Date: 1/29/26 1:47 pm From: Nate Dias (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Woodcocks moving to the coast during snowstorms
Reposting this from last year - here we go again. During last year’s snow
there were multiple Woodcock sightings in the greater Charleston area.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: *Nate Dias* <offshorebirder...>
Date: Friday, January 17, 2025
Subject: Woodcocks moving to the coast during snowstorms
To: CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...>
Cc: <GABO-L...>
With this winter weather approaching, I figured I would give folks living
on or near the coast a heads-up: when somewhat inland wooded areas in the
coastal plain get significant snow or ice, this can cause mass movements of
Woodcocks towards the coast.
During the snow/ice event of January 2014 in Charleston, my mother looked
out her kitchen window and saw a Woodcock bobbing around her back yard
probing for worms. It stayed for a while:
https://flickr.com/photos/offshorebirder2/12242939956/ flickr.com/photos/offshorebirder2/12242939956
"These days I prefer to hunt with a camera. A good photograph demands more
skill from the hunter, better nerves and more patience than the rifle
shot." -- Bror Blixen
"These days I prefer to hunt with a camera. A good photograph demands more
skill from the hunter, better nerves and more patience than the rifle
shot." -- Bror Blixen
Date: 1/28/26 10:18 am From: Erik Thomas (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re:
It looks like that person has already disappeared from the SC Rare Birds
Report, as of 1:17 PM.
Erik Thomas
Raleigh, NC
On Wed, Jan 28, 2026 at 11:46 AM scompton1251 <scompton1251...>
wrote:
> Brian Holbrook
>
>
>
> Sent from my Galaxy
> Is there any way to keep this person off eBird? Read the SC rare birds
> report today.
>
> Concerned;
> Steve Compton
> Dorchester, SC
>
Date: 1/28/26 8:46 am From: scompton1251 <scompton1251...> Subject:
Brian HolbrookSent from my GalaxyIs there any way to keep this person off eBird? Read the SC rare birds report today.Concerned;Steve ComptonDorchester, SC
Date: 1/28/26 7:56 am From: \<hilton...>\ (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Hilton Pond North (15-27 Jan 2026) New Nature Cam Is On-line
After trials, tribulations, and technical challenges we finally got the bugs worked out and can announce our new Nature Cam is up-and running—today featuring all the winter action at our platform bird feeder. Access it through the latest installment of "This Week at Hilton Pond North," which includes our usual nature notes and tallies of birds banded and recaptured. Our livestream channel (hosted 24/7 on YouTube) brings you real-time views of natural happenings here in upper Ashe County NC and will showcase bird banding and walkabouts in the woods around our 35-acre property. Check it out at https://www.hiltonpondnorth.org/twahpn-20260116.html . If there are no birds at the feeder when you look, they'll be back!
Happy Nature Watching!
BILL
=========
Dr. BILL HILTON JR.
"Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project”
℅ Hilton Pond North: Blue Ridge Birds & Nature
2918 Silas Creek Road
Lansing NC 28643
(803)684-5852
The mission of Hilton Pond North is "to conserve plants, animals, habitats, and other natural components of the Blue Ridge Region of the eastern United States through observation, scientific study, and education for students of all ages.
"Never trust a person too lazy to get up for sunrise or too busy to watch the sunset." BHjr.
Date: 1/26/26 9:33 am From: Steve <sshultz...> Subject: Re: Western Tanager???
There have been half a dozen or so around this winter, so seems reasonable. Lots of interesting birds noted as a result of the weather and or more people watching their feeders. Summer Tanager and Painted Bunting in the Triangle. Lots of orioles, etc.
Steve Shultz
> On Jan 26, 2026, at 12:23 PM, Rob G <carolinabirds...> wrote:
>
>
> will try this again -- post WITH pic didn't go through so will try without pic....
>
> Acquaintance sends me poor photo of bird at her feeder today and says it looks exactly like the Sibley picture of a Western Tanager! -- I'm not quite willing to make that call based on 1 poor pic, but does seem like WETA (and have asked for additional pics); I s'pose maybe blown in by storm!? In mid Dec. someone also reported WETA in Chapel Hill for couple of days, around same time 1 or 2 were reported on coast.
> Reporter lives sort of northeast Chapel Hill near Durham line (or perhaps even in Du rham County?).
> Request the pic if you want or tell me (like I'm a 3rd grader) how to post it here. ;)
>
> -- Rob Gluck..... Carrboro, NC....
Date: 1/26/26 9:23 am From: Rob G (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Western Tanager???
will try this again -- post WITH pic didn't go through so will try without pic.... Acquaintance sends me poor photo of bird at her feeder today and says it looks exactly like the Sibley picture of a Western Tanager! -- I'm not quite willing to make that call based on 1 poor pic, but does seem like WETA (and have asked for additional pics); I s'pose maybe blown in by storm!? In mid Dec. someone also reported WETA in Chapel Hill for couple of days, around same time 1 or 2 were reported on coast.Reporter lives sort of northeast Chapel Hill near Durham line (or perhaps even in Durham County?).Request the pic if you want or tell me (like I'm a 3rd grader) how to post it here. ;) -- Rob Gluck..... Carrboro, NC....
Date: 1/24/26 9:15 am From: Chris Marsh (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Winter Storm Fern and bird populations in the Carolinas
Chris,
Very interesting!! That was December 25 1989 and was 3 months after
Hurricane Hugo hit SC. Along the northern SC coast (Myrtle Beach->
Charleston) the snow melted quickly but it remained unusually cold through
January. While doing shorebird surveys at Cape Romain NWR, Phil Wilkinson
(SCDNR) and I found multiple dead pelicans with feet webbing and bill
pouches split as result of severe frostbite.
Chris Marsh
Winston-Salem, NC
<cmarshlci...>
On Sat, Jan 24, 2026 at 11:35 AM Christopher Hill <carolinabirds...>
wrote:
> Way back in the day on Carolinabirds I saved a post from Hal Broadfoot,
> relevant now, perhaps. Here it is:
>
>
>
> Subject: frozen birds Date: Sun, 8 Dec 2002 23:38:34 EST Hal Broadfoot
>
>
>
> CBirders, Eric's query about the frozen plover reminded me of a
>
> mid-to-late-nineteen-eighties CBC on which we found numerous frozen
> birds.
>
> The count was the Southport-Bald Head Island CBC, and I was on one of the
>
> teams counting on Bald Head Island.
>
>
>
> That year, we had a winter storm move through right at Christmas and the
>
> weather remained bitter cold through New Year's. The canals and ponds at
>
> Bald head were all frozen solid. There was about six inches of snow on
> the
>
> ground.
>
>
>
> We found sparrows frozen to branches, a couple of gulls and a pelican that
>
> seemed to have frozen dead in flight and dropped to Earth, and a
> mockingbird
>
> lying on the ground under what I guess was its nighttime roost. Under a
>
> tussock of ornamental grass on the golf course, we found a group of about
> ten
>
> dowitchers frozen in huddle. The dowitchers formed a circle with their
> tails
>
> in the center and their bills pointing out like the spokes of a
> wheel. One
>
> of our group picked up the frozen mass and passed it around intact. For a
>
> while that morning, we had a list of dead species that rivaled the bird
> count
>
> list.
>
>
> [end quote]
>
>
>
> Chris Hill, Ph.D.
> Professor
> Biology Department
> Coastal Carolina University
> Office: Douglas 207H
> (843) 349-2567
> email: <chill...>
>
>
Date: 1/24/26 8:43 am From: Christopher Hill (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Winter Storm Fern and bird populations in the Carolinas
Way back in the day on Carolinabirds I saved a post from Hal Broadfoot, relevant now, perhaps. Here it is:
Subject: frozen birds Date: Sun, 8 Dec 2002 23:38:34 EST Hal Broadfoot
CBirders, Eric's query about the frozen plover reminded me of a
mid-to-late-nineteen-eighties CBC on which we found numerous frozen birds.
The count was the Southport-Bald Head Island CBC, and I was on one of the
teams counting on Bald Head Island.
That year, we had a winter storm move through right at Christmas and the
weather remained bitter cold through New Year's. The canals and ponds at
Bald head were all frozen solid. There was about six inches of snow on the
ground.
We found sparrows frozen to branches, a couple of gulls and a pelican that
seemed to have frozen dead in flight and dropped to Earth, and a mockingbird
lying on the ground under what I guess was its nighttime roost. Under a
tussock of ornamental grass on the golf course, we found a group of about ten
dowitchers frozen in huddle. The dowitchers formed a circle with their tails
in the center and their bills pointing out like the spokes of a wheel. One
of our group picked up the frozen mass and passed it around intact. For a
while that morning, we had a list of dead species that rivaled the bird count
list.
[end quote]
Chris Hill, Ph.D.
Professor
Biology Department
Coastal Carolina University
Office: Douglas 207H
(843) 349-2567
email: <chill...>
Date: 1/24/26 8:26 am From: Kevin Kubach (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Winter Storm Fern and bird populations in the Carolinas
Thanks for this perspective, Harry.
Speaking of Clemson and birds out of their typical ranges, there has been a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher attempting to winter at one of my regular birding locations there. (This is unusually far inland for this species in winter.) I saw it as recently as yesterday and it will be interesting to see if I find it after the storm (I’ll report back if so).
After only a handful of observations in the first 50 Clemson CBCs, this species seems to have become an “every other year” detection on the Clemson CBC lately.
Kevin Kubach
Greenville/Clemson, SC
> On Jan 24, 2026, at 9:39 AM, Harry LeGrand <carolinabirds...> wrote:
>
> Folks,
>
> As we all know, what may be the most devastating ice storm (Fern) in our lifetimes will start hitting the Carolinas late this afternoon and continuing into late Sunday, with heavy coatings of ice on the roads, and much worse -- on the powerlines and trees. So, it will be very difficult to drive on Sunday and Monday looking for birds, especially in the mountains, Piedmont, and parts of the upper Coastal Plain due to the roads and what also may lie in them -- trees, limbs, power poles, and powerlines. (When Hurricane Fran hit Raleigh in 1996, I was unable to drive 2-3 blocks in ANY direction from my house on the first day after the storm, owing to blockage of the roads by these items.)
>
> The biggest take away today -- don't wait to try to see those rarities you were hoping to look for NEXT week. They might well have perished (or moved south) by then. That includes Common Ground Dove, MacGillivray's Warbler, and many feeder birds like Townsend's Warbler and hummingbirds -- especially where these rarities are not along or near the coast.
>
> And, the second is the expected large loss of life of many songbirds owing to the extreme cold and failure to get to the food they need that may be coated in ice. When I was a grad student at Clemson back in the 1970s-80s, I did daily morning surveys in winter along two routes, and before harsh weather I averaged about 20 each of Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned kinglets. After a long and deep cold spell, I average only 2 of each! That was a decrease of 90% in the kinglet numbers. In the past around central NC, after these very harsh snowy, icy, and very cold periods, the loss of many to most kinglets and many other species such as Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush, and Yellow-rumped and Pine warblers (and any other warblers) becomes evident.
