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Frigatebird & Bald Eagle
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Frigatebird & Bald Eagle
- From: "N. RUSSELL ROBERSON" <ROBERSON@TUNL.TUNL.DUKE.EDU>
- Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 21:42:00 -0400 (EDT)
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
This message is a little late but still may be of interest to birders
in the Carteret county area.
Wednesday (May 10) Ruth and I took a boat trip (sponsored by the
NC Coastal Federation) to explore the salt-water islands in Bogue Sound
and Bogue and Bear INlets. Just as we left Bogue Inlet and were about
100 yards off the east end of Bear Island (Hammock's Beach State Park),
we spotted a Magnificent Frigatebird. We have just returned from a week
of sailing in the British Virgin Islands were we saw dozens of Frigatebirds
every day so, at first, we were not surprised -- until we realized that
this is Bogue Inlet and not the Francis Drake Channel! We stopped the boat
and watched it soar for at least 5 minutes. Once it came over the boat
at about 20 yards -- it was a beautiful adult female. This is a new
NC bird for us.
The next day, we took a walk on the Cedar Point Tideland Trail --
this is the area were John Fussell recently sighted a Painted Bunting.
About half way around the trail, we spotted an adult Bald Eagle over
a branch of the White Oak River. It soared long enough for us to get
the scope on it -- a great sighting.
Friday we were at Hammock's Beach State Park and learned that one
of the rangers had also seen an eagle that morning. In fact, he said a
pair of eagles spent part of last year around the park. Maybe these
sighting will become more common.
Russell Roberson
Duke University
Durham, NC
489-4888
Roberson@tunl.tunl.duke.edu