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watauga birds



Hi all,

It has been an exciting weekend and first part of the week here.  Over the
weekend we had returning Blue-gray Gnatcatchers widespread over the county,
as well as better numbers of Blue-headed Vireo.  Saturday I observed two
Northern Harriers over a short grass meadow.  We normally get them
occasionally in November and then again in April.  Also a Cooper's Hawk pair
making all kinds of interesting vocalizations.  Monday saw Vesper and
Savannah Sparrows in good numbers around the county and Ring-billed Gulls
continue to be seen around the Wal-Mart in Boone (55 to 60 last Thursday).
Tuesday  Bob Cherry reported Canada Goose on a nest at Bass Lake and today
there was also a Coot there.  Bob also had the first Common Loon of the
season on Price Lake on Tuesday and there was one still there today as well
as one on Bass Lake.  There was a good group of Blue-winged Teal on Price
this morning and a pair of Ruddy Ducks as well as the usual Pied-billed
Grebes.  Also on Tuesday during the snow were about 80 Tree Swallows at Bass
Lake.  Winter birds continue to be seen with Swamp and White-throated
Sparrows still around and lots of Siskins everywhere. Over the weekend,
Walton Conway still had good numbers of Evening Grosbeaks, but I haven't
heard from him lately.

Remember the CBC meeting next month up here in the High Country as well as
the Grandfather Mountain Bird Weekend on the 6th and 7th.

--
Curtis Smalling
Ecos of the Blue Ridge
Watauga County Birding Hotline 828-265-0198
smalling@boone.net