BIRDS
NC Bird Atlas Update by John Carpenter, Scott Anderson, Lee Sherrill, CC King, Karen Clark, Wildlife Conservation Biologists
F rom the saltmarshes of the Outer Banks to the tallest peaks scattered across our rugged mountains, the 2024 NC Bird Atlas (NCBA) summer field staff—consisting of 18 temporary technicians—has been very busy this quarter! Along the coast, our team has braved hordes of hungry horse flies and sweltering heat to find as many bird species as possible. Swainson's Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Prairie Warbler and Chuck-will's-Widow were found in good num- bers across the forests, swamps, and scrubby thickets. In the agricultural fields, we were often serenaded by singing East- ern Meadowlarks and Horned Larks. Even rare birds—a pair of roosting Barn Owls, a Black-billed Cuckoo, and a Scis- sor-tailed Flycatcher—revealed themselves. With the help of Law Enforcement officers from the WRC and the Environ- mental Affairs Department of MCAS Cherry Point, we Atlased remote marshes in Pamlico County that were accessible only by boat. As the end of June drew near, our whole team relo- cated to the Outer Banks to search hard-to-reach spots for species like Seaside Sparrow, Marsh Wren, and Clapper Rail. We conducted over 3,500 survey checklists this quarter and still have one more month of Atlasing to go! The Piedmont team has spent the first half of the summer collecting data across many of the unique habitat types that make up this ecoregion and confirmed breeding by over 100
species, such as Swainson’s Warblers, Loggerhead Shrikes, Bachman’s Sparrows, Barn Owl, and Green Heron. Many mornings were spent paddling kayaks through swamps and creeks, and with the help of WRC Law Enforcement yet again, staff hitched a boat ride to cruise the shores of Lake Gaston. Across the region, the team efficiently distributed effort and increased recognition of our agency by coordinating closely with dedicated volunteer Atlasers. The mountain team has been tearing through their region this summer! Many days have been spent traveling long dis- tances on sketchy mountain roads to survey isolated sites. Our reward has been confirmation of breeding by species such as Worm-eating Warbler and Ovenbird, and even the first nesting record of the Black-capped Chickadee. One technician hiked 14 miles in a single day to cover an entire trail system in the Smokies and added 19 new species that had not been detected from the public road system. The entire mountain team wrapped up the month of June by camping in the remote Nantahala Wilderness, where we con- firmed Canada Warbler, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Rose- breasted Grosbeak. By reaching the places few volunteers can or are willing to go, our summer technicians are continuing to help move the NCBA towards completion!
11 2024 Wildlife Diversity Program Annual Report
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