than adding a
fantastic number of birds to your life list. My impression is that Miss Wilds wrote this
book for a wide audience of bird watchers with the same care and enthusiasm she
would use in giving directions to a very special friend. — EFP

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MEMBERSHIP

Carolina Bird Club, Inc., is a non-profit educational and scientific association founded
in March 1937 and open to anyone interested in the study and conservation of wildlife,
particularly birds. Dues, contributions, and bequests to the club are deductible from state
and federal income and estate taxes. Checks should be made payable to Carolina Bird Club,
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The Chat

Vol. 47 FALL 1983 No. 4

j

Quarterly Bulletin of
The Ornithological

The Chat

(USPS 101-200)

Vol. 47 FALL 1983 No. 4

Published by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc.

Editor Eloise F. Potter, Route 3, Box 1 14 A A, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

General Field Notes David S. Lee, Department Editor

William Post, Associate Editor

Briefs for the Files Harry E. LeGrand Jr., 331 Yadkin Drive,

Raleigh, N.C. 27609

CBC Roundtable Louis C. Fink, Apt. 6, Bldg. L, Tau Valley Estates,

Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801

Backyard Birding Gail T. Whitehurst, 1 505 Brooks Avenue,

Raleigh, N.C. 27607

Bird Count Editor John O. Fussell III, P.O. Box 520,

Morehead City, N.C. 28557

Art and Photography John Henry Dick and Jack Dermid

THE CHAT is published quarterly by the Carolina Bird Club, Inc., with headquarters at the North Carolina State
Museum, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Second class postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 27611. Subscription
price $10 per year.

PAGE CHARGES: Authors who have funds available for page charges are requested to remit same at the rate of
$40.00 per page. CBC Headquarters will provide statements required for your business records.

CONTENTS

Fall Migration of Land Birds at Fort Fisher,

New Hanover County, N.C. Richard J. Davis and James F. Parnell 85

Backyard Birding 96

CBC Roundtable 98

General Field Notes

An Additional Red-billed Tropicbird Sighted in North Carolina

Offshore Waters. Richard J. Davis and Allen Bryan 100

Expansion of White Ibis Nesting in North Carolina.

Mark A. Shields and James F. Parnell 101

Ingestion of Grit by Wood Warblers. Eloise F. Potter 103

Briefs for the Files 104

Book Review 113

Index to Volume 47 115

OUR COVER — Fall migration brings many thousands of
waterfowl to national wildlife refuges in the Carolinas. These
birds include numerous young of the year such as the male
American Wigeon photographed by John Trott.

Fall Migration of Land Birds
at Fort Fisher, New Hanover County, N.C.

RICHARD J. DAVIS and JAMES F. PARNELL

Abstract. Fall migration of land birds at Fort Fisher, New Hanover County,

N.C., was studied during August, September, October, and November 1978,
to determine species occurrence and abundance as well as habitat usage for the
four major habitats covered on 38 censuses. The Fort Fisher area is described
and findings are compared to Paul Sykes’ (1968) work on fall migration on the
Outer Banks of North Carolina. Warblers, finches, and sparrows were most
common among the 107 species of birds recorded. The heaviest passage was on
7 October, although some birds were moving throughout the period of study.
Heaviest usage was of the shrub-thicket habitat with the fewest birds using the
marsh habitats. Relationships between migratory concentrations, weather, and
local geography are discussed.

Many workers have studied the fall migration of birds, particularly the phenomenon
of coastal migration. Extensive observations have been made at many sites in the eastern
and northeastern coastal states, with Long Island, New York, Cape May, New Jersey, and
Cape Charles, Virginia, being the best known.

Fall migration work on the coast of the Carolinas has been limited, with a major
exception being the detailed study by Sykes (1968) on the Outer Banks of northeastern
North Carolina. His work documented the species diversity, abundance, and duration of
fall migration on the coast. Sykes found large numbers of fall migrants and gave evidence
for a notable passage of land birds south of the Virginia capes.

The Fort Fisher area (Fig. 1) at the southern tip of New Hanover County, N.C., has
only recently been noted in the ornithological literature. The earliest published material
came from Auk and Wilson Bulletin in the 1920s and 1930s. These first reports were
generally short comments on isolated sightings of unusual species. By the 1950s brief
notes began appearing in Chat and Audubon Field Notes (later American Birds). Since the
1960s there has been a steady flow of published sightings, and Fort Fisher has become a
very popular site for bird watching. Most of the published material continues to be brief
notes on uncommon species.

The present study was prompted by these early published reports and by preliminary
field work during the fall of 1976 and 1977 when it was found that there was a definite
concentration of migrants at Fort Fisher. The purpose of this paper is to document the
concentration of land birds at Fort Fisher during the fall migration season and to compare
the results with Sykes’ (1968) findings in northeastern North Carolina.

HABITATS

Fort Fisher is the site of a Civil War fort. Field work began at the fort and included
the peninsula south to the parking lot at the termination of US 421 (Fig. 1). There are five
primary habitats in the study area: forest, shrub thicket, herb-shrub, short grass, and salt
marsh (Fig. 2). Of these only the forest is not present to a significant extent in the study

Fall 1983

85

area. Shrub-thicket and salt-marsh habitats are extensive, but short grass and herb-shrub
are localized. Short grass covers cleared and regularly mowed lanes at the ferry slip and at
the fort site. Herb-shrub habitat is found along the northern side of the ferry-slip fence.
Adjacent to this fence is a diked dredged-material disposal site, which is the only extensive
herb-shrub area.

The shrub-thicket habitat covered about 36% of the study region, and the average
height of the vegetation was 13 feet. The dominant plants were Wax Myrtle ( Myrica

86

The Chat

legend

Pal

EH

El

FOREST

SHRUB THICKET

HERB- SHRUB
SHORT GRASS
SALT MARSH

ROAD

OBSERVATION SITE

Fig. 2. Habitats surveyed within the Fort Fisher study area.

cerifera), Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), Groundsel-tree (Baccharis halimifolia ), Red Cedar
(Juniperus virginiana), and Marsh Elder (Iva frutescens).

The herb-shrub habitat covered about 8% of the study area, and the average height of
the vegetation was 5 feet. The dominant plants were Salt-meadow Cordgrass (Spartina
patens ), Sand Grass ( Triplasis purpurea ), Camphorweed (Heterotheca subaxillaris ),
Horseweed (Erigeron canadensis ), Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago semper virens), Common
Reed (Phragmites communis ), Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), Marsh Elder, Iva (Iva

Fall 1983

87

imbricata ), Groundsel-tree, False Willow {Baccharis angustifolia ), and Sea Oxeye (Borri-
chia frutescens).

The salt-marsh habitat covered about 48% of the study area, and the average height
of the plants was 4 feet. The dominant plants were Black Needlerush ( Juncus roemeria-
nus) and Smooth Cordgrass ( Spartina alterniflora).

The short-grass habitat covered about 8% of the region, and the average height of the
vegetation was 1 foot. The dominant plants were Sandspur ( Cenchrus tribuloides ), Ber-
muda Grass ( Cynodon dactylon ), Crab Grass ( Digitaria sanguinalis ), and Sand Grass.

The primary observation sites were scattered in all major habitats (Fig. 2). Sites 1, 2,
3, 7, and 8 were predominantly marsh. Sites 7 and 8 also had a mixture of grasses, weeds,
and shrubs. Sites 4, 5, 6, and 10 were thickets and short grass. Sites 9, 1 1, 12, 13, and 14
were primarily covered with shrub thickets.

METHODS

The study period extended from 1 August to 16 November 1978. Censuses were
terminated in mid-November owing to time limitations of the study. Each census lasted as
long as was needed to cover all habitats, and most were done between 0700 and 1200.

The study area extended from the fort area south to the bay and included samples of
all habitats from the beach to the river. Figure 2 shows the major habitat areas and the
primary observation sites.

The census method used involved recording the number of individuals seen or heard
within each habitat as the observer moved along a fixed route. A 7 X 35 binocular and a
30X spotting scope were used in identification. A standardized field data sheet was used
for recording observations. It provided space for noting species by habitat and a column
for birds overhead. Also, there were spaces to record the date, weather, total species, total
individuals, comments, time in the field, and time in each habitat.

Davis did all the field work except during a 3-week period of illness when several
observers filled in as available. On two occasions members of Parnell’s ornithology class
were present.

The map of the study region (Fig. 2) was adapted from an aerial photograph
provided by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. The location map (Fig. 1) was reproduced
from a N.C. Highway Commission county road map. Plant names follow Radford et al.
(1968), and bird names follow the A.O.U. Check-List of North American Birds (1957)
and its Thirty-fourth Supplement (A.O.U. 1982).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1 gives individual totals for each species during each month and for the entire
study period. Table 2 gives individual totals for each habitat during each month and the
entire study period.

Birds-per-hour values in Tables 1 and 2 were calculated by dividing the individual
totals by the number of hours spent in each habitat. The number of hours are exact except
in the case of birds recorded overhead. Birds overhead were counted at all times in all
habitats. On a few occasions, while stationed at one area, time was spent counting only
overhead migrants. Therefore, overhead hour values are totals of both observation times
and are identical to the total time spent in the field each month.

88

The Chat

Between 1 August and 16 November 1978, 16,151 individuals of 107 species of
birds were recorded on 38 censuses at Fort Fisher. The 107 species represent 30 families
of 9 orders. Members of the order Passeriformes (perching birds) were most numerous,
with warblers, finches, and sparrows being common.

The most abundant species was the Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler followed
closely by the Tree Swallow, Fish Crow, and Northern Flicker. The Yellow-rumped
Warbler and Tree Swallow normally winter in southeastern North Carolina in large
numbers, whereas the Fish Crow and Common Flicker are common permanent residents.
Abundance and conspicuousness help to account for the large numbers recorded.

The total abundance figures for the fall range from 0.01 birds-per-hour to 16.69
birds-per-hour. Only slightly more than one-fourth of the species recorded show abun-
dance figures of more than 1.00 birds-per-hour. Some birds no doubt passed through in
larger numbers, but, owing to their secrecy, were missed. Many of the thrushes and some
of the warblers were most likely overlooked. Data for the larger, more conspicuous birds
such as the Eastern Kingbird, Northern Mockingbird, and blackbirds, probably represent
more closely their actual abundance.

Sykes (1968), in his study on the North Carolina Outer Banks, had rather similar
results, with the same groups of species being most common. One exception is that he
reported a higher incidence of thrushes. Another difference is that Sykes had more
individuals of the late-migrating birds such as Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper,
Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco, and several species of sparrows. This may be a result of
erratic field work at Fort Fisher from mid-October until the completion of the study on
16 November. There were more accipiters (Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks), Eastern
Kingbirds, Bobolinks, and Indigo Buntings recorded at Fort Fisher than on the Outer
Banks. The reasons for this are not clear because these birds are fairly easy to see. Slight
changes in their normal migration routes may account for these differences.

Many earlier studies have reported on the effects of weather on migratory birds, with
cold fronts seeming to be especially influential on fall movements. During this study, the
heaviest movement of birds was on 7 October. There was a marked drop in temperature
and slight wind change from the previous day. A cold front had passed the day before and
the migratory movement noted on the 7th appeared to be associated with the front’s
passage.

There was a substantial difference in habitat usage by migrating birds. The most
heavily used habitat was the shrub thicket, which averaged 118.49 birds-per-hour. Next
was 79.44 birds-per-hour seen overhead. This was followed by short-grass habitats with
36.96 birds-per-hour, herb-shrub habitats with 23.02 birds-per-hour, and marsh habitats
with 19.51 birds-per-hour. This pattern was similar for each month, except that herb-
shrub decreased steadily in usage until November and marsh and short-grass habitats
increased in usage up until November. Sykes (1968) also found that shrub thickets were
the most heavily used habitats on the Outer Banks. As in the present study, the marsh
habitats studied by Sykes were used much less frequently than other habitats.

There was a definite sequence in the migration at Fort Fisher. Some birds were
moving even before the study actually began on 1 August. Birds continued to migrate
after the study ended in November. From observations by the authors at Fort Fisher in
previous years, it has been found that some land birds are migrating through southeastern
North Carolina from mid- July through November. Early migrants include the flycatchers,

Fall 1983

89

TABLE 1. Total numbers and relative abundance of birds at Fort Fisher, New Hanover County, N.C., during the fall of 1978.

