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Audubon News
Board Members
What’s InsideBermuda Birding 1
Field Trips 2
Lazarus Species 3
The Choice is Yours 4
Audubon NC Meeting 5
Urban Wildlife Symposium 6
Judy Walker - [email protected]
Rob Bierregaard - Vice [email protected]
Larry Barden - [email protected]
Lucy Quintilliano - [email protected]
Dave Lovett - Field [email protected]
Jack Meckler - [email protected]
Carol Ann Tomko - [email protected]
Marek Smith - [email protected]
Louise Barden - [email protected]
Andrea Owens - [email protected]
Audubon News is published monthly from September through May by the Mecklen-burg Audubon Society, a chapter of Na-tional Audubon. Local members receive the newsletter via postal mail and/or electronic mail. It is also posted on the Mecklenburg Auduon web site - meckbirds.org.
Volume 12, Issue 7 March2007
Spittal Pond Nature Preserve
Eurasian Dotterel
Beautiful Bermuda Birding
Bermuda, a 21-square-mile subtropical paradise, is famous for its pink sand beaches, lush gardens, British propriety, and perfect weather. But birders in the know actually come to this gorgeous subtropical island for world-class birding because the island is a haven for over 350 species. A birder can spend the morning observing some of the islands colorful combination of native species and migrating visitors and then while away the afternoon relaxing on sun-kissed beaches.
Bermuda’s most famous bird, the Bermuda petrel, or cahow, is a rare but rewarding sight.
Considered extinct for 350 years, it was rediscovered in the 1950s. The petrel has a wingspan of thirty-six inches and nests in burrows on the East End islets from November through May. If you’re lucky, you’ll see this nocturnal bird soaring over the ocean at dusk. The island also has a population of white-tailed tropicbirds, known as the Bermuda longtails. With a three-foot wingspan and two long, streaming tail feath-ers, these birds are easy to recog-nize.
To help us get to know this gem of the ocean better Penny Soares, native Bermudian and part-time member of Mecklenburg Audubon, will lead us on a virtual tour of the island habitat and its birds. She will also update us on the status of their ‘famous’ bird.
It should prove to be a very in-teresting evening. Although there probably won’t be tea and crum-pets, there will be plenty of time for conversation and questions. So pack your bags and shove off to the Fel-lowship Hall of the Sharon Seventh Day Adventist Church on Thursday, March 1st at 7:30 PM.
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Field TripsAll Mecklenburg Audubon Field Trips are free and open to the publilc. Directions for all trips can be found on the Meck-lenburg Audubon website - meckbirds.org. Click on Field Trips. Please remember to contact the trip leaders several days before the trip. If you don’t, you may not receive information about last minute changes or cancellations. Also, if they don’t know you are coming, they might leave without you!!
Saturday, March 3rd:Draper WMA/Lake Oliphant, SC [Full Day] Located just east of Rock Hill and south of York, SC, Draper WMA and Lake Oliphant combine to offer a lovely morning of late winter birding. Nestled in rolling farmland, this idyllic setting seems miles away from the hustle an bustle of Charlotte. Starting at Draper, we will bird old farm ponds and cultivated “wild-life focused” fields, searching for wintering birds including the ever more elusive northern bobwhite. Raptors on electrical towers and
hunting the fields should be plentiful and easily observed. From Draper we will drive a short distance south through the farmlands to Lake Oliph-ant, which always harbors a ruddy duck or two along with other surprises. We will meet at 8 AM in the Crossroads Mall parking lot located on the right hand side of the main entrance drive into Carowinds Theme park off HWY21. We should get back to Charlotte in the early afternoon but pack a snack just in case. Call Dave Lovett 704-507-7677 or email [email protected] if coming.
Saturday, March 10th: Morrow Mt. State Park [Full Day]
Last year our group resumed regular trips to this park in to search of bald eagles. This lovely park deserves another return trip, and fellow MAS member Joseph Williams is just the person to unlock its secrets for us.
