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Johnston Co., NC, birds



I tried to send this earlier but forgot to convert from AOL style.  Aarrrg.
     This morning I had a chance to bird a couple of productive spots near my 
home in nw. Johnston Co., NC, and had a good outing.  The birds are listed at 
the bottom.  First, I'll give directions for anybody who's interested.  These 
sites are easily accessible from Raleigh.
       Take I-40 to NC 210 (exit 319).  Turn east on 210 and go several miles 
to Smith Rd.  Turn left (north) onto Smith Rd.  As soon as you turn, you'll 
see a yard with lots of martin houses and lots of martins.  Continue on just 
past the bridge over Middle Creek and park along the side of the road.  While 
the land on both sides of the road is posted no trespassing, you can walk up 
and down the road, hear all the birds, and, with patience, see most of them.  
Prothonotaries are a gimme here during the breeding season, and you'll get an 
ample list of other species.  Further on, as the road goes up the first hill 
after the creek, there's an old field that is being developed into a 
subdivision but is still good for Grasshopper Sparrows.  Then continue on to 
the end of Smith Rd., keeping an eye out for shrikes.  Turn left onto Polenta 
Rd. and then take the first right, onto Monroe Rd., which is dirt.  Park when 
you reach the Longleaf Pine plantation (that's right, Longleaf, not Loblolly).

List of birds found this morning:

Smith Rd.
Canada Goose
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodp.
Downy Woodp.
Pileated Woodp.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Ruby-thr. Hummingbird
Red-shouldered Hawk
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Acadian Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Loggerhead Shrike (2 near intersection w/ Polenta Rd.)
White-eyed Vireo (heard)
Yellow-throated Vireo
Am. Crow
Fish Crow
Wood Thrush (heard)
starling
catbird
B-g. Gnatcatcher
Car. Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Purple Martin
Grasshopper Sparrow
Northern Parula
Bl-thr. Blue Warbler (heard)
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Ovenbird
C. Yellowthroat (heard)
Yellow-breasted Chat
Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
C. Grackle

Monroe Rd.
Prairie Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Field Sparrow
E. Towhee
Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting

The last time I was at Smith Rd., I saw Wood Ducks and a Hairy Woodpecker and 
heard a Barred Owl.  There were Swamp Sparrows there all winter.  I've had 
lots of other fun birds there, too, including an Am. Bittern once.

Erik Thomas
Johnston Co., NC
barbarahunter919@aol.com