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Field Sparrow 0 0 3(.09) 9(.47) 12(.ll)

Savannah Sparrow 0 32(.88) 93(2.80) 110(5.71) 235(2.20)

Sharp-tailed Sparrow 0 2(.06) 4(.12) 21(1.09) 27(.25)

Seaside Sparrow 1(.05) 10(.28) 8(.24) 14(.73) 33(.31)

Song Sparrow 0 0 18(.54) 190(9.87) 208(1.94)

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TOTALS 1,774(96.41) 5,530(152.93) 4,272(128.48) 4,575(237.66) 16,151(150.86)

Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Prothonotary Warbler, and the Orchard Oriole. Late
migrants include Marsh and Sedge Wrens, American Robin, Yellow-rumped Warbler,
and most of the sparrows. There are also many birds like the woodpeckers, House Wren,
mimic thrushes, some warblers, and some of the blackbirds that are seen throughout the
period. Most of the hawks migrated from mid-September to early November.

One interesting aspect of the migration was the diurnal hawk movement along the
coast. Sykes’ Outer Banks numbers were lower than ours from Fort Fisher for accipiters,
though higher for falcons. One noted difference was a lack of buteos recorded at Fort
Fisher, which could have been a result of ending censuses before noon, when these birds
normally peak in numbers. Further hawk watches should be conducted at Fort Fisher to
determine more accurately the magnitude of the hawk migration there.

Disorientation of migrant birds was frequently noted at Fort Fisher. Birds circled
high overhead at the tip of the peninsula and then either flew in a westerly direction across
the Cape Fear River or, more commonly, headed up the river shoreline in a northwesterly
direction. Presumably the birds were attempting to reorient themselves to their preferred
migratory pathways (Baird and Nisbet 1960).

Disorientation also results when birds are blown out over the ocean during the night.
They can be seen flying toward the shore early in the morning (Stone 1937). This was
observed on two occasions during the study at Fort Fisher and usually involved small
passerines such as warblers. Stone surmised that this disorientation was caused by
northwest winds taking birds out to sea during nocturnal migration. Apparently this was
also the case at Fort Fisher. Baird and Nisbet (1960) conducted studies on coastal islands
in the Northeast, and they give similar reasons for this occurrence, terming it “offshore
drift.”

One factor apparently influencing migration at Fort Fisher is the general shape of the
peninsula. The peninsula acts as a “funnel” and tends to concentrate southbound
migrants. Birds following river and ocean shorelines would certainly follow a narrowing
path in the Fort Fisher area. This concept was also noted by Sykes (1968) on the Outer
Banks. He indicated that the “small land mass” was one of the factors responsible for
concentrating the migrants. It can also be said that northwest winds blow migrants to the
coast where they then proceed to follow the coastline (Baird and Nisbet 1960). This
probably also influences the concentrations of birds at Fort Fisher.

Local landform, northwest wind drift and the disorientation often associated with it,
and cold-front weather patterns thus appear to make the Fort Fisher area a place for
concentrations of migrants durng the fall season. The numbers and kinds of birds found in
this study are similar to those of Sykes (1968), clearly indicating a significant passage of
migrating land birds.

Further work needs to be done in the field of migration and its controlling influences
related to concentrations of migrants. Not only do studies of species diversity and abun-
dance need to be done, but the sequence of migration needs further documentation. It is
hoped that additional work at Fort Fisher will be initiated as a result of this study.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors appreciate the generous assistance of those students, faculty, and friends
who conducted some of the field work while Davis was ill.

94

The Chat

LITERATURE CITED

American Ornithologists’ Union. 1957. Check-List of North American Birds. Fifth ed.

American Ornithologists’ Union, Baltimore, Md.

American Ornithologists’ Union. 1982 Thirty-fourth supplement to the American
Ornithologists’ Union Check-List of North American Birds. Auk 99(3):1CC-16CC.
Baird, J., and I.C.T. Nisbet. 1960. Northward fall migration on the Atlantic coast and its
relation to offshore drift. Auk 77:119-149.

Radford, A.E., H. Ahles, and C.R. Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the
Carolinas. Univ. N.C. Press, Chapel Hill.

Stone, Witmer. 1937. Bird Studies at Old Cape May. Vol I. Intelligencer Printing Co.,
Lancaster, Pa.

Sykes, P.W., Jr. 1968. The fall migration of land birds along the Bodie-Pea Island region
of the Outer Banks of northeastern North Carolina. M.S. Thesis. North Carolina
State University, Raleigh.

Biology Department, The University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, N.C.
[Current address of senior author: 2310 Glascock Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27610.]

CORRECTION

If you are wondering why Volume 47 of The Chat has two Fall issues, the explanation
is very simple: The Editor suffered a mental lapse. Issue Number 3 should have been
designated as “Summer 1983,” instead of “Fall 1983.” To get us back on schedule, the
present issue is also designated as “Fall 1983.” The Editor regrets any inconvenience this
duplication may cause readers and researchers. — EFP

Fall 1983

95

^indbtf

. . . with Gail T. Whitehurst

Mixed-up Birds

As any experienced bird watcher knows, you can’t find everything you see in the field
guides. Here are a couple of examples of some really mixed-up birds.

On 30 July 1983 I saw a warbler in the Flowering Dogwood outside the breakfast
table window. I studied it for a minute or two before it flew out of sight. It had a yellow head
and breast; blue back, wings, and tail; white belly and under tail coverts; two white wing
bars like those of a Northern Parula; a hint of yellow at the bend of the wing; and a very
small warbler bill. No olive back patch or black eye line was seen. My best guess is a
Northern Parula X Prothonotary Warbler hybird. Both species nest nearby, along Moc-
casin Creek. Fortunately my son David saw the bird and confirmed the field marks. At least
I know the bird was mixed up instead of the bird watcher.

Seeing this strange individual reminded me of a report Kay Sisson submitted to the
CBC Records Committee some years ago. At the time it seemed too strange to publish as a
General Field Note without a supporting specimen or photograph, but perhaps it should be
mentioned here as a believe-it-or-not curiosity.

“On 26 May 1976 Norme and Betty Frost, Clyde, and I were parked at Big Witch
Overlook (elevation 4160 feet) at milepost 460 between Soco Gap and the terminus of the
Blue Ridge Parkway in Haywood County, N.C. In perfect light of midafternoon we saw a
Cerulean Warbler in mature plumage fly 15 to 20 feet from us across the highway and
disappear in trees opposite. While trying to squeak it into view, from the same direction and
place flew even closer to us a STRANGE BIRD. It perched on an oak tree limb 1 5 feet in
front of us for several minutes so that we could easily study it.

“Indigo Buntings are common in the Blue Ridge area. There is only a half-inch
difference in the size of the Cerulean and the Indigo. It was that size one way or the other.
What struck us immediately was a white crown and the much deeper blue plumage — I’d
say two-thirds Cerulean and one-third Indigo (no iridescence) — and the fact that the
underparts were almost completely the strange mixture of blue, except for a white chin,
throat and narrow breast area, the [throat and breast] separated by the typical narrow
black band of the Cerulean. It had a white forehead and the wide white crown spread from

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The Chat

eye to eye. It had white wing-bars. Note this: It had the stubby dark bill of the bunting. It
did not sing or chirp and finally disappeared into the understory.”

Well-documented intergeneric hybirds are fairly common among the wood warblers
(see Parkes, Auk 95:682-690). That the mating of a Cerulean Warbler with an Indigo
Bunting could produce viable young, however, seems too strange to be true. Nonetheless,
the skeptical reader is cautioned not to disparage these reports, for he may be the next to
witness the startling results of avian dalliance. — ELOISE F. POTTER, Route 3, Box 1 14
AA, Zebulon, N.C. 27597

Martins and Dragonflies

Although there is little evidence that birds have any formal knowledge of economics,
our feathered friends seem to be, nevertheless, good economists. Birds are attracted to
concentrations of food and frequently select from among the food items available those that
provide the greatest return for the least expenditure of effort (careful shopping?).

I don’t know just how carefully Purple Martins shop, but I do have reason to believe
that they are discerning shoppers, certainly when there are young in the nest and the
demand for food runs high. From about the seventh day after hatching onward, the parent
birds specialize more and more on dragonflies, large, soft-bodied insects that probably
represent the maximum return in food per foray for a species agile enough to catch these
swift flyers. Martins are up to the task, as the following data will show.

There were 10 broods ranging in age from about 10 days to 2 weeks in my colony in
Raleigh, N.C., when I began observations 3 June 1983. Between 1705 and 1735 on that
day the 10 pairs of parent birds delivered 56 dragonflies. Commencing on 4 June, I kept
records of all food items delivered. Between 1110 and 1140 on that day, the parents
delivered 98 dragonflies and 67 other, mostly unidentifiable, items of prey. Between 1700
and 1800 on 6 June, the ratio was 100 dragonflies to 70 others, and on 12 June between
1730 and 1800, 57 dragonflies to 86 others.

During the sampling periods between 4 and 12 June, 53% of the prey items delivered
were dragonflies including about 50 specimens of Epiaeschna heros, the largest dragonfly
known to occur in North Carolina. Much of the prey delivered 12 June was a large mayfly,
an insect favored, when available, about as much as dragonflies. There were several
butterflies, mostly the Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) and Vanessa sp. — JOSHUA
A. LEE, 5104 Newcastle Road, Raleigh, N.C. 27606

Fall 1983

97

CB©

^MttdfafUe

... with Louis C. Fink

Starlings vs. Red-headed Woodpeckers

During my boyhood in Berryville, Virginia, Red-headed Woodpeckers were abun-
dant; every farm had its quota. A 2-acre lawn shaded by mature White Oaks was alive with
them in the nesting season.

I first saw European Starlings in Berryville in 1922. In following years I watched them
usurp the woodpeckers’ nest cavities. The starling’s eviction operation is a horror. Wood-
peckers defending their eggs or unfledged young were often pecked to death by the starlings,
the blows of whose rapier-like beaks were directed to the head.

The old oaks in Berryville still exist, filled with starlings; the town has had no
Red-headed Woodpeckers in many decades. The last substantial group of them in Clarke
County nested on the Burch McKay farm near Millwood. They were there because the
starlings were shot by the McKays’ small sons. With the boys gone, starlings have taken
over.

When I entered the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1927, Red-headed
Woodpeckers were common, especially at nesting time, in the oak grove which is still on
campus. Making my home in Chapel Hill, I saw the starlings re-enact their take-over. What
was probably the last stable group of nesting Red-headed Woodpeckers in Chapel Hill
made their final stand in the early 1950s at my home on East Rosemary Street. I controlled
starlings for a time with a .22 caliber silent air rifle. When I moved out, the starlings moved
in.

Ornithologist Eugene P. Odum, of the University of Georgia, tried to console me by
saying that there would always be some wilderness areas which the starlings would not
occupy. His prediction is borne out by a breeding-bird survey in the McCain Tract in Hoke
County, N.C., and reported by Mary Kay Clark and Eloise F. Potter in the Spring 1982
issue of Chat — JOE JONES, Route 2, Box 302, Berryville, Virginia 22611

Newspaper Gleanings

In Santa Monica, California, a blackbird made life miserable for bald-headed men by
dive-bombing them. The ornithologist at the County Museum said that blackbirds can be
very aggressive, and may see bald-headed males as predators.

A complete set of Audubon’s Birds of America has been sold for $1.77 million. The
435 prints were sold separately, with the Trumpeter Swan bringing $45,000. And poor
John James could hardly give his pictures away!

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The Chat

Here in North Carolina, three Golden Eagles and two Bald Eagles have been released,
in the mountains and at Mattamuskeet, respectively. So keep your eyes open.

Seventeen million birds of 18 species left Christmas Island mysteriously 6 months ago.
Now they are returning, and watchers say it is all tied up with El Nino, those warm currents
in the Pacific that made our local summer so miserable.

