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CarolinaBirds for Sunday, April 9, 2006
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Subject: RCW's
From: mike <lists(AT)webfargo.com>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 1:34am
After searching for many hours last weekend at Palmetto-Peartree with no
success, we loaded up this afternoon and went in search of Red-Cockaded
Woodpeckers at Weymouth Woods. Based on the information Mike Swaim gave
last week about Bower's Bog Trail we walked around it and found six RCW
holes. Just as we were looking for a good spot to sit and wait we heard
two RCWs incoming. One went directly into a nest and the other flew around
and finally came back to the area. We watched this one and another that
came up later for about one hour and had some fantastic views. A pileated
woodpecker also came by and stopped in its cavity. There are a few pics here:
http://www.pbase.com/reddrum/woodpeckers
mike johnson
burlington,nc
---------------------------------------------------------------------
www.webfargo.com
CCDA CCNA CCSA CCSE MCP+I MCSE
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Spring migrants incl first Prothonotary
From: jeff lewis <jlewis_obx(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 10:40am
Hi friends,
Took a quick 20 minute ride down Buffalo City Road on
the Alligator Refuge Saturday morning on the way out
of town. Had a nice assortment of spring singers:
Ovenbirds, Yellow-throateds, Prairies, Pines, Common
Yellowthroats, Black-throated Greens, a lone
Black-and-white, and a slightly early Prothonotary
Warbler. Also saw my first Green Heron of the year and
heard a Great Crested Flycatcher. I missed Worm-eating
Warbler, which also breeds along this road, but it is
still a little early for them, Hooded Warblers and
Swainson's Warblers.
Jeff Lewis
Manteo, NC
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Subject: Colleton + Charleston Co. - W. Pelicans, Reddish Egret,
Swainson's Warbler, S-T Kites, Wayne's BTG Warblers
From: Nate Dias <offshorebirder(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 11:06am
I spent yesterday (April 8) birding in Colleton and
southern Charleston counties, before racing the
thunderstorms and tornados back home.
Best birds of the day were White Pelicans, Reddish
Egret, Swainson's Warbler, Swallow-tailed Kites (4)
and Wayne's Black-throated Green Warblers (5).
Bear Island had a few impoundments with decent water
levels (neither too wet nor too dry). Much of the
good shorebird / wading bird action was on the 'West
Side' of Bear Island. But by next weekend, the best
action might be on the 'East Side' (accessed via
Johnny Hiers Drive). The first observation area on
the right past the maintenance yard looked like it has
sufficient water to last until next weekend.
Bear Island WMA highlights:
WHITE PELICAN (14)
Anhinga
Least Bittern (multiple singing)
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
REDDISH EGRET
WOOD STORK
GLOSSY IBIS
White Ibis
Mottled Duck
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shovelor
Bald Eagle
NORTHERN BOBWHITE (seen & heard)
King Rail
Sora
Black-bellied Plover
Black-necked Stilt (350+)
Willet
Greater Yellowlegs (400+)
Lesser Yellowlegs ( 750+)
Solitary Sandpiper (3)
Spotted Sandpiper (5)
Least Sandpiper (150+)
Western Sandpiper (60+)
Semipalmated Sanpiper (24+)
Pectoral Sandpiper (4 FOTS)
Short-billed Dowitcher (53 - beautiful plumage)
Common Snipe
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Kingbird (FOTS)
Great-crested Flycatcher
Loggerhead Shrike (3)
Tree Swallow - (15,000+, including hundreds
dust-bathing on Johnny Hiers road)
N. Rough-winged Swallow
Orchard Oriole (FOTS)
SEASIDE SPARROW (up & singing, despite the wind)
Painted Bunting
-----------------------
Calfpen Swamp / White Hall highlights (not
publicly-accessible):
Barred Owl
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-throated Vireo (lots)
Prothonotary Warbler
SWAINSON'S WARBLER
Yellow-throated Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Summer Tanager
--------------------
Parker's Ferry highlights:
Anhinga
Wood Duck
Red-shouldered Hawks (2)
SWALLOW-TAILED KITES (4 - 2 courting pairs)
Yellow-throated Vireo (lots)
Prothonotary Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
WAYNE'S BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS (5)
Hooded Warbler
Summer Tanager
Nathan Dias - Charleston, SC
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Subject: Jordan Reservoir Gamelands Heronry--Update #4
From: "J. M. Lynch" <jmlynch(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 11:03am
Carolinabirders:
Checked on the GREAT BLUE HERON colony on the Jordan Reservoir gamelands this
morning. The colony has grown to 60 active nests (up from 56 nests on 26 March)
and, I'm happy to report, at least three nests have newly hatched young. It
was very hard to see the young but with a scope I did manage to see some tiny
heads bobbing above the sticks when one of the adults arrived to feed.
