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Falls Lake and Big Lake - Dec. 2



I scoured much of Falls Lake yesterday, Dec. 2. I assume the White
Pelican is gone, though I did find NINE big white birds upside of I-85
-- Great Egrets! I've seen the occasional egret around here in winter,
but nine??

The only ducks I saw anywhere on the lake were an odd pair -- two N.
Shovelers with a male N. Pintail! The choppy water made it hard to look
for loons and grebes, and I saw none anywhere, though there must be some
somewhere. Mainly, it was about 300-500 Bonaparte's Gulls, 500 or more
Ring-billeds, and a few Herrings, several hundred DC Cormorants, dozens
of Great Blue Herons, a few Killdeers and Common Snipe, and two somewhat
late Least Sandpipers (upstream of I-85).

At Big Lake at Umstead State Park, the ducks are in good numbers (and
good light). Things at the lake:
Pied-billed Grebe 6, Canada Goose 15, Mallard 20, Black Duck 2, Gadwall
25, Am. Wigeon 30, Green-winged Teal 8, Ring-necked Duck 250, scaup sp.
3, Hooded Merganser 15, Bufflehead 1. I usually see Ruddy Ducks there,
but not yesterday.

-- 
Harry LeGrand
NC Natural Heritage Program
1615 MSC
Raleigh, NC 27699-1615
(919) 715-8687 (work)
FAX: 919-715-3085
e-mail: harry.legrand@ncmail.net