ALABAMA & MISSISSIPPI 
California Gull is occasional in Alabama, and this adult 25 October 2008 at Guntersvile, 
Marshall County provided only the seventh state record. Photograph by Greg ft Jatkson. 
With only eight prior records in Alabama, this first-cycle Iceland Gull was a treat at Gunters- 
ville, Marshall County 22-26 (here 23) November 2098. Photograph by Steve W. MiConnell. 
Fay, a Black Skimmer was a surprise on a sod 
farm at Harpersville, Shelby 26 Aug (GDJ, 
DGJ, ph.), providing the 5th M.R. record and 
the first for the Birmingham area. Only occa- 
sional inland in Alabama, an unidentified 
jaeger was at Guntersville Dam, Marshall 15 
Sep (RAR, LBR). 
D0¥ES THROUGH SWALLOWS 
White-winged Dove is rare but increasing in- 
land in Alabama, and 6+ birds 19 Aug at At- 
more, Escambia Q&DY) set a new inland high 
count. The species has become even more 
plentiful on the coast, and ISO-r White- 
wingeds at Ft. Morgan 9 Nov (GDJ, DGJ, ph.) 
provided a fall Alabama maximum. Occasion- 
al though increasing slowly in Mississippi, 2 
Inca Doves were at Pass Christian, Harrison 1 
& 19 Aug, with 6+ there beginning 16 Nov 
(P&MR, SM, ph., p.a.). Rare in n. Alabama, 6 
Common Ground-Doves in Shelby 17 Sep es- 
tablished an M.R. maximum (HHW, ASC). 
The scarce Groove-billed Ani was observed in 
Hancock, MS 2 Oct (NB). A Chuck-will’s-wid- 
ow 13 Aug in Oktibbeha, 
MS (TLS) set a local area 
departure date. Short- 
eared Owl is rare and 
rather erratic in occur- 
rence in Alabama; an in- 
dividual was observed 22 
Nov in Limestone (AH, 
BT). Last winter, the Sar- 
gents’ home in Clay, Jef- 
ferson was “Owl Central,” 
as they banded 9 North- 
ern Saw- whet Owls, more 
than doubling the his- 
toric total for Alabama in 
one season. This autumn, 
they commenced earlier, 
with even more success; 
1 1 saw-whets were band- 
ed 30 Oct-27 Nov (RRS, 
MBS, ph.), representing 
the 19th through 29th 
records for the state. Buff- 
bellied Hummingbird has 
become a rare but regular 
wintering visitor to the 
coastal portions of our 
Region, occasionally ap- 
pearing inland. One was 
banded in Magnolia 
Springs, Baldwin, AL 6 
Nov (FB, KU, ph.), and 
another was in Hatties- 
burg, Forrest, MS 19-21 
Nov (DL, RRS, MBS, b., 
ph.). Two Buff-bellieds 
were noted 25 Nov in 
Fairhope, Baldwin, AL (DWD, CPD); both 
were captured 7 Dec (FB, ph.), with one 
banded then and the other found to have been 
banded the prior winter in Lafayette, LA. An 
ad. male Calliope Hummingbird, rare but in- 
creasing in Alabama, was in s. Mobile 19 Nov 
(FB, WG, ph., b.). 
Olive-sided Flycatcher is rare but regular in 
our area in early autumn. Three were discov- 
ered 25 Aug at Ft. Morgan (DWD, RAD, LRD); 
one was in St. Clair, AL 2 Sep (MS, HHK et 
al); 2 were spotted at Grand Bay 17 Sep QNW, 
MSW, DR, GG); and another was in Dallas, AL 
4-5 Oct (F&SF). Rare but expected in Alabama 
in fall, it was a particularly good season for Yel- 
low-bellied Flycatcher; I received 11 reports 
totaling 17 birds 25 Aug-16 Oct, including 5 
on the Wheeler area count 27 Sep that set a 
new fall inland maximum (see Table 3 for oth- 
er counts). A new Alabama fall tally for Acadi- 
an Flycatcher was established 23 Sep by the 20 
calling birds in Autauga (LFG). The calling 
Alder Flycatcher in Autauga 5 Oct (LFG) was 
only the 3rd for the l.C.P. and the 17th for Al- 
abama. A Dusky Flycatcher was quite a prize 
14 Oct at Ft. Morgan (RRS, MBS, FB et al., b., 
ph.), furnishing Alabama’s 2nd record (p.a.). 
Rare and early, 2 Vermilion Flycatchers were 
located in Hancock, MS 2 Oct (NB). Only the 
8th for the M.R., and the earliest, a Western 
Kingbird was unexpected 2 Aug in Trussville, 
Jefferson (RRS). 
TaWfl 3= New autumn high counts of various species for 
the Tennessee Valley region of Alabama, tallied on the 
Wheeler N.W.R. area count iUmestone/Morgm/Madison] 
27 September 2008. 
Great Egret 237 
Cooper's Hawk 6 
American Kestrel 1 1 
Mourning Dove 927 
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 13 
Red-bellied Woodpecker 127 
Pileated Woodpecker 25 
Eastern Phoebe 41 
Acadian Flycatcher 5 
White-eyed Vireo 43 
Blue Jay 427 
Carolina Chickadee 260 
Tufted Titmouse 218 
White-breasted Nuthatch 49 
Carolina Wren 156 
Northern Mockingbird 135 
Magnolia Warbler 134 
Northern Cardinal 313 
Indigo Bunting 300 
American Goldfinch 95 
A first record for Alabama was provided by 
the exciting discovery of a Plumbeous Vireo 
carefully studied at Ft. Morgan 26 Oct (LRD, 
RAD, CHB, p.a.); the species has little record of 
vagrancy e. of the Mississippi. Six Blue-headed 
Vireos at Huntsville 1 Nov (KW, N.A.B.S.) fur- 
nished a new high TV. count. Only occasional 
in the I.C.R, a Warbling Vireo was spotted 18 
Sep in Autauga (LFG); rare in the TV and on 
the coast, singles were in Colbert 26 Sep (DJS 
et al.) and 28 Sep at Ft. Morgan (MJJ). Up to 8 
Fish Crows 20 Sep-h in Marshall (SWM et al.) 
set a new TV maximum, where the species is 
rare but increasing. Cave Swallow has become 
a rare but regular visitor to our coast in spring, 
sometimes in large numbers; prior to this au- 
tumn, there were 34 records for Alabama and 
about eight for Mississippi. This wanderer is 
far scarcer in fall in our area, unlike in many 
other parts of the East. A flock of 8 was ob- 
served 22 Oct at Grand Bay QNW, p.a.); a 
group of 5 appeared 16 Nov at Bellefontaine 
Beach, Jacleson, MS (JNW, AW, p.a.); and one at 
W. E George Dam, Henry 19 Nov OFF et al., 
VOLUME 63 (2009) 
NUMBER 1 
99 
