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Bucksport Sod Farm



Hi Carolinabirders,
It is good to be back after a three week visit up north to Toms River,
NJ, Chatauqua, NY (took in high doses of culture there at the Chatauqua
Institute and visited the Roger Tory Peterson Institute in nearby
Jamestown, NY) and then Niagara Falls, Ontario so my wife could see the
Falls. No birding there though I eyeballed close overhead a dark phase
buteo which passed over Manchester Township, Ocean County, NJ.-I saw
this bird from a distance and as close as about 70 feet away.  From
below at the closest range noticeable were an all dark brown body a
gleaming white unbanded tail, brown wing linings and white unmarked
flight feathers. At a greater distance above bird was uniformly dark
chocolate brown including body, head, tail and wings with a few white
spots on the wings. When first seen from a distance I thought it was an
eagle.  Nothing registered except that I had never seen any bird like
this before.  Later I consulted Sibley and at home Clark and Wheeler's
Hawks and Hawks in Flight. Despite not having my binoculars handy and
that this bird is very rare in the east, I   believe it to be a dark
phase Ferruginous Hawk. It was very similar to the plate in Hawks. The
date was Saturday, July 20.
Today, I visited the Bucksport Sod Farm, Horry County from 10:30 AM till
1:30 PM. doing birds and butterflies and hoping for some turf
shorebirds, but there was no water even though my neighbors claim the
area received lots of rain the past week.  Anyhow, the butterlying was a
lot better than the birding.  11 species but one really interesting one.
Again today as in the previous three summers a light rumped swallow has
shown up at the sod farm.  Today it was in with some Purple Martins and
Barn Swallows.  It was obviously not one of those and had a large quite
white rump with just a hint of buff or tawny color. In previous years it
was more orangy buff. Today it had a dark head and I could not, as in
previous years, detect any "headlamp" It was broadwinged with a light
body and a tail mostly unforked but at times showing a shallow notch.
Last year Robin Carter suggested I consider and look for Cave Swallow
but I really think today's bird was a juvenile Cliff as it, especially
the rump, resembled that bird as depicted in Sibley.

 Jack Peachey
Conway, SC