Raised Eyebrows Department

In the Wasington Post for 19 August 1983, Paul Berg presents an article about
Claudia Wilds, “whose life list contains 3,200 species.” The Smithsonion recently published
her Finding Birds in the National Capital Area. Mr. Berg writes that “it takes time and
money to build a long list of birds, although there ’s no rule against counting birds that other
people show you. Even birds spotted at the National Zoo can be counted.” In fairness to
Miss Wilds, we stress that Mr. Berg does not say that Miss Wilds made that rash claim. If we
can claim birds in a zoo, put this writer’s life-list down at over a thousand!

Mr. Berg makes another slip when he writes that netting and banding birds is done
“largely for the tactile pleasure.” Wonder where he got that idea. — LCF

On the Evolution of the House Finch

In the spring 1983 issue of Chat, mention was made of John W. Aldrich’s finding that
the House Finch of the eastern United States has undergone significant morphological
changes since the parental stock was released some 40-odd years ago. The fact that the birds
have adapted so successully to a radically different climate than the one they presumably
evolved in is rather startling in itself. Curiously, the House Finch has not spread from the
West to the East on its own, although there is evidence that the birds have moved eastward
in the Great Plains as that part of the country has been settled up.

Assuming that the birds nesting about Raleigh are typical of the eastern population,
I’ve been struck by what sounds to these ears like changes in song pattern and delivery. I
recall that the House Finches of Southern California, and those about the Bay Region,
rendered a rather languid warble that had little carrying power. The local birds have a loud,
rapid song that puts me in mind of the petulant delivery of the Chaffinch of Europe. Also,
I’ve noticed that some of the House Finches on the North Carolina State University campus
incorporate a phrase that sounds like the “what cheer” note of the Northern Cardinal.

The Chaffinch lives in low trees and does much feeding on the ground, and that seems
to be the style the local House Finches are opting for. Are our House Finches turning into
Chaffinches, sort of? — JOSHUA A. LEE, 5104 Newcastle Road, Raleigh, N.C. 27606

Fall 1983

99

General Field Notes

DAVID S. LEE, Department Editor

North Carolina State Museum, P.0. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

WILLIAM POST, Associate Editor for South Carolina

The Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting Street
Charleston, S.C. 29403

An Additional Red-billed Tropicbird
Sighted in North Carolina Offshore Waters

RICKY DAVIS
2310 Glascock Steet
Raleigh, N.C. 27610
ALLEN BRYAN
428 Oakland Drive
Burlington, N.C. 27215

On 27 August 1983, during a trip on the headboat Captain Stacey out of Morehead
City, N.C., we observed an immature Red-billed Tropicbird ( Phaethon aethereus). The
bird was sighted approximately 40 miles SE of Morehead City and was flying at a height of
about 40 feet in a northeasterly direction. We studied the bird through 10X and 7X
binoculars as it circled once about 1 00 yards off the stern of the boat and then continued out
of sight. The time of observation was about 0900, and light conditions were excellent, with
the sun at our backs. Wind was light, out of the northeast, and seas were only 1 to 2 feet,
thereby making for ideal viewing conditions even though the boat was moving at a high rate
of speed.

The bird was in view for about 1 minute, and the following field marks were noted.
Size was similar to a Royal Tern {Sterna maxima ), and the bird flew with full, sweeping
wingbeats, faster than a large tern’s. There were prominent black areas on the basal half of
the primaries and adjacent portions of the primary coverts. The mantle color appeared gray.
The tail was white, wedge-shaped, and without elongated central feathers. The bill was
orange, and the white head had a black stripe extending through the eye and back to the
nape, almost encircling the head.

Articles on tropicbirds by Lee, Wingate, and Kale (Amer. Birds 35:887-890) and Lee
and Irvin (Chat 47: 1 - 1 3) were consulted, as was the new Seabirds, An Identification Guide
by Peter Harrison (Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1983). We are convinced the bird was an
immature Red-billed Tropicbird.

This represents the fifth record of the Red-billed Tropicbird from the Carolinas and the
second of an individual in immature plumage. Like the others, this sighting did not appear to
be storm related. Of the four previous records, three are from May and one is from early
September. The August record reported here partly bridges the hiatus between these

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months and further suggests that some of the previously published nondescriptive reports of
White-tailed Tropicbirds may have been P. aethereus.

Expansion of White Ibis Nesting in North Carolina

MARK A. SHIELDS

JAMES F. PARNELL

Department of Biology

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Wilmington, N.C. 28406

Since the first nesting by the White Ibis ( Eudocimus albus ) in the Carolinas was
recorded in 1922 at Fairlawn Plantation, Charleston County, S.C. (Sprunt and Chamber-
lain 1949), the ibis breeding population has increased and spread northward. The species
was first recorded as a breeding bird in North Carolina in 1950 when 1200 White Ibis
nested at Lennons Marsh, Robeson County (Stephans 1950). However, a permanent
colony was not established at this site (Potter et al. 1980). In 1963, an estimated six pairs of
White Ibis nested at Battery Island, Brunswick County (Adams 1963). The breeding
population at Battery Island has increased over the past two decades to 3737 pairs in 1983

BATTERY ISLAND

3737 PAIRS

Fig. 1. Distribution of White Ibis breeding population in North Carolina, 1983.

Fall 1983

101

(pers. obs.). In 1971, two pairs of White Ibis were reported nesting at the Phillips Island
heronry near Morehead City, Carteret County (Teulings 1971), approximately 150 km NE
of Battery Island. The ibis population at Phillips Island (and nearby Annex Island)
increased to 51 pairs in 1976 (Parnell and Soots 1979) and 86 pairs in 1983 (D. A.
McCrimmon Jr., pers. comm.). The Phillips Island colony was the most northern breeding
site of the White Ibis in North America until 1977 when a single White Ibis nest was
discovered approximately 270 km NNE in a heronry on Fishermans Island, Virginia
(Frohring and Beck 1978).

From 1 8 to 28 May 1 983 the authors were involved in a census of colonial waterbird
colonies along the North Carolina coast. On 27 May we discovered the nest of a White Ibis
in a mixed-species heronry at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Dare County. The nest
was about 2.5 m above the ground in a Wax Myrtle (Myrica ceriferd) shrub and contained
one chick 10 to 15 days old and one apparently infertile egg. Two adult ibises were seen
circling overhead and perched in nearby trees. The White Ibis is considered a permanent
resident at Pea Island (LeGrand 1983), but breeding at the Refuge was never previously
confirmed. On 28 May a White Ibis nest containing two eggs was found in heronry on a
dredged-material island in Roanoke Sound, Dare County, about 1 5 km NN W of the Pea
Island heronry. Four adult White Ibis were present in the heronry, and several other large
nests resembling those of the White Ibis were observed. The contents of these nests could
not be seen owing to the heights of the nests; therefore, we could not confirm nesting by a
second pair of White Ibis at this site. We visited the island a second time on 14 June, but we
were unable to examine the known ibis nest to determine its fate.

Breeding by White Ibis at the two northeastern North Carolina sites reported in this
note represents a northeastward extension of the breeding range in North Carolina of nearly
150 km (Fig. 1). With a steadily increasing breeding population of White Ibis in North
Carolina, continued range expansion may be expected.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank the manager and staff of Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge for permitting
us to census the Pea Island heronry and for providing access to the site. D. DuMond, W.
Golder, D. McCrimmon Jr., and L. Rozas assisted in the censuses. We gratefully acknowl-
ege the National Audubon Society, University of North Carolina Sea Grant Program, and
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for funding the colonial waterbird census.

LITERATURE CITED

Adams, D.A. 1963. Battery Island 1963. Chat 27:65-68.

Frohring, P.C., and R.A. Beck. 1978. First breeding record of the White Ibis ( Eudocimus
albus ) in Virginia. Amer. Birds 32:126-128.

LeGrand, H.E., Jr. 1983. Southern Atlantic coast region. Amer. Birds 32:167-170.
Parnell, J.F., and R.F. Soots Jr. 1979. Atlas of Colonial Waterbirds of North Carolina
Estuaries. U.N.C. Sea Grant Publ. UNC-SG-78-10.

Potter, E.F., J.F. Parnell, and R.P. Teulings. 1980. Birds of the Carolinas. Univ. North
Carolina Press, Chapel Hll.

Sprunt, A., Jr., and E.B. Chamberlain. 1949. South Carolina Bird Life. Univ. South
Carolina Press, Columbia.

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Stephens, J.L. 1950. White Ibis found nesting in North Carolina. Chat 14:49-50.
Teulings, R.P. 1971. Southern Atlantic coast region. Amer. Birds 25:843-846.

Ingestion of Grit by Wood Warblers

ELOISE F. POTTER
North Carolina State Museum
P.O. Box 27647
Raleigh, N.C. 27611

Use of grit as an aid to digestion by granivorous and herbivorous birds is widely
reported in the general literature. Ingestion of grit apparently begins quite early in life. Crook
(1975) observed a parent Chipping Sparrow ( Spizella passerina ) feeding grit to fledglings,
one of which began pecking grit for itself.

Hauser (1962) examined pellets cast by a captive Blue Jay ( Cyanocitta cristata )
received when about 2 weeks old, with “no feather tufts protruding from the sheaths of the
tail feathers.” The first pellet, composed of food provided by the parent birds, contained
iridescent bits of beetle wings, a few small flat reddish seeds, and three small, sharp-edged
pebbles, two of flint-like stone and one of quartz.

Only recently have bird students begun to report ingestion of grit by insectivorous birds
as anything more than unusual behavior. Jenkinson and Mengel (1970) found ingestion of
stones to be widespread among goatsuckers. Brown (1976) watched Purple Martins
{Progne subis) gathering bits of gravel and slivers of glass from an urban roadside during
April, May, and June of 1975. Barlow and Klass (1963) observed swallows picking up
gravel or sand. Barrentine (1980) found grit in the stomachs of 80% of the nestling Barn
Swallows {Hirundo rustica) he examined at 1 to 16 days of age. He suggests grit may be used
as an aid to the digestive processes, as a mineral supplement, or both.

From January through early June 1982 1 conducted a systematic study of the birds of
mainland Dare County, N.C., for the North Carolina State Museum in cooperation with the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Thus I was observing the same birds from the time they
established breeding territories through the fledging of first broods. Some of the early nesters
had begun second nests before the study ended. While wood warblers were feeding young, I
noticed adults of several species pecking at the sandy roadways. Birds engaged in this
behavior were quite fearless and allowed me to approach within 10 feet before moving a
short distance and resuming the pecking. Brown ( 1 976) reported similar behavior for Purple
Martins. Careful examination of the ground at each site revealed no insects, seeds, or other
food items. I concluded that the birds were picking up grit.

Onset of nesting by the Pine Warbler ( Dendroica pinus ) was noted on 3 1 March when
a female was seen carrying nesting material. A female Pine Warbler was seen pecking sand
on Long Curve Road on 1 May. I was present at this stop no more than 10 minutes on any
one date.

Black-throated Green Warblers {D. virens) arrived on the nesting grounds on or about
30 March. Nest construction was noted on 1 8 April. On 1 6 May a male and a female of this
species were seen carrying food and pecking in sand at the edge of Sawyer Lake Road.
Prairie Warblers ( D . discolor) also arrived on the nesting grounds about 30 March. On 16
May two adults of this species were carrying food and pecking sand on Sawyer Lake Road.

Fall 1983

103

On this same date a female Northern Parula {Parula americana) visited the roadway and
appeared to be seeking grit, but no pecking was actually observed. I was present at the
300-yard Sawyer Road census route no more than 30 minutes on 16 May.

On 31 May 1983 David S. Lee and I saw a Yellow-throated Warbler ( D . dominica )
pecking sand on the rim of a Carolina bay in Bladen County, N.C.

I have found no mention of grit in any readily available reference on the food habits of
wood warblers. Nonetheless, the above observations strongly suggest that feeding of grit to
nestlings is widespread among the Parulinae. Contribution 1983-9 of the North Carolina
Biological Survey.

LITERATURE CITED

Barlow, J.C., and E.E. Klass. 1963. Sunning of Bank Swallows and Cliff Swallows.
Condor 65:438-440.

Barrentine, C.D. 1980. The ingestion of grit by nestling Barn Swallows. J. Field Ornith.
51:368-371.

