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OUTERBANKS & SWAINSON'S HAWK



Pat and I spent this beautiful weekend birding at the Outerbanks. On Saturday morning we took the long way and made a quick stop at Lake Mattamuskeet. The only noteworthy bird was an AMERICAN BITTERN on the wildlife drive.

We then drove on to Manteo to have a second look at the ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD. We arrived around noon, and shortly after we had some brief looks at the ALLEN'S. One interesting thing was a new behavior where it spent some time at both the front and back feeders. It chased the Ruby-throated hummingbird off the front feeder, and drank peacefully by itself at the back.

We stopped at Bodie Island Lighthouse where it was very quiet. Then we headed down to the South end of Oregon Inlet where we walked out to the end of the groin. We had one winter plumaged RED-NECKED GREBE just off the end of the groin with a group of Red-breasted Mergansers until some surf fishermen scared it out to sea. No photos! Argh! Three PURPLE SANDPIPERS continued foraging at our feet. Black Scoters flew by sporatically.

We hiked and birded the North end of North Pond at Pea Island, but it was quiet.

On Sunday, we went back over to Manteo to try to photograph the ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD. It made a few appearances in the backyard at around 9:45am, but only one brief stop at the feeder. I still don't think I took any great photos. Argh!

We headed over to Coquina Beach (across the street from Bodie Island), where we saw at least five RAZORBILLS swimming North fairly close to shore.

we called it quits for birding and headed to Nags Head for some outlet mall shopping. No sooner had we started when we received a call about the SWAINSON'S HAWK that Mike Tove had found at Alligator River NWR.

We jumped in the car and immediately headed over to Alligator River NWR. We could not find Mike Tove, but Jeff Lewis and I were able to relocate the SWAINSON'S HAWK shortly after arriving. Jeff's keen eyesight picked up the SWAINSON'S HAWK around 1:30pm when the bird was flying extremely high and far away. I was able to get the scope on it and we maintained it in our field of view for around 15 minutes. Thank God, the SWAINSON'S HAWK eventually turned toward us before we lost it, and came back down and into the fields of the refuge. It dropped below the treeline, had a brief encounter with a Harrier, and then landed in the wees of the field where we could not see it. John & Paula Wright had joined us in the adjacent edge of the field and we pointed out where the bird had landed. We all kept watch on that spot for at least 15 minutes, when it took off again and flew across the field. We had brief but great looks that time before it landed again in the weeds where we could not see it. The bird did not fly again while we were there. Jeff Lewis left around 2:00pm, and Pat and I left at around 3:00pm. John and Paula Wright agreed to stay and watch the field since Ricky Davis and Derb Carter were making attempts to come and see the hawk. Around 4:00pm, Paula called us and confirmed that Ricky had arrived and the SWAINSON'S HAWK made a great show by flying across the field and landing in a tree. That was the last info we have on the hawk.

-Brad & Pat Carlson
Winterville, NC
BradCarlson1@hotmail.com




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