"Wings Over Georgia"
Guided Birding Trips!
Also offered through
AAS and GOS!
Photo by Gene Keferl, all rights reserved.
Great Shearwater
Camden Co., Georgia
22 September 2012 |
Photo by Dan Vickers, all rights reserved.
Black-capped Petrel
Gulf Stream Specialty
East of Chatham Co., Georgia (SC waters)
22 June 2012
|
.
Gulf Stream Pelagic Trip
aboard the Cumberland Queen II
with Lang Charters and Marina
St. Marys, Georgia
1 June, 2013
THIS TRIP HAS SOLD OUT
Wait List Open as of 5/21
 
Organizers: Ken Blankenship & Rebecca Byrd Lead Guide: Michael Brothers
Marine Science Center, Ponce Inlet, FL
  
The Route: Navy Tower R4, Gulf Stream, The Boat: Cumberland Queen II. The largest, most stable and comfortable
and Navy Tower R5! (click for larger version) vessel ever to set sail on a Georgia pelagic, with two observation decks!
Whether you are a salty pelagic veteran, or you've always wanted to go seabirding but still haven't made it... this is one trip you DON'T WANT TO MISS! In the middle of primetime spring seabird migration, we will head out of St. Marys, Georgia on 1 June 2013 aboard the Cumberland Queen II. YES, this is the same vessel that the park service contracts as the primary Cumberland Island ferry, taking scores of visitors and their camping gear to and from the island! She is huge, at 80' and U.S. Coast Guard certified to carry up to 100 people. And she is fast, capable of reaching 20 knots in normal seas. With a wide open upper deck that can fit double-digit observers, a spacious interior cabin for full weather protection, and two restrooms, she is truly a luxury liner compared to anything most Southeastern seabirders are used to!
In addition, we are excited to announce our partnership with lead guide Michael Brothers of the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet, Florida. Seasoned east coast birders know Michael well as a very experienced pelagic trip leader, who has been organizing awesome trips out of Ponce Inlet to the Gulf Stream and beyond for years, logging hundreds of hours of seabird observation along the way. His latest adventure departed Ponce Inlet on 19 May 2013 and produced many great birds to tempt us for this trip! (see highlights of that trip in bold in our target list below) If anyone can spot and quickly identify Gulf Stream seabirds in the under-birded waters of the southern Atlantic Bight, it's Michael!
A route has been designed that will take us far offshore in the pre-dawn hours, directly to Navy Tower R4. Here, we will cross our fingers for rarities taking advantage of this artificial perch nearly 70 miles offshore. History has taught us that lots of terns and sometimes boobies can be found here. Incidentally, the Navy has recently revealed plans to sink these towers in the not-too-distant future; it may be best to get while the gettin' is good. From there, we will head over the shelf break into deep Gulf Stream water, "trolling" north with the current and making a nice fishy slick to attract pelagic species. We will return via Tower R5, for a full day of birding on the open ocean (approx. 5:00am-6:00pm).
TARGET SPECIES:
Black-capped Petrel (Gulf Stream specialty; 12 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Great Shearwater
Cory's Shearwater (2 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Audubon's Shearwater (15 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Sooty Shearwater * (near peak of migration; 1 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Wilson's Storm-Petrel (6 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Leach's Storm-Petrel * (1 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel * (5 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
White-tailed Tropicbird * (1 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Red-billed Tropicbird *
Pomarine Jaeger (1 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Long-tailed Jaeger
Arctic Tern (near peak of migration; 5 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Brown Booby (occurs in spring, though peak is late summer/fall; 1 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Red-necked Phalarope
Red Phalarope (rare this late; 12 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Sooty Tern (occurs in spring, though peak is late summer/fall; 74 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Bridled Tern (occurs in spring, though peak is late summer/fall; 8 off Ponce Inlet, FL 5/19/13)
Black Tern
Common Tern
South Polar Skua
Fea's Petrel **
Herald (Trinidade) Petrel **
* = The paucity of Georgia records is likely due simply to lack of coverage.
** = Either of these mega-rarities would constitute a new state record for Georgia, as all previous records (1 Fea's; 2 Herald's; both in June) are now considered to have occurred in the Carolinas according to the G.O.S. Checklist and Records Committee's new "Closest Point of Land" rule.
COST: $250.00 per person. Pre-payment by check or money order. Payments will be deposited in advance to cover the cost of the overall charter deposit. Refunds will be issued in the case of cancellation due to weather conditions. To protect other participants from unexpected price increases, 50% of payment will be forfeited in cases of cancellation without a replacement once payment is received. 100% of payment will be forfeited for cancellations within one week of the trip. (These new terms are not intended to sound harsh. We have been very easy-going regarding drop-outs in the past. Sadly, we were burned one too many times, leaving us in the tough spot of either raising the price unexpectedly or covering the difference out of pocket). This price is a bit higher than the average Georgia Gulf Stream trip, but it's worth it. A large vessel means higher charter fees (Captain's hours, extended use of boat) and much higher fuel consumption. But these expenses mean: more speed, better stability, lots of interior space, and multi-level viewing opportunities.
There is a 40-Person LIMIT for this FIRST-EVER Pelagic Opportunity!
As with the awesome large-vessel pelagic trip on 8 December 2012 (see report below), this trip has sold out. A Wait List has been started as of 20 May for late sign-ups, to provide a little insurance in case of emergency cancellations.