Brown, C.R. 1976. Use of gravel by Purple Martins. Auk 93:842.

Crook, D. 1975. Chipping Sparrows feeding grit to offspring. Wilson Bull. 87:552.
Hauser, D.C. 1962. Notes on pellets cast by a baby Blue Jay. Chat 26:29.

Jenkinson, M.A., and R.M. Mengel. 1970. Ingestion of stones by goatsuckers (Caprimul-
gidae). Condor 72:236-237.

BRIEFS FOR THE FILES

HARRY E. LeGRAND JR.

(All dates 1983 unless otherwise indicated; SBC = Spring Bird Count)

COMMON LOON: Ricky Davis observed eight in flight over Beaverdam Reservoir in
northern Wake County, N.C., on 24 April.

PIED-BILLED GREBE: Twelve grebes at Falls Lake in eastern Durham County, N.C., on
22 May probably were breeding individuals (Ricky Davis, Harry LeGrand).

NORTHERN FULMAR: John Fussell found a dead fulmar on the beach at Pine Knoll
Shores, Carteret County, N.C., on 18 March. Two or three were observed by Lloyd
Davidson about 1 5 miles E of Ocracoke, N.C., in mid-March.

BLACK-CAPPED PETREL: Rarely seen off Cape Lookout, N.C., were two approxi-
mately 38 miles SSE of the cape on 18 April (Wayne Irvin).

LEACH’S STORM-PETREL: A petrel identified as either a Leach’s or a Band-rumped
was seen 60 miles SE of Charleston, S.C., on 17 April by Dennis Forsythe and party.
[The marks of “forked tail” and especially “bounding flight” appear to rule against
Band-rumped in favor of Leach’s. — HEL] Two Leach’s were seen off Morehead City,
N.C., on 19 June by Wayne Irvin.

AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN: Two birds, probably overwintering individuals, were
observed by Ed Blitch on 6 April at Charleston.

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NORTHERN G ANNEX: Michael Britten had a good count of 91 gannets migrating N at
Cape Hatteras point, N.C., on 27 April.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT: Barbara Roth reported that 182 were seen on the
Jordan Lake SBC, N.C., on 8 May. Six were seen at Falls Lake on the Durham, N.C.,
SBC on 24 April (fide Mike Schultz). Elsewhere in inland North Carolina, Philip
Crutchfield saw three flocks totaling 280 birds flying NW in the Lake Waccamaw -
Bolton area on 24 April; five were seen at Lake Norman on 14 April by Paul Hart,
Heathy Walker, and Clare Walker; and up to two were seen by Philip Crutchfield at
Fayetteville from 11 to 27 April.

ANHINGA: Four were seen at a roost at Sunset Beach, N.C., on 24 April by Philip
Crutchfield and Dana Mather. Crutchfield also noted the species again at Jessup’s Mill
Pond near Fayetteville, with one on 14 April and a pair later in the spring.

MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD: A female was observed by Pat Leonard at Kiawah
Island, S.C., on 4 May.

CATTLE EGRET: One was far inland near Asheville, N.C., on 15 April (Ron Warner).
Others in inland North Carolina were at Jordan Lake, Falls Lake, Raleigh, Halifax,
and Zebulon, with the best count being six near the last town on 20 May (Ricky
Davis).

GREAT EGRET: A few individuals were seen in April and May at the following lakes in
central North Carolina: Jordan, Falls, Woodlake, and Wheeler. Nine at Woodlake,
near Vass, provided an excellent spring count on 1 May (Tom Howard).

REDDISH EGRET: An excellent find was a bird in the normal (dark) phase at Mount
Pleasant, S.C., seen by Cheryl Phillips and Julia Hill on 24 May.

BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON: Philip Crutchfield noted migrants near Fayette-
ville on 18 and 26 April. On SBCs were one at Chapel Hill on 1 May (Ken Knapp,
Don Tarbet, Julie Stewart) and two at Raleigh on 7 May (fide Robert Hader).

AMERICAN BITTERN: Outstanding was the count of 26 on the Durham SBC on 24
April (fide Mike Schultz). Ramona Snavely saw one of the early dates of 8 and 9
March in southwestern Forsyth County, N.C. Two seen at Cedar Island, N.C., on 30
May by John Fussell and Wayne Irvin may indicate a breeding population at the
refuge there.

GLOSSY IBIS: Unusual inland was a flock of 8 to 10 seen in flight near Raleigh, N.C., on 2
April by George Hervey. The first record for the North Carolina Sandhills was one
seen by Tom Howard and others near Whispering Pines on 1 May.

ROSEATE SPOONBILL: Very early and rare was an adult observed by Mark Epstein at
Cat Island, S.C., near Georgetown, on 17 March.

TUNDRA SWAN: Perry Nugent and party noted 11 in Charleston harbor on 30
January, and another was quite late on 30 April at Jordan Lake (Anson Cooke et al).
Frank Enders saw 154 several miles W of Halifax, N.C., on 1 February; this flock may
have been a part of the 500+ swans found all winter between this location and
Caledonia Prison Farm near Tillery.

CANADA GOOSE: From late April to mid-May, free-flying birds were seen at five places
in Moore County and one- site in Richmond County in the North Carolina Sandhills,
fide Jay Carter. Marion Jones found an active nest near Pinehurst on 1 May.

Fall 1983

105

FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCK: Seldom seen in spring were five noted by John Fussell
and Ted Best at Cedar Island, N.C., on 26 April.

GREEN-WINGED TEAL: Late were two birds seen at Fort Macon State Park, N.C., on 2
and 3 May by John Fussell and Larry Crawford.

BLUE- WINGED TEAL: A good tally of 98 was made on the Durham SBC on 24 April,
according to Mike Schultz, and two (possibly a breeding pair) were seen on Falls Lake
on 22 May by Ricky Davis and Harry LeGrand.

EURASIAN WIGEON: Always noteworthy, a male was observed by Peter Manigault
near the North Santee River, S.C., on 15 and 16 January.

GREATER SCAUP: Rather late was a male seen flying along the coast at Atlantic Beach,
N.C., on 23 April by Jim Mulholland.

LESSER SCAUP: A male was out of season on a pond at Sunset Beach, N.C., on 1 8 and 19
June (David Swanson, Jim McConnell). Good counts of scaup (species undeter-
mined, though probably Lessers) were 250 at Falls Lake on 25 March (Bill and
Margaret Wagner) and 42 on Fontana Lake, Graham County, N.C., on 7 April
(Owen McConnell).

COMMON EIDER: Two individuals were rare and late on the beach at Ocracoke Island,
N.C., on 26 April, as noted by Michael Britten.

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER: One on 1 May at Pine Knoll Shores, N.C., was quite late
(Larry Crawford, John Fussell).

BLACK SCOTER: Steve Everhart observed a pair of stragglers at Fort Fisher, New
Hanover County, N.C., on 14 June.

BLACK VULTURE: Frederick Test saw a “small flock” migrating northward over
Asheville on 2 1 March 1981. The species is infrequently reported from the mountains.

AMERICAN SWALLOW-TAILED KITE: Single birds were out of range in North
Carolina at a number of places in the lower coastal plain: North Hollow in Craven
County on 9 April (Charles Manooch), Kenansville on 13 April (Micou Browne),
Core Banks on 5 May (John Thompson), Harkers Island on 6 May (Skip Prange),
Bodie Island and Rodanthe both on 30 May (Jack Reinoehl), and near Coinjock on 5
June (Chris Kieffer).

MISSISSIPPI KITE: A first record for Carteret County, N.C., was the sighting of an adult
and three subadults by John Fussell at Cedar Island on 1 5 May. Wake County, N.C.,
also had a first kite — an adult seen by Jim Mulholland in southwest Raleigh on 1 May.
Merrill Lynch saw an adult in southeastern Bertie County, N.C., on 10 May; and Jay
Carter noted two adults W of Cheraw, S.C., on 14 May.

COOPER’S HAWK: An immature female was very rare at Cedar Island on 26 April, as
seen by John Fussell.

BROAD-WINGED HAWK: Noteworthy for the Outer Banks were seven migrants seen
by Michael Britten near Buxton, N.C., on 27 April.

GOLDEN EAGLE: Robert Ruiz observed an adult at Camp Rockmont in Buncombe
County, N.C., on 4 May.

BALD EAGLE: Individuals were seen this spring in central North Carolina near Aberdeen
(Gay Duncan), Jordan Lake (Bill and Margaret Wagner), Falls Lake (Wagners), and

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The Chat

Beaverdam Reservoir (Wayne Irvin). One was rare at Cedar Island on 15 May (John
Fussell).

OSPREY: At Jordan Lake, Ricky Davis observed an early individual on 5 March, and he
and Allen Bryan had an excellent count of 27 there on 17 April.

PEREGRINE FALCON: Very rare inland in spring was an adult seen by Merrill Lynch W
of Enfield, N.C., on 27 March. Along the coast were falcons noted at Moore’s Landing
in Charleston County, S.C., on 10 April (Perry Nugent party), at Pea Island, N.C., on
17 April (Ray Chandler), and at Fort Macon State Park, N.C., on 27 April (John
Fussell).

MERLIN: Single birds were observed inland near Fayetteville on 6 April by Philip
Crutchfield and at Falls Lake on 24 April by Andy Towle.

AMERICAN KESTREL: Allen Bryan noted one on 22 May near Edenton, N.C., a locality
to the east of the breeding range. Notable was a breeding report from Raleigh, where
Wayne and Fran Irvin found a nest in a barn at Dorothea Dix Farm and observed at
least two fledged young in late May.

SANDHILL CRANE: Unusual for South Carolina were three seen along US 301 at Santee
National Wildlife Refuge from 15 December to 23 January by Perry Nugent and
others.

VIRGINIA RAIL: A late migrant was found dazed on a skyscraper roof in downtown
Winston-Salem, N.C., on 26 May by Charles Frost and Bob Witherington. Approxi-
mately five adults, presumably breeders, were flushed by a large fire at Cedar Island on
30 May, as noted by John Fussell and Wayne Irvin.

BLACK RAIL: John Fussell and Wayne Irvin saw 10 adults flushed by the Cedar Island
fire on 30 May. Large numbers of this species presumably breed on the island.

PURPLE GALLINULE: Bob Holmes observed one at North River in Carteret County,
N.C., on 30 April.

COMMON MOORHEN: This rare inland migrant was detected on 13 April at Salem
Lake near Winston-Salem, where it was caught, banded, and released (Tom Mow-
bray, Ramona Snavely). Others inland were seen at Jordan Lake on 28 April by Bill
and Margaret Wagner, and at Falls Lake on 15 May by Allen Bryan and John
Alderman and again on 22 May by Harry LeGrand and Ricky Davis.

AMERICAN COOT: One was late at Falls Lake in Durham County on 22 May (Ricky
Davis, Harry LeGrand).

BLACK-NECKED STILT: Several were seen this spring and were presumably nesting at a
spoil area along the Cooper River at Mount Pleasant, S.C., as reported by Julia Hill
and Perry Nugent.

SEMIPALMATED PLOVER: The best inland count for the spring was nine seen by Ricky
Davis at Jordan Lake on 8 May.

LESSER GOLDEN-PLOVER: One was very early, in partial breeding plumage, on
Shackleford Banks, N.C., on 13 and 14 March, as noted by John Fussell. Single birds
were also seen in central Carteret County, N.C., on 30 April (Fussell) and at
Woodlake, near Vass, N.C., on 1 May (Tom Howard).

BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER: Quite rare in spring were three observed at Falls Lake on 1 5

Fall 1983

107

May by Allen Bryan, John Alderman, and Ricky Davis.

LONG-BILLED CURLEW: Apparently wintering were two Long-billeds noted by John
Fussell at Portsmouth Island, N.C., on 2 and 3 March.

WHIMBREL: Late and unusual was a flock of 20 seen migrating by Frank Enders over his
home near Darlington in Halifax County, N.C., on 3 June.

UPLAND SANDPIPER: One was observed at Winston-Salem, N.C., on 1 May by
Charles Frost; and Frank Enders saw two W of Halifax on the same date.

