Hello, this is a July 5 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:

REDDISH EGRETS
MISSISSIPPI KITES
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS
SANDHILL CRANE
DICKCISSELS

Up to three REDDISH EGRETS have been seen at Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina recently. One bird was at the causeway lake (Mullet Pond), and two birds were at the base of the jetty at that park. A REDDISH EGRET was also at the Pitt Street causeway in Mount Pleasant, SC on June 23.

MISSISSIPPI KITES continue to increase in North Carolina. Up to three birds have been along Crooms Bridge Road in Pender County, and a single bird was seen July 5 at Havelock along the southwest prong of Slocum Creek.

Up to five BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS were seen June 23 at Donnelley WMA in Colleton County, SC. Look in the boggy area just past the headquarters building on the right. At the Savage Backwater section of Donnelley, look for MISSISSIPPI and SWALLOW-TAILED KITES.

Two singing DICKCISSELS have been present at Alligator River NWR in eastern NC. Enter the refuge on Milltail Road, pass the maintenance buildings on the right, then look on your left for DICKCISSELS before you get to Sawyer Lake Road.

A SANDHILL CRANE visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC for a day on June 12. The bird was in the fields along the road out to the winery.

Thanks this week to John Fussell and Cathy Davenport for their calls and reports. Some of this information was gleaned from Carolinabirds.

Taylor Piephoff
Charlotte, NC
PiephoffT@aol.com

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