STEP 1: send an email to kenhblankenship AT comcast.net (AT = @)
STEP 2: send payment to Ken Blankenship / 200 River Vista Dr Unit 731 / Atlanta, GA 30339
IMPORTANT: It is REQUIRED that you are familiar with your body's reaction to, or potential to react to, the motion of traveling on the ocean in a vessel that is vastly different than a cruise ship. You must also discuss the HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Scopalomine motion sickness patch with your doctor and acquire a legal prescription for it if he/she approves it for you. You should not purchase "Scop Patches" from other birders whether you've never used it, or you've taken it 30 times. You must read up on all the drug's information - do your due dilligence, and above all talk to your doctor. Take any of your friends' anecdotal experiences on pelagic trips and using Scopalomine with a big grain of salt, because each human body can react differently to identical conditions and medications. Other options include dramamine, bonine, eating ginger snaps, and a few well-known folk remedies that I am personally a bit wary of. Get a good night's sleep. If using one, put on your patch around 12:00am or so; they are meant to last for 3 days, so it's best to play it safe and make sure the drug is in your system well before you leave the dock. Eat plenty of healthy items for breakfast. Avoid greasy food at breakfast and even at dinner the night before. Wear comfortable, light clothes; bring SUN PROTECTION; pack a wind/water resistant outer shell in case it rains; bring water, snacks, lunch, even a small cooler if you'd like. Bring a positive attitude, and have fun! :)
Wings Over Georgia field trips are also offered
in conjunction with the Atlanta Audubon Society
and the Georgia Ornithological Society.
~ KB
VISIT THEIR WEBSITES TO CHECK FOR UPCOMING MEETINGS AND FIELD TRIPS :}
PREVIOUS GUIDED TRIPS
Nearshore Winter Pelagic Trip
with Amick's Deep Sea Fishing
20 January 2013
Tybee Island, Georgia
This trip was proudly offered through the Georgia Ornithological Society's 2013 Winter Meeting. We headed out to sea with high hopes of observing some of the big numbers of northern seabirds that had invaded the southern Atlantic Bight (and beyond), and we were not disappointed!
Most of the seabirders aboard would likely agree that the most enjoyable moments of the trip came with the experience of observing huge "beehives" of feeding seabirds on the ocean, with flotillas of diving birds constantly on the water beneath them. Though we were seeing birds just about all day -- never a guarantee on a pelagic -- the most memorable were definitely the massive swarms of NORTHERN GANNETS and BONAPARTE'S GULLS, constantly diving and dipping over foraging flocks of literally hundreds of COMMON LOONS (block-counted; there could have been even more!). Each of these flocks also contained feeding MANX SHEARWATERS and RAZORBILLS, along with rafts of RED PHALAROPES along the edges. These active little birds buzzed our boat throughout the day in darting, flashy flocks for some great action photos. Another successful GOS Pelagic Trip that will leave great memories of a very productive winter for offshore observation of Georgia's avifauna!
 
Bonaparte's Gulls and Razorbills, 20 January 2013, by Mary Ann Teal Lots of chum keeps the gulls hangin' around!
20 January 2013, by Mary Ann Teal
Red Phalaropes on the move! 20 January 2013, by Mary Ann Teal
"Mini" Pelagic Trip
with Lang Charters
St. Marys, Georgia
16 December 2012
A small group of eager seabirders headed out to sea aboard the "King Seeker" with Captain Cal Lang, Jr. for a short trip offshore to document more of the year's incredible Alcid event. We were not disappointed!
Our first RAZORBILL was spotted before we had even reached halfway to the end of the jetty; another was hanging out towards the end of it. We got in the middle of a raucous flock trailing a shrimp boat, where we didn't see anything unusual but enjoyed an instructive gull ID clinic from Cameron Cox. As we headed NE towards an artificial reef, a PARASITIC JAEGER sailed over our heads out of nowhere, close enough for beautiful naked-eye views. Sadly, the next RAZORBILL we found was a dead one floating on the surface, which we collected for Lauren Deaner of Georgia Southern University (poor little guy had zero fat, his keel poking out of his breast). Then the fun started!
Like a trip we took the previous weekend, flocks of RED PHALAROPES began to appear, some on the surface but many more flying by in constant small waves. We encountered two large flocks (we were careful with numbers, as some cross-over of birds took place). Huge hunting groups of COMMON LOONS gave their awesome, eery whinny contact notes and let out a few token long calls for the full experience of these great northern divers. These birds were accompanied by flocks of BONAPARTE'S GULLS, RAZORBILLS, and MANX SHEARWATERS. At one point we could see 99 MANX SHEARWATERS at once, after having passed through at least 60 earlier (some of which had likely joined this mega-flock, so we adjusted the day's count to 120+, not too shabby). The RAZORBILLS were also present in force, at times 40-50 could be seen from far off in the flock... to right next to the boat "grunting!" In fact, at one point Captain Cal (who donned polarized sunglasses) said, "Look! You can see 'em underwater!" We leaned over the side of the boat, and sure enough, we were ecstatic to see these little "penguins" flying through the water beneath us, popping up on the other side of the boat. Waves of MANX SHEARWATERS constantly took off, zoomed to their next foraging spot, and splashed-down, often passing right by us for great opportunities for our photographers.
Another highlight? We were out for just three hours, and never even made it 10 miles offshore!
Razorbill, first winter bird
16 December 2012, Camden County, Georgia
photo by Cameron Cox, all rights reserved
A major anomaly occurred in the food web off the shores of the Eastern United States during the winter of 2012-2013 , affecting several pelagic species. Bizarre and apparently reversed sea surface temperature zones may have been a driving factor in the mass movements in Razorbill, Manx Shearwater, and Black Scoter.
Read more in this ARTICLE about the Razorbill event on www.eBird.org
 
Dive! Dive! Dive! Razorbill,16 Dec 2012, by Cameron Cox Manx Shearwater, 16 Dec 2012, by Cameron Cox
Winter Pelagic Trip
with Offshore Charters
Jekyll Island, Georgia
8 December 2012
A group of seabirders set out from Jekyll Island directly into Glynn County waters on Saturday, 8 December 2012. This unique chartered birding venture was hosted aboard the "OSPO" via
Captain Larry Crews , Captain Skyler, first mate Tyler, and Judy, who all assisted at Offshore Charters, operating out of the Jekyll Harbor Marina. The "OSPO" is a 44-foot custom-built Bonner Yacht that is Coast Guard approved to carry up to 27 people up to 20 miles offshore, but we rolled out with 17 observers and a 2-man crew to make sure we had enough room for all our people and their gear.
