SOUTHERN ATLANTIC 
Likely an early southbound migrant, this adult female American Golden-Plover was 
most unexpected when it was photographed 4 July 2009 at a golf course on Kiawah 
Island, South Carolina. Photograph by Tom Giduz. 
vannah R. 19-25 Jul found three roosts con- 
taining 110 birds on the Georgia side, with an 
additional 104 birds on the South Carolina 
side (fide TK). An ad. Peregrine Falcon was 
observed at Rabun Bald, GA 12 Jun (PHo); 
summer sightings in the state are quite rare 
outside of downtown Atlanta, where the 
species nests on skyscrapers. 
Black Rails were detected at known nesting 
sites: Bear Island W.M.A., SC 13 Jun (RoC et 
al.) and 19 Jul (ND) and in Greene, GA 26 Jul 
(PWS et al.). A family of Clapper Rails with 2 
downy young was observed stranded on a 
floating mat of Spartina grass during an ex- 
treme tidal event in Beaufort, SC 20 Jun 
(PWS) — an ominous sign that many nesting 
marsh birds may have met a similar fate 
(though some early nesters likely escaped 
harm). Unseasonable Sandhill Crane sight- 
ings included one in Richland, SC 2 Jun (ph. 
JTA), and 2 in Mecklenburg, NC late Jun-1 Jul 
(D&MW, m.ob.), one of which had been shot 
and was taken to a rehabilitation facility. 
An ad. female American Golden-Plover on 
Kiawah 1., SC 4Jul (tph. TG) was likely a very 
early migrant, perhaps a failed breeder. Wil- 
son’s Plovers were reported with fledglings in 
all three states; the highest count of 47 ads. 
and juvs. came at the S.S.S. 27 Jun (SC). 
Though a few summer annually in the Region, 
a group of 10 Semipalmated Plovers was no- 
table on St. Simons 1., GA 20-21 Jun (ph. GK). 
Already beleaguered by a May storm that 
wiped out early nests, Amer- 
ican Oystercatchers suffered 
even more hardships, as rac- 
coon predation combined 
with unexplained extreme 
tides late Jun-Jul repetitive- 
ly foiled later attempts. Sad- 
ly, only one chick is known 
to have fledged in the state 
of Georgia this season (BW). 
Many Black-necked Stilts 
nested at the S.S.S., with 555 
present 10 Jul (SC); one was 
inland in Baker, GA 28-31 
Jul (WS). An inland Willet 
was noted in Clayton, GA 29 
Jul (CL). The first report 
and highest count of Upland 
Sandpipers were 5 at the reliable Marshallville 
Super Sod farm in Macon, GA 12 Jul (WS); 
sightings of this species were below average. 
Two Long-billed Curlews provided a rare sum- 
mer record at Shackleford Banks, NC 1 Jul 
(FE). All 3 Marbled Godwits 
tracked in the ongoing satellite- 
tagging project (<www.seatur- 
tle.org>) returned to Georgia 
from breeding grounds in the 
Dakotas by early Jul. Always 
noteworthy inland, a Ruddy 
Turnstone was in Bartow, GA 
31 Jul (KB, ph. RC). The high- 
est count of Stilt Sandpipers 
was 254 at the S.S.S. 24 Jul 
(SC), while a Wilson’s Snipe 
was very early at Savannah 
N.W.R., SC 22 Jul (SB, BB). A 
few Wilson’s Phalaropes again 
spent time at the S.S.S., with 3-6 birds noted 
10-24 Jul (SC). 
A Ring-billed Gull was quite late in Gordon, 
GA 28 Jun (MMe). Rarely seen from shore, an 
ad. Sooty Tern was spotted at Topsail L, NC 31 
Jul (GG). Biologists celebrated a successful 
2nd nesting season on the dredge spoil island 
near Brunswick, GA created specifically for the 
birds; Least Terns, Gull-billed Terns (60 pairs). 
