CBC in Atlantic Beach, January 28-30

By Judy Murray

Let's go to Atlantic Beach in January to see good winter birds! Our winter meeting will be held January 28-30, 2005 in Atlantic Beach, NC. We'll search for shorebirds, gulls, terns, loons, gannets, sparrows, waterfowl, and others on a variety of field trips. We've seen up to 150 species on past CBC meetings in Carteret County, including rarities such as Long-billed Curlew, Red Phalarope, and Thayer's and Glaucous Gulls.

Headquarters for the meeting will be the Sheraton Atlantic Beach Oceanfront Hotel (2717 W. Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach, NC 28512, 252-240-1155 or 1-800-624-8875). From US 70 in Morehead City take the causeway to Atlantic Beach, turning right on SR 58. The Sheraton is 2.3 miles on the left. Room rates are $65 per night single or double occupancy, plus a 12% room tax. All reservations must be guaranteed by credit card or advanced payment of a first night's room, including tax. Be sure to mention you are with CBC. All rooms have a hair dryer, coffeemaker, and refrigerator. The rate does not include a continental breakfast, however, there is a restaurant in the hotel where you can purchase breakfast. Reservation deadline is December 27, 2004. Room rates cannot be guaranteed after that date.

Dana Harris will have the registration table set up beginning on Thursday, January 28, at 7 pm. There will be a social hour Friday and Saturday nights from 7-8 pm, followed by the general meeting at 8 pm both nights in the meeting room of the hotel. John Fussell is our featured speaker Friday night, presenting his program "Birding and Bird Habitats in Carteret County," giving us a peek at the birds we can expect to see over the weekend. Saturday night Mike Tove's program will be "Gull Identification: Their Molts and How to Age Them."

John Fussell has a great line up of field trips with exciting birds to see on each trip. The descriptions of the trips and pre-registration form are in this newsletter. Be sure to include your trip preferences when you register for the meeting. Mark your calendars and register now for this wonderful birding experience.

Hope to see all of you there!

Atlantic Beach Field Trip Schedule

Please note the meeting locations, directions, and times in the field trip descriptions on the following two pages. Many trips have the option of leaving from the Sheraton, or meeting at the site, shopping center closer to the site, or ferry. Also note all trips have a limit (10-15) of how many can attend. Carpool when possible. You may want to bring drinks and snacks for half-day trips and will need to bring lunch for all-day trips. Field trip descriptions by John Fussell.

Trip Descriptions

Trip 1. Bird Shoal/Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve.

Good variety of shorebirds. Possibility of Long-billed Curlew. Leave from Sheraton at 7:15 am (or be at Outer Banks Ferry-directly across from N.C. Maritime Museum-on the Beaufort waterfront at 8 am; this is about 30 minutes from the Sheraton). Limit: 15. Cost $8, payable at ferry. Be prepared to wade through ankle-deep water.

Trip 2. Fort Macon SP/Ocean Piers/Marsh Sparrows.

Will check Fort Macon jetties, do some birding from ocean piers, and check the active spoiling site for gulls. At high tide, we'll bird the Morehead-Beaufort causeway marshes for marsh sparrows. Limit: 15. Leave from Sheraton at 7:30 am. Boots are desirable for last site.

Trip 3. Open Ground Farm.

Will hope to see Brewer's Blackbird and look for other open country birds. Limit: 15. Meet at Beaufort Square Shopping Center on US 70 East in Beaufort. Park next to the Dairy Queen. (This is about 0.4 mile past where NC 101 branches off from US 70.) Meet at 8 am. (Site is about 30 minutes from Sheraton.)

Trip 4. Bird Shoal/Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve.

(See description, cost, etc. under Trip 1 write-up. Leave from Sheraton at 12:30 pm or be at Outer Banks Ferry at 1:15 pm.)

Trip 5. North River Farms.

Site is typically quite birdy. Will look for raptors and other open country birds, a variety of sparrows, and maybe a few marsh birds. Limit: 15. Meet at Beaufort Square Shopping Center on US 70 East in Beaufort. Park next to the Dairy Queen. (This is about 0.4 mile past where NC 101 branches off from US 70.) Meet at 1 pm. (Site is about 30 minutes from Sheraton.)

Trip 6. Calico Creek/Morehead City area.

Bird Calico Creek tidal bay at various sites, which is a good place for good looks at Clapper Rail. Will hope for something interesting at Morehead sewage treatment plant. Limit: 15. Leave from the Sheraton at 1 pm.

Trip 7. Onslow County-Jacksonville Sewage Treatment Plant, New River Inlet-North Topsail Island, Permuda Island Estuarine Reserve.