A few nests are obviously still under construction. I also noticed quite a few
birds flying in carrying sticks that they presented to the incubating adult as a
greeting ritual when they arrived at the nest.
There was plenty of other action at the pond. I watched a pair of OSPREY
building a nest a hundred yards or so from the heronry. Both birds would fly
around the edge of the heronry and with their talons snatch off dead branches in
mid-air, carrying the branches back to the nest. I was curious if the osprey
would try and steal from the herons' nests but never saw that happen. I believe
this nest construction has begun since my last visit of 26 March.
The pair of PIED-BILLED GREBES are also still present although they have moved
farther back in a dense area of cattails and trees and I was only able to hear
them. I suspect they are nesting and hope to get positive evidence of this
later in the spring.
Newly arrived neotropical migrants included singing PROTHONOTARY WARBLER,
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, NORTHERN PARULA, several pairs of OVENBIRD,
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER and BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER. All of these are, I
believe, breeding residents since I've seen all of them here in past years
during the breeding season.
Other nice finds were a really bright yellow PALM WARBLER (eastern population),
a flock of about 20 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS singing and foraging on downed trees and
logs at the water's edge, and a pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL. At least 5 pairs of
TREE SWALLOWS were nesting in woodpecker holes and all six locally breeding
woodpeckers were conspicuously present. A WILD TURKEY gobbled as I approached
the heronry.
It is truly amazing the amount of bird activity around beaverponds. Although
foresters and many landowners curse beavers for all the timber they kill and I
myself am concerned at the destruction of rich bottomland forest communities
beavers cause, the ponds they create are certainly important for a plethora of
aquatic and wetland species and far superior in terms of biological richness
compared to most human constructed farmponds and other water bodies.
Good birding.
J. M. Lynch
Chatham County
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Asheville birds warming up
From: trlewis(AT)indylink.org
Date: 9 Apr 2006 11:31am
Went for a walk at Montford Park/Riverside Cemetery this morning and found
some early migrants.
2 - White-eyed Vireo - both were singing in different areas
1 - Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
1 - Broad-winged Hawk - over Montford Ave. calling and soaring in the sun
also:
5 or 6 - Brown Thrasher - at least 2 were singing/competing for territory
while the apparent females were making it worth the effort.
1 Red-shouldered Hawk
Tim Lewis
Asheville
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: White Pelicans and many Eagles on a cool morning at Jordan
Lake
From: Alan Johnston <alanj46(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 1:25pm
It was cold and windy, but clear, for the quarterly
Eagle Count at Jordan Lake this morning. While
wishing we had worn our winter gear, since our post at
the Wildlife Observation Platform off Rt. 751 was
directly exposed to the wind, we nonetheless had some
wonderful birding. We arrived for the count at 7:00
am, and by 7:05 had spotted two adult Eagles and one
immature at their roosting spots high in some trees to
the north of our site. A dozen or so Great Blue
Herons were flying around, and many gulls. At 7:20
am, most unexpectedly, a flock of six White Pelicans
came flying by heading steadily north up toward the
Morgan Creek arm of Jordan Lake. A minute or so later
we were finally able to see two adult Eagles in the
nest opposite the Wildlife Platform. One remaining
sitting in the nest (still incubating an egg?, or
perhaps tending to a baby?), while one hung out in the
vicinity of the nest. Then from 7:25 to 7:35 am we
were kept busy counting cormorants. A steady stream
came by in lines and flocks, flying toward the south.
