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Falls Lake shorebirds



Hi,

As it is already known, "the 751 area" (almost like area 51) is more or
less flooded and there are no good places for shorebirds. However there
is Falls Lake instead. Looks like the water is not so much higher like
in Jordan, hence more islands and even some mud flats are uncovered.
There were not too many birds and there were hard to find, feeding among
dead trees and grass. I have checked the area from Little Lick Creek
(the long peninsula S from power line), some islands along Cheek Rd
bridge and Panther Creek railroad mud flats and islands.  As I mentioned
birds were feeding in grass so from the Cheek Rd bridge I was able to
see just 2 Killdeers, 2 Semipalmated Plovers and 1 ad White-rumped
Sandpiper, but there could be more birds. There was also 1 fem/juv
Northern Harrier.
Little Lick Creek peninsula was good on its NW side with all birds
mostly on small paddles "in the corner" of the peninsula. Still the best
access is just turn right along the power line from Olive Grove Rd.
Panther Creek, the were some 20 birds just where the road finish on
small paddles mostly on right hand side  (SE) and on the edges of water
in grass on all those islands around.
Here you are some numbers: (Little Lick Creek  and   Panther Creek)


Killdeer         32--------------3
Semipalmated Plover   4----------3 juv,
Lesser Yellowlegs   4------------1 juv.
Spotted Sand.      3------------1
Pectoral Sand.    1-----------0
Sanderling          0-----------1 juv. (full nice juvenile)
White-rumped Sand.  2 ad----------35 ad (the most common species!)
Baird's Sand.  1 juv.---------0
Western Sand.    2 juv----------0
Semipalmated Sand. 0----------7juv.
Least Sand.         7 juv. 2 ad--------4juv. 1 ad

Black Tern         18 (mostly ad)------0
Caspian Tern  4 ad-----------0

As you see that good number of White-rumped could be an effect of that
stationary front which may push off migrants from the coast area. I hope
to see more shorebirds when the front go south-west and some high
pressure system will bring birds from more Northern direction. There
will be nice cold front forming up north in next days so it could bring
many birds in near future.
Nevertheless so far so good and if anybody would like to see
White-rumped Sand. from close distance (some 80-100 feet) go to Falls
Like to Panther Creek railroad.

Mike

--
************************************************
Michal Skakuj  Ph.D.
4600 University Drive apt. 1312
Durham, NC 27707
phone:        919 402 9961
mobile phone: 919 599 3040