[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Western grebe at Falls Lake
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Western grebe at Falls Lake
- From: stevep@receptor-biol.duke.edu (Stephen J. Perry)
- Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2001 15:11:21 -0500
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
I dropped by to check out the western grebe this lunchtime @ 1pm-
2.15pm: it was still there in the same area as previously reported,
between Rolling View and Sanderling. It was accompanied by 5 horned
grebes, nice for size and color comparison: this is a BIG grebe! It
was close enough that even with heat haze (even at 50F) I could make
out its bill color, but not so close that I could see the color of
the patch in front of the eye. Also present were 2 ring-necked ducks,
a flotilla of coots, Bonaparte's and ring-billed gulls and a common
loon. At the swimming beach (where I checked first) were killdeer, 2
DC cormorants, 6 horned grebes, a pied-billed grebe, several GB
herons, some very small ducks way off in the distance (teal?) and
many many coots or dark ducks.
From Joshua Rose's report, I'm glad I picked the grebe over the
pelican: luck rarely breaks my way in these 50:50 decisions!
Best bird of the fall so far. Thanks to Ricky Davis, Julia Shields
and Marsha Stephens for their keen eyes and timely initial reports.
--
Steve Perry
Receptor Biology Lab, Duke Uni Med Center, Durham, NC
stevep@receptor-biol.duke.edu