Goldeneyes, WW Scoters, G Scaup

[Harry Legrand <harry.legrand@ncmail.net>]

Folks:
	I visited Falls and Beaverdam lakes in n. Wake County on Saturday (Feb
1) and Lake Crabtree on Sunday (Feb 2). Birding is spotty at Falls --
very good at the Dam, good at NC 98 bridge, and at Beaverdam, but poor
at the Beaverdam causeway and Cheek Road. I started at the dam, which by
the way, on a westerly wind, is probably THE coldest spot in Wake
County, as the wind whips across the open water and you are fully
exposed to the wind and cold. There were maybe 3-4000 Ring-billed Gulls,
maybe 50 Herring Gulls, and 2 (adult and 1st winter) Great black-backed
Gulls, but nothing else.

As I headed west along NC 98, there were a few thousand RBGs at the
bridge over the main part of the lake, along with about 10 Bonaparte's
Gulls. At the NC 50 bridge, things were very slow -- a few RBG and a few
Buffleheads. BUT -- the NC 50 boat ramp access is now open (closed last
weekend). That's the spot: looking north to cover the southern half of
Beaverdam, there are now THREE Common Goldeneyes -- the adult male from
a week ago and two females. (Of course, I couldn't cover this part of
water last week, so a lot could have been here then.) There were 200+
Hooded Mergansers, some Buffleheads, about 10 Herring Gulls, and lots of
RBG (no Bonaparte's).

At Lake Crabtree -- folks already have reported that the 2 male
White-winged Scoters are still at Lake Crabtree. I went to the back side
of the lake off the trail from Aviation Parkway and got a great look at
the Greater Scaups -- maybe 15-20 in all. There was not a lot else,
other than dozens of Hoodeds near the dam, a scattering of Ruddy Ducks
and PB Grebes, etc. An adult Bald Eagle flew across the lake, as well.
The 1000 or more gulls were essentially all RBGs. Even though numbers
are down from the icy last weekend, this is still worth a visit. 

I now wish I had checked Brier Creek Reservoir on the opposite side of
I-40, and I think no one has all winter. The last time or two I've been
there a month ago, it seemed devoid of birds, but I haven't been there
since very cold weather has set in. It can be a very muddy lake (it was
constructed for flood control and/or sedimentation control, and
certainly not for recreation or driking water supply), and it isn't
pleasant pulling over and scoping it with the cars whizzing past on
Aviation Parkway. But -- it's easy to forget this and other local lakes.
And, with Umstead SP apparently still closed, I wonder what has been at
Big Lake, as well. 
-- 
Harry LeGrand
NC Natural Heritage Program
1615 MSC
Raleigh, NC 27699-1615
(919) 715-8687 (work)
FAX: 919-715-3085
e-mail: harry.legrand@ncmail.net