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RFI: Columbia area birding; Lake Michie; water levels



Hi Carolinabirders,

I'm planning to spend Duke's fall break, Saturday October 14 through 
Tuesday October 17, on the shores of Lake Murray near Columbia, SC (at my 
girlfriend's mother's house). Are there any organized nature hikes or 
birding trips going out in that neighborhood this coming weekend? Or any 
individual birders who might be interested in showing us the more diverse 
spots of the area?

Just for background, my girlfriend and her mother are both members of 
SCAN (South Carolina Association of Naturalists); neither are birders. My 
girlfriend loves being outdoors but is often more into salamanders and 
insects than birds. Her mother has probably spent more time at the zoo 
and reading about nature than actually outside observing it, but does 
keep her bird feeders full and count the loons, geese, Ospreys, etc. on 
the water through her back windows.

If noone else is doing anything in that area, I'll probably drag them out 
to the Congaree Swamp again; can't go wrong there!

I was helping coordinate a wedding this weekend, thus no explicit 
birding. I did discover a beautiful little spot which was new to me, and 
which is not featured in the Triangle Birder's Guide: Lake Michie 
Recreation Area. I discovered it because the wedding was held there, in 
Spruce Pine Lodge. A couple of nature trails run from the lodge down 
along the lake. I had too little time available to bird the area 
seriously, but I did hear at least two mixed-species flocks pass nearby. 
At least two Barred Owls were hooting it in the late afternoon out over 
some patch of territory on the far side of the lake A Great Egret flew 
along the edge of the woods near the lake. The water level was 
surprisingly low, with much more exposed mud than at either Falls or 
Jordan Lake; did anyone think to visit this spot during shorebird season? 
Alas, too late now, only 3-4 Killdeer left... The woods seemed 
botanically interesting, with plants like Hearts-a-bustin' and Beech 
Drops that I don't often see around Durham. Seems worth some further 
investigation...

Speaking of the high water levels in Falls and Jordan Lakes, will this 
have any impact on the wintering birdlife of these spots? I suppose most 
of the ducks that winter on these are divers, the dabblers use smaller 
ponds like 1010 and Greenview. Have there been previous winters with 
water this high? Did it make any difference in bird numbers or location?

Good birding,

Josh



Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Biology (Zoology, R.I.P.)

jsr6@acpub.duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/