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CarolinaBirds for Monday, May 8, 2006
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: King Rail
From: Harry LeGrand <harry.legrand(AT)ncmail.net>
Date: 8 May 2006 7:56am
To ID King vs. Clapper rails, I think it best to look at the color of
the wings, such as the "wrist" area at the bend of the wing. Kings are
rusty/rufous colored on the margins of the feathers surrounding the
blackish centers), whereas Clapper lack the reddish tint and are pale
grayish-brown along the feather margins (surrounding the darker
centers). Don't be distracted by the color of the underparts, as Clapper
can be quite warm buffy-orange below.
Your bird lacks reddish coloring to the wings, and I think it fits my
eyes as a Clapper Rail. The feather edges are a dull, pale gray, with
the feather centers being brownish. Kings tend to be more "contrasty"
--black feather centers, with rufous edges.
Harry LeGrand
Harry Sell wrote:
>
>
> Hi All,
>
> I recently took a couple of photos of a Rail. This bird was found at the
> Battleship Memorial near Wilmington, NC. It sounded like a King Rail
> calling. After looking at the photos I feel the need of input from more
> experienced birders. The cheeks are too gray, more like a Clapper, but
> the flanks and my judgment of the size would make it a King Rail. I
> believe they hybridize, so that may be what I have photographed.
> Opinions appreciated. (This time only 3 photos)
>
>
> http://www.pbase.com/sellbirding
>
> Harry D Sell
> Boiling Spring Lakes, NC
>
--
Harry LeGrand
NC Natural Heritage Program
DENR Office of Conservation and Community Affairs
1601 MSC
Raleigh, NC 27699-1601
(919) 715-8697 (work)
FAX: 919-715-3085
e-mail: harry.legrand(AT)ncmail.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: ceruleans
From: "Kevin Caldwell" <kevin(AT)equinoxenvironmental.com>
Date: 8 May 2006 10:53am
Watched and listened to a single male cerulean on private lands in
Burnsville off of Lickskillet Road Friday a week ago, near a peak @ about
4000' elevation in a transitional area of very rich cove forest and basic
oak-hickory. Not sure they'll breed there, but will find out on the next
visit in early June. Because its private land I can't reveal the location,
but will post on it then. Would be a great new record for that area which
has very little NHP data on rare plants or animals.
Kevin Caldwell
Barnardsville, NC (Mtns)
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Mockers mocking
From: Doug Pratt <Doug.Pratt(AT)ncmail.net>
Date: 8 May 2006 12:34pm
Hi birders:
Steve Compton wrote:
As I was jogging in my neighborhood this morning, I heard a whistle
overhead. It was one of our local Mississippi Kites. I heard an immediate
echo
from a tree to the right, followed by other birdsong phrases. A Mockingbird
had echoed the Kite. Do Mockers learn song from other Mockers or by
imitating
other species? Or both?
Response:
There are many references in the literature to mockingbirds' imitating man-made
sounds such as telephone rings, which are specific to a given locality. That
would lead me to conclude that each bird builds its own repertoire from what it
hears locally, not from other mockingbirds. However, there is a core repertoire
of things that are just mockingbird, and I suspect they may learn those from
their parents. So the basic answer is probably "both."
Northern Mockingbirds are introduced and naturalized in Hawaii, and there they
sing the usual mockingbird stuff plus imitations of such things as Common Myna
and Nutmeg Mannikin which they probably learn individually from local birds
(they are not very common in Hawaii, and probably don't run into other mockers
very often). Maybe for that reason, Hawaiian mockingbirds do not seem as vocal
as mainland ones, and include fewer clearly identifiable imitations. I suspect
that our mockers add sounds they hear to their concerts in a constant effort to
out-sing their neighbors. Interestingly, at Kokee on the island of Kauai, there
are 3 introduced mimics (NM-bird, White-rumped Shama, and Hwa-mei, which used
to be called Melodious Laughingthrush) and they not only imitate each other, but
imitate each other's imitations! On top of that, some of the Hawaiian
honeycreepers are mimics, but whether they mimic other mimics no one knows.