Counting by 10's we saw a total of 4,070 cormorants
fly by within ten minutes! Then the real action
started. A group of four immature Eagles cavorting in
the air to the north of us, and shortly thereafter,
while those were still in sight, a group of five
immature Eagles soaring and cavorting, and chasing one
out-numbered Osprey, to the south. It was hard to
keep track, but within our hour and a half of counting
we saw 5 adult eagles and 12 immature, our best day
yet at this observation post. We took the longer
trail back to the parking lot, trying to finally warm
up, and were rewarded with a wonderful view of an
Ovenbird, in full voice. We note that the number of
observers for the quarterly eagle count has gradually
declined over the years. It can actually be quite a
treat on a Sunday morning. Contact the coordinator,
Stewart Pearce (spearce(AT)yankelovich.com) to join in
the fun.
Alan Johnston, Chapel Hill (alanj46(AT)yahoo.com)
Horst Meyer, Durham
Dan Williams, Chapel Hill
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Subject: NC Birding Trail
From: "Charlotte Goedsche" <goedsche(AT)mindspring.com>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 1:47pm
Yesterday's mail brought a colored brochure on the NC Birding Trail. WOW!
The brochure explains what it is, who's developing it, and how to nominate
a favorite site to be on the trail. It also explains why the trail will be
good for businesses and for communities near the trail. It contains a
rather long list of bird species frequently sought across NC by birders.
Finally, the brochure has four NC Birding Trail calling cards (a bit larger
than business cards, I think) that one can cut out and leave at businesses
one has visited while doing the trail. In addition to other info, the cards
say: "Please continue to care for your natural resources and I'll be back
to use the Trail and patronize local businesses."
The brochure is really impressive. Thanks to Lena and all the others who've
worked on this project!
Good birding--see you on the NC Birding Trail soon!
Charlotte
Charlotte Goedsche
goedsche(AT)mindspring.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: White Pelicans at Jordan Lake, NC
From: "Judy Murray" <jmurray(AT)unc.edu>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 1:43pm
Today while doing the eagle count with Roy and Martha Girolami (7:00 -
8:30 AM), Roy spotted six White Pelicans flying up Morgan Creek (our count
area is at the junction of Cub and Morgan Creeks--not far from where Morgan
and New Hope Creeks join the lake). This is the first time I've ever seen
white pelicans on the lake. Have they been reported in the past?
They landed on the water just after the motorboat barrier put there to
protect nesting eagles. This area can only be accessed by passing through
private property, but the pelicans should show up at other places on the
lake.
Judy Murray
Chapel Hill, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Indigo Bunting
From: "philshar(AT)earthlink.net" <philshar@earthlink.net>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 1:59pm
Just had two short yard visits from our first Indigo Bunting of the year!
(male).
Sharon & Phil Turner
Myrtle Beach,S C 29588
philshar(AT)earthlink.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Large Black Vulture "Flock"
From: "John Ennis" <swampwolf(AT)thebusinessbirder.com>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 2:29pm
It is only Sunday and I have already met my weekly goal of IHNSTB's*.
On the way to Southport, on NC 87, around 7 this morning I saw what must
have been 70+ Black Vultures. This was not a mixed species kettle but a
pure flock at low levels. It was 46 degrees so no thermals.
These guys were circling is three smaller groups, all moving laterally but
still fairly close together. There must be a large BV roost in the area and
I think they were leaving to go forage.
John Ennis
Leland, NC
910-371-9729
* I Have Never Seen That Before episodes
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: signs of December, again
From: Steve Thomas <stype(AT)sccoast.net>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 2:44pm
We walked down to the jetty at HBSP today, March 9. It's was very
breezy and cool. At the jetty we found 10 Purple Sandpipers and the
female Common Eider (she was sitting on the rocks and never moved as
we walked by).
Other highlights at HBSP - though not signs of December:
2 Black-necked Stilts at the "alligator island" in Mullet Pond
a Spotted Sandpiper at the base of the jetty
hundreds of swallows (about 50/50 Barn and Tree) over and on the causeway
Lots of terns - Royal and Forsters with one Sandwich today (last
weekend there were also some Least)
Only 1 Common Loon in flight
Highlights at home between Conway and Aynor:
A Carolina Wren has been on her nest in the shed for over a week, now.
A red Screech Owl is in the box in the back yard. We see it nearly every day.
