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OBX CBCs; Re: Alligator River and SEOWs



Hi Carolinabirders,

My wife and I are finally spending a holiday season in-state for a change!
This might allow me to finally participate in the Falls and Jordan Lake
CBCs, which I always miss because we're in Florida, or SOuth Carolina, or
some other place. Or, it might even allow me to sneak off to the coast for
one of those counts that are always complaining about having too many
exciting birds and not enough birders, like Pea and Bodie Islands,
Mattamuskeet, Okracoke, Portsmouth Island, Southport, etc. I know the
Alligator River NWR CBC is still under consideration; have dates been set
for any of the other coastal counts?

Triangle counts, as usual, are already set and up on Will Cook's CHBC
website:
12/15/02 - Durham CBC
12/21/02 - Raleigh Christmas Bird Count
12/22/02 - Chapel Hill CBC
12/28/02 - Falls Lake CBC
12/29/02 - Jordan Lake CBC

On Thu, 31 Oct 2002, Harrold, Eric S wrote:
>
> The Blue Ridge Birder bunch will invade the OBX and vicinity the weekend of
> Dec 6-8. One possible excursion we are considering is an evening trip to
> Alligator River NWR to look for Short-eared and Long-eared Owls. Many
> questions - where should we look (certain roads/fields, etc.), what time is
> best, and are tapes as essential/helpful?

I heard Short-eared during last year's Alligator River NWR CBC. I was
standing, I believe, at the intersection of Long Curve Road and Grouse
Road. I also heard an Eastern Screech-Owl, a Barred Owl, and at least two
Great Horned Owls from the same spot, in the span of less than an hour.
Jeff Lewis had left me at this spot thinking that it might also be the
best spot to see a Long-eared Owl flying in from the fields to the north
(ish) of Bear Road to roost in the dense White Cedars and other evergreens
south (ish) of there; he also hypothesized that the dense evergreens would
make a good roosting spot for Saw-whet Owls as well. No luck in either of
those departments last year.

I heard the owls right about at the crack of dawn; Jeff Lewis obtained a
few owling permits for the CBC. He and I had spent some time before that
owling along the roads, including a Saw-whet tape or two (also illegal in
a NWR without a permit), with very little luck besides some flyover
probable Barreds. If the half hour that John Fussell mentioned applies to
before dawn as well as after dusk, it might be worth trying this even
without a permit. Otherwise, contact the Pea Island/Alligator River NWR
staff; they'd probably give a permit to a nonprofit birding tour group
like yours, maybe even offer to have a refuge staff person meet you out
there...

Good birding,

Josh


Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Biology (Zoology, R.I.P.)

jsr6@duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/