Hi All,

Jim Hanna and I birded the coast (and some points between) this past weekend visiting Harris Neck NWR, Tolomato Causeway Pond, Altamaha WMA, Clayhole Swamp WMA, Bloody Marsh, Gould's Inlet, Jekyll Island Causeway, Jekyll Island, Jekyll Island South Beach, Andrews Island Causeway, Big Hammock WMA, Piedmont NWR, and the Henry County Scissor-tailed Flycatcher site! We found 117 species, 100 of these on Saturday (including 8 species of warbler). Highlights included:

Harris Neck NWR --------------- Great Blue Heron Great Egret Snowy Egret Little Blue Heron Tricolored Heron Cattle Egret Green Heron Black-crowned Night-Heron Yellow-crowned Night-Heron White Ibis Wood Stork Painted Bunting

We remarked how we could understand why the egrets were once so hunted for their beautiful breeding plumes. Seeing so many different species of wader in high breeding plumage (and behavior), and many with plumes outstretched was extremely beautiful! For me seeing the stunning green lores of the high breeding Great Egret up close in the scope was a real highlight!

Tolomato Causeway Pond ---------------------- Black-necked Stilt (2)

Altamaha WMA ------------ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (22+, from the southern, westside, covered tower, across the highway from the Champney River Park) Mottled Duck (10+) Blue-winged Teal Least Bittern (3+) Bald Eagle Purple Gallinule (1, about 50 feet east of the north tower on the east side) Black-necked Stilt (8+) Bobolink (8+ females) Orchard Oriole (immature male)

Clayhole Swamp WMA (Swamp Road) ------------------------------- A Swainson's Warbler we could hear but never were able to see!

Bloody Marsh ------------ Whimbrel, 55+ Dunlin, 30+ breeding plumage

Gould's Inlet ------------- Black-bellied Plover (breeding plumage) Lesser Black-backed Gull

Jekyll Island Causeway ---------------------- Roseate Spoonbill Black-bellied Plover (more breeding plumage) Least Tern (fishing)

Jekyll Island ------------- Gray Kingbird (at the convention center, seen both days)

Jekyll Island South Beach ------------------------- Marbled Godwit

Andrews Island Causeway ----------------------- Least Tern (more fishing)

Hwy 341 North (somewhere around Gardi) -------------------------------------- We knew that we wouldn't find any Swallow-tailed Kite (STKI) flocks on this trip (too early) but we were hoping to find at least one lone STKI somewhere! We had planned to stop at the Altamaha River Overlook (see Giff Beaton's Birding Georgia, page 164) to watch the river corridor for the kites. We were on our way there, coming up Hwy 341, towards Jesup from Brunswick, and somewhere around Gardi, when a gorgeous Swallow-tailed Kite (gee, what other kind is there?) crossed the road directly dead- center in front of the car at treetop level and about 150 yards out. It was a perfectly natural look, we didn't even have to crane our necks to see the bird! Magical Birding Moment #... Oh heck I lost count again!

Big Hammock WMA --------------- A Swainson's Warbler that we were able to hear, and then see just fine on the very edge of the road about 10 feet out! This was about 1 mile into the WMA on Main Road after entering the WMA by turning right just after the Altamaha River crossing (coming from the south on 121/144/169).

Piedmont NWR ------------ Northern Bobwhite Red-cockaded Woodpecker Bachman's Sparrow

Henry County Scissor-tailed Flycatcher site ------------------------------------------- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

We were planning to wrap up at E.L. Huie but ran out of time. If we had known about the Stilt Sandpiper flock that Nathan Farnau had found earlier in the day on Sunday we would have definitely made it there some how, and some way!!!

Good Birding All!

Mark

Mark McShane 1.2nd Year Male Birder Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, Georgia eagleeyed AT bellsouth.net

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