Date:         Wed, 17 Mar 1999 00:37:08 -0500
Reply-To:     Joel Hitt <joel@HITT.COM>
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU>
From:         Joel Hitt <joel@HITT.COM>
Subject:      GA RBA, 03/15/99
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

This is the Georgia Rare Bird Alert for Monday evening, March 15, 1999.
 
4 WHITE-WINGED DOVES were reported on Friday, March 12, on Sapelo Island,
by Charles Blem.
 
From Ft. Clinch State Park, just over the Florida line on the coast, and
just north of Fernandina Beach, comes the following report from Andrew
Cratter. On Saturday, March 13, a GREAT CORMORANT, a 2nd winter GLAUCOUS
GULL, and a JAEGER (sp.), probably a Parasitic, were seen. They were
observed from the fishing pier just offshore, following a shrimp trawler.
The birds flew off in the direction of Cumberland Island, to the north.
 
An unbanded SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRD (i.ed. either a Rufous or Allen's) has
been coming to a feeder in Hahira since January. This little town is off
I-75 just north of Valdosta. Directions to the residence can be obtained
from Betty Scruggs at 912-794-2556.
 
The first-winter male HARRIS'S SPARROW was last reported on Friday, March
12. It is located at the Chattahoochee Nature Center (770-992-2055, 9-5
Mon.-Sat. and 12-5 Sun.; $3.00 admission for non-members). The Center is
located in Roswell, north Fulton County. The most in-the-open viewing area
for the bird is to the immediate right of the rehabilitation center
building, where he feeds on the ground around the feeders. But patience is
a virtue here: sometimes it's a couple of hours before he pops out from the
privet hedge behind. Also check the stand of privet just below the parking
lot, as well as the area around the Bald Eagle pen. For the interesting
history of this bird as well as thumbnail-to-zoom photos, point your
browser to http://www.gos.org/sightings/hasp.html.
 
Directions to the Chattahoochee Nature Center are as follows. Exit GA 400
5.1 miles north of I-285 at the Northridge exit and proceed west to the
deadend at Roswell Road. Turn right onto Roswell Road and drive 1.6 miles,
turning left onto Azalea Drive just after crossing the Chattahoochee River.
Continue on Azalea Drive until it meets Willeo Road. Turn left and continue
0.5 miles to the nature center on the right.
 
To repeat a sighting reported on this RBA previously, 2 ROSS'S GEESE seen
again over the weekend in Madison County.  From I-85 in the Commerce area,
go south on US 441 to GA 98. Turn left; cross into Madison County, and
continue for 2.4 miles to Jot-em-Down Road. In about 1/4 mile look for a
field and a pond on the left. The pond is located just prior to a driveway
with the address of "7960." The birds were on the pond.
 
The spring meeting of the Georgia Ornithological Society is to be held in
Rome (Floyd County), April 16-18. For registration information consult the
GOS Web Site, at the address below.
 
This concludes this edition of the Georgia Rare Bird Alert. If you need any
information about GOS, email us at gos@hom.net, or visit our Web Site at
http://www.gos.org. To join GOS, send a check for $16 to GOS, PO Box 1684,
Cartersville GA 30120.
 
-End transcript
 
Lawrenceville, GA
770-932-5513