About the Club

Mission Statement

The Carolina Bird Club is a non-profit organization that represents and supports the birding community in the Carolinas through its website, publications, meetings, workshops, trips, and partnerships, whose mission is


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The Carolina Bird Club, Inc., is a non-profit educational and scientific association open to anyone interested in the study and conservation of wildlife, particularly birds.

The Club meets each winter, spring, and fall at different locations in the Carolinas. Meeting sites are selected to give participants an opportunity to see many different kinds of birds. Guided field trips and informative programs are combined for an exciting weekend of meeting with people who share an enthusiasm and concern for birds.

The Club offers research grants in avian biology for undergraduate and graduate students, and scholarships for young birders.

The Club publishes two print publications (now also available online). The Chat is a quarterly ornithological journal that contains scientific articles, reports of bird records committees and bird counts, and general field notes on bird sightings. CBC Newsletter is published bimonthly and includes birding articles and information about meetings, field trips, and Club news.

The Club provides this website to all for free.

By becoming a member, you support the activities of the Club, receive reduced registration fee for meetings, can participate in bonus field trips, and receive our publications.

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Other Resources (NOT sponsored by Carolina Bird Club)



Carolina Bird Club
Rare Bird Alert

January 7, 2005

To report a rare bird sighting in North or South Carolina, email Taylor Piephoff or call 704-332-2473 and leave a message.

Past Rare Bird Alert Index | CBC Main Page | Join the CBC

Hello, this is a January 7 update of the Carolina Rare Bird Alert featuring birding news from North and South Carolina sponsored by the Carolina Bird Club. Highlights on this report include:

NORTHERN LAPWING
ARCTIC LOON
YELLOW-BILLED LOON
PACIFIC LOONS
THICK-BILLED MURRE
RAZORBILLS
BLACK GUILLEMOT
RED-NECKED GREBE
COMMON EIDERS
SNOW BUNTINGS
SANDHILL CRANES

A NORTHERN LAPWING visited Mackay Island NWR in NC on Dec.23 but was not relocated that same day. Photographs were gotten of the bird.

Loons have made news in the Carolinas over the past week and a half. On Jan.1 an ARCTIC LOON was discovered off of Mercer's Pier at Wrightsville Beach, NC and was relocated Jan. 3. Two PACIFIC LOONS were in the same area on the 1st and the 3rd also. A THICK-BILLED MURRE put in an appearance on Jan. 3rd.

A YELLOW-BILLED LOON was seen on the Litchfield-Pawley's Island (SC) CBC but has not been reported since the original sighting.

Interesting birds at Bull's Island in Cape Romain NWR (SC) on Jan. 2 included 2 RED-NECKED GREBES, 5 LONG-TAILED DUCKS, COMMON EIDER, 4 SNOW BUNTINGS, 3 SANDHILL CRANES, and SHORT-EARED OWL.

Alcids have started showing up off the coasts of both Carolinas. Over a dozen RAZORBILLS were in the surf at Nags Head, NC on Jan. 6. RAZORBILLS have already been reported from Wrightsville Beach, NC; Kure Beach, NC; and Huntington Beach SP in SC. On Dec. 31 a BLACK GUILLEMOT was on the beach at Portsmouth Island, NC. A couple of hours of ocean-watching anywhere in the Carolinas could be very productive right now.

Look for COMMON EIDERS at the groin jetty on the south end of Oregon Inlet (NC) five birds, Fort Fisher in NC, east end of Ocean Isle Beach (adult male) in NC, Huntington Beach State Park (SC) and Cape Romain NWR in SC.

An AMERICAN TREE SPARROW was found and relocated on Jan. 3 and 4 in Fairfield County, SC. From Ridgeway, SC go east on SC 34 for 3 miles. Turn left on Road 650. At about .07 miles look for a metal gate on a road into a clearcut. The sparrow was seen in that area. Do not enter the field as it is posted land.

Thanks this week to Nathan Dias, Derb Carter, Jeff Lewis for their calls and reports. Some of this information was gleaned from Carolinabirds.

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