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Birds and birders



Howdy!

I know it's summer because I'm not receiving gobs of email on
Carolinabirds! Wierd how it drops off so sharply. Fall migration will be
starting next month for some birds, so that will bring more emails
again!

I'm happy the chickadees were finally successful using the bird box in
our backyard this year, after four previous attempts. A titmouse family
was also successful. A pair of Carolina Wrens busily built a nest in a
basket by the front door, but didn't use the nest afterall. I love
watching and listening to the sweet catbirds all summer. We have an
unmated mockingbird that I've heard singing at midnight.

The rain over the weekend in Wilmington changed our plans for birding at
the Ft. Fisher area. We hope to go this weekend. Does anyone know if the
Painted Buntings are still coming to the aquarium feeders?

I wonder how many of us on this listserve is a member of the American
Birding Association (ABA)? The 2001 ABA Big Day and List Report came in
the mail last week. It's fun to look for names of people I know or who
I've heard of through birding. Gosh, Robin Carter is listed under all of
the SC Big Day reports, plus a couple NC ones, too!

Under the ABA area, they have a list of birders reporting over 500
species. I was happy to finally be a part of this list 4 years ago, when
we saw our 500th bird, a Lewis Woodpecker, in Colorado. A few names from
NC and SC (and a couple from GA): Paul Sykes, 832; Heathy Walker (I
don't recognize this name; do you?) 801, Giff Beaton, Jr. and Keith
Camburn, 743; Mary McDavit, 712; Dennis Forsythe, 710; Dan Kaplan and
Harry LeGrand, 707; Bert Fisher, 705; Robin Carter, 683; his wife,
Caroline Eastman a few back at 678; another husband and wife team, Bob
Maxwell, 673 and Barbara Maxwell, 670; John Wright, 663, his birding
buddy Eric Dean not far behind at 660, and Paula Wright with 647; Ricky
Davis, 650; and Kent Fiala, 606.

As far as birds seen in individual states go, the top five in NC are:
Ricky Davis, 409; Harry LeGrand, 407; Derb Carter, 404; John Wright,
398; and Larry Crawford, 396. The top five in SC are: Dennis Forsythe,
366; Caroline Eastman, 362; Robin Carter, 361; Bob Maxwell, 358; and
Peter Worthington, 355.

An article on sewage ponds in ABA's "Birding" magazine was a treat to
read when it mentioned Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Palm Beach County, FL,
with a quote from NC birder Josh Rose, saying it "is a fantastic birding
spot." I love the connections we have as birders!! Wakodahatchee was
just down the road from where we used to live in FL. We used to bird
there when it was just a sewage plant and were concerned we might get
locked in while birding at dusk. That was the spot where we saw our
first Short-earred Owl. Least Bitterns and Purple Gallinules are easy to
see up close along the boardwalk.

We need rain!! Stay cool and happy birding! Karen Bearden
Raleigh, NC
chickadeebirders@earthlink.net