Steve's questions raise another one about mockingbirds and the birds they
imitate. When I lived in Louisiana, there was a lot of discussion, but
apparently no real research, about the apparent phenomenon of mockingbirds
predicting the arrival of spring migrants. I never really noticed it in NC, but
in Baton Rouge, we would hear the mockingbirds, which sing all winter there,
start to add species to their repertoires as spring approached. For example,
they would not include the very obvious song of White-eyed Vireo in
dead-of-winter songs, but would start adding it around March or so. I also
heard them strat to do Mississippi Kite each year just before the return of my
neighborhood birds. The question that no one seemed to be able to answer was
whether they really do predict the return of certain species, or whether they
are just better birders than we are and see the birds before we do.
Doug
--
H. Douglas Pratt, Curator of Birds
Research and Collections
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
11 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27601-1029
Phone: (919)733-7450 ext. 728
E-mail: doug.pratt(AT)ncmail.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Rose-breasted Grosbeaks
From: Shelley Theye <veery(AT)bellsouth.net>
Date: 8 May 2006 1:05pm
I have had Rose-breasted Grosbeaks in my yard daily
since 4/22/06.
I believe there have been at least 6 birds, male and female,
daily.
Today I realized that there are probably nine or more individuals.
Two of the males are still molting, so have a few brown feathers
on their wings and tails and subtle striping on their heads.
One of the females has bold white auriculars on both sides
of her head that blend right into the supercillium.
I actually took a few photos of these birds.
The different variations in plumages makes it easier to
keep track of individual birds.
Shelley Theye
veery(AT)bellsouth.net
northern Chatham County, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Mockers mocking
From: Helmut Mueller <hmuelle(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 8 May 2006 1:07pm
I vaguely remember, from the long ago days when I was a boy
birdwatcher, a 2 sided LP record filled with the repertoire of a single
Massachusetts mockingbird, including many man-made noises. It was
hypothesized that this birds remarkable virtuosity was a result of not
having any conspecific neighbors
Helmut Mueller
Chapel Hill
On May 8, 2006, at 12:12 PM, Doug Pratt wrote:
> Hi birders:
>
> Steve Compton wrote:
>
> As I was jogging in my neighborhood this morning, I heard a whistle
> overhead. It was one of our local Mississippi Kites. I heard an
> immediate echo
> from a tree to the right, followed by other birdsong phrases. A
> Mockingbird had echoed the Kite. Do Mockers learn song from other
> Mockers or by imitating
> other species? Or both?
>
> Response:
> There are many references in the literature to mockingbirds'
> imitating man-made sounds such as telephone rings, which are specific
> to a given locality. That would lead me to conclude that each bird
> builds its own repertoire from what it hears locally, not from other
> mockingbirds. However, there is a core repertoire of things that are
> just mockingbird, and I suspect they may learn those from their
> parents. So the basic answer is probably "both."
> Northern Mockingbirds are introduced and naturalized in Hawaii, and
> there they sing the usual mockingbird stuff plus imitations of such
> things as Common Myna and Nutmeg Mannikin which they probably learn
> individually from local birds (they are not very common in Hawaii, and
> probably don't run into other mockers very often). Maybe for that
> reason, Hawaiian mockingbirds do not seem as vocal as mainland ones,
> and include fewer clearly identifiable imitations. I suspect that our
> mockers add sounds they hear to their concerts in a constant effort to
> out-sing their neighbors. Interestingly, at Kokee on the island of
> Kauai, there are 3 introduced mimics (NM-bird, White-rumped Shama, and
> Hwa-mei, which used to be called Melodious Laughingthrush) and they
> not only imitate each other, but imitate each other's imitations! On
> top of that, some of the Hawaiian honeycreepers are mimics, but
> whether they mimic other mimics no one knows.
>
>
> Steve's questions raise another one about mockingbirds and the birds
> they imitate. When I lived in Louisiana, there was a lot of
> discussion, but apparently no real research, about the apparent
> phenomenon of mockingbirds predicting the arrival of spring migrants.
