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Song Sparrows and Black Rails



Hi folks. I meant to send this report a while back, but forgot.
I was working at the Franklin Wal-Mart, and a pair of Song Sparrows had a
nest in some of the potted plants on display. The folks there obligingly had
a sign up warning people about this. I watched the nest on the days I
worked, and the birds were quite tolerant of humans. One Tuesday I came in
to find 2 eggs hatched. Tiny pink babies. I had to go back on Friday, and
these two had gotten large, and had pin feathers. The next week on Tuesday,
I found an empty nest. The staff said they had flown. Is this how quick Song
Sparrows get the job done? If so, WOW!
About Black Rails;
I saw where someone posted they had been reported from Henderson County, and
said they used similar habitat to Short Eared Owl. We had a Short Eared at
Hoopers Lane, which (I think) Wayne Forsyth and others reported last winter.
Many wetlands are being formed by the recent influx of Beavers, particularly
at Bent Creek and North Mills River. Lots of wetlands are being allowed to
return to their original form due to the cessation of farming here.
Is it possible there might be Black Rails in Buncombe or Henderson Counties?
Alex Netherton
The Appalachian Naturalist
danetherton@msn.com
http://www.appalachian-naturalist.com