As Skyler controlled the boat from a pilothouse that sits atop the cabin, the advantages of this set-up became immediately clear. There was enough room for the Captain, first mate, and two birders to fit on the upper level comfortably at the same time. Having two pairs of eyes up high, plus plenty of observers constantly circling the main deck of the boat scanning the horizon, if there was something out there we had a good chance of spotting it, despite the often hazy, foggy conditions. At least the seas were behaving, with smooth inland waters and slow, virtually painless 1-3 footers rolling by a bit farther out.
Highlights for everyone included huge rafts of RED PHALAROPES (1400 total); RAZORBILLS (20) diving, swimming, flying in lines, and even vocalizing; and a large flock of baitfish-hunting COMMON LOONS attended by no fewer than 107 MANX SHEARWATERS! We also saw many PARASITIC JAEGERS, BLACK SCOTERS, and RED-THROATED LOONS.
 
Razorbill, 8 Dec 2012, by Dan Vickers Manx Shearwater, 8 Dec 2012, by Dan Vickers
 
Two happy organizers! Participants enjoy a mixed flock with over 100 Manx Shearwaters!
FINAL RESULTS:
|
Black Skimmer
|
4
|
31.130278
|
-81.397778
|
8:14 AM
|
|
Black Scoter
|
14
|
31.130278
|
-81.397778
|
8:14 AM
|
|
Common Loon
|
1
|
31.121667
|
-81.370278
|
8:20 AM
|
|
Black Scoter
|
45
|
31.121667
|
-81.370278
|
8:20 AM
|
|
Herring Gull
|
6
|
31.121667
|
-81.370278
|
8:20 AM
|
|
Ring-billed Gull
|
30
|
31.121667
|
-81.370278
|
8:20 AM
|
|
Laughing Gull
|
40
|
31.121667
|
-81.370278
|
8:20 AM
|
|
Herring Gull
|
5
|
31.083611
|
-81.297778
|
9:07 AM
|
|
Great Black-backed Gull
|
1
|
31.083611
|
-81.297778
|
9:07 AM
|
|
Northern Gannet
|
2
|
31.083611
|
-81.297778
|
9:07 AM
|
|
Northern Gannet
|
1
|
31.098333
|
-81.3025
|
9:10 AM
|
|
Black Scoter
|
12
|
31.125556
|
-81.314444
|
9:31 AM
|
|
Sandwich Tern
|
7
|
31.125556
|
-81.314444
|
9:31 AM
|
|
Northern Gannet
|
1
|
31.136667
|
-81.302222
|
9:36 AM
|
|
Black Scoter
|
6
|
31.174722
|
-81.276944
|
10:02 AM
|
|
Northern Gannet
|
1
|
31.159444
|
-81.271667
|
10:12 AM
|
|
Northern Gannet
|
4
|
31.067222
|
-81.265833
|
10:15 AM
|
|
Black Scoter
|
2
|
31.143889
|
-81.261667
|
10:17 AM
|
|
Northern Gannet
|
1
|
31.143889
|
-81.261667
|
10:17 AM
|
|
Northern Gannet
|
5
|
31.131111
|
-81.264444
|
10:25 AM
|
|
Red-breasted Merganser
|
1
|
31.131111
|
-81.264444
|
10:25 AM
|
|
Red-throated Loon
|
1
|
31.131111
|
-81.264444
|
10:25 AM
|
|
Black Scoter
|
75
|
31.117222
|
-81.258889
|
10:32 AM
|
|
Common Loon
|
1
|
31.100556
|
-81.248611
|
10:40 AM
|
|
Laughing Gull
|
6
|
31.100556
|
-81.248611
|
10:40 AM
|
|
Razorbill
|
1
|
31.083889
|
-81.2525
|
10:45 AM
|
|
Common Loon
|
2
|
31.069167
|
-81.254444
|
11:02 AM
|
|
Herring Gull
|
1
|
31.069167
|
-81.254444
|
11:02 AM
|
|
Forster's Tern
|
20
|
31.04
|
-81.250278
|
11:10 AM
|
|
Parasitic Jaeger
|
1
|
31.04
|
-81.250278
|
11:10 AM
|
|
Bonaparte's Gull
|
3
|
31.04
|
-81.250278
|
11:10 AM
|
|
Razorbill
|
6
|
31.036111
|
-81.252778
|
11:25 AM
|
|
Common Loon
|
1
|
31.036111
|
-81.252778
|
11:25 AM
|
|
Northern Gannet
|
1
|
31.036111
|
-81.252778
|
11:25 AM
|
|
Parasitic Jaeger
|
2
|
31.023889
|
-81.2522
|
11:29 AM
|
|
Herring Gull
|
1
|
31.023889
|
-81.2522
|
11:29 AM
|
|
Bonaparte's Gull
|
8
|
31.005556
|
-81.263333
|
11:35 AM
|
|
Common Loon
|
3
|
31.005556
|
-81.263333
|
11:35 AM
|
|
Razorbill
|
1
|
31.001389
|
-81.265278
|
11:38 AM
|
|
Razorbill
|
1
|
30.9965
|
-81.268056
|
11:40 AM
|
|
Parasitic Jaeger
|
1
|
30.9675
|
-81.269722
|
11:52 AM
|
|
Red Phalarope
|
3
|
30.965556
|
-81.269167
|
11:54 AM
|
|
Razorbill
|
2
|
30.948056
|
-81.263333
|
11:55 AM
|
|
Red Phalarope
|
200
|
30.948056
|
-81.263333
|
11:55 AM
|
|
Bonaparte's Gull
|
40
|
30.948056
|
-81.263333
|
11:55 AM
|
|
Herring Gull
|
1
|
30.948056
|
-81.263333
|
11:55 AM
|
|
Manx Shearwater
|
1
|
30.965278
|
-81.258889
|
12:00 PM
|
|
Red Phalarope
|
450
|
30.964722
|
-81.2525
|
12:16 PM
|
|
Manx Shearwater
|
8
|
30.964722
|
-81.2525
|
12:16 PM
|
|
Bonaparte's Gull
|
60
|
30.964722
|
-81.2525
|
12:16 PM
|
|
Common Loon
|
125
|
30.964722
|
-81.2525
|
12:16 PM
|
|
Razorbill
|
7
|
30.954167
|
-81.239722
|
12:31 PM
|
|
Parasitic Jaeger
|
1
|
30.954167
|
-81.239722
|
12:31 PM
|
|
Common Loon
|
80
|
30.954167
|
-81.239722
|
12:31 PM
|
|
Manx Shearwater
|
107
|
30.954167
|
-81.239722
|
12:31 PM
|
|
Red Phalarope
|
350
|
30.954167
|
-81.239722
|
12:31 PM
|
|
Bonaparte's Gull
|
45
|
30.954167
|
-81.239722
|
12:31 PM
|
|
Red Phalarope
|
200
|
30.951667
|
-81.233889
|
12:46 PM
|
|
Black Scoter
|
42
|
30.951667
|
-81.233889
|
12:46 PM
|
|
Northern Gannet
|
1
|
30.951667
|
-81.233889
|
12:46 PM
|
|
Red-throated Loon
|
1
|
30.951667
|
-81.233889
|
12:46 PM
|
|
Parasitic Jaeger
|
2
|
30.929722
|
-81.284444
|
1:24 PM
|
|
Red Phalarope
|
200
|
30.929722
|
-81.284444
|
1:24 PM
|
|
Northern Gannet
|
3
|
30.925833
|
-81.298889
|
1:30 PM
|
|
Parasitic Jaeger
|
2
|
30.925833
|
-81.298889
|
1:30 PM
|
|
Parasitic Jaeger
|
1
|
30.927222
|
-81.319722
|
1:45 PM
|
|
Parasitic Jaeger