> I never really noticed it in NC, but in Baton Rouge, we would hear the
> mockingbirds, which sing all winter there, start to add species to
> their repertoires as spring approached. For example, they would not
> include the very obvious song of White-eyed Vireo in dead-of-winter
> songs, but would start adding it around March or so. I also heard
> them strat to do Mississippi Kite each year just before the return of
> my neighborhood birds. The question that no one seemed to be able to
> answer was whether they really do predict the return of certain
> species, or whether they are just better birders than we are and see
> the birds before we do.
> Doug
>
>
> --
> H. Douglas Pratt, Curator of Birds
> Research and Collections
> North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
> 11 West Jones Street
> Raleigh, NC 27601-1029
> Phone: (919)733-7450 ext. 728
> E-mail: doug.pratt(AT)ncmail.net
>
>
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Sprague's pipit at Stedman Sod Farm near Fayetteville
From: David Lenat <lenatbks(AT)mindspring.com>
Date: 8 May 2006 1:16pm
This morning I located a pair of Sprague's Pipits at the Stedman Sod
Farm. Details will folow, but I send out this quick message in case
anyone wants to find these birds.
Directions:
From I-95 at Fayetteville, take NC 24 east to Stedman. Just past
stoplight, turn right on Hillsboro. This road goes straight, takes a
sharp right turn and goes past a church. Look for Green tractor on the
left and turn left on dirt road. Go past farm buildings, across
stream/ditch and through narrow area with forest on both sides. This
opens out into another set of large fields. Continue on dirt road until
you find a large metal tank. Shorebirds are in fields near the tank. A
little over 1 hour from Raleigh.
Dave Lenat, Raleigh
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Swainson's Warbler probably easier @ Roanoke River Canal
Trail than Dismal Swamp
From: "Frank Enders" <fkenders(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 8 May 2006 1:26pm
On 6 May, we found 4 Swainson's Warblers along Jericho Ditch in Virginia's
Dismal Swamp; all heard only. This species last week along the Roanoke
Rapids/Weldon Canal Trail was closer to the observers, and the same total #
of S.W., in same time and miles walked.
The Canal Trail takes one through the bird's habitat, while the "trail"
(unpaved road on dike) in the Dismal Swamp is more distant (100-200'?) from
the actual nesting habitat. The public access (driveable) road into the
Jericho Ditch does run under the trees' canopy, where one singing warbler
was on territory. But, most of the Dismal Swamp NWR that I have seen from
their "trails" is about as open as farmland, or logging land, due, I grant,
in part to hurricane damage some years ago. Good for Prairie Warblers,
Green Herons, towhee and catbird. Seems relatively poor in birdlife. We
did have one migrant flock, other birders reporting Magnolia W., while we
saw Blackpolls.
The Canal Trail has some unpleasant attractions, a co-generation plant,
sewage treatment plant, and the overcrowded boat landing. But, it you are
seeking Swainson's Warbler, that's my story, and I probably won't stick to
it!
I suspect that stopping along US64 in Tyrrell County would be even more
convenient to list Swainson's, but you have to be there around dawn (or
dusk?), and the lure of the Outer Banks probably means most people don't
stop to see Swainson's Warblers there. Making the extra trip to the Canal
Trail has to be at least as inconvenient for (the mostly Triangle or Triad)
birders seeking Swainson's.
Frank Enders, Halifax, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Mockers mocking
From: Doug Pratt <Doug.Pratt(AT)ncmail.net>
Date: 8 May 2006 1:40pm
Hi folks: Thanks for the input, Helmut. I remember that LP, too (the
younger folks on this list are probably asking, "What's an LP?"). Just
goes to show you that two people looking at the same set of facts can
reach totally opposite conclusions! I still like my hypothesis of
repertoire complexity being competition-driven, especially in light of
my observations in Hawaii. Someone should do a study! -Doug
Helmut Mueller wrote:
> I vaguely remember, from the long ago days when I was a boy
> birdwatcher, a 2 sided LP record filled with the repertoire of a
> single Massachusetts mockingbird, including many man-made noises. It
> was hypothesized that this birds remarkable virtuosity was a result of
> not having any conspecific neighbors
>
> Helmut Mueller
> Chapel Hill
>
> On May 8, 2006, at 12:12 PM, Doug Pratt wrote:
>
>> Hi birders:
>>
>> Steve Compton wrote:
>>
>> As I was jogging in my neighborhood this morning, I heard a whistle
>> overhead. It was one of our local Mississippi Kites. I heard an
>> immediate echo
>> from a tree to the right, followed by other birdsong phrases. A
>> Mockingbird had echoed the Kite. Do Mockers learn song from other
>> Mockers or by imitating
>> other species? Or both?
