Cinnamon Teal and WTP

["Eric Dean" <edeangld@icomnet.com>]

    Several people were able to get to Goldsboro in time to see the teal
this afternoon. I apologize to those who arrived and found the gate locked.
When I left around noon I was assured that it would be left open (???!!). I
told them that there was a rare bird present, and that people from out of
town were coming to see it. If you come tomorrow to look for it, and the
gate is locked, call 735-3329 and ask them to let you in. On weekends the
plant is usually operated by a single person. If they have to leave to check
substations, they will lock it when they leave. If no one answers, wait by
the gate and they should soon return. The new management out there has been
much more restrictive about our using the place. It has been aggravating at
times, but there is nothing I can really do about it. Just BE SURE to sign
in at the office before you do anything else when you arrive!
    The teal was in the back pond beyond the office. It was feeding with the
shovelers up close in the floating vegetation close to the shore. I tried to
get pictures of it late this evening (didn't have my camera with me
originally). It was moving about and feeding rather quickly, so out of the
12 shots I snapped thru the scope, in 11 of them he had his head under the
water! I got 1 passable shot that I'll post later (my website provider is
currently down), and I may try again tomorrow for another decent pic.
    The Fulvous Whistling-Duck was still across the road. The best way to
see him is to park just after you enter the plant, then walk about 2/3 the
way down the front dike. SCOPE the pond across the road and concentrate on
the area of muddy vegetation near the far end. He's been seen in this area
of weeds and often on the water with the Green-winged Teal (of which there
are several hundred).
    Lots of ducks are here: shovelers, gadwall, hooded mergansers, scaup,
ring-neckeds, ruddys, blacks, and at least 3 Eared Grebes (across the road).
Also had Bonaparte's Gulls and a flyover Osprey today.
Eric

Eric & Celia Dean
112 Armstrong Dr
Goldsboro NC  27530
919-736-7264
edeangld@icomnet.com