|
1
|
30.926389
|
-81.336389
|
1:51 PM
|
Fall Pelagic Trip
with Lang Charters
St. Marys, Georgia
22 September 2012
This birding trip was a first for Captain Cal Lang, Jr. aboard his small but swift contender craft, the "King Seeker," and may also be the first nonscientific birding-focused venture out of St. Marys. Well, it turned out great for Captain and crew alike, and we are bound to head out to sea with Cal from Camden County for a long time to come!
Highlights included 4 BROWN BOOBIES flying in formation around and around Navy Tower R5, diving and landing a few times but never quite settling down. Also at the tower were 3 deceased BROWN BOOBIES, hanging from the staircase going up the tower by their necks, badly decomposed. They had been stacked on top of each other with their necks shoved into a gap in the railing; one body was still hanging there but the others had been reduced to skulls/necks. Obviously a human being was involved in this, but we have no clue if it was after death or why someone would do this with living or dead birds. This is also where we enjoyed a very dark PARASITIC JAEGER chasing a few terns.
We had fair numbers of BRIDLED TERNS and good numbers of COMMON TERNS on the day, rounding out the tern collection with lots of BLACK, SANDWICH, and ROYAL TERNS.
The real bonanza came with Navy Tower R4 in sight, when we eased up on a huge flock of 150+ CORY'S SHEARWATERS, with at least 5 GREAT SHEARWATERS and a single AUDUBON'S SHEARWATER mingling with them. By cutting off the engines and using the prevailing winds (thanks, Cal!), we were able to drift right into the core of the flock, with incredible naked-eye and binocular-filling views of these awesome birds from just 10 meters away! Some of the Cory's were even heard giving short, nasal "cluck" vocalizations as they swam or made short flights near the boat, what a treat!
On the way back in, we added a PARASITIC JAEGER and an AUDUBON'S SHEARWATER in Florida waters.
 
Brown Booby, 22 Sep 2012, by Gene Keferl Cory's Shearwater, 22 Sep 2012, by Gene Keferl
Great Shearwater, 22 Sep 2012, by Gene Keferl Audubon's Shearwater, 22 Sep 2012, by Gene Keferl
Late Spring Pelagic Trip
with Amick's Deep Sea Fishing
Tybee Island, Georgia
31 May 2012
 
Our pelagic birding trip out of Tybee Island with Captain Steve Amick on the SCAT II may have been slow quantity-wise... but this was made up for quality-wise! The seas following the passage of Tropical Storm Beryl were calm (2 feet), making the high speed runs and trolling more than tolerable - pleasant, in fact. We had gorgeous weather and positive attitudes as we headed out to see what the storm may have brought in.
After spotting a couple BLACK TERNS along the way, our first stop was Navy Tower R7. Almost immediately a BROWN NODDY was seen perched on a chain! Very rare later in summer/early fall and usually only storm-blown even then, we were very excited to say the least. This bird represented the 2nd ever spring record of BROWN NODDY for South Carolina. Great looks and photos were had by all participants. We also saw numbers of SANDWICH TERNS and ROYAL TERNS there. Our next stop, at Tower R8, could not be more opposite - zero birds of any species! Next, it was on to the Gulf Stream. We spotted a storm-petrel sp. that was just a bit too far away to ID, as the boat was at high speed. Later, we were treated to a close fly-by of a GREAT SHEARWATER. Continuing along the shelf ledge, we were happy to find a SOOTY TERN and a tern sp. battling it out, as well as a much closer fly-by of a WILSON'S STORM-PETREL. To wrap things up, we completed a loop by passing by Tower M2R6 where a very large number of ROYAL and SANDWICH TERNS were joined by a single COMMON TERN.
Again, a lot more time running fish oil drips, chumming, and running around took place than finding birds... but the ones we did find were very cool. HIGHLIGHTS:
GREAT SHEARWATER 1
Wilson's Storm-Petrel 1
storm petrel sp. 1
Laughing Gull 1
Great Black-backed Gull 1
BROWN NODDY 1
SOOTY TERN 1
Black Tern 7
Common Tern 1
Royal Tern 52
Sandwich Tern 53
Spring Migration
Merry Brothers Brickyard Ponds
22 April 2012
Rebecca Byrd and I had a great time facilitating the GOS Spring Meeting field trip to Merry Brothers Brickyard Ponds in Augusta yesterday, tallying 97 total species (we couldn't top Anne Waters' group count of 101 the day before!). The day started out gray and misty, but by mid-afternoon rays of sun were poking through, with a nice breeze picking up. All 11 participants got some great looks at PAINTED BUNTINGS, we found a few flocks that reluctantly yielded looks at BLACKPOLL WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, striking CAPE MAY WARBLERS, decked-out "western" PALM WARBLERS, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, and a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO; among the ubiquitous YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were some very dapper males ready for breeding season.
