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2 Phillies and some nice warblers



Hi Carolinabirders,

Here a little update on what's been going on in Durham County
(migration-wise) during the weekend.

60 serene minutes in Duke Forest (the part near Wrightwood Street) on
Saturday evening yielded the following mix:

CANADA Warbler		1
Chestnut-sided Warbler		1
Magnolia Warbler			2
Black/white Warbler		1
Summer Tanager			2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo		at least 4


Today (Sunday), the well-known Joshua S. Rose II and I figured we might
just as well try a few spots in the vicinity of Durham to get a warbler
score as excellent as what people have been getting the past week in
various other parts of the state.

First thing in the morning, we tried the Butner Gamelands, where we chanced
upon a couple of nice mixed flocks containing=20
Philadelphia Vireo (1)
Red-eyed Vireo (1)
White-eyed Vireo (1)
Eastern W.-Pewee (1)
Parula (more than 3)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (3 or more)
Magnolia W. (3 or more)
Redstarts, Yellowthroats, B/W Warblers=85

Apart from that, we heard a Yellow-throated Vireo (our 4th vireo of the
day!) and a Barred Owl at bright daylight, we saw a party of Rose-breasted
Grosbeaks, a Pied-billed Grebe, lots (!) of Red-headed Woodpeckers, and we
recorded some nice bird activity in the fields around there (Field
Sparrows, Indigo Buntings=85).

Towards noon, we went on to Rolling View Recreational Area, a sad strip of
loblolly pines along an artificial lakeshore (Falls Lake), the only good
characteristic of which is an island of deciduous trees that acts as a
migrant magnet in this sea of conifers. We got lucky with a very nice mixed
party containing:
Philadelphia Vireo (yet another one)
Blue-headed Vireo (1, the fifth vireo species of the day)
Parula (1-2)
Magnolia W (1)
Black-throated Green W (1)
Blackburnian Warbler (at least 3)
Redstarts, B/W Warbler=85

After a filling burrito, we hit the road a last time, heading to the
abandoned railroad track along Will Suitt Road. It was a long walk out to
the end of the peninsula, but it was worth it, as we added a Black Vulture
and a Palm Warbler (and - less spectacularly - a Gnatcatcher) to the day
list. There were also two Common Terns out on the lake (according to J.R.
they're pretty rare this far inland).

All in all a rewarding weekend, though still no Cape May Warbler=85


Frank Rheindt