SOUTHERN ATLANTIC 
An isolated southern breeding population of Black-throated Green Warblers was 
confirmed in 2009 on Pine Mountain Ridge in Harris County, Georgia, including 
this juvenile being fed by adults on 22 June. Photograph by Walt Chambers. 
pairs in Concord 6 Jun (fide TP, ph. JLe). A 
wayward Black-whiskered Vireo was heard 
singing and eventually seen well in the 
Croatan N.P, Craven, NC 13 Jun (tJF). Al- 
though there are multiple records at this time 
of year from the coast, this bird was in Lon- 
gleaf Pine savanna away from the coast. While 
8 Common Ravens provided a good count at 
Rabun Bald, GA 12 Jun (PH), the species con- 
tinues to be observed in the piedmont of North 
Carolina at several sites. Rare breeding of 
Horned Larks high in the mts. was document- 
ed in Aveiy, NC 1 1 Jun (CSm et al), including 
photographs of ads. with nestlings. Cliff Swal- 
lows continue their eastward and southward 
march across the Region: expansion usually 
occurs as new colonies are established down- 
stream along substantial rivers, the nests con- 
structed on bridges. Though the species has 
apparently not fully colonized the coastal 
plain, outposts were again noted near the 
coast: 12 nests on the Ogeechee R. in Chatham. 
GA 15 Jun (SW et al.) and 98 nests on the 
walls of a hotel in Craven, NC early Jul, all but 
two of which were later abandoned for un- 
known reasons QF)- The current status of 
Black-capped Chickadees in the Region is not 
fully understood; their isolated breeding popu- 
lations in the highest elevations of North Car- 
olina are apparently threatened by hybridiza- 
tion with Carolina Chickadees. Two were 
found on the summit of Richland Balsam 30 
May, but 2 Carolinas were also present in the 
area 6 Jun (PS). In the Clingmans Dome area, 
both a Carolina Chickadee and a hybrid were 
found 10 Jun; only Black-capped was previ- 
ously suspected to occur there (PS). Seeming- 
ly out of place for the date was a calling Gold- 
en-crowned Kinglet at Cloudland Canyon S.P, 
GA 7 Jun (MH); the most solid evidence yet of 
the species nesting in the state was an ad. feed- 
ing a fledgling on Hale Ridge Rd., Rabun 20 
Jun (KB et al.). Both Swainsons and Hermit 
Thrushes were again on territory in the 
spruce-fir zone of North Caroli- 
na at several sites. Though 
there is still no direct evidence 
of nesting by Swainsons 
Thrush, Hermit Thrush ap- 
pears to be expanding, particu- 
larly in the Balsam Mts. (MW); 
a fledgling Hermit Thrush was 
observed being fed by ads. on 
Roan Mt. 15 Jun (AL), and a 
singing ad. was in Graham 14- 
15 Jun (DTr, v.r. MN). 
Passerines landing on ships 
offshore are always interesting, 
but a Sprague’s Pipit was most 
unexpected when it took 
refuge on a tall sailing vessel 
64 km off the North Carolina coast e. of Cur- 
rituck 2 Jun (ph. LM); the bird expired on 
deck, but the specimen was not preserved. An 
imm. Chestnut-sided Warbler was early in 
Mecklenburg, NC 29 Jul (TSa), while a singing 
Magnolia Warbler was exceptionally late in 
Clarke, GA 13 Jun (tBMa), Nesting of Mag- 
nolia Warblers in North Carolina has long 
been suspected: 4 were 
singing on territory early Jun 
at Roan Mt. (RK) and Grand- 
father Mt. (MBS); 2 ads. 
feeding a fledgling at the lat- 
ter site 25 Jun 2008 (MBS) 
represents the most defini- 
tive breeding evidence but 
was not previously reported 
in this column. A male Yel- 
low-rumped Warbler was 
singing vigorously high atop 
Mt. Mitchell, NC 11 Jun 
(GS). Very exciting was the 
confirmation of an isolated 
breeding population of 
Black-throated Green War- 
blers on Pine Mountain Ridge, Harris, GA; 5 
singing males and food delivering behavior 
were observed 2 Jun (WC), and a juv. was be- 
ing fed by ads. 22 Jun (ph. WC). A Palm War- 
bler in Chattahoochee, GA 4 Jun (TCJ) estab- 
lished a new late departure date for that state. 
Ovenbirds have been documented in recent 
years nesting along the fall line in cen. Geor- 
gia; this season they were found even farther 
s., including 4 males singing at Ohoopee 
Dunes N.A., Emanuel 2-9 Jun (MH) and 2 at 
Yuchi W.M.A., Burke 13 Jun (LS). These 
Ovenbirds are utilizing a sandy habitat in 
transition zones between arid Longleaf 
Pine-Turkey Oak scrub and mesic hardwood 
bluff forests (MH): if nesting is confirmed at 
the former location, it would represent the 
southernmost known breeding population in 
North America. 
Bachman’s Sparrow is a species of special 
conservation concern: good news included 20 
singing males during a survey at Chicka- 
sawhatchee W.M.A., GA 22 Jun (DMo et al.) 
and the discovery that the species is nesting 
outside of typical open pinewoods, as 3 were 
in sandhill habitat in Burke, GA 9 Jun (ph. 
PHo). A local breeder at high elevations, 2 
Vesper Sparrows were singing on Roan Mt., 
NC in early Jun (RK). Lark Sparrows again 
summered at Carolina Sandhills N.W.R., SC 
with ads. present 18 & 22 Jun (DM, PSe et al.) 
and a juv. 4 Jul (ph. D&PD): this is the only 
known breeding site in the state. A juv. Lark 
Sparrow in Cobb, GA 24 Jul+ established a 
new fall early arrival date for that state (SA). 
Another localized nesting emberizid, a Savan- 
nah Sparrow was singing on territory in Hen- 
derson, NC 23-28 Jun (MW), while 4 were in 
Alleghany, NC 27 Jun (ML). Very odd for the 
date was a White-throated Sparrow singing in 
Cobb, GA 31 Jul (WSk, v.r. JS). Dickcissels 
were widely reported, from 15 different sites 
(11 in Georgia, 4 in the Carolinas), with an 
impressive high count of 17 singing males at 
North River Farms, Carteret, NC 7 & 11 Jun 
(JF), where juvs. were observed later in the 
season. Another rare highland breeder. 
Bobolinks were singing on territory in Hender- 
son, NC 23 Jun (MW). A male Shiny Cowbird 
was among blackbirds and cowbirds during 
stormy weather at Oregon Inlet, NC 13 Jun 
(ESB). A male Purple Finch with an apparent- 
ly infected eye frequented a feeder in Dawson, 
GA 3 Jun (GS). Among a few sightings of sin- 
gle Pine Siskins at the s. edge of their range in 
Georgia’s mts. was an atypical report from the 
piedmont in Clarke, GA 11 Jul (B&KO); nest- 
ing has yet to be confirmed in that state. 
Corrigendum: In line 4 of the “SA” box treat- 
ing pelagic seabird migration in spring (North 
American Birds 63: 409), the count for South 
Polar Skuas should read “56+” (as in Table 1) 
A glimmer of hope for the struggling Bachman's Sparrow was the discovery on 9 
June 2009 of a breeding colony utilizing an uncharacteristic sandhill habitat in 
Burke County, Georgia. Photograph by Pierre Howard. 
584 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