In scrubby areas we picked up YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS, ORCHARD ORIOLES, and lots of INDIGO BUNTINGS and BLUE GROSBEAKS; a trio of ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS perched oblingingly in a treetop while one YBCH uncharacteristically sat out in the open and sang on a wire for everyone to enjoy in the scope.
Out on the ponds was a nice selection of lingering waterfowl, such as AMERICAN WIGEON, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, BUFFLEHEAD, LESSER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCK, COMMON LOON, and a gorgeous breeding plumage HORNED GREBE. Nice inland shore species included a CASPIAN TERN, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, DUNLIN (sporting a patchy black belly), and more expected spp. like SOLITARY SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, and LESSER YELLOWLEGS. Quite unexpected, however, was flushing a group of AMERICAN WOODCOCKS from right under my feet in a wet bottomland area!
Later in the day, Rebecca and I cruised to the end of Lover's Lane and up onto the levee. After posing for pictures with a Yellow-bellied Slider (I like toidals) and an Armadillo, we stopped at the bridge over the canal to see what might be around. A bit of pishing brought a female HOODED MERGANSER out of some dense reeds, quickly followed by 4 young ducklings! A surprising and cute way to end an awesome day of Augusta birding.
A big thanks to Jim Ferrari, Dan Vickers, Ed Maioriello, keynote speaker Nathan Klaus, the Augusta-Aiken Audubon Society, and the many others who made this great weekend possible. Dan Vickers plans to send out a full list of the weekend's birds in the near future :)
Merry Brothers Brickyard Ponds, Richmond, US-GA
Apr 22, 2012 7:20 AM - 3:40 PM
Protocol: Traveling
4.5 mile(s)
Comments: Georgia Ornithological Society spring meeting field trip. 97 species recorded with participants; 4 additional species added during extended stay by trip leaders only.
101 species
Canada Goose 36
Wood Duck 11
American Wigeon 2
Mallard 5
Blue-winged Teal 13
Ring-necked Duck 4
Lesser Scaup 2
Bufflehead 2
Ruddy Duck 1
Common Loon 1
Pied-billed Grebe 8
Horned Grebe 1
Double-crested Cormorant 52
Anhinga 20
Great Blue Heron 12
Great Egret 10
Little Blue Heron 7
Cattle Egret 2
Green Heron 11
Black Vulture 6
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 2
Mississippi Kite 1
Northern Harrier 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern) 2
Sora 1
Common Gallinule 4
American Coot 16
Semipalmated Plover 1
Killdeer 4
Spotted Sandpiper 4
Solitary Sandpiper 5
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Least Sandpiper 10
Dunlin 1
American Woodcock 3
Caspian Tern 1
Rock Pigeon 8
Mourning Dove 12
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Chimney Swift 12
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-headed Woodpecker 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Downy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 9
White-eyed Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 8
Blue Jay 3
Fish Crow 17
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 22
Tree Swallow 25
Barn Swallow 96
Cliff Swallow 80
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 14
House Wren 7
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Eastern Bluebird 2
Wood Thrush 1
Gray Catbird 6
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 8
Cedar Waxwing 70
14 spp. of warbler:
Ovenbird 1
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Prothonotary Warbler 1
Kentucky Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 8
Hooded Warbler 2
American Redstart 3
Cape May Warbler 2
Northern Parula 7
Yellow Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 2
Palm Warbler (Western) 15
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 39
Prairie Warbler 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 4
Eastern Towhee 10
Field Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow (Eastern) 12
Song Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 5
Summer Tanager 1
Northern Cardinal 37
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3
Blue Grosbeak 12
Indigo Bunting 22
Painted Bunting 15
Red-winged Blackbird 68
Common Grackle 22
Brown-headed Cowbird 16
Orchard Oriole 12
House Finch 1
Ken Blankenship, Marietta (Cobb Co.)
Rebecca Byrd, Decatur (DeKalb Co.)
A Wintry Spring Mix
Allatoona Corps Property
24 March 2012
Another great trip organized by Rebecca Byrd of the Atlanta Audubon Society! This was an interesting experience, with cold weather species still hanging around as the early spring migrants were just showing up! Local residents were already getting in gear for breeding, and birdsong was thick in the morning.
Cobb Co. Corps Property (Allatoona Creek WMA), Cobb, US-GA
Mar 24, 2012 7:28 AM - 10:27 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.3 mile(s)
Comments: Submitted from BirdLog NA for iOS, version 1.1
53 species
Canada Goose 7
Wood Duck 8
Great Blue Heron 6
Black Vulture 2
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern) 1
Mourning Dove 3
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-headed Woodpecker 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 4
Northern Flicker 3
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 2
White-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Purple Martin 2
Carolina Chickadee 14
Tufted Titmouse 7
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Brown-headed Nuthatch 3
Carolina Wren 7
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 15
Eastern Bluebird 6
Hermit Thrush 2
American Robin 10
Brown Thrasher 4
European Starling 3
Cedar Waxwing 11
Common Yellowthroat 6
Northern Parula 1
Pine Warbler 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 7
Eastern Towhee 5
Chipping Sparrow 5
Field Sparrow 11
Savannah Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 12
Red-winged Blackbird 7
Eastern Meadowlark 10
Common Grackle 3
Brown-headed Cowbird 6
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 16
Ken Blankenship, Marietta (Cobb Co.)
Rebecca Byrd, Decatur (DeKalb Co.)
Winter Grassland Birding
Bartow County Loop
26 February 2012
Fourteen birders enjoyed a beautifully sunny day in Bartow County yesterday on Ken Blankenship's Atlanta Audubon Society field trip. Wind was only a little bit of a problem at 3-16 mph for the 4 hours we birded, and the temp started out cold in the low 30s at 8 am, rising to the 50s by midday.
