SUMMER 1999:  June - July
Originally Compiled and Edited by Michael Bell
(First published in The Oriole, Vol. 64, Nos. 3/4, Pp. 68-73)

SEASONAL SUMMARY
As might be expected, the summer season produced little in the way of exceptional rarities, though two of the more spectacular bird species did show up in the state.  Giff Beaton, Earl Horn and Jim Flynn saw a Magnificent Frigatebird at Jekyll Island while working on a “big day.”  This was just one of several notable sightings they had during the 24-hour period.  A Scissor-tailed Flycatcher that made a two day visit to E.L.Huie during July must have been a thrilling sight for those lucky enough to see it.  The bird was originally seen flying over the ponds by Terry and Peggy Moore and Mary Ann Vernocy.  This species is increasing as a breeder and summer resident in Alabama, so perhaps it may be found breeding again soon in Georgia.  A pair nested successfully near Cartersville in Bartow County during the summer of 1988 for Georgia’s only nesting record to date.     

Abbreviations used include:
ASWMA - Altamaha State Waterfowl Management Area in McIntosh Co.
ELHLAF - E.L.Huie Land Application Facility in Clayton Co.
Kennesaw Mt. - Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Cobb Co.
MBBP - Merry Bros. Brickyard Ponds in Augusta
M.I.A. - Macon Industrial Area in Bibb Co.
m.ob. - many observers
N.W.R. - National Wildlife Refuge
S.P. - State Park

SPECIES ACCOUNTS

Note:  Species that appear in a bold-faced font represents those that were considered "review" species by the GOS Checklist and Records Committee during the year of the sighting.  This list changes from year to year.  The current review list may be view at the following link:

http://www.gos.org/checklists/reportables.html

Changes and updated information from the original published compilation are noted in a red font.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT - Six were seen at the ELHLAF on 12 July (Carol Lambert).

MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD - An exciting find was the one seen at Jekyll Island on 7 June (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, Earl Horn).

LEAST BITTERN - The bird that was reported at the Arrowhead Public Fishing Area in Floyd Co. during May was last seen on 15 June (Stephen Stewart).

GREAT EGRET - The high count for the ELHLAF was 18 on 14 July (Carol Lambert).

SNOWY EGRET - One was seen at Buchanan Lake in Haralson Co. on 16 June (Michael Bell), one was found in the Macon area on 2 July (Eric Beohm), four were at the ELHLAF on 12 July (Carol Lambert), and one was seen in Paulding Co. on 18 July (Michael Bell, Randy Cooper).

LITTLE BLUE HERON - A pair of adults were present at Buchanan Lake in Haralson Co. since early May, and on 7 July Michael Bell found two adults and three immature birds at this location.  Susanna Rinard reported finding two adults at a pond in Paulding Co. on 16 June, where at least one had been present since 27 May.  On 26 June, she found one immature at the same pond.

REDDISH EGRET - Two were seen at Cumberland Island on 10 July (Giff Beaton).

CATTLE EGRET - Five were an unusual sighting at the ELHLAF on 20 July (Eric Beohm).  Four were seen at Berry College in Floyd Co. during late June (Marion Dobbs).

YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON - Twenty-six were reported at Youman’s Pond in Liberty Co. on 7 June (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, Earl Horn).

WHITE IBIS - Two immatures were seen at the ELHLAF on 14 July (Carol Lambert), and another immature was at Arrowhead Waterfowl Area in Floyd Co. on 23 July (Michael Bell).

GLOSSY IBIS - Four were found at the ASWMA on 7 June (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, Earl Horn), and five were seen at Harris Neck WMA on 28 June (Darrell Lee).

ROSEATE SPOONBILL - Twelve were reported from near Brunswick in Glynn Co. on 7 June (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, Earl Horn), and three were seen in the same area on 7 July (Brad Winn).

WOOD STORK - An immature was a good find at The Georgian Resort golf course in Paulding Co. on 7 July (Randy Cooper).  The bird remained at this location through at least 28 July (Michael Bell).  Another bird was reported at Dyar’s Pasture in Greene Co. on 18 July (Eugenia Thompson).