Over 4700 acres of the Uwharrie Mountains make up this park in-cluding 6 miles of shoreline along Lake Tillery. We will be looking for late waterfowl, raptors, and other late winter/ early spring species .
Watch for postings from Joseph on our MAS listserve as he keeps us abreast of sightings in the park up until our big day.
If you plan to go, email Joseph. We will meet in the office area parking lot at 9 AM. You can also arrive early for owling if you make plans with Joseph. We will have the lodge reserved again, so be sure and bring a lunch as we will bird most of the day. For direc-tions to the park click here.
Saturday, March 24th:Mallard Creek/Clarke Creek Greenway [1/2 Day]
We will meet at 8:30 AM in the Mallard Creek Elementary School greenway parking lot which is right at the front of the school. From the south we will head south on the greenway crossing under Mallard Creek Rd. to the industrial park portion of the greenway.
We will see what will pish out of the long grass and brush, and check the barrier wood as well. These areas attract lots of sparrows,
bluebirds, woodpeckers, wrens, great blue heron, kingfisher, and migrants. It may be late enough in the year to luck across a migrant warbler or thrush. Even though we will not continue far into the industrial trails, you will learn where the trails lead for your en-joyment at your future leisure.
We should be finished by 11:30. If you plan to go contact Susan Ellermann at [email protected]. Continued on page 7
Eastern PheobeJeff Lemons ©2006
Golden Crown KingletJeff Lemons ©2006
Bald EagleTerry Hamilton ©2006
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The Bermuda Petrel, Ptero-droma cahow, is a gadfly petrel. Commonly known in Bermuda as the Cahow, a name derived from its eerie cries, this noctur-nal ground-nesting seabird is the national bird of Bermuda, and a symbol of hope for nature conservation. It was thought ex-tinct for 330 years. Its dramatic rediscovery as a “Lazarus spe-cies”, that is, a species found to be alive after being considered extinct for centuries, has in-spired documentary filmmakers.
The Cahow is a medium-sized seabird with grayish-brown up-perparts shading to blackish on the rump. The underparts are mostly white except the dusky sides of the upper breast. The base of tail shows a white band. It is very similar in appearance to the Black-capped Petrel which occurs regularly in water off of North Carolina where Bermuda Petrels have been seen several times.
Initially abundant throughout the archipelago, the Cahow is a slow breeder, but excellent flier, and spends its adult life on the open seas. At five years old it returns to its former nest-ing place and begins breeding, laying only one egg per season. Cahows mate for life.
At the time of Bermuda’s dis-covery by European explorers in
the early sixteenth century, the island had no indigenous human inhabitants or other mammals and there were large nesting colonies of seabirds. Evidence from first travellers, early set-tlers and fossil bones shows that the species must have been extremely abundant throughout the island.
The Cahows’ eerie nocturnal cries stopped the early Span-ish seafarers from settling the Islands out of superstition, as they thought the Isles were inhabited by Devils. Instead they put ashore hogs as a living foodstore for passing ships, and so began the onslaught on the Cahow’s existence. Following Bermuda’s colonization by the British, introduced species like rats, cats and dogs, and mass killings of the birds by early colonists decimated numbers. Despite being protected by one of the world’s earliest conser-vation decrees, the birds were thought to have been driven to extinction in the 1620s.
In 1951, 18 surviving nest-ing pairs were found on rocky islets in Castle Harbour, and a program was set up by David B. Wingate to build concrete burrows and wooden bafflers for the nesting tunnels in order to keep out the slightly larger, competing ‘Bermuda longtail’, and to restore the nearby Non-such Island to be a future viable base for the species.
Enjoying legal protection, the species has started to make a good recovery, The main threat for the future is lack of suit-able breeding habitat. Hurricane Fabian destroyed many nesting burrows in 2003. Recently the larger and ecologically-restored Nonsuch Island has been repop-
ulated with chicks, their translo-cation timed so they will imprint on these surroundings. None-theless, the global population of this bird in 2005 was only about 250 individuals.
