Date: 8/30/26 9:46 am From: Amy Hanson (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Preserving Guilford County Farm and surrounding area
Anyone who has been to the Guilford County Farm in Guilford County, NC knows
that it is a special place for birds, nature, quiet space and agricultural
activites. A developer has purchased land boardering the farm, on it's west
side. They are looking to put 130 houses on about 230 acres of land and to do
this they need to rezone it from Agricultural to Residential. There is a
movement afoot to keep this rezoning from happening so that development does
not encroach any further around the farm. If you would like to be part of
this effort, here are some options:
2. Send a message to the Guilford County Planning Board voicing your concern.
Send email to <obass...>
In Subject line: Case # 26-08-PLBD-00033 - Please forward to Planning Board
Members
3. Come to the rezoning request meeting on September 9 at 6pm
Old County Courthouse – 301 W. Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27401
4. Forward to others,
5. The developer said they might be open to being bought out. If you know of
anyone who might be open to pursuing this privately or with NC state funds
slated for agricultural land conservation, please forward to them!
6. If you'd like to be on an email list for updates on this please contact
Anne Cassebaum at <cassebaum...>
Date: 8/28/26 11:50 am From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: The new-look Birds of North Carolina website
Folks,
About a month ago, the Birds of North Carolina (BNC) website, for which I am the principal author/editor, crashed badly, such that it was feared the data would be lost, once the website could be rebuilt. The BNC webmaster, Tom Howard, WAS able to recover most of the data, such that *the text in the roughly 500 species accounts was still there!* Whew!!!!!! This is perhaps why the website has a new look to the species account -- on a pale blue background instead of white, with purple headings. The text for some features has been moved around by Tom, but it is all there from before the crash. Here is the website home page, and you will see the new format once you click on a letter and then click View next to the species you choose.
We Carolina Bird Club members, hopefully nearly everyone who lives in the Carolinas, received the Summer 2026 Chat recently. Sadly, one feature that was lost was the Edit function, for me to add important Spring Briefs for the Files in that Chat onto the species accounts. It took Tom considerable effort to get me a needed Edit function to be able to add any new data, but by Monday that was completed. I finished adding in the more important spring reports by noon today -- so the text is up-to-date through the end of May.
However, if you have seen a species account, you might have noticed *there are NO county maps.* The occurrence county maps, with green where there is a record, are gone. And, for breeding species, the red-dot county maps showing relative abundance, also disappeared. We don't know if those can be recovered. The main issue here is that the public has no way to check a species map if they have a new county record -- for which a number of folks entered data onto a tab on the left margin to enter the species, location (county), date, and photos. As a result, without those maps, this function is not of value, and Tom has removed that Enter Record tab.
So, we will have to live with no maps for the species, at least for a while. Please note that I did not create the green maps, but I did review the records entered, accepted the ones that seemed correct, and then a white county would turn green. However, I did NOT try to populate the maps for other folks' records from eBird or another source. So, some or many maps were not really up-to-date.
I mentioned the lack of the county maps -- which for mainly non-migratory animal groups such as mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and vascular plants ARE important -- to several folks,* and wondered if species maps could be generated using eBird data. * An eBird list shows a county, though in some cases that can be misleading if the bird seen was actually on another side of a lake, for example, or a list covering parts of two counties. If there is a download function available on eBird, it seems plausible that a user could do a filter for a species, state, and county, and not worry about the date, observer, and number of individuals. For example, it seems plausible to generate a data file, to be converted to an Excel file, perhaps, for Hudsonian Godwit, North Carolina, and "county". These data only go back to the early 2000s, though some folks have entered eBird lists from pre-2000 for their rare birds, if they have the date, location, etc. So -- any county maps would probably lack important records from the 20th Century.
*And, you must be able to get from a download of Species and NC County to a county map format *-- which is beyond most of our bandwidths, I assume!! One eBird reviewer mentioned to me of a great interest is being able to have such county maps generated from eBird lists, and that he might make a stab. *Are any of you reading this aware of someone, some state, etc., where county occurrence maps have been generated from eBird data? *I'm not talking about the species maps that show on eBird -- the maps with the red and blue pins, which show where the reporter was at that time. I'm envisioning a species map with a solid color if there is an eBird list from that county. And, if someone is able to actually "pull that off", maybe maps could be color-coded by recency by decade, for example.
This commentary has gone on long enough, but I need to let folks know why the BNC website looks different and why the county maps are gone. If we can get county maps recreated, even with eBird data instead of Chat data, then we can re-open an Enter Record tab for folks to add new county records. Lastly, Tom said that there MIGHT be a way to recover data from one or both maps, but let's not count on that.
Harry LeGrand Raleigh
PS -- The existing 11 green tabs have not been affected. You can still get a checklist of all NC species and their ranks and statuses (using the Checklist tab), but Tom edited the format from previously. There are 11 pages that list all 502 species on all combined list categories.
Date: 8/24/26 8:01 am From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: The best NC pelagic trip of all time -- August 22, 2026
Harry LeGrand Raleigh author/editor of the Birds of North Carolina website
PS -- The results were not posted to eBird a day later, and so when many of us checked the CBC Sightings list at the end of August 22, these rarities were not showing. The reason for the delay is usually to gather folks' photos to populate the list, at least for the rarities. When I first saw the lists early on August 23, there were about 2-3 photos each for the two rare shearwaters, but over the hours other folks have added their photos to the eBird lists, so that as I post this there are 10-15 or more photos of each of these, not to mention tons of nice photos of all other rarities and some of the common ones. These two lists are a joy to review all of the photos! Congrats to pelagic photographers -- a difficult job to get presentable close-up photos of birds in flight!
Date: 8/23/26 4:24 am From: Brian Pendergraft (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: BLUE-WINGED WARBLER
FOS in magnolia by the driveway. Must admit here that the owl tape called him
in.
First one here in three years. Late August is when I typically see them around here, especially if there’s a wind change. Slight drop in dew point this morning feels nice.
Brian Pendergraft
with coffee and deer at Falls Lake NC
Date: 8/22/26 7:46 am From: mtove (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: RE: Albino or Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk Boone NC
Of all the raptors, in my experience, Red-tailed Hawk takes the prize for most frequent albinism. I see albino (or more commonly, partial – piebald – albino) Red-tails almost every year, including up to 3 in one day. The most “pure” albino Red-tail I’ve ever seen was a magnificent pure white bird with only a faint hint of “pink” in the tail (breathtaking). Leucistic (pale, “washed out”) birds also exist – I’ve seen at least 2 of those in NC alone. By contrast, I don’t recall having seen any other raptor species that was albinistic (including piebald or leucistic individuals). I have seen nearly pure-white Rough-legged Hawks (adult males) – but they were “natural” plumage; not albinos and of course, nearly pure-white “Krider’s” Red-tails but they too were “natural”; not albinistic. And let’s not even start talking about white Gyrfalcons.
Mike Tove
Cary, NC
From: <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...> On Behalf Of Lynn Erla Beegle (via carolinabirds Mailing List)
Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2026 9:58 AM
To: Noah Rokoske <noahrockasocki...>
Cc: carolinabirds <carolinabirds...>
Subject: Re: Albino or Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk Boone NC
Hi Noah and cc to to listserv
Congratulations on getting the leucistic hawk photos.
Please; when you post the photos on ebird, scroll down along the details on the margin and
Check the "aberrant individual " box. This fairly recent choice helps researchers find the unusual birds quickly.
"Aberrant" can also be used for other interesting color variations, misshapen bills, disease deformations, eye color, etc.
I recall seeing a white-splotched American Robin this past spring and getting photos of both sides. I hope it visits my yard this fall, although I fear a predator saw it and said "Dibs"!
Hi Carolinabirders,
I guess fall migration is in the air for real! Had my first broad-wing the other day, and now! something even more special! As I was loading my car for a weekend away, I noticed a murder of crows carrying on about something near my apartment in downtown Boone, NC. I looked up, and in a tree above the county courthouse, a splotch of white! What kind of egret would decide to perch atop a tree in the middle of a small city hundreds of miles from any appreciable lowland area? Glad I had decided to bring the bag with my camera and binoculars in this go-round, I peered at the white body through my bins and noted that it was not an egret, but indeed a raptor, presumably albino or leucistic. I took out my camera and managed to snap a photo right as the hawk launched from the tree, and then took several more photos as it circled up and up and eventually disappeared over Howard’s Knob. If anyone wants to see photos, I’m happy to send them along. I will also post this sighting to eBird, along with media, so that it is counted in citizen science, but I thought it was noteworthy enough to warrant a post to the good ol’ listserv!
And now, excited to go out tomorrow and see what shore- and waterbirds this evening’s thunderstorm may have blown in/ kept down… and remember, the crows *are* trying to tell you something!
Good birding,
~ Noah Rokoske
Boone and Durham
Hi Noah and cc to to listserv
Congratulations on getting the leucistic hawk photos.
Please; when you post the photos on ebird, scroll down along the details
on the margin and
Check the "aberrant individual " box. This fairly recent choice helps
researchers find the unusual birds quickly.
"Aberrant" can also be used for other interesting color variations,
misshapen bills, disease deformations, eye color, etc.
I recall seeing a white-splotched American Robin this past spring and
getting photos of both sides. I hope it visits my yard this fall, although
I fear a predator saw it and said "Dibs"!
LynnErla Beegle Raleigh NC
On Fri, Aug 21, 2026, 23:58 Noah Rokoske <carolinabirds...> wrote:
> Hi Carolinabirders,
> I guess fall migration is in the air for real! Had my first broad-wing the
> other day, and now! something even more special! As I was loading my car
> for a weekend away, I noticed a murder of crows carrying on about something
> near my apartment in downtown Boone, NC. I looked up, and in a tree above
> the county courthouse, a splotch of white! What kind of egret would decide
> to perch atop a tree in the middle of a small city hundreds of miles from
> any appreciable lowland area? Glad I had decided to bring the bag with my
> camera and binoculars in this go-round, I peered at the white body through
> my bins and noted that it was not an egret, but indeed a raptor, presumably
> albino or leucistic. I took out my camera and managed to snap a photo right
> as the hawk launched from the tree, and then took several more photos as it
> circled up and up and eventually disappeared over Howard’s Knob. If anyone
> wants to see photos, I’m happy to send them along. I will also post this
> sighting to eBird, along with media, so that it is counted in citizen
> science, but I thought it was noteworthy enough to warrant a post to the
> good ol’ listserv!
> And now, excited to go out tomorrow and see what shore- and waterbirds
> this evening’s thunderstorm may have blown in/ kept down… and remember, the
> crows *are* trying to tell you something!
> Good birding,
> ~ Noah Rokoske
> Boone and Durham
Hi Carolinabirders,
I guess fall migration is in the air for real! Had my first broad-wing the other day, and now! something even more special! As I was loading my car for a weekend away, I noticed a murder of crows carrying on about something near my apartment in downtown Boone, NC. I looked up, and in a tree above the county courthouse, a splotch of white! What kind of egret would decide to perch atop a tree in the middle of a small city hundreds of miles from any appreciable lowland area? Glad I had decided to bring the bag with my camera and binoculars in this go-round, I peered at the white body through my bins and noted that it was not an egret, but indeed a raptor, presumably albino or leucistic. I took out my camera and managed to snap a photo right as the hawk launched from the tree, and then took several more photos as it circled up and up and eventually disappeared over Howard’s Knob. If anyone wants to see photos, I’m happy to send them along. I will also post this sighting to eBird, along with media, so that it is counted in citizen science, but I thought it was noteworthy enough to warrant a post to the good ol’ listserv!
