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Falls Lake Stuff-Sunday Morning



Hi folks,

Did the usual areas at Falls Lake for shorebirds this am. Thought I would 
post the totals, since earlier posts mentioned not a lot of action there 
Saturday.When the water level gets as low as it is now, the best shorebirding 
is usually across from Hickory Hill boat ramps (Redwood Rd) and downstream 
including Cheek Rd causeway and Olive Grove peninsula. The upper areas, 
especially upstream from the interstate usually are not as productive, and 
the long walk out the Will Suitt railroad grade can often be disappointing 
for the effort. That is why I chose to do the Hickory Hill, Panther Creek, 
Cheek Rd, and Olive Grove areas. BY the way, the Panther Creek peninsula 
point had the most birds close enough to identify the peeps. For those who 
don't know this area is reached by taking Redwood Rd. east from the 
interstate, and immediately after crossing the first creek (Panther Cr), park 
on the side of the road before the sharp turn to the right. Here at the 
parking spot, on the north side of the road, there is a jeep road going 
through the pine woods that goes right out to the lake and ends up on an old 
RR grade. Walk these flats as far as you can until you are practically at the 
river channel. Look across to the north, the flats are straight across and 
today had the most birds. Here are the totals for me today at all the areas 
combined, and I had a lot of help from Les Todd and Bert Fisher on the Olive 
Grove Peninusla area. 

Black-Bellied Plover - 5
Semipalmated Plover - 63
Greater Yellowlegs - 2
Lesser Yellowlegs - 25
Solitary Sandpiper - 6
Willet - 2 (Olive Grove area)
Spotted Sandpiper - 12
Ruddy Turnstone - 1
Sanderling - 3
Semipalmated Sandpier - 80+
Western Sandpiper - 14
Least Sandpiper - 100
White-rumped Sandpiper - 7
Pectoral Sandpiper - 130+
Stilt Sandpiper - 15
Short-billed Dowitcher - 1

As the water level continues to drop, the Olive Grove Area will probably 
rival the Panther Creek to Cheek Rd causeway section in productive 
shorebirding. Hope folks can get out there on a regular basis, you know how 
things change from day to day with the migrating shorebirds. Later, Ricky



Ricky Davis
Rocky Mount, NC
RJDNC@aol.com