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Broad River WMA, 2/27/2000
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Broad River WMA, 2/27/2000
- From: "Donna S. Bailey" <dsbailey@conterra.com>
- Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 20:16:34 -0500
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
I went to Broad River today in search of the LeConte's Sparrow. I found
lots of interesting birds but only scored a maybe on the LeConte's. I was
surprised to find the fields still flooded and ducks still present. I
didn't bring the scope so I didn't even go to look at the "mudflats" down
near the river which require a scope to be seen well and which is where the
most interesting ducks hang out. Still, the landbirds were not bad for a
rain-shortened trip. Birds of interest below:
Ring-necked Duck - not as many as two weeks ago but still lots
Green-winged Teal - more than last time, at least thirty birds in one flock
Mallards - not many seen but more were heard
American Coot - many
Lesser Yellowlegs
Ring-billed Gull - not newsworthy elsewhere, but a bit newsworthy in the
lower Piedmont (especially away from dumps)
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk - a large bird, female?
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk - heard repeatedly
Wild Turkey - 14 altogether - two seen in the sparrow fields, followed by an
observation of a mixed sex flock of 12 hens and "jakes", also feeding in the
field
Pine Warblers - singing
Orange-crowned Warbler - V. c. celata - never such a good look at a member
of the celata subspecies - very gray wash to head and throat
Savannah Sparrow - lots
Field Sparrow - lots, some beginning to sing just a bit
Song Sparrow - lots
White-throated Sparrow - many
LeConte's Sparrow - I can give myself only a maybe on this one - I saw
several "buffy" birds flush with the Savannahs, some of which proved to be
Field Sparrows - in the same area where the LeConte's was found last week, I
had a brief look at a pale, clean-breasted bird with the "patented"
Ammodramus orange on his face and a thin incomplete white eye-ring
(illustrated in all the field guides but uncommented upon) but I didn't have
sufficient time to study the little fellow before he was back down in the grass
I also think I found the mystery "Ammodramus sp." Tim reported in his
posting. I concur with "Ammodramus sp." I had a dark, flat-headed,
short-tailed, sharp-tailed, large-billed sparrow who crept mouse-like
through the grass after I nearly stepped on him, finally flushing but flying
very low. I was unable to relocate the bird where it had landed. Have they
discovered the secret of teleportation?
Then the rain came and I had to give up sparrow chasing for another day.
Donna 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
"Columbia Audubon Society"