And now, excited to go out tomorrow and see what shore- and waterbirds this evening’s thunderstorm may have blown in/ kept down… and remember, the crows *are* trying to tell you something!
Good birding,
~ Noah Rokoske
Boone and Durham
Date: 8/20/26 10:24 am From: David Campbell (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Fall counts, Spartanburg and Cherokee (SC)
The Cherokee County SC fall count will be Saturday 5 September and the Spartanburg County count will be a week later, on the 12th. Lyle Campbell ( <ldcampb2...>) is the compiler.
-- Dr. David Campbell Professor, Geology Department of Natural Sciences 110 S Main St, Campus Box #7270 Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs NC 28017
Thanks for sharing your bike and other data for Halifax. I participated in the NC Bird Atlas in both Halifax and Northampton Counties and will be curious to see what the analysis shows. In Northampton County more parts of US 158 is 4 laned so that will have an impact. I noticed pairs of Shrike near Jackson and Scotland Neck. There also seemed to be pairs of Horned Larks foraging in cotton fields and using the strips of nearby land. Also logged patches for paper pulp looked promising. What cutting cycle do you think would be best for cover crops and grassland species?Loren Hintz
From Loren Hintz Chapel Hill, NC
On Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at 06:00:37 AM EDT, <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...> wrote:
carolinabirds Digest Wed, 19 Aug 2026
Table of contents:
1. Horned larks affected by farming practices - Frank Enders
<fkenders...>
2. First kestrel of fall AUgust 16-18-? - Frank Enders <fkenders...>
3. Loggerhead Shrike sightings way down this summer. - Frank Enders
<fkenders...>
This spring I biked several times along Ridgecrest Road going west from Hedgepeth Road in Halifax County, NC in the early morning.
I was interested how and if the Horned Larks here can get a brood off between various farming operations applied with various crops.No surprise that larks were not present where a good rye cover crop existed. The 3-4 locations for larks were those mowed down or shortgrass. The one pastured area may have too many grazers to protect either Horned Lark or meadowlark enough to breed successfully.Seems a shame that bird have to depend on farmers who fail to take good care of their land (as by using cover crops).
The larks seem to have a very iffy existence, needing "wastelands", or lands with less than optimal cropping practices (here most land is in cotton or peanuts or soybeans).
A later morning I may have seen but one Horned Lark. The presence of multiple meadowlarks, specifically in two locations where row crops were not even planted, and/or somebody chose to mow maybe 4 acres, was unexpected, but underlines the incompatibility of the most profitable use cropping open land with "wildlife" , I am not sure I see bird golfers setting aside needed habitats. Clearly it will take lots of money to set land aside, and management by "wildlifers" seems pitifully inadequate.
Horned larks have managed to persist here for 44 years. But, where do they exist I summer when none can be found within several miles (what with the growth of "weeds" in untended land and crops too tall in well-tended land?
(Had a knee problem which prevented getting out more to try to follow the larks.)
Frank Enders, Halifax, NC I do not have time for e-mail. Nor, I think, do you. Try calling 252-308-3443---good luck with that. I had noticed a sighting of a kestrel in S.C. On the CBC website (from ebird). Then I saw a female kestrel on August 16 along Ridgecrest Road west of Hedgepeth Road. For decades now the first kestrels appear here around August 15. Presumably the same bird was seen by me today, August 18, 2026.
Frank Enders
Frank Enders, Halifax, NC
I do not have time for e-mail. Nor, I think, do you. Try calling 252-308-3443---good luck with that. I would be willing to bet next spring and summer will have many fewer locations with shrikes present. Let me say only 20% of sites will be occupied. I could be wrong.But, within about 10 miles I usually have 8-12 sites occupied (by at least one bird, the probability of seeing a bird at a site where the species is continuing during the breeding season is maybe 10%). The birds might be out at the edge of woodlands rather than on powerlines along roads where easy to notice.
At the moment there are only 2-3 spots where I have noticed a shrike in the last two to four weeks. It might be nice if I could figure out what times of day and weather are associated with me seeing a shrike along the road. Don't know if I have time and gas to do that, the shrikes not likely to be seen during rainstorms, nor early nor late in the day.
I'm thinking the drought may have knocked back the population.
There are a few sightings of shrikes northeast of me, around Little Texas In Virginia (Sussex County). And a string of shrike sightings down NC33 over the years even down to the gas stations north of Greenville, NC These are just birds which happen to be where I have need to drive for various purposes. I keep waiting to stumble upon some noticeable change in shrike populations/sightings, but no such luck.
I think this last breeding season may show a big dent in shrike sightings for the coming year or two.
Had I a smartphone, I might put sightings into eBird, but just writing down all the birds I see would be quite a burden.
It would help if Hotmail and gmail would stop randomly erasing some of my overlong emails.
Frank Enders
Frank Enders, Halifax, NC
I do not have time for e-mail. Nor, I think, do you. Try calling 252-308-3443---good luck with that.End of carolinabirds Digest Wed, 19 Aug 2026
Date: 8/18/26 6:42 pm From: Frank Enders (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Loggerhead Shrike sightings way down this summer.
I would be willing to bet next spring and summer will have many fewer locations with shrikes present. Let me say only 20% of sites will be occupied. I could be wrong.
But, within about 10 miles I usually have 8-12 sites occupied (by at least one bird, the probability of seeing a bird at a site where the species is continuing during the breeding season is maybe 10%). The birds might be out at the edge of woodlands rather than on powerlines along roads where easy to notice.