GREATER YELLOWLEGS: Rather late on 22 May was an individual at Falls Lake
(Harry LeGrand, Ricky Davis).

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE: Two females in breeding plumage were studied by
Eleanor Dodson, Jackie Shelton, and Ramona Snavely in western Forsyth County,
N.C., from 18 to 23 May. Three were early migrants on 17 April as seen by Dennis
Forsythe off Charleston.

RED PHALAROPE: Dennis Forsythe saw at least 100 off Charleston on 17 April. Such
large numbers of this pelagic species are not unusual in March and April off of the
coast of the Carolinas.

SHORT-BILLED DO WITCHER: Rare in spring were three observed on 15 May by
Allen Bryan, John Alderman, and Ricky Davis at Falls Lake.

LONG-BILLED DO WITCHER: Most unusual inland was an individual seen and heard
by Ricky Davis at Falls Lake on 15 May. Perry Nugent and Dennis Abbott had
another inland at Santee refuge, S.C., on 29 January. This species is apparently regular
in winter at the refuge on Lake Marion.

RED KNOT: A count of 155, undoubtedly wintering birds, was notable on 3 March at
Portsmouth Island (John Fussell).

LEAST SANDPIPER: This species winters regularly on several inland lakes in South
Carolina, but a total of 50 at Santee refuge on 29 January, as noted by Perry Nugent
and Dennis Abbott, was quite high. Another good count was 66 on the Jordan Lake
SBC on 8 May (fide Barbara Roth).

PECTORAL SANDPIPER: Extremely rare in midwinter was one seen by Perry Nugent
and Dennis Abbott at Santee refuge on 29 January.

DUNLIN: Ricky Davis observed two at Falls Lake on 10 May.

POMARINE JAEGER: On pelagic trips, Dennis Forsythe saw one off Charleston on 17
April, and Wayne Irvin had three off Cape Lookout, N.C., on 18 April. Observers
from shore on Bogue Banks, N.C., saw three on 10 April (John Fussell) and two on 30
April (Larry Crawford).

PARASITIC JAEGER: Five at Atlantic Beach, N.C., on 15 April (John Fussell) was an
excellent count for the date, as the species migrates north mostly in May and early
June. Fussell observed another from the same beach on 19 May.

LONG-TAILED JAEGER: Very rare and early was an individual seen by Wayne Irvin off
Cape Lookout on 18 April.

GLAUCOUS GULL: One seen in winter at a landfill near Newport, N.C., was last noted by
John Fussell on 18 March.

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ICELAND GULL: Very late was an immature well described on Masonboro Island near
Wrightsville Beach, N.C., on 21 April by Mark Galizio and John Hardwick. Well
inland was an immature seen 0.5 mile SE of the US 1 58 bridge on the Chowan River,
N.C., on 4 April by Bill Williams. John Fussell observed one at several places in the
Morehead City, N.C., area between 13 and 18 March,

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL: An adult was seen at the Newport, N.C., landfill from
13 to 19 March by Royce Hough and Wayne Irvin.

RING-BILLED GULL: Unusually high inland counts were 75 in a parking lot at Asheville,
N.C., on 26 April (Robert Ruiz), 225 near Vass on 1 May (Tom Howard), 200 in a
pasture at Raleigh on 8 and 17 March (Wayne Irvin), and 600 at Jordan Lake on 27
March (Charlie Lyon).

LAUGHING GULL: A good inland find was one at Falls Lake, as noted by Ricky Davis on
18 May.

BONAPARTE'S GULL: Allen Bryan had a notable tally of 82 at Jordan Lake on 10 April,
and Ricky Davis saw four late individuals there on 8 May.

LITTLE GULL: An adult in winter plumage was noted by John Fussell and Bob Holmes
on 9 April at Atlantic Beach. An immature was observed in Morehead City on 18
April by Wayne Irvin, and likely the same individual was quite late at nearby Fort
Macon from 2 to 21 May (Fussell et al.).

FORSTER'S TERN: Inland migrants were seen by Jim Mulholland at Lake Wheeler near
Raleigh on 2 April and by Andy Towle and Tony Shrimpton at Jordan Lake on 27
April.

COMMON TERN: The only inland report for the spring was of two seen by Tom Howard
at Woodlake, near Vass, on 1 May.

ARCTIC TERN: Late May is the best time for seeing this rather rare pelagic migrant. Thus,
notable, but not unexpected, were three seen off Hatteras, N.C., on 29 May by Robert
Ake and party.

SOOTY TERN: Robert Hader and James Parnell observed one resting with Black
Skimmers on a road at Ocracoke, N.C., on 25 May. Wayne Irvin noted three or four
on a pelagic trip off Morehead City on 19 June.

CASPIAN TERN: Inland reports included nine at Falls Lake on 24 April (Mike Schultz et
al), six at Jordan Lake on 17 April (Allen Bryan et al.), three at Lake Wheeler on 22
April (Jim Mulholland), two near Vass on 1 May (Tom Howard), and two at Jordan
Lake on 8 May (Ricky Davis).

BLACK TERN: Quite rare inland in spring was one in breeding plumage seen by Ricky
Davis at Falls Lake on 15 May.

BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO: Very rare for Carteret County, N.C., was one seen by Larry
Crawford and others on 30 April and 1 May at Pine Knoll Shores.

COMMON BARN-OWL: Andy Towle and Tony Shrimpton saw one in a barn, where it
was apparently nesting, at Jordan Lake on 26 April and 1 May.

WHIP-POOR-WILL: Two were noted by Perry Nugent and Dennis Abbott along Seewee
Road NE of Charleston on 26 January. This species winters regularly in Charleston
County but is infrequently seen because of its nocturnal habits.

Fall 1983

109

LEAST FLYCATCHER: Ken Knapp saw and heard one at Jordan Lake on 8 May, and he
and others noted two at Raleigh on 7 May.

HORNED LARK: Paul Hart and Heathy Walker noted four, including two singing males,
in eastern Cleveland County, N.C., on 3 1 May. A pair was seen by Frank Enders from
April into June near Darlington, Halifax County, N.C.

BANK SWALLOW: John Fussell had several records in coastal Carteret County between
19 April and 22 May, including 10 at Cedar Island on 14 May. Also uncommon along
the coast were two at Sunset Beach, N.C., on 24 April (Philip Crutchfield, Dana
Mather). A good inland count was 100 at Falls Lake on 10 May (Ricky Davis).

CLIFF SWALLOW: Probably a late migrant was an individual seen at a lake SE of Rocky
Mount, N.C., on 29 May by Ricky Davis.

COMMON RAVEN: Unusual outside of the mountains was one seen and heard by Derek
Carrigan at Granite Falls, N.C., on 10 April.

RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH: Merrill Lynch observed an extremely late bird at Hall
Swamp in Martin County, N.C., on 27 May.

BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH: Several were regular at Derek Carrigan’s feeder
during the winter in Granite Falls, N.C., where it is apparently absent in summer. Bill
Duyck again noted one in his Asheville yard on 1 and 5 May. Very rare for Bogue
Banks was one at Pine Knoll Shores on 22 April, as seen by John Fussell.

HOUSE WREN: At the edge of the breeding range was a male on territory at Fayetteville
from 27 April into June (Philip Crutchfield, Henry Rankin Jr.)

BEWICK’S WREN: One was seen in a yard in northern Asheville on several dates in late
April. It was investigating rolled awnings at a home, possibly for a nesting site, but the
home owner chased the bird away, according to Frederick Test. A migrant was east of
its range at Beaverdam Reservoir, where seen by Ricky Davis on 24 April.

MARSH WREN: Rather rare for the mountains were two noted by Douglas McNair at
Cullowhee, N.C., on 15 May.

GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH: Three reports for Carteret County in spring were unusual.
Singles were seen in Morehead City on 30 April and 1 May (Charles Lincoln), in the
same town on 10 May (Mike Alford, John Fussell), and at Cedar Island on 15 May
(Fussell).

WATER PIPIT: An excellent count of 500 was made by Perry Nugent and Dennis Abbott
at Santee refuge on 29 January.

CEDAR WAXWING: Late departing waxwings were noted at Crowders Mountain State
Park, N.C., on 28 May (Paul Hart), at Raleigh on 30 May (Gail Whitehurst), at
Clemson, S.C., on 3 1 May (Alan Avakian), and in northeastern Sampson County,
N.C., on 2 June (Eloise Potter).

SOLITARY VIREO: A nest was found by Dick Thomas at Weymouth Woods near
Southern Pines, N.C., on 1 May.

BLACK-WHISKERED VIREO: Mark Galizio observed one near Masonboro Sound,
New Hanover County, N.C., on 8 May, for the second state record. It was in the low
branches of an oak and seen well. He noted that the “black whiskers were clearly
visible in this bird which, otherwise, had the features of a Red-eyed Vireo.” He is
familiar with the species in Florida.

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RED-EYED VIREO: Extremely early was one seen on 20 March by Wayne Irvin and
John Fussell on Bogue Banks, N.C.

PHILADELPHIA VIREO: Very rare for Raleigh in spring was one seen and heard singing
by Don Tarbet and Derrick Hamrick on 7 May.

WARBLING VIREO: The first suggestion of breeding of this species in Buncombe County,
N.C., in over 50 years was the presence of a pair seen on 30 April and on many dates in
May at Camp Rockmont, near Swannanoa, by Robert Ruiz. The birds were adjacent
to a lake at 2200 feet in elevation.

SWAINSON’S WARBLER: Early for North Carolina was one heard singing along
Bennett’s Creek, Hertford County, on 9 April by Bill Williams. Paul Hart and Heathy
Walker noted two singing birds and saw another along Jacob Fork River in South
Mountains State Park, Burke County, N.C., on 26 May. Rhododendron was present in
the habitat, and the birds were undoubtedly on their breeding grounds. Eloise Potter
noted a singing bird along the South River at US 701 in Sampson County, N.C., on 2
June.

WORM-EATING WARBLER: A new breeding-season station was located by Eloise
Potter, who heard four singing on 2 June in the flood plain of the South River at US
701 in Sampson County. Frank Enders noted two singing birds near Darlington in
Halifax County in early summer. An uncommon migrant was seen by Michael Britten
at Buxton, N.C., on 27 April.

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER: A fairly good count for the lower coastal plain was three at
Four Holes Swamp, northern Dorchester County, S.C., on 16 April (Perry Nugent et

al).

TENNESSEE WARBLER: Rather rare for the piedmont of North Carolina were singles at
Crowders Mountain State Park on 29 April and 2 May (Paul Hart), one near Elon
College on 7 May (Allen Bryan), two at Charlotte on 7 May (David Dunham, Paul
Hart), and four at Raleigh on 7 May (Leigh DeNeef, Jeff Walters).

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER: Migrants were observed at Jordan Lake on 20
March (Allen Bryan, John Alderman), at Morehead City on 16 April (Fran Irvin), at
Clemson, S.C., on 16 April (two birds — Alan Avakian, John Hay), at Crowders
Mountain State Park on 27 April (Paul Hart), and at Raleigh on 7 May (Leigh
DeNeef).

NASHVILLE WARBLER: Allen Bryan saw and heard one in Ashe County, N.C., on 5
May.

BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER: Rather early was a singing bird noted by Paul
Hamel near Newry, S.C., on 12 April.

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER: Philip Crutchfield had a singing male on
territory in the Beaver Dam section of Fayetteville from 6 April to 12 May. This city is
west of the known breeding range of the coastal population.

CERULEAN WARBLER: Joshua Lee noted a migrant at Raleigh on 7 May.

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER: Noteworthy along the coast in spring were two seen by
Perry Nugent and party near Charleston on 1 May.

BAY-BREASTED WARBLER: Quite late were two males and a female seen by Harry
LeGrand at the Raleigh-Durham Airport on 25 May.

Fall 1983

111

PRAIRIE WARBLER: Chris and Perry Nugent observed one in their yard in Charleston
on 9 January.

WILSON’S WARBLER: Unusual in winter was an individual seen by Perry Nugent and
Dennis Abbott at Santee refuge on 29 January.

ORCHARD ORIOLE: John Fussell noted an adult male on 20 March at his feeder in
Morehead City.

