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Bear Island/Donnelly 2/19/2000




The Columbia Audubon Society made a trek to Bear Island WMA with a side
trip to Donnelly WMA on Saturday, February 19th.  Target birds were
Sandhill Cranes, American Avocets, Tundra Swans and whatever else we might
find. While the field trip proper was over, several of us stayed after the
afternoon re-check of Donnelly in the hopes of finding the Cranes we had
missed earlier in the day. Birds of interest below:

Sandhill Cranes - 5, found about 4:30 pm on the Mary's Island Road.  We
watched them land in a semi-cultivated field nearby and, packing scopes,
re-located them.  We had the opportunity to set up the scopes and ogle for
about 45 minutes (we only left because the gates are locked at 5:30 pm).
From the times I have seen them, I draw these conclusions.  The Cranes
apparently can be located between the Lodge and Mary's Island Road late in
the afternoon.  There are some semi-cultivated fields on down Mary's Island
Road and these should be checked carefully.  We almost missed the tall gray
birds among the dead corn stalks!  They weren't dancing but our looks were
good enough that we can now tell you that not all Sandhill Crane "caps" are
the same!
 
American Avocets - at least 15 on Mary's Pond at Bear Island.  A real treat!

Tundra Swans - at least 30 on Mary's Pond at Bear Island.  At one point I
had several Tundra Swans and several American Avocets in the same field of
view in the scope.  Winter birding has positives, too.

Not an overload of ducks but a nice variety - 

Ruddy Ducks
Buffleheads (has there been a shortage of Buffleheads this winter?  I
haven't seen many)
Green-Winged Teal
Blue-Winged Teal
Lesser Scaup
Mottled Duck
Ring-necked Duck
Gadwall 
Common Pintail
Northern Shoveler

White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Common Snipe - nice looks at a sleeping Snipe.
Dowitcher sp. (probably Short-billed)

American Kestrel
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk - must be buteo courting season - the buteos were quite
vocal and "restless"
Bald Eagle - I think the final tally on BE was 17 or 18 and I don't know if
that number included the two eaglets we could see relatively well in a nest.
At one point I had three adult eagles in the same field of view in my
binoculars!
Osprey

Purple Martin
Tree Swallow

Blue-headed Vireo
Yellow-throated Warbler (singing!)
Common Yellowthroat (singing!)
Pine Warbler (singing!)
Palm Warbler

American Pipit - Pipits were found in two separate locations in the afternoon.
Eastern Meadowlarks - lots
Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles and Brown-headed Cowbirds - numbers
in the thousands

The final day's tally was 82 species.  Not a bad day afield for February in
SC and there aren't many places in SC in February where an 82 species day
isn't that hard to achieve.


Donna S. Bailey		
Winnsboro, SC

e-mail: dsbailey@conterra.com

URL:  http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey
	Where are the Birds?  Migration across South Carolina

URL: http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey/audubon
	Coulmbia Audubon Society