Virginia Rail

First Confirmed Breeding Record for Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) in Forsyth County, North Carolina

Ann Blue Robertson
Annbluebird2730@gmail.com

The Muddy Creek Greenway south of Robinhood Road/Jamison Park is an eBird Hotspot in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (Forsyth County). The trail borders Muddy Creek and winds through a mix of woodlands and open areas including open ditches and brushy habitat. It is known for attracting a variety of sparrows including, seasonally, White-crowned, Grasshopper, Vesper, Field, Savannah, and Swamp. Lincoln’s Sparrow has been documented as well.

On Thursday evening, April 13, 2023, David and Susan Disher visited in search of interesting sparrows. They were walking along the back fence of the dog park when they were startled to see two adult Virginia Rails. The Dishers’ eBird checklist, which includes photographs and audio files, includes the following written description: “small dark reddish-brown rails with gray faces and fairly long bills. Heard and seen. First saw one in grass on east side of the dog lot. Recording and poor photos.”

Virginia Rail, 14 April 2023, Forsyth County NC.
Photograph by Claudia Nielson.

In the ensuing ten days, about 30 birders posted on eBird that they saw or heard one or two adult Virginia Rails along the marshy ditch near the dog park. Many of the checklists include photos or audio files.

I visited the site on April 18, 2023. I did not see the rails, but I did note the needle rush (Juncus sp.) that was growing along the shallow, water-filled ditch where the rails had been seen and heard. Marbry “Hop” Hopkins was also there, and we speculated that this widespread marsh grass was familiar habitat to the rails, making it a good stopover area. No one yet had any idea the rails might be nesting.

On Sunday, April 23, 2023, young birder Jesse Haaf texted a photo of a recently deceased rail chick to me with the following message: “Ann, I believe this is a baby Virginia Rail. I found it at the corner of the dog park.”

The next day, Monday, April 24, 2023, Jessica Tate, MD, and I visited Muddy Creek in the early afternoon hoping to collect the chick. Miraculously, it was still there. Jessica scooped up the little rail and examined it for trauma. She concluded that it had most likely encountered a canine, given the proximity to the dog park, although possibly a human had stepped on it. I contacted Chris Marsh, PhD, who took the body and froze it pending delivery to the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, where it is now specimen NCSM 28377.

Virginia Rail, 23 Apr 2023,
Forsyth County, NC.
Photograph by Jesse Haaf

The last documented sighting of Virginia Rail during the breeding season was on May 5, 2023, when Jesse Haaf saw one adult Virginia Rail fly up from the ditch.

Curious on the rarity of the breeding record, I consulted the online website Birds of North Carolina: Their Distribution and Abundance, which notes that Virginia Rails in the Piedmont are “rare to locally uncommon transients”. There was a comment that Virginia Rails “possibly bred near Winston-Salem in 1985.” I then emailed Harry LeGrand, the owner of this portion of the NC Biodiversity Project, asking if he had more information on the 1985 occurrence near Winston-Salem. He wrote that “possible breeding” may have been overstated and sent a link to The Chat, Winter 1986, Briefs for the Files. For Virginia Rail, it read: “an adult seen at a golf course in Winston-Salem, N.C. on 19 and 21 July by Kim Spear and Richard Page.”

Since the 1985 sighting was not conclusive of breeding, I believe that this spring 2023 recovery of a recently fledged chick constitutes the first documented successful breeding record of Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) in Forsyth County, North Carolina.

Virginia Rail breeding range in the Eastern United States is generally along the immediate Atlantic Coast from North Carolina northward, and inland across the Northeast, Midwest and Great Plains, generally north of 38° latitude, with occasional breeding records inland and further south, for example the Burke’s Garden area in Tazewell County, Virginia.

Literature Cited
eBird. 2023. eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance [web application]. eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Available: http://www.ebird.org.
LeGrand, Harry E. Jr.. 2023. Birds of North Carolina: Their Distribution and Abundance. Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola). http://ncbirds.carolinabirdclub.org/view.php?species_id=221. (Accessed: August 10, 2023).
LeGrand, Harry E., Jr. 1986. Briefs for the Files. Chat 50:24.

This article was originally published in The Chat, the Quarterly Bulletin of Carolina Bird Club, Inc., in the Fall of 2023 and appears here with permission.

Forsyth Audubon Spring Trip 2023 – Carolina Beach

So our spring trip was scheduled for April 15 with Jesse Anderson to lead and me to co-lead ( meaning organize departure times and meeting places). Well life interferes with birding and Jesse had to withdraw from leading the tour. Continue on!! Thankfully, Jesse supplemented the schedule with detailed instructions and GPS waypoints for us to explore the area on our own.
The weather predictions for Friday were for heavy rain and thunderstorms in the morning. Depending on the weather, we had planned to meet at Johnnie Mercer Pier. But when I woke up, it was “car wash weather” and obvious that the morning flight of seabirds was unlikely to occur. I received an early morning phone call from Deirdre Herrington and then a text from Ron Morris, Where are you? My response was a polite “staying dry”. At that point, it was raining so hard at the pier that Ron and Deirde couldn’t see that they were parked next to each other!! These are the conditions when there just isn’t a morning flight!! Our second meeting spot was Green Field Lake Park in Wilmington. Jesse selected this because it was an eBird hotspot with a variety of birds and the numerous shelters throughout the park

Best early sighting of the day, Ferd and Gail Crotte got photos of a yellow-eared slider laying eggs on the park lawn. A walk around the park was interrupted by a heavy, but short lived shower. Lots of yellow-rumped warblers, brown thrashers, boat-tailed no, no they were common grackles, and a red-headed woodpecker. Prothonotary warbler and a northern parula gave folks a good show. Let’s not forget a birding emergency 911 call by a vagrant birder who will remain nameless.

