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Black-billed cuckoo



This morning Susan and I watched for about six minutes a Blackbilled Cuckoo
in the Croatan Forest in the extreme southern part of Craven County.  John
Fussell had reported hearing one at this site on Little Road during the
spring migration in May.  Susan and I have checked it twice before, once
seeing briefly a cuckoo that could have been a BBC, the other time hearing
an abbreviated call.  This morning we played the tape at about five minute
intervals and after 20 - 25 minutes a bird appeared.  We had several good
looks at him, seeing not only the black bill and undertail pattern, but the
red orbital ring as well.  There is no record of this bird ever nesting in
this county that I know of.

Also, as we were heading home we had been tipped off by John Fussell about
seeing a Mississippi Kite flying over the same location where a pair has
nested the last two years.  We visited the site and happily saw two hawking
dragonflys right over us.  This was in the Newport area of Carteret County.

Also, the White-winged Dove that inhabits our yard and neighborhood may have
a mate.  We're still checking on this, but I saw it fly off with another
bird this afternoon that was the same size.
Rich and Susan Boyd
110 Live Oak St.
Beaufort, NC 252-504-3850