>
> So, if you do have feeders, try to keep them well-stocked, heated, etc. -- if you can. I am sure quite a few of you will see new species in your yards that you have never seen before, like Fox Sparrows.
>
> The plus of this -- there will be even colder weather and much more snow in states to our north from Fern, and thus after a bit we SHOULD see more northern waterfowl species on our lakes -- though our lakes will stay frozen for a week, perhaps. And, the ocean should see more alcids, gulls, and other potentially good Northern coastal/seabird species. And, MAYBE -- we will see a few Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks, and rarer winter finches. Fingers crossed on that!
>
> Stay safe and warm (most of us will likely be losing power for a while), and if you need to find that rare songbird that you desire, you'd better try today before the freezing precipitation starts.
>
> Harry LeGrand
> Raleigh
Date: 1/24/26 6:46 am From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Winter Storm Fern and bird populations in the Carolinas
Folks,
As we all know, what may be the most devastating ice storm (Fern) in our lifetimes will start hitting the Carolinas late this afternoon and continuing into late Sunday, with heavy coatings of ice on the roads, and much worse -- on the powerlines and trees. So, it will be very difficult to drive on Sunday and Monday looking for birds, especially in the mountains, Piedmont, and parts of the upper Coastal Plain due to the roads and what also may lie in them -- trees, limbs, power poles, and powerlines. (When Hurricane Fran hit Raleigh in 1996, I was unable to drive 2-3 blocks in ANY direction from my house on the first day after the storm, owing to blockage of the roads by these items.)
The biggest take away *today *-- don't wait to try to see those rarities you were hoping to look for NEXT week. They might well have perished (or moved south) by then. That includes Common Ground Dove, MacGillivray's Warbler, and many feeder birds like Townsend's Warbler and hummingbirds -- especially where these rarities are not along or near the coast.
And, the second is the expected large loss of life of many songbirds owing to the extreme cold and failure to get to the food they need that may be coated in ice. When I was a grad student at Clemson back in the 1970s-80s, I did daily morning surveys in winter along two routes, and before harsh weather I averaged about 20 each of Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned kinglets. After a long and deep cold spell, I average only 2 of each! That was a decrease of 90% in the kinglet numbers. In the past around central NC, after these very harsh snowy, icy, and very cold periods, the loss of many to most kinglets and many other species such as Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush, and Yellow-rumped and Pine warblers (and any other warblers) becomes evident.
So, if you do have feeders, try to keep them well-stocked, heated, etc. -- if you can. I am sure quite a few of you will see new species in your yards that you have never seen before, like Fox Sparrows.
The plus of this -- there will be even colder weather and much more snow in states to our north from Fern, and thus after a bit we SHOULD see more northern waterfowl species on our lakes -- though our lakes will stay frozen for a week, perhaps. And, the ocean should see more alcids, gulls, and other potentially good Northern coastal/seabird species. And, MAYBE -- we will see a few Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks, and rarer winter finches. Fingers crossed on that!
Stay safe and warm (most of us will likely be losing power for a while), and if you need to find that rare songbird that you desire, you'd better try today before the freezing precipitation starts.
Date: 1/23/26 3:32 pm From: David Campbell (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Rainbow colors on a grey afternoon!
Yes, that's the same sighting.
On Friday, January 23, 2026, Will Cook <cwcook...> wrote:
> Forwarded from our sister group Carolinaleps (with permission)... I > believe this is the same sighting David Campbell posted about. Not yet seen > again, but hope they get another glimpse! > > Will Cook - Durham, NC > > -------- Forwarded Message -------- > Subject: Rainbow colors on a grey afternoon! > Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:18:25 -0500 > From: Doug Allen <dougk4ly...> <dougk4ly...> > > > > > > No, this isn't about my first butterfly sighting of 2026. It's what I saw > at our Yankee Droll bird feeder at 3:50 PM, the first such sighting since > moving here in 2006. We had a male Painted Bunting that only stayed a few > minutes, but long enough for my wife to also see it well. > I've seen them a few times on the SC coast, in spring and summer, and also > in southern Texas and in Mexico. Although I've been birding since 1967, I > don't belong to any Upstate SC or other Carolina bird sites for reporting, > but I know many of the butterfliers here are enthusiastic birders! > Maybe after this next week of very cold weather I'll have something > legitimate to report here. > Doug Allen Windmill Hill 1130' ASL > near Inman, SC 8 miles south of the NC border in Spartanburg County >
-- Dr. David Campbell Professor, Geology Department of Natural Sciences 110 S Main St, #7270 Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs NC 28017
Date: 1/23/26 10:52 am From: Will Cook <cwcook...> Subject: Fwd: Rainbow colors on a grey afternoon!
Forwarded from our sister group Carolinaleps (with permission)... I believe this is the same sighting David Campbell posted about. Not yet seen again, but hope they get another glimpse!
Will Cook - Durham, NC
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: Rainbow colors on a grey afternoon! Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:18:25 -0500 From: Doug Allen <dougk4ly...>
No, this isn't about my first butterfly sighting of 2026. It's what I saw at our Yankee Droll bird feeder at 3:50 PM, the first such sighting since moving here in 2006. We had a male Painted Bunting that only stayed a few minutes, but long enough for my wife to also see it well. I've seen them a few times on the SC coast, in spring and summer, and also in southern Texas and in Mexico. Although I've been birding since 1967, I don't belong to any Upstate SC or other Carolina bird sites for reporting, but I know many of the butterfliers here are enthusiastic birders! Maybe after this next week of very cold weather I'll have something legitimate to report here. Doug Allen Windmill Hill 1130' ASL near Inman, SC 8 miles south of the NC border in Spartanburg County
Date: 1/23/26 7:48 am From: David Campbell (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Lost Painted Bunting
A male Painted Bunting was briefly observed at a feeder in northwestern Spartanburg County, SC. This is not particularly close to the location where a male returned to a feeder regularly for several winters.
-- Dr. David Campbell Professor, Geology Department of Natural Sciences 110 S Main St, #7270 Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs NC 28017
Date: 1/22/26 8:14 pm From: Judy Walker (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Townsend Warbler in Charlotte
A Townsend Warbler has returned to a feeder in East Charlotte for the second year. It appeared last year in early March and stayed for several weeks. Matthew Tulley is very happy to have folks come and see the bird. You can text him at (704) 277-7204. The address is indicated in this eBird list - https://ebird.org/checklist/S295645966
Date: 1/22/26 7:25 pm From: \<hilton...>\ (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Hilton Pond North (1-15 Jan 2025) A Wayward Purple Finch
Although we learn a lot about birds from just banding them, perhaps the most significant knowledge comes when a banded bird is recaptured, telling us about migration patterns and possibly longevity and site fidelity. Such was the case "This Week at Hilton Pond North" (Lansing NC) when we caught a Purple Finch banded far away from us and even in a different country! Read all about it in Installment #28, which includes notes and a video about snow—plus our weekly tally of birds banded and recaptured locally. The photo essay's at https://www.hiltonpondnorth.org/twahpn-20260101.html Happy New Year!
Dr. BILL HILTON JR.
"Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project”
℅ Hilton Pond North: Blue Ridge Birds & Nature
2918 Silas Creek Road
Lansing NC 28643
(803)684-5852
The mission of Hilton Pond North is "to conserve plants, animals, habitats, and other natural components of the Blue Ridge Region of the eastern United States through observation, scientific study, and education for students of all ages.
"Never trust a person too lazy to get up for sunrise or too busy to watch the sunset." BHjr.
Date: 1/20/26 6:56 am From: Josh Sims (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Common Ground Dove Access
Hi All,
I spoke with my stepfather about access and he is OK with visitors.
There’s a long dirt driveway at 1478 Carroll Store rd. Autryville, NC. There will be a large sign for McPhail metal buildings.
Follow the dirt road until it splits to the right and there will be a large shop where people will be working. You can park just past that. After that the dirt road can get kind of muddy. Follow the dirt road around the curve and the doves were seen about halfway down where the road curves right again.
I’ve tried to attach a photo with a pin on the birds location and a red dot in the general area where you can park.
Please stay on the dirt road, some of the fields are someone else’s property I’m pretty sure.
Feel free to contact me off list if anyone has any other questions. Texting is probably quickest - 910-214-2440
Date: 1/19/26 3:09 pm From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Common Ground Doves - Sampson County NC
He posted on eBird, currently about the 7th listing down from the top, on
CBC Sightings. His photos are there as well. Not far down on the Sightings
list from the Lapland Longspur in Union County.
Harry LeGrand
Raleigh
On Mon, Jan 19, 2026 at 5:50 PM Rob Rogers <carolinabirds...> wrote:
> Did you post on ebird?
>
> On Mon, Jan 19, 2026 at 5:40 PM Josh Sims <carolinabirds...> wrote:
>
>> While birding this afternoon near my parent’s house in Sampson County NC
>> I found two Common Ground Doves in a nearby field.
>>
>> I uploaded some pictures to the CBC photo gallery.
>>
>> Josh Sims
>> Fayetteville, NC
>
>
>
> --
> Rob Rogers
>
Date: 1/19/26 2:58 pm From: Rob Rogers (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Common Ground Doves - Sampson County NC
Did you post on ebird?
On Mon, Jan 19, 2026 at 5:40 PM Josh Sims <carolinabirds...> wrote:
> While birding this afternoon near my parent’s house in Sampson County NC I
> found two Common Ground Doves in a nearby field.
>
> I uploaded some pictures to the CBC photo gallery.
>
> Josh Sims
> Fayetteville, NC
Date: 1/19/26 12:02 pm From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Evening Grosbeak December 10, 2025 Morehead City, NC
Thanks, Dwayne. Looks like when Marty said " I have uploaded a cell phone
photo of an Evening Grosbeak", I thought he meant that he attached a photo
with the email. But I see that Marty has uploaded the photo to the CBC
Photo Gallery just now. That makes it easy for everyone to see the nice
photo of a male, and the caption gives the location (town), date, and
photographer. Thanks Marty for posting it to the gallery.
I DO check the gallery every day, as a few rarities are posted there that
are not on eBird lists, some photos there are (gratifyingly)
documentation of rarities, and some are simply nice shots of the more
common species.
Harry L.
On Mon, Jan 19, 2026 at 2:23 PM Dwayne Martin <redxbill...> wrote:
> https://www.carolinabirdclub.org/gallery/Bennett/evgr.html >
>
> Dwayne
> *************
> Dwayne Martin
> Hickory, NC
> <redxbill...>
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 19, 2026 at 2:22 PM Harry LeGrand <carolinabirds...>
> wrote:
>
>> Apparently carolinabirds has blocked the photo.
>>
>> Harry LeGrand
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> > On Jan 19, 2026, at 1:54 PM, Marty Wall <carolinabirds...> wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> > I have uploaded a cell phone photo of an Evening Grosbeak that was
>> shared with me just before the Morehead City CBC. The photographer was one
>> of our feeder watchers in Morehead City. Unfortunately, the bird was not
>> seen again. The bird was one day early to be counted as count week.
>> >
>> > Marty Wall
>> > Morehead City, NC
>>
>
Date: 1/19/26 11:50 am From: l lefler (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: 3 Baltimore Orioles, purlear, approx. Jan 14
My sister had three Baltimore Orioles last wk at her house in purlear at her water fountain.
