Hello, this is a Feb. 4 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:

COMMON MURRE
THICK-BILLED MURRE
DOVEKIE
RAZORBILL
RED-NECKED GREBE
KING EIDER
COMMON EIDER
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
LINCOLN'S SPARROWS

Huntington Beach State Park in SC is the best birding spot in the Carolinas right now. From the south jetty at the north end of the park or on the ocean south of the jetty look for COMMON MURRE ( seen infrequently through January, most recently Jan. 30); THICK-BILLED MURRES( one to two birds very dependable); DOVEKIE ( seen Jan. 30, 31 ); RAZORBILLS ( multiple birds through January); RED-NECKED GREBES ( two birds on the ocean since 1-22); COMMON EIDER( seen throughout January).

Further south a KING EIDER is still present at the Folly Beach Municipal Pier at Folly Beach, SC.

In NC around Atlantic Beach, check the jetty at Fort Macon SP for THICK-BILLED MURRE, RAZORBILLS, and PURPLE SANDPIPERS. A 1st winter ICELAND GULL was seen 1-29, 30 from the bath house observation deck at Fort Macon, and a RED-NECKED GREBE was present at Bogue Inlet Pier on 1-29. The Sheraton Hotel pier has produced sightings of DOVEKIE, THICK-BILLED MURRE, and RAZORBILL.

An AM. TREE SPARROW was at the south end of Oregon Inlet in the short grass on 1-30, 31. Also at Oregon Inlet, check the groin rocks for COMMON EIDERS and PURPLE SANDPIPERS.

LINCOLN'S SPARROWS are present on the north side of Lake Phelps in NC. On 1-20 three birds were along State Road 1183 (Shore Drive) and the trail from the Cypress Point Access restrooms to Moccasin Point. More are certainly in the area.

Thanks this week to Nathan Dias, John Fussell, Jeff Lewis, Donald Rote, Mary Alice Koeneke, and Wayne McBride for their calls and reports.

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