ROSS’S GOOSE - One of the birds that were present in Madison Co. during the spring was still there on 13 June (Jim Flynn).  This is the first summer record for this species in Georgia.

MOTTLED DUCK - Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, and Earl Horn had 22 at the ASWMA on 7 June.

BLUE-WINGED TEAL - Two were seen at the ASWMA on 7 June (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, Earl Horn), and a pair were present at Oxbow Meadows in the Columbus area on 16 June (Walt Chambers).

NORTHERN PINTAIL - A male was seen at the ELHLAF on 6 June (Patrick Brisse, Terry Moore), and on 12 June (Paul Raney).  Then a female was reported at the same location during most of July (m.ob.).

LESSER SCAUP - A male was seen at St. Simons Island on 7 June (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, Earl Horn), and a female was at MBBP on 26 June (Anne Waters).


Red-breasted Merganser - Andrews I. - 7 Jun 1999

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER - A female was seen along the Andrews Island Causeway in Glynn Co. on 7 June (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, Earl Horn).

SWALLOW-TAILED KITE - Three were reported in Dodge Co. along the Ocmulgee River on 28 June (Donny Screws).

MISSISSIPPI KITE - One was seen in Houston Co. on 9 June (Dot Freeman), and three were found in the Brunswick area on 24 June (Sheila Willis).  However, the most interesting report came from the Conyers area, where one to two birds were present from 2 through 21 July (Becky Boston, Francis Michael, Jim Wilson).  This is the third year in succession that this species has been found at that location.

BALD EAGLE - One reported in White Co. on 14 June was unusual for the area (fide Mark Oberle).

SHARP-SHINNED HAWK - All reports of this species in summer are noteworthy.  One was seen in the Stockbridge area in Henry Co. on 6 June (Patrick Brisse, Terry Moore), one was reported at Cloudland Canyon S.P. in Dade Co. on 11 June (Giff Beaton et al.), and one was seen near Martin (Stephens/Franklin Cos.) on 12 June (Giff Beaton et al.).

BROAD-WINGED HAWK - On 8 June Jim Flynn found one in Laurens Co. and one in Treutlen Co.  This species is a sparse breeder in the upper coastal plain.  One was seen near Darien on 23 June (Paul Sykes), and one was spotted near Waycross on 2 July (Sheila Willis).

AMERICAN KESTREL - One was seen in the Thomaston area in Upson Co. on 24 July (Eric Beohm).

PEREGRINE FALCON - A bird seen in Riverdale in Clayton Co. on 20 June by Malcolm Hodges was presumably one of the downtown Atlanta birds.

BLACK RAIL - Three were heard at the ASWMA on 7 June for an exciting find (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, Earl Horn).  One was heard, again at the same location, on 16 June (Darrell Lee).

VIRGINIA RAIL - Two were found at the marsh at Floyd College in Floyd Co. on 19 July (Giff Beaton, Marion Dobbs).

PURPLE GALLINULE - Darrell Lee found a family group, including two downy chicks, at the Harris Neck N.W.R. in Liberty Co. on 20 June.

AMERICAN COOT - A pair summered at Buchanan Lake in Haralson Co., with courtship behavior being noted (Michael Bell).  Three were observed at the ELHLAF on 12 July (Carol Lambert).

SANDHILL CRANE - Four were found in Clinch Co. on 13 June (Jerry Amerson, Marie Amerson).

WILSON’S PLOVER - Lydia Thompson was able to confirm breeding at Jekyll Island, where she observed at least 14 adults and seven young during June.

PIPING PLOVER - Two were seen at Jekyll Island on 22 July (Rusty Trump).

WILLET - Two were seen at the M.I.A. on 17 July for a first record for Bibb County (Ty Ivey, Paul Johnson).

WHIMBREL - Ten were reported at Jekyll Island on 7 June (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, Earl Horn), and six were seen at Cumberland Island on 10 July (Giff Beaton).

WESTERN SANDPIPER - Two were found at the ELHLAF on 17 July (Patrick Brisse, Jeff Sewell).

PECTORAL SANDPIPER - One at Buchanan Lake in Haralson Co. on 13 July (Michael Bell) was quite early.

