Alabama & Mississippi 
Florence Wheeler 
\ I Dam 
le ,mWheelerNWR . 
!s Decatur 
Bankhead NF Guntersville ■ 
• Birmingham 
Tuscaloosa • Harpersville \ 
ALABAMA \ 
• Auburn# 
Marion 
• Montgomery 
• Jackson 
Mobile/Tensaw Delta 
S 
LETTEReO ALABAMA 
GULF COAST SITES: 
A = Gulf Shores 
B = Ft. Morgan 
C = Dauphin I. 
D = Bayou La Batre 
GULF OF MEXICO 
Greg D. Jackson 
F or many birders, fall is the most antic- 
ipated season, full of migrants and the 
chance for the ram avis; this season 
was far from a disappointment in either re- 
spect. Excellent numbers of regular transients 
were enjoyed at multiple sites in the Region. 
It was a standout season for rarities, storm- 
blown and not, including two first and two 
second state records. Migrants and visitors 
were represented diversely, with particularly 
good showings by large waders, shorebirds, 
larids, flycatchers, and warblers. 
Weather in the Region was dominated by 
four tropical systems early in the period. In 
early August, Tropical Storm Edoiianl passed 
rapidly just to our south, with little reported 
ornithological effect. Tropical Storm Fay tra- 
versed our territory in late August, and in 
September, Hurricanes Gustav and Ike skirted 
offshore, then made landfall to our west. Im- 
pact of these last three cyclones on birding 
was signihcant but in some cases rather un- 
conventional regarding affected species. 
Weather during the period was wet early, dry- 
ing later in the season, with temperatures fair- 
ly normal throughout. Fronts associated with 
significant sightings or large numbers of birds 
included 9, 24, & 27 October and 7, 14, 18, 
& 21 November; even some days not associ- 
ated with frontal systems were productive 
(e.g., 27 September, Table 3). 
I appreciate the assistance of Lucy Duncan, 
Gene Knight, Don McKee, and Terry Schiefer 
in researching information for the first “S.A.” 
below. 
Abbreviations: Dauphin (Dauphin 1., Mobile, 
AL); Delta (Mississippi Delta of nw. and w- 
cen. Mississippi); Ft. Morgan (Ft. Morgan 
State Historical Park, Baldwin, AL); G.C. 
(Gulf Coast region, Mobile/Baldwin, AL); 
96 
Grand Bay (Grand Bay National Estuarine Re- 
search Reserve, Jackson, MS); I.C.R (Inland 
Coastal Plain Region of s.-cen. Alabama); 
M.R. (Mountain region of n. Alabama); Nox- 
ubee (Noxubee N.WR., Noxubee/Oktibbeha/ 
Winston, MS); T. Y (Tennessee Valley Region 
of n. Alabama); Wheeler (Wheeler N.W.R., 
Limestone/Morgan/Madison, AL). 
WATERFOWL THROUGH WADERS 
Rare but regular in recent years in Mississip- 
pi, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks made a 
good showing this season. Five reports total- 
ing 46 individuals were submitted 28 Aug-29 
Nov (p.a.), including an ad. with 6 downy 
young 5 Oct in Washington (RH, AH); 4 were 
more unusual on the coast in Jackson 5 Oct 
(MSa, TLS, MHS, m.ob.). Two Greater White- 
fronted Geese, rare in the G.C., were in Bald- 
win 11 Nov (DWD). Ross’s Goose is expected 
now in small numbers. Three were at the usu- 
al site at Wheeler beginning 16 Nov (SWM); 
2 were at Tupelo, MS 29 Nov (WRP); and an- 
other was at Noxubee the same day (AG). 
Non-migratory breeding Canada Geese con- 
tinue to increase in Ala- 
bama; a count of 729 in 
the Birmingham area 27 
Sep set a new M.R. maxi- 
mum (B.A.S.). Surf Scot- 
er, though regular on the 
coast, is rare inland; 4 
were in Oktibbeha, MS 17 
Nov (TLS). Usually hard- 
er to find are White- 
winged Scoters, even 
coastally, so a single in 
Jackson, MS 6 Nov QRP. 
