FLYCATCHERS THROUGH SISKINS 
Much tougher to find in spring than in fall, an 
Olive-sided Flycatcher was noted near 
Starkville, Oktibbeha, MS 9 May (TLS, MS), 
only the 3rd spring area record. Eastern Wood- 
Pewees put in an excellent showing on the 
Wheeler spring count 2 May, when 47 were to- 
taled for the new spring T.V. record. A rare Wil- 
low Flycatcher responded to a tape with calls 
and song at a site w. of Florence, Lauderdale, 
AL 4 May (SWM, DJS, JTG). An AlderAVillow 
Flycatcher furnished a new early Alabama ar- 
rival date at Ft. Morgan 4 Apr (b. RRS, MBS, 
FB). Participants on the 2 May Wheeler count 
rarely found themselves out of earshot of call- 
ing Great Crested Flycatchers: 72 were totaled 
for a new T.V. maximum (m.ob.). Two early 
Scissor-tailed Flycatchers appeared on the 
G.C.: a male at Ft. Morgan 30 Mar (b. FB, 
MWi) and another at a Dauphin golf course 
and later Ft. Gaines 31 Mar-5 Apr (HEH, JNW, 
ph. SWM). An imm. Fork-tailed Flycatcher 
discovered late in the afternoon of 21 May at 
Blakeley 1., Mobile (BMc, HEH, ph. DWD, ph. 
JD) was among the rarest of the season’s dis- 
coveries. Unlike the previous three Alabama 
records (all around the 3rd week of Apr) that 
stayed for only a few minutes each, this bird 
remained in the area for about two hours, al- 
lowing several local birders time to enjoy it. 
An astounding 252 White-eyed Vireos were 
banded at Ft. Morgan 1 Apr, a new maximum 
Alabama count (b. RRS, MBS, FB). Warbling 
Vireos were noted in the area of Waterloo, 
Lauderdale, AL 4-18 May (SWM, DJS, JTG, 
DC), where the species was a rare breeder sev- 
eral years ago. Nesting was suspected this sea- 
son also but was not confirmed. Philadelphia 
Vireo made a good push through Alabama dur- 
ing May, as evidenced by four records received 
of 5 birds. The 2 birds on Dauphin 24 May es- 
tablished a new late G.C. date (CH). A new 
high spring total for Horned Lark in Ala- 
bama — 40 — ^was set 2 May during the Wheel- 
er refuge count. During an early spring cold 
snap 7 Apr, counts of up to 2750 were made 
among just four or five sites within a few miles 
of each other in the T.V. Most were Tree Swal- 
lows (2050), establishing a new record count 
for inland Alabama. Three records of late Bank 
Swallows were received from Alabama: 3 at 
Blakeley 1., Mobile 22 May (SWM, GDJ), one 
on Dauphin 24 May (CH), for a new late G.C. 
date, and one at White Hall, Lowndes 25 May 
(LFG). Cliff Swallow nesting locations contin- 
ue to proliferate, and colonies already estab- 
lished continue to grow in size. The 290 Cliff 
Swallows counted 2 May on the Birmingham 
area count was an excellent number for Ala- 
bama, and a new spring Alabama maximum 
was set the same day during the Wheeler 
ALABAMA & MISSISSIPPI 
This immature Fork-tailed Flycatcher was a stunning find 21 May 2009 at Blake- 
ley Island, Mobile County and furnished Alabama's fourth record. Unlike the pre- 
vious three records (all in late April), this bird stayed around two hours and was 
enjoyed by several local birders before nightfall. Photograph by David W. Dortch. 
count, with 980. Three Cave 
Swallow reports were received 
from the coast, where the re- 
ports of the species have in- 
creased in recent years. One 
was with a large flock of other 
swallow species at the Dauphin 
airport 31 Mar-3 Apr (HEH, 
JNW); another was with hun- 
dreds of Cliff and Barn Swal- 
lows near Waveland, Hancock, 
MS 4 Apr (NB); and one was 
noted at Grand Bay, Jackson, 
MS 15 Apr (JNW). Very rare in 
s. Alabama, a White-breasted 
Nuthatch was well described at 
Bon Secour N.W.R., Baldwin 28 
May QVH), for only the 6th 
G.C. record. Three Sedge 
Wrens recorded at Oakland marsh, Lauderdale, 
AL 12 Apr set a new spring T.V high count 
(SWM). Another new T.V record spring count 
was established by the 97 Eastern Bluebirds 
found during the 2 May Wheeler refuge count. 