A HORNED LARK male was observed at Sam Smith Park performing his entire aerial courtship display for an attentive female, who watched from below along with our whole group. He rose from the ground, ascending in large, looping, repeating circles to probably 100 feet high or more until he was a mere speck of black to the naked eye. Once at altitude, he alternated between fluttering and motionless kiting to hang stationary in the air as he faced into the wind, hardly visible to the naked eye but fascinating and easy to watch through bins. After several seconds of silence he broke out into his courtship song two or three times as he hung in place, a tinkling warble that barely reached our ears. At the end of his performance, he folded his wings and fell from the sky, accelerating head first toward the dirt road we were standing on. At the last minute he opened his wings, swooping up just feet from the gravel and dirt to land safely in the dew-covered grass by the road as the female literally ran across the road toward him to get his autograph. It was the first time many in the group had seen a horned lark do this display, so it was a very memorable highlight of the trip.
An adult and juvenile WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW were among the many SAVANNAH SPARROWS seen at Sam Smith along with a few other Emberizid species, singing EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, and singing BROWN THRASHERS. CEDAR WAXWING and AMERICAN ROBIN flocks were in abundance here and elsewhere throughout the morning.
Along Brandon Farm Rd. and Taff Rd., the highlights were concentrated around the swampy, marshy pond on the west side of Taff Rd. near the highway. As on Saturday, 18 LEAST SANDPIPERS and 2 REDHEADS were present (other than us), although we did not see the recently reported le$$er yellowleg$. We did see at least 15 WILSON'S SNIPE probing virtually in the water out in the open and an AMERICAN PIPIT walking along the muddy edge. Six common Emberizid species were along Brandon and Taff along with a NORTHERN HARRIER and AMERICAN KESTREL. A murder of crows was trying to murder a RED-TAILED HAWK. A probable BREWER'S BLACKBIRD was present pond-side and was believed to be heard calling, but few in the group got sufficient looks through obstructing branches and the bird was the subject of some debate before it quickly disappeared.
One of the group's favorite views of the day was seeing 2 MERLIN perched together in a tree on Hardin Bridge Rd. in a single field of view near the end of the morning. One facing away had a very dark, slaty, steely blue-gray back while the other facing us had heavy streaking all down the front. Size, plumage details, and facial pattern confirmed both were Merlin, and photos were taken by some attendees who had never enjoyed such well-lit and close-range looks at this species. The birds were preening. A RED-TAILED HAWK was observed atop a telephone pole right at the intersection of Rockmart and Dallas Hwys tearing off chunks of an unfortunate rodent and stashing half of it in its crop for later - another good photo op.
Two attendees were keeping up with butterflies and noted that we also saw Sleepy Oranges, an American Lady, and a Mourning Cloak.
On my late winter NAAMP frog survey route Friday night, Ken and I also heard American Toad calling in Heard County, Spring Peeper in Troup and Meriwether Counties, Southern Leopard Frog in Heard and Meriwether, and Upland Chorus Frog in all three counties.
By the way, if you love birding by ear and being outside at night in rural places where you get to hear all kinds of g0atsuckers and 0wls as well as frogs, tree frogs, and toads, consider signing up to run a frog survey route of your own for John Jensen and the USGS. It's similar to a breeding bird survey route but a lot easier and tons of fun. JJ is in need of more volunteers to cover vacant routes all over Georgia, and you can help to detect and monitor declining amphibian populations by using your birding-by-ear Superpowers. If you can memorize the calls of 40 wood warblers, you can learn the calls of Georgia's 30 native Anurans. Plus, you only have to commit to 3 nights per route per year. Check out NAAMP volunteer opportunities.
Bartow Co. Loop, US-GA
Feb 26, 2012 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 miles
Comments: Atlanta Audubon Society Field Trip led by Ken Blankenship to Sam Smith Park, Brandon
Farm and Taff Roads, and Hardin Bridge Road in Bartow County. Weather: Mostly sunny, winds 5-
15 mph, temp. 32F at 8 am up to mid 50s by 1 pm.
46 Species
Mallard 4
Redhead 2
Great Blue Heron 2
Black Vulture 7
Turkey Vulture 5
Northern Harrier 1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
American Kestrel 1
Merlin 2
Killdeer 20
Least Sandpiper 18
Wilson's Snipe 15
Rock Pigeon 70
Eurasian Collared-Dove 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 25
crow sp. 30
Horned Lark 7
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 2
Eastern Bluebird 10
American Robin 40
Northern Mockingbird 2
Brown Thrasher 3
European Starling 80
American Pipit 1
Cedar Waxwing 50
Palm Warbler 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler 4
Eastern Towhee 1
Field Sparrow 7
Chipping Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 25
Song Sparrow 5
Swamp Sparrow 2
White-crowned Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 3
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Brewer's Blackbird 1 (probable)
Eastern Meadowlark 16
Common Grackle 35
Brown-headed Cowbird 52
House Finch 6
Rebecca Byrd, Decatur, GA (DeKalb Co.)
Ken Blankenship, Marietta, GA (Cobb Co.)
Fall Shorebirding Trip
Bartow County Loop
Saturday, August 22, 2009
This was offered through the Atlanta Audubon Society! A group of intrepid shorebirders explored the productive rural route known as the "Bartow County Loop" during primetime shorebird migration. Target birds found included migrants such as Pectoral Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, "peeps" (Least and Semipalmated Sandpiper), Solitary Sandpiper, and Spotted Sandpiper.
We had a fun time and enjoyed gorgeous weather today as we wandered around the Bartow County shorebird hotspots. Though it heated up quickly, we had some good looks at several species and it's always nice to be out in the country. Thanks to Stan Chapman for organizing this and many great AAS field trips!