NORTHERN (BALTIMORE) ORIOLE: An excellent coastal count was 10 seen by Skip
Prange at Cape Lookout, N.C., on 26 April.

NORTHERN (BULLOCK’S) ORIOLE: The first North Carolina report of a female,
without an accompanying male, was an individual at a Fayetteville yard from 19
March to early May (Philip Crutchfield, Ruth Chesnutt, Henry Rankin Jr.). The bird
had “yellow on face, throat, and upper breast; otherwise whitish undersides; crown
olivish with yellow tints, back olivish, wings and tail gray, two white wing bars, outer
tail feathers yellowish, bill paler than female Northern (Baltimore) Oriole”, according
to Crutchfield’s description.

WESTERN TANAGER: A male at a feeder in Pine Knoll Shores, N.C., in the winter was
last seen about 9 March by Kathy Kirkman. Another winter feeder bird was reported at
Fayetteville into early May by Philip Crutchfield and others. Another male was seen at
a feeder in Sumter, S.C., from January to 28 April by Mrs. Jim Mallard, fide Evelyn
Dabbs. Most unusual was a female seen by Ron Warner at Bat Cave, N.C., on 3 1 May.

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK: Two were rare on Bogue Banks on 30 April (Larry
Crawford), and early was one at Pea Island on 16 April and another at Bodie Island on
17 April (Ray Chandler).

BLUE GROSBEAK: Robert Ruiz noted individuals at two sites near Swannanoa, N.C., on
7 May and 22 May; the species is rare in that area.

PAINTED BUNTING: A female or immature was a very rare and far inland visitor to a
feeder in Raleigh from approximately 25 February to 25 April (David and Susan
Roberts, Fran Irvin). Dorothy Foy saw an adult female on 26 April at Oriental, N.C.,
a town where the species formerly bred and perhaps still does breed.

DICKCISSEL: John Beeler observed one on five dates from 7 March to 11 April at
Guilford College, N.C., as reported by Charlotte Dawley. A notable record and
probable breeders were two singing males found on 26 and 3 1 May by Paul Hart and
Heathy Walker near Kings Mountain, N.C.

HOUSE FINCH: Robert Ruiz and Helen Charbonneau observed several in May in both
Swannanoa and Asheville, where breeding thus may be occurring. Also probably
breeding were several pairs seen through May at two places in Fayetteville (Philip
Crutchfield, Henry Rankin Jr.). Frank Enders noted the first conclusive breeding for
Roanoke Rapids, N.C., finding a nest and three adults there from April to June in a
downtown block.

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW: Near the edge of the breeding range were 1 1 singing birds
and two juveniles at the Rocky Mount - Wilson Airport in Nash County, N.C., on 29
May (Ricky Davis). Surprisingly, the largest local breeding populations in the
Carolinas have been near the edge of the range, in the upper coastal plain, probably
because the fields tend to be larger in acreage than are those in most of the piedmont

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The Chat

and mountains.

HENSLOW’S SPARROW: Perhaps on the wintering grounds were two seen within 3 feet
of the observers (Dick Repasky, Steve Klause) at Scotland Lake in Sandhills Game
Land, N.C., on 2 April.

LE CONTE’S SPARROW: Very rare for North Carolina were migrants seen by Wayne
Irvin at Dorothea Dix Farm in Raleigh on 9 and 10 April and by Douglas McNair and
many Carolina Bird Club members at Cullowhee on 15 May.

SEASIDE SPARROW: At least 1 50 were seen flying in front of the Cedar Island fire on 30
May by Wayne Irvin and John Fussell.

BACHMAN’S SPARROW: Very rare was one seen on the Chapel Hill SBC on 1 May by
Andy Towle and Tony Shrimpton.

LINCOLN’S SPARROW: A bird at Skip Prange’s feeder in Harkers Island, N.C., during
the winter remained until 26 April.

BOOK REVIEW

Seabirds—An Identification Guide

Peter Harrison. 1983. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 448 p. $29.95.

This is an excellent book. It is a little large for standard field use as an identification
guide, but nevertheless well worth carrrying if one plans to spend any time observing birds
at sea. The text covers 312 species of birds and is well illustrated. The publishers note that
there are over 1600 individual color portraits. Thus, for most species, different sexes, ages,
races, and other forms of plumage variation are well depicted. Additionally, 3 1 black-and-
white plates illustrate plumage stages of single species or species easily confused. Plate 51,
for example, has 1 1 illustrations of the dorsal and ventral plumage development in male and
female Great Frigatebirds. The breeding and marine distributions of all seabirds have been
mapped, and this certainly represents the best attempt to date to illustrate the known
distribution of marine birds. The bibliography is up to date (the most recent citations are
1981) and relevant. Seaducks are covered only briefly in three pages at the end of the book.

The illustrations are of special interest. Harrison has personal field experience with all
but 30 of the species discussed. It is unlikely that any other person has seen living examples
of this many seabirds. A quick glance at nearly any of the 88 color plates should humble
anyone who thinks he has mastered seabird identification. I have long wondered how
people unfamiliar with the subtle differences in immature jaegers, for example, could hope
to identify them with the simplistic illustrations in most field guides. The truth is that
without considerable prior experience they could not. With Harrison’s book in hand, one
still would have difficulty in identifying all but the most typically plumaged birds, but at
least one would be aware of the complexity of the problem. With the nomadic nature of
many seabirds, and the limited knowledge of seasonal and geographic distributions of even
North Atlantic species, the reader is quickly overwhelmed by plate after plate of cryptically
plumaged birds that could conceivably occur in one area. Indeed many of the differences
betwen plumages or races of single species are more pronounced than between some
species. I have observed people on seabird excursions off the North Carolina coast happily

Fall 1983

113

tallying this and that, not realizing that they probably do not have the knowledge to separate
a Laughing Gull from a Franklin’s Gull, yet carefully comparing all the face patterns of
black-and-white shearwaters thinking that what they see is definitely diagnostic because
their field guide shows it that way. Conservatively marked seabirds are a challenge, and it is
common to find the sight identifications of very experienced students of offshore bird
watching (me included) proven wrong time after time once the bird is collected. This
applies to common everyday species, not just rarities. Harrison’s artful capture of Dovekies,
as a blur of wings supporting a black-and-white blob, expresses well both the spirit of
seabirds and the agonies of seabird watching.

Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of the book is its use of behavioral traits in field
identification. Although this type of information has been used in a limited sense to
recognize species of land birds (e.g. tail wagging) it has not been covered in field guides for
seabirds. Because voice is normally not a useful or practical way to recognize marine birds
and judging size or distance is difficult, any additional advantage the observer can obtain is
welcomed. Although the field marks that separate Black-capped Petrels, Greater Shear-
waters, and Cory’s Shearwaters may be adequate under good light and prolonged, close-
range views, the normal flight patterns are just as diagnostic and recognizable from greater
distances. For some species, such as our storm-petrels, the behavioral characteristics are a
more valuable identification tool than field marks.

The hunger for knowledge on seabirds must be considerable. I note, for example, one
of my, to date, unpublished findings was picked up at a talk I gave on seabirds, and included
and illustrated in the book. The information in question was credited to the person in the
audience who passed it on. This certainly was no fault of the author, and the intermediate
party was, of course, simply relaying his enthusiasm for seabirds. Similar experiences have
happened to me even in journals (although the events were less innocently explained). Still,
it is refreshing to participate in a field of study where our ignorance is so vast, interest so
high, and almost every accurate observation a real contribution to our knowledge. Imagine
what could be learned on a several day’s voyage off Madagascar or the Juan Fernandez
Islands. Such thoughts have apparently spawned the recent excitement in studying birds at
sea. This book is timely, useful, and more carefully prepared than Tuck and Heinzel’s 1978
work, A Field Guide to the Seabirds of Britain and the World (see Chat 44:53-54), the only
other similar text on the subject.

Book reviews somehow seem lacking if they do not contain a list of negative points
intended to promote the prestige of the reviewer at the expense of the reviewee. As a person
thoroughly immersed in seabird research, I must confess that I can find little fault with the
overall intent and execution of this book as far as seabirds are concerned. The book, to me,
has only two annoyances, both of which are minor when compared to its accomplishments.
First, the text accompanying the plates and the species accounts is well endowed with
abbreviations (NAO, AR, FHJ, DM, SS, and so forth). I question whether this saves
enough space in a book of 400+ pages to be worth the effort of remembering what the
abbreviations stand for, or looking them up on a rolling ship, while holding binoculars.
Second is a preponderance of British names (Arctic Skua, Little Auk, Brunnich’s Guille-
mot, Maderian Storm-Petrel, Great Northern Diver). I thought we just went through all
those recent name changes and synonymized the English names on both continents!

It is a good book. If you are interested in seabirds at all and are going to limit yourself to
one book, this is it. — DAVID S. LEE

114

The Chat

Index to The Chat — Volume 47

A

Aberdeen, N.C., 106
Abraham, David J., 66

Alamance County, N.C., see Burlington, Elon
Co liege

Alleghany County, N.C., 72
Anderson County, S.C., 28; see also
Pendleton, Sandy Springs, Townville
Anhinga, 27,50,76,105

Ani, Groove-billed, No. 1 cover, 23-25
Smooth-billed, 23
Arapahoe, N.C., 32
Ashe County, N.C., 111
Asheville, N.C., 76,105,109,110,112
Atlantic Beach, N.C., 26,29,79,80,108,109
Avery County, N.C., 73
Avocet, American, 29,52
Avon , N . C . , 79,83

B

Barn-Owl, Common, 109
Bat Cave, N.C., 112
Beaufort, N.C., 51,77,78,79,82
Beaufort County, N.C., 27,30; see also
Washington

Beaufort Inlet, N.C., 26,27,30
Beaverdam Reservoir, N.C., 27,28,29,48,50,
51,52,53,54,56,104,107,110
Berkeley County, S.C., see Francis Marion
National Forest
Bertie County, N.C., 106
Big Bald Mountain, N.C.-Tenn., 53
bird behavior, feeding, 41,44,97
ingestion of grit, 103-104
mating, 66-67

nesting, 14-16,19-22,41-42
seed storing, 47-48
Bittern, American, 27,51,61,62,105
Least, 27

Blackbird, Brewer's, 81
Red-winged, 73,93
Yellow-headed, 56
blackbirds, 89,94,98

Bladen County, N.C., 104; see also White
Lake

Blowing Rock, N.C., 28
Bluebird, Eastern, 41-42,44
Bobolink, 89,93
Bobwhite, Northern, 36,39,90
Bogue Banks, N.C., 28,108,111,112
Bogue Sound, N.C., 27
Bolton, N.C., 105

book reviews, 17 (N.C. mammals), 17 (Living
Bird), 18 (hawkwatching guide), 83 (bird
finding, D.C. area), 113 (seabird guide)
Braswell, Alvin L. , 25-26
Brevard, N.C., 55,56

Brunswick County, N.C., 28,79,101; see also
Sunset Beach
Bryan, Allen, 100-101

Buncombe County, N.C., 30,78,106,111; see
also Asheville, Swannanoa
Bunting, Indigo, 37,89,92,96
Painted, 32,92,112
Snow, 83

Burke County, N.C., 111

Burlington, N.C., 50,55
Buxton, N.C., 80,81,83,106,111

C

Caldwell County, N.C., see Blowing Rock,
Granite Falls
Camden, S.C. , 76

Cape Hatteras, N.C., 28,50,54,79,80,81,105
Cape Island, S.C., 76,80
Cape Lookout, N.C., 27,51,54,104,108,112
Cardinal, Northern, 92
Carnell, Eleanor S., 57-62
Carolina Beach, N.C., 79
Carolina Beach State Park, N.C., 54
Carteret County, N.C., 30,51,56,71,78,80,83,
102,104,106,107,109,110; see also Atlantic
Beach, Beaufort, Beaufort Inlet, Bogue
Banks, Bogue Sound, Cape Lookout, Cedar
Island, Core Banks, Emerald Isle, Fort
Macon, Harkers Island, Morehead City,
Newport, Pine Knoll Shores, Portsmouth
Island, Shackleford Banks
Catbird, Gray, 36,91
Cat Island, S.C., 105