>>
>> Response:
>> There are many references in the literature to mockingbirds'
>> imitating man-made sounds such as telephone rings, which are specific
>> to a given locality. That would lead me to conclude that each bird
>> builds its own repertoire from what it hears locally, not from other
>> mockingbirds. However, there is a core repertoire of things that are
>> just mockingbird, and I suspect they may learn those from their
>> parents. So the basic answer is probably "both."
>> Northern Mockingbirds are introduced and naturalized in Hawaii,
>> and there they sing the usual mockingbird stuff plus imitations of
>> such things as Common Myna and Nutmeg Mannikin which they probably
>> learn individually from local birds (they are not very common in
>> Hawaii, and probably don't run into other mockers very often). Maybe
>> for that reason, Hawaiian mockingbirds do not seem as vocal as
>> mainland ones, and include fewer clearly identifiable imitations. I
>> suspect that our mockers add sounds they hear to their concerts in a
>> constant effort to out-sing their neighbors. Interestingly, at Kokee
>> on the island of Kauai, there are 3 introduced mimics (NM-bird,
>> White-rumped Shama, and Hwa-mei, which used to be called Melodious
>> Laughingthrush) and they not only imitate each other, but imitate
>> each other's imitations! On top of that, some of the Hawaiian
>> honeycreepers are mimics, but whether they mimic other mimics no one
>> knows.
>>
>>
>> Steve's questions raise another one about mockingbirds and the
>> birds they imitate. When I lived in Louisiana, there was a lot of
>> discussion, but apparently no real research, about the apparent
>> phenomenon of mockingbirds predicting the arrival of spring
>> migrants. I never really noticed it in NC, but in Baton Rouge, we
>> would hear the mockingbirds, which sing all winter there, start to
>> add species to their repertoires as spring approached. For example,
>> they would not include the very obvious song of White-eyed Vireo in
>> dead-of-winter songs, but would start adding it around March or so.
>> I also heard them strat to do Mississippi Kite each year just before
>> the return of my neighborhood birds. The question that no one seemed
>> to be able to answer was whether they really do predict the return of
>> certain species, or whether they are just better birders than we are
>> and see the birds before we do.
>> Doug
>>
>>
>> --
>> H. Douglas Pratt, Curator of Birds
>> Research and Collections
>> North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
>> 11 West Jones Street
>> Raleigh, NC 27601-1029
>> Phone: (919)733-7450 ext. 728
>> E-mail: doug.pratt(AT)ncmail.net
>>
>>
>
--
H. Douglas Pratt, Curator of Birds
Research and Collections
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
11 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27601-1029
Phone: (919)733-7450 ext. 728
E-mail: doug.pratt(AT)ncmail.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Mockers mocking
From: Nate Dias <offshorebirder(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 8 May 2006 1:45pm
A Mockingbird in my neighbor's yard began adding
Purple Martin vocalizations to his repertoire in late
February the past couple of years.
Both years this change has taken place many days
before I heard the first Martin in the area, and I
have been paying special attention the past 2 years.
I don't know if this amounts to 'predicting' Martin
arrival. It struck me as being a spring sound that is
retrieved from the Mockingbird archives when the
bird's 'spring soundtrack' is rolled out (due to
longer photoperiod, changing hormone levels, etc.).