A tardy Veery was observed 25 May on 
Dauphin QNW). 
A very rare Lawrence’s Warbler was ob- 
served at the Oak Grove Birding Trail, Jack- 
son, MS 6-8 Apr (JNW). Six Alabama 
Nashville Warbler reports 4 Apr-7 May was 
an unusually high number for this casual 
spring migrant. Despite the fact Northern 
Parula is one of our earliest migrants, the 5 
seen in Montgomery, AL 8 Mar (LFG) was a 
very good inland number for such an early 
date. Near season’s end, 11 Yellow Warblers 
were on Dauphin 25 May ONW), for an ex- 
cellent late count. A male Chestnut-sided 
Warbler on Dauphin 31 May established a 
new late G.C. record (C&BW), and a Cape 
May Warbler on Dauphin 23 May furnished a 
new late date for Alabama (EC). Inland Black- 
throated Blue Warblers are always noteworthy 
in our Region during spring, especially away 
from the edge of their migration corridor in e. 
Alabama. This season, three observations of 3 
birds came from sites all within about 40 km 
of each other in the T.V. 21 Apr-3 May 
(m.ob.). Very rare in the Region, a male 
Audubon’s Warbler furnished a 12th Alabama 
record and was enjoyed by many observers at 
a bottlebrush hedgerow on Dauphin 11-18 
Apr (ph. HEH, DWD, CD, m.ob.). A tardy 
Black-throated Green Warbler was on 
Dauphin 25 May (JNW) for a new late G.C. 
record. Also late were Blackburnian Warblers: 
one at Ft. Morgan 24 May (MJJ) and 3 on 
Dauphin 23-25 May QNW, EC, CH). Two Yel- 
low-throated Warblers at Lake Guntersville 
S. R, Marshall, AL 23 Mar (MM) set a early 
T. V. record. The 106 Prothonotary Warblers 
counted 2 May during the Wheeler count sur- 
passes the previous inland Alabama record. A 
wave of Worm-eating Warblers arrived at Ft. 
Morgan 28 Mar, where 72 were banded for a 
new spring Alabama record (b. RRS, MBS, 
FB). A singing Swainson’s Warbler was a wel- 
come find on the T.VA. Reservation, Colbert, 
AL 30 May-r (SWM), where the species has 
nested sporadically in past years. A Connecti- 
cut Warbler was early 30 Apr in Madison, AL, 
where the species is a rare but regular late 
spring migrant (SRM). The warbler migrant 
wave at Ft. Morgan 28 Mar also included 
many Hooded Warblers, as evidenced by the 
126 banded that day (b. RRS, MBS, FB). A 
Scarlet Tanager on Dauphin 23 May (EL) 
marked a late G.C. record. 
A Lincoln’s Sparrow in Madison, AL 29 May 
(DRC, RC) was the state’s latest ever. New 
high counts for White-crowned Sparrows 
were established in two inland Alabama re- 
gions: at least 10 were near Atmore, Escambia 
in the l.C.P 11 Mar (CH), and 12 were found 
at Oneonta, Blount in the M.R. 26 Apr 
(L&DB). The only Lapland Longspur report 
received this season was a locally late obser- 
vation of 6 in Noxubee, MS 1 Mar (TLS). A 
Painted Bunting pair returned to evidently 
nest again in Montgomery, AL, where a 
singing male was noted 3 May (LFG); the 
species is a rare breeder in inland Alabama. 
Flowering clover attracted 1272 Bobolinks 
during the Wheeler count 2 May, for a new 
T.V. record. A male Shiny Cowbird 20 Apr at 
Fairhope, Baldwin, AL was the only report re- 
ceived this season (tDWD, CD). Also rare 
were up to 5 Bronzed Cowbirds continuing 
their presence from winter at Ansley Han- 
cock, MS (NB). The impressive Pine Siskin in- 
vasion from the winter carried over into 
spring, with flocks at nearly everyone’s feed- 
ers. Record-setting spring Alabama reports of 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
447 