Willet. Photo by Jean Chamberlain

American oystercatcher. Photo by Don Kautz

After lunch, we went to the beaches at Mason Inlet Waterbird Management Area. While waiting for everyone to pay their parking fees, Ron Morris had some good sightings in his scope! Sanderlings and willets were feeding among the beach goers.
A walk up the beach provided some of the best moments of the trip. Nesting oystercatchers, an enormous flock of black skimmers, and some very close looks at Wilson’s plovers. Let’s not forget a large grouping of gulls – “they are birds too”. Some folks even puzzled over the many tern species. Royal, common, least, and a few lingering Forster’s terns, And yes, those birds with a loud mouth and a long-tail are boat-tailed grackles. Don Kautz pointed out calling killdeers on the walk back.

Wilson’s plover. Photo by Don Kautz

Fortunately, for us Saturday was a beautiful sunny day. We started meeting at the Federal Point Boat Ramp. From here we walked through a tidal marsh and scoped out the causeway. Clapper rails were very cooperative and gave everyone a good view. We decided to get a “little closer” on the jetty and before we knew it, three fisherman gave up their prime fishing spot to a bunch of wandering birders. In the old days, we would have been happy to see both the seaside sparrow and the sharp-tailed sparrows together as we did. But no, the sharp-tailed sparrows are now split into the saltmarsh and Nelson’s sparrows. And furthermore, there are multiple races and they hybridize! After a few dozen excellent photos, we confirmed the id with Evan Buckfield, who did her research for her Master’s degree on the wintering habitats of Nelson’s and Saltmarsh sparrows. We had ruddy turnstones, oystercatchers, common yellow-throat and for some a marsh wren before we headed for a rest stop break.

Clapper rail. Photo by Don Kautz

Nelson’s sparrow. Photo by Gail Crotte

We took a short walk at the NC Aquarium in Kures Beach. Here Catherine Wandell and Jean Chamberlain spotted a black and white warbler. Then among the white-throated sparrows and yellow-rumped warblers, we had a prairie warbler. We also had a good look at a yellow-crowned night heron. Don patiently explained to a birder who pointed out the “black-crowned night-heron” to him, what the proper ID was.

Yellow-crowned night-heron. Photo by Jean Chamberlain

Alligator. Photo by Jean Chamberlain

Our next stop on our birding adventure was to Carolina Beach Park to hear about the banding project for the painted bunting. Evan Buckfield, the founder of the Cape Fear Bird Observatory gave a great presentation on banding of painted buntings and their research findings. We saw no painted buntings on Saturday, but they showed up on Monday at Arlie Gardens!!

Red-headed woodpecker. Photo by Don Kautz

Back to Fort Fisher State park, our newest and youngest birder, Alison found a red-headed woodpecker and another great crested flycathcher! Then it was off to meet Emily Abernathy, a park ranger and a personally guided hike for our group. Don Kautz decided to back out of this walk and went back to the hotel for a nap. Too bad, Don!! Emily did a fantastic job explaining the ecological zones that we walked through and the natural history of the park. What do you think the weight of a brown pelican is? Did you know that ghost crabs patrol a tiny space as their exclusive territory? This and many other fun facts and good birds were seen on this mid-afternoon jaunt.

Sunday found us at Holly Shelter Game Land, Unfortunately, we did not find a Bachman’s sparrow that was singing right in front of us. We tracked this singing bird for at least thirty minutes!! We did have an indigo bunting, which in my mind is a good consolation prize. Red-headed woodpeckers were seen in the long-leaf pine forest, but no one spotted any of the white-cheeked, red-cockaded woodpeckers. A few persistent folks stayed around to see a fantastic display of yellow pitcher plants, northern pitcher plants, and butterwort. And, I was happy to see my first ever dwarf iris. From the Game Lands, folks drove back to Winston-Salem.

Forsyth Audubon Winter Trip 2023 – Virginia Beach

A President’s weekend trip to Virginia Beach was just the ticket to waterfowl abundance for some Forsyth Audubon members.  The weather forecast for Friday was dire.  And the drive from WS to Virginia Beach was a mix of light rain to torrential downpours.  However, after arriving at the Back Bay NWR there was no rain!!  Fortunately for us, it only rained a little during our tram tour.  We had an open air tram with an overhead canopy. The tram provided a platform for Deidre to set up her scope in the aisle. We were allowed to get out to scope the ducks and geese.

And we had birds, – a few thousand tundra swans, hundreds of snow geese and a great variety of dabbling ducks with a few diving ducks mixed in.  For those looking for a shorebird challenge, we had both greater and lesser yellowlegs and at one point- both species were side by side.  Now, how about winter dowitchers – short-billed or long-billed – we didn’t hear any vocalizations and didn’t see any undertail coverts. Chances are, these were short-billed dowitchers.   So, for those that needed one or the other for your life list, better study up before the next trip!!  While a few folks stopped on the way out of the park, to look at a bald eagle, the more savvy birders like Ga were looking the other way and focusing on a merlin.

Tungra swans. Photo by Jean Chamberlain.

Thankfully,  Saturday was clear and sunny.  Our first stop was on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Island #4.  Here we were treated to at least 85 razorbills. These were flying both north and south out of the Chesapeake Bay.  We also had several close razorbills on the water. Black scoters and long-tailed ducks provided for close views. Craig McCleary picked out a great cormorant in flight to complement the hundreds of double-crested cormorants that were perched, flying around and swimming in the water.  Eagle-eyed Chuck Thompson picked up four close common loons.  The talkative Sven spotted a purple sandpiper and another one joined it just before our time with our police escort was up. 

Common loon. Photo by Jean Chamberlain.

Purple Sandpiper. Photo by Alan Moore.

