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Common Mergansers at Falls Lake



Hello C-Birders,

On 12/27/00 I was scouting for my bird count and saw two Common Mergansers
in Beaverdam Lake, one male and one female.  They were in a flock of about
300 Hooded Mergansers.  The male had a white breast and sides, and no hood
or crest on his head.  The female had a bolder chestnut colored head
compared to the female Hooded's around them.  On both birds the thin red
bill was easily visible.  Hope they stick around!

As I watched these birds in my scope, a large dark bird flew through my
scope picture.  I turned to follow and it was a turkey lumbering low over
the water.  Also on the lake were two Ring-neckeds, and about a dozen each
of Mallard and Black Duck.  In the cove to my left was a flock of about 200
Red-winged Blackbirds taking turns bathing on the lake shore.  A piece of
bark landed on my scope from a busy Red-headed Woodpecker in a tree above. 
Seconds later four crow chased a Cooper's Hawk across the lake and perched
in a tree ten feet behind me.

In the northern section of Beaverdam Lake was another 100 or so Hooded
Mergansers, 80 Black Duck, 40 Mallard and a flock of 12 Canvasback!  Also
scared up a Snipe on the shoreline.

From Sandling Beach I saw only one Common Loon, 2 Horned Grebe, 18
Pied-billed Grebes, and as usual, an immature bald eagle was perched on the
opposite shore.

Dont forget to look up, look down, look behind you...
...AW heck just get out there and keep looking, they're out there!

Brian Bockhahn
Falls Lake State Park Ranger
Falls Lake CBC Compiler
13304 Creedmoor Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
919-676-1027
birdranger@excite.com





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