CHBC August field trips

["Will Cook" <cwcook@duke.edu>]

> Couple wks. back I heard D.Shadwick might schedule some
> earlier-than-usual Chapel Hill Bird Club field trips given the
> drought-induced prospect for local shorebirds. 

Thanks for the reminder, Rob.  Here's a message from CHBC trip leader Doug 
Shadwick -- I'll post this to the web site 
(http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/chbc/ ) soon.

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The lack of rainfall in the Triangle area has created environments in the 
local lakes that are very attractive to migrating raptors, rails,  
shorebirds etc.  To take advantage of this, the Chapel Hill Bird Club 
field trips will resume on Saturday August 3, 2002.   The field trips 
will be offered on every Saturday in August.   The destinations for these 
field trips will be areas on or near Jordan and Falls Lakes.   The field 
trips will originate at the Glen Lennox Parking lot on rte. 54 West in 
Chapel Hill at 7:30 AM each Saturday.   Participants can carpool from the 
parking lot to the field trip destination.  

The field trips will be of longer duration (lasting until noon or later) 
and more walking is required than on the usual CHBC field trips.  Some of 
the best mudflat areas on the lakes require hiking a mile or more one way 
over uneven terrain.  Participants should note that the temperature 
usually will be very warm with rather long periods of exposure to the 
direct sun (there is no shade on the mudflats, generally).   Also, deer 
flies and ticks can be more than an occasional annoyance during August.  
Thus, dress appropriately (closed-toed shoes and protective clothing) and 
bring drinking water.   A spotting scope is almost a necessity for 
obtaining good views of distant or skittish birds on the exposed 
mudflats.  

As long as this ephemeral environment persists, the CHBC will offer 
the field trips.  If the lakes refill before or during August and the 
mudflat environment disappears,   we will resume local field trips after 
Labor Day.   If in doubt, please give us a call.  

Doug Shadwick

tel:   (919) 942-0479
e-mail:   dougshadwick@ aol.com


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-- 
Charles W. "Will" Cook                  w 919-660-7423
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook            cwcook@duke.edu
Biology Dept., Duke Univ., Box 90340, Durham, NC 27708