Northern gannets put on quite a show.  At one point, someone estimated there were a 100-flying around a large container ship.

Northern Gannet. Photo by Alan Moore.

We stopped at Kiptopeke State Park where Jane McCleary spotted a white-winged scoter in perfect light and close enough for good binocular views.  Most accommodating were a number of common loons and red-throated loons that allowed everyone to see the differences in body and bill size, and shape. Thanks to Jean Chamberlain, we found about 6-7 fox sparrows in a thicket near the parking lot. And Catherine Wandell picked out a few white-throated sparrows and a Cooper’s hawk.

After a hearty lunch, we drove up to Chincoteague NWR. 

Black-headed gull. Photo by Jean Chamberlain.

Thanks to a lucky conversation with a Virginia birder, we were informed that there was a black-headed gull in the pond next to our parking spot (but it had just flown). After a half hour on the causeway, we saw a few horned grebes, bufflehead, and some fantastic close oystercatchers. Ann Newsome found our only (un) common goldeneyes of the trip. Just before we were ready to leave, guess what was back! The black-headed gull gave us a nice display. Sven, a native of Sweden, confirmed our id of black-headed gull and all had close binocular views.

Horned grebe. Photo by Jean Chamberlain.

Oystercatcher. Photo by Jean Chamberlain.

In Chincoteague NWR, Sven called out marbled godwit.  Once again, we had a comparison of the sizes of shorebirds. This time it was godwits vs willets with a lone dunlin thrown into the mix.  Northern shovelers and Tundra swans were the other stars of the show.  Thanks to Chuck, we had good views of a bald eagle on a nest a 100 yards or more from the wildlife drive.  One group even got to see a red fox and some poor behavior as a visitor chased it, trying to get a cell phone photo!!!

Northern Shoveler. Photo by Jean Chamberlain.

On Sunday, after sunrise services we met at First Landing State Park.  Here we were treated to a red-breasted merganser convention.  For good measure, we had a large number of lesser-black backed gulls mixed in with the more abundant herring, ring-billed, and great black-backed gulls.  Folks were polite as Bernie pointed out the differences of the various gulls in adult and juvenile plumages.  As Catherine, quoted a famous author, “they are birds too”.  After working the beach, we moved across the street to the campground area.

Photo by Deirdre Herrington.

While Craig did not want to be a leader of this winter extravaganza, he did serve to point out a near invisible brown creeper in the pine trees at First Landing SP.  Overall, mid-morning birding in the woods wasn’t as exciting as looking at gulls. After a short walk at Pleasure House Point Natural area we stopped for lunch.  We went back to the Back Bay NWR as it offered the possibility of some new birds.  Once again Craig gave folks a patient lesson in “birding every bird” – carefully pointing out that the “ring-necked ducks” were actually lesser scaup. We had a few yellow-rumped warblers on our walk to the dunes.  Also, at the dunes, northern gannets, common loons, red-throated loons, and razorbills flew by.  A few lucky folks, saw a merlin streaking down the dunes as we walked back to the vehicles. 

We had our trip countdown and fantastic seafood dinner at Maggie & Ray’s Crab House.

Photo by Deirdre Herrington.

Photo by Jean Chamberlain.

On Monday morning, a few diehards walked the beach to look at some “parking lot” gulls and three close lesser black backed gulls.  Gannets, loons, bald eagles, and bottlenose dolphins made for an added bonus.  Thanks to all those that attended and especially to Jean Chamberlain who made the arrangements for the hotel, restaurants, and schedule. 

Photo by Ga Baliga.

Forsyth Audubon Spring Trip 2020 – Peaks of Otter

Birding in the Fog, May 22-24, 2022

Sunday

Ah, cell service? Nope, non-existent at the visitor center when we arrived at 10 o’clock on Sunday morning.  We were unable to reach one member of our group who wasn’t arriving until lunch.  

The weather was beautiful, though, for a walk on the .8 mile Elk Run Trail loop.  We heard our first Cerulean as well as Hooded and Blackburnian Warblers.  We then drove to the picnic area for a peaceful lunch along the creek there.

After lunch we went to the Flat Top and Falling Waters Cascades trailhead.  On our mile long walk we heard a couple more Ceruleans, but we were yet to see one.  Several of us heard a beautiful chorus of three Hooded Warblers with one male clearly seen.  We left and headed back just in time as an afternoon storm was forecast for 4 o’clock.  It came right on time as we were checking into the hotel.

We saw quite a few more common species. Below, an Ovenbird and a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

We had dinner at the lodge restaurant where we were entertained by a trio of fiddlers.  After dinner we walked around Abbot Lake.  It was quite dark so we tried to call a Screech Owl, but no luck.  We were startled by a large brown blob (creature) that ran through our group.   The ID of the blob is still a mystery.  

Monday
Rain was forecast for 11:00 AM.  It was cool, but nice birding along Radar Road.  We heard Ceruleans but again couldn’t find one.  It was difficult seeing birds with the fog. 

We saw a beautiful red salamander though (redeft).  Shortly after that we were met by a group of researchers who were all headed out in full rain gear, looking for particular species called the Peaks of Otter salamander that is found only in Bedford and Botetourt counties.

Next, we started down Warbler Road.  We heard and saw several of the same warblers we’d heard on Sunday.  The fog rolled in and unfortunately it started raining shortly after 11:00 AM.  

We decided to eat lunch downstairs in the lodge rather than at the picnic area.  The fog was so thick we could barely see the lake.   After lunch Cynthia tested our birdsong ID skills on the warblers we’d been seeing.  Everyone did very well having heard them many times.  

With so much fog we decided it would not be worthwhile or safe to drive to the overlooks as planned.  Instead, we birded through the meadow, stepping over a little turtle on the path, and into the woods heading toward Johnson’s Farm.

