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Falls Lake CBC Results
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Falls Lake CBC Results
- From: B Bockhahn <Birdranger@excite.com>
- Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 08:09:40 -0800 (PST)
- Reply-To: <birdranger@excite.com>
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
The Falls Lake CBC on DEC 30, 2000 had 16 observers in 11 parties, 66.25
total party hours, 156.25 total miles, one feeder counter with 8 hours and
3.25 hours and 3.5 miles owling.
Temps ranged from 18-34 and it SNOWED for about an hour in the morning.
A total of 90 species were recorded on count day, an additional 6
were seen in the count week (Common Snipe, Rufous Hummingbird, American
Pipit, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Loggerhead Shrike and Wood Duck!) Misses
were Northern Bobwhite, Savannah Sparrow, Northern Shoveler and Redhead
which have been present on the lake a few weeks prior. Fish Crow and any
irruptive species were also not located.
With all still water frozen and 40%+ of the lake frozen, it was a strange
day. Duck numbers were great with high counts of Mallard and Black Duck.
Hooded Mergansers numberd 800 for another high count, one female COMMON
MERGANSER was seen by Will Cook in Beaverdam Lake. There were many low
numbers for loons, horned grebe and all raptors. The ever-present gull
flock produced a high count of 16,604 Ring-billed Gull, 335 Herring, and 8
Greater Black-backed Gulls. One of the Vulture Roosts this year was
suprisngly not active, but with locating another 100 Turkey and 73 Blacks
were counted. A flock of 320 Rusty Blackbirds was a new species to the
count, as well as a good high count. The only real rarity was the count
week RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD.
A reporter and photographer from the Raleigh News and Observer came out for
a story about the count. It turned into a personal interest story, but I
didn't mind!! They did call a flock of Ring-billed Gulls "seagulls", and
mentioned that Bluebirds were an exciting find, but otherwise it was great.
I was impressed with the reporter showing up at 5:30 a.m. to go owling in 18
degree weather, thats dedication!
Other oddities:
Watching four deer swim out into the lake, encounter a sheet of ice, chop
through it for about 200 feet, then as it got too thick turning around and
heading back. Seconds later a turkey flew across the lake, then another
deer acting "strange" ran out into the lake and encountered the ice. In the
scope we realized the deer had been shot by a hunter in the head, and was
going ballistic on the ice. It only took a minute for the deer to stop, and
then sink. <Sigh>
We also used our scopes to watch some duck hunters pull up onto non-hunting
land with their guns. One of the rangers who was with me, left us to go
have a quick "talk" with them.
Also at Rollingview we watched as a sheet of ice which covered half the
lake, was being pushed toward the shore by the wind. Plates of ice 2-3' in
diameter were breaking off and being pushed up onto the beach. Trees and
buoys in the lake were breaking through, as the ice came in around it. As
we left a pile of ice pieces 50 feet long and one to two feet high was on
the beach!
MANY THANKS to the volunteers who came out and froze for my count!
Brian Bockhahn
Falls Lake State Park Ranger
Falls Lake CBC Compiler
13304 Creedmoor Road
Wake Forest, NC 27587
919-676-1027
birdranger@excite.com
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