Based on very high level range map, it appears her home is on the borderline for resident vs migrating...She's only seen migrating before. Should we assume these are resident??
(She believes plumage matched three juveniles.)Thanks, Laura
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
Dwayne
*************
Dwayne Martin
Hickory, NC
<redxbill...>
On Mon, Jan 19, 2026 at 2:22 PM Harry LeGrand <carolinabirds...>
wrote:
> Apparently carolinabirds has blocked the photo.
>
> Harry LeGrand
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Jan 19, 2026, at 1:54 PM, Marty Wall <carolinabirds...> wrote:
> >
> >
> > I have uploaded a cell phone photo of an Evening Grosbeak that was
> shared with me just before the Morehead City CBC. The photographer was one
> of our feeder watchers in Morehead City. Unfortunately, the bird was not
> seen again. The bird was one day early to be counted as count week.
> >
> > Marty Wall
> > Morehead City, NC
>
Date: 1/19/26 11:22 am From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Evening Grosbeak December 10, 2025 Morehead City, NC
Apparently carolinabirds has blocked the photo.
Harry LeGrand
Sent from my iPhone
> On Jan 19, 2026, at 1:54 PM, Marty Wall <carolinabirds...> wrote:
>
>
> I have uploaded a cell phone photo of an Evening Grosbeak that was shared with me just before the Morehead City CBC. The photographer was one of our feeder watchers in Morehead City. Unfortunately, the bird was not seen again. The bird was one day early to be counted as count week.
>
> Marty Wall
> Morehead City, NC
Date: 1/19/26 10:54 am From: Marty Wall (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Evening Grosbeak December 10, 2025 Morehead City, NC
I have uploaded a cell phone photo of an Evening Grosbeak that was shared with me just before the Morehead City CBC. The photographer was one of our feeder watchers in Morehead City. Unfortunately, the bird was not seen again. The bird was one day early to be counted as count week.
Date: 1/19/26 7:07 am From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Morehead City CBC Results
Marty,
Can you enlighten us readers about the " An Evening Grosbeak was
photographed by one of our feeder watchers one day before count week?" Can
we assume you saw the photo(s)?
I am not aware of any Carolina reports of this species this winter, and
just checking eBird, the only accepted reports in the Eastern US are a few
south to central VA and one far south in central TN. I compile and write
the Chat Briefs, so if you can confirm the report, can you provide a
location, date, and observer -- in case this is the only Carolina winter
report? (We hope a few will be reported on eBird before the winter is
over.) And, a SEVERE winter blast is coming starting Saturday and
continuing into most of next week, so maybe this could finally bring us a
few Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks, and anything even rarer.
Thanks.
Harry LeGrand
Raleigh
On Mon, Jan 19, 2026 at 8:40 AM Marty Wall <carolinabirds...> wrote:
> The 49th Morehead City Christmas Bird Count was held Sunday, December 14,
> 2025. The count was started by Carteret County Birding Guru John Fussell
> in 1974 and has been held every year since except for three (2007, 2022,
> 2023). John’s absence is sorely felt by many here. There was a count held
> December 26, 1971 by eight observers with a slightly different count
> circle, so I haven’t included it in the statistics. The day started clear
> and mild (58-60 degrees F, falling to 38 degrees F by sunset) with a
> breeze. The Geminid Meteor Shower put on a spectacular show before dawn.
> By 9 am the heavy clouds rolled in, and by 10 am the rain began. With the
> rain came strong winds out of the southwest. The rain ended after lunch
> and the sun appeared for the rest of the breezy day. Thanks to all the
> participants who braved the weather and got out there to count birds. A
> special thanks to the three boat crews that got out and back safely. We
> found 149 species, 7 below average. Our total bird count was the lowest
> ever at 12266 (Highest 60541 in 1980, average 34185). We had seven notable
> birds, seven significant misses, and three count week birds. The weather
> was a huge factor. We were down some observers and had limited effort on
> the ocean and in marshes which are significant on this count. It feels
> like this count is in a rebuilding phase after John’s passing, but there
> are many of us working to keep it going. There are plenty of great areas
> that went unsurveyed if you are interested in helping next year.
>
> Effort
>
> Feeder Watchers: 11 at nine locations
>
> Boat Crews: 8 on three boats
>
> Field Parties: 28 in 17 parties
>
> Party Hours: 107.5
>
> Owling Hours: 4.75
>
> Feeder Watching Hours: 30
>
> Miles by: Foot = 24, Car = 90, Boat = 43, Golf Cart = 6
>
> Notable Birds
>
> Greater White-fronted Goose (1) First Time on Count
>
> Common Eider (3)
>
> Sandhill Crane (10)
>
> Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (1) First Time on Count
>
> Yellow-breasted Chat (1)
>
> Bullock’s Oriole (1) third winter for this bird
>
> American Redstart (1) Second Time on Count
>
> Misses
>
> Sora 92% of counts, 4th miss
>
> Piping Plover 92% of counts, 4th miss
>
> Red Knot 84% of counts, 8th miss
>
> Red-throated Loon 98% of counts (First Miss in 49 counts)
>
> Barred Owl 92% of counts, 4th Miss
>
> Brown Creeper of counts 86%, 7th miss
>
> American Pipit 86% of counts, 7th miss (count week)
>
> High Counts were reached for Black Skimmer (930), Osprey (14), and Painted
> Bunting (6).
>
> Low counts were common and partly due to the weather, but some notable low
> counts include American Coot (1), Dunlin (179), Laughing Gull (478),
> Ring-billed Gull (1255), American Herring Gull (167), Northern Gannet (42),
> Double-crested Cormorant (236), previous five probably due to low effort on
> the ocean, Fish Crow (4), and Boat-tailed Grackle (79).
>
> Count Week Birds were White-winged Dove, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and
> American Pipit. An Evening Grosbeak was photographed by one of our feeder
> watchers one day before count week (ouch!).
>
> I downloaded all the data for this count and put it in a spreadsheet for
> analysis. Below are a few of the interesting things I saw.
>
> Of Interest
>
> Dark-eyed Junco: Between 1974 and 2004 the count averaged 102 per year.
> From 2005 to present the average has been 19, but in the past four counts
> it has fallen to just 3 per count. They just don’t seem to make it down
> here anymore.
>
> Piping Plover: In the 1970s the count averaged over 44 birds per count.
> In the 1980s it averaged almost 28 per count. In the 1990s that fell to
> almost 11. By the 2000s that had fallen to under 7 per count with the
> first misses (Three missed in nine counts). The 2010s didn’t have any
> misses, but the average dipped to just over 6 birds per count. So far, the
> 2020s are averaging 5.5 Piping Plovers per count with one miss (this year)
> in four counts.
>
> In the early years, many birds were not identified to species. Many birds
> such as hummingbirds, screech-owls, and Solitary Vireos, were only
> identified as hummingbird sp., screech-owl sp., and solitary vireo sp.
> There could be a few reasons for this including lumps and splits, and a
> still developing understanding of wintering habits of many species.
>
>
> Marty Wall
>
> Morehead City, NC
>
>
Date: 1/19/26 5:40 am From: Marty Wall (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Morehead City CBC Results
The 49th Morehead City Christmas Bird Count was held Sunday, December 14,
2025. The count was started by Carteret County Birding Guru John Fussell
in 1974 and has been held every year since except for three (2007, 2022,
2023). John’s absence is sorely felt by many here. There was a count held
December 26, 1971 by eight observers with a slightly different count
circle, so I haven’t included it in the statistics. The day started clear
and mild (58-60 degrees F, falling to 38 degrees F by sunset) with a
breeze. The Geminid Meteor Shower put on a spectacular show before dawn.
By 9 am the heavy clouds rolled in, and by 10 am the rain began. With the
rain came strong winds out of the southwest. The rain ended after lunch
and the sun appeared for the rest of the breezy day. Thanks to all the
participants who braved the weather and got out there to count birds. A
special thanks to the three boat crews that got out and back safely. We
found 149 species, 7 below average. Our total bird count was the lowest
ever at 12266 (Highest 60541 in 1980, average 34185). We had seven notable
birds, seven significant misses, and three count week birds. The weather
was a huge factor. We were down some observers and had limited effort on
the ocean and in marshes which are significant on this count. It feels
like this count is in a rebuilding phase after John’s passing, but there
are many of us working to keep it going. There are plenty of great areas
that went unsurveyed if you are interested in helping next year.
Effort
Feeder Watchers: 11 at nine locations
Boat Crews: 8 on three boats
Field Parties: 28 in 17 parties
Party Hours: 107.5
Owling Hours: 4.75
Feeder Watching Hours: 30
Miles by: Foot = 24, Car = 90, Boat = 43, Golf Cart = 6
Notable Birds
Greater White-fronted Goose (1) First Time on Count
Common Eider (3)
Sandhill Crane (10)
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (1) First Time on Count
Yellow-breasted Chat (1)
Bullock’s Oriole (1) third winter for this bird
American Redstart (1) Second Time on Count
Misses
Sora 92% of counts, 4th miss
Piping Plover 92% of counts, 4th miss
Red Knot 84% of counts, 8th miss
Red-throated Loon 98% of counts (First Miss in 49 counts)
Barred Owl 92% of counts, 4th Miss
Brown Creeper of counts 86%, 7th miss
American Pipit 86% of counts, 7th miss (count week)
High Counts were reached for Black Skimmer (930), Osprey (14), and Painted
Bunting (6).
Low counts were common and partly due to the weather, but some notable low
counts include American Coot (1), Dunlin (179), Laughing Gull (478),
Ring-billed Gull (1255), American Herring Gull (167), Northern Gannet (42),
Double-crested Cormorant (236), previous five probably due to low effort on
the ocean, Fish Crow (4), and Boat-tailed Grackle (79).
Count Week Birds were White-winged Dove, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and
American Pipit. An Evening Grosbeak was photographed by one of our feeder
watchers one day before count week (ouch!).
I downloaded all the data for this count and put it in a spreadsheet for
analysis. Below are a few of the interesting things I saw.
Of Interest
Dark-eyed Junco: Between 1974 and 2004 the count averaged 102 per year.
From 2005 to present the average has been 19, but in the past four counts
it has fallen to just 3 per count. They just don’t seem to make it down
here anymore.
Piping Plover: In the 1970s the count averaged over 44 birds per count. In
the 1980s it averaged almost 28 per count. In the 1990s that fell to
almost 11. By the 2000s that had fallen to under 7 per count with the
first misses (Three missed in nine counts). The 2010s didn’t have any
misses, but the average dipped to just over 6 birds per count. So far, the
2020s are averaging 5.5 Piping Plovers per count with one miss (this year)
in four counts.
In the early years, many birds were not identified to species. Many birds
such as hummingbirds, screech-owls, and Solitary Vireos, were only
identified as hummingbird sp., screech-owl sp., and solitary vireo sp.
There could be a few reasons for this including lumps and splits, and a
still developing understanding of wintering habits of many species.
