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Carolina RBA Oct. 2 Update



hotline: Carolina Rare Bird Alert
date: October 2, 2003
number: 704-332-2473
to report: 704-332-2473 or 704-532-6336 or PiephoffT@aol.com
coverage: North and South Carolina
compiler: Taylor Piephoff for the Carolina Bird Club

Hello, this is an October 2 update of the Carolina Rare Bird Alert featuring 
birding news from North and South Carolina sponsored by the Carolina Bird 
Club. Highlights on this report include:

SABINE'S GULL
FRANKLIN'S GULL
ROSEATE SPOONBILL
EARED GREBE
WILSON'S PHALAROPE 
FEA'S PETREL
WHITE-WINGED DOVE
WESTERN TANAGER
CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS
LARK SPARROW
LONG-BILLED CURLEW
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER

A juvenile SABINE'S GULL has been enjoyed by birders at the Dusty Ridge 
Access to Lake Hickory near Hickory , NC on 9-30 , 10-1 and today 10-2. From I-40 
take exit 131 (Hwy 16) north to the Catawba River. Take the first road on the 
left past the bridge(Wayside Church RD). Go to the stop sign and turn right. 
Turn left on Rink Dam Rd. Go 2 miles to a right turn onto Polly Bowman Rd. Turn 
right onto Deal Farm Rd. The access entrance is 1/10 mile on the right. The 
SABINE'S GULL at Lake Norman from 9-25 has not been seen since that date.

Good birds at the Savannah Spoil Site (SC) on a trip sponsored by the 
Charleston Natural History Society on 9-28 were  FRANKLIN'S GULL, ROSEATE SPOONBILL, 
EARED GREBE, and 8 WILSON'S PHALAROPES. Good numbers of more expected 
shorebirds were present also.

An offshore birding trip out of Charleston, SC on 9-27 produced a FEA'S 
PETREL (1st State Record), 10 +BLACK-CAPPED PETRELS , POMARINE JAEGER , PARASITIC 
JAEGER, GREATER SHEARWATER, SOOTY and BRIDLED TERNS.

A PHILADELPHIA VIREO and a CANADA WARBLER were the best birds at Edisto Beach 
(SC) SP on 9-29. Six other species of warbler were seen as well as 
SWAINSON'S, and GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES and VEERY.

At Huntington Beach State Park in SC a WHITE-WINGED DOVE was seen 9-30 around 
the headquarters parking lot. Check the feeders at the visitor's center for 
this bird and COMMON GROUND-DOVES.

Patriot's Point at Mt. Pleasant, SC is one of the best spots around 
Charleston to look for fall migrants. On 9-30 eleven warbler species were seen 
including GOLDEN -WINGED WARBLER and BLUE-WINGED WARBLER.

In NC, a WESTERN TANAGER, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, and LARK SPARROW were seen 
9-29 at Cape Lookout. A LONG-BILLED CURLEW was seen at the East Shackleford 
Banks on the boat ride out to the Cape.

On the Outer Banks of North Carolina, WILSON'S WARBLERS were found 9-29 and 
9-30; CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS on 9-29 and 9-30; 18 species of warbler were noted 
on the 29th. The best place to look for migrants on the Outer Banks is the 
Coast Guard Station on the south side of Oregon Inlet. The dikes at Pea Island 
NWR are also productive.

Thanks this week to Nathan Dias, Jeff Lewis, and John Fussell for their calls 
and reports. 

Taylor Piephoff
Charlotte, NC
PiephoffT@aol.com