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Mason Farm Highlights



Hello everyone,
Spent a couple of hours at Mason Farm (Chapel Hill, NC) yesterday
(@11:30-2:15). Highlights included male & female redstarts less than 20'
away; blue gray gnatcatchers building a dear little nest; a white-eyed
vireo singing robustly in full view; ovenbird, parula, and barred owl
(heard only); cardinals in a very vocal and physical territory dispute;
red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks soaring and calling; a black vulture
that landed on a snag just above my head; a r-th hummer, perched
daintily on a limb; kildeer wheeling and squealing; and many of the MF
"regulars."

Butterflies were abundant, particularly duskywings, but also falcate tip
orange, tiger swallowtail, questionmark, cabbage white, sulfurs, and
pearl crescent. A rather pudgy red-bellied water snake lazed up against
a tree trunk above a little pool.

I'm probably forgetting some critters - my list is at home in my vest
pocket. Anyhow, it was a really fine nature walk!

Also had my first hummer in the yard - a gorgeous male ruby-throated
showed up about 7:45 Saturday night.

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