Cedar Island, N.C., 29,30,32,51,105,106,107,
110,113

Chapel Hill, N.C., 54,76,77,82,98,105,113
Charleston (County), S.C., 51,54,55,56,76,
78,80,81,104,105,107,108,109,111,112; see
also Cape Island, Isle of Palms, Kiawah
Island, McClellanville , Mount Pleasant,
Sullivans Island
Charlotte, N.C., 77,81,111
Chat, Yellow-breasted, 92

Chatham County, N.C., 26; see also Jordan
Reservoir
Cheraw, S.C., 106
Chester (County), S.C., 76
Chesterfield County, S.C., see Cheraw
Chickadee, Carolina, 14,36,41-42,91
Chowan County, N.C., see Edenton
Chowan River, N.C., 109
Chuck-will ' s-widow, 80

Clarendon County, S.C., see Santee N.W.R.
Clark, Mary Kay, No. 1 back cover
Clemson , S.C., 56,82,110,111
Cleveland County, N.C., 110; see also Kings
Mountain

Coinjock, N.C., 106
Colleton County, S.C., 27; see also
Jacksonboro
Columbia, S.C., 32
Columbus County, N.C., see Bolton
Congaree River, S.C., 81
Coot American, 78,107
Core Banks, N.C., 52,106
Cormorant, Double-crested, 26,50,76,105
Cowbird, Brown-headed, 35,37,93
Crane, Sandhill, 107
Craven County, N.C., 31,106
Creeper, Brown, 89
Croatan Sound, N.C., 50
Crossbill, Red, 32
White-winged, 82
Crow, American, 36,38,91
Fish, 31,55,80,89,91

Crowders Mountain State Park, N.C., 110,111

Fall 1983

115

Cuckoo, Black-billed, 46,54,109
Yellow-billed, 54,90
Cullowhee, N.C. , 110,113
Cumberland County, N.C., 76; see also
Fayetteville, Fort Bragg
Curlew, Long-billed, 53,71,78,108
Currituck County, N.C., see Coinjock
Curtis, Moses Ashley, 68-69

D

Dare County, N.C., 25-26,31,32,102,103; see
also Avon, Bodie Island, Buxton, Cape
Hatteras, Croatan Sound, Hatteras, Manns
Harbor, Oregon Inlet, Pea Island,

Rodanthe, Salvo, Wanchese
Davis, Richard J., 85-95,100-101
DeNeff, A. Leigh, 66-67
Derby, N.C., 47

Devil's Courthouse, N.C., 52,56
Dick, John Henry, 23
Dickcissel , 32,56,92,112
Dorchester County, S.C., 111
Dovekie, 80

Dove, Mourning, 36,38,39
Rock, 90

Dowitcher, Long-billed, 53,78,108
Short-billed, 29,52,58,61,71,108
Duck, Wood, 19-22,61,62
Dunlin, 52,53,61,78,108
Duplin County, N.C., see Kenansville
Durant Nature Park, N.C., 68
Durham (County), N.C., 26,27,28,29,30,31,81,
105,107; see also Falls Lake

E

Eagle, Bald, 28,52,64-65,78,99,106
Golden, 28,36,38,52,78,99,106
Edenton, N.C. , 82,107
Egret, Cattle, 27,50,76,105
Great, 27,60,61,76,105
Reddish, 105
Snowy, 27,50,60,61 .

Eider, Common, 28,51,106

Elizabeth City, N.C., 79

Elon College, N.C. , 111

Emerald Isle, N.C., 31

Enfield, N.C., 107

Englehard, N.C., 76

evolution, in House Finch, 44,99

F

Falcon, Peregrine, 52,78,90,107
Falls of the Neuse Reservoir (Falls Lake),
N.C. , 29,51,53,54,78,80,104,105,106,107,
108,109,110

Fayetteville, N.C., 26,27,30,31,32,50,52,53,
54,55,56,76,78,80,81,82,105,107,110,111,112
Finch, House, 32,44,56,82,99,112
Finch, Jack, 42,44
Fink, Louis C., 67,68,99
Flicker, Northern, 36,39,66-67,89,90
Flycatcher, Alder, 30
Great Crested, 36,90
Least, 36,38,55,80,110
Traill’s, 54
Willow, 30
Yellow-bellied, 54

Fontana Dam, N.C., 31

Forsyth County, N.C., 105,108; see also
Winston-Salem
Fort Bragg, N.C. , 28,29
Fort Fisher, N.C., 54,55,78,85-95
Fort Macon State Park, N.C., 29,51,79,107,
109

Four Oaks , N . C . , 26

Francis Marion National Forest, S.C., 28
frigatebird, 1

Frigatebird, Magnificent, 27,105
Fulmar, Northern, 76,104
Fussell , John 0., Ill, 71-72

G

Gallinule, Purple, 107
Gannet, Northern, 105

Gaston County, N.C., see Crowders Mountain
Gates County, N.C., 30

Georgetown County, S.C., see Cat Island
Gnatcatcher, Blue-gray, 55,81,91
goatsuckers, 103
Godwit, Bar-tailed, 71-72
Hudsonian, 53
Marbled, 53,71

Goeke , David, No. 1 cover photo, 25 (photo)
Goldeneye, Common, 51,77
Golden-Plover, Lesser, 52,53,107
Goldfinch, American, 37,93
Goose, Canada, 105

Greater White-fronted, 77
Ross ' , 77
Snow, 51,77

Goshawk, Northern, 51,90
Grackle, Boat-tailed, 93
Common, 93

Graham County, N.C., 28,32,33-40; see also
Fontana Dam, Unicoi Mountains
Granite Falls, N.C., 110
Grant, Gilbert S., 25-26

Great Smoky Mountains Nat. Park, N.C., 51
Grebe, Horned, 26,50
Pied-billed, 26,104
Greene, Jack W. , 63-65
Grosbeak, Blue, 92,112
Evening, 82

Rose-breasted, 37,39,56,92,112
Ground-Dove, Common, 90
Grouse, Ruffed, 36
Guilford College, N.C., 112

Guilford County, N.C., see Guilford College,
High Point

Gull, Bonaparte's, 29,61,79,109
Common Black-headed, 79
Glaucous, 79,108
Herring, 57,61
Iceland, 54,79,109
Laughing , 61 , 109
Lesser Black-backed, 79,109
Little, 109

Ring-billed, 29,57,61,109
Sabine's, 80

H

Halifax (County), N.C., 30,77,105,108,110,
111; see also Enfield, Roanoke Rapids,
Tillery

Hanging Rock State Park, N.C., 52

116

The Chat

Harkers Island, N.C. , 78,106,113
Harrier, Northern, 28,61,62,90
Harrison, Julian R. , 46

Hatteras (Inlet, Island, point), N.C., 50,
51,53,76,77,79,82,109
Hawk, Broad-winged, 36,38,52,106
Cooper's, 28,89,90,106
Red-tailed, 36,38,90
Rough-legged, 52,77
Sharp-shinned, 28,36,38,67,89,90
hawkwatching, 18 (guide to)

Haywood County, N.C., 52,96-97; see also
Richland Balsam

Henderson County, N.C., see Bat Cave,
Hendersonville
Hendersonville, N.C., 82
Heron, Great Blue, 50,58,61,63,76
Green-backed, 60,61,76
Little Blue, 60,61

Tricolored, 27, No. 2 cover, 51,60,61
Hertford County, N.C., 111
Highlands, N.C., 32
High Point, N.C. , 79
Hoffman , N . C . , 47

Hoke County, N.C., 30,31,32; see also Fort
Bragg

Hummingbird, Ruby-throated, 36,80,90,94
hybrids, 25-26 (Audubon's X Myrtle Warbler)
51 (Blue-winged X Cinnamon Teal)

55 (Brewster's Warbler)

96 (N. Parula X Prothonotary Warbler ?)

96 (Cerulean Warbler X Indigo Bunting ?)
Hyde County, N.C., 27,31,32; see also

Englehard, Lake Mattamuskeet , Mattamuskeet
N.W.R., Ocracoke, Swanquarter

I

Ibis, Glossy, 27,51,105

White, 27,51,60,61,77,101-103
Irvin, E. Wayne, 1-13
Isle of Palms, S.C. , 79

J

Jacksonboro, S.C., 23

Jackson County, N.C., see Cullowhee,

Richland Balsam
Jaeger, Long-tailed, 108
Parasitic, 29,79,108
Pomarine, 54,79,108

Jasper County, S.C., see Savannah N.W.R.

Jay, Blue, 36,91,103

Johnston County, N.C., see Four Oaks
Jones, Joe, 98

Jordan Reservoir, N.C., 26,27,28,29,30,31,
50,51,52,53,54,55,56,76,77,78,79,81,105,
106,107,108,109,110,111
Junco, Dark-eyed, 37,41,89,93

K

Kenansville, N.C., 106
Kershaw County, S.C., see Camden
Kestrel, American, 29,90,107
Kiawah Island, S.C., 79,105
Kingbird, Eastern, 89,91
Gray, 30
Western, 54

Kingfisher, Belted, 90

Kinglet, Golden-crowned, 89
Ruby-crowned, 91
Kings Mountain, N.C., 112
Kite, American Swa 1 low-tai led , 28, No. 1
outside back cover, 106
Mississippi, 51,106
Kittiwake, Black-legged, 79
Knot, Red, 108

L

Lake Mattamuskeet, N.C., 77,78,81; see also
Mattamuskeet N.W.R.

Lake Norman, N.C., 105
Lake Phelps, N.C., 28,30
Lake Pinehurst, N.C., 78
Lake Tahoma, N.C., 77
Lake Wheeler, N.C., 105,109
Lake Wylie, S.C. , 78
Lancaster (County), S.C., 56
Lark, Horned., 30,80,110
Lee, David S., 1-13,113-114
Lee, Joshua A., 44,97,99

LeGrand, Harry E., Jr., 48-50,69-70,72-73
Loon, Common, 26,50,104
Red-throated, 50,76

M

Macon County, N.C., see Highlands
Mallard, No. 3 cover, 61,62
mammals of North Carolina, 17
Manns Harbor, N.C., 30,79
Martin, Purple, 80,91,97,103
Martin County, N.C., 110
Mattamuskeet N.W.R., N.C., 53,76,99; see
also Lake Mattamuskeet
Mayesville, S.C., 28,29
McCallum, D. Archibald, 69
McClellanville , S.C., 79
McConnell, Jim, 33-40
McConnell, Owen, 33-40
McDowell County, N.C., see Lake Tahoma
McNair, Douglas B., 47-48,73-75
Meadowlark, Eastern, 73,93
Mecklenburg County, N.C., 79; see also
Charlotte

Merganser, Common, 77
Hooded, 19-22,61,62
Red-breasted, 61,62
Merlin, 52,78,90,107
Mockingbird, Northern, 89,91
Moore County, N.C., 26,51,82,105; see also
Aberdeen, Lake Pinehurst, Pinebluff,
Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Vass,

Whispering Pines, Woodlake
Moorhen, Common, 52,78,107
Morehead City, N.C., 56,80,104,109,110,111,
112

Mount Mitchell, N.C., 52
Mount Pleasant, S.C., 105,107
Murre, Thick-billed, 80

N

Nash County, N.C., 112; see also Rocky Mount
nature walks, 16
Newberry (County), S.C., 31
New Hanover' County , N.C., 52,57-62,78,85-95,
110; see also Carolina Beach, Carolina

Fall 1983

117

Beach State Park, Fort Fisher, Wilmington,
Wrightsville Beach
Newport, N.C., 56,77,79,108,109
Newry, S.C., 111
Nighthawk, Common, 90

Night-Heron, Black-crowned, 27,61,76,105
Yellow-crowned, 27,51
Nuthatch, Brown-headed, 47-48,110
Red-breasted, 36,39,91,110
White-breasted, 36,39

0

Oconee County, S.C., see Newry
Ocracoke , N.C., 79,104,109
Onslow County, N.C., see Swansboro
Orange County, N.C. , see Chapel Hill
Oregon Inlet, N.C., 79
Oriental, N.C., 31,46,76,112

Oriole, Northern, 81 (Baltimore, Bullock's),
93, 112 (Baltimore, Bullock's)