53 species total:
Canada Goose, many
Blue-winged Teal 24 (put on a real show flying around Taff Rd)
Pied-billed Grebe 1 Taff Rd
Great Blue Heron 2
Green Heron 1
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 2
American Kestrel 2
Killdeer, many
Spotted Sandpiper 4
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 3
Least Sandpiper 5
Pectoral Sandpiper 16
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove 7
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 3
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Horned Lark 13
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Barn Swallow
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin 4
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Eastern Towhee 2
Chipping Sparrow 1
Grasshopper Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 4
Blue Grosbeak 2
Bobolink 1
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
The BOBOLINK was the first I (or anyone, I think) had seen this season. It was a weird encounter on Taff Rd... it came over high above, making its distinctive flight call repeatedly. Then it circled over and over, high above us, then coming down lower, as if wanting to land... but never did.
Good shorebirding was had by all :)
A group of 14 birders had a very nice morning of birding on the "Wings Over Georgia" Fall 2008 field trip. Joshua Spence, Max Medley, and I co-led this great birding walk, with one of the nice highlights being a group of 3 PHILADELPHIA VIREOS viewed at close range, which everyone had high hopes of seeing today. Other good birds included a GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH, an immature BALD EAGLE, a MERLIN, a LEAST FLYCATCHER, lots of thrushes, and 13 species of wood warblers. We had a total of 69 species, with the main highlights below. This is a wonderful area for birding in the fall. The Hidden Pond Trail is managed specifically for songbirds, and there are several species of grapes, creepers, berries, persimmons, and other plants simply covered up with fruit and, not surprisingly - birds! Thanks to everyone for coming out for some great birds and fellowship :)
Wood Duck 2
Great Blue Heron 2
Green Heron 1
Osprey 2
BALD EAGLE 1 (2nd-year bird)
Broad-winged Hawk 8
Red-tailed Hawk 1
MERLIN 1
Chimney Swift 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 7
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-headed Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 3
Acadian Flycatcher 1
LEAST FLYCATCHER 1
Empidonax sp. 1
Eastern Phoebe 6
Eastern Kingbird 1
White-eyed Vireo 7
Yellow-throated Vireo 4
PHILADELPHIA VIREO 3
Red-eyed Vireo 8
Tree Swallow 6
Barn Swallow 3
Marsh Wren 1 (sparrow field)
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GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH 1
Swainson's Thrush 12
Gray Catbird 24
Cedar Waxwing 12
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER 3
Tennessee Warbler 14
Yellow Warbler 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler 4
Magnolia Warbler 9
Yellow-throated Warbler 1 (albilora)
Pine Warbler 1m
Palm Warbler 3 western
Black-and-white Warbler 2
American Redstart 2m, 4 f/imm
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 8
Hooded Warbler 2
Scarlet Tanager 4
Summer Tanager 1 call
Field Sparrow 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 8
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 4
American Goldfinch 6
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The "Wings Over Georgia" Spring 2008 Field Trips were offered through the Georgia Ornithological Society Spring Meeting in Clayton, Georgia May 17-18, 2008. If you are not already a member of this great organization, join today! A great time was had by all participants on all of the field trips offered at this GOS event. Highlights on our tours included close encounters with CANADA WARBLERS, with several gathering nesting material; ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS chasing each other around and dive-bombing us accidentally; the song of the VEERY; many warbler-neck-inducing views of BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS; finding both a LEAST FLYCATCHER and a pair of WILLOW FLYCATCHERS within 150 yards of one another; a frenzy of neon-colored SCARLET TANAGERS chasing each other around in the canopy; hearing the special, declining CERULEAN WARBLER and some participants getting a few quick looks; and of course, it is always nice to find the WILLOW FLYCATCHERS somehow holding on at the Blairsville Ingles along the creek (they were joined by ORCHARD ORIOLE and YELLOW WARBLER - even better!).
Wild Turkey
Broad-winged Hawk
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Eastern Wood Pewee
WILLOW FLYCATCHER
LEAST FLYCATCHER
Eastern Phoebe
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Purple Martin
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
VEERY
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Parula
YELLOW WARBLER
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
CERULEAN WARBLER
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Kentucky Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
CANADA WARBLER
Scarlet Tanager
Dark-eyed Junco
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Orchard Oriole
American Goldfinch
A group of 12 birders gathered early in the morning at Phinizy Swamp under waves of 1,000's of mixed blackbirds heading off to forage for the day. Soon we headed into the swamp where everyone was very happy to get close-up scope studies of a flock of 100 or more RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, four beautiful male NORTHERN PINTAILS along with other interesting waterfowl, and a group of nine immature WHITE IBIS flew right over our heads! Out among the marsh cells, we played a King Rail recording and had a VIRGINIA RAIL respond! When we played the latter rail to see if it would "talk" again, low and behold a KING RAIL called back from the other side of the dike! We heard these species at least once more in other areas later, including a King Rail that kept half the group glued to one spot for 30 minutes as it called constantly from just inside the cattails but only made a brief open appearance and some partial views through the reeds. SORAS sounded off everywhere, and we had fleeting glances at several curious MARSH WRENS and were able to study their unique call. We enjoyed BALD EAGLES soaring along the horizon, OSPREY and RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS patrolling the area, a quick fly-over of a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and at least three NORTHERN HARRIERS for a nice selection of raptors on the day. After much anticipation, we finally flushed an AMERICAN BITTERN, which everyone was able to see as it flew to a new secretive spot in the marsh - this was a life bird for several participants! We ended the day on a high note as Mark "Eagle-Eyed" McShane spotted a beautiful female CANVASBACK among a raft of GADWALL at the Merry Bros. Brickyard ponds. We wrapped up a gorgeous day of 68-degree winter birding with a nice count of 69 total species. Here are some highlights:
Gadwall
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail 4
CANVASBACK 1f
Ring-necked Duck
Anhinga 3
AMERICAN BITTERN 1
Black-crowned
Night-Heron 2
White Ibis 9
Osprey 3
BALD EAGLE 3
Northern Harrier 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
KING RAIL 2
VIRGINIA RAIL 2
Sora 30+
Least Sandpiper 15+
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Wilson's Snipe 1
Ring-billed Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Marsh Wren 6
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER 2
American Pipit 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER 1
Pine Warbler 2
Palm Warbler
Common Yellowthroat 4
Field Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
RUSTY BLACKBIRD 80-100
American Goldfinch
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An excited group of Georgia birders met at the gate of the Bradley Unit of Eufaula National Wildlife refuge at 7:30am for some late fall birding in the coastal plain. A nice time was had by all, and we saw some great birds as well. The highlights for everyone were the re-appearance of a female VERMILION FLYCATCHER for the third year in a row, gorgeous looks at several NORTHERN HARRIERS (including a male) as they coursed over the weedy fields, and a kettle of up to 35 WOOD STORKS and an adult BALD EAGLE soaring overhead. Here are a few highlights from the trip:
Wood Duck
Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Little Blue Heron
White Ibis
WOOD STORK
BALD EAGLE
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
American Kestrel
falcon sp.