We heard American Redstarts, Hooded and Cerulean Warblers.  Then suddenly we heard the clear, loud churee’-churee’-churee’ notes of a Kentucky Warbler right along our path.  Catherine spotted it and a couple of us got a really good unobstructed view of it sitting out on a branch, but then it flew.  Not giving up we followed it through the small patch of woods to the meadow on the other side.  The bird was in a large tree singing away.  We then spent an hour and 15 minutes searching for a bird that was right overhead, singing loudly and repeatedly, but the fog was dense.  Don said he looked at every leaf on that tree.  We didn’t find it.

We took a break out of the rain at the visitor center and did charade-like imitations of birds to entertain ourselves: hummingbird, bittern, Louisiana and northern waterthrushes, crane, woodpecker and others.  We walked around the lake in the rain with the goal of finding just one more species.  We did find Cedar Waxwings.  They, along with Eastern Phoebes and Barn Swallows (photo on right), didn’t seem to mind the rain at all.

Tuesday
Since it was raining steadily at 7:00 AM, we decided to wait and hope it would let up.  Some of us had breakfast at the lodge restaurant while we waited.  About 8:30 four of us decided to head back toward Johnson Farm in light rain in search of the Kentucky Warbler.  We found it again in the same location.  Becky spotted it and a couple more of us got a good look at it.  We continued on to the farm, but the birds were not very active so we headed home.

In spite of the weather everyone was in good spirits the whole time.  It was a light hearted crew providing me a memorable experience in leading my first Forsyth Audubon trip.

Thanks to Barb Barucki and Cynthia Donaldson for sharing some of the photos used in this story.

Forsyth Audubon Winter Trip 2020 – NC Outer Banks

By Jesse Anderson

For any adventure – no matter the weather or bird activity, or unforeseen circumstances – great company often makes for a great story. As we barrel through the calendar year, endlessly filling our backyard feeders, installing native plants…waiting for a time when we can again re-group to enjoy birds together. For now I thought I’d share our story.

Leading my first winter trip with Forsyth Audubon, there was a natural drive to do things a bit differently – change some things up to make it fun and interesting, considering we have been traveling as an organization to the Outer Banks for a long while now. I was interested in sharing a “seldom-visited” birding hotspot, which I have grown to love, Lake Phelps, AKA Pettigrew State Park. At a whopping 16,600 acres, Lake Phelps is North Carolina’s second largest natural lake. As we arrived at Pettigrew State Park, driving through six or more inches of water and winds howling, we all secretly knew birding was going to be tough. While waiting for everyone to arrive, a couple of Bald Eagles of various ages flew overhead – maybe there was hope. One thing you can’t ever plan for is weather, and boy did this weather stir things up.

Getting by with a little help from our friends – from getting cold feet along the flooded Bodie Island boardwalk. Photo by Jesse Anderson.

Walking out to the boat ramp, we could see turbulent waters ahead. We were able to view a few hunkered down winter songbirds, but it wasn’t easy. With strong winds blowing, Lake Phelps looked more like a rough ocean than a lake – nothing out on the lake except some whitecaps! In an attempt to salvage the stop, we headed toward the “sheltered” south leeward side of the lake, where the waterfowl were hopefully hiding. Less than halfway there, we encountered downed trees blocking the only road to the access. Enough with this, on to the Outer Banks!

A quick stop for lunch at Sugar Shack Seafood Market, just over the Roanoke Sound as you travel into the Outer Banks. Weather wasn’t only turbulent for the birds, it caused an upwelling in the whole schedule – the road down to Cape Hatteras was completely flooded – as lunch quickly turned into spreading word of overturned UPS trucks and floating Jeep 4×4 vehicles. Luckily, our amazing group was able to overcome by scrambling to re-book accommodations and adapt.

The sheltered marsh of Bodie Island did not disappoint. A visit to the observation deck provided our group with even more diversity and great bonding time. The group enjoyed excellent views of a wide variety of waterfowl and a very cooperative tricolored heron.

Tricolored Heron. Photo by Paul Beerman.

A short trip over to the Old Coastguard Station provided good views of some sheltering American Oystercatchers and Red-breasted Mergansers. Walking out to the point quickly reminded us how hard the wind was blowing, considering we soon began being pelted with sand as we crested the edge of the terminal groin.

American Oystercatchers feeding in the sheltered surf. Photo by Jesse Anderson.

As we returned, crossing Bonner Bridge, we noticed a few cormorants which had been stranded on top of the bridge, sheltering from the strong winds. Cormorants are the most efficient marine predator in the world, catching more fish per effort than any other animal – where they lack in efficiency is on land – they are clumsy and awkward, often struggling to take flight. In a split-second decision, we decided to stop, with a speed limit of 55 MPH, they were likely to meet an unfortunate fate. Jean Chamberlain [wildlife rehabilitator extraordinaire] and I [mere mortal], got to work catching these two birds to help them see another day. Jean showed her true expertise as she approached, quickly captured, and released the cormorant that was staying still. I went after the other, which decided to run awkwardly along Bonner Bridge, with an awkward human (me) chasing behind. Finally, I caught the second bird and both were released to safety.

Awkward human (Jesse) chasing awkward bird (Double-crested Cormorant). Photo by Barb Borucki.

On the way home, a few of us stopped to observe the tail-end of a (continuing) Common Gallinule in a roadside ditch – woohoo!! Take the win where we can get it!

The following day was a trip to Mackay Island NWR. After contacting the range manager prior to our visit, I was particularly excited about this stop. Upon arrival, however, a different story unfolded. Apparently because of federal budget cuts on wildlife refuges, the gates to the range were “closed on the weekend” according to the range manager via phone, something he failed to mention in prior conversation. Even to this day, scouring their website, I find that the range is “Open Sunrise to Sunset.” Our great group of Forsyth Audubon members would adapt and enjoy what portion we could! One of the main targets was the all-elusive King Rail. Many were heard, yet they stayed true to their modus-operandi.