Orchard, 56,93,94,112
Osprey, 61,62,78,90,107
Ovenbird, 37
Owl, Barred, 35,36
Great Horned, 66
Northern Saw-whet , 30
Short-eared, 80

Oystercatcher , American, 58,61

P

Pamlico County, N.C., 27,30,31,32,51,54,76;

see also Arapahoe, Oriental, Pamlico Point
Pamlico Point, N.C., 28,51,53,80
Parnell, James F. , 85-95,100-103
Parula, Northern, 37,38,81,92,96,104
Pasquotank County, N.C., see Elizabeth City
Pea Island, N.C. , 29,46,52,53,54,55,56,76,
77,78,79,80,107,112
Pelican, American White, 50,76,104
Brown, 58,61,62,76

Pender County, N.C., see Topsail Island
Pendleton, S.C., 78
Person County, N.C.,’ 30, 31
Petrel, Black-capped, 50,104
Phalarope, Red, 52,53,108
Red-necked, 29,53,108
Wilson's, 29,53
Phoebe, Eastern, 90
photography, contest, 13
slides needed, 13
Pickens County, S.C., see Clemson
Pilot Mountain State Park, N.C., 52
Pinebluff, N.C., 28
Pinehurst, N.C., 105

Pine Knoll Shores, N.C., 80,82,109,110,112
Pintail, Northern, 77
Pipit, Water, 55,91,110
Plover, Black-bellied, 52,53,58,61,107
Piping, 29,75
Semipalmated , 52,107

Portsmouth Island, N.C., 46,52,53,54,56,71,
108

Post, William, 46

Potter, Eloise F. , 42 ,83-84,96-97-, 103-104

R

Rail, Black, 29,46,78,107

King, 29
Virginia, 107
Yellow, 78

Raleigh, N.C., 27,32,51,52,54,55,56,73-75,
76,81,82,97,99,105,107,109,110,111,112,113
Raven, Common, 35,36,37,110
Razorbill, 80
Redpoll, Common, 82
Redstart, American, 32,92
Richland Balsam, N.C., 32

Richland County, S.C., see Columbia

Richmond County, N.C., 105; see also Derby,

Hoffman, Rockingham, Sandhills Game Land

Roanoke Rapids, N.C., 112
Robin, American, 36,39,91,94
Robinson, Sarah S., 19-22
Rockingham, N.C., 47
Rocky Mount, N.C., 44,110
Rodanthe, N.C., 106
Roper, N.C. , 29

Rutherford County, N.C., 31,32
S

Salvo, N.C., 79,83
Sampson County, N.C., 110,111
Sanderling, 52,53
Sandhills Game Land, N.C., 113
Sandpiper, Baird's, 46,52,53
Buff-breasted, 52,54,78
Least, 29,52,78,108
Pectoral, 108
Spotted, 78
Stilt, 29,52,54
Upland, 29,53,108
White-rumped , 28,52,53
Sandy Springs, S.C., 27
Santee N.W.R. , S.C., 76,77,107,108
Santee River, S.C., 28 (delta), 77,78,110,
112

Sapsucker, Yellow-bellied, 35,36,37,90
Savannah N.W.R. , 23
Scaup, Greater, 106
Lesser, 106
Scoter, Black, 28,106
Surf, 51

White-winged, 51,106

Scotland County, N.C., see Sandhills Game
Land

Screech-Owl, Eastern, 21
seabirds, 113 (guide to identification)
Shackleford Banks, N.C. , 80,107
Shearwater, Audubon's, 50
Cory's, 50
Greater, 26,50
Shields, Mark A., 101-103
shorebirds, 45 (color-majrked)

Shoveler, Northern, 51
Shrike, Loggerhead, 31,41
Simpson, Mark and Sallie, 68
Siskin, Pine, 32,82
Sisson, Kay, 96
Skimmer, Black, 80
skua ( sp . ? ) , 54
Sora, 29

Southern Pines, N.C., 32,52,55,77,110
Sparrow, Bachman's, 82,113
Chipping, 92,103
Clay-colored, 46,83,92
Field, 93

118

The Chat

Grasshopper, 32,73,82,112
Henslow's, 113
House, 93
Lark, 46,73-75
Le Conte's, 48-50,82,113
Lincoln's, 83,113
Savannah, 72-73,93
Seaside, 46,93,113
Sharp-tailed, 46,93
Song, 32,93
Swamp , 93
Vesper, 73
White-throated, 93
Spartanburg County, S.C. , 28
Spoonbill, Roseate, 51,105
Stanly County, N.C., 63-65
Starling, European, 91,98
Stilt, Black-necked, 107

Stokes County, N.C., see Hanging Rock State
Park

Stork, Wood, 27
Storm-Petrel, Leach's, 104
Sullivans Island, S.C., 27,55,56
Sumter (County) , S.C., 112; see also
Mayesville

Sunset Beach, N.C., 29,51,55,79,80,105,110
•Surry County, N.C., see Pilot Mountain State
Park

Swain County , N.C. , see Great Smoky
Mountains National Park
Swallow, Bank, 30,55,91,110
Barn, 30,36,38,39,91,103
Cliff, 31,55,110
Northern Rough-winged, 30,91
Tree, 30,89,91
Swan, Tundra, 51,77,105
Swannanoa, N.C., 111,112
Swanquarter, N.C., 30
Swansboro, N.C., 80
Swift, Chimney, 36,90

T

Tanager, Scarlet, 14,32,37
Summer, 56,92
Western, 82,112
Teal, Blue-winged, 27,77,106
Blue-winged X Cinnamon, 51
Green-winged, 61,62,106
Tennessee, 33-40 (Unicoi Mountains)

53 (Big Bald Mountain)

Tern, Arctic, 109
Black, 54,109
Caspian, 30,80,109
Common, 30,54,61-62,109
Forster's, 61,109
Gull-billed, 29,54
Least, 30
Roseate, 54
Sooty, 109

Thrasher, Brown, 35,36,91
Thrush, Gray-cheeked, 46,110
Hermit, 91
Swainson's, 91
Wood, 35,36
Tillery, N.C., 77,105
Titmouse, Tufted, 36
Topsail Island, N.C., 30
love, Mike, 8 (photo)

Towhee, Rufous-sided, 37,92

Townville, S . C . , 32,51,83
Transylvania County , N.C. , 52 ; see also
Brevard, Devil's Courthouse
Tropicbird , Red-billed, 1-13,69-70,100-101
White-tailed, 1-13,69-70
Trott , John, No. 2 cover photo , No . 3 cover
photo, No. 4 cover photo
Turkey , Wild, 36
TV tower kill, 46

U-V

Unicoi Mountains, N.C.-Tenn. , 33-40
Union County, N.C., 82

Vass, N.C. , 78,105,107,109
Veery , 33,36,55,91
Vireo, Black-whiskered, 110
Philadelphia, 55,111
Red-eyed, 36,38,91,111
Solitary , 31,36,110
Warbling, 111
White-eyed, 81 ,91
Yellow-throated , 55,91
Vulture , Black, 106
Turkey, 36,90

W

Wake County , N.C. , 19-22,27,48,50,106; see
also Beaverdam Reservoir , Durant Nature
Park , Falls of the Neuse Reservoir, Lake
Wheeler, Raleigh, Zebulon
Wanchese , N.C. , 79 , 81
Warbler , Bay-breasted , 46,111
Black-and-white , 31 ,37,81,92
Blackburnian, 37,46,111
Blackpoll , 92

Black-throated Blue, 33,37,81,92,111
Black-throated Green , 31,35,37,46,56,81,
92,103,111

Blue-winged , 31,55,111
Brewster's, 55
Canada , 32,37,39
Cape May, 92
Cerulean , 32,56,96,111
Chestnut-sided , 33,37
Connecticut , 56
Golden-winged, 46 , 55
Hooded, 35,37
Kentucky, 32
Magnolia , 81 ,92
Mourning , 56
Nashville, 46,56,91,111
Orange-crowned , 81,91,111
Palm, 56,92
Pine, 92,103
Prairie, 81 ,92,103,112
Prothonotary , 92,94,96
Swainson's, 31,46,111
Tennessee , 55,91,111
Wilson's, 56,92,112
Worm-eating, 31,46,55,111
Yellow, 92

Yel low-rumped , 25-26 (Audubon's X Myrtle
hybrid), 89,92,94
Yellow-throated, 81,104
Washington, N.C., 28

Washington County, N.C., 28,31,32; see also
Lake Phelps , Roper

Fall 1983

119

I

Watauga County, N.C., see Blowing Rock
Waterthrush, Louisiana, 35,37
Northern, 92

Waxwing, Cedar, 36,55,91,110
Whimbre 1 , 53,108
Whip-poor-will, 30, 109
Whispering Pines, N.C., 105
Whistling-Duck, Fulvous, 51,77,106
Whitehurst, Gail T. , 14-16,67
White Lake, N.C. , 46
Wigeon, American, No. 4 cover
Eurasian, 106
Wilds, Claudia, 46,83,99
Wilkes County, N.C. , 31
Willet , 71

Wilmington, N.C., 55,82
Winston-Salem, N.C., 30,50,52,107,108
Woodlake , N.C., 105,107,109
Woodpecker, Downy, 36,90
Hairy, 36
Pileated, 36,90
Red-bellied, 90

Red-headed, 90,98
Wood-Pewee, Eastern, 35,36,90
Wooten, Charlie W. , 41
Wren, Bewick's, 110
Carolina, 91

House, 15,31,36,37-38,91,94,110
Marsh, 91,94,110
Sedge, 80,91,94
Winter, 36,39

Wright svi 1 le Beach, N.C., 109
Y-Z

Yancey County, N.C., see Mount Mitchell
YellowlegSj Greater, 78,108
Lesser, 29
sp. ?, 58,61

Ye 1 lowthroat , Common, 92

York County, S.C., 76; see also Lake Wylie
Young, Pat, 23-25

Zebulon, N.C., 41,96,105

120

The Chat

MEMBERSHIP

Carolina Bird Club, Inc., is a non-profit educational and scientific association
founded in March 1937 and open to anyone interested in the study and conservation of
wildlife, particularly birds. Dues, contributions, and bequests to the club are deductible
from state and federal income and estate taxes. Checks should be made payable to Carolina
Bird Club, Inc., and sent to CBC Headquarters, P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611.

DUES

(Payable on a calendar-year basis)

Individual $ 9.00

Family $ 10.00

Student $ 5.00

Patron $ 25.00

Life Membership (Payable in four consecutive $50 installments) $200.00

Library/Institution $ 10.00

Affiliated Club $ 10.00

PUBLICATIONS

All CBC members not in arrears for dues receive The Chat, a quarterly journal devoted
to bird study and conservation, and the CBC Newsletter, which carries information about
meetings, field trips, and club projects. Articles intended for publication in Chat qiay be sent
to the Editor or to the appropriate department editor listed in a recent issue of the bulletin.
Items for the Newsletter should be sent to its Editor, Clyde Smith, 2615 Wells Avenue,
Raleigh, N.C. 27608. Correspondence regarding memberships, changes of address, or
requests for back numbers of either publication should be sent to CBC Headquarters,
P.O. Box 27647, Raleigh, N.C. 27611.

OFFICERS

President Richard D. Brown, Biology, UNC-Charlotte, 28223

Vice-presidents:

Frances B. Needham, Box 8207, Waynick Blvd., Wrightsville Beach, N.C. 28480
Teddy M. Shuler, Route 1, Box 15, Seneca, S.C. 29678
Ron Warner, Route 1, Box 344, Hendersonville, N.C. 28739

Secretary Philip Crutchfield, 901 Montclair Rd., Fayetteville, N.C. 28304

Treasurer John Watson, 208 Robroy Rd., Southern Pines, N.C. 28387

Members-at-large:

Region I — Western North Carolina

George Morgan, Winston-Salem, and Ruth Young, Fairview
Region II — Eastern North Carolina

Robert J. Hader, Raleigh, and Dana T. Newman, Richlands
Region III — South Carolina

Dennis M. Forsythe, Charleston, and Keith L. Bildstein, Rock Hill
Headquarters Secretary Fran M. Irvin

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