Nathan Dias - Charleston, SC
--- Doug Pratt <Doug.Pratt(AT)ncmail.net> wrote:
>
>The question that no one seemed to be able to answer
>was whether they really do predict the return of
>certain species, or whether they are just better
>birders than we are and see the birds before we do.
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Stedman Sod Farm, Monday morning, 8 May 06
From: David Lenat <lenatbks(AT)mindspring.com>
Date: 8 May 2006 1:55pm
With the heavy rains on Sunday, I decided to try for some shorebirds at
the Stedman Sod Farm. I have have little luck at this location this
spring, but it has been very dry near Fayetteville. There were few to
no birds in the first fields, but good numbers were found in one of the
last fields near a silver tank. Directions to Stedman wer given in
prior email.
"Shore" birds, numbers appoximate:
Sprague's Pipit: 2
Least Sandpiper: 50
Solitary Sp: 5
Spotted Sp: 3
Semipalmated Sp: 2
Lesser Yellowlegs: 20
Semipalmated Plover: 15
Killdear: 2
Swallows were abundant (Barn and Tree), sitting on the sod or flying
very low. I suspect that all the insects were close to the ground on
this cool morning. 2 Kingbirds were in the same habitat.
Quail and Prairie Warblers were calling from the nearby brushy areas.
Details on pipits:
I initially thought these were American (Water) Pipits, but they looked
odd. I was able to observe these birds at close range (about 20m),
through the spotting scope, with field guide in hand. I watched them
for about 10 minutes and was able to relocate them once before leaving
the area.
-Pale face, with suggestion of large diffuse eye ring
-Light area at neck
-Necklace of streaks, not extending onto belly (Clearly separates from
American Pipit)
-Overall buffy color
-Tail darker brown than body with white margins
-Indistinct wing bars.
The birds were in short, wet grass near a flock of Least Sandpipers.
They tended to make short quick movements and short flights low to the
ground. I compared to larks, larkspurs and various sparrows, just in
case I was looking in the wrong part of the field guide. There is one
prior NC record of Spargue's Pipit in May: 09 May 59 in Chapel Hill.
Dave Lenat, Raleigh
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: [Fwd: Re: Mockers mocking]
From: Doug Pratt <Doug.Pratt(AT)ncmail.net>
Date: 8 May 2006 2:20pm
Second try.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Mockers mocking
Date: Mon, 08 May 2006 13:50:48 -0400
From: Doug Pratt <Doug.Pratt(AT)ncmail.net>
Organization: NC Museum of Natural Sciences
To: Nate Dias <offshorebirder(AT)yahoo.com>
CC: carolinabirds(AT)duke.edu
References: <20060508173947.57842.qmail(AT)web50003.mail.yahoo.com>
Hi Nate: You may be onto something here. I didn't mean to suggest any
psychic ability on the part of mockingbirds, and your explanation of
what might be seen as predicting a species' arrival is as good as any.
In Louisiana, I always came down on the side of the mockingbirds just
learning over a period of years when things arrive, and adjusting
accordingly, rather than that they see the birds before we do. But
that's a hard thing to test. I wonder if they always anticipate, or
whether a given bird's date of beginning a vocalization is set by the
earliest time that bird saw the returnee? Could mockingbirds be
archiving earliest-arrival dates for us? It's too bad I don't have
another lifetime to devote to mockingbird vocalizations! They're such a
fascinating species. The ones in my yard are currently busy tormenting
the neighborhood cats. -Doug
Nate Dias wrote:
>A Mockingbird in my neighbor's yard began adding
>Purple Martin vocalizations to his repertoire in late
>February the past couple of years.
>
>Both years this change has taken place many days
>before I heard the first Martin in the area, and I
>have been paying special attention the past 2 years.
>
>I don't know if this amounts to 'predicting' Martin
>arrival. It struck me as being a spring sound that is
>retrieved from the Mockingbird archives when the
>bird's 'spring soundtrack' is rolled out (due to
>longer photoperiod, changing hormone levels, etc.).
>
>Nathan Dias - Charleston, SC
>
>--- Doug Pratt <Doug.Pratt(AT)ncmail.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>>The question that no one seemed to be able to answer
>>was whether they really do predict the return of
>>certain species, or whether they are just better
>>birders than we are and see the birds before we do.
