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Savannah NWR, 16 February 2002




A trip to Savannah NWR with Kathleen O'Grady, Bob Ellis, and Sharon Brown on
16 February 2002 found some nice birds, including an excellent duck and a
lovely sparrow.  Any February day that starts standing in a swirl of Tree
Swallows while listening to the "spee spee spee" of a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
can only be good.

At the first stop, we scattered a few sparrows as we parked the car,
including the sparrow that seems to be "following me around this winter", a
Lincoln's.  Bob Ellis and I got a good look at the bird.  Later in the day,
Sharon Brown got a good look at a Lincoln's Sparrow as well.  I also finally
laid eyes on Savannah Sparrows on Saturday.  After spending all winter
counting Savannah Sparrows or looking for Savannah Sparrows based on
hearing them in the grass, I finally saw Savannah Sparrows, proving that
they are
not simply disembodied voices this winter.

I was quite thrilled to find the Cinnamon Teal reported from Savannah NWR
previously.  While not a life bird, I was happy to finally see a Cinnamon
Teal drake in breeding plumage.  A beautiful bird!  It was also nice to find
ducks to sort through for a change this winter.

It was also a good day for raptors.  By the end of the day,  in addition to
the expected Red-tailed Hawks and Northern Harriers, we had seen several
Kestrels and, just as we called it a day, a Merlin making a half-hearted
attempt to scatter a treeful of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles.  

A good day afield indeed!


Donna Slyce Bailey		
Winnsboro, SC

e-mail: dsbailey@conterra.com

URL:  http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey
	Where are the Birds?  Migration across South Carolina