Common Moorhen
Forster's Tern (West Point dam)
COMMON GROUND DOVE
Eastern Wood Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
VERMILION FLYCATCHER |
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE
White-eyed Vireo
House Wren
Winter Wren
SEDGE WREN
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Gray Catbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
American Goldfinch |
There were also several changes in habitat at the refuge, not the least of which was how little water there was due to the devastating drought. At one point we were birding right in the middle of what is normally the same shallow impoundment pictured above that is usually good for a few ducks (PHOTO 1 below); other than Common Moorhen we had no waterfowl at all. The area where you can normally view a wide shallow expanse of the river on the south side of the property is almost completely filled with lily pads. The weeds that love to stick to you have really taken over in some areas, as Brandon Best and I discovered while tromping around looking for sparrows (PHOTO 2). The group was in high spirits (PHOTO 3) after seeing Georgia's most reliable wintering Vermilion Flycatcher, a soaring Bald Eagle, coursing Northern Harriers, Sedge Wrens, and some pretty Common Ground Doves along the silo levee all within a half an hour. Another great day to be out at "The Bradley!"
  
PHOTO 1 PHOTO 2 PHOTO 3
Troy Littrell, former manager of the property for the USFWS, updated the Birding Community with a few plans for managing the property, including an explanation of several large cuts that we found in the weedy fields where Le Conte's Sparrows are often found:
"I am glad to hear that you had a good visit. As you know the Bradley, is managed primarily for waterfowl, that is why you see some of the mowing on the south end of the unit. We are just starting a new levee on the south end so we can spilt the southern most section of the unit into two cells and better manage our water levels. Some mowing is to provide lanes for our youth deer hunts, which we annually mow some strips to improve visibility. A few of the big fields on the north end were sprayed this year to control woody species and then mowed. Those fields were dangerously close to the point of going from fallow grass fields to brush and trees.
Grasslands should be managed using fire, mowing, chemicals, and soil disturbance as needed to establish and maintain proper plant composition. Some type of management is needed every 1-2 years. They really should not go untouched for several consecutive years. One goal we have is to establish native warm season grasses on most of these fallow fields in the Bradley Unit that would primarily be managed by fire, but this is a very expensive and slow process that certainly will not happen overnight. We started planting warm season grasses on the Alabama side of the Refuge this year and the drought has not helped our progress. We are sensitive to the fact that we do not need to leave too much bare ground for grassland species during the winter."
A small group of birders met in Blue Ridge, Georgia before dawn on a chilly morning for mid-May. It soon turned out to be a perfect day for birding in Georgia's mountains! We hiked on the Benton MacKaye trail (BMT), drove Hwy 180 (Wolfpen Gap Rd), visited Sosebee Cove, Blairsville Ingles, and finished up on Ivy Log Gap Rd. The day was full of nice surprises. Here are the highlight species followed by a few anecdotes. Directions, birding desriptions, color photos, and more for most of these sites are on the Blue Ridge Region page.
We were walking on Ivy Log Gap Road and heard some very strange noises coming from the brush, it sounded like an injured or baby mammal and the leaves were rustling around. When we finally saw what it was in binoculars, it was a Ruffed Grouse performing an injury distraction display, so it most certainly had a nest nearby! We were startled when we flushed the Wild Turkey near the road as well. When we looked at the spot where it had left, we found a nest with 5-6 eggs, very cool. It was nice to see the Willow Flycatchers still trying to cling to life at the Blairsville Ingles, were the encroaching development has all but destroyed their habitat along the creek. Though we were going 45 miles per hour, I perked up my ears when I saw the street sign for Anglin Rd along Hwy 180 and sure enough, the signature "chee-bek" call of a Least Flycatcher came from the other side of an open field; we were able to park in a driveway and walk back to get some long-distance views of the bird as it called a few more times. When we found a male Golden-winged Warbler, we were both in ecstasy and awe at the same time. The bird was seen very high in a tree, singing a variant song that none of us had ever heard on any recording of this species. A great time and many great birds were had by all, and I look forward to doing it again next year :)
RUFFED GROUSE 1 (Ivy Log Gap Rd)
Wild Turkey 2 (one nesting)
Cooper's Hawk 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Eastern Wood Pewee 4
Acadian Flycatcher 1
WILLOW FLYCATCHER 2
LEAST FLYCATCHER 1 (Hwy 180)
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Blue-headed Vireo 6
Red-eyed Vireo
Purple Martin
Cliff Swallow 1 (outside Young Harris)
Barn Swallow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4
Veery 2
Wood Thrush 4
Cedar Waxwing 3
Scarlet Tanager |
Blue-winged Warbler 1
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler 19
Black-throated Blue Warbler 3
Black-throated Green Warbler 25
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER 3
Yellow-throated Warbler 2
Pine Warbler 1 (unshared)
Blackpoll Warbler 1
CERULEAN WARBLER 2
Black-and-white Warbler 9
American Redstart 14
Worm-eating Warbler 5
Ovenbird 21
Kentucky Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Hooded Warbler 12
17 spp. of warblers
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Indigo Bunting |
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Copyright 2013 Ken Blankenship. All rights reserved.
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