Georgia
Rare
Bird
Alert
(A
service
of
The
Georgia
Ornithological
Society).
Number: 770 493-8862
To report: 770 493-8862 or lambertsewell@mindspring.com
Date compiled: Saturday, July 15, 2006 ( 7:56 p.m.)
Compiler: Jeff Sewell
Transcriber: Michael Beohm
Species mentioned:
Pied-billed Grebe
American White Pelican
Least Bittern
White Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
American Black Duck
American Black Duck x Mallard hybrid
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK*
Swallow-tailed Kite
Mississippi Kite
Purple Gallinule
Common Moorhen
American Coot
LIMPKIN* (not seen)
Greater Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Common Raven
Bank Swallow
( * is considered a Review List Species by the Records Committee)
Highlights:
The LIMPKIN reported from Lake Blalock on the property of the Clayton County Water
Authority in Henry County has not been seen since last Tuesday. A few shorebirds
have began to show up at E.L. Huie in the Atlanta area. An AMERICAN BLACK DUCK
(possibly a hybrid) at the ponds at E.L. Huie. BANK SWALLOWS at E.L. Huie and
Spalding County. SWALLOW-TAILED and MISSISSIPPI KITES from the coast. AMERICAN
WHITE PELICANS, ROSEATE SPOONBILLS, and BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS from the
coast.
The LIMPKIN stayed for about 5 days at Lake Blalock. It was discovered by Carol
Lambert on July 6 and was seen by many observers through July 11, but has not been
seen since then. It was eating Asiatic clams, an invasive species, and probably
finished most of the avaliable clams and moved on. We have recently had quite a
few sightings of LIMPKINS in the state, but this is probably not a good sign. It
indicates extreme conditions in Florida, including drought, loss of habitat, water
polution, and the spread of hydrilla in Wakula Springs. Five immature WHITE IBIS
were seen there today. Some of the employees are mistakenly identifying these
ibis as limpkins. If you plan to stay for more than an hour at Lake Blalock, you
must pay the $5 parking fee.
Carol Lambert and Jeff Sewell led a field trip to the E.L. Huie and the Clayton
County Water Authority property and found a SOLITARY SANDPIPER, SPOTTED SANDPIPER,
10 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and a BANK SWALLOW. There have been recent sightings of
LEAST SANDPIPER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS there during the last ten days. An
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK was seen at the Huie Ponds. It is possible that this bird
could have been an AMERICAN BLACK DUCK x MALLARD hybrid, but Jeff did not observe
any white in the speculum. The family of PIED-BILLED GREBES continues at another
area owned by the Water Authority which is closed to the public except during
field trips. Also, 9 adult COMMON MOORHENS with 6 chicks and an AMERICAN COOT
were seen there.
On July 12, Eric Beohm reported a BANK SWALLOW, an AMERICAN BLACK DUCK x MALLARD
hybrid and WHITE IBIS in Spalding County.
On July 13, Gene Wilkinson reported 3 MISSISSIPPI KITES and 2 SWALLOW-TAILED KITES
in Hinesville at the Frazier Family Center.
On July 9, Janet Jones was hiking at Blood Mountain and found 3 COMMON RAVENS.
On July 9, Michael Bender saw 4 BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS flying over Champney
Island at the Altamaha Waterfowl Management Area on US 17 south of Darien. On
July 10, he saw five on Butler Island and the next day he saw one there. Butler
Island is on the east side of US 17 in McIntosh County. He also found PURPLE
GALLINULE and LEAST BITTERN at that location. On the south beach of Jekyll Island
he counted 38 LEAST TERNS, and at the Andrew's Island Causeway he counted 38 WHITE
PELICANS and 2 ROSEATE SPOONBILLS. This may be one of the best places in Georgia
to see AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS. It is assumed that these are non-breeding birds.
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS are moving into Georgia from colonies in Charleston,
South Carolina, and Florida.
This concludes the report.