Date: 1/19/26 4:26 am From: Norman Budnitz (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Jordan Lake CBC
Jordan Lake, NC, Christmas Bird Count
*January 4, 2026*
*Compiler's Notes*
The Jordan Lake Christmas Bird Count was held on January 4, 2026, a cold
winter day—28-55 °F, wind calm to light and variable, with clear skies and
no precipitation. We had 55 observers in the field (slightly below our
10-year average of 57) among 29 parties. We found 93 species, right on the
average number for this count. Our total number of individual birds
reported was 26,201 (10-year average 36,719). Ring-billed Gull numbers were
estimated at 10,000 individuals, lower than our 10-year average of about
20,000. It is hard to know the precision of this estimate of gulls because
they were scattered around the lake rather than concentrated for easier
counting. Our estimate for Double-crested cormorants was 4,000, close to
our 10-year average of about 4,100, but less than our count from last year,
which was about 6,500. Again, the cormorants were scattered around the
lake, and it was difficult to judge how many of these birds may have been
counted by multiple parties.
As is often the case from year to year, we reported several species that
are not regularly found on our count and two that had never been reported
before!
· Black Scoter—first ever: 2 individuals scoped well from Ebenezer
Point during the lunchtime countdown.
· Yellow-throated Warbler—first ever: 1 reported by Noah Rokoske in
area 26 at the southern part of the count circle.
· Common Merganser—1 by Tom Driscoll (last reported in the 2001-02
count)
· Red-throated Loon—1 by Brian Bockhahn (last reported in the
2016-17 count)
· Loggerhead Shrike—1 by Patsy Bailey and Gene Kingsley (last
reported in the 2022-23 count in the same general area on the east side of
the dam)
· Baltimore Oriole—1 by Marc Ribaudo (last reported in the 2010-11
count)
· Orange-crowned Warbler—1 by Noah Rokoske (last reported in the
2024-25 count)
We set a few high count records this year:
· Bonaparte’s Gull—1,665 (previous high of 1,149 in the 2022-23
count)
· Hairy Woodpecker—36 (previous high of 29 in the 2024-25 count)
· Pileated Woodpecker—61 (previous high of 45 in several counts)
· Brown-headed Nuthatch—254 (previous high of 235 in the 2020-21
count)
Mark Montazer found several species from Ebenezer Point during the count
period (the week surrounding count day—3 days before and 3 days after).
These will be reported but will not be included in the final tally:
Gadwall, Red-breasted Merganser, American Coot, and American White Pelican.
Missed species this year were the gallinaceous birds, Northern Bobwhite and
Wild Turkey.
We put in 129 party hours (113 on foot and 16 by car), 146 party miles (77
on foot and 69 by car), and 6 hours and 6 miles nocturnal birding.
Many of our participants now keep track of their field records using the
eBird app from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. When those birders
combine their eBird checklists into summary eBird Trip Lists, they can
share those lists with me—a very easy and helpful process for everyone.
Date: 1/18/26 10:49 am From: Robert Lewis (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Durham NC CBC results
Twenty-seven observers in seventeen parties enjoyed a good, if unremarkable, Christmas Count at Durham NC on December 14. The weather was pretty good, mostly cloudy, no rain, and temperature between 35 and 45. We totaled 92 species, the same as last year.
One remarkable fact was that we had more Purple Finches than House Finches, 75 to 39. As usual, Ring-billed Gull was the most common species. It, Bald Eagle, and Double-crested Cormorant each more than doubled their totals from last year. But Bonaparte's Gull surged from 27 last year to 999 this year! There's a pattern here somewhere.
Thanks to Alex Nickely for producing a nice new map of the count circle.
Thank you to all who counted! If you are interested in participating this December, reach out to me at <rfermat...>.
What is the sound of the Red-cockaded?Birders,Heard our local Red-cockaded Woodpeckers this morning. I wonder if any other species has so.many different versions of it's call in field guides?Sibley mobile app: " seep:Sibley print field guide: " shrrip" or "schrrit"Ted Floyd: "fshwink"Ned Brinkley: " krrerr"Peterson 4th: "sripp" or "zhilp" or "tsick"Nat Geo: :"sripp" or "tsick" apparently after Peterson. I use the simpler "seep:Steve ComptonAt the edge of a Long-leaf Pine forestDorchester, SCSent from my Galaxy
Date: 1/15/26 3:18 pm From: Nate Dias (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Mealworms for Orioles
I meant to mention this sooner, but for those of you feeding jelly to wintering Baltimore Orioles - during cold snaps like this when insect prey is less available, you can give your orioles some protein and carbs by offering them dried mealworms.
They quickly find the mealworms - due to smelling them I think. Then they scarf them down and fight over them.
I recommend offering the mealworms in a different container / feeder than your jelly arrangement. Having the mealworms and jelly next to each other in the same compartment/container soon results in a gooey mixture that the Orioles seem not to like.
Before switching to some home-made feeders, my mother used the bottom half of a dish style hummingbird feeder with the top half removed. This makes a clear container that I think makes it easier for the Orioles to find the mealworms.
Hang the feeder (for example an Aspects dish style hummingbird feeder) next to a branch or perch - that way the Orioles are not tempted to hop on and off the side of the hummingbird feeder, which could spill your mealworms onto the ground. If possible, I would avoid the tiny dish type hummingbird feeders for both capacity and stability reasons.
Feel free to email me follow-up questions off-list.
"These days I prefer to hunt with a camera. A good photograph demands more skill from the hunter, better nerves and more patience than the rifle shot." -- Bror Blixen
Date: 1/15/26 10:50 am From: Ron Clark (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: NC Tundra Swans
When you go up Pat's Road, after the gravel starts, take the first right
open for vehicles. At the next corner, you should see Swans very close, in
the impoundment. This is also where the Sandhill Cranes have been, up to
three dozen or so.
One warning. The refuge roads are not great so if it has been raining, be
careful. If they get too bad, they will be closed. Do not go around the
sign. I know of some folks who did, even though the roads were driveable.
They each got a $150 fine.
Ron Clark
Mt. Holly NC
On Thu, Jan 15, 2026 at 11:19 AM Betsy Kane <carolinabirds...> wrote:
> You don't have to go all the way to the coast. Since it's closer to you,
> I would not go as far as Mattamuskeet, but instead go to Pocosin Lakes NWR
> (south entrance) and drive north along Pat's Rd to see the swans easily in
> the fields while they forage. Then go to "the corner" about an hour before
> sunset to see them begin to fly over in quantities to where they rest at
> night on Pungo Lake (which is not really visible) -- as well as Snow Geese,
> much higher but also in large quantities.
>
> You can stay in "Little Washington" and it's about 40 minutes to the NWR
> entrance (just a little past Pantego, NC) from there. Stay at a chain
> hotel in Washington or one of the b&bs such as the Pigs Fly Inn which is
> downtown. Washington has a very nice downtown with waterfront walkway and
> dining options.
>
> Folks on the listserv can provide this year's directions to "the corner"
> -- I haven't been out yet this year to know which of the dirt roads are in
> best condition and which are possibly closed to travel -- it varies from
> year to year depending on what parts of S Lake Rd and W Lake Rd are dry or
> closed.
>
> Along Pat's Rd and "the corner" you can also see the usual flock of
> Sandhill Cranes, and sometimes bear cubs sleeping way up in the pine trees
> along the road. You can also go to the north end of Pat's Rd to see black
> bears in the field at that end.
>
> I typically drive over in the early afternoon, spend time driving slowly
> up Pat's Rd and looking at the fields and woods and ditches and
> impoundments on both sides, then proceed to "the corner" around 4ish so as
> to be there for the swans flying over toward the end of the day. There is
> also a 1/4 mile wildlife trail north to the lake from S Lake Rd and have
> seen otter family, woodcock, wood ducks near or on that trail.
>
> There is no telling what exactly you will see with this itinerary but you
> WILL see Tundra Swans and you WILL see something else to remember be it
> otters, bears, eagles, or something else entirely.
>
> Betsy Kane
> Washington, NC
>
> On Wed, Jan 14, 2026 at 11:03 AM kathleen rogers <carolinabirds...>
> wrote:
>
>> I have never seen the thousands of Tundra Swans at the NC coast in
>> person. Only pics. Am hoping to go. But my calendar is only open for two
>> weekends in Feb--1st and 3rd weekends. No time in Jan.
>>
>>
>>
>> Is that too late to try to go see them before they migrate if I go in Feb?
>>
>>
>>
>> I live in Chapel Hill, would like to go to the nearest, scenic area so
>> see them to reduce travel time as much as possible. And then, find a good
>> place, cheapy, but not gross, to stay overnight, somewhat, 'relatively'
>> close to the site I can visit the swans.
>>
>>
>>
>> Can you suggest the best 'guaranteed' areas to see the swans and decent
>> hotels 'relatively' nearby? I don't expect anuything to be close and
>> nearby. Maybe even a campground, if it is not too cold.
>>
>> Kathleen
>>
>>
>>
Date: 1/15/26 8:19 am From: Betsy Kane (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: NC Tundra Swans
You don't have to go all the way to the coast. Since it's closer to you, I
would not go as far as Mattamuskeet, but instead go to Pocosin Lakes NWR
(south entrance) and drive north along Pat's Rd to see the swans easily in
the fields while they forage. Then go to "the corner" about an hour before
sunset to see them begin to fly over in quantities to where they rest at
night on Pungo Lake (which is not really visible) -- as well as Snow Geese,
much higher but also in large quantities.
You can stay in "Little Washington" and it's about 40 minutes to the NWR
entrance (just a little past Pantego, NC) from there. Stay at a chain
hotel in Washington or one of the b&bs such as the Pigs Fly Inn which is
downtown. Washington has a very nice downtown with waterfront walkway and
dining options.
Folks on the listserv can provide this year's directions to "the corner" --
I haven't been out yet this year to know which of the dirt roads are in
best condition and which are possibly closed to travel -- it varies from
year to year depending on what parts of S Lake Rd and W Lake Rd are dry or
closed.
Along Pat's Rd and "the corner" you can also see the usual flock of
Sandhill Cranes, and sometimes bear cubs sleeping way up in the pine trees
along the road. You can also go to the north end of Pat's Rd to see black
bears in the field at that end.
I typically drive over in the early afternoon, spend time driving slowly up
Pat's Rd and looking at the fields and woods and ditches and impoundments
on both sides, then proceed to "the corner" around 4ish so as to be there
for the swans flying over toward the end of the day. There is also a 1/4
mile wildlife trail north to the lake from S Lake Rd and have seen otter
family, woodcock, wood ducks near or on that trail.
There is no telling what exactly you will see with this itinerary but you
WILL see Tundra Swans and you WILL see something else to remember be it
otters, bears, eagles, or something else entirely.
Betsy Kane
Washington, NC
On Wed, Jan 14, 2026 at 11:03 AM kathleen rogers <carolinabirds...>
wrote:
> I have never seen the thousands of Tundra Swans at the NC coast in person.
> Only pics. Am hoping to go. But my calendar is only open for two weekends
> in Feb--1st and 3rd weekends. No time in Jan.
>
>
>
> Is that too late to try to go see them before they migrate if I go in Feb?