At the moment there are only 2-3 spots where I have noticed a shrike in the last two to four weeks. It might be nice if I could figure out what times of day and weather are associated with me seeing a shrike along the road. Don't know if I have time and gas to do that, the shrikes not likely to be seen during rainstorms, nor early nor late in the day.
I'm thinking the drought may have knocked back the population.
There are a few sightings of shrikes northeast of me, around Little Texas In Virginia (Sussex County). And a string of shrike sightings down NC33 over the years even down to the gas stations north of Greenville, NC These are just birds which happen to be where I have need to drive for various purposes. I keep waiting to stumble upon some noticeable change in shrike populations/sightings, but no such luck.
I think this last breeding season may show a big dent in shrike sightings for the coming year or two.
Had I a smartphone, I might put sightings into eBird, but just writing down all the birds I see would be quite a burden.
It would help if Hotmail and gmail would stop randomly erasing some of my overlong emails.
Frank Enders
Frank Enders, Halifax, NC
I do not have time for e-mail. Nor, I think, do you. Try calling 252-308-3443---good luck with that.
Date: 8/18/26 6:14 pm From: Frank Enders (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: First kestrel of fall AUgust 16-18-?
I had noticed a sighting of a kestrel in S.C. On the CBC website (from ebird). Then I saw a female kestrel on August 16 along Ridgecrest Road west of Hedgepeth Road. For decades now the first kestrels appear here around August 15. Presumably the same bird was seen by me today, August 18, 2026.
Frank Enders
Frank Enders, Halifax, NC
I do not have time for e-mail. Nor, I think, do you. Try calling 252-308-3443---good luck with that.
Date: 8/18/26 6:06 pm From: Frank Enders (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Horned larks affected by farming practices
This spring I biked several times along Ridgecrest Road going west from Hedgepeth Road in Halifax County, NC in the early morning.
I was interested how and if the Horned Larks here can get a brood off between various farming operations applied with various crops.
No surprise that larks were not present where a good rye cover crop existed. The 3-4 locations for larks were those mowed down or shortgrass. The one pastured area may have too many grazers to protect either Horned Lark or meadowlark enough to breed successfully.
Seems a shame that bird have to depend on farmers who fail to take good care of their land (as by using cover crops).
The larks seem to have a very iffy existence, needing "wastelands", or lands with less than optimal cropping practices (here most land is in cotton or peanuts or soybeans).
A later morning I may have seen but one Horned Lark. The presence of multiple meadowlarks, specifically in two locations where row crops were not even planted, and/or somebody chose to mow maybe 4 acres, was unexpected, but underlines the incompatibility of the most profitable use cropping open land with "wildlife" , I am not sure I see bird golfers setting aside needed habitats. Clearly it will take lots of money to set land aside, and management by "wildlifers" seems pitifully inadequate.
Horned larks have managed to persist here for 44 years. But, where do they exist I summer when none can be found within several miles (what with the growth of "weeds" in untended land and crops too tall in well-tended land?
(Had a knee problem which prevented getting out more to try to follow the larks.)
Frank Enders, Halifax, NC
I do not have time for e-mail. Nor, I think, do you. Try calling 252-308-3443---good luck with that.
I do, Dennis. Try him at 803-422-6971.Enjoy a good fall migration! By the way, I live at Hilton Head, now.Steve PattersonSent from my Galaxy -------- Original message --------From: "Dennis Forsythe(via carolinabirds Mailing List)" <carolinabirds...> Date: 8/17/26 12:18 PM (GMT-05:00) To: CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...> Subject: RFI Irvin Pitts AllDoes anyone have current contact information for Irvin Pitts?T hanks in advance/Dennis-- Dennis M Forsythe PhDEmeritus Professor of Biology The CitadelCharleston, SC843-708-1605 cell
Date: 8/15/26 12:42 pm From: Lynn Erla Beegle (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Register for the Sep 24-27 Carolin Bird Club Meeting asap (registration opened at 2 pm today)
Hello ! Reminder: Register for the Sep 24-27 Carolina Bird Club Meeting in Hickory asap (registration opened at 2 pm today) Go to carolinabirdclub dot org and choose Home to register. Several trips have already filled up. Looking forward to seeing you in Hickory, NC this fall! LynnErla Beegle Raleigh North Carolina
Date: 8/10/26 6:54 pm From: Harry LeGrand (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Reminder: A call for Summer Reports for the Briefs for the Files
Fellow birders,
Now that the rather brief Summer Season is over (June-July), as *The Chat'*s Briefs for the Files editor, I would like to hear from *any of you who have not posted important records for the season already on eBird. * The great majority of the Briefs over the past decade have come from the editor perusing the eBird database, species by species, and picking out the most signficant reports. This is tedious (looking at over 400 Species Maps!), but I need to wait for a few more days to start so that any and all rarity sightings (as seen on the Carolina Bird Club Sightings page) have hopefully been approved as valid. But, *a few of you might have some important records that were not on eBird, so please let me know what notable birds you saw (or birds you expected but didn't).*
For the summer season, I also will be looking at the NC Bird Atlas breeding maps, though the data are probably now at least a year old. The 5-year Atlas surveys ran from 2021-2025, so this was the first summer since around 2020 that some to many of you were probably not in the field as much covering your atlas blocks. Nonetheless, I want to peruse these mostly 2021-2025 maps to have an idea of where species have been confirmed breeding, for example.
