Southern SC ramblings

["Paul Champlin" <skua99@hotmail.com>]

Hi folks,			(respond to capito@hotmail.com)

Haven't posted for a while so I figured I'd shtick some stuff out there to 
be chewed on.

1 - Tracey and I visited Clarks-hill Res. on the GA/SC border and were 
astounded at the number of Boneparte's Gulls (and other gulls) that were 
hanging out there. I see ALMOST NO reports from there and was just wondering 
if anyone ever looks over the gulls there. Gulls tend to wander widely and 
are often not looked at, representing an opportunity to expand one's ID 
abilities as well as add to the regional avifaunal data. (Other birds we saw 
there were Horned Greebes, 4 Mallards, a Bald Eagle and 3 Greater 
Yellowlegs). Lots of access and lots of birds. I’ll be visiting there again 
soon.

2 - There have been a few White-eyed Vireos singing on the Savannah River 
Site in New Ellenton, SC and Bachman's Sparrows have begun singing as well.

3 - A late update re. the Henslow's Sparrows that were on site in Dec/Jan.  
The grassy power line cuts where we had several in Dec/Jan, produced none 
after the shin high grass was knocked down by the wind and rain in mid Jan.  
The large grassy bay (Craig's Pond) produced only a few after the rains as 
well. The rains increased the water coverage of the bay which you would 
think would not be a problem for the little buggers but the indications were 
that the birds moved on to higher ground. After the increase in inundation, 
the Leconte's Sparrows increased in detectability (which might just have 
been the affect, not #'s of birds on site). This all suggests (if it wasn't 
just their detectability that declined) that the birds moved during the 
middle of their wintering season. Perhaps this mirrors their breeding season 
site infidelities and inconsistencies.

4 – I’ve noticed a drastic decline in numbers of White-throated and Chipping 
Sparrow flocks on site and in Aiken County. Northward HO!

Cheers
Paul Champlin
New Ellenton, SC

_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com