Re: Cave Swallows, HBSP, Sat. 12-7-02

["Steve" <scompton@sc.rr.com>]

Dear carolina birders,

I was at Huntington Beach State Park today (Wednesday) from 9:30 to 1:00PM,
it was cloudy with a steady 5 mph wind out of the Northwest, about 48
degrees. No Cave Swallows, no Short-eared owl,
and my Sharp-tailed Sparrow repellant still works.
Lots of Horned Grebe all over, from the beach to the jetty, lots of Purple
Sandpipers, the Peregrine was eating one of the Turnstones on the jetty,
then dropped the remains in the water. Great Cormorants were in their usual
spot at the end of the jetty on the marker

Everyone should look out for Cave Swallow this weekend on the first Coastal
counts, althought the last front may have swept them away. .Could they have
migrated down to Colleton County or Savannah Wildlife refuge, ususally good
Swallow spots?

Good birding,
Steve Compton
Summerville,SC
mailto:scompton@sc.rr.com
From: <grebe@mindspring.com>
To: <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
Sent: Saturday, December 07, 2002 6:23 PM
Subject: Cave Swallows, HBSP, Sat. 12-7-02


> Huntington Beach State Park, SC. December 7, 2002.
>
> Beginning cold, but warming into a beautiful sunny day.
>
> At least five Cave Swallows were observed for about 30 minutes over the
north
> end of the jetty pool, around 7;30-8 AM.  All markings were seen in good
> light, and one bird perched briefly in the grass for scope views.  In the
cold
> early morning temps, the birds gave an impression of being short and
plump,
> body feathers fluffed up for insulation.
>
> A Short-eared Owl flushed from the marsh side of the jetty pond and landed
on
> the ocean side where it was dive-bombed by a N. Harrier, providing an
> interesting size comparison of the two raptors.    An adult Peregrine
Falcon
> perched on the #10 channel marker in the inlet. Three Saltmarsh
Sharp-tailed
> Sparrows flitted along the jetty rocks. A female plumaged Black Scoter and
an
> adult male Surf Scoter (white iris!) allowed close up scope views just
north
> of the jetty, along with a scattering of Common Loons.  Horned Grebes
occurred
> in twos and threes.  Gannets could be seen far out.  Small numbers of Am.
> Oystercatchers and Gr. Black-backed Gulls were seen in the inlet behind
the
> jetty.
>
> Shorebirds included Piping Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Black-bellied
Plover,
> Sanderling, Short-billed Dowitcher, Willet, Dunlin, Western Sandpiper,
Least
> Sandpiper, Purple Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone.
>
> Other ducks on Mullet Pond included Ruddy, Ring-necked, Lesser Scaup,
Hooded
> Merganser, Gadwall, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Redhead.
>
> Also: Blue-headed Vireo,Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Palm Warbler, Seaside
Sparrow,
> Savannah Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, E. Meadowlark,
Clapper
> Rail, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Tricolored Heron, Little Blue Heron,
Great
> Egret, Great Blue Herons in unusually high numbers, Bald Eagle, Forster's
> Tern, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Boat-tailed Grackle, Red-winged
> Blackbird.
>
> A female Long-tailed Duck at Myrtle Beach State Park pier, along with good
> numbers of Red-throated Loons, was a nice end to an excellent birding day.
>
>
>
> Tim Kalbach with Gary Sowell
> West Columbia, SC
> grebe@mindspring.com
>