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Big Day
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Big Day
- From: mjwestphal <mjwestphal@unca.edu>
- Date: Mon, 06 May 2002 12:40:05 -0400
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
Bob Olthoff and I did a Big Day count on Sunday. Naturally the day AFTER the
CBC meeting was drop dead gorgeous. I must say that the people who were in
the Chimney Rock group on Friday, when the park was closed until after 10
because of power outage from downed lines, and on Dillingham on Saturday,
when you often couldn't see your hand in front of your face because of the
fog, were absolutely wonderful and very patient with the conditions. Please,
if you have a chance, come back to these places when the weather is better.
You won't be dissapointed. They are a couple of the most beautiful places
around here.
So anyway, back to Big Day when conditions were perfect, Bob and I got 115
species (we limit ourselves to Buncombe and Henderson counties). Most
notables were a couple of Red Crossbills at Balsam Gap (yes Dillinghamers, we
were there on Saturday and the Crossbills weren't - of course we could
actually see the tree tops on Sunday), a Sedge Wren at the Arboretum (very
unusual in the mountains), and a couple of Forsters Terns at Lake Julian. We
had 23 species of Warbler including passers-through Tennessee, Cape May, and
Blackpoll (lots). Most notable warbler miss was Kentucky. Our sure-fire
Kentucky was blocked by a rock slide. Our most embarrassing miss was
Red-bellied Woodpecker. I guess we were taking them too much for granted and
they were being quiet.
One last note, Willow Flycatchers are starting to come in. We had a couple
on Sunday.
Marilyn Westphal
Hendersonville, NC
mjwestphal@unca.edu