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MBBS report: Bobwhite, RH woodpecker



 Dear Birders:
I just finishd running my annual Breeding BIrd Survey route in Western
Orange County. For those of you living locally, my route runs down Borland
Road makes a turn on Chestnut Ridge Chapel Road and ends a few miles down
on Buckhorn Road. I had 52 species and the biggest surprise was a Bobwhite
calling nt he fields around the pond at Tapp Farm on Chestnur Ridge Chapel
Road. I have only once before had a Bobwhite on my route and that was in
1999, and that was at a different location. I went back after I had run
the route and the Bobwhite (or Bobwhites, since I could not tell if there
was more than one) was still calling quite persistently.

THe other surprise was a Red Headed Woodpecker which I have never
had before on this route, and nto one but three Scarlet Tanagers. THe
red
Headed was at the margins of a large clear cut that has now sprung up on
Borland Road just south of its intersection with Chesnut Ridge Chapel
Road. At the very bottom of this clear cut there is a creek that in the
past used to fan out into a marsh with dead snags in it. I had always
thought that this would be good Red Head territory but the marsh was just
a little too far to see into clearly. Since the clearcut I cannot see any
marsh and the terrain looks somewhat changed. Does anyone know if the
marsh is still there but obscured by trees which have grown up, or if it
has been bulldozed. ANyway the Red Headed Woodpecker was very close to
this swamp but in the clearcut. There were also singing Prairie Warblers.

My biggest miss was the Kentucky Warbler which Ginger has heard recently
on this route. I strained my ears but could not hear it and this was a a
real disappointment since I have had it now for the past three years.
However, bird song was generally rather low since at the this point the
sky was very dark and threatening.

ONe question for those who know flowers: A thte margins of the clearcut on
Borland Road there were some tall, graceful white flowers that smelt a
little unpleasant. I thought they might be cimicifugas but I have never
knowingly seen this flower and am wondering if they are indeed native to N
Carolina or it this is an invasive species. THey were quite lovely and it
would be nice to hearthat they are natives and not invasives.

Shantanu