Up the Haw by kayak for the Chatham Co. NAMC

["Travis, Ginger" <Ginger@athena.dev.unc.edu>]

On Saturday the wind caused me to change my plans for the Chatham Co. NAMC.
Instead of taking a kayak out on wide-open Jordan Lake, I opted for the more
sheltered Haw River above Bynum Dam. 

In 6 hours I covered about 5 miles by going up one bank and coming back down
the other, plus winding around the islands near the dam and entering a
couple of creek mouths. In all that time I never saw another human being
until I got back to the starting point -- how often can you say that in the
over-populated Triangle? Later, when I tallied my birds, I was surprised to
find that I had seen only 31 species -- it felt a lot richer than that,
though I did have to work for what I got. 

Highlights: 5 warbler species,  2 Black Vultures, 2 Osprey, 20-plus Chimney
Swifts including 13 in one group, 3 Hairy Woodpeckers, and 2 Yellow-billed
Cuckoos, including one that allowed me a close look at it bashing a hairy
caterpillar before eating it. (I actually saw a few hairs fly off and drift
through the air, thanks to good light and my new 10-power binoculars!) 

I also got out of my boat and walked upstream at the point 2 miles up the
river from the dam, where big rapids stop boats from going farther. From the
bank I watched 22 Canada Geese resting, dabbling, swimming, and standing
guard in little pools and on the rocks. Last year I saw just 2 geese at this
same spot. But I have to say that they looked wild and natural out in the
middle of the Haw. I did not see a Bald Eagle or a Pileated Woodpecker on
this trip, the first time I've missed them. (And no deer.) But there were
lots of big turtles sunning -- sliders?

I think all local birders with canoes and kayaks would love seeing this
section of the Haw, and in early fall -- right now -- it's at its best.
Botanically, it's rich. For instance, I've seen hardly any Magnolia
tripetala trees before, but on the Haw I saw several stands (especially on
some of the islands near the dam). I also saw some bladdernut trees with
their flowers that resemble Chinese lanterns. And at the rapids where the
geese were, I climbed along the front edge of a bluff that had mountain
laurel draped all over it -- yet just a few yards away, growing in sand, was
a small overcup oak -- a bottomland tree. Most amazing, across the river I
saw two big, bright green Bald Cypress trees; one had a dozen or so knees
about two and a half feet tall along the water's edge. I assume the cypress
trees were either planted or grew from cones that floated down the river
from a planting. But the point is, these trees were as big and tall as
anything along the river. Everything along the Haw seemed to be fruiting or
in final flower -- there was still cardinal flower, jewelweed and trumpet in
bloom for hummers. I decided to taste some of the fruits along the river and
tried a hackberry fruit (all stone or leathery skin but slightly sweet), a
black gum fruit (juicy, tart and interesting) and some wild grapes (the kind
with tiny little fruit in bunches). I skipped the Virginia creeper because I
thought it might be poisonous.

I will try to write up this site soon, with details on where to park and
hazards to avoid, for Will Cook's website with the section devoted to
Triangle birding destinations: www.duke.edu/~cwcook.

Ginger_Travis@unc.edu
Chapel Hill, N.C.