>
>
>
> I live in Chapel Hill, would like to go to the nearest, scenic area so see
> them to reduce travel time as much as possible. And then, find a good
> place, cheapy, but not gross, to stay overnight, somewhat, 'relatively'
> close to the site I can visit the swans.
>
>
>
> Can you suggest the best 'guaranteed' areas to see the swans and decent
> hotels 'relatively' nearby? I don't expect anuything to be close and
> nearby. Maybe even a campground, if it is not too cold.
>
> Kathleen
>
>
>
Date: 1/15/26 7:35 am From: William Bennett (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Grandfather Mountain CBC results
Hello all,
The 40th annual Grandfather Mountain Christmas Bird Count, on Saturday Dec 20th 2025, recorded 57 species and 2,115 individuals. These numbers are on par with our recent averages, and slightly below last year's numbers. Thank you to all who participated! A summary of the count data is attached, and results will be available on the Audubon CBC website after review.
We had up to 17 counters in the field and 5 additional feeder watchers, totaling 77 daylight party hours, 5.5 owling party hours, and 9 feeder hours.
Like last year, the count day began cold but warmed up to the low 50's, and went without any precipitation. There was a temperature inversion at daybreak, with ridge temps more than 10 degrees warmer than the valley. Winds were mild (unlike Friday, the planned count date). Most water bodies were partly if not completely frozen over, contributing again to low waterfowl numbers. Most of us reported that the birding was slower than expected.
This year did not see any species out of the ordinary, but did set several high counts:
- Mute Swan: 4 (beating the high of 3 set last year)
- Carolina Chickadee: 171 (154 last year)
- Tufted Titmouse: 92 (77 in 2023)
- Red-breasted Nuthatch: 27 (19 in 1989)
- Northern Cardinal: 83 (73 in 2024 and 2019)
- House Finch: 100 (88 last year)
We also tied our Barred Owl (2) and Swamp Sparrow (8) high counts. Count week-only species were Hooded Merganser, Wild Turkey, Bald Eagle, and Common Grackle. We did not have any major misses, although no Hermit Thrush felt a little odd and duck numbers were of course disappointing.
Thanks again to all of our counters. If you are interested in participating this December, reach out to me at <research...>.
--
Will Bennett
President, High Country Audubon Society
Research Coordinator, Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation
Date: 1/14/26 8:23 am From: Erik Thomas (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: NC Tundra Swans
The swans are still around in February. They migrate north in early
March. Lake Mattamuskeet is usually where you can see the most swans,
although many of them fly off during the day to feed in nearby farmers'
fields. Pea Island NWR and Pocosin Lakes NWR are also reliable places to
find them.
There are a couple of places adjacent to Lk. Mattamuskeet where you can
stay. Carawan's Motel is on the south side of the lake, and the Hyde-Out
Motel is located on the north side of the lake. They both cater to hunters
and aren't fancy, but they're clean. There's also a motel a few miles away
in Engelhard and a couple of bed-and-breakfasts in nearby Swan Quarter.
Erik Thomas
Raleigh, NC
On Wed, Jan 14, 2026 at 11:03 AM kathleen rogers <carolinabirds...>
wrote:
> I have never seen the thousands of Tundra Swans at the NC coast in person.
> Only pics. Am hoping to go. But my calendar is only open for two weekends
> in Feb--1st and 3rd weekends. No time in Jan.
>
>
>
> Is that too late to try to go see them before they migrate if I go in Feb?
>
>
>
> I live in Chapel Hill, would like to go to the nearest, scenic area so see
> them to reduce travel time as much as possible. And then, find a good
> place, cheapy, but not gross, to stay overnight, somewhat, 'relatively'
> close to the site I can visit the swans.
>
>
>
> Can you suggest the best 'guaranteed' areas to see the swans and decent
> hotels 'relatively' nearby? I don't expect anuything to be close and
> nearby. Maybe even a campground, if it is not too cold.
>
> Kathleen
>
>
>
I have never seen the thousands of Tundra Swans at the NC coast in person. Only pics. Am hoping to go. But my calendar is only open for two weekends in Feb--1st and 3rd weekends. No time in Jan.
Is that too late to try to go see them before they migrate if I go in Feb?
I live in Chapel Hill, would like to go to the nearest, scenic area so see them to reduce travel time as much as possible. And then, find a good place, cheapy, but not gross, to stay overnight, somewhat, 'relatively' close to the site I can visit the swans.
Can you suggest the best 'guaranteed' areas to see the swans and decent hotels 'relatively' nearby? I don't expect anuything to be close and nearby. Maybe even a campground, if it is not too cold.
Date: 1/12/26 6:41 pm From: Erik Thomas (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Raven Rock St. Pk. CBC results
The 45th installment of the Raven Rock St. Pk. Christmas Bird Count
took place on December 20, 2025. The name of the count is a little
misleading because the count circle covers most of Harnett County but,
because the park has grown since the count began in 1981, it doesn't
include all of the park.
This year we had nice weather for the count, sunny with fairly mild
temperatures ranging from 33ºF to 56ºF, and only a little breeze.
In spite of the good weather, our numbers were down this year. We had 77
species, our lowest since 2019 (but two more during count week), and 4452
individual birds, our lowest since 1987(!). We had fewer parties in the
field than usual, which may partly account for the low numbers, but we've
had times with this many parties before and did better. Dry conditions may
have played a role. The numbers of individual birds are determined by how
many large flocks are present, and even the Common Grackles, our most
numerous species this time, didn't come close to some of their past totals.
We had one new species for the count, an Ovenbird that Jeff Mielke and
Quentin Read found. Aside from the Ovenbird, one species set a count
record, the Bufflehead, with 30. David Brown helped us find all three
species of local owls (the Great Horned during count week) with some
nocturnal birding.
We missed the Eastern Meadowlark for the first time in the history of the
count. That may reflect the increasing numbers of housing developments in
Harnett County. We also missed the Wild Turkey, which was probably just
the luck of the draw, since there are turkeys around.
We'll be holding our Spring Count in late April or early May. I hope we
can put together more birding parties, so please let me know if you're
interested in participating.
Date: 1/12/26 9:38 am From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Raleigh CBC results -- December 20, and comments on counting every bird within the count circle
Thanks, Kevin. Yes, I and probably others clicked on the link yesterday
after your posting and saw #11 that hit the "nail on the head" of the issue
of counting ALL birds within a count circle on count day. You have copied
that text here. Yes -- it is a NO-NO to count such birds/species.
I had forgotten to list one often missed species on the count that HAD been
seen a few times within the previous two weeks and then again a few more
times a week later -- Wild Turkey. The Northern Bobwhite may well be gone
now from the circle, but Turkeys are still found in the woods adjacent to
the large fields along Mid-Pines Road, and if you are lucky, you can see
one to a dozen feeding in the fields close to the forest edge in the first
half of the morning. For such a huge bird, it is very easy to miss the
species on a count, and the Raleigh count for years had missed it, but in
the last few years a few were reported in the Swift Creek floodplain near
Lake Benson.
Harry LeGrand
On Mon, Jan 12, 2026 at 12:14 PM Kevin Kubach <carolinabirds...>
wrote:
> From the same site (number 11):
>
> Checklists in eBird that are from areas within a count circle on the count
> day but not submitted by official CBC participants *cannot* be added to
> Christmas Bird Count results. Because official CBC observers and parties
> on Christmas Bird Counts are coordinated in advance by compilers, and
> because the effort of the parties on CBCs is as critically important as the
> bird data for the analyses of CBC results, independent eBird checklists are
> not compatible with official Christmas Bird Count results.
>
> Kevin Kubach
> Greenville, SC
>
> On Jan 11, 2026, at 9:44 PM, Kevin Kubach <kmkubach...> wrote:
>
> The language below is straight from the Audubon CBC compiler resources
> web site, under item number 10 here:
> https://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count/christmas-bird-count-compiler-resources.
> That item discusses remotely-detected birds but the statement seems quite
> relevant to this discussion.
>
> Bird data on Christmas Bird Counts must be tallied by officially involved
> human observers, in designated field parties, who are not only submitting
> their bird data but their effort data as well.
>
> Kevin Kubach
> Greenville, SC
>
> On Jan 11, 2026, at 8:49 PM, <badgerboy...> wrote:
>
> The data generated by surveys seems to be much more valuable when
> standard protocols are followed. We have ebird, NC rare bird alert, and
> many local reporting groups which fill in the gaps of bird occurrence from
> standard protocol surveys. I agree with Harry that such birds should be
> left off the official count numbers.
>
> One further aspect is that the party routes and stops, and concentrations
> of birding time, are highly influenced by previous reporting; i.e., many
> people already know what birds are in the circle and where they are, so
> they go there. I don't know if there's any way around that, but it makes it
> tough to compare a count from pre-ebird times to today's counts with any
> degree of meaning. It also can tend to keep unbirded places still unbirded.
>
> None of this should detract from a great Raleigh count--congrats to all
> the birders involved!
>
> Guy (McGrane, Boone NC)
>
> On 1/11/2026 12:19 PM, Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List)
> wrote:
>
> Folks,
>
>
>
>
>
Date: 1/12/26 9:14 am From: Kevin Kubach (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Raleigh CBC results -- December 20, and comments on counting every bird within the count circle
From the same site (number 11):
Checklists in eBird that are from areas within a count circle on the count day but not submitted by official CBC participants *cannot* be added to Christmas Bird Count results. Because official CBC observers and parties on Christmas Bird Counts are coordinated in advance by compilers, and because the effort of the parties on CBCs is as critically important as the bird data for the analyses of CBC results, independent eBird checklists are not compatible with official Christmas Bird Count results.
Kevin Kubach
Greenville, SC
> On Jan 11, 2026, at 9:44 PM, Kevin Kubach <kmkubach...> wrote:
>
> The language below is straight from the Audubon CBC compiler resources web site, under item number 10 here: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count/christmas-bird-count-compiler-resources. That item discusses remotely-detected birds but the statement seems quite relevant to this discussion.
>
> Bird data on Christmas Bird Counts must be tallied by officially involved human observers, in designated field parties, who are not only submitting their bird data but their effort data as well.
>
> Kevin Kubach
> Greenville, SC
>
>>> On Jan 11, 2026, at 8:49 PM, <badgerboy...> wrote:
>>>
>> The data generated by surveys seems to be much more valuable when standard protocols are followed. We have ebird, NC rare bird alert, and many local reporting groups which fill in the gaps of bird occurrence from standard protocol surveys. I agree with Harry that such birds should be left off the official count numbers.
>>
>> One further aspect is that the party routes and stops, and concentrations of birding time, are highly influenced by previous reporting; i.e., many people already know what birds are in the circle and where they are, so they go there. I don't know if there's any way around that, but it makes it tough to compare a count from pre-ebird times to today's counts with any degree of meaning. It also can tend to keep unbirded places still unbirded.
>>
>> None of this should detract from a great Raleigh count--congrats to all the birders involved!
