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Rough-wings near Ellerbe headwaters; Occoneechee



Hi Carolinabirders,

After the ECWA spring birdwalk on Saturday, ECWA executive director Steve
Hiltner and I took a hike on some private land near the headwaters of
Ellerbe Creek. A herd of Canada Geese (aka flying cows) were grazing
around one large pond in a meadow. A couple of them menaced us as we
approached too close to their nests. But on a more cheerful note, 6-8
Northern Rough-winged Swallows were patrolling over the same pond; I can
hope they are nesting in the pond's prominent earthen dam, but they were
probably just passing through... We also enjoyed not one but two ponds
densely populated with Spotted Salamander egg masses, a third pond with a
very gravid-looking newt, a fourth pond swarming with toad tadpoles,
several patches of Sphagnum moss (probably S. lescurii), and a very big
patch of Southern Adder's-Tongue ferns (Ophioglossum vulgatum).

The private property containing the above species is potentially at risk
of development. ECWA is trying to convince the current owner - a local
company which owns several radio stations - not to sell the land to
developers. Anyone who'd like to help out, ECWA would certainly appreciate
your support; see
http://www.ellerbecreek.org/

Today, the Duke Natural History Society took a trip to Occoneechee
Mountain. Plants were the headliners, with a few exciting rarities, but we
were serenaded by at least two Ovenbirds on the mountain and a few
Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers near the Eno. I also heard some swallows calling
near the river, but could not see them to confirm if they were more
Rough-wings or some other species.

On Sat, 12 Apr 2003, Nathan Dias wrote:
>
> Great Bird!  Not only is BWW very rare in spring on
> the SC Coast, but y'all beat the previous early date
> record by 5 days.  Yet another sign that things are
> running early this year.

Strange to have bird events running early this year; plants all seem to be
significantly *later* than usual, and possibly amphibians too...

Good birding,

Josh


Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Biology (Zoology, R.I.P.)

jsr6@duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/