At the treatment plant, will look through ducks and gulls, and hope for specialties like Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Eared Grebe. The ocean off North Topsail is typically very birdy, with large numbers of gannets and loons. Limit: 12. Leader: Jim O'Donnell. This trip will begin at Jim O'Donnell's house, which is about one hour from the Sheraton. Be at Jim's house at 8 am. To get to Jim's house, take NC 58 North (west) down the island and on to the mainland (at Cape Carteret). Turn left on NC 24 and continue through Jacksonville. Continue on NC 24/US 258 and turn left on NC 111 (following signs to Jacksonville airport). Go 2.8 miles down NC 111, and turn left on to Fire Tower Road at Catherine's Lake community. At 2.6 miles down Fire Tower Road, look for brick house on right.

Trip 8. The Real Down East.

An easy tour of various habitats in the scenic Down East area of Carteret County, ending up at the Cedar Island ferry terminal. We'll see a variety of species, including some waterfowl. Limit: 15. Leave from the Sheraton at 7 am.

Trip 9. Cape Lookout.

Trip will be to the cape point. There will be gulls, and we'll hope for a rarity. The cape is wonderfully desolate in winter. Limit: 15. Leave from the Sheraton at 7:30 am (or meet at Local Yokel Ferry Service on Harkers Island by 8:30 am). To get to Local Yokel, take US 70 East. In Beaufort, note fork with NC 101, and continue on US 70. About 9.3 miles past NC 101 fork, look for Harkers Island Road. Take road on to Harkers Island, and look for Local Yokel sign on right. Allow almost an hour to get from the Sheraton. Cost $12, payable at ferry. Be prepared to get feet wet when getting off boat at the cape. Will have to walk a couple of miles through sand. Be prepared for spray and low wind chill values.

Trip 10. Clancy Ballenger's Farm.

A tour of CBC member's farm, which is being managed for ducks, sparrows, and other birds. Clancy will show how he is managing his farm for birdlife. Limit: 15. Leave from Sheraton at 7:15 am.

Trip 11. Croatan National Forest/New Bern area.

In the Croatan National Forest, will look for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (and Henslow's Sparrows if any have been staked out). Then will check various sites-lakes and ponds, a treatment plant, and the Neuse River estuary-for a variety of waterfowl. Limit: 15. Leave from the Sheraton at 7:15 am.

Trip 12. East Shackleford Banks.

Area is good for shorebirds; may see Long-billed Curlews. Wonderfully desolate in winter; shelling often good on ocean beach. Limit: 15. Leave from the Sheraton at 7 am (or meet at Local Yokel Ferry Service on Harkers Island by 8 am). To get to Local Yokel, take US 70 East. In Beaufort, note fork with NC 101, and continue on US 70. About 9.3 miles past NC 101 fork, look for Harkers Island Road. Take road on to Harkers Island, and look for Local Yokel sign on right. Allow almost an hour to get from the Sheraton. Cost $10, payable at ferry. Be prepared for some wading in sticky mud and for spray and low wind chill values.

Trip 13. Kayak trip to Carrot Island-Horse Island/Rachel Carson Reserve.

Kayak trip through protected waters to oyster rocks where large numbers of shorebirds roost. Limit: 10. Leader: Dennis Chadwick. Meet 8 am at public boat ramp at east end of Front Street on Beaufort waterfront. To get to site, take US 70 into Beaufort, and turn right at first stoplight (onto Turner Street). Continue to end of street and turn left on Front Street. Continue to end of Front Street (about 2 miles) and look for boat ramp. Cost $20, payable at the boat ramp. Kayaks provided. Be prepared for low wind chill values.

Trip 14. Bird Shoal/Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve.

(See description, cost, etc. under Trip 1 write-up.)

Trip 15. Fort Macon SP/Ocean Piers/Marsh Sparrows.

(See description under Trip 2 write-up.)

Trip 16. North River Farms.

(See birding and meeting place under Trip 5 write-up. Will meet in Beaufort at 8am.)

Trip 17. Bird Shoal/Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve.

(See description, cost, etc. under Trip 1 write-up. Leave from Sheraton at 12:30pm or be at Outer Banks Ferry at 1:15pm.)

Trip 18. North River Farms.

(See description under Trip 5 write-up.)

Trip 19. Calico Creek/Morehead City area.

(See description under Trip 6 write-up.)

Trip 20. East Shackleford Banks.

(See description, cost, etc, under Trip 12 write-up.)

Trip 21. Bird Shoal/Rachel Carson Estuarine Reserve.

(See description, cost, etc. under Trip 1 write-up.)

Trip 22. Fort Macon SP/Ocean Piers/Marsh Sparrows.

(See description under Trip 2 write-up.)

Trip 23. North River Farms.

(See description under Trip 5 write-up. Will meet in Beaufort at 8am. )

[Note that the Outer Banks ferry is also available to take persons to the west end of Shackleford Banks (no organized trip is going to this site)].

Meeting Registration Increase

Registration for CBC meetings will increase beginning with the winter meeting in Atlantic Beach. For members the pre-registration cost will be $15; non-members, $20; and $25 for everyone who pays at the meeting. The Executive Committee voted on this change at the August retreat due to an increase in operation costs. The new fees are included in the registration form.

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