Hundreds of Com. Mergansers

[Harry LeGrand <Harry.LeGrand@ncmail.net>]

Folks:
    I've seen reports from inland sites of one or two Common Mergansers
this winter. But -- the gold-mine site in NC is Lake Phelps, where up to
250 or more Common Mergansers have been seen in previous winters.

On Dec. 26, I stopped at the west end of the lake, at the boardwalk, and
saw lots of Tundra Swans, Canvasbacks, and other ducks, but no Common
Mergansers (I've never seen them from the west or south shores). I did
flush two Woodcocks from the side of the trail to the boardwalk! I then
went to the northeast shore, at the Pettigrew State Park office. There
were the Common Mergansers, a good 1/2 mile or more away in a very tight
flock, perhaps 200 of them. Probably half were males, and they stretched
their chests out of the water so I could see the lack of any dark color
below the dark green head. (I did see a couple of Red-breasteds there,
and plenty of Hoodeds, for a clean sweep.) The mergansers are best
viewed in the morning, as you would be looking to the SW. Also, if it is
windy, you probably will not see them, with all of the chop on such a
big lake.

I also got a trio of swans on Dec. 26. I saw a large flock (50 or more)
of Tundra Swans at a borrow pond on the south side of US 64 somewhere in
eastern Edgecombe county, I believe. I also saw an adult Mute Swan with
the Tundras. I saw a Black Swan (!) at Bodie I. lighthouse pond later in
the day. The Black Swan isn't countable, as it is native to Austrailia.
The Mute Swan -- maybe is countable at that site, as there is a good
population in e. VA and e. MD. At any rate, I wasn't overly excited
about seeing the Mute Swan, and we can debate on countability of
individual birds! It IS, however, on the Official State list for NC, as
we assume some of the birds are strays from the feral population on the
Delmarva Peninsula.

--
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