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Columbia water treatment plant and vicinity



Hi Carolinabirders,

Jerry Griggs showed be the way to the Columbia wastewater treatment plant 
today. After watching his feeders for a bit, we stopped on the way to the 
plant in an area marked as Wood Duck habitat. We heard Woodies but saw 
none. However, we saw lots more, highlighted by an awesome male Baltimore 
Oriole! Is it my imagination, or are there a LOT more Balties being 
reported than usual over the last month?

Other high points of that area were a Red-headed Woodpecker or three, 
several (at least 5) Red-tailed Hawks, and a few Rusty Blackbirds in a 
large (4-500) flock of Common Grackles. We couldn't find the Brewer's we 
wanted though.

Next, at the plant itself, we were surprised to find the pond almost 
totally dry! The lack of ducks was party compensated for by a few 
American Pipits on the bare mud, and a Northern Harrier that passed 
dazzlingly close to us as we stood on the dike overlooking the dry pond 
basin. Lots of Killdeer, but no other shorebirds, nor the longspurs or 
Snow Buntings we hoped for.

Lastly, we drove randomly through the farm fields on the far side of I-77 
from the plant. Highlight was a Common Snipe (which I briefly 
misidentified as a dowitcher -oops), but this was overshadowed - 
literally - by the largest flock of blackbirds I can ever remember 
seeing. We're talking at least 10,000 Red-wings, nearly as many Common 
Grackles, hundreds of Brown-headed Cowbirds, and probably many Rusties. 
Brewer's? Maybe. No Yellow-headeds that we could find though.

Well, better get to sleep. I have to leave for the Rock Hill/York CBC in 
four hours.

Good birding,

Josh



Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Biology (Zoology, R.I.P.)

jsr6@acpub.duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/