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CarolinaBirds for Tuesday, May 30, 2006
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Subject: Higher than a Kite at Jackson Park!
From: John Lindfors <jwl127(AT)netzero.com>
Date: 30 May 2006 8:02am
Yesterday, May 29th, I found Ron Selvey on the nature trail of
Hendersonville, NC's Jackson Park. He recently had seen a Black-billed
Cuckoo in the park, not up on the Blue Ridge Parkway or in Great Smokey
Mt. NP. Almost prophetic-like, Ron pronounced that the migration of
warblers was finished. But he has seen amazing things like White Ibis
during the midsummer hiatus of late May and June. Not five minutes
later while standing on the east side of the nature trail near the site
of the now-removed boardwalk, Ron looks up and says "What's that!" Here
was a "hawk" soaring. I mmediately I go through the list: Its not
flapping like an accipiter and really doesn't have the rounded wings and
long tail of that group; Then in my great wisdom BALD EAGLE!!!! Wait
get a hold of yourself, its too small, but the top of the head is
whitish. The tail spreads and reminds me a little of a swallow. Then
Ron said, "MISSISSIPPI KITE!" We watched the bird for over a minute as
it flew west over downtown Hendersonville.
After congratulating each other (like I had a lot to do with the
identification) Ron told me something astounding, as far as he knew, up
to this point he was the only person who had ever seen a MIKI in
Henderson County. He was glad that someone else (meaning me) could see
the kite also (thus saving him from being considered a raving lunatic.)
So folks, come running to Jackson Park and I guarantee you will have a
lovely view of Brown Thrashers (I say a parent and a half-grown young
bird) and if you ask nicely I will point out a mockingbird on its nest
near the tennis courts.
Black-billed Cuckoos and kites, well that's another story.
Regards,
John Lindfors
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Subject: Piping & Snowy Plovers
From: Patrick M Shaffner PMSHAFFN <PMSHAFFN(AT)uncg.edu>
Date: 30 May 2006 9:36am
I was just at the Outer Banks a couple of weeks ago, and as far as adding
new birds to my list, it was very productive. However, after we had
arrived at Ocracoke and checked in via the Hatteras to Ocracoke ferry, I
decided to make a special trip back to Cape Hatteras to see if I could spot
the Piping Plovers. I came up empty in that regard, but I did spot my
first Red Knots.
Also, this Memorial Day weekend...actually yesterday, I went over to Hutaff
Island, an Important Birding Area right next to Figure Eight Island, to see
if I could spot the Piping Plovers there. Nothing but Least Terns and the
occasional Black Skimmer on the wing. But, going down the Intracoastal
Waterway, I could swear that I spotted a Bald Eagle flying down the
waterway. Maybe someone else spotted it.
Patrick ShaffnerFayetteville, NC
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Subject: Common Raven @ LKN S.P. yesterday
From: "Tomm Lorenzin" <skytomml(AT)alltel.net>
Date: 30 May 2006 9:52am
I spotted a Common Raven on E. Monbo - a rural road just outside of LKN
State Park - scavenging a road-edge 'coon carcass. Don't see many CORAs
down here, so this was an unusual sighting for me.
7;^)
Tomm "fatso" Lorenzin
Mooresville (Lake Norman), NC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We all get heavier as we get older because
there's a lot more information to absorb.
So I'm not really fat; I'm just really
intelligent and my head couldn't hold
any more so it started filling up
the rest of me! (Sheesh! Why is this
pants-zipper on my backside?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Visit me at: http://www.1000plus.com/
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: more ceruleans
From: "Kevin Caldwell" <kevin(AT)equinoxenvironmental.com>
Date: 30 May 2006 10:59am
Heard and watched 2 Cerulean males singing in the Walnut Mountains
yesterday, northwest of Marshall NC, right along the spine of the range.
They were only foraging for insects and I saw no nesting activity, but will
be checking in later in June.
I'd encourage others in the mountain region to get out on any of those roads
that pass over that spine to check on this bird there - the closest NHP
records I can see are the BRP / Parkway populations but of course, that's
easy access and public lands. This area is private land the landowner
prefers I not disclose the location.
I think the Walnut Mountain & Sampson Mountain ranges(near Burnsville where
I recently heard / saw them last month) ranges likely hold viable
populations of this bird since I've heard / saw it now twice on either side
of I-26, but I see there are no NHP records there, likely because that land
is mostly private and not much bio work is being done there. There's also
quite a bit of very very steep land there that's still wooded and suitable
habitat for them there.
