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Few's Ford on the Eno; a few questions
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Few's Ford on the Eno; a few questions
- From: Joshua Stuart Rose <jsr6@duke.edu>
- Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 15:51:33 -0400 (EDT)
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
Hi C-birders,
While I've been too busy for any sustained trips, I did manage to spare
an hour yesterday morning for a walk by the Eno River. The area is
decidedly more springlike than it was two weeks earlier, when
Yellow-throated and Pine Warblers were the only migrants in evidence.
This time, I heard Prairie Warbler not long after leaving the car, and
Black-throated Green a short ways down the trail. Northern Parula joined
the chorus on the other side of the river near the wilderness cabin, as
did a Hermit Thrush; surprised me, I don't often hear them sing in such
southerly climes! A Tanager - could not determine which flavor - sang,
then flew over the group camping area. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were
everywhere.
The highlight, as happens so often around here, was not a bird. We
followed a trail upriver, on the near side, from the suspension bridge.
The trail disappeared beneath the very high water, forcing us to cut up a
hillside back to a drier trail. My two companions ducked under a branch;
as I prepared to do the same, I noticed that some of the greenery on the
branch was not at all leafy! It was a Keeled Green Snake, Opheodrys
aestivus. We enjoyed its bright green scales and pale orange tongue for a
while before returning it to its branch. Wildflowers are well ahead of
Dwayne and Lori's mountain abode here: Toothworts, incredibly dense two
weeks ago, are completely gone. Botanical highlight was a patch of small,
leafless, parasitic flowers (I forget the exact name) growing from the
roots of a small maple tree. No leps or odes, but some bright yellow-
legged millipedes...
Back at home, Ovenbirds and Red-eyed Vireos have joined the Duke Forest
chorus, with House Wrens countering from the suburban side of the house.
A White-eyed Vireo was singing nearby yesterday afternoon, but was not
around this morning. White-throated Sparrows are still around, looking
sharper by the day as they molt into more contrasting head stripes and
yellower lores.
So question 1: the spring count dates for Durham, Chapel Hill, Jordan
Lake, and Wake County are all out there. Is there going to be a Falls
Lake spring count? If so, when?
Question 2: Anyone gone looking for the Jordan Lake Oystercatcher since
it was reported on Saturday? I might just take a quick trip down there if
it hasn't disappeared yet...
Gotta run. Good birding,
Josh
Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Zoology
jsr6@acpub.duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/