Cahows are believed to range widely on the open ocean, re-turning to land only to breed, where their habits are strictly nocturnal. In the non-breeding season, they are thought to fol-low the warm waters of the Gulf Stream.
Their food consists primarily of cephalopods (small squid) and lesser amounts of shrimp and probably small fish. The breed-ing season runs from late Octo-ber to mid-June. Eggs are laid in January, hatch in late Febru-ary and early March, and young birds fledge in late May and early June.
The Cahows originally bur-rowed their nests into the soft soils of Bermuda, but introduced mammals exterminated them everywhere except on the small-est offshore islets where soil cover was too sparse to permit burrowing. The birds now oc-cupy natural erosion crevices in the cliffs and cliff talus. Like other species of the genus, Cahow adults often stop tend-ing their chicks long before they are able to fly, since the fat accumulated by the fledglings can provide enough energy to reach fledging condition. Fifteen days from abandonment to the chick’s departure is not unusual.
The Lazarus Species: Bermuda Petrel
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When bugs, weeds, or other pests be-come a problem, try one of these less-toxic control methods. Many hardware
stores and garden centers are carrying an increasing selection of healthier pest control products. Take this list with you on your next visit and ask which products are available.
The Choice is Yours
PHYSICAL METHODS Pluck, wash, or vacuum bugs off plants or surfaces.Pull weeds the old-fashioned way, ideally before they produce seeds. Use row covers to block insects. Use mulch to prevent weeds.Encircle beds with copper flashing to deter snails and slugs.
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HEAT & NONTOXIC SUBSTANCES Apply corn gluten meal to turf grass in early spring and fall to prevent germination of dandeli-ons, crabgrass, and other common weeds. Kill weeds in driveway cracks with boiling water. Sprinkle natural-grade diatomaceous earth in pest hiding places and entry points.
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TRAPS, VISUAL LURES, NONTOXIC BAITS Trap aphids & whiteflies with yellow sticky cards; the color attracts them. Bait slugs with a beer or yeast solution in a saucer placed flush with the soil surface. Lure yellowjackets into narrow-necked bottles or jugs containing apple juice.
HORTICULTURAL OIL SPRAYS Use to control aphids, mites, scale insects, whiteflies, & other pests. Try vegetable-oil (as opposed to petroleum-oil) based sprays. Apply summer or foliar oils when foliage is present.
INSECTICIDAL SOAPS Use most effectively against soft-bodied pests —aphids, mites, whiteflies, thrips, caterpillars, etc.
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BIOLOGICAL CONTROL Learn your local allies. Lady beetles devour aphids; green lacewing larvae feed more generally on soft-bodied insects, mites, and insect eggs. Other allies include spiders, soldier bugs, predatory mites, various nematodes.Support the allies you have. Provide the food, water, and shelter they need.
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For more information go to http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/IPM_Alternatives.html
AudubonNewsPage5
Springtime is right around the corner and that means it’s time for Audubon of North Carolina’s annual meeting. And this spring it’s our turn to show off our ‘stuff’ -
23 miles of developed and 158 miles of undeveloped greenways that wind their way through the county12 nature preservesfirst Important Bird Area desig-nated in North Carolinathe Carolina Raptor Center, a na-tionally recognized facility.an award winning environmenal education program centered at Reedy Creek Nature Center
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Urban Habitat Management Symposium3:30 - 5:00 PM — Reedy Creek Nature Center
Urban Barred OwlsDr. Richard Bierregaard, University of North Carolina CharlotteNow in its 7th year this project’s goals include increasing knowledge of the ecology of the Barred Owl, particularly in suburban habitats; using the owls as environmental monitors; and increasing community sensitivity and involvement in the environment in their own backyards.
Piedmont Prairie RestorationDr. Lawrence Barden, University of North Carolina Charlotte.The Division of Natural Resources is restoring three Piedmont prairies, and actively manages three other remnant prairies in the county that protect Schweinitz’s sunflower (Helianthus sch-weinitzii), a Federally listed endangered species that occurs only within 100 km of Charlotte.
