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Lakes and ponds run
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Lakes and ponds run
- From: "Robert C. Perkins" <rperkins@infi.net>
- Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2001 16:03:12 -0500
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
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
--
--------------------------------------------------
Robert C. Perkins, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Methodist College, Fayetteville, NC 28311
910-630-7037 rperkins@methodist.edu