Just before lunch, we received notifications that the King Eider had been relocated off Jeanette’s Pier. We made a quick decision to enjoy our bag lunch on the next ferry and head straight back to Nags Head to do some seawatching.

The Common Eider was much closer and more cooperative. Photo by Paul Beerman.

Upon arrival at Jeanette’s Pier, a number of other birders were already observing a pair of King Eider. The views were distant, but distinguishable, and it was enjoyable to compare both King and Common Eider at the same site! In addition to the eider, we enjoyed viewing a number of ducks, Manx Shearwater, and a few Razorbills.

Forsyth Audubon members enjoying the challenge of viewing a flyby Manx Shearwater. Photo by Jesse Anderson.

After we got our fix of seawatching, we collectively decided to explore Pea Island NWR, a favorite local hotspot. A few stops within the refuge provided just the amazing addition to bird diversity the group was looking for. Made for a great end to day two.

American Avocets. Photo by Paul Beerman.

Our third day was a long-awaited journey into offshore waters on the Stormy Petrel II, a boat operated by Brian Patteson and Kate Sutherland. Pelagic trips are possibly one of my favorite things to do while at the coast, mainly because it brings you away from human development into a whole new world, one not often seen from shore.

Sunrise from the Stormy Petrel II. Photo by Jesse Anderson.

Throughout the day, both bird life and marine life did not disappoint. Just as we were heading into Oregon Inlet, I noticed a small dark bird on the water from mid-way down the starboard side and ran to the front yelling ‘alcid!’ As we barreled ahead, the bird dove just under the bow. The tiny bird ended up being our first, and only Dovekie of the trip – and what wonderful views we had.

Dovekie. Photo by Jesse Anderson.

The Dovekie hung around the boat for quite a while, seemingly in an attempt to catch its breath and avoid becoming a meal of a nearby Great Black-backed Gull. Additional bird highlights included thousands of Northern Gannet, a number of Razorbill, and a great diversity of gulls of all ages.

A non-feathered highlight and the amazing reason pelagic trips are so much fun – you never know what you’ll encounter! Common Thresher Shark (Alopias vulpinus) full breaching from the water was a top highlight for me! Photo by Jesse Anderson.

After spending the final morning exploring Alligator River NWR, we all slowly trickled back toward Forsyth County, many with photos to share and stories that would last a lifetime. Looking forward to again enjoying the company of fellow like-minded bird (and nature) enthusiasts. Hope you are all having a great summer!

Celebrating Birds and Birders

Birders everywhere recently celebrated #BlackBirdersWeek which was triggered by the experience of Christian Cooper in Central Park in New York City.  Christian, a black birder, was confronted by a white woman with a dog running off leash in the Ramble, an ecologically sensitive part of the park.  Christian politely asked the woman to leash her dog and she responded by threatening to call the police and then following through with the call and lying that Christian was threatening her.  Birders rallied in their support of Christian, a board member of New York City Audubon and an expert birder.  For more, see National Audubon’s story, ‘Black Birders Week’ Promotes Diversity and Takes on Racism in the Outdoors.

Blackburnian Warbler. Photo by Jeff Gresko.

John Haire shared his memories of Christian with Forsyth County birders.

“Christian Cooper showed me my first Blackburnian Warbler in the spring of 1994, when I lived in NYC.  He was one of the folks that actively birded “the Ramble” in Central Park, and was someone I looked up to because I was a beginner and he was already experienced and knew his stuff.  It’s amazing how some bird memories persist, and that is one I will never forget!”

The spectacular Blackburnian Warbler has had a powerful effect on many birders.  It was Phoebe Snetsinger’s spark bird in 1961 that fueled her drive to see as many of the world’s birds as possible.  She went on to become the first person to observe over 8,000 species.  Former Forsyth Audubon President Susan Jones called the Blackburnian Warbler her gateway bird.

In the trailer for the documentary, “Birders: The Central Park Effect,” Christian calls out a Blackburnian Warbler.

Later, John told me, “It was just one of those bird memories that last forever, like I can remember my first warbler (a Common Yellowthroat), my first towhee, first Cedar Waxwing, etc.  I just vividly remember that CC showed me a Blackburnian in Central Park (with some time, I could probably re-find the place).  It’s funny how some birds are so memorable years later!”  John added that Blackburnian Warbler may still be his favorite warbler.

Cerulean Warbler. Photo by Jeff Gresko.

Carol Cunningham joined the conversation with memories of birding with John.

“John Haire showed me my first Cerulean and first Blue-Winged Warblers.  He obviously had a good teacher in Christian Cooper.”

Hooded Warbler. Photo by Allison Gagnon.

Allison Gagnon also has fond memories of birding with John.

“I understand completely! John Haire led the way for us to have great looks at a Hooded Warbler he heard at Reynolda one time, and I always think of him when I see, or even hear them!”

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Photo by Jeff Gresko.

Let’s end with Deirdre Herrington reminiscing about another of our favorite Forsyth County birders, Rob Rogers.

“A year after I retired I took Rob Rogers’ course at Forsyth Tech and haven’t looked back.  It’s been such a joy to open my eyes and ears to the avian wonders all around.  So when we were asked to muse about who showed us which bird for the first time I have to think of Rob and the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (although there were many others, of course).  Our class of novice birders were following Rob around like imprinting ducklings at Reynolda when he heard a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, sighted it and followed it to its nest.  I still remember which tree.   At the time, I was fixated on visual identification but marvelled at Rob’s ability to first hear a particular bird and then try to find it.  Even when the song of the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was pointed out to me, I couldn’t seem to catch it.  This led to an “ah ha” moment when I realized I have high frequency hearing loss (another reason to start birding when you are young).  Four years and a hearing aid later I hear those rascal gnatcatchers all the time!   While the amplification helps, I also finally recognized what to listen for.  It’s delightful to see the various species up close through binoculars, but recognizing their songs has doubled the pleasure.  So I’d like to sincerely thank Rob, but also the many other experienced birders in Forsyth Audubon that I’ve cornered on bird walks and Audubon trips (Cynthia Donaldson, Nathan Gatto, Ron Morris, Bill Gifford and Mike Conway to name a few).”

