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Pee Dee NWR



Laura and I took a trip to the Pee Dee NWR in Anson County, NC
yesterday.  We had previously been there three weeks ago, and the
contrast between the two trips was interesting.

Both times, there had recently been controlled burns, but three weeks
ago it was in a much larger area and was even more recent.  Instead of
just a few areas still smoking (as yesterday), there were a large number
of areas still smoking, and some places where we still saw flames.
Yesterday, the area where the Red-cockaded Woodpeckers nest had been
burned and there was still some smoke.  Unfortunately, although we hung
out in that area for close to an hour altogether at various points, we
did not see any RCWs.

Three weeks ago, there were large flocks of American Robins, Dark-eyed
Juncos, and White-throated Sparrows.  While a few of each of these birds
remain, the large numbers are gone.  The kinglets, which were also
abundant three weeks ago, are gone.  There are now Brown-headed
Cowbirds, Chipping Sparrows and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers galore.

Three weeks ago, there were no migrant songbirds.  Yesterday, that was
not the case at all.  We had Black-and-white Warbler (one), Common
Yellowthroat (in good numbers, so not winter residents), Prothonotary
Warbler (one), White-eyed Vireo (several), Northern Parula (in good
numbers) and Yellow-throated Warbler (several).  A complete trip list is
below.

I recommend a trip to the refuge to anyone looking for a good place to
bird and a quiet place to spend the day.

Amalie Tuffin
Durham, NC

Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture (in large numbers)
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Mourning Dove
Barred Owl (two heard calling to each other in mid-day)
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Brown-headed Nutchatch
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Parula
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch