ly in coastal bays and sounds. They may also occasionally be seen inland. Pot- 

 ter et al . (1980) considered them uncommon to rare inland, and indicated that 

 most occur in the state from November to April. Oldsquaws in breeding plumage 

 observed along the coast during the summer are probably injured birds unable to 

 fly north. 



South Carolina Sprunt and Chamberlain (1949) regarded the Oldsquaw as an 

 uncommon winter resident that occurs in varying numbers nearly every year, pri- 

 marily along the coast. They mostly occur on the ocean and in larger bays. 

 One may occasionally be found in freshwater habitats such as rice fields and 

 the backwaters of cypress swamps. Potter et al . (1980) recently stated that 

 the Oldsquaw is rare in South Carolina. This status is also suggested by re- 

 cent Christmas Counts (Map 24). 



Georgia Burleigh (1958) listed the Oldsquaw as an uncommon winter resi- 

 dent throughout the state. They are most frequently seen as individuals along 

 the coast during late winter and early spring, and are usually females. Denton 

 et al . (1977) considered the species uncommon and irregular in Georgia. 



Florida Howell (1932) considered the Oldsquaw a rare winter visitor in 

 Florida. Kale (1979 ms a) also reported that they are rare, and noted that a 

 few birds are seen each winter in Atlantic coastal waters. In recent years, 

 Oldsquaws have been reported more frequently on both the Atlantic and Gulf 

 coasts (Kale 1979 ms a, 1979 ms b) . Observations reported in American Birds 

 during the last ten years give dates of occurrence for the Atlantic coast rang- 

 ing from 5 December (at Merritt Island NWR; Stevenson 1977) to 28 March (38 mi, 

 or 61 km off Melbourne; Stevenson 1976). One atypical bird remained in the 

 Indian River near Cocoa until mid-May (Kale 1972). The range of dates listed 

 for the Gulf coast is from 7 November (Edscorn 1977) to 21 April (Kale 1978), 

 both at Tampa . 



Alabama The Oldsquaw is an uncommon but regular winter resident along the 

 Gulf coast of Alabama. Bon Secour and Mobile Bay also harbor small numbers. 

 It is seldom seen inland but occurs fairly frequently in and near Wheeler NWR 

 (Imhof 1976b). Oldsquaws have been reported along the coast from November to 

 April. A maximum of 65 was counted at Fort Morgan 9 January 1961. Other par- 

 ticularly large flocks seen include 30 birds at Dauphin Island, 7 April 1971, 

 and 50 inland at Lake Purdy, 16 January 1971 (Imhof 1976b). 



Mississippi Burleigh (1944) considered the Oldsquaw at least a casual vis- 

 itor along the Gulf coast of Mississippi in late winter and spring. Recent ob- 

 servations show that the species is now more common in Mississippi than Burleigh 

 suggested. In Mississippi, the Oldsquaw is most abundant in the Gulf. As many 

 as 85 were seen at West Ship Island, 24-28 February 1979 (Hamilton 1979), and 

 40 were seen there in March 1977 (Weber and Jackson 1977). Up to 16 were pre- 

 sent at Horn Island in January and February 1978, and another 20 were present 

 at East Ship Island the latter month (Hamilton 1978). Another 15 were seen off 

 Biloxi in the Gulf of Mexico, 20-21 February 1976 (Hamilton 1976). Inland re- 

 cords are few, but as many as 25 have been seen at Sardis Lake (Hamilton 1971). 

 Dates of occurrence given in the last ten years of American Birds show that 

 Oldsquaw may be present in Alabama from 20 December (Hamilton 1971) through 21 

 April (Imhof 1979). 



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