Blue-winged Warbler. Photo by Jeff Gresko.

We are very fortunate to have a local community of birders who love to share.  Join the conversation and tell us about your favorite memories in the comments.

2019 Pilot Mountain Hawk Watch – An Outlier Year

By Jesse Anderson, Pinnacle, NC

Well, it was an outlier of a year for the Hawk Watch at Pilot Mountain. In statistics, an outlier is a data point which differs significantly from other points of data in a given study. Historically, the average count has been about 4,500 migrants, 95% of which were Broad-winged Hawks. In 2019, Pilot Mountain’s hawk watch was presented with an outlier of a year – an all-time low for total numbers of Broad-winged Hawks during our count season – a total of under 500 migrants. Even though few passed, some stuck around long enough for a nice photo!

A Broad-winged Hawk migrating over Pilot Mountain

At first glance, these numbers may sound frightening; however, Pilot Mountain’s hawk watch wasn’t the only “outlier” in the state. At the other end of the “outlier” spectrum was a nearby count just off the Blue Ridge Parkway where Jim Keighton at the Mahogany Rock Hawk Watch saw over 8,600 migrant raptors. The Story/Lenoir Hawk Watch had an amazing outlier of 8,200 birds in a single day, totaling over 11,000 for the year’s count! And last, but not least, the Mount Pisgah Hawk Watch totaled over 9,200 migrants for the season.

On the positive side, Forsyth Audubon and Pilot Mountain State Park held another Hawk Watch Volunteer Training, in which over 20 new prospective volunteers came to join for a wonderful event where they learned more about hawk identification, behavior, and the procedures for tracking weather data at the Little Pinnacle Overlook!

As noted by Ramona Snavely, founder of the Pilot Mountain Hawk Watch, weather is one of the most influential factors in Broad-winged Hawk migration. In her study, weather had a direct correlation with both the number and diversity of species passing Pilot Mountain. The one critical factor that typically drives high numbers of Broad-winged Hawks past Pilot Mountain is a consistent northwest wind following the passage of a cold front during optimal migration timing – something that just did not occur in a timely manner this year. We do know, whatever the timing of the particular cold front that passed, Lenoir, NC was the place to be. That’s one of the great things about hawk watching, you never know when you’ll be in the right-place-right-time!

For the dedicated volunteer, you never know when a different kind of outlier will make for a special treat, like this beautiful Olive-sided Flycatcher, which paid a visit to the Little Pinnacle for just long enough to strike a pose!

Olive-sided Flycatcher at Little Pinnacle Overlook

Until next year, we hope to see you out there, and ‘Keep Looking Up!’

Webcams and Funny Names: Inspiring Children to Love Birds

By Heather Moir, fourth grade teacher at Summit School

The Clay-colored Thrush is a tropical bird whose northernmost range extends to southern Texas. My fourth graders can tell you from first-hand observation that it is an aggressive bird (“a bully”), who won’t share bananas with any other birds. They know this detail about tropical bird behavior from watching Cornell’s Panama Fruit Feeder Cam – a live camera feed from Panama that shows a fruit feeding station that brings in tropical birds.

A Clay-colored Thrush at the feeder

I began putting the Panama fruit feeder cam on the Smart Board as the children arrived in the mornings. The live camera feed also includes audio, and the tropical bird sounds were calming first thing in the morning. But the camera served as background and nothing more.

Then one morning the Toucans arrived. They were big. They were colorful. They were impressive. The children were excited. I was pretty excited myself. From then on, we began paying closer attention to the fruit feeder camera. That’s when some of the kids noticed the tawny-colored bully bird who chased the smaller colorful birds away from the bananas. They asked what kind of bird it was. I had no idea. We checked out a field guide to the birds of Panama from our library and discovered it was a Clay-colored Thrush.

A big, beautiful Yellow-throated Toucan in the trees above the feeders

A few days later, one boy was intrigued with the bird with the bright yellow feathers at the base of its tail. He paused the computer so he could look it up in the field guide. The field guide was set up with pictures and numbers that had to be cross-referenced to find the bird’s name. So he asked me for help. When I pointed to the bird’s name in the book, his eyes got big and I could see the wheels turning. The bird’s name was almost too much for a fourth grade boy to handle – it was a Flame-rumped Tanager. “Seriously?” he asked. Then, because he couldn’t help himself, “You mean his name means “fire booty?” He couldn’t be expected to hold it in after all. Yes, I confirmed, that’s its name.

A male Flame-rumped Tanager enjoys a banana

Since then, the Flame-rumped Tanager and his mate have made repeat appearances at the fruit feeder. We have also seen a flock of Gray-headed Chachalacas (at least a dozen), who throw the bananas around carelessly as they feed. We are still hoping the Toucans will come back.

Mrs. Flame-rumped Tanager bathes in a nearby stream

I am hopeful that somehow an interest in birds and nature has been sparked. I am grateful to Cornell for these wonderful webcams that make nature watching so accessible. And I am especially grateful to whoever named some of our birds with names that are so appealing to ten-year-olds. One day soon I will let the children know that they may be able to find Yellow-rumped Warblers right in their own backyards!

