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(Fwd) Northern NC Lakes Stuff



------- Forwarded message follows -------
From: RJDNC@aol.com
Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2003 14:13:26 EDT
Subject: Northern NC Lakes Stuff
To: carolinabirds@duke.edu

Hi Folks

I went up to check Roanoke Rapids Lake and Lake Gaston out this morning. I 
was looking for Caspian Terns as weather like this often produces these birds 
at the inland lakes. I first checked out Roanoke Rapids Lake at the Vultare 
boat ramp on the north side.  I then went over to the Eatons Ferry area of 
Lake Gaston. I ended up at the L. Gaston Dam access on the south side. I had 
great luck with the terns and a few other things as well. My totals for the 
terns and other stuff were:

Caspian Tern - 58 (35 Ro-Rap., 23 L. Gaston)
Forster's Tern - 51 (22 Ro-Rap., 29 L. Gaston)
Common Tern - 3 (Ro-Rap.)
Herring Gull - 6 (Ro-Rap.)
Ring-billed Gull - several hundred still
Laughing Gull - 1 (L. Gaston)
Bonaparte's Gull - 145 (25 Ro-Rap., 125 L. Gaston)
Greater Yellowlegs - 1 (L. Gaston)
Solitary Sandpiper - 1 (Ro-Rap.)
Spotted Sandpiper - 2 (1 Ro-Rap., 1 L. Gaston)
RED PHALAROPE - 2 (1 Ro-Rap., 1 L. Gaston)



The phalaropes were a complete surprise. The one at Ro-Rap. was doing 
"touch-and-gos" as it headed downstream. I got great looks both in flight and 
on the water as it briefly landed and then took off again. The one at L. 
Gaston was sitting in the water the whole time, seen from the Eatons Ferry 
causeway. Inland reports of phalaropes are always noteworthy but inland Red 
Phalaropes in spring are very unusual. I wonder if the weather is what had 
these birds down during their migration. Anyway I just wanted to let folks 
know what is up there. Oh yeah, the tern show was pretty spectacular too! 
Later, Ricky


Ricky Davis
RJDNC@aol.com

------- End of forwarded message -------


--
Charles W. "Will" Cook                  w 919-660-7423
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook            cwcook@duke.edu
Biology Dept., Duke Univ., Box 90340, Durham, NC 27708