For the first half of the summer (June), nearly all of the Carolinas was mired in a year-long drought that stretched back to around mid-August 2025. This meant that there were often extensive mudflats at inland lakes that did not become flooded until heavy rains in July. Shorebird and wader reports were thus more frequent at inland locales than normal this season. The often excessive heat continued most of the summer, sadly. From my perspective here in Raleigh, I could not find (hear singing) ANY House Wrens at several places where I have heard them routinely for a few decades, such as in my Cameron Village neighborhood and at Raulston Arboretum. Was the scarcity of House Wrens noticed in your area where they normally breed? Are they retreating a bit back northward, or are Bluebirds (or other species) occupying nest boxes where they used to be nesting? Just curious!
I'd like to hear from folks by* August 25*, if possible. Again, *almost all of you submit eBird reports, so those data are already available to me on the website, and thus a big "Thank You" for posting results.*
Harry LeGrand, Brief for the Files editor (for *The Chat*) Raleigh
Date: 8/8/26 2:34 pm From: Jeremy Wrenn (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Shorebird call today at Falls Lake (Granville) Neuse River RR Grade
Yes ,the recording is not great at all.
Thanks, Erla!
--Jeremy Wrenn
On Sat, Aug 8, 2026, 4:58 PM Lynn Erla Beegle <optmystc1...> wrote:
> Sounds a bit like a Lesser Yellowlegs to me, but the recording is not
> definitive enough for a confident identification. IMHO.
>
> LynnErla Beegle Raleigh NC
>
>
> On Sat, Aug 8, 2026, 13:45 Jeremy Wrenn <carolinabirds...> wrote:
>
>> Folks, I'd love to get some opinions on the shorebird call I recorded
>> earlier this morning at the Granville side of the Neuse River RR Grade. I
>> have a pretty good idea which bird it is, but will leave it open so as not
>> to influence the responses.
>>
>> https://ebird.org/checklist/S381230286?continue >>
>> The bird was never seen, and called behind me and flew off from a flooded
>> grassy area. It called three times. I have separated the calls into two
>> shorter recordings, as the first call was a bit apart from the last two.
>> I also left a recording with the entire selection together, though wind
>> and background noise are a factor.
>>
>> Headphones may be best.
>>
>> Let me know if anyone has any opinions.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> --Jeremy Wrenn
>> Wake Forest, NC
>>
>
Date: 8/8/26 1:59 pm From: Lynn Erla Beegle (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Shorebird call today at Falls Lake (Granville) Neuse River RR Grade
Sounds a bit like a Lesser Yellowlegs to me, but the recording is not definitive enough for a confident identification. IMHO.
LynnErla Beegle Raleigh NC
On Sat, Aug 8, 2026, 13:45 Jeremy Wrenn <carolinabirds...> wrote:
> Folks, I'd love to get some opinions on the shorebird call I recorded > earlier this morning at the Granville side of the Neuse River RR Grade. I > have a pretty good idea which bird it is, but will leave it open so as not > to influence the responses. > > https://ebird.org/checklist/S381230286?continue > > The bird was never seen, and called behind me and flew off from a flooded > grassy area. It called three times. I have separated the calls into two > shorter recordings, as the first call was a bit apart from the last two. > I also left a recording with the entire selection together, though wind > and background noise are a factor. > > Headphones may be best. > > Let me know if anyone has any opinions. > > Thanks, > > --Jeremy Wrenn > Wake Forest, NC >
Date: 8/8/26 1:58 pm From: Jeremy Wrenn (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Shorebird call today at Falls Lake (Granville) Neuse River RR Grade
The consensus seems to be Lesser Yellowlegs.
The first call sounded like a SB Dowitcher to some degree, but the last two
were more clear.
--Jeremy Wrenn
On Sat, Aug 8, 2026, 1:44 PM Jeremy Wrenn <jeremy.wrenn...> wrote:
> Folks, I'd love to get some opinions on the shorebird call I recorded
> earlier this morning at the Granville side of the Neuse River RR Grade. I
> have a pretty good idea which bird it is, but will leave it open so as not
> to influence the responses.
>
> https://ebird.org/checklist/S381230286?continue >
> The bird was never seen, and called behind me and flew off from a flooded
> grassy area. It called three times. I have separated the calls into two
> shorter recordings, as the first call was a bit apart from the last two.
> I also left a recording with the entire selection together, though wind
> and background noise are a factor.
>
> Headphones may be best.
>
> Let me know if anyone has any opinions.
>
> Thanks,
>
> --Jeremy Wrenn
> Wake Forest, NC
>
Date: 8/8/26 10:45 am From: Jeremy Wrenn (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Shorebird call today at Falls Lake (Granville) Neuse River RR Grade
Folks, I'd love to get some opinions on the shorebird call I recorded earlier this morning at the Granville side of the Neuse River RR Grade. I have a pretty good idea which bird it is, but will leave it open so as not to influence the responses.
The bird was never seen, and called behind me and flew off from a flooded grassy area. It called three times. I have separated the calls into two shorter recordings, as the first call was a bit apart from the last two. I also left a recording with the entire selection together, though wind and background noise are a factor.
Date: 8/7/26 8:32 am From: \<hilton...>\ (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Hilton Pond North (16 Jul 2026) Fledgling Cardinals, Turkeys, and Orchids, etc.
Photo essay #43 of "This Week at Hilton Pond North” (Lansing NC) is now online! Join us for a late-July tour of Blue Ridge nature as we build owl nest boxes, explore spectacular wildflowers on Pond Mountain, celebrate National Moth Week, and share our hummingbird presentations for local summer campers. We offer video snippets of White-tailed Deer and Wild Turkey, plus our usual banding and recapture tallies. We hope you'll enjoy this latest installment and share it from https://www.hiltonpondnorth.org/twahpn-20260716.html
P.S. If you like to listen, don't miss our companion "Deep Dive" podcast linked from the installment.