>>
>> Guy (McGrane, Boone NC)
>>
>>> On 1/11/2026 12:19 PM, Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) wrote:
>>> Folks,
>>>
>>>
>>
Date: 1/11/26 6:45 pm From: Kevin Kubach (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Raleigh CBC results -- December 20, and comments on counting every bird within the count circle
Bird data on Christmas Bird Counts must be tallied by officially involved human observers, in designated field parties, who are not only submitting their bird data but their effort data as well.
Kevin Kubach
Greenville, SC
> On Jan 11, 2026, at 8:49 PM, <badgerboy...> wrote:
>
> The data generated by surveys seems to be much more valuable when standard protocols are followed. We have ebird, NC rare bird alert, and many local reporting groups which fill in the gaps of bird occurrence from standard protocol surveys. I agree with Harry that such birds should be left off the official count numbers.
>
> One further aspect is that the party routes and stops, and concentrations of birding time, are highly influenced by previous reporting; i.e., many people already know what birds are in the circle and where they are, so they go there. I don't know if there's any way around that, but it makes it tough to compare a count from pre-ebird times to today's counts with any degree of meaning. It also can tend to keep unbirded places still unbirded.
>
> None of this should detract from a great Raleigh count--congrats to all the birders involved!
>
> Guy (McGrane, Boone NC)
>
>> On 1/11/2026 12:19 PM, Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) wrote:
>> Folks,
>>
>>
>
Date: 1/11/26 5:49 pm From: <badgerboy...> Subject: Re: Raleigh CBC results -- December 20, and comments on counting every bird within the count circle
The data generated by surveys seems to be much more valuable when standard protocols are followed. We have ebird, NC rare bird alert, and many local reporting groups which fill in the gaps of bird occurrence from standard protocol surveys. I agree with Harry that such birds should be left off the official count numbers.
One further aspect is that the party routes and stops, and concentrations of birding time, are highly influenced by previous reporting; i.e., many people already know what birds are in the circle and where they are, so they go there. I don't know if there's any way around that, but it makes it tough to compare a count from pre-ebird times to today's counts with any degree of meaning. It also can tend to keep unbirded places still unbirded.
None of this should detract from a great Raleigh count--congrats to all the birders involved!
Guy (McGrane, Boone NC)
On 1/11/2026 12:19 PM, Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) wrote: > Folks, > >
Date: 1/11/26 9:20 am From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Raleigh CBC results -- December 20, and comments on counting every bird within the count circle
Folks,
I have copied CBC compiler Brian O'Shea's detailed commentary on the count (between the dashed rows), sent just to the Raleigh count participants, but have removed some sentences dealing with praise for counters, etc., to shorten things. But, it is important to present the full totals here. ----------------------------------
We had another great count this year, with 64+ participants in 28 parties. We did great this year, with no fewer than *107 species*! I have to admit, I was nervous going into this year's count, as I had gotten the general impression that there were fewer birds around than usual as we headed into the count period. But we managed to get almost every semi-regular species for the Raleigh CBC, and decent numbers as well. Our individual count was *15,684 birds*, a couple thousand fewer than last year but well within the typical range of variation for this count. And we had some really great birds too. A Western Tanager found by Emma Little on the Walnut Creek greenway was a first for the Raleigh CBC. So was a Nashville Warbler found by Emma Blackford at Prairie Ridge. (Pro tip: If you want to find great birds, go out with someone named Emma). TWO new species for the Raleigh CBC! I can't recall the last time that happened. And we narrowly missed a third - Say's Phoebe - that had been frequenting the Mid-Pines Rd area but sadly did not appear on count day. It did, however, make the Count Week list, along with Sandhill Crane and Blue-headed Vireo.
Other goodies were singles of Northern Harrier and Loggerhead Shrike - both easily missed; a total of 19 Greater Yellowlegs on Lake Benson and Lake Wheeler; a Forster's Tern on Lake Wheeler; Peregrine Falcon and Vesper Sparrow at Mid-Pines; and three Black-and-white Warblers at different locations in the circle.
Below you will find the complete species list and numbers for the 2025 count. Once again, thanks to all of you for participating. Have a great year everyone! And mark your calendars for the 2026 count on Saturday, December 19. All the best, Brian
Raleigh CBC - December 20, 2025 107 species (+3 CW)
Canada Goose 993 Mute Swan 10 Wood Duck 12 Green-winged Teal 140 Gadwall 90 American Black Duck 62 Mallard 683 Northern Pintail 2 Northern Shoveler 33 American Wigeon 7 Redhead 6 Ring-necked Duck 18 Bufflehead 84 Hooded Merganser 347 Red-breasted Merganser 2 Ruddy Duck 147 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 377 Mourning Dove 109 American Coot 42 Killdeer 156 American Woodcock 3 Wilson's Snipe 27 Greater Yellowlegs 19 Bonaparte's Gull 11 Ring-billed Gull 758 Herring Gull 3 Gull sp. 2 Forster's Tern 1 Pied-billed Grebe 39 Double-crested Cormorant 1078 Great Egret 2 Great Blue Heron 61 Black Vulture 70 Turkey Vulture 97 Northern Harrier 1 Bald Eagle 29 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Cooper's Hawk 10 Red-shouldered Hawk 49 Red-tailed Hawk 26 Great Horned Owl 4 Barred Owl 8 Belted Kingfisher 22 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 90 Red-headed Woodpecker 7 Red-bellied Woodpecker 208 Downy Woodpecker 152 Hairy Woodpecker 20 Pileated Woodpecker 19 Northern Flicker 77 American Kestrel 3 Peregrine Falcon 1 Eastern Phoebe 59 Loggerhead Shrike 1 Blue Jay 181 American Crow 299 Fish Crow 6 Common Raven 3 Horned Lark 3 Carolina Chickadee 333 Tufted Titmouse 312 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 269 Golden-crowned Kinglet 109 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 134 Brown-headed Nuthatch 145 Brown Creeper 15 House Wren 1 Winter Wren 27 Carolina Wren 306 European Starling 195 Gray Catbird 7 Brown Thrasher 33 Northern Mockingbird 93 Eastern Bluebird 252 Hermit Thrush 78 American Robin 614 American Pipit 27 Cedar Waxwing 652 House Sparrow 34 House Finch 272 Purple Finch 77 Pine Siskin 1 American Goldfinch 352 Chipping Sparrow 262 Field Sparrow 37 Savannah Sparrow 77 Fox Sparrow 15 Dark-eyed Junco 271 White-throated Sparrow 1422 Vesper Sparrow 3 Song Sparrow 388 Swamp Sparrow 38 Eastern Towhee 127 Baltimore Oriole 18 Eastern Meadowlark 31 Red-winged Blackbird 171 Rusty Blackbird 45 Brown-headed Cowbird 322 Common Grackle 564 Black-and-white Warbler 3 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Palm Warbler 6 Pine Warbler 64 Nashville Warbler 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 291 Western Tanager 1 Northern Cardinal 415 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are a few of my (Harry's) comments:
1. Misses --very few, obviously: Lesser Scaup, E. Screech-Owl (missed for maybe 10 or more years now), Blue-headed Vireo, Common Yellowthroat (missed for a number of years; used to be regular but in low numbers on the count). On rare occasions there can be a Common Loon or Horned Grebe, but the lakes in the circle are mostly too small for them.
2. I cannot vouch for the Pine Siskin, which has been quite rare in the lowlands this fall and winter; most people have not recorded any during this period. So, whether it was correctly identified, I have no idea.
3. Say's Phoebe -- This would have been a true red-letter bird for the count and would be a first here. This bird was seen routinely from the end of November until mid-December but was last seen 2-3 days before count day.
4. Sandhill Crane -- There were 3 Sandhill Cranes literally seen ON count day, but by someone not on the count (and he didn't even know there was a count going on). These were seen and heard in flight over Mid-Pines Road around 1:00 pm -- sadly, while many of the counters were breaking for lunch and a midday tally indoors at the nearby Yates Mill park visitor center!! This brings up a very sticky and contentious CBC issue -- *whether to count ANY species/bird that was found within the count circle on count day, whether seen by "official" counters or not.* Both Brian and I agree that these cranes should NOT be added to the count, even though there are just one or two previous county records at all, and of course would be a new count species. Brian has rightly added the species to the "count period list", which is the 7-day period of 3 days before and 3-days after the count.
Now, I have asked a handful of other folks whether the cranes should be added to the count list/totals, and MOST said "yes". But, this would be wrong on several accounts, for which Brian and I agree:
a. Though all count circles are the same size, some circles have literally hundreds of birders and probably 100 or more eBird lists submitted EVERY DAY within the roughly 175 square miles. This would include Raleigh, Charlotte, and probably places like Greensboro, Asheville, Winston-Salem, Durham, and Wilmington. If you were to cherry-pick JUST the 3 Sandhill Cranes and add that to the count totals, then to be really correct, you should/would need to add in EVERY bird on EVERY eBird list taken within the Raleigh count circle on December 20! That -- as you should see -- is impractical and essentially impossible.
b. Adding in 3 Sandhill Cranes to the Raleigh count gives Raleigh and other cities a HUGE advantage over counts in remote areas, where the ONLY eBird lists within that 175-mile circle are probably just the ones done by counters. You should see the problem with that.
c. Many people, not to mention the National Audubon Society, compare count data from one year to another, using birds per party-hours, for example. If you were to cherry-pick good birds off EVERY list that was posted within the 175-mile circle, or even add in many eBird list totals from non-counters, you get an unbalanced data set, and the party-hours would become difficult to obtain from those other people and the data would somewhat impaired. Heck, Raleigh already has an advantage over most counts by having 28 parties this year! Most counts have to get by with 3-5 parties and maybe under 10-15 participants.
Date: 1/10/26 5:13 pm From: Ron Clark (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Tundra Swan/Snow Geese
Yes. Was just there. They are in the usual impoundment, plus other places. A dozen geese in with them. Also 35 - 38 Sandhill cranes. A few hundred geese were flying around fairly high around 5:00 this evening. Cranes flew out around 4:30 but returned about 30 minutes later.
Ron Clark
Mt. Holly NC
Sent from my iPhone
> On Jan 10, 2026, at 7:52 PM, sheryl mcnair <carolinabirds...> wrote:
>
> Plenty of TundraSwans, but we waited until 5:15 pm Friday, and only saw a trickle of Snow Geese. Yes, Pat’s Road was the place, otherwise.
> Warmly,
> Sheryl
>
>> On Jan 10, 2026, at 6:02 PM, Carey Barnes <carolinabirds...> wrote:
>>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> Are the migrants flying into the usual Pat Rd. /Refuge Dr. field this year? If not, can you share new coordinates ?
>>
>> Thx.
>> Carey
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>
Plenty of TundraSwans, but we waited until 5:15 pm Friday, and only saw a trickle of Snow Geese. Yes, Pat’s Road was the place, otherwise.
Warmly,
Sheryl
> On Jan 10, 2026, at 6:02 PM, Carey Barnes <carolinabirds...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> Are the migrants flying into the usual Pat Rd. /Refuge Dr. field this year? If not, can you share new coordinates ?
>
> Thx.
