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Ducks on the Move



It looks like the ducks are starting to move through Western NC.  Yesterday
afternoon there was a flotilla on Lake Julian consisting of 22 Red-breasted
Mergansers (all male) and about 50 L. Scaup.  Lake Julian is just south of
Asheville.  Lake Julian is a strange place.  Usually there's nothing there
except Canada Geese and a few domestic waterfowl, but during migration it can 
attract big flocks of waterfowl, especially divers like loons, grebes, 
mergansers, and diving ducks.  I think they stock the lake with fish.  
The cormorants gather in big numbers (for the mountains), too.  There are a 
couple of them there now and the number will grow to about 50 or so by spring.
Alas, for the ducks and loons at least, it's usually just a one day stopover.
Marilyn Westphal
Hendersonville, NC
mjwestphal@unca.edu