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: 8/4/26 4:01 pm From: Tim Lewis (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Osprey Nesting in Mountains
Thanks for the good information. Although they are uncommon in the mountains we do get eBird reports but many I hear about are not recorded except maybe as a social media post with no real info. As Guy noted, most reports tell us little. It might be helpful if there was a NestWatch-like project for other marginal birds likely to be effected by climate. Uncommon mountain birds like osprey, bald eagle and Am kestrel come to mind. In the mean time, documenting nesting data would be helpful.
Tim Lewis
Jackson Co NC
________________________________
From: <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...> on behalf of Harry LeGrand <carolinabirds...>
Sent: Friday, July 31, 2026 12:06 PM
To: <badgerboy...> <badgerboy...>
Cc: <carolinabirds...> <carolinabirds...>
Subject: Re: Osprey Nesting in Mountains
Please check the Birds of North Carolina website, which is hosted by the Carolina Bird Club.
Harry LeGrand
author/editor of the Birds of North Carolina website
Tim and all, this is a great question. I was curious about it myself as there has been a request to install Osprey nesting platforms in the mountains of NW NC. Although the NC Bird Atlas data, which is publicly available on the web, shows several confirmed nesting reports in the mountains, it appears that most of them are probably incorrect, with pictures showing what appear to be squirrels nests with Ospreys near them, reports of Osprey carrying food, with no further comments, which obviously Ospreys do every time they catch a fish whether or not they are nesting in the area, and other sorts of behaviors unlikely indicative of true nesting.
However, there was one place, Lake Santeetla near Robbinsville at about 2000 feet elevation, that had several reports from 2021 thru 2025 of Ospreys on nest in April, and one report with a good description but unfortunately no photo, of Ospreys on the nest with nestlings in June. See ebird checklist here<https://ebird.org/atlasnc/checklist/S90708315>. Coincidentally, the Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas 2 which finished up earlier this decade, also had what I consider likely correct reports from Claytor Lake near Blacksburg at 2000 feet elevation, with pictures, of Ospreys nesting.
So Yes, probably, if you consider 2000' elevation lakes to be "Mountains".
Guy (McGrane, Boone NC)
On 7/31/2026 10:10 AM, Tim Lewis (via carolinabirds Mailing List) wrote:
Hello everyone,
Are there records of Osprey nesting in the mountains. Where/when and are there photos?
Date: 8/2/26 5:35 am From: Ginger (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
I have exactly the same need for the info Matt Jensen seeks: who can repair
binoculars for donation. Mine are (Swift?) Ultralites and Leicas. Thanks.
Ginger
On Sat, Aug 1, 2026 at 2:53 PM scompton1251 <scompton1251...>
wrote:
> Matt and Susan,
>
> Oops! Misread the subject line.
>
> Steve Compton
>
>
>
> Sent from my Galaxy
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Susan Campbell <susan...>
> Date: 8/1/26 1:21 PM (GMT-05:00)
> To: Matt Janson <m.janson.geolover...>, CarolinaBirds <
> <carolinabirds...>
> Subject: Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
>
> Hey—
>
> Let me know if you do not get any responses….
>
> Susan
>
> Get Outlook for iOS <https://aka.ms/o0ukef> > ------------------------------
> *From:* <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...>
> on behalf of Matt Janson <carolinabirds...>
> *Sent:* Saturday, 01 August 2026 13:16:45
> *To:* CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...>
> *Subject:* Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
>
> Good afternoon listserv,
> I am wondering if anyone is aware of a location or organization that
> repairs and donates used binoculars to schools, nature centers, or other
> programs. I have a pair of Zeiss Terra ED 8x42 binoculars that are out of
> alignment. Zeiss did offer to repair them for me for a fee but instead I
> opted to go with a new pair of Vortex optics since we use those at work and
> I have been extremely impressed with their warranty policy compared to
> Zeiss.
> Anyhow, I now have an excess pair of Zeiss Terra EDs, and while they are
> in need of repair, could potentially be used by someone (?). It feels wrong
> to just throw them in the garbage, but perhaps that is where they are
> destined.
> If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, please respond to me directly.
> Thank you!
> -Matt
> P.S. - a couple decent birds on Ocracoke this week - Louisiana waterthrush
> (rare migrant on the Outer Banks) and a Sargasso shearwater from shore
> yesterday afternoon
> --
> Matthew D. Janson
> Ocracoke, North Carolina
> (704)-651-3860
>
unsubscribe please -- thank you! wonderful digest I just don't read it much
these days.
On Sun, Aug 2, 2026 at 6:00 AM <carolinabirds-request...> wrote:
> carolinabirds Digest Sun, 02 Aug 2026
>
> Table of contents:
>
> 1. Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair? - Matt Janson
> <m.janson.geolover...>
> 2. Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair? - Susan Campbell
> <susan...>
> 3. Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair? - scompton1251
> <scompton1251...>
> 4. Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair? - scompton1251
> <scompton1251...>
>
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Matt Janson <m.janson.geolover...>
> To: CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...>
> Cc:
> Bcc:
> Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2026 13:16:45 -0400
> Subject: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
> Good afternoon listserv,
> I am wondering if anyone is aware of a location or organization that
> repairs and donates used binoculars to schools, nature centers, or other
> programs. I have a pair of Zeiss Terra ED 8x42 binoculars that are out of
> alignment. Zeiss did offer to repair them for me for a fee but instead I
> opted to go with a new pair of Vortex optics since we use those at work and
> I have been extremely impressed with their warranty policy compared to
> Zeiss.
> Anyhow, I now have an excess pair of Zeiss Terra EDs, and while they are
> in need of repair, could potentially be used by someone (?). It feels wrong
> to just throw them in the garbage, but perhaps that is where they are
> destined.
> If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, please respond to me directly.
> Thank you!
