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Savannah NWR, 1/14/2001
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Savannah NWR, 1/14/2001
- From: "Donna S. Bailey" <dsbailey@conterra.com>
- Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 21:17:30 -0500
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
Carroll Richard, Kathleen O'Grady and I ventured out to Savannah NWR
yesterday. They were searching for the White-faced Ibis but I was just
hoping for Redheads. While we found lots of ducks and even a dark Ibis,
neither target bird was found. We found a nice selection of ducks,
including many Shoveler (easily the most numerous duck species), Gadwalls,
Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal, and one
lone Ruddy Duck. We found good numbers of American Coots and Common
Moorhens. We found Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons and even
Black-crowned Night-herons in the marshes. An American Bittern was seen
briefly by Kathleen.
The most interesting bird of the day, however, was a songbird. Around the
restrooms at the beginning of Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive, we found a
Yellow-breasted Chat hanging around in the underbrush with many
White-throated and Song Sparrows. I had heard Chats winter in small numbers
on the southern coast but that is one of those things you really don't
believe until you see it. But it was a Chat. In winter, that yellow breast
is shocking against a background of brown and gray, fallen leaves and bare
branches, a different experience from finding warblers in the spring, when
their bright colors seem more apropos among the greening leaves and
wildflowers. Running a close second in interest was a Rusty Blackbird, seen
well by all of us.
Another interesting bird of the day was unfortunately seen only by myself
and only very briefly. I was lucky enough to glimpse the back half of what
I think was a King Rail based on my size estimate and the intensity of color
I could see on the flanks and breast. It was enough. Any look at a rail
is, as I said, just luck, anyway.
It was a pleasant day and it was pleasant to bird in shirtsleeves for a
change, rather than three or four layers of clothing.
Donna Bailey
Winnsboro, SC
e-mail: dsbailey@conterra.com
URL: http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey
"Where are the Birds? Migration across South Carolina"