STILT SANDPIPER - As many as three were at the ELHLAF from 13 through 15 July (m.ob.).

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER - Three were present at the ELHLAF from 14 through 17 July (m.ob.), and two were seen at the M.I.A. on 17 July (Ty Ivey, Paul Johnson).

LAUGHING GULL -  One was reported in Upson Co. on 28 June for a rare inland sighting (Jessica Beohm).

CASPIAN TERN - One seen inland at Lake Jackson on 4 July was a good find (Earl Horn, Rusty Trump).

COMMON TERN - Single birds were reported from Jekyll Island on 4 June (Lydia Thompson), St. Simons Island on 7 June (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, Earl Horn), again at Jekyll Island on 26 June (Lydia Thompson), and Cumberland Island on 10 July (Giff Beaton).

FORSTER’S TERN - One was seen at the M.I.A. on 17 July (Ty Ivey, Paul Johnson).

LEAST TERN - One was seen at the ELHLAF on 17 July for a rare inland sighting (Patrick Brisse, Jeff Sewell).

BLACK TERN - Two were found at Cumberland Island on 10 July (Giff Beaton).

EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE - Notable sightings were the four in Lavonia in Hart Co. on 6 June (Bill Blakeslee), one near the state capitol in Atlanta on 19 July (Eric Beohm), and 41 in the Thomaston area in Upson Co. on 24 July (Eric Beohm).

COMMON GROUND-DOVE - An excellent count was the 28 in Central City Park in Macon on 2 July (Eric Beohm).

WILLOW FLYCATCHER - One was seen in Greene Co. on 7 June (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, Earl Horn).  This species was also found at the regular breeding site near the Dillard House in Rabun Co. on 8 June (Pierre Howard) and on 19 June (Chris Loudermilk).  A bird was seen and heard in Blairsville in Union Co. on 14 July, at the same location were two birds were found last year (Dot Freeman).

LEAST FLYCATCHER - For the second year in succession a bird summered near the eighth green at the Sky Valley Golf Course in Rabun Co.  One was reported there on 8 June (Pierre Howard) and on 19 June (Chris Loudermilk).

GRAY KINGBIRD - A pair were observed in Brunswick on 24 June (Sheila Willis).  Four were seen at Jekyll Island on 22 July (Rusty Trump).

SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER - One was present at the ELHLAF on 25 July (Peggy Moore, Terry Moore, Mary Ann Vernocy, Bob Zaremba, Deb Zaremba) and was seen there again the next day (Carol Lambert).

BLUE-HEADED VIREO - A pair were observed building a nest at Tally Mt. in Haralson Co. during June (Michael Bell).

HORNED LARK - An adult and a fledgling were seen in Pulaski Co. on 5 June (Dan Guynn, Ty Ivey).

TREE SWALLOW - Two were seen in Greene Co. on 7 June (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn, Earl Horn).  Carol Lambert reported seeing a young bird looking out of a nestbox at the ELHLAF on 14 July.

BANK SWALLOW - Ten were reported from the ELHLAF on 17 July (Patrick Brisse, Jeff Sewell).  The high count for the period was the 37 seen migrating southward in Greene Co. on 26 July (Paul Sykes).

CLIFF SWALLOW - This species is continuing to expand its breeding range in north Georgia.  This summer nesting was confirmed in Bartow, Carroll, Coweta, Elbert, Floyd, Greene, Hancock, Hart, Heard, Jasper, Lincoln, Monroe, Murray, and Putnam Counties (fide Giff Beaton).  Walt Chambers found at least one nest in Columbus on 22 July, which is the southern-most confirmed nesting of this species in Georgia.  Along the coast, Darrell Lee reported 30-50 migrants at Harris Neck N.W.R. on 25 July.  Paul Sykes had an impressive count of 216 in Greene Co. on 26 July.

BARN SWALLOW - Sheila Willis found this species nesting for the first time in the Okefenokee N.W.R. on 8 June.

HOUSE WREN - One was found in the Tyrone area in Fayette Co. on 14 July (Giff Beaton).  This species may be continuing to expand its breeding range south.