> -Matt
> P.S. - a couple decent birds on Ocracoke this week - Louisiana waterthrush
> (rare migrant on the Outer Banks) and a Sargasso shearwater from shore
> yesterday afternoon
> --
> Matthew D. Janson
> Ocracoke, North Carolina
> (704)-651-3860
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Susan Campbell <susan...>
> To: Matt Janson <m.janson.geolover...>, CarolinaBirds <
> <carolinabirds...>
> Cc:
> Bcc:
> Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2026 17:21:01 +0000
> Subject: Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
> Hey—
>
> Let me know if you do not get any responses….
>
> Susan
>
> Get Outlook for iOS
> <https://aka.ms/o0ukef> > ------------------------------
> *From:* <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...>
> on behalf of Matt Janson <carolinabirds...>
> *Sent:* Saturday, 01 August 2026 13:16:45
> *To:* CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...>
> *Subject:* Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
>
> Good afternoon listserv,
> I am wondering if anyone is aware of a location or organization that
> repairs and donates used binoculars to schools, nature centers, or other
> programs. I have a pair of Zeiss Terra ED 8x42 binoculars that are out of
> alignment. Zeiss did offer to repair them for me for a fee but instead I
> opted to go with a new pair of Vortex optics since we use those at work and
> I have been extremely impressed with their warranty policy compared to
> Zeiss.
> Anyhow, I now have an excess pair of Zeiss Terra EDs, and while they are
> in need of repair, could potentially be used by someone (?). It feels wrong
> to just throw them in the garbage, but perhaps that is where they are
> destined.
> If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, please respond to me directly.
> Thank you!
> -Matt
> P.S. - a couple decent birds on Ocracoke this week - Louisiana waterthrush
> (rare migrant on the Outer Banks) and a Sargasso shearwater from shore
> yesterday afternoon
> --
> Matthew D. Janson
> Ocracoke, North Carolina
> (704)-651-3860
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: scompton1251 <scompton1251...>
> To: Susan Campbell <susan...>, Matt Janson <
> <m.janson.geolover...>, CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...>
> Cc:
> Bcc:
> Date: Sat, 01 Aug 2026 14:51:40 -0400
> Subject: Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
> Susan and birders,
>
> I got at least 6 responses with several eBirders running streak of 5 years
> or more!
>
> Looks like this will be large lottery pool.
>
> Steve Compton
> In the South Carolina Coastal Plain in
> Dorchester, SC
>
>
>
> Sent from my Galaxy
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Susan Campbell <susan...>
> Date: 8/1/26 1:21 PM (GMT-05:00)
> To: Matt Janson <m.janson.geolover...>, CarolinaBirds <
> <carolinabirds...>
> Subject: Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
>
> Hey—
>
> Let me know if you do not get any responses….
>
> Susan
>
> Get Outlook for iOS
> <https://aka.ms/o0ukef> > ------------------------------
> *From:* <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...>
> on behalf of Matt Janson <carolinabirds...>
> *Sent:* Saturday, 01 August 2026 13:16:45
> *To:* CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...>
> *Subject:* Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
>
> Good afternoon listserv,
> I am wondering if anyone is aware of a location or organization that
> repairs and donates used binoculars to schools, nature centers, or other
> programs. I have a pair of Zeiss Terra ED 8x42 binoculars that are out of
> alignment. Zeiss did offer to repair them for me for a fee but instead I
> opted to go with a new pair of Vortex optics since we use those at work and
> I have been extremely impressed with their warranty policy compared to
> Zeiss.
> Anyhow, I now have an excess pair of Zeiss Terra EDs, and while they are
> in need of repair, could potentially be used by someone (?). It feels wrong
> to just throw them in the garbage, but perhaps that is where they are
> destined.
> If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, please respond to me directly.
> Thank you!
> -Matt
> P.S. - a couple decent birds on Ocracoke this week - Louisiana waterthrush
> (rare migrant on the Outer Banks) and a Sargasso shearwater from shore
> yesterday afternoon
> --
> Matthew D. Janson
> Ocracoke, North Carolina
> (704)-651-3860
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: scompton1251 <scompton1251...>
> To: Susan Campbell <susan...>, Matt Janson <
> <m.janson.geolover...>, CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...>
> Cc:
> Bcc:
> Date: Sat, 01 Aug 2026 14:53:17 -0400
> Subject: Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
> Matt and Susan,
>
> Oops! Misread the subject line.
>
> Steve Compton
>
>
>
> Sent from my Galaxy
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Susan Campbell <susan...>
> Date: 8/1/26 1:21 PM (GMT-05:00)
> To: Matt Janson <m.janson.geolover...>, CarolinaBirds <
> <carolinabirds...>
> Subject: Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
>
> Hey—
>
> Let me know if you do not get any responses….
>
> Susan
>
> Get Outlook for iOS
> <https://aka.ms/o0ukef> > ------------------------------
> *From:* <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...>
> on behalf of Matt Janson <carolinabirds...>
> *Sent:* Saturday, 01 August 2026 13:16:45
> *To:* CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...>
> *Subject:* Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
>
> Good afternoon listserv,
> I am wondering if anyone is aware of a location or organization that
> repairs and donates used binoculars to schools, nature centers, or other
> programs. I have a pair of Zeiss Terra ED 8x42 binoculars that are out of
> alignment. Zeiss did offer to repair them for me for a fee but instead I
> opted to go with a new pair of Vortex optics since we use those at work and
> I have been extremely impressed with their warranty policy compared to
> Zeiss.
> Anyhow, I now have an excess pair of Zeiss Terra EDs, and while they are
> in need of repair, could potentially be used by someone (?). It feels wrong
> to just throw them in the garbage, but perhaps that is where they are
> destined.
> If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, please respond to me directly.
> Thank you!
