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Re: Lapland high counts



Wayne and all:
	I don't know if anyone, at least in NC, keeps record high counts. But,
I can recall a flock of 70 or more in the big fields around the Tyson
farms west of Lake Phelps a few years ago; they were with a much smaller
number of pipits, and maybe just a few larks (yes, the big flock was
mostly longspurs!). The Roanoke Rapids count tallied several dozen
Laplands for years, and they are probably still there. The huge fields
in Occoneechee Neck in Northampton County hosted 25 or more with huge
flocks of larks. Doug McNair had some counts in the 20s or 30s, I
believe, at the Laurinburg-Maxton airport in Scotland County maybe 15
years ago.  I recall a flock in the 20s near Townville, SC, that might
well be mentioned in the Post/McNair SC book(s). I assume there are some
other NC counts in the 20s or higher, but those are ones I definitely
recall. At any rate, Wayne would have a high count (at least a modern
one, as I don't know about in the early days) for the mountains.

Harry LeGrand

wayne forsythe wrote:
> 
> Folks,
>     This AM, I had what I believe to be a record number of Lapland Longspurs
> for the Carolinas.  I was heading to Lake Julian in Buncombe County via
> Hooper Lane when a large flock of Horned Larks flew low over the road and
> landed in a tilled field.  The birds were foraging on a dark, flat, wet area
> of soil.  I put my scope on the window mount and viewed the flock for about
> 15 minutes. I was able to see the flock real well since the ground was flat
> and the birds were pretty much in the open.  I counted the Longspurs in the
> flock three times and came up with 28 Lapland Longspurs, definately a
> mountain record and I would think a record for the Carolinas as well.
> Normally, viewing these birds can be difficult, since they get down in the
> furrows and scurry around, this was a pleasant change!
> Best regards,
> Wayne
> Wayne K. Forsythe
> Hendersonville, N. C. 28791
> 828-697-6628
> wforsythe@earthlink.net

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