All photos by Shelley Rutkin

 

Forsyth Audubon Spring Trip 2019 – Peaks of Otter, Virginia

By Cynthia Donaldson

Our group of 19 birders enjoyed listening to the birds along the Elk Run Trail. Our training sessions of “birding by ear” had begun!

After an early morning on Sunday, May 19, and a three-hour drive from Winston-Salem, we were ready to hike the Elk Run Trail.  From the trailhead behind the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway, we hiked the .8 mile loop trail through a pleasant mountain woods.  A Louisiana Waterthrush, foraging along the babbling brook, gave us quick looks as it flew from log to log and then perched on a low branch.   Redstarts, vireos, and Ovenbirds entertained from the forest foliage.  This “concert” was the necessary communication of birds busy defending territories and attracting mates.  Their musical songs, “teacher-teacher-teacher,” “get up – get up – get out of bed,” “drink-your-tea,” “chick-burr,” and many more played in our ears as we enjoyed the not-so-quiet woods.  As typical, birding fully leafed–out trees is difficult.  When one can’t “see” the birds, the sense of hearing becomes the tool for identification.  By the end of the trip, most people on the trip became adept at recognizing Ovenbird, Cerulean Warbler, Eastern Wood-Pewee, American Redstart, Indigo Bunting, and Hooded Warbler.  Some even could identify the nuances between the Red-eyed and Blue-headed Vireo!

We had our lunch at the picnic area, binoculars close by just in case. After lunch, we went to the Flat Top parking area between MM 84 – 83 and with the help of Bill, found the Cerulean Warbler immediately.  The Hooded Warbler, singing his “get up – get up – get out of bed,” was not so accommodating, but we all would get a look at one before the trip was over. 

This is an Eastern Phoebe nest located in the visitor center breezeway. Apparently, she constructed this nest this spring. All the moss and leaves seemed to be of the same age – newly gathered! We had never seen a nest this tall before!

We didn’t hurry back to the lodge to get checked in because they were without electrical power.  The generators were servicing most of the lodge and rooms, but the kitchen was not able to prepare their usual dinner menu items. 

After a lovely meet-and-greet time on the beautiful lawn overlooking  Abbot Lake and Sharp Top Mountain, we enjoyed the soup and salad bar.  Then, a few of us walked around Abbott Lake as the beautiful day turned to dusk.

We departed the parking lot around 7:00 AM on Monday morning and drove to Sunset Fields at MM 78.4. We enjoyed the trees and the lookout and then walked up Radar Road.  It is a special day when one gets great looks at three vireos: Red-eyed, Yellow-throated, and Blue-headed.  Several sightings of Scarlet Tanagers along this road and Warbler Road also thrilled us!

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Jean got photos of all three vireos: Yellow-throated and Red-eyed above, Blue-headed below.

Each of us enjoyed birding along Radar Road. It was a lovely morning walk, and we saw and heard many resident species. The chronic malady, “warbler-neck,” spread quickly through the group, but nothing could stop us from searching the topmost branches for those birds!

By the time we walked down Warbler Road, we were pretty comfortable identifying these mountain birds, so as we walked we had a great time testing our skills by identifying the birds by ear!  Then we heard one that we hadn’t heard so far! We followed the buzzy, high-pitched song and were delighted to a Worm-eating Warbler, head tilted back, singing his song!  Some of the birders in our group had lost the ability to hear that pitch, so we were so glad we got to see it.

Worm-eating Warbler by Jean.

After a return to Peaks of Otter Lodge and another picnic lunch, we headed south to Harvey’s Knob at MM 95.3.  Harvey’s Knob is a fall hotspot for migrating raptors and dragonflies.  It wasn’t the right time of the year to see Broad-winged Hawks, but two Common Ravens greeted us and flew down the knob into the trees below.  There were also many male Indigo Buntings here singing their three-part song. 

We enjoyed a walk on the Appalachian Trail!

It was not very birdy along the trail, but we all know that birders default to another natural wonder: plants!   

Pink Lady’s Slippers

Rhododendron in bloom!

We visited several  overlooks on our way back to the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center.
Two Common Raven circled right above us here. We saw a Red-tailed Hawk here as well. Photo by Ga.

Thunder Ridge overlooking Arnold Valley!

After dinner, we tallied up all the birds we saw and heard! The total was 59 species with Orchard Oriole and Cedar Waxwing to be added the next morning!

Eastern Wood-Pewee photo by Jean.

Bright and early on Tuesday morning, we met behind the main lodge for a bird walk on the Johnson Farm Loop Trail (which was not really a loop, as we found out).  The scenery of this hike was gorgeous. We saw many American Redstarts, Scarlet Tanagers, and vireos.

The Johnson Farm Trail

Johnson Farm. Right behind this house, a Chickadee was busily tending to her young in an old fence post.

Once we returned to the trailhead, everyone went their own ways. Some got breakfast, but most packed up for the journey back home. It was sad to say goodbyes because we had enjoyed such a great time together!

The view of the Peaks of Otter Lodge from the top of Sharp Top Mountain.

It was hard to leave the Peaks of Otter area on such a beautiful day, so Tim, Brenda, Becky and I continued our birding trip by hiking to the top of Sharp Top Mountain. Even though it was a strenuous hike, the woods were very pleasant. Cerulean, Black-and-white, and Hooded Warblers delayed us several times because we couldn’t pass up a chance to see these gems of the forest. After lunch at the top, we hiked down, again stopping for birds, of course. We got to study a Gray-cheeked Thrush as he foraged right below us on the downward slope. We found Red-eyed Vireo and American Redstart nests. Mrs. Black-and-white Warbler, gathering nesting material, was being quite picky about the pieces she chose and ended up flying away instead of carrying her items to a nest. The last treat was a female Blackburnian Warbler in a low shrub! Another bird gathering nesting material!

