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Re: merchants millpond NC



I'd like to second Linda's recommendation for Merchant's Millpond.  It's a
fascinating corner of the world - almost another planet.  I've been there
twice, both times in very late March-early April, just as the bald cypress
is leafing out.  Great time of year to go since ticks and mosquitoes are not
around at all, and the campground is empty, although it does get chilly.
I'm surprised it's still that bug-free in early May.  It would certainly be
prettier later in the spring since in late March it's still pretty bare.
The birds are everywhere. It is, as most of these swampy places go, also
full of snakes, so keep your eyes open.  We came upon a hummock in the water
with a single bush on it, and looped in the bush was a torpid cottonmouth
about as big around as my arm.  It was awesome to see.  When it's that
chilly luckily they don't want to move much.  One local we came across
shortly afterwards (human, not snake) told us they often drop into boats
from the overhanging trees.  Maybe that was his way of scaring off tourists!

Paula Mangiafico
Durham, NC

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ward Linda" <tankapoet@yahoo.com>
To: "carolina birds" <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2001 5:15 PM
Subject: merchants millpond NC


> Hi,
>
> Sorry for such a late posting, but i wanted to get in
> a plug for Merchants Millpond in Gates County, NC.
> We've been birding there about 20 yrs, and i still
> think it one of the most truly enchanted places i've
> ever been. You can rent canoes there, or bring your
> own. Only electric troll motors are permitted, so it's
> always quiet. There are a lot of trails and a
> campground also.
>
> We birded there from our canoe and along the fire
> road, the part that is accesible from the group
> campground, which can be accessed from canoe. on May
> 1: some highlights:
>
> prothon. warbler (nest here)
> yellow throated warb. (nest)
> common yellow-throat (nest)
> yellow rumped warb.
> pine warbler (nest)
> parula (they nest here)(nest in Spanish moss)
> praire warbler (nest here)
> blue-gray gnat catcher
> blue grosbeak
> summer tanager (2 males and female, they nest here)
> pee wee
> quail
> eastern bluebird
> red-eyed vireo
> green heron
> chimney swifts
> hairy woodpecker
> mallard with ducklings
>
> three allligators roam the pond; we've never seen
> them. They're believed to have migrated via connecting
> waterways from Alligator River.
>
> don't miss this place: you canoe thru bald cypress
> hanging with Spanish Moss, water tupelo (I forgot to
> list the orchard oriole, we saw three, they nest in
> the tupelo trees on the pond), and old stumps from
> very old cypress are hosts to pine trees, blueberry
> bushes and swamp roses that bloom all over the pond in
> June. During the heat of the summer the pond often
> scums over with weed pretty bad, making it hard to
> paddle or move with a troll motor. Go before the end
> of June to avoid that and the mosquitoes on land. It
> was bug-free May 1st and it always is on the pond (but
> not trails).
>
> linda
>
> =====
> --Linda Jeannette Ward
> --P.O. Box 231
> --Coinjock, N.C. 27923
> --U.S.A.
> --tankapoet@yahoo.com
>
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