[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

DUML and Bird Shoal



Hi Carolinabirders,

Today was the annual Biology 31 (The Diversity of Life) field trip to the 
Duke University Marine Lab on Pivers Island, between Beaufort and 
Morehead City NC. The trip was geared toward general biodiversity, and so 
we spent nearly all of our time looking at invertebrates and plants. We 
did have a native New Zealand birdwatcher along, and he was very excited 
by creatures such as Brown Pelicans, Boat-tailed Grackles, and Belted 
Kingfishers. My main excitement at the marine lab was the migrating 
Sharp-shinned Hawks; at least three passed over the area while we were 
there, all heading south. Butterfly migration was also in evidence, with 
one Clouded Sulfur, at least two Monarchs, and several Common Buckeyes 
passing through. The only dragonfly sighting on the day was also a 
migrant, a glider of the genus Pantala.

After visiting the lab itself, we were ferried out to what the DUML 
residents call Carrot Island, known to carolinabirders as Bird Shoal. We 
went at low tide, to maximize our access to marine invertebrates; 
unfortunately, high tide is the best time to visit for birds, according 
to John Fussell's "A Birder's Guide to Coastal North Carolina". Even so, 
I saw a few things. Having missed the Falls Lake godwit-fest earlier this 
fall, I was most excited by the Marbled Godwits, my first in the 
Carolinas. They were actually one of the most common shorebirds out 
there, making the usually large-seeming Willets and American 
Oystercatchers look small. Ruddy Turnstones were already in winter 
plumage, and Yellowlegs and a few peeps were scattered around. Black- 
bellied Plovers were scattered around, and I encountered one Killdeer, a 
couple of Semipalmated Plovers, and a Wilson's Plover.

Waders were far less common than shorebirds, but somewhat diverse, as I 
only saw one of each species: Snowy Egret, Great Egret, White Ibis, Great 
Blue Heron. No seconds on any of them. No sign of any warbler migration 
on the coast, winter may have started already out there: the freshwater 
puddle on Bird Shoal was swarming with warblers, but every single one of 
them that I could ID was a Yellow-rump. Back at the marine lab, just more 
'Rumps plus one Palm Warbler. For seabirds, the gulls were all the usual 
suspects, terns were mostly Forster's with a few Royal and Caspian; 
surprisingly, not a single Black Skimmer, they've apparently all gone 
south already. Mallards were the only ducks in evidence.

Guess it's time to start circulating among the little Triangle ponds 
looking for diving ducks again...

Josh



Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Zoology

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