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Rolling View emerges from the waters...
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Rolling View emerges from the waters...
- From: Joshua Stuart Rose <jsr6@duke.edu>
- Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1999 15:32:10 -0500 (EST)
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
Hi Carolinabirders,
I visited Rolling View SRA this morning, for the first time in quite a
while. The road towards the swimming area is closed, probably due to high
water (I later swung by Sandling Beach SRA and found it closed as well).
The tip of the peninsula, out past the boat ramp, shows signs of having
been recently submerged over most of its area. It is still not possible
to walk all the way around the point on the beach, but the sand near the
large parking lot is now above water again.
As for birds, things were fairly quiet. I did see my first Bufflehead of
the year, skittering across the water as I arrived. I also spotted my
first Bonaparte's Gulls for the year, a flock of 5; a distant flock of at
least 25 gulls later also turned out to be Bonaparte's. However, no loons
or grebes, and no waterfowl other than the single Bufflehead. Landbirds
were overwhelmingly Kinglets of both species, although with some patience
most of the other usual winter suspects showed up, including a Brown
Creeper.
A cruise down Southview road turned up less than usual, but when I drove
over the bridge over the creek south of NC 98 at least half a dozen Black
Vultures burst out from underneath and startled me. I peered over the
edge and spied the stomach and intestines, and maybe other digestive
organs, of a deer or other large creature floating in the creek. The
vultures must have been picnicking. Yum yum...
So here's a question for y'all: anyone ever birded along Santee Road, the
left fork off of Baptist Road (A.K.A. the road to Rolling View)? It seems
to be one of those roads that originally went somewhere, but was cut off
and turned into a dead end by the creation of Falls Lake. A powerline cut
runs from Santee downhill to and across a finger of the lake, with what
appears to be a former road, now blocked and shrubby, running underneath
in the same direction. It looks a lot like the powerline cut at Old
Hope Valley Farm. Most of this road is posted "No Tresspassing", but the
vicinity of these powerlines is not. There are a couple of dilapidated
old barnlike structures at the end of the road which also looked
intriguing, but are probably on private property. Does anyone know
whether this area - the powerline cut, especially - is private or public
property, and if public, what the rules are for access?
Thanks,
Josh
Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Zoology
jsr6@acpub.duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/