> Carey
>
> Sent from my iPhone
Date: 1/10/26 1:03 pm From: Brian Bockhahn (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Haw River CBC results (southern Rockingham County NC)
The 6th Haw River Christmas Bird Count was held on Saturday December 31,
2025 with temperatures ranging from 28-47 under mostly clear skies, no
precipitation, light winds.
10 observers in 8 parties tallied 76 species (average 82, high 89, low
76). Most numerous birds were led by 1251 Ring-billed Gull, 434 American
Robin, 232 Canada Goose.
Highlights include several first count birds: 2 Redhead in a pond along
Benaja Road; 1 Osprey at Betsy Jeff Penn 4H center; 1 Pine Siskin at
Faucette Farms. Other goodies include our 2nd Northern Harrier and 2nd
Horned Lark.
Misses due to coverage gaps include Gadwall, American Black Duck,
Green-winged Teal, Double Crested Cormorant, American Woodcock, Bonaparte’s
Gull, Any owl, Red-breasted and Brown-headed Nuthatch, House Wren, Pine
Warbler, Eastern Meadowlark and Rusty Blackbird.
We set a few high counts: 20 Great Blue Heron, 3 Bald Eagle, 15 Belted
Kingfisher, 10 American Kestrel, 11 Purple Finch and 62 American Goldfinch.
A few notable low counts: 56 Blue Jay, 16 White-breasted Nuthatch, 2 Brown
Creeper, 6 Winter Wren, 60 Eastern Bluebird, 434 American Robin, 6 Eastern
Towhee, 4 Common Grackle, 1 Brown-headed Cowbird, 3 Field Sparrow, 1 Fox
Sparrow and 34 Song Sparrow.
Date: 1/10/26 10:31 am From: scompton1251 <scompton1251...> Subject: Dorchester County, SC White- fronted Goose: Hazard Warning
Birders, I found the Greater White- fronted Hoose today where reported by several birders yesterday in Dotchester Cointy. This is a DANGEROUS site as there is a very narrow soft shoulder on both sides of this heavily traveled road..If you plan to go park at the intersection of this road and County Line Road and walk back the approximately 1000 yards to the pond. The pond is on posted land so you have to stay on the shoulder. Bright safety clothing and a scope are highly recommended. The goose was resting in tne water on tne far side of the pond. On a related note I was disappointed to be denied entry to Summers Corner/ Horizons where a Snipe and some other birds of interest were reported recently. Only residents are admitted. If you report a bird in a restricted area please note the lack.of access or any hazards in your report. Steve ComptonDorchester, SC PS: Hope to see many of you at the Nags Head Carolina Bird Club Meeting in two weeks.Sent from my Galaxy
First many thanks to all the birders who contributed their valuable effort on these counts!
Maybe this proves that breaking records isn't too tough in these perennially low-effort counts: Mt. Jefferson, Stone Mountain, and Upper Yadkin Valley.
Weather was a big deal for 2 of these counts: Mt. Jefferson was postponed because of sub-zero wind chills, which cut participation a bit, and Stone Mtn was impacted when a nearby count postponed its date and reset it to match this count, siphoning off one of our teams, which I could have adapted for if only I'd known /before/ the count. Even so, effort was much better this year, while still paltry compared to many other CBC's in more urbanized areas.
Even with those issues, we still broke records for total species for 2 counts, with 64 for Mt. Jeff (old 61) and 68 for Stone Mtn. (old 66) and our total individuals found was close to the top for both. The 3rd count (Upper Yadkin aka Wilkesboro) had no weather issues and broke a record for total individual birds found at almost 6000, and was very close to our high species count with 76(high 80).
Astonishing was 5 new count birds on the 33 year old Stone Mtn count, while the other two counts had one new species each.
Interesting that Northern Harrier was a new count bird on 2 of 3 CBC's, Stone Mtn and Upper Yadkin.
A great find was the first documented winter record in the northern mountains for Lincoln's Sparrow, on the Mt. Jeff count along the New River in Ashe Co.
You won't want to miss our 2025 bird banding results in the latest installment of "This Week at Hilton Pond North" (Lansing NC). Is YOUR favorite bird on the list? We include more than two dozen portraits of birds banded. There's also an always-interesting list of banded birds that returned to our site, plus trail cam photos of action at a deer carcass and an acknowledgment of "Top Tier" supporters. Please visit this end-of-year summary of our work at https://www.hiltonpondnorth.org/twahpn-20251225.html. And Happy New Year!
Dr. BILL HILTON JR.
"Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project”
℅ Hilton Pond North: Blue Ridge Birds & Nature
2918 Silas Creek Road
Lansing NC 28643
(803)684-5852
The mission of Hilton Pond North is "to conserve plants, animals, habitats, and other natural components of the Blue Ridge Region of the eastern United States through observation, scientific study, and education for students of all ages.
"Never trust a person too lazy to get up for sunrise or too busy to watch the sunset." BHjr.
Date: 1/8/26 10:28 am From: Nate Dias (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Patriot's Point (Mount Pleasant, SC) "brush pile" Posted No Trespassing
Thanks for sharing the bad news Craig.
I can't help but wonder if groups of birders wandering around or people
unfamiliar with the site caused issues with the golf course that
precipitated the action. I have been birding that spot for 40 years and
until now, golf course staff and management always seemed amenable to
birders being there.
"These days I prefer to hunt with a camera. A good photograph demands more
skill from the hunter, better nerves and more patience than the rifle
shot." -- Bror Blixen
On Thu, Jan 8, 2026 at 9:26 AM Craig Watson <carolinabirds...> wrote:
> HI everyone, the "brush pile" area at Patriot's Point has been posted with
> No Trespassing signs as of yesterday afternoon. The information has gone
> out on Facebook and the GroupMe app, yet not everyone uses those venues, so
> those still receiving carolinabirds listserv emails will find this
> information useful. This area is the brushy area at the end of the driving
> range where most of the rarities have been occurring. The remainder of
> Patriot's Point is still open to birding as far as I know.
>
> --
>
> *"to live will be an awfully big adventure" - Peter Pan*
>
> Craig Watson
> Mount Pleasant, SC
>
The closest Picnic tables to those two locations would be at the Pettigrew SP main office and those will be subject to the same closure time as the park for non-campers which I believe is 7pm.
On the south side of those locations there are picnic tables at the Belhaven Beach on the SE corner of town. This “beach” is a gated park that I believe is daylight hours only so less suitable for afterwards.
It’s not as close as the first two or really close to anything but Wade’s Point has a picnic table. It’s at the end of Old Pamlico Beach Rd and isn’t subject to closure.
Also not exactly close but there are picnic tables at Bonner’s Point in Bath, NC if you are heading SW but I don’t recall the hours of this park either but its later than the Belhaven park.
If you are going NW then The Port o’ Plymouth Museum has picnic tables outside of it but again I don’t know the hours.
Finally heading NE to Creswell there are picnic tables at the Scuppernong River Park that I believe is open at night as well.
I hope this helps even though I don’t have the hours for all of them.
Happy birding,
Trevor Sleight
> On Jan 8, 2026, at 07:57, sheryl mcnair <carolinabirds...> wrote:
> Hi, does anyone know if there are picnic tables near Pungo Lake and/or Pettigrew St Pk? If so, where? And are they accessible after one waits to see the Snow Geese come in at dusk, so presumably after dark?
> Warmly,
> Sheryl
Date: 1/8/26 7:14 am From: Will Cook <cwcook...> Subject: Chapel Hill CBC summary
2025 Chapel Hill (NC) Christmas Bird Count Summary
The Chapel Hill Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, 21 December 2025, was a fantastic count, blessed with mild conditions, low Jordan Lake level (good for the shorebirds), and abundant bird activity. The count tied for our second highest species total in the 96 year history of the count, with 95 species (ten-year average 87.8). The record is 98 in 1983; we also had 95 in 2016. We counted 19505 individual birds, a bit higher than our 10-year average of 15743 and almost twice what we had last year! On a birds per party hour basis, it was a great count, with 142 versus an average of 109, with flocks of Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackle pulling up the numbers. We missed Common Grackle last year; this year there was a flock of a thousand and one other lone individual.
Incredibly, two species were new to the count this year, both in unexpected places: 2 Sandhill Cranes that flew over Steve Graves at Carolina Meadows in Chapel Hill, and a Forster's Tern that flew over Phil Vignola at Sandy Creek Park in Durham. Both were quick flybys, but Steve was able to snap a cell phone pic. A Nashville Warbler in Nan DeWire's yard, beautifully photographed, would have been a first for the count, but it was last seen on December 16th, just missing the count week. The three Virginia Rails heard by Matt Spangler at the Bush Creek swamp provided our third count record. They are likely there every year, though hard to detect without special effort.
Other goodies we usually miss included 5 American Black Duck (Matt Spangler, Don Pelly, Rick Wright), 16 Green-winged Teal (Jordan Lake, multiple observers), 1 Ring-necked Duck (Deb Fowler covering Durham neighborhood ponds), 2 Lesser Scaup (Fleeta Chauvigne and Mark Montazer, our first since 2007), 1 Rufous Hummingbird (at Carol Woods, banded by Susan Campbell, our 11th count record), 13 Least Sandpipers (Brian Bockhahn and Marc Ribaudo at the Jordan Lake mudflats, our 10th), 37 Wilson's Snipe (Jordan Lake and Sandy Creek, multiple observers), 1 Merlin (Alex Nickley, our 6th), 1 Common Raven (Montazer and Chauvigne, our 9th), 2 Black-and-white Warblers (Howlett family and Roger Shaw), and 4 Common Yellowthroats (Matt Spangler, Steve Backus).
We set an astounding number of record highs: Wood Duck (62, previous high 61 in 2011, average 14), Killdeer (231, 217 in 1998, avg 55), Red-headed Woodpecker (135, 88 in 2019, avg 55), Winter Wren (85, 71 in 2024, avg 48), Hermit Thrush (121, 104 in 2023, avg 70), Gray Catbird (12, 7 in 2020, avg 2.7), Palm Warbler (15, 5 in 1973 and 2024, avg 1.1).
Also in good numbers: 82 Great Blue Herons (average 36), 158 Yellow-shafted Flickers (avg 104), 169 Brown-headed Nuthatches (avg 141), 138 Purple Finches (avg 23, our highest since 1986), 434 American Goldfinches (avg 326), 1814 White-throated Sparrows (avg 1090), 554 Song Sparrows (avg 429), 2612 Red-winged Blackbirds (avg 992, our highest since 1988), 4 Common Yellowthroats (avg 0.8, highest since 1971).
The biggest miss this year was Blue-headed Vireo. There were several remarkably scarce species, the lowest counts in 15 years or more: Black Vulture (129, average 237), Brown Thrasher (18, avg 37), Northern Mockingbird (72, avg 94), House Sparrow (6, avg 34).
Top honors for highest number of species and individual birds this year goes to the team of Fleeta Chauvigne, Mark Montazer, and Matt Spangler, who found a remarkable 65 species and 3614 individual birds in the upper reaches of Jordan Lake. Of course 1000 of those birds were Common Grackles, but subtracting those, they'd still be in first place!