Collecting Data on Urban WildlifeDon Seriff, Division of Natural Resources, Mecklenburg Park and Recreation Department. Collectin data about wildlife and habitat is an important component of the wildlife manage-ment decision making process. The Division of Natural Resources, with the help of volun-teers, uses a wide variety of methods to collect this data.
The Greening of a Metropolitan AreaMarek Smith, Division of Natural Resources, Mecklenburg Park and Recreation Department.With 12 nature preserves, 23 miles of developed greenway, 158 miles of undeveloped gre-enway and 3 nature centers Mecklenburg Park and Recreation Department does an excellent job of balancing the needs of both people and wildlife.
Resources. The remainder will be led by local Mecklenburg Audubon members who will provide back-ground information on the property as well as help you identify what is being seen. Trips will return around 1 PM.
At 3:30 PM there will be a sym-posium on urban habitat manage-
ment at the Reedy Creek Na-ture Center. Participants will be provided information on projects currently being con-ducted in the county and have an oportunity to ask questions about what is being done in the county to protect wildlife and habitat.
We will then stroll down to Shelter #3 for a relaxing dinner in a very natural setting. Chris Canfield, Audubon of North Carolina executive director, will provide us with an update on Audubon of North Carolina’s past, present and future activi-ties. After all the official busi-ness we will venture out into the preserve for an owl prowl.
Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy a day of birding, learn-ing and feasting with Audu-bon members from around the state. It’s will be a great way to meet new folks and share the vision of what can be done to protect urban wildlife habitat.
Annual Meeting Schedule
Friday, April 27th5:00 to 10:00 PM
Check in at Drury Inn, pick up meetingpackets, and enjoy light refreshments.
Dinner on your own.
Saturday, April 28th7:30 AM– 1:00 PM
Field trips
1:00 - 3:00 PMLunch on your own.
3:30 - 5:00 PMUrban Wildlife Management Symposium
Reedy Creek Nature Center
5:30 – 10:00 PM Dinner and annual meeting
Reedy Creek Nature PreserveIndoor Shelter #3
On April 28th the rest of the state is coming to town to explore and en-joy our treasures. Which means we need everyone’s help to make them feel welcome and show them a good time.
The meeting will be headquartered at the Drury Inn & Suites in the Uni-versity area of Charlotte, easily ac-cessible from I-85. Registration will be Friday from 5-9 PM with refresh-ments, compliments of the hotel, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM.
Saturday morning we will rise ear-ly to explore a wide variety of habi-tats and properties throughout the county. Two trips will be led by staff from the county’s Division of Natural
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All field trips will leave the hotel parking area at 7:30 AM and return around 1:00 PM, in time for you to grab lunch on your own before the symposium. Trips #1
and #5 will be lead by staff from the County’s Natural Resources Division and will use their vans. Participants of all other field trips will be asked to car pool to save on gas and hopefully avoid losing folks as we wander around the county. Field trips are organized around a theme, for more details about locations visit - meckbirds.org/annual. Trips are rated using the following key: Very Easy - less than a mile of walking on flat well worn paths; Easy - 1-3 miles of walking on flat well worn paths; Moderate - 1-3 miles of walking on well worn paths over rolling hills.
Annual Meeting Field Trips
Trip #1A Refuge amid the Chaos:Cowan’s Ford Refuge
(Moderate. Participants: 12)
Trip #2Urban Preserves:Evergreen Nature Preserve
(Moderate. Participants: 12)
Trip #3Wildlife in the Heart of the City: Latta Park
(Very Easy. Participants: 12)
Trip # 4Preserving Endangered Species:Latta Plantation Nature Preserve and the Carolina Raptor Center
(Moderate. Participants: 12)
Trip # 5Habitat Restoration:McDowell Nature Preserve and Prairie
(Moderate. Participants: 12)
Trip # 6Greenways for People and Wildlife:McApline Creek Greenway
(Easy. Participants: 12)
Trip #7Managing Urban Sprawl: Mallard Creek Greenway/UNCC Gardens
(Easy. Participants: 12)
Trip #8Protecting Special Places:Catawba Wildflower Glen
(Moderate. Participants: 12)
Registration for Audubon NC Annual Meeting Please clip and send this form with a check for full amount made payable to Audubon North Carolina at: 123 Kingston Drive, Suite 206A, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Confirmations will be sent electronically after receipt of registration. If you have questions regarding the annual meeting, please contact Judy Walker, Meck-lenburg Audubon Society at 704-537-8181 (Home); 704-687-2559 (Work); or [email protected] or call the state office at 919-929-3899. Registration Deadline is April 12th, 2007.