Michael Beohm
Thomaston, Upson County
Rare
Bird
Alert
(A
service
of
The
Georgia
Ornithological
Society).
Number: 770 493-8862
To report: 770 493-8862 or lambertsewell@mindspring.com
Date compiled: Saturday, July 15, 2006 ( 7:56 p.m.)
Compiler: Jeff Sewell
Transcriber: Michael Beohm
Species mentioned:
Pied-billed Grebe
American White Pelican
Least Bittern
White Ibis
Roseate Spoonbill
American Black Duck
American Black Duck x Mallard hybrid
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK*
Swallow-tailed Kite
Mississippi Kite
Purple Gallinule
Common Moorhen
American Coot
LIMPKIN* (not seen)
Greater Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Common Raven
Bank Swallow
( * is considered a Review List Species by the Records Committee)
Highlights:
The LIMPKIN reported from Lake Blalock on the property of the Clayton County Water
Authority in Henry County has not been seen since last Tuesday. A few shorebirds
have began to show up at E.L. Huie in the Atlanta area. An AMERICAN BLACK DUCK
(possibly a hybrid) at the ponds at E.L. Huie. BANK SWALLOWS at E.L. Huie and
Spalding County. SWALLOW-TAILED and MISSISSIPPI KITES from the coast. AMERICAN
WHITE PELICANS, ROSEATE SPOONBILLS, and BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS from the
coast.
The LIMPKIN stayed for about 5 days at Lake Blalock. It was discovered by Carol
Lambert on July 6 and was seen by many observers through July 11, but has not been
seen since then. It was eating Asiatic clams, an invasive species, and probably
finished most of the avaliable clams and moved on. We have recently had quite a
few sightings of LIMPKINS in the state, but this is probably not a good sign. It
indicates extreme conditions in Florida, including drought, loss of habitat, water
polution, and the spread of hydrilla in Wakula Springs. Five immature WHITE IBIS
were seen there today. Some of the employees are mistakenly identifying these
ibis as limpkins. If you plan to stay for more than an hour at Lake Blalock, you
must pay the $5 parking fee.
Carol Lambert and Jeff Sewell led a field trip to the E.L. Huie and the Clayton
County Water Authority property and found a SOLITARY SANDPIPER, SPOTTED SANDPIPER,
10 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and a BANK SWALLOW. There have been recent sightings of
LEAST SANDPIPER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS there during the last ten days. An
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK was seen at the Huie Ponds. It is possible that this bird
could have been an AMERICAN BLACK DUCK x MALLARD hybrid, but Jeff did not observe
any white in the speculum. The family of PIED-BILLED GREBES continues at another
area owned by the Water Authority which is closed to the public except during
field trips. Also, 9 adult COMMON MOORHENS with 6 chicks and an AMERICAN COOT
were seen there.
On July 12, Eric Beohm reported a BANK SWALLOW, an AMERICAN BLACK DUCK x MALLARD
hybrid and WHITE IBIS in Spalding County.
On July 13, Gene Wilkinson reported 3 MISSISSIPPI KITES and 2 SWALLOW-TAILED KITES
in Hinesville at the Frazier Family Center.
On July 9, Janet Jones was hiking at Blood Mountain and found 3 COMMON RAVENS.
On July 9, Michael Bender saw 4 BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS flying over Champney
Island at the Altamaha Waterfowl Management Area on US 17 south of Darien. On
July 10, he saw five on Butler Island and the next day he saw one there. Butler
Island is on the east side of US 17 in McIntosh County. He also found PURPLE
GALLINULE and LEAST BITTERN at that location. On the south beach of Jekyll Island
he counted 38 LEAST TERNS, and at the Andrew's Island Causeway he counted 38 WHITE
PELICANS and 2 ROSEATE SPOONBILLS. This may be one of the best places in Georgia
to see AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS. It is assumed that these are non-breeding birds.
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS are moving into Georgia from colonies in Charleston,
South Carolina, and Florida.
This concludes the report.
Michael Beohm
Thomaston, Upson County