>>
>>
>
>
>
>__________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
>http://mail.yahoo.com
>
>
--
H. Douglas Pratt, Curator of Birds
Research and Collections
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
11 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27601-1029
Phone: (919)733-7450 ext. 728
E-mail: doug.pratt(AT)ncmail.net
--
H. Douglas Pratt, Curator of Birds
Research and Collections
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
11 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27601-1029
Phone: (919)733-7450 ext. 728
E-mail: doug.pratt(AT)ncmail.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Lower Saluda River 05/08
From: "Jason Giovannone" <buteo2808(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 8 May 2006 5:26pm
Birded around the zoo today, and saw several big pushes of several species.
I had 7 Great Blue Herons hanging around below Mill Race Rapids, It seemed
as though Black-throated Blue Warblers were everywhere. I also stopped on
top of Mill Race off of Candy Lane on my home to sort through some swallows.
I ended up turning up 7 Banks, 3 Trees, and 2 Cliffs mixed in with a dozen
martins, a handful of Rough-wings, and 50 Barns. There is a spot that you
can walk down to the river and get great looks at 6 species sitting on the
wire and hawking insects. Good Birding!
Jason Giovannone
Columbia, SC
Full List
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Loggerhead Shrike
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Parula
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Pine Warbler
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Summer Tanager
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Red, black, and White Day
From: "Phyllis Williams" <phwill(AT)sccoast.net>
Date: 8 May 2006 7:25pm
A great day for these colors!
Today I had another first for me in my backyard-2 male rose-breasted
grosbeaks. Beautiful!!! Many of you have already had the good fortune of
them visiting you but I have not. They spent the entire afternoon nibbling
on the seeds.
Also enjoying the feeders were a red-headed woodpecker and a red-bellied
woodpecker.
Like I said-a great day for red, black, and white in Loris, SC.
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Killdeer = Stress
From: "KC Foggin" <KCFoggin(AT)sc.rr.com>
Date: 8 May 2006 8:33pm
Okay, I was not prepared for what I witnessed all dang day with the Killdeer
nesting on the office roof.
Apparently the babies have arrived and anyone or anything that walks by the
sixth avenue side of the building results in parent Killdeer flying to the
ground and dropping into 6th Ave No. road and pulling its broken wing routine.
Every time I witnessed this, my stomach turned thinking this poor thing was
going to get run over by a vehicle. At 3:00 I finally had to draw my blinds.
I couldn't watch it any longer :(
KC Foggin
Myrtle Beach SC
www.birdforum.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: bobolinks
From: "N Rouse Wilson III" <nrwilsonhsd(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 8 May 2006 10:34pm
Andy Upshaw and I spotted a small flock of bobolinks just south of Moncure
near the Cape Fear River while participating in the Audobon Bird Count. It
was the first time we had seen them in our area. Thank goodness for the
nice reward for birding on a rather dreary day. It was good to get the
rain, of course.
Rouse Wilson
Pittsboro, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Golf and Retreat Birding
From: Jchat99(AT)aol.com
Date: 8 May 2006 10:46pm
Since Wednesday I enjoyed some good days of birding while playing golf and
experiencing a church retreat at Caswell Beach. Highlights were the forty to
fifty Meadowlarks all over Castle Bay Golf Course in Hamstead plus the
numerous Bobwhites calling in the brush. I got within ten to fifteen feet of
several Meadowlarks. They are such a beautiful bird, particularly seen on
short
fairway grass! My non-birding golfing partners even enjoyed the show. A male
Baltimore Oriole at a feeder beside the course was another pleasant surprise.
An Anhinga flying over Magnolia Green south of Wilmington was also nice.
At Caswell, the many calling Eurasian Collared Doves were the highlight. I
first thought they were owls I was hearing! There were certainly many
shorebirds, including Black-Bellied Plovers in both plumages side by side. My
disappointment was the absence of Painted Buntings at Caswell.
John Frederick
Durham, NC
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