Weather: Temperature 35-58 F, wind NW 0-9 mph, fair to mostly cloudy, water open. Effort: 50 observers in 24 field parties, 137.7 party hours (135 by foot, 2.7 by car) and 112.7 party miles (95.4 by foot, 17.3 by car), 2.6 hours and 2.6 miles owling, 5 people and 27 hours watching feeders.
Thanks to all the counters who helped make this one for the record books!
Date: 1/8/26 7:07 am From: Marc Ribaudo (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Mattamuskeet CBC
The Mattamuskeet Christmas Bird Count was held on December29, 2025. The day was unseasonably warm,ranging from 61 to 71 degrees. Themorning was clear. Early on there was asteady breeze of just over 10 mph. Windspicked up during the morning as a cold front approached, and by early afternoonwere gusting over 30 mph. There was nofrozen water. We had 19 observers in 12parties. We found 150 species, above our34-year average of 141 and the highest total in 13 years. Total birds counted were 1,141,396, but anestimated 1,000,000 were a single flock of Red-winged Blackbirds flying overthe marshes along the southern shore of Lake Mattamuskeet.
The weeks leading up to the count were relatively dry, sostanding water was absent from agricultural fields. This removed habitat that in the past hadattracted many shorebirds and other waders. Passerine numbers negatively affected by thehigh winds, especially after 10am. On the other hand, numbers of many species of waterfowl were the highest in years. However, they were still well below historicalhighs.
No new birds were found on count day, nor birds flagged asrare by ebird. We missed 8 species thatare regularly found: Canvasback (seen 32out of the previous 43 years), Surf Scoter (41/43), American Bittern (34/43),Fish Crow (43/43, first time ever), American Pipit (41/43), Field Sparrow(35/43), Dark-eyed Junco (36/43), and House Finch (35/43). High counts were set for American WhitePelican (73) and Red-winged Blackbird (1,000,000+). Low counts were set for Red-tailed Hawk (3)and House Sparrow (1). The most unusual sightingswere: Cackling Goose by Norm Budnitz,Noah Rokoske, and Patsy Bailey (seen 8 out of the previous 43 years), SemipalmatedPlover by Ed Corey and Marc Ribaudo (5/43 years), American Avocet by Derb Carter(10/43), Lesser Black-backed Gull by Brian Bockhahn, Kyle Kittelberger, andSteve Bakus (4/43), Eurasian Collared-Dove by Sandy Cash and Karen Garraputa (3out of the previous 43 years), Horned Lark by Ron Martin and Susan Campbell (5/43),Nelson’s Sparrow by Brian Bockhahn and Kyle Kittelberger (7/43), and SeasideSparrow by Brian Bockhahn and Kyle Kittelberger (8/43). Count week birds were America Bittern andNorthern Waterthrush (found the day before the count by Sandy Cash and Karen Garraputa, a first for the count).
Marc RibaudoGarner, NC
Hi, does anyone know if there are picnic tables near Pungo Lake and/or Pettigrew St Pk? If so, where? And are they accessible after one waits to see the Snow Geese come in at dusk, so presumably after dark?
Warmly,
Sheryl
Date: 1/8/26 6:26 am From: Craig Watson (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Patriot's Point (Mount Pleasant, SC) "brush pile" Posted No Trespassing
HI everyone, the "brush pile" area at Patriot's Point has been posted with No Trespassing signs as of yesterday afternoon. The information has gone out on Facebook and the GroupMe app, yet not everyone uses those venues, so those still receiving carolinabirds listserv emails will find this information useful. This area is the brushy area at the end of the driving range where most of the rarities have been occurring. The remainder of Patriot's Point is still open to birding as far as I know.
--
*"to live will be an awfully big adventure" - Peter Pan*
Date: 1/7/26 1:58 pm From: Brian Bockhahn (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Pilot Mountain CBC results
The 11th Pilot Mountain Christmas Bird Count was held on Tuesday December 23, 2025 under cloudy then clear skies with mild temperatures 40-67 degrees, no wind and no precip.
Just like last year we had 18 observers in 9 parties and also tallied 77 species tying our record high (average 69, low 57)
Two species were new to the cumulative list. A Northern Saw-whet Owl was heard along the grassy ridge trail, seems like a once a decade bird for the Sauras/Rockingham county area. And during the lunch countdown tally, a Peregrine Falcon soared over the summit and then stooped off in a hurry. Always bring your binoculars to the countdown, thought not when it's at the Asian buffet.
Other goodies include our 3rd Merlin; 3rd Gray Catbird with two parties finding one; 2nd Horned Lark and 4th American Pipit.
Misses include Wild Turkey, Northern Harrier, Coopers Hawk, Rusty Blackbird and Pine Siskin.
We set some new record counts with 4 Great Blue Heron; 8 Bald Eagle including a new nest site; 4 Eastern Screech Owls, yeay for effort; 19 Hairy Woodpecker, 3 Blue-headed Vireo; 10 Common Raven; 155 Tufted Titmouse; 29 Winter Wren; 121 Carolina Wren; 101 Golden-crowned Kinglet; 2 Gray Catbird; 49 American Pipit; 4 White-crowned Sparrows.
Unchanged form last year, 41 species have been seen on all 11 counts, which is a high number considering weather, and it means everyone works hard and knows how to find birds in their area.
With 77 species, we bested mayo river on Dec 22 which had 65 species, just ahead of hanging rock's 61 species, and ended up just one head of Haw River count which had 76
Mark your calendars for
Pilot Mountain spring bird count May 5, 2026 (hanging rock May 6, mayo river and haw river tbd)
Pilot Christmas bird count December 23, 2026
(hanging rock dec 16, mayo river dec 22, haw river Dec 21)
Date: 1/7/26 12:01 pm From: Brian Bockhahn (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Mayo River CBC results
The 14th annual Mayo River CBC was held on Monday December 22, 2025 under
clear skies, a frigid cold start of 24 degrees and warming to 51 but the
birds sure didn’t think it was a good day to be out. Lots of empty skies
and fields.
8 counters in six parties found 65 species (average of 73, high 78, low 56)
Misses include Wood Duck, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Northern harrier, Rock
Pigeon, Barred Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Gray Catbird,
American Pipit, Pine Warbler, Field Sparrow!, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern
Meadowlark, Common Grackle and Brown-headed Cowbird.
We set high counts for two species at least, with 2 Bufflehead and 6 Rusty
Blackbird.
Date: 1/7/26 12:00 pm From: Brian Bockhahn (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Rocky Mount CBC results
The 30th Rocky Mount CBC was held on December 19, 2025 under cloudy then
clear skies, steady wind all day gusting over 20, and temperatures dropping
from 64 to 50 throughout the day. 8 counters in the field in five parties
and 1 feeder counters recorded *89 species (*average 90.6, high 104). With
the wind I’m proud we got what we did.
One species was new for the count, a single Barn Owl was found inside an
old silo! After years of pellets, it was exciting for one to finally be
seen, and photographed!
Birds were not numerous, but the most tallied birds on count day were 800
Brown-headed Cowbird, 608 Ring-billed Gull, 486 Red-winged Blackbird and
476 European Starling.
With the winds we tied some lows, but most exciting was a new high count of
110 Sandhill Cranes. The swift creek flock continues to grow, or at least
this is the first time the entire flock stayed together to be seen in one
spot. This may be one of the highest flock totals for this species in NC,
at least for a regularly overwintering flock.
Misses include Scaup, Bufflehead, Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Coot,
Wilsons Snipe, American Woodcock, Great Horned or Barred Owl, HOUSE WREN!,
Red-breasted Nuthatch and Pine Siskin.
Tentative next count date would be Friday, December 18, 2026.
Date: 1/7/26 11:58 am From: Brian Bockhahn (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Cumberland County CBC results
The 25th Cumberland County CBC was held on December 18, 2025 under cloudy
skies, light winds and temperatures from 36-63 degrees. 11 counters in
eight parties tallied 88 species (average of 84, high 102).
Most numerous birds were 1696 Red-winged Blackbirds, 747 American Robin and
215 Ring-billed Gulls.
Goodies include our third Short-eared Owl, 3rd Green-winged Teal; 4th
Anhinga, 4th Eurasian Collared Dove, 4th Orange-crowned Warbler.
Misses include Ring-necked Duck, Black Vulture, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Barred
Owl, Blue Headed Vireo which is a big miss, but those cold temperatures did
push many out of the piedmont; Red-breasted Nuthatch, Common Yellowthroat
and White-crowned Sparrow. A Vesper Sparrow was seen during count month.
Some interesting high count numbers include 61 Wild Turkey, 24
Red-shouldered Hawk, 4 Eurasian Collared Doves, 14 Red-headed Woodpecker
and 113 Blue Jays?!
Tentative next year’s count date Thursday December 17, 2026
Date: 1/7/26 8:31 am From: Susan Campbell <susan...> Subject: Winter CBC Meeting
All,
It is not too late to sign up for the Carolina Bird Club's winter meeting weekend on the Outer Banks! Early registration is open through Sunday (the 11th).
This is one of our most popular meeting locations. We expect an array of waterfowl and waterbirds as well as a variety of raptors and, of course, wintering Passerines.
The event will be headquartered at the Comfort Inn in Nag's Head over the weekend of January 23-25. For the weekend schedule of trips, speakers and more, go to http://www.carolinabirdclub.org/.
Note that meeting goers can obtain a reservation at our host hotel for special rates during the weekend.
Do not hesitate to contact me directly if you have questions.
Date: 1/4/26 10:40 am From: Alan Meijer (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Blue-headed Vireo at Old Waynesboro Park - Wayne Co. NC
Spent a few hours at Old Waynesboro Park in Goldsboro, Wayne County, NC again.
Arrived around 11:00 a.m. to find about six birders having just seen the McGillivray's Warbler. Got sidelined by a bird that seemed to have a gray head but turned out to be a BLUE-HEADED VIREO. A lifer for me but not what I came for! Not 50 ft away was a birder observing the target species. He confirmed through photos that we had just seen a blue-headed vireo. The McGillivrays had just left the spot where he was. After 30 minutes of searching, I observed the MCGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER foraging along the forest floor. I could not get a good photo of it. Also found a number of BLACK AND WHITE WARBLERS.
Other species seen include: Brown Thrasher Winter Wren Carolina Wren Hermit Thrush Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Date: 1/2/26 7:31 pm From: Steve <sshultz...> Subject: Extralimital: Red-flanked Bluetail in Virginia
For anyone with time on their hands this weekend and a hankering for a continental mega, a Red-flanked Bluetail is being seen in Fairfax County/Alexandria, VA.
Possibly the same bird that was in NJ last winter?
Looks like about 160 people eBirded it yesterday, so apparently pretty reliable.
Date: 1/1/26 11:15 am From: Alan Meijer (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: MacGillivray’s Warbler in Goldsboro
I’m at Old Wynesboro Park in Goldsboro, (Wayne Co.) NC, searching for the
MACGILLIVRAY’S WARBLER that’s been seen by many over the last few days,
including today. No luck yet, so if anyone is here that wants to help, let
me know. ;)
Other than some usual suspects, I’ve seen a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET and
three HERMIT HRUSH.
A pair of Cardinal-cancelling headphones would be of great help right now.