Heard an Ovenbird, lots of Prairies yesterday.
That's it, for a quick sitrep from my birding grounds,
Steve
--
Stephen Thomas
Aynor, SC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Upland Sandpipers near Townville (SC)
From: "Jim Edwards" <Jim.Edwards(AT)furman.edu>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 2:53pm
On Sunday morning, 9 April, Jane Chew, Bing Somers, and I had three Upland
Sandpipers near Townville (Anderson Co., SC). The birds were foraging on
a wide strip of cleared land adjacent to Prater Gin Road and Ogden Drive.
Jim Edwards
jimDOTedwardsATfurmanDOTedu
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Winston Warblers
From: "Phil Dickinson" <pdickins(AT)triad.rr.com>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 2:42pm
A Northern Parula Warbler joined several Yellow-Rumps in the oak tree across
the street from my house this morning, and I heard a Black-Throated Green
Warbler's familiar zee-zee-zo-zee in a tree down the street. I also heard a
Blue-Headed Vireo singing near the Silas Creek Greenway here in Winston.
Phil Dickinson
Winston-Salem
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Henderson County Update
From: "Wayne K. Forsythe" <wforsythe(AT)mchsi.com>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 3:20pm
Folks,
Yesterday morning, Stan & Connie (?) from Haywood County found 3
UPLAND SANDPIPERS in the sod field on Hooper Lane. This morning at about
10:15 AM, I saw 7 UPLAND SANDPIPERS on Hooper Lane. If coming from
Rt.#191, the birds were in the last field on the right just before Jeffress
Rd. If coming in from Jeffress Road, the birds were in the first field on
the left. On both mornings, the birds were easily seen from the roadway,
for really great views a scope is helpful! This number is 1 shy of our
record 8 birds seen on April 22, 2000!
Wayne
Wayne K. Forsythe
Hendersonville, N. C.
828-697-6628
wforsythe AT mchsi dot com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Evergreen Nature Preserve 4/9/06
From: "Larry" <Larry(AT)lbarden.com>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 4:56pm
Louise and I were surprised that we found no migrants today, at least not
neotropicals.
However, we will settle for the boreal migrant at our feeder on the edge of
ENP: a White-crowned Sparrow. This bird is hanging out with White-throats.
We were surprised that he was still here, now going on 8 weeks.
Cheers,
Larry Barden
Charlotte
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Greensboro 4/8
From: "Andrei Podolsky" <andrei_podolsky(AT)bellsouth.net>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 5:22pm
Yesterday, 9-10 a.m. at the Bog Garden.
Highlights:
HOODED WARBLER (male, very quiet, only once sang a shortened song),
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO (seen and heard singing),
HOODED MERGANSER (female) on the lake.
Andrei Podolsky
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: LITTLE BLUE HERON (Chapel Hill)
From: "Rob G." <thrush(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 5:45pm
stopped by the Horace Williams Tract (off MLK Blvd., central Chapel Hill)
late this afternoon and was very surprised to find a lone adult Little Blue
Heron foraging there -- a bird I've never seen there in 20 yrs. Also thought
it was incredibly early for one to be around here, but checking Will's
checklist turned out there are some occasional occurrences.
Also, FWIW, had a phone message from Chapel Hill Bird Club member Monica
Nees that the group she was eagle-counting with this morning at the 751
bridge over Jordan saw 6 White Pelicans fly by, so as best I can tell that
would be yet a third birding group that saw the Pelicans already reported.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}
**Rob Gluck...... Chapel Hill, NC...... thrush(AT)hotmail.com ....
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: SUTTON'S WARBLER alert!!
From: "Andrei Podolsky" <andrei_podolsky(AT)bellsouth.net>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 6:28pm
Today at White Pines Nature Preserve:
Bottomland forest along the Deep River and Rocky River ( 12:30-3 pm):
Pileated Woodpecker, my first WARBLING VIREO of the season (heard and seen),
3 or 4 Yellow-Throated Warblers.
Abundant Ruby-crowned Kinglets (most of them singing)in the understory
formed by Amer. Holly.
Wood Ducks ("couples"- male and female)- flushed from the river and swampy
areas in the bottomland forest.
My first OVENBIRDS of the season (heard about 12 ).
