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Southport Christmas Bird Count



Hi folks,
At the insistence of several people, I am reporting the totals and highlights 
for the Southport, NC CBC, conducted Sunday, Jan. 2. This count circle is 
considered by many to possess quite possibly the best species diversity of 
any circle in the southeast north of Florida year in and year out. This year, 
11 observers in 7 field parties counted 38,058 individuals representing 176 
species. This is the second highest species total (close to the 179 in 1994) 
for the modern count spanning 15 years since 1986. The 15 year average is a 
little over 162! As you can see, if there were more observers available for 
the count, it could even be more impressive. 

Red-necked Grebe: Count week bird at Ft. Fisher (4th year in a row in the 
area!)
Am. White Pelican: Count week bird at Ft. Fisher 
Anhinga : Count week bird near Southport (always a few around in winter)
BRANT: 2 near Battery Island in the river (Ricky Davis)
COMMON EIDER: 4 flying south off Bald Head Island (Davis)
WILSON'S PLOVER: 6 at Ft. Fisher spit (John Fussell, Buddy Garrett)
Spotted Sandpiper: 1 near Southport (several observers) not too unusual here
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 1 adult on Bald Head Island (Davis)
GLAUCOUS GULL: 1 at Ft. Fisher spit (Fussell, Garrett) has been present some 
time
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: 2 at Ft. Fisher museum area (John Brunjes) 1st for 
count
Archilochus sp.: 1 on Bald Head Island (Davis) probably more hummers in the 
circle!
CAPE MAY WARBLER: 1 female on Bald Head Island (Davis) a count first! 
Amazingly, a 
                        second individual was found during count week at Ft. 
Fisher!
BLACK-THR. GREEN WARBLER: 1 at Ft. Fisher near the ferry dike area (Brunjes) -
                        needless to say, a count first. Was not relocated the 
next day though.
Yellow-throated Warbler: 1 near Southport (almost expected in the count 
circle in winter)
Black-and-white Warbler: 2 , 1 at Ft. Fisher, 1 on Bald Head (a few expected 
in winter)
WILSON'S WARBLER: 1 at Ft. Fisher museum area (Brunjes) another count first, 
is continuing to
                        be relocated by those looking for it.
Painted Bunting: total of 3 on the count, a few expected each winter
LeCONTE'S SPARROW: 2 on Sunny Point Military property (Sam Cooper) 
unfortunately, these 
                        birds are in normally restricted property.
Lincoln's Sparrow: 1 near Southport (Greg Massey) to be expected somewhere in 
the circle
SNOW BUNTING: 5 at the Ft. Fisher spit (Fussell, Garrett) up to eleven birds 
have been 
                        reported from this area in the weeks up to the count
Rusty Blackbird: a total of 154 for the count was a new record count total
RED CROSSBILL: 1 fly-over near Southport (Massey) needless to say, a count 
first, and one of the very few reports of this species for southeastern North 
Carolina!

Well, those are the highlights. Hope this will spur some of you to maybe try 
to help us on next year's count. 
 
Later, 
    Ricky



Ricky Davis
608 Smallwood Drive
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
(252)443-0276(H)
(919)269-7401(W)
RJDNC@aol.com