[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Weekend birding



A planned visit to Mason Farm (Chapel Hill, NC) on Saturday proved
problematic when I encountered water covering the bridge at a level and
current higher than I was comfortable driving my Civic over. Instead, I
pulled straight ahead, parked at the gate, and birded that road to it's
end. The first treat was 2 red-tailed hawks, zooming around together
(courtship or territory defense?); one whirl brought them quite close to
me, with the result that I could hear the wind rush made by their wings!

Just as I started out, I saw a very handsome red belly water snake,
lounging in the strong sunlight, getting warm. Birds observed: great
blue heron, blue jay, ruby- and golden-crowned kinglets, chickadee,
cardinal, titmouse, C. geese, song/white-throated/swamp sparrows,
red-bellied and red-headed woodpeckers, turkey vulture, American and
fish crows, towhee, C. wren, grackle, robin, junco, and yellow-rumped
warbler. Butterflies: tiger swallowtail, falcate tip orange, spring
azure, mourning cloak.

I left that area and went to the Little Creek Impoundment. The only bird
I saw that I hadn't seen near Mason Farm was a drake mallard. Lots of C.
geese were there along with one elegant great blue heron. There were
hundreds of turtles lying on logs, some of them (turtles) were enormous!

I still have grackles, crows, and redwinged blackbirds eating me out of
suet and seed. Tell me it won't last much longer! Had chickadees busily
building a nest in my bluebird house over the weekend.

Carol Williamson
Durham, NC
carolw@sandler-recht.com