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Congaree Swamp, May 9




Congaree Swamp National Monument,   Columbia, SC
Bird List for May 9, 2001  (8:45-11:15am, clear, 65-75 degs.)

Yesterday was a beautiful, mild day to stroll at Congaree Swamp.  I was
very impressed with the new Visitor's Center and the reconfiguration of
the boardwalk from the Center to the old boardwalks.  I only caught the 
tail end of the early morning activity.  There was disappointingly little
activity in the way of migrants.  Perhaps I just overlooked them.  I believe
I heard an Ovenbird.  The only noteworthy sighting was a Sharp-shinned Hawk 
flying high overhead, some ten days later than the range on Robin Carter's 
checklist for Congaree.

I heard at least three Swainson's Warblers singing, one very close to the
boardwalk, but never got a good look at one.  A foraging Summer Tanager
couple was the visual highlight of the morning, besides the expected
close-up views of singing Prothonotary Warblers.

The Climbing Hydrangeas are blooming everywhere now.  Many trees are bare
of leaves, just like the winter, due to the abundant Forest Tent Caterpillars
which were said to favor Tupelo and Sweet Gum trees.  It was a great morning
for skinks and butterflies, including many Mourning Cloaks.

I'm sure Simon Thompson and the group he led at Congaree yesterday 
from FENCE have more to report.  He said they saw Mississippi Kites, for one.

Great Blue Heron	
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk		
Mourning Dove		
Yellow-bil. Cuckoo	
Chimney Swift		
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
E. Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher	
Great Crested Flycatcher	
American Crow
Fish Crow
Carolina Chickadee	
Tufted Titmouse		
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown-headed Nuthatch	
Carolina Wren		
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher	
White-eyed Vireo	
Yellow-thr. Vireo	
Red-eyed Vireo		
N. Parula		
Yellow-throated Warb.	
Pine Warbler		
Ovenbird		
Prothonotary Warb.
Swainson's Warb.
Louisiana Waterthrush   heard three
Kentucky Warbler
Hooded Warbler 		just one, heard at Visitor's Center
Summer Tanager
N. Cardinal		
Indigo Bunting		
Brown-h. Cowbird	

Jerry Griggs          j@sc.edu
Columbia, SC