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Congaree Swamp report




This is a rambling report of some birding highlights from two trips along 
the boardwalk trail at Congaree Swamp National Monument near Columbia, SC.
***
Saturday was 11/10/01--I've been enjoying these binary number dates the
past two years, but I guess Sunday was the last one until 2010.  Anyway,
I took a visitor from New Jersey to Congaree on Saturday morning.  We were
about an hour behind the Columbia Audubon group led by Robin Carter.  We
went down the high boardwalk and finally met up with them along Weston Lake.
We agreed with them that the birds were exceptionally active, the most
activity I have ever seen at Congaree.  Of course it helped that visibility
was outstanding, with clear and dry conditions and with most leaves down.
Our highlight to that point was a Brown Creeper going up a trunk near the
boardwalk.

Where we met up, a pair of Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers was really "going at it",
with one repeatedly flying across the boardwalk just overhead, landing on
a tree trunk, and the other following right behind and landing just below.
I think it was a young male pursuing an adult male.  This went on, back and
forth, for at least five minutes with no real confrontation.  But then the
two birds got tangled up and dropped like a clump to the ground, apparently
pecking each other.  They dropped to the ground this way four separate times
that I saw.  

Steve Dennis of Audubon told me they had encountered (seen or heard) about
20 Winter Wrens.  If one speaks of a "murder" of crows, what about Winter
Wrens?  I hadn't noticed any at all.  We decided to turn around and tag
along with Audubon to enjoy their company and share their discoveries.  On 
this glorious, warm morning (around 70 degrees by 11am), the most surprising
thing to me was to hear a chorus of chirping crickets.

We found no Winter Wrens, alas, but there was another special treat:  
Some of the few remaining wet spots along the trail in this extended drought 
are near the Visitor Center.  Bringing up the rear of the group as we neared 
the final rise, I was lucky enough to see a bird flush down in the leaves and 
to hear it voice a call note.  It landed again a few feet away.  Though I 
could not locate it unaided, because of its perfect camouflage, with 
binoculars I could immediately identify it as an American Woodcock!  It was 
the first one I have ever seen at close range in good light.  The eyes 
looked even larger than in the guides, and I was surprised how long the bill 
was.  We called ahead to the group.  The bird cooperated, only walking slowly 
and staying nearby for everyone to see.  Robin Carter said he had seen a
Woodcock along the boardwalk only once before, back in the 80's.
***
I decided to return as soon as possible to Congaree to sample the blizzard
of Winter Wrens, so I went back this morning (11/13).  It was just as
clear and dry, but chilly, warming from the low 40's to the mid 50's.
There was less activity, though I encountered a cluster (murder? cell?)
of about ten Hermit Thrushes, including three in one tree.  Near the start of
the Low Boardwalk, just after the handrails end, I was treated to a close 
look at a Hairy Woodpecker.  It appeared to be excavating a cavity in a 
giant dead Loblolly Pine on the right side.  

I actually saw far more birds overall today than Saturday--because a flock of
several thousand Common Grackles came through.  I got to see all seven 
Woodpecker species one could expect (Red-Cockaded's are not found there any 
longer), the big surprise being that Downy Woodpecker was the last of
the seven species to show up!

Still no Winter Wrens.  Not far from Weston Lake on the high boardwalk,
there seemed to be more activity, so I began my pishing and Screech Owl
calling.  In no time I had at least 25 agitated birds in the modest tree
overhead, mostly Kinglets.  More and more birds came in to see what the
fuss was about.  I spotted a Winter Wren on one of the logs.  Two Sapsuckers
came near.  Finally, some Warblers--I hadn't seen any on either day 
previously--including a lovely Yellow-throated.  The latest checklist 
for Congaree has a gap in November for this species, so this must be the 
first one (though it is not unexpected).  

On the return walk I spotted three more Winter Wrens--evidently many of the
wrens I had been hearing both days were actually Winter, not Carolina!

Another surprise to me--not finding any Barred Owls either day.  One large
silhouette I found turned out to be a Red-Shouldered Hawk.

I attach a list of birds that responded to my calling from this one spot.

Red-headed Woodpecker		1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	2
Downy Woodpecker		1
Northern Flicker		1
Blue-headed Vireo		2
Carolina Chickadee		2
Tufted Titmouse			3
White-breasted Nuthatch		1
Carolina Wren			1
Winter Wren			1
Golden-crowned Kinglet		4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet		30
Hermit Thrush			4
Yellow-rumped Warbler		4
Yellow-throated Warbler		1   *new for month
Pine Warbler			1
White-throated Sparrow		10
Northern Cardinal		5

Whew!  What a crowd! 
"I'd rather be pishing"

Jerry Griggs	j@sc.edu
Columbia, SC