Carolina Bird Club
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To report a rare bird sighting in North or South Carolina, email Taylor Piephoff or call 704-332-2473 and leave a message. |
Hello, this is an April 8 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:
THICK-BILLED MURRE
HARLEQUIN DUCK
SWALLOW-TAILED KITES
HENSLOW'S SPARROWS
A THICK-BILLED MURRE has been present at The Point at Emerald Isle, NC. From Emerald Dr. take Coast Guard Rd. to its end at Inlet Dr. Go right and look for a public access that has been closed due to erosion. A dredging vessel is right offshore. The murre is being seen between the vessel and the sandbags protecting some nearby homes.
A HARLEQUIN DUCK was seen 3-27 and 3-28 at Sportsman's pier and nearby Oceanana pier at Atlantic Beach, NC.
An ATLANTIC PUFFIN in poor condition was picked up on the beach at Topsail Island, NC on March 29. Unfortunately the bird died despite efforts from rehabbers and the NC Zoo.
Reports of SWALLOW-TAILED KITES from NC include sightings of 3 individuals near Winnabow, NC in Brunswick, County; from the Pee Dee River between Wadesboro, NC (Anson Co.) and Rockingham, NC (Richmond Co.); and Plymouth, NC on April 1, and Currituck Co. near the Wright Bridge on April 3. There have been no follow-up reports on any of these birds.
HENSLOW'S SPARROWS continue to be found in the Croatan NF near Havelock, NC. Look in powerline corridors with thick grassy cover for these elusive birds.
Thanks this week to John Fussell, Donald Rote, Peter Vankevich, and Bruce Smithson for their reports. Some of this information was gleaned from Carolinabirds.