Now the real treat:
Earlier in the morning I spotted the "SUTTON'S" WARBLER (hybrid between
Parula & Yellow-Throated). I followed the bird for over two hours. For
those who are interested to spot this treat of a lifetime and not afraid to
'waste' much time (if the bird is silent, spotting it would take lots of
time), here are the directions:
When facing the kiosk, the River trail goes straight down from the kiosk
(East). Instead walk south (to your right)on the road, WHICH IS NOT MARKED
ON THE PRESERVE MAP (that is why it might be a little bit confusing). The
road continues from parking lot and in just 50 yds or so it crosses the
power line. Right at this intersection you will see the 'trailhead' of an
unmarked (on the map) trail, which is probably an old road. If you face down
the power line (north-east), then the 'main' unmarked road continues to your
right while the 'trailhead' is diagonally between the power line and the
road. Walk that old road and in about several hundreds yards there will be a
hill on your left covered with hardwoods interspersed with pines (mostly
loblolly and only few white pines). This is where I initially spotted the
bird. It was singing the "doubled N. Parula" song.
This particular bird was actually doing the double ending (think about it as
1.5 songs!): typical parula song with an explosive ending note was
supplemented by the second explosive ending note. Bird sang on and off from
10 am to 10:35, and then was moving around within that area absolutely
silently until 11:15. Then the second round of singing followed until noon,
and the bird got quiet again.
Bird looked like Yellow Throated Warbler with very much reduced streaking
(just a couple streaks on the sides of the upper chest and none down from
there- on the sides and flanks) , two wide white wing stripes (like
Parula's), greenish tint on the upper back, and with face "mask" dark gray
rather than black, and pale legs. This bird was without doubt within a
migrating flock of Parulas. They were scattered on the both sides of that
old road I described between the point of initial detection and the end of
the road. (The road goes then upslope and ends up at the edge of the hill
with an old well cap with an inscription "Piedmont Wells Company". There the
old road is overgrown with sweet gum saplings.
Sutton's Warbler moved around more like Yellow-throated Warbler. Unlike
surrounding Parulas, it never stayed at the same spot for more than couple
seconds. Most of the time it stayed in the middle parts of the crowns of the
fully grown hardwood trees, rarely going closer to the tree tops, and even
more rarely descending to the lower understory trees. It avoided pine trees
except for two short occasions within two hours of observation.
The bird was not tame at all(well..it might got tired of me following it on
and off trail :), so my 12x50 bins came very handy for detecting the details
of plumage.
If you are coming and the bird does not sing, my only suggestion is to spend
a long time in that area trying to detect birds moving silently in tree
crowns. Your patience might be rewarded.
Andrei Podolsky
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Sinatra couldn't have belted it out better
From: "KC Foggin" <KCFoggin(AT)sc.rr.com>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 6:47pm
Surrounded by the sounds of courtship all day. More particularly the Carolina
Chicadees.
http://upload.pbase.com/image/58416670
http://upload.pbase.com/kcfoggin/image/58416650
http://upload.pbase.com/kcfoggin/image/58416622
KC Foggin
Socastee
Myrtle Beach SC
www.birdforum.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Mason Farm & University Lake 4/9/06
From: miaim(AT)mebtel.net
Date: 9 Apr 2006 7:06pm
Of the 49 species seen highlights are:
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER (seen at an incredible 15ft @ U. Lake)
6 Green wing Teal
3 Osprey
N. Harrier (lone female over Mason Farm)
2 Pileated WP (2 different males at U. Lake)
Northern Parula (Mason Farm)
Ovenbird (ubiquitous)
LOUSIANNA WATERTHRUSH (not just heard, but seen at paddle length in pairs at
U. Lake)
P. B. Grebe (U. Lake)
White Eyed Vireo (Mason Farm)
I'm totally sold on paddling to bird. The birds I'm mentioning aren't all that
rare this time of year, but getting seriously up close and personal looks at
LA Waterthrushes and Prothonotary Warblers and fishing Osprey is pretty darn
cool. At one point this afternoon, I thought a LA Waterthrush might just hop
on my paddle. There were pairs of them working the waterline undercuts at
Univ. Lake, and getting right up tight with them was not a problem at all. Nor
was getting ridiculously close to a brilliant yellow Prothonotary Warbler, or
a muskrat or a large snapping turtle or Osprey, which fished right around us.