Deirdre captured the sunrise on Sharp Top Mountain!

I sincerely want to thank each of the trip members for coming on this trip! It felt like a “family” vacation as we enjoyed the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain birds together! Good job to you for learning the musical melodies of these birds… and hopefully we will remember their songs and calls next spring!

Forsyth Audubon Winter Trip 2019 – Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center and South Carolina Coast

By Cynthia Donaldson

“If you want to get back in, you must move more aggressively towards the boat!”  If anyone had told us that we would be hearing these words on our winter trip, we would have wondered if we should even be going.  Forsyth Audubon Trips always hold birdy surprises – those we are ready for.  This was a different kind of surprise, but our group adapts to any situation with a smile. The remembrance of these spoken words will always make the winter trip to Georgetown South Carolina one to remember!

The travel day on Thursday was beautiful and warm for January.  Some of the early arrivals got to go to the Mariana complex and Santee Preserve in the afternoon.  We found the Western Kingbird at the complex and saw or heard the Red-cockaded Woodpecker at the preserve.  The afternoon was warm as we walked along the dike, enjoying the chattering of the Marsh Wrens and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, which we learned sound quite similar.

Friday, January 18 – Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center

In 2016, Tom Yawkey stole our hearts.  Our experience this year was quite the same.  Jim Lee welcomed us with a presentation about the preserve. The beauty of this pristine maritime forest managed for wildlife was amazing.  We visited all the different habitats of the preserve, but did not get to see any alligators this year. The alligators have lived in safety there for years! The alligators there don’t like people because they associate people with getting their blood drawn during their checkups! Over the past three decades, research has been conducted on the alligators there, giving scientists a better idea of how alligators reproduce and grow over their lifespan in the wild.

Our group enjoyed seeing the Marsh Wren and other wading birds on this dike at Tom Yawkey. Photo by Cynthia Donaldson.

Leesa Goodson got a great shot of this skulky Marsh Wren.

A quick stop in the later evening at the Georgetown Water Treatment Plant revealed a rare Black-headed Gull from across the Atlantic. This bird had been reported there for several weeks, and thanks to eBird, we were able to find it after sorting though the many other gulls.

We sorted through the Bonaparte’s Gulls, which look quite similar to find this Black-headed Gull. Bonaparte’s Gulls are smaller and lack the red beak. Photo by Paul Beerman.

Birding and a lovely sunset at the water treatment facility. The papermill is visible in the background. Birders visit the best places!

Saturday, January 20 – Bull’s Island

It was a gorgeous day to visit Bull’s Island, part of the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. It was a bit overcast, but the temperature was very mild for a winter day. And the warm temperatures saved the day! Our captain was very excited to be transporting a group of birders, so he was eager help us find some “good” birds.

Peregrine Falcon on island of oyster shells.
Photo by Paul Beerman.

American Oystercatchers seen on the Bull’s Island Ferry ride to the island.
Photo by Leesa Goodson.

We learned that American Oystercatchers’ beaks are extremely thin so they can pry open oysters. The boat idled as we tried to watch their feeding behavior. Unbeknownst to us, the tide was heading out to sea, quickly, leaving our boat stranded on one of the oyster beds. First, I must say, I cannot think of a nicer group of people with whom to be stranded on a boat! We laughed, ate lunch, and continued birding. Secondly, our captain was terrific. He made sure we were safe and did his best to free us. After several attempts by a passing fishing boat, the larger of the company’s ferries arrived to try to pull us off. This did not work. We had two choices: wait for the tide to come back in or get off the boat to lighten the load. Thirteen of us stepped off the boat into the knee-deep water. It was a bit cold, but it worked! With a little pushing while the larger ferry pulled, we were able to get the boat back into deeper water. After the first attempt to pick up the 13 waders, the captain had to say, “If you want to get back in, you must move more aggressively towards the boat!” And on the next pass, we all clambered onto the boat.

As I earlier said, the day was warm. The captain took us on to the island boat dock where we poured the water out of our boots and dried our feet. Our next several hours on this beautiful island totally made up for any discomfort and delay! Bull’s Island is a destination like no other.

Many alligators were basking in the sun. We enjoyed seeing wintering ducks, a lone scoter, and several species of shorebirds.

Black-bellied Plover.
Photo by Paul Beerman.

Northern Harrier.
Photo by Paul Beerman.

Sunday, January 20 – Huntington Beach State Park

Sunday morning’s hike to the Huntington Beach State Park jetty was warm and pleasant, but the weather changed by the minute as the dark clouds rolled in. By the time we got to the jetty, the waves were crashing and the wind was blowing scopes around.

Beautiful morning for a walk on the beach at Huntington Beach State Park.

We were hoping to see a Snow Bunting at the jetty, but it surprised us by being down the beach. It was in the lee of the sand dune and when it took off after this quick photo by Paul, the wind carried it back toward the jetty, we failed to relocate it.

Several in our group got a quick look at a mink.

Waves and wind at the jetty!

Male Red-breasted Merganser spotted from the jetty.

Red-throated Loon at the jetty.

We enjoyed the afternoon birding other areas of Huntington Beach State Park. We found a mixed flock with Yellow-rumped, Black-and-white, and Pine Warblers on the Atalaya Straight Road trail. Our total for just this day was 61 species!

Beautiful Orange-crowned Warbler traveling in the mixed flock. Photo by Leesa Goodson.

Monday, January 21 – Huntington Beach State Park

It was a “hand-warmers” kind of day. Although not an official birding day for the winter trip, several of us braved the bitter cold to bird the Huntington Beach State Park causeway for the last time, trying to eek out a few more hours of sharing the love of birding with our friends…

And remember, if you are ever stranded on an oyster bed, the Forsyth Audubon birders are the ones to be stuck with!! Thanks for a great time with a great group of birders.