> -Matt
> P.S. - a couple decent birds on Ocracoke this week - Louisiana waterthrush
> (rare migrant on the Outer Banks) and a Sargasso shearwater from shore
> yesterday afternoon
> --
> Matthew D. Janson
> Ocracoke, North Carolina
> (704)-651-3860
> End of carolinabirds Digest Sun, 02 Aug 2026
>
Date: 8/1/26 11:53 am From: scompton1251 <scompton1251...> Subject: Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
Matt and Susan,Oops! Misread the subject line. Steve ComptonSent from my Galaxy -------- Original message --------From: Susan Campbell <susan...> Date: 8/1/26 1:21 PM (GMT-05:00) To: Matt Janson <m.janson.geolover...>, CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
Hey—
Let me know if you do not get any responses….
Susan
Get Outlook for iOS
From: <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...> on behalf of Matt Janson <carolinabirds...> Sent: Saturday, 01 August 2026 13:16:45 To: CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...> Subject: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
Good afternoon listserv, I am wondering if anyone is aware of a location or organization that repairs and donates used binoculars to schools, nature centers, or other programs. I have a pair of Zeiss Terra ED 8x42 binoculars that are out of alignment. Zeiss did offer to repair them for me for a fee but instead I opted to go with a new pair of Vortex optics since we use those at work and I have been extremely impressed with their warranty policy compared to Zeiss. Anyhow, I now have an excess pair of Zeiss Terra EDs, and while they are in need of repair, could potentially be used by someone (?). It feels wrong to just throw them in the garbage, but perhaps that is where they are destined. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, please respond to me directly. Thank you! -Matt P.S. - a couple decent birds on Ocracoke this week - Louisiana waterthrush (rare migrant on the Outer Banks) and a Sargasso shearwater from shore yesterday afternoon
--
Matthew D. Janson Ocracoke, North Carolina (704)-651-3860
Date: 8/1/26 11:52 am From: scompton1251 <scompton1251...> Subject: Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
Susan and birders,I got at least 6 responses with several eBirders running streak of 5 years or more! Looks like this will be large lottery pool.Steve ComptonIn the South Carolina Coastal Plain inDorchester, SC Sent from my Galaxy -------- Original message --------From: Susan Campbell <susan...> Date: 8/1/26 1:21 PM (GMT-05:00) To: Matt Janson <m.janson.geolover...>, CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
Hey—
Let me know if you do not get any responses….
Susan
Get Outlook for iOS
From: <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...> on behalf of Matt Janson <carolinabirds...> Sent: Saturday, 01 August 2026 13:16:45 To: CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...> Subject: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
Good afternoon listserv, I am wondering if anyone is aware of a location or organization that repairs and donates used binoculars to schools, nature centers, or other programs. I have a pair of Zeiss Terra ED 8x42 binoculars that are out of alignment. Zeiss did offer to repair them for me for a fee but instead I opted to go with a new pair of Vortex optics since we use those at work and I have been extremely impressed with their warranty policy compared to Zeiss. Anyhow, I now have an excess pair of Zeiss Terra EDs, and while they are in need of repair, could potentially be used by someone (?). It feels wrong to just throw them in the garbage, but perhaps that is where they are destined. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, please respond to me directly. Thank you! -Matt P.S. - a couple decent birds on Ocracoke this week - Louisiana waterthrush (rare migrant on the Outer Banks) and a Sargasso shearwater from shore yesterday afternoon
--
Matthew D. Janson Ocracoke, North Carolina (704)-651-3860
Date: 8/1/26 10:21 am From: Susan Campbell <susan...> Subject: Re: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
Hey
Let me know if you do not get any responses.
Susan
Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef> ________________________________
From: <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...> on behalf of Matt Janson <carolinabirds...>
Sent: Saturday, 01 August 2026 13:16:45
To: CarolinaBirds <carolinabirds...>
Subject: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
Good afternoon listserv,
I am wondering if anyone is aware of a location or organization that repairs and donates used binoculars to schools, nature centers, or other programs. I have a pair of Zeiss Terra ED 8x42 binoculars that are out of alignment. Zeiss did offer to repair them for me for a fee but instead I opted to go with a new pair of Vortex optics since we use those at work and I have been extremely impressed with their warranty policy compared to Zeiss.
Anyhow, I now have an excess pair of Zeiss Terra EDs, and while they are in need of repair, could potentially be used by someone (?). It feels wrong to just throw them in the garbage, but perhaps that is where they are destined.
If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, please respond to me directly.
Thank you!
-Matt
P.S. - a couple decent birds on Ocracoke this week - Louisiana waterthrush (rare migrant on the Outer Banks) and a Sargasso shearwater from shore yesterday afternoon
--
Matthew D. Janson
Ocracoke, North Carolina
(704)-651-3860
Date: 8/1/26 10:14 am From: Matt Janson (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Donation of Zeiss binoculars needing repair?
Good afternoon listserv, I am wondering if anyone is aware of a location or organization that repairs and donates used binoculars to schools, nature centers, or other programs. I have a pair of Zeiss Terra ED 8x42 binoculars that are out of alignment. Zeiss did offer to repair them for me for a fee but instead I opted to go with a new pair of Vortex optics since we use those at work and I have been extremely impressed with their warranty policy compared to Zeiss. Anyhow, I now have an excess pair of Zeiss Terra EDs, and while they are in need of repair, could potentially be used by someone (?). It feels wrong to just throw them in the garbage, but perhaps that is where they are destined. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, please respond to me directly. Thank you! -Matt P.S. - a couple decent birds on Ocracoke this week - Louisiana waterthrush (rare migrant on the Outer Banks) and a Sargasso shearwater from shore yesterday afternoon -- Matthew D. Janson Ocracoke, North Carolina (704)-651-3860