In fact, the Osprey seemed to just ignore us, and rewarded us by catching a
sunfish and eating it on a branch not more than 20 yards away.
Yesterday, at some TLC property, (not yet open to the public) and at the
Little River County Park, I had 33 species including N. Parula, Pine Warbler,
Palm Warbler, Ovenbird & LA Waterthrush. Today's combination of walking Mason
Farm in the morning, and paddling University Lake all afternoon, just flat
blew yesterday's experience out of the water:(so to speak, though the plant
walk with Carol Ann McCormick was a very interesting highlight).
Good Paddling, Good Birding,
Mike Swaim
Mebane, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Horned Larks
From: "Alan Meijer" <ameijer(AT)beaufortco.com>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 8:03pm
Saw my first Horned Larks of the season. Usually see them in Perquimans
County when I'm planting corn test plots. The only difference this year was
I saw them in Hyde County.
Also had a Cooper's Hawk made a half-hearted effort at a Mourning Dove last
week. He was flapping downward from above but gave up as that MD kicked it
into high gear. However, the Cooper's stayed above my head for awhile,
beautifully backlit, and you could see his head tilting to L and to R. he
was only maybe 50' up.
Alan
ameijer AT beaufortco.com
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.5/302 - Release Date: 4/5/2006
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Them Carolina wrens is soooo crazy! (and a comment on the
impact of beaverponds...)
From: Clyde Sorenson <clyde_sorenson(AT)ncsu.edu>
Date: 9 Apr 2006 9:06pm
All,
When we bought the pond behind our house, we inherited a small, white,
resin statue of a little girl that sat on the rail of the pier. About a
month ago, one of the many wind storms we've had blew her off the rail,
and her face broke off. I propped her against the rail with the
intention of putting her back together (and then gluing her to the
rail...). Last week Lee and I were down at the pier when Lee noticed the
damaged statue for the first time and picked it up. Out popped one very
aggravated Carolina wren, who proceeded to land on the rail and scold
her until she returned the statue to its former position. This would
definitely be the first time I've heard of Carolina wrens nesting in a
little girl's face.
Regarding the impact of beaverponds that J.M. mentioned. Over the long
term, beaverponds don't destroy rich bottomland habitats- they create
them. While the establishment of a beaver pond does indeed temporarily
result in the "destruction" of a patch of habitat, it rapidly becomes
another kind of rich habitat- full of standing dead timber, aquatic
vegetation, etc. Beaverponds are extremely effective sediment traps; as
they age, they convert the valleys they occupy into almost level, rich
alluvial plains that offer wonderful habitat to a wide diversity of
bottomland plants and animals.Over time at the latitudes of North
Carolina, the pond eventually morphs into a freshwater marsh, then a
willow thicket, and eventually, a bottomland hardwood forest again. Of
course, this cycle works on time scales measured in hundreds of years-
time we don't give these systems anymore.. Its important to remember
that beavers have been a force in North American landscapes for many
thousands of years. Beavers actually foster diversity by creating a
mosaic of wetland habitats. Problems only occur now because WE have
modified so much bottomland that the mosaic can't shift around over time
in the way nature intended- and we have co-opted so much for OUR use.
They are pests only measured against our value systems.
On the other hand, beavers in landscapes that evolved without them can
be devastating. Over a hundred years ago, someone had the bright idea to
introduce them to the Truckee River in Nevada as a potentially lucrative
fur source. (The Truckee flows from Lake Tahoe to the terminal Pyramid
Lake). Beavers in this system virtually destroyed the Fremont Cottonwood
gallery forest upon which a great deal of the biodiversity of the
Truckee relies. Beavers are exotics in the Truckee, and there they do
the damage exotics often do. But they are native here.
Take care,
Clyde Sorenson
Clayton and Raleigh, NC
Disclaimer: Y'all are should be aware that none of this diatribe can be
attributed to the fact that beaver swamps may be my favorite places on
earth. (Well, there is Mattamuskeet, South Core Banks, Garden Creek,
etc. etc., etc.,- and yes, the Truckee and Pyramid...)
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