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Re: Black-bellied Whistling Duck



Dear Carolinabirders (especially air travelers),

I am about to fly to the United Kingdom for
a visit with my son and some birding, and have just aquired a new Kowa
scope. Is it advisable to
travel with the scope? I may have to travel by train
in the UK.

The Mississippi Kites are still here in my Summerville,SC neighborhood,
appear to have fledged young. There
were probably 2-3 pair, supporting the notion that they are colonial
nesters.

Good birding,
Steve Compton
Summerville,SC (near Charleston)
scompton@sc.rr.com

PS: traveling with scope advice appreciated off-line
at above personal address, please
----- Original Message -----
From: "William McDavit" <osprey1@atmc.net>
To: "Carolinabirds" <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 6:32 PM
Subject: Black-bellied Whistling Duck


> Dear C'Birders:
>
> Today, Tuesday, I made the 3and1/2 hr. trip to Donnelly for the
> Black-bellied Whistling Duck.  About 30 minutes after going through the
> entrance I arrived at what I thought was the right impoundment.  I started
> at the far end and worked my way back parking in the shade when possible
and
> just as I was moving the car for the second time to the section just left
of
> the shorebirds and their flats, not one, but two Black-Bellieds landed
about
> 50 yards in front of me.  I love it when that happens!!
>
> They proceeded to feed in the shallow water, but mostly what I assumed was
> the male stood guard, eyeing me anxiously.  The female (?) showed no
> interest in my presence, just did her mid-morning snack.  It was about
10:30
> AM.  I watched them for a few minutes and then decided to check out the
> shorebirds with the scope, so moved to my right.  Suddenly after about 15
> minutes the BBWDucks flew up and headed to my right and in the direction
of
> the lodge and the last line of trees.  They disappeared.  I figure they
may
> have gone to roost somewhere behind the lodge on the edge of the big
> impoundment since there are lots of scraggly  branched oaks there.
>
> The White Pelicans that Nathan mentioned were floating in the same
> impoundment in the distance, but mostly hidden by an island.   The
> shorebirds were the same as he reported.  I saw no storks.   Plenty of
> Wading Birds and Alligators.
>
> I stopped about 5 other birding spots on the way home, without anything
> interesting being seen, but my Good-bye birds were 3 Swallow-tailed Kites,
a
> couple of Mississippis and a stork  all flying over the North Santee River
> Bridge.  I had stopped at the boat launch landing there and was really
> surprised to see the Kites at 3:30 in the afternoon.
>
> Good Birding,
> Mary McDavit, Sunset Beach, NC.
>
>