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Chapel Hill Spring Bird Count summary



The 2003 Chapel Hill spring count on May 4 was blessed with pleasant 
weather and a great showing of migrant passerines. We ended up with 126 
species on count day, our highest in nine years, and 15153 birds, our 
highest ever.  Our level of participation was well above average, but 
neither party hours nor party miles were near a record. The 84 birds per 
party hour is a record high, far above the average of 64. It was a good 
day.

The most outstanding find of the count was our first Common Tern, spotted 
by Doug Shadwick at Jordan Lake.  For the first time ever we had two 
species of merganser - Judy Murray found a Hooded near Jordan Lake and 
Tom Driscoll found a Common at Eastwood Lake in Chapel Hill.  Both are 
second records for the spring count.  The only other near-rarities were 
the 2 Caspian Terns seen by Ginger Travis from her kayak - our sixth in 
46 spring counts, but seen for the third count in a row.

We set a large number of record highs this year.  Several of them were 
truly astounding, blowing the old record highs right out of the water.  
The 700 Double-crested Cormorants at Jordan Lake demolishes the old 
record of 399 set in 1986!  Another blowout is the 88 Black Vultures (53 
in 2001). Rob Gluck observed an estimated 1900 Chimney Swifts swarming 
aroung the post office chimney in downtown Chapel Hill at dusk, 
obliterating the old record of 343.  We had exceptional record highs for 
several warblers - 180 Northern Parula (110 in 1983), 114 Black-throated 
Blue (64 in 1983), and 13 Black-throated Green (6 in 1997).  Nesting Song 
Sparrows continue to rapidly colonize urban and suburban Chapel Hill - we 
had 53 this year (29 in 2002, just 1 in 1996).

We set several more run-of-the-mill record highs - 25 Bald Eagle (21 in 
2001), 11 Wild Turkey (10 in 2002), 64 Ruby-throated Hummingbird (61 in 
2002), 296 Red-bellied Woodpecker (240 in 2002), 25 Hairy Woodpecker (20 
in 1967), 77 Great Crested Flycatcher (76 in 2002), 97 White-breasted 
Nuthatch (75 in 2002), 4 Hermit Thrush (3 in 1985), 153 Ovenbird (138 in 
2002), 95 Scarlet Tanager (94 in 1979), 26 Rose-breasted Grosbeak (24 in 
1979), and 200 Brown-headed Cowbird (161 in 2002).

We did set one record low - not unexpected, but continuing a long gradual 
decline, we found only 12 Eastern Meadowlarks (old low 15 in 1997). From 
the 1960's through the 1980's we used to top 100 meadowlarks regularly.  
There's a nearly identical trend for Northern Bobwhite - our 4 this year 
isn't a record low (we missed them entirely in 1997), but pales in 
comparison to the 80+ counts of the 1960's through the mid 1980's.  Wild 
Turkey is now the more common of the two; before 2000 it was a great 
rarity on the count.

This year honors for highest species count goes to Doug Shadwick with 83; 
he covers the peninsula at Jordan Lake between New Hope Creek and Morgan 
Creek.  Top individual bird count, not surprisingly, goes to Rob Gluck, 
with 2395 birds (1900 of them Chimney Swifts!) in and around downtown 
Chapel Hill.

Weather in brief: low 55, high 69; no precipitation; wind NE 0-5 mph; 
cloudy-partly cloudy.

Thanks to all who helped count - it was a fun one!  

I had a good time as always covering Mason Farm in the morning with three 
others, including Bobbie Collins-Perry for the New Hope Aududon Wildathon 
(we ended up with 77 species for the day).  Mason Farm was loaded with 
American Redstarts as usual, and we got good looks at several nice birds, 
including a Kentucky Warbler.  The best birding of the day for me, 
though, was from 7-8 pm as I explored the new paved bike trail along 
Bolin Creek not far from Franklin Street (Chapel Hill's main street).  
Many Scarlet Tanagers were singing from the mature hardwood trees, along 
with Wood Thrushes, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, warblers by the dozen. Lots 
of wildflowers in bloom, too - Geraniums and Phlox.  To get to this spot 
from Durham, take E. Franklin Street towards town. A half mile after 
passing Estes Dr., as you're starting up the hill, turn right on 
Elizabeth St. and follow it to the end, where you'll see the access.  
There are several other access points, but this is the only one I've 
explored.  Nice to discover a new hot birding spot in the middle of town!



--
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