Kevin Caldwell
Barnardsville, NC (Mtns)
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Subject: Red-shouldered Hawk observation/question
From: "Reece Mitchell" <reecejudy(AT)bellsouth.net>
Date: 30 May 2006 7:23pm
You who hang on my every word may remember my wondering why a Red-shouldered
Hawk would appear to deliberately fly toward a group (murder?) of crows and
get harassed by them.
It has happened several more times, and I'm wondering if this is a way of
keeping the crows from the hawk's nest.
The hawks have nested the past three years on a wooded hilltop some half
mile from our house. The crows are usually gathered on another hill about
the same distance in the opposite direction.
Does anyone know whether raptors ever engage is distraction behavior when
they are nesting? In my experience they attack approaching predators.
Reece
Reece and Judy Mitchell
Flat Rock, NC
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Subject: screech owls
From: "barbara brooks" <brooksba(AT)visionet.net>
Date: 30 May 2006 7:23pm
last night I had 2 maybe 3 screech owls calling. A first for either of my
houses. Also had a Louisiana waterthrush last week but haven't heard it
this week so I think it left. brides in NE orange county barb brooks
Barb Brooks, poet
author of the chapbook
"The Catbird Sang"
Black cap, wings slate gray,
feathers dribbled with red.
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Subject: Kites in SC
From: nathan.swick(AT)duke.edu
Date: 30 May 2006 8:12pm
Hi all,
Nolan Brit wanted me to pass this on to those interested, as he's not a
subscriber.
On May 28, I saw 6 MISSISSIPPI KITES and a WOOD STORK at the last rest stop on
I-26 before Charleston (near mile 205).
On May 29, I saw A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE and a MISSISSIPPI KITE in
Francis Marion
National Forest at the Wambaw Creek bridge on forest road 211. I have seen
Swallow-tailed Kite there all three times which I have visited since
mid-April.
To get to the bridge, you can take a left on Rutledge road from Highway
17 near
McLellanville. The road becomes dirt a few miles in and the first
bridge near a
major opening in the canopy is the Wambaw Creek bridge.
Nathan Swick
Chapel Hill, NC
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Subject: Re: Mississippi Kites in Fayetteville
From: "Steve" <scompton(AT)sc.rr.com>
Date: 30 May 2006 8:25pm
Birders,
Sometimes what you don't see is as interesting as what you do see. On Monday
I traveled 200 miles through prime Swallow-tailed Kite country in Berkeley
and Charleston counties, from Moncks Corner to
Hopsewee Plantation just over the Santee river into Georgetown county, and
back along Halfway Creek road. I saw one Mississippi Kite all day and no
Swallow-taileds. Why? Were they staying close to the nest?
It was hot and mostly clear, seemingly ideal soaring conditions.
Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to visit the Santee Coastal Reserve just
north of McClellanville,SC. Nathan
Dias has been getting great shorebirds there but on Monday the deerflies
were FIERCE. The only way you should consider it is 1. you are completely
covered with netting and thick cloth or 2. you require extreme mortification
of the flesh. I sprayed most of a can of
"Deep Woods Off" on myself and directly on the creatures, but it didn't
help. Dante could not have invented anything more excruciating. Besides, the
pond
surrounded by the Marsh Trail was full of water with no mud exposed. Lots of
Painted Buntings and big alligators,
however. I guess the flies leave them alone. I was the only foolish human.
Steve Compton
Wiser in Summerville,SC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert C. Perkins" <rperkins(AT)infionline.net>
To: <carolinabirds(AT)duke.edu>
Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2006 8:00 PM
Subject: Mississippi Kites in Fayetteville
> This evening while I was watering some newly planted stuff because
> we've had no rain, I saw two Mississippi kites sailing over my
> neighborhood on the north side of Fayetteville. Year, state, county, and
> yard bird. Whee!
>
> Bob
> --
> Bob Perkins
> Historian and general outdoorsman
> Fayetteville, North Carolina
> rperkins(AT)infionline.net
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Subject: Tropicbirds; Another Fea's Petrel
From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1(AT)mindspring.com>
Date: 30 May 2006 8:58pm
Carolinabirders,
It has been a hectic run so far- 16 trips since May 11- but we did see
our first of the year White-tailed Tropicbirds today- a triple- header
of calling birds, two of which were with us for over half an hour.
We also had a nice look at a Fea's Petrel this afternoon. No European
Stormies today, but good numbers of Wilson's and great looks at
Band-rumped and Leach's. We have space on a trip here this Sunday, June
4.
Brian Patteson
Hatteras, NC
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