SEPTEMBER 2011

DUCKS THROUGH FALCONS – Six NORTHERN SHOVELERS were early in Bartow Co. on 6 Sept. (JMcN, NF). Very unusual for an inland location was an adult male MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD at Sweetwater Creek State Park on 7 Sept. (PR). JSe reported an ANHINGA at the E.L. Huie Land Application Facility (ELHLAF) on 18 Sept.There were several reports of WHITE IBIS with the peak count of nine at Lake Varner on 9 Sept. (JSe, HG, PB). Fairly rare for the Atlanta area was a MISSISSIPPI KITE near Acworth on 7 Sept. (CS). A PEREGRINE FALCON was a good sighting in the Buckhead area on 7 Sept. (CC).

SHOREBIRDS THROUGH TERNS – AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were reported from Bartow Co. on 6 and 7 Sept. and from ELHLAF on 20 Sept. (m.ob.). Bartow Co. played host to a wide variety of shorebirds with the following peak counts: three RUDDY TURNSTONES on 6 Sept. (CK, KM), two SANDERLINGS on 6 Sept. (CK, KM), five WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS on 6 Sept. (JMcN, et al.), two BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS from 7 Sept. to 26 Sept. (m.ob.), and four STILT SANDPIPERS on 6 Sept. (JMcN, NF).Other sightings included small numbers of BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS in several locations plus three SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS in Bartow Co. on 6 Sept. (JMcN, NF). Finally, there were two WILSON’S PHALAROPES at the ELHLAF from 12 Sept. through 16 Sept. (Cal) plus two RED-NECKED PHALAROPES in Bartow Co. from 6 through 9 Sept. (m.ob.).Two SOOTY TERNS were rare sightings at Tidwell Park on 7 Sept. (JFly).

CUCKOOS THROUGH FLYCATCHERS – One BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was seen at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) on 7 and 9 Sept.(H&LG, SS) and another at Henderson Park in DeKalb Co. on 19 Sept. (JSe). There were a number of COMMON NIGHTHAWKS reported but the largest count was 177 in Roswell on 8 Sept. (SZ). There were a total of five reports of OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS from 1 Sept. through 14 Sept. (m.ob.). Other flycatchers of note in the Atlanta area were four YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS from 13 Sept. through 25 Sept. and two ALDER FLYCATCHERS on 10 and 11 Sept. (JG, EB).

VIREOS – A BELL’S VIREO was a very rare report from Kennesaw Mt. National Battlefield Park (KMT) on 13 Sept. (BZ). Another possible BELL’S VIREO was from DeKalb Co. on 25 Sept. (PMcL). Other rare vireos included single WARBLING VIREOS at Henderson Park on 13 Sept. (PMcL, HG) and in Forsyth Co. on 14 Sept. (GM). Other rare PHILADELPHIA VIREOS were seen at the CRNRA on 11 Sept. (JH et al.), at Henderson Park on 17 Sept. (JSe, JB), in Bartow Co. on 23 Sept. (JSp) and back at the CRNRA on 25 Sept. (PMcL, KM).

WARBLERS THROUGH DICKCISSELS – There were a total of five reports of NASHVILLE WARBLERS from 11 Sept. through 28 Sept. (m.ob.). NF had one of the best warbler counts with the following from the CRNRA on 25 Sept. – 22 AMERICAN REDSTARTS, 14 MAGNOLIAS, 12 CHESTNUT-SIDEDS and one WILSON’S WARBLER. A very rare sighting was that of a MOURNING WARBLER at the downtown Olympic Park from 22 through 27 Sept. (m.ob.). A LINCOLN’S SPARROW was a good find in Bartow Co. on 17 Sept. as was a DICKCISSEL at the CRNRA on 7 Sept. (JH et al.).
 

DUCKS THROUGH KITES – CM had a very impressive 120 BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS at Darien on 22 Sept. The highest inland count of WOOD STORKS was 55 at the Phinizy Swamp on 11 Sept. (LS). A GREAT WHITE HERON was a very odd sighting from the Lake Lanier area on 6 Sept. (MMcS). Rare for the Georgia mountains were two SWALLOW-TAILED KITES and one MISSISSIPPI KITE on 3 Sept. in Fannin Co. (MD).

SHOREBIRDS – Two AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were found in Morgan Co. on 18 Sept. (RK). Rare for inland areas were 21 AMERICAN AVOCETS at the West Point Dam on 6 Sept. and nine at Carter’s Lake on 16 Sept. (CK). Other interesting shorebird reports were five UPLAND SANDPIPERS at Marshallville on 5 Sept. (MMcS, MM), four SANDERLINGS at West Point Dam on 6 Sept. (WC), 11 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS in Greene Co. (JSe, HG, PG), small numbers of BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS scattered around the state and as many as six WILSON’S PHALAROPES on Little St. Simons Island on 1 Sept. (LT).

GULLS THROUGH DOVES – A single LAUGHING GULL was a rather rare find on Lake Lanier on 6 Sept. (JFly). Also at Lake Lanier were three SOOTY TERNS on 6 Sept. (JFly). JSp had eight CASPIAN TERNS and 14 BLACK TERNS on Carter’s Lake on 7 Sept. Rare for GA was a WHITE-WINGED DOVE in the Valdosta area on 26 Sept. (LM).

FLYCATCHERS THROUGH VIREOS – OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS were seen in the Macon area on 8 Sept. (JFleu) and Fannin Co. on 13 Sept. (NS). ALDER FLYCATCHERS were reported from the Athens area on 9 Sept. (RH) and from Lincoln Co. on 10 Sept. (JFly). There were two reports of YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS along with a possible BELL’S VIREO in the Macon area on 30 Sept. (TMcC). Carter’s Lake proved to be a hot spot for vireos with several sightings of WARBLING and PHILADELPHIA VIREOS from 11 through 29 Sept. (m.ob.)).

WAXWINGS THROUGH DICKCISSEL – Three CEDAR WAXWINGS were a good find on the UGA campus on 9 Sept. (JSe, HG, PB). Rare warbler sightings included a NASHVILLE WARBLER in the Athens area on 24 Sept. (MB, JN), WILSON’S WARBLERS in Fannin Co. on 13 Sept. (JL), two in the Albany area on 14 Sept. (LG) and another back in Athens on 30 Sept. (MB). Lastly, two DICKCISSELS were on the UGA Campus on 9 Sept. (JSe, HG, PB).