Name
Saturday Trip # Alternate Trip #
Name
Saturday Trip # Alternate Trip #
Field Trip Preferences
Registration
Name(s)
Address
City/State/Zip
Evening Phone
Audubon Chapter
Payment
Number of Participants @$50.00 each
Total
(Registration includes field trips, symposium and dinner.)
Symosium Number attending ______
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Return to: Lucy Quintilliano, Treasurer, Mecklenburg Audubon Society, P. O. Box 221093, Charlotte, NC 28222
Name Phone
Address [Street, City, ST, and Zip] E-mail
Because National Audubon has reduced the chapter share of the national membership, Mecklenburg Audu-bon now must offer a Local Membership to cover the cost of the newsletter, web site & cost of meetings.
Join now and your membership will be effective until June 2008.
Mecklenburg Audubon Society
q Individual Membership [$10] q Family Membership [$15]
q Please, save trees and send me[us] the newsletter electronically.
q Please, add me to Meckbirds, the local electronic discussion list about birds and the environment.q I[we] would be willing to lead a field trip.q I[we] would be interested in participating in a work day at one of the local preserves.q I[we] would be willing to do a program.
Saturday, March 31st:McAlpine Greeway [1/2 day]
Early spring migrants should be moving through this wonderful greenway with a variety of habitat. If the soccer fields are muddy (and empty) a number of shorebirds could be present. Resident birds should be in full courtship mode so there should be a lot to hear and maybe even a few nests being built within view of the paths. Who knows what might show up around the beaver pond.
We will meet Andrea Owens at the Monroe entrance to the green-way at 8 AM. If you plan to go contact her at [email protected] or 704-651-2232.
Saturday, April 7th:Green Swamp Preserve (Brunswick Co.) [Full Day]
The Green Swamp contains some of the country’s finest examples of longleaf pine savannas. The open savannas have a diverse herb layer with many orchids and insec-tivorous plants. Almost 13,000 acres of the preserve, however, are comprised of a dense evergreen shrub bog (pocosin) dominated by gallberry, titi, and sweetbay.
One of the preserve’s rarest residents is the federally listed en-dangered red-cockaded woodpecker. But other species of interest include the Bachman’s Sparrow, Prothonary and Praire Warblers. Be ready to get your feet wet and don’t forget lots of drinking water and insect repellent.
Taylor Piephoff will be leading this trip. For complete details and places to stay contact him at [email protected].
Field Trips
Green HeronJeff Lemons ©2006
Bachman’s Sparrow
Here is the bird feeder. Here, seeds and crumbs. Sprinkle them on and see what comes.
One cardinal, one chickadee, one junco, one jay. Four of my bird friends are eating today.
Audubon NewsP.O. Box 221093Charlotte, NC 28222
3/1 Bermuda Birding [Monthly Meeting]3/3 Draper WMA/ Lake Oliphan (Full Day Field Trip)3/10 Morrow Mt. State Park (Full Day Field Trip)3/24 Mallard Creek Greenway (1/2 day Field Trip)3/31 McAlpine Greenway (1/2 day Field Trip)4/5 Warblers [Monthly Meeting]4/7 Green Swamp [Full Day Field Trip]4/7 Ribbon Walk Nature Preserve [1/2 Day Field Trip]4/14 Congaree Swamp [Full Day Field Trip]
Activities Calendar
