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Shallotte River, 10/13



     My fishing partner and I spent five hours, from 10 to 3 on the 
Shallotte River yesterday.  We lauched our canoe at Shell Point and 
stayed within a mile of the landing.  The fishing wasn't much, but 
there were plenty of birds.  Winter shorebirds were very evident.
    While walking a mud/oyster shell bank I got within 10 feet of a 
dowitcher.  It surprised me and I'm morally certain that I surprised 
it.  The dowitcher made no comment, but it gave me time to study it 
at close range through my field glasses.  Based on what I could see 
of the flank and tail, I'm reasonably certain it was a short-billed 
dowitcher.
     We also got close looks at a flock of 24 dunlin, all in winter 
dress.  We found two small flocks of semi-palmated plovers and, with 
one flock, a western sandpiper.  Black-bellied plovers and willets 
were scattered all over the place.
     We saw three species of gulls: laughing, ring-billed, and 
herring, and two species of terns, Forster's and royal.  The usual 
herons--great blue and tri-colored--and egrets--great and snowy--were 
present in fair numbers.
     The bird that provided the most fun was a osprey that hunted the 
area for much of the day.  The first time I saw the osprey, it was 
carrying a fish.  Later I saw it fly off with another.  The last time 
it had a large fish and flew very close to the water instead of 
heading skyward.  Watching ospreys is always fun and that one put on 
quite a show.

Bob
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Robert C. Perkins, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Methodist College, Fayetteville, NC 28311
910-630-7037     rperkins@methodist.edu