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

You can also e-mail Taylor at PiephoffT@aol.com.
August 20, 2004 RBA
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Hello, this is an August 20 update of the Carolina Rare Bird Alert featuring birding news from North and South Carolina sponsored by the Carolina Bird Club. Highlights on this report include:

RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD

SOOTY TERNS

BRIDLED TERNS

CAPE VERDE SHEARWATER

GRAY KINGBIRD

LONG-BILLED CURLEW

REDDISH EGRET

The landfall of Hurricane Charley near the North Carolina-South Carolina line on 8-14 caused an imm. RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD to fly along the beach at Figure Eight Island, NC. Elsewhere in the Carolinas, the only other storm related sightings were of SOOTY and BRIDLED TERNS in Bogue Sound (NC) and from the Outer Banks of NC.

A CAPE VERDE SHEARWATER was seen offshore of Cape Hatteras on 8-15. This would be the first record of this species from North America and the western North Atlantic. For more information on offshore birding opportunities from the Outer Banks, contact Brian Patteson at patteson1@mindspring.com.

A SHINY COWBIRD is still being seen at the Pea Island NWR visitor center feeders. The occurrence of this bird is erratic, but it apparently does come in several times a day.

A GRAY KINGBIRD has been seen twice at the catfish ponds at the Vernon James Center in Washington County, NC, but not since 8-10. Both sightings occurred at 7:00 PM. There are extensive fields around this area so the bird could still be around.

The east end of Shackleford Banks (NC) is one of the best places in the state to find LONG-BILLED CURLEWS. On 8-8 two birds were present along with a REDDISH EGRET, WILSON'S PLOVERS, PIPING PLOVERS, and RED KNOTS.

Thanks this week to John Fussell, Richard Jackson, Donald Rote for their calls and reports. Some of this information was gleaned from Carolinabirds.

 
 
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