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L.Medcalf Cinn.Teal&B-Chinned HB, Part 2



C'Birders:

I have gotten permission from the Black-chinned homeowner for people to
visit.  Their name is McCormick, Bill and Trish, and their address is 610
Sunset Lakes Blvd., a large one level light brick house.  If you want to
view the feeders from the back porch, ring front doorbell.  However they can
be viewed easily from the right hand side of the  house in back.  Keep in
mind that they sit in the hedgerow to the right.  The owner of the hedgerow
is someone else who momentarily plans to cut it down.  HORRORS!   I will
call the person and plead that she doesn't.  The homeowner warns that he
has a little poodle and take it from me he is a real noisy watchdog, but it
is indoors.  They also have a slow-moving cat that he swears doesn't bother
birds; seems to be a house cat for the most part.

I watched the bossy young Black-chinned again as he fed several times very
quickly.  Twice he took time to chase the other hummer so I got no good look
at the second one.  However,  my impression was smaller and dull-throated.
The dominant one has a long bill and a grey-vested sort of look below the
purple necklace.  One time the back of the head gleamed green.  It seems to
squeak its hummer call only 2 or 3 times.  The feeding interval was
approximately 20 to 30 minutes, I'm guessing on that.

DIRECTIONS TO LAKE MEDCALF:

There are  3 ways to approach the area:

From Myrtle Beach, SC:  North on Route 17.  Drive through Little River,
watch for a Right turn,  angling off, beyond the  medical center called Rt.
179.  Take Rt. 179 all the way through Calabash, NC.  Well outside of
Calabash there is a light.  Rt. 179 goes right.  However if it is daylight
hours you may continue straight on Old Georgetown Rd. (called Calabash Rd on
Delorme atlas map),  keeping NAPA store on your right.  Continue a mile
approx. and turn right into the entrance of Pearl Golf Course on Pearl Blvd.

  Continue through Pearl Golf Course, bearing leftish near the Clubhouse.
You will come out of the golf course and beyond the gate are dirt roads left
and right.  Stay straight.  You will pass Osprey Lake on the left, which has
a wonderful all-year round roost at upper end of lake at dusk or early AM of
DC cormorants and Great Egrets, sometimes numbering in the hundreds (also
white ibis). Careful, the road is bad here.  Pass the lake, pass another
dirt road on the left and then you will bear right, but then turn LEFT onto
Sunset Lakes Blvd.  Sunset Lakes Blvd. also goes straight.

Now you know why I hate to give directions.  Park carefully off road.
McCormick's house is the 2nd one after the corner house on the right.

If you want to look for the Teal continue on straight, but pick a parking
spot carefully as the road over Medcalf's dam is REALLY BAD.   If you can't
see the teal from the dam area,  turn back and drive down Sunset Lakes Blvd
as though going to McCormick's but continue  to my house at 674 Sunset Lakes
Blvd and park in driveway and go out on dock, or not....ducks are skittish.

FROM THE NORTH:

Come East (South) on Rt. 17 in Brunswick Co., which is the furthermost SE
county in NC.  About 10 miles beyond Shallotte, turn LEFT on 904.  Continue
on 904 and turn right on Old Georgetown Rd.  You will pass many golf courses
and eventually come to entrance to Pearl Golf Course.  Turn LEFT and then
follow above directions.

OR  ALTERNATELY FROM THE NORTH:  You can also access Sunset Lakes by staying
on Rt 904 all the way to Rt 179 (this is just before the famous swinging
bridge to Sunset Beach), and turning right on 179.  Then just after the
45mph sign a hidden turn, right, onto Lake Shore Drive.  The road swings
around behind East Lake of the Twin Lakes, which is loaded with ducks.
There is a small street left off of the drive which ends in a cul de sac
where you may park if you want to examine the ducks. The homeowner on the
right is especially friendly to birders.   You may see some BC night herons
here as well, and red-headed woodpeckers for sure.

But continue on Lake Shore Drive and turn right onto Sunset Lakes Blvd,  You
will pass Medcalf Dr. on your right just before crossing the darn dam road.

OR ALTERNATE ROUTE FROM SOUTH:  Turn right at light beyond Calabash, staying
on Rt 179.  You will cross the Calabash River shortly, worth a look if the
tide is low, then Rt 179 makes a right angle turn LEFT - if you go straight
here you will end up in the Inland Waterway.  Honestly.  Watch for a sign
for Oyster Bay condos, pass it, and make the lefthand turn into Oyster Bay
Golf Course, Lake Shore Drive.  Now you are going behind West Lake which
isn't so good for ducks but has lots of moorhens if the many alligators
haven't eaten them.  After passing the Oyster Bay Clubhouse turn left onto
Sunset Lakes Blvd.  And so on.

In good weather instead of turning at the Oyster Bay  Golf Course sign stay
on 179, parking off the road in front of the lake.  Look to the left on the
property of the first house outside the anchor fence and there's usually a
lot of big gaters sunning themselves.  Night herons may be in trees too.  If
the storks were still here Twin Lakes is a good place for them, but the
roost is at the upper end of Lake Medcalf beyond the swamp and can be
accessed from Sea Trail or walking from end of Medcalf Drive.  So save these
directions for next summer.

I'm exhausted.  Hope I have done it right.
Good rarity finding!
Mary McDavit,
osprey1@mindspring.com