NM, LC et ah, ph.) was 
noteworthy. At Grand 
Bay, 24 Nov was a great 
sea duck day, with 9 Surf 
Scoters, 2 Black Scoters, 
and 2 Long-tailed Ducks (]NW, SM, DM). 
Rare but regular at this site, a Red-throated 
Loon was spotted at Guntersville, Marshall, 
AL 23 Nov (SWM, ph.). Any shearwater is 
noteworthy; an unidentified shearwater was 
seen after Fay 25 Aug from Gulf S.P., Baldwin, 
AL (RAD, LRD), and a probable Audubon’s 
was near shore at Dauphin after Gustav 2 Sep 
(DWD, CPD, EC). Two unidentified storm- 
petrels were seen from shore in Hancock 4 Sep 
(NB) for only the 3rd storm-petrel sighting in 
Mississippi. Another post-storm rarity was a 
Masked Booby at Dauphin 25 Aug (CH). 
American White Pelicans continue to increase 
inland in Alabama, and large numbers now 
remain over the winter locally. Over 400 peli- 
cans 13 Oct at Weiss L., Cherokee (W&LB) set 
a new M.R. maximum, and up to 600 provid- 
ed an inland Alabama high count 15 Nov at 
Wheeler (N.A.B.S.). Inland Brown Pelicans 1 
are always a surprise, so single imms. 26 
Sep-2 Oct in Oktibbeha, MS (TLS) and 27 : 
Nov on Ross Barnett Res., Madison, MS (MSt, 
BS) were notable. Alabama had only 15 prior 
records of Great Cormorant, so the appear- 
ance of 2 this fall was unexpected. An imm. 
was noted 26 Oct at Dauphin (HEH, TS, JS), 
and Alabama’s first inland sighting, and first I 
known ad., was a shock on the Georgia line at 
W. F George Dam, Henry beginning 17 Nov+ ' 
(EB, m.ob., ph.). Five Magnificent Frigate- 
birds appeared after Gustav 3 Sep in down- 
town Jackson (RP) for an 8th inland Missis- 
sippi record. | 
Rarely detected inland in fall, 2 Least Bit- ;; 
terns were noteworthy on the Wheeler area ii 
count 27 Sep (KW, RSH). Great Egrets were [ 
unusually plentiful this year. An estimated 
1200 Greats in Perry and Hale 28 Aug (GDJ) ' 
tied the Alabama maximum; the tally of 237 
set a new T.V record on the Wheeler area 
count 27 Sep, while 149 birds on the Birm- j 
ingham area count 27 Sep provided the M.R. j 
with a new maximum. Tricolored Heron is 
rare inland in our Region; single birds were 
seen 16 Aug in Oktibbeha, MS (TLS) and 14 
Sep at Sardis L., Lafayette, MS (GCK, SGK). 
White-morph Reddish Egrets are occasionally 
seen in Alabama; an imm. was at Dauphin 7 
Sep (HEH, TS, JS, LM). Following Ike 14 Sep, 
Reddish were unusually plentiful in Hancock, 
MS, where up to 9 were recorded (NB). Rare 
but regular in the TV, an imm. White Ibis 
was in Colbert 7 Aug (DJS). A count of 22 
Glossy Ibis set a new fall maximum for Ala- 
bama 2 Sep on the Mobile Causeway, Mobile 
(CH), with 20 birds at that site 11 Nov (GDJ). 
Also present 11 Nov, flocking with the 
Glossies and 3 unidentified Plegadis, were 4 
White-faced Ibis (GDJ), providing Alabama’s 
19th record and highest count. 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
Alabama's sixth Sabine's Gull was discovered by boat 18 September 2008 in the middle 
of Wheeler Lake, Lauderdale/Colbert Counties. Greater scrutiny of large lakes by boat at 
this season would surely produce more such records. Photograph by Damien J. Simbeck. 
