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Saturday in the Sandhills



McKinney Lake Fish Hatchery, near Hoffman, can produce a good bird or 
two any time of the year.  In late summer it frequently attracts 
wandering waders and, if some of the breeding ponds are drawn down, a 
few shorebirds.  It has been pretty quiet this summer.  The Canada 
geese did well.  The resident gang of Great Blue Herons and a pair of 
Belted Kingfishers seemed to dine well on the channel catfish raised at 
the hatchery.  A pair of Killdeer nest at the hatchery regularly.  A 
roost of mixed vultures has been present regularly.  Surprisingly, I 
have not found a Green Heron this year.  In most years there have been 
several present, and probably breeding, all summer.  I rarely see the 
Red-shouldered Hawks which nest in the woodland below the breeding 
ponds, but they invariably make their presence known.  Today, several 
Spotted Sandpipers were present.  An early Osprey was hunting over the 
ponds and an immature Double-crested Cormorant had found a good dining 
opportunity.

Also checked the turf farm at Candor.  Still no shorebirds except 
Killdeer.  Four Horned Larks were present.

Dick

Charles R. (Dick) Burk
Pinehurst, NC
crburk@mindspring.com