Royal Terns (600 pairs), and Black Skimmers 
(400 pairs) fledged many young there (BW). 
Least Terns also nested on the roofs of Kmart 
buildings (200 pairs total) in Savannah, GA 
and Kingsland, GA (BW). Locally unusual 
were 11 Caspian Terns in Carteret, NC 21 Jun 
QF, JFe). While 1300 pairs of Royal Terns nest- 
ed on Little Egg I., GA, the biggest news for 
this species is a massive colony on Tompkins 
L, SC. The majority of birds that once nested 
elsewhere in both states have apparently con- 
verged on this site, where 12,000-15,000 pairs 
nested this season (fide BW); this may be the 
largest breeding colony on the Atlantic coast. 
In stark contrast to the successes on the dredge 
spoil island, 100 pairs of Black Skimmers on 
Little Egg I., GA took a one-two punch from a 
ravenous raccoon and tidal inundations and 
did not nest successfully. A Parasitic Jaeger in 
the Pamlico Sound, NC 7 Jun (SWr) was the 
only jaeger reported inshore. 
A White-winged Dove visited feeders in 
Topsail Beach, NC late Jun (CS), while a pair 
of Black-hooded Parakeets was present in 
downtown Morehead City, NC late Jul+ QF)- A 
territorial pair of Black-billed Cuckoos in Hal- 
ifax, NC 21 Jun (RD) and 9 Jul (FE et al.) was 
far e. of the species' regular breeding range. An 
Alder Flycatcher singing on territory in Aveiy, 
NC 11 Jun (ML) was at a site previously un- 
known for this rare and local nesting species of 
the high elevations of that state. Willow Fly- 
catchers were noted outside of their core range 
in several areas. In North Carolina, several 
were singing well e. of typical breeding areas; 
the most surprising was one in the w. coastal 
plain in Halifax 21 Jun (RD). In Georgia, they 
were farther s. than usual: 2 were in Clayton 1 1 
Jun (CL), and one was in Heniy 11 Jun (PB, 
FIG). No Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are known 
to have nested in the Region this season, 
though there were four reports: one in Heniy, 
GA 2 Jun (TS); one in Murray, GA 13 Jun (TH, 
GS); one in Clarke, GA 9 Jul (ET); and one in 
Gastonia, NC 31 May-21 Jun (ph. JLe, m.ob.). 
ViREOS THROUGH FINCHES 
Nesting Warbling Vireos were again detected e. 
of their core range in North Carolina: two pairs 
in Winston-Salem 9 Jun (PD) and up to three 
r A Lake Mattamuskeet in e. North Carolina began hosting massive numbers of migrating shorebirds in late Jul; it is a crit- 
3f\ka \ staging area for many species, and it is hoped that future management plans will include the consideration of wa- 
ter levels for the benefit of shorebirds as well as wintering waterfowl. A survey on 25 Jul (RD) provides a snapshot of this phe- 
nomenon even early in migration, with 4500-r- shorebirds observed, including: 217 Black-bellied Plovers, 25 Semipalmated 
Plovers, 1 1 Black-necked Stilts, 17 Spotted Sandpipers, 76 Greater and 930 Lesser Yellowlegs (plus 450-t- unidentified yel- 
lowlegs), 810 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 1 290 Least Sandpipers, 108 Stilt Sandpipers, and 168 Short-billed and 4 Long-billed 
Dowitchers (plus 100-f unidentified dowitchers). In addition to these impressive totals were noteworthy uncommon mi- 
grants such as one Upland Sandpiper, one Hudsonian Godwit, and 4 Marbled Godwits (RO). 
Though no nesting pairs were noted in summer 2009 in the Southern Atlantic re- 
gion, there were several sightings of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, including this male 
in Gastonia, North Carolina 31 May-21 (here 11) June. Photograph by Jeff Lemons. 
VOLUME 63 (2009) 
NUMBER 4 
583 
