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Lakes and ponds run



     Today looked to be possibly the last time this winter that I 
would get to do a waterfowl trip in the Triangle area, so I headed 
out early for Jordan Lake, only to get blown off Ebenezer Church 
Point by the wind (cold!).  I did find a common loon there in 
addition to more ordinary stuff.  The waste treatment ponds nearby 
had mallards and bufflehead.   All of the lakes had gulls, but all of 
those I scoped were ring-billed, no surprises.
     My next stop was Horton's Pond.  The best bird there was a 
kingfisher. I went north to I-40 and then east to Crabtree Lake, 
where I found American coots and a possible gadwall (at very long 
range).  I continued east on I-40 to Lake Wheeler Road and then south 
to the NCSU dairy farm.  I did better there:  Canada geese, 
bufflehead, northern shovelers, ring-necked ducks, and lesser scaup. 
I scoped a pasture full of rock doves and blackbirds, hoping for some 
rustys, but the only ones I was certain of were brown-headed cowbirds 
and starlings.
    From the farm I continued south to Lake Wheeler, where a small 
flock of ruddy ducks, a bufflehead, and two pied-billed grebes 
cooperated by showing themselves.  I stopped briefly at Greenview 
Pond to see the green-winged teal, mallards, and Canada geese.
     My next stop was West Lake Road pond, where there were only a 
handful of ducks:  American wigeon, ring-necked, and bufflehead. 
While I was there a golden-crowned kinglet paid a visit.  Leaving 
West Lake, I headed east toward Lake Wheeler Road, where I stopped at 
Ten-Ten pond.  Ten-Ten had a small flock of ring-necked ducks and a 
single hooded merganser drake.
     Finally I started home.  I stopped at a pond outside of Angier in 
Harnett County and found a pair of gadwall and a bunch of ring-necked 
ducks.  Later, but still in Harnett County, I stopped on the shoulder 
of US 401 to check a bird on a power line:  loggerhead shrike.  That 
was my last id of the trip.
     I had 33 species in all.  If I'd stopped to id and log the 
mourning doves I saw and if I'd been quicker at Ebenezer Church 
(probable goldfinch), I would have logged a few more.  Overall I was 
pleased with my expedition.

Bob
-- 
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Robert C. Perkins, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Methodist College, Fayetteville, NC 28311
910-630-7037     rperkins@methodist.edu