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Falls Lake Wildathon Results



Sorry for any cross-postings

2003 FALLS LAKE WILDATHON RESULTS


Due to pending weather I was forced to start my Wildathon early. I began
while still working on 5/6 at 7:00 p.m. This added a few evening
reptiles, but forced me to sleep after a long day at work. Sunset at
Sandling Beach did produce 2 Herring Gulls and a Caspian Tern.

I got up at 3:30 a.m. to hit the field. All three owls were immediately
present, along with a surprise Common Nighthawk. The park office gate
produced my first Wildathon sighting of Flying Squirrel. A lucky Opossum
crossed the road near my Whip-poor-whill and Chuck-wills Widow fields.
(you can hear them both from one location!)
Also new to my Wildathon an early morning American Woodcock was found on
Old Weaver Trail, along with a flyover of two Black-crowned Night
Herons, not reliable anywhere or anytime at Falls Lake.

At daybreak at Sandling Beach I spotted two female loons in breeding
plumage, along with a Pied-billed Grebe, late sightings for both
species. Within minutes a Bald Eagle and three Osprey flew overhead, and
ten species of land birds were hear singing. Before 7:00 a.m. I was up
to 28 species of bird, 2 dragonflies and 8 mammals(!), giving me hope to
break some of last years records.

After a quick stop at the Broadwing Hawk nest near the Sandling gate
(right next to the Turkeys in my yard), I hit the woods at Woodpecker
Ridge for a few hours. Nearly all woodpeckers were found, along with
many neotropical migrants. A uncommon Worm-eating Warbler was heard and
seen far in a back field. I nearly stepped on an immature Black Rat
Snake and started finding only a few butterflies.

Next was some grueling biking through the swamps and impoundment's at
Brickhouse Road. Only a few birds were added, a flock of Cedar Waxwings,
Tree Swallow and Purple Martin, but over 20 species of butterflies and
the rest of the dragonflies were seen here. A first official park record
(seen by me, at least) was seen along a field edge. Mating Black Racers,
Redbelly and Northern Water Snakes were seen. Two separate Muskrat
sightings were a nice surprise, but wouldn't pose to well for a picture.

Missing only a few gimmes, I proceeded to BW Wells for some herps.
Eastern Fence Lizard, Five-lined Skink and Ground Skink were found
almost immediately. Along the boundary a breeding pool of Eastern Newt
Salamanders provided some enjoyment. Add a few more butterflies and on
the way back Eastern Meadowlark and some sparrows and you got yourself a
Wildathon.

Birds sought out but missed were Northern Bobwhite, Pileated Woodpecker(!)
and American Robin.

Thanks to all of you who pledged!

WILDATHON 2003 RESULTS


MAMMALS: 11 (2002: 10, 2001: 8)

White-tailed Deer
Eastern Red Bat
Big Brown Bat
Virginia Opossum
Eastern Cottontail
Woodchuck
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Southern Flying Squirrel
American Beaver
Golden Mouse
Muskrat

REPTILES: 9 (2002: 11, 2001: 11)

Eastern Fence Lizard
Five-lined Skink
Ground Skink
Black Racer
Black Rat Snake
Redbelly Water Snake
Northern Water Snake
Painted Turtle
Yellowbelly Slider

AMPHIBIANS: 8 (2002: 13, 2001: 8)

American Toad
Fowlers Toad
Northern Cricket Frog
Gray Treefrog
Bullfrog
Green Frog
Pickeral Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Eastern Newt


BUTTERFLIES: 29 (2002: 23, 2001: 23)

Zebra Swallowtail
Black Swallowtail
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail
Cabbage White
Clouded Sulphur
Cloudless Sulphur
Sleepy Orange
Pearl Crescent
Eastern Comma
American Lady
Red Admiral
Common Buckeye
Red-spotted Purple
Viceroy
Hackberry Emperor
Carolina Satyr
Gray Hairstreak
Eastern Tailed-blue
Azure sp.
Silver-spotted Skipper
Least Skipper
Juvenals Duskywing
Horaces Duskywing
Southern Cloudywing
Silver-spotted Skipper
Common Checkered-skipper
Clouded Skipper
Zabulon Skipper
Wild Indigo Duskywing (official park record)

ODONATES: 21 (2002: 25, 2001: 9)

Common Green Darner
Regal Darner
Swamp Darner
Common Baskettail
Selys Sundragon
Uhlers Sundragon
Lancet Clubtail
Ashy Clubtail
Eastern Pondhawk
Spangled Skimmer
Slaty Skimmer
Twelve-spotted Skimmer
Common Whitetail
Blue Corporal
Blue Dasher
Carolina Saddlebags
Black Saddlebag
Orange Bluet
Familiar/Stream Bluet
Eastern Forktail
Citrine Forktail


FIREFLIES: 2 (2002: 5, 2001: 6)

Photinus consimilus
P. brimleyi



BIRDS: 96 (2002: 106, 2001: 84)

Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Wild Turkey
Killdeer
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
American Woodcock
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Screech Owl
Great Horned Owl
Barred Owl

Common Nighthawk
Whip-poor-will
Chuck-wills-widow
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Tree Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Parula
Black-throated Blue Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black & White Warbler
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch



Brian Bockhahn
Park Ranger
Falls Lake CBC Compiler
Falls Lake State Recreation Area
13304 Creedmoor Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
919/676-1027
fax 919/
www.ncsparks.net
Brian.Bockhahn@ncmail.net
www.geocities.com/birdrangerbb
cbockhahn4@earthlink.net