WINTER WREN - One was heard singing at Brasstown Bald on 6 July (Dot Freeman), where this species evidently continues to breed in small numbers.

VEERY - Dot Freeman found a number of singing birds in the vicinity of Vogel S.P. in Union Co., at an elevation of approximately 1000 meters, on 29 June.

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER - Jim Flynn found three territorial birds in Dawson Forest during June, where he states there is a small but stable breeding population.

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER - An early migrant was spotted at Kennesaw Mt. on July 16 (Giff Beaton, Kevin Danchisen).

CERULEAN WARBLER - The first two migrants were seen at Kennesaw Mt. on 20 July (Giff Beaton, Susanna Rinard).

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER - An early migrant was seen near Darien on 21 July (Doris Cohrs).

AMERICAN REDSTART - Giff Beaton found four of this local breeder along the Oconee River on 5 June.  One seen in a Decatur backyard on 12 June was an unusual find (Jerry Brunner).  A pair and a fledgling were seen in Elbert Co. on 13 June (Giff Beaton, Jim Flynn).  An early migrant was reported from near Darien on 22 July (Doris Cohrs).


Worm-eating Warbler - Stephens Co., GA - 5 Jun 1999

WORM-EATING WARBLER - Six were counted at Cloudland Canyon S.P. in Dade Co. on 11 June (Giff Beaton, Bruce Hallett).

SWAINSON’S WARBLER - Three were found in Evans/Bulloch Cos. on 2 June (Giff Beaton, Andy Kinsey), one was found along the Oconee River on 5 June (Giff Beaton), and one was found in Rabun Co. on 20 June (Jim Flynn).  A pair summered near Tallapoosa in Haralson Co. (Michael Bell).

OVENBIRD - Two found in Fayette Co. on 14 July by Giff Beaton may have been close to the southern limit of this species’ breeding range in Georgia.

SCARLET TANAGER - This species continues to increase as a breeder in the Piedmont as evidenced by the 11 found at various locations in Haralson Co. during June (Michael Bell).  A male seen in Upson Co. on 2 July was quite far south for the time of year (Walt Chambers).

BACHMAN’S SPARROW - While doing work for the Georgia Breeding Bird Atlas, Sheila Willis found this species present in small numbers in Charlton, Clinch, Echols, Glynn, Jeff Davis, and Ware Counties.  Two were also reported in Brantley Co. on 13 June (Jerry Amerson, Marie Amerson).

GRASSHOPPER SPARROW - Giff Beaton had good counts, with 20 in Morgan Co. on 6 June and 40 in Stephens/Franklin Cos. on 12 June.  Paul Sykes found 14 in about one hectare in northern Greene Co. on 26 July, which he feels is evidence of a good nesting season in the area.

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW - Most unusual was one seen in Fulton Co. on 2 June (Russ Wigh).

PAINTED BUNTING -  A pair was a good find in Randolph Co. on 1 July (Walt Chambers).  A male was seen at Central City Park in Macon on 2 July (Eric Beohm).  Paul Sykes reports that nesting was late in the Atlantic Coast population (North Carolina to Florida), with few young-of-the-year observed through the end of July.

DICKCISSEL - A pair were found in Franklin Co. on 12 June (Giff Beaton, Karen Theodrou), and a female carrying food was seen in Walker Co. on 25 July (Richard Hester, Helena Wood).

YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD - One was seen in Jenkins Co. on 1 June (Carol Eldridge fide Anne Waters).

SHINY COWBIRD - A male seen near Stockbridge in Henry Co. on 26 June by Paul Raney was a first Atlanta area record.

BALTIMORE ORIOLE - Two were seen at Central City Park in Macon on 19 June (Ocmulgee Audubon Society), and a female was seen on a nest at this location on 2 July (Eric Beohm).  Two were seen in Spalding Co. on 4 July (Earl Horn, Rusty Trump), and four were found in Floyd Co. on 25 July (Chris Loudermilk).

RED CROSSBILL - A female was photographed at a feeder in the Dunwoody area on 8 and 9 June (E